New year, Old traditions

Hello All! Happy New Year!

I hope and trust that everyone had a magical and wonderful holiday season. I myself was delighted by all the feasting and company that took place over the holidays. This was my first Southern Christmas, and well, it was delightful. Partly because of sweet Susan Cushman for inviting me over for Nativity, and partly because my wonderful Mother and Hurshel made a detour from Indiana to Memphis on their way to Florida for the winter.

I will remember this for nextyear.. rethink the real Christmas tree if I am still a single gal.. that was so funny to put up and take down.. If only y'all could be a fly on the wall for that memory I made. Next I want to remember to not put my

tree until later in the holiday season.. As an Orthodox Christian, we celebrate for the 12 days after Nativity, Christmas, with the holiday decor and all.. my sweet tree wouldn't of made it another week.. Noted for next year.

I believe I was 19, back in 2003, when the tradition started where I spend one day baking before Christmas. On Christmas eve I spent the morning baking these beauties..

Let me introduce to you Orange Rolls. My Grandmother would always make these delightful treats for every holiday occasion. I love them and was thankful that I could share them with my Southern friends.

I was going to post

the recipe, but my friend Claire suggested I didn't.. Oh no! was she giving me a hint?... I am going to say it is again to keep family traditions secret. I like that if you can't tell. I am a big one for making new traditions, That is something I feel like we don't have enough of in our society. Ok.. back to baking, I was able to make Hurshel some Snicker doodle cookies for Christmas again this year..

I think it was the same year when that tradition got started. This was a new recipe I used where it called for vegetable shorting.. it allows the outside of the treats to be a bit crispy, while the inside remains soft, it wasn't my favorite, but they were good none the less. I was also able to make Momma and Hurshel and a few other friends the perfect meal of Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and home grown Indiana corn.. delish! If you need an excellent meatloaf recipe I suggest you try this one. It was about three years ago we started that traditional Christmas meal, I am so thankful we were able to carry it on.

Ok, as far as this sequence of photos.. they were gifts that I wanted to share with friends. And y'all know how much I love Indiana so what a better things to do than give them some Oliver Wine! I also tied a candy cane to the bottle.. I think it gave a bit of nice festive flair.

The Thursday before Nativity, I wrecked my kitchen and assembled the wine and also baked some spiced pecans, So delish! I found some holiday boxed to put them in and passed them out at our Nativity Feast. I tell you what, if I could buy presents for people all the time, I think I would.. Starting with my friend Janna, she would get a bento box.. Sorry that was a side note.

Ok, I can feel my coffee buzz wearing down and so is my attention span.. just a few more photos and we are golden

..

Well there you have it.. my sweet Southern holiday.. It was a good holiday. I am thankful for all my fabulous friends I was able to share the day with, and that I was able to see my mother and father for a few days. As we move into the new year, remember.. it is the little things in life that make the whole picture. Make sure your little moments matter. Much love all and Happy New Year.

Lord Have Mercy.

I failed...

The other evening, after a very long productive day at work, I deiced to make peanut brittle. The recipe seemed very simple. Cook lots of sugar add peanuts and turn onto a buttered cookie sheet.

I failed.

Apparently peanut brittle has a secret and I am not in the club.

The point of making this candy, was because it reminds me of home. A sweet man from my hometown used to make the sweet treat every Christmas and sell it at the local Mini-Mart. Then it got me thinking.. I made tons of homemade noodles for my first southern Thanksgiving because that is what I am used to for that particular holiday. I will also make my grandmother's orange rolls for Nativity and share them at the lunch I am attending. Now let's add some very chewy peanut brittle to the list.

It makes me wonder why I go through so much trouble to have the same comforts in my life here, in the mid-south, as I am used to back in the great state of Indiana. Then I go to such extremes and wonder why I am even in Memphis in the first place. I know I know.. I should slow it down a bit. But really, what makes people stay where they are born.. better yet what makes people not come back to what was their home?

I do not know the answer. But I hope being a bit homesick every now and then is normal otherwise I feel a bit silly.

Lord have mercy

It is almost here!

I have had to do a few things around my house lately as I prepare for the colder weather.. I put up plastic weather insulator on my windows. Let me tell you how much that is not a job for ladies! Oh, I know.. some of you maybe shaking your head that I just put our society in two different categories and back 50 years. But really.. Do y'all know how hard it is to put plastic around some darn windows!

Let me tell you.. it was hard.

Look at this guy.. I know he is all suave and such.. but I was not as graceful. But the job is now done and I have a tiny, tiny bit more warm of a home.

The second thing wrong in my house was, it's cold. Like not normal cold. So I ring my landlord and well.. the thromostat is broken..

We, my sweet roommate and I, don't know how to program the darn thing! Well that is a problem when it come to our heat.. but also there was a duct that was out of place under the house. I draw the line at that. There is no way I am getting under a house to fix a heating duct.

My landlord did.. and well it is much warmer.

The last solo adventure I had was purching my own Christmas Tree.

I was thinking. How am I going to be able to buy

a tree, strap that sucker down to my car and get the darn thing home.

In my mind I was picturing something about like this. But the man at the Easy-Way was very helpful in assisting me in this adventure. We put that tree in my trunk and I took off down the road. When I made it home that was another story. I had to man handle that tree as I got it out of my car. Spilling only half the needles and laid that sucker on my porch.

Then, I carried the beauty inside and got her in the tree stand and held onto the base while trying to secure the tree. It was funny.. I mean. Funny! Thankfully my sweet roommate came home for just a moment to help my adjust the thing to where it stood gracefully

in our living room. Here the tree is..

I am really in love with how it turned out. It has been a very long time since I have had a real Christmas tree. I usually get an artificial tree, but this year I didn't want to store the thing in my small Midtown apartment. I love all my sweet primitive ornaments. Pig and I slept on the couch last night so we could see the pretty tree each time we woke up. I really love Christmas. I love the cold. I love the lights. I love the smell of holiday baking. I could be my most favorite time of the year.

Until right now, I haven't talked about what Christmas is all about.. Christ.. He came to earth! He was born to a virgin. God himself taking on human flesh and is born. As I grumble about all I have to do alone, and I do grumble quite a lot. I am very thankful that Christ came to earth to teach us to pray and love. I am thankful that I don't have to do all that alone. So say it with me, Nativity is almost here. Rejoice and Praise God for he loves mankind.

Lord have mercy.

What are we trying to say here?

thank you YouTube for allowing me to share this video

Ok, Have you seen this commercial? It is advertising a new fancy car that I am sure is wonderful and dependable and will get 35 miles to the gallon. It will make your life a bit more simple with its stylish design and modern day options.

But it makes me mad.. not the product, but how it is presented. The kid is cute. I will say that, but whoever wrote the scrip was not so cute. Hi, were the dork family.. Really!

Have we come to such a society where even small children demand a very fancy car? Will they feel ashamed when their mothers come and pick them up in a Griswald mini-van. I hope not! How many mothers actually pick up their children now days.

What bugs me is that we, as a consumeristic society, are luring our children in a deeper trap of instant, feel good, look good right now, is all that matters. Where family sing-alongs are viewed as lame. My heart aches by the sound of this. I don't have children, nor will I be the first to say what is best for ones family. But I will say that when I was a child we didn't have much, and that was fine. I remember my dad having an old El Camino and now I have such a soft spot in my heart for such a unique looking car. What will this new generation cherish when they look back on their childhood?

I guess all I am really trying to say is this commercial saddens me, for where are we going in todays modern world. I am not sure I like how "things" will establish people as more awesome. How if something is old we must rush out and trade it in for new.. and well mostly I wanted to use the power of the interweb to voice my unworthy opinion of how this product makes me feel. Forgive me for my rant, but well you get my idea.

A dog..

There once was a sweet dog.. She was left alone to fend for herself on the streets of Memphis.

As you can see, she was a tattered young pup with no place to go. Thankfully a sweet friend found her a home.

The sweet dog had a stump of a nose and kinda snorts when she is looking for her toys.. Her skin was pink with tiny prickly hairs.. all in all she looked like a pig with big floppy ears.

The dog named Pig, that is what she will be! And I brought her home for love and she gives the best company. She runs around and chases things, but I couldn't ask for a better friend.. When It comes to dogs named Pig, she could be the best little pup I have ever seen.

As you can tell, I adopted a dog.. Her name is Pig.

When I tell people that my dog is named Pig, they laugh a bit. Children are the best, they look at me like why in the world? You cant have a dog named Pig! So I thought I would be grand to write a children's book about... you guessed it, A Dog named Pig. I feel as if it has a certain ring to it. Now if only I could do something about that mouse in my house..

Do what you have to not what you want to... darn it.

The other day I realized that if I want to have basic things to live.. I need to go to the grocery store every now and then. Not just like once every 3 weeks. This is sad, you would think that a grown woman would know this, right? Or like the time I was out of coffee for 4 days and didn't do anything about it. Every morning I would go to make coffee and forget that I didn't have any. Then get mad at myself and at the people at my local coffee shop for not being so friendly.

Now most of you maybe wondering, just go to the darn store. It isn't rocket science here. You are right, it isn't. I remember, many moons ago, when I was a way younger than I am now, I ran a home and was responsible for making dinners, doing laundry, going to the grocery. I did it with pride. I wonder what happened? I was raised in central Indiana where women are trained to do this house work. I guess it was moving back in with my parents, living single after being attached for so long that broke these habits of mine. How long does it take for a habit to come back into someone's life? What steps do I need to take to get there.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned from the Orthodox church is to do, even when you don't feel like it. It will be good for your soul.

What does that mean?

How about I say my prayers when I don't want to.. or

Go to service.. when I really want to sleep in..

Fasting when all I want is a Chick-filet milkshake.

By practicing these things, they are good for my soul. I really find this completely amazing.

So to make the first thought connect with the last, I should really grow up. Take on life's responsibilities with joy. It may be good for my soul.. or at least my pocketbook and waistline.

Lord have mercy.

an afternoon project

Some of you may know that I really enjoy a good craft project. I like getting my hands busy and create something new. If any of you like to do the same the I highly suggest this book,

Lotta Jansdotter is my new favorite! I really enjoy how she puts timeless peices together with new hip styles. If you have even the simplest of sewing, no pun intended, experience then I suggest you dive on in. Here are a few projects that I have tackled of hers.

Thanks Lotta!

I created this a few weeks ago, and it perfect for taking to my favorite grocery, whole foods, as well as just a few essentials needed on a bike ride.

This was my afternoon project for today, a simple drawstring bag.

I will say it is very rustic, but a good prototype none the less.

I stitched this design on here as well.. I think I just may have to send this to my mother for a belated mother's day gift. She always get so tickled when I am crafty.