Saturday, December 24, 2016

CHRISTMAS EVE



Rain. Pouring rain ever since midnight. It's nearly 4:00 a.m. Christmas Eve morning and I haven't been to bed yet. The caffeine from several strong cups of tea has rendered me restless.

The past few days have been overcast with an eerie wind brushing through the treetops. Mild, colorless days, snuffed short by an extremely early dusk. I took a few photos yesterday from the back porch.
The hazy sun lingers so low in the sky that it's hardly visible from trees and hills (these photos are in color).


Yesterday the 'possum appeared on the back porch for his daily ration of bread. I was doing maintenance on the lawn mower.
Why the hell should I have a lawn mower when I'm surrounded by acres of 30 foot weeds? I'll never know.


Possum and Lawn Mower

 This is a very unflattering photo of my cat Scruffy (below) but she was fascinated by the 'possum. The picture makes them look closer to each other than they really were.
I quickly took Scruffy back inside after I snapped the photo. I wasn't in the mood to see fur fly in a rumble.



Scruffy and Possum
I have some things to do (like laundry) and then I'll try to get a few hours of shuteye. Going to put this post on hold and finish it later today. 

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It's now after noon on Christmas Eve. I slept about three hours, woke up with the usual excruciating back pain, hobbled around doing the usual chores.

It's a dark, damp, dreary day with  spectral mountain fog  weaving through the naked trees. I actually love it - - very atmospheric.

 View from the front porch, taken a few minutes ago

I'm in a lethargic, introspective mood today. Don't feel much like writing or communicating at all. I've become hermitized, like Heidi's grandfather, and it suits my brooding disposition.

Spell Check just assured me that there's no such word as "hermitized". I beg to differ.

I have no holiday plans, no guests but my three cats (and the 'possums). Gone are the days when I used to bake delectable goodies and cook elaborate meals. Tonight I plan to have roasted chicken with stuffing, and pumpkin pie.

Just for the hell of it, here are some photos from the distant past - when I used to enjoy cooking and actually had a life.

 Yes, I really and truly used to make homemade donuts. Never again! Too damn much trouble. Those green demitasse cups are for eggnog.




 

 Homemade turkey soup, and pumpkin 
bread from scratch.




My German chocolate cherry cake

This was a gingerbread house and New Year's Eve cake that I made

I used to make Hungarian cookies every year. The ones on the right are filled with raspberry and apricot jam. 

In retrospect I'm not nearly as dumb as I look. Or as tough.  Heck, I would probably make a great wife for somebody (that was said with bitter sarcasm....).

35 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Eve, Jon. I wish I had known you when you were in baking mode. Everything looks scrumptious. I haven't done any baking this year either, even though I cheated and bought Pillsbury peanut butter cookie dough and Hershey kisses. I can't get up enough gumption to deal with that. I am heading off to the bakery to pick up a stollen I special ordered. I'm sure I'll be online tomorrow as Christmas is just my sister and I so will be almost as low-key as yours.

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    1. I haven't had a stollen in a very long time...but peanut butter cookie dough and Hershey's kisses sound fantastic to me!

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  2. Happy Christmas eve, Jon. (Merry sounds like expectant, doesn't it? Actually 'Happy' does, too. Someone needs to coin a phrase.)

    OK, color me impressed. I remember you saying you enjoyed cooking, but this is more impressive than I'd have ever imagined! Your jam-filled cookies sound a lot like what Tom loves from his Polish heritage - kolaczki (sp?).

    Your menu of roasted chicken and pumpkin sounds wonderful! We've reservations at a new French bistro (think coupon!) but the cold, rainy weather makes me want to stay in my flannel pj's under a big throw.

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    1. Dang, one of these days I'm going to learn to proof before hitting enter. I meant to say, "Merry sound awfully expectant." Not 'like.'

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    2. All of the Slavic countries seem to have similar food, and all of it is delicious. A happy Christmas sounds much more appealing than a miserable one. I'll take it.
      Staying home under a big throw is my type of holiday....I'd like to hibernate until spring.

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  3. Your baked goods are very impressive. I made similar jam filled cookies and other delights all day yesterday. Now I'm craving a doughnut ... gee, thanks ;)

    Wishing you all the joys of the season. Merry Christmas, Jon !

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    1. I LOVE those jam filled cookies. They are delicious, but a LOT of trouble to make. I hope your holiday season is a bright and joyous one!

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  4. Glad you're not in west Texas. I hear it is brown and windy in Lubbock. Looks like the possum has squatters rights at your place.

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    1. I'll NEVER forget those west Texas winds, and there are times when I almost miss them....

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  5. It's not the least bit Christmasy here in central TX, it's supposed to be 70 and raining tomorrow. I almost envy you your quiet holiday. I wish you all the best for Christmas and the new year.

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    1. I always appreciate solitude, especially around the holidays. It has warmed up here and is in the high 60's! It won't last, unfortunately....

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  6. It looks so Christmas-y at your place. Here in N AL it was sunny and hot today...73 F. I baked nothing this year, a first for me. Merry Christmas!

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    1. I, too, am alone, just me and my chicken!

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    2. Is that a live chicken, or a chicken in the oven??

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  7. Merry Christmas Jon! It sure doesn't seem like Christmas like the comment above it's in the 70's here and was 78 today. Your food looks good. I did bake a cake tonight that might be about it here. Take care. Jean

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    1. It has warmed up here, too. It was in the 60's on Christmas day. I had initially planned to bake a cake, but then I got too lazy...

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  8. YOU were quite the pastry chef. YUMMY treats. Please no possum stew. Or I'll be screaming YIKES! Though it will be solitary, have yourself a MERRY CHRISTMAS Jon.

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    1. Solitary holidays are the best kind. I'll save the possum stew for another time.... I hope your holiday season is a wonderful one!

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  9. Men, pasty baking, music.....i figured you were good with your hands!!!!! Enjoy your dinner, lay back and enjoy that most calming view with fog filled woods. Merry Christmas dear Jon🍸🍻🎄🎀💋

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    1. Alas, my hands are never still.....
      I always love watching the mountain fog. It's soothing and magical.

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  10. Morning Jon. Very impressive photos. I'm always relieved when the Christmas season has been and gone. Hope you have lots to keep you occupied. MaggieB

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    1. There should really be a special holiday for us to recover from the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, I always have a lot to keep me occupied.....

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  11. I'm such a Christmas grinch. Bah, humbug.

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    1. I hear you, Donna. I am a Grinch at heart. Happy Humbugs!

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  12. Merry Christmas! Relax and enjoy the day

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  13. I used to bake cookies and never would have been eating leftovers like I will be today--LOL! Been doing the solitary Christmas now for seventeen years and quite enjoy the peace and quiet. Nice you had a possum visit wihtout a cat fight. Love the misty fog!

    We are expecting freezing rain and maybe a little snow and gale force winds. Bleh! Ice is way worse than snow. Snow I love. Enjoy you day! :)

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    1. I always keep a careful eye on my cats when they're outdoors. The possums seem docile, but I don't trust them alone with the kitties. Bosco is timid, but Scruffy never backs off....
      I thoroughly enjoy these quiet, peaceful holidays alone. I've had too much previous chaos in my life...

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  14. Merry Christmas Jon!
    I always laugh at your possum stories. I live in the Noth Georgia mountains and we have many of them. On New Years Eve we have a possum drop at midnight-lots of fun before that too. We have a Miss Possum contest where men dress up as women and provide a talent then a winner is declared! lol
    I love your observations as well as your excellent political views!

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    1. A New Years Eve possums drop! Now that sounds like fun (not for the possum, of course). I'll have to consider incorporating it into my festivities!

      You're one of the VERY FEW people who appreciates my political views - God bless you for that!!!! 99 percent of my readers have considered killing me.
      Thanks for the input, Susan.

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    2. The possum loves it Jon! They start lining up to audition several weeks in advance of the event-possums consider it a great honor to be chosen. He rides down in a plexiglass box and the years that i got up close I could see him smiling as he was lowered!!

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  15. Magical fog photo! Great tabletop edible installations. Merry Christmas, Jon.

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    1. Well, at least MOST of the tabletop installations were edible.....
      I loved the Xmas Eve fog.

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  16. Jon,
    You are so funny ("I would really make a great wife for someone"). Again I am impressed by your many talents. You actually make donuts? That's one thing I haven't done. It's interesting how the possum keeps coming back for more food. When I drive home from work (at the hotel) at 11:30 at night I'm frequently trying to avoid running over possums who are crossing that back road I take. So far no fatalities but a few Possums Caught in the Headlights. That's the way your possum looked when Scruffy was giving him/her the eye.
    Ron

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    1. I never realized just how many possums there are - - they seem to be everywhere, and in the most unlikely places. I never thought of them residing in Delaware. Be careful driving home!

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