Holly Jolly Brawley 2025

46°f/7.8°C, overcast and windy.

This is the 4th year for Holly Jolly Brawley, and our 4th year attending. The basic idea doesn't change, but each year companies and organizations outdo themselves in the decorated tree contest. From that basic idea, the event has grown to include many activities for children, a dance contest, marketplace, food trucks, and this year even a zipline and a drone show.

Now, we are generally not fans of crowds, but the joy at this event is contagious, and it is such a pleasure to be among so many happy people.

I have no idea who this big creature is---from a Disney movie, maybe?--- but Larry zeroed in on it immediately. I guess it struck his funny bone! I took photos for some young women, then another young lady offered to take our photo. It was hard to make Larry stand still long enough! Yep, he is definitely recovered!

Some very cool bouncy houses for the kids.

And another photo op setup, which the littlest ones loved.

But my favorite, always is the trees! 

I liked the message on this one.

This one was crazy-looking, but certainly drew the eye. 

Check out this overloaded beauty! This one is by the WV Golf Association.  Who knew there was such an organization? Not me.

"Don't shoot your eye out!" That was the message on this tree by an eye care company, a take-off of the movie A Christmas Story.

The Grinch was there on several trees.

We spotted our friend Lynne's son, Rafael Barker, set up for photo shoot sessions. He's quite an amazing portrait photographer and we thought about getting a photo done, but it was quite crowded, and we hadn't really dressed for it. We couldn't even say hello, he was so busy! 

Meanwhile, along the street restaurants were SRO, but this braids and hair shop went about their business as usual.

Even the dogs got in on the festivities.  There were quite a few well-behaved canines on leads. I asked one guy how he kept his dog from peeing on the trees, and he admitted it was a struggle. We both laughed at the idea that if that happened, it might short out the whole show! 

The marketplace tent was a very busy place. I bought some tea (as a gift) and earrings (for me!), but i gave up trying to get all the way through.

The large sculptures were still there, towering over the crowd.

Then it was time for the drone show.  I had never seen one, so didn't know what to expect. We ran into some Joe's Run neighbors as we waited for the show to begin. So funny, with all these people, to find ourselves standing beside Amy and James.

Only in West Virginia will you find Mothman riding on Santa's sleigh.

The lights around the Capitol dome twinkled, so pretty.

And of course, the jolly elf himself! I can see that this technology is going to explode into some very intricate shows in the future.

The dog sculpture beside the banjo man sculpture looked a little confused by all the hullabaloo.

We tried to eat at a couple breweries but it was impossible to find a seat, so we stopped at a not busy wings and calzone place, had some wings and a salad, and ran into another friend, musician extraordinaire Pete Kosky. How nice that was! Then we walked over to Taylor Book Store, where a live band was playing, for wine and beer and a little Christmas shopping. It was packed too, but we managed to find a seat to enjoy our drinks before browsing.

I couldn't resist these socks! A few pair ended up in my bag, for gift-giving. No books this time, as Larry was tired and buying books takes time. I was struck by all the alternative lifestyle books in the children's section. I admit I was taken aback; as a librarian, of course we offered books on all topics, but i has not realized how our current culture has impacted children's lit. There were plenty of the old classics, of course, as well as books about saving the planet, racial acceptance,  etc. Kind of eye-opening---I hadn't really looked at children's books in years. I imagine the book-banning crowd would have a field day in there.

Back outside, the crowds had thinned a little. By now it was 9pm and most parents had herded their children homeward.

We had one more stop to make, at Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream. Larry didn't want any but I had a most delicious chocolate black raspberry cone. Although it was closing time, the staff were welcoming and friendly. It felt like we were old customers,  which, actually, I was, as I used to come here for coffee and an occasional muffin or salad when I worked just up the street at the library.

I don't know who painted this picture of Ellen's that was on the wall, but I like it.

The mural on the opposite wall, however, is the unmistakable work of Charleston's favorite artist, Charles "Jupiter " Hamilton, who sadly passed away a few years ago.

It was finally time to head home ourselves, but we both were glad we ventured out for such a fun evening.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Better

20°f/-6,7C, mostly cloudy.

The leftover turkey and a couple jars of leftover soup, ready for the cellar 

We both felt better today, thank goodness. I guess i had a light touch of Larry's bug, just a low fever, upset tummy and tired. We tookbot easy yesterday, doing just what was necessary and resting a lot. I watched Forest Gump for the umpteenth time and still enjoyed it! Slept like a rock, too.

So today we were busy, catching up on small jobs. Then later afternoon we did some needed shopping in town--reading glasses for Larry, feed for rabbit's and chickens, gas for the van-- then drove down to Charleston for an annual holiday event we love. More about that tomorrow! Right now we are homeward bound, tired but happy for the chance to get out a bit!

C

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Memories

29°f/-1.67C, partly cloudy and cold all day.

Thank you for all your kind wishes for Larry to feel better yesterday. He is much better today, thank goodness. He slept most of the day yesterday, ate little but drank lots of fluids. I think he is past the worst. Whew. I think it will be a day or two before he's back to his ornery self, though. I am not feeling so well either, running a little fever and upset tummy. But nothing like as sick as Larry.

It has been another quiet day here. I have most of the leftover turkey in the canner,  which I find to be a better option than freezing as it will keep better and not get fteezer-burn. 

I have been working on the tree too, and am almost finished. So many memories attached to the ornaments! It is a pleasure to recall them as i work. Balls with copper wire for hanging came from my parents' tree. Dad always salvaged copper wire, so these have his signature touch! Then there are my mother's beaded ornaments, and the one I made when I was 11 which has miraculously survived all these years.  I posted photos of it and other favorites last year, so click here to see that post.

Speaking of memories, some interesting ones popped up on Facebook today, like this one, sent by a friend who saw the article in the Charleston newspaper:

 And this:

Wish I could remember what I sold! I remember once selling a lamp to the Young Sheldon TV show, and a scarf to a New York Broadway company, but can't recall this one.

Then one day in Marietta, this sunset:

Of course, there were the snowy day photos. These from 2014:

And Thanksgiving that same year, 13 at the table.

The little church on the hill, just out the road from us, taken in 2017.

Kinda fun to look back at these. Today, just enjoying being cozy, watching the sun setting through my favorite window,

the fire,

the tree,

and the sparkles!

A Change of Plans

31°f/-.56C, cloudy. At the time of writing this it is 33°f and light snow.

Things can certainly change in a quick minute! Specifically, a few minutes in the middle of the night when Larry became violently ill and quite feverish. 

It was quite a night, I can tell you. Finally at 4:30am he seemed a little better. I absconded to the log room and to my recliner to try to get some sleep. Of course through dogs were confused that we were up and down all night so it took a bit to get them settled too.  Pip especially wanted much petting! I finally did sleep a couple more hours, but what a night.

As soon as it was feasible I called Derek and Suzy to let them know they would not want to come here for Thanksgiving dinner after all. Apparently Larry picked up a norovirus that has been running wildfire through our area, and it is very contagious. I heard some talk about it when I was at physical therapy but didn’t really think about it. And Larry has actually been out in public places very little for the past week---just dinner out Saturday, and then to get gas in his truck Tuesday. I think he must have contracted the virus on that last stop. Poor guy.

Since the turkey was thawed,  I went ahead and roasted it, made some mashed potatoes and green beans, opened a jar of our cranberry sauce, browned some rolls and called Thanksgiving dinner done. 

Larry ate a little, but went back to bed before I had finished, so I ate my Thanksgiving dinner alone for the first time in my life! Poor guy, he is exhausted,  but at least the nausea has passed. Pie still waits, but I doubt either of us will have any today.

It has certainly been a strange Thanksgiving. I remember years when up to 30 people would gather here. Ah, those were the days. We are supposed to go to granddaughter Haley's on Saturday but we may have to forego that too, as Larry will very likely still be contagious. I am crossing my fingers that I avoid this bug myself!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Onward

53°f/11.7°C, rain all morning, clearing, colder, and high winds all afternoon.

We are in for a change in weather,  I am afraid. But as close as we are to December, it's not surprising that we should get an arctic blast. Larry did not gonoyt hunting this morning; I guess he'd had enough of being wet after yesterday's pouring rain! No deer, sadly, so no venison to restock our dwindling supply. Maybe he will get one later in the season. 

He has been working on all the black walnuts and hickory nuts he and Derek gathered. So far, he has about a pint of black walnuts and half a pint of hickory nuts picked and cleaned so far. I am looking forward to baking with them this winter.

The ol' nutpicker at work.

We spent today puttering around. He raked leaves and put them in the chicken yard and in their coop, which made the hens ecstatic.  You could tell by the happy clucking! I made 2 pies: pecan and pumpkin. It was a frustrating venture, as I seemed to make make a right awful mess.  I dropped a whole open can of pumpkin in the floor, which you can imagine splattered everywhere! It was that kind of a cooking day. 

I had planned to do a few other things but decided that it would be wiser to just be happy with the pies. With just 4 of us---our friend Suzy, who is single, Larry, Derek, and me-- we really don't need to be making mountains of food. The plan was to keep it simple, anyway. 

I went outside for a while to plant more bulbs, but the wind cut right through my clothes so I only did about half of what I intended to do. I still have many to get in the ground, so I will keep plugging along a few at a time.

We had dinner last night with the hunters at Derek's,  and it was delicious. Steak, chicken, pasta salad, garlic bread, and Derek's newest favorite dish, that baked cabbage.  George's friend Allan,   on whose farm my guys hunt, joined us so the stories of when he and George were young just flew. 

Spotted on the street in Ripley: a young high school student paints festive scenes on the windows of a vacant business building. 

I'd spent the day out and about: I went to one booth, adding a lot of little things like bookmarks, tiny baskets, etc, in preparation for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Then some shopping at Goodwill, where I found a nice, small wood and brass ship's wheel and yet another pressure canner. I don't really need the canner,  but it came with the gasket, which is almost $20 to replace,  so that was a good find. Next stop was the grocery store, again, getting a few last minute things for Thanksgiving.

The grocery store was a great opportunity for one of my favorite occupations: people-watching. Men with phones taking photos so the wife on the other end could verify he'd got the right thing. Young mother's with babies or older children in tow,trying to shop while corraling over-excited children, older people buying just a few things for a more simple Thanksgiving. But no one seemed anxious or grouchy, so it was a pleasant place to be. Still, it was very nice not to have to come home and cook.

That's about all the news from here, sparse as it is. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Back to Normal

47°f/8.3°C, raining.

Yesterday's morning skies:

It was a beautiful day, warm enough to wear just a light jacket. Today? Change is coming, as cold moves in tonight.

Larry is off hunting again. No luck yesterday although he did see a couple deer too far away for a shot. He also had a tire blow out on our road as he was headed out. He called our grandson Clayton, who came and picked him up---left the truck right there and went hunting! He and Clayton put the spare on in the dark. Not ones to give up their hunting time.

So I had a quiet day. I packed ebay and took it to the mailbox, planted some foxtail lilies and 50 crocus bulbs before leaving for my PT appointment.  This time, besides the usual exercises, he put my neck in traction. Now that is an odd feeling. It looked like a medieval torture device, I swear. Afterwards, I asked him if it made me an inch taller, getting my neck stretched like that. Sadly, no luck there. It did help, for about 12 hours, but no more therapy until next Monday, except these home exercises. At least I got a fairly decent night's sleep.

Not much else going on here. I am grateful for a little slowdown, I must admit. Tomorrow I will do a little advance cooking for Thanksgiving,  but won't do much as it will just be Derek, Larry, and me 

Oh, one other piece of news! Granddaughter Hannah is expecting again, in July. Granddaughter Kate is due in January, making numbers 7 and 8 great grandchildren.  I am so happy for them both.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Apple Butter Day 2025

25°f/-4°C, a few clouds but mostly clear skies. Frosty and hazy.

The breakfast crew: counterclockwise from the bottom: Larry, George, Derek, and Clayton (with the gorgeous curly blond hair!). Aaron and his daughter Michaela arrived around noon. He had just flown home from a job site in Montreal the night before.

⁵

I was up at 7:30am yesterday, getting things ready and making eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast. The guys arrived around 9 to eat, and were soon outside, getting the fire going, the kettle washed, and the wood split and stacked. Getting the fire going wasn't easy after all the rain we have had recently, but before too long a good fire was blazing and the kettle was on! I didn't get as many photos this year, since we were fewer hands than usual so I was kept very, very busy washing jars, cooking, making coffee, etc. We sure had a pretty day for it though.

It takes about 60 quarts of applesauce to fill our kettle, and between 5 and 6 hours to cook it down to the rich, dark, thick consistency we like. Many hands certainly make the work light, as all those 60 jars needed to be washed up and put away, and then 60 pints washed to be filled with apple butter.  We use a lot of half-pints too; those are the preferred size by almost everyone, because a lot of what we make gets given as gifts.

I made a big pot of vegetable-venison soup and cornbread while the guys got the kettle going. Soup is a good choice for this day, as people could come in and eat whenever they wanted. 

Our crew this year consisted of Larry, myself, sons George, Aaron, and Derek, grandson Clayton and granddaughter Michaela. 

Here is Aaron, taking a turn with the paddle.

Michaela seems to be putting a spell on the pot!

It was a much smaller group than last year, and we were all kept busy, especially when it came time to pull the fire and fill the jars. Here, the apple butter was about 30 minutes from being done. We judge by the color and thickness. A spoonful needs to pile up on a plate to be done. It usually takes 5-6 hours to reach that point, and cooked down to about half its original volume. 

While the others cleaned up the cooking area outside, I quickly made another batch of biscuits so we could taste the fruit of our labors immediately.  Oh so good!

The finished product:

We ended up with 62 pints. Over half left with our helpers, so there is still a lot to store in the cellar. We will give a lot away to friends and family, and my sons know they can always get more if they need it.

So, the tradition, an old Appalachian one actually, continues for another year.  I hope that when we can no longer so it, someone in the family will carry on, cooking down apple butter on a cool, crisp day in autumn. For a look at past years, click this link. I started this blog in 2007, and that year was the first time i posted about it. There have been many more!

Deer hunting season begins this morning. Larry is already out hunting with George and Clayton on a friend's large farm, although with the loss of so many deer to EHD, he will be lucky to even see one, antlers or antler-less. It has certainly been quiet on our ridge; I haven't heard a single shot this morning.