Farewell 2008 - Welcome 2009!

Thoughts as we say farewell to 2008...

What better day is there to reflect on the passing of another year than on December 31? We have been blessed this year and know it. We have family and friends all around the country who love and cheer us, we have our three wonderful "four-legged kids" to make us smile. We have a cozy, comfortable house to come home to each night, and we have reasonably good health that allows us to enjoy life and to be productive.

We also know that so many others have suffered so much in the 365 days past; we pray that the year ahead is a better one for all.

And, as always, we pray for peace...

Christmas Lights of Naples...

Naples is an exclusive section of Long Beach, a water town with house-lined canals (gondola rides available) and harbor frontage. During the holidays, many homes and boats are covered with lights and other decorations. In the harbor you can see a long row of lighted Christmas trees on anchored floats. Really quite beautiful. These were just a few of the wonderful sights seen on the Tuesday night after Christmas.

A holiday "bouquet"...

When we stepped into Heather and David's house on Christmas Eve it smelled like the holidays. On the stove was a simmering pot of fruit and spices. Among the treats that were sent home with us that night was a bag with the ingredients and instructions for this marvelous holiday potpourri:

1 Apple
1 Orange
1 Lemon
1 approx. 2 inch long piece of fresh ginger
3 Cinnamon sticks
6 Whole Cloves

Cut the fruit in 1/2 inch wide slices and place in a heavy medium sauce pan with the whole spices. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, adding water as needed.

We kept a pot simmering all day on Christmas, and our holiday kitchen has never smelled quite so wonderful. It was such a treat that we set a fresh pot to simmer before our guests arrived yesterday, turned off the heat last evening, and then back on this morning. The whole house smells of fruit and spice. What could be better?

More good friends share the season...

Larry's best friend, Ira, and his wife Delores, joined us for a post-Christmas dinner last night. Ira and Larry worked together at Rockwell/Boeing for many years; a great friendship flourished due to their tremendous love of jazz. Since Larry's retirement they've kept that friendship alive, not just sharing the music, but also as lunch and movie buddies at least once a month. It was great having "Cousins" Ira and Delores join us for ham (we let HoneyBaked do the cooking!), a sweet potato and apple casserole, and fresh asparagus. After dinner, Nica just had to show Ira her parrot imitation! (Good thing they are as crazy about their dogs Butter and Silk as we are about Sassy and Nica...)

Happy Birthday Cora!

Margaret's niece, Cora Witmyer, is celebrating a birthday today in Battle Creek. (Wish we had a good, recent picture... hint, hint, hint!) We hope she sees this and knows that we are thinking about her and wishing her a great day and a year filled with all the best!

A beautiful winter day in Sunny So. Cal...

After so many cold and rainy days, Southern California became more like itself yesterday and today, bright, sunny and a whole lot warmer! We had a number of errands to run this morning, including checking on Belle at the barn. Driving home we could see the snow-capped local mountains. We know that those of you living in Northern climes may have already seen as much snow as you care to this winter! But, it's a little of a novelty around here, and when the air is clean as it is after all the week's wind and rain, it's really quite beautiful.

A Christmas Day of Great Friends and Food...

Christmas Day dinner with a group of our dearest friends is a tradition that means a great deal to us. Unfortunately, several of those we had hoped would be joining us had last minute conflicts and were unable to come. While we could have easily fed a dozen, there were only seven of us feasting on Crown Pork Roast, Yukon Gold potatoes with Gruyere cheese, dressing, broccolli, fresh cranberry relish, and let's not forget the strawberry cheese cake! We so missed the absentees, but were thrilled to share the day with neighbors Chuck and Christine, and other close friends, Christopher, Deb, and Marti, all of whom ventured into heavy winds and rain to be with us. It was wonderful to share our home with them all on this very special day.

A Surprise for Larry on Christmas Day...

We both love all things "Eeyore", so Margaret absolutely could not resist wrapping up this Christmas statuette she found and putting it under the tree for Larry. Yet another Christmas decoration in search of a place to be stored before too long... But, isn't he cute???

Christmas Eve Video Montage...

Let the unwrapping begin!

Family for Christmas Eve...

Heather and David hosted our family Christmas Eve dinner again at their home this year, where we were also joined by Heather's long-time old friend, Stephanie. While foul weather was predicted, the skies were only partly cloudy and the roads dry as we took off with a Santa's Sleigh full of packages Wednesday evening. When everyone unloaded, the tree looked as though one of Santa's toy bags had exploded in the Huertas living room! (Thoughts of the recession put briefly to rest...) Upon arrival, Grandpa and Margaret took turns occupying our tiniest, four month old Joshua. He did pretty well, just as long as we kept him in motion! (Even just passing him back and forth kept him from getting fussy.) Heather had wisely pre-fed her brood before we all arrived, so that all the "big folks", including our grown-up teen, Brandon, could share a meal of salad and lasagna at the dinner table. The little kids were unbelievably patient, waiting for their "main event" - opening presents! Auto design books for Brandon quickly grabbed his attention! The middle kids, Jonathan and Sophia, got toys, the babies, Ava and Joshua, got new outfits, and the adult-type parents found towels and bedding, all at their request. Margaret was especially pleased that the crocheted afghans made for each family were enough of a hit that the girls choose to model them for the camera! It was great to all be together as a family this year, sharing the gifts of good food, gentle teasing and laughs, and loving company. (We're still working on the videos - hope to post those before the days is out!)

The Merriest Christmas to all...

Autumn's flaming vibrancy has given way to others of God's miracles - mystically gray dawns, steaming bursts of breath, the sparkle and crunch of late frosts turned to snow. As nature's displays shift so do we, exchanging our outreaching outdoor lives for the coziness of simmering vats of soups, blazing fireplaces, ovens bursting with confections baked with love, and drawers filled with woolens in jewel tones and soft heathers. Twinkling, colored lights and flickering candles brighten the lengthening nights.

With each celebration of Christmas, we gather our families and friends nearer to us. The season reawakens thanksgiving, forgiveness and love in our hearts. Some family holiday tables include a recently emptied chair, while others expand to make way for a new, toothless grin. The circle of life is complete, perhaps never more poignant than when the calendar is announcing the arrival of a new year.

At this time, we wish you gatherings filled with love and laughter, snippets of time in which to reflect on your blessings, joyous memories of those who have gone before, and moments spent with wide-eyed smiling children to keep you young. And for the New Year, we pray you are blessed with good health, prosperity, and always, peace

Happy Birthday Aunt Juanita!

Margaret and her Aunt Juanita share a birthday, December 20th. Turning 55 isn't such a big deal for Margaret, but Juanita is turning 94 and that's real news!!! We hope that our beautiful aunt is having a great celebration of her special day and the holidays ahead in Cape Cod at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Alice Ebersole. Know that you are being wished a very happy birthday from your family all around the country, Aunt J!!!

In our thoughts and prayers...

Margaret's sister Carol, who is having surgery Thursday to repair a shoulder injury. We hope her recovery is uneventful and speedy, and that she is back on the tennis courts before she knows it!

Finally, we have a tree...

Always the last phase of our holiday decorating, our tree came out of the box yesterday morning, we began placing ornaments last evening, and finished swagging the strings of gold beads and adding candy canes early this morning.






(The long predicted winter storm has arrived and it's cold and dark here today; it was cheering to light the tree this morning and add the finishing touches.) Merging two households' tree decorations into one is fun! Margaret had an eclectic collection made up of ornaments that had come from childhood trees and ones she'd acquired over her adult years. Larry's ten bearded, old "Santa's Helpers" and a couple dozen pairs of wooden cherries are wonderful, almost Old World, touches. In the ten years we've shared Christmas, we've added soooo many ornaments - lots of angels and wood carved Santas, whimsical animals, photo frames, and a number of blown glass orbs, purchased one a year at a local craft fair. The time spent each year recreating the tree is time in which we reflect on the good fortune of our lives together and all the love shared in our beautiful blended family.

A boy and his horse...

Last weekend, Larry stayed outside the turn-out arena, videoing Belle at play. This week it was his turn to step inside and play with her. She's had a bit of a cough this week and wasn't feeling much like running and bucking, but she sure seemed to enjoy being loved on by her doting "dad"!

Tasty treats for the holidays (or anytime!)...

Margaret just whipped up one of her favorite appetizers to take to a holiday party here in the condo community this evening. It's another recipe that her mom made for all family gatherings - Marinated Mushrooms. Here's the recipe if you'd like to make them a tradition in your house, too:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t prepared mustard
1 t dried parsley flakes
1 t granulated garlic (Margaret's addition to the original)
1 small white onion sliced very thinly and separated into rings
2 6 oz. jars of mushroom caps drained

Combine all ingredients except mushroom in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and simmer 5-6 minutes. Chill in a covered bowl several hours. Drain before serving.

These are so simple and sooooooo good, guaranteed to make you a kitchen hero with all who taste them! Margaret also tried a new treat last evening that is equally tasty, though just a little more time consuming, Orange Pecans:

4 cups (about 1 lb.) of pecan halves
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon

Toast the pecans on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Combine orange juice concentrate, sugar and cinnamon in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Add pecans to mixture to coat and drop individually on cookie sheets covered with aluminum foil a quarter inch or so apart. Let set until firm.

It was all we could do to stay out of them last night! (We're sharing them at tonight's festivities, too.) A nice twist on pralines or other candied pecans. We suspect they'll show up here on Christmas Day, too.
Happy Holiday food fixing to you all!

Our Christmas Village

Over three or four years in the mid-eighties, Margaret painted small plaster houses, shops and a church, sending them to Michigan to her mom for Christmas. Family members loved the growing Christmas village; accesories made great gifts to Helen. Now the village is back in California, a cherished portion of our annual holiday decorations.

The Fashion Island Christmas Tree...

We took advantage of particularly balmy weather this evening to check out a local holiday tradition. Fashion Island is an open air shopping mall in Newport Beach, known this time of year for displaying one of the largest Christmas trees in the nation. This tree is 115 feet tall, weighs approximately 20,000 pounds and is decorated with 23,000 lights, ornaments and bows. It was harvested in Mount Shasta, California, and will be recycled after the holidays.

Fashion Island is a fun place to wander through any time of year. (We love it because the mall is dog-friendly and there's are always lots of four-legged "shoppers" around!) The koi pond is filled with huge, brilliantly colored fish, and the carousel is always beautiful at night.

Belle at Play

Room for"horseplay" is scarce in Southern California. The big Irish lass, having grown up with lots of pasture land to roam, still enjoys this small turn-out. She takes full advantage of the chance to run and buck. (Better she do that without her mom on her back!) Larry is on the outside of the turn-out with the camera. On the inside, Margaret feels totally safe that Belle won't get close enough to kick her. After she gets the kinks out, she loves to scratch her back in the soft sand. (Margaret chased her away from the second roll because she was close enough to the rail to stick a leg through it.)

Southern California Sunsets

Margaret would love to take credit for these photosgraphs, but she can't. They were sent to us by a friend whose back yard faces the coast in San Clemente. The sunset pictures she captures from that vantage are quite incredible. Theses were taken last Thursday night. Enjoy as we did.

Christmas Decorating Phase Two...

Wrapping lights and holly around the stair railing has become one of Larry's annual holiday jobs. (He offered and Margaret certainly isn't going to argue; It's hard work!) For the next several weeks negotiating the stairs without use of the top rail is excellent core muscle exercise!
After the most precious decorations come out of storage in the steamer trunk that belonged to Margaret's grandparents, Christmas teddies take up residence on top. Sassy and Nica think they are part of the decorations, too!

The San Diego Wild Animal Park

For many weeks, we've discussed spending a day at the San Diego Wild Animal Park with our good friends, Chuck and Christine Sweeney. When they arrived here on Thanksgiving Day, they came bearing more than food, they brought us a pair of tickets to the Park! We decided that our adventure would take place the following Monday...

Yesterday morning dawned thick and gray in Costa Mesa, so much so that we delayed our departure a little, waiting out the fog. The veil began to lift finally and we took off on the eighty some mile drive to Escondido. When we arrived, the weather could not have been more perfect - sunny and bright and a temperature in the low 80's. After "grazing" on Thanksgiving leftovers through the long weekend, a long hike through the Park was just the exercise we needed.
We hope you enjoy the following pictures of the many sights we saw! We've added the Park's web address to our list of favorite links in the right column. Check it out if you want to learn more about this fabulous place.

Just through the entrance to the Park, the habitats are designed almost entirely for the feathered. We walked through an African based aviary, then all around an area designed to please a number of water birds.

Larry is never happier than when he is feeding any sort of animal!

When we arrived at the Gorilla habitat we saw that the majority of them were resting in the shade, not really in photo range. But, this one seemed anxious to be seen.

This meerkat just begged to have his picture taken...

Braver souls than we took advantage of the "Hot Air Balloon Safari". (The balloon is tethered, the only travel involved is up and down.) The views from up above must be quite spectacular!

A highlight of our time at the park was the Journey Into Africa Tour. This video sweeps over some of the portion of the park we were about to visit.

The tour is a thirty minute tram ride through dozens of acres of land, and the opportunity to see countless species of African animals in open habitats. Just before boarding we got a close-up look at the lions, especially this lioness, who appered to posing just for us. Soon into our ride we saw cheetah, but they are so well camouflaged by their coats that they are nearly invisible in the photos.

This beautiful wild island was created within the "Savanna" as an open habitat for a number of fowl.

Giraffes are such amazing animals! Larry, especially, is fascinated by them. Though we couldn't get as "up close and personal" as we would have liked this time, we've learned that there is another tour available at the Park, a Photo Caravan in a tall, open air truck, that brings you much closer to the animals. (We think you can even feed the giraffes from this conveyance. Larry says "Sign me up!"

The wildebeest and ostrich are just too cool!

We saw a number of rhino, black and white. And, there's no way we can post pictures of all the different grazing animals that we saw on the tour - zebra and many varieties of antelope, with marvelous names like kudu, springbok and oryx.