The Delta: Part 3

New Year's Day Celebration....

(This post has been in my head for weeks. Thought I better get it done before January ends.)

So, welcome.... to third and final part about our Christmas and New Years celebration in the Delta. A couple of weeks ago I wrote Part 1 and Part 2.

For those of you still wondering what the Delta is, I will give a brief little explanation. For the technical definition you can click here. To me...the (Mississippi) Delta is where I'm from and where my parents still live. It's a place rich in Mississippi history, culture, and personality. Delta people are in a word....fun!

And one of the things Deltans (?) are best at is throwing parties; my family is no exception. My favorite party (besides Christmas night) has to be my parent's annual New Years Day party, given and hosted amongst a small group of their friends. Graciously, over the past few years they have allowed adult children to attend.

I've grown very fond the New Years DAY party because 1)I strongly dislike New Years Eve. It's the most overrated holiday, second only to Valentines. N.Y. day is a much better time to celebrate in my opinion. AND 2) I like any party that starts in the day... because here lately I'm too tired to enjoy a party that starts past the hour of 6pm. (That happens when you have a 9 month old who doesn't sleep through the night.)

Okay...that's enough background...here's a run down of NYD party 2010...

Festivities began around 11 am.

First...we enjoyed appetizers...they were so fantastic they did not even make it in a picture. You will have to take my word for it....they were gooooood...marinated shrimp and asparagus...black eyed pea salsa...black eyed pea corn muffins...deer sausage (I passed on that one, but I'm sure it was wonderful.)

Appetizers were followed by the main course...Jambalaya, which we enjoyed for numerous meals after because the recipe made a generous 329 servings. The cook book said it would serve 10-15. And we even scaled it back!!! Oh well...it tasted great and there was plenty to go around.

We also had a beautiful salad, but sadly no pictures.

Did I mention before that the party lasts all day? So long that my dad is known for falling asleep at some point.

No napping for the women folk. We opted for a mid-day walk.

Doesn't everyone look cute in their winter coats?!

It was a beautiful winter day...not a cloud in the sky.

We returned home to a warm fire...coffee...and this phenomenal dessert brought by one of the guests.

Meet...

Brandy Alexander (made of brandy, ice cream, and creme de cacao. Basically a grown up milk shake.)

After dessert there was more lounging...talking...story telling...football watching...fire sitting...and eventually we re-heated the Jambalaya for supper, all guest still in attendance of course. Perfect way to start the new year...

The next morning we packed our bags...

and made the 6 hour drive home...

And we have been working, reading, hunting, blogging, crawling, cooking, eating, exercising, and worshin' ever since.