Days of the Dead 2010 Aftermath

The ofrenda altar at our home

This years Days of the Dead celebration was a fine one. A great looking altar and friends gathering to remember our loved ones. Lots of good food and coffee, and a campfire on a rather balmy night for November. In fact, the weather around here has been delightful lately for any kind of activity outside. Folks are still one their bicycles and motorcycles and that’s rare for the Northland.

My Mom and Dad with Grandma Spado. A little blasphemy, perhaps, with the whimsical skull next to my Mom's rosary

This year, Los Dios de Los Muertos fell on a Monday. November First. As I’ve mentioned before, we don’t waver and have a party on Saturday for an event that’s celebrated on Monday. That meant many guests didn’t come because of long distances to travel on an evening when the next day would be a work day. I totally understand and don’t ever gauge the success of our fiesta on attendance.

Dear friends, remembered

I went with an Italian food theme this year. Traditional red gravy with meatballs and sausage was served with rigatoni pasta. I also had a choice of a meatless marinara or a smoked salmon alfredo sauce over angel hair spaghetti. Of course a good Italian bread and a salad with my Mom’s recipe salad dressing. An antipasto platter with olives, peppers and a variety of cheeses rounded out what I prepared and served. 

A beautiful evening for a campfire

Visitors at our home brought platters of food and deserts, and everything was very good. I had ordered a pan of frosted brownies form the local coffee cafe in town. They were chewy, as I like them, and frosted with a chocolate butter cream laced with almond extract. 

A cigar box shrine from Mango Studio

Strewn about this post are some photos of this years fiesta. Some new art pieces made their way as our collection is getting larger and larger each year. One of our newer friends who had never been to a Days of the Dead celebration before asked if everyone whose picture appeared on our altar was dead. Indeed that is the case. They remarked, “Some are so young.”

This one is magnetic, and the dancing figures can be moved around. Quite unique and beautiful from  Susanna

All in all, another year has passed. We remembered our loved ones and honored the loved ones of others, some strangers to us, on these days, November first and second. We’ll pack things up in a few days and bring them out again next year. Our memories won’t fade though, we still carry the hearts of those that walked before us with us, knowing that they all will be waiting for us on the other side.

This piece folds up and looks like an industrial laptop. Purchased in Santa Fe last Spring

We thank you for your interest. So many e-mailed and sent their greetings and it warmed our hearts. Some of you have sent pictures and your loved ones were remembered along with ours. Still others have taken ouir photos to put on ofrendas in other parts of the world. That is much appreciated. All in all, a good time and another holiday passes us by.

Peace