By ALICE BRANDAU
“The snow had begun in the gloaming
And busily all the night
Had been heaping field and highway
With a silence deep and white.
Every pine and fir and hemlock
Wore ermine too dear for an earl,
And the poorest twig on the elm-tree
Was ridged inch deep with pearl.”
(There are eight more verses.)
“The First Snowfall” was written by James Russell Lowell, and if you are an older senior citizen, you perhaps had to memorize it while attending grade school. It truly described the beautiful snowfall we experienced when we woke up Sunday morning.
I know, cancellations, etc., make the season challenging, but it’s still a perfect winter scene, and it’s all free!
♦ ♦ ♦
Laurie Waltemath and daughter Brooke and Sheila and her daughter Cassie brought supplies and energy and filled Hazel Pasch’s kitchen with nine different kinds of cookies and candy on Saturday. And the great-grandkids who joined them learned about a tradition.
I don’t know what secret Hazel has, but late yesterday afternoon, there were nine pairs of bright red cardinals enjoying supper at her feeders.
The St. Matthew’s Ladies Aid Christmas Party will be Thursday, Dec. 15, beginning with a potluck lunch. This Sunday, the postponed farewell party for the Neuman family will take place following services at St. Matthews. The first call meeting, in hopes of finding a new “shepherd/pastor,” will follow the luncheon. Pastor Neuman’s last service for St. Matthew’s and St. John’s will be New Year’s Day.
My husband Bob and I and Joan Belsky were treated to an early Christmas gift. It was a Sunday afternoon spent with daughter Ann and husband Matt. The gift was tickets to Maggie Mae’s Christmas concert at the Crystal Grand in Wisconsin Dells, followed by dinner. It was like being back in Branson, Mo., for us. Beautiful staging (all done by their crew) and so much talent gave us a sense of what is right in our world and what this season is all about.
And last night, our son Ken picked us up so we could enjoy the Royall Christmas concert. Again, great music.
♦ ♦ ♦
Hot mulled cider is a good, soothing beverage for the holidays.
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon of whole cloves
• 2 quarts of apple cider
• Two cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon of whole allspice
• Orange slices
Tie the allspice, cloves and cinnamon sticks in cheesecloth or tea strainer. Put apple cider in a crock pot. Add spice bag and orange slices. Cover and set on low for two to six hours. Serve hot.
And that’s it for Dec. 13, 2016.