Scene Around: Baking Up Sweet Holidays with a Fair Haven Mom

There’s nothing sweeter than a traditional holiday bake-off between a longtime Fair Havenite and her daughter. Sugar coat that with a little dance, too, and call it a festive confection perfection. The sweetest.

Social media has been flooded with bake-off photos to shake-off of COVID surge and quarantine blues with high holiday spirits. Among them was a gallery of home-baked goodness at the hands of a forever Fair Havenite at the heart — Irene Miller.

Irene is 97 years young, and on Sunday was hopping to her feet to chop, roll, rock, shake and bake. She and her daughter Peggy, an RFH Class of ’78 alum, baked her classic Christmas cookies, the Hungarian Kieflie and nut roll and they even danced about it. “We created a new dance called the nut chop,” Peggy said.

Yes, danced. There’s been no slowing down for Irene, wife of icon, former longtime Fair Haven Esso/Exxon station owner Ray Miller, who passed away a few years ago.

Irene is usually all about the towns, always poised to keep the community connection strong. If there had been a Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair this year, she would have been there. Fair time is shared with birthday time. It’s another of her time-honored traditions. She paints, too.

What else does Irene do to keep herself young at heart and soul? From what we know, she spends a lot of time smiling and savoring the moments.

So, paint, dance and bake on, Irene! Thanks for the motivation and drool! Now that’s a sweet picture Irene paints …