Rayna's Christmas drabble!

For those who were looking for Christmas stories (part of the Christmas story blogfest) Rayna has her's posted today. Please visit her sight by clicking on the picture!

Book nerds at Christmas

The Christmas Story Blogfest has not faired well as far as participants (I know it's a busy time!) but I plan on posting a story by Christmas Eve (hopefully) as it was my Blogfest. So, for those of you who thought I had forgotten, fear not! I have not! (anyone still interested is still welcome to post a story but you'd better get busy writing!)  

Twice a year, at a local bookstore, we receive an invitation for an open house. One in the springtime and one at Christmas time. The Christmas invitation is as much a part of the ritual and tradition of Christmas as purchasing our ornaments. Books are always purchased for Christmas and the Christmas open house (with accompanying discount!) is the perfect opportunity to browse for Christmas gifts. So off we head to the wilds of Cherry Creek to Rob's bookstore on 4th and Fillmore:

The lights are warm and welcoming as we descend the stairs and already we hear laughter and pleasant tete-a-tete betwixt the mulling crowds that stand not too far from the open door.  

A new face greets us at the cash register although it turns out not to be new at all- a former coworker from my Barnes and Noble days has landed this pleasant job here at the Hermitage. Allan is doing is best to keep up at the Cash register after just having started the week before. And I have the pleasure of congratulating him albeit envying his bookish work. Off to the right of the work is the pleasure--  

Catered foods of all sorts were brought in for the occasion and I cannot imagine that anyone went home hungry. The bean dip was terrific as well as the Sesame Seasoned chicken. There were several wines to choose from and desserts to die for. Needless to say, I had not fasted in vain.

In the Nooks and crannies of the shop, the customers were scouring the shelves with gusto...

some were more concerned with First Editions and older gems while others were searching for hidden treasures for their children that might not be found on the shelves of the BnN or Borders anymore...  

Rob (the gent in the Bookishly decorative shirt on the left by the counter), the Proprietor of said establishment stands quietly by hosting and overseeing and finding books when they are in need of finding. And no doubt on an evening like this, with his shop full of folk buying books and perhaps becoming customers who will come back to buy MORE books...    

 is probably quite happy with a life that is built around books that are so much more than the recent bestsellers... books that have stood up against the test of time- books of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Lawrence Durrell, Jeannette Winterson, Paul West, David Foster Wallace, Gustave Flaubert --  

The writers that wrote and who are still worth reading. 

The kind of writers we should all aspire to be!

if we're going to call ourselves writers, that is...  

(Disclaimer: blogging is not my best writing) 

In the St. Nick of Time!!!

The Be Jolly By Golly Blogfest  (thanks Jen and Melissa!!!) presents me with the perfect opportunity to post the purchases from our Christmas extravaganza from the previous three posts (if you missed, you'll want to catch up!) 

Freshly brought in from the cold, is our tree as aromatic as a mountain cut pine (although a tree cut in the mountains would never look this full!) Here we have not yet begun putting on our decorations. 

But first to go on...

Having an eye for the nostalgic this year, and having a love for horses, I chose this lovely little rocking horse.

Last year's catch was this glass dolphin

Failing to find another petite aquatic ornament that hooked my fancy, I found one that reminded me of the place that I wish I were when the cold winds are ablowin here in Colorado...(the lighthouse would be what I am referring to, not the penguin! 10 points to the commenter who figures out what place I am referring to!)

A dino tree was spotted this year and as dinosaurs carry a lot of weight in our house, there are several new ones on the tree...

 Giraffes are another favorite of a newer member of the family... 

A favorite ornament from our tradition, years past, is this one...

With all the favorites of each family member specially chosen over the years donning the tree, the final results are quietly pleasant...

 and under??? Could those be package for pretty little girls?*

And a favorite drink? Well, around here, drink of choice, in Key West or by the Christmas tree,  is always...

Champagne

And finally, the recipe...

When I was a very little girl, my grandmother (mentioned previously on this blog in a fiction piece) was a marvelous cook. Each year she made mountains of a particular cookie, a German cookie called a Pfeffernuesse or Peppernut. They are generally made with anise although my grandfather hated Anise so she never added it. I prefer it with Anise myself so I will include it in the recipe...

Evelyn's Peppernut Recipe 

3/4 c Oleo (I don't think they make Oleo anymore... Butter or "I can't believe it's not butter" or something like that. Butter is the best!)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. dark brown sugar

(mix well)

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp crushed anise

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar 

1/2 tsp. salt

 1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans generally)

Mix dough. Chill several hours or overnight. Roll dough into thin ropes (finger widths thick). Freeze them. 

 When you are ready to bake them, (heat oven to 350 degrees) take out four at a time and cut them approximately 1/2 inch wide. Place flat side on cookie sheet and bake them 10 minutes or until brown.  

Last tradition:

A piece of chocolate each day to count down to Christmas. Some years the house contained a clue to tell you where the chocolate was hidden. This year, we simply get the chocolate out of the door that coincides with the day of the month counting down to Christmas day!!!

*Lucy from Charlie Brown's Christmas

On Dancer and Prancer, Rusty Ol' Bastard and Vixon...

Across the street from Christmas Paradisio, (also known to the unimaginative as St. Nick's because they rely on the name the owner's gave it), is a little metropolis known as Littleton.      

Littleton's origins can be traced back to the "Pikes Peak" gold rush of 1859 as merchants and and farmer poured into the region for their own piece of the golden pie by providing goods for the growing population that was flooding the nearby Denver/Auraria region searching for gold...