Holly, Ivy, Bay, and Rosemary

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While watching 12 Days of Tudor Christmas on PBS I learned that the 1500s were too early for the requisite Christmas tree, however people definitely used greens to freshen up their indoors.

Cedar, bay, and holly with some white roses gleaned from our garden. More colorful flowers will be added this week.

I had already cut cedar, hemlock, magnolia, and boxwood to use around the hearth, on the doors, and for the dining table.

A kitchen bouquet of holly, hemlock, and box.

The Tudors apparently used holly, ivy (the English variety I’m sure), bay, and rosemary to not only cozy up their households but also to subtlety scent it.

4-foot tall mound of English ivy in our side yard — an invasive species in our area.

I have loads of English ivy in the yard at The Glade as well as a vigorous rosemary plant from which I plucked some stems.

While that giant holly tree is encroaching on the driveway, it has beautiful shiny leaves and red berries.

We’re decking the halls with boughs of holly.

Although my neighborhood is rich with weedy holly trees I opted to cut a few branches from one of the grand ones at work.

I squeezed through a fence into the horse pasture to pick a few sprigs of bay.

There is also a bay laurel bush at work which our chef assures me does not produce the best tasting culinary bay leaf but will work just fine for my decorations.

We featured our Christmas tree in the recordings Charlie made for a service of Lessons and Carols.

I don’t plan to let any part of the house go without greenery this year.  Our tree has been set up in the living room to start.

Look closely on the shelves behind my chair and you’ll see the crèche Sug brought me from Guatemala.

Tiny clay crèche

I’m even adding a bit of Christmas to my Zoom corner.

Jo

 

 

Bring in the Tree

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Charlie and I braved a windy day to pick up a Christmas tree from the vendor about a mile from the house.

This year we bought a Fraser fir.

This year we were planning to put it in the living room near the piano so we didn’t need anything too grand. (Every year we put the tree in a different spot in the house.)

The tree stand is on top of a piece of MDF covered with an old plastic tablecloth.

I set up the tree stand on a piece of MDF covered with a plastic table cloth in case there  was a leak or overflow.

The base of the trunk sits in the stand on the Styrofoam.

We added some Styrofoam to the inside of the stand so we wouldn’t need to trim off any low branches.

Charlie sets the tree as straight as possible since we’ll be viewing it from more angles this year.

Charlie arranged the tree in the stand and when it was sturdy slipped a cardboard box under it to raise the tree to allow for presents and packages.

We featured our Christmas tree in the recordings Charlie made for a service of Lessons and Carols.

He trimmed the tree with lights.

The base of the tree will ultimately be covered with a tree skirt.

My task is to arrange the ornaments on the tree. We have enough ornaments for 3 trees so editing the choices each year is a challenge.

Jo

Cookies for Everyone

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Charlie was the first of us to try his hands at cookies this holiday season.

Charlie’s Chocolate Chips

He opted for his favorite — Toll House chocolate chip cookies.

I encouraged Sug to bake something for “the boys”.

Sug made a batch of dog biscuits for Dash and Rory from a mix I bought at Trader Joe’s.

Bones and dachshunds are the shape of the homemade dog biscuits.

The dogs really enjoy these “cookies”.

With only 5 tablespoons of sugar in the batter, the sweetness comes from a double sprinkle of powdered sugar.

I made something I’m calling Almond Balls from this recipe.  Instead of chopped nuts I used almond flour.

Next time I might exchange the powdered with a lemon glaze.

These 2-bite cookies are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.   Simple and yummy.

Jo

December 2020: Goals

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In the month of December we’re looking to finish the year strong.  I’ve successfully completed a 12-task list of items every month and plan to finish this month and this year the same way.

  1.  Sell Christmas decorations.

    I got rid of many Christmas items last December in the Holiday Swap.

  2. Read a book:  A Christmas Carol and The Day Christ Was Born.
  3. Celebrate Christmas.

    This year I’ll feature my crèche collection.

  4.  Finish up and wrap all handmade Christmas gifts.

    I’ve made multiple versions of this prototype.

  5.  Work on back bedroom door.
  6.  Empty a drawer.

    My grandmother’s dresser which I have stuffed to the gills over the decades.

  7.  Bake cookies.
  8.  Remove one item or box from attic.
  9. Work on kitchen at shore house.
  10. Plan trip to New Orleans.

    Planning to stay in the city of jazz.

  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: DREAM.
  12. Write a goal list for January, 2021.

Jo

Sharing the Boon

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Sug received an unlimited amount of cartons of S. Pellegrino sparkling water.  It is packaged beautifully — like a jewel.

San Pellegrino on the back seat of Sug’s car (the Red Sled) ready for delivery.

We decided to try to share the wealth with our socially-distanced friends so I made a list of people we both know.  The list included names, addresses, email addresses, and cell numbers.

Sug drove while I navigated.

With a car full of waters we headed out on Saturday on the first route for friends who live east of us.  Then on Sunday we delivered to our friends to the west.

Sug delivered while I communicated with recipient.

When we arrived at a destination one of us with a mask on, ran the package up to the door while the other texted the recipient telling her what she should look for along with a photo of the package at the door.

I used copy and paste to quickly text an explanation to recipients

If we only had a landline contact number I attached a card which read: Missing you.  Until we can celebrate together again. Sug and Jo

We attached a card to the carton of drinks with double stick tape.

Our intention was to make a safe connection with the people we have been missing over the past 8 or so months.

Jo

November 2020: Accomplished Goals

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In the month of November I kept busy with various projects and tasks and at the same time happy to have time to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Keeping moderation (the word of the month) in mind I stayed relaxed about progressing at a leisurely pace, yet everything on the list has been completed.

  1. Bring Christmas decorations out of attic.

    Simple lights on a dark stretch of country road.

    My son got a head start by lighting up the shore house for the first time.

  2. Read a book:  Papa’s Table d’Hote.  An interesting read about an Italian immigrant family in New York City at the turn of the last century.

    My November reading project.

    Their celebrations through limitations and obstacles were encouraging.  It’s clear that a generous and gregarious spirit can change people’s lives.

  3. Celebrate Thanksgiving .

    I stuffed a large bunch of flowers into a small basket for the dining room table.

    This year was a small but grateful celebration.

    We ate and ate.

  4.  Work on sewing projects.  Unfortunately my sewing machine broke beyond repair before I was completely finished.

    My sewing project will be revealed next month after I give it as a gift.

    I’m hoping for a replacement machine very soon.

  5. Organize office supplies.

    The first batch of office supplies we no longer need.

    This was a much bigger project than I had imagined but the office supplies are listed for sale with a few key items ready for use in our home office.

  6.  Empty 5 items from conservatory closet. We keep entertaining supplies like tablecloths, card, tables, TV trays, and extra chairs in this closet.  I pulled some unnecessary items from the closet: board game, lace tablecloth, plug strips, scrapbook, flat tire sealant.
  7.  Sell or give away musical instruments:  recorders, drumsticks, lute. All listed on Facebook Marketplace.

    Siamese recorder with a carved dragon motif

    Unfortunately FB would not allow me to list this Thai flute.  They insist it is a weapon!!

  8.  Get rid of 11 books. I sorted through my books again and reached my goal of 11 this month and 50 in 1001 days. All have been donated to worthy causes.
  9. Choose kitchen lighting for shore house.  I ordered 2 pewter-finish flush ceiling lights for the shore house kitchen.

    A sleek new 14-inch diameter light with a retro vibe for the 1930s shore house.

  10. Wash kitchen windows.  The last windows on my list.  Now the whole house is done.
  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: MODERATION.
  12. Write a goal list for December.

Jo

Contractor — A New Septic System

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We finally have a permit in hand to begin work on a new septic system.

In addition to the BAT septic tank we are required to install a sand mound drain field.

The next item is to hire a contractor who can install both a BAT (Best Available Technology) tank and a sand mound drain field.

Key:
Green line – 2 acre plot
Orange line – septic line from house
Yellow line – proposed septic system and drain field
Gray line – house, porch, and deck
Blue dot – well access
Aqua oval – pond

Our plumber has recommended a contractor that he has worked with in the past to whom we have sent a copy of the  permit.

The new sand mound drain field is 24 feet by 100 feet.  The critical area is to the left of the green line — a stream that flows from the nearby river which empties into the Chesapeake Bay.

To get a second estimate for the work my son called a local, highly-rated septic service.  Unfortunately they only install tanks, not drain fields.  In our case the drain field is key.

Visually from the front of the house the septic line (orange) and drain field (yellow) will be mostly underground and hidden.

I’m waiting to hear from the contractor who, if he accepts the assignment, must meet onsite with the local inspector BEFORE commencing the job.

The county wants the new drain field in this area but the contractor would like to put it someplace else.

Hoping to have this finished by the end of 2020. Unlikely.

Jo

Headstart on Christmas

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Last month I organized boxes in the attic so that our Christmas decorations would be easy to access.

The bag on top has strands of lights. I hope they work.

Now that my sewing projects are finished machine is kaput and my projects put away we can start to bring out our holiday decorations.  Before Charlie’s piano gig on Thanksgiving Day afternoon, he got started hauling down our Christmas boxes.

The tree stand is on top of a piece of MDF covered with an old plastic tablecloth.

The first order of business was to choose a spot for the soon-to-be-purchased Christmas tree.  We put it in a different spot every year.  This year it’s in the living room behind the piano.

I know who can paint the trim on the second floor eaves.

Earlier in the month — really early — my son jazzed up the shore house with Christmas lights.

Simple lights on a dark stretch of country road.

A reminder of the Light of the World.

Jo

Giving Thanks

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This year more than ever we are thankful to be alive.  When the number of deaths from Covid began to soar we were unsure we’d survive an infection.

Later today this table will be filled with food.

But here we are on Thanksgiving Day wishing all of you all the very best.

I stuffed a large bunch of flowers into a small basket for the dining room table.

Jo

Chronic Office Clutter

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I have made a few recent posts boasting of “curing” certain kinds of clutter.

All this paper cannot be necessary.

Alas when it comes to office supplies it’s just not that easy because Charlie really likes office supplies.  It’s more of a chronic condition than a curable one.

These are listed to sell on Facebook.

When I cleaned out the desk in the diva bedroom I discovered we have no fewer than 6 full size staplers and 4 three-hole punches.  We also have a big pile (over 50) of legal-size hanging file folders but no actual file cabinet.

I’m chipping away at the paper piles in the pink bedroom.

I also sorted all the music that was on the bed and listed a few more items for sale on Facebook Marketplace.  I can truly say the pile is dwindling.

Jo