“Happy New Year!” Denim Woman said as I came through the door. “Soup’s on.”
My friends tease me about how much I love a bowl of hot soup, but they also make sure our potlucks include several varieties. Makes Bread was stirring a crockpot of squash soup; a pot of potato-leek soup simmered on the stove. Mystic Woman arrived with a pot of vegetarian chili.
I don’t see much of my women friends over the holidays. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, we're busy with our families, which for most of us means cooking and cleaning and doing the work that comes with the holidays.
But New Year’s Day marks the end of the holiday season. On that day, we leave behind sleeping spouses, sleeping kids, and unwashed dishes from New Year’s Eve celebrations. We gather at the home of Makes Bread for a leisurely day of talking and eating.
By mid-afternoon, every counter in the kitchen and the entire dining room table was filled with food. After eating three bowls of soup, I tried the quinoa salad with dried cranberries, the big bowl of guacamole, and the squash humus. Long Beautiful Hair carried in a plate of bacon-wrapped figs. When Loves Animals arrived with a plate full of vegan oatmeal cookies, I jumped up to grab another cup of hot tea.
“Do you think blue corn chips are healthier than the yellow ones?” Curly White Hair asked. “I feel more regal when I eat the blue ones.”
Outside, the banks of snow turned blue as dusk approached. We lingered for another round of food and conversation. Quilt Artist passed out photos she’d taken of us last October in the mountains: that weekend already seemed so long ago. “Well, it was last year,” Signing Woman pointed out, and we laughed obligingly.
“I love this tradition,” Gorgeous Eyes said. And we all agreed. It’s a wonderful way to begin the new year — eating delicious food made by friends.
My friends tease me about how much I love a bowl of hot soup, but they also make sure our potlucks include several varieties. Makes Bread was stirring a crockpot of squash soup; a pot of potato-leek soup simmered on the stove. Mystic Woman arrived with a pot of vegetarian chili.
I don’t see much of my women friends over the holidays. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, we're busy with our families, which for most of us means cooking and cleaning and doing the work that comes with the holidays.
But New Year’s Day marks the end of the holiday season. On that day, we leave behind sleeping spouses, sleeping kids, and unwashed dishes from New Year’s Eve celebrations. We gather at the home of Makes Bread for a leisurely day of talking and eating.
By mid-afternoon, every counter in the kitchen and the entire dining room table was filled with food. After eating three bowls of soup, I tried the quinoa salad with dried cranberries, the big bowl of guacamole, and the squash humus. Long Beautiful Hair carried in a plate of bacon-wrapped figs. When Loves Animals arrived with a plate full of vegan oatmeal cookies, I jumped up to grab another cup of hot tea.
“Do you think blue corn chips are healthier than the yellow ones?” Curly White Hair asked. “I feel more regal when I eat the blue ones.”
Outside, the banks of snow turned blue as dusk approached. We lingered for another round of food and conversation. Quilt Artist passed out photos she’d taken of us last October in the mountains: that weekend already seemed so long ago. “Well, it was last year,” Signing Woman pointed out, and we laughed obligingly.
“I love this tradition,” Gorgeous Eyes said. And we all agreed. It’s a wonderful way to begin the new year — eating delicious food made by friends.
5 comments:
Happy New Year to you!
What a wonderful beginning to the year. Happy New Year!
Perfect :) Happy new year to you, your family, and your friends!
You made me feel like a friend, surrounded by love and familiarity. What a gift.
Thank you.
Happy New Year!! Sounds like a shindig we throw!
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