"New" Old Community Traditions
There are some community traditions you grow up enjoying. Then there are some traditions you don't discover until well into adulthood. Last night my family attended our first ever Downtown Advent Walk.
The walk is a progressive ecumenical celebration among five historic churches in downtown Paducah. We began at Broadway Methodist Church for a short service then we walked to Washington Street Baptist Church for music and scripture reading. Then, we went to our home church of Grace Episcopal Church for more choral music and a short sermon. Last on the walk were services at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and First Presbyterian Church.
It was such a special thing to be out on the streets of Paducah with so many people from the community. However, it was more than that. It is not very often that one gets to experience so many different churches and worship styles in one evening. I couldn't believe how few churches I had worshiped in in my own town. There were so many buildings I'd driven by a thousand times but never actually stepped foot in.
I recently read an essayist who argued we all want to rush Christmas because it's one of the few remaining communal celebrations in our society. As I celebrated advent with my town yesterday evening, I knew exactly what he meant.
I'm already counting the days until next year's advent walk.
~ Sarah Stewart Holland
Enough
Our dear friend Erin Smallwood Wathen is back for another gorgeous essay about life, faith, and family. As I prep for the holidays, realizing that I sure would like a new Dutch oven in which to cook Thanksgiving dinner and that I don't quite know where I'll put all of my Christmas trees, Erin's wise words certainly hit home. As always, you can follow along with Erin's blog Irreverin or on her Facebook page. -- HCW
The calendar says it’s Thanksgiving
week, and the stores say it’s Christmas already…but what I’m thinking of at the
moment is Halloween. Halloween 2 years ago, to be exact.
I followed a sparkly red lady bug and a plush green dragon down the street.
Nevermind it was October 31. It was about 100 degrees outside, and the
plush, fuzzy, cozy costume—which would have been just swell in some chilly
autumn Midwestern burrow—was utterly ridiculous in the desert. But dang, he was
adorable.
We’d just moved from one desert suburb to another… just a few miles apart,
but worlds away. The place we’d been the previous year—with a two-year-old
witch and a newborn, who went dressed as a newborn—had proved a little
disappointing on Halloween. We only knocked on about 8 doors, and of those,
only two actually opened and produced candy.
We were in a new neighborhood, expecting more of the same
non-Hallow-happenings. But nossir, on our new block, trick-or-treat was an
EVENT. We had a potluck on the cul-de-sac, took group pics of the kids, and
then went trick-or-treating en masse.
Our group had about 8 kids and twice as many parents. And every street we went
down, we encountered another mob of kids and their chaperones. Nearly every
house was decorated, every porch light on, every resident proffering a giant
bowl of tiny treats.
About 12 houses in, my furry monster was burning up, and both of their
buckets were full. The little lady bug could no longer carry her load, and I
was picking up the trail of M&M packets accumulating behind her. I
announced that, since the buckets were full, we were calling it a night.
That’s when one of the other moms said, “oh, this always happens, so we come
prepared.” And she pulled out a handful of empty plastic grocery bags and
started handing them around.
So…we did another block of houses.
Don’t get me wrong. It was great fun. And I like digging through the
buckets, post-bedtime, and hijacking all the Snickers as much as the next mom.
But, come on…at some point, you’ve got to acknowledge that the daggone bucket
is FULL, and go home already.
This fear of ‘not enough’ whispers anxiety in our ear at every turn. It is
the real goblin that haunts us, all the year around; maybe, even especially,
into the holiday season. It snatches our happiest moments from us and fills us
with dread. Sometimes, it even tries to take hold of our children.
Maybe I should explain a bit about why our old neighborhood was such a
–pardon me—ghost town, the year before. It was 2010. And in Phoenix—one of the
hardest hit housing markets in the country– that meant that every third house
on the block was in foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, short sale process, or just
plain empty. That’s why we, along with half the city, found ourselves in a
different house the following year.
I couldn’t help but feel that, had the big banks just gone home when their
daggone bucket was full, there would not have been quite such an exodus
situation. But…the mythic voice of scarcity just keeps pulling at people. And
really, the more you have, the more vulnerable you are to the voice that keeps
whispering “you need more.” In very real
ways, investors gambled with real people’s livelihood and equity. Eventually,
the handle on that bucket broke, and every last gumball rolled out into the
street. That was 2008, of course.
Some of us are just coming back, while the
big kids who broke the buckets went home with extra treat bags.
Ok, that metaphor has played out. Sorry.
Still, when I think about what it means to practice gratitude, I think of
trick-or-treating with young kids, and teaching them to say ‘enough,’ even as
the world says, ‘here’s an extra bag so you can carry more stuff.’ That was an
important transitional time in our lives, and I learned a lot about simply
breathing it all in, and being grateful for what is. Now that I’m in transition again—from one
church call to another; from the desert to the prairie; from parenting babies
to parenting big(ish) kids— it all seems like a timely liturgy of thanksgiving.
On that Halloween night, 2 years ago, I hauled a loaded bucket, a
full-to-breaking plastic bag, and an exhausted toddler home. I was grateful for
my new neighborhood; for doors that actually opened in welcome, for a roof over
my family’s head, for healthy kids who could eat candy…and for these fleeting
years of glitter and wings and magic.
Out of the overflow, I handed my kid two pieces of candy and I said,
Repeat after me: this is enough. This is all we need.
Heine Brothers Coffee Giveaway!
This holiday season, I'm thankful for so many things. I'm thankful for the exciting new opportunities that my beau and I have undertaken. I'm thankful for the cute house we found in Louisville's St Matthews neighborhood. And I'm thankful for HerKentucky -- the wonderful friendships I've made through this blog and the amazing readers who follow along with us here on the blog as well as on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
So, today, I'm saying thanks to all my Louisville-area friends with a little giveway.
I love my new neighborhood, and I love a good cup of coffee, so I'm giving one HerKentucky fan a $20 gift card to Louisville's favorite coffee spot, Heine Brothers' Coffee.
You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. The contest runs now through midnight on Wednesday the 27th.
Favorite Thanksgiving Dish? Easy.
I have one job to do for Thanksgiving. I pack up my family and get us all to Kentucky. No kitchen, no turkey brining, no worrying about the perfect side. This leaves me with plenty of time on the road to feel nostalgic for my favorite holiday dishes and extoll the virtues of my favorite sweet potato topping. (Pecans, in case you were wondering.) There is one simple dish that serves as my holiday harbinger, and that is my mother's uncomplicated but superb cranberry relish. Although she has made this recipe for as long as I can remember, she won't take credit for creating it. She attributes this recipe to Mrs. Pauline Eblen of Henderson, who is the sweetest little woman you could ever hope to meet. No wonder it's so delicious.
Here's what you need:
2 small oranges, unpeeled
1 lb. cranberries
1 cup sugar*
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| The mason jar in the back contains coconut palm sugar, which I substitute for the cane sugar to the right. The result is not as pretty but every bit as scrumptious. |
Slice the ends of the oranges away, then cut oranges into 1/2 inch chunks. Fill food processor with all the ingredients, then chop and grind to your desired texture. I recommend letting it chill for a day or so in your refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry. They will be so happy together, I promise.
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| Takes about a minute to grind all this to a perfect relish consistency. |
Here's some helpful cranberry relish advice that you will want to follow, assuming that you make this once and immediately declare that you wish you had more of this or could save some for next summer. Try buying eight pounds of cranberries and a full bag of oranges. This stuff freezes exceptionally well, so plan on freezing one cup portions that you can easily thaw when you want to add a lovely burst of color to a table or just want a crazy good dollop of tangy cranberries on your mid-May turkey sandwich.
I didn't have any cooked poultry available, so please take my word that this tastes heavenly on any type of bird. Say you have some chicken breasts in the oven, but you become distracted by one child while his tiny partner in crime tosses your timer into the sink. Dried out chicken? Boom. Cranberry relish to the rescue! Imagine a boring leftover turkey sandwich promoted to gourmet status by some leafy greens and the zing from this cranberry relish. But just between us, you don't need anything but a ramekin dish and a spoon to enjoy this stuff.
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| Digging into some of this deliciousness in a few short days! |
What dish signals Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season for you? We would love to hear from you!
When Mother Nature hits too close to home...
Sometimes, for all our compassion and empathy for far away places struck by disaster, it's easy to forget that the weather can flip your geography upside down as well.
Yesterday a tornado passed just north of Paducah before hopping the river to wreak havoc on the nearby town of Brookport, Illinois. By nearby I mean three miles or less as the crow flies.
One of my dear friends was principal at the town's elementary school until last year, today one of his students was found unresponsive. One of the beloved workers at Mommy's Day Out - a woman who has taken care of both my boys since they were babies - just posted that she lost her home.
Her previous post was yesterday. She had just put up her Christmas tree.
So, in this season of thanksgiving, let us remember that nothing is guaranteed and be thankful for every peaceful moment afforded us.
Then, let us help those who had chaos come knock on their doors.
~ Sarah Stewart Holland
Bluegrass Junior Woman's Club Poinsettias for a Purpose
Every year many families "deck the halls," but what if your seasonal decorations could help support charitable projects in your community? Bluegrass Junior Woman's Club in conjunction with Pemberton's Nursery are offering poinsettias, fresh wreathes, and garland. A large portion of the proceeds will go to the Bluegrass Junior Woman's Club and the many projects we conduct in the community. Bluegrass Children's Fund, Santa's Shoppers, along with partnership organizations such as Bluegrass Domestic Violence (now known as Greenhouse 17), Ronald McDonald House of the Bluegrass, Hope Center, Children's Advocacy Center, and many more local agencies benefit from the hard work of Bluegrass Junior Woman's Club. We are unable to fulfill all of our commitments without the support of our community. We ask that you consider purchasing your live and fresh holiday decorations from BJWC this year. Poinsettias are $13 each.
In addition to the poinsettias, we have several greenery options:
Orders will be placed on Wednesday, November 20 so any order will need to be received on the evening
Tuesday, November 19. Please contact bjwc@twc.com or me directly.
Tuesday, November 19. Please contact bjwc@twc.com or me directly.
Federated in 1970, Bluegrass Junior Woman’s Club (BJWC) is a non-profit organization made up of women who are committed to improving the quality of life for disadvantaged women, children, and families in central Kentucky through volunteerism and fundraising. During the 2011-12 club year, the BJWC donated over $16,800 and many volunteer hours to local charitable organizations such as the Children’s Advocacy Center, Ronald McDonald House, and the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program. Our hallmark project is Santa's Shoppers. The event aims to help selected children and their families have a happier holiday season. We generally have the privilege of shopping for approximately 25 students. BJWC purchases gifts for each participating child. These are wrapped prior the event and handed out by Santa Claus. The children are allowed to shop for a new coat, shoes or boots, hats and gloves, pajamas, socks and underwear. The children are then allowed to purchase small gifts for each member of their household. The children are sent home with their new winter necessities, gifts, and a large box of grocery items. It is a very successul event due to a collaborative effort among the event chairs, membership, prospective members, volunteers, and school staff. We are each reminded of how truly blessed we are during the holiday season, and our club couldn't pull off the event without our fundraising efforts and generous donations from members of the community.
Bluegrass Juniors cordially invites anyone interested in learning about membership to contact the club or to attend one of our meetings. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, November 19th at 7pm at the Beaumont Centre Clubhouse in Lexington, Kentucky. We really enjoy guests, so always feel welcome to attend! Feel free to visit us on the web, Twitter, or Facebook!
Shabby Apple Giveaway
I am not sure how I went this long without one of Shabby Apple's fabulous frocks! They are fancy, feminine and vintage inspired with touches of modern charm. I love that Geetha focuses on form and fit to insure that the wearer looks just as beautiful as one of her vintage inspired dresses!
Her holiday collection is filled with vintage silhouettes in of-the-moment colors and she is a girl after my own heart with her mix and match separates that include full length ball skirts, striped shirts and dotted cardigans. Her pieces are classic and are perfect for all of your holiday parties!
I recently had the opportunity to do a quick Question & Answer session with the delightful designer. I love how she started her company and I love her favorite fashion advice as truer words have never been spoken! Thank you, Geetha for taking the time to speak with me regarding your company! We appreciate it!
Her holiday collection is filled with vintage silhouettes in of-the-moment colors and she is a girl after my own heart with her mix and match separates that include full length ball skirts, striped shirts and dotted cardigans. Her pieces are classic and are perfect for all of your holiday parties!
A UK Blue dress with bows?!?! What more could a Kentucky girl want?
Icy Blue Bell dress in sizes 0-16
This shirt and skirt combo has my name on it! I love stripes, bows and ball skirts!
Fancy Abroad Tee in sizes 0-16
First Snow Skirt in sizes 0-16
I love the vintage silhouette and the sweet bows on the sleeves!
Nutcracker dress in sizes 0-12
I recently had the opportunity to do a quick Question & Answer session with the delightful designer. I love how she started her company and I love her favorite fashion advice as truer words have never been spoken! Thank you, Geetha for taking the time to speak with me regarding your company! We appreciate it!
1. How did your business come about? I had a boyfriend break up with me because he didn't like the way I dressed; so I decided to create clothes myself!
2. Bourbon or Beer? Neither for me.
3. Coffee or Tea? Neither for me.
4. Favorite Southern spots? I love the Florida Keys!
5. Favorite Holiday outfit? Long Ball skirt, flats and sequin shirt.
6. Favorite Fashion Advice? No matter how trendy or fashionable something is, if it doesn't look good on you, stay away!
If you are like me and can't wait to get your hands on one of Shabby Apples fabulous dresses, you are in luck! Geetha has so generously offered to give one lucky
HerKentucky reader a vintage inspired frock just in time for all of
your holiday soirees! Thanks Geetha!
One lucky HerKentucky reader will have her choice of one of the dresses below and the winner will be announced on Monday, November 18th.
One lucky HerKentucky reader will have her choice of one of the dresses below and the winner will be announced on Monday, November 18th.
Hollywood Hills Dress in sizes 0-16
Joyful Dress in sizes 0-16
Save the Date in sizes 0-12
Sash not included.