Popcorn Popper

I was out in Palm Springs a few weeks ago to do what I could to help a friend. I was able to run a lot of errands, cook meals, and just be there when she needed me.

Popcorn popper

We have a lot of great memories together, one of them being popcorn. We used to work together and every now and then, on a Friday, we would alternate bringing some sort of food into the office to share. I would bring sun dried tomato and chive cream cheese with bagels, and would bring it in on a Friday morning so the service guys could grab one before heading out for the day. A few Friday’s later, usually a payday, and she would make a huge batch of popcorn and bring it in after lunch so the service guys could grab some when they stopped in to pick up their paychecks.

One afternoon I made popcorn when when I was out there a few weeks ago, another one of our friends (we also worked together) was stopping by. I didn’t make just one batch of popcorn, but 5 batches! The air is so dry there, that it stays nice and crispy, crunchy for several days.

We all munched on popcorn through our tears and laughter. And we munched on it for the next few days along with other family members.

I am used to using a pan on the stove-top for making popcorn at home, but she had this nifty popcorn making pan. After a batch of instruction, I was on my way! Batch after Batch!

Are you a popcorn eater? How do you pop yours?

Sincerely, Emily

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Continuing on with H

I must admit that my little alphabet list was blank when I came to H until I took the photos of the hand-painted ornaments that my Great Aunt made. Over the years, my brother and I have to receive the most beautiful hand-painted and handmade gifts from her. When my mom and I were up in Wisconsin visiting my brother we all had a great time going through all the decoration boxes as we decorated his tree. There were so many wonderful decoration filled with memories. We talked about the memories as we each pulled out another ornament. It was a lot of fun.

Hand-painted ornaments

At the same time, we cleared out some things that none of use wanted anymore; old decorations that were broken and un-fixable. There was a plastic garland that had small fruit on it that mom used to attach to the railing going down the stair with velvet bows – that had to go, it was all sticky and just couldn’t be saved. I have some of my Aunt’s things on my tree, but it was so much fun seeing the ornaments that were going on my brothers tree. The photos I took aren’t the greatest, but they will remind me of those ornaments when I look at them.

As we talked and looked and decorated we realized that there are five generations of ornaments on my brothers tree. My Great-Grandmother, 2-Grandmothers, my mom, me/my brother, and his two girls. There is a lot of history there and a lot of great memories.

H is a lot of things; Happiness, handmade, hand-painted, holiday, history, and more

Do you have some treasured ornaments that are filled with memories?

Sincerely, Emily

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Sunday Photos: H

Things that start with H…

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Since we are in the midst of the holiday season, H is rather fitting. So, H is for hand-painted and handmade ornaments that my (Sincerely, Emily) Great Aunt made years ago.

Hand-painted ornament (I know, it is a terrible photo!)

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Do any H words spring to mind for you right now?

 

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Revisiting F

This last week I was up in Wisconsin visiting my brother and his family. My travel timing was perfect and I met the first storm and deep-freeze temps of the season as it arrived in the area. I have not lived in snow for 16 years and when I watched the rain come down and the temperature drop as I waited for my mom’s plane to arrive I considered making a big sign for the back window of our rental car. Something like, “BACK OFF! I’m from Texas, and I haven’t driven in snow for 16 years!” Hoping that would explain my super slow (but safe) driving! ha

The driving really went well. The roads were slick, but I took things slow, and cautious. In fact one night when my mom, niece and I were coming back from a holiday party up at the cabin I had fun with some fishtailing on the side roads. We were all laughing pretty hard, especially after a nice fishtail where I overshot the driveway and bounced up and over the curb. The three of us couldn’t get into the house and to the bathrooms fast enough we were laughing so hard that there was a threat or two of wetting our pants. I know we will all remember that one.

I do not miss the maintenance of winter and I do not miss that bone chilling freezing cold feeling when the temp is sitting at 0F before you even factor in the windchill (-27F.) But I am very happy; to have decorated a 14′ tree full of 5 generations worth of family ornaments, had wonderful friends over for lunch, had the opportunity to go to a few holiday parties and see many friends, have dinner with more family members up near the cabin and more!

I didn’t really have to spend any time outside. Watching the snow come down and leave a beautiful white blanket over everything was beautiful and normally I would have rushed out to shovel off the driveway and sidewalks (because it would have been fun to do – a novelty of sorts and that snow was really light and fluffy), but I knew I would get two shovels-worth done and I knew the novelty would wear off in 2 seconds when I was out of breath and huffing and puffing… so I “let” my brother do it. When I saw him get the blower out to do the driveway one day I realized that I could have done that (probably!)

So revisiting F was kind of fun… freezing temps, family, friends, and falling snow.

Sincerely, Emily

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F is for Freezing!

I am not sure what I was thinking. It is freezing up here in North part of the US! I arrived to rain, that turned to freezing rain, that turned to ice covered roads, that turned to snow! their first big storm of the season.

Rain turning to freezing rain

I don’t seem to mind all that, but the temperature really dropped and it hasn’t been above 10F in 2 days.

The rain turned to snow throughout the night.

So, F is for Freezing and Frigid temps. It is also for Family (I am visiting family right now)

How is the weather where you are right now?

Sincerely, Emily

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Be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you out there celebrating today.

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I (Sincerely, Emily) have a lot to be thankful for this year. I am thankful to be here to see one more day. Some days it has been very hard to be thankful for anything, but those moments have passed fairly quickly and I am So happy to be alive and doing so well. I find that I am thankful every day for so many thing. When I begin to get edgy or frustrated I just put myself back into place when I look at what surrounds me: fantastic husband, beautiful gardens, furry cats, a roof over my head, and the ability to be up and about and able to do things.

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Here are a few of our past Thanksgiving posts for you to enjoy:

• Sunday Recipes: Thanksgiving Dinner (2012)
• A Thanksgiving Dinner (2011)

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Recognition and remembering

On November 11th, the US will celebrate Veterans Day. I will put a flag out on the front porch as a big wave to all the Veteran’s out there and in recognition to their service.

I remember…

My Dad

I remember…

Great Uncle Harvey

I give recognition to my paternal Grandfather, whom I never met, for his service.

World War I

Do you hang out a flag on Veteran’s Day?

Sincerely, Emily

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Memories – Dad

My dad passed away the weekend before Thanksgiving 25 years ago. For many, many years, Thanksgiving was a hard time for me. He left us way too early.It would have been my dad’s birthday last week, so this time of year he is on my mind a lot. He would have been 83 this week.

It is a good time to take a walk down memory lane and think of the many things that he taught me and the things we did together. I remember playing catch in our yard in WI and also in MN. He had a worn, and very soft baseball mitt. It was way too big for me, but I remember the feel of it when I would slip my hand into it. I had my own glove and I remember how stiff it was when we bought it. I remember rubbing some sort of conditioner or sealer into it and them putting a softball in it and wrapping twine around it to help form it.

June 1967

Frisbee was also something I did with dad. Back and forth. Learning to control the angle and speed and direction. We would throw it different ways to see what we could do. As I got better we would take a step back to increase the distance between us. Where ever we went, there was always a Frisbee in the trunk of the car, just in case we had time to play.

He also taught me how to shoot a gun, load ammunition and hunt. He taught me how to water ski and drive the boat. He watched Star Trek and M.A.S.H., so I did too.

It isn’t just this time of year I remember my dad, I think of him often. My brother and I talk about the different things we did with dad. We have some great memories.

Do you have special memories of your Dad?

Sincerely, Emily

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Sunday photos- remembering

High school reunions, homecoming, Veterans Day. A time to honor the past, and our lost ones.

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Last week I (Alexandra), attended my high school reunion. Since it was a weekend for remembering, I finished the trip at the beautiful graveyard near the house where I grew up. Some people had many remembering them, but some were waiting for me to acknowledge with a pebble that the departed ones are worth remembering, even by strangers.

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I (Sincerely, Emily) am remembering my Dad. He would have been 83 this past week.

Dad

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Family

Family can mean many things. I have my mother and step-dad, and I have a brother and 2 nieces. I also have husband…. that leads to a father-in-law and many brother-in-laws and a sister-in-law. That also leads to many nieces and nephews. I know some of them very well and others not as much. Family is literally spread to each corner of the US and states in between.

I have another family. The family that I lived with in Australia when I was an exchange student. They are family to me. In 1989/90 I traveled back to visit them and I am long overdue for another trip to visit.

Then I have very close friends, and I consider them family. I know they will always be a part of my life no matter how many miles are between us.

On my recent trip up North, I took some photos of more old photos as mom and I were going through boxes of photos. What fun. We are are trying to work through them and sort and label.

fishing in Canada

I love the old photos. They are so much fun to look at and talk about. Lots of great memories.

Sincerely, Emily

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