Category: Advent

• There’s always a death at Christmas

  Of course, death is always with us in vast quantities that we can only imagine when we can’t sleep at night. But the ones that have gobsmacked me at holiday time started with a Shakespeare seminar classmate in college. I didn’t know him well, but when he disappeared over Christmas break in a small plane […]

  JoAnn Rhodes Grose

  December 10, 2018

  Advent, Balance, Being present in our lives, Depression, Faith and religion, Grief, Handling loss without eating, Uncategorized

  Death and Christmas, Death never takes a holiday, Loss at the holidays

• Wonderful cookies, flu season

  You know it, and I know it. We’re going to make some Christmas treats (and, we hope, eat only a few!!). So those treats might as well be wonderful. Luckily, these are called Wonderful Cookies. I ate my first at a book club get-together 2 weeks ago. I got the recipe from the host and then […]

  JoAnn Rhodes Grose

  December 3, 2015

  Advent, Baking, Celebrations, Holiday baking, Holiday eating, Recipes, Winter

  Almond, Baking, Boosting immune system, Christmas, Cookies, healthy eating

• Reasons for the season

  “After all, recent research shows that by the year 2020, it’s estimated that 83 percent of men and 72 percent of women will be either overweight or obese.” Adam Bornstein, livestrong.com editorial directorImagine, a nation of Michelin men and women, waddling in and out of big-box stores and home to collapse on their sagging sofas […]

  JoAnn Rhodes Grose

  December 6, 2011

  Advent, Holiday baking, Holiday eating, Soup, vegetables

  Cooking during Christmas, Fitness during holidays, Lentil soup, Managing weight during Christmas