Tomorrow is Halloween. That means the holiday season is sharpening its teeth around the corner. And for many of us, tradition is rearing its vicious head, pulling us into its swirling vortex.Sure, most of us have traditions, even if we don't want to admit it. For some it means getting together at Thanksgiving, having a big turkey dinner, and dumping some eggnog into a snifter of brandy. For others it means hauling out the silver aluminum Christmas tree, dangling three dozen glass bulbs from its eighteen branches and pointing the rotating four-color-light-wheel toward it. And for others, it means a movie a day from Thanksgiving to Christmas, beginning with the original Miracle on 34th Street and ending with Christmas Vacation. I mean, not that I know this for sure or anything, but these could be some people's traditions.
About fifteen years ago, I began going to the Larch Mountain Country Artisans sale in November. They have everything there, from homemade doggie treats to blown glass, to beaded jewelry. Sandra Tucker is one of those artists. The first year I bought some earrings from her and gave them to my daughter for Christmas. This began a tradition. During our Christmas morning present exchange my daughter would open one, take it out, examine it and then look over at me.
"Sandra?" she'd ask.
"Yes."
She'd smile, nod, slip it on or hang it up, depending on what it was, and we'd move on with our festivities. My daughter became so enthralled with Sandra's jewelry that Sandra gave her a lesson in beading and lent her some supplies to try it out.
The last couple years I haven't bought anything from Sandra, but she reminded me today that the "Heart of the Country" show and sale is scheduled for November 20, 21 and 22 at the Glenn Otto Community Park in Troutdale.
I think it is time to renew the Sandra tradition. Maybe I'll skip the Christmas movie and drive out to Troutdale, hit the outlet stores and swing by the Heart of the Country show.
Plus she has promised to give me a dynamite recipe for hot buttered rum batter.
I wanna go, I wanna go! Where's the sign-up sheet?
ReplyDeleteOOOOOOOO Yeah if you can have a stow away that sounds like FUN!
ReplyDeleteI want to go to! Sounds like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd BTW - I have an aluminum tree and a color light wheel, too. Scary, eh?
Carold and Ax, it would make for a fun day. We'll have to discuss it.
ReplyDeleteKaren, it would be a long drive for you. And it might be RAINING. Not that you Florida people know what that is in the winter time. But if you want to fly out here, great. I'd love to have you come along.
But leave your aluminum tree at home.
Oops, that is Carol, The First Carol, not Carold.
ReplyDeleteAha! I figured out how to follow only once and have the blogs listed on my dashboard only once. Aha! So sorry, Miss Melanie, because your followers have been reduced by one. That should satisfy your older sister, though. :o)
ReplyDeleteI do so know what rain is! It mostly rains at night here so it won't bother the tourists. AND sometimes we have "sun showers" where it rains even though the sun is shining brightly.
GASP! One less follower? My shoulders have slumped and a tingling wet burns in the corner of my eyes.
ReplyDeleteWho will rescue me from this fall from grace? For three days I've enjoyed one more follower than the popular and fabulous Carol at http://pearlofcarol.blogspot.com/ and now my very own cousin, my flesh and blood relative, my best friend in the entire world, has sentenced me to mediocrity?
What use, this life?
(Danny, I implore you to ask Bob and Sheila to follow me. And thank you for following me, my new favorite cousin.)
I can't give you a recipe for hot buttered rum, but will this do? I think it's about a gojillion points in Weight Watchers speak....
ReplyDeleteDan’s Killer Eggnog
Ingredients:
2 C Bourbon (Ancient Age is recommended)
1 C sugar
6 egg yolks
4 C heavy whipping cream
Heads up! You need to start this 2 days ahead of the party. The quickie method requires at least 3 hours prior to party.
In large bowl, dissolve sugar in bourbon, stirring (will take several minutes). Beat egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow (again, several minutes). Slowly add booze/sugar mixture to eggs and stir well. Let stand for 2-3 hours or cover and refrigerate overnight (overnight method is best).
Whip cream in large bowl until stiff. Pour booze/egg mixture into cream and stir well. Let stand 1 hour or cover and refrigerate overnight (again, overnight is best). Have nutmeg for garnish.
Stir well just before serving.
If kept refrigerated, any leftovers keep well for several days.
Kathy O.
thanks for the great story and I can't believe you lost the recipe again!
ReplyDeletesorry the last comment said it was from gary. don't know how to change the name but it's really me. sandra
ReplyDeleteSo, Kathy, I mix up the bourbon, egg yolks, sugar and cream to make the eggnog, right? And then I mix it with, what? A half glass of brandy? Eggnog and Brandy. Yup, that must be it. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSandra, I'm glad you happened by. Ah...I hadn't planned on letting everyone know you'd already given me the hot buttered rum recipe twice. If we were meant to remember where we put a piece of paper we wouldn't have computers, right? Right?
ReplyDelete