olives and stuff

during the summer i posted these photos of our very young olive trees (there are 3 of them).  they seem to be thriving.

and Jim brought in the harvest last week.   and here they are... all 17 of them.  they are on day #8 of the curing process  which i found online.  i did this curing thing a couple of years ago with a couple of handsfull of olives i brought back from crete, and they turned out quite good.  hoping next year will bring a more plentiful harvest.

and time marches relentlessly on toward xmas... and i'm slowly getting dome central and myself ready for the multitudes of family that will be here for dinner and festivities on  the 25th.  that is also the day that brother Curbhead has suggested for the planting of a tree over my dad's ashes on the hill overlooking the vineyard that he and mom planted almost 40 years ago.  that was Pop's wish, and with all the family here, it seems to be the right time.  the holiday decorations have been brought up from the basement and going thru them, it seems to me that i jettisoned probably half of them in the downsizing blitz a couple of years ago.  so i made a trip to my local friendly good will to find some candles to fill in the spaces... scored 7 that were totally brand new still in their  cellophane wrappings... bravo.  and the tree will go up on Sat., providing J carries out his assignment and finds one.  cookie making happens on monday with Maggie, Jordan and Maisy for the second year which i guess makes it a tradition.  for one kind, we will make the absolutely heavenly cookie that Kate makes.. it features white chocolate and dried cranberries and is ohmydeargoddessdropdead delicious.  might have to make 2 batches.  need to get going on gift wrapping... wonder how long i can procrastinate that damn chore.....ooops, the inner grinch slipped out there for a moment..