Spam Me

     This bowl contains a meal that is the anti-thesis of my usual cooking approach. Yes I am an ingredient snob, preferring homemade that begins with fresh, raw or unrefined foods. It is a principle that developed gradually and becomes more obvious when my family askes for an old familiar dish. As newlyweds some thirty years ago, husband and I had little disposable income, and at first he scoffed at my Marco Polo Mac (recipe came from an  indeterminate origin, possibly my mother, is nutrition free and chock full of salts, preservatives, and additives). Today he requested it. So off to the market I went to buy macaroni and cheese, canned mushroom soup and, horror of horrors - Spam! With a little chopped onion and green pepper sauteed in butter, and a cup of milk - voila - comfort food.

As the Snow Melts

     The recent snow wasn't very deep but it was very welcome because it arrived on Christmas Eve and inspired a festive holiday spirit. Now, four days later, the thermometer has climbed above freezing and the snow is disappearing quickly; the streets and sidewalks are salt-stained and the expanding patches of grass are brown. It is all very dirty and ugly without a closer look. This little ceramic bird huddled on a ledge outside the back door, totally submerged in the snow until this morning. It almost appears as if he will soon lift his head and rejoice in the sunlight.



Sandwich Platter

     Christmas day for the entire extended family was held at our home this year. It was a bittersweet affair - bitter because for the last fifty-one years we've all spent the holiday in the five-bedroom house where we grew up and where Mom still lives, and sweet because we were less stressed about over-taxing her eighty-three year old sensiblities. But what to feed the hungry horde? I'd seen a brochure from a local market that featured party foods and happened upon a lovely sandwich platter, which also happened to be very expensive. So I bought all the ingredients a couple days ahead and early in the afternoon on Christmas, with the market's photo as a guide, I put together my own platter. It made a beautiful presentation and was tasty as well - at the end of the night there was only one pita left!

     The pita pockets are stuffed with ham, colby cheese, lettuce and tomato; the foccacia featured turkey, provolone, lettuce and tomato with a cherry tomato garnish. Mayo and mustard were on the side for those who preferred condiments, as were multiple and varied side dishes provided by siblings and cousins

"Peace on Earth" (or "A Siberian Husky Won't Find It Hard to Sleep Tonight")

"And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

     The old ballad, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a lovely song with very strong words. I looked up the lyrics after thinking that peace in my little part of the earth arrived last night, the day after the holiday, when I sat down in the quiet and the dark, the rest of the house asleep - no television or music, no games or electronics, and only the lights of the Christmas tree to soften the edges of the darkness. It WAS a moment of sublime peace. Nikki agreed silently.

Christmas Corner

     Given the soaring height of the vaulted ceiling in our living room, a ten or twelve foot Christmas tree would be fitting and even majestic. It would also overwhelm the floor space and be daunting to trim. My compromise is a five foot live balsam that is elevated to a stately height by placement on a chest. The shining tree-top star is lofty and the entire tree is visible from the outside through the picture window

Grandmother's Handmade



     Arranging Christmas decorations in the dining room, I am reminded of my grandmother. It was she who inspired my love of sewing and handcrafts, which is ironic because homemaking was not her forte - she worked outside the home as a clothing salesperson for almost all of her adult life. Although she did make dresses from patterns she often selected easier craft projects, preferring to create from preprinted fabrics or preassembled kits (she even belonged to a mailorder "Craft-of-the-Month" club). This simple Santa pillow is evidence of her modest talent, yet it exists decades later as testament to her aspiration and her holiday spirit.

These cone-shaped Father Christmas figures presented a slightly greater degree of difficulty: the arms were sewn and stuffed seperately and then attached to the body. These fellows share the top of the bookshelf with another set of pointy-topped peers which are actually wooden nesting Santas. The similar shapes placed on both sides of a vase of holiday blooms present a pleasing balance and a touch of whimsy.

Applesauce Doughnuts

     About once a year, I get a hankering to make doughnuts. Ordinarily, the heavy dose of oil for deep frying, and the drips and the draining, are off-putting but with the cookie and bread baking finished for the holidays, I was in the mood for something different. Since there was half a jar of applesauce lurking in the refrigerator, that was a good incentive too. Using a saucepan instead of a large kettle takes a little longer but seems less messy and uses less oil.The doughnuts are wonderful eaten plain with a glass of milk or rolled in powdered sugar (which a few hours later actually achieves the consistency of a glaze). Now for every bite I'll have to walk an extra half-mile this afternoon

Happy Day for a Husky

     The forecast was correct and the snowfall (or should I say snow whirl - the wind is wicked!) has begun. Nikita doesn't jump for joy, he simply wallows in the shallow drifts, happy as a pig in a mud pit. Enjoying his quiet revery, he begrudges a smile for the camera.

Hoping for Snow

     Although my family moved to Missouri from Michigan when I was five years old, I clearly and affectionately remember  the winter snows. Perhaps that is why, when the forecast includes the rare white stuff, I don't panic or fret; I anticipate it's arrival with something akin to glee even if it doesn't commence at a convenient time for playing. But as soon as my schedule allows, I pull on my boots and gloves, grab the dog, the shovel, the camera or even the neighbor's kids (any excuse will do), and hurry out into the winter wonderland.

circa 1958-59

Grand Rapids, Michigan

(Amusing to see the baby sitting comfortably in a beer box - how

politically incorrect that would be today!)

Custom Bling

     A small box of old jewelry from a thrift shop yielded a couple of trash-worthy strings of plastic beads but also several pairs of clip-on type earrings. Having seen large cluster rings become popular recently, I decided to take apart the earrings and wire them to plain ring forms (which can be bought at craft or bead stores but I had a few in my jewelry box). The clips actually broke away easily after a few bends with a pair of pliers and then I looped a six-inch strand of beading wire through the earring backing and around the ring form a couple times, crimped it tightly and clipped the wire tails. Since it will only be worn a few hours at a time and then exclusively to holiday parties, the simple construction should hold up fine. And since this is the gifty season and the original earring was one of a pair, I can bestow the other ring accordingly.

     Another plus to this project is that I bought a lovely, silky top that has a high neck, almost like a turtleneck, with soft pleats down the front; a necklace or a pin seemed out of the question, but a ring sporting a large cluster of gems would be just the right accessory.



Family Photo

     For the last several years I've made it a point to get a family photo in early December so I can enclose one in my Christmas cards. This year I tried something new and we all, especially the kids, had fun posing on our backs on the floor! The photo is actually a composite - I stood on a chair and took several shots and then Vinny did the same while I reclined awhile. I am thoroughly pleased with the final result; the black and white has a sharp, stylish look yet the subject arrangement and facial expressions convey a playfulness appropriate for the holiday season. Another (unexpected) plus: gravity provides a natural facelift!

Molly the Movie Critic

     Today is a very cold, windy day so we're staying inside to finish decorating the Christmas tree. With a pot of sauce simmering on the stove for a dinner of mostaccioli and some Pinot Grigio in our wine glasses, we thought a holiday video would complete the mood. Miss Molly, never one to be left out, was quite interested in the movie choice - no surprise -she selected the Chipmunks.