Pennants for Farmer Bart?

It may be that Farmer Bart Brassica has got into the spirit of the season (or vis versa) but for the past week he has been seen sporting this interesting rooster finial on his trusty trident. Does Bart have something to crow about or is it his way of saying  'chicken-shit'  to the seasonal madness? Granny Egg has hatched a theory that this rooster head man is  an old Brassica family emblem, and this is both a penance and homage to his ancestors. Mavis suspects this elaborate baloney is a ploy by Granny Egg to induce a level of filial piety in Mavis and guilt so she gives Granny a whopping cache of Christmas gifts.

It has to be said though, that Bart is doing a brisk farm door trade in his new, minimalist crop of Christmas trees.

Bart's Blue Heaven

Heedless of the writing on the wall, Bart stands to stare at this blue Bugatti. Bart's vehicle of choice is the tractor but a racy de-capito sedan has its attractions, especially for those whose hair is unbudge-able by wind.
Bart is pondering whether the number on the side refers to the price or has some obscure numismatic or mathematical connotation, being sub-prime and if this is the kind of car Mr Farmhand might turn up in.  What would Mavis say if he bought it? All of this may be driven by pre-Christmas neurosis, Bart does his best to ignore the festive season for reasons which may shortly come to light.

Can Somebody Set The Table ?

Can somebody set the table? Silver, something old is best. Fish Forks and knifes, silver tines from other houses, other lives. This set, in pen and wash, might be good only for printed matter, literary bon mots, paper plates and paper napkins. 

Set the Table, the archetypal job of childhood, poner la mesa, is, I hear, going out of fashion, following in the wake of plates of food in separate rooms and TV meals, none of which can rightly be called dinner.
Tonight I've made a Tiramisu, a variant with layers of sabayon - made with creme de cacao, and potent, layered with barely sweetened mascarpone and beaten egg whites ( the kitchen hand says, it's is like chasing clouds) layered in between the coffee-dipped savoiardy, the whole thing dusted down with grated dark chocolate. Thank goodness for dessert spoons.