A Cold, Blustery Start

The new year has gotten off to a cold, cold start here on the Shore. For others, like our SD friends, temperatures in the low twenties and teens are no big deal but we just aren't used to them. Worse still is the roaring wind. For two days our old house has been shaking, rattling, and not quite so cozy as it usually is. Thank goodness for our little woodstove. It's been running nonstop for days and making life much more bearable. Paul has even been getting up in the middle of the night to stir the coals and to feed the fire.

I'm also thankful for my dear MIL's holiday leftovers. (That's her in the photo, minus the leftovers.) She knows how much I love a good pot of soup and she makes sure I get either the turkey carcass or the hambone to take home with me after a nice family dinner at her house. This year, I got both. Yaaaay!! So, when I hear it's going to snow, rain, or get cold like it is now, I pull my treasure out of the freezer and set to work. I have a few secrets, that I'm happy to share. First, I always use the chicken or beef stock that comes in a box. It's lower in sodium than most of the canned broth and it's better seasoned. (If you make your own stock, disregard this advice--you've already got the best.) Then, I use a dutch oven--mine is an old Le Creuset--and I cook the soup in the oven, not on the stovetop. I saute the aromatics on the burner, adding a little flour at the end. After that, I throw in a container of stock and the meat. Into the oven it goes at about 325 degrees and I leave it for 90 minutes or so. After that, I add veggies, a little more water, and, at the very end, potatoes, rice or noodles and return it to the oven for 20-30 minutes more, just enough to cook the vegetables but not make them soggy.

Often when I make soup or stew, I make hot biscuits or a loaf of bread (from the breadmaker, of course) but last week I discovered a neat trick. We happened to go into a bakery one afternoon and I bought a loaf of day old bread. I usually freshen stale bread in the microwave but this time, I cut it into wide slices and put two in each soup bowl, pouring the hot liquid over top to serve. It was awesome! (So was the potato and leek soup, by the way.)

I'm sure my methods are far from revolutionary and probably common knowledge to better cooks than I, but I learned this all from reading Cook's Illustrated magazine and from watching their show, "America's Test Kitchens" and it's what works best for me.

A Christmas Album

Snow fell early this year. We in the Mid-Atlantic area--and northward--enjoyed a white Christmas.





























Trish and Julie enjoy Bergen's delicious homemade truffles (with chili pepper!) and peppermint fudge. When did she get time to make it all?










Grandmother shows off new frames for photos of the new babies.



























Jack, in his formal best, keeps guard, watching out the window.







Another of Cora and her dad.

Christmas 2009

For the last few years, Christmas has been a rough time for me. The death of my mother in 2000 and of my father a year later, cast a pall on the holidays and reminders that I should feel "merry and bright" only served to intensify my sadness. As others looked forward to the lights, decorations, and Christmas carols, I felt only dread. I looked forward only to December 26, for the slow return of normalcy.

This year that veil of sorrow has finally begun to lift.

Our family is growing again as my children and their cousins are starting to marry and to have families of their own. The first to arrive was Cora, born to my oldest nephew and his wife. I've rediscovered that sharing Christmas morning with a toddler can soften the darkest spirit. Like all little ones her age, Cora's temperament is mercurial. One moment she is playful and happy. Within seconds the winds will change and her cries will break your heart. Watching her, despite these ups and downs, has been remedial. She reminds me of the same magic moments shared with my own toddlers and of how quickly they pass.

We are also looking forward to the birth of my son's first child, a little girl who was "due" on December 25th. Understandingly, we were somewhat apprehensive about her coming during the holidays but those feelings reached critical mass when an early snowstorm pounded our area before Christmas and brought the MD-DC-VA area to a standstill. Fortunately, our prayers that she would choose a later date to arrive have been answered favorably.

And so it is that the coming of one child and the anticipation of another has served to ease my seasonal unhappiness. I will never stop missing my parents, but the time has come at last, I think, to put the grief away, to stop and enjoy the Christmas lights.

Rainly Day Road Trip

Last week we had a wonderful little road trip. Two of my knitting buddies, Carol and Terri are also tea lovers. So, when I learned about a tea store in Annapolis, someone suggested a trip over The Bridge.

I decided to drive and Carol volunteered to sit in the back seat of the Mini--she's such a good sport but I suspect that's the last time she'll be so adventurous. Sitting back there isn't terribly uncomfortable if you're of average height or less, but getting in and out can be tricky. I've perfected an exit strategy that can only be classified as "graceful" if someone outside the car can give me a little tug. Failing that, I'm afraid it looks more like I'm escaping from a sink hole.

The weather was windy, wet and chilly but the little red car was toasty warm. As we rode, Terri read aloud from A Wind in the Willows and time passed quickly. The walk from the parking garage was a short one but we were nevertheless, greatly appreciative when the storekeeper offered up warm samples of the tea du jour. We had fun admiring tea pots, checking out various tea accoutrements and smelling the hundred or so loose teas that were available. It was a true field day for the senses, especially on such a nasty day. Carol, a devoted Obama fan, was tickled to learn that the store had a special mix of tea dedicated to the new president and she happily bought some, along with a number of others, for herself and a friend. I chose some African rooibos, which is a rich red herbal tea, and two black teas--Earl Grey, mixed with English lavender, and an oriental spice blend.



Afterwards, we stopped for lunch at my favorite Annapolis restaurant, Cafe Normandie. We warmed ourselves with more hot tea and feasted on a lunch of good bread, rich soup and fresh salad as we chatted.

What a lovely way to spend a rainy day--or any day!

Boo Humbug

I hate Halloween. Maybe it started when my mother made me a cool black cat costume and Shirley Niklas won the first place costume prize for some cheesy princess get-up.

Once or twice I relapsed and reluctantly played along with the rest of the world. Most often I've worn my jammies, carried a teddy bear and blankie for a few handfuls of free chocolate. The best one was probably the time I wore a forest green head-to-toe leotard festooned with Christmas ornaments and silver garland. After a time however, life as a Christmas tree grew wearisome. Everyone just wanted to "feel my balls."

We had a few good years when my kids were small. One year, Dan was a mummy and I wrapped him up in strips of muslin. He started unraveling the minute he stepped out the door. When he returned from making the rounds in the neighborhood, he looked like an angora cat who'd lost a fight with the weed whacker. I picked up strings from the carpet for weeks. When Julie was about 3, she decided she wanted to be a "cockalooda." After a few minutes of careful interrogation, we concluded that she wanted to be a brightly colored bird. I cut long petal-shaped "feathers" from a number of different cotton fabrics and sewed them onto a cape, which she wore over tights. She was the cutest little cockalooda in the Halloween parade, right down to her red high-topped Converse sneakers.

Now, I find Halloween a bother. I dislike having to listen to the dogs bark all night as we run back and forth to dispense cheap candy and a heartfelt, "Aren't you cute!" Check back later--things may change after we get grandchildren.

In the meantime, here are a few photos of Halloween in our small town.

My Sweet Puppygirl

I'm sad to announce that my beloved Molly passed away in my arms after a brief illness. We will miss her greatly but cherish the memories of the many years she blessed our lives. No one ever had a cuter wiggle-butt and her kisses were ever so sweet.

Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest

Julie and I had talked earlier in the summer about going to Rhinebeck for the NY Sheep and Wool Festival to see what all the talk was about. Then, I heard about the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest in Berryville, VA and it seemed silly to travel all the way to New York when we had something so close.

We watched the weather forecasts for the week prior and they went from possible precipitation to certain downpour. When the day finally came, the temperature was almost balmy--no rain when we left--but the skies were ominous. We dressed for the worst, with boots, slickers and umbrellas. We were determined to have fun, regardless of the weather. And that's exactly what happened.

We were delighted to discover that a large group of Julie's friends from the Reston Stitch 'n' Bitch group were also there. Every time we met some one we knew, we invited them to lunch at The Cup and Crumpet. (Elizabeth McCarus from Fibersmyth had a booth and her husband had one right beside her with pre-made goodies from his tea room.) By noon, we had a party of ten--the food was delicious and the company was even better. We all sat at a large picnic table, eating and chatting about what we'd seen, bought, or planned to buy. Suddenly, everyone finished eating at the same and they all left. It was like rats jumping off of a sinking ship! One minute we're all having a great time and the next, Julie and I were alone!

I'd been looking forward to the juried fleece sale and it was really interesting to browse through the 50 or so fleeces there. I bought a cream colored Romney fleece and half of an alpaca fleece. I hadn't planned on the alpaca, but it was so soft and had so much crimp--usually alpaca has little or no crimp--that it looked like a sheep's fleece. I kept coming back to it, as did another spinner. We were going back and forth, each one urging the other to buy it. Finally, we both bought half.



The festival was only about 1/4 of Maryland Sheep and Wool, so we were able to check out all the animals and visit with the vendors. We especially liked watching the rabbit owners blow dry and fluff their bunnies in preparation to judging and we absolutely fell in love with the lop-eared dwarf bunnies--so cute!



It was an absolutely wonderful day--regardless of the weather!