Holiday Baking, First 2 Snows and My "Ghosts of Christmas Past" Lecture!

Three things that will get you in the spirit of the holidays are baking, snow and stories about ghosts of Christmas. That's what today's blog is all about! Our friend Jeff and his famous dog Myrtle visited to help with the baking. Days later, we received our first snowfall here in southern Maine, and locally, I gave a lecture about Christmas Ghosts and I was so honored that 5 of our friends came to listen.  

(Photo: Rob and Jeff baking Christmas Oatmeal Cranberry cookies)

CHRISTMAS BAKING -  On Sunday, Dec. 1st our friend Jeff and his dog, Myrtle visited for the day. After a great lunch out, Jeff, who is a pastry chef, volunteered to help make my Oatmeal Cranberry cookies for the local neighborhood Christmas Cookie Swap on Dec. 7th. The recipe is on the lid of Quaker Oatmeal boxes and for many years, I've been substituting cranberries in the place of raisins.

(Photo: Tyler and Dash relax next to cousin Myrtle while their dads bake. Tom and Cody were napping!)

Jeff was very careful in mixing ingredients separately, while I likely would have inadvertently mushed together (when they shouldn't be), so I was grateful to have his guidance. We baked for a couple of hours while listening to Classic Country Christmas music (Jeff loves Loretta Lynn and I love Dolly Parton - so it was the perfect choice).

(Photos: 100 cookies later, they were packed in containers for the cookie swap!)

MORE COOKIES- During the evening of Dec. 14th I baked another homemade batch, too.  
 

FIRST & SECOND SNOW ARRIVED AND LEFT!  On Thursday, December 5th, southern Maine received its first snowfall (2 inches) of the season. That meant it was about 4" under average snowfall by the time this storm happened. The snow began just before midnight on Dec. 4th, mixed with rain throughout the night, and in the morning temps dropped so it turned back to snow, providing a festive scene out of my home office window!  On Monday, Dec. 9th we received the 2nd snowfall of about 4" - which I shoveled 3 times in 2 days because I didn't want the snow to be heavy. By Dec. 11th, heavy rain washed it all away.  

10 SEC SNOW VIDEO: https://youtu.be/luBxSOeLI5c?si=_bwBie48NPvgD4ZW

   

CHRISTMAS GHOSTS & SURPRISE SUPPORT! I gave a lecture and powerpoint presentation at a local library on Dec. 14th 

called "Ghosts and Spirits of Christmas Past and Present"  Tom came with me and helped me set up, and he helped arrange the room. Five of our friends showed up at the lecture, and I was so honored. A huge thanks to Laureen, George,  Albert, Michael and Dan. 

(Photo: Me outside the William Fogg Library, Eliot, ME)

 The stories are based on chapters in my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead."   For more info visit www.robgutro.com

Unfortunately, Michael and Dan couldn't stick around, but Laureen, George and Albert did, so we grabbed a tasty early dinner at the 207 Tavern. (Photo left)