Tag: christmas

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Merry Christmas!

  • 2016
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2020

Merry Christmas to all!

Each year we get a live potted Christmas tree and after the holiday it is planted on our property. This is our 17th Christmas here, but we have plenty of room. (Sometimes too much room!)

I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the trees in the past few years. You’ll notice 2019 doesn’t have a tree because that was the year I had my hip surgery and was simply working on recovery. Sometimes we have a “Charlie Brown” tree, and sometimes it’s a tree that we can barely get in the house, and sometimes it’s an unusual variety of evergreen. But whatever it is, it’s been a great tradition, although sometimes it seems like a lot of work.

This year has definitely not been inspirational for me, and celebrating the holidays might seem overwhelming, but I am looking forward to a fresh start in the new year. I just have to believe that 2021 will be a better year all around. And that’s my Christmas wish for all of you….that the coming year WILL be better and somehow the world will inch forward in a positive direction.

Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas!


Some years there are a lot of decorations at my house. Some years there aren’t….this is one of those years. But not to worry as there is a LOT of happy and grateful holiday spirit floating around nevertheless!

The only decoration I have this year is the little lighted mercury glass tree (shown above). It’s really sweet, and as it gets dark so early now, I have it on all day. And the good news is it will be easy to put away the holiday decorations this year!

The hubby has been spending all of his time taking care of me as I recover from surgery (which is going well and all is good!). So the last thing I was going to ask him to do was to take all the decorations out of the shed. It is our custom to pick up a special live (in a pot) Christmas tree dug out of the ground (and then after the holiday plant it on our property); but that will have to wait until next year.

I’m thankful for all those who have supported me along my journey this year. A new job, new friends, old friends, quilting customers, family, neighbors….and, of course, lately all my “hipster sisters!”

Merry Christmas to you all!

PS. And here are the cookies I would have made for you had I actually been able to stand and bake! But the good news is that these are totally NO CALORIE and you can look at them as much as you like! Ha! Or should I say, “ho, ho, ho!” Enjoy. (Or is that too “Grinchy?”)

 

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Live Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree was brought in from the cold yesterday. It’s a live tree (has a root ball) which we will plant on the property after the holiday. This year’s tree is a Cedrus Deodara “Aurea” and it is mostly green tinged with yellow/white at the ends of each branch.It is about 15′ tall.

This year we had about a dozen 100 foot trees cut down around the house. That left some beautiful views of the lake, but we also lost some screening from surrounding properties. So along with this Christmas tree, a dozen or so other small live trees were planted to replace the large ones that were cut down. And so, this year’s Christmas tree will also be planted in that area…a location has already been picked out in the yard for it!

Merry Christmas to all!

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Buche de Noel

Buche de Noel 2017

It’s been years and years since I made one of these. I used to bake a wee bit more than I do now. The problem is, if I bake it, I will eat it! And then I might as well just attach the fat directly to my hips, right?

Back in the day I used to work for Cocolat in the SF Bay Area. I was a store manager and was thrilled to be surrounded with the super-high quality desserts and truffles created by Alice Medrich. I was very sad when the company “went away.” But I still have the taste for very good chocolate, and I purchase my 11 pound blocks of chocolate from various purveyors. For years I made fresh truffles every Christmas.

I have these two books from Alice’s collection (the oldest two):

So this year I dusted off Alice’s cookbook and made a Buche de Noel and the meringue mushrooms that go along with it. I was a bit out of practice, but it all turned out just fine and was delicious!

And yes, it took three days to make (evenings after work)….so not something I have time to do on a regular basis! But very fun indeed.