December Cards

My sister Terry gave me a bag of vintage aprons handed down from her MIL and aunt.  This is my thank you card to Terry.

"Many, many thanks to you!

You brought real delight and helped make my day

More happy and more bright!'

I started making Christmas cards last summer when I massed produced the card (center) with the door. I got so tired of making the same card, I started to put together individual cards, some with the 12 days of Christmas and others that sparked my creativity.  I saved and cut out the Santas and Rudolphs on the cup sleeves of the Books A Million coffee. . . and those were my favorite!

"Christmas brings us closer

It's a special time of year.

A family time and one to share

With those we hold most dear.

Christmas brings us closer

And like this with it brings

Some very precious memories

And life's most happy things." 

One of my best friends from high school- Liz has a birthday on December 3rd.  The card on the right is for her.

"Let's go on a journey

A trip down memory lane.

Let's go and visit our old hearts

Let's feel young and free again.

For the 'good old days' were just the best

They hold memories of pleasure,

For the days we spent when we're young

Are the moments that I treasure."

The director of my Moms' Senior Center-Taylor-had her first child the day after Thanksgiving.  The paper-'Ace'- was celebrated at a shower with woodland creatures.  I liked the pattern in this paper to welcome the little one.  We gave them the board book "Room for a little one" too.

Sad times during the holidays included the death of 3 friends.  A friend since grade school-Steve-passed away after a short bout with ALS.  He'd recently married one of his high school sweethearts-Denise-one of my best friends.  The picture on the front of the card is of them at the Senior Prom.

"Although your loved one has been taken,

And you are sad beyoung belief,

May their memories remain with you,

And comfort you in your grief.

May the joy that you shared with the,

Make recollections that will last,

And you'll think of them with fondness,

As you'll never forget the past."

Sympathy card for the daughter of a friend from high school (Kathy) and the husband of one of my water aerobics friends (Kay).

 

The Lake

I spent my early summers at Deep Creek Lake where Pop Pop owned a cabin.  Mom, Terry, Toby and I stayed many days and Dad would join us after work.  We fished everyday, catching perch and sun fish.  Grandma and Mom cleaned and pan fried us 2 fish each for breakfast and lunch.  I even had my own green plate.  My Aunt Leola and Clarence lived next door, where we played paper dolls and hid n' seek with cousins.  Dad would bring us watermelon and popsicles.  I loved watching Gunsmoke on Saturday night.  I recall picking huckleberries along the road and Leola's donuts.  I love and remember the sweet smell and calmness of the Lake.

1956

Debbie Duckworth

Polaroids fade and memories do too, but I'll always have memories of summers at home.  Debbie Duckworth was my neighbor friend in our second house.  She was the only girl in a family of 7 or so boys. . . and there wasn't anything she couldn't do.  I remember walking the tracks and riding bikes.  My sister Terry, Debbie & I would ride her horse Queenie.  Queenie was a huge work horse and we all 3 would fit on her at the same time.  Queenie was such a good horse that looked like a buffalo.  We played board games and swam in the pool.  I once cut Debbie's hair when she was a varsity cheerleader.  She had straight, thick, pretty hair.  I thought I did a good job, but boy was her Mother mad!  

-Memories from the 1960s.

November Cards

Our daughter-in-law Michelle celebrated birthday #33 this month.  This card is for this lovely talented lady!

"Only a perfect birthday will do

For a daughter-in-law

Who's as lovely as you.

So here is a wish

For a super day

Hope its the happiest 

To come through your way"

 My colleague Brooke and her husband Michael welcomed their second son.

"Congratulations to you both on your wonderful news,

A baby son to fill your lives with love and happiness too.

You'll watch him grow with so much pride into adulthood.

But for now you'll nurture him through his young life

With everything you know.!

My mentor Evelyn lost her brother Rudy this month.  He was a prominent Charleston attorney, and when I listened to a tribute on the radio I had to smile as he reminded me of her.

"Memories last forever

In those years you shared.

May you find peace and love and

Comfort from all those who care."

Two more thank you cards, one for dietetic intern Stephanie, who helped us with our last Farmers Market demo, and one for vendor Patty, a sweet baker who treated us at the market.

My retired colleague from many years ago-Patty-always sends cards and for the last few years has given me a subscription to a magazine called "Angels".  This thank you is for Patty, the real angel.

"This card is sent especially to say a big thank you,

And to let you know you're appreciated for everything you do."

Two of my lovely friends from water aerobics celebrated birthdays on the same day!  Betty was 90.  Mary also had a birthday, but made sure we knew about Betty's milestone and not hers!

Daughter-in-law Michelle successfully defended her dissertation the day before Thanksgiving.  Michelle has worked throughout the years leading up to the masters and PhD in electrical engineering.  She knows her stuff!

"Well done, dear daughter-in-law

You're special through and through.

You've had such wonderful success

And we're very proud of you

You had such strong determination

To always see you through." 

All verses from craftsuprint

Childhood Neighborhood

On a drive through Bobs' childhood neighborhood, he describes happy memories-who lived where, games they played, the person who taught him darkroom work, the man who helped him get his first job.  It's good to visit and hear the stories.

2017

Meals Like Mama

At the Food and Nutrition Centennial, several presentations covered links to healthy eating patterns then and now.  I really enjoyed John Coupland's presentations where he discussed social and technological causes on changes in our diet. I'm fortunate to interview my Mother, now in her 10th decade, about her meals as a child. As a young child, Mom's Dad had a dairy, where milk was homogenized and bottled.  When she only 3, he opened a grocery store. There was no school lunch, so the kids walked home to eat the mid-day meal, then walked back to school.  Many times she ate lunch at her Grandmother's house, which was closer to school. Breakfast was oatmeal with milk. Lunch was often a soup with vegetables or potato soup, prepared by Grandad Mullan.  There were always Saltine crackers. Grandad Mullan had a big garden and canned many vegetables and fruit.  After his death, when they sold the house, there was a whole cellar full of these home canned treasures.  Mom enjoyed the pickled beets and canned pears. Mom's mother cooked a full meal with meat and vegetables.  The store had 2 ice boxes.  Ice was delivered twice a week to keep the meat fresh.  McIntyres Bakery was just across the street.  The bread was at first purchased as whole unsliced loaves until the innovation of a machine that sliced the bread.  Every Sunday, Grandma served chicken with 3 kinds of potatoes-sweet, white and potato salad. As the Depression ended, Grandma sold the store.  They never went hungry and never let anyone else go hungry.  The neighbors needed help with food and they were there.  In later years, the family found carbide cans of bills that were owed by people that could never pay. The lunch and dinner traditions continued when I was a child.  Though we ate school lunch during the week, we were served mostly vegetable meals with perhaps a little meat on off days.  I recall big pots of cabbage and potatoes, with a can of corned beef on top.  We ate beans and ham, homemade chicken noodle soup, and vegetable soup.  In summers, we ate fried squash and tomatoes. Mom always served a full dinner, The table was set and we enjoyed a meat, often grilled, and accompanying vegetables.   Sunday meals were shared with my Grandparents, who lived next store.  My Grandfather had a big garden and a root cellar with potatoes. Grandma taught me how to make potato salad, with a cooked dressing. Grandma had an addition built onto their house with a kitchen for canning. For my Girl Scout cooking badge, Mom taught me how to make meatloaf.  These days my brother makes my Mom a full plate of homemade foods. When we stayed at the lake during the summer, my sister and I fished, catching small perch and sunfish that Grandma and Mom cleaned and fed us several a day.  Breakfast at the lake was fresh caught fried fish.  I had a special green plate that was all mine Even though I sometimes ate too many packaged cookies between meals, I always ate a good My Plate kind of meal.  I loved the melons and tomatoes that were available in the summer.  We are real people who eat real food.  I'm fortunate, like my Grandmother, to have farm friends who raise and process the fresh meat I eat today. I buy sustainable frozen seafood at the grocery store.  I also purchase many vegetables from the farmers market. My link to a healthy meal pattern also influenced my career and hobbies.  I'm fortunate to have this exposure.  

A prayer said at the dinner table when Mom was a child:

"A little head, a little heart, bowed down in simple prayer

Thank the Lord for food and drink and loving daily care."

Chicago 100th FNCE

The Food and Nutrition Expo celebrating 100 years was the biggest ever (13,000 attendees). I wouldn't have wanted to navigate without Bob.The schedule was full with a wide choice of educational sessions,culinary demos and the expo. Bob gets a guest pass and gathers an assortment of goodies for me too. We were invited to 2 receptions where there was an assortment of Chicago foods. We ventured to 2 of the recommended eateries (loved Eataly) and a Paper Source (Chicago is where they make the rubber stamps). Ubers, taxis, shuttles and plenty of walking. . . Loved the history comparing 1917 to 2017.

2017 

This layout modeled after one by Heather J. Landry.