Things of Note

I have an audition scheduled for January 24 for Eastern Winds, and the next concert will be featuring Stanley Drucker! Needless to say I am hoping to get in. I will update after the audition. Warren and I are excited for a Jim Gaffigan show in a couple of weeks, and we made a Valentine's Day weekend reservation at Rat's restaurant in Grounds for Sculpture. Lots to look forward to!

A New Year's Resolution

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions...it just seems like a doomed idea to me, and I prefer to make my resolutions as the inspiration strikes, but this year it coincides with Warren, Mitch and I having watched "Food, Inc" and all feeling as though we'd like to start eating more local foods and supporting small farmers. We are embarking on a project of visiting at least one local farm per month until we find good places to buy an assortment of meat, eggs, milk and produce.

Our first stop was Abma's Farm in Wyckoff, which raises their own chickens and pigs. They have a really nice market with a good selection of chicken, pork and produce. They have some beef that is not their own, but is local. One of the most fun features is their "pick your own" basket of eggs which are fresh every day. You can buy eggs already placed in the carton a bit cheaper, but the pick your own eggs are the freshest and at $2.09 a dozen they are cheaper than the free-range eggs I used to buy at Shop Rite, anyway. You can bring back the cardboard cartons to recycle next time you visit.

I should have taken some pictures but I was too cold and too interested in the market to remember! ...Anyway, our first stop was a definite success!

A Very Merry Christmas

Warren and I got back yesterday after almost a week spent with my family in Connecticut. It was so nice to celebrate Christmas there. Warren sang in his church service on Christmas Eve, so we had a lovely, quiet Christmas Eve at home and departed on Christmas morning. It was a very quick and easy drive since no one was on the road! We spent Friday and Saturday enjoying the company of Rachel and Frank and we visited the Mark Twain house together, ate at Kashmir, our favorite Indian restaurant in Hartford, and visited an ethnic market where Rachel and my mom like to buy spices. We also played some fun board games at home. It was sad to see them go on Sunday! During the rest of our time at home we had dinner with my grandmother before she set off for Hawaii, went showshoeing in the woods, and enjoyed the pool, hot tub and basketball court at the Y. My parents also took us to the Farmington Valley Arts Center to choose an etching from a local artist who has a shop there. They own two pieces of her art and I have been admiring them for quite a while. We chose an etching that reminded us of Cape Cod. All her things are simple and beautiful. On our last evening we went to dinner with several of my high school friends, which was a lovely time. The only thing we didn't get to do that I was hoping for was to spend a day cross-country skiing in Maple Corner, Massachusetts. It is so beautiful there and while we did have some gorgeous snowfalls it wasn't quite enough for cross-country skiing. Perhaps we will have to make a trip back in January or February after a snowstorm! I am thankful for spending such a delightful holiday at home and am looking forward to many new fun experiences in 2010!