Garden School Tattler

As we put the last receipt away, make that next batch of cookies, steady the star on the top of the tree for the umpteenth time, Christmas begins to really take shape. It's a warm fuzzy.

I'm not an occasion person. I'm an ordinary time person. But this year my youngest is arriving home from the Middle East on Christmas Eve at the Louisville airport near midnight, and I'm so excited, it's made me decorate like I used to years ago. "I want your fried chicken, chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes, and chocolate chip cookies and lots of decorations."

I'm not a traditional decorator like I'm not a traditional cook. I've got the Christmas bow hanging off the dangling toe of a Thanksgiving turkey who lives on my front door. I've got my kids old stockings hung by the chimney in my office among some greenery and bows someone did one year that I yanked out of the box and said, MMMM.

The creche is in the fireplace amid rocks. If Christ was born in a cave, it's a splendid rendition.

There is a whole seven feet of Santas and elvises on the dining room table gracing some Frosty lights, and a Christmas village set on the floor of the transition room complete with train set, skaters, turning snowmen and dozens of figures.

Then we get a little strange around here. About a year ago, I decided that with too many two year olds lurking with intent, the best place to put decorations was on the ceiling. Between the big room and the transition room, right above the village, is a battalion of angels made from tissue paper - the wrapping kind - gathered about center page and hanging from thread. Gold balls represent stars and gold streamers, light. It's pretty and it's off the floor!

I'm only writing about this because decorating at Christmas has to be fun. I tired of the tree deal years ago. Here's a mother's scenario: Your husband buys an outrageously priced tree which you know won't hold a single ornament for more than five minutes because your husband thinks the long needle trees are nicer than the short needled trees. It must be about the tree and not the ornaments. So you bring Godzilla home and saw off half of it trying to make it stand straight. Once that's done, everyone is too tired to put the lights on, and definitely too tired to hang an ornament. Once the tree is decorated, you get the reviews -

"Hmmm. Liked last year's better.
"I think it's dead already."
"It's too small."
"It's been painted."
"I can't relate to something dead."
"Why did you hang that ornament there?"
And my all time favorite: "Why do you save this junk?"

Last year I got one of those sixteen pot holding wrought iron trees that sixteen poinsettias are supposed to grace making a giant red tree. It took me three weeks to fill it because of the cost, and it took so much water, it was a real mess that shed all over the place. I'm still finding leaves.

My favorite decorations are the ones given to me by small children - especially those that are hand made. I recently got an absolutely darling tree pin made by one of my favorite children. I will treasure it always. I have a ridiculous ornament made by my anti arts and crafts son who stuck a red glass ball into a Styrofoam ball, added two black beads, put a striped hat and coat over a clothespin and called it done. I have had this ornament for 25 years.

These are the things that make memories. I try to save a little something from every Christmas to remind me of the last one. I save cards, ornaments, trinkets and home made fun and have now collected about 15 crates of stuff, and I'm not a Christmas person.

Here is Anne's beloved recipe for fried chicken:

Cut nearly thawed chicken breasts ( 1 per person) into half dollar sized pieces. Shake them in flour in a zip lock bag. In egg and milk, roll the floured chicken pieces. Then in an equal mix of ground croutons, walnuts and parmesan cheese, coat the floured and egged chicken. Either deep fry in oil, or pan fry in margarine. You can also use the batter mix for vegetables like broccoli and mushrooms and onion rings.

Sauce: Apricot jam or ranch dressing made with either sour cream or mayo.

Here is a really good recipe for chicken pot pie that kids just love:

Cut half thawed chicken breasts into quarter sized pieces. Cut potatoes into small pieces. Use ready to eat carrots. Saute chicken, potatoes and carrots in butter.

Sauce: In a sauce pan melt equal amounts of margarine and flour for a family about 1/4 cup each. Add two cups of milk or more and bring nearly to a boil - it will thicken. Add two cups of cheddar cheese and a tablespoon of chicken bouillon and a cup of sour cream. Set aside. Mix sauteed chicken and vegetables with with sauce and put into a reasonably sized pan and top with pie dough.

Pie dough is made from two cups of flour, 1/2 cup of Crisco and 1/4 cup of boiling water. Roll out and place on pie. Bake at 350 degrees until it bubbles. Make a face so there's no boil over.

This week at school it's make and do - cards, popcorn strings, and cookies. Thursday is the party.

Then we have a surprise for January we think is neat.