It's a Marshmallow World in the Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Be sure to add your link at the end of my post before you get back to your shopping and wrapping.  Pop in on some of the other players too, because who doesn't need a little Christmas cheer in the middle of their week?

Here are my answers-

1.  So, when did you last take a walk in the woods? A stroll along the beach? A drive going nowhere in particular in the car?

Well if you're reading here you know the last time I walked in the woods was Sunday. Unless you skipped yesterday's post and went straight for the questions. ahem.  

Last time I strolled along the beach was too long ago-May.

Last time I took a drive going nowhere in particular?  Do people still go for drives?  At $3.50/gallon?  Sigh.  Actually we do take the little red car out for a spin now and then,  and when we do we normally don't have a destination in mind. We just like to drive around and feel the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces.  

2.  Are you sending Christmas cards this year?  About how many do you send?  Photo card or something more traditional?  How do you display the cards you receive?

We are sending cards, and I've already mailed most of them. I always add a few after I've done the bulk of the mailing. We send about 100 and always a photo. It's something of a challenge these days to actually get a photo of the four of us in the same place at the same time,  which explains why our card this year is a fun mixture of Christmas ribbon and summer clothes. It was taken in August. We all look happy and that's the deciding factor for me when I'm choosing a card-worthy photo.  

3. What's a word you've heard too much of in the past week?

Fiscal cliff. 
That's two words, but who's counting?

4. December 13th is National Cocoa Day-are you a fan?  Plain or flavored?  Marshmallows or no marshmallows?

I like cocoa but find it a little too filling, kinda like dessert in a cup.  If I'm having dessert this time of year I prefer something on a plate.  I'll have a cup of cocoa every once in a while, no flavors-just regular cocoa-and it absolutely must have marshmallows. Lots and lots of marshmallows.  

5. What is something you do to help alleviate the hectic pace of the Christmas season?

Make lists.  Plan meals.  Do a little bit each day.  Listen to Christmas music.  Stay out of the stores as much as possible.  Sit quietly by the Christmas tree before the day comes crashing in.  Read my Bible.  Sounds so cliche which is sad, but if you're feeling stressed out by all the noise in your head and in your home, I highly recommend.  

6. Besides jewelry, what's a favorite sparkly-glittery item in your home or closet?

I'm not too much of a glitter girl, but I do have a sparkly silver evening bag I like a lot.  
7. Share a favorite line or two from any Christmas carol.

'...til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth...' from O Holy Night.  
 Might be my favorite single line in a song ever.  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I had a day at home yesterday which I think everyone needs this time of year.  See # 5. I spent the afternoon baking, something I enjoy doing when I have big gaps of uninterrupted time to fill.  I have places to go and people to see today so I'm glad I had a breather on Tuesday.  I made two loaves of cranberry bread, my mother-in-law's recipe which I think is the best, and a sugar cookie recipe I'd seen on Pinterest.

The bread is really moist and we like a slice while we open stockings.  Kind of a pre-breakfast breakfast which is our Christmas morning tradition.  I'm getting my hair cut today so I packaged up a loaf for my stylist too.  

The cookies turned out flatter than I was expecting but oh they are delish!  They're the chewy kind of sugar cookie, which in my book is the only kind worth eating.  I bought the red and green M & M's that are available this time of year to make them more Christmasy, and I doubled the recipe because the website said I'd be glad I did.  

I am.  

Over the River and Through the Woods to the Hodgepodge

I know its Tuesday and you're most likely here for the Hodgepodge questions as opposed to a recap of my Sunday afternoon, but lucky you!  I've got both. You are welcome to go directly to the bottom of the post for this week's questions, but where's the fun in that?

Hubs and I stepped away from the chocolate and the sauces and the sugar on Sunday afternoon long enough to take a walk in the woods.  Even though it was gray and rainy it felt good to burn a few calories as opposed to accumulate them.

When we were out driving on Saturday we accidentally passed a State Park we'd never visited before.  As we passed we saw two huge bucks butting heads up on a big boulder and hubs was just sure if we could hike up there he'd find some antlers.  It's rutting season and apparently that's the best time to find them.  Don't ask me...I'm pretty much just a city girl who happens to find herself in the country on a regular basis.

Hurricane Sandy really made a mess of things in these woods and we saw a lot of signs like this one which I felt the need to point out to hubs because I know him.    

He just looks at me and laughs and says, 'You're such a rule follower'. Is that a compliment? Hubs is more of the rules schmules variety so he stepped on past it and onto the trail.

Which was closed.

Like the sign said.

Hey, there's a reason they have those signs up people!  As it happens you could get as far up as the boulder but alas, not an antler in sight. 

We were not the only ones out walking in the drizzle on Sunday afternoon. These three ginormous Newfoundlands were also out and about and they were a hoot. The black one is called Waldo and when his owner asks him how old he is he barks six times.

Not everyone was impressed.

I insisted hubs tie the bag around her collar because I was certain I heard gunfire. We had some bright clothing on, but wouldn't want her mistaken for a bear.  As it turns out, the noise I heard was coming from a tiny little airstrip tucked away behind the woods.  

The runway ends here-

I guess if you misjudge the distance needed to get airborne you end up in the lake?  I am not a fan of the super small single engine aircraft.  Not really a fan of flying period, but it does get you where you need to go and if there's an ocean in between sometimes you have no choice.

Let's go back to the peace and quiet of the woods, shall we?

And the Hodepodge,  which is always happy.  Here are this week's questions...hike back here tomorrow so you can link answers with all the other Internets.

 

1.  So, when did you last take a walk in the woods? A stroll along the beach? A drive going nowhere in particular in the car? 

2.  Are you sending Christmas cards this year?  About how many do you send?  Photo card or something more traditional?  How do you display the cards you receive?

3. What's a word you've heard too much of in the past week?

4. December 13th is National Cocoa Day-are you a fan?  Plain or flavored?  Marshmallows or no marshmallows?

5. What is something you do to help alleviate the hectic pace of the Christmas season?

6. Besides jewelry, what's a favorite sparkly-glittery item in your home or closet?

7. Share a favorite line or two from any Christmas carol.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Here we go a Pinteresting

Good Monday morning!  I spent last week hopping from one event to the next, or maybe I should say one meal to the next, so blogging fell by the wayside.  Real life before online life, right?  Eat dessert before you write about dessert-ha! Lots of fun and too many treats, but I'm pretty sure that's the way December is meant to be. December is the month of indulgence and January is the month of no pain, no gain, but we won't think about that today.

Here's a glimpse of some of last week's fun and deliciousness starting with these cookies-

They're candy cane snowballs (recipe here) and they are yummy! I'm normally not a huge mint lover but these are not overpowering and the cookie itself is delicious. The candy cane pieces get a little melty gooey and who doesn't like that?  Plus, they are so pretty and I like a variety of colors and flavors on my cookie tray.  I took these to a party at a friend's house where we had a fun gift exchange. I ended up with a set of four Christmas wine glasses which hubs and I broke in over the weekend.

Next...this candy cane popcorn-

I know I just said mint isn't my favorite flavor, but this popcorn is so good. It's coated in melted white chocolate mixed with crushed candy canes and is the perfect combination of sweet and salty deliciousness that no one can resist. You'll find the recipe here.

I bagged it up in pretty cello packages and gave it away as part of my 12 Days of Christmas Kindness.  I made bags for my neighbors and handed them out at a neighborhood dinner last Thursday, and I also took bags into my dry cleaners because they're always so nice and go out of their way to accommodate us when we need something done yesterday.  I also took bags into the post office because I gotta tell ya, our clerks are a tad on the cranky side and I thought this would bring a smile.  It did.  

Next, this little sweet treat I sent to my nephew-

It's a way to share the Christmas story using chocolate, which just so happens to be his love language. You'll find the poem here.  

Last Friday our Gourmet Group met for a holiday gathering and our theme was holiday appetizers and desserts.  We're assigned recipes and mine was Spiced Coffee.  It was scrumptious and I will definitely serve this again.  It's so simple-brew a pot of coffee (8 cups) and then put it in your crockpot.  

Add 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup, and 1/2 tsp anise extract.  Tie up four cinnamon sticks and 1 1/2 tsp cloves in some cheesecloth and add it to the pot.  Let simmer on low for 2-3 hours.  I doubled the recipe without any trouble.  

 One of the desserts at Gourmet was this elegantly simple and delicious treat-

All you do is press an almond into a dried apricot and then dip one end into melted white and dark chocolate.  Easy peasy. Would mine look this perfect? Hmmm...doubtful, but I'm gonna try. Our Gourmet Group also had a fun gift exchange. Everyone brought a gently used kitchen item wrapped and I ended up with a Paula Deen cookbook so I was happy.

On Saturday I finally sat down and put together a craft I'd been wanting to try.  We get a lot of photo cards and I wanted to display them somehow. My card holder stacks the cards so you really don't get to enjoy the photos as much as you'd like.  I'd seen this Christmas card garland on Pinterest and it seemed simple enough even for me-Miss Not Crafty.

This is the finished product-

I'm also Miss Not a Photographer.  In my defense it was dark when I took the picture so I'll snap another once I get it hung.  I think it turned out so cute!

I covered a whole package of clothespins with the scrapbook paper, but obviously I won't display this many cards on the ribbon.  They'd be too jammed and defeat the purpose of being able to see the photos, but this way I have extras if any break.  You'll find the instructions for the Christmas card garland here.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon I dipped the buttercreams.  These are tradition in our house and it is not officially Christmas until this tedious  job is done. I was really missing Daughter2 yesterday since she is my official dipper and doesn't run out of patience before the job is done.  Patience is key, and if you rush the job you end up with sloppy tops.

I may have one or two sloppy tops.
Santa won't care...he loves buttercreams.

Have a Holly Jolly Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge!  If you're like me you have a lot of to-dos in your to-day, so I'm going to jump right in with my answers. A quick reminder that I'm hosting The Twelve Days of Christmas Kindness on my blog this month and it's not to late to join. You'll find details by clicking  the link (What are the Twelve Days of Christmas Kindness) on my sidebar,  just above the super cute button my Daughter1 designed. If you're participating feel free to grab the button for your blog too.

Okay...back to the Hodgepodge~

1.  Share your traditions surrounding the Christmas stocking.

The stocking is one of my favorite things about our Christmas traditions. My mother enjoyed going a little bit overboard in filling them and a typical stocking in our house always had a pile of small wrapped gifts beside it too.  Stockings are opened before breakfast, but not before everyone is in their assigned seat. Yes, we have assigned seats for the unwrapping. Doesn't everybody?   

I don't think we actually hung our stockings on the fireplace when I was growing up, but we did hold them there for a photo op. Then we put them in our assigned seats so as not to confuse Santa. Our stockings always contained a new toothbrush and usually a calendar and a package of pretty note cards so we could write our Christmas thank-yous.  Then a few other fun bits and pieces and always, always a tangerine or clementine in the toe.  

I've carried on the same traditions with my own girls and if you asked they'd probably say they love the stockings best too. We do hang our stockings because we have cute brass hangers that sit on the mantle, but when Santa fills them he moves them to their assigned seats.  Santa likes order.  

2.  How many hours of sleep do you average at night?  Is it enough?

Consecutive?  Hard to say.  I get about 7 hours of sleep a night, but in recent years those hours might be interrupted so it doesn't feel like a true 7.  I'm a champion at sleeping on the couch before I actually go to bed. Does that count?  

3. If you had to give up one thing for the remainder of this year, what would it be?

I should probably say sugar, but this is rhetorical, right?  

4. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Wills and Kate as I like to call them) have announced they're expecting a baby.  Do you follow news of the Royals?

I do follow news of the Royals.  I think Kate is adorable and I wish them well.  I don't envy her with so many eyes watching, and am thankful 'journalists' were not describing my cycle, my morning sickness, my weight, or my ability to parent on the evening news.

5. For me the sound of childhood is______________________.

The first thing that popped into my head was a sprinkler.  There is something about the sound of a sprinkler running that whisks me back to the carefree days of summer as a child.  It is always summer in childhood memory.  

6. Fruit cake-yay or boo?  What's your favorite dessert made with fruit?

I never cared for fruitcake when I was growing up, but if you live in England long enough you kind of acquire a taste for it.  Fruit cake is popular on the other side of the pond.  My favorite dessert made with fruit is strawberry short cake.  

7. What is one thing you want to accomplish before 2012 comes to an end?

This has been a hard year.  Really hard.  Between now and the end of December I want to rest in the reason for the season.  

That will be enough.  

8. Insert your own random thought here.

On a lighter note...have you seen this?  I think it's hilarious, but perhaps that's because I relate to the technologically challenged.  It's less than a minute long, and it's in German with subtitles, but you don't need words to understand the plot...gurananteed to make you smile. 

Ho-Ho-Ho-dgepodge Questions Vol 104

Tuesday's here again. The weeks are funny like that. I know some of you are thinking you're too busy for fun and games in December, but I disagree. I think everyone needs a break from their wrapping and their buying and their baking and their fretting this time of year. Grab a cuppa or some eggnog and enjoy this week's questions.  Don't be so quick to get back to your to-dos that you forget to add your link here tomorrow!

One more thing... if you're interested in participating in The Twelve Days of Christmas Kindness happening here this month you'll find details in this post. Be sure to grab the super cute button from my sidebar Daughter1 made just for us. She's nice like that.

Okay-here ya go...

1.  Share your traditions surrounding the Christmas stocking.

2.  How many hours of sleep do you average at night?  Is it enough?

3.  If you had to give up one thing for the remainder of this year what would it be?

4.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (or Wills and Kate as I like to call them) have announced they're expecting a baby. Do you follow news of the Royals?

5.  For me,  the sound of childhood is__________________.

6.  Fruit cake-yay or boo? What's your favorite dessert made with fruit?

7. What is one thing you want to accomplish before 2012 comes to an end?

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Froehliche Weinachten

 Weekends in December are extra full, or at least ours seem to be.

We spent Saturday and Sunday tweaking our holiday decor and by that I mean hubs hung garland across the railings and down the stairs, and wondered aloud why in the world we don't own the pre-lit variety?  I untangled the mass of cords that is my Snow Village, and seriously, that job made me sweat. It's a bit of a challenge to hang on to your Christmas spirit when dealing with light strands and extension cords in hard to reach places.

I still need to add some bits and pieces, like the trees and the skaters and such, but I got the basic houses up,  and that was enough for one weekend. Our main tree is still waiting for its topper, a job I just couldn't face after wrestling with cords for an hour, so that's on my list for one day this week. We always do our Christmas decorating in phases. Mr. and Mrs. Claus are happier that way.

I do love having a Christmas tree in the house. One of my favorite things to do in December is to get up early,  and while it's still dark outside sit in front of the lit Christmas tree. There is something about the quiet soft glow of the tree that begs for sitting still, thinking deeply, and praying earnestly.

Friday night hubs and I popped into town to see the annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Conveniently there is a ginormous evergreen just beside the the lake and every year Santa drops by to do the honors.  Here's a shot of the tree in daylight....

and all lit up for Christmas...

My nighttime photography skills are unrivaled, don't you think?

Our little town holds their own version of a German Christmas Market every December and its lots of fun.

Hubs and I spent a couple of hours there on Saturday browsing the vendor stalls, sipping traditional Gluhwien, and eating brats topped with sauerkraut for a lakeside lunch.  I took this picture of the Stroopwafels for my Daughter1-they're her favorite-

And this one for Daughter2 because fudge is her love language. 

So are German Christmas Markets.
She and I have seen more than a few.
Sigh.  

I love the sign by these decadent dipped apples.

Oh, and guess what?
Santa was there.

Pretty sure this was not a copycat.  Look at that face!

Afterwards we went to see the movie Lincoln.  We both really liked it and Daniel Day Lewis is completely believable in the title role.

Sunday afternoon we were invited to a fundraiser that hubs former boss and her family host every year. Monies raised benefit a food pantry on Long Island and this year the need is greater than ever.  The pantry is run thru a Catholic church there and the priest spoke to the party-goers describing the very difficult circumstances they face in Sandy's aftermath.  Many in their area are still without heat and power, and a large number of people are also without jobs.  The recovery is slow going and some of those jobs will be permanently lost.  He closed by saying that in the middle of something horrible he has witnessed so much good.  Help has come from ordinary people and nothing is too small not to be appreciated.

Our friends go all out when they host this party.  They invite several hundred people, have inflatables for the kids, a petting zoo, and oh yeah, guess who else was there?

I know.
I spoke to him and he is definitely not a copycat.   Look at that face!

Okay, my to-do list is as long as my arm so I need to get busy.  Just a reminder that I'm hosting a little 'thing' here during the month of December.  My daughter1 made the cutest little button ever,  which you'll find on my sidebar.  If you're participating in  The 12 Days of Christmas Kindness you'll want to add this cuteness to your sidebar too...just copy and paste the link you see under the button.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about go here for details.

Happy Monday!

I Have an Idea

And since it's Friday I also have some Fragments, but first- my idea.  

The world, including and maybe especially the grand ole USA, feels like not a very nice place lately, don't you think?  So much anger and sorrow.  So much impatience and hate.  People weighed down, not just by their circumstances, but by the vague notion that we've lost the ability to treat one another with kindness.  In our part of the country so many have lost so much and in all parts of this world there are people whose hope in the goodness of humankind is chipped away a little bit more everyday.  

But...Christmas is coming!  So many people sigh when they read that, but let's not think about our undone to-dos for a minute.  Let's instead think about the fact that Christmas is coming!  The gift of Christmas is hope.  Not in a government, or an agency, or a family member, or an insurance company.  It's hope in a baby who is The Light of the World and that hope is offered to every single person on this planet we call home.  That's the thought I want to carry into the new year.   

I want to be nice this December. I actually want to be nice year round, but I've decided to do something deliberate this month and you're invited to join me. I'm going to host something we'll call  The Twelve Days of Christmas Kindness this month.  I want to invite and challenge you to perform twelve acts of deliberate kindness during the month of December.  While I'd like to think I show kindness everyday I want to make a point of looking for ways to brighten someone's day...hour...minute. Twelve acts of kindness in 25 days. That doesn't sound so hard, does it?  

I'll have my daughter make a button you can add to your blog, hopefully on Monday (Daughter1???) if you decide to participate. Beginning Thursday, December 20th there will also be a linky list posted here on This Side of the Pond.  You're invited on that day (and all the way up til Christmas) to link a blog post sharing your thoughts on your own Twelve Days of Christmas Kindness.  

So who's in?

In other news I have a few fragments to share. I'm pretty sure fragments are blogese for camera dump which is kind of what I have today.  Miscellaneous pictures from the past week that I need to show someone.  You're that lucky someone.  

Remember my girls were home for four and 3/4 whole entire days?  Here's daughter2 going for a spin in the little red car.  Here's hubs asking me why it still takes so long for me to snap a photo?  I fear I lack the photography gene.  

It was warm-ish on Thanksgiving Day, warm for November anyway, but when you're in the little car with the top down you need a ski band round your ears and a blanket across your lap and the sunshine on your face.  So fun!

Remember our landscaping project?  The one we were frantically wrapping up even while the hurricane winds were gaining speed with New Jersey in her sights? Well it's done. Miraculously every new little bit of ground cover and every barely in the ground evergreen stayed put. 

Getting those evergreens up and onto that deceptively steep hillside took the entire team plus one bulldozer operator.  I bought them donuts.  They deserved it.  

We are so happy with the end result. Essentially there is a hill that runs along one side of our driveway and we had plants removed, trees trimmed, ground cover added, pine trees planted on the steepest part of the curve, a ginormous and beautiful boulder de-dirted, cleaned, and power washed.  Yes they power washed our rock. Thanksgiving day was just gorgeous and the girls hung out on that rock. 

 Ha-Daughter1 looks like she is not entirely believing whatever Daughter2 is saying. 

They told me I could sunbathe here in the summertime which I'm certain the neighbors would love.  Right. Maybe if I looked like these two little miniature people?  

One of my favorite parts of the project is our new pillars. They went from this-

to this-

Well, there are lights on top but I took this picture before the electrician had come. He was delayed by someone named Sandy.  

Hubs added the lovely reflectors last weekend and you may be asking yourself why. If you live where it snows a lot you don't have to wonder. At some point this winter it is quite likely you will not be able to see the pillars because they'll be buried under feet of snow. The reflectors help the snow plow operator know where to plow and where not to ding brand new pillars with his machine.  ahem.  

Hubs got those reflectors in just in time because on Tuesday our new landscaping looked like this-  

It was a beautiful snowfall, the big fluffy flake kind.

 

A bright blue sky makes me ridiculously happy.

It was also good hubs got the outside lights up over the bright, sunny, warm-ish Thanksgiving weekend.  It meant that on Tuesday this little pine tree by the front porch could look like an actual Christmas tree.

We did get our trees up inside too. Sorta kinda. They need zhuzzing and one needs a topper, but they're mostly done.  I'll leave you (finally!) with this picture of my two favorite girls-

I love everything about this photo.  They're holding up the ornaments they each made in kindergarten, one in 1993 and one in 1995.  

Sigh. 

I loved those little 5-year old faces.

Love their 20-something selves too.  

To read more Friday Fragments go here.