Whether you were sleeping, eating, partying, watching the ball drop or watching a fire, I hope the new year and new decade started exactly as you wanted it to.
Our bonfire plans were modified by the steady rain yeserday. Instead of the usual huge roaring blaze, we opted for a firepit fire on the patio--out of the mud. The rain let up just in time, the temperatures stayed comfortable, and the company was excellent, which all made for a perfect evening. We were in bed by 2am, but up and out in the woods by 9 am because a guest had gone for a walk in the woods and lost her necklace. Since it was snowing this morning, we wanted to get out and look for it before it was covered with snow.
Oddly, we found the beautiful blue pendant lying on the old road through the woods, but the silver chain was nowhere to be found. As we were walking, though, we heard old Crow hollering up in the trees. I think he stole the necklace but the pendant slipped off the end. So the graceful chain is probably up in his nest, and he's angry because we got the pendant.
It was a good way to start the year, walking in snowy, quiet woods. We came home for a good country breakfast, then Larry decided to take a short nap (which he is still taking) and I've been busy breaking up Christmas. Not in the traditional sense that Dave Tabler wrote about in his blog Appalachian History with a big party and dancing, but in the putting-it-all-away sense. I've finished a couple rooms and will do the rest tomorrow. It's sad in a way, and yet already I am anticipating getting these favorite ornaments and decorations out again next year.
I am leaving some things, like the greens, in the house because to me they keep the festive feeling of the holidays with us and provide a sense of the season that is still with us--evergreens inside, snow outside seems a perfect fit.
By the way, Appalachian History has some interesting articles about New Year's and about the first full moon of the year, too, that you might want to read. Dave always provides some interesting insights on his blog, which keeps it on my favorite places to visit list.
Time to get off here and get to cooking dinner. What will we have? Probably chicken of some sort, running counter to tradition I know but since we did not raise hogs this year there's no pork in the freezer, but plenty of chicke. Black-eye peas and cabbage are definitely on the menu. We always wrap coins in waxed paper and put them in the cabbage so we'll have money all year. A salad and seasoned rice will probably round out the menu, although until I'm in there and cooking it's hard to say what will happen.
Off to the kitchen with me!
Our bonfire plans were modified by the steady rain yeserday. Instead of the usual huge roaring blaze, we opted for a firepit fire on the patio--out of the mud. The rain let up just in time, the temperatures stayed comfortable, and the company was excellent, which all made for a perfect evening. We were in bed by 2am, but up and out in the woods by 9 am because a guest had gone for a walk in the woods and lost her necklace. Since it was snowing this morning, we wanted to get out and look for it before it was covered with snow.
Oddly, we found the beautiful blue pendant lying on the old road through the woods, but the silver chain was nowhere to be found. As we were walking, though, we heard old Crow hollering up in the trees. I think he stole the necklace but the pendant slipped off the end. So the graceful chain is probably up in his nest, and he's angry because we got the pendant.
It was a good way to start the year, walking in snowy, quiet woods. We came home for a good country breakfast, then Larry decided to take a short nap (which he is still taking) and I've been busy breaking up Christmas. Not in the traditional sense that Dave Tabler wrote about in his blog Appalachian History with a big party and dancing, but in the putting-it-all-away sense. I've finished a couple rooms and will do the rest tomorrow. It's sad in a way, and yet already I am anticipating getting these favorite ornaments and decorations out again next year.
I am leaving some things, like the greens, in the house because to me they keep the festive feeling of the holidays with us and provide a sense of the season that is still with us--evergreens inside, snow outside seems a perfect fit.
By the way, Appalachian History has some interesting articles about New Year's and about the first full moon of the year, too, that you might want to read. Dave always provides some interesting insights on his blog, which keeps it on my favorite places to visit list.
Time to get off here and get to cooking dinner. What will we have? Probably chicken of some sort, running counter to tradition I know but since we did not raise hogs this year there's no pork in the freezer, but plenty of chicke. Black-eye peas and cabbage are definitely on the menu. We always wrap coins in waxed paper and put them in the cabbage so we'll have money all year. A salad and seasoned rice will probably round out the menu, although until I'm in there and cooking it's hard to say what will happen.
Off to the kitchen with me!
Hey Granny Sue!
ReplyDeleteI have a pot of 15 beans on the stove, cabbage and potatoes and some real corn meal cornbread in the oven. I can't wait to dig in!
My husband took our tree out today and I can't wait to post the pictures of all of the needles that feel off. This year was the worst! lol
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(¸.*´ (¸.*´* HAPPY NEW YEAR *
Angela
How I smiled when I read of you taking Christmas to pieces already. Here in UK there is a tradition that all decorations and trees are left in place until Twelfth Night (Jan 6th) - I am afraid I can never last that long. I love the lights and cards and decorations but once New Year's eve is over I can't wait to get them down and away. Happy New Year Sue.
ReplyDeleteHey Granny Sue, this is lovely! You know, the season's not over yet, at least not around here. We still have Olde Christmas to come.
ReplyDeleteSome celebrate this on January 2, counting 12 days from Solstice. Others celebrate on January 6.
In our family, we use this holiday as a chance to give another gift -- only this one has to be something found, homemade or pre-loved. And we always serve something made of blackberries -- blackberry mountain pie or a blackberry punch.
Thanks for sharing your traditions with us.
I love your improv approach to dinner! I had my sister over for beans and cornbread, which is our tradition (except usually she makes them). We met first at the Y open house -- and I had a lovely caricature done!
ReplyDeleteFor supper for just myself, a friend had mentioned shrimp, and I have some in the freezer (from Angel Food), so I improved pasta, shrimp, vegetables, with peanut/ginger sauce for flavor -- Nice!
Happy New Year!!
Weaver, I usually wait until Old Christmas to take down the tree, my mother also did. Mom put up the tree on Dec 24th and left it up until after their anniversary on January 11th. By then it was pretty bare! She claimed that Jan 11th was actually 12th night, and I have read of others who also count the days of Christmas as she did. We always gave gifts at Old Christmas, though, and the wise men would finally arrive at the manger scene!
ReplyDeleteSince it's a live tree this year and we have wood heat I'm a little more cautious and think we'd better move it out now.
It's hard for me to put away Christmas. That's one reason I keep the greens and I also tend to put out red placemats and feature red in decorating in other ways--keeping at least a little of the holidays around for a while.
Angela, I bought a pack of mized beans for soup on Thursday, and plan to cook them this week! Your meal sounds exactly right for a day like today--especially the corn bread :-)
ReplyDeleteBlackberries, Kate! What a good idea--the taste of summer in the middle of winter. It sounds like your family is also one with many traditions. I certainly like the idea of "found" gifts. That could lead to some interesting gifts.
ReplyDeleteMary, I love to cook like that--just see what's there and make something. I ended up making a rice medley with hopping john, brown rice, peppers, onions, turkey leftover from Christmas (frozen), red pepper and garlic. I also found a can of sweet potatoes and made praline yams--delicious, almost a dessert, and of course we had the cabbage. And a glass of chardonnay to top everything off. I made so much of the rice that now there are two big containers in the freezer. I will never learn to cook for two, it seems. Your dinner sounded delicious, especially the peanut-ginger sauce.
ReplyDeleteit sounds like a wonderful way to see in the new year!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Granny Sue!
ReplyDeleteI have only taken down a little of Christmas. Our decorating started late this year and I'm just not ready to put it away. And I think I'll leave my fireplace trim up all winter. I always say I will and never do, but this year...I AM!!
Sorry about the necklace, but you are probably right about the crow. They like shinies!
Mine is all down now except the outside lights--they're frozen to the porch. Inside, though, there's still plenty of red and green, so it still feels festive. I've thought about leaving some things up too, TF, but in the end I took it down. Except some little lights in the kitchen. I left them in place because we might like them for a party night.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely New Year's, in spite of the rain. I have WV weather on my iGoogle page beside the Irish one, and all I saw was cold and snow ... c'mon Spring!! LOL
ReplyDeleteIt will be great to watch A Steady Rain, i have bought tickets from
ReplyDeletehttp://ticketfront.com/event/A_Steady_Rain-tickets looking forward to it.