Christmas greetings from Joan of Through Jersey Eyes and MV Obsession <3

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Tagged christmas, decorations, holidays, lights, ornaments, Photographs, seasonal
Comments Off on Christmas Greetings …
Tagged architecture, Bandstand, christmas, churches, Edgartown, Lighthouses, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, New England, Oak Bluffs, Photographs, photoshop, seasonal, winter
I have to admit: I kind of love the winter solstice. Not because it’s the shortest day, or even because it means the days will begin to grow longer. I love it because I see so many of my friends rejoicing it. So many of us lighting candles and trying themselves to be a light in the dark. It’s also a day that’s been recognized and celebrated for a millennia; it’s kind of profound to feel that sort of connection with so many of those that have come before us.
We missed the summer solstice at Stonehenge by a matter of weeks, and though it’s become a bit of a carnival atmosphere, it’s something I truly wish to do one year.
Last night we lit all of our candles, turned the tree lights on, and ate cookies to celebrate. Now that I think of it, I should have had some bourbon and egg nog. (Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon and Homestead Creamery natural eggnog is a killer combo!)
All of my favorite things at this time of year are those that sparkle and glow.
Now THESE. These you have to make. Meringue cookies that melt in your mouth and are dead easy to make. I made the espresso ones and cocoa ones (I added red food color because I was planning on adding peppermint with the cocoa and then forgot. Tonight I’ll make another batch and won’t forget – though I’ll make them green).
The recipe is simple and straightforward. Last year I just used a spoon and plopped small rounds onto baking sheets. This year I used a pastry bag and star tip. I do like to make them a bit small so they are bite-sized.
There’s just a few days left until Christmas. I haven’t quite finished my baking, but I got all of my boxes that I am sending out packed today (they’ll likely be late, but……better than never, right?).
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Tagged food, Seasons, Uncategorized
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Tagged christmas, decorations, flowers, holidays, ornaments, Photographs, winter
This is what the winter solstice is supposed to look like… (2009)
This is an exaggeration but lately it feels like this here in the northeast :)
happy solstice
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Tagged Events, holidays, outdoors, Photographs, snow
Every year I draw up an ambitious list of cookies I plan to bake, and every year I begin to falter a few days before the holiday, having worn myself out in the process of producing so many goodies.
This year I have an ace up my sleeve: Neve.
She’s been a great help with prep work and with getting everything into and out of the oven and onto cooling racks. She’s also made up several batches of Peanut Butter Blossoms on her own.
As always, we also made a large batch of Hamantaschen.
Once again I also attempted Springerle. In the past, these cookies have consistently defeated me. This year I tried a new recipe, using King Arthur Flour’s Speculaas dough. There was a lot of chilling, rolling, chilling, molding, chilling, chilling, and more chilling. The results? Not too terrible. Not perfect, though, and I had a hard time with them. Still, I consider it progress!
We have many, many more to go, but the doughs for our butter cookies and gingerbread cookies are already chilling and ready to be cut and baked. I am going to try and get the Meringue cookies whipped up tonight to set in the oven overnight.
I also felt overly ambitious (or stressed?) and decided to make the gingerbread for our gingerbread houses this year. I used the recipe from the America’s Test kitchen cookbook and simply measured out shapes for the houses by hand. Neve wasn’t thrilled with how thick it was (and not perfectly straight-edged), but Oona was ecstatic that she had a house she could actually eat this year.
Emily and I have been stuffing ourselves with all the extra gumdrops. I am going to need a major sugar-detox after this Christmas!
Tomorrow I’ll work on getting the cookies ready for the kids to decorate, as well as trying some new recipes. That is, if I have the time. Paul is taking them out to see the new Star Wars movie so I can wrap gifts (and drink gluhwein, of course). For a few glorious hours I’ll have a Christmasy house all the myself (and the kitties).
The prompt for gathering is: Share with us your interpretation of “gathering.” It could be your entire family decked out in ugly holiday sweaters. It could be a group of seagulls strutting down the beach. Perhaps it’s a basket of fresh herbs you’ve collected from your garden for that awesome pasta dish this evening.
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My choice for the prompt, gathering is this gaggle of geese gathered in a field, a rest stop on their way south. This was taken a couple of Decembers ago when New Jersey was having winter in December and snow on the ground, not spring in December like this year when things are starting to bloom :)
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/gathering/
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Tagged Birds, daily prompt, New Jersey, outdoors, photo challenges, Photographs, postaweek, postaweek/postaday, seasonal, sky, snow, Uncategorized, weekly prompt
I’ve been absent again, I know. I’ve been hesitating to post about my uncle’s terminal cancer because I wasn’t sure I had the proper words; even now I am at a loss for what to say.
This morning he left us, peacefully, and now we remain here facing down a holly jolly holiday, trying to enjoy life as he would certainly have wanted. He did, in the end, leave Maddie and I the most beautiful gift: his two dearest friends-become-family, and that is going to keep us moving forward.
Here he is flanked by two of the most wonderful human beings you or I will ever meet – in a picture I completely stole (sorry Heather!)
So now we will focus on joy, and on doing small kindnesses for ourselves and others wherever and whenever we can. I keep thinking about how this year was the first year he expressed interest in having a Christmas tree up in many, many years; his way of telling sickness and grief that it would not win, I guess. We are going to take that baton and enjoy the crap out of this Christmas.
Tomorrow begins our push to get in the holiday spirit – whatever it takes – so get yourself some good bourbon and eggnog and let’s find some Christmas cheer together!
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I’ve been absent again, I know. I’ve been hesitating to post about my uncle’s terminal cancer because I wasn’t sure I had the proper words; even now I am at a loss for what to say.
This morning he left us, peacefully, and now we remain here facing down a holly jolly holiday, trying to enjoy life as he would certainly have wanted. He did, in the end, leave Maddie and I the most beautiful gift: his two dearest friends-become-family, and that is going to keep us moving forward.
Here he is flanked by two of the most wonderful human beings you or I will ever meet – in a picture I completely stole (sorry Heather!)
So now we will focus on joy, and on doing small kindnesses for ourselves and others wherever and whenever we can. I keep thinking about how this year was the first year he expressed interest in having a Christmas tree up in many, many years; his way of telling sickness and grief that it would not win, I guess. We are going to take that baton and enjoy the crap out of this Christmas.
Tomorrow begins our push to get in the holiday spirit – whatever it takes – so get yourself some good bourbon and eggnog and let’s find some Christmas cheer together!
Comments Off on With The Sweet, The Bitter
Tagged Uncategorized
I’ve been absent again, I know. I’ve been hesitating to post about my uncle’s terminal cancer because I wasn’t sure I had the proper words; even now I am at a loss for what to say.
This morning he left us, peacefully, and now we remain here facing down a holly jolly holiday, trying to enjoy life as he would certainly have wanted. He did, in the end, leave Maddie and I the most beautiful gift: his two dearest friends-become-family, and that is going to keep us moving forward.
Here he is flanked by two of the most wonderful human beings you or I will ever meet – in a picture I completely stole (sorry Heather!)
So now we will focus on joy, and on doing small kindnesses for ourselves and others wherever and whenever we can. I keep thinking about how this year was the first year he expressed interest in having a Christmas tree up in many, many years; his way of telling sickness and grief that it would not win, I guess. We are going to take that baton and enjoy the crap out of this Christmas.
Tomorrow begins our push to get in the holiday spirit – whatever it takes – so get yourself some good bourbon and eggnog and let’s find some Christmas cheer together!
Comments Off on With The Sweet, The Bitter
Tagged Uncategorized