 |
| Jeanette, Friends of Herb co-chair |
The merry heart makes a cheerful
countenance. Proverbs 15:13
Our paths cross sporadically
throughout the year as volunteers beautifying the center’s herb garden, and joining
in monthly winter meetings indoors.
This meeting
marked my seventeenth annual Christmas decorating, cookie exchange, and lunch with
a band of women who take healthy living and laughter seriously.
We first followed the
leadership of our former co-chairs, Ruthanne Morningstar and Jan Burns. Since
they retired several years ago, Jeanette Farley and Kelly Poole have perpetuated
the herb garden and led hands-on botanic and culinary programs.
However, today’s
meeting offered a heightened sense of anticipation. The first Friday of
December means preserving a tradition: creating swags and wreaths of greens to deck
the halls and entrance of the building for the Seven Ponds Holiday Auction and
Christmas Dinner.
Glory be! Teresa
and I parked in the lot simultaneously. “Can I carry the bag of greens for
you?” she asked.
“It’s bulkier than
heavy. I can handle it, thanks. I’ll take a hug, though,” I said.
We carried our
contributions of greens and goodies down the steps and onto adjoining tables in
the building’s basement. Jeanette and Kelly had set up the cookie, food, and
beverage tables, and those with supplies for creating wreaths and swags embellished
with festive red bows.
Conversation and fun
began. We wired and zip-tied together spruce, pine, and cedar boughs in various
arrangements while catching up on family happenings. Some spoke of grown,
married children living in different states, those coming home for Christmas,
and those who are aren’t.
 |
| Kelly, the other Friends of Herbs co-hair |
The joyful season of
reunion and crafting together lifted us from the separation of the past two
years, into the light of companionship and common ground we’ve known long
enough to appreciate what we’d missed.
At last, one by
one, we held up our finished product for one last look and photos before we
carried them upstairs for hanging.
“What do you
think?” Jeanette said, posing with the wreath she designed for the Holiday
Auction.
“I think you need
to pose for a picture,” Rhonda said.
Jeanette framed
her face within the circle of the woven twigs for the perfect smile of the day.
We placed the
greens into the staff’s hands for hanging and returned downstairs for cleanup. Afterward,
Jeanette and Kelly set up their home-made chicken taco and salsa lunch for our
herb group. Jeanette provided her colorful and delicious Ensalada Nochebuena,
or Mexican Christmas Eve Salad.
For the first time
in three Decembers, the Seven Ponds team joined us. Another reunion. We met the
new, young naturalist named Madison.
Dear Reader, at
last my fellow herb members and I lifted the lids to our cookie containers.
Some a deliciously healthy assortment of chocolate and coconut. One, my
mother’s Chocolate Pecan Sandie.
For nothing makes a
cheerful countenance like friends and delicious traditions.
