Making Granola

In 2008, I went to Australia to visit a friend and her family. I was there for three weeks, from around Thanksgiving until almost Christmas. It was a joyful time to be with her and her family, with her two young children excited by all the events of the holiday. She selflessly took me on daily adventures, sharing her fair city, a drive into the mountains, a walk over the Sydney Harbor Bridge and romping around Sydney for hours, and near the end of my visit a Sunday morning walk on Bondi Beach followed by breakfast at a outside cafe. One afternoon, close to my departure, we all sat on a blanket in the park, basking in the December warmth and sun of the southern hemisphere and listened to Christmas music while the children danced and sang and we ate cheese and crackers and sipped wine. On one rainy day, we rested from our daily jaunts and I flipped through the pages of her recipe books. The entire trip is a beautiful memory for me; the novelty of being in another country, spending time with my friend and her family and a brief respite from the stress of my own life. Daily, I skyped home and chatted with Jim, Wyatt and Elizabeth. They would share the goings on of the day, we'd chit chat about nothingness and I was able to feel connected to them while I was literally half the world away. Those daily skype calls eased my homesickness and deep longing to be with them during the holidays. When I returned home, I was filled with the joy of reunion and happiness to be in the company of my own family.

One of the recipes I had written down on that rainy Sydney day was for homemade granola. We decided to make it and all were enamoured by its sweet, nutty, crunchy goodness; it was hearty and filling, crunchy and satisfying. I have fond memories of Wyatt snacking on hand fulls of the concoction, raving about its sweet flavor and purposely picking out the almonds to eat singularly. He would put some in a baggie and take it with him to snack on during the day, come home and open the huge yellow Tupperware bowl and grab a big handful to munch on. Wyatt ate cereal any time of the day or night, but he really enjoyed this granola. I can't even think about this "Australian" granola and not see him standing in the kitchen savoring the sweet crunchy delight. We made granola several times over the year remaining of our lives together, each time Wyatt munched and crunched on its wholesome goodness, knowing we made it in part because he enjoyed it so much.

This year, Jim and I decided it was again time to make the granola. It was good. Memorable. Enjoyable. Today, sharing Wyatt's favorite granola treat is my gift to you.