13 + 72 = 10

First of all, I'd like to wish you all a very happy Sankta Lucia day! We Swedes have adopted this Italian miss as our own. To celebrate, we get to eat delicious Lucia buns and, if we're especially lucky, will gather to make korv and feast on Smorgasbord fare: meatballs, herring, boiled potatoes, cheeses, limpa and cardamom bread, hard tack, rice pudding, lingonberries, pepparkaker, and that tasty glogg.

Best of all for our family this means the annual korv-making party at my sister's home! This is one of the holiday favorites for us to gather with friends and family of all ages, eat to capacity, laugh often, work on making the korv sausage (cutting potatoes and onions, mixing seasonings of spices, grinding meat and pushing it into tubes) and meeting/making new friends with an ever expanding guest roster.

So, let me explain the number equation at the top: the 13 is for December 13 - Lucia Day.

The 72 is for pounds of korv made - can you believe it? And the 10 represents the perfect score of ten out of ten...you can't do better than this. It was a perfect day (kicked off by a breakfast with Kass and Don, Kari's parents in town for the weekend) and now you get to see what I'm talking about!

The Smorgasbord Table.

The Queen Bees (My sister on the left)

Some of the Worker Bees

Future Worker Bees? (Two of our "Greats" in the top picture: Ingrid and Ava...aren't they cute?) This is the sight at the front door that causes a smile. Nothing like a party where you don't have to wear your shoes!! Thanks again, Diann and Larry for another perfect party!