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Saturday, December 19, 2015 An Advertising Feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

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Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Jamie Kidd Garden Column – 2 Style at Home: Ideas for a sublime New Year’s celebration – 4 Service Directory – 6

2 | Saturday, December 19, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

A gardener’s letter to Santa Jamie Kidd

jamiehan@ksu.edu Dear Santa, I’ve been very good this year. ..well, as good as can be expected. (Alright everybody… give me a break).

I want to thank you for all the nice clothes and shiny things I received last Christmas but, I want to let you know what I would really like this year.

A little reindeer poop. I just know that my garden will grow jollier than ever with such magical poo.

And, if I could borrow Rudolph for the summer season.... You see, I think his nose-so-bright will keep the rabbits and deer away from my lettuce, greens, and corn. (His nose is motion activated isn’t it?) He would also protect my berry vines from which I make bowls full of jelly. I understand he is unemployed most of the year. Just thought I could help with the economy a little. Have you seen the mess we are in down here?

If your 8 reindeer-power sleigh is available, I would like to use it to dash away, dash away all of my trimmings to my compost pile. It would sure beat struggling with my heavy, old wheel barrow.

Your organizational skills, getting everything done in one night, would sure be a help when spring planting rolls around.

Will you tell me how you do it, or is it a trade secret?

My gardens are all snuggled safe in their beds. I prepared them for winter just as you said.

I am invited for dinner on Christmas Day, could I borrow you red hat just to say,

“Hey”?

I seem to have broken out in poetry….

If Dancer and Prancer aren’t doing much I would like to schedule them for a brief visit next fall. I have a large yard with a pond and plenty for them to eat. I think their tiny feet would be perfect for aerating my lawn. Are they able to make nonstop flights to Kansas?

I got sunburned last season. My cheeks looked like roses and my nose like a cherry. Doc says I should have used a sunblock.

I told him the only reason my cheeks look like roses is because I backed into the thorny bushes while I was raking leaves, but I told him I would cover my nose. Do you have any sunblock available?

I heard that you smoke, you know, a pipe with smoke that encircles your head like a wreath. The surgeon general says smoking is bad for your health. I sure don’t want to lose you when I am finally getting this letter writing thing working for me.

My kids thought a wind chime would be nice on the patio but, those deep melodic tones put me to sleep. I thought some of your jingle bells would keep things merry and bright. Silver bells would be just fine too. (I feel a song coming on.)

I would be glad to put out cookies and milk. I have an ice chest that will keep the milk nice and cool for you. Do you have a favorite cookie? I saw a movie once that said you are lactose intolerant. Would you prefer Starbucks?

I have noticed that you “spring” to your sleight a lot… I could use some of that spring. You have a white beard and plump body… how do you keep going year after year? I need a rest after writing this letter!

Please say “hello” to Mrs. Claus for me.

Tell her I would love to have her over for tea when my gardens bloom. I’m guessing she will be pretty tired of hot chocolate by then.

Thank you for reading my letter. Let me

KIDD continues on 5C

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Style at Home:

Ideas for a sublime New Year’s celebration

By Mary Carol Garrity Tribune News Service

What’s your idea of a sublime celebration for New Year’s? An elegant dinner party, cocktail dresses and dancing long after the clock strikes midnight? Or, is this one of your favorite nights to cocoon with good friends, enjoying a simple dinner and good conversation? Dan and I have brought in the New Year all different ways, from attending or hosting formal soirees to donning our jeans and flannels and having a few neighbors over for a quiet evening. As you plan your New Year’s celebration, here are a few ideas to spark your creativity.

The ultimate dessert drama

If you are in the mood for a truly memorable New Year’s Eve, throw a party loaded with delicious drama. How about desserts and champagne on the patio? This gorgeous photos, from my book “O Christmas Tree,” is of a holiday party staged by my friend David Jimenez, a master at visual displays and entertaining with flair. David’s luxurious portico was the magical setting for a late-night celebration.

Tip: Save time by adding a few powerful displays in key places. The portico of

David’s historic home was already dressed in elegance. He had ingeniously upholstered formal wingback chairs in weatherproof materials and added outdoor furnishings that were attractive enough to be inside. With the stage set, he simply needed to add a few holiday touches to make the space festive, like wrapping the colonnades in pine garland and lights.

Instead of dressing every inch in holiday fare, David focused his energy on creating one killer display: the showy floral arrangement in a black iron garden urn.

He then tucked in a few modest florals in strategic spots.

Tip: Select a menu that’s not stressful to execute.

Preparing all the food for a New Year’s party can be stressful and exhausting. So my advice is to pare down your menu to a few easy to make dishes. Or, better yet, serve delicious food made by someone else! That’s always been my strategy: focus my time and energy on creating a

STYLE continues on 5C

Photo provided by Tribune News Service

If you are in the mood for a truly memorable New Year’s Eve, throw a party loaded with delicious drama.

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Kidd: Happy Christmas to all!

Continued from 2C know if you need any clarification on my requests.

I hope you don’t mind me quoting a ”Right jolly old elf”, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with Kansas State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.

Greeting!

Remember your special gardener this year. Give him (or her) what he might really like. Our local garden centers can help you pick out the best pruners, the best grass seed, or even a gift card for spring plants.

You never know, a truck load of good compost with a big red bow on it could really be magical.

Note: The first presentation of the New Year at the Topeka/Shawnee County Public Library will be on January 7th at 7:00 pm. Jamie Kidd will teach you how to start seeds at home. Come and learn from an expert with great ideas for you!

Style: Celebrate life, family and friends Continued from 4C lovely space, then picking up food from a favorite restaurant or bakery.

For the sake of simplicity and easy execution, David used laser focus when he created his menu. The entire affair included only white confections and red and white holiday candies.

He not only saved time, he created visual drama that was off the charts.

Other than a heavenly coconut layer cake, which he made with a friend over drinks the night before the party, David purchased all the food for the party, ordering the meringue cakes and cookies from a favorite local bakery. Brilliant!

Tip: Display your food with drama.

I have learned many things from my friend Marsee. Among my favorites is her entertaining mantra: presentation over preparation. You can have the simplest of food for a party, but when you display it with pomp, it looks award-winning. That’s what David did here, for his New Year’s

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soiree. A single meringue cake or cookie looks like artwork when served on a raised pedestal covered in a glass cloche.

Whether it’s ribbon candy in holiday curls and wheels, peppermint sticks, Red Hots or white jelly beans, candy looks amazing displayed in a variety of lidded apothecary jars, like a candy shop of old.

Don’t just bring out your champagne at midnight _ use it as yet another dramatic display. David covered a silver tray with a white cloth, then filled it with champagne flutes and a simple but stunning bouquet of red roses and berries. Use a punch bowl as an ice bucket to chill the bubbly.

Instead of placing sweets on trays, and having a service that is all flat to the table, go up. Tiered servers are a must-have for a food service that’s high on drama. And, best yet, they are insanely easy to stage: All you do is stack each tier with treats.

Because the server stands tall, it look stately and unexpected.

Celebrate life

Remember, the whole reason for com-

ing together with friends on New Year’s is to celebrate all that passed in the previous year, and to look forward for all the great things to come. For my friend Marsee, that means a New Year’s Eve dinner with her family. Every year, she prepares a lovely feast for this intimate gathering.

For Dan and me, it means attending our friend Denise’s annual New Year’s Day dinner. Denise is like family to me, ever since I met her years ago. She and her siblings adopted us when my father was dying because they too had suffered the loss of their parents. They kept us sane during this difficult time, and we forged a lifetime bond. I look forward to this annual feast of crab legs and shrimp, grilled steaks and boiled potatoes. But most of all, I look forward to starting a fresh new year surrounded by people I love.

This column was adapted from Mary Carol Garrity’s blog at www.nellhills.com. She can be reached at marycarol@ nellhills.com .

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