The past weeks have been fragmented and busy meeting physical and medical needs of family members. The schedule has included running back and forth to the hospital, rehabilitation facility and finally home with Katy. Suddenly in the middle of this Bryan was admitted to the hospital for a week with an eye infection. Quiet and rest time has been limited and meals were fast food or hospital cafeteria. It was time for a “centering” activity.
It is Valentine Day so what better way to refocus than to observe a favorite tradition, baking and decorating cookies. I unpacked the cookie cutters and took them with me Fridday to bake with Mei Ling. What memories it brought back teaching her how to roll dough, watching her carefully choose the cutters to use and anxiously waiting for them to come out of the oven and cool. She was precise and fastidious with the frosting and decorating but tired before they were all decorated .There was very little mess.
This morning Stefani and Bryan joined me in our kitchen to repeat the ceremony. A double batch of our favorite sour cream sugar cookies gave opportunity to try several different heart shaped cutters. (I have 10 different ones.) Again they tired before all five dozen were frosted. Stefi dashed off with a few to share with friends, Bryan to finish his chores, leaving me to clean up a much bigger mess than yesterday.
That was fine as it gave me an opportunity to continue the “centering process”.. As I put the cutters away, I picked through my assortment, remembering past cookie baking events with children and grandchildren. Among the heart shapes is a nested set of red cutters. I purchased three sets one year, sending the other two, accompanied by my sugar cookie recipe to my grand daughters in lieu of valentine cards. I wondered if any one else was using them this year.There are the Christmas ones; trees, stars, angels and bells, each child usually had a favorite. The trees were the common favorites as they placed the silver dragees on the tip of each branch. Gingerbread men and teddy bears are there to use on the molasses & ginger sweet figures with cinnamon hots or raisins as buttons down their front.
Included in the box are the primitive ones inherited from Grandpa Ed, handmade from tin cans, one heart shaped and one biscuit cutter both with handles attached by small screws. There is the trefoil used for the Girl Scout cookie baking gatherings at Pattie Haynes home with her mother directing. That was in the late 40s, the beginning of Girl Scout cookie baking. That cutter made cookies served at the Girl Scout ceremony when Katy’s hair braid got too close to the candle of the girl behind her in the awards ceremony.
The cross, church, bunny, chick and lamb for Easter along with animals, cactus, leaves, boots and more are all washed and tucked away again. Perhaps the next time they are unpacked some one of you will be here to participate in the cookie baking tradition.
It is Valentine Day so what better way to refocus than to observe a favorite tradition, baking and decorating cookies. I unpacked the cookie cutters and took them with me Fridday to bake with Mei Ling. What memories it brought back teaching her how to roll dough, watching her carefully choose the cutters to use and anxiously waiting for them to come out of the oven and cool. She was precise and fastidious with the frosting and decorating but tired before they were all decorated .There was very little mess.
This morning Stefani and Bryan joined me in our kitchen to repeat the ceremony. A double batch of our favorite sour cream sugar cookies gave opportunity to try several different heart shaped cutters. (I have 10 different ones.) Again they tired before all five dozen were frosted. Stefi dashed off with a few to share with friends, Bryan to finish his chores, leaving me to clean up a much bigger mess than yesterday.
That was fine as it gave me an opportunity to continue the “centering process”.. As I put the cutters away, I picked through my assortment, remembering past cookie baking events with children and grandchildren. Among the heart shapes is a nested set of red cutters. I purchased three sets one year, sending the other two, accompanied by my sugar cookie recipe to my grand daughters in lieu of valentine cards. I wondered if any one else was using them this year.There are the Christmas ones; trees, stars, angels and bells, each child usually had a favorite. The trees were the common favorites as they placed the silver dragees on the tip of each branch. Gingerbread men and teddy bears are there to use on the molasses & ginger sweet figures with cinnamon hots or raisins as buttons down their front.
Included in the box are the primitive ones inherited from Grandpa Ed, handmade from tin cans, one heart shaped and one biscuit cutter both with handles attached by small screws. There is the trefoil used for the Girl Scout cookie baking gatherings at Pattie Haynes home with her mother directing. That was in the late 40s, the beginning of Girl Scout cookie baking. That cutter made cookies served at the Girl Scout ceremony when Katy’s hair braid got too close to the candle of the girl behind her in the awards ceremony.
The cross, church, bunny, chick and lamb for Easter along with animals, cactus, leaves, boots and more are all washed and tucked away again. Perhaps the next time they are unpacked some one of you will be here to participate in the cookie baking tradition.
.jpg)