The Christmas Tree Farm

The Christmas Tree Farm by Ann Purnell follows a farming family through the seasons as they lovingly tend their trees.  I love kids books that remind us of all the people who have a hand in making our world as it is.  It is a little old for the Noodle this year, but I think next year he will ready for it.

Frozen CSA

The first delivery our frozen CSA arrived last week.   We will receive five deliveries this winter.  Our share included sweet corn, butternut squash puree, green beans, blueberries, tomatoes and fresh pea shoots grown at farms around the Hudson Valley then frozen and distributed by Winter Sun Farms.

Grab Ball

A Homemade gift for the Little Miss !  I found the pattern on Hobby Junkie.  Check it out here.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

 The illustrations in Jane's Ray's, The Twelve Days of Christmas, are gorgeous.  Out this year, it is one of the most lush children's books I have seen lately.

Cookie Party!

One of the highlights of the Christmas season is our annual cookie exchange.  This year we had twenty-five guests.  Our friends made spectacular cookies!  The bounty included rosemary butter cookies, chocolate crinkles, peanut butter blossoms, lemon basil cookies, brown butter rice krispies treats, molasses cookies with orange sugar, and ex-mother-in-law cookies that were dead ringers for Nilla wafers.

For snacking we served berry topped pavlova, a chocolaty buche de noel, and gingerbread with fresh whipped cream on the side.  There was also a hot chocolate bar.  Yum. 

Here are the basics, excerpted from the email invite we send out:
The Cookie Exchange:
Make 3 dozen cookies, come to our house for a party, and take home 3 dozen assorted cookies. If you want to come but aren't the baking type or don't have time to make something, you are still very welcome. You won't be walking away with cookies, but there will be plenty of drinks, treats, and holiday cheer to go around!

The Rules:
1. Bring 3 dozen of one type of cookie .

2. All cookies must be homemade. They don't have to be "Christmas cookies", but they should be something special.
3. Bring your cookies ready for display.
4. Bring a separate container for the cookies you will take home. **
5. If you can avoid using almonds or walnuts in your cookies, please do. Some of the cookie exchangers are allergic.
6. Tell me what type of cookies you plan on bringing so there are no duplicates. ** You need one thing to hold the cookies you've made and something else to collect the new cookies you'll take. The displaying and the exchanging happen at the same time so you need two separate containers

Paper Chain Countdown

I had planned on making a fabric advent calendar this year, but ran out of time.  A friend of mine reminded me of the classic construction paper chain countdown.   That I could manage!