On Twelfth Night I threw a party, as I do every year. The Christmas wreath comes down and Carnival (Mardi Gras) decorations go up. I bake a King Cake in celebration of Three Kings Day, also known as The Epiphany.
Most people are confused with the Christian holiday that commemorates the biblical story of the three wise men, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, who followed the star to Bethlehem. They brought gifts to the Christ child.
Continue reading On the Twelfth Day of Christmas…
I’m choosing to start 2010 with an optimistic outlook. I’m ready to follow the path leading to some positive changes.
My friend, Suzanne Egan, posted The Optimist Creed on her January 1, 2010 Facebook entry. Christian D. Larson, an early New Thought (New Age) leader wrote the work in 1912, almost a hundred years ago. I love the promise which remains timely and decided to make the message my personal motto for the year ahead.
Promise Yourself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
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What path will you follow in 2010 and where will it lead?
Traditionally, Christmas morning at our house meant breakfast in the midst of opening packages. We’d eat pull-apart cake, sometimes called Monkey Bread, with juice and coffee.
The night before the kids would shake pieces of biscuit dough in a brown paper bag filled with a mixture of brown and white cinnamon sugar and chopped nuts. Did this put visions of sugarplums in their heads. No. They simply piled the pieces into a tube pan and I added melted butter.
In the morning, the dish was placed in a pre-heated oven and when baked, inverted onto a serving plate. The golden sticky cinnamon bun-like breakfast bread was torn apart by little fingers. Looked pretty and was caramelly luscious, but rather messy.
Toward the end of the gift giving extravaganza, I would sneak into the kitchen and bake a quiche or sausage strata, also prepared the night before,and serve with fresh fruit salad and Mimosas.
Continue reading Breakfast Fritatta