advent...

joyous, humble, hesitant, restrained...the time of expectant waiting in the darkening days leading up to Christmas.

the quieted world...a time to ponder in the silence. the closeness of winter...a sense of drawing in, of homing~~ lighting candles & fires...the softest of light. the very last day of november...i would know this by the thin sunlight & its slanteven if i had no calendar. today we are cleaning our home in a very thorough manner to make room for the empty manger...advent wreath...and more candles. tonight we will light the strings of lights that will lessen the deepening dark of tomorrow's december.the last day of november also marks the end of NaBloPoMo & NaNoWriMo. i am giving a special shout-out to 2 she who blogs members who met the 50,000 word mark this month while working on their novels...
sarah
and
lissa

congratulations, ladies!!!!!!

and with this post, i come to the end of my own 30 days~ a post a day for this whole month! what a wonderful, creative experience it has been...i have been grateful for every single moment~~ working on my own posts & reading posts of others.

tomorrow, for the beginning of advent, please be sure to visit britt-arnhild's celebration. for those of you celebrating advent...may it be a peaceful time of renewal.

dewdrops & whatnots...

oystering on the bay...string of pearls...a whole world reflected in one tiny drop...

la dolce vita...

sweet!! there is a contest going on over at shelley's blog...just in time for the baking of the season...i have been a big fan of mario batali & his magnificent pastry chef gina depalma for some years now. her fig walnut biscotti from the babbo cookbook is one of my all time favorite variations on these italian cookies. in honor of ms. depalma's new book, dolce italiano, shelley & 4 other bloggers (see list below) are presenting recipes from the book, monday through friday, this week & next. all you must do to enter the contest is stop by one of these lovely blogs & leave a comment on the day of the featured recipe. the prize...a copy of ms. depalma's dolce italiano!! how much easier could this be?!? hey, even if you don't win, you still get a first-hand look at some awesome recipes...

monday...ms adventures in italy (please check her monday post!)

tuesday...lucullian delights (& check her tuesday post!)

wednesday...bleeding espresso (go here today!!)

thursday...at home in rome (the contest hostess, shelley)

friday...the leftover queen

italian sweets on wednesday also means what's cooking wednesday!this week's recipe has become an old stand-by & i have experimented with many variations on its flavors. i hope you enjoy it as much as we do. so brew yourself a cup of espresso or pour a glass of vin santo & enjoy...

biscotti

2 c. + 2 T. flour (for chocolate biscotti, substitute 4 T. cocoa powder for 4 T. of flour)

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

whisk all together in a bowl & set aside

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. unsalted butter

cream together until well blended & then add:

2 large eggs, one at a time. then add:

2 T. grand marnier

grated peel from 2 oranges or tangerines

blend well & then add flour mixture...finally, stir in:

1 c. nuts (walnuts-our favorite, almonds, or pecans)

1 c. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped or chips work)

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flavor variations we have enjoyed...

chocolate (see flour note above to adjust)

lemon (substitute grated peel from 2-3 lemons & eliminate grand marnier, use almonds)

cranberry (use orange flavorings & add 1/2 to 1 c. cranberries)

raspberry (substitute raspberry liquor for grand marnier, may keep or eliminate grated peel as preferred, & use raspberry filled chocolate chips if you are lucky enough to find them...we had them locally last holiday season)

you can, of course eliminate any flavoring, nuts (my children's request), or chocolate (why???) as you prefer...mix & match...be creative!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

gather well-mixed dough & divide in half. refrigerate for 2 hours or until it handles well. flour hands & work surface well then shape each half into logs...15 inches by 2 inches, & place them on a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment). bake about 30 minutes at 350...until logs are golden brown. transfer logs on parchment to cooling rack & cool for 30 minutes, also reduce oven temp to 300.

using a serrated knife, cut cooled logs on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices...place them upright with a bit of space between on baking sheet. bake approximately 30 minutes at 300, then cool on rack. store in airtight container.

buon appetito!!

30 days of thanks...for sweet things found on wonderful blogs!!

angelus bells

i opened the door to a blast

of cold,

late november won & the warmth

slipped away.

the bell tower sounds filled my heart

with a memory of times past

when the angelus bells

meant "going home;"

not tonight, for me

as the musical notes changed

& the five dongs rang across the city

i caught my breath

& knew,

between each sound - the heralds of

change

the silence of the pause

whispered in my ear

of her passing

& again these angelus bells

meant "going Home."

~~~~~~~~

for you, mom, today...with a heart full of gratitude.

Requiem Æternam

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis,
Dómine,et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace.
Amen

solitary refinement...

the last leaves of autumn...

hanging on in their jeweled perfection...

30 days of thanks...for the short burst of "indian summer" at the end of november. for comfortably warm days & cool fireside nights. for the nudge of anticipation i am feeling as we edge toward december. & for the celebrations of the season on the horizon!

overheard...

this morning, during the family-free-for-all conversation...


"does anyone want to travel in eastern europe?"


"what!! i'd love to go to 'not italy'!"


gulp. do you think i may be a bit overzealous about the bel paese?? (is that even possible?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
30 days of thanks...for brevity & levity...for a family filled with humor. for possibilities. for dreams & wishes. for a sense of adventure. for chances to see the world

reflections...

i didn't decide to cry

it swept over me

like a rogue wave

& i just gave up

to its current,

the salty flow

from deep within.

it gushed forth

& i struggled for breath

struck like the rock at Horeb.

dry wells do not yield

to quench thirst;

dust does not cleanse

& so these tears

were alive to me

drawn from a fruitful depth

to wash

the places of hurt.

30 days of gratitude...for comfort in the sorrow. when my parents passed away, we lived in a new place far from them. one death was expected; the other a total shock only 11 days later. 2 funerals in 7 days. no matter how hard i try each year , i cannot dodge the memories of these days...even if i did not know the calendar, i would know by the slant of light & the rhythms of life. in the midst of this time, i was certainly moving forward in the current of "what must be done"...but my heart was wrapped in a protective layer of shock.

it was in this time that love had so many faces in my life...friends who cared not one whit for the charges on their cell phone bills~ they called often & talked as long as i needed. friends who dropped everything & came. friends who told other friends who told other friends & for the prayers of them all~ i could feel them every waking moment. new friends who were far away were no longer new friends...on our return home just days before Christmas after nearly a month away they had filled the frig & decorated the entire house & made sure we did not celebrate Christmas alone. friends who took the children out for fun (they really needed that) when i needed some down time. friends who recognized my slobbery, weeping voice when i called but could not speak for a bit. for Father F. who listened to my sorrowing struggles & gently helped with the funerals...as did B., a family friend & our funeral director~~a man so very kind & so very gifted in his work~ he is just what a grieving family needs. D.'s parents, who had the children nearly the entire month surrounding the illness, hospitals & funeral planning. D.~~ who was a circle of love around me the entire time protecting me from so many things, never considering himself through it all.

& i have a deep, deep gratitude for my faith...somewhere, at the core of it all, in the worst days, i could feel the love of God wrapped around me like the most comfortable quilt. i can't explain. i don't even care to.