family matters Archives - Curiosity & Collectanea

New Mexico in winter

We landed in Albuquerque mid-afternoon on a Saturday — in fact, just before the start of the 49ers-Vikings playoff game, which was a must-see. So our first order of business after collecting our rental car was to track down a sports bar where we could watch the game. Craig and…

Sing we joyous all together!

December 18, 2018 family matters holiday cheer musical notes

Chanticleer’s annual Christmas concert is one of my favorite holiday treats and — lucky for me — Craig also enjoys this event. (If you don’t know, Chanticleer is a fantastic 12-voice men’s choir, based in San Francisco.) After so many years, we know the structure of their Christmas program by…

Mom’s buttermilk pancakes

August 21, 2018 eating well family matters in the kitchen

I never order pancakes when I go out for breakfast, because when I do I am inevitably disappointed. I can honestly say I’ve never eaten any that can hold a candle to my mom’s simple recipe for buttermilk pancakes. They are the best, hands down: fluffy, chewy, and utterly delicious!

Great-Granddaddy Wise

August 17, 2018 a good book family matters rhymes

One of my most prized possessions is a book of poetry written by my great-grandfather — my mother’s mother’s father. His first name was Stidger, but I don’t know whether anyone actually used it. Mom and her sisters called him “Granddaddy Wise” (Wise was his last name), and they adored…