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. 

 

Well I'll Be Deviled - Updated with a P.S.

As I sit here tonight munching on hors d'oeuvres that were left over from our open house yesterday, I notice that one in particular is absent - meaning gone, none left, devoured by guests.  What was it?  The deviled egg.

Although I am a huge egg fan, I never thought to serve deviled ones at a holiday party.  I always pictured these as something served at a 1950s ladies bridge or Mahjong luncheon along with fruited jello -  both sliding around on those plates with a circle to hold a matching tea cup. These luncheon sets are now plentiful at flea markets.


Earlier this month I went to a party at the house of a woman who would put Martha to shame.  She is a doyenne of good taste and lives in a baronial  type house that looks like something Timothy Corrigan decorated.  As I pranced by the food stations, I was aghast to see not one but three plates of deviled eggs!  That is 72 egg halves! 

I thought that no one would eat them but by the end of the evening, all were gone.

This started me thinking about our open house and deviled eggs.  The recipe was easy.  The hardest part was finding the deviled egg plate.  I finally tracked one down - the last one in the area - at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Obviously, this is a "beyond" item.

Fitz and Floyd
from beyond at
Bed, Bath, and Beyond

What's more, I went to Cleopatra's mother for 12 fresh eggs.

Yesterday, just before the guests arrived I placed the lowly deviled eggs amidst the stuffed dates, lobster puffs, and apricots in prosciutto, etc. 

As folks arrived, I noticed that a young man immediately took a deviled egg and popped it into his mouth.  It was the first piece of food to be consumed.  What's more within an hour all of the eggs were gone, and a business associate of Mr. Weston's asked, "Do you have any more of those eggs?"

I spent hours planning the menu for yesterday and am seriously rethinking what ought to be served next year.  May be I'll pick up some of those luncheon plate sets at the flea market and serve only deviled eggs.


P.S.  Well I certainly have egg on my face - but what devilish fun. 

Several kind folks wrote to share their thoughts and recipes for deviled party eggs. 

• A gentle lady in Maryland makes hers with crab meat "which would make my eggs less lowly."  
• Another reader suggested ideas for presentation - not just putting the eggs on the "Beyond" plate but adding some garnishes. 
• A gentleman from Boston reported that he had attended a party where the hostess served deviled quail eggs.  Hmmm.  I wonder if my neighbors would be willing to adopt a few quail sisters for Cleopatra...

Thank you everyone!
 

Holiday Happiness

Many holiday blessings and time spent with family and friends.  Since Thursday night we have been visiting - and eating.  The highlights?  Some friends had folks over for a Bright Nights party, neighbors had us all roasting chestnuts around their fire pit where the chicken catching story was relived and regaled, was with the family for a joyous Christmas Eve, and finally today - our annual Christmas Open House and Hors d'oeuvres. 

It was all wonderful but I am rejoicing in the quiet now - as is Puppy Weston who has finally had her bell collar and giant red bow removed.  I am consuming just one more stuffed date as I type this quickie entry.

Laughed all season whenever I heard the King's Singers and their Twelve Days.

Sending the best to all and to all a good night.

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.








 

Sirius Musing

A quick note for the evening.  The candles are lit and we are sitting back in the semi dark each with a glass of wine and a pet.  Sirius Pops (Classical Christmas music) is on and for some reason, this always makes me think of when we were in Honfleur and the lovely church there.  

Saint Catherine's

 

Holiday Busy and Gift Ideas

Things have been wonderfully busy with the added joy of the first gentle snow on December 1.  What is that James Taylor song? 

"The first of December was covered with snow and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston..."


The annual Winter Soiree at this pretty place

C and D
(Cocktails and Dancing)

 
 

The  Mark Twain House Holiday Tour
of homes

The Always Lovely Vespers

 

And most importantly, the family card party.  Not cards in the mailing sense but in th 3"x5" sense.  Early in December we assemble for dinner and to fill out cards for each other with 1 to 3 gift ideas.  Everyone gets a card to give to everyone else.  So for example, "For Mrs. Weston, From Brother"

The tacit rules are:

• One gift per person
• No electronics
• Nothing plastic
• Humorous gifts allowed and fully appreciated

We firmly believe that we are fortunate to have everything - this meaning health, loved ones, homes, and jobs.  Everything else is gravy - as the saying goes.  Christmas is about spending time together.

So, given this, what kinds of things were on our 3"x5s" this year?  A sampling:

Earl Grey Creme Tea
Tea and Spice Exchange

L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil

 

Sarabeth's Hot Chocolate Parisienne
- Truly you will think that you are in Paris
when drinking this.

 

Magazine Subscription

 

Socks

 

Dog Leash

Rachmaninov

 

 

Anything from Il Papiro

Journals, pencils, or frames