There are some who find it difficult to celebrate Christmas in the desert. The lack of snow, constant sunshine and cactus tax their childhood visions of sugarplums and pines. So is this a Christmas post or just coincidental? I invite debate. It began months ago. In my desire to engage locally, I was exploring an opportunity called Donors Choose. Their focus is education – something our family believes can be an essential determinative in quality of life.
Christmas on a Desert Hike
Donorschoose.org operates in the U.S. but there are other sites such as Kiva.org that have an extended reach. The site allows me to select the state and the type of project that I’m interested in funding with a microgrant. My combination? Arizona and gardens. I was immediately connected to two projects both in high needs areas where an elementary teacher wanted to set up a garden for her students. One was in an effort to show where food comes from. The second was in an effort to help a group of second graders heal after the loss of a classmate. Donorschoose.org is a great interactive tool because it allows me to correspond with these teachers and each of them to post photos and notes for me and the other donors. I’ve seen how their gardens grow.
I doubt that this was planned for the holiday season but this week a package arrived from Donors Choose. Inside were letters – letters to Agrigirl from the students in one of those schools thanking me for the opportunity to have their garden. They had drawn pictures of their garden boxes and I was delighted to get them.
Letters from "my" Class
In our home, we celebrate Christmas even in the desert. Yesterday was the fourth Sunday of Advent. The story we received was that of the angel Gabriel, sent by God to a city named Nazareth to visit Mary. Having found Mary, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
What a lovely package of letters I received!
Perfect Christmas Salad
Torn from an ancient copy of San Francisco Focus in the 80s.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 large bunches of watercress
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup safflower oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- salt and black pepper
- 2 or 3 red pears (apples will do if you must)
- 8 oz Maytag blue cheese crumbled
Directions
- Discard the large watercress stems and wash the leaves in cold water. Refrigerate to chill.
- Place pine nuts in a small skillet over low heat and stir constantly for five minutes until roasted. Remove from pan.
- Combine oils, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.
- Just before serving, core the pears and slice thinly.
- Combine the pear with the chilled water cress and pine nuts.
- Toss with the vinagrette and arrange salad on individual plates.
- Top with crumbled blue cheese.
Merry Christmas and may you enjoy a blessed holiday season wherever you celebrate! May you see the holiday in everything.
Agrigirl's Blog 
meanlittleboy
/ December 20, 2011great article..Merry Christmas From the MLB 2011
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011And to you Larry!
Estrella Azul
/ December 20, 2011From the longest, most detailed, to the shortest, but most emotional and supportive, letters have such power to them, don’t they?
Love that you received these letters, Tammy, about how the gardens are growing. It’s always great to see reactions from projects, organizations, etc. one helps in funding.
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011Don’t know if you noticed that one was from Jesus and one from Gabriela?
nursemyra
/ December 21, 2011I noticed 🙂
nrhatch
/ December 20, 2011How FUN! Getting letters from young children is smile inducing. And the recipe sounds tasty . . . blue cheese and pears pair perfectly.
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011The letters are great – especially with the synchronicity of the Christmas story and the salad is really good.
Barbara Miller-Collins
/ December 20, 2011Enjoyed your blog today! Very thoughtful and kind. So appropriate to a true celebration of Christmas. Thank you!
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011Thanks Barb. Nice to see you here.
Linda
/ December 20, 2011This is beautiful and touching- thank you for sharing!
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011I’m glad you enjoyed it.
b r
/ December 20, 2011What great websites and projects. And a splendid Christmas shrub (?), as well!
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011That is called Greasewood or Creosote. It’s a wild plant used by Native Americans as soap.
milkayphoto
/ December 20, 2011Merry Christmas, Tammy! What a wonderful thing for you to do AND for you to be rewarded so kindly with those letters! Warms the soul, indeed. Shows us that children don’t need all the material things that today’s society deems they ‘must have’. They simply want to be educated and cared for, given a chance to grow. You’ve given them a wonderful gift and they responded in kind. 🙂
BTW…salad sounds delish! 🙂
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011I’ve been making this salad for years and it is so yummy. You should try it. The letters are awesome too.
Debbie
/ December 20, 2011Thank you for sharing the beauty of Christmas in the desert. The whole idea of donorschoose and you choosing to use that to bless those children and teachers. . .wow. It made my Christmas more wonderful hearing about it. And as always, you give us a wonderful recipe too. happy sigh. Thank you!
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011Did you notice the signature on those letters?
Debbie
/ December 24, 2011Oh yes I did! That had to be God, didn’t it? 🙂
Tammy
/ December 24, 2011Yes!
Inger Wilkerson
/ December 20, 2011Lovely–and if it makes you feel better, we don’t even have snow in most of Wisconsin now.
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011That’s amazing! Hope you’re doing well.
Cindy
/ December 20, 2011Mery Christmas, Tammy xxx
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011Merry Christmas to you Cindy.
souldipper
/ December 20, 2011Many blessings to your loved ones and you, Tammy.
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011And to you Amy! Thanks for all that you do.
Rukmini Roy
/ December 20, 2011I just got goose bumps- the moment I read that letter. It has so much positive energy, so much vibe. We don’t get snow in India either, but I’d love to do what you are doing. This is Christmas. Giving joy to others.
God bless you.
Tammy
/ December 21, 2011It is amazing, isn’t it Rukmini? Merry Christmas.
authorjaneward
/ December 21, 2011How’s this for synchronicity: I was reading an article about synchronicity before turning to this, your latest blog post.
I love this story for so many reasons, not least of which the way you found to give gifts to the community at large. What a fabulous organization to learn about. Thanks!
Tammy
/ December 23, 2011That’s awesome Jane. Merry Christmas.
Kath (My Funny Little Life)
/ December 23, 2011In my eyes, this is absolutely a Christmas post, because it’s message reflects the idea and spirit of Christmas very well.
Have a wonderful Christmas with you family and friends, Tammy! Happy holidays! 😀
Tammy
/ December 24, 2011And the same to you Kath! Enjoy.
mahen
/ December 24, 2011Wishing you Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year ahead. May this moment of wondrous event in the annal of mankind serves you with joyful experiences. God bless.
Tammy
/ December 24, 2011And the same to you!
pearlz
/ December 24, 2011Happy Christmas, love your inspiring blog!
Tammy
/ December 24, 2011Thank June. Love all the writing that you’ve done this year!
kateshrewsday
/ December 24, 2011What a fantastic project, Tammy, and how lovely to receive those beautiful letters from young appreciative hearts!
Happy Christmas to you and yours!
Tammy
/ December 24, 2011Same to you Kate!
the island traveler
/ December 24, 2011Christmas is in our hearts. No matter what kind of tree we have, or how much less or more decors that we adorn, it’s the love and joy that we feel and share that makes it the most beautiful holiday. I love the tree. I remember making a tree from a bark covered with white paper. I thought it was an amazing.
Merry Christmas. Wishing you and your family the gift of love, joy and peace today and everyday.
Tammy
/ December 26, 2011Thank you! Hope you have a beautiful season.
the island traveler
/ December 24, 2011Beautiful and inspiring letters and drawings from your class. Reminds us why Christmas is a time to be merry and bright.
Tammy
/ December 26, 2011That’s what I thought.
Sophie33
/ December 27, 2011I hope you celebrated a lovely Christams with your family & this salad is a real winner because I made it! Yummie! 🙂
Tammy
/ December 27, 2011Thanks for trying it Sophie and for letting me know. It’s our favorite although I didn’t make it this year.
The Hook
/ December 27, 2011Great holiday post!
I actually wish i was in the desert right now! I’d be celebrating for sure!
Tammy
/ December 27, 2011It’s lovely and sunny!
Hannah
/ December 28, 2011Actually, a desert Christmas is what makes sense to me, being Australian and having grown up with summer Christmases 🙂 Although, come to think of it, we still cook and eat food more appropriate for Winter, sooo…. now I’m all confused. 😛 Merry Christmas!
Tammy
/ December 28, 2011And to you Hannah!
Naomi
/ December 29, 2011Belated Merry Christmas to you all, Tammy! Know what you mean about celebrating in the sunshine without a snowflake in sight 😀
Tammy
/ December 29, 2011Seems we have that in common.
bamasteelmagnolia
/ December 29, 2011Tammy,
My Tall & Handsome as I call him (my DH) is a native of New Mexico and spent many Christmases in the high desert. He would find nothing whatsoever out of place in this photo representing Christmas. In fact it might make him a tad homesick, although he is quite accustom to the South because he spent his younger formative years here. He loves them both.
I love the letters from your little “angels” Jesus and Gabriela. What perfect timing, but of course there is no better timing than God’s.
Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year.
Tammy
/ December 30, 2011No better timing!
OysterCulture
/ January 1, 2012What a yummy looking salad, and what a great reminder of what makes this season so special.
Tammy
/ January 2, 2012It is absolutely delicious and so beautiful.
Shawna
/ January 5, 2012I made the Watercress salad for a Christmas Eve dinner we were invited to with friends while making extra to share with our family on Christmas Day. While a bit tedious to pull the leaf of stem of roughly 10 bunches, it was wonderful and one could tell all the love that went into making. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe and Happy New Year!
Tammy
/ January 7, 2012That is a bit tedious but I really think it’s worth it. I love the cress and pear combination. Pomengranate seeds would also be festive in place of the pear.