Sunday 12 December 2010

Genuine enjoyment






Often when we have been in the States we have been taken to "homespun" events where locals have been enjoying a get together. We have always felt that these events have been put on for our benefit.
But today the farmer and I were invited to a genuine homespun Christmas dinner, where everyone was a genuine Dalesman (well, almost - after all I am one by marriage).
The lunch was superb and I did mean to take a photograph of it before I started eating, but I forget, so here is the menu:-

Roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing, bread sauce, apple sauce, cranberry sauce,roast potatoes, creamed potatoes, glazed carrots, braised red cabbage, brussels sprouts, gravy: Christmas pudding wit btandy sauce: Mince pies: Chocolates and coffee: All washed down with a nice, spicy punch.

There were about a hundred of us - crackers were being pulled, fancy hats worn, jokes being exchanged (Christmas cracker jokes are about the worst on record) and a lovely time was had by all.

Next door the sweet shop had a window full of pretty Christmas sweets so I took a photograph of that to show you too.

At this time of year the sun is so low in the sky that much of the Dales never sees the sunlight. However, on our way back, the sun was just catching Lady Hill and illuminating the few pine trees on it, so I thought you would like to see those too.

Now I am off to lie on the settee by the wood burner and sleep off my dinner!

20 comments:

Tramp said...

Enjoy the rest on the sofa. I hope the farmer brings you something suitable to drink.
...Tramp

Totalfeckineejit said...

What a perfect day and a perfect way to sleep it off! Love the look and sound of Lady Hill.

Tom Stephenson said...

That hill-top clump of trees is interesting, Weaver. You always get Scotts Pines on ancient sites. Have a good snooze.

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

I just love events like that! And sleeping off your lunch sounds like a great end to a nice day:)

Heather said...

What a lovely post Pat suitably decorated with the perfect photos. There is something about a group of trees on top of a hill. The lunch looks like a super occasion and a great way to celebrate belonging to the locality. An impressive menu, and I love the sweet shop window - very festive - a proper sweet shop. Enjoy your rest and just a little light something for tea/supper this evening!!

Gigi Ann said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful time. After reading the menu, I am now hungry. However it is my lunchtime, so that may have had something to do with it. But, really the menu sounded sumptuous.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Oh, such a perfect way to spend a December day. Events like this leave me brimming over with Christmas spirit!

Elizabeth said...

Some celebration!
Yes, I think you do need a little lie-down after that....Wonderful menu.

Did you see the movie "The King's Speech"
awfully good, I thought.

steven said...

what a shop! what a dinner! what a photograph of the lady hill!! thanks. steven

Lori at Jarvis House said...

Alovely afternoon and back to basics. Doesn't get better than that. Enjoy the stove, mine is working right now.

Jane Moxey said...

Sounds wonderful, Pat. Your photographs are so great to accompany your post!

Anonymous said...

Well, you'll be in good shape (figuratively and literally) for the real thing, Pat! Good to know that you're moving away so positively from the recent bad times.

Dartford Warbler said...

That sounds like a wonderful get-together of friends and neighbours.

Our village sweet shop sells the same chocolate Father Christmases as the ones in your photo. I make sure that each of my grown up sons and their partners have one on Christmas Day.

I hope you are feeling better and stronger by the day.

ChrisJ said...

Christmas Crackers and paper hats too -- definitely home spun Christmas.
They cost a bundle over here, so we have to forgo them.

Unknown said...

Glad you had a good time, Weaver. Were you tempted by the sweeties? I hope they attract lots of customers!

Reflections said...

Sounds like a lovely time, enjoy your rest...

The Weaver of Grass said...

Glad you all got vicarious pleasure from the Christmas gathering and the sweet shop window - that is the best kind of pleasure under the circumstances as it means you don't eat too much!

Lady Hill is a famous landmark around here and I must say the sun caught it nicely in the photograph.

Thanks for the comments.

Cloudia said...

You live in a magical place!



Aloha from Hawaii

Comfort Spiral

><}}(°>


<°)}}><

Gwil W said...

"Genuine enjoyment"

Is there another kind?

Lovely photos.
You look as happy as an Italian family at a favourite restaurant.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Gwilym, of course, is correct - surely there is no other kind of enjoyment than 'genuine' - what I meant was nobody was here because they wished to be seen here - everyone came because they knew everybody else and they all wanted to be together.
Thanks for the comments anyway.