I almost never

 get to the movies and seldom think to rent them.  First of all, I live in Wharton – no movie theatre.  In order to go, I’d have to drive 20-odd minutes to El Campo or 30 minutes to Rosenberg.  Yeah, yeah – not that much travel time but also, I don’t enjoy going alone.  Anyway, recently I’ve seen a couple and thought I’d share my personal review.

It

OK, It is a novel by Steven King.  I suspect everyone knows the story now.  Opening in the late 1950’s, seven children form a strong bond and friendship in order to defeat an Evil living under their hometown of Derry.  It appears that every 27 years, a predatory shapeshifter which has the ability to transform itself into its prey's worst fears, awakens, steals and kills children.  During this same time, the adults of Derry become blind to the bullying and cruelty inflicted on the “Lucky Seven” by another teen and his gang.  When the brother of one of the seven is killed, the seven, using “silver bullets” manage to overcome the more visible evil shape, Pennywise the Clown.  They make a pack to come back to Derry if It ever show’s up again.  Which, of course, happens 27 years later.  Ultimately, the adult friends manage to actually kill the evil creature and the world is safe again.  I enjoyed the book.

So, a TV mini-series came out in 1990 - it was pretty good and consistent with the book.  This version is suspenseful but not horrific.  Then, in 2017, a new version hit the screens – actually, only the first half came out (the half with the children battling Pennywise).  The second half is supposed to be out sometime in 2019.  And, this comment (as long as it is) is about the 2017 first part of It. 

It is horrific.  Unfortunately, if you are a Steven King fan, the movie just skirts the storyline of the book.  It’s more about the special effects – which are the “close your eyes and don’t look now” type.  It was entertaining although a bit long for all the awful sights.  I’m expecting the second half to be even worse with more blood, guts, ripped off arms, monstrous creatures, etc.

Dumplin

This is oh so good.  And, I have to admit, not one that had caught my eye while browsing Netflix at any point.  My daughter had seen it and insisted it was great and I’d really enjoy it.  And, she was right on both counts.  This is one of the American coming-of-age feel good comedies.  It is based on the novel by Julie Murphy. 

Willowdean Dickson (Dumplin') is the plus-size, teenage daughter of former beauty queen, Rosie.  Will is comfortable enough in her skin; it’s the complacent, conservative ideas of her small town surroundings that she’d like to change.  So, as a protest, she signs up for her mom's pageant.  And that protest escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town.

The Christmas movie we watched this year was

Home Alone

It’s been around for a good long time and, like many Christmas movies, remains funny and entertaining.  As it happens, I always forget just how funny this show is – lots of 3-Stooges slapstick. 

Wild child, eight-year-old Kevin is accidentally left behind when his family takes off for a vacation in France over the holiday season.  Once he realizes they've left him home alone, he learns to fend for himself and, eventually has to protect his house against two bumbling burglars who are planning to rob every house in his suburban Chicago neighborhood.    

Well, actually, Abby, Charlotte, and I watched another Christmas “movie”. 

The Nutcracker

 . . . . is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by   This particular presentation starred Mikail Baryshnikov.  Good, good, good, excellent, amazing, good, good, good! 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Op. 71). The libretto is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" (wow – maybe more than you wanted to know).

 OK people - if you've never been to a live performance, you can watch it on TV and everyone should see it at least once!

And, finally (at least for this posting) we went to the movie theatre and saw

Mary Poppins Returns

Oh, so good.  I have to admit, I was a bit concerned – the new cast had big shoes to fill from the original.  But, fill them they did.  The music was good.  The dancing was great.  And, there were cameo appearances by Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury.

In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks (the children from the original Mary Poppins), along with Michael's three children, are visited by the mysterious Mary Poppins.  Michael has recently lost his wife and is in danger of losing the family home. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, Mary Poppins helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. 

Merry Happy to all Y’all!

Solstice

. . . today, is the shortest day of 2018, The Winter Solstice and Yule.  The solstice this year will be extra special because the next day the Cold Moon is full and there is a meteor shower to boot.  Known as Solstice Night, or the celebration of Yule, the sun's "rebirth" was celebrated with much joy.  On this night, our ancestors celebrated the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth.  Then, starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. From this day forward, the days would become longer.

The Cold Moon rising over

the Sandia Mountains

It’s traditionally a time to think about what you want to do and accomplish in life; a time to take a beat and think about the coming year.  Sort of like an early New Year’s, without the party.

Yuletide Legends

Once upon a time, long, long ago, a beautiful young woman lived on a blue and green island. She had many friends on the island, fairies, trees, flowers, rabbits, deer and birds... but she was the only person who lived there. She wanted to share her friends and her secrets with other people just like her, so she began to give birth. Every month when the moon was hiding, she gave birth. For the first six months, she gave birth to daughters with dark skin and eyes. For the last six moons of the year she gave birth to fair skinned daughters. On the seventh moon of every year the First Mother gave birth to a magical, sacred oak.

As the years turned, many, many daughters were born, and quite a few oak trees as well. The daughters played games with the animals and each other, they climbed in the branches of the oak trees and gathered flowers with the fairies. One day the first born daughter of the First Mother gave birth herself. The First Mother was very proud and happy, her favorite friend Oak Tree(who was very wise) gave her a silver crown to wear and told her that she was now a Grandmother. Soon many of the daughters gave birth, and the island became an even happier place, full of babies and big girls and mommies who all played together with the animals, the trees and the fairies.

One winter night when the moon was hiding, one of the daughters gave birth to a baby that was different from anything they had ever known. It was not a daughter, it was not even an oak tree, it was a baby BOY! It was a very dark cold night, the longest winter's night of the year, so all the daughters and all the animals were snuggled up together to keep cozy and warm. After their excitement of seeing a brand new baby born passed, the daughters and the animals realized that the baby boy was not feeling well. He was not as strong or as warm as the babies and trees that were usually born on the island. They all began to worry about the new baby, and tried to help keep him warm. The animals with the furriest coats pushed up close to the mother and baby, the fairies sprinkled magic dust above him, and the little girls sang wonderful songs and danced around and around the room.

But the baby boy couldn't get warm enough and soon he was too cold and tired even to cry or to drink the healing milk from his mother. The First Grandmother was so afraid for the baby boy. She tried to hide her tears from her daughters and ran out into the forest. The snow was very deep and full of white glitter. She tried to walk but it was just too deep. So her friend the owl carried up above the snow filled clouds deep into the magic forest where her firstborn, most sacred wise friend Oak lived. The First Grandmother intended to ask Her friend for advice about the baby boy. When the owl reached the clearing where the sacred First Oak tree lived, the Grandmother gasped! There was no snow on the ground there, and in the middle of a perfect circle lay her friend the Oak. The tree had Fallen to the ground and broken into a pile of logs and branches. She rushed to kneel beside the broken tree, and her teardrops turned into sparkling icicles on her cheeks.

While she was trying to understand what had happened to her dear friend, a coyote entered the circle and brushed up beside her. First the coyote kissed her tears dry, and then whispered a secret in the First Grandmother's ear. The Grandmother nodded, and with the help of the coyote and the owl, she gathered some of the branches from her oldest friend Oak and they returned to her daughter and the baby boy.

Using the gifts from the Oak, and the secrets from the coyote, the Grandmother built the very first fire that anyone on the blue and green island had ever seen. The fairies were shocked, they had never seen anything dance like that without wings. The animals laughed, they had never seen colors so bright except on springtime flowers. The daughters didn't know what to do, they had never felt anything as warm as the summer sand on the beach in the middle of winter.

The mother brought the baby boy close to the edge of the fire, closer than everyone else( they were still just a little bit scared of this new thing called fire). The baby boy opened his eyes just a little bit, and began to wiggle his fingers. Then he smiled and moved his toes too. When he was warm enough, he snuggled with his Mother and drank her milk, soon everyone was certain the baby boy would be okay. They were all so happy, they danced around the fire singing their favorite special songs and giving little gifts to the fire.

The baby boy grew up strong and happy because of the gift of the First Oak Tree. He had many sons of his own, and taught them all to plant acorns on the seventh dark moon of the year so that there would always be many, many oak trees on the island. Every winter, on the longest coldest darkest night of the year, all the people who lived on the blue and green island built a very special fire. They brought in a special tree and honored it with shiny ornaments and glittery fairy dust. They picked one very special branch or log and sang their favorite songs while they decorated it. Then they would give this beautiful log to the fore as a present... and all the children would hear the story of the gift of the First Oak tree.

On the longest night of the year, whenever you light a candle or build a fire, remember the story of the First Grandmother and the coyote who told her the secret. No matter how cold and dark it seems, The Sun will always be reborn and bring us warmth and light again.

Summer Lands

Tonight I came home to a dark empty house.  No little “tippy-tippy-tip” of puppy dog feet coming to greet me.

Today, Morgan went to the Summer Lands.  I know she has already found her brother Merlin and kitty cousins Pye and Nova, her friend Coco and her ‘Dad’. 

When we got her, Michael was insistent that she not have a “sissy” name.  So, after some thought, she told us her name was Morgainne Le Fey, Morgan of the Fairies, (if you believe such things - a powerful woman instrumental in the fall of Camelot).  Our Morgan was certainly the alpha of all the four-legged family members, the chaser of squirrels and feral cats.  I’ll miss her.

2004-2018

Baby, it’s cold . . .

. . . . . and WINDY out there today.  Actually, not so cold, nearly 50° but the 16-20mph winds make it feel very, very chilly.  Plus, it’s really noisy here at my house.  I have windchimes – many windchimes – all of which are chiming loudly and somewhat unmusically right now.  At least I don’t have to worry about evil spirits (historically windchimes were used to ward off evil, while attracting peaceful spirits).  

However between the noise and wind, my mind feels like a hamster wheel – whirling too fast in different directions.  I think it is time to do some of my yoga poses and breathing. 

And, speaking of Yoga – today, December 14 is Yoga Day. 

Don’t give me that – yeah, yeah – nothing but tying yourself up like a pretzel – no real exercise. 

First of all, it’s been around for more than 5,000 years – no new fad, this.  Must work or it would have faded into the dark like many others.

Yoga not only burns calories and tones muscles, it's a total mind-body workout that combines strengthening and stretching with deep breathing and meditation/relaxation.  Plus, there are more than 100 different forms of yoga - something for everyone.  Some are fast-paced and intense. Others are gentle and relaxing.  (My teacher combines both intense with relaxing). 

People tell me – oh, it doesn’t supply any cardio or hard workout routines.  Please, come to my class one night and do a round of sun salutations!

Want to tighten those love handles, strengthen your core muscles? Then prop yourself up on one arm and do a side plank.

Want to work on your abs?  Try boat pose.

One of the reasons I like it - Yoga is not competitive. I can focus on my own practice and not how I’m doing compared to other people in class.

Arms, legs, glutes, back – something for everyone!  It’s Yoga Day – find a class and try it for a time!

embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering

December is Buckwheat Month, National Pear Month, National Tie Month, National Write A Business Plan Month and several other “Month” things. 

It ought to be National (possibly World) Catalog Month. 

Honestly I get catalogs for all kinds of food - fruit, cookies, candy, popcorn, nuts and then others for gift plants, clothes, jewelry, what knots, gegaws, and more stuff than you’d think existed.  It is also the month the SEED CATALOGS start arriving.

I throw most of them straight into the trash.  However, the seed catalogs will sit in a little pile on my desk for a while before they also go out.  Why?  Well, I always think – I should look at all the vegetables, fruits, flowers and such.  I might want to chose one or two to plant.  HA!  One or two packages.  Pffffft.  More like 10 or 20 packages will go on my “I neeeeeeed this” list.

I like to grow things from seed – just to see if I can - and, I’m more rather than less successful at it.  Of course, that means I have a bunch of seedlings that grow into plants that have to be (1) potted and tended (including during the winter) or (2) planted in the ground and tended.

 These are magnolia, catalpa, peach, and walnut tree seeds currently “wintering over” in my fridge.  Heaven only know what I’ll do it even half of them sprout into trees.

So, Saturday I found, in the mail box, a new seed (and I hesitate to call it a catalog – book is more like it) book from a company I haven’t seen before.  It sat on my desk Saturday, Saturday night, Sunday, and Sunday night I gave into temptation and looked through it.

and OHMIGOD!  Fruit and vegetable seeds for very unusual, odd, wonderful looking and sounding things mostly I’ve never heard of before.  The “NEEEEEEED” started to kick in.  Hmmmm, I could dig up the grass from the back fence to my back door, extending the already big flower bed to encompass two more beds, maybe three if I went over as far as the ginger …….  Hold it!  I am not going to dig out more grass.  I am not going to increase the size of an already big flower bed.  GET A GRIP PAMELA!

OK, I’m better now.  Instead of buying exotic seeds, I’ll share some of those that caught my attention, like . . . . . .

Oaxacan Green Corn

Pretty!

Reisetomate Tomato

Strange

Brad’s Atomic Tomato

Ohhhhh – wow!

I gave serious thought to actually getting the tomato seeds
But the reviews are so-so with few positive recommendations.
Maybe not.

Romanesco Italia Broccoli

Really? Broccoli

Hmong Cucumber

Hmmm – each cuke would need a hammock

Galeux D’Eysines Squash

CUTE!  Those little “warts” indicate sweetness

Bitter Melon

Strange

Fort Portal Jade Beans

Interesting

OK – I’ll quit now before the whole “NEEEEED” thing starts up again.

Take care

 How ‘bout this little guy – 

Mongolian Giant Sunflower!

Time Travel

 Since today is Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day, I thought I share some travel to the way past.  I recently spent several weeks in the  15/16^th century.  My general feeling is - it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.  My time machine was four books.

Three Sisters, Three Queens by Phillipa Gregory

I actually read this book back in September and mentioned it briefly then.  It’s a 500+ page book about the lives of three women, Margaret Tudor, Catherine of Aragon, and Mary Tudor, all of whom had ties to Henry VIII.  

So just a teeny bit of real history here

Henry VII (the first Tudor) m Elizabeth of York and their surviving children were:

Arthur (Married Catherine of Aragon at age 12.  He died at age 17 and the consummation of the marriage was questioned then to now)

Margaret (Married James IV of Scotland and after his death, married a second time – divorced, then married a third time)

Henry VIII (Married Catherine of Aragon plus several others)

Mary (married Louis XII of France and after his death, married a second time)

Each a queen – Scotland, England, France.  Sisters by birth and marriage.

 

Margaret Tudor

Mary Tudor

The story is told entirely from the viewpoint of Margaret Tudor, historically the least well-known sister, and is about her relationship with Mary and Catherine.  The three queens find themselves set against each other throughout the book.  Catherine commands an army against Margaret which kills her husband James IV of Scotland.  But Margaret’s son becomes heir to the Tudor throne when Catherine son(s) die in infancy.  Mary steals the widowed Margaret’s proposed husband, but when Mary is widowed it is her secret marriage for love that is the envy of the others.

 

Catherine of Aragon

And, because I was curious, I did some fact checking and historically, the book is accurate enough.  The fictional part being, of course, the loves, feelings, hurts, joys, jealousies, thoughts, threats, words and everything else that made surviving as a royal possible.    It’s a good book though.

Next I read Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies by Hillary Mantel, books one and two of the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy.  Now, you may have already seen the TV ministries, Wolf Hall, starring Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis.  It’s excellent.  However, I had the feeling that giant leaps were happening throughout the show.  And, they were.  The six episodes are based on both books (which are each 500 pages).  That’s a lot of stuff going on.  So, if you haven’t seen the TV ministries, you should read the books first.  If you have seen it, read the books anyway – they will fill in the gaps.

The books are a bit wordy but there was a lot going on during this time.  Once again, as I’d read along, I’d stop and “fact check” the “real” history against the book.  They’re pretty accurate.  According to Ms. Mantel, “To avoid contradicting history, she created a card catalogue, organized alphabetically by character, with each card containing notes indicating where a particular historical figure was on relevant dates”.

Thomas Cromwell

Born to a working-class family of no position or name, Thomas Cromwell rose to become the right-hand man of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, adviser to the King.  He survived Wolsey's fall from approval and became the most powerful of Henry's ministers.  In that role, he observed turning points of English history, as Henry asserted his authority to declare his marriage annulled from Catherine of Aragon, married Anne Boleyn, broke from Rome, established the independence of the Church of England, and called for the dissolution of the monasteries.  There’s a lot more that goes on including the accusations, imprisonment, and death of Boleyn.  I thought Cromwell was portrayed more as a human person rather than a cruel evil bastard.  I’ll want to read the third book whenever it is out.

Lastly, I read The Devil's Queen, A Novel of Catherine de Medici by Jeanne Kalogridis.  

 

Catherine de Medici

Catherine de Medici was Duchess of Urbino and heir to rule Florence.  When her family fell from power, she was imprisoned and ultimately married off to the young French prince, Henry.  Catherine has prophetic dreams throughout the book and in an effort to understand those dreams, relies on astrology and a knowledge of the “black arts”.  Through war and tragedy, Henry became King and Catherine, Queen.  Henry, however, paid little attention to his wife (instead favored his attention to his mistress) which causes Catherine much distress.  Eventually, Catherine convinces Henry he must have a legal heir and through the use of magical amulets and seduction, she gave birth to ten children.  After the death of Henry, Catherine became adviser and regent for her sons, Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, each of whom became king of France for a short time.  Like the previous books, I did curiosity fact checking and the book runs true to history with all the extras thrown in to make it historical fiction.  It’s another big book – nearly 500 pages.  Still, it is good and I enjoyed it.

After that, I was glad to be back in the 21st century.  As I said before, interesting time to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.  Or if I did, I’d rather have been the wife of a prosperous merchant.  Being a noble or royal woman was certainly not all gallant knights, jewels and roses.

Oh, by gosh, by golly; It’s time for mistletoe and holly

While we were walking around the castle grounds (that would be Castle Newman in Bellville), we chanced upon a shrub with the prettiest, almost translucent, red berries.  I thought “holly” but the leaves didn’t seem right; “pyracantha”??.  No, no thorns and the berries looked too red and fresh.  Hmmmmm.  Back to holly.

  

I’m pretty sure it was Yaupon Holly.  It’s an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the southeast US.  In the spring it produces small white flowers and then, red berries through the fall.  Yaupon Holly grows best in maritime forests, salt marshes, and the woods and swamps of the coastal plains (which includes Bellville).  The berries attract and provide food for birds and other wildlife, including white-tailed deer.  Each berry contains 4 hard, oblong seeds (well, shuckie darn! I should have picked a couple).  It grows in full sun to partial shade and once established, it’s a drought-tolerant plant.  For those interested in planting natives - this is a good one.

Now, if you are lost in the wilderness and come across the Yaupon Holly, you can make a tea with the leaves.  (After performing the Universal Edibility Test, of course – need to make sure you’ve got the right plant.)  The leaves contain more caffeine by weight than either coffee beans or green tea.  In fact, it has the highest caffeine content of any plant native to North America.  It’s also high in antioxidants and less bitter than green tea.  In the way-back-times, made as a very strong brew, it was used to induce vomiting and for purification.  And, during the Civil War, southerners substituted Yaupon Holly tea for coffee and black tea.

During the drive home, we passed a number of trees bereft of leaves but sporting clumps of dark green Mistletoe.  I always think I just might be able to reach a clump, forgetting of course, the ground is several feet lower than the highway.  Even standing on the roof of the car I couldn’t reach it.  Grrrrrrr.

Mistletoe is a partial parasite (a "hemiparasite"). As a parasitic plant, it grows on the branches or trunk of a tree and actually sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up water and nutrients. But it can grow on its own producing, like other plants, food by photosynthesis.  Now, there are two types of mistletoe - Phoradendron flavescens (native to North America) and Viscum album, (of European origin). 

The North American Mistletoe produces small white flowers which mature into the traditional berries you think of when you think of mistletoe.  However berries of the North American mistletoe can be red, orange, yellow and white.  Birds love them.  And while they’re not considered highly poisonous, it’s best to not eat any.

Mistletoe was a plant held sacred by the Druids.  It was considered to bestow life and fertility; as protection against poison; and an aphrodisiac.  Branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits.  In Europe they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches.  In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up.

Frigga and the Mistletoe

A Norse Myth

Frigga (also known as Freya) was the goddess of beauty, love, and marriage. Wife of the powerful Norse god Odin, Frigga was a sky goddess, responsible for weaving the clouds, and therefore responsible for rain and for thunderstorms.

Sitting at her spinning wheel weaving the fates, she was also a goddess of divination and credited with the creation of runes...more precisely she was a 'seer', one who knew the future but could never change it or reveal it to others.

Frigga was the mother of Baldur, the best loved of all the Norse gods. And she foresaw his death. Knowing that there was nothing she could do to avert his fate; the hapless goddess extracted a promise from all things that they would play no part in his death. Unfortunately, thinking the poisonous plant was too insignificant to bother with, she neglected to secure its pledge.

And when the malevolent prankster Loki discovered her oversight, he crafted a dart made from the mistletoe. Devious and evil, he brought it to Baldur's brother who was blind, suggesting a game of darts and agreeing to guide his hand. And this he did, directing the dart directly at Baldur's heart, killing him.

The mistletoe's white berries were formed from Frigga's tears of mourning.  As the berries fell upon his chest, Baldur was restored to life, and the goddess Frigga was so grateful that she reversed the reputation of the baleful plant, making it a symbol of peace and love and promising a kiss to all who passed under it.

Take care

Castle in the Woods

So, the other day a friend mentioned he’d heard about a castle in Bellville or Brenham.  Had I heard of such a thing?  Nope.  So we googled and Surprise! there is a castle in the Bellville area.  Immediately an adventuring day was planned.

Bellville is a small town about 50 miles north of here on Hwy 36.  And, Did You Know? it was named for Thomas B. Bell, one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred.  Interesting.

We left early Wednesday morning and arrived in Bellville at the appointed time.

You have to check in at Newman’s Bakery to get directions to the castle itself.  I loooove Newmans – it smells so goooood in there.  Like, you can gain 5 pounds walking in the door, good

So, you take Hwy 36 to Old Hwy 36 (there’s an old one?).  From there it’s just a drive in the woods.

We rounded a curve

 ….. and saw

Duke, an Irish Wolfhound.  He’s a really big dog (like 150 lbs and stands chin high on me), very friendly and glad to see you.  I do have to say though, it was a bit alarming to see a giant dog bounding toward me as I got out of the car. 

Walking around the corner we saw our first glimpse of Newman’s Castle.

Newman’s Castle was built, starting in 1998, by Mike Newman (yes, owner of the bakery) and one or two helpers.  And, 8 years later, he moved in.  Yep – the man lives in a castle in the Texas hill country woods.

The castle features a moat, a working drawbridge, a portcullis, a chapel, five round corner turrets, a courtyard, a dungeon, a bell tower, and a central keep. There is a perimeter wall that encompasses the castle, ensuring visitors are kept safe from marauders during the visit.

King Newman advising all the youngest visitors of the rules and then knighting each of them (yes, the girls too) and commanding each to (1) find all the castle dragons and (2) save any ladies in distress. 

Yep – a working Trebuchet

Barbican and Gatehouse

Drawbridge

Chapel

Banquet Hall

Crow Cage hanging in the Dungeon.

If you look at the left corner, you’ll see part
of the bed of nails.

Peering through the Crenels while

standing on the Battlements

Visitors are allowed to go everywhere including the King’s private quarters (hmmm – that was a little uncomfortable).  The place is full of secret tiny spiral staircases that go up to rooms or lofts.  You can climb up ladders to the top of the bell tower if you’re so inclined.  A large number of the rooms are unfinished and are referred to as “guest” rooms.  So I assume work is ongoing.  Personally though, I don’t think I’d like to stay in a room with only a skinny Arrow Slit Window. 

And, what do you think you find on the bakers Christmas tree?

Cookies, of course!

If you want to come and see – call Newman’s Bakery in Bellville to make a reservation.  They can give you all the pertinent information.  It’s a fun day trip and Bellville itself has some very cute antique and gift shops to visit.

Take care