I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no Santa Claus,” she jeered. “Even dummies know that!”
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her “world-famous” cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. “No Santa Claus?” she snorted….”Ridiculous! Don’t believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and…
I know, I know. Those of you who bake are focused on Christmas cookies and whatnot. I get it, having already made a batch of dark chocolate biscotti myself for a cookie swap. Regardless, winter squash still abounds here in New England and Cucurbitaceae remain a regular dinner component. (And not just for me, either: check out the fabulous meals my students made this week.) So I don’t care if it’s December or not: pumpkin bread pudding is a to-die-for dessert that is truly divine, and I simply must tell you more about it.
Oh, and I couldn’t decide on the right plating, so I’m also including two other options for your viewing pleasure, as it’s really a matter of style. Here’s the second.
This glorious recipe is from Bon Appétit via Epicurious. I already used the phrase “to-die-for”—what else is there to say? Well, let’s just put it this…
“If you open your heart to let dogs in, you will eventually be blessed with a once in a lifetime chum. It isn’t that you love your others dogs any less, but rather you love this one special animal more. The bond between the two of you is stronger, the connection deeper, the understanding clearer.”
-Kristina Marshall from FOREVER FRIENDS
I have been blessed with three of them whom I have lost.. I have my fourth one now…..Trevor Forever is perhaps the most unusual and unlikely collie to be one of these dogs…. in a kennel in a barn till 5, he then ran free in a outside kennel with lots of friends till 7… then he came to me and adopted me…. I can;t imagine what he would’ve been if he could’ve been with us from the time of being a pup…… this picture speaks…
No not really a competition for photographers, this day was all about the dogs but him with his BIG CAMERA, didn’t capture THIS FACE! I was far away using zoom on a day it was pouring out too boot. While waiting for my little girl to compete, in her very first Toss and Catch competition I filled in hours of waiting with taking photos of the most expert of dogs doing their thing but JT won 1st and 4th on her two tries, yes we were so proud of her and the patience she showed that day was amazing! She laid and watched all that went before her. What a special dog she is but have you ever heard of a Border Collie who sits still, lol we still smile at the very thought of that rainy day.
Take your dog out sun or rain they don’t mind honest, they just want to play with you.
Remember I told you about my best friend well here she is with me on a very happy occasion, Graduation Day. I had been out of School since January and the last thing I wanted was to be apart of this ceremony. It was June, it was nice out and I had to go because Dad bought me this beautiful corsage. Not sure if it was Dad or Mom taking this photo but I am sure they told me to SMILE! I was always the kid in school looking out the window wishing I was outside. I really did not like too many teachers in the 12 years I attended. Back in school in the 60’s and 70’s too much was happening OUT THERE to be STUCK IN THERE.
I did have a female teacher MS HILL in fourth grade now she was cool! She was our science teacher and a Hippie I bet looking back on the times. She had pretty long dark hair and I swear long grey streaks from the part down both sides of her head maybe we made her prematurely grey. I remember her outfits as do all the boys from my fourth grade class I am sure. Mini skirts were all the rage. Our school had to add partitions to the fronts of the desks, as they were not mini skirts they were micro mini’s! It was the only class I saw the boys sit in the front two rows, normally they raced to hide in back. So now really why I loved my fourth grade Science class was because she loved science and it showed. She taught us about the night-time sky and even had a field trip to a place in town where it was really dark. We came with our families and all stretched out on our blankets while MS Hill explained the stars and what each constellation was. How many teachers have that much joy that they give up a night to spend laying on the grass with students. I think of her often when I camp and spend so much time with my eyes looking up into the night sky. Where I live there is no light pollution and I swear some nights there are billions of stars just over my head. I wish I could find her to thank her for fourth grade as it was not till I went into ninth grade did I get that same feeling. It was a new school and lots of new people I had never met. There were so many classes to choose from and so many trades to try out. We spent 6 or 8 weeks in each one to see if it was match for us. I wanted Auto Body bud sadly it was 1970 and girls were not allowed in trades full of men. I wanted to sculpt cool outer shells for FAST CARS. I had friends older that were always messing with their rides. It is because of them and my Dad and all the time spent at the race track that I want to make them special. I also loved Culinary Arts we learned to chop, and dice as well as bake the most wonderful pastries We learned how to waitress and even had our own restaurant with in the school to practice at for the real world. I also took Drafting and Technical Illustrating oh and Electronics too! It was Secretarial Sciences I ended up with as I loved Shorthand! I was fast too. Then came tenth through twelfth grades and I could care less about going. I had no choice Mom would remind me I would graduate if it was the last thing she would do!
So was it the lack of enthusiastic teachers I had or was there a problem with me? Most teachers we had did not like children. We had ones that would yell and scream and send you off to the office or ones who would go in the back room and drink we even had one flip out in class like he was on acid. There was one cool teacher who taught us about the Mafia, WHY? Cool dude though he would go off with the young girls and they would all come back HIGH. Yes these were different times in the 60’s and 70’s and I for one was so happy to walk out in January of 1974 . I just was not happy having to attend graduation. I know Mom and Dad were so proud of me but I always felt as if there was a whole world OUT THERE and I was MISSING IT!
I am so glad my best friend was there. I kissed my parents good-bye and we set out to attend some Graduation Parties.
I have been out of school now for 38 years and would love to go to a Art School or maybe just teach young girls to appreciate life, not to settle and to never stand for abuse, of any kind.
There is one thing I am sure of, if I taught they would listen.
Mom got me all dressed up and walked me to the top of the street.
The rest of the kids from the neighborhood where there too. Not sure if my Mom was the only one to take photos but I can tell the sun was in my eyes. Didn’t we all look like we were eager to attend. The real photo she should have concentrated on getting was the last day I attended SCHOOL, now that was the most important day!
My best friend was in the back row standing next to a boy. She moved here from the deep south Georgia and Alabama . We were best of friends instantly. We did everything together. She would come places with my family like to Zoos and Parks and I would go with her family to the Ocean. The place I always went with them to, is still my very favorite section even though storms have destroyed so much of what was so beautiful.
We had one TV, a Black and White for years. We also got to play after supper, under the one street light, which happened to be right in front of our house. We played kickball and dodge ball life was good.
Out of all the years Cathy and I attended school together we were only in one class together, eighth grade math. By then we liked boys though neither of us were allowed to date. Boys would come over and sit around and listen to music with us but no dating.
When we went to high school we parted ways she went to the local high school in town and took college courses
while I took a test to be accepted to the new School in town. Vocational/Technical High School that had students from five towns attending. It was a beautiful school and I met so many wonderful people and you know most of our small class of 1974 is on my Facebook Friend list. I think this speaks volumes of the times and the families. We came from hard working, Blue collar workers with one car, 3 kids and a dog and no divorces.
I never asked if we were rich or poor I never went without supper unless I refused to eat what Mom cooked. Remember the dog, he would eat ANYTHING, he was our best friend at the dinner table till Mom caught on and tied him outside while we ate. We tried to always finish supper no mater how much we hated Lima Bean Soup so we could have dessert remember she was a great baker, her cakes and pastries were the best tasting.
We were allowed to go out after breakfast and not return till lunch you see we lived on a dead-end road with just 15 houses on it and all our other friends lived in the other houses with their brothers and sisters. We were never inside unless it was raining. We always played at each others houses. The Mother’s we always home. I can only remember two times I actually had a babysitter well till I turned eleven and became one. I babysit my brothers, I had 3 of them and then babysit for a family with 8 children and a family with two of the sweetest little girls. I made enough money babysitting and always bought family gifts at Christmas but put mine and my brothers names on them for our parents.
So many things happened on this dead-end street where I grew up. I loved this place so much I never wanted to grow up. It was a place where many memories, that will last a lifetime, were made.
The recreation department in our town held their Third Annual PUMPKIN STROLL
The children came in beautiful costumes
They brought Carved Pumpkins for the contest
Vendors set up tables with items for sale but they all had candy to pass out to the children who also were Trick or Treating(dress rehearsal for the 31st)
We had a table with lots of candy as well and our raffle items for the Garden Club fundraising effort.
We donated 3 house plants for the Recreational Departments SILENT AUCTION for the many things they do for the towns Children
Have a look, after the heavy rains all night we were blessed with a beautiful day!
Watson
Pumpkins for the contest!
Vendors came to sell their wares
Setting up her booth
WHERE FIRST?
Two More for the JUDGES
Batman Rocked!
Safe Place for Children
Carved Batman
Haunted House
Children Ready
Wonder Woman Carving
Evening Ends
Thanks for coming on the Pumpkin Stoll with me
I really rushed photos and didn’t use a tripod as you can tell
I had to dash quickly as we had our table set up with a TV for a raffle prize
Our friends live on top of a Mountain/Hill and they raise reining horses and Border Collies and of course their children as well.
They had a horrible thunder and lightning storm hit their area of VT and lost every animal that was in their huge barn. Horses, border collie pups, female horses just getting ready to foal, it was sickening to see the loss and the pain the family went through, being helpless to help the animals when the lightning hit.
We had JT from litter before the one lost and took her up to see her old family and to give them hugs.
Here are the two horses that were outside and the dogs that were in the house, plus our JT , she loves when we go there.
Our little female has no idea how big this horse is and how quick she can move
She was scaring me.
Her brother is even crazier he is always up against these two female horses heels
Sad to think of all the horses that used to run here, now just two females, sisters.
Tex is the father of all the pups that were born here.
She is watching them
JT’s brother Tex’s son
Tex respects these giants, he has been chased before.
These horses mess with the dogs and their toy balls as they really are all young and playful.
