Happy New Year!

We are near the end of the first day of 2009, and it is time to return to elenabella, after a few "screensaver days" during the holidays. The radiant 09 here is from Jessica Jones, who helped inspire me to begin blogging. I visit her site regularly for a bright spot of orangey goodness.

It has been a peaceful day of simple domestic pleasures here at home, the kids coming and going all day with friends. I made my favorite food item, something I call Quite Possibly the World's Best Salad (QPTWBS). It tastes light, fresh and fills you with energy: a good way to begin the year.

Quite Possibly the World's Best Salad

grapefruit, cut into chunks
avocado, in pieces
pecans (or almonds)
pitted kalamata olives
lots of chopped cilantro and broad-leafed parsley
romaine (optional)
dressing of grapefruit juice (squeeze it) and almond or olive oil
a few herbs as desired, a bit of fresh pepper, salt

Last night we had dinner with friends who are incredible cooks: garlicky shrimp, acorn squash, roasted vegetables, two kinds of salad....and then Alexandra's perfect persimmon pudding with fresh whipped cream. (I've lived in Indiana for over a decade and had never yet had persimmon pudding: it was delicious.) Best was the conversation, which touched on music, the value of keeping some kind of journal, the trials of academic politics, the Amazing Shamwow (complete with YouTube videos), Honor Moore's book, The Bishop's Daughter, and She Got Up Off the Couch, by Haven Kimmel.

We toasted the new year and turned on the tv long enough to agree that poor Dick Clark now looks like a Halloween mask. And we had a few minutes in the rumpus room with the latest electronic pastime, the Wii – bowling and playing tennis! (Here is a great Wii Fit parody.)

It was a wonderful night, and I'm so grateful for such good friends, my family, a happy home to putter around in, and the old-fashioned sewing machine I purchased this past year for $120 from the vintage store Material Plane. I spent some time today making potholders.

If you are a regular reader of elenabella, please send me a message with your home address, and I will send you a potholder as a new year's gift! Thanks so much for visiting here.