November and Thanksgiving: always the same; always different

 

 

     My sons, Gordon (r.) and Eric (l.)

November 2015 began at 7:30 on the first day of Central Standard Time with a call time at Bryant UMC. The dozen hand bell ringers were to gather for warm-up before playing “Deep River” as a prelude.

The very next Sunday, the nine Salem UMC women’s bell group––hand chimes instead of hand bells––gathered at 8:15 to warm up for the very impressive Veteran’s Day services––early and late.

As of Saturday afternoon, November 14, the long-awaited and long-planned-for SUMC church bazaar is history. Thanks to co-chairwomen Denise and StefNi, consultant Lydia and go-fer Glenn, the fellowship hall was transformed into a magical Country Christmas. A vintage tablecloth of Mom’s, and a glass milk bottle full of marbles holding live holly and fake poinsettias decorated my table of books.

There was so much to see and buy. So many lookers and buyers. So many folks I hadn’t seen and visited with in ages: Mike, Jim, Sharon, Libby, Ruth, Jan, John and Sarah.

With sales of fourteen books, I turned around and bought a carnival-glass pitcher from Roxie, a gift basket of Jan’s that included her last-available book, and a two-shelf, wooden rolling cart from the yard sale under the arbor.

As if Sundays weren’t full enough, Mondays include trips to the Garland County Library in Hot Springs for a weekly writers group.

A week ago, a group of friends who—for the lack of a better name—call ourselves T5OU (“the five of us”) met at one member’s home for a soup-themed lunch. I took a venison chili, Linda brought taco soup, Annamarie, cheese and crackers, Carolyn, broccoli-cheese and Fran had vegetable soup. Dessert was a plate of apple-butter bars (recipe below) and an apple crisp.

Besides those recipes I printed last week, I had clipped one from The Standard some time ago. I had all the ingredients, so I decided to bake “Apple Butter Bars.” Now, who keeps apple butter on hand, I ask you? I do! I do! Thanks to my uncle John and Aunt Frances, I had a gift jar from them. Here is the recipe. It had no attribution and I failed to date it. But I can attest to its great taste. Perhaps you can whip these up for Christmas.

APPLE BUTTER BARS: 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. salt; 2-1/2 c. uncooked quick oats; 1-1/2 c. sugar; 1 c. butter/margarine, melted, 1-1/2 c. apple butter (or other jam/jelly/preserves/etc.). DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, soda & salt. [I sifted them.] Add the oats & sugar. Stir in the melted butter and mix well. Press half of the mixture into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Top with apple butter. [I had just one c. of apple butter, so I mixed plum jam of Aunt Frances’s in with the butter] Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on top; press gently with a spoon. [I sprinkled it with my hands since it wasn’t very gooey]. Bake at 350 degrees 55 minutes or till lightly brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Hope you are having a blessed Thanksgiving. Remember the starving children. Clean your plate.