November 24, 2016 by Born To Organize

Once Upon a Time: My First Thanksgiving Day in America

It was 1966. After a three-day train ride through the cities and countryside of America, our family arrived in Northern California. As newly arrived immigrants from Ontario, Canada, we didn’t know a soul.

Why we arrived on Thanksgiving day is a long story. My parents were smart, hardworking people, but neither of them had a formal education. They wanted their girls to get a college degree. California seemed like the land of opportunity, especially for my dad the horticulturist. The plan was to finish the school year, sell our house and come to California. The house sold, we said our goodbyes and we gave away most of our worldly possessions. Then we hit a snag. The US government delayed my father’s visa while they continued to research his background. Dad was a British immigrant first, moving from England to Canada where he met and married our mom. Long story short, we were not allowed to immigrate for another five months. We stayed in a hotel at first, then later with a relative. From there we stayed in the home of our former babysitter and finally rented rooms in the home of an abusive man. These were traumatic months for all of us. We were homeless in a way, straddling uncertainty between two countries. Dad took odd jobs while we waited and our savings kept us going during the wait.

Memories are a fascinating thing. Our brains record everything, but our hearts seem to decide what we recall. The highs and the lows often play out, with the minutiae of daily life lost to the ether. I remember the brief layover in Chicago. Mom bought us a kit of paper chains to keep our hands busy during the wait. We traveled by coach, so no berth for sleeping. We took turns draped across our mother’s lap. Three days on a train is a long journey when you’re seven.

We arrived in Loomis, California on that wet Thanksgiving day in 1966, welcomed into a stranger’s home. The man who would be my father’s co-worker invited us to dinner! Most of the details remain a blur, but I remember sitting on the floor of a small, warmly lit room watching an episode of Star Trek with a large, lumbering dog nearby.

There were many dark days ahead, but in that moment I felt safe and warm and welcomed, one immigrant family to another, in a vast, complex country called America.

The names and faces of our hosts that day are lost to history. But in my heart I’m thankful for that gracious family that opened their doors and hearts to ours.

November 27, 2013 by Born To Organize

The Giving Garden

One of the coolest things about our neighborhood is the general camaraderie. Neighbors talk to neighbors.

On the surface, that sounds so simple, but time and again we hear from others how lucky we are to live on a street where all the neighbors know each other. Over the years, we’ve covered for each other with emergency child-care, extra meals in times of poor health, emotional support and carrots.

Carrots?

Yes, even carrots.

The grandfather of one of the daycare kids walked by while I was curbside chatting with (yes) another neighbor. I reached over to offer him a fresh garden pea, when he stopped me and asked if he could have ten. More specifically, his granddaughter needed ten items to trade during Kindergarten class for a lesson on trade and Thanksgiving.

Our quick search didn’t yield ten pea pods, but there were still plenty of carrots. Not just any carrots, but the very carrots the wee kinder (gardener) planted herself. He came back with his granddaughter later that day. Her brother gave her special permission to harvest his carrots as well in case she didn’t have enough.

Baggy in tow, she pulled up several carrots, bagged them and happily smiled for the camera.

Harvesting

Grandpa asked her to rinse the dirt from her hands in the fresh rain water, and then she wiped them on the grass. I stepped in and dried her tiny hands on the inside of my jacket, because honestly, once a mom always a mom. I scooped her into a hug and she was on her way.

Harvested carrot

All smiles

You reap what you sow . I felt such a welling of emotion as I turned to come inside. Ten little carrots were on their way to the classroom, and once again the giving garden filled me with joy.

November 27, 2012 by Born To Organize

Christmas in the Fairy Garden, Storm on the Way

We’ve got a storm headed our way. A gully washer. Serious wet stuff falling to the ground.

My UK friends are yawning about now, but “big rain” is unheard of in Silicon Valley. I’m pretty excited. Everything in the garden perks up when it rains and we are well past due. I hope folks behind the wheel remember to take their time. The roads will be slicker than usual.

Knowing we’re in for the wet and windy, I temporarily moved the fairy garden indoors. Christmas is less than a month away, so I got busy decorating for the wee ones.

Planting

I bought a pair of miniature cyclamen with my nursery haul over the weekend. They look so cute next to the tiny Blue Fescue fairy house. The ground cover is holding up nicely, but the Fescue needed a trim. That done, I “planted” sprigs of holiday greens and added lights.

Miniature Cyclamen

Sprucing Up the Fairy Garden

Sprucing

In light of the weather, I moved the chairs under cover and set up a table to go with them. The “slip covers” are re-purposed wrappers from the Hydrangea. Some festive ribbon adds color to the base of the table. I think I spotted a few tiny deer drinking nearby. A few broken ornaments add a bit of cheer. I pulled some dried flowers and berries from last week’s Thanksgiving arrangement. They worked well over the entrance to the house and to add color to the table.

Fairy Christmas Table

A Lovely View

Entry Way

All set for the holidays!

If you haven’t tried fairy gardening, give it a whirl. It’s a fun, creative and relaxing way to garden on a small-scale. I like to challenge myself by reusing items from around the house.

The List

On Hand:

Two broken ornaments (archway, background)
Table (empty spool, scrap ribbon, paper flower)
Slipcovers (waterproof plant wrapper)
Dried berries, dried flowers (a floral gift from Thanksgiving)
Plastic deer (leftover from a children’s project)
Slate walkway (from a broken fountain)

Purchased:

Two miniature cyclamen
Waterproof lights

November 23, 2012 by Born To Organize

Dressing The Table on Thanksgiving Day

New Zealand Flax with Grasses

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrated today. Our day flew by. We spent the morning in a flurry of cooking (Chef Mike) and cleaning (that would be me) but took a few moments to toast each other with a glass of champagne. It was a gorgeous fall day, with bright skies and moderate temps. We couldn’t have asked for better.

I promised to share a photo of my tall arrangement (if it turned out). Though the New Zealand Flax has brilliant shades of orange and peach, it seemed a bit bland. I added tall grasses for movement and shape, but it still lacked color. I was okay with it, but when my husband went out for olive oil, he brought back a bunch of deep red chrysanthemums. Their brilliant color really made the arrangement pop. I had enough leftover to make two small groupings for the table.

New Zealand Flax with and mums

The smaller mums, mixed with the last of the dried Allium and a few greens worked well together. The dried Allium has an almost silver look. I’m glad I saved so many seeds. I’m looking forward to growing more of it next spring.

Interspersed with the flowers, are small pumpkins. We had a few small ones left over from Halloween. I added my new velvet pumpkins to the display, and a cherished clay pumpkin, handcrafted by my twelve-year-old son.

Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.

-William Shakespeare

Mums, Allium and Greens

Napkins ringed with raffia and tulle

I put the finishing touches on the napkin rings, made from left over pieces of raffia and tulle. I punched and decorated tags in lieu of place cards, adding them to the rings. Inspiration for the final detail came from Kelly over at Boomdeeada. Earlier this month I “built” tiny chairs for my fairy garden using miniature spools. Kelly suggested wrapping the spools with a tiny greeting. They were easy to make and a fun conversation starter. I wrapped the saying around the spool, then sealed it with a tiny sticker.

Thanksgiving Table

In the end, it was an eclectic table, just like me!

November 21, 2012 by Born To Organize

Decorating the Table: It’s the Little Things

I love decking out the table for the holidays. It’s also fun challenging myself to use bits of this and a little of that from around the house. Add in some fall color from the garden and you have the makings of a centerpiece. In the past I’ve used leftover crafting paper, fallen leaves, candles and ribbon. It’s a fun way to get crafty.

Three Velvet Pumpkins

This year I made one small splurge: three tiny velvet pumpkins. I found them at a local craft fair last month and instantly fell in love. The plush and weighted pumpkins are about the size of an apple. What makes them so special is the stem: the artist used real ones! Aren’t they clever?

Velvet Pumpkins, Natural Stems

Velvet pumpkin’s stem

I wish I had her name but I tossed my receipt and now can’t give her proper credit. Hopefully she’ll read this one day and will know how delighted I am to have them.

Ringing The Napkins

This year’s napkins get a little dress up via raffia and tulle. The tulle is leftover from an earlier project. The raffia used to be a bow. Instead of place cards, I’ll attach tags to each napkin, using my all-time favorite tag maker. I even hauled out the old iron to press those napkins into smooth squares. I’m not sure what came over me?

Standing Tall

The New Zealand Flax is several shades of lovely, but I’ve never used it in a bouquet. I’m going to challenge myself to use the tall leaves, along with the Japanese Silver Grass and the Japanese Forest Grass, both standing tall in the garden. The grasses made cute little trees in last month’s fairy garden. I can see them from my window as I write this, blowing in the breeze. If the arrangement turns out, I’ll post a few pictures tomorrow.

Do you enjoy decorating for your holidays? If so, what do you have in store?

November 20, 2012 by Born To Organize

Creating Your Own Traditions: The Un-Thanksgiving

Last year’s center piece: Home grown pumpkin, store-bought flowers.

Thanksgiving in the US is the fourth Thursday of November. In the well-known Norman Rockwell painting,an idyllic family gathers around the table anticipating a hearty meal of Turkey and all the trimmings. As a child, I wanted to crawl into that painting. It seemed warm and inviting and “normal,” whatever that means.

I’ve lived a storied history around T-Day. Our family arrived in the US from Canada on Thanksgiving day in 1966. Our own Thanksgiving was a month earlier, catching us unaware. My father moved the family to California so my parents could afford to put three girls through college. We sold our Canadian home in June, but delayed visas landed us in the States months later than planned. We arrived to changed circumstances.

A California nursery hired Dad to manage the business, but in the interim months, the owner filed for bankruptcy. We were on foreign soil, savings depleted with no paycheck in the foreseeable future.

Dad eventually got on his feet, but within three years, he died from lung cancer. My dad was a horticulturist by trade, a man who loved children and animals. He was creative, caring and kind. His death drove a freight train through my heart and left a black spot on the holiday season for the long-foreseeable future.

What have I learned all these years later? It’s okay to be different. Traditions aren’t carved in stone. No one lives in a Norman Rockwell painting (and if they did they would probably be insufferable)! Hosting Thanksgiving in my home, with a new set of traditions is liberating. We take the democratic approach to meal-planning. Three of us are vegetarians, so turkey is off the table. Our guests have a number of food sensitivities, so gluten and dairy factor in as well. I want everyone to enjoy themselves, which means a free-floating, easy-going day without expectations.

For that, I give thanks.

Thanksgiving Day Menu, Prepared by Chef Mike

Manicotti
Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Green salad
Steamed broccoli
Mashed potatoes
Garlic Bread
Sourdough Bread
Apple Pie, a la mode
Pumpkin pie with whipped topping

Sparkling cider, apple cider, apple juice and wine

What do you know?

The Normal Rockwell painting I envision this time of year was actually published in the spring! It’s one of four paintings, inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt entitled Freedom from Want. Read on…

November 7, 2012 by Born To Organize

Fall: The Color Orange

I love color, and find myself mentally attributing various hues to the time of year. Nothing quite says “fall” like the color orange. Vibrant orange Cucurbitas line walkways and grocery aisles. Shades of auburn tumble through the graceful branches of deciduous trees. Cool green lawns seem to disappear beneath a carpet of rich autumn hues.

Chinese Pistache Fall Colors

Pistache up close

Standing at my kitchen window this time of year, I get a grand view of our Chinese Pistache Pistacia chinensis.The leaves drop slowly, as the tree let’s go of summer. I often collect a few of them to decorate our Thanksgiving table. Once the tree is bare for the winter, I get a second view. Our friends directly across the street have a row of Nandina. They’re covered in red, orange and gold leaves, with berries in multiple hues. They’re one of my favorite plants this time of year.

Nandina Berries

As an aside, when I first met my dear friend Nandini I had to work hard not to call her Nandina. I assured her it was a compliment to be mistaken for something so vibrant and alive.

According to Sensational Color:

Orange, is a close relative of red. It sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is usually strong positive or negative association to orange and true orange generally elicits a stronger “love it” or “hate it” response than other colors. Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy.

Interestingly, some tones of orange, such as terra-cotta, peach, and rust have very broad appeal. Orange stimulates activity and appetite and encourages socialization.

If you’re lucky enough to live in California, you’ll still see oranges on the tree. Not to be undone, the seed pods on the Magnolia take on a similar hue.

Magnolia Seed Pod

How do you feel about the color orange?

Resources:

“Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow.” Wassily Kandinsky

October 7, 2012 by Born To Organize

Savoring the Flavoring of Pumpkin

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
photo credit: Deborah DeLong

I love growing things that we can also eat, but I’m not much of a cook. I *can* cook. It just doesn’t hold my interest. Luckily for me I married a man who knows his way around the kitchen.

During the holidays, I get to fuss over the table settings while he stays busy in the kitchen. I love arranging flowers, making place cards, lighting candles, and seeing that our guests feel at home.

Our Canadian friends celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday this Monday, October 8th. In the US, we celebrate the third Thursday of November, so still plenty of planning weeks ahead.

Sweet pumpkin pie is a traditional favorite, but not everyone likes the texture. I’ve found a few interesting alternatives to try this year. I’ll be running them by the resident chef to see what he thinks. I wanted to share them with you, too. Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe of your own? Please let us know in the comments, below.

Pumpkin Desserts

Honey Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Deborah, at Romancing the Bee shared a recipe for this sweet sensation last week. She says it’s quick and easy, and judging by the ingredients, it will go down as smooth as honey.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

I can almost smell the allspice just looking at the photo. These seasonal goodies would be a hit at the office potluck or tucked into a tin as a hostess gift.

Pumpkin Carrot Swirl Bars

You can never have too much orange. These tasty treats combine pumpkins and carrots for a vitamin-rich dessert. This is a great make-ahead recipe and a fun treat to pack in a school lunch.

Halloween Countdown

Masked Pumpkin

Happy Thanksgiving Day to my Canadian family and friends.

November 28, 2011 by Born To Organize

Thanksgiving Centerpiece: Hollowed Pumpkin Bouquet

I’ve always wanted to try this…and finally did this year.

We grew this beautiful white “Cotton Candy” pumpkin last summer. It created the perfect color compliment to the orange flowers and its moderate size didn’t over-power the table.