I have been baking today and the above picture shows the most perfect ginger snap I’ve ever made. The recipe is adapted from the book bigfatcookies by Elinor Klivans, which I gave to Ray for Christmas (one of my many finds from Out of the Closet thrift store). We don’t eat refined sugar so I…
Category: Family
Christmas before Christmas
We celebrated our family Christmas this evening and the picture above shows my favorite present. Of course, I liked everything I received: the pack of panties, the bubble bath, the pumice stone and foot scrub, the gift card to Coffee Bean, the socks, face cream, Chai tea and new frying pan. But my favorite gifts…
A Cold Night + A Honey-Sweetened Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I am sitting in front of my fireplace with the fire blazing. It is cold for LA – 51 degrees with a light wind. Only chilly for other parts of the country, but for Southern California, it’s down right frigid, especially knowing it is getting down to 44 tonight. I am sitting two feet from the…
One Stop Christmas Shopping
Let me name a one stop gift buying store: IKEA. We went there today and, though I had to rush and not meander since I was with other people, I still found all sorts of great little buys for my Christmas list. I can’t go into exactly what I bought since my daughters tend…
Countdown to Christmas
Today was one of those days when I felt as if I were juggling a dozen different tasks in the air and getting none of them completely done. Frustrating since I am tired of dealing with work and task lists and am ready instead to shift my attention to Christmas and holidays. Alas, tomorrow may…
“Christmas-Lite”
Here is our little Christmas tree here in CA. We are going “Christmas-Lite” this year, working to shift the focus from stress and spending to calm and sharing. We are limiting the amount of money for gifts with family and having a potluck with friends on Christmas Day. (This is after having an evening celebration…
Early, Early Flight and Life Back in LA
We’re back in LA after getting up at 3:15 this morning to make a 6:30 flight from Texas. The good news is the drive to Dallas was quick and easy given the hour; the bad news is that it is 8:20 pm LA time and I’m trying to keep my eyes open so I can…
A Honey-Sweetened Pecan Cookie Recipe
I made these cookies this evening. They have a cake-like texture and are delicious. With the pecan half on top, they also are a pretty holiday cookie. The recipe is below. I hope you’ll try these and let me know what you think. Honey-Sweetened Pecan Cookies • Prep: 15 min. Bake: 10 min. • Yield:…
A Day Full of Family and Friends
We have had a long day today here in Texas – all good – visiting with family and friends from 9 am – midnight. No exaggeration. This is one of the best parts of being in Texas, seeing people we care about. There’s a sense of camaraderie among us that comes from knowing each other for…
Our Texas Home: A Step into the Past
Here is our Texas home. It is a Queen Anne Victorian that was a derelict building when we bought it; everything of value robbed – mantles, light fixtures, etc. – and the wall stripped down to the lath. My camera is not very good, and there are more rooms that are not included because I…
20 Minutes a Day 