Some Excellent Christmas Music

 

For those of you, who like me, are totally turned off the the normal Christmas music our media plays constantly from mid-November on, I highly recommend the album “Chanticleer’s Christmas” by a group named Chanticleer.  Excellent sounds and voices and good for contemplation!  It’s available for download on both iTunes and Amazon for those of you who buy music online, or you can buy the CD from Amazon.

A Visit with Joy Rice Grover

Did you know that our GNID classmate Joy Rice Grover is an excellent artist? I spent part of an afternoon with her in Portland in mid-November. We ate, chatted, and made a visit to the Portland Art Museum because we’re both interested in art. The home Joy shares with her retired husband, John, displays a number of her paintings and, of course, lovely artifacts from India. The house is perched on the side of a mountain with an outstanding view of the river and city, but driving the switchback streets up to it reminded me of the narrow lanes of Mussoorie. Joy's daughter, Hillary, and her husband were visiting for a few days at the time I was there, so I got to meet them, too.

Here are a couple of photos in front of one of Joy's paintings—one of Joy with her adorable, articulate grandchildren, and one of Joy and me.

Esther

Doma–November 2010

 

Here’s a picture of Doma that my sister Jessie took on her recent trip to India, in part for her class’s 45th anniversary reunion at Woodstock.

Jessie found Doma in her shop on Janpath and reports that she is currently 85 and healthy!

Bill Moyers at His Best

If we just had one mainstream journalist with Bill Moyer's integrity and quality I might return to watching TV news again!  This four-minute video, in which he talks about our American "plutonomy", is part of his final PBS broadcast and well worth your time.  Click here to watch.

Oyster-Brie Soup

This is a wonderful Thanksgiving or Christmas soup recipe for those who like oysters.  It’s an artery clogger, but what the heck, it’s the holiday season!
Oyster-Brie Soup
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1. 3 dozen oysters or 1-3 quart jars, depending on your love of oysters.
2. 4 cups cold water
3. 2 sticks unsalted butter
4. ½ cup flour
5. 1 cup coarsely chopped onions
6. ½ cup coarsely chopped celery
7. ½ tsp white pepper
8. ½ tsp red pepper, or to taste
9. 1 lbs brie wedges
10. 2 cups heavy cream, or half-and-half
11. ½ cup champagne or white wine
Instructions:
1. Combine oysters and water, and place in Frig for one hour.
2. Melt butter, add flour, and beat.
3. Add onions and celery, and sauté
4. Stir in pepper, add cheese and stir until cheese melts, being careful not to let it scorch. Add cream and champagne/wine, and keep stirring. Cook for 4 minutes at simmer.
5. Separately bring oysters to a boil. Turn off the heat and add all the oysters to the soup and add the oyster water until you have the consistency you want.
(Note: you can also add the uncooked oysters directly to the soup if you have them in quart jars, then add water as needed to reach the consistency you like. The oysters will cook just find in the hot soup.)

Wild Travel Ideas, Anyone?

 

If you still have the travel bug after those years in India, here’s a recommendation: the travel archive of Tim Ferriss’s blog (the guy who wrote the bestselling The 4-Hour Work Week).  To go to his blog, click here.

I just scanned the travel section of the blog quickly. It covers a myriad of topics, especially concerning traveling in simple, inexpensive, conscious ways.
 

One recent article was on how to buy round-the-world tickets most economically. Another was on a guy who took a No Baggage Challenge and traveled for six weeks to 12 countries and 5 continents with no baggage at all. He carried minimal stuff in a vest with lots of pockets and cargo pants. Reminded me of some of the GNID guys in the Natural History Club (or whatever that group called itself).

And there are lots of additional informative, inspiring posts.

The older I get, the more vagabonding (reasonably comfortable vagabonding, that is) appeals to me. Anyone else?

Posted by Esther.

Mini, Mini Reunion

Dave, Debbie, and I got together over the weekend in Black Mountain, NC at Doug & Ann Pickett's home, and at Dave & Debbie's lovely home in Hickory.  Very nice to see them again!