Morning Glory Studio

dec 25 | "let there be peace on earth...

...and let it begin with me..."

 

Listen to a rendition by the Harlem Boys Choir here.

Peace ~

dec 23 & 24 | final holiday preparations

         Wednesday, niece Christian (the selfie queen) came over and she showed me how to upload and edit iPhone videos - she also staged the photo shoot of the bébé's Christmas books.

Today, I spent the bulk of the day cooking, in this order:

1. chicken butternut squash chili - a recipe I found in the October issue of Cooking Light - as I am drafting this post, I am eating a small bowl…not bad; a little bland for chili but good…and filling;
2. sour cream raspberry gelatin: I cannot make gelatin the regular way - you know with hot and cold water. Despite the property of gelatin to gel, mine always runs…that is, until (at least forty years ago) a friend taught me a trick: substitute sour cream for the cold water. Works every single time…and it makes a delicious dish that you can use as a dessert or as a side dish… very good;
3. a carrot cake baked in the microwave - this is a favorite dessert that I've made for many a Christmas, but not recently. So, I decided to resurrect the old yellowed recipe and proceeded to whip up the concoction. Things were moving right along when I discovered no vanilla extract! Oh jeez and you know what that meant: a trip to the grocery store, much to my dismay! Fortunately, the lines were short so I was in/out within a reasonable amount of time…

A little tired as I type this draft…but filled: the chili is good - mild and tasty. Tomorrow - Christmas Day I'll serve the carrot cake and the raspberry jello; family's coming for dessert. Works for me.

Santa Norm calling Rudolph into service [actually talking to his nephew in Chicago]

I was hopeful that we could see the Christmas Full Moon...but, the sky's sill cloudy; guess Rudolph's  going to be pressed into service, after all! Merry Christmas! 

Cheers~

dec 22 | books for the bébé...

I ventured out among the crowds today... among my errands, a stop at Barnes & Noble to buy books for the bébé.  I tried to buy books that spoke to his auditory, tactile and visual senses  and of course, are also some of the old time favorites for generations of children. I left with a pretty sizable haul.

We're going to have more fun reading his new books Christmas Day.

Cheers~

dec 22 | ten on tuesday: " after the ball is over..."

 

This week's Ten on Tuesday prompt encourages us to list what we're most looking forward to after the holiday rush; my list, in no particular order:

1. Saturday through Thursday with not a place to go...
2. Coffee one afternoon at Zeke's  -  weather permitting, and sitting outside...
3. Celebrating my friend Margaret's January 1 birthday...
4. Zero trips to the grocery store - not sure that will be a reality...
5. Uninterrupted stitching time: no pressures; no deadlines...
6. Finishing documenting my December days...
7. Writing long notes to friends to include with New Year's cards...
8.  Finishing a few projects and a novel ...
9. Starting a couple new books and...
10. Making plans for several year-long projects!

How do you plan to spend your days in between the holidays? You can check out what others are planning here.

Cheers~

dec 20 & 21 | friends stitch ...

                On both Sun (20 Dec ) and Monday (today, 21 Dec) friends and I gathered to stitch and enjoy one another's company. Sunday was my usual  monthly gathering. Monday, Baltimore Album quilt classmates/friends, Pat and Diane and I  gathered. 

In the photos above, my friends Pat, Diane and I are each working on our  Baltimore Album quilt blocks: Pat's making stems; I'm basting leaves to stitch and Diane's stitching berries...she's way ahead of Pat and me...

We each enjoyed taking time out from the hustle and bustle of the season - to enjoy the presence of one another's company is the best present.

I hope you're taking time out, too. What are you doing to be present in this season ?

 

Cheers~

dec 19 | Christmas wreath...

                   I went to my favorite nursery today to buy greens for the mantle but primarily to look at the poinsettias and other floral displays. In years past, there has always been a poinsettia tree - not this year, though. Instead, there was this very unusual wreath, hanging from the ceiling of the greenhouse with hanging bulbs. Considering  the very c-o-l-d temps - 35 degrees made even colder by the wind chill created by gusty winds - the greenhouse was the best place to be... 

Weather forecast for next week - possibly 70 degrees on Christmas Day! Whoa!

 

Cheers~

dec 18 | jolly ol' st. nick...

Dear bébé Chris,

    This photo of Santa and your mom was taken on Christmas morning 1987, I think.  Santa is great grand Uncle Jim who always sported that big smile. Uncle Jim worked for the USPS and did special delivery on Christmas morning...having delivered all his packages to other little boys and girls,he'd dropped by on his way back to the North Pole to see your mom.  When I look at this picture, I often wonder what your mom was thinking...I'm not sure she was too sure about this Santa thing but she did accommodate, even if a tad hesitant to do so. 

Have you been to see Santa yet? And what's on your list? In just one week Santa will be dropping by to see you!

Cheers~

Great grand aunt Honoré

dec 17 | lighting the way...

 

        Years ago, I was a children's librarian - always so much fun. Over the course of my career, I graduated to a variety of administrative positions - one of which was manager of a medium -sized library  - where the above photo of me (yep! that's me) was snapped, circa 1997.

The occasion: the last children's preschool story-time before Christmas. As part of the annual event, the children were taken on a parade through the branch - mostly, to the adult side (which they rarely visited). Staff would dress up for the occasion and here you have me in my "Rudolph the Reindeer" gear, a sweater with all sorts of Christmas  motifs and if you look very closely, a turtle-necked shirt with Christmas Scottie dogs.  

I spent most of the day looking for this photo - so glad I found it -and working on my annual December Daily/JYC album.  I thoroughly enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Seeing those antlers reminds me of another memory that involves the bébé's mom - Dolly. I must write up that story for him... TBC...

 

Cheers~

dec 16 | old & new ...

            My friend Terri and I have known each other for about 12-13 years.We're both November birthdays - hers is two days before mine .

She's a graphic designer - does awesome work - and when I was working, she did the graphic design for the program I coordinated.  

Today, we met for our annual holiday lunch/catch up and gift exchange ...  she has a young grandson who is 19 months - about a month older than the bébé -  and a three-years' old granddaughter - both of whom are big Darth Vader fans - so young!

Painted on the restaurant's window was this great graphic of Darth Vader complete with a Santa Claus hat; we just had to take a photo so she could share with her grandchildren. We tried to take a selfie; too awkward. Fortunately, a passerby came to our rescue. Otherwise, I think we might still be there.

I saw the first Star Wars movie but never really got smitten. I know people the world over are die-hard devotées...and counting the seconds til the new movie arrives in theaters Dec 18! Will you be going?

 

Cheers~

Terri also makes great Christmas cookies and my name is always on a batch. Yum!

simply*a*moment | december 15 2015 ...

 15 december 2015        circa 12.15.2015     61 degrees

    The sky's been a study all morning long... Timer counting down to 12:15 pm... just realized it's 12.15.15! ...Dishwasher on...Taking photos of moments and the surroundings...Norman's watching National Geographic Wild...just left to go check out something on the PC...Realizing the day's getting away...Thinking I'd best revise my To Do list...Making & taking notes... Watching a trio of squirrels cavorting in this tree, now that all the leaves are gone...Thinking about a new drawing project for 2016: practice drawing "this tree" and realizing, now is the time to get some good photos of it's bare bones...Time to get a move on and mop the kitchen floor...and then take a walk on another warm december day! Writing in my journal: 

I love capturing these moments of my life!

Cheers~