Santa to the Point

     This group of Santas graces the top of a shelving unit in my dining room. They share a distinctive feature: a conical shape and pointy hat! Of course, that is what led me to place them in a proximate area. However they are constructed quite differently. The green pair are soft-sculptures - printed fabric that was cut and stitched together, then stuffed with polyester. They are special to me because my grandmother made them several decades ago. The red trio are treasured because a dear sister-in-law gifted them to me, also many years past. They are wooden; and can be pulled apart and nested for storage. I love the unusual but analagous shapes - pinnacles overseeing the dinner table!

The Original Cookie & Noodle Maker

     Today I graduated...from my ancient cookie press. As I placed it in a box destined for a charity pickup, I almost felt a nostalgic sadness. Although only used once a year, it has been a part of my Christmas traditions for four decades, and I watched my mother use one for years before that. I remember being frustrated as a novice baker, the first time I used the metal press and the dough would stick to the template, so I'd push out more dough and then end up with an unrecognizable blob. Took awhile to master the trick of expressing just the right amount of dough, and having it just the right temperature and consistency. 

     But eventually I got it right and began enjoying the process, and the tasty beautiful cookies. Now with my new plastic "gun" it's easier than ever (although I still sometimes end up with a blob!) and the triple dents in my oldest cookie sheets will stop multiplying. (Oh and I never actually tried making noodles with that old press either.)

1949 Christmas Tree

     'Tis the season for Christmas trees and everybody has a unique way of choosing and decorating their own. Trends and fads dictate some people's style, ease and speed of assembly may influence others, and some, like me, seek to recreate the magic of our childhood.

     This tree was my parent's, in their first tiny home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was several years before I was born but it is a fascinating glimpse into the traditions of a long ago decade.

     With Dad and her own mother in the Christmas Day picture below, Mom was pregnant with their first child (who would be born eleven days later). While not particularly creative, Mom did love holidays and she was influenced by an aunt whom she adored (and lived with for most all of her own childhood - Aunt had home full of family, extended family and sometimes even friends; she was frugal and hard-working but had a manner of quiet refinement.)

     Anyway, this tall balsam, which would be considered skimpy by today's standards, really does have a gorgeous shape and is adorned with just a few ornaments and a sprinkling of tinsel. I love it - and the joy and holiday spirit that is so evident in the young family's happy smiles .

November's Crescent Moon

     A full moon is fun to photograph but I've never really tried to capture a crescent moon. Last week  when a beautiful waning phase presented itself in a clear sky just before sunrise, I took a few shots but didn't have a chance to look at them until today. Only one was decent - not good -just decent. I did, however, like the dark branches that frame the foreground and the very faint outline of the moon's sphere. One more chapter in my moon photo quest...

Bread Cook Book from BHG

     These days when I need a recipe, more often than not, I do a search on my iPad; allrecipes and cooks.com are favorites but sometimes Pinterest is a good place for inspiration as well. However nothing beats thumbing through cookbooks. My collection is varied, from hardbacks to softcovers to spiral bound to a dozen notebooks of clippings and copies. This magazine-type book has held up well, considering that it is a favorite and is oft used. It contains the basics of bread making, and has bread and roll recipes that range from simple to complicated, a sweet and a savory section, and a few other categories - all in a concise format. Lots of the tried recipes have notes and/or substitutions penciled in. It is my absolute go-to and the basis for almost any baking project that I undertake

     Considering the fact that this book was published in 1973, it confirms that good baking is pretty timeless! The only problem lies in choosing what to make on this chilly Saturday?!

The Color of October

     Autumn brings a riot of color. After the lush but constant greens of summer, the profusion of hues during harvest season is so welcome. There are several farmer's markets in our metro area, but on this day we chose to visit Kirkwood, southward bound from home. We bought apples, cider, and sweet potatoes but we also enjoyed the sight of jumbled piles of pumpkins and squash, in a number of colors and varieties.

 

     Afterwards, a stop at the grocery store was in order, and again the trappings of autumn enchanted us. The seasonal arrangement in the floral department was ablaze with accessories and decorations in a vignette that just begged for a photograph. Yep, I took a photo of a grocery store display - what can I say? I love October!

1960's Portable Hair Dryer

     Not much of a story here, just a glimpse into the past, perhaps 1962-63. Big sis, Carol, was using a portable bonnet-type hair dryer at the kitchen table and Dad probably thought it would make a funny photo. That's me giggling at her side (and probably dying to use the newfangled gadget myself), and brother, Dave, is in the foreground (probably making faces at Carol!) She was a good sport about all the fuss but the look on her face says, "Really, Dad?!"