Long Night Moon, Snow Shoes, and Thank Yous

 The last full moon of the year or the long night moon was Friday night.  The light from the moon and the blanket of snow made it luminous out.  We headed out to the field with Puppy Weston to go snow shoeing.

Puppy Weston, the Moon and Field -
like the "luster of midday"

Taken without a flash at about 8:00 p.m. -
it looked like the moon itself

Tracking neighbors who wear
ice grippers

At the side of the field near the woods

Part of the weekend was spent writing thank you notes.

A note was written for this lovely  wooden pen.
A gift from a friend and made by a local crafts person.

I like to choose a different thank you note for each person.  Some are kept with my pens in an old writing box - a most treasured college graduation gift.

And so on to the New Year.  It will be a great year! We have already started a trip around the world - food wise.

• A friend had folks over last night to welcome in the New Year with a Chinese food potluck.  Everyone ordered up food and brought it to share.

• Then today another friend had folks over - early - for his annual soupe a l' oignon, the traditional cure for over imbibing

A Happy New Year to All.


P.S.  Meanwhile, paws stay off!  Someone, who shall remain nameless,  prepublished this entry in draft form a few days ago and then locked my computer. 

 

Thank you Egg Frittata

A Thank you from the Shorts
 

You may remember the chickens and blue barn that I wrote about a while back. 

Apparently,  my neighbors at the end of the street found inspiration in the introduction of chickens in the general vicinity to "adopt" (as they say) a few chickens of their own.  For the sake of this entry and their privacy, we shall call them Mr. and Mrs. Short.

 Mrs. Short is a wonderful cook whose delicacies delight us all.  She  has maintained that the adoption was necessary because she was desirous of the fresh eggs for cooking.  Mr. Short  is a man in business who drives a pristine, not-to-be touched black Mercedes sedan - but more on the car later.

Yesterday morning just after first light, Puppy Weston and I were heading out for our usual morning walk up the street and to the field when we saw both of the Short's vehicles parked askew and crazily in the street. 

At first glance it was clear that something was amiss.  This was supported when we saw Mrs. Short clad in something red, plaid and flannel with a raincoat running around and tossing a blanket on the ground.  We were just thinking about turning around and pretending that we saw nothing, when Mr. Short jumped out a bush and yelled,

"One of the chickens has escaped!"

Well that just explained everything.  Puppy Weston was immediately tied to a tree and I joined in the chase.  More neighbors came out as alerted by Puppy Weston's alarm barking - one in her bare feet!  We ran about, some of us vainly clucking or calling out Cleopatra, the chicken's name.  Diabolically, we were easily outsmarted by the feathered fiend.

Finally, I thought to call Mom.  As you may recall, as children we had adopted our own chickens at the end of  a school project.  Sadly, we were not the most responsible children and our chickens often got away and a chicken catcher was purchased.

My mother is a early riser and did not think that it was unusual that I called.  What she did think odd and even stated so was the question:

"Do you still have the chicken catcher?"

Once apprised of the desperate situation, however,  she drove the chicken catcher over.  By that time Cleopatra had had enough of us humans and had hidden under a boxwood hedge. 

Mom held up the chicken catcher and this was gleefully taken by the E.'s grandson who crawled under the shrubbery and hooked the errant Cleopatra.  Success!

Mrs. Short was overcome and the rest of us were cheering.  Mr. Short commandeered the situation and put Cleopatra in his car.  The last we saw of Cleopatra she was sitting in the back window of Mr. Short's Mercedes as he drove her home.

Really, really early this morning there was a knock on the door.  It was Mr. and Mrs. Short with some fresh eggs as a thank you gift for the adventure yesterday.

I love eggs and often make a quick (microwave) frittata in the morning.  Today it was a spinach one with the "Thank you Egg."

Look at the beautiful color of a fresh egg!

Breakfast!

P.S.  Mom gave Mr. Short the chicken catcher.








 

Normandie Dot to Dot

I often am surprised how experiences in life prove to be a series of fortuitous - though sometimes bizarre - connection of dots.  This has proved to be so with the Normandie, the famous French Art Deco ocean liner of the 1930s.

First, a long time ago, I was given a Normandie luggage tag from some one who had actually sailed on her.

Along with the luggage tag was this news clipping from 1942 (?) - there is no date - of the Normandie tipped over in New York harbor.

Then years after that, I went to the library to pick up some books that I had ordered.  This book was among them - though I had not ordered it up!  It was was a library error of happenstance that proved to be wonderful.



A riveting story

After that I ordered up this book.

A great read.
Check it out here.

Then, I was once at the Met to see another exhibit and stumbled upon the Normandie panels.  A delightful and beautiful surprise. 



History of Navigation Panels
at the Met in NYC

Also on view are chairs from the grand dining room, silver, and other exquisite items to which one can pay homage.

Most recently, we were at a hotel on the coast of Rhode Island.  After we had checked in, I asked the gentleman at the front desk to direct me to a specific place in the hotel.  Ironically, this gentleman was French, and very kindly thought to escort me.  As we approached a set of stairs, the walls were covered with ocean liner related art - among them the Normandie at the very top of the stairs.

"That is the Normandie!  That ship was beautiful." I exclaimed as I went over for closer examination.

"Mais, oui!" he responded, and I flatter myself that he was delighted that I thought to comment.  "There was no finer vessel," he added with obvious French pride.

Here are the two works that I saw.

Now recently - and this could be termed the bizarre dot - at Thanksgiving Mom invited some folks over from the senior center to share in our dual turkey celebration.  Amongst them was a gentleman who was a bit of an ocean liner buff.  He told me that there were films of the Normandie on YouTube.  I had never thought to look.

Here is one of them to start.

Be sure to also watch Part 2 of the above and the dining room one.  See how folks used to dress.  On my last cruise ... well let's just say it was quite different.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty to Be Thankful For

On Thanksgiving eve, this tune says it all.

 

Thanksgiving and the Waybury Inn Relish

For several years we would travel up to Vermont to celebrate Thanksgiving at my uncle's.  It was always wonderful with family, great food, and tramps after the big meal up a mountain trail. 
 
This being said - my aunt always made THE Waybury Inn Kidney Bean Relish. It was devoured. 

A few years ago, my aunt mailed me this postcard with the recipe - it is now mostly illegible due to use but I still make the relish every year for Thanksgiving and there is never any left.

Here is the legible recipe:

Waybury Kidney Bean Relish

1 small onion
1 or 2 hard boiled eggs
2 cups kidney beans, drained
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 stalks celery
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dill relish
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chop onion, celery, and eggs together.  Then add beans and mix in mayonnaise, relish and other seasonings.  Serve cool and keep under refrigeration. Makes six portions

Please do enjoy and thank you for reading.

A very happy Thanksgiving to all.

Favorite Cape Cod Haunts

We have a long family history with Cape Cod and I try to visit as often as possible.  This weekend I took a  mini break with a few family members and we visited some of our favorite haunts. 

The Cape in November?  Yes, most definitely.   Hardly anyone is about and it is just lovely.

Lunch on Friday

 

Wimpy's painting

  

 

A stop here...

 

Found this foulard scarf to wear with any thing.

  

 

Our room had this view

 

 

A blustery, early morning walk to the sea

on the Sandwich Boardwalk

 

Yours truly

 

Then to Beth's

 

What to choose?

  

Beth was making a gingerbread
Fancy Nancy house

  

 

 

The sparkly window at 2 Jarves Street

 

This gentleman from 2 Jarves
is now in my house

 

Crow Farm is almost 100 years old and
still owned by the same family.
This weekend we bought cranberries for
Thanksgiving

 

 

Old Mother West Wind's Christmas Fair

at the Jam Kitchen

 

  

 

 

 

Jam making supplies

 

For sale in the gift shop

 

 

 

Susie's clam chowder was served for lunch

 

Jam Club products

  

Wreaths and center pieces were
made to order

  

On Route 6A in Sandwich

  

Beautiful browsing... 

 

 

Peter Peltz's bird barn
We always stopped there. 
Now it is a gift shop selling a book
by Peter's son

 

One of Peter Peltz's birds. 
My parents would buy one every summer.

 

 

The Christmas Shop
We always bought advent calenders here.