© Robert Stewart 2012
Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man. – Edward Steichen
Our daughter has started going to a local charter school and like many schools in CA it is subject to all kinds of budget cuts.
To continue with an enriching program the school has undertaken a big fund raising effort.
We offered to create a logo that one of the parents will cut into a 12′ plywood tree. The idea is that as the school reaches certain financial goals apples are added.
Here is the resulting logo with 120 apples.
It is the season for all things traditional.
Growing up we always had lussekatter and glögg for the holidays.
There is nothing like coming in from a frosty cold day having fun in the snow and sitting down to a fika (swedish coffee break/snack) of glögg and saffron buns. Delightful! It warms me all the way to my soul!
Warning – this recipe is strong – only for adults and people who are not driving anywhere anytime soon. 1 portion = 1/4c.
Glögg recipe:
3 bottles of red wine
3/4 c. vodka (soak 3 T of mulling spices in this four days before you make the glögg)
1/2 c. to 3/4 c. sugar melted in a saucepan with 1/4 c. water
chopped raw almonds and raisins
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 c. sherry or port (optional)
Pour the wine (listen to the gluck-gluck-gluck of the wine being poured from the bottle – pretty sure this is how glögg got its name) and the melted sugar into a big pot over low heat. Strain the spices from the vodka, add the vodka to the pot. Finally add the optional sherry/port and the cinnamon stick.
Serve when the steam dances lightly of the surface of the glögg. Spoon about a teaspoon of the chopped almond/raisin mixture into the hot glögg.
For a saffron bun recipe that seems authentic (I reviewed the amounts and ingredients) http://tinyurl.com/yghwk93
notes for the buns: let them cool under a tea towel after you take them from the oven AND don’t be afraid of the metric measurements – just look on the other side of your pyrex measuring cup for mL and you can buy a very inexpensive and useful household scale for baking – it is much more accurate than using a measuring cup anyhow!
This little tweeter was meant as an inside joke/gift for my mom after her hip surgery.
I suspect my mom is working on becoming a bionic woman in order to keep up with her grandchildren. Not a bad idea…
For those of you in the know this bird is a Junco. The “junk” bit comes from a family friend who used to say “I brought you some junk” when she was bringing a gift.
