A Mellow Few Days

Greetings from wild and colorful Colorado where we've been enjoying a warm and generally sunny holiday.   Yesterday we had a record high of 72 degrees.  Ben and Lotus and I did a four mile hike starting about 10:00 in the morning when it was cool enough to wear light jackets.  But within an hour the sun was bright and hot and we striped off the jackets and enjoyed the lovely weather in our t-shirts and tank tops.  But wait...there's more!   By mid afternoon clouds rolled in, the sun disappeared, the wind kicked up and then it even rained for a short while.  By evening it had cleared away and we had a warm and clear night, perfect for strolling the Pearl Street mall with its thousands of holiday lights. 

Ray and Paula brought us these pretty flowers on Thanksgiving, which we are still enjoying.

I woke up on that morning thinking of my mother and how she'd be up early on Thanksgiving prepping the turkey and cooking the giblets to make broth for the gravy and stuffing.  She enjoyed making a full traditional dinner for her family and since she was an excellent cook and very well organized she pulled it off nicely.  She'd have the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on the TV and would happily watch and cook the morning away, putting dinner on the table early in the afternoon, which we would all happily eat.

We were planning a less challenging dinner with Ray, Paula and Gus, and Paula's mother, nephew and sister.  It was set for 6:00 so we could both get outside and do the meal preparation at a leisurely pace.  Much of the meal was made ahead, which also made it easier to be a relaxed host.  The cheese fondue first course was very tasty and fun to eat and the scallops were heavenly.  Ray made sliced Brussels sprouts with sausage (and brought excellent wine and cocktails) and we had brown butter carrots cooked a crock pot, also very delicious.  Two pies completed the meal, one of which was Paula's flaky and savory homemade apple pie.  We always enjoy visiting with Paula's family and it was a fun evening. 

I'm using these mellow few days to complete a quilt that I'm making to give away to Blue Sky Bridge, one of the organizations that my Boulder quilt guilds supports.  I'm loving its fresh and cheerful colors.  Fetcher likes it as well!