Christmas in the Country

Tonight we traveled over the river and through the woods to Grandfather's house (my children's Dad Gene and his wife Kathryn's home) for a Christmas party in Fort Edward.  The river is the Hudson, and their home overlooks a particularly beautiful stretch, north of Schuylerville.  The woods are here, there, and everywhere between the 45-minute ride eastward from our home in Middle Grove to Gene's and Kathryn's house.  Pete was in awe of the Christmas lights he saw out the car window on our drive east.  There were 7 of us packed into Katie's car -- Kate, Bill, Richard and Sydney, Henry, Pete, and me.  When two of the occupants are in child safety seats, it makes for a cozy, sardine-like packing of people into the otherwise roomy car.  But it was a happy ride, with Christmas carols playing on the radio, and a light dusting of snow covering the ground.

We arrived to see the Barn illuminated in bright light, a huge wreath welcoming us in, a path of luminarias guiding us from the road to the door.

This was an especially happy party, and the guests were a lot of Eddy relatives as well as friends and neighbors of Gene and Kathryn.  In abundance, there was food, children, drinks, children, beautiful decorations, children, neices, nephews, sons- and daughters-in law, children, and a little baby (great nephew).  Mary Lou Eddy, the matriarch of the whole clan, was there.  Sometimes I think she must look around at all the kids and grandkids and great-grandchildren and think, "Wow, I did this!"  Yes, she did, and in the most amazing way!

Everything was lovely.  The food was abundant, along with good cheer.  There were pots of chili, sweet and sour meatballs, platters of cheeses, chips and layered dips, everything.  Kathryn made two beautiful cakes.  Carol made her famous Snickers brownies.  I brought a veggie ziti bake and a platter of cookies.  I'll post the recipe for one of the cookies tomorrow, a sugar cookie sandwiched with melted chocolate mint and drizzled with white chocolate, then sprinkled with crushed candy canes.

I think pictures can describe this evening better than I can...  Thanks so much to Gene and Kathryn for such a warm welcome on a cold winters eve!

You could feel the Christmas spirit in the air!

There was a lot of real food, too.  I just didn't take a photo of any of it!

That's Grammy Eddy with Claira (middle right)...