Holiday Meals

Christmas Eve Dinner for Ten

Fuji Apple Cocktails
Beer
Meritage

Polynesian Meatballs
Plum Spicy Chicken
Kasamati Rice

Korean Salad
Mandarin Orange Jello

Sweet Potato, Orange, Almond, Cranberry Cake
Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango



Christmas Day Dinner

Beer
Wine

Kielbasa, Lieberwurst, Ham
Fancy mustard selection
Red Cabbage
Mashed Potatoes and Chicken Gravy
Roasted carrots, parsnips, and beets

Yule Cake
Peach Kuchen

Both meals were really good.

Another Gift with Grandma

Randy and I made this lamp for Jacob and Brandy from and old meat grinder that was my grandma's.  I had the thing for nearly thirty years and finally figured turning it into a lamp was a good idea.  Jacob really likes it.  Ideally it was to go into his kitchen, but it is a little too big for his counters. 

I explained that the grinder is still in working condition so in the event that global destruction occurs they should flee with the meat grinder in case they find a squirrel or rat to eat. 

Valances by Grandma and Me

My grandma Beulah, made these wonderful potholders a long time ago.  I love them and had been pondering how to best display them.  I finally thought I would turn them into valances.  I found some all cotton vintage style dish towels that I cut in half.  I sewed the raw edges and then I tied the potholders on.  I am really happy with the results.

Mom got all misty eyed when she saw them and thought my grandma would have been pleased that I appreciate the potholders.

Another Cake

For my dear friend Maripat's birthday, I made a chocolate strawberry cake.  The cake was strawberry with strawberry filling, coated in chocolate ganache, and topped with strawberries dipped in ganache.  I added a cup of pureed strawberries in place of the water in the cake mix which gave it a nice mauve color.  I think next time I might not puree the strawberries so finely.  It was a lovely cake.  I hope it tasted good.  I know the strawberry filling was super!
Maripat said she never had "spring" on her birthday.  Birthday's are a season that last as long as they need to.  Strawberries and chocolate never go out of season.   

First Steps

I have been on the planning committee for an Advent Tea at our church.  Last year I attended one of these events in Saline, MI and I had a transformative experience.  I attended the event feeling some what empty and came out full and satisfied with the all the Holy Spirit's mysterious goodness.  I told members at my church about the gratitude I felt at hearing about the TRUE message and meaning of Christmas.  As it turns out, others had similar experiences at different churches and before long we were planning to have a tea at St. Stephen's. 

As it was our first year, and taking our first steps through an event of this kind, I has the added responsibility of cooking soup, setting and preparing desserts for three tables.  Anyway, I had been conceptualizing a cake all week long  a Cranberry Almond Orange Cake. 

There is fresh cranberries in the orange almond cake, orange buttercream frosting, and a decoration of dried cranberries and sliced almonds.  I baked the over sized cake in a springform pan.  I liked the size of it.  I also made an Orange cake with orange curd and chocolate ganache, and a gingerbread trifle.

The night was aglow with love; the Word there among us.   Every action was an act of prayer.

Sometimes prayers are awkward and and lack eloquence - yet they are still beautiful, like a baby's first steps.

Treasure Under my Feet

 While out thrift shopping with my sister we spotted this beautiful rag rug at the Faded Rose in Clinton.  My sister bought it for me for Christmas.  I LOVE IT!!!  I've never seen another rug made this way.  It is knitted, maybe with needles or with a little loom.  I marvel just thinking about how the maker pieced the small fabric scraps together before even knitting the strips.

There were several big holes and frayed parts (the reason why it was just ten dollars), but I was eager to repair it and now you can hardly tell there was any significant damage. 

Originally I was going to put it in my kitchen or at my front door, but for now it is beside my bed cushioning my feet when I rise in the morning.

Why did Spring Girl Cross the Road?

To get to the chicken on the other side.

 Last Saturday Randy called me outside to witness a chicken strutting down the sidewalk.  I guess this little guy wanted to visit the city.  I was surprised, but then I wasn't.  I like to think of our location as the Axis of Eccentricity.  I'm not sure if this is an exaggeration . . . I AM sure stranger things happen in other parts of the world, but our little corner seems to be a magnet for the peculiar.  This isn't always good, but it sure makes life interesting. 

Anyway, the little Bantam Rooster was a curious sight for squirrels, cats, and people.  I knew he wasn't safe.  I felt kinda confident in chasing him because I love the chickens at the farm.  I'm teased about this by all the workers. They think I can talk chicken.

After chasing the little guy awhile I cornered him and scooped him up pretty easily.

  He was really friendly and even enjoyed being talked to and petted.  I took him over to some friends, but the large hens were literally pecking out his feathers.

 I ended up taking him to the farm where I work.  I love the chicken yard when it is full of produce.  Watching the chickens eat squash has been a treat.   They bowl out the butternut and pumpkins like artisans. 

 The farm cats are never impressed and rarely curious.

 Here is Mr. Fancy Feathers doing much better.  Even though he is smaller than all the other chickens he is holding his own.  I also call him F3 aka Feather Footed Fowl. 

It was brought to my attention that he might have been owned to fight.  I think he is too docile to be a fighter.  I swear he knows who I am.  He stares at me when I talk to him and he places himself where I will be sure to notice him.  I think he is surprised by how he is drawn to me.  A chicken is enamored by me.

Kim said HE found me, I didn't find him.  This may be strangely true.

Little Happenings

 Not sure what to eat?  You know where to find and answer!  I love letter shaped green beans.

 Kale Chips

Pre-heat oven to 350.  Wash and dry kale.  Rub kale with olive oil and place on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until kale is crispy.  Serve with vinegar.

 27 lb butternut type squash baby.  I love looking like a farmer!!!!  I took a smaller baby home and made squash lasagna.  It is so tasty.

 Super Storm Sandy caused sleet for us folks in SE Michigan.  It was a freaky day to work on the farm.  I am so happy I was there to mark the event.  I think of Super Storm Sandy as a math equation. 

S cubed plus moon equals God is our help in times of trouble.

It's a treat to see Tricksters.  Jake made Dominic's costume.

 My buffet decorated for Autumn. 

Honey comb jar, Roman harvest muse, two year old pumpkin vine (grown by Gwen), old German beer stines, wicker cornucopia filled with farm produce,

 my new lovely antique crocheted buffet runner (love it!!!!), and sweet potato pecan pie.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Serves 6 - 8

2 lbs or 1.5 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (boiled or roasted)

3 eggs

1/4 c. butter

3/4 c. light corn syrup

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

1 c. pecans ( a half cup of the pecans a can be chopped and mixed into filling or all of the pecans can be kept whole)

1 - 9" unbaked pie shell 

Cook potatoes until tender and mash.  Cool slightly. Pre-heat oven to 350.   Add all ingredients except 1/2 cup of whole pecans.  Pour into pie shell and decorate with remaining whole pecans.  Bake 1 hour.

This pie doesn't try to imitate pumpkin pie.  No spices are added to mask the lovely sweet potato flavor.

Yummy pie.

The Godzilla of Possums

This GIANT possum has been terrorizing me.  He has been spotted TWICE during the day.

One morning he was cutting trails through my flowerbeds like T-Rex on a morning stroll.  He had no regard for path or posy.  You can see his coarse fur is sharper than a bed of nails.  And his tail could make a full meal - if your the possum eating type.  He's as big as some Thanksgiving turkeys which begs the question, "Can a roasted possum be disguised to look like a roasted turkey?"

Fact the possum didn't react around me.  It could sense my compassion.  But when Randy came near he hissed and showed his teeth and "Did his possum thing."  Here is a fun fact about possums about possums that you may not know.  Possums have the ability to fart the smell of death.  It's true and part of their death disguising abilities - go into a kind of coma (that can last up to four hours) and release the smell of rotting death.  It's a commonly know fact that men can do this too.  I've known men who have demonstrated "excellence" at possum farting.  How do they sleep through that? 

Anyway the possum farted while in the back of the truck and I about puked.  The scent was so strong.  It could kill a young man and bring an old dead man to life.

The possum was relocated 18 miles away.  We hope that is enough distance as possums are know for their "Homeward Bound" senses.  I pray that I will not be writing a "Return of the Possum" post in the future.

SWEET (potato) BABY

He has Randy's looks.

To, May, and the little Toes

This week my co-workers and I found a little tomato family.  I get teased about my vegetable interpretations until it turns into an English lesson on personification. 

A heart shaped tomato.

 Letter J or vegetable revolver (seeds included).

Recently, the sweet potatoes (aka yams) were dug up.  They come in a variety of sizes and shapes.  You can find little fingerly sized potatoes or enormous "full term baby" size.  I walked around cradling my orange tuber saying, "See my sweet potato baby?"  We found sweet potatoes that resemble a swan, ET, mustache, earth worm, and a toucan (or anteater). 

Like I said, my co-workers tease me a little about my perceptions, but the market customers "get it" and like to make their own interpretations, which gives me a smile and laugh.  Also, now the staff are noticing interesting shaped veggies and passing them on to me.  Even the boss said, "Here is a basket for your little guy." 

Magic Beans

So last week I was noticing that the beans were growing in the shapes of letters.  I started picking and pocketing the BEAN letters. At home I arranged the letters into words and took a photograph of them.  I showed the picture to Matt saying, "Matt the beans are MAGICAL!  They grow in the shape of letters.
Matt says, "It's like an anagram.  Maybe you got the arrangement wrong and its really supposed to be "sol-ve'" (pronounced soul -VAY) which in Latin means 'Don't read too much into the letter shaped beans."  Humph!  The Matt guy is is quite the joker.

Under the Spell

Some days at market the "Dahlia Man" sets up a stall next to ours.  He brings the most breathtakingly beautiful dahlias that are an absolute distraction for me.  I feel hypnotized by their unusual colors and forms.  I gush over over them and say things to the dahlia man's wife like, "Aren't you afraid the women are going to get TOO friendly with your husband?  Women love a man who can cultivate flowers you know."  It makes her laugh.  Finally I broke down and bought a bunch of his award winning dahlias.  (The Dahlia Man is extremely humble so that no one would know he has won multiple awards and is recognized around the nation for his horticultural abilities.)  Between gushing and swooning over the flowers, I publicly PROCLAIM, with extreme enthusiasm, each varieties special qualities, "Look at that color!  Oh my gosh!  The form of those petals!  Look at how big that is!"  Then in a state of doubt and grief I recluctantly chose these beautiful flowers.  I had no regrets later I just stared and admired and let myself fill with gratitude and sent up a prayer of blessings on the dahlia man.    
Can't you just tell they are grown with love?

Market Stall

 This is the stall I work in at Farmers' Market.  This is Karlene the farmer's wife.  Below is Matt.  He's the "melon man."  One day we saw him caressing the melons as he told the customers about their goodness.  Well, that very day a customer (who had previously ate some of the melon) came up and asked him out on a date.  They are now a couple.  He says he wakes up everyday feeling joyful because his girl friend is so hot, smart (working on a P.H.D), and fun.  I'm happy for him because Matt is funny and cute and hard working.  FYI I love working market.

I Can, Can

The farmers are most generous and send me home with loads of fresh produce. To get the most out of these healthy treats I have had to beef up my canning skills. I haven't been canning in 20 years.  But with the help of friends I have a colorful pantry.

I had two big bins of tomatoes which I turned into jars of stewed, spaghetti sauce, and tomato jam.  The jam is more like a dipping sauce for crackers or tortilla chips.  It is definitely a specialty item to give as gifts. 

After peeling and seeding I had these two big containers of tomatoes. 

I also canned beans at Amy's house.  Beans require a pressure cooker which I do not have.  The pressure cooker makes things go fast.

While we waited for the beans to seal Amy played me a song on their pump organ.  So wonderful and nostalgic.

Here are the beautiful beans.

Then I went to Elizabeth's to make red pepper jelly.  Elizabeth has a science degree and it really shows when she cooks.  She isn't a bit timid about experimenting with flavors.  We made several batches of red pepper jelly using a variety of different vinegars.  We used white, white wine, apple cider, and balsamic.  The balsamic didn't jell but it makes a fine red pepper reduction.

I had Mikkie try the tomato jam and she was really impressed.  She said she could eat a jar by herself in one sitting. 

Not all the veggies are in jars.  My freezer is full, too. 

My Other Job

 So between working for my gardening clients and working at the Goetz Farm, I was asked to make a sign for market.  Both pictures were taken today.  I made a lot of progress today . . . in part because I had a dream that ultimately said , "Feed your inner child."  It means I need to start doing what I enjoy.  I can't say it was all fun making the sign.  This was my first time carving wood. I have a lot of hours invested in this project, so there is a good chance I won't get paid for my (amature skills) time.  Still, my vision for the sign came true, it is folksy, naive', and fun.  I hope the Goetz family loves it.  Also, it will be hung at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market.  I think the sign will fit in with the A2 vibe.

Rhino-eggplantitis

Did you know that some egg plants are born with a nose?  That's 3/4s of a face!  Where there is a face there is personality. 

Over the Moon

WoW!  Carrot Cake Moon Pie with cream cheese frosting!  I should have bought more than one.

The Frog Prince's Garden

I bought this concrete planter several year's ago at the Farmers Market.  The little shrub came with the planter.  Last week I was about to trim it up when I thought . . I'll turn it into a heart.  I am so glad I was daring enough to try.  I want more bushes to shape up.  For inspiration to attempt topiary art read The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg, also see the documentary A Man Named Pearl.

Back into Running

I have a little garden job helping out a women who had some health issues this past spring.  She is a very kind hearted person and has several rescue dogs, nine plus one she bought.  I call her home the Ten Dog Farm. 

The dog she bought is one crazy dog.  He is some kind of terrier and he has so much energy! 

I actually picked him up today and took him for a run.  I said I wouldn't tire him out.  There was a reassuring moan, "Oh, please tire him out.  He has too much energy."  So Cooper and I took a run together.  He is a natural athlete and he is very protective, he HAD to stay between me and the road.  He kept an eye on every car that went by only veering to the right to see cars approaching from that side. 

I had a great time.  And running with a dog was another little dream come true.

Another Blessing

There was a new honey vendor at the farmer's market.  The vendor told me about the nectar sources for the honey he and his wife sold.  This particular batch, from Northern Michigan, helped to pollinate cherry blossoms and star thistle. 

But, in a box behind his table he had two honeycombs that were produced by bees in Georgia.  The nectar source was pimento blossoms.  The vendor GAVE me one of the combs!  (SO BLESSED!)  I brought it home and put it in my honey comb dish.  I don't think I have ever used the dish before.  I bought the dish at an antique shop in Brooklyn, MI for $8.00.  Notice the bee hive on the base and the bees on the lid.

And yes, the honey is so yummy.  The grandkids tried it and approved of it also.

Firefly

I'm reading The Firefly Letters by Margarita Engle. 

"Cuban fireflies are the most amazing
little creatures I have ever seen.
They flock to me at night,
resting on my fingers
so that, while I am sketching
and writing letters,
I need no other lantern,
just the light
from their movements.
This beautiful passage struck me . . . abundant fireflies curious about people, perhaps
attracted by our infrared radiation, and I'm sure each of us has our own special glow based on what we are thinking and feeling.  

As I like to do every summer's morning . . . I took my cup of coffee outside and sat on the stoop drinking up the sweet and simple joy of cool air and bird song.  The cat greeted me and then I saw a firefly flying low.  It landed on the house.  I thought it must be confused.  Shouldn't he be sleeping?  But, just then it notice me and flew over landing smoothly on my knee.  It crawled a bit and made and sudden take-off, perhaps to find some dark and quiet place to sleep.  I'll bet he had a wild night and hadn't made it to bed yet.

In case you haven't done this before . . .  try to see the fireflies in the country, look over a long stretch of field to marvel at acres and acres of fire light sparks filling the up the atmosphere. 

A Quiet Want is Statisfied

When I was a child my parents had a creche that they had bought in Europe while on one of my father's military tours. 

I loved the creche with is paper mache' figures and wooden stable.  I loved moving the figures around and studying the faces trying to imagine how they felt. 

One year my parents had a flood and all but one figure was destroyed. 

In France the nativity set is the focal point rather than a tree.  I like this idea. 

I have always wanted my own "formal" nativity set (I bought a wooden one for the kids to play with and I added figures I cut with a jigsaw and painted) -an old one like the one I meditated over. 

I have almost bought a new set on several occasions, but I haven't been completely convinced by any I have seen until today.  Returning from the farmers market (happy as bird after rain) I went past a yard sale and on the porch was this sweet Italian set.  The owner asked $8.00.  So I biked home, grabbed the car and some money and bought it. 



 After house cleaning I picked some old packing material out of the moss, brushed off the pieces with a brush and gently took off the thick dirt with a swab and water.

Then I climbed into my closet looking for my angel ornament box in which I have the one salvaged piece from the nativity set of my childhood.  The angel holds a banner that  says "Gloria."

At St. Stephen's we want to have nativity sets as table decorations for the Advent tea we are hosting.    I have a nostalgic one to provide. 

I am so happy about this object.  God provides for my wants, too.

Leave It At the Door

When I come home from the farm I am covered in dirt and sometimes mud.  On this day the mud made crusty cast of my pants.  FYI There is something delightful about getting muddy and working the earth and I feel like God is smiling on me in approval. 

Market Flowers

At the farm I pick crops and flowers.  In the afternoon I help make flower bouquets.  I love thinking that someone will select my bouquet because it is pretty and emits joy.  In my mind I think, "I do not know you but I am wishing you happiness.  I hope that this bouquet helps to ease the uncomfortable rub from any difficulty you may be experiencing, and that if you are feeling joyful may this bundle of color add to your happiness."