Today's part of the village is a tribute to my mom and dad. My dad had a huge collection of antique clocks and when I was growing up he kept them all running. For a few minutes around the turn of every hour, the house would be filled with the sound of chiming clocks of every kind. At the half hour, they would strike a solitary note, and some of them also chimed the quarter hours. We were so used to it, the sound never bothered us, but he would have to stop them when we had overnight guests! The clock shop is the first thing I stitched after he passed. I added his birth year to the building.
For my mom, I renamed the grocery store "Mom's Market." I don't really remember her teaching me to cook; I think I absorbed most of her knowledge through just watching her in the kitchen. And I have so many of her handwritten recipes that I will never, ever convert to digital. The recipes my female relatives have written down for me are among my treasures. Their handwriting brings them to mind almost more vividly than a photograph.
Speaking of my mom's recipes, here's one I grew up on. I've always loved the name, as it reminds me of the titles of recipes in vintage cookbooks, especially ones that have a "sick room" section. I have no idea how old it is, but I'm 52 and it's been in her recipe box all my life. Is this a scientifically proven, doctor-approved recipe? Nope. But it sure was comforting to a little kid who was feeling poorly... and a big kid, too, for that matter. Sometimes you just need to get some fluids, and sugar, and vitamin C into a cranky munchkin.
Mom's Hot Drink for the Sick (I love this!)
1 c. boiling water
1 box cherry Jell-O
1 c. chilled pineapple juice
*Don't put this in the fridge or it will set!
Gift bag/basket idea: keep the Jell-O and pineapple juice on hand through the holidays so you can fly to the rescue of anyone who gets sick (or yourself), because it always happens!
*****
Back tomorrow with my part of town!
Love your village and what an awesome idea!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful pair of pieces for your village, Honeybee! I love how you changed them to reflect your Mom and Dad.
ReplyDeleteI love all the villages, lovely work. that drink looks inviting. big hugs Lynda Ruth
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas: What a sweet idea to do the Clock shop for your Father, and to name the store for Mom, Blondie the Cat sends hugs to Marigold and Butterfly.
ReplyDeleteCatherine🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
What a fabulous open house, Honeybee!!! Love your personalized village! Handwritten recipes are so precious and bring so many special memories. I was just telling my husband how much your Open House and Carol, Stitching Dreams Parade of Ornaments and her Christmas Tree have become such a special part of my Christmas. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI'm so enjoying seeing your beautiful Christmas Village. I love how you stitched the clock shop for your Dad and the market for your Mom. I agree that handwritten recipes are so special, I have a notebook of my Mom's recipes that my Dad wrote out that I really treasure. Thanks for the recipe- I definitely want to try it!
ReplyDeleteMary
Great memories of your Mom & Dad.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
What lovely stories about your Mom and Dad. I have my Granny's and my mom's "cookbooks". I say it that way because Granny just threw her recipes in a big manila envelope. A lot of her recipes just have ingredients, no instructions. You are supposed to know what to do. :0} My dad had a wooden box made for my mom from one of the men on the naval base they were at the time, it fits her 3x5 cards that she wrote everything on. stitchinrose
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas village is adorable. I too have some of my mother's handwritten recipes, though just a few as she did most of her baking and cooking from memory. I have most of both of my grandmother's handwritten recipes and I will cherish them forever.
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