The need to concoct some kind of sweet dessert for work and flex my kitchen muscles a bit gave me a much needed diversion. I felt that making good use of Myra's kitchen was a fitting way to honor her memory.
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| Sweet birds created by a bird brain and his daughter |
Grandchildren laughing and sneaking treats under the willfully blind eyes of Paw Paw makes Paw Paw's house a fun weekend excursion. Grandchildren with half a ton of sugar in their bellies are primed for the return trip home.
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| And if birds weren't enough, grandchildren cure most any sadness |
The importance of turkeys becomes clear when family joins forces to face a fowl challenge undertaken by the half-senile widowed man. Time spent with family is time best spent.
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| All grandchildren should learn to make peace with turkeys |
We all had fun. We baked and decorated and frosted happy turkeys. We had insufficient space to accommodate angry birds, electronic or otherwise. Frosting was the glue that held the birds together. Love is the glue that holds our family together.
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| The turkeys are packed and ready to brighten my coworkers' day too |
So, what does a widower do when asked to bring snacks to work? He ponders the importance of turkeys and how they bring family together. Nothing else can turn a monthly mourning milestone into a thankful, happy affair.
For any who are interested, the ingredients for sweet turkeys are:
- Double-stuff Oreos. (Make sure they're double-stuff!)
- Candy corn
- Whoppers
- Mini-peanut butter cups
- Dark frosting (We used chocolate.)
- Icing for eyes and legs. (Yellow, white and black)
- Frosted brownies or cupcakes. (Oreos don't slide so much on frosting.)
- Reese's Pieces to decorate the brownies or cupcakes
- A lot of love and family for extra sweetness
In the event I don't post again until after Thanksgiving, please accept my wish of a happy holiday. May you find a multitude of reasons to be thankful. And don't forget the important role of turkeys.
This is truly beautiful - and my eyes are leaking as I type. And I am also smiling widely.
ReplyDeleteTears and smiles do belong together - with that all important ingredient - love.
And love is probably the best way to honour a memory, and a kitchen a wonderful place to do it.
Keep being as kind to yourself as you can - and thank you for this post.
Myra was queen of the kitchen and she reigned supreme within it. I can never match her skill, but when it came to love, we were on equal footing. I'm sure she was smiling the entire time.
DeleteThank you!
Great post, Jeff. :) You're in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joseph. So good to see you again.
DeleteBeautiful post Jeff. Coveting those sweet turkeys!
ReplyDeleteSusie
I appreciate that, Susie. Looking forward to seeing how they "fly" at work tomorrow. :)
DeleteWow, any kid who ate too many of those things would surely be on a sugar high for days! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a great time making turkeys with your family, in your beloved's kitchen.
I felt as though she was right there with us the entire time. And yeah, filling kids with sugar is always entertaining. :)
DeleteSo many turkeys! It looks like you're having heaps of fun with your grandkids. Glad to hear your family was around to help brighten what would otherwise (and very understandably) be a sad day. I have no doubt that they'll continue to give you reasons to smile during the holidays!
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know what I'd do without family, Heather. It's always been my top priority. And those grandsons can brighten any day.
DeleteYou and your family are in my thoughts, Jeff. May you have a Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones.
ReplyDeleteI like your turkeys! They are almost too adorable to eat. It's fun to combine food and art, especially for a holiday.
They were a lot of fun to make. And may your Thanksgiving be just as wonderful.
DeleteThose turkeys look great! Spending time with family is so important, glad you had a fun time with the kids and bet you'll be popular at work when you turn up with those treats.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow's the day when the jury will rule on those wacky birds. Crossing fingers.
DeleteIt's also guaranteed that anyone who eats these yummy treats will be vibrating from a sugar high for the next several hours. But it'll be worth it! I hung out with my spirited nephews yesterday, so I know how much fun that can be. But alas, no turkeys.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that it's the young in years that keeps the aged young at heart. My bones and muscles may ache afterwards, but they make every moment special. Enjoy those nephews!
DeleteHail to the turkey! I'm glad you found happiness Jeff and never let it go. Great to see you happy and having fun. Those turkeys look amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheena. I've found that giving happiness is the best way to hold on to it. It's a fantastic formula. And thanks for the compliment.
DeleteWell you seem to be having fun.
ReplyDeleteThis does seem like a perfect thing to do… and it looks like a fun (and important) way to honor the holiday and your wife's memory. I'll be thinking of you on Thanksgiving. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI thought so too, Julia. I appreciate that. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
DeleteThose are so creative! I wouldn't want to eat mine. At least for five minutes.
ReplyDeleteGlad the turkeys made for a fun family day instead of a sad one.
Me too, Alex. They're probably as much fun to look at as to eat. At least for five minutes or so. :)
DeleteI bet there were lots of giggles making these turkeys.Wish I'd been there, to eat if not to make. Lucky co-workers. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteTons of giggles, Jo. Tons! I wish you could have been there too.
DeleteAmazing job even for a perfectionist, yes? I think the love and fun were the secrets of your success. ;) Way to go, Sir Jeff.
ReplyDeleteLove and fun are secrets to success always, I think.
DeleteAwesome turkeys, Jeff. I'm so happy to see you, and to see you smiling. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sara. It felt good to feel happy and smile. Thankfully, it's happening a little more frequently again.
DeleteThose are ADORABLE.
ReplyDeleteMartha Stewart is stamping her foot in jealousy right now!
It's a good thing. ;-) I'm hoping the folks at work will "gobble" them up!
DeleteMost excellent looking turkeys! :D
ReplyDeleteThey're the perfect turkeys for vegetarians too! :)
DeleteI love the turkeys and love that you had a great time with your grand-kiddos even more. Hugs and friendship, Jeff.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great time indeed, Julie. Thanks for the hugs too. :)
DeleteThat is so sweet...the sugar and the sentiment! You're so right...that's the best tribute to Myra's memory. She seemed like the sort of lady who would want her family to be happy, no matter the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteShe surely would want that for her family. There was a lot of love in that heart of hers. I do believe we did her proud.
DeleteThanks for the recipe! I'll have to make these for church. I pretty much had figured out the ingredients from the picture, but thanks for the confirmation.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I'm thankful for a neverending supply of happy memories.
M.L. Swift, Writer
You're quite welcome, Mike. They were a big hit at work so I imagine they will be equally appreciated at your church. Happy memories truly are priceless.
DeleteThe laughter of children are always welcome on sad days. Happy days too Jeff. It's great to see you smile again. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
ReplyDeleteSmiling again felt good, Maurice. It really did. Those grandchildren of mine are the best medicine.
DeleteAww. Grandkids can cure most anything.
ReplyDeleteAgree. It's good to see you smile.
You did a great job on those turkeys. :)
Thanks, Melissa. We really had a great time making them. My daughter gave me a shirt a few years ago that read:
DeleteGrandpa's Rules:
1) Fill grandkids with sugar
2) Send home
I've always been one to follow rules. :-)
Those are awesome turnkeys, Jeff. Glad you found a positive outlet for your grief, and I'm sure it helped everyone in the family who must miss her so.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elizabeth. I've made such an effort to find positive and proactive ways to deal with this. I owe it to my family and to my wife. It's unbelievably difficult at times, but our family has faced this united.
DeleteWatching folks gobble those turkeys was quite the treat for me. Funny how little things can be so healing.
Awesome turkeys!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a blessed and happy Thanksgiving with your family.
My turkeys are blushing! :) Carol, I hope your Thanksgiving is absolutely wonderful. Enjoy the holiday.
DeleteYou know, Jeff, I became obsessed with candy corn because of your turkeys (not really, it was already an obsession) and I'm going through withdrawals now because the candy corn is gone! Can't they make red and green candy corn, like they do for peeps and every other candy on the market?
ReplyDeleteWishing you a warmth-filled December, my friend. We could always invite the Fire Dragon over and roast marshmallows using his breath. He could leave the dwarves at home so you don't feed them any more beans...
Yes, I've been afraid to even throw beans out the back door now. Never know when a wandering dwarf might hobble by and, well, you know. You should pose the Christmas-themed candy corn to the powers that be. Getting a cut of the profits would be nice too.
DeleteI want one of those turkeys--they look amazingly crafty & decadent! I think you have the perfect amount of glue--the love of your family and friends will always stick by you.
ReplyDeleteThose turkeys were a bigger hit than I had even hoped. Must have been the result of using the right glue. :)
DeleteThose are awesome. Getting one would certainly brighten my day. What's not to like about brownies with more chocolate?
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. The only thing wrong with chocolate is that the supply is finite.
DeleteI WANT ONE NOW!!! why aren't you sending it my way immediately?! I'm so glad to see you turn the day into a joy and celebrate as such, especially with your kids nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteDid you not get the ones I sent? I'll have a chat with the postal poultry man. He probably scarfed them down before he got them loaded on the truck.
DeleteThe distraction was needed and enjoyable. Thanksgiving's busyness was also something I needed. It was even more difficult than I anticipated. I was very happy for the company of family.
Yummy!.. mouth watering, I wish I was overthere. Thank you for sharing your experiance
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, Sakib. Good things are always best shared.
DeleteWow! A friend of mine made these turkeys for Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving!) and they were absolutely awesome! How cool to see you made them as well!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your beloved wife. Hugs and best wishes. ox
Thank you, Cathy. I do appreciate the hugs.
DeleteThose turkeys were quite the sensation at work, much more so than I had expected. They were actually easier to assemble than I feared. I'm just glad I put them on brownies instead of cupcakes. They probably wouldn't have survived the ride into work otherwise.