365- Just Words... No Photo

How can I even hope to find a photo... even the bestest photo in the world that would culminate of 25 months of  Photo of The Day?

This has been such a wonderful journey for me.  What started out as a month-long challenge in December 2008 morphed into two more years.  I've worked through some unresolved grieving, highlighted so many good points but mostly I've just take joy in daily life.  There are so many wonderful things to be enjoyed in life... any life, not just mine.

I'm certainly not finished looking for joy and posting it here on my blog... but you won't find me here every day.

Thank you so much for taking this marvelous journey with me.

364- Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Anyone who's read my blog for very long will realize that I LOVE BREAD! baking and eating! It has been a passion of mine since I started to cook 45+ years ago. And I do have to say that I was never truly happy with the results until I got my Bosch Mixer in 1977. That is when I became a good bread baker!

I ran across a recipe this fall at Pioneer Woman's Blog for this Cinnamon Swirl Bread and found that it was very tasty! I've made it several times, but last night's loaf really *took the cake bread*!

I've loved cinnamon raisin toast since I was a tiny girl and last night at this time I just NEEDED some cinnamon raisin bread.  Oh, yummy!



Doesn't this just make your mouth water?



Maybe you should give it a try... you won't be sorry.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• This dough rises much faster for me than indicated in the original recipe (I use Red Star Active Yeast and store it in the freezer). It rises double in 30-45 minutes.
• When I brushed the top of my loaf with the egg/milk mixture it caused the bread to stick to the pan
• Be sure to use a 9x5x3 or larger loaf pan.  This is a large loaf and will spill over the edges of a smaller pan
• I preheat my oven for about 3 minutes (doesn't matter what temperature setting), turn off the oven, turn on the oven light,  then put my loaf in the warm oven to rise.  Remove the risen loaf before preheating the oven to bake it. (I do this with all my bread except in the middle of summer.)
• Oh yeah, add raisins to PW's recipe (click on link above, she has cool step by step photos)

363- Willow Bowl

Last August my globe willow splintered in a thunder-storm and needed to be cut down. Our sweet neighbor came over with his chain saw and helped us cut it down and then cut it up. He took a piece of the stump home with him, which isn't unusual since he is a wood worker.

A couple of weeks later I cut off the rest of the stump and put it on my porch to remember my sweet willow.



Imagine my surprise when Kip called the other night and asked if he could come visit (yikes! he is a member of the Bishopric and that sort of call always smacks of a new-calling or give-a-talk) he brought us a present! He'd turned a bowl from our sweet-girl willow!  It is as smooth as silk!

Isn't it beautiful? I will be able to treasure it for years to come.

362- Snow Buddha

I've blogged about this neighbor previously... Most winters he will make these fun snow sculptures.

I've seen the characters from Madagascar, Thomas the Train, a giant frog, a nutcracker (scare, scare) and others I can't remember.

But this year is different. The snow sculptures always used to be out on the sidewalk formed around the mailbox... this year it is built up the driveway and leaning against this trailer. I think this way they might last longer.

361- Sparkle Tree

We had snow and rain yesterday and then it froze. When I opened my curtains this morning this is what I saw! What a beautiful sight. You just can't top nature for wonder and beauty.

360- Second Annual Boxing Day

Last year Gordon suggested we have our Christmas celebration on Boxing Day! It is a fabulous new family tradition. Most of our children are married now so there is the obligatory sharing with in-laws and our grandchildren are old enough they'd like to spend Christmas day at their own house playing with new toys. And as I've said before... for me it isn't about THE DAY it's all about FAMILY and FOOD!

We had most of our local family and Stuart brought 3 of his roommates/friends (yeah, Chrissy isn't a roommate! hahahahaha)

Everybody... look at Grammie! What a great looking group!



These sweet cousins enjoy each other so much. What a blessing... it's all about family.


KAIA, CHRISTIAN, BRENNON, ASHTON, ELISE

The food fairly disappeared!


SHAN, JESSICA, SOPHIE, DOUG

And let it be said... "This feast wouldn't have happened THIS DAY without my Stuart!" He trouped in the kitchen with me from the time the celery & onion were being chopped to making orange rolls single-handedly to stowing the turkey-carcass in the ginormous bag to the last dish being washed. You are an amazing man!


SPENCER, CHRISSY, RUSSELL, STUART

359- Merry Christmas

Best wishes and all the love and joy of Christ to you this day.



My miniature pewter nativity.

358- The Hol[l]y Family

I have a dear friend named Holly (actually I have two dear friends, both named Holly!) But this post is about the one I've known the longest.

I met Holly eons ago when she moved to Palmdale with her new little family. Holly is a crafter-extraordinaire!

One of the sweet gifts she gave to me was this dear little Hol[l]y Family. Every year when I take them out of their box and set them up I remember my good friend and her love of the Savior.

357- Traditions

Traditions are precious. They tie us to one another and linger in our hearts for years to come.

Stuart can be thanked for organizing tonight's continuation of a nearly two-decade tradition. (So why don't I have a photo of him?)

We gathered at Camille and Kevin's house to initiate a new generation into the realms of taquito making.



We rolled and cooked over 7 dozen taquitos! Happy times.

356- Flash-Back to the Storm of Aught-Three!

Would you like to hear a fun story?

All of the flooding in California has me reminiscing. We lived for 23 years in the Mojave Desert 60 miles north of Los Angeles in an area called the Antelope Valley: Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Littlerock, and environs. The AV boasted several things:

• The Antelope Valley Wind Festival- January 1st to December 31 (no joke!  it always blew)
• 350 Sunny days a year
• Insignificant rainfall
• Poor flood control
• Flash floods
• Roads buried under torrents of rivers that were dry 99% of the time
• Fastest growing city in the US for most of the 80's and early 90's
• You get the picture...

So being inventive, and somewhat zany, Desert Rats one of the things the kids and I used to like to do when we had a big rain was pile into the van and drive around town to see where Palmdale was flooded this time. One of our favorite spots was just north of us about a mile. We traversed this road daily because that is where the kids went to Wildflower School and I also worked. Just north of the school there was a S-E-R-I-O-S low spot just before 35th East intersected Palmdale Blvd. even minor rainstorms would flood that area.

I more that once greeted a very wet and soggy pedestrian (at WF front desk) who'd literally flooded their car and swam/waded out and back to the school to call for help. (I even knew a couple, much to their embarrassment.)

Because Palmdale grew too fast it took a while for them to make all of the necessary adjustments for flood control. One thing they did was make a huge culvert that took the water under Palmdale Blvd to flood 35th on the other side... it turned the residential street into a river for a quarter of a mile until it ran into the desert again, but saved Palmdale Blvd.

In one of our El Niño years (Spanish for The Niño) , February 2003 to be exact this *idiot smart motorist*, who, of course, knows better than the street crews that the road isn't actually closed...

"Look I can see that berm of dirt that runs east of the road... I'll just drive on it!"


(NOTICE THOSE FUNNY TREES IN THE BACKGROUND?  JOSHUA TREES... COOLEST TREES EVER!)

The kids and burst into hysterical laughter at this one. That *smart-motorist* drove right into the 6 foot deep culvert!  But I did admire his ingenuity of climbing out through the sunroof!


(BETTER NOT TRY THAT BERM NEXT TIME... OBEY THOSE ROAD CLOSED SIGNS!)

355- First Day of Winter

The first day of winter has really lived up to its reputation today! It started snowing on Sunday evening and didn't stop until this afternoon!  There is another wave that is supposed to move in tonight bringing more snow.

These photos were taken this morning! I heard that this is the biggest storm in 16 years. I believe it!



I remember as a girl getting record snow falls in Greenville. There were a couple of times that people shoveled off their roofs there was so much snow... and my poor mom was the mail-lady!

354- Nothing Says Christmas Like...

Split-pea soup! (bwahahahahaha) I couldn't pass up.

Actually I'm not sure I've ever made split-pea soup at Christmas time before but today I just NEEDED IT! Thursday evening I got attacked by a viral/bacterial bronchitis. I've only been attacked that fast once before; that was at least 15 years ago (That time I ended up with pneumonia). I spent all day Saturday and Sunday in bed, which is strange for me. Gordon was a good nurse maid and told me to keep my phone close so I text him if I needed anything. What a guy!



I'm feeling about 70% back... each day will get better. I could sure go another 15 years without bronchitis!

353- Santa at the Manger

I received this whimsical nativity from Auntie P the first Christmas we didn't spend Christmas eve together [2004] (boo hoo hoo hoo).

I thought it was fitting to add this bald Santa bringing his gift to the Baby Jesus.

Why?

Because Christmas lives in Auntie P's heart all year long.

352- Grammie-made Cards

As I have for the last several years I got creative making Christmas card for our 20 (twenty!) grandchildren! Last year I made some darling origami containers.

This year I thought, "I've got a whole year's worth of wonderful photos so I dug through my Twenty-Ten folders and found some of my favorites.  I hope that my littles enjoy a little of their Grammie.

351- Long Winter's Nap

Harley has settled in for his long winter's nap.

350- Santa's Trailer

Do you ever see something and wonder how someone came up with that clever idea? I noticed this little display just around the corner from my house a couple of nights ago. This little house is set back from the road behind enormous pines and a circle drive.

And what to my wondering eyes did I see than Santa's travel trailer that he would be hard pressed to fit into!



So cute, so very cute...

349- White Nativity

The last two Decembers, while I've been doing my photo of the day, I have spotlight some of my nativities. I've spent years collecting nativities. In recent years the only decorating I do for Christmas is my three little trees that stay decorated all year in the dungeon and my nativities.  I love the Christ centered feel in my home.

Although this wasn't the first nativity I got, it was on my *I want it* list for about 10 years. I saw one like this at a friend's house on a piece of red velvet on top of her upright piano... I fell in love.

Back in those days this kind of purchase was just out of my price range.



But! in 1984 a friend who owned a kiln offered to teach a 3 month class at good ol' Relief Society Homemaking Night! I think the cost was $65. Rose brought us each a set of green-ware all packed in those horrible packing peanuts that get everywhere! The first month we cleaned the green-ware and initialed all of our pieces. The next month we did something else or maybe finished cleaning the green-ware, I can't remember now. She fired the green-ware to create bisque and the last month we painted on the glaze. I used a clear glaze to let the white show through.

It spent many years atop my upright piano until I sold it. Now it resides where ever the mood strikes me.

This year I yoinked out one of my craft tables and set it up in the corner of my cozy little front room. But it just needed something. Brainstorm! What about all of those fun grapevine wreaths I made last month?  I'm so happy with the result.

The other thing I like about this photo... you can see my beautiful green walls... I just love green.

348- First Grade Sweeties

This is my fourth year being a *Grammie-helper* in Miss Lewis/Mrs Maynard's class. I love it!

One of my favorite activities comes at Christmas when we turn a 1st grade handprint into 5 little snowmen! It's magic. (Thank you Miss Sarah for this idea!)

This is one of the exemplary globes! What a good little artist.



This precious little girl stole my heart. Frankly, it's taken me most of the last 29 years to be able to look at a precious little red-headed girl and not burst into tears with missing Amanda. I'll admit that as I stroked her soft red hair I choke up a little.



Little Sweetie here! She is the face of 1st grade! Look at that typical toothless smile! We sang All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth while we painted her hand!



Speaking of toothless smile... this is a toothless birthday boy!



Think you're seeing double? I asked them how people tell them apart and the answer was, "They just guess!"



This is Camille's very best class! I told them so. If you want to read about previous year's globe painting click on the *1st grade* tag below.

347- Christmas Cheer

I live in one of the most wonderful places in the world. Tonight we had our annual neighborhood Christmas sing-a-long and bonfire in lieu of gifts between neighbors we donate to the local Kiwanis or other charity. In years past we've even had Chestnut Roasting on an Open Fire! (They might be good if they weren't burned!)



Here are some of the wonderful folks in out ward/neighborhood.



One of our organizers, the Bowns.



Angela,Phoenix and Judith.



This little guy was just a toddler when we move here and now look at him, he is singing to all of us. (Colton's been on my blog before!)



Clark Rick's folks just happened to be passing through so they came with them complete with banjo and guitar for accompaniment.



And here's cute Brother and Sister Ricks singing *Suzie the snowflake (or snowman)*.



Ann, another of the organizers, joins Candi... aren't these such cute girls?



More cute girls, Kristi and her daughter Ashley



Karen teaches the singing in Primary. She had these four little brave little girls sang one of their songs for us... in a round!  (Ashley, Abby, Brenna, Sierra)



Here with their pretty mama are *Peanut and Newt*!



Don't you wish you could have as much abandon as little Hannah?



Lastly, Karen and Debra.



We sang, we ate, we bonded... it feels like Christmas to me!

346- A Beautiful Day to Be Glad In

This morning dawned grey and drab but by the time we came out of church at noon it was a beautiful day to be glad in (my Mama used to say that!)

By 2pm, when I was leaving choir, it just begged you to bask in that stolen, golden sun.

At 4:45pm, with the sun fixin' to go down, it was still a golden day!

I'm so grateful for days like this... days when the sun is shining, there is no snow on the ground and the high was 50 degrees. We don't get so many days like this in December that it can be taken for granted.

345- Cup-cake-ree-ous

Oh my stinkin' heck! Do you want an absolute taste treat? Then you need to go to The Cocoa Bean - Cupcake Cafe.

Back in August some of my sweet friends brought me a yummy Mexican Chocolate cupcake from there! It was de-lish!

Not being one to rush things I finally got there on my own yesterday. I thought that Friday was the day for Mexican Chocolate, but I was mistaken... yesterday's cupcake-of-the-day was Chocolate Cheesecake Raspberry (oh, dang!) It was every bit as wonderful as the first one.

So today (yes, two days in a row) I went back for another one! I think I may have OD'ed... but what a way to go... with a smile on my face and chocolate on my breath!



When you get you cupcake to-go it comes in this darling little box. You need to try them out.

1774 N University Pkwy
Provo, Utah 84604



** This is not a paid advertisement... they have no idea who this crazy woman it that calls what they bake cup-cake-ree-ous-es!

344- Inversion Diversion

This time of year it is common to get an inversion layer that holds all of the cold air and, unfortunately, the smog down at the ground. Since we live at the south end of Utah County we escape much of it and the further north you go the worse it gets.

I was driving home on Hwy 89 aka ** State Street and could spy the exact point where the inversion was occurring!  See those clouds hanging half-way down Spanish Fork Mountain?  Yup, that's it.  But the cool part came as I started the mild climb over Ironton between Provo and Springville... I could see the underside of the inversion not 200 feet above me.  Very cool.



** Here is an interesting fact about State Street:

In the U.S. state of Utah, U.S. Route 89 (US-89) is a long north–south state highway spanning more than 502 miles (807.891 km) through the central part of the state.

From Springville north to Salt Lake City, US-89 parallels—and for a distance overlaps—Interstate 15, following the old Arrowhead Trail, once the main highway from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, through a number of downtowns.

343- Grammie Day at Lewis Zoo

One of the greatest blessing of being a grandparent is watching those precious little people grow up!

I got to spend the day at Lewis Zoo today. When we moved here almost 6 years ago there was only a monkey and a zebra in the zoo! Since then they've added a Roxidon and a Sophisauras (somehow we are mixing eras here!)

I love to see how capable and helpful Ashton and Christian are. Frankly, I was the responsible-adult-on-the-premises but they are the ones who kept the home moving smoothly: chasing Sophie as she army-crawls all over the house, loading the dishwasher, setting the table, showing Grammie how to use the vacuum, changing Sophie, feeding Sophie, clearing dishes, yes, very responsible in deed!



I'm so blessed to know these lovely children and better yet, I'm related to them! I love them so much... Lucky Grammie!

342- Red Barn Christmas

When we exited the Creche Festival I could see this intriguing red barn through the naked trees. It felt like a Christmas card luring me in for a closer look. I took a little walk up the road to capture it. Can I just say... I'm in love?



This Christmas card is complete with barnyard animals: chickens (on an old pick-up truck bed/trailer), sheep and horse! How picturesque!



You remember I told you I'd tell you more about the gingerbread stable animals from yesterday? Well, this is it. Each year this baker chooses a local building to pattern his/her gingerbread scene after. Can you guess which building it is?