Friday, December 31, 2010

happy new year


holiday 001, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

lemon butter

Lemon Butter

2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs

Grate the lemon rind and juice the lemons. Put zest, juice, butter, and sugar in a saucepan over LOW heat. Dissolve very slowly. Beat the eggs and stir some of the hot lemon mixture into them. Add egg mixture to saucepan and stir over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour into a glass jar, let cool, and refrigerate.

Take time with the cooking, stirring constantly, for a smooth sauce. This can be made in a double boiler.

Grandmum used to say that if one had this sauce in the refrigerator and a pound cake in the pantry one was prepared for almost any situation.

Washing dishes. Making gingerbread.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

christmas 2010


christmas 2010, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

snowruby::christmas 2009


snowruby, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

snowchildren::christmas 2009


snowchildren, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

christmas 2008


always the crazy legs, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

holiday 2008


littles asleep, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

christmas morning


christmas morning, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

christmas 2006


very serious, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

merry making


kiss, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

Here is little John in 2006. I had this notion that I'd post a little something every day in December, and that just didn't happen. Apparently, without a camera I've got nothing to say.

We celebrated the solstice last night with a few friends, a fire, a big pot of beans, cornbread, lots of homemade goodies, homebrew, and even some live music. Today I am staying home all day for the first time. Daddy and Ella are out seeing Prince Caspian, and I made latkes for breakfast.

When my children are grown they'll be saying that when they were little it always snowed on Christmas. A storm is headed our way, and I'm thinking about yet another trip to the store just in case we are in for a few days. Today I want to make gingerbread and lemon butter with the children.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The elves picked these up yesterday


mama made, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Ruby Claus


Ruby Claus, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

Thank goodness for friends with cameras because it certainly is hard to run around without a one. Can you believe that this was just a spur of the moment in my friend Donna's kitchen? Her son left his little Santa suit perfectly arranged on the floor in front of the christmas tree.

Donna has been hosting a crafting day each monday, and the waldorf dolls I'm making have, for the most part, been made at her kitchen table or living room floor.She also showed me how to make an Enchanted Broccoli Forest.

John and I are sitting in the midst of a major home renovation. We are sitting on the sofa in the middle of the living room. The fridge is plugged in right behind us, as well as the stove and the toilet. We have a new kitchen floor, and by tomorrow night we'll have new floors in the living room and dining room.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

santa letters

John and Ella wrote their letters today. Ella requests only a electronic violin tuner. How cool is that? John wants a cheetah, a lion, legos, a pretend store for his sister Ruby and an American girl house for his sister Ella.

We enjoyed a snowy weekend with boots and snowpants piled around the door. We made wreaths at the tree farm in Clover Hollow, and I could hear the snow falling on dried leaves. Today we stayed close to home with books from St Nicholas, ornament painting, and Mythbusters.

Friday, December 03, 2010

loving

::I love this humbling post on Obaitori Spiritual Mothering today.

::Reading The Night Before Christmas to 3 tonight.

::My current obsession with robin's egg blue.

::Sitting between the sewing machine and the laptop.

:: I found a recipe for the orange dressing they serve at Japanese restaurants. Fresh ginger root, white miso, sesame oil, 1 carrot, rice wine vinegar, and a pinch of sugar. Puree in the food processor. I can't wait to make a salad with fresh tatsoi, romaine, english cucumber, asparagus, blanched broccoli, and some homemade tamari almonds.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

thanksgiving 2010


thanksgiving 2010, originally uploaded by ellajohn.



Thanksgiving seems distant as I take a pen to my December calendar. Felting dries on my curtain rods, dolls have bodies, the children have a five foot blue lit christmas tree in their bedroom for a nightlight, and tonight we read Elf on a Shelf for our advent treat.

The ballet was a treat last night. Ella had a wonderful time was was so happy to be out after ten on a school night. We saw the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, and the show was an elegant and evocative fantasy.

ham and cheese


thanksgiving, originally uploaded by ellajohn.

thanksgiving 2010


thanksgiving 2010, originally uploaded by ellajohn.