one more

It's hard not to love these days extra super much. All members of both young families are here, all the kids  are healthy and excited by each day's gatherings (it's a dice roll about the health: it's almost too much to hope for to have all five without runny noses during the season of bugs and viruses, and yet here they are and yes, I'm knocking on wood!). It's hard not to think that these days of eleven people at the table just get better and better. And the cousin play? Fantastic. And one more thing -- it's hard not to love the fact that overnight, it snowed. It wasn't a blizzard by any means, but enough to lay a magic covering on our November landscape. And thus it will remain for a handful of days.

Good morning, world. 

I dont have time to pause. I need to prepare foods for this morning's brunch at the farmhouse. Both young families will be here.

Ed drops the extra leaf into the table and brings up the second high chair. I bake the blueberry muffins that never go to waste. And then I dash out to Madison Sourdough. Snow and bakery smells go so well together!

Here's my personal take on cooking up a brunch: serve good bread product! Today's offerings: buttery croissants, sourdough bread, some cinnamon rolls, and of course those muffins.  For me, they form the backbone to the morning meal. You wouldn't think that bread is anything more than an afterthought, a sidekick to the main platter, but I have learned that with kids and adults in equal numbers at the table, good breads keep everyone happy. Then I can add the bacon, the prosciutto, the cheeses, the eggs (cheesey today!), maybe some bite sized cookies, and a wide selection of fruits. I had the image of throwing in smoked salmon over cream cheese, but watching the bunch dig in, I decided it wasn't necessary. They were content with all that was already there.

Okay, so that's the meal. I have to go back a little though, because I had a very personal investment in a moment that happened before everyone sat down. Do any of you remember when back in Annecy (during my trip there in October) I was determined to find the last matching piece of kids' clothing, because I'd already bought shirts and dresses for 4 out of the 5 of them and it would be so perfect to have all dressed in that same plaid flannel? Well, today they humored me and all wore their plaids. Which I commemorated with this photo.

During that same trip, Snowdrop had asked me to bring her back a beret from Paris. "Purple, please!" -- she hinted. I did not think I could find a purple one and yet lo! They now sell them in purple in addition to the usuals. It's a great gift to bring back. Maybe a tad hokey, but these things ("designed in Paris but made in PRC") are inexpensive and all wool (very warm and very cozy) and actually, the kids love them! These guys wore their berets all morning long. (Well, I misfired with Sparrow, who could only sigh with regret and longing, seeing the two older girls in purple. When will I learn that you cannot differentiate between the three older ones! When they are together, they all like what the other two are doing/wearing/playing. Still, he was a good sport about it and the photo is one that I love for all that went into it and for the fun they had posing for it.)

Okay, now for the meal.

Ready and waiting!

Oh, do I love having eleven at the table! 

Special props to the two kids that haven't been here since summer: 

(Juniper did eventually eat the croissant, but for a good part of the brunch, she held onto it, as if to match her beret...)

(Primrose is not a little girl anymore...)

Their play today was grand. The older three spent a lot of time doing art and playing with chloroforms together, the younger ones floated between the "art room" and the play room.

And the adults had many moments just to sit back and catch up and spin December plans (our next big gathering time). And all too soon it was time for the Chicago bunch to head back. 

There is still one lingering great moment, when I do another attempt at a photo of the Madison bunch for a holiday greeting card (not mine -- that went into production weeks ago). Everyone was in such a great mood that we scored a success! I wont post the winning photo (that one is for my daughter to use), but I'll give you a fun one leading up to it.

And they all leave and I honestly cannot stop smiling for a good four hours! 

As I get the house in order, I think about the Christmas tree that I now have in the mud room. Shouldn't I place it in water? And if I'm going to do that, shouldn't I put it already in our living room? I was going to wait until December 1st, but the tree is here and waiting, as if asking for its moment of glory... 

Ed saws off the base and in it goes!

Can this day get any better??

I suppose I could put up the ornaments... I mean, the tree is there, waiting...

(what's finer -- the entirety...)

(or the exploration of the detail?)

I take back any hesitation I had about the beauty of November. This one has been tremendously splendid. In detail and in the entirety.

With so much love...