My Wishes Are For…

Goodbye 2009...

So much has happened in this month of December...I have not taken many pictures or felt like blogging...in fact I have felt like the world has continued on as my world turned in upon itself...This month I lived through caring for my sister in her last weeks...This month I became closer to her and her children than I ever could imagine...This month I have become closer to my own children and husband as they support me...This month I turned 59 three days before my sister's death and received a card with her last words to me...This month I watched "White Christmas" with my sister and sang our theme song, "Sisters", for the last time...This month our family and friends got together not for a Christmas party but for a memorial service...This month our families started new traditions for the holidays...This month I tried to do shopping, and wrapping, and cooking to keep myself busy and to keep the family together...This month I took joy in receiving this beautiful "gingerbread" house made by my grandson so painstakingly...

A Win!...

I just discovered that I won a Canon forum mini-challenge! Now this is not a big challenge but there were over 100 entries for the theme "The Color Red"... I have been participating in this particular challenge for about a year and have had a few HM's and one or two 2nd or 3rd place but this is the first win...Of course with this win all I get is the honor of sponsoring the next challenge...still I will have to give my granddaughter a prize for being such a photogenic model!

A New Addition...

I received this beauty for Christmas and took it's picture in the window before hanging it up with the others...It is so windy here today that the ornaments hanging in the kitchen were swinging ever so slightly..

....the day after

Still a houseful in the morning but an altogether relaxing day...crosswords, eating, relaxing, dominos, eating again...the day after is always my favorite day..

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas..."

My mother made this crewel angel ornament about 30 years ago...She has age spots on her face...not unlike me! Merry Christmas to all!

Shellfish Minestrone

Shellfish Minestrone

8 servings

1 lb. shrimp

1/4 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 small ribs celery

1carrot

3 Tbs. oil

2 cups clam juice

3 3/4 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp.dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

3 whole, peeled tomatoes

2/3 cup small macaroni
1/2 lb. scallops

Peel shrimp, reserving shells, devein and halve lengthwise. Chop onion. Mince garlic and celery. Halve carrot lengthwise and cut into thin slices. Cook shrimp shells with 2 Tbs. oil in a pot 3 Minutes. Add clam juice and chicken stock. Simmer 15 minutes. Strain broth. In the same pot, cook onion, garlic, celery and carrot in 1 Tbs. oil 5 minutes. Add herbs and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon. Add broth. Simmer 20 minutes. Add macaroni and cook 5 minutes. Quarter scallops, add with shrimp and simmer 5 minutes.

This recipe was originally cut out from a "For Women First" magazine at least 20 years ago..I wish I had cut the date out too. Like many frequently used old recipes it has evolved and is a little different than the original every year. I always double the recipe and often quadruple it . I use medium shrimp and large sea scallops. I usually use more onion, celery and carrot than called for. Ever since my daughter married a vegetarian I use vegetable stock when I make it (altho I think it tastes better with the chicken stock). I use canned diced tomatoes and throw in the juice as well. This year I will have to try using gluten free macaroni as my second daughter's husband has a gluten allergy..Like I said things evolve but this stew always tastes delicious and everyone always likes it. Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Shopping..

I thought I might get outside to take some photos today but I ended up Christmas shopping in a very busy mall. With a prediction for snow tomorrow and possibly over the weekend many of us were trying to finish up our shopping lists....This Santa is a fairly new ornament..and he is carrying lots of bundles....appropriate for today I think..

Glass Ornaments..

Long ago my husband started buying glass ornament balls for my birthday or Christmas gift. Since then I have accumulated 30 different glass ornaments - mostly from him or other family members but some I bought myself. They are beautiful to look at but I find them a real challenge to photograph. They are either poorly lit, or out of focus, or the background is too cluttered. Like I said...a real challenge for me...

Recuperating..

A nice quiet day after the stress of preparing for a family Christmas party and then "enjoying" it too much!