Happy Holidays

I hope everyone is enjoying family and friends and not too much stress and/or over-consumption.

We made a few dozen gingerbread cookies today—cardamom instead of cloves, and frosted with Grand Marnier. Grown-up gingerbread.

There is nothing like having a toddler in the house at Christmas time. Logan's mother and her sister were here to decorate the tree last week, and by the time morning rolled around, Logan had forgotten about it. I heard him run into the living room and crow at the top of his lungs, "POPPY! WE HAVE A CWISSMAS TWEE! IT'S A BIG, BEU-FULL CWISSMAS TWEEEEE!"

I'm sure you know that Menu for Hope III raised nearly $60K for the United Nations World Food Programme—my offer of the French Laundry Cookbook netted a nice number of  bids (or whatever you call the requests for a raffle prize), and I'm grateful for all of that. Our West Coast leader, Sam Breach, absolutely outdid herself with her above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty posts.

In the Awards department, the map I created for Chefs and Restaurants won the "Best Activist Map" over at the way-cool Platial site. (Thanks, gang—for all the great things you've done with your company, and for supporting what I do.) I really like Platial—any other map geeks out there?

Happy holidays to all of you. Thank you for the companionship.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Eventually, all holidays will become one. America will have one big day where a black Abraham Lincoln dressed in a Santa suit will carry a flag door to door begging Easter eggs from people who throw firecrackers at him while eating pumpkin pie and singing Columbus carols.” — Robert Kirby

Well, not if the owners of this house in Santa Cruz have anything to say about it. (It's over by the Boardwalk, overlooking the San Lorenzo River.

Thanks for visiting.

Comments

[Anneliese]

What a wonderful blog you have here. I love the small farm theme, your photos are wonderful - nice find! I came here via your review of the Nikon 50mm lens on Amazon. :)

[cookiecrumb]

Happy Cwissmas.

[Walter Jeffries]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years!

-Walter & Family
Sugar Mountain Farm
in Vermont

[J.Y. Lym]

Hi Tana,

I have enjoyed reading your farm blogs, and I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!

I am also writing for your help. (I was the one who wrote some months ago about the Ludwig the goat). My family and I live in Bonny Doon, and we have just received eviction notices for our animals--we have two Saanen goats, a brother and sister; and two Suffolk sheep, a mother and daughter. The tragedy is that we had moved out here for the animals, and now we find that unless we can find boarding for them, we, too will, be faced with eviction proceedings. We love our animals--they are truly the sweetest animals ever, they are healthy (because they do not eat any grains) and they are gentle. I can post pictures. We do not want to give them up, so we are looking for temporary boarding for them, until we can find a new place for all of us. Ideally, the place will be near or around Santa Cruz, because we would be visiting as often as we can.

I trust that, because of the farmers and people you know, that whomever you recommend will be good people.

Thanks,
JY Lym

[D-man]

Tana,

I too am a map geek! Congrats on your award and thanks for the link. I have only begun to really dabble in things that are web based stuff cause I have only had a "current" computer for about a year. While cruising your site I have learned about Platial so I must say thank you! I have added you as a link to my humble blog since I think you are a valuable resource linking people to their food. Consider yourself shared with my community of friends.

Happy Holidays!
sourdoughmonkeywrangler and family