Birthday Weekend in Vermont

Having enjoyed Vermont so much this fall, we decided to visit again, this time in winter and, after the events of the last few weeks--deaths and politics--it was good for us to get away for a holiday weekend (I'm sorry we missed you this time, Sew and Sow.)  And it was marvelous!  Here are a few snapshots outlining the fun.




Our first stop in Vermont was the Vermont Country Store.  It's a rest stop, snack place, and souvenir shop.  We started our holiday shopping, picking up things for each other and friends and family.  We did not buy the hat that Bud models here!

A lovely tree with cookie ornaments

Next up:  King Arthur Flour.  Last time, we arrived very late in the day, when the bakery was almost completely empty of its goodies.  So we made an effort to arrive midday.  Oh, so good.  We had lunch--tasty grilled cheese, delicious homemade kaiser rolls, chocolate croissants, cardamom roll, and my favorite almond cloud cookies.  I liked the quote on the wall near the cafe, "All sorrows are less with bread" (Cervantes.)  And of course we did some shopping.  Sis was so excited to pick up boxes of cinnamon puff muffin mix, her new favorite.  And I got some unique mixes--Portuguese sweet rolls, Scottish oat bread, orange cranberry brioche. It was a tasty way to begin the weekend.

Another stop we made on the way was the Vermont Toy and Train Museum in Quechee.  There we wandered amid the displays of toys from our childhoods--Cher doll, Luke and Leia dolls, Donnie and Marie dolls, Holly Hobby dolls, various lunchboxes including Holly Hobby, Happy Meal toys, bubble bath dispenses, boxed Halloween costumes with plastic masks, Fisher Price Little People.  And there was a great model train through the Vermont countryside in summer, fall, and winter.


In the same complex, there were various shops, including an antiques store, with old photos ("instant ancestors"), tools, tea sets, food tins.  Fun to wander with the kids.

And then we arrived in Woodstock, considered one of the most picturesque towns in the country.  With holiday decorations, snow, early American houses, a preserved downtown including old dry goods store and pharmacy and unique shops, covered bridge, nearby river, and the surrounding mountains, it really is a great little place.  And we were staying at the Woodstock Inn, a venerable hotel sitting back from the town green.  (Lambeth, the kids said it was second only to the Lainston as their favorite place to stay!)

In our room were two treats--chocolate-covered strawberries and a notice that we would be riding in the town's Wassail parade, on the hotel's own wagon, both arranged by Mama and the concierge for my birthday!!!!  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.  It made for the perfect weekend.

But before the parade Saturday afternoon, we spent Saturday morning wandering the town, listening to the high school band play carols, and visiting the Dana House and the historical society with its displays on Christmas past.  (This was after breakfast, when we discovered our waitress grew up in the town we live in and her cousin owns the deli near our pediatrician's office.  Small world.)  Sis and Bud even ran down to the river behind the house, enjoying the snow (which we haven't really had in Connecticut.)

The parade!!  Mama had given me a heads-up about it, actually, first to see if I were interested and second so that I could pick a festive outfit.  As the theme was Victorian, I wore one of my long historic house skirts and my lovely blue wool cloak from Gommie, under which were layers of sweaters, leggings, extra skirts, and warm socks--because the morning temperature had been 3F!!  We all got a ride to the staging area where Sis was in her element around all of the horses.  Across from us was the donkey brigade which we just read about in the morning's paper (the group helps youth and adults with developmental disabilities who take care of the miniature donkeys.)  The little donkeys wear stuffed animals on their backs and pull small carts, led by their handlers.

And then we got on our wagon, wearing matching plaid fleece scarves supplied by the hotel.  The festooned wagon was led by two humongous Belgian draft horses.  We rode along with another family and an older couple, singing "Rudolph," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas!" and waving to the crowds (over 2,000 cheering people!)  It really was wonderful to see all the holiday cheer.  And I liked seeing the old town from the wagon, which put me back in the 19th century.  Though, it was pretty cold.

After the parade, we warmed up by the fire at the hotel with hot chocolate (and Bailey's!)  At 4pm, we went to look at the town tree, Yule bonfire, and luminaries as the sun set.  Dinner was the Wassail Feast at the hotel, with a variety of dishes such as prime rib, sliced salmon, Yorkshire Pudding, pumpkin bread pudding, buche de noel, and trifle.  Mama and I made Yard of Flannel--hot apple cider and rum-whipped cream--and sat by the fire.

That evening we sat in the room, warming up from the day.  I worked on my crocheted birthday blanket, in Lion Brand Thick and Quick Celestial Stripes.  The kids made Rainbow Loom bands and played with their light-up wheelie bopper toys from the Vermont Country Store.  (It was a no-screen weekend.)

Sunday, though it was cold again, we went to Billings Farm--with its draft horses, decorated farmhouse, and craft activities.  The kids dipped their own candles and then Bud made a pomander with cloves and a clementine.  Sis was enamored with the white Percheron draft horses and some more Belgians.  And I liked the snow, the barns, and the warm kitchen with apple pie and roasted pumpkins.

  

On our way home, we ate at delicious Worthy Kitchen (poutine!  fried chicken!  pickled pineapple!)  and then moseyed our way home.  We did stop at the lake we'd visited with my folks in October--it was completely frozen and snow-covered.  I did a 20-yard hike into the woods and watched Sis poked the ice with her toes.   

We got home after dark, with snow falling gently on our town, the last little treat of the weekend.

My favorite photo, from town (actually taken from the car as we drove by.)

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There was one uncomfortable thing that happened repeatedly in Vermont:  there were a lot of questions about our family, race- and/or gender-based.  From the woman at King Arthur Flour who thanked me for having a big heart and adopting Sis, to a white woman who said hi to Mama in Mandarin and was surprised she didn't speak Chinese, to the six or seven people (and I'm not exaggerating here) who mistook Mama for a boy/my son, Sis for a boy, and Bud for a girl.  Never have so many assumptions been spoken to us aloud by so many in such a short time.  It was rather disconcerting.  We've had less trouble in rural Texas, for goodness sake.  Come on, Vermont, what's with that?  (And no, it wasn't just the tourists from elsewhere.)
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Advent Activity: The Weekend

The weekend was full of activities, Christmas related and not.  On Saturday, as I posted here, I worked on Christmas cards.  But I didn't mention what Mama and the kids were up to:  they were doing Christmas in the city with Ma, Gong, and Goo, the annual pilgrimage to the Rockefeller Tree, Teuscher chocolates, FAO Schwartz, the creche at St. Patrick's Cathedral, the windows at Saks, and everything else that makes the city wonderful this time of year.  Then they went for Korean barbecue in Flushing and home to their grandparents to play and decorate their live tree.  They got home late, but I was not here.  I went to our playgroup's holiday Christmas party (formerly the cookie swap, and it will be a swap again next year!) which also doubled as a surprise 40th birthday party for one of our number.  We ate, talked, ate, laughed, ate, shared, and then ate some more!  Yummy Mexican dips, stuffed mushrooms, iced sugar cookies, birthday cake, Christmas punch (pineapple, cranberry, gingerale maybe, sherbet, and some almond extract), and, my favorite, Mommy Goose's spinach bites (I thought I had the recipe--I don't--but she said she'd give it to me).  I managed to stay for almost three hours, mostly on the couch, enjoying talking to all my friends, or even just listening.

Sunday's Advent Activity was actually completely unexpected:  a new train set!  Gommie and Pop sent us a battery-operated (perfect for the cats with no wires), holiday train set to go under the tree.  The kids were thrilled as Mama set it up and got it started!)  It fits perfectly under the tree and is fun and festive.  The kids enjoy watching it go around in circles, especially if the cat is standing there getting agitated.  The only downside is that it sings!  Oh, the music.  Bud loves the music and wants it on all the time.   Mama is going to find the speaker and cover it, at least to dampen the sound.  Still, it's fun.  Thanks, Gommie and Pop!  It was a great surprise and addition to the season.

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Mommy Goose's Spinach Bites

2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

4 eggs

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 c. Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing mix

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/4 t. black pepper

10 T melted butter (1 stick + 2 T)

Squeeze water out of spinach through a colander until just about dry. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then dump rest of ingredients in and mix. Cover bowl and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oven to 350. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls and bake on lightly greased cookie sheet until browned and cripsy, 30-35 minutes.

YUM!

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Christmas Punch

1 (48-ounce) bottle cranberry juice drink
1 (48-ounce) can pineapple juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 (2-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 8 hours.
2. Stir in ginger ale just before serving.

Makes 6 1/2 quarts.

Our Holiday Express

We had a great Christmas at Ma and Gong's house, along with Goo. We spent Saturday morning atthe New York Botanical Garden, where we saw the Holiday Express Train Show. 140 famous New York landmarks (thanks for finding the list, Mama!) constructed of natural materials such as bark, leaves, seeds, and flowers, were surrounded by living plants and, best of all, several running train lines. Bud and Sis were fascinated, mostly with the trains and bridges overhead, while we adults admired the craftsmanship of the various and sundry buildings. Bud and Sis did like Yankee Stadium, about the only NY building they vividly remember. My favorites included the Van Cortlandt Manor, with its little twiggy porch, and Olana, with its amazing architectural detail. There were also several houses I'd never heard of--the Old Stone House, Kings Manor, and several 17th- and 18th-century NY structures. The newest building was a replica of the old Penn Station, a gigantic reproduction of the Beaux-Art building.

Once we'd walked around the train show twice, we headed over to the special Thomas the Tank Engine show, which turned out to be not so special. They were obviously set up for crowds, with lots of space for lines, and not much else. First stop, they write your name on a certificate. Second stop, pictures with Sir Topham Hatt (or not. Kids don't like characters. We won't be going to DisneyWorld anytime soon). Lastly, you got to see Thomas. Thomas himself was a small--half-life sized version, not nearly as impressive as the real working steam engine Thomas that we'd seen at Day Out with Thomas. Even the kids noticed and were underwhelmed. So we took a photo or two and headed to the holiday-themed Gingerbread Adventures, which was fantastic. There were several stations, including a places to grind and experiment with the different ingredients of gingerbread, mainly cloves, cinnamon, wheat, and of course ginger. They even got to plant their own wheat grass. And then we went to a special cookie demo, including another discussion of gingerbread ingredients (during which Sis volunteered several of the answers!) which ended with the kids decorating their own gingersnaps (which then Sis undecorated to eat plain). We made a quick stop at the shop, for postcards and books about the trains, plus some Chocopologie chocolate with rose and also with salted caramel, we snagged at the register.

Off to dim sum we went, Sis's personal (and repeated) request. And boy did she eat! Numerous custard buns and don tot. And she watched: everytime a woman with a pushcart went by, Sis's head would turn almost all the way around as she evaluated the offerings. More than once she asked Gong to find one of her favorites at the stations along one wall. She's got dim sum down. Bud loved the shumai. We think he had 8 of them, which he impaled on a chopstick and ate in the round, as did Sis. Mama was incredulous until Ma said that she head eaten them the exact same way as a child. We ate and ate and ate. Sauteed greens, bacon-wrapped shrimp, tripe with turnips, scallion pancakes, bbq pork buns, noodles with chicken, ha chung or shrimp crepe things (Mama's favorite!), waterchestnut cakes. Then desserts, always my favorite: coconut custard cubes, almond dofu with fruit, green sesame seed paste buns, custard buns, lotus seed paste buns, brown sugar cakes, mango dofu. And I had a pearl tapioca coconut bubble tea! Can you say stuffed to the gills? The kids even fell asleep on the way home, which is unheard of these days.

But not for long because second Christmas beckoned. We had to do a few things before we could open presents, including decorating Ma's tree with piles of Hallmark ornaments, a collection she's been growing for years, and the candy canes we'd brought specifically for that purpose. In Mama's family, all gifts are distributed to the recipients, with a pile growing by each person; then everyone opens kind of simultaneously (well, for the kids anyway). In fact, they usually exchanged all the presents Christmas Eve, staying up until the wee hours of the morning playing with the new toys. Mama remembers just falling asleep amid her loot as she played! Sis received two Barbie dolls and Bud got a humongous remote-controlled car (yes, gender stereotypes are alive and well with the grandparents, but protesting has no effect and so is no longer even attempted. Besides the kids were thrilled. And both Mama and I had Barbies. And nothing as cool as Vet Barbie. And we survived. Neither one of us had such a car and the only downside there is that it will be an outdoor only toy. It's that big). The kids played and played and played ("Yook, Mommy, I got a Swyinky!").

And played and played and played. Then it was dinner (with the Bread Pudding I brought) and Bud was so wiped that he excused himself . . . to go to bed! Sis followed about 15 minutes later. We were shocked. But then they didn't sleep. And played and played and played. At one point, I popped my head in their space (in the living room, which is pretty much its own contained room) and they were both standing up sprinkling torn of tissue "snow" on their critters singing, "Oh, I wish it would snow!" (from the storytelling we heard at the Pequot last week, from Rabbit's Wish for Snow). I thought it was funny and endearing so instead of chastising them, I beckoned everyone else to watch! And they played and played and played. We finally had to insist on their trying to sleep as it got closer to 11:30. It's the latest they've ever stayed up.

And they still woke up at 6:30 a.m. The least amount of sleep they've ever gotten. But then, I guess, that's partly what the holidays are for. Sunday found the adults conferring about our planned trip into midtown to see the Rockefeller Tree and other traditional stops on our holiday tour: Teuscher's Chocolates, the Sak windows, the Cathedral with its creche, and, of course, FAO Schwarz. But the windchill was below zero, with some snow showers expected. That's not just uncomfortable weather; that can be dangerous. So we opted to cancel the field trip and stay home, much to the kids' delight. They played more and then decided they wanted to go outside. They ran Bud's car in the driveway, not noticing the cold that was driving the adults to distraction. Then Sis wanted to walk to the beach. The beach! (Ma and Gong live 9 houses from the Atlantic). And we said yes. So we quickly hauled down the street and walked on the frozen sand--frozen sand!--and looked at all the seashells no one has been picking up (there were lots that had washed onshore, including two huge complete horseshoe crabs). There was neither snow on the sand nor ice in the water, but the wind was bitter. We rushed back home.

And decorated a gingerbread house, complete with tree and people (from another kind of kit, which comes with a special base that the gingerbread fits in--neat idea, really mediocre pre-mixed icing). And then we made the Christmas tree kit that we'd brought, along with lots of extra candy. Everyone had fun decorating what I think was our fourth or fifth set of gingerbread this year (we now have a village, complete with lighthouse, on our front porch! Not including these new ones which we left in NY).

Lunch, more playing, and then exhaustion and more snow arrived. It was time to go home. The kids were bereft and hard to wrangle in the car, even more upset when we dropped Goo off at his house, which sadness made for a long drive home--because Sis didn't sleep (Bud did but woke up crying). No sense dwelling on the goodbyes. There was so much fun--and that's all we're remembering today.

Except when the kids were talking about having been to the beach to their school teachers today, no one believed them!

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Bread Pudding and Rum Sauce

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup butter, melted

2 ¾ cup whipping cream

4 cups cubed French bread

¾ cups raisins (or less)

Combine first 4 ingredients. Stir in butter and cream. Gently stir in bread and raisins. Pour in lightly greased 2-quart deep dish. Bake 375°F for 50-55 minutes, shielding with foil after 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Southern Living magazine

Bourbon Sauce (we used rum)

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup sugar

1 cup cream (whipping, heavy, half-and-half)

2 (or 1) tablespoons bourbon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Melt butter in a small saucepan; whisk in flour and cook 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and cream; cook 3 minutes. Stir in bourbon, vanilla, and nutmeg, and simmer 5 minutes.

Family Circle

Riding Around the Christmas Tree

Yesterday, after tromping around in the snow long enough, Bud decided he wanted to put a train track around the Christmas tree. So he and Mama, with Sis's help, laid their wooden train tracks around the skirt of the tree. Today, first with their visiting little friend, and now alone, they are running trains (they have one self-propelled train each) around and around, then stopping them at the building block station to change passengers. It's all very sweet.

And I'm extra glad I bought them Polar Express as one of their Christmas books this year.

All Aboard!

Just when I thought the kiddos had given up on playing trains, to the point that we had dismantled their train table this weekend to store for awhile and not bought tickets to attend Day Out With Thomas for the first time in three years, their interest in trains has returned. In fact, they are watching "Thomas and Friends" as I type, with their little trains--Thomas and Rosie--in hand.

But I don't think we'll be pulling that train table out anytime soon. I think it's too small! Their current layout, with multiple tracks and several features (bridge, wash, roundhouse), takes up the entire floor space of the 1st floor playroom, about 8 x 8' (because the igloos are still out, too!). Much bigger than their table. For now, it's fine in the playroom, but I'm hoping to relocate all the little pieces--the bane of my existence, for we have 1000s of little pieces in this house--to the basement once this current layout is demolished.

Mama's in on the train action too, being late to leave both yesterday and today as she helped with track layout and then stopping by the toy store to replace Sis's broken self-propelled engine. If this keeps up, I wonder if we'll have a train set under our Christmas tree?? I think Pop would like that. Though, I'm not sure Mama is ready to share her special limited edition Hogwarts Express HO set just yet, which might mean there are more trains in our future!!!

Where are We Going?

Eurostar.

Bud is obsessed. There is a picture of the Eurostar in his train book that he has taken a fancy to recently. Yesterday, he actually wanted to know where the Eurostar was, so we got out his landmark world map puzzle and found Europe. We explained that the train went from London to Paris through the Chunnel but there were no city identifications on the map. And he likes the sound of "euro" instead. And so he's shown everyone who will listen where it goes.

Now he's made us promise that he can ride on the Eurostar.

Absolutely.

A Miss is as Good as a Mile

Today was paint-your-own-train day at our local craft store. So, after the zoo and then lunch (at the "bear restaurant"--DD's request, as she remembered the manager once gave them packets of Teddy Grahams), we headed to "arts and crafts."

But DS fell asleep, his first nap in, well, like a month. So DD and I went in while DP waited with him. We got inside, walked up to the craft table, and were handed the second-to-last train they had. Oh, whew, we had just made it. But DD hadn't--the last train was given to the child behind us (mind you, this was 30 minutes into a 2 hour event and there were irate moms and sad children behind us)--we couldn't procure one for an absent child, which is totally understandably.

DD painted her little wooden car green, pink, and yellow. I added a face and her name. And she was happy but shy. At least she got one--she loves arts and crafts and had been talking about the trains since we left for the zoo.

But all's well that ends well. DP went into the store when we were done and picked up a Trevor train that DS had wanted. He can't paint it, but he didn't wake up empty-handed.