Aluminum Christmas Tree - New and Old

     While leafing through one of the many catalogs that grace the mailbox at this time of year, I came across a very nostalgic item. Surprised was I to see  a new version of this aluminum tree on the market. Not very pretty nor very traditional and actually somewhat tacky, the original holds a treasured spot in my Christmas memories. As kids in the early 1960's, we enjoyed our shiny, sparkly tree for two or three years in the living room and then it was relegated to the basement rec room. The soft light of slowly changing colors spilled up the stairwell and was visible from our bedrooms; it was comforting but exciting at the same time.

    
     When I found a photograph of our tree in the family albums, I was surprised to see how small and narrow it appears because in my memory it is like the advertisement above. Whatever the case, it will be remembered fondly.

Kitty meets the coons

     Miss Molly Anna loves the changing seasons, not for the obvious reasons of temperature or precipitation, but for the boxes and tubs that are being emptied or filled with decorations. She climbs inside each one as if to claim it for her own and then hops out. The stuff that piles up on the dining room table during each transformation also has to be investigated. These two painted rocks inhabit the front porch during the summer and autumn months but have been brought in to pack away and make room for holiday accents. Miss Molly appears to have made a friendly acquaintance and all three seem to be posing with the same wide-eyed expression.



Mashed Potato Pancakes

     The day after Thanksgiving is replete with leftovers. The usual thought is turkey sandwiches or soup but I went in different directions this year. Today for lunch we had turkey salad (made with celery, onion and mayonnaise) and crackers, and for Sunday dinner we'll have turkey enchiladas spiced with chili peppers and jalapenos from the garden. Into the freezer went  the final few slices of white meat, leftover peas and onions, and enough gravy to cover - a convenient dinner to heat up quickly one evening next week after a long busy day at work - yummy over some toast points. One of our favorites isn't related to the bird however, but to the mashed potatoes. Just a scant cup mixed with egg, milk, flour and a few other ingredients produces crispy edged pancakes that complement an ordinary breakfast of eggs and bacon. The pancakes are good fried in butter or bacon fat, and there are never any left over.

Giving Thanks

     Every time I walk up to the front porch of my home, I give pause before entering, and especially so at Thanksgiving. Yes, it's a day for heavenly aromas from the kitchen, and for spending time with family, and even for football, but on this Thanksgiving morning I am alone and the house is quiet; a misty rain is falling outside and there is no bustle in the kitchen. There will be no children or grandchildren or siblings visiting today as everyone has other family obligations. Am I sad? Yes, I shed a few tears this morning but when I went outside to get the newspaper, the wreath that hangs by the front door chided, "Give Thanks", and I began to feel much better. That familiar pause was a little more poignant today - those two little words turned my day around. I can give thanks for so much that I have now but at times in my life were disparate: a lovely home, a good job, health and a family that I love dearly. So later, when Pop gets home from work and we sit down to eat our small turkey (with big helpings of stuffing), I'll get tears in my eyes again, but they'll be tears of happiness.

Leafy Days

     Raking leaves is considered a chore, but I take into account the fact that it's a reason to be outside enjoying the fresh air and a it's good way to burn a few calories. If a child or a dog is present, it can even be fun because leaf piles are irresistible!

*****

Pumpkin-Filled Sweet Rolls

     A gray, chilly, windy day does have its merit because of the incentive to play in the kitchen, turn the oven on and enjoy the aroma of something baking. First I pick out a new or tried-and-true recipe. Today I did a little of both; I used my standby recipe for sweet rolls but rolled it up with a pumpkin cinnamon filling inside. Pronounced yummy by all, a good bit disappeared before it was even cooled or glazed! I do believe this combination will become a November standard in our house.

Color Variance in November

     The absence of color early this morning was rather striking. A fog that through the window appeared dreary had much more character and became an interesting study in contrasts when viewed skyward from outside on the lawn.

   Later, sometime after sunrise, the fog disappeared and the remaining colors of the season became apparent . The blazing burning bush in the neighbor's yard was a splendid backdrop for my miscanthus - a valiant final effort by autumn's palette.

Farm Fun

     A gorgeous sunny day and a recent visit to my sister's farm provided an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, the colorful foliage, and to contemplate the beautiful scenery. The children took some quiet time to admire the trees lining the horse pasture, while hoping the herd would meander up the hill for a visit.

     Meanwhile, having discovered a boxy, oversized wheelbarrow, the adults were not above a little horseplay of their own.

Ice Skating Afternoon

     Although yesterday was warm for mid-November, the nearby ice rink had recently opened for the season, so grand-daughter, niece and I spent a couple of afternoon hours practicing the art of balancing on two thin blades while also moving in a forward motion.While this is a talent not as easily recovered as riding a bicycle, I felt a little more comfortable as time progressed, (it is strange sensation to be an adult taking baby steps while children barely out of toddler stage are zipping by at amazing speed!) After only one spill and a slightly bruised tailbone, I cajoled the girls into heading home for hot chocolate and a toe-warming fire - altogether a fun day!

Pet Door

     Nikki, the husky, has always enjoyed free access to the screened porch through his own small entrance. It was equipped with a piece of hanging screen that kept mosquitoes out but a dog could easily push through. However,  little Miss Molly, the indoor cat, spent quite a bit of time on the porch this summer and we had to block the door with a piece of plywood  because it was an escape hatch for her. It was a bother to keep moving that plywood every time Nik wanted in or Molly wanted out, and she actually got adept at pushing it aside so an alternative had to be found and that was obviously a door with a latch, and, obviously it had to be custom made. So I measured and cut a smooth piece of  ash, painted it to match and attached it with two hinges. A small peg of ash, anchored with a screw and a plastic bolt, acts as a latch to hold the door closed and is easily turned to allow it to open. Now everyone is happy almost all the time.

             

Autumn - the Equalizer

     Autumn brings a variety of lovely textures. It evens the differences in varied landscape tastes by baring the branches of deciduous trees and shrubs and spreading a crinkly layer of curling brown leaves over grasses and groundcovers.  Because of city codes, all the yards in our neighborhood are well-maintained but some are artfully landscaped and lovingly tended, and some are plain grass with a requisite tree or potted geranium. At this time of year, however, autumn is the equalizer - every yard looks pretty much the same. At least until Saturday morning, when the leaf blowers fire up!

English Muffins

     A day at home, alone, with lots of housework planned, calls for the aroma of something baking in the oven. English muffins are always a pleasant change from boring toast at breakfast, so I made two dozen, which means we'll have some tomorrow, I'll take a couple to my mother, share a few more with the kids and then freeze the rest for convenient use later. Actually they look so good coming out of the oven, I think I'll have one now for lunch. Pass the jam, please!



Pink Sunrise

     The neighbors probably think of me as the crazy lady who gets up early and goes outside in her bathrobe to take pictures. But when the sky is as gloriously breathtaking as it was this morning, I simply cannot resist.

Bridal Shower Cakes

     A dear friend and co-worker recently celebrated marriage to her long-time(eighteen years!) partner. Of course, a shower was held beforehand (at Hendel's Market Cafe and Piano Bar, a grocery store built in 1873 that has been renovated into a charming yet elegant restaurant), and of course, I offered to bring the cake. After browsing several websites and images, and considering the simple but determined taste of the bride-to-be, I chose a fondant covered layer cake with a minimum of decoration surrounded by buttercream frosted cupcakes. Never having used fondant, I wanted to try it and now I had an excuse for the experience. It was interesting and fun, but I do believe I prefer using frosting.
     The cake batter was dark chocolate with a hint of creme de menth and the vanilla frosting tinted to match the bridal party colors. The shower was declared a big success and the cakes enjoyed by all.

Autumn Flower Arrangements

     The last hurrah of the growing season provides some splendid items and colors for decorating: multihued mums, brown stems and seeds, golden gourds and pumpkins, to name a few. I like to accent the tabletops, shelves and walls with varied combinations of these offerings from nature, but always in a simple arrangement; the colors and textures are showy enough.

      Daisy mums are happy in a pumpkin vase that rests
on a small table next to my reading chair.

A grapevine wreath is interlaced with berries, pine cones and

colorful leaves and tied with a casual gingham bow.

Desiring a slightly more formal look for the living room, the trunk

used as a coffee table is adorned with a glass vase

filled with mums in only two shades.

This fellow was a lucky flea market find. He graces a kitchen shelf

and is filled with an assortment of autumn's offerings.

Early November Sunset

     It is only a few days until Daylight Savings Time ends and as the days shorten we try to squeeze as much as possible into the sunlit hours. Last night the setting sun seemed also to try to linger as long as possible.

Apple Pie

    It's apple season now and although the extremely hot summer produced fruit that was somewhat smaller than usual, overflowing bushels and bags are in abundance at the local farmer's markets and pick-your-own farms. Pop has requested an apple pie so today I am in the kitchen and happily so. An afternoon of baking can satisfy the senses on many levels: the hands-on fun of rolling out dough, the taste of the crispy apple peel, the heavenly smell of cinnamon and nutmeg from the oven.  

     However there are ancillary aspects of pie baking that satisfy also. It is a gift to spend time at a craft that I love but today I am also surrounded by other treasures. Things like a beloved grand-daughter, mini pans that are just her size, a favorite apron,  and a rolling pin that has been in the kitchen for thirty or more years.

    

And of course the end product is a showpiece, or at least it's pretty yummy! Pop agrees.



Halloween - the day after

     To love Halloween means being an eternal child; I disliked the hiatus between having a child who trick-or-treated and having grandchildren who did the same, because it meant I had no excuse for traipsing through the leafy neighborhood streets in the moonlight, ringing doorbells expectantly and then later separating and piling up the candy and goodies while a good scarey movie played on the television.

     To love Halloween also means to love children. In those hiatus years described above, my consolation was  the enjoyment of each and every costumed kid who visited my front door. I have a neighbor, (a teacher no less!) who for years would darken her house, lock the front door and leave for the evening because it bothered her when teenagers trick-or-treated. In my opinion, since children grow up so quickly these days, they should be allowed to have childish fun as long as possible. What is the harm in handing a candy bar to a fifteen-year-old and why should he not be having fun? What else is there for teens to do these days? Another plus is getting further acquainted and even befriending the local kids, which is a plus in our world of seclusion and suspicion.

     It is with regret that I foresee the trick-or-treat era fading as less people hand out candy, less parents allow their children out, and other "safer" rituals are adopted. I mourn the fact that future generations may not have the great fun that mine experienced. I think James Whitcomb Riley understood what spooky fun was all about:

"An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!
An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,
An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,--
You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear,
An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,
An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!"