Day Of The Dead Tree

Thursday night, and I'm watching The Birds. Every October I spend the month watching my favorite scary movies on DVD. This year I went to watch The Birds, which I watch every year and it was gone. Went to watch Psycho, also gone. So...I went to Amazon.com and bought them again. Besides those two, I always watch Sleepy Hallow, Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, The Omen and then a few odd things I have on Lizzie Borden and The Salem Witch Trials. Fun stuff, thank goodness The Birds DVD arrived today!

 

Some years we put up a Day of the Dead alter, some years we dON'T. With Joe's Dad passing this year, we decided that we needed to put one up this year. We used a Manzanita branch painted white and set it plaster in a pot. We surround it skeleton, paper flowers, and clip pictures of our dead friends and relatives onto the branches.

I think the whole thing looks great against the orange walls of our dining room.

 

Aunt Bude's Date Bars:

These date bars are the reason I love dates so much. It's my Mothers Great Aunt Bude's recipe. My mother grew up on them and so did I. Try it if you get a chance, they take less than 10 minutes to make, and they are delicious!

FILLING:

2 cups. chopped dates

2/3 cups water

1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Put these in a pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir often.

 

CRUMB MIX:

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

(cut in) 1 cup butter

(add)1 cup brown sugar

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (oatmeal)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) MIX WELL...go on, use your hands!

Press 1/2 the crumb mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x9 sq. baking pan. Cover with date mixture, then top with the rest of the mixture, patting it down. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

 

Let me know if you like it. The recipe is pretty old.

 

Okay, that's it!

Comments

[carrie]

I LOVE this tree... between this and the Folk Tree's show, I'm totally doing a day of the dead craft... it's just way too cool!!! Thanks so much for sharing :) And the date bars look fantastic... more desserts to make!!! :)

[Judi]

Paul, this is a wonderful switch on the ofrenda! I love the tree idea. I also do an altar every year and it brings me such peace.

[diane]

I watched The Birds a few weeks ago. Did you ever notice that the actress playing the little girl was the wife in The Witches of Eastwick? The one that goes crazy and spews up all the cherries? I suspected it was her - from her distinctive eyes - and IMDB later, sure enough it was her, Veronica Cartright.

[Paul (host)]

DIANE! Yes that is Veronica Cartwright....and you'll never guess what.....I KNOW HER, and her sister, actress Angela Cartwright. They are friends, artists, and customers of Zinnia! Both Angela and Veronica have artwork in their houses from both Joe and I. She's very nice, and wonderfully kooky!!

[Susie LaFond]

Coolness!!!!!!!!!!

[Sherri]

That tree is great. What a beautiful way to remember and honor those we love who have passed on. Thank you for sharing and inspiring!
*Sherri*