BROCKPORT AFTER DARK....IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE

Ya know that thing on television where the lady says "I've fallen and I can't get up!" That's what I feel like about now. I've been on my feet since 7am and am pooped.

Chores as usual...I think we hit 30 degrees today. Dream ate all her grain again last night, half of her hay and most of her water...when I put the hay out, she did not want to go in the pasture on the left. She stayed on the other side of the dividing fence so I threw some hay her way. Eventually they all went out to the big pasture hunting for grass under the snow.
I picked one of the pastures, and went in to get started on the fixings for dinner.

Gary prepared the korv...

I baked the ham with a brown sugar and mustard glaze.

By 4 I needed to get off my feet for 30 minutes before going out to do chores. All the horses got new shavings, carrots and apples for Christmas Eve.

Miss Dream Boat dug right into her grain tonight. I'll know she has really arrived when she is willing to eat it in the morning too. Just have to keep feeding her more at night for now.

Everything was ready by 5:30. Earlier today, one of my art students (Mel) delivered a fruit basket .... see it on the end table? What a sweet surprise...so thoughtful.

Frank, the fire was going all day...sure adds to the atmosphere, especially at night.

It was quiet until about 6pm....

Then people started to arrive.

Jenny and Kevin brought lots of appetizers...like goat cheese with a tomato sauce spread on crusty bread....

We did our best to eat them before dinner. Lots of wine and chatter.

Below you see our friend Kendra standing with Gary, the Swede! Louise and Jack bought him this helmut for Christmas so he could wear it when he and Randy make Korv. So attractive, don't you think?

Chris and Vickie flew in from Oregon for the holidays. Chris has been with us Christmas Eve for several years and she wanted her friend to join in the fun.

There's Topper taking pictures of me taking pictures of him. The only thing is....he is much more photogenic!

One of our guests, Alicia, is a jeweler and when you looked around the room, you could see several different women wearing her work.

What I love about this night, is that people who have never met each other before get together and as the years go by, they become more and more familiar.
As I said to Vickie, the people in this room have a lot in common. They care about the planet, community, politics and much more. They are the kind of people who pay it forward. They dig in and are the doers. They support so many things with time and money...unafraid to help someone. They love music, art, good food, reading, communication....man, the list goes on. These are my kind of people and I love having them get to know each other. Our house was bursting with positive energy tonight.

About the food....we had: Ham, korv, Swedish meatballs, sweet and sour meatballs, rice pudding, cornbread casserole, perogies, pasta casserole....

Salad number one ....

Chinese coleslaw....

A delicious raspberry ring...

Salad number 2....


And heaping plates of food.

There I am. I promised to post one picture of me.

With this many people, it was necessary to sit in three different rooms. This group sat in the library (where I have my command central, tons of books, art, photographs and doo dads). Those twinkie lights are up year round.

Jack and Louise are the ones who presented Gary with the beautiful helmut!

Vickie fit right in and enjoyed the interesting conversations about faraway places and all the goings on at the homefront.

Gucci didn't know where to go first.


Finn and Jenny got into a game of Sequence, and he was the winner!

The food put Kevin (Jenny's husband) on the couch....Phoebe joined him.

Cooper got in on the action too.

At one time, Finn had 4 two eyed Jacks. If you play Sequence, you know the chance of that happening is pretty remote.

It was good that Chris and Arlene had a chance to talk.

Santa's helper, below, is Kevin's Mom....Pat. We try to get her here for Christmas Eve as much as possible. She always brings a sleigh full of goodies, even when we tell her not too!

Phoebe knew where to go...under the table that had all the drinks on it...

Coop and Finn each got one of their presents tonight before they left. Beautiful bean bags to put in their new family room.

I think they were a hit.

By 9:30, the joint cleared out.

...and I looked at all the goodies that were left for us! The generosity of these people is overwhelming!

Tina and Roger brought us this Amaryllis...

and didn't we get another one from Randy and Arlene! I love them!!!

How's this ornament from Chris? Sweet huh? She said it reminded her of me.

Sara hand painted this beautiful Santa box.

Louise and Jack gave me a gigantic ruby ring and a card for my camera. Just what I need!

We got wine...cookies....candy....holiday bread....Swedish nuts....fudge....spritz cookies...peppermint bark...cheese....dill dip...beautiful note cards....

and a gift certificate from Winnie and her family!

Amazing! And it took me so long to do this, it's now Christmas! So Merry Christmas Everyone!
We had a great time at Skoog Farm...there are no greater presents than good friends! Over and out. Night all.