Rare White Christmas in S.C.

A fun Christmas with my family made more so by the snow, which was the first time for both my daughter and granddaughter to experience a white Christmas.  They found much delight in this, their best Christmas present as they celebrated by making a Santa Snowman complete with greenery scarf.  My son and I were old fuddy duddies and stayed indoors during the snow, having experienced white Christmas with snow measured in feet not inches before we moved from New England to South Carolina, but we watched with indulgence and recalled pleasures as Beth and Kendall maxed out on winter bliss.  My son celebrated in his way by skateboarding on Christmas day in a secret location not far from here (you tube video here for all old school skateboarders) and I indulged myself in the plethora of books I rec'd including. Wicked Plants,  a book of poisonous plants and The Disappearing Spoon (A view of life and the world thru the Periodic Table of Elements) Both are witty, hilarious and factual showing how oddly interconnected and affected we are by some of of oddest aspects of our planet. Both of these books are research for the three novels I have in progress.

This year was a mix of old and new traditions, lots of the foods our family always makes (and devours), and some interesting learning experiences.

One new tradition may have to be a trip to Nation's Bakery, one of the most awesome locally owned bakeries I've ever been to. My friend John took me there and it reminds me of bakeries you could only find in big cities. The Nation's in the title is just what it says. The owners hail from, NYC and make pastries from all over the world. Their creations are magnificent.  It reminds me of bakeries from the Italian neighborhoods in Boston or a little one Frank, Danny and I found in Atlanta.  The coffee and espresso are wonderful, the atmosphere is old olde world, not new trendy new old world and among the hundress of items they create, they make cream puff swans, a selection of cheesecakes (including a chocolate cheesecake with a pig on top) and lemon meringue pies where the meringue is at least a foot tall.
We ate until we were silly, roast beast on Christmas, and then indulged in books and movies. A perfect holiday!