The Adsit Adventure

Pause Button

2012-01-31T11:14:00.001-05:00

If you are a faithful reader, you are probably wondering where the heck I've been. I wanted to post a little note to say "not to worry," because I'm taking a timeout.

A week ago, I took a tumble on the stairs and bruised the most useless bone in the human body (coccyx). Bruised, not broken. But the fall also jarred my already-problematic lower back, so FOR ONE TIME IN MY LIFE, I'm trying to follow doctors orders: "press the 'pause button' now or prolong the pain...your choice."

"Pausing" also involves taking pain meds, along with muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories...all of which amount to a wicked brew that keeps me in a fog, day and night. Soooo, there will be no new adventures on The Adsit Adventure until I can see and think straight again. Lord knows North Carolina doesn't need another loopy driver on the roads! (As my EMGV friend LB might say: insert the Vonage jingle here...woo hoo, woo hoo hoo!)

While the last few days have been difficult, I can tell I'm on the road to recovery. This morning, as Mr. T was preparing to head to work in Raleigh for a few hours, he asked me what I wanted him to bring to the bedroom so that I could minimize the up-and-down, in-and-out of bed motion. In addition to a cold Diet Pepsi in my thermal tumbler for the bedside table, I asked for my iPad (so I could check my email, post to my blog, and finish a book I've checked out of the North Carolina Digital Library...Love.It.), and for the first time since the fall, my knitting. Oh yeah, if I can knit again, I'm gonna be OK!

But for now, I think I'll take a nap.

Before We Go Too Far...

2012-01-10T11:58:00.002-05:00

Well, 2012 appears to be starting off in hyper-drive already. Before he left on the current week's itinerary (which will have him in 4 states in 4 days...:), Mr. T filled the birdfeeders...again...and he checked to see what the Bird Cam had captured since he changed the batteries and the memory card last week.

Ahem. As you can see in the photo on the top (above), we have a squirrel eating at will from the SQUIRREL PROOF FEEDER. Folks, that's a real, unPhotoShopped photo. The squirrels have figured out how to brace their hind legs against the 4x4, taking their weight off the feeder-bar...which is what is supposed to snap the food tray closed when something heavier than a couple of birds land there. If you watch one at this task, it appears he is doing his calisthenics. Oh, I know what you are thinking: why don't you give the squirrels their own feeder so they will leave the others alone. WE HAVE...we have 2 corn-cob feeders, as well as one ground feeder...and they eat from them, too. I guess they just love a challenge. Fortunately, Mr. Squirrel left enough food for Mrs. Cardinal (photo, bottom/above) to have a taste.

Ah well...moving on...

I've been trying to get my calendars marked (special dates, scheduled meetings, etc.) and coordinated...and I'm apparently behind already. I had planned to get the house de-Christmased by Epiphany (last Friday, January 6th), but an unexpected visit from one of my nemeses (BPPV...benign paroxysmal positional vertigo...what a mouthful; now you understand why it's almost always abbreviated...:) knocked me off my feet and off my game plan this past weekend.

Fortunately, it was a mild episode as these things go, so I only lost 3 days...and that was probably a good thing: enforced voice rest ("no talking, please") is exactly what the Dr.'s ordered for this persistent sore throat I've had. "If it ain't one thing, it's 10 others," to quote Nana/Momma/Edith.

An aside...

N/M/E always wondered if we would quote her sayings after she was gone...like we still do Big Daddy/Sidney's...who has been gone for nearly 22 years now. I assured her there was no doubt in my mind that we would. She smiled then...and she's smiling now...:)

Anyway...

Before we get too far into January, I wanted to post some photos from our Christmas trip to Louisville as I promised in a December post. We had such a good time with Missy M, and with the Bros. & SILs for our family Christmas.

Lunn Family Christmas
in Louisville

The first few pix are from the Lunn Family Christmas. I didn't do a great job of getting photos of everyone, as you can tell: the one on the left is of the back of Bro J's head (he's wearing a Santa stocking cap...we're all actually wearing Santa caps at that point, since he had just handed out caps and Christmas socks in memory of Momma...:); you can barely see Mr. T in the chair under the big clock...but it's a bit clearer of Bro T (in front of the window) and SIL LaD.

The next two are clear as day of Bro J...but you might question the content. Remember? Missy M once brought her Uncle J a silly hat from Manchester, England...a wild & woolly knitted cap for the Arsenal soccer team. And, every year since, we have tried to find an even sillier version of the Silly Hat. This year's version is an Elmer-Fudd affair, but with reindeer antlers that move and Christmas lights that really light up when this little hidden button is pressed. The battery also supports the playing of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." I took a video of it with my iPad (a first!...and you'll recognize that by all the background noise that probably shouldn't have been there...:) before I wrapped it up for him, and if all went well, it loaded (below) and you can hear it play (if you click the play button...and turn your sound up...:). I also found reindeer antler headbands for the rest of us to wear as he opened his gift; you can see one of those on SIL J's head in the pic on the left. Too funny for words.

And, last but not least are the photos we took on Thursday, December 22, when we went to the Performing Arts Center in Louisville to enjoy The Nutcracker ballet. I have described it as "a magical evening," and I meant every word of it. Missy M treated us to a private box, which had three...and only three...very comfortable chairs. It was like our own private performance of our favorite Holiday event! Obviously, Missy M took the first photo, then she and Mr. T switched places...and told me to "hold that smile!" Since the box was a cozy affair, we got "close-ups!"

OK, back to business. I have gotten most of the Christmas stuff (and remember, I didn't really decorate very much this past year...:) corralled into the dining room. The tree is still decorated, but I did unplug it, along with the window candles. I'm not chancing a trip to the attic to bring the storage totes down (what I do NOT need is a visit from my other nemesis, Bad Back); that can wait until the weekend when the cavalry arrives home from...where will he be on Friday? Maryland? Virginia??

Tomorrow is dedicated to Master Gardening activities, which move into high gear with the Mentor Intern Breakfast...followed by two (or is it three?) committee meetings...followed by a Board meeting. And, I'm supposed to refrain from talking? You must be kidding!

And, I still have one more calendar to sync...and then I'll be ready to start the New Year. Or, rather...to catch up with it...:)

Starting 2012 Off Right

2012-01-01T19:02:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! I'm so glad to advance all the calendars, aren't you?

Mimosas at Midnight -
Welcome 2012!

We stayed up to welcome in the new month with Mimosas (champagne and orange juice, served in our "Cheers to the New Year" glasses - photo, left)...although I will admit to taking a little nap in the early evening. After a midnight kiss and a toast to a better year ahead, we went out on the deck to check out the beautiful moon on the crisp, clear night. The neighborhood behind ours seemed to be Fireworks Central, with plenty of noise to frighten away any lingering evil spirits (well, that's the superstition, don't you know?). Surprisingly enough, Duche$$ didn't go through her usual fear-act about the fireworks; we decided that it was because she's so deaf now that she can't hear them. And that's OK...

Speaking of superstitions...

Gibbs: Don't tell me you're superstitious, Leon?
Director Vance: Well, I'm a little 'stitious.
--From dialogue on NCIS

Anyway...about those New Year's Day superstitions...

I've always heard that you have to eat black-eyed peas, cooked with a ham-hock, on New Year's Day for good luck (peas) and good fortune (pork)...and we will hold to that tradition, serving Braised Brown Sugar Pork Chops* (recipe, below) slow-cooked with apples and carrots, and topping our peas with some of the green-tomato relish I made last Fall. To ensure wealth, you're supposed to eat greens (always turnip greens and collards in the Lunn house). Over the years, we've added a couple of good luck foods to the menu: rice and grapes. And, because Mr. T won't touch greens with a ten-foot pole, I prepare cole slaw (because cabbage is the "green" of choice for many cultures)...he will eat that. We also make sure to serve pork for all meals (bacon or ham for breakfast; pork chops or roast/BBQ for lunch or dinner), and never, ever chicken or turkey. [Poultry scratches around for everything; pigs move forward and make progress...or, so it is said.] I'm not really superstitious. I'm just saying...:)

To show you that I can laugh in the face of superstition, I made sure to leave our Christmas tree up past New Year's this year. Momma always said it was bad luck to have the tree up on New Year's Day...but, I think she made that up just to get a dry tree outta the house (she was justifiably terrified of house fires). Since we have an artificial tree this year, I don't have that worry...and, I am just not ready to say goodbye to all the pretty lights and decorations yet. I think I'll hold off until Twelfth Night (Epiphany)...it's still part of the Christmas Season, and I certainly don't want to miss the visit of the Three Wise Men!

New Year's Day 2012
Harvest

Following the directive that "what you do on New Year's, you will do all year long," I have spent a wonderful, stress-free day. Mr. T and I took advantage of the beautiful Spring-like weather this morning and worked in the garden a little bit. He trimmed up the asparagus plants, snipping the frost-nipped fronds to the ground. I picked turnip greens and collards (which you might expect to still be producing) for our "good luck" meal tonight (see photo, right), along with leaf-lettuces, spinach, and even a tiny sweet bell pepper (which amazed even me!). I noticed that we had cabbage leaves on plants I put out last Spring, and the garlic which did not get harvested in July seems to be taking on a new life. Remarkable! We'll have to see how that plays out.

Newest bird feeder...
Tree Face!

Then, he helped me plant a row of Wando sweet peas ("English" peas) along the back of the pea-fence...which still is supporting a good stand of pea plants from a late-season planting I did along the front side. These plants are even flowering at the moment! Of course, since we have bitter weather on the way tonight, we "wrapped" the pea-fence front-&-back with row covers (anchored to the top with clothes pins, to the bottom with rocks and stakes)...and tried to give the greens a little more protection (they already have row covers in place).

Mr. T then spent some time filling the bird feeders with the goodies we got yesterday on the Tractor Supply run. He also got the three newest feeders up and in play: a window-mounted feeder, a new squirrel corn-cob feeder, and a Tree Face (photo, left). We had one similar to this at the house in MO, and I was thrilled to locate one while shopping at Mast General Store in Boone.

I did NOT do laundry, pay bills, or do any housework. Each of those activities carry negative cautions in the superstition department...and none of them is particularly fun for me, so I don't want to be tasked with too much of any of them this coming year. I did read some of my newest book (I finished Sue Grafton's V is for Vengeance and Three Day Town by Margaret Maron; I'm now reading Laurie R. King's O Jerusalem, which I downloaded from the High Point Library's Digital site to my iPad...a first for me!). I played Words With Friends...with friends. I fixed a nice Brunch this morning, and then cooked the "good luck" meal. I downloaded pictures from my camera, iPod, and iPad...and did a little organizing of the picture files on my computer. And, now...I've written a post on my blog, always a treat for me, even though it appears that Google has done some strange things with Blogger while I was away (and posting on my iPad). Mr. T just suggested a walk around the block since the rain we had this evening was brief and light. Yes, dear...just as soon as I finish this row on my new knitting project...:)

All-in-all, a good way to start off the year...

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*Braised Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 pork chops, boned and butterflied
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt (I use Paula Deen's House Seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
1 large apple, halved, seeded, and sliced (I used Fuji)
10-12 baby carrots (more or less)
1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry white wine (or use water or chicken broth)

Preparation:

1. Rinse chops and pat dry.2. Combine flour, seasoned salt, and pepper in a plate. Coat chops with the flour mixture.
3. In a large skillet (which has a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the onions then remove to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brown the seasoned and floured pork chops, turning to brown both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions back to the skillet. Add the apple slices and the baby carrots to the skillet.
4. Combine the juice, vinegar, and brown sugar; pour over the chops. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Or, transfer the covered skillet to a 325 degree preheated oven for 1 hour.
5. Remove pork chops, apples, carrots, and onion rings to a plate or serving dish and keep warm.
6. Bring sauce mixture to a boil and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Pour over the pork chops. Add wine (or use water or chicken broth) to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring to get the browned bits. Pour the wine mixture over the chops.
Serves 2.

Going...Going...Almost Gone

2011-12-28T13:21:00.000-05:00

Hard as it is to imagine, 2011 is almost over. Anyone blame me for saying "thank Heaven for small mercies"? I will be happy to see this year in the rear view mirror of my life, for certain.

The 24/7 Time Warner Cable news channel is telling that today (December 28) is No Regrets Day, with suggestions to write what you want to forget about this past year ("troubling souvenirs of 2011") on a piece of paper...and SHREAD IT! There's even a giant shredder set up in Times Square. Well, I've got a good-size shredder right here, folks. Wonder if there is some limit to how many pieces of paper I'm allowed to use?

OK, moving on...

Speaking of moving on...NO, we are NOT moving...sorry to even put that idea in your head! I was referring to our grand "move" on Monday, from KY back to NC. We reversed the process of ten days ago, loading up two cars with all of our stuff...and the three dogs, and driving back through four states in ten hours. Somewhere between the third and last toll booth on the WV Turnpike and the VA Welcome Center, my body and brain began to join forces in protest, threatening to Un-Occupy the driver's seat any longer. "I'm so over this," screamed that voice in my head. "I don't want to do this anymore!"

Right. Roll the window down...turn the audiobook up ("The Language of Bees")...and keep on moving, woman. This too shall pass.

I have had this same feeling once before in my life. On my first overseas flight from ATL to Manchester, England, back in 1997, I think. Somewhere over the North Atlantic, I suddenly had this overwhelming need to GET OFF THIS PLANE! It wasn't fear...it was the "stick a fork in me, I'm done" feeling. It was also the middle of the night, and I had to do "laps" up-and-back in the aisles to calm down. Couldn't do that now, could I, what with post-9/11 security measures dictating that passengers remain seated? Ah well.

We're home...at least I am...and recovering from the trip. Actually, Mr. T was here less than 12 hours...long enough to repack the necessities...and then off to VA for a meeting today at one of his dealerships. The end-of-the-year stuff is piling up for him, with too-few hours left to accomplish it all. He's supposed to return tonight, as tomorrow will be close-of-business for Fuso...so the Blackberry should be burnin' until the very last minute since they are in a twizzle to meet their numbers. Fingers crossed...toes, too!

To help him keep up his strength, I finally got around to making the Bundt(tm) cake he requested (pictured above; recipe below). Although the original Cocoa Bundt* recipe called for a chocolate glaze, I substituted a vanilla one...made with Justa Wee Bit o' Bourbon. Thought he might appreciate that!

I'm trying to get caught up around the house. Laundry took less time than expected, because we took advantage of Missy M's machinery before we left to do the majority of the loads. Indoor gardening took more time than anticipated, as everything needed watering and tending...and this was the final feeding until March for all the houseplants. I'm still trying to make it through all of the mail, which includes many of your beautiful cards and letters. (Thank you!)

And, last but not least, I'm unpacking all our wonderful gifts. This is truly the fun part of the week between Christmas and New Year's, isn't it?

I have so much to be thankful for...Santa and his Elves were more than generous with gifts of books (I'm almost done with "V is for Vengeance" by Sue Grafton), batteries (bringing life back to several comatose watches), and all manner of gardening goodies. But I am over the moon over one special gift. One that was wished for...not expected...and already considered an heirloom.

Missy M made me a quilt. Full size. Pretty on front and back. And in shades of purple, one of my favorite colors (matching the paint below the chair rail in its new room) and teal-blues (another fav!)...with peachy-pinks, to match a solid color matelesse quilt I already have. I've taken this photo to share with you...but my skills and the lens of the iPad's camera are both lacking to do it justice. Trust me, it's absolutely gorgeous. Now where is that box of Kleenex when I really need it?

As you can tell from the photo (above), I've put it on the guest bed...beyond the reach and The Drool of The Houndz...and, I'm already planning the matching pillows I'll make with the extra fabric Missy M gave me. You'll just have to come see it for yourselves.

Maybe in 2012?

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Cocoa Bundt Cake*
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 small box vanilla pudding (I use the instant)
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients.
3. In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs; add the rest of the wet ingredients.
4. While beating on low speed, blend the wet ingredient into the dry. Beat mixture on high for 3 minutes.
5. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove to serving platter.
7. Drizzle with glaze (like the vanilla one below)

Enjoy!

Justa Wee Bit o' Bourbon Glaze

1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups Confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon bourbon (or vanilla flavoring) (more or less)
2-4 Tablespoons milk (more or less)

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over LOW heat.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in the confectioner's sugar and the liquids, one Tablespoon at a time. Add enough liquid to make the glaze smooth and of desired consistency.
4. Pour over Bundt cake. Yields about 1 1/4 cups glaze. Can easily double.

*An updated version of a recipe from "Hershey's Make It Chocolate!" Cookbook (c) 1987

A Change of Scene

2011-12-19T12:11:00.000-05:00

"You have arrived!" That's what the Magellan voice we call Maggie says when we reach our destination. And our destination for the Holidays is Missy M's house in Louisville.

We got here on Friday night. We were in two cars...with three dogs...driving through four states, which meant the eight-hour drive lasted 10 hours. New math. Anyway, we were exhausted and headed to bed without much hesitation.

Saturday was a busy day, starting early to get ready for The Lunn Family Annual Christmas Party. By 3:00, the two pots of chili (one hot, one wimpy, as Missy M says...:) were bubbling away on the stove, and the Brothers and SILs were arriving.

We made some ornaments (swirling acrylic paints inside of clear globes), ate our fill of chili and fixin's, played reindeer games (guessing what was in Rodney's stocking, etc.), and exchanged gifts. Much love was shared, and a great time was had by all. We placed the Memory Disc we'd received at the Service of Memories on the tree so we could recognize the presence of Nana/Momma/Edith...and Bro J passed out Santa stocking hats in her honor.

Speaking of hats...

We continued the Goofy Hat tradition by giving Bro J a silly hat. I will post pix and a video when I get back to NC...I'm posting this on my iPad (first time) so haven't got the technique down pat yet. Uploading photos to the post = still a challenge! Don't even ask me about creating a link to YouTube on this thing...:-)

Anyway...

Remember, I posted earlier about making many of my gifts this year per suggestions from the grief literature from my Hospice counselor? Well, if I can make this work, I hope to show you a pic or two of the Memory Terrariums I made for both SILs, Missy M, and N/M/E's BFF AW. I'm calling them Memariums (Memaria?).

Recalling a beautiful terrarium that graced the lobby of Hospice Home of High Point, I got the 1.5 gallon glass containers at The Container Store in Raleigh, and the plants and planting materials (potting soil and peat moss) at Lowes...which was the ONLY local source of small container houseplants this time of the year. Believe me...I went to several local garden centers trying to find the plants...no luck. Thank goodness for Lowes! I found some healthy "Pan Am" Pilea (a ripple-leaf variety), "Golden Gate" Peperomia, "Red Vein" Fittonia, and "Pixie Dixie" Ivy. One small container yielded three or more plants...which I didn't realize until planting day, so now I have lots of newly potted houseplants. A bonus! Oh, and I got charcoal (called carbon) and tiny-gauge gravel from PetsMart. I used a birthday gift certificate to Barnes and Noble (from Bro J and SIL J)...and then some...to buy three books on terrariums (and I'll give proper credit when I get back home), which told me how to create the containers...and one even sparked the idea of placing memory-items inside, with the plan for "Grandma's Jewel Box."

Borrowing an idea from high school friend LCM, I then created a "This is Your Life" photo frame for Bro J, using pix I found while cleaning out Momma's boxes. I'd scanned and saved about 75 or so, starting with his earliest baby pictures...and including a few of the Goofy Hat ones for good measure. The frame will hold 2,000 or so digitals, and if he needs more...he can use a disc!

For Bro T, I ordered a canvas-wrap picture, using a photo I'm calling "Fog Over The Caney Fork." I took several shots as we were driving from NC to West Tennessee in August for Momma's funeral...when he was in his car following Mr. T and me. He didn't know why in the world we kept stopping on the bridges over the Caney Fork...there are at least 4 on I-40 in Middle Tennessee...he thought we were having car trouble or something. I chose the best shot of the bunch and had it enlarged and canvas-wrapped at CVS (they did a SUPERB JOB!)...so he can always remember that there are bright moments even in sad times.

I think they were all hits. And I loved every minute of making them. Win-win!

It was great seeing everyone again...under happy circumstances. Bro T and SIL LaD had to make the hour-plus drive north, so they departed early in the evening, after we made tentative plans to meet again before we head back south. J & J were spending the night locally, so we met them for a tasty breakfast at Wild Eggs. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and decorating M's house for the Holidays. She has such a great eye for design and placement...as demonstrated in her decorating...her work...and her newest form of expression: quilting. You should see what she made for J& J (placemats and napkins) and what she's working on for LaD (shhhh...it's still a WIP...;)

The week ahead will be devoted to doing as little as possible. We have plans for the Nutcracker ballet (tradition!) and shopping must be done...along with wrapping, of course. But beyond that, we are all just chillin'!

What is it "they" say? "A change of scene will do one good."

No arguments from me!

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[BTW, according to Missy M's research, there doesn't seem to be an easy, FREE, method of posting my photos using my iPad. Bummer. I've forced it to accept a couple of pix (the one at the top is of her tree all decorated; the other one is of her cute moose and yarn trees...and if you look closely, you'll see Ella sleeping in the chair in the background...:) via an iPhone ap she downloaded. Will edit this when I get back to my laptop. Meanwhile, here are my work-arounds (in the "where there's a will, there's a way" category...:): I've uploaded some Christmas shots to Flickr, which should show up in the slideshow over there on the right. I've also uploaded several to Facebook. Visit me there. There's a link over there in the right column. =====>>>]

It's Working...It's Really Working!

2011-12-11T14:23:00.007-05:00

I am here to tell you: following the grief counselor's advice is actually working. Imagine that. Will wonders never cease?

To review, I have been doing what I was told to do (a miracle, in and of itself...) in handling the Holidays during this first year without Momma. Here are a few of the bullet points:

Red Lion Amaryllis
in full-bloom on the dining room table

* Make or bake all of your holiday gifts. (Check back after the Holidays for photos on those...:)
* Shop by catalog or online in order to avoid the extra stress of the rush and crush of the crowds.
* Try to attend at least one special holiday event; fellowship with others is sometimes the best medicine for a grieving heart.
* Keep as many of the family traditions alive as you can manage.
* Start a new tradition in memory of your loved one. (More on this one in the next post.)
* Take time to be in touch with your feelings...you may find you are actually enjoying the holidays rather than just coping with them.
* Put a smile on your face...and you'll find one in your heart.

Christmas Tree...and Door Prizes
at the Master Gardener Christmas Party
12/8/11

Guess what? I have made the gifts, and shopped online (or on Tuesdays in the stores...seemingly the least-hectic day). Mr. T and I have attended two concerts and a lovely Holiday party (photo, right). I have written the traditional Christmas newsletter to tuck into the Christmas cards (still working on those...:), and baked some of the traditional goodies...all without tears.

OK, truthfully? I did tear-up a little bit on the newsletter because I struggled mightily with how to address Momma's passing in a thoughtful and appropriate way. But no tears actually splashed on the keyboard. Honest.

Following the advice has not only helped me manage my grief...it's even helped me feel some excitement and anticipation about the Holidays this year.

Now, I must admit that our "decorating" has been simple...compared to what is the norm for us: one tree, a wreath or two, a couple of new nutcrackers for the collection on the mantle and the giant Nutcrackers standing guard at the front steps (tradition!), a few candles and some amaryllis blooms to decorate the dining room table (photo, above). Duke Energy will probably send us a "We Missed You!" card, as our December bill should be considerably less...since we didn't put out all the usual exterior lights and decorations. Of course, our yard won't be mistaken for one of the landing strips at PTI either this year.

Butterballs -
A Christmas Tradition for Us

And, my baking is subdued...for me at least: a couple of batches of Butterballs* (picture, left; recipe below), chocolate chip cookies, and no-bake oatmeal cookies. I made a big recipe of Spiced Tea mix...as much as my largest bowl would hold...most of that will be shared as gifts, but I'm keeping a large jar for myself. [Follow the link to a recipe similar to mine.] Maybe I'll whip up a batch of Microwave Pralines. Possibly some Marshmallow Fudge. Oh, don't get me started...:

Still and all, that hollow, empty feeling is being filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of the Season. And joy is finding its way into my heart.

Momma would be pleased as Rum Punch, don't you think?

======================================================
Butterballs*

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened (don't even THINK about using margarine...:)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus 1/2 to 1 cup more for rolling)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 T. water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans, chopped fine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the food processor, chop the pecans fine, almost to a powder. Remove to a bowl, reserving for the next step.
Cream the butter in the food processor. Add the powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the water. Blend well.
Add the flour, the salt, and the reserved pecans to the creamed mixture in the bowl of the processor. Blend well until a soft dough follows the blades.
Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. These cookies do NOT rise or spread. Remove pan from oven before any browning occurs. Allow to rest for 3 minutes.
Roll in extra powdered sugar and place on a rack to cool. Roll again in powdered sugar.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

*(Adapted from a recipe called Delaware Butter Balls in the 1975 Southern Living Southern Country Cookbook...one of my personal favorite cookbooks!)

You Can't Believe A Word I Say

2011-12-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

For as long as I can remember, if I would answer one of Missy M's questions...or respond to a request for information...and she would look doubtfully at me because of my answer or response, I would say "of course, you can't believe a word I say, 'cause I lie all of the time." Say it with the proper amount of sarcasm dripping from each word, and you get the point across: BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU...

Anyway...

I have said for weeks now (especially since I discovered at Thanksgiving just how painful memories can be during the Holidays after the loss of a loved one), I'm not putting up a Christmas tree this year. I just didn't think it was a good idea, for a number of reasons, not the least of which I couldn't imagine feeling any joy or happiness about the prospect. Momma loved the Holidays, loved the shopping, loved the songs, loved the traditions, loved the lights and the ornaments. Why put us through that pain?

First came the bereavement counseling. These words from the pamphlet "Coping With The Holidays: the Road to Recovery" said it best:

"Decorating for the Holidays, although it may seem like more work than it is worth, will bring warmth into your home and should not be avoided....Once the decorating is done, you'll be happy to have the seasonal reminder that life is continuing on and so must you."

Quilted Tree Skirt
Made by Missy M - 2011

And, then came the quilted Tree Skirt. I couldn't ignore this beautiful creation that our beautiful and creative daughter made and gave to us as an early Christmas present (photo, left).

A tree skirt needs a tree, right? And a tree needs decorations, lights, and ornaments. And a decorated tree needs wreaths and candles and nutcrackers and...and...well, you get the picture. I found that I could not NOT decorate for Christmas.

Decorating for Christmas - 2011

So, you see (photo, right)...you can't believe a word I say.

Ah well.

In other preparations for the Season, Mr. T and I traveled to Durham on Saturday to hear Handel's Messiah at Duke University Chapel. Inspirational! I told Miss C (a childhood friend of Momma's and my former piano teacher in Henning) about the concert when I spoke to her this morning on our weekly phone call, and she said "well, you know Handel wrote that when he was at a particularly low point in his life." Really? Just goes to show that the passion from low points can lead to great heights, I suppose. And the Chapel bulletin noted that he wrote possibly the Western World's most magnificent Oratorio in just 24 days. 20+4. Remarkable!

Pipes for the Organ -
Duke Chapel, Duke University

A little review - you might remember that we went to hear the Messiah at Centenary UMC in Winston-Salem a couple of Christmases ago; I posted about it here. We had also been to Duke Chapel about 15 years ago, during our second time (of three...:) living here in NC. As remembered, the Chapel is nothing shy of magestic. It reminds one of the massive cathedrals of Europe, albeit on a smaller scale...although "small" isn't a word that comes to mind when in one of the pews. The pipe organ's sound (photo, left) is soul-stirring. And the music of the orchestra was moving. However...the acoustics in the Chapel are dreadful...as you might expect with the soaring ceilings and all of that stone. We had difficulty in hearing the soloists, who did not wear mikes. We did NOT have this same problem at Centenary, which (while large as sanctuaries go) is more intimate than Duke Chapel. Next year? We'll probably return to Centenary, which is also much warmer and more comfortable... important for a 3-hour performance, with only one intermission...and the standing for the Hallelujah Chorus, of course..., which All We Like Sheep (one of my personal favorite choruses...:) did just like King George II supposedly did...:) [Hopefully, if you follow that link, you can hear the Project Gutenburg's free download. I've been listening to it on a loop the entire time I've been writing this post. Enjoy!]

Back at home, we did a little leaf clean-up on Sunday, bagging up the freebie leaves that our landscaper dumped in our back yard last Thursday. He has this huge riding lawn mower he trucks into the neighborhood on a trailer, that makes quick work of several yards he has on contract. It's a mulcher-mower with a massive collection bin on the back...and now, he just drives into our back yard and dumps the bin whenever it's full. Yippee! Future gold!! And all chipped up, too!!! I bought these Nutscene® jute leaf sacks at a local garden center; thought I'd test them to see how well they compost the leave mold by next Spring. And, the rest went straight into the raised beds around the blueberry bushes (oak leaves are high-acid...which blueberries love...:) and into the wire bins that Mr. T has created in the garden. What a wonderful gift!

Then, Monday morning as I was running late for a Master Gardener meeting, Lillie Pearl PTC wouldn't start...again. This had happened after Thanksgiving, so having to have the battery jumped twice in two weeks was becoming a bad habit. The AAA guys (both of them) said the battery was fine...that there was something drawing the current down. So, Lillie is now having inpatient surgery at Ilderton Dodge...and I'm driving a bright, candy-apple red Avenger for the duration. Good grief...this baby is as far from "me" as I can be! I'm terrified I'm going to get a speeding ticket...not because I was actually speeding, but because the car is RED.

Honest, officer! I wasn't speeding. It's just the car. Would I lie to you?

An Almost-Perfect Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T01:28:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Table all set...
Flowers from Missy M

Ah. The week after a Holiday is always an exercise in returning to normal, isn't it?

We enjoyed a wonderful seven days "at home" with Missy M and ~~our grand dogs~~, Ella Rae and Dixie. We traveled to our favorite family places and did some of our favorite family things. We ate all the traditional recipes on Turkey Day (photo, left), served in the traditional dishes (Meemaw's turkey platter; Mama Stewart's Haviland gravy bowl and cut-glass relish dish; Nana's cranberry sauce server; and our very own silver and china). We toasted our good health and happiness with chilled Biltmore Estates Riesling (an new tradition...:). We postponed dessert until Friday because we were too full from the feast on Thursday. And, I almost made it through dinner without tears. Almost.

The turkey had been roasting since early morn, causing the dogs...all 5 of them...to be famished and fussy by mid-afternoon. So, while we were trying to enjoy a lovely meal at the dining room table, the Houndz were circling our feet like a shiver of sharks. Someone remarked that they probably were looking for a push-over to share morsels with them. I said they probably missed Nana dropping bits of her buttered rolls or bites of turkey like she used to. And that's all it took...that one observation triggered a grief ambush, as friend LCM calls them. I tried to control the flow...to no avail. The tears will fall when the tears will fall...I should be used to this by now. Up from the table...off to the bathroom. Cry a bit, dry the eyes, rinse & repeat. Sigh.

Let us speak of happier things.

Thanksgiving Cheesecake

As I said, we got a couple of day-trips into the week. The first one was on Friday to Boone (mountains), where we usually shop a little at Mast General Store (Christmas sweaters, anyone?), enjoy a big family-style meal of fried chicken and fixin's at Daniel Boone Inn, and then go to one of the many choose n' cut Christmas Tree farms for "The One." This year was a bit different, since we neither ate at the Inn nor came home with a tree on top of the car...more on that later. Still, it was a beautiful day, and we had a fun time. And, by the time we made it home, we were all ready to try that cheesecake with fresh strawberries. Yummy! (Photo, right; recipe, below)

Next up, Raleigh on Saturday, for the NC Symphony's Carolina Christmas concert. Beautiful music...the Cary Chorus....the debut of an original work...and even a singalong: just right for stirring up the Spirit of the Season. Then, post-concert, we indulged another tradition of eating Chinese food post-Thanksgiving: anything but turkey! We got our favorites at P.F. Chang's at the Crabtree Mall, then did a little shopping at the Container Store (which neither of us has "locally"). It was late when we finally made it home...but we elected to have "just a small slice" of cheesecake...this time with fresh blueberries for the topping.

We started Sunday off in leisurely fashion, making family fav pancakes for brunch. Afterwards, we began the process of removing the Thanksgiving decorations, in preparation for some Christmas ones...to be added later this week. Mid-afternoon, we were dressing to attend the Service of Memories when...

Do you know what a little, long-haired black dog looks like after a romp in the attic insulation? It ain't pretty. While I was putting the finishing touches on my make-up, Mr. T and Missy M were putting the boxes of Thanksgiving decorations away. Ella Rae decided that was the perfect time to make a dash into the pink stuff just beyond the floored part of the attic where all the decorations are stored. Of course, every time they tried to get her to come out of the attic...she just made another run-through...thinking they were trying to play-play with her. What fun!

What fun, indeed. Missy M stayed home to give ER several baths, to try to remove all the fibres from the little mutt-mutt's fur. Mr. T and I headed on to the service, which is an annual Holiday offering by Cumby Funeral Home for families who have lost loved ones in the past year. We were comforted by the words of the minister from Jamestown United Methodist Church, who took his message from the scripture: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." [Psalm 30:5] For most of us in the chapel, it was still "night"...for there was much weeping. For me, the tears fell as before...and of course, I had forgotten to bring any tissues. You'd think I would learn...

Service of Memories...
Gifts for the Grieving

We were all given two gifts (photo, left) as we exited the service: a brochure on dealing with grief through the Holidays and a lovely ornament with our loved one's name. Both will be helpful in the coming weeks, I have no doubt, as we follow the suggestions we were given. I have already found some comfort in a quote in the brochure, Coping With The Holidays: The Road to Recovery:

"I thought I was doing much better. The pain had subsided; I could laugh again. I was beginning to spend time with friends. My eating and sleeping patterns were back to normal. Then, I had to face my first holiday without him. I felt the familiar effects of grief wash over me and it was just like the healing process had never even begun." -- Anonymous
While I don't feel that I am all the way back to Square #1, I do feel that I've been sliding back down the slope this last week. More tears. Less sleep. That hollow, empty feeling of finality. But reading that quote helped me see that I'm reacting to loss like others do.

Also in the brochure:

"Writing...will help you express your feelings. When writing, be entirely honest...; it will help you gain control over your feelings. Clarifying your thoughts will help you feel less overwhelmed..."

So, here I am. Writing. Expressing. Clarifying. And, all after midnight. Ah, well...it's a process, right? No doubt, I shall sleep better tonight than I have in days.

Another reason I was so glad that we attended this service was that we got to see and hear Thom Gill, a volunteer who sings and plays guitar regularly at Hospice Home of High Point. He is an angel, and I am glad I had another opportunity to tell him how special he and his music are/were to us. I hugged him after the service, and we chatted for a while about his music ministry.

We returned home, thoroughly drained but with more peace...only to walk into the final chapter of Doggie Chaos. Missy M had decided to give ALL of the dogs baths! Since Duche$$ refused to get into the tub, she got her "bath" in the shower. The good news: all the dogs were clean and fresh-smelling. The bad news: all the dogs were still a wee bit damp...and I don't think there was a dry towel to be had. A small price to pay, to be sure...

Cheesecake, anyone?

=========================================================
*Thanksgiving* Cheesecake

Crust:
Graham cracker crumbs to equal 2 cups (about 1 1/2 packets)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan halves/pieces
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
4 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
Toppings:
Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), sliced and sugared
or,
Canned cherry pie filling, chilled
Whipped cream
Chocolate sprinkles

A minimum of two days before you wish to serve the cheesecake, make the crust. I use the Cuisinart to pulverize the graham crackers and the pecans, although you can put them in a large ziplock baggie and crush them with a rolling pin. Add the melted butter to the crumbs. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a greased springform pan, pressing the mixture up the sides. I use a greased glass for this part. Place the pan in the freezer overnight. [You can do this step several days in advance, if desired.]

One day before you wish to serve the cheesecake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make the filling. In the bowl of your mixer or Cuisinart, beat the bars of cream cheese until softened. Add the sugar, and beat well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sour cream, the lemon juice, and the vanilla, incorporating well into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the filling into the frozen crust. Wrap aluminum foil around the base and sides of the springform pan, and place it into a larger pan (cookie-sheet size, but with sides of at least an inch). Put into the oven. Pour hot water into the larger pan, creating a "bath" for the cheesecake. After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 350 degrees; bake for an additional 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake has risen and has a lightly-browned top (which might be more or less time, depending on your oven). Turn off the oven, and allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven for another hour. Remove from the oven. Let cool on a rack thoroughly before placing into the refrigerator (overnight).

Prior to serving, remove from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes ahead of time. Run a sharp knife under hot water prior to making each cut. Top the cheesecake slice with fresh, sweetened fruit; chilled, canned pie filling; or chocolate syrup, chips, or sprinkles...and a large dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

Refrigerate any leftovers. Yield: 10-12 slices
[Don't even ASK how many calories are in each slice!]

*We have had this cheesecake almost every Thanksgiving at our house.

Mountain Memories - Fall, 2011

2011-11-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

It's Turkey Time!

We're home again...and getting ready for Thanksgiving. I wanted to take a little break from all the preparations to say "hello," and post an update of our recent adventures.

As I said in my last post, Mr. T has been using up over 3 weeks of vacation days this month - "use 'em or lose 'em." Of course, if we are in town...at home...near his office, he works anyway. Taking calls, checking emails, updating information. Whatever. He's connected 24/7 and, without some distance between him and his desk, he works. And, I stew. Not a great combination.

Mr. T taking photos at
The Fish Pond - Biltmore Estate

Hence the reason we hit the road on Wednesday...headed back to the NC Mountains. I know, I know...we were just there in October. But I wanted to see the Biltmore all decked out for Christmas and maybe take a side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway...and we did!

Going to the Biltmore in the middle of the week was perfect: the crowds were light and all the folks were unhurried and pleasant. We also took a class on Designing Woodland Wreaths at the Garden Center on the Estate, saw the Tiffany Lamp Exhibit, and ate at Cedric's Tavern in the Antler Village...a first for us. It was a beautiful day all the way around.

Linville Falls,
Blue Ridge Parkway

The next morning, we saw our first snow of the season on the Parkway, portions of which were closed due to ice and snow. Wow! We got to see several excellent exhibits at the Folk Art Center and then found other roads to get us around the closings. That way, we were able to get to Linville Falls and Gorge (photo, left) before the sun went down. It was cold, but the walk on the trail (about a mile and 1/4, roundtrip) warmed us up...and energized us at the end of our long day.

We then back-tracked to Durham on the other side of the state for our last Duke football home game. Lost another close one to Georgia Tech, sad to say, but still had a fun Fall afternoon. There's always next year, right?

But, first...

Graduation Day!
I made it: EMGV

Before we left, we went to the Extension Center on Wednesday for the Annual Meeting of the Guilford County Master Gardener Volunteers...and graduation for the Class of 2011. Yes, I'm "certified!" Call me EMGV. A long year (for this and all the other reasons), but well worth the time and effort, I would say. Ahhhh...so glad that's done!

Since Missy M and ~~my grand-dogs~~, Ella Rae and Dixie arrive this afternoon, I've been trying to get as much of the cooking done...so we can have a lot of time together while she's here. She's had a crazy schedule lately...including 3 "days" of working at night for training video shoots (which they can only do in the restaurant kitchen, after the restaurant is closed)...so, she's exhausted and needs a recovery period.

Of course, I can't help myself...I've lined up some Holiday activities for us to do while she's here, including the NC Symphony's Carolina Christmas in Raleigh and the Lights at Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem...and we'll have to visit Old Salem while we are there. And, she wants to go to Boone, so we'll head the car back to the mountains for the third time this season. She'll probably need a couple of days back at home to recover from her vacation here in HPNC!

I feel the need to celebrate in order to keep any sadness at bay. We'll miss Nana/Momma/Edith...and no amount of activity can substitute for her absence. We'll attend the Remembrance Service on Sunday to celebrate her life and honor her memory. Indeed, I am so thankful for all the wonderful years and memories...that I just refuse to let grief overwhelm us.

I did have a setback yesterday that could have knocked me back several steps if I would allow it. I saw my ophthalmologist and learned why everything was so fuzzy: cataracts. Both eyes...which is normal according to Dr. T, who declared that "cataracts are like geese...always come in pairs." Really? So what's next? Well, I "wait and see" he says...monitor any changes over the next year. OK. Knowing how much I like to wait, you'll understand how frustrating that was to hear. But, what else can I do? Nothing. Period.

So, instead of settling for doing nothing, I shall do what I can. I can be thankful for my vision. I can be mindful of how quickly things can change in life. And, I can just keep on putting one foot in front of the other...and moving forward.

We can have our Mountain Memories
every morning with our coffee...

I'm so thankful you are all on this journey with me. Cheers!

From "Woe" to "Go" in Less Than a Week

2011-11-08T14:22:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful way
to begin my day...
Oak Hollow Reservoir

What a beautiful morning! I was up early, mainly because the Houndz are like Arizona and simply refuse to participate in The Changing of The Time. Food into their bowls...bowls on the floor...by 8:00 a.m. While they were eating, I slipped on a jacket, slipped my phone into the pocket, and slipped out the back door. I grabbed my walking stix as I headed through the garage and was off on my very first morning walk since the time and the season had changed. I selected the route that took me down to the lake, and I'm so happy that I did. Check out that picture I took (left). Could there be anything more perfect than a day that starts out looking like that?!

Hard to believe, but this time last week, I could hardly move without misery. My back. 'Nuff said. Lost almost a week of my life to the pain...and to the fog that the pain-relief pills put me in. Mr. T was "in town," for which I was ever-so-grateful, as he stepped right into the fray to keep things running smoothly. He's supposedly taking a few days of vacation, but he's putting in lots of work hours: work-work as well as home-work.

This happens every year at this time because Fuso's vacation "year" runs December 1 - November 30...I know, I know...seems goofy to me, too. The upshot is that he gets 5 weeks of vacation a year plus a couple of personal days (yeah!); he can only carry-over 5 days from one vacation year to the next...no personal days (boo!); and he always, always arrives at November 1st with 15-20 days to "use it or lose it." And, if you check the calendar, there are only 20-22 working days in the month. Sigh. It's the nature of the beast. So, he ends up "declaring" vacation days in November and still working those days...'cause he cannot NOT answer his d*mn Blackberry. So, tell us how you really feel about this, Patricia? Ahem.

Anyway...

Elmo and Gus...
Supper at 5:00, in bed by 6:30

My back is better, thanks for asking, just in time, too. Mr. T's off to a New Dealer Installation in VA he'd scheduled earlier (forgetting about that whole November issue). Dogs are still on Summer Time, as they say in the UK, going to bed with the chickens (see photo, right, of Gus and Elmo last night) and getting up with the roosters. And, I'm making up for those lost moments as fast as I can.

Yesterday, I put nearly 60 miles on Lillie Pearl PTCruiser as she and I jitneyed all over Guilford County with Master Gardening volunteering activities. I had a Speakers Bureau presentation on Containers for Curb Appeal to the Sumner Garden Club at Rehobeth UMC mid-morning...but before that could happen, I had to get to the Extension Center way-the-heck across town to pick up the projector. Then, after the presentation (which went very well...I love this group of gardeners!), I had to backtrack to Burlington Road to return said projector for its next engagement.

While at the Ext. Ctr. the second time, I got to chat with a couple of EMGVs who are conducting the interviews for next year's class. One of them is also a knitter, so she and I got sidetracked on my second favorite topic (well, this year at least...:); we're trying to make a yarn crawl happen sooner rather than later.

As soon as I got home, I received an email about volunteering as a mentor, and I responded in the affirmative. Less than an hour later, I learned that I may get TWO interns to mentor. How exciting!

New Fish Tank...
Getting it ready for goldfish

I spent the rest of my afternoon working on my fish tank (left). I'm in the process of setting up a small, 10-gallon tank, getting it ready for goldfish. I have missed my pond...and my fish...so much since we moved from Missouri to NC. The back yard here just doesn't seem to hold any possible sites for a pond, so Mr. T's created a fountain on the deck to give us the soothing sound of moving water. But fish can't survive in it, so I had to go with Plan B. I'll probably let it run for a few more weeks before I add fish...just to make sure all's well.

Today, I'll catch up with laundry...and decorate for Thanksgiving. While Mr. T was changing the clocks...and the smoke alarm batteries...this past weekend, he also brought the boxes down from the attic. I didn't do anything really for Halloween...just put the lighted pumpkin in the window...and I found that I missed it. So, even though Turkey Day may be a bit difficult for us this year with one chair at our table vacant, I still want to make the house...and especially the dining room...festive. It's tradition...and it's comforting, too.

Tomorrow, I'll attend my first MG Board meeting. As an incoming committee chair (I've agreed to co-chair the Speakers Bureau Committee next year), I've been invited as a guest...so, all I have to do is show up and eat my tuna sandwich...and listen and learn. That, I can do!

And, next Wednesday, is the Annual Meeting...and we of the Guilford County EMGV Class of 2011 graduate! Since I've completed my classroom hours and my mandatory volunteer hours, I will get to exchange my temporary nametag for a permanent one. Woo hoo!! I'm all a'twitter! Seriously, it's been a long year...but I don't know how I would have gotten rid of that Little Black Raincloud of anxiety and grief without having Master Gardening to focus on...and Master Gardeners to lean on. I should be giving "them" something. Honestly.

Pear Tart... and Vanilla Ice Cream

You may have noticed that I didn't mention "writing my novel" in all of the above activity. Well, no. Apparently, I must not be destined to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge, good intentions to the contrary. When you are flat on your back in bed, just having taken yet another round of pain pills and muscle relaxers, it's difficult to be creative...or, just to hold a laptop and type. Then, when you get up and going again, it's difficult to write...when you have so much lost time to recover. I agree with a cousin of mine who observed that November wasn't exactly the best month for this challenge. Maybe she and I should move ours to say, January? At least we'd gain another day for writing that way!

This weekend, when I began to feel like a Human Bean again (as Momma used to say...:), I made us a pot of Brunswick Stew, along with a Pear Tart (photo, right; recipe below). This was a new one for me, and it turned out to be a nice treat...especially topped with some vanilla ice cream. Plus, it was pretty, don't you think?

===========================================================

Pear Tart

1 unbaked pie crust
5-6 ripe pears (the riper, the better)
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
2-3 T. cold butter, cut into chunks
Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a tart pan with Pamr. Line the pan with the raw pie crust dough, and crimp the edges.
Peel and slice all except one of your ripe pears, enough to make 4 cups of thin slices. Add lemon juice and toss. Add flour, sugar, and spices and toss. Pour into the crust-lined tart pan.
Cut the remaining unpeeled pear into quarters. Remove the seeds and stem. Slice the quarters into thin slivers of pear, and use these to create a decorative topping to the tart. Dot the top with butter. Sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon-sugar if desired.
Bake the tart for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden. The filling will thicken even more as it cools. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 min.
Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream. Yummy!

======================================================
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book: Country Pear Tart

What's a Mess for One?

2011-10-31T12:25:00.003-04:00

I miss my Momma. Oh, not in a bad way, really. No, this past week has just had so many reminders of her as a person…and I miss that person.

First, there was one of those “grief ambushes” that my friend LCM wrote me about. An EMGV friend at a recent training session we were both attending, excused herself to make her daily call to her mom who lives in Virginia. The thought “I wish I could call my Momma,” just popped into my head as she walked off, cell phone in hand. My throat closed up, and I had to dash to the bathroom to keep from making a spectacle of myself.

Cold Weather's A-Comin':
Getting the Garden Ready

And then, I worked in the garden all day on Thursday, getting it ready for the cold weather that was a’comin’. Snipped flowers that would be nipped in the frost. Took more cuttings of coleus and geraniums (see the Electric Lime coleus in the photo to the left.) Sheared the ferns. Covered the tender lettuce and spinach with row covers; put straw on the peas and the strawberry plants (which are covered in flowers and berries, if you can believe that). Then, because I seem to have gotten an extraordinary germination rate on the 7-Top Turnip greens, I picked a bagful (left). A mess for me, so to speak. Only…I think I may have overestimated the amount needed for a pot of greens for one person. When I was standing at the sink, washing and picking through that mound of greens, I started to tear up: I’m the only one in the house that eats greens anymore. (Mr. T wouldn’t touch turnip greens…won’t even be in the house when I cook them…not even in the same state, as he says.) I had once made the comment to Momma about this very subject…and now the day has come to pass. It's a mess for one.

Most importantly, there was the realization that Momma would have LOVED the 2011 World Series. Loved. It. Although she was a Braves fan through-and-through, she had a sweet spot for the Cardinals… especially since she spent almost 6 years as a “local” fan when we lived in Missouri. She thought the world of Albert Pujols, the first baseman extraordinaire, and she would have been proud of his performance. Ditto “Yaddi” Molina, as she called the catcher. But the fabulous David Freese would have struck a chord with her: hometown hero and MVP of the series. And that extra-inning Game 6 that lasted until way past midnight here? She would have been wide awake at the end of it, whooping with the rest of us. She might have slept through the middle, but she would have been there at the end. Woo hoo!

Now, It's a Greenhouse!
The screen porch is transformed...

Sigh. Life moves on.

In addition to getting the garden ready for cold weather, we got the “grow-light” shelf set up in the plasticized screen porch and brought in the herbs. Then we arranged…and rearranged…the plants we plan to overwinter on the floor of the porch, and we set up lights on timers to provide both light and warmth (see the photo to right). Somehow or other, we were able to pack ‘em all in!

I tried something new this year: I put my geranium cuttings (dipped in rooting hormone; rooted into potting medium in small plastic plant containers) in the big pots, arranged around the trunk of the large plants (the corn plant, the lemon tree, etc.). Hopefully this will keep everyone happy and moist, without wasting water (or having it puddle on the floor of the porch). We'll see how it goes.

Treats for the Houndz:
Mr. T hands out carrots to
Elmo (l.), Gus (c), and Duche$$ (r)

It’s the end of October, and time for the treats…hopefully no tricks. Mr. T is getting practice handing out some carrot treats to the houndz in that photo (left). He seems to have their undivided attention! He's home this week, so I won't be trying to keep the houndz at bay while trying to hand the treats to the kiddos through the storm door...always a trick for me to accomplish.

I had so many flowers that I snipped before the frost nipped the buds that I fixed a vase for the dining room (photo below)…and one to take to ~~Momma’s~~ our family’s BFF AW. She treated us back that very evening with a chicken pie from Deep River Friends Meeting’s Chicken Pie sale. Yummy! With a salad from some garden lettuce, it made a perfect supper.

New Dining Room chairs...
and the last flowers of the year

Speaking of the dining room, I took this picture (right) of the new chairs that we found on a recent trip to TJ Maxx’s. We have had this DR suite for 33 years (!), and I still love the warm pecan finish on the table along with the bow-front glass on the doors of the matching hutch. The table has two leaves and can expand to one HUGE piece of furniture. Amazingly, it has survived 11 (or more) moves...and it still looks pretty good. And, since it was made by Stanley, it has “come home,” so to speak…since the Stanley Furniture factory used to be in Lexington, NC (no more, sad to say). But, the ladderback chairs have been re-covered for their last time, I think. So I was thrilled when I spotted these upholstered Parsons chairs in a nutmeg color. Mr. T loaded them up into his Outlander (which he is trading in today...time for a new co. car!) and brought them home on Saturday. We tested them out last night, when we dined on our chicken pie…and both said they are perfect! (As soon as those flowers are gone, I’ll get out the Thanksgiving decorations…:)

Here I go again...
Goal: 50k words in 30 days!

So, here comes November! And, what happens in November, dear readers? Well, it’s time for NaNoWriMo, of course. The National Novel Writing Month, when challengers attempt to write a 50K-word novel in 30 days, beginning at 12:01 tomorrow morning. Once again…I’m signing up for the challenge. And, once again, I have such high hopes as the month begins. Will our heroine be able to vanquish the foe or will her life intervene with her best laid plans?

I can already see it happening, and I haven’t even written a word yet! I have three Speakers Bureau gigs over the next 8 days, so I’ve got to be extra vigilant with my time. If you do the math, you’ll see that you must write an average of 1,667 words EACH day in order to reach your goal. I wrote a 500-word (which I then had to edit down to 300...:) article for the North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association state newsletter on Wednesday of last week, and that took me most of the day! I’ll have to be diligent at following the advice of veteran NaNoWriMo’s: DO NOT EDIT, just write!

Easier said than done.

Catching Up

2011-10-24T00:25:00.000-04:00

Here come the Blue Devils!

Ah, dear readers, forgive me. I have been in such a whirl lately that I have neglected my blog...and you. I can give you numerous excuses, but you've heard them all before. And, I would rather spend our time together bringing you up-to-date on our adventures.

As you know, Fall brings football...and we have our season tickets to Duke again. And, once again, their football team, er, struggles to bring a victory home. It would be frustrating...except it's just so much fun to go to the campus on an Autumn afternoon and see a game.

We returned home this weekend from a lovely trip to Asheville and the mountains. I attended the NC Master Gardener Volunteer Association's Western Regional Symposium, which was held Wednesday at the NC Arboretum...two "firsts" for me right there. And, since I was already in the neighborhood, so to speak, I signed up for a class the next day at the Arboretum (what a beautiful place!) on Winter Container Gardening. A real treat!

Biltmore House...from the front drive

Of course, if we make it to Asheville, there are two places on my Must Do list: Yarn Paradise and the Biltmore Estate and Winery. Check and double-check! I came home with a bag full of Koigu sock-weight yarn and 3 new patterns from YP (which is located in Biltmore Village). And, after getting our photo ID's made for our Annual Passes, Mr. T and I spent a lovely day at the Biltmore on Friday before heading back to HPNC.

You might think we'd just relax once we got back home...and we did take it a bit easier on Saturday...but we have so much that needs to be done in the garden this time of year that we couldn't rest too long.

To prepare for the protection of tender veggies, I got the "ribs" into the rows of lettuce and spinach, ready to receive the row covers when the temps drop below 38 degrees. Mr. T tilled up several rows in the Way Back garden with the Big Tiller, as well as a nice, new flower bed next to the fence in the back yard with the Little Mantis. He's getting the Way Back ready to plant some new berry bushes and apple trees that we've ordered from the County 4-H...and, we came home from the Biltmore with a new Beautyberry bush (Callicarpa dichotoma, which has bright purple berries galore!), 4 "Scarlett O'Hara" narcissus bulbs, and three new Alive! Hardy Asters that needed a new home...along with the 100 daffodil bulbs I bought a couple of weeks ago.

Using the new potting table Mr. T built for me near the water faucet, I repotted 15 houseplants and then gave numerous herbs haircuts and a good dusting off...in preparation for over-wintering them inside. I snipped several cuttings of the bright red geraniums on the deck and dipped them in rooting hormone...then put them in some fresh potting soil. I also took lots of cuttings of the Electric Lime coleus...and new fav of mine. Hopefully, I'll get lots of new plants next year.

Now, as the temps fall to the lower ranges of the 50's at night...possibly dipping into the 40's even...the population of the screened porch (which is wrapped in plastic sheeting for the Winter) has swelled...and we haven't even moved the palms inside yet. Pretty soon, you won't be able to walk through without being tickled by the fronds of a fern. Winter weather's a coming', sooner rather than later...:)

Of course, neither of us will be able to move tomorrow...but that's another story for another day.

It's Fall, Y'all!

2011-10-06T14:36:00.000-04:00

Hummer on a break

I love this time of the year. Absolutely. Love. It! Fall is my fav. Well, until it's a beautiful Spring day after a long, cold Winter...then, I might sing a different song. But as for now, it's Fall...y'all.

Cooler temps are bringing changes to Casa 3917. Check out that picture of the hummingbird (right) that was just outside my window this morning while I was having my coffee. He was resting after being at the hummingbird feeder for almost a full minute. He comes regularly to the feeder, now that most of the flowers have stopped producing. Of course, I say that...and then I look out the window at the geraniums on the deck, which are blooming big-time. They seem to like this reprieve from the heat and humidity that was August. I'll soon have to give them a severe haircut and bring them in to overwinter. I did the overwintering part last year...without the cutting back part...and they were too leggy come Spring. Lesson learned.

The leaves around here are just beginning to change colors, but I understand from our news that the leaves in the mountains of NC are near "peak" color. We saw some pretty leaves as we drove through West Virginia last weekend on our way to Louisville. It’s cooler there, so there were more reds and yellows that we have in our trees.

It was Missy M's birthday on Sunday, so we were with her to celebrate. We went out to eat at the Macaroni Grill on Saturday night, then she requested that I make her pancakes on Sunday morning before we had to return home. Brother T, who lives north of Louisville, was able to join us for dinner, but SIL LaD had to take a rain check. It was so good to see Bro T...who looked great. He also remarked that it was good to finally see a smile back on my face. Yes, the little black rain cloud is almost gone now.

Mr. T and Friends Duche$$ and Gus...
on the sofa at Missy M's house

Oh, I wanted to share this picture of Mr. T, sitting on M's sofa with two of the Drool Gang, Duche$$ and Gus, in her living room (right). That quilt on the back of the sofa? She made it!! Here I have been talking about making a quilt "some day," and she just up and does it. Impressive!

[Regarding the change in the spelling of Duche$$'s name...you see, she's recently had surgery to remove TEN benign cysts...and the bill was more than for Mr's T's recent surgery. Sigh. Gotta love'em.]

Back at home on Monday morning, I gave a Master Gardening talk on "Best Practices for the Fall Garden" at the Sumner Garden Club that meets in Greensboro at the Rehobeth United Methodist Church (which has been on that location since 1806). They are a warm and welcoming group, and I like to think we all had a good time. Volunteering for MG Speakers Bureau gigs is so fulfilling for me...I do hope that the audience members get something out of it, too.

Of course, talking about gardening isn’t nearly as much fun as actually gardening. I told you about planting our Fall vegetable garden in the Way Back in a recent post. Well, everything is up and growing now! It looks so pretty when I take my morning coffee out there…and I can’t wait to have our first Fall salad from the lettuces.

Mostly green tomatoes...
destined to be
Green Tomato Relish

I brought back a big bucket of mostly-green tomatoes (see the picture, left) from M’s garden. Louisville is a little cooler than we are here in NC, so she'll get frost before we do. She had a LOT of green tomatoes still on her vines in her garden, and she didn’t know what to do with all of them. I plan on making several jars of Green Tomato Relish (recipe below)…which I just love on those Black-Eyed Peas for New Year’s Day. I hope I have enough of jars to give a few away as Christmas gifts, too. We’ll see

It is so hard to believe that in just 12 weeks, we will be finishing up this year. I brought my amaryllis plant inside on Monday, hoping to force it into bloom by Christmas day. I just think they are such magnificent plants, don’t you? Momma always loved them…and enjoyed getting them to bloom again the next year. I’ve never done it "on my own," without her instruction, so keep your fingers crossed that it works

Speaking of the Holidays, conventional grief counseling says that one needs to keep busy, especially heading into the Holidays, and to pay attention to family rituals and traditions, which Momma loved. I know it will be hard, but we’ll make it. I can say that with much more conviction than I felt just nine weeks ago tomorrow.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's not forget to enjoy the present season and the fruits of our labors. Fab Fall! Harvest time! And here's a recipe for you to enjoy, now and later:

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Green Tomato Relish

Ingredients:

24 large green tomatoes...or about 100 Super 100's
3 red bell peppers, halved & seeded
3 green bell peppers, halved & seeded
1 cayenne pepper (opt.)
6 large onions, more or less to taste
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups white sugar
2 cups cider vinegar

Directions:

*In a grinder or food processor, coarsely grind tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions. (You may need to do this in batches.) Line a large colander with cheesecloth, place in sink or in a large bowl, and pour in tomato mixture to drain for 1 hour.

*In a large, non-aluminum stockpot, combine tomato mixture, celery seed, mustard seed, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

*Sterilize enough jars and lids to hold relish (12 one-pint jars, or 6 one-quart jars). Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top.

*Screw on lids. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

*Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Relish can be stored for up to a year.

...adapted from AllRecipes.com

Changes in the Wind

2011-09-16T17:11:00.000-04:00

Did I read that right? The thermometer that registers the temperature from the Way Back Garden said 56 degrees this morning when I came into the Morning Room for my coffee. Yippee! I love cooler weather!! It also said that it was 72 degrees inside...way too warm to light up the fire. Drat.

Still, outside the wind was blowing in from the northeast for a change, rustling the leaves that have fallen...not necessarily because of the approach of Fall; more probably because they just were too hot and tired, trying to hang on the trees here at the end of Summer. The Tulip Poplar trees are the biggest contributors to the mess on the deck at the moment.

So what to do, on this day of no appointments? I decided to finish up my Fall garden planting. Yeah, I know...most people did that several weeks ago. Since my life has been in flux since June, though, I guess I can be forgiven for not following the seed planting calendar exactly in 2011.

Mr. T had already cleared, weeded, and tilled several rows for me, so I got busy planting the seeds and onion sets I'd gotten yesterday from Soviero's Tri-County Garden Center (my fav). I now have peas, beets, 4 kinds of leaf lettuces, collards, 7-Top turnip greens (grown only for the greens...:), and onions. It can begin raining any time now.

This weather is a bit odd for September, to be sure. But I'm not whinging about it...no, not me. I'm too excited about getting to break in Mr. T's birthday present, a new outdoor fireplace! Noooo, I'll take unseasonably cool weather over, say...a hurricane any day. Especially since we got our vacation at the beach in between the hurricanes (Irene and Maria) and the dip in temps.

Charleston and Food...
a Great Combination!

We had a wonderful, relaxing, regenerating week in South Carolina. Missy M, who has been working night and day on a work-related project, joined us as we headed to Charleston, one of our all-time favorite cities, last Sunday. We got checked into our room, then made our way to the Charleston Crab House for dinner. We did a little shopping in the Market area, then went to the Battery to complete our mini-tour. Unfortunately, Knit! was closed, so no knit-shop shopping today.

The next morning, we turned north on US 17 toward Myrtle Beach, our destination for the week. Along the route, we stopped in Georgetown, SC for lunch at another fav, The River Room.

Missy M checks out the menu at
The River Room in Georgetown, SC

This restaurant has great food...and a fantastic view of the river dock and harbor (see photo, right). We were fortunate to get a window table, so we got to watch the boats...and the clouds...on this beautiful special day. You see, it was both Mr. T's birthday and Labor Day...a holiday in every sense of the word!

Back on US 17, we stopped to shop in Pawleys Island Shoppes, the home of the original Pawleys Island hammocks. We got our "shabby chic" T-shirts/sweat shirts...and tried to go to Island Knits, only to find it, too, was closed. What's going on here? Was Mr. T calling ahead?? Ah well...

Enough already. Let's see some sand and ocean, for goodness' sakes!

We made it to Myrtle!

Just a few more miles north, we came to our destination, The Hampton Inn and Suites, on the South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach. Never been here before, since we usually stay away from the craziness that can be MBSC, choosing saner Litchfield to the south. But, we thought it would be OK since things change around Labor Day...the official end of Summer around here. And, we were right!

This is a fabulous place! We had a large room on the 11th floor, with two comfy queen beds, a fridge and microwave, and a balcony looking out on the ocean...complete with two rocking chairs! There are 4 pools, 2 lazy rivers, and a whirlpool on the property, and the beach access is easy-peasy: walk out of the door on the lower level...you're there! Comfortable areas, indoors and out, with rocking chairs and hammocks to read those beach-books (or, in the case of Mr. T and Missy M...those Kindles and iPads...:). They had a two breakfast areas to service all the rooms in the two towers; full breakfast is provided in the room rate. And the very best part? Didn't cost a dime...nope, nada...all on Mr. T's Hilton Honors points. I love a bargain, don't you?

Sunrise over the Atlantic...
last morning in Myrtle

It was exactly what we all needed. That photo (right) of the sunrise over the Atlantic, taken on our last morning, says it all.

And, I am happy to report that we did finally find a knit shop that was open: Knitting Up A Storm in North Myrtle Beach. Stopped by on our way out of town. Two of us loved it...one of us chose to wait in the hot car. Bet you can guess who is who. I got this yummilicious yarn called Cocoon by Rowan in colorway Seascape...which I thought would help me recall a warm, beach day when there's snow on the ground; it's an 80/20 merino wool and kid mohair combo. They had a free pattern for it that I am using to knit a braided cowl. So far, so good!

Gardening. Travel. Knitting. Good times with family. Sounds like things are back to normal. Well, maybe not "back," but certainly on their way.

It helped to have reclaimed the front bedroom as a guest bedroom, setting up the bed where the hospital bed used to be; sorted and donated most of Momma's hanging clothes; and cleaned and cleared the front bathroom...all of which I was able to do before we left on vacation. And, when we got back to HPNC from SC, Missy M tackled the chore of sorting the dreaded jewelry drawer. She found several of Nana's things she wanted to keep, so that did my heart good. Now, the only big chore left on the list is "finish cleaning out the dresser drawers"...and I know I can handle that one soon.

It's been six weeks today, and I still think about Momma several times each day. About how much she would have loved going to the beach. About how she would have wanted to turn the fireplace on this morning, even if it was too warm in the house. About how she would have been excited that it was football time again...and that the Braves are probably going to see some post-Season action.

The difference now is that I am noticing many, many more smiles and fond memories...far, far fewer tears and sad thoughts. The bereavement counselor is right: it IS a process, and everyone's experience in dealing with the changes is different.

Indeed.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back...Regroup and Repeat

2011-09-02T12:41:00.001-04:00

It's been a fairly good week, overall. Mostly positive, for sure. Some unexpected, overwhelming emotions that have caused me to hit the 'pause' button, too. Ah well...such is life, dealing with grief, right?

Let's start with a positive, even though it's out of order on the calendar. On Tuesday, after I had attended a Master Gardener wrap-up/planning ahead Plant Sale meeting at the Extension Center (way the heck on the other side of the county, mind you...:-), I dashed to the Moose Cafe out at the Piedmont Triad Farmer's Market to meet a couple of EMGVs at noon for a country lunch (I had the fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, and green beans...yummmmm! I just wish they would serve yeast-rolls instead of the rather bland biscuits...but you can't have everything, now can you?). One of them is expecting her second child ANY MINUTE NOW, and I had knitted up a little outfit to welcome Baby M to the world.

5 Hour Baby Sweater Set
for Baby M

I used the 5 Hour Baby Sweater (or 5HBS, in knit-speak) patterns and some warm, washable Cascade 220 wool in hot pink and grass green to create a sweater, bonnet, and booties (see photo, left). I enjoy knitting these patterns because they are fast and coordinated, and not just garter stitch...but I'm not sure what planet someone knitted these in only five hours! I'm a pretty fast knitter...and I'm guessing it took at least three times as long to complete the outfit as written (only change I made was to use two colors instead of one...everything else was as written...honest...:). OK, so I did knit the pieces while watching TV...so what else is new? Still, I think it turned out as I'd hoped for, and the MG Mom seemed pleased to receive the gift. Since she's moving to Michigan soon, I'm thinking the wool will be welcomed.

Other good things have included a working-lunch meeting about Speakers Bureau with MGer JA on Monday here in High Point, and a meeting with the MG Rose Garden Project Team in the lovely Learning Center in the Legacy Garden on Wednesday. Yes, I did go back out to Burlington Road again the very next day. My car knows the way...what else can I say?

We are working our way through all the tasks necessary to make our presentation on the rose garden on October 5th. The biggest task for this project has been to identify the roses that we already have planted there. Hard to imagine, but there is no written record that we can locate. Well, we're gonna take care of that! And, we will be ordering and planting a few more later this month...now that's exciting! Because it has been decided to table the Earthkind (c) Trial Rose Garden I mentioned in my last post for a while, I'm happy to be a part of planting some new bushes.

Are you detecting a theme here? You would be on to something if you observed that Master Gardening is getting me through this difficult time in my life. And I am thankful for this group and their support more than I can say.

Anyway...

A return trip to say Thank You...

The step back? Well, it all started with that trip last Friday to see the Bereavement Counselor at Hospice. I had baked some Triple Chip Cookies (recipe below) to take to the staff, many of whom I had not had the chance to say 'goodbye' and 'thank you' since Mom died at 4:00 a.m. - several hours before the Day Shift came in on that Friday, four weeks ago today. So, before my appointment, I went into the Hospice Home to deliver the cookies and my appreciation...and to return a book that I'd found in my knitting bag. I hugged in at the Team Station and all was well, if only a bit wet from the tears. I got to see several of Momma's nurses, aides, her doctor, and the social worker...and I felt as surrounded by their love and care as I had before.

Then, I took the book back to the desk (a beautiful Bob Timberlake design, by the way) where I'd found it in the Sun Room...and that route took me right past Momma's room. Of course, another family was there with their family member. But I didn't need to enter the room to have all those feelings come flooding back. Whoosh!

Apparently, I tamped them down into my subconscious, because I really didn't talk about that experience with Amanda the Counselor. It was too new, too raw to discuss so soon, I suppose. But every day this week, I have tried to do a little work in Momma's rooms...and each night after I do that, I have very vivid dreams about the morning she died...in Room 101. And, then to top it all off, after the landscapers arrived yesterday to make quick work of cleaning up the Way Back, I just dissolved into a puddle when I came inside and thought about how that area had been my refuge from all my caregiving responsibilities. So, the grieving is definitely not over...not by a long shot. Sigh.

I'm so lucky to have Mr. T by my side this week so that I don't have to deal with all of this on my own. Where would I be without him? And, since he has his own moments, he appreciates being able to talk about those to someone close to the issue. That's where Happy Hour in the Morning Room (no, not in the morning...:-) comes to the rescue. He's doing his end-of-the-month, end-of-the-quarter stuff, so he has to be close to home...most of the time. Today, he was off to Charlotte so early that he said he'd get his coffee on the road instead of making a pot at the crack o' dawn. But, he'll be home in plenty of time for Friday Night Pizza and Beer!

And, we are both getting excited about this weekend, when Missy M and ~~my grand-dogs~~ Ella Rae and Dixie come for a long visit. Woo hoo! We've got something special planned for the next week, especially since this is Mr. T's birthday week...more on that in my next post.

Can you see them?
Two rainbows over High Point!

So, I regroup...because I can't be too sad for too long. I have lots of people and support and activities to help move me forward...to keep me from sliding back too far.

And, I have faith.

Speaking of which, I forgot to share this photo I took as we were returning to HPNC after Momma's funeral. Remember...we saw a Double Rainbow last September, just about this same time, when we were in Maui?

Two sets of double rainbows in one year?! I'm so lucky! Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket...:-)

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Triple Chip Cookies

1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and mix in. Slowly, add in flour until well-blended. Stir in chips and nuts; blend thoroughly.

Using a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop), form cookies on cookie sheets. I can usually get 11 or 12 cookie "balls" on a sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do NOT overbake. Remove from oven, and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 2 minutes. Remove cookies to baking rack(s) to finish cooling. Store in airtight container to keep soft and chewy.

This recipe makes enough for 24-30 large cookies. You can even freeze 1/2 of the recipe (after forming the cookies) for baking at a later date. Enjoy!

Before...and After

2011-08-27T11:33:00.000-04:00

The Before...

Hurricane Irene

Before I get too deep into this post, let me reassure those of you who are here because you are concerned about how Hurricane Irene might be impacting us. We here in the Piedmont of NC are high-and-dry, and only a wee bit wind-blown. As of mid-morning on Saturday, we have had wind gusts reach 32 mph, and if any raindrops have fallen, they have escaped notice.

Now, that's a mixed blessing in a way. We are sooooo dry here that we almost wish we could get some of that rain that is falling currently at the coast...over 6 inches already at Wilmington, which wasn't even in the direct path of Irene. Further inland, before this is all over, there will be significant flooding, especially in the towns on the sounds. I noticed yesterday that they were letting water out of Oak Hollow Reservoir (close to our house) and into the oddly-named Deep River, I suppose in anticipation of getting more water coming in than it could hold? Don't think that's going to be an issue, though. Ah, well.

And now to the After of the title.

I am happy to report that Mr. T survived his first major earthquake and the aftershocks. On Tuesday of this week when the 5.9 quake struck the East Coast, he was in the Richmond area (of ALL places...:-), about 6 miles from the epicenter, preparing for a New Dealer Installation. He sent me a text right away...and that was my confirmation of what had just rattled our house here in HPNC, long before our own news channel began to report it. I was just sitting down to a late lunch when the house and all its contents rumbled and shook...and I thought "was that an earthquake?" Don't think I've felt one of those since my Memphis days! Of course, I grew up practically on top of the New Madrid fault, so earthquakes like this one were not unusual. He, on the other hand, has only felt a few in his lifetime...and none as strong as the one this week.

As an aside, I do have to report something I read in the GSO paper on Wednesday. They couldn't tell us what the magnitude of the quake was in the Piedmont. Know why? Well, it seems that the seismometer at NCA&T (the only one in this area) wasn't even turned on. "Didn't need it." Wonder if they've plugged it in yet, after the fact?

Well, three weeks after Momma's death, I feel as if I am stepping out of a fog into the sunshine. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am concentrating on volunteering to draw me along my path through grief. I have been participating in a variety of Master Gardening volunteer activities and have signed up for several more. One of the major commitments I have made is to be on a committee of three that will bring the new Earthkind(r) Rose Trial Garden to life over the next year...a first in the state of North Carolina! I won't go into great detail now; you will be hearing way more about that in the next 12 months, I'm sure. If you just can't wait, follow that link to the home of the Trials at Texas A&M. (Oh, I know that set one Aggie's heart a-flutter, didn't it? :-)

And yesterday, I had my first session with Amanda, the Hospice Bereavement counselor...lovely lady. Thankfully, she had boxes of tissues placed strategically about her office; however, I didn't need quite as many of them as I had anticipated. She asked me several thought-provoking questions, listened to my answers, and in general made me feel that I was on the right track. She gave me some suggestions and a reading list. I will have another one-on-one session with her, then I will join a group called Healing Hearts. More on that in future posts, too.

I can also report that I have made it through the clothes in Mom's closet. ATT, my BFF from childhood, gave me some great advice based on her own grief experience: don't be too quick to complete this chore. After her mother died, circumstances required her to move quickly on going through her Mom's things, and now she wishes she'd been able to take a little longer. Thanks, A, for sharing that with me...and giving me permission to slow down!

It's so much better to know these things before...rather than after, don't you agree?

Today is the First Day...

2011-08-19T15:39:00.001-04:00

Today is the first day...of the rest of your life? You know, I never really understood that saying, the original of which was attributed to 60's Synanon cult guru Chuck Dederich. But it made a great marketing slogan, didn't it? My roommate at USM in the early 70's had a poster with that saying, and I used to stare at the words and try to understand them. Over-analyzing them..something I have been accused of doing with probable cause, I would wonder: Well, of course...isn't every new day the "first" day of the rest of your life? Silly, really.

I prefer to think of it in other terms...

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

~Cherokee Indian Proverb

or, possibly even...

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.

~Babatunde Olatunji, a similar version is also attributed to Alice Morse Earle

Hey, I love history...and I love a good mystery. And what's not to like about presents??

Anyway...

Today is the first day... in a very long time that I awoke after 8 full hours of sleep. Granted, I roamed the house until after midnight and didn't get to bed until nearly 1:30 a.m., and it took me a little while to settle down and fall asleep. Since Mr. T was out of town, I was on my own for the first time. He's been so good about scheduling and rescheduling...and re-rescheduling his work in order to get back home for the night, so I wouldn't be alone overnight. Well, as alone as one can be with 3 rather large hounds in the house and on the bed. But, last night, tag...I was it. And I didn't particularly care for being it. So, there is work to be done in this area. Still, work can always be done better on a good night's sleep, don't you agree?

Today is the first day... I made coffee for one. Before June 9th, even when Mr. T was out of town, Momma and I had our morning coffee, usually made in the French Press instead of the drip-o-lator. I used to do 4 scoops to a whole carafe filled with boiling water, and it was just right...meaning it was a bit on the strong side, which is how I prefer my coffee, since I typically drown it in milk. Ahem. After Momma went to the Hospice Home, I just got my coffee fix in their kitchen; I even kept a "real" coffee mug there so I wouldn't have to use a Styrofoam cup. So today I put a couple of scoops of Eight O'Clock's Columbian in the bottom of the French Press and poured it about half-full of boiling water. Hmmm..not quite right. I still have some work to do on those measurements.

And, today is the first day... I laughed instead of cried when I forgot. I was loading the laundry, and before I pressed the Start button, I headed into Momma's bathroom to gather her basket of dirty clothes to add to the machine. Got all of the way from the laundry room to the bathroom door before I realized what I was doing. Oops. I am happy to report that no tears were shed at the time. I just shook my head, turned on my heel, and chuckled back to where I'd started.

Don't get me wrong...I'm quite capable of an afternoon shower or two, especially while reading the sweet and comforting cards that are still arriving in our mailbox daily. But, even that is getting better. Earlier this week, I received a card from a Master Gardener friend from Greensboro...a classy & sassy woman, who has nurtured me through the internship process even though she scarcely has time to breathe because she is so busy, and who had not known Momma personally. In it, she thanked me for sharing Mom's life story in the Tribute Picture Album...and then she wrote: "sounds like she was a helluva broad...must run in the family!" I'm not sure whether the tears were rolling because I was laughing so hard or what! Way to go, JA! You made my day!!

Oh yes, dear readers, my grief is still present, front and center. I'm not going to get past it in a mere two weeks. You see, I lost both my mother and my really close companion and girlfriend to cancer at the same minute of the same hour on August 5, 2011. And, my job as caregiver ended forever with her last breath. Talk about your life-altering changes.

But, I also know that I have an opportunity to write this new chapter, too. My fingers are poised over the keyboard, and I have a blank page in a new document and an unsaved file in a folder named The Rest of My Life. [That's the 21st century version of a clean pad of paper and a newly-sharpened pencil...:)]

What will my new chapter say? How will tomorrow differ from today? I'm not sure...yet. But, given some time and guidance, I'll be able to answer those questions and more.

Guiding me as I work through my grief, I have been tapping into available resources, especially the SUNRISE articles on the Shackelford Funeral Home's website. In the one entitled About Grief...The Rebuilding of Life, I have especially connected with Suggestion #4, Create and Build a New Life for Yourself. Here's an excerpt (the emphasis is mine):

Many find volunteer work very fulfilling. This provides one with an opportunity to invest himself/herself in others which is very therapeutic and fulfilling. Once you pass through this gate you will be well on your way toward recovery, and it will be accompanied by a feeling of deep joy. Keep in mind that you are in control of your life and that you have the constant option of reviewing and revising your plans.

As an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV), I have an abundance of opportunities to "invest (myself) in others." I took advantage of a couple of those yesterday: a training class to learn the newest Speakers Bureau presentations in the morning, followed by a 3-hour shift on the Infoline in the afternoon. It was so "therapeutic and fulfilling" that I signed up to be the presenter for several programs September-November. I also have a couple of Gardening articles to write in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted on all of those.

And, I even though I haven't gotten Mom's rooms cleared yet, I am following the advice in Suggestion #2, "Building on Your Beginning."

As you make a simple beginning in your recovery you will slowly and gradually begin to regain confidence, balance, and self-esteem, and, in time, you will once again begin to feel alive. Remember, this process takes place gradually. Take things slowly and in stride. “Easy does it,” is a wise old adage that applies here. Do not be bothered by slight regressions. Progress does not occur in a steady, upward swing, but a gradual up-and-down movement that progresses upward.

My darling daughter reminded me that there was no hurry. I made my way through a good portion of Momma's closet, but I just had to stop. Too painful. Too soon. But, at least I began.

And so, today is the first day... that I began to feel alive again.

Sharing

2011-08-12T14:27:00.003-04:00

I created a Tribute Album to share at Nana/Momma/Edith's services, and I am doing my very best to try to share it with all of you. I hope you will be able to just simply click and find it (below)...but we all know there is nothin' simple about following technical directions on embedding code that were written by technical folks for us semiliterate-techies. Where, oh where, is my Instructional Designer Daughter when I need her??

For some reason, when the album loads (if it loads...:), it begins inside on Page 1. So, you don't get to see the front cover. Try clicking the left arrow to make it move back one "page." There is an automatic play option, and it will even allow you to select "looping" so you can see it all over again. Also, do use the "Full Screen" option in the upper right portion of the window to see the pictures a bit better. [You can hit the ESC key to return to the regular screen after you are through viewing.] Best o' luck on seeing the print, though...I can't read it, and I created the thing! Trust me, if I could change it I would, but that isn't something I can control. Just put your own words to the pictures...or write me, if you have questions about any of them.

Here goes:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Well, I do hope it worked OK for you, and that you enjoyed it as much as I loved creating it. A labor of love, from start to finish, I assure you.

Up next, the Tribute DVD I made for the services. I don't have enough physical copies to go around, so I'm trying to post it in an appropriate location to share. I'll let you know...

Wish me luck!

Just One More Thing

2011-08-11T23:19:00.001-04:00

We are back, Mr. T and I. Yes, it's now just the two of us. True empty-nesters. Well, except for the three Basset Beasties, of course.

It's been almost a week since I last posted. Mom's services were held in Bolivar, TN, and she was buried in Bethany Cemetery near Whiteville on Monday. "Put me between Nananny and Daddy" were her instructions, and that's just what we did.

Even though we had a thunderstorm in the morning, it had passed long before 2:00. It was almost everything August is advertised to be in West Tennessee: extremely hot and humid. No haziness, though...it was a bright, sunny day. Friends and relatives surprised us with their numbers: since Mom was 91 and had outlived almost all of her friends and generation of kin, we hadn't counted on such a nice turnout...which we experienced for both the visitation on Sunday and the services on Monday. Cousin M officiated over the services that he and Mom had discussed back in June when she first went to Hospice Home, including the solo by his son, Cousin S, who couldn't be there in person. Never fear: Cousin M brought a CD with his solo, and it worked out just fine! Mom would have been pleased.

We even had 15 or so join us for a gathering afterward. Mr. T had secured the Hospitality Suite at the Hampton in Jackson where we stayed, and Bro J arranged for the BBQ and sides for a nice meal to share. Looking around the room, it was interesting to note that the majority came from the Lunn side...but again, Mom had outlived all of her Keaton kin and most of her Stewart clan. Still, it says a lot about a person when her husband (who has been gone for 21 years)'s family drives halfway across the state to come to her funeral, doesn't it? Says a lot about what a great bunch they are, too.

Heading home, we took the opportunity of being in Tennessee to stop by and visit my 103 year-old cousin in Dickson. A. is recovering from injuries she sustained in a fall, but let me tell you something: she looks fantastic! She still has the most beautiful skin...just amazing!

"Why, dear. Look what else's at the
Crossville exit...where we're staying..."

We stopped for the night in Crossville, which is in a lovely part of Middle Tennessee, right on the eastern edge of the Central Time Zone. It's also the same exit where The Yarn Patch (photo, left) is located...what a coincidence (as I attempted to convince Mr. T...:)! Ah, yarn therapy.

We relaxed by opening a bottle of wine, toasting the future, and taking a swim in the pool. I began to feel the Little Black Rain Cloud that has been hanging over my head for months gradually diminish. Slowly but surely.

We got home and were pleasantly surprised by the pups. We used a pet sitter for the first time, instead of taking them to the Glammer Slammer (AKA: the kennel)...and they were amazingly calm. Well, after we had rubbed in and handed out duck jerky, of course. They do have expectations.

We read all the sweet cards and expressions of sympathy that had arrived in the mail while we were gone. We listened to the voicemails from old friends who had just found out. And, we even brought in a flower arrangement that had arrived the afternoon of our return.

And, I guess you might think that that's the end of that.

Of course, that's NOT the end of that. There are papers to be signed, cards and correspondence to be written and mailed, and accounts to be closed. Phone calls must be made. And, many people must be thanked. The To Do List gets longer by the minute.

But, except for one thing on the list, I think I can handle it all without too many tears. It's just that one thing that's weighing heavily on my mind and messing with my emotions.

That one thing? Cleaning out Mom's rooms and closet. I haven't been able to do it yet, even though she has been gone from our house since June 9th...9 weeks today, to be exact. It seems like such a small thing compared to my childhood friends who just lost their mother two weeks ago (and who came to Mom's visitation, bless 'em): they have her whole house to go through. I only have a couple of rooms and a closet. And, it's not like there's anyone pushing me to get it done on any particular schedule.

It's me. I believe that cleaning out her rooms and closet...deciding what to do with her possessions...is the major stumbling block for me moving ahead with my own life. And, I am ready to move ahead. I think.

Maybe I can break that one thing down into little bitty things. Closet on one day. Dresser the next. Chest-of-drawers the following day. And so on. You know...the "only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time" method of getting a big job done.

Hey, it's worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sorrow...and Joy

2011-08-05T23:40:00.000-04:00

I cannot sleep. Believe me, I have tried. Four times now, I have gotten in bed, slipped under the covers, closed my eyes...and nothing. Sleep will not come. Not even a glass of wine helped. Not tonight. Too much on my mind. This is one of the days that will be etched into my memory forever. Friday, August 5, 2011.

Twenty-four hours ago, almost to the minute, I was sleeping as soundly as a stone...exhausted from my afternoon/early evening shift staying with Momma at Hospice Home of High Point. She had several terrible hours when she was fitful, restless, appeared very uncomfortable, and extremely agitated. "Terminal agitation," it was called by the staff. "Normal," they assured me. "Scary," I assured them. Finally, finally in the late afternoon, the nurse came in to say the doctor was increasing the levels of both morphine and the two anti-anxiety meds...again. And, as had happened the day before, the change seemed to do the trick.

The nurse also told me that they were at the maximum amount of morphine that they could give (20 mg/hr in the morphine pump); they were switching to another medication that evening. Dilaudid. If it would work, I was all for it.

Mr. T came at 7:00 to relieve me. He brought Taco Salads for dinner, so we could share a few minutes of normality in the Family Kitchen. I would head home for some sleep, he would stay for the next six hours, and then Bro T would relieve him for the overnight shift. That was the plan.

However, when midnight rolled around, the night nurse urged them to call me. The signs were all there. It was time.

Thankfully, Mr. T came home to wake me and drive me back to Hospice. It would be the last time we made that 8 mile trip.

Momma passed away calmly and peacefully this morning at 4:00 a.m., with Mr. T, Bro T, and me by her side. We made sure to surround her with love as she departed this life. I was able to sit with her, play music for her, and hold her hand until the very last breath. I had never had this experience, and frankly was a little afraid. But now, I can only express how thankful and blessed I feel for it. After the nurse had listened for a heartbeat for the final time and found none, I was able to open the patio door to Momma's room to release her spirit. It was a beautiful star-lit night...and a wonderful memory.

Of course, the next few days and weeks will be difficult. There are so many things to do when a loved one dies...and your name and telephone number are at the top of everyone's lists. True to my nature, the first thing I did when I got home this morning was start my To Do list...and then start making assignments. Once bossy, always bossy.

And now, with everyone working together, most of the To Do's have been checked off. Things are falling into place quite nicely. But, when I really need my sleep, I cannot turn off my brain...or my tear ducts either, for that matter. Silly me, I thought I was well-along in my grieving process; now I'm learning the truth in the statement: "no matter what, you are never really prepared to say that final goodbye."

Yes, there is sorrow for having to say that final goodbye. But, there is joy also. Joy, that Momma is at peace; joy that she has no more pain. And, joy, that she has made that transition from this life to the next...and left us with so many, many wonderful memories.

===================================================================
Here is the link to her obituary on the Shackelford Funeral Home's website:

http://www.shackelfordfuneraldirectors.com/obituary.php?client_id=8102

On Borrowed Time

2011-07-30T20:56:00.000-04:00

Just a few words tonight...a very brief post indeed. Meant mainly for those of you who are visiting to get the latest info on Nana/Momma/Edith.

N/M/E's journey is almost complete. She is sleeping almost all of the time, made as comfortable as possible by the medications and ministrations of the loving, caring Hospice Home of High Point staff. One of us is with her 'round the clock now, so that she can feel our love and presence...even if she rarely gives an indication of knowing we are there. We are told that the sense of hearing is the last sense to go, so we talk to her...tell her that we love her and will miss her.

The signs are all there, although they come and go. Her fingernails turn bluish and her skin shows "mottling," a purplish discoloration...both indicative of reduced circulation. Since Wednesday night, she has exhibited apnea, which has increased in duration (by my count) from pauses of 4 seconds to pauses of nearly 18 seconds (this afternoon).

The natural tendency is to ask "how long?" No one knows, and as Dr. Powell (the medical director...and a wonderful, caring physician) says "each person is different." He followed that with: "of course, this is one strong-willed woman." You have to laugh, don't you? Even with tears in your eyes, you have to laugh.

I didn't want my next post to come as too great a shock, and I knew that you would want to be kept in the loop...even if the news sounds sad.

Say a little prayer for Nana/Momma/Edith...that her transition from this life to the next is a peaceful one. Thank you.

Rena Belle Would Be Proud

2011-07-25T17:03:00.001-04:00

Lemon Meringue Icebox Pies

So, what do you think? Is that a gorgeous Lemon Meringue Icebox Pie or what? Both of them, even. I do believe Rena Belle would be proud, for sure.

If you have seen the front cover to the new Southern Living magazine, you have seen a similar picture...only theirs is of a Lemon Meringue Ice CREAM pie...not the same at all. I took the latest issue to Mom this morning, and just as I had predicted, she asked me to "make her one." Only, she was specific with her special request: make one like Rena Belle used to make...meaning she wanted Lemon Meringue Icebox Pie.

If you ever visited us when we lived in Henning, you know the name Rena Belle. I've posted about that wonderful woman before. She was so much more than The Help; she was the majordomo of our little household. And, she was a fantastic cook to boot. My favorite dessert...and Mom's too...was her Lemon Meringue Icebox Pie. I think I've told you that she used to make lemon for me, and a chocolate one for Bro J. I've tried to recreate it as best I could from memory, given the amount of time that has passed and the fact that she didn't write any recipe down. I am not a big fan of meringue anyway (I used to scrape it off the pie and just eat the lemon-filling and crust...:-), so it isn't one of those "mile high" versions. [Scroll down for the recipe.]

Speaking of The Help, I can't wait to see that movie. A good friend from Greenwood, MS, had several posts on Facebook back when they were filming it, so I feel more than a little connection. Of course, having grown up in the South in the mid-fifties, sixties, and early seventies...and having Help in the house for all my younger years...I imagine I'll recognize a theme or two, don't you?

Let's see, when I was a couple of months old, Momma went back to work. She was a social worker with the State of Tennessee in Shelby County, and being a Mom for the first time at 33, she said she could be a better mother if she worked outside of the home rather than in it. Of course, she made sure that I would be cared for while she and Daddy were working. After all, she had grown up in houses with Help who performed the chores and provided the childcare, so this was a natural for her.

Enter Sarah.

I don't really remember Sarah, and I only have a couple of fuzzy photos of her. She was with us until she made the mistake of paddling me with one of those paddleball (wooden) paddles for some infraction or other. [Oh, I know what the infraction was, but I'm not committing it to text.]

After that, Momma had to fire Sarah before Papaw shot her...or so the story goes. Papaw (my grandfather Keaton) was my protector from the day I entered this world...he had a hair-trigger temper...and it was a different time. He was just one generation removed from the Civil War, having grown up hearing about the death of his Grandfather Cummings following the battle of Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia. What more can I say?

Next came Ruth. Papaw hired her, so he made sure he found someone to his liking. Ruth was tall, big-boned, and good-as-gold. She let me do pretty much as I pleased, so that means she was probably plenty smart, too. She was with us until Bro J was born, and we moved from Memphis to Henning.

There, we were first cared for by Arbella, who was married to Sam...who was Daddy's right-hand man. Arbella loved Her Baby (as she always called Bro J). Me? Not so much. No matter. Just a year after that move, I started to kindergarten, so I was out of her hair most of the day anyway, which was probably a good thing.

Arbella was with us for a few years...until she kinda lost it and started talking to inanimate objects. I vividly remember her blasting away verbally at the iron one day when I was about 7 or 8. That was right before she got a gun to try to blast away Sam. He survived, but I think she went to Western State for a little while to recover.

After a series of temporaries, Rena Belle came to our rescue. And the rest, as they say, is our history. She lived in a little house a few blocks south of where we lived, guarded over by her faithful dog named Danny Boy. She was in our kitchen Monday through Friday before Daddy left for work at 7:00, and she stayed until Momma came home from work at 4:45. She washed, ironed, cleaned, cooked, and cared for us...and most of what I know about any of those things, I learned from her.

She was famous for getting dirty clothes into the washing machine in record time...sometimes before they had even been pronounced "dirty" by the wearer. And, she could starch things to where they could stand up on their own.

She loved to bake sweets, and she taught me how by allowing me to make as big a mess of the kitchen as possible. And, she loved to laugh, a laugh that went all the way to the crinkles around her eyes...but she always covered her mouth when she did.

[Now, before some of you get your knickers in a twist, please recall what I said: it was a different time. And, regardless of how it sounds now as I am recalling the story, please pause to consider something very important: did I turn out the way I have because I was raised by such strong women of color? For sure, Papaw would have disowned me in 2008...although I'm not certain for which of my transgressions: voting for a Democrat, voting for a black man, or voting for someone from Illinois?]

Memories...

Anyway, I'm happy to report that today is a calm and restful one for Mom, one in which her pain is being well-managed. She's responded well to the higher doses of her meds. No sign of the congestion that was plaguing her this weekend. I'm headed back over to Hospice Home now with another bowl of Brunswick Stew for dinner, and I hope N/M/E's saving room for her dessert.

A slice of Lemon Meringue Icebox pie. Just like Rena Belle used to make.

=================================================================

Rena Belle's Lemon Meringue Icebox Pie

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (We just called it "Eagle Brand"...:-)
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon's worth)
Grated rind of the lemon
4 eggs, separated
4 T. sugar
2 T. white Karo syrup (opt.)
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar (opt.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 9" graham cracker pie crust (purchased or homemade...see below)

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the Eagle Brand, lemon juice, lemon rind, and the egg yolks together. Beat until thickened. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Set aside.

Make meringue in a separate bowl by beating egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff enough to form peaks. Add sugar, syrup, and vanilla. Beat again until stiff.

Cover pie filling with meringue, sealing all the way to the edges of the crust. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until peaks begin to brown slightly. Cool a bit before putting in refrigerator to chill.

Chill thoroughly before cutting. Enjoy!

(Go ahead and double the recipe. You'll be glad you made two!)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Graham Cracker Crust for 9" pie

9-10 graham crackers (about 1 "sleeve" of a box)
4 T. butter, melted
4 T. sugar

Crush the graham crackers into a fine powder. Mix with butter and sugar. Press into 9" pie plate.

No Tears Today!

2011-07-24T16:34:00.000-04:00

Flowers from the garden for Momma

Oh, what a beautiful mornin',
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I got a beautiful feelin'
Ev'rything's goin' my way.
--from Oklahoma

(Follow the link to listen to the music...:)

OK, so it's no longer "morning" when I'm writing this. And the "day" I'm talking about was yesterday. Let's not be too picky.

When Mr. T and I arrived at Hospice Home yesterday for a visit with Nana/Momma/Edith, she was awake, alert, and in a talkative mood. Woo hoo! We had brought a cup of watermelon chunks for a taste-treat, and she enjoyed almost every single one of them...with salt, of course. I texted the word that she was available to talk on the phone, and she took a call from Bro J in Nashville and one from SIL LaD in KY. It was a wonderful morning indeed!

Made even more so, since just 24 hours before, it had been an awful, terrible, horrible, very bad day. Nothing was right; nothing was working. Mom couldn't get comfortable, no matter which way she was positioned. She was frustrated, upset, in pain, and crying. Of course, being of no help whatsoever, I began to cry, too. The nurse practitioner, who had just adjusted Mom's morphine the day before, adjusted the amount yet again (doubling the pump-dose from 2 days before). And, the nurse...recognizing high anxiety when she saw it...gave Mom more anxiety meds than scheduled to help calm her. (Only half kidding, I asked her if she had one of those for me...:-)

Well, what a difference a day makes...as they say!

We had a wonderful visit with Mom yesterday, and as we were leaving, she said "you know what I want you to bring me tonight?" What? "A small pepperoni pizza from Donato's!"

You betcha!

We did...and she ate half of it! And then polished off a cup of orange sherbet!! What a wonderful day indeed!

So, today I'm making a pot of Brunswick Stew. Yes, I am aware that it is nearly 100 degrees outside. And, I know that my garden is so overgrown with head-high weeds (I kid you not) that a sane person...well, at least one that is afraid of snakes...wouldn't set foot in it to find the necessary ingredients.

But, I'm on a roll here. And, Brunswick Stew is on Mom's special request menu, because it reminds her of summertime on Nananny's farm in Hardeman County, where they would make a big, cast-iron pot of stew when the garden would start to "overproduce:" start producing more than they could eat at meals, put up for winter, or give away to others.

I did find potatoes, carrots, corn, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and okra in enough quantities to make a pot of stew...and no snakes, thank goodness. The only thing that would have to come from a can would be lima beans...they've stopped producing in this heat...and the tomato sauce. Oh, and the chicken broth. I'm using some shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, so I didn't make any homemade broth. Stew's on the stove simmering away as I write.

I also found a few blossoms to snip for a vase to take to Mom this evening (see the photo above). Flowers from the garden...Brunswick Stew from the garden...that should bring a smile to her face, don't you think?

I hope so. Today is all about smiles...not tears.

Gifts

2011-07-19T01:12:00.000-04:00

It's not what you think. I hadn't planned to post about birthday presents, although I do reserve the right to mention them.

Back to The Bistro for my birthday

My sweet Mr. T gave me the best gift he could: his time...and three special treats that were just the right size and selection.

On Friday, we took in the matinee of the latest [and last] Harry Potter movie. Loved. It. Will definitely go back to see this one again. Then, on Saturday...my "real" birthday...he treated me to lunch at The Bistro at Childress Vineyards in Lexington (photo, left). Yum! And cake when we got home. Lastly, on Sunday, we drove up to Daylily Meadows in Pinnacle for what has become an annual birthday excursion for a new variety of daylily for our yard...or two or three. We ended the three-day celebration with lunch at the Old Salem Tavern...always a winner.

Ranger Bob

Before I forget, the three newest members of our daylily garden are Barney, Ranger Bob, and Harem House...all purpley-pink ones this year. That's a picture of Ranger Bob on the right.

I also received flowers, gifts, calls, and cards from family and friends...and I appreciate every single one from the bottom of my heart.

No, the "gifts" I had wanted to post about today are a little more esoteric, shall we say? I'm thinking specifically of some gifts my Mother has given me: my love of gardening, my enjoyment of travel, and my appreciation of both the mountains and the beach, of good friends and good relationships with your family.

She also bestowed a few gifts upon me that I sometimes wish I could return, if the truth be told. One that comes to mind is the "gift" of emotional sensitivity in times of stress...and a pair of really active tear ducts. Mom has always cried easily...and without feeling self-conscious. Me? I hate when I cry in public...or when I can't seem to control the flow. Hate. It.

As Mom nears the end of her journey, I have been putting together a Tribute Book and a Tribute Video, using lots of old photos I have been scanning for several weeks now. With everything else that is going on, you can imagine that my emotions have been raw and right on the surface...and the tears have flowed freely. Way too freely. "Basket case" is a phrase that might fit.

Today, for instance, the Hospice chaplain came to visit Mom while I was there. He is a loving, giving person, and he knows Mom enjoys hearing him sing. Even though she is sleeping most of each day, she was awake when he arrived, and responded positively to his voice. So, while standing at her bedside and holding her hand, he began to sing "Jesus Loves Me." I had to leave the room I was crying so much. I'm crying now as I write this.

Yes, Mom frequently says she is tired, but it is obvious with each new day that her will to live is still strong. As the Hospice staff says, she's just not finished with things here yet. So, I dig down deep and find what I need to face another day. If she's remaining strong, then I need to stay strong, too. Amazingly, whatever I need is usually there. No more, no less.

Well, possibly more tears than I'd like...but you know what I mean.

Another Month Begins

2011-07-07T11:23:00.000-04:00

July. The month in the middle, marking the beginning of the second half of the year. Typically, the 3-H month: hot, humid, and hazy. The month of Julius (for whom it is named) Caesar's, our country's...and my...birth. My month has arrived.

It will probably be a quiet month for me. I won't be doing a lot of celebrating this year. Mr. T has hinted at a return trip to our favorite day lily farm in Pinnacle, Daylily Meadows...and maybe a return visit to The Bistro at Childress Winery. That sounds lovely to me. No surprises...just a couple of old friends.

I will be doing a lot of contemplating this month, I'm sure: about the past...and maybe about the present; not so much, the future. You see, I have been working on a tribute album and a tribute video for Mom, and I have looked at...and scanned...lots of old pictures in the past week or so. Who we were...and who we are now.

Not that reviewing the past is a bad thing; it's just not where my head usually is during my month. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I usually ask the question some time...several times, even...in July: wonder where I'll be this time next year...what I will be doing? And, I try to follow my own advice to my coaching clients: review the successes/challenges of the past year and write your New Year's Resolutions on your birthday, not on the first day of the year. Well, probably not this year...not for me. This year, I find it difficult to plan what I will be doing tomorrow, much less twelve whole months from now.

Mr. T is off on his Carolina Run, as he calls the week he visits dealerships in Charleston, Columbia, and Charlotte. During his call home one night, he asked the question: so, what's on your schedule for tomorrow? I replied that I have no "schedule"...for tomorrow or any other time, for that matter. I am in this suspended universe where plans and schedules no longer count. I take each day as it presents itself.

Yeah. I hate it. It's downright un-natural for me. But, sometimes you do what needs to be done, regardless of whether you like it or not. This is one of those times. Sigh...and get on with it.

Well, N/M/E has had a roller-coaster week. After a few bouts with poorly-controlled pain, the staff at Hospice Home decided to begin using a morphine pump with Mom: one that administers a pre-programmed dose at certain intervals on its own...and still allows for her to push a button to get a "break-through pain" dose in between those times. Sounds like a plan to me!

When they first set up the pump, Mom was O-U-T for nearly a whole day: couldn't wake up; was almost incoherent when she did. Scary. Never fear, the staff made the adjustments to the dosage (way down) to allow her to be more awake. Uh oh...then she had too much pain. Not to worry, the staff made the adjustments to the dosage (higher, but somewhere in the middle), plus they re-set the intervals for the break-through pain doses (shorter intervals, smaller dose per interval, while still allowing enough overall). That's been working for a few days now, thank goodness.

As Brother T says "they call it medical PRACTICE for a reason."

Speaking of brothers...both were here for the Fourth weekend: Bro J with SIL J from Nashville, and Bro T with SIL LaD from KY. Missy M also arrived for the Holiday weekend, along with ~~my grand-dogs~~, Dixie and Ella Rae (who chased squirrels to her little heart's content...:). We even were able to get together for a BBQ on our deck on Saturday, before everyone had to leave on Monday. Well, all except SIL LaD, who probably over-did it with this visit. She has her own set of health issues...and every single one of them tried to overtake her while she was in HPNC. As Momma would say: "if it ain't one thing, it's 10 others."

Amen, Momma. Amen.

Hills and Valleys...Backslides and Rallies

2011-06-26T16:08:00.002-04:00

Today is a good day. It is a beautiful Summer's afternoon outside. The flowers are blooming; the birds and butterflies are busy. We even saw a baby cardinal at our window-feeder: you can tell the baby ones because their bills/beaks haven't changed colors yet...still brownish instead of yellow-goldish. Life is bubbling all around us.

After breakfast, Mr. T fixed a baggie of ice-cold watermelon chunks for me to take to N/M/E as her special request treat for the day. "Don't forget my salt," she'd reminded me last night. The last time I took her watermelon, I'd forgotten that essential item...essential to her, that is. I, who over-salt everything else I eat, never use salt on my watermelon. Go figure.

Anyway...

When I arrived around the lunch-tray time, I found Momma had a visitor. CW, daughter of Mom's BFF AW, had stepped into the early morning visitation rotation slot, pinch-hitting for her ailing mother. Way to go, C! AW, who has been so very faithful in being there for coffee with Mom every, single morning, got put on the DL this past week with vertigo...my nemesis. Hoo boy...I felt her pain, as you can imagine. I also told her that she could keep it...I don't want any part of that. No. Way.

As Mr. T is preparing to head off to NJ for a week, I could feel the panic rising. Momma had been having a good deal more break-through pain, especially in her back and under her rib-cage on the left side. More pain. Down to just one of us (that would be me!) in the Home Team visitation rotation. Should I hit the panic button?

No! Not yet at least. CW is there if/when I need her. AW will be off the disabled list and back on the Home Team bench soon, as her vertigo is settling down (according to CW). The All Stars (both brothers and their wives, plus Missy M) will begin gathering for the Holiday Weekend on Thursday, when Mr. T will also return.

And, most importantly, the doctors and nurses at Hospice have recognized that Momma's not feeling as well as she was. Without my having to ask them, they adjusted her meds (mainly the steroid, I found out) to better-manage the pain. Go Medical Staff!

This is all so new for me...having the medical folks step in and just do what needs to be done, without my having to make a case for it to anyone.

So, after a little backslide as Momma called it, she has put her Rally Cap on...yet again. How can that be anything but a good day?

==============================================================
P.S. Yes, I do use a few too many sports-related terms: Rally Cap. Pinch-hitting. DL/Disabled List. Bench. Rotation. Team. Well, if you know my Momma, you know she loves her sports. So, just run with it...:)

Why I Bother with Mascara is a Mystery

2011-06-24T18:20:00.001-04:00

Ethel died today. And I cried.

You are probably wondering who Ethel is, and why I care enough to shed tears. Answer Number One: I don't know. Answer Number Two: Because.

Because "Ethel" was the name on the placard outside of Room 100. Because that's the room next door to N/M/E's at Hospice Home. And, because I'd never met her, and until yesterday, I had never even seen any of her family. There were no visitors to that room in the late-morning/lunch/early afternoon hours during the past two weeks, that I knew about.

Until yesterday. I noticed a woman and a young girl...possibly Ethel's daughter and grand-daughter? But, it didn't dawn on me that there might be a reason for their visit, other than that it was just an ordinary visit.

When I arrived this morning for my ordinary visit with Momma, I noticed immediately a new Memorial Card on the entry hall table at 1803 Westchester. The name on the card was Ethel's. And, even though I was loaded down with take-out from KFC, I had to stop and try to process the information. Ahhh. The staff had probably called Ethel's family to come yesterday because they knew it was time. Time to say goodbye.

Later, after Momma had eaten a few nibbles of her special request meal for the day (Extra-Crispy KFC chicken breast, slaw, and mashed potatoes and gravy), the nurse arrived to give her noon-time meds. Seizing the opportunity, I slipped out of the room and took refuge in the Chapel.

There, I cried. For Ethel. For Ethel's family. For myself. For the moment in the future when the staff will call me. The tears left no trace of my mascara...except in trails down my cheeks and on the torn tissue in my hand.

Then, a few solitary minutes later, I splashed some cold water on my face, put my smile back in its place, and headed back to Momma's room. We had a new Southern Living to look at, after all.

No more time to waste on tears.

Let Her Eat Cake...and Ice Cream!

2011-06-21T18:07:00.000-04:00

I have a question for you: if you knew your time on this earth was drawing to a close, and someone asked you if there was anything special you'd like to eat, anything at all...what would your answer be? Think about it for a moment.

While you're thinking, I'll keep writing. And, before you say "Patricia, aren't you being just a wee bit morbid today?" please remember that I spend every day from 10:00 to 2:00 in the Hospice Home with Nana/Momma/Edith. Death...and the talk of death and dying...is ever-present. And, thankfully, death is no longer a four-letter word for us...if you follow my drift there. We have, quite frankly, begun to live with death...laugh about it...and lose some of our fear of it.

I can't remember if I've told you (I say that phrase quite often these days...:), but N/M/E stopped eating and drinking about 10 days ago while still here at home. It was one of the darkest periods in this whole chapter. When she got to Hospice Home and her medications were being administered through the port (instead of by mouth), she started to ask for sips of water occasionally, and then one day she wanted a milkshake. It was music to our ears!

We have learned from the staff that it's OK if she doesn't want to eat...not to force it. We've been told that as a body starts the dying process, it no longer needs food or fluids like it once did. Just follow her lead on this.

We started to notice that she rarely touched the soups, sandwiches, or other dishes on her tray...but she almost always ate anything sweet that arrived at meal time: cakes, pies, cobblers, Krispy Kreme donuts, ice cream, etc. Interesting. Part of the explanation is that one of the medications she is getting (a steroid) causes a craving for sweets. And, part of it is that this is perfectly normal behavior. One staff member told me that her mother hated chocolate all of her life...until the very end, when all she wanted was chocolate cake!

You have to see the humor in the irony of this. N/M/E dieted off-and-on for most of her life, battling a weight problem, and "sweets" were often on the taboo list. Now? Bring 'em on...line 'em up...and let me at 'em! Diabetes be damned!!

So, today, after N/M/E had asked for a second dish of orange sherbet...and turned her nose up at the soup-and-sandwich combo...I asked if there was anything I could bring her that she would enjoy eating. Anything at all.

She thought for a moment and gave me her answer with a big smile: a pimiento cheese sandwich, a homemade sweet pickle, and an ice cold slice of watermelon.

Oh, and a Butterfinger candy bar.

Guess what's on the menu for tomorrow at lunch?

Changes

2011-06-13T17:34:00.001-04:00

Today's post is about the changes we are experiencing. First of all, the weather has changed...for the better, if you want my opinion. The temps have moderated...well, if you call dropping from the mid-90's to the mid-80's as "moderating." I do. As if in solidarity with the degrees, the humidity has also dropped. No longer does it feel like a wet blanket thrown over your head when you walk outside. Breathing is easier.

Hospice Home of High Point

More importantly, we have seen some positive changes for Nana/Momma/Edith. As of last Thursday morning, she moved to Room 101 at Hospice Home of High Point. Since then, she has adjusted to the medications that are now being delivered through a "port" instead of by mouth, her pain is being well-managed, and she is comfortable in her new surroundings. She expresses love for all the people who are caring for her...and they love her, too. She is calm and rests easily. The changes for her are more than we could have imagined, given our experience of last Tuesday and Wednesday.

[I think I said in my last post that Mom was going to Respite Care on Thursday, but we realized that was no longer appropriate for her, following a swift decline since her falls on the previous Monday. One call to her Hospice at Home nurse paved the way for the move to the Hospice Home. I cannot say enough good things about this organization...they are wrapping our whole family in their tender, loving care, and giving us all what we need at this time.]

It truly has been a family affair. Brother T (who has been with us since last week) organized our family schedule so that we could have someone in Mom's room around the clock, until she stabilized and adjusted to her new location. When Brother J and SIL J arrived on Thursday, they were able to pull a double-shift to fill in for my absence while Mr. T had his surgery on Friday (he's recovering here at home, fighting a touch of fever, but otherwise doing well). And, what would we do without our dear friend (Mom's BFF...:) AW? She stays all night...she comes early in the morning...she's there for us when we need her.

I had a chance to speak to the MD/Director this morning, and he was pleased with Mom's responses. He says that the next 7-10 days are important ones, and that they will maintain Mom on the present course unless things start to move in a different direction.

A friend recently recommended that I read the Hospice books. I didn't know what she meant at the time, but I have since been introduced to the excellent "Gone From My Sight" booklet, inspired by the poem of the same name. There are signs along the way, and we search for them at every opportunity.

But, I did notice something about myself this morning. Even though I asked Dr. P. where he thought we were (in the journey), I really am gradually relinquishing the over-reaching need I have to know. It's becoming more a desire just to be.

Talk about your changes...

Five O'Clock in the Morning

2011-06-09T05:45:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted for a while, mainly because I've been too busy to even think about writing. Well, busy...and just unable to translate thoughts to text. Simply put, caring for Mom these past couple of weeks has been one of the hardest things I have done in my life. She is moving toward the end of her journey more rapidly than we'd imagined possible, and it keeps me physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. Sigh. Really big sigh.

Still, I committed to keeping kith and kin informed here on my blog, so I'll jot a few sentences. No pretty pictures this time. Just words.

As I posted last, Hospice of the Piedmont is providing at-home assistance for Mom. That means that we have advisers available 24/7; it does not mean "they" are here, on-site round-the-clock. Hospice is wonderful, don't misunderstand; it does have limitations, though.

While Mom's pain is being managed by the meds (and for that, we are eternally grateful)...some of which must be given every 2 hours, she is no longer able to participate in her own care. She fell twice on Monday within 12 hours, hurting her right knee pretty badly. Is now confined to bed with a catheter; disoriented just doesn't seem to describe it adequately. She "sleeps" the majority of the time, although she has a great deal of restlessness and agitation...and she's often in another place, mentally. We are told that is perfectly normal behavior, but it rarely "feels" normal. Someone must be available for her at all times, and the Home Team is a bit shy on bench strength, shall we say? It's just me and Mr. T...and he's about to be sidelined on the DL for a couple of weeks.

Oh, we are not entirely alone in this. Missy M is making sure we are eating well by sending us meals from near and far; we had Honey Baked Ham's turkey dinner last night, and Corky's BBQ arrived for tonight. Hooray! Also, Brother T has arrived from KY to help out for a few days, and Brother and SIL J&J are scheduled to come spell us on Friday. Mom will be in Hospice Respite Care over the weekend, so that I can turn my attention to caring for my dear husband of 35 years.

You see, Mr. T is scheduled for surgery on Friday and will need 2-3 weeks to recover. No heavy lifting. Just think "hernia," and you will be close. Anyway, if you are wondering whether I'll still be standing...and sane...after all of this, well, you aren't the only one.

Here's what I'm telling everyone: when this is all over, I am going to have a nervous breakdown. I've worked for it...I've earned it...and NO ONE is going to deprive me of it. I remember reading that somewhere and thought it appropriate.

Anyway.

Think positive thoughts...and, if you have any to spare, send some our way. Muito obrigado! Muita obrigada!...which is about the extent of the Portuguese I remember...and, I'm not sure about the feminine version...:)

OK. I hear Mom calling. I'd better close this for now. One foot in front of the other....

The Cavalry Has Arrived!

2011-05-31T17:11:00.003-04:00

When you think you have reached the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
an American proverb,
with variations attributed to Thomas Jefferson (although Monticello.org says no),
Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I have heard that saying (above)...or some variation...all of my life it, seems. I even recall a cute cat poster on the same theme. Truly, it has sprung to mind quite often recently, especially the "end of your rope" part.

Only...

I was getting desperate. I needed to know not only exactly how long my allotted rope is, and therefore how much more rope I had to go...but also exactly what kind of knot I am supposed to be tying, for goodness' sakes. A square knot? A constrictor knot?? A half-hitch??? Details, ~~dammit~~ gosh darn it, I needed details.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out I was out of rope, for sure. Hanging by a thread. No knot, no nothing.

That was last Tuesday. I had just returned from a lovely, much-needed...albeit brief...few days away with Missy M. The moment I stepped back into my house, I could feel the oppressive helplessness. You see, I had made a promise to Mom that I would do everything I could to make sure she didn't have to make the final steps in her journey in pain...and, I was failing miserably in keeping that promise. And, anyone who knows me at all knows I hate to fail. Hate. It.

What to do?

After putting in two calls to two different doctors on Wednesday...and speaking to their two nurses, we made an appointment with our family doctor for the next day. I wasn't sure what else he could do to help us that he wasn't already doing, but...again...I was at the end of the rope.

He was kind and caring, as usual, and when the discussion got around to Hospice (as it has in the past), he reiterated "since Edith's choosing not to do any diagnostic tests (CT-scan, etc.), it might be difficult to get Hospice involved." What he was saying was: we don't have a definitive DATE. Without diagnostics, doctors are best-guessing on the number of a patient's days. But, this time, the discussion ended with, "I'll do the best I can with the information we have."

We left the office with a glimmer of hope. A tiny flicker. We didn't want to yet believe, but we both felt we'd done what we could. The ball was in someone else's court, as Mom said.

On Friday, we received a call from the Hospice of the Piedmont to schedule an initial in-home visit. Apparently, Dr. K had said exactly what needed to be said to unlock that door for us. And with that one conversation, I was able to tie that first knot in my rope. A strong, secure double constrictor...just in case you are wondering...:)

On Saturday, Mr. T began the process of preparing our house in anticipation of daily visitors. If you've been to our house, you know our Basset beasts are not user-friendly. Oh, Gus and Duchess love to have visitors; they just aren't very well-behaved. They bark incessantly and rarely respond to commands not to jump up on folks. And, Elmo...well, he was never overly fond of strangers before he lost his eyesight; being blind hasn't improved his disposition in the least. Sigh.

On Monday (a holiday, mind you), the Cavalry arrived around 10:00 a.m., in the persons of the Hospice Nurse and the Social Worker . By the time they left in the early afternoon, we were all shedding tears of joy and relief. I actually felt like exhaling for the first time in a very, very long while. And, I had tied several more knots in my rope...which now felt more like a hammock than a rope-ladder.

First of all, the nurse added a pain medication to the mix to deal with the nerve pain. And, something different to help with the nausea. Then, she recommended that Mom have oxygen (which seems like a natural, but I've had great difficulty in getting a doctor to write that order). Would Mom like someone to come help her with bathing and washing her hair? How about a chaplain to visit...and bring communion? What about a Hospice volunteer to come visit for an hour or two each week...just to chat? Did we need to schedule Respite Care? No problem...Mom can have up to 5 days if we need it.

OMG. PTL. PMTSIIA (Pinch me to see if I'm awake).

After the team left, the pharmacy called: the new prescriptions were ready for me to pick-up. The medical equipment supplier called to say when he'd deliver a new wheelchair and the oxygen apparati. It's still a holiday, remember?

This morning, just one week after our darkest hours, we discovered yesterday hadn't all been a dream...it was, in fact, real. The aide called to schedule today's visit for bath, etc., and the volunteer called to set up a "play date" on Friday. I still feel a bit dazzled by the speed and extent of all their services...but I can adjust.

Filling up the new pool

So, how am I going to spend all my new-found leisure time, you ask? If you need me, I'll either be at the Guilford County Extension Center (Master Gardener volunteer workday in the Legacy Garden scheduled for tomorrow; MG Third Annual Community Garden Tour scheduled for Thursday night...I'll be a host at one of the 22 community gardens on tour) or in my own (neglected) garden...which is in sore need of weeding work. I may have to break the cardinal rule of not working when the soil is wet, or when the temps rise above 90, but I'm afraid to put that chore off much longer.

If I'm not in one garden or the other, you'll probably find me chillin' in our new wading pool (photo, right). Mr. T and I came home from Sam's Club with the neatest inflatable pool-in-a-box...8'x8'x22"; it even has a seat and two cup holders! He blew it up using the air compressor and filled it with water last night...all 277 gallons. The water was like ice, so we didn't linger any longer than it took to finish a glass of Riesling. There should be a different story tonight after a 97-degree day...:)

Yes, the cavalry has arrived...and I feel like a kid again! Marco! Polo!

====================================================================
P.S. See you in the funny papers...
Remember that I said I gave a Master Gardener Volunteer talk on Culinary Herbs at the High Point Library earlier this month? Well, who should be in the audience but a reporter from the Jamestown News! She wrote an article, which hopefully you can find here: http://jamestownnews.womacknewspapers.com/articles/2011/05/26/news/lifestyles/lifestyles56.txt

Something Old, Something New

2011-05-29T17:24:00.001-04:00

That was then -
1976

It was a warm and humid May night in central Mississippi. The predicted rains were cooperative and came in the early afternoon, long before the 7:00 hour on the invitation, when I would walk down the aisle with my Daddy to join hands with my soon-to-be husband. We made our way the short distance from the Holiday Inn-North, where we had entertained out-of-town visitors...and Momma had hosted the Bride's Maids' luncheon...down the Frontage Road to Christ Lutheran Church. This particular church and its pastor were unfamiliar to me, although Mr. T had grown up in its embrace, as well as in the Lutheran faith.

Never fear, I was represented in the person of the minister who had served our tiny West Tennessee town's United Methodist church when I was a teenager. Concerned that Mr. T's family and friends would feel excluded unless we wed in his hometown, and hoping that my family and friends would make the drive down I-55 if asked, we recited the vows we had written in the presence of those in attendance...and not one, but two men-of-the-cloth.

Following the ceremony and the photos (left), we toasted our future and our good fortune in having found one another, at our reception held at LeFleur's, a normally lovely fine-dining establishment, but in the throes of refurbishment on that particular Saturday. No matter, the food was excellent and beautifully presented, and the wine flowed. Well, I can't exactly vouch for the food since I didn't eat anything at my own wedding reception. Nerves? Excitement? More than likely the latter rather than the former.

This is now -
2011

That was 35 years ago today. Our love has grown stronger with the passage of time, and we are as happy to be together now as we were then (photo, right). Interestingly enough, our marriage has out-lasted that church congregation and that restaurant.

Since we have some limitations on traveling together for any great distance at the moment, we celebrated our anniversary close to home at the Childress Vineyards near Lexington, NC. Brother J and SIL J came into town and stayed with Mom so we could have a relaxed brunch with no worries.

Fantastic! We had the Tasting Flight, which is a three-course meal, served with a Childress wine to match each course. We were especially bowled over by the White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake (left, below).

Third course at the Bistro...
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
served with Childress Classic White Wine

To run the numbers...

In 35 years, we have lived at 18 addresses in 7 states (one of them...NC...3 different times...:), some as short as a couple of months while we were in temporary quarters or in transition after selling one house and waiting to close on the next one. The longest we have lived at any one address? Six years and 5 months: Cordova, Tennessee. Second longest? Six years and 1 month: O'Fallon, MO.

In truth, our home is wherever we are together.

We have a beautiful daughter who is the light of our lives...always has been and always will be. We have done the impossible by combining three generations under one roof...and living to tell tales about it. And, we have given our hearts and homes over to many hounds, including our current brace: Duchess, Gus, and Elmo.

As the card Mr. T gave me says: Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking in the same direction. Oh, so true.

So, today we celebrate the old and the new. The couple we were...and the couple we've become. And, once again, we toasted our future and our good fortune.

And, because it is expected that I will ask this...I wonder where we'll be this time next year? Or, in the next 35 years. Hmmmm.....

MDBT - 2011

2011-05-27T13:44:00.000-04:00

ASTD 2011
in Orlando

Long-time readers know that MDBT = Mother-Daughter Bonding Trip. And that I haven't had the luxury of going on one with my sweet daughter for a couple of years now. So, this past week was just ab-fab perfect in my book.

Missy M was scheduled to attend the annual American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) International Conference in Orlando. When she offered to buy my plane ticket (!) and let me share her room at the Peabody/Orlando (!!), I couldn't say YES fast enough. Of course, between the time she made this offer and the time I actually stepped onto my Southwest flight out of Raleigh, an awful lot happened here at home. Mom's health took a steep nose-dive (as you know by now), so we weren't sure this year's MDBT would even happen.

Way to go Mr. T! He stepped up to the plate and hit a huge home-run when he said "you need to go...and I can stay with your Mom." And, then Mom had a fairly good week after several really bad days. So, it appeared the sun, the moon, and the stars were actually in alignment for me to go.

And go to Orlando I did!

I loved staying at the Peabody, especially because I'm from the city of the original. When the bellman said "our ducks are better," I begged to differ. Still, I couldn't get enough photos of the five of them and their fountain (photos, below). Heck, I even killed the batteries in my camera by videoing the little waddlers, headed down to the lobby from their third floor palace. I had to make a swift switch just to capture a video of them making their dash from the elevator, down the red carpet, to the fountain (above, left), all to the tune of Sousa's King Cotton March. Loved it! [Travel Tip: Best place to view the ducks' march? Head up to the third floor, called the Recreational Level. You'll get to see the ducks before anyone else, since their "home" is on this floor, and they begin/end their daily journeys here. And, you can get a great view from the balcony of the proceedings in Mallard Lobby below.]

Ducks in the fountain -

Lobby of the Peabody/Orlando

Don (real name!) the Duck Master -

Peabody/Orlando

Trisha's Toes in the
Peabody Pool

Then, I spent several sunny hours out by the pool (photo, left). I had downloaded The Red Queen (all 19 or so hours...:), so the time flew by as I listened to one of my fav authors (Phillippa Gregory) being read to me. I dearly love how she writes in a narrative voice...it makes you feel as if you are reading a present-day account or diary of 15th century England!

After M. finished her conference activities on Day One, we had an evening to enjoy margaritas at Don Pablos followed by a movie: Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides...or, Pirates 4, as it has been dubbed. Arrrghhh, Pirates! I just love these movies!! Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush are as wonderful in their roles as ever.

M. had connnected me with a vendor who provided a free pass to the ASTD expo (where the bazillion vendors were), and when I checked in on Monday, I was given a "Full Conference" badge...so I got to attend the morning general sessions and several break-out workshops. I took advantage of my good fortune and learned a lot. It was wonderful! Just like "old times" when I was a trainer. And, I noticed something special while I was there, too. I sensed a more welcoming acceptance of consultants (as a whole) and coaches (in the specific). So, when I introduced myself as a leadership development coach, I felt included in the group...and it felt goooood.

"Please Respect the Spell Limits" -
Hogsmeade Village
Universal Studios, Orlando

Of course, if one is in Orlando...and one is a BIG FAN of the Harry Potter books and movies, one needs to go to Universal Studios "Islands of Adventure" park to see how they have transformed a palm-studded backlot off International Drive into Hogsmeade Village and Hogwarts School. OMG! The snow on the roof-tops even looks real...no matter that it was 95 degrees that Sunday.

The "ride" that is inside the Hogwarts Castle is just fantastic. As you walk through the Castle and approach the actual ride, you are treated to videos of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore...and others from the movies...giving you a little hint of things to come. Then, you are IN an IMAX theatre-like production, while being secured to your padded seat, and it really feels like you are flying. We played in a game of Quidditch, for goodness' sakes!

Dr. Seuss Land -
A favorite at Universal Studios

To be truthful, it was challenging for me because the gondola that your seats are attached to turns way over, making it feel like you are standing on your head...and that is never good for someone with positional vertigo. No matter, I settled soon enough, and we were off to ride the Jurassic Park Jungle River ride (you will get wet...:).

It was a perfect professional development opportunity...a perfect bonding trip...and a perfect break in my routine that came at just the right time. Thank you, my sweet husband and our thoughtful daughter. {Hugs!}

P.S. Guess what today is? It's the second anniversary of our signing the papers to buy this house in HPNC! Yep, we've been back in NC for two years now. Amazing! Of course, we have another anniversary coming up this weekend, but I'll write more about that in my next post.

P.P.S. Most of you know how I feel about Basset Hounds ["heck, Gibbs, equatorial pygmies know how you feel about..."; love that quote from Abby on NCIS...:)]. Anyway, my friend Lucille sent me this link to a story of a recent rescue of Bonnie and Clyde Basset and their babies. You'll love it as much as I:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/may/23/basset-hounds-flooding-knoxville-rescue/

Multitasking

2011-05-16T11:26:00.000-04:00

I am a fan of doing more than one thing at a time. There are so many things to do...and only 24 hours in a day to do them all. In fact, I seem to be unable to just do one thing at a time...if I only have one thing to accomplish, I'll procrastinate until there is something else in relatively the same category. Of course, there are times when I am doing several things at once, and I don't know whether I'm coming or going. But I guess in the end it doesn't really matter if I eventually do what I needed to do and/or arrive in the place I wanted to be.

Legacy Garden at the
Guilford County Extension Center

Hunh?

Anyway...

I've got a few minutes here before I head to the Extension Center...where that photo (right) of the Legacy Garden was taken. I'm prepping for my first Master Gardener Volunteer presentation tomorrow night and need to make some copies of handouts, retrieve the Speakers' Bureau laptop, etc. Soooo, figuring that I had to make that l-o-n-g trek to the other side of the county anyway, I signed up for the afternoon shift on the Infoline for today. Trying to make all those miles count twice, you see. [You have seen the current price of gasoline, right?]

Culinary Herbs Display:
Herb Jar on right; Herb Fountain on left

I'm scheduled to give the Culinary Herbs presentation at the High Point Library...and I'm really excited about the opportunity. I think I told you that I made a display (photo, left) for the Passalong Plant Sale we had last week on that very same subject. Killing two basils with one stone, you might say. Multitasking, by any other name. And, while I'm not an expert on herbs by any stretch of the imagination, one of the other MG volunteers who will be there is. Many of the photos used in the PowerPoint are from his garden, so if any questions arise that I can't cover, I can hand those off to Maliq, I'm sure.

To gain as much experience as I can on the subject of culinary herbs, I've planted several varieties along the center-path border in our Way Back garden (sage, parsley, stevia, dill) and in pots and containers all over the place (rosemary, lavender, dill, mints, lemon balm, chives, thyme, oregano). I've done an Herb Jar (using a strawberry jar; on right, in the photo above/left, ) and an Herb Fountain (on left, in the photo above/left), using an idea from P.Allen Smith (love. him. ...:). [It's not really a "fountain," with water flowing; it's made by using a large pot as the base, then adding one or more smaller pots in a stack...and filling them with herbs).] I've got pots of mint and basil on the deck...and sprigs of mint and basil rooting on the kitchen windowsill. Herbs, herbs, everywhere!

I'm stretching my own recipe file to include dishes made with herbs, which are a healthy alternative to other seasonings that are high in sodium or sugar. Mint goes in nearly every cup of hot tea...and about half of the glasses of iced tea that come out of the kitchen. I add fresh herbs to almost all my egg dishes (omelets...quiches...frittatas) as well as roasted chicken and vegetables (that's what's on the menu for tonight...:). In order to have some recipe cards available for the Culinary Herbs presentation, I tried several new recipes (multitasking...again), including one for a great Italian Herb Bread* recipe (see below)...it's definitely a keeper!

I'm also exploring the many ways to use herbs as companion plants...making them into multitaskers, as it were. Basil and dill with tomatoes; parsley with carrots; and nasturtiums (didn't know they were herbs? Think again!) with squash, cukes, and melons. Insects are often repelled by the intense fragrances that are characteristic of herbs, so interplanting them with vegetables can be an organic, as well as edible, approach to controlling pests. The hardest part of this idea? Keeping Mr. T from weed-whacking the herbs...! We are both learning new things here.

Before I close this post, I thought I'd add a bit about Mom. I know that many of you come here to hear how she is doing, and I wish I could always have a positive comment for you to read. That's becoming quite a challenge, and I struggle to find the words. We are finding it increasingly difficult to adequately manage her pain with meds-by-mouth, so we know that we will soon be entering new territory with the alternative (IV-medication). I'll keep you posted.

Time to close for today. Hope you have a great week...wherever you are!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Italian Herb Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

1 rounded Tablespoon dry yeast (1 1/2 packages)
2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (can be mixed with grated Romano cheese)

Directions:

Mix yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and sugar together in a large mixing cup. Set aside for five minutes, or until mixture becomes foamy and doubles in volume.

Mix the olive oil, salt, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, cheese, 1 1/2 cups water, and 3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl; add in the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in two to three additional cups of flour. Dough will be stiff. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes (I use the dough-hook on my mixer), or until it is smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to cover top and sides with oil.

Cover with a damp linen towel, or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled.

Punch down to release all the air. Shape into two loaves. Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet, or into two 9x5 inch, greased pans. Allow to rise for 1/2 hour again, until doubled, in a warm place.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes, before slicing. Great dipped in olive oil with cracked pepper. Enjoy!

Sexto de Mayo

2011-05-06T16:41:00.001-04:00

Another month is off to a speedy start. Almost a whole week into May...and I haven't found the time to post. Tut, tut.

My time has been almost entirely given over to Master Gardening activities for the past couple of weeks. I finished my Master Gardening classes the last Wednesday in April...turned in my final exam...and then the real work began in earnest. First, I wrote another article for GoGreenTriad.com, this one on What to do in your Piedmont Garden in May. It's up on their site right now, if you care to read it. Just follow that link.

Meet Herb!

Next, I put in a half-day working in the Demonstration (AKA The Legacy...) Garden, plus a half-day on the InfoLine (telephone Master Gardener answer service) on Wednesday (well, I was already in the habit of driving to the other side of the county on Wednesdays, don't you know...:).

Then, I helped set up for the Passalong Plant Sale and Festival on Thursday, when Mr. T joined me in "creating" a clay pot person for the raffle. I've named him Herb (photo, right)...and I will hate to see him go to a new home on Saturday when someone wins him. Sigh.

Display done for the
Passalong Plant Sale

Anyway, I also set up my display table on Culinary Herbs (photo, left)...a project I'd been working on at home for several days. This subject was a natural, since I'll be doing my first MG Speaker's Bureau session on the 17th on Culinary Herbs...6:00 p.m. at the High Point Library, if anyone wants to come...:)

We also got the coffee and snack concession table all ready to serve, come 7:30 a.m. Even though the plant sale opens at 9:00, people start arriving early to get a good place in line. Like a rock concert. Tee hee.

Mist over Oak Hollow -
A cold morn in May

The first day of the plant sale started out sunny but cold for the sixth of May. As I headed to the Extension Center early this morning, I snapped this shot (right) of the mist rising off Oak Hollow Reservoir. Thank goodness I'd remembered to dress in layers! Then, even though I had the first shift in the Festival area, the time seemed to fly by. Before you could say "heirloom tomato," it was time for me to head back home. BTW, one of the perks for working so early: I was able to purchase 3 varieties of heirlooms before they were all sold out: Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, and Mortgage Lifter. Yippee!

Big blooms of the
Mardi Gras rose

Putting in all this time on Master Gardening has left my own garden looking rather neglected. The rainfall, followed by warm, sunny days, is tonic for the lettuce and the weeds alike...and the weeds seem to be winning over the spinach by a wide margin. No matter. Who can be bothered with a few weeds when the roses in the Way Back have been putting on a such a show for us, as you can see in the photo of some I snipped for Mom's room (left)?

I've got to devote some time...and soon...to getting the rest of my tomatoes, my peppers, squash, and melons in the ground. They are tired of being restricted to their tiny pots on the screened porch. The good news: the strawberries are ripening rapidly, and the corn's coming up, despite the lack of loving care. Woo hoo!

Salad for supper again?
The lettuce is coming in faster than we can eat it!

Even though Mom is on a higher level of pain medication that makes walking a challenge, she tries to spend a little time each day on the deck, which is about as far into the back yard as she will venture. She can see some of the garden from that vantage point, and I think she gets as much thrill from the daily Garden Report as I do. [...although I believe she is getting a bit weary of having a salad (photo, right) with nearly every supper...:)]

Must run for now. Spending so much time on gardening leaves very little time left over for household chores...which ain't all bad, as they say. But I have a list of To Do's to finish before a certain young lady and ~~my grand-dogs~~ her two mutt-mutts arrive later on this evening.

I don't care if I do have to work the early-shift at the Plant Sale again tomorrow. It's gonna be a great weekend, indeed!

Happy Easter to All!

2011-04-24T18:11:00.000-04:00

Easter Morning - 2011
Home-made Easter baskets with
White Chocolate-covered Pretzels

Is Easter Day as glorious outside at your house today as it is in HPNC? I certainly hope so. It's actually a tad on the warm side (83 degrees as I write this) for April, but who's complaining? Not I. The world has thrown off the winter doldrums and come alive again!

Since we didn't have company this Holiday (read that: Missy M couldn't get away for a visit), we have been busy yardening, as Mr. T calls our work in the yard and garden. He's extremely glad to report that he can now get his car all the way to the end of the driveway. Woo hoo! Now, that may not sound like a lot to you, but what that means is the three-and-a-half pallets of mulch-bags is now down to just 1 1/2. Progress...one wagon-load at a time! He's been making walking paths in the back yard, by laying mulch over newspaper and landscape-fabric...and his work looks fine and dandy. Those last bags are destined for path-making in the way-back to help give definition to the garden, orchard, and berry patches. (We'll hope for some cooler, cloudy days to get back on that task, though...:)

Also, that pallet of bags of garden soil = gone!! We've been creating flower beds in the front, on the side, in the back, and in the way-back...and we've gone through nearly 50 2-cubic ft. bags in the process.

I've planted annuals (vinca, petunias, marigolds, lobelia, and lantana in the sunny spots and hanging baskets on the deck; impatiens and coleus in the shady ones, along with Boston ferns in hanging baskets on the front porch) and divided some perennials (iris, daylilies, and sedum) to populate all the new beds, so things are really looking colorful around here. We've moved the palms and the ferns from their winter refuge on the plasticized/screen porch to the deck, in preparation for moving them to their summer quarters. I repotted the lemon tree...which looks so happy to be released from wintering in the too-dark window in our bedroom to its sunny spot on the deck.

Another basket of lettuce from the garden...
and an onion

And, the garden? With all that rain we had last week...and now all this warm weather we are having this weekend...it is really starting to produce. We may have to start eating lettuce-salads for breakfast just to keep up with Bibb, Grand Rapids, and Black-seeded Simpson leaves (see photo, left)! The strawberry patch is loaded with flowers and the beginnings of berries...so much so that I've got the whole thing covered in bird-proof netting. Ditto the (new) blueberry and blackberry bushes. The potato-plants...which I really was worrying about...have jumped out of the ground and are looking hale and hearty; we've "hilled" them with bags of leaves. The carrots and the spinach are finally showing signs of growing, after just sitting there doing nothing for weeks.

I planted several of my herbs (basil, dill, oregano, sage, lemon balm, and parsley) in two beds and several pots for the porches, to add to the rosemary, lavender, and mint I'd already potted up. And, I seeded a couple of pots with chives, since my old potting didn't survive. I even took a chance and planted 5 tomatoes on Thursday (gasp! before May 1st???); I really want that first tomato sandwich of the season, don't I?

It's been a good week in the garden, but a difficult week for Mom. She had one of those good news/bad news visits with her ophthalmologist last week. Good news: you don't have macular degeneration, because your vision has cleared up remarkably well since you were here 3 months ago. Bad news: your vision problems were caused by a stroke in your eye...and we can't predict if/whether it will reoccur. That was hard for her to hear...and even harder to move beyond, since reading and watching her sports on TV are important elements in her day. While I can take refuge in my garden to help me cope with the concerns of the day, she is much more limited in where she can go and what she can do. Sigh.

So, for Easter, instead of the usual chocolate bunnies in their Easter baskets, I made white chocolate-covered strawberries...along with white chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks for N/M/E and Mr. T's baskets (photo, above/right). Then, I printed up coupons for what I thought they wanted/needed the most: an uninterrupted nap for Mr. T, and a ride in the countryside with a picnic lunch for Mom.

We'll wait until the late afternoon when it is cooler on the deck to have our Easter dinner: grilled ham steaks, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, deviled eggs on garden lettuce with carrots and celery, and biscuits. I hope you've had a special day with those who are special in your life, too.

We continue to be thankful for our many blessings...for each beautiful new day that dawns...for the strength to face life's storms...and for learning to dance in the rain.

A Day to Remember

2011-04-14T19:58:00.002-04:00

Edith Frances Keaton,
first and only daughter of
Margaret and Jimmy

Lucy Margaret Stewart had honey-colored hair and violet eyes. She'd been born a few years before the turn of the last century, on a hot Haywood County August night, the first and only daughter of a "grass widow" artist and her second husband, a mechanical genius four years her junior. There would be two younger brothers added to the family, but Margaret would remain the apple of her father's eye for the remainder of her too-short life. Her own mother died when Margaret was barely a teenager, an event that probably encouraged an independent and self-reliant streak. Encouraged by her step-mother, who had enjoyed being a teacher in the Big City before her late-in-life marriage, Margaret not only set her sights on being a teacher, too; she also was determined to attend the brand new West Tennessee State Normal (Teachers) College [the forerunner of the University of Memphis] at Buntyn Station on the outskirts of Memphis.

John Shirley Keaton, who'd been called Shirl by his family in Dyer, also arrived at Normal in the birth-year of the college with the goal of being a teacher...like several cousins on his mother's side of the family. He was a few years older than most of the other students, but he'd had to earn enough money to attend school. Although working for his father driving cattle across Missouri to Kansas City filled his bank account and kept him fit, he knew there had to be an easier...and cleaner...way to earn your living. Friends on campus decided he looked just like a handsome actor of the day and changed his nickname to Jimmy...which he kept for the rest of his life.

Baby dress of pongee -
made by Margaret for Edith

Margaret did graduate and got to teach, in rural Hardeman County. She was also a talented seamstress, who was known to be able to look at a new fashion (dress, skirt, blouse) and be able to make an almost carbon copy...no pattern needed.

Jimmy graduated and taught in Ridgeley; he also played semi-pro baseball for a time, traveling by train across the South. The War to End All Wars drew the US into the conflict in 1918, and Jimmy joined the Army...not once, but twice! His service was interrupted when he went home to help after his father died of a stroke while working in the garden [...and now we know why I am constantly being warned not to work in my own garden in "the heat of the day"]. After his discharge, and against stiff odds (Margaret's father objected and refused to attend the wedding ceremony...supposedly because he considered it too soon after Jimmy's father's death), they married in 1919.

Close up of the embroidery on the baby dress

To this union, a baby girl arrived on April 14 of the following year. Ninety-one years ago today. They named her Edith Frances, in honor of both her grandmothers...Ada Judith and Frances Florentine...although her birth certificate would record it as Francis. She, too, would be the first and only daughter...and the apple of her daddy's eye. She would lose her mother at an even earlier age, when Margaret died of complications of her third pregnancy, an event that still brings tears to Edith's eyes when she speaks of it.

After Margaret's death, Edith and her baby brother Edward moved to the family farm, where they lived for several years in their grandfather's home...along with a cousin who'd also lost his mother. She and Edward went to live in their father's house in Henning just as Edith was starting her teenage years...a difficult time and a difficult transition. Still she made new friends...now counted as "life-long" friends...and they all graduated from Ripley High.

Edith tried out college life in several locations (Knoxville, Martin, and finally Memphis) and graduated with a permanent teacher's certificate...a rare document that would technically allow her to teach in Tennessee, if she so desired, even at her age. She taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Lauderdale County before getting a "regular" classroom in Hardeman County. But, she decided that teaching might not be her path after all.

Against her father's objections, Edith followed a cousin's lead to Nashville to work in what was then called The Welfare Department. There, she and a friend rented an apartment that they affectionately called The Dump. There, the two of them, along with the cousin and two other friends, indulged their love of travel by driving all the way across the country to California...the first of many miles that she has traveled in her lifetime. And, most importantly for me, she met and fell in love with my father in Nashville.

Of course, I've made their love story sound very simple...and it was anything but. Still, they married (eventually) and had three children: me...the first and only daughter; a baby boy who died at birth; and my brother. We have an older half-brother, but it would be decades before we could finally include him in our family. Momma (for I get to call her that...at this point in the story) worked as a child welfare worker, specializing in adoptions...at a time when most women were not employed outside of their homes. She retired from the Welfare Department...known as the Department of Human Services by then...(for the final time) the year after our daughter was born, when she became known as Nana...and a couple of years before my father tried out retirement for the first time (it didn't take...:). They had just celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary when Daddy died from complications of open-heart surgery. Not wanting to live by herself, she cast her lot with us, and then the travels really began.

Happy Birthday, N/M/E!!!

Nana/Momma/Edith has lived her life to the fullest and has many memories to cherish. She has travelled to all fifty states as well as the District of Columbia. She has been to our neighboring countries of Canada and Mexico, as well as the Bahamas and several islands in the Caribbean. She has been to England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Not bad for a girl from Hardeman County, she says.

Now in the 10th decade of her life, she is the last one of her generation on several branches of our family tree, but even younger generations are fond of Aunt Edith. She has friends from all over, and she receives several cards and letters each week from addresses in TN, OH, GA, AZ, HI, KY, and MO...to name a few.

Just like the Jimmy Stewart movie, it's been a wonderful life! And, today is a day to remember...and to celebrate both that wonderful life...and the wonderful woman who has lived it.

A Cause for Pause

2011-04-12T13:11:00.000-04:00

Dear Ones,

Forgive me for such a pitifully-poor post today. No pretty pictures. Just words.

I'm pausing from my usual posting because I'm neck-deep in receipts, papers, files, year-end statements, and the general mountain of documentation required to file one's taxes. An annual event for us all, I know...but that doesn't make it any funner. As Brother J said: "I'd rather be having a root canal."

Because I once long, long ago...in a land far, far away called Mississippi...worked for the IRS (a great story for another time...:), I draw the chore of "preparing taxes" every April for our somewhat complicated Fed. and NC joint returns (one sole proprietorship, two home offices, etc.), N/M/E's very simple return, and Missy M's fairly straight-forward filings (albeit with a different state return). This used to require a couple of weeks of gathering, organizing, completing worksheets, calculating, and transferring the final figures to file the final forms. Whew! However, for the past ten years or so, I have used TurboTax...and couldn't be happier. Happy as one can be at tax time, let's say.

Momma always said that Daddy would wait to start their taxes on his birthday (April 11th...yesterday, as it so happens) and work frantically through her birthday (April 14th) so he could finish by the deadline of April 15th. Every year of their marriage. Drove her crazy. He would have loved this year, 'cause he would have had 3 more whole days to work with!

Me? I understand that totally. Since they usually had a balance to pay (probably because of Daddy's "extra" electrician jobs he did...or maybe because of the laundrimat...who knows?), he didn't want to have to deal with the bad news until the last minute...and he certainly wasn't going to write that check a minute earlier than he had to! He was a do-it-yourself person, so he hated to turn it over to someone else to do...although there were years he did just that. And, he always got a lot of energy and motivation when he was pushed by a deadline. I'm so like him...in those, and so many more ways.

Anyway, it's the last minute. We'll probably have to pay a balance, at least on our Federal taxes, although it appears that NC might just owe us again this year. [It would be nice if we could just ask NC to pay the USA for us, wouldn't it? Nah. That's way too logical.]

Yesterday, being the date of what would have been Daddy's 88th birthday, I commemorated the occasion by getting the last TurboTax Home & Business software package at Office Depot and installing it while I was gathering the documentation. By suppertime, I'd finished and e-filed both Mom's and Missy M's returns, and had started on the Business portion of ours. A couple more days, and I should be ready to send it through cyberspace...hooray!!!

Before I get back to the taxes, though, I thought I'd report on Mom. She had a good weekend while Brother J was here from Nashville. They took a drive around town and stopped to visit AW. Of course, all that activity left Mom exhausted, but at least she got to see all the dogwoods in bloom in HPNC, which she just loved seeing. We'll celebrate her 91st birthday quietly on Thursday, when I'll make her favorite: strawberry cake. We have two doctor visits scheduled for later on this week, so we are hoping that the weather cooperates.

OK...back to work. Now, where did I file that receipt for printer ink cartridges from last June...?

A Question of Two Eggs

2011-04-05T18:50:00.001-04:00

Colors of Spring:
Gold finch in the pink dogwood

Make up your mind, already! Is it Winter...or Spring...or Summer? Hard to tell around here. We've had a couple of 80+ degree-days lately, complete with high winds and followed by strong storms...and now back to the 50's with a chance of light frost tonight.

Some of you remember our pink dogwood (photo, left) in the front...and how beautiful it bloomed last year, just in time for Nana's 90th birthday party in mid-April. Well, because of the unseasonably warm days we've had, it's bloomed already, way ahead of the azaleas.

Since we've returned to chilly nights, I made what is possibly our last pot of beef-vegetable soup (AKA: "clean out the refrigerator" soup...:) of the season for supper tonight. No worries: the pot is full to the brim, so I'm sure I'll have some to tuck into the freezer...just in case.

And when I checked the now almost empty fridge (I told you it was "clean out the refrigerator" soup, didn't I?), I found just two eggs in the egg-keeper. Hmmmm. Now, should I make a skillet of cornbread to go with that soup? Or, should I make a chocolate cake? Decisions, decisions. You'll just have to wait 'til the end of the post to see what I decided. (No cheating by clicking ahead...:)

Let's see. A recap of our weekend sounds like a broken record: yard and garden work, or yardening, as Mr. T calls it. With sunny weather and warm temps, we packed Saturday and Sunday with as many chores on our list as possible. While I was at the Kathryn Clay Edwards Library in Greensboro for Master Gardener volunteer duties at the Earth Day Celebration (I helped wee ones...and some seniors, too...plant Patty Pan squash seeds in pre-moistened peat pots...what fun!...:), Mr. T channeled his inner Paul Bunyan by cutting down a cedar tree in the back yard. He also built a flower bed at the end of the driveway with landscape timbers as well as distributed about 50 bags of mulch (from those pallets that were delivered months ago when we built our garden shed, remember?)

When I got home, we cut down three more trees (two more cedars and a sickly tulip poplar) in the front yard. Why are you cutting down trees, you ask? Well, these are some we'd identified as needing to go to open up our landscape to some sun light for the other plants (especially those in the front yard, which were blocking both the sun from our one magnolia tree...and the path to our front door). And, we've waited the recommended year after our move before we did anything rash. (You know, as in: "wait at least a year before you make any drastic changes to your new home, inside or out...")

Never fear! As you know, we rarely throw anything away...we just repurpose it. So, those tree trunks (minus the limbs) are now outlining a new path and patio area in the natural area of our front yard, created using all those bags of mulch. Since they are cedar, they will last for years. And, now the front of our house looks much more open and welcoming to visitors.

Removing that cedar in the back opened up the right side of our back yard, too. We moved our swing and the tiny brick patio in front of it all the way to the corner, where we can enjoy the azaleas (which are just about to bloom...any day now). We also created a mulched path to the new swing location...and it's a whole different place!

Last of the King Alfred Daffodils

Today, after a night of wind, rain, and hail, I picked the last of the King Alfred Daffodils (photo, right) in the Way Back and the Blue Star Hyacinths (oh my golly gosh...these do have such a fabulous fragrance...:) from around the mailbox and beside the garden shed, so that I could give the bulbs a good dose of Bulb Booster while the ground is moist. I hope the bulbs will grow big and fat...so they can put on a similar display next year.

And, I weeded the strawberry patch...so I could cover the tender plants yet again with row covers. Tonight is supposed to be clear and cold...mid-30's...so a frost is certainly possible. There are worlds of white flowers on the plants, and I want to try to save all those potential tasty berries. Yum!

So, with all that work, you just know the answer to the question of two eggs, don't you? Whoever heard of cornbread being a reward? Not me.

The Answer of the Question of Two Eggs:
Deep Dark Chocolate Cake, of course!

I got out my Hershey's Make It Chocolate Cookbook (c. 1987) and made the "Deep Dark Chocolate Cake" with "One Bowl Buttercream Icing." This is sooooo easy and soooooooooooo good. And, if you look at the cocoa tin you will see that cocoa has antioxidants. That makes it health food, right? Tee hee. The key is the boiling water you add at the end of mixing the batter. Plus, I also ice the cake while it is still warm, to seal in the moisture.

Nana/Momma/Edith, who is still having good days and bad days...and sometimes all in the same day, like today...gave me that cookbook, all those many years ago. Surely she won't mind having crackers with her soup...so that we can finish our meal with chocolate cake? Surely...

Marching Through March

2011-03-28T15:57:00.002-04:00

I know I've sung this song before, but where has this month gone???

Since I last posted, I headed my PT Cruiser (known as a "Peety" to other PTC drivers...:) Miss Lillie Pearl south on I-85 for a work-week in the Big Peach. It was absolutely beautiful in Atlanta, with nearly everything wearing Spring finery: redbud, crabapples, azaleas, and Bradford pears...all at the same time! Of course, you know what comes with all those blossoms: p-o-l-l-e-n. More on that in a minute.

Shopping! My fav Jo-Ann's in Duluth, GA

As usual, I packed as much into one week as I possibly could. In addition to client sessions, I scheduled a dentist appointment (yes, I still go to Dr. Tatiana Shifrin, the same wonderful dentist I went to when we lived in Duluth...:), and some personal time for catching up with old friends, one of whom introduced me to a new-to-me Cuban restaurant called Havana South in Buford...thanks KD! I made it to my favorite craft store, Jo-Ann's Super Store in Duluth, (photo, left) where I found some inspiration...and a fantastic bin of buttons, which had been marked down drastically. I love a bargain bin, don't you?

Ooh la la! LaMadeleine's in Duluth, GA

I got to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, La Madeleine Country French Cafe, in Duluth. I used to eat at the one in Dunwoody at least once a week when I worked at SEMA Group Telecoms in the Perimeter area, and it was always my choice for my birthday lunch (when the Boss was buying with her company AMEX card...:). Everyone else wanted McCormick and Schmicks or something equally as pricey. Me? I wanted the Tomato Basil Bisque, a freshly tossed salad (like the Mediterranean...which was a special), and fresh breads with butter and house-made jams and preserves...not to mention the luscious dessert selection (just like in the photo to the right...:).

You know, there is a part of me that misses living in the Atlanta area, still...after all these 9 years. That is, until I tangle with the infamous traffic. Then, I'm just happy for the wonderful memories...and glad that I now live somewhere else a tad saner. Our I-85 is not nearly as crazy as their I-85.

Because of a last minute reschedule request, I found some time on my hands on Thursday, so I thought I'd devote a few hours to retail therapy at the Mall of Georgia, including a substantial block of time at Nordstrom's and Nordstorm's Rack. By Wednesday night, however, I began to realize that the sore throat and congestion I'd been trying to ignore was NOT a result of my earlier visit to my dentist. When I started sneezing several times an hour, I had no doubt. They're backkkk: Spring Allergies. Oh dear.

Instead of shopping, I spent Thursday in bed, dragging myself out only to go to Walgreen's down the street for "reinforcements." That included additional Benedryl (which make me sleepy), some Allegra-D (which doesn't make me sleepy), a new bottle of Nyquil (for the night-time miseries)...and a couple of Krispy Kreme donuts at the drive-through location next door. You know..."take two of these, and call me in the morning." Ahem. Having the Tigers get knocked out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament (which is indeed wacky this year...:) certainly didn't help my disposition one little bit. I managed to get up and out to get my work done on Friday, but I realized I'd have to put my departure off until Saturday. That was a tough decision to make, for many reasons...not the least of which was that Bro J and SIL J were in NC for the weekend, and I'd miss some precious time with them. Sigh.

I made it home...just in time for my "allergies" to morph into some sort of upper respiratory infection, complete with fever for three days. Poor Mr. T. He'd already been responsible for Nana's care while I was gone, and now he had another patient on his hands. Good grief. Still, I was able to dodge the bullet of vertigo (always a fear...), and I got to read several of the China Bayles mystery series (I'm not sure what rock I've been under these past 20 years...how did I manage to miss this delicious series by Susan Wittig Albert for so long??), so it wasn't all bad.

21 (Karat) Gold...
...Finches, that is!

I'm happy to report that we've all survived and are getting back to normal this morning. Well, if you can call this morning "normal," that is. We awoke to find snow falling as we started the final week of March! Too warm to stick, thank goodness...but unusual for sure. Of course, it was just a year ago that the Big Tornado devastated a nearby portion of HPNC...so, I'll take a soft snowfall any day. We also noticed that all of the bird feeders were being well-visited, as you can see from the number of goldfinches (photo, left) under the squirrel-proof feeder (where there were three more birdies on board!). They didn't let a little snow stop them. Neither did Mr. T, who is off to NJ for the work-week.

Nana/Momma/Edith has actually had a fairly good week, health-wise, but she received a personal punch this morning. We learned that her good friend and traveling buddy from Pickerington had passed away last Saturday. Eileen had been quite ill for a long time, so the news wasn't a shock; still, it was sad nonetheless. She was a sweetheart and will be missed. This makes the second of Mom's Ohio friends to die in recent months; her other good friend and traveling buddy from Pickerington, Thelma, left us at the end of January. As you can imagine, Mom feels each and every loss very deeply.

Me? I feel great today compared to the last few days. But because I missed one week to work and then pretty much slept through another week, I am so far behind in everything that I'm feeling overwhelmed from the get-go. Last week, I couldn't even pick up my heavy Master Gardener training binder, much less focus on the lessons, so now I have several chapters to read and complete assignments...before class begins on Wednesday morning. I also have a volunteer activity scheduled for Thursday.

I decided that we need some comfort food today to help us feel stronger, so I pulled out my recipe for Ham and Veggie Bean Soup.* It was a favorite of my dear Daddy's, who liked it so thick that it was hard to still call it a "soup." More like a chowder, I'd say. "Thick enough to hold the spoon upright." After years of trying to make it thick enough to satisfy without having to mash all of the beans into mush, I finally learned the secret: add 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes just before serving! What could be easier? I'll serve our soup with hot Garlic Cheese Beer Biscuits and some apple slices. Yummm!

Check out the recipes below when you need a bowl of comfort, too. And remember, one foot in front of another...

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*Ham and Veggie Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup dried navy beans
4 cups water
1 T. butter (more or less)
1 ham steak (about 8 ounces), cut into small cubes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
3 whole peppercorns
1 clove (whole)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed (I also use fresh, when I have it)
1/2 tsp salt (I use Paula Deen's House Seasoning instead)
1 can chicken broth + enough water to equal 4 cups
1/2 cup seasoned mashed potatoes

Directions:

1. Soak beans according to the package, either overnight or using the One Hour Shortcut method (which is what I do). Be sure to drain the soaking water off the beans before you cook them again in 4 cups of water to soften, prior to assembling the soup.

2. While the beans are cooking in a Dutch oven (following the soaking period), melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. (I also add some bacon grease for flavor.) Lightly cook the ham steak cubes. Then, pushing the ham to the side of the skillet, wilt, but do not brown, the onions, carrots, and celery until tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the ham and vegetables to the beans in the Dutch oven; add the seasonings, the chicken broth (or stock) and enough water to cover by 1"; heat to boiling. Boil for 1 minute.
4. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/4 hours or until beans are tender.

5. Remove the bay leaf, the whole peppercorns, and the clove. To thicken the bean mixture, crush a few of the beans with a potato masher; then, stir in seasoned mashed potatoes, about 15 minutes before serving.

6. Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until soup is as thick as chowder.

Serve with hot garlic cheese beer biscuits, for a real tasty treat.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Garlic Cheese Beer Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar
3/4 cup beer (or slightly more, if needed)
1/2 tsp garlic salt, more or less
1/4 stick butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, (1 tsp salt, opt.), and sugar together using a fork; cut in shortening until it resembles cornmeal. Add cheese. Stir in beer all at once, just until blended; add enough beer to form a soft dough. Do not over-stir.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill well-greased muffin cups to 3/4 full. Brush biscuits with melted butter which has been blended with garlic salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Monday Morning Melody

2011-03-14T14:53:00.002-04:00

Raised beds in the Wayback:
Blueberries in front; blackberries beyond

Whew! What a busy...and productive...weekend we had. Since the weather was mostly sunny and generally warm, we tackled a big project in the Wayback Garden: building enclosed, raised beds for three new blueberry bushes, along with the ones to come this Fall (photo, left). We also added raised beds for the blackberry bushes (2 new ones; 3 relocated ones). The Berry Patch portion of the Wayback Garden is off and growing!

Pots of herbs for Hyacynth:
Parsley, Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme, and Mint

While Mr. T was working his wood-working magic with saw and drill, I rooted several dozen forsythia stem cuttings across the back property line. Then I concocted my own special potting soil, using the wheelbarrow for mixing the soil from last year's pots with sand, peat, fresh potting soil, and compost to give it "new life" for the coming season.

I then potted up several herbs, including rosemary, thyme, mint, parsley, and lavender. These new pots decorated the area around Hyacynth's seat (photo, right)...but only for a while. Most of these guys are Mediterranean in origin, so they prefer the warmer climes. The weather report was for much colder temps today and tomorrow, so we hauled them all back inside the Greenhouse Porch, along with the ferns and the palms and the potted geraniums that we are over-Wintering...they had been enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon on the deck. Soon, and very soon indeed, we'll hopefully be able to leave everybody outside.

A Goldfinch visits the feeder...
Spring brings back bolder colors

And, we know that Spring is almost here...just around the corner for sure. This morning, for instance, Mr. Gold Finch (photo, left)...sporting his brighter suit of feathers...arrived on the feeder outside the Morning Room and sang his own Monday Melody. Isn't he just beautiful?

Of course, we are rejoicing that the Memphis Tigers made it to the NCAA Tournament...if only just barely. They had to beat UTEP (on their home court, I might add) to win the Conference USA Tournament...and thereby get an automatic bid...and they did it with one whole point to spare. On free throws, no less. They play Arizona in Tulsa on Friday at 2:30ish. Honestly, I had my doubts that they'd make it to the Big Dance this year...oh, they have a boat-load of talent, but not enough discipline or direction, in my own humble opinion. Still, now that they are dancing, you know I'm cheering: Go Tigers, Go!!!

I wish everything in my Monday report was good news. Mom update: not so good today. Back pain is waking her up/keeping her up at night, meaning she's getting less restorative sleep. So, the next day is harder to manage without more pain medication. Last night was a difficult one, so today is less than stellar, shall we say? Wish I had better news to share. Sigh. I'm guessing it's almost time for us to get a follow-up Xray to determine if there have been changes since she received the original diagnosis.

Still, I noticed that she perked up a tad when I printed out a blank bracket for her to fill out. You know she loves her sports, and she likes nothing better than to pick the winners...whether it's in horse-racing or the NCAA Tournament. I can't wait to see how she calls the games on favorites Memphis, Duke, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Personal note: I'm OK with the Blue...but I don't wanna see no Orange in this house. No way. No how.

March Moments

2011-03-08T13:32:00.001-05:00

Contemplating a crow at the bird bath.
Where's Ella Rae?

Pardon me. My existentialism is showing today.

You know, it's true. When you distill life to its basic elements, it's not the big productions that matter. It's the seemingly minor moments that make your life...well, your life.

For instance, I once decided to create a Stewart Family Cookbook to complement our Stewart Family Reunions we were then having annually at the cabin on the farm in Hardeman County. Major production. At the time, I was changing employers (nothing new there...I was always changing employers...just keeping basically the same job with each one...:) from Training Manager at Leader Federal Savings and Loan in Memphis (remember them? Ah well, they're long gone...:) to Training Manager with Fogelman Properties; I had a pre-schooler, who was getting ready to start first grade; and we'd just sold our house in Cordova and rented a townhouse in Bartlett, so all our worldly goods...including the recipes I'd collected from family members to create said cookbook...were packed up in boxes (again, nothing new here...our stuff has spent a good deal of time packed up in boxes...making a move somewhere...:).

Long story short: it took me 10 years...and four more employers, and four more moves to three more states...to finish that project. While it was being done, I thought it was the production of the cookbook that counted: the text-entry, the graphic design, the printing, and the assembly. I was wrong. It's the fact that the cookbook exists at all that counts. Because it exists, I can revisit each individual recipe, time and again, and I can be close to the contributor of the recipe each time I choose to make it.

Case in point. Mom mentioned that she'd like something sweet yesterday. Since her diagnosis of lung cancer, I've been concentrating on incorporating good nutrition into our menu: lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, etc. But, honestly, I could care less about our "diet," as in restricting calorie consumption (other than monitoring it to make sure that Mom is getting enough calories) or worrying about fats (other than to keep a balance between our proteins, carbs, and fats). Now is not the time to "lose 10 pounds in 10 days." (Of course, it's times like these that make me ponder if I haven't wasted far too much time on dieting in my lifetime. But, that's fodder for another post...:)

Texas Sheet Cake -
See below for recipe!

Anyway, I turned to the Family Cookbook to help feed our sweet-~~toothes~~ teeth. I selected a favorite that I haven't made in a long while: *Texas Sheet Cake. This is one of the recipes from my (Lunn) first cousin, Betty Jean, who passed away a few years ago. I included it in the cookbook because it was one of my favorites that I'd brought to a Stewart Family Reunion...and you'll find it at the end of this post, just in case...

As I had hoped, it put a smile on Mom's face. "Exactly what I wanted," she said. Reward enough, I should say. Plus, we got to talk about what a wonderful cook Betty Jean was...in a family of wonderful cooks. Good cake. Good memories.

I can report that we've had a good week. Brother T left to return home to KY, and we miss him lots...especially for those nightly basketball games, now that we are in the thick of March Madness and the conference tournaments (where the heck is St. Peters anyway?). Mr. T headed to Indy (via a stopover there-and-back at Missy M's in Louisville) for the big reveal of their new truck at the Truck Show this week; he reports all's going well. So, it's just been the two of us in HPNC...and the three houndz, of course. Can't forget the Drool Gang, can I?

Mom's pain is being managed well enough, and she is getting up & about a little more. She's coming to the Morning Room for her breakfast like she used to, where she loves watching all the bird and squirrel activity at our feeders (see above photo for the ginormous crow in the bird-bath). Last Thursday, she even went along for the ride with me to Kernersville and other parts of the county. She loved seeing all the Spring blooms: daffodils, redbud trees, and forsythia bushes.

Which brings me back to...it's not the big productions in life. It's the magical moments, like savoring a favorite dessert...or taking a ride in the countryside...or enjoying your morning coffee while watching the wildlife. I'm learning to take it slow and cherish each moment.

=================================================

Betty Jean's recipe for Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:· 2 sticks butter
· 1 cup water
· 4 T. cocoa
· 2 cups sugar
· 2 cups self-rising flour
· 1 tsp. soda
· ½ tsp. salt
· 2 beaten eggs
· ½ cup buttermilk

Frosting:

· 1 stick butter
· 4 T. cocoa
· 6 T. milk
· 4 cups confectioners' sugar (sifted)
· ½ tsp. vanilla
· ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans) - optional

Directions:

Bring to a boil the first three ingredients. Remove pan from heat and beat with a spoon into a mixture of the next 4 ingredients. Add the beaten eggs and buttermilk to this mixture; beat until blended. Bake in a prepared sheet cake pan at 400° for 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by boiling the first three frosting ingredients. Remove from heat and add the nuts (optional), the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla. Beat with a spoon until smoother. Add more confectioners’ sugar if too thin; more milk if too thick.

To Serve:
Remove cake from oven and immediately frost to seal in the moisture. Allow to cool before cutting.
Enjoy!

Rewind

2011-02-28T21:42:00.001-05:00

Don't you sometimes wish you could hit the REWIND button on your life? Maybe to go back to the moment before you made a huge decision...that you now see was exactly the wrong decision to make. Possibly to go back to before you said something you wish you hadn't said to someone. Or, just to go back to the moment you thought "I don't have time to stop for gas this morning; I'm running late already. I'll stop this afternoon on the way home." Yeah, right.

I downloaded some photos from a couple of weekends ago, and it allowed me to hit REWIND on my own life...if only for a brief period. Back to before we had gotten the news about Mom's lung cancer...and our whole focus changed.

Ella Rae and Dixie in the garden

Missy M was here then with ~~my grand-dogs~~ her sweetie-pie-mutt-mutts, Dixie and Ella Rae. They are both such bundles of energy...and make it almost impossible to snap a decent photo. Believe me, I tried! All I had to show for my efforts was a half-frame shot like this (right). They loved being able to get into the garden...but, they didn't seem to get the concept of walking/running on the paths, NOT on the nice rows. You should see the row of lettuce I planted with Dixie's help that weekend: it now has tiny plants growing in these huge Basset-sized paw-prints, right in the middle of the row!

Maredith and Thomas
warming up on the deck on a cold night
in early February

We had some steaks we wanted to grill out, and we didn't let a little (hahahahaha) cold weather stop us. Bring it on!

We opened a cold bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. (I toured that Washington State winery before Missy M was born...and I still love their wines.) Mr. T got the grill going, and then he rounded up the little firepit and the fire-starters we use as mini-logs. Missy M raided the hall closet for jackets and gloves and hand-knitted scarves (photo, left). The night was remarkably clear, and the stars were out in force. It was just lovely.

Trimming the boards for the Piano Bar Veranda

That was the same weekend that Mr. T built us a new deck onto the garden shed. It was designed as a simple rectangle, about 6 x 8...just big enough for a couple of chairs and a small table, where we could enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning...or a cold beer, after a long day working in the garden. Well, he's constitutionally incapable of building something as designed...even if he is the one who designed it! By the time he'd finished, he'd re-worked the deck-top into what we are now calling The Piano Bar Veranda (imagine: the top of a baby-grand piano...:). Amazing!

Was that really just two weeks ago? Sigh.

Ah well...moving forward.

Mom's had a good week, with more good days than bad. Her pain meds are working well, she's tolerating the increased dosage, and we are thankful for that. We are baffled about nerve pain in her feet that wakes her in the night (no other symptoms). And, while her good humor is present most of the time, her energy level is low.

Bro T will be with us through Thursday when he heads back home to KY...although I really don't know what we'll do when he's gone. He has brought such a ray of sunshine that we will all miss terribly...until he returns in April. We've got fingers (and toes) crossed that SIL LaD's health is improved and can come back with him.

And, I must say that all the cards and messages that have arrived here at Casa 3917 have made her (and us) feel so loved and supported. "Thank you" seems so inadequate...but it's all I can think of at the moment.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

A Good Report

2011-02-21T13:33:00.000-05:00

King Alfred blooms in the front yard

You know it's going to be a good day when your first daffodil blooms, right?

Although things are not back to normal around here, I did want to post a report that we've had a good weekend. ["Back to normal?" What the heck is that? I'd have a hard time defining "normal" now that we are dealing with Momma's diagnosis of lung cancer. Oh well.]

Since Nana/Momma/Edith's pain management doctor increased her Duragesic patch from 50 to 75 last week, her pain has been better-controlled...and, without too much "fuzziness" of words or thoughts that morphine can sometimes bring on. AW, her BFF that lives just a few minutes away, has been over and has called regularly; don't know what we'd do without her. Additionally, my brother J was here from Nashville for a short visit, so that helped lift her spirits; he'll be returning sooner rather than later, I'm sure. T (our half-brother from KY, who is the spitting image of our father and who reminds us that he is retired and doesn't have to watch a clock or a calendar...:) is also here for an extended stay. He is a great conversationalist...like our Daddy, he will talk readily (and at length) about almost any subject, and is willing and eager to sit and chat with Momma while I get the "necessaries" taken care of. He even sat in her room and watched the WHOLE Duke basketball game last night, even though he's not really a fan; and, he's watching "The Price is Right" (one of her favs) with her right now. Bless him!

I've spent the morning responding to messages that friends and family have sent. No doubt, that brought fresh tears flowing; and though I'm still stumbling through some of the motions in life, trying to regain my bearings and footing, I know there are people "out there" who care. I cannot begin to describe how loved and supported I feel today! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

After I publish this post, I'll finish a little laundry and then head to my potting table to get some seeds started. It's time to think about head lettuce, eggplant, and several of the herbs.

I'll pick up my knitting bag and try to work out a problem with my toe-up socks. I tried to deal with it earlier, but I couldn't concentrate on the stitch-count.

And tonight, I'll fix spaghetti for supper. I've been fixing spaghetti for Monday night supper for so long that it's almost habit. And, at times like these, I need to rely on rote. Get the ground beef and tomatoes out of the freezer to thaw. Chop the onions, peppers, and celery...

One foot in front of the other...and keep moving forward.

The Final Steps of the Journey

2011-02-18T01:03:00.001-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I'm a glass-is-half-full person. I always look for the positive in situations; the silver lining in the clouds. I can usually see humor...sometimes in the strangest places. And, I live by the credo: Just put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward, no matter what.

Today, I'm struggling. I'm in shock. And, I'm finding it awfully hard to find anything positive to say.

First, some background. Most of you know that my mother (AKA: Nana/Momma/Edith or N/M/E) lives with us...has lived with us since my Daddy died nearly 21 years ago. I know, I know...that arrangement doesn't work for everyone, and we've certainly had our share of rough spots along the way. Three generations under one roof for many of those years. Fortunately, we've made it this far, and we're all still speaking to one another.

Mom's had more than her fair share of health concerns in her lifetime. She's endured so many surgeries that we typically need two pages to list them all when we fill out forms in doctors' offices. And, while she's had the usual appendectomy, hysterectomy, and gall bladder surgery, she's also had some other interesting medical procedures.

Ever heard of Mohs Micrographic surgery? That was for skin cancers on her nose, neck, and ears. How about a Level 5 Lumbar fusion with 10 pedicle screws and a TLIF (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) cage? Hoo-boy, she lights up an xray screen...and you wouldn't want to get behind her in the Airport Security line. That was her second back surgery, by the way. Then there was the Morton's neuroma surgery on both feet. Oh, and breaking her ankle while recovering from cataract surgery (both eyes). Rotator cuff surgery, twice on the right shoulder...and it still didn't work. Knee replacement, right knee? Piece of cake, comparatively. And when she had lobectomy surgery in 1998 to remove a Stage 1 lung cancer and lower left lobe, a pulmonary something-or-other was nicked accidentally, causing fluid to leak...and the subsequent surgery to repair the damage from the first surgery was preceded by mandatory consumption of a half-gallon of Haagen Daz ice cream at 4:00 a.m. Oh yes, that one was written up in the medical journals.

Even with all of that, we weren't prepared for the news we got this week. We'd spent much of Monday at the doctor's office, seeking help for the source of Mom's latest issue: diagnosis of a sharp, stabbing pain under her rib cage, left side. No, she hasn't fallen...well, at least not in the last 3 months or so. (The last fall tore the left rotator cuff and left her with extremely limited mobility in both arms.)

After examining her, Doctor K...dear, sweet man that he is...seemed to think she had a "spontaneous rib fracture." Well, why didn't I think of that? Could it be because I'd never heard of such a thing! He ordered a chest xray, and we headed down to the first floor radiology center. No need for us to hang around for the results, he said; he'd call us at home tomorrow with the report.

By the next morning, I had 4 voice messages from his nurse on my cell phone (which I'd left in the car overnight). He wanted to see us as soon as possible; could we please come into the office when we got the message(s)?

There really is no easy way to tell someone that he/she has lung cancer. Still, Dr. K did a superb job of presenting the news with kindness and concern and caring. Since his own mother is about the same age as Mom, and experiencing multiple health problems of her own, his level of compassion is considerably higher than most doctors you encounter. He told us what the radiologist had found and what Mom's options were. Most importantly, he gave Mom the permission she needed to choose palliative care instead of curative treatment, and assured her that he's on board for hospice care, when that time comes.

Speaking of time...who knows? Could be weeks, months, or even a year or more. I'm sure I'll want more than what we'll have.

When Mom's niece and my first cousin died, Mom wondered out loud: why am I still here, when I'm so much older than she was? I hazarded a guess that it was because we (our generation of cousins) needed her (the last surviving member of her generation on two branches of her family tree) to teach us how to be the surviving members of a generation. She would be our guide.

After Wednesday, my answer has changed somewhat. We still need her as our guide, only now it's to teach us how to finish the journey we started.

Whoosh! There Went Another Weekend!!

2011-02-07T14:26:00.000-05:00

OK. Where did the weekend go? It was Thursday...and now it's Monday already. I'd look under the bed to see if those 3 days are hiding there, but I'm afraid of what else I might find. It wasn't that we wasted the time, either...it's just that there wasn't enough to suit.

The Irregardless Cafe in Raleigh

We didn't let (first) the sleet or (next) the rain-rain-and-more-rain deter us from our date on Friday. Mr. T and I headed East on I-40 to Raleigh for the soothing sounds of the NC Symphony, followed by some tasty treats at the Irregardless Cafe (photo, left). Winners on both counts! I had started a baby sweater (not for anyone in particular; had just the right yarn, found a cute pattern in a magazine that I wanted to try, and needed something that was plain knit and purl, at least on a portion...:), so I worked on that during the performance, getting most of the back done by the final notes...I find that simple knitting helps me focus on the music.

Then, taking a chance on trying out a new (to us) restaurant, we both enjoyed our orders (chicken salad sandwich with potato-corn chowder and chicken-and-veggie kabobs with tabbouleh) with relish. I was going to take a photo of the food, but forgot...and then it was gone, just like that. Too bad you have to settle for that rather dark picture of the front of the building. Tee hee.

Saturday was spent with indoor chores, since the sun didn't make an appearance until after 5:00...when it was then time to set. Plus, the ground was so saturated from the rains that we couldn't have worked in the garden anyway. No matter...in between the loads of wash, etc., I found some time to finish off a couple of library books that were due 2/6: Teatime for the Traditionally Built (#10 in the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series) by Alexander McCall Smith, and Christmas Mourning by NC author and fav mystery writer, Margaret Maron (this one, being so newly-available, was on a 14-day loan, making it non-renewable...and Mom had wanted to read it first...:). Nothing like a deadline to get me motivated.

I am behind in the #1 Ladies...series, and I have already downloaded the #11 book, The Double Comfort Safari Club from Audible.com. OK...I've actually already started listening to it on my drives to-and-fro from Master Gardener classes. You see...I'm trying to get caught up before the next one in the series (The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party) is published in March. I just adore the beautiful rhythms of these little (for they are smallish in size) books...and I'm now hooked on the TV series on HBO.

I also completed my online chapter test for "Soils and Fertilizers," in my Master Gardener training. All the dirt on soil, as our instructor said. Ahem. Since I was already in the mood to read and study, I did a little work on the next chapter: "Houseplants."

A little more knitting (starting on the cabled-pattern part of the baby sweater, which required a tad more concentration) during a movie on DVD, followed by a catch-up on the shows we'd captured on the DVR from last week, and suddenly Saturday was history.

Sunday, of course, was the Big Day for Football. Pulling for the Packers, we dressed in green and gold for the day. Since we'd planned on watching the game, we knew that meals would be suspended in favor of snacks for most of the afternoon and evening. As such, I figured we'd better start the day off with a special, hearty breakfast of waffles, eggs, and sausage. I pulled out the waffle iron to let it heat up while I mixed up the batter.

Vintage Toastmaster Waffle Iron -
Still works great!!

The waffle iron (photo, right) was Mom's (rarely used...:) and is about the same age as I...nearly qualifying it as an antique. It is a Toastmaster Model 263, and one just like it on Ebay is called "vintage." No matter, it makes great waffles...still! The plates are coated with a non-stick surface (early Teflon?) that is clearly better than what is made today, showing no signs of nicks or scratches. They are also removable, with waffle-grids on one side and a flat surface for grilled sandwiches on the reverse. I pop 'em out and into the dishwasher to clean. Who could ask for anything more?

Actually, I thought I'd killed it. I sprayed the plates with Pam (tm) prior to plugging it in, but I neglected to check to see if the plates were properly seated, under their clips. When I turned to get the batter...and then turned back to the waffle iron, which was pre-heating on the counter, a flame leaped out of the left side! Yikes!! Apparently, I had sprayed some of the spray on one of the heating elements, which had been exposed when the upper plate slipped to the side...and which flared up in protest. I unplugged it, let it cool, cleaned the spray away, and started the process over. Thankfully, no real damage was done. Whew...

Chocolate-dipped Strawberries

Super Bowl snacks in our house are usually centered around salty flavors...and cheese. So, I made up a half-batch of Chex Mix (called Nuts 'n Bolts around here...:), some Rotel dip (a can of Rotel tomatoes, which I drain...unlike the "official" recipe; added to 1# of Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks and melted; with some cooked sausage crumbles for added flavor...all served in a heat-proof dish, kept warm and melty on the warmer tray, just right for dipping with corn chips), and some Sausage and Cheese Balls, served with hot mustard. Sliced a red-rind sharp cheddar cheese bar; opened a container of Port Wine cheese spread. Put out various crackers and chips; carrots and celery sticks...and it's a party! For a dessert-like treat, I made Chocolate-dipped Strawberries* (photo, left; recipe, below). Yummy!

Before we knew it, it was time to head to bed. Mr. T had an early start, as he was in the car and on the road by 8:00 a.m. And, I had to finish off the chores so I could get some writing time in...today would be my only day for that this week, I'm afraid.

And, whoosh, it'll be the weekend once again!

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*Chocolate-dipped Strawberries Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pint of ripened strawberries with stems and leaves intact; washed and dried thoroughly; best if cold
1 cup chocolate chips - either dark, white, semi-, milk or even chocolate mint flavors
1 T. Crisco (no substitute...NOT oil, NOT butter, NOT margarine)

Put the chips and the Crisco in a microwavable bowl (I use a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup) and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, 15-30 seconds. Stir until all chips are melted and creamy.

Holding the strawberries by the stem, dip into the melted chocolate mixture. Place dipped berries on a cookie sheet which has been covered in wax paper; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm again.

Enjoy!

68 One Day...38 The Next

2011-02-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

What a tease. The weather turned "unseasonably" warm this past weekend, and we headed outside with a skip in our steps. It was fantastic! And, it was fleeting. But, before I begin bemoaning the return of the thirties, let me dwell for a few paragraphs on the thrill of the sixties...however brief it be.

Mr. T tries out the Mantis tiller

On Saturday, we broke out the Mantis tiller we've borrowed from Missy M. She's got raised beds in her garden now, so she doesn't use it anymore. It was just sitting in her shed, so we shifted it to NC several months ago. Haven't had a chance to crank'er up until now. And, since the ground was still a bit too damp from the recent snows for the Big Boy Tiller, we decided to give the little lady one a try.

Mr. T got the motor going and tilled up some rows around the back of our mailbox (photo, left), expanding the flower bed we put in last year.

Blue Star Hyacinth bulbs...finally in the ground

You see, I had purchased some Blue Star hyacinth bulbs (photo, right) in November (past the time for fall planting) at half-price, with every good intention of forcing a few of them for Christmas gifts. OK, so that didn't happen (this year...:), and the bulbs spent the last 10 weeks chilling out in the garage. When I checked the box on Friday, I noticed they were ALL sporting tiny buds on beautiful, fat bulbs...not a single one had been lost. Hooray for happenstance! Let's get these puppies in the ground!! We planted 68 bulbs, most in front...some in back by the new garden shed.

Row of green peas

Mr. T showed me how to use the Mantis...and there was no stopping me then! He tilled up a couple of rows in the garden on Saturday to demonstrate, and then I tilled 7 more rows on Sunday. I got a row of green peas planted (photo, left), plus a row of carrots and a row of spinach...and, I got rows ready for lettuce and beets.

Aren't you pushing the season? asked Missy M. A little bit, says I. But not by too much. The planting guide says that we can begin planting peas, carrots, and spinach on February 1st...and January 29-30 looks awfully close on the calendar, don't you think? Plus, the carrots and spinach are covered with row covers for cold-weather protection.

Taking soil samples

In addition to the planting activities, I collected 12 samples for soil testing (photo, right). I dug them up on Sunday and left them out to dry some. Then, on Monday, when the weather had returned to Winter, I went about collecting the samples for the boxes. Hoo-boy, that was hard, since the cold wind was cutting right through my jacket and hood. Thank goodness for garden gloves...which kept my hands warm all the while!

I'll send these samples off to Raleigh, as directed on the boxes, and hopefully we'll get good reports on what amendments we need to add to enhance our soil.

Cold frame from straw bales and windows

Last but not least, before it turned cold again, Mr. T "constructed" our cold frame, using four bales of straw and four windows (photo, left). We'll use it to start seeds and harden off plants as the season goes along.

He'd "rescued" these windows along with several of their friends from a roadside in PA last year, and we've been eager to get them into use here in NC. We plan on putting two in the garden shed's back wall to give light and air to the inside of the structure, and I want to hang a couple of them (after painting the frames ~~purple~~ Blooming Wisteria, of course...:) on the side wall, with flower boxes beneath them. Photos to follow!

It's Summertime...Somewhere

2011-01-24T21:11:00.000-05:00

OK. I'm am officially over Winter. I would like it to leave...to exit stage right...to just go away.

I checked the weather channel for Sydney, Australia (where I would someday like to go...if it didn't take so long to get from here to there...:), and it is 82 degrees. It's 79 in Wailea, HI, where we were four months ago. Sigh. Of course, we are still weeks (or months, maybe) away from warmer weather, so I'm taking matters into my own hands. I decided we were going to have Summer on Saturday, regardless of what the thermometer said. (It said "29" at the time...:)

We brought out the beach T-shirts. Mom put on a lime-green one from a trip to Myrtle Beach, and I found a long-sleeved yellow one from Pawleys Island. Mr. T's was from Florida, I think. While I got the rest of the party started, he whirred us up some Strawberry Daiquiris in the blender. Complete with little umbrellas!

Ingredients for our Beach Party

I got a pan of Manale's BBQ Shrimp under the broiler and a pot of frozen-from-the-garden corn going on the burner. I'm not sure exactly why it is called "BBQ" Shrimp, 'cause there isn't any barbecue sauce or seasoning in the ingredients. I got this recipe from the Junior League of Monroe, LA, Cotton Country Collection cookbook nearly 35 years ago...now it's a go-to recipe source in my collection. The cookbook was a wedding present, and we were living in Shreveport...and I was working in Monroe...at the time. We've loved the recipe ever since, but we call it Pepper Shrimp in our family...for good reason. My favorite part? "Pepper the shrimp until they are black. When you think you have enough, add even more!"

Finished Pepper Shrimp...ready for peeling and eating

I make a cocktail sauce with catsup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce...lots of all of it. It was great with the shrimp...and even yummy on the crackers served alongside. Opened up those nasal passages, as my dear Daddy used to say!

I'll use the leftover sauce later on this week on Salmon Croquettes. My BIL from TX sent a recipe last week that awakened my taste buds for that entree from my younger years. His recipe was a little fancier than I remember Rena's being; that link is closer to hers...except she always crumbled saltine crackers instead of bread crumbs. That's what I'll probably do, too.

We had about a dozen shrimp left over, so I'm thinking maybe Shrimp and Grits sometime this week? That link will take you to a recipe from Southern Living that I'll probably use...and tweak.

Bon appetit!

Just in Time

2011-01-22T13:35:00.003-05:00

We're back at the roost...apparently just in time for the next round of arctic blast and blowing snows. May I repeat myself? I have had enough of this...!

Just Enough Ruffles Scarf
for Missy M, 1/2011

We made the 8-hour trek over the mountains and up the WV turnpike ($6 in tolls, each way...) to Missy M's house in Louisville last weekend. There was still a good deal of snow on the side of the all the roads along the way...as the old saying goes "waiting for the next snow storm." I delivered the Just Enough Ruffles scarf (photo, left), and we had a pleasantly uneventful visit with her and the pups, Ella Rae and Dixie.

This was our first time to meet Dixie, who is a bea-U-tiful Basset girl. She is a tad on the smallish side for a Basset, weighing in at "only" 53 pounds when she went in for her snip-snip operation and teeth-cleaning last week. [While 53 pounds is indeed a large dog, remember our Drool Gang for reference: Gus weighs about 63 pounds, Duchess tilts the scales at 74 pounds (!), and Elmo comes in at 54.] She has an almost silky coat and gorgeous coloring, that being white and red, a lot like Elmo's. She and Ella (all of 18 pounds...and looking like a pup in her "new" haircut) are still working out the new living arrangements, but all-in-all it appears they may become best of buddies...except when they are vying for Missy M's undivided love and attention...and food. Naturally.

When we arrived so late on Friday night that I think it may have actually been Saturday morning, Dixie would have nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing. Barked at me even. Me! The Momma. She let Mr. T (Not-The-Momma) pet her and give her a belly rub...showing off her operation stitches with pride. But with me? She drew a line and wouldn't cross it. Broke my heart, of course...but, what are you going to do?

Well, here's what I did. Next morning, I got up early to fix the dogs their breakfast. (The humans in the house could fend for themselves...:) I opened a can of tuna to mix with their dry kibble, and voila! I'm the Queen Mother!! It also helped that Missy M and Mr. T headed out to see a movie in the afternoon, and since I was nursing a sinus problem, I stayed home with the dogs. While I sat on the sofa, knitting on my Slanting Lace Scarf and enjoying several cups of hot tea with lemon, Dixie (after some help up with the hind-quarters) cuddled up next to me in the center, with Ella balled up like a cat on "her" pillow on the other end. We bonded.

Missy M's new office at
KFC

Some of the conversation centered on Missy M's new promotion. She's headed across the parking lot to the "Big White House" to work her Instructional Design magic with KFC. Her first four and 1/2 years with Yum!Brands has been spent on a training team working with Long John Silver's and with A&W. Now, she goes to play with the Big Brand, so to speak. Her favorite part about the change so far? She got an office with a door and a window out of the deal (photo, right). Woo hoo!

Just ahead of the next KY snowfall, Mr. T and I hopped in the Endeavor to head out of town. We took a giant detour around the city, though, in order to meet up with Brother T (minus SIL LaD, who was stuck at home because of the cold weather and the ice concerns) at Cracker Barrel in LaGrange. Great town, by the way, with an active train track running right down the middle of the main street. M and I love the yarn shop there, Friends and Fiber, and we once had to wait to cross back over the street to our parked car while the train went through. Uh, no...we didn't get to the yarn shop this time, darn it. But, it was lovely having a couple of hours with Bro T, along with a big CB breakfast in front of a roaring fire, all the same.

BTW, Missy M reports the latest snowstorm dumped another couple of inches of snow on her in the city, and SIL LaD reports almost 6 inches of the stuff on their mountaintop in Northern KY. We joked that she may not get off the mountain until Easter...or, as she says, until Derby Day in early May. Ha ha?

Back home in NC, we had a nice day on Wednesday (temps reached the 50's, believe it or not). All the snow melted, and the ground is ready to receive some more. Thursday brought a return of the cold, so I decided to heat up the house with blackberry cobbler and some homemade bread (photos, center/below; recipe, end of article). We are in the twenties here today, with snow predicted for Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday; accumulation predictions are mixed. We'll see...

Blackberry Cobbler

White Bread

Mr. Squirrel and the new Critter Feeder

Mr. T made it home from the highlands, and his first task on Friday was to refill the feeders, which were slap-dab completely empty. He also put two new dried corn ears (photo, right) on the newest critter feeder (from that last trip to Tractor Supply...:); believe me when I tell you that there's nothing but cobs there this morning.

So, if we are to believe the creatures, we've got weather on the way. Big time. Hoo boy.

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Easy Fruit Cobbler

2 cups fruit (blackberries, pealed peaches, apples, whatever you have)
2 cups sugar, divided
4-8 T. butter (the more, the richer taste - I use 6 T.)
1 cup milk
1 cup self-rising flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, put the butter in a loaf pan and into the oven; allow the butter to melt, then remove the pan.

Meanwhile, pour 1 cup of the sugar over the washed/prepared fruit; let sit for a bit. In a large mixing cup/bowl, mix the milk, the other 1 cup of sugar, and the self-rising flour together into a batter.

Time to assemble! Pour the batter mixture into the melted butter in the loaf pan. DO NOT MIX. Then, spoon the fruit (and any syrup that has formed or sugar that remains) on top of the butter-batter in the loaf pan. Again, DO NOT MIX. The fruit will sink below the batter, which will form a dough and crust around the fruit while baking.

Bake for one hour, or until brown on top and bubbling all around. Remove to a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Rejection and Redemption

2011-01-20T22:05:00.001-05:00

Southern My Way Cookbook

The prize is a cookbook. Not the MegaMillions jackpot. And, certainly not a contract for a book. I won a cookbook. Truthfully? I'm grinning like I just matched four numbers and the MegaBall on my last lottery ticket.

Last month I was reading a new-to-me online magazine called Deep South and noticed an article about a new cookbook called Southern My Way by Gena Knox. There was a request for readers to share their own family food traditions by leaving a comment or sending an email, and they said they'd pick a winner in January.

It was one of those really cold December days, and I had just stirred up a pot of Brunswick Stew. Faithful readers know that I have written far more than they wanted to read on the subjects of stew and the Stewart family tradition. Still, there might be one or two or a million folks who have never heard my ramblings. Thus inspired, I wrote a few lines in the comments section and returned to whatever I had been doing before that.

Firing up my laptop this morning after several days away, I noticed a message in my email inbox with the subject line: Southern My Way winner! It was true: my entry had been selected as the winner in the Southern My Way cookbook giveaway. I was so excited when I followed the link and saw my entry published online.

To some, it's a cookbook. And, truth-be-told, the entry could be compared to writing a letter to the editor of the local paper. To me, it feels like redemption, a quarter of a century in the making.

About 25 years ago, when Missy M was in the first grade, I took a detour from the corporate roadmap and charted a course into a scary new territory: Full-time Mommyhood. I had no role model for this, as my own mother had always been employed while we were growing up.

Of course, I couldn't remove myself completely. I saw this as a perfect time to make the transition from talking about becoming a writer...to being a writer. That admission should come as no surprise to anyone.

You know me...I had to have a plan. Doing my research, I read that many successful writers started with magazines. OK, if it was good for Louisa May Alcott, it should be good for me. I can do that. I picked several magazines we had in the house, read them all cover-to-cover to see what they liked, and wrote some articles that I then submitted as directed.

I received only one response, which was probably the nicest rejection letter that editor had written in a while. At the time, I remember thinking that I should be pleased that she had taken the time to write me a few words of encouragement. I should see this as just the first step. And, I tried to focus on the positive, I really did.

But.

In my heart, I could only feel the disappointment of rejection. And, as hard as I tried, I could not get past it. R-E-J-E-C-T-I-O-N. I was not prepared for how hard it was to have someone else judge something I had done and find it sorely lacking. It felt like failure, and I didn't know how to deal with it. I was used to getting A's, not F's. So, I protected myself from dealing with those awful feelings. If you don't submit anything, you cannot be rejected. Simple. I put that dream in a drawer and moved on to other things.

I never really stopped writing. As a corporate trainer and leadership development coach, I've written training workbooks and manuals for years. Since I usually knew (a little) more about the subject I was training, trainees rarely commented negatively on their materials...so, no real rejection of my writing there.

I've kept a journal for over 10 years now, where I write until my hand can no longer hold the pen to the paper...a time period that has gotten substantially shorter as the years have gone on. Since no one else reads my journal, there is no one to comment negatively on my writing...no rejection there.

And, for the past four years, I've blogged here (and more recently on my other two blogs). I write what I want, when I want. No rejection here.

I've even had positive comments from many of you, dear readers. Most of the time, I haven't known how to respond to things like "you really should be writing a book." While agreeing with the statement and appreciating the sentiment, I still find it hard to move outside of my comfort zone where I am insulated against rejection.

But, the cookbook may have changed things. Seeing my winning entry on Deep South certainly feels redemptive...as in redeeming...as in winning something back.

We shall see. We shall see.