Introducing: Frightening Fashion Fridays
Mom documented our family events throughout my childhood, faithfully photographing babies, weddings, vacations, and everyday activities. Not long ago I had over a thousand of her slides (spanning thirty years) converted to DVDs, surprising my sisters at Christmas with their own sets. We have reminisced, laughed, and poked fun of our younger selves ever since.
Aside from enjoying the nostalgia, though, I’ve discovered a side of me that has been quite the eye-opener. The more I peruse the images, the more I realize that I was fashion-challenged – sometimes frighteningly so. I guess I could blame it on the trends at time, or I might even suggest that my creative, arty side was shining through. I rather think, however, that I simply made… let’s just say… interesting choices.
With that in mind, I thought I would share some of my flair for style over the years. Each Friday in 2013 I’ll be posting an image or two. Some of you readers of a certain age might even recognize yourselves.
A Tradition Lives On
Santa’s surprising gift of a coveted, beautiful Dutch oven has spawned another real treat: cooking lessons from H’s mom. M shared her family recipes for oliebollen and appelbeignets, two traditional New Year’s specialties in Holland.
An oliebol (a fat ball – the term definitely loses something in the translation) is a mix of flour, eggs, milk, lemon juice, raisins, currants, and chopped apples. The batter is dropped by the spoonful into hot oil until a golden doughnut-like ball emerges. It’s topped off with a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar. Appelbeignets are similar, but with a slice of apple dipped in a combination of flour, milk, sugar and cinnamon, and of course deep-fried. Heavenly!
As we cooked, she entertained me with tales of years past. It’s been a delightful beginning to the new year.
OLIEBOLLEN
APPELBEIGNETS
A Year’s Reflection: September-December
SEPTEMBER
H and I travel down to Huntsville, Alabama for a weekend getaway. While there, we visit the Huntsville Museum of Art. We are pleasantly surprised to find this gorgeous blown glass bowl (Radiance Bowl, 2007) by artist Cal Breed in the permanent art collection. (We have been to his studio in the nearby mountains.)
OCTOBER
There’s always something new to discover when we visit H’s brother and family in Amsterdam. A day trip to the nearby city of Zaandam reveals a picturesque village known for its working windmills. I have never seen quite so many. It is a fantastic sight!
NOVEMBER
Our family Thanksgiving gathering is filled with laughter, great conversation, and food galore… but the highlight is this cherry pie made by our dear friend H. With her heavenly desserts there’s always a big competition among the sisters for leftovers.
DECEMBER
H surprises his mom with an iPad Mini for Christmas, a gift that causes much eye-rolling… until he shows her how to use it. She now has a slew of friends on Facebook, keeps up with the news in the Netherlands and New York (her previous home), and enjoys her photo albums. She is one hip lady.
A Year’s Reflection: May-August
MAY
I have two pieces of mixed-media artwork accepted into a show at the Chromatics Second Floor Gallery in Nashville. H and I attend the opening reception.
JUNE
I hop a flight to New York City (with Cirque du Soleil tickets in hand) for a girls’ weekend with my sisters, niece, and dear friend. It’s amazing how much sightseeing we can pack into a couple of days.
JULY
W and F (H’s niece and nephew) arrive from Amsterdam to spend several weeks with us. During the visit, we take a side trip to Washington for a weekend packed with history and fun.
AUGUST
While F visits a friend in NYC, we take W and her new friend A M to the amusement park at Lake Winnie. It’s an afternoon full of whirling, twirling, gliding, and eating.
A Year’s Reflection: January-April
As 2012 comes to a close, my next few entries will revisit the highlights of the past year, four months at a time.
JANUARY
M (H’s mom) celebrates her 91st birthday with family from near and far.
FEBRUARY
As a Christmas surprise for H, I arrange a long weekend trip in the North Georgia Mountains. A Tumbling Run is a cozy, one-room cabin that sits smack-dab on the banks of a rushing creek. We have a lovely time with crisp winter weather, hikes in the woods, board games by the fireplace, and plenty of snacks.
MARCH
An early sign of spring: the fragrance of hyacinths fans through M’s home. The hand-painted vase is one given to her 70 years ago, as a young women in Holland.
APRIL
Our Easter celebration combines baskets filled with goodies and table decorations reminiscent of H’s childhood.
Last of the Holiday Tinsel
The Color of Christmas
Greetings from the Goofballs
These snowmen sat in our yard as our Christmas greeters for many, many years. Dad made them from plywood, and Mom kept them painted in mint condition until her death. This image from 1971 shows us claiming our rightful order in the family. (Our dog was otherwise occupied and unavailable to pose with us that day.)
Peace and Love
Wishing everyone a Merry, Merry Christmas!
Set Up the Santas: Check
Tree Fishing 