Friends & Fireplace

By Lorraine

Our weekly Bible Study group got together Wednesday evening for our annual Christmas dinner party.

I am so blessed by each person in this photo! What a wealth of Godly wisdom and character each person brings to the group. We love each other dearly as we encourage and pray for one another on our journey through this world toward our Heavenly home

Between Dinner and Dessert, we gathered in the family room for a photo in front of the fireplace

When we moved into our home 27 years ago, this fireplace had a fake brick front and a small, rough-hewn board for the mantle. John and I designed and built the new mantle and added marble to the front and the hearth. The wood-burning stove insert is what keeps us toasty warm through the winter.

We also added the windows to bring light into the room.

The metal screen belonged to my mom. She used it in front of a decorative fireplace.

The counted cross-stitch Silent Night was made and framed many years ago and comes out each Christmas.

The Scherenschnitte (German for paper cutting) were made several years ago from patterns I found in a book and patterns shared by Cindy.

At Abbey’s request, we brought the tree back to the family room. The last few years it has been in the living room but she wanted a change this year.

I wish the room was as large as it appears in this photo!
It gets pretty crowded when all the kids are here.

The coffee table that holds our Christmas Eve hearty appetizer dinner.
One of the only times I allow food in the family room…
after Candlelight Service and the kids are snugly in their jammies while Pop-Pop reads
The Night Before Christmas.
I think at least two of the little ones actually pay attention through the whole story

It is just too hard to be still with cousins visiting and Christmas Day just one more sleep away.

The quaint village waits in anticipation for Jill and family to arrive and join their cousins to watch the trains go round and round the tracks with horn tooting and tiny puffs of smoke billowing from the engine.

Linking to:

Show & Tell Friday @My Romantic Home

Having Fun

By Lorraine

Cambrie Noelle

Keri Caleb Silas and Noah

Jamie and Cambrie

Raider wearing his mean face even at Jamies

Noah and Mom-Mom trying to be serious until Mom-Mom’s mustache kept falling off

And, the sweetest of all!

Keri and Annika

Remember my birthday friend from my last post…

She is Anni’s Grammy!

Three generations of friends.

I’d say that is pretty special.

♥

Butternut Squash Salad

By Lorraine

Getting together with the dearest of friends is always a blessing and a delight. Celebrating birthdays with these precious ladies makes each added year much easier to accept. Part of the autumn themed menu included this Ina Garten recipe, butternut squash salad is tossed with a warmed cider/mustard vinaigrette.

Simple Pleasures

By Lorraine

Lunch with dear Friends

Me and Sandy

This dear friend shares my birthday.

Me Marcia and Sandy (Susan, our host, was taking the photo)

Dear friends for 26 years

One dear friend moved to Colorado

One dear friend moved to Texas.

We always have a birthday lunch

We laugh together

encourage each other

pray for each other

love each other

♥

Marcia, Susan, me and Marcia at the marriage of Susan’s daughter

Through the years

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

unknown

Proverbs 18:24
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother
Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another

Proverbs17:17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity

Joining Dayle

(from a Collection of This and That)

a dear blogging friend for her Simple Pleasures party.

‘Twas a Most Happy Birthday

By Lorraine

Perfect in every way

Me and my mom

me and my girlfriend since childood

me and my sister

of course we can’t be together for two minutes without breaking into giggles

playtime

Delicious dinner made by Jill

eating on the patio

family including my sweet niece, Eva.

birthday cake (actually Banana Blueberry Pie)
Our August is FULL of birthdays… I am planning a birthday party for our little Keri Jill on the 19th.

Mildred Daylily

By Lorraine

One of my first blog followers soon became a dear friend.

We have shared our hearts, prayed for and encouraged one another though we have never met in person.

Mildred Daylily was a gift from a friend. The blossoms open to reveal the lovely pink, green and chartreuse colors as it blooms in my front garden and reminds me of her thoughtfulness and our friendship each time I see it.

Last summer I mentioned that I really liked a photo she posted of a Mildred daylily that bears her name.Continue Reading

She’s All Grown Up

By Lorraine

We attended a most beautiful wedding this past Friday evening.

The daughter of our next-door neighbor.

Carly Michele turned from an adorable baby girl into a lovely woman in the blink of an eye.

The marriage ceremony was beautiful. Personal and directed to this young couple with wise words as they begin a life long journey together.

A perfect Evening

By Lorraine

Ever since Aldara told us her mother would be visiting the Unites States from Spain we were looking forward to meeting her. Last night we had the honor of having Nini join us for dinner and a wonderful evening getting to know one another. She is just as nice and sweet as we expected she would be!

New Friends

By Lorraine

Geography makes no difference.

Language makes no difference.

You know in an instant nice people.

You’re warmed by their kind smiles

friendly manner

genuine laughter.

John, Juan, Paloma, Aldara, Lorraine

We had a most delightful morning with Aldara’s family.

Juan is Aldara’s father and is in the United States from Spain for business and visiting family.

Juan speaks and understands English very well and although

Paloma knows less English, we quickly realized what a

sweet lady she is and enjoy her company.

How excited John was to receive a gift of Jamón serrano which is a delicious national treasure of Spain

~*~
Jamón Serrano

Fresh hams are trimmed and cleaned, then stacked and covered with salt for about two weeks in order to draw off excess moisture and preserve the meat from spoiling. The salt is then washed off and the hams are hung to dry for about six months. Finally, the hams are hung in a cool, dry place for six to eighteen months, depending on the climate, as well as the size and type of ham being cured. The drying sheds (secaderos) are usually built at higher elevations, which is why the ham is called mountain ham.

Jamon Serrano country ham is a source of great pride among Spaniards. From time immemorial in the mountains of Spain, they have rolled fresh hams in sea salt and hung them from their rafters to cure. A year to eighteen months later the jamones are ready to mount on special stands that are designed so that anyone can stop by, carve a few paper-thin slices, and enjoy an impromptu snack.

It is unlike the smoked and salty Virginia country hams, which have to be soaked and cooked. And it is even significantly different from Italian prosciutto, which is cured for a few months with a coating of lard. The Spanish jamón serrano has distinctly more flavor, and significantly less salt than country ham and less fat than prosciutto.

Jamón serrano is more than a delicacy in Spain; it is a normal part of every family’s life.

What is the appeal? Jamon Serrano is a flavorful, natural ham, cured in the country air. This extended curing transforms the ham, imparting a deep flavor and aroma. This lengthy curing also means it is much less fatty and has a firmer bite than Italian prosciutto. You can serve it sliced paper-thin with cheese and olives, or use it to flavor your favorite Spanish recipes.

The secret to jamon lies in its curing, recreating the effect of traditional techniques. This tradition is kept alive in rural areas where in early winter, family and friends gather to slaughter their livestock in preparation for winter months. The hams are placed in sea salt for a brief period of time – approximately one day per kilo – and then they are strung up. They are allowed to experience the changes of temperature as the seasons progress. The right time to eat them is when an experienced ham-master inserts a long splinter of cow bone and whiffs the jamón, like a connoisseur of wine who sniffs the cork.

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