We seek it here, we seek it there, we seek the parsnip everywhere! And not only parsnips, but red cabbage, cooking apples, tomato paste and coriander seeds. None of which I can find in Granada and all of which are key ingredients for my English Dinner Party on Friday for my Spanish friends! I want to say a big “thank you” to them for teaching me to play Rockabilly Slap Bass so I could surprise my other half at a biker concert a couple of weeks ago. I promised I would cook them something traditionally English, but it will all go parsnip-shaped if I can´t find the remaining ingredients! Perhaps I will be able to amaze them with my home-made Christmas decorations. Not only have I made the festive orange slices with cinnamon, but I also spent Sunday morning gathering twigs to make some Scandinavian inspired decorations. Two photos of my efforts are below. I had a mad idea that I could make lots and sell them for a big fat profit, but unfortunately it took me about 2 hours (literally!) to make this small thing!
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- The fruits of two hours labour!
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- A close-up of my handiwork
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- Day 1 on the advent calendar! Bottom right hand corner
I´m also excited as I opened the first window on my advent calendar today! A cute little rocking horse!
Suddenly I am being offered a Brazilian! Government backed, rainforest investment promising me 12% interest. Oh that has made me totally forget what I was going to write now. Get a grip, it’s just an advert.
Now I am terribly excited about the first window of your calendar, I haven’t opened a window on a calendar since I don’t know when!
My Spanish teacher this week did her lesson on Advent and it was really very interesting. When she was a child her and her sisters always had a nativity scene with the crib and Mary and Joseph and animals. In Spanish this is called a “belen nacimiento” (scene of birth) and the maker of the nativity is called a Belenista. Oh the things I learn would make you weep!
But my point is this; her advent calendar is the nacimiento. The camels (did I mention the camels?) move! About a week before Christmas and every day thereafter the days are opened, like an advent calender. The Belenista(s) assemble the nativity scene, manger, animals and straw; on set are Mary and Joseph, and she is heavy with child. Somewhere in the house is the royal entourage on camels (in another room) being accompanied by yet more camels. Each day her parents move the camels closer and closer to the stable, and every day the children wake up to see the camels in a different position. Finally on Christmas day they arrive.
All participating characters are 2 inches tall; I maybe should have made that bit clear before I started.