Is Christmas Over Already?

Seems like it was just Thanksgiving and now Christmas has come and gone. We had a good Christmas in spite of the fact that Mark's mom went to the ER on 12/23 and has been in the hospital ever since with gall bladder issues. We've done a lot of running back and forth.

Like most folks, we cut back on Christmas spending this year. Mark and I still got special things for each other and I did a lot of homemade gifts to give. We had our annual Christmas Eve soiree. It was a lot of fun. This year it was pretty much all family. Our friend Cindy and her daughter stopped by for a few minutes on her way home from her parents' house.

Here's our tree. It's pretty much all non-breakable/natural material ornaments except for the lights. Mark put it up and decorated it. I think he did a great job. He also did a really good job with his wrapping this year!

Throughout the evening, the piano was the most popular spot for the kids, much to the dismay of the dogs. I'm pretty sure it hurt their ears, but they made the best of it.

Mark and his brother and sister were all pooped from doing the hospital visits. The taller boy with curly blond hair at the piano is her son.

I was glad that my cousin and uncle came. The girl and small boy at the piano are her kids. They live in Georgia and we don't see them very often. We always have fun and we should really try to get together more often.



I was sorry that the rest of the invitees couldn't make it (Michele and her boys had family obligations, my brother and his wife had other commitments, and my other uncle and aunt had all-day visitors). I'll get their goodies to them as soon as we can merge schedules. Geez, remember how simple life used to be? Where did that go?

It's just hard to believe it all came and went so quickly. Soon it will be a brand new year.

Fill 'Er Up

Not the gas tank, although the price per gallon has certainly been more tolerable - almost unbelievable. I'm talking greenhouses. It seems that as soon as there is some free space, it starts filling back up.

In a couple of weeks' time, it went from this:

to this:

...and then some.

And the dirt is still flying. It slows me down to have to clean trays as I go, but that's just the way it is. When you're the chief cook and bottle washer, you have to wash bottles as well as cook. No problem. I just keep plugging along.

You'll Have to Wait

If you were thinking of visiting the Chattanooga Market, but just haven't made it there yet, you'll have to wait. If you were thinking of going to the Chattanooga Market to pick up a few more unique, hand-made Christmas gifts, you'll have to wait. The Market wrapped up the 2008 season 12/6 & 7 with the festive 2-day Holiday Market. So, if you wanted to go to the Chattanooga Market, you'll have to wait until April 26, 2009.
We did surprisingly well, considering the current economic turmoil, although not as well as 2007. Overall, though, we did much better for the whole 2008 season at the Market than 2007. Bottom line, there is no way to predict how the season will go. The customers determine that and you really never know what they are going to do.

Did I mention that it was cold? Mark brought the propane heater to us.

He also came back and helped us load out.

At least it wasn't raining and not nearly as cold as the first Holiday Market Friday night in 2006 when it was a frosty 17 degrees.

We were in a group of 4 vendors, so we had some 'shared' space that made room for the heater. It certainly did wonders for our popularity - ha! There was even a passerby that just came behind the tables and warmed his hands. It was pretty funny, because we all thought he was friends with one of the other vendors in the group. Turns out he was just an opportunist!

Even though I'm happy for the break, I will miss the Market and the buddies we have there. I managed to catch a few of them over the course of the weekend.

Here's Miss Gladys. She makes killer fudge, oreo/cream cheese bonbons, and Mexican wedding cookies. She gets credit for about 5 pounds on my butt.

This is Jean and her husband, Tim. Tim is usually calm and collected, but evidently a camera brings out his wild side. Jean has a baking and catering business called Jean's Delicious Delights. She makes the best bread pudding and carrot cake I've ever put in my mouth. She also makes little loaf breads, cookies, cakes, pies, biscotti, decorated cookies and bars. She can cater dinners, weddings, etc. and if her 'regular' food is as good as her baked goods, you couldn't possibly go wrong.

Here are some of her goodies:




Larry and Sherry have Sheerlark Farm in the mountains of Alabama. They raise sheep and goats. They sell organic lamb and chevon (goat), and also have wool for roving, etc. Larry does a bit of forgery. Oh, not the check kind, but more on the anvil. He makes neat stuff with horseshoes.

Then there is the flamboyant Ms. Lannie. She's a can-can girl, just not the high kicking kind. She makes the best sauerkraut and loads of other tasty canned goods. The name of her business is Daylilies, L.L.C. I stocked up on her sauerkraut, spaghetti sauces, pickled beets and some salsas and relishes.

This is Michael, the best lemonade maker in the county. I say county, because I've never had lemonade too far from home - ha! When the weather is cold, he serves the lemonade up hot and spicy!

There are more folks, but I didn't get pics of everyone. All I know is that it will be April 26th before you know it.

Last Chattanooga Market Event for 2008

Hearye! Hearye! Come one, come all!

The Chattanooga Market's Holiday Market will be this Saturday and Sunday, December 6th & 7th. This will be the last time the market will be open in 2008. The times are:

Saturday, 12/6 from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, 12/7 from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 p.m.

If you haven't finished your Christmas shopping, or maybe need to pick up some stocking-stuffers or teacher's gifts, or you just need to kick-start your holiday spirit, you need to make it a point to visit the Chattanooga Market this weekend. Help local/regional artists, crafters and small businesses by leaving some of your Christmas shopping dollars in Chattanooga!