At the end of an eventful year, a time for thanks

Looking toward the end of another year with so many difficulties to date, it’s a good time to recall the many things we’re thankful for!

Yes, we’ve had some pretty severe winds, causing uncountable damage to some families, but we’ve also had mostly weather we can appreciate — sunshine, light rains — one of the reasons we choose to live where we do.

Our rhododendrons bloomed beautifully this year, and we still have one with flower color on it – a real record! I’ve just tossed my last little bouquet of dahlias, picked the day before the frost hit. All of the fuchsias are now inside, but several still blooming quite well. I have several little bottles that hold one flower and a stem of leaves on the kitchen counter. They may only last a couple of days, but are small delights while they do.

We had two great-grandsons born this year and even with Covid, we can enjoy the photos of them as they grow.

When the time came to make my first Green Tomato Pie, I made a cobbler instead. It drew raves and recipe requests! Will I do it again? Yes, if I’m offered enough green tomatoes another time!

It’s always a tentative attitude to make a new recipe, and of course, some aren’t that pleasing. Recently two recipes made delicious cookies, but they became pieces and crumbs when picked up. However, I’ve always been an experimental cook and willing to try some more in the future.

One of the kinds of photos I love are the great-grands helping with cooking. Several of our granddaughters helped make cookies here, and one even helped make yeast bread.

I taught our kids to cook — yes, including the boys. They appreciated the experience later. One became the cook and food shopper when he lived with three or four friends in Seattle going to UW. They realized he could shop better and cook real food for them, so he got his car washed, and didn’t have to do any other household duties.

The other two boys helped their wives with cooking, as they didn’t learn to cook at their mom’s sides. One, as a 10-year old, created a new recipe, so to speak. Planning to make lemon bars, he’d carefully measured everything out, then sat at the counter to mix. However, he could see the TV, became interested in the program, and realized he’d mixed everything together, both crust and filling! Not a problem: we baked it and out came one of the best lemon pound cakes ever!

Our daughter, age five, won a blue ribbon for shortbread cookies at the State Grange contest. More important to her than the ribbon was a 5 lb. bag of U & I sugar (one of the sponsors of the contest).

She married a great cook, who learned at his grandmother’s side. Dinner at their house is always special!

This year has had sad times, too, with the loss of my last brother in February and the recent loss of a brother-in-law, but when we think of them, we remember the happy times with them and share the special stories associated with them.

I’ve recently learned that two special friends are fighting cancer. Not “serious” at this time, they claim, but still of concern.

So as I approach the holidays, I “count my many blessings” of where we live, our family, our friends, our own health, and the list goes on and on.

This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 12:37 PM.