Where Have They Gone?

Some folks have fallen off the radar this year.

They were friends of my parents and so are in their sunset years.

Perhaps the sun has set for some of them.

I sent Christmas cards to the few that I have been in contact with

over the last years since my parents left this world.

They, and I, have been grateful for the continued contact

and for the pleasure of remembering my incredible parents.

But where are they in fact?

I tried finding two of them on the white pages in Google, no luck.

One was dear enough to send out cards with her new address

now that she lives with her daughter and son-in-law.

When my parents were here with me we spoke of a long-time friend

with whom they had lost contact.

I decided to try and find out what happened to her and so

managed to get in touch with the retirement community administration office

of the place where she had moved years earlier.

She had died some years ago, they told me.

I told my parents.

We just sat quietly for a while.

People leave this life.

But they are always with us even so.

Fare well old friends.....

Happy New Year 2011!

Many places have had a lot of snow this year over the holidays.

We, having had 3 major blizzards last year seem to have been

spared, at least for now!

Here are a few of my treasured pieces of winter jewelry.

My Mother gave me the great big snowflake pendant and

matching earrings.

My sister made the holly leaves pendant

and

my cousin gave me the wonderful star pin for Christmas last year.

I love them all for their beauty.

But I love them best for their sentiment.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

With all my sincere wishes for a beautiful holiday with your

friends

and your families.

Winter moon

Middle of the night moon out my window.

There is something about the cold and a winter moon that goes together.

The silvery quality of that sight with the tips of leafless trees in the frigid night.

Just a bit of a poem beginning in these words.

My homemade wreath

Each year I make my wreath by taking a grapevine wreath and cedar bows from

the trees in my yard.

Then I add the decor and a big red bow!

The last touch is a light which I shine on it for the dark and cold winter nights.

So here it is for you, wherever you may be this Christmas season 2010.

Merry Christmas!

My Mother's wooden spoon

First you see the entirety of the spoon.

Then I had to shoot it close up so you could see the worn edge from the many years my Mother cooked with this spoon.

As the holidays approach, I am doing more cooking of various kinds and I often find myself reaching for this particular spoon of my Mother's because it is so obvious she used it so much that it wore down.

You may think it is dirty, but it isn't. Just has been burned somehow and nothing short of sandpaper would take it off.

But you know that I would never do that.

It's the patina gained from many years of her dedicated and wonderful meals lovingly prepared for us. Not all mothers are like this. I know I was blessed.

Thanks Mom, I'm adding my own patina to yours.

Love, Lynne

I have other wood spoons of my Mom's, and a few of my own, but this one is the one that connects me to her in the most special way.

Ready set GO!

I have a LOT of cookie cutters gathered over many years.

Here are just a few of them.

I haven't made any cookies for a few years now and so recently I got these babies out

and made some sugar cookies.

There were a few cutters on the counter and I noticed how interesting they were with

the overhead kitchen lights coming from the left and right.

Then I had to make an arrangement (you know artists!) for this photo.

So there you have it!

Now that they are out, I have made three batches so far!

Get busy!