Busted

Fairy drop No. 2 went horribly wrong.

I'll begin by telling you that I have grown up feeling like I can get away with things. When the adrenalin kicks in my special powers can work magic, make me invisible, help me jump fences, dodge whatever needs dodging and get away with it all. Stealthy secret fairy drops at this time of year give me a rare opportunity to test this belief. I must say, after tonight, my faith is still standing but a little shaken.

So it goes... I pull up to their house, well I'm parked in front of the neighbor's house actually. It's 8-ish. Calder's already in bed. (Thank goodness I'm doing this one by myself!) The driveway's empty, so I've got free access to the front stoop where I'll leave the surprises, which I do quickly and easily. Great. And then I see a car coming down the street. I think to myself, "Oh $*!#, that's probably going to be them!" So I jump off a couple concrete steps in my clogs and start running across their yard. I stumble and fall to my knee (why did I wear clogs!) and then all the way to the ground, but get up before they can see me, and keep running towards the darkness and shelter of a big tree in the neighbor's yard. It was their car!

They pull into the driveway and I wait behind the tree for them to walk up to their door, find the fairy treats, and go inside. No such luck. The neighbor's kids were with them in the car and they're all headed right towards me! I flex my invisible powers to no avail. One of the kids spots me. They yell, "There's someone hiding in our yard!" So, I think, "Ok. I've been spotted. Now I just have to avoid being identified." I run quickly across the yard to the driveway and stop between the two cars parked there. One of the girls says, "It's a girl. You go this way, and I'll go that way." The kids are all hyped up. They've now got the neighbor mom and are trying to tell her there's someone hiding in their yard. It's clear this sweet fairy drop has gone south, but I have no idea if they know who I am, so I'm still trying to keep my identity a secret. One of the moms dissuades the girl from attempting to find me and tells everyone to go inside. I run to the far side of the cars and back along the house to a dark spot by a fence and think I'm free but then I hear the neighbor mom say, "I'll get your dad to go check it out." Uh oh.

So I book it to my car, hop in, and start off. The dang street is a dead end and I'm headed the wrong direction. I see the dad has come out with a flashlight and he's standing in the street waiting for me to come back. I turn around and my only hope is that I can have my unavoidable conversation with him out of view of the mom and kids to whom I'm supposed to remain anonymous. The dad is pissed. He's standing in front of my car, hand on the hood, flashlight in my face. (Can you blame him?) I roll down the window and tell him as quickly as possible, knowing that he won't understand, that I'm leaving secret gifts for his neighbor's family; that I'm really sorry if I scared his kids, and that I'm trying to not have them figure out who I am. He doesn't really care. Says they've had "trouble" in the neighborhood and his daughter's worried. I tell him I'm so sorry. Really. But it doesn't make it better.

As I drive away I can see that everyone, including my little fairy family, are all in the living room window of the neighbor's house watching this confrontation in the street. I can only hope that our family's mama realized what was going on and was able to explain it to the kids without giving everything away. And really, none of that matters. We'll still continue making little things to drop off at their house. We'll still *attempt* to do it in secret. Because every time those kids open their door and see a little surprise for them and their family, well, that's the kind of excitement and joy that this secret fairy thing is all about.

My knee is sore. I'm a little rattled - though much less so than a couple hours ago. And I'm not so sure my special powers are (or ever were) as strong as I believed them to be. But I do know that as stupid as it is I still dig the adrenalin and would rather engage in some crazy game of hide and seek than give myself up and completely spoil the secret.

And in the meantime, here's what the fairies left this time...



Homemade sugar cookies.



A bouquet of holly berries. And a couple little toys (a wind-up motorcycle guy, and this cute monkey pen whose arms and legs jump around when you push down to write.)

So, there you go. A secret fairy drop gone wrong. Oh well. It'll be fun to tell the story at the reveal party in January.

Season's Senses

SIGHT:



The chicken ladies have gotten into the holiday spirit. We decked their house out with a strand of lights on Saturday, and I think their little home is so sweet and festive. I defrosted their water twice today - they were so appreciative! I know it's cold out there girls, but hopefully these cheery lights are adding just a touch of warmth on these chilly chilly winter nights.

FEEL:



Yesterday was bitter cold with an arctic wind coming in from the north that caused already cold temperatures to dip even lower.

Calder and I ventured out with our buddy Raquel in search of "the tree" while Jeff worked at home.

Our first stop was an in-town tree farm. Their trees were lovely, but we couldn't bear the cold wind long enough to walk around and take a good look at their crop. So after a warming cup of hot cocoa, with a candy cane dropped in for good measure, in the family's ceramic studio we piled back into the car and moved on.



We found last year's tree in the $10 pile at the Boy Scout's lot, and returned yesterday to see if there was anything good in the discount section. No luck, but I was able to find a lovely Noble - not too tall as it's to be placed on top of a piece of furniture in our smallish living room. I think we were helped by the same Scout as last year... little Ralphie we called him. He's so grown up now.

SMELL:

A bonus at the Scout lot, they let you take their off-cuts for free, so the back of the car was filled with boughs which were brought home and made into wreaths and swags that made the kitchen - our workshop - smell so good.

And back to SIGHT:



The Christmas tree reflected in the living room window with the hen house just outside.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! (But lately I've enjoyed thinking of the lights as a Solstice celebration of sorts actually. And though it may still be so cold, I really can't wait for the annual Solstice walk through our neighborhood with friends and lovely candle and lantern-light.)

Brrrrrr

It's been so cold here the last few days. 20's - 30's. The next couple days we might even see it dip down into the teens. Brrrrr!

We've had to de-ice the chicken's water every morning. Good thing those girls have all their warm feathers and can huddle close at night to keep themselves warm and cozy.

After tending to the chickens this morning I took a little walk around our frosty yard with my camera.













Today we'll put out some holiday lights and tomorrow hopefully get the tree. A Fraser fir would be so lovely, but I've only found really tall ones so far.

Secret fairies

A bunch of families in our community are playing secret fairies again this year from now until Christmas. I don't think our recipient family reads the blog (*hope*hope*) so I'll be posting the treats here as they're delivered.

I was struggling with inspiration this year, and then last Monday I made it over the hump, had a few ideas, and put our first fairy package together for delivery earlier this week.

I hope our little family enjoyed it! I know I had fun putting it together and Calder enjoyed sneaking it over with me. That's the best part, you know?





Cranberry hearts.





Fudge. Mmmmmm....



And a snowflake making kit.

Now off to figure out what the next set of surprises will be!

Ah, Thanksgiving

There it goes, in the history books. And already it's December!



Thanksgiving day was full of food. Too much. All good. I really enjoyed the turkey this year, which is unusual. It was brined and then bar-b-que'd with a little time in the oven at the end to finish off. Very tasty - salty, juicy, smokey.



But I thought it best to just leave you with the pie shots. They were both great. A pumpkin from Raquel... so light!



And the good 'ol Goode Company pecan pie sent all the way from Houston. What a treat! The sugar!



The rest of the weekend was spent around town, Friday with Rocky checking out her new place, considering landscaping and paint colors over white hot chocolate...



... and Richard Scarry. (Gotta love a coffee shop that stocks a library for the littles!)



Saturday found us downtown (with a latte) catching up with my parents who were helping decorate their church for the Advent season.



(I like the new paint job on the ceiling.)



Calder decked out this tree with my mom.

There was a drive by the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree post-Friday's lighting ceremony, and a fun visit with good friends. We also snuck in a trip to Kenny+Zukes for another round of hot dogs, and Calder and I enjoyed brunch with Julie at OCAC's Hands On Cafe on Sunday before heading home.

I've said it before, but man, we sure do love to eat when we travel... even close to home!

Pause

We've had a couple beautiful, clear fall days that had us outside in the brisk air playing with leaves and wheelbarrows. Thanksgiving is almost here.



I'm really looking forward to it this year for many reasons, not the least of which is that I have a keen sense of appreciation for a holiday whose act of celebration consists of spending the day together in the kitchen making wonderful food to share with friends and family.



This year we'll be at my parents' joined by Jeff's mom and sister and our friend Raquel. The menu is long stretching from rolls and pomegranate+orange slaw through turkey and all kinds of vegetables prepared all sorts of ways to multiple desserts. I'm ready for the long walk around the neighborhood this meal will require.



We're responsible for one version of cranberry sauce (Raquel's also bringing some,) brussel sprouts (which will be roasted the day-of,) and a pecan pie. Now, I sort of cheated there, but I also hope I did good. We've got some family friends down in Houston where I lived until I was eight. They agreed to a trade of a box of Oregon hazelnuts for a pecan pie from Goode Company Barbeque and were willing to try to get it to us for Thanksgiving. Well, the pie arrived and I can't wait to cut into it.



So here's wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving, happy feasting, and sharing the day(s) with family and friends wherever you are. And here's thanking you for visiting this space whenever you do, reading, and commenting when you feel so inclined. I really do enjoy sharing and recording these bits of my life here.

Matchy-matchy

One of Calder's buddies turned three today. I was already in the process of making another matching game like the one I'd made for Calder last Christmas. The timing was perfect and the new set became a present for our little buddy.



I'm planning on making a few to put in the shop.



Might need to invest in some new pinking shears and a sewing machine pretty soon, as the one I've been using I hijacked months ago from our neighbor... and she needs it back to make a quilt!



Some of these photos I took specifically for the project, others were chosen from the general stash but seemed to fit perfectly.



Our local craft store has a pretty good selection of fun fabrics pre-cut into fat quarters. I love all the choices that go into making something like this... the images, the fabric, the color of the felt in-between.



I really do hope I can get it together to put a few of these in the shop before too long. Calder digs his set, and I'm guessing there's other littles out there who would as well.

Hot chocolate and biscuits

Calder and I were at the library yesterday and he pulled a random book off the shelf and asked me to read it to him. We sat down there on the floor and read Best Little Wingman about a young girl whose dad drives a snowplow. She waits anxiously for him to stop by home and pick her up to drive around town in the snowy night. Her mother sends them off with a thermos of hot chocolate and a tin of fresh-baked biscuits which Janny and her dad share in the warm cab of the snowplow.



Those biscuits and hot chocolate sounded too good.



So we came home from the library and cooked some up for lunch.



My go-to source is The Joy of Cooking. The recipes are seemingly the definition of whatever food you're wanting to make. And I wanted plain and simple, buttery, basic rolled biscuits.



They're easy.



Quick.



And reliable.



We ate them with a little sliced ham and sipped our warm cups of cocoa. It was the perfect little lunch for an overcast fall day.

Time Traveling: Summer Vacation Part III

Well, I haven't been doing much of note around here, so I guess I'd better go back in time and wrap up our Summer Vacation story. (Part I here. Part II here.)

Our trip continues...



After a couple nights in Long Beach with Pilar we drifted a few blocks over to our friends Dana + Nathan's place. Masters of economy of space, they live in half of a small duplex and have done a remarkable job of "fitting it all in" and still keeping plenty of peaceful, open space.



Dana has transformed their little sideyard with drought tolerant plantings that have grown, in just a few years, into a beautiful private extension of their home. Much of their living can happen outside thanks to her work.



This is a photo Jeff took last year looking from the front of their place down the sideyard. In only a few years it has grown from a dry, weed-y grass strip into this lovely refuge.



And from their oasis we traveled to the sun-baked Port of Long Beach. It's actually one of my favorite places to explore. Even though I don't feel very welcome down there, I always find eye-catching scenes of a life I hardly know.



We knew there would be a lot at the Port for Calder to enjoy. And though we couldn't get him a good view of Sea Launch from the bridges, he was happy to take in all the semi-truck traffic, port cranes, and giant ships. And when we came upon a massive construction site loaded with earth movers of all types barreling around the re-claimed landscape, well, we had to stop and take it in for a while.

We'd already eaten, but if you're ever in the vicinity of San Pedro at breakfast time I do recommend the Omelette and Waffle Shop on Gaffey. It's a diner-style place that always seems to be busy, has over 80 omelette combinations already on the menu before you even think to create your own, great waffles, friendly people, and much more.

I have no photos to document the lovely evening we shared Friday with Dana and Nathan at my college roommate Susan's parents' home in Van Nuys. Over the years I have had the great pleasure of introducing a number of people to the Silverman's Shabbat dinner. This time we were able to share it with Susan's 10 month old daughter, Georgie who I met for the first time this trip. Calder, I must add, enjoyed his first sip of manischewitz wine. So sweet! The Silverman's have one of the warmest, most inviting homes I've ever known. I always look forward to a chance to visit and catch up with Rita and Herb, and Susan too of course!



We spent the night at the Silverman's and that kept us very close to our second Valley destination - the home of Jumilla Stories, Tracy and her wonderful husband and two great girls.



A fabulous afternoon ensued with lunch, a dip in the pool, playing with all the funky toys rescued and scavenged from '70s childhoods, listening to D's band recordings interspersed with E's more tween-y(?) selections, and generally hanging out having a the best time "catching up" with new friends. It was great, and just what we needed to mellow out a whirlwind trip.



Did you tour Tracy's home the other day on cafemom? They've got some wild original wallpaper still shining bright in little corners of their home. (Though I don't recall any of it showing up on the tour.)



Our trip came to an end back in Long Beach with a gathering at Dana's parents' home for more swimming and feasting. I love being able to spend time with friends and their parents too.

This Southern California vacation was wonderful, albeit quite busy. We were able to see so many folks, eat well, play in pools and the Pacific. It was fun to introduce Calder to so many folks who've only seen photos and heard stories. I know he's at an age where he'll remember most of what we did.

Who knows when we'll find ourselves there again. I'm so glad we got to share our summer vacation with everyone - all the friends and family... and you too!

Empty + Full

Man, Ikea can be a total drain. What a time vacuum. I wish I'd taken a picture of Calder, my mom and I when we arrived this morning just after it opened and then taken another one when we left over 2 hours later hungry, complaining, and dazed. Not that these would be "keeper" portraits... just proof that Ikea can suck life. Oh, and we lost Calder's water bottle there. Bummed. I'm not ruling out the possibility that it would turn up in lost+found, but am thinking it's a long shot.



But, there's nothing wrong with stopping in for some re-fueling at Kenny + Zukes. The hot dog with the works seriously hit the spot. (And a couple gulps of my dad's Coke weren't too shabby either. Moderation people.)



Cute kid, but check the plate... dog. gone.