Comments on comments

I, too, have wondered about Christopher habit of talking to someone on the cell phone as a safety measure. I guess it is psychological or something.... have to look into that mace for the key chain. :)

It is actually alarming at how fast the crime rate in the county and surrounding areas is rising. Even our Midwestern towns are having gangs move in from the bigger cities.

Long gone are the days when the crimes were committed by farm boys who have had a little to much to drink on Friday night, now there are dangerous outsiders ... not to mention the affects of meth and cocaine even in small towns.

Harry and the Hendersons was one of my favorite movies to watch when Christopher was young. If Bigfoot was like Harry, I'd have no problems with sharing the forest. Welcoming him into my house may be another issue. Harry was rather... clumsy.

I'll have to watch that movie again soon but it has to be with my husband. Both kids will tell you there are certain movies that are more fun just because of Dad's laughing through them... Harry is one of those movies... the worst is Cool Runnings because he speaks with a Jamaican accent for days afterwards... sigh.

I've mentioned before that I really liked Frank Peretti's book called Monster. I'm not a fan of horror movies or books but this one is just a little scary. It's about the Bigfoot legend and not to give anything away... they find "something".

The only bad reviews I saw of it were from people who were annoyed he based his science against cross-species evolution. Otherwise, those who could live with those assumptions seemed to like it even if it is not War and Peace.

I've followed the Franky Schaeffer story for a long time with both shock and sadness. Edith writes so much in her books (especially The Tapestry) about the fact they are far from perfect and she had been very honest about the difficulties involved in being a family with a ministry such as theirs.

How like the enemy of our souls to twist the truth to defame a couple who had such an influence on a generation after they could tell their side of the story... and how sad that it is their own mid-life "baby" who would be the source of slander.

I've been reading more about challenges with a few of Billy Graham's kids but none of the siblings have ever written scathing statements blaming their parents for their problems (other than admitting Dad's being gone so much had an adverse affect but they also gave praise to their mother for doing the best she could).

It has surprised me how my husband's siblings seem to hate their father more the longer he has been dead. I'm even more shocked at the way they speak of their mother. My in-laws could be difficult people but they don't deserve such animosity. His brother and sister are both single and never had children so they have no spouse at home reminding them of their own imperfections and the need to walk in forgiveness. :)

Both Nancy Pearcy and Os Guinness have spoken out against Franky's book. Both were living at L'Abri and Os was Franky's best friend at one time (the best man at his wedding). His famous op-ed response can be found... here. It is five pages long but well worth reading for people whose life were impacted by the Schaeffer's ministry.

All parents can do is... the best they can do. How many times have I mentioned that Adam and Eve had a perfect Parent and lived in Paradise... and rebelled. How thankful I am that I'm not rich or famous so my children need not write any Mommy Dearest books. I can be rather cranky when I'm tired...

Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World, a review

I'm not very fond of watching most "Christian" TV preachers. There are just a few that I enjoy hearing their teaching and David Jeremiah's Turning Point is one of them. So I was delighted to review his latest book which is a stand alone "follow-up" to his book What In the World is Going On?.

In the first book, he talked about ten prophetic events which are happening in the world today. In this book, Dr. Jeremiah gives wise scriptural advice about how to not only survive in this world but to be salt and light to a confused generation.

As usual, the chapter headings give an indication as to what one can expect... they are:

Stay Calm
Stay Compassionate
Stay Constructive
Stay Challenged
Stay Connected
Stay Centered
Stay Confident
Stay Consistent
Stay Committed
Stay Convinced

Each chapter is a combination of scriptural teaching, interesting comments on recent events, quotes from various experts, and fascinating statistics (I found myself often thinking "I didn't know that!").

One of the things I love about Dr. Jeremiah's writing is how he brings his own reading to the party. I particularly enjoyed the quotes from familiar authors which applied to the context of each chapter.

One of the stories I thought interesting was from the chapter called Stay Consistent. It begins with the story that has been in the news of the pastor and his wife in San Diego who were investigated for having a religious meeting in their home.

It turns out to be in a neighborhood close to where Pastor Jeremiah lives and a wake up call to his church, which has more than two hundred small group Bible studies (the same type of meetings as the above pastor was being "investigated" for hosting in his home).

There is so much in this book that is interesting. I'll keep it on my shelf to come back to and peruse quite often.

Highly recommended!

Sleep deprived ponderngs about sons and mothers

Christopher at the beach in spring

I have decided that sleep deprivation is something mothers deal with all their lives, beginning the first night after a child is born and continuing until... who knows. My own mother stayed up worrying about her children after they were grandparents. Sigh...

Christopher was again on campus late studying for a big test, calling me around Midnight to stay on the phone until he reached the car. Under different circumstances that would seem a rather strange thing to stay up for with a young man who will soon turn twenty.

However, there have been multiple armed robberies, numerous assaults, and a couple shootings on and near campus this semester. Except for the occasional assault, such things were unheard of until recently... and those past assaults usually had a lot to do with excess alcohol and parties.

The car was parked away from campus, behind a building, and near a dark alley, which causes even a six foot tall guy to be uneasy. (Instead of fencing this year, he is taking martial arts classes once a week. A wise decision.)

Once I knew he was on his way home, I brewed both of us Lipton's Bedtime Story herbal tea. I poured his in the slightly heavy porcelain mug with matching lid that Stephanie bought me when she was in college. It keeps tea nice and hot.

It must be that sleep deprivation was the reason I walked in the living room this morning after the alarm went off at 6:15 and stood in front of the sofa (in the dark) wondering why there was no black and white ball of fur waiting for me... it took a few seconds to remember.

I woke Christopher up with the words... "I am too old to get six hours of sleep or less two nights in a row". That is far better than, "Your mother is losing her mind".

Other than lack of sleep and remembering what it is like living with two melancholic men, I've enjoyed having Christopher home again this semester. One evening he plopped on the dark green swivel chair in the living room with his laptop, asking me what I knew about Frankie Schaeffer. I told him all I could remember, including the op-ed piece Os Guinness wrote to refute Frankie's latest book where he made such scathing remarks about his parents.

It seems the latest d.i.g.g. (sp?) headlines that day were all about statements Frankie had made in an interview, which he had me listen to for a few minutes. He was wondering if what he said about his parents (Edith and Francis Schaeffer) were true.

Once again, I shared with him my opinion on how the youngest of the Schaeffer kids could not only stray so far from the faith but become such an outspoken critic of evangelical Christianity and all things conservative.

Since he struggles with his own doubts... not about Christ but the Church... it was a great opening for discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly... about Humanity. As we do so often, we both had computers open with dueling Google searches. I missed that when he lived in town. :)

I always told Stephanie when she was growing up that I was raising my own best friend. That has proven itself true when we get together a couple times a year and have such fun as well as cell phone calls which continue conversations as if they had just happened instead of a week having passed.

How lovely to have another human being who shares the same passions about life and books and decorating and cooking and... well, you understand... as well as a shared history. (My poor son-in-law, he is long suffering, a special crown in Heaven must await him someday.) I always remind Christopher when he is interested in a young lady to look at her mother for that is most likely whom she may be like as she grows older. Thankfully my son-in-law's mother forgot to tell him about that. But I digress...

What surprised me was the same thing happening... in a slightly different way... with my boy. Most likely a result from years and years of homeschooling, he enjoys talking about books and ideas with me. I always call good homeschooling one continuous conversation.

Sometimes we don't agree (he can't stand Glenn Beck), other times he knows me too well (as in telling me I'd enjoy the latest X-men movie because I can watch Wolverine for two hours), then there are subjects in which he'd rather talk to his father or sister or brother-in-law. I don't know why most of them involve math or logic.

I am looking forward to the day I have a sweet daughter-in-law but I'm also hoping to receive a phone call which begins, "Mom, what did you think of...?".

Sigh... I need a nap.

Monday morning

I am so sleepy today. We had some big storms go through after Midnight last night. I think I finally got to sleep around 1:30 and my wake up time didn't change. Yawn...

Friend Debra... Since I was given the laptop as a gift, I don't have a problem writing most days. What is challenging is keeping up with questions in comments and e-mails. So often time goes by and they don't get answered even though I love receiving them. :)

This weekend I took most of the flowerpots on the deck out to the compost pile. I've already harvested all the green beans and the plants are ready for the compost. This week I plan to take the wheelbarrow to the garden and finish taking all the plants except the green peppers out.

I will be taking a blog break in a couple weeks when Stephanie and I will be attending a conference in Hartford, Connecticut and I'll be spending time with the family. New England in October... beautiful.

Be thinking of your favorite books and films to recommend. I want to keep up that post when I'm travelling to give everyone plenty of time to add a comment.

For an idea of what I'm talking about, click on the picture of the wingback chair on the sidebar which will take you to the original "warm and cozy" book recommendations post.

Sabine... your comment was so funny. When I saw the buck in the distance, I was thinking how glad I was it wasn't Bigfoot. :)

The forest is so thick right now that it is quite spooky to walk out to the mailbox. There are always noises in the forest. One hopes they are all little forest animals and not anything big.

Okay, so there have been no Bigfoot sightings here but there is always a first time for everything. If you are new to this blog, I live at the edge of a forest and I've had a Bigfoot phobia ever since watching a couple movies in childhood.

Well, I think I was about fifteen or sixteen when I watched one of them but it was really scary because Bigfoot was stalking this group of campers for his dinner... shudder. One should watch only edifying media if one ever plans to live in or near a forest.

Picture: Rooster and Four Chickens; allposters.com

Sunday Afternoon Tea

And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9

This has been a week where the weather acted as a perfect backdrop to my mood... dark with rain and drizzle. Normally I love rainy weather but the sadness of saying goodbye to my furry best friend along with various circumstances of life manifesting themselves at the moment... all came together to bring a heavy burden to my soul.

Friday evening I had one of those desires to "be alone where it is quiet" so I drove into town and parked in the Kroger parking lot near my former neighborhood. The rain pounding against the windshield made for a cozy cocoon in which to read the manuscript of my friend's new book. Although arriving by UPS for me to read and write a recommendation, God also used it to speak to my heart in that moment... He seems to be a Master Weaver like that.

Her words reminded me of changes in my own life. Although much wiser than I was in my youth, I miss the younger me. The man who was in charge of the Jesus People coffeehouse where I ministered in my late teen years would describe her as "Brenda runs in where angels fear to tread". :)

The circumstances which brought about deeper faith and trust also took away the innocent fearlessness that came with youth. I know that is common to life. I told a friend on the phone this week that I often say to my husband, "There is a reason they send young men to war".

I admit that it is a daily struggle between not so much faith and fear... but faith and weariness. St. Paul's words (inspired by the Holy Spirit) have spoken through two thousands years of trials and tribulations of life. One need not experience severe trials to feel like giving up.

Each day there are the little foxes which add up to frustration... like dropping a glass bottle of spaghetti sauce on the cement floor of the garage last week. (Sigh... all because one saw a spider the size of Texas crawl across the laundry basket.)

How do we keep filled with faith in the midst of life's circumstances? I am reminded of one of those "National Geographic Moments" (as Christopher calls them) which happened this past week. He and I were in the car together, the rain was such that it was a fine mist. We were slowing down to turn onto the gravel lane when we saw something in the distance. (Which would be the view shown in the header above.)

At first I thought it was the neighbor's dog but I quickly realized it was too large to be a dog. Christopher said it was a deer. Immediately after that, we both said... "Wow". For the animal turned just enough that we could see it was the most gorgeous, regal looking buck.

In the mist, the animal had an almost ghostly, ethereal presence. I must admit being thankful there was another person in the car or I would have wondered if I really saw a real buck or it was a figment of an overactive imagination.

While I sat in the car at the Kroger parking lot, my thoughts went back to that buck in the mist. In many ways it reminded me of life's journey. The journey is shrouded in mystery and the unknown but God's Word promises to be a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path. If I don't take the time to pray and read the Word... I walk in darkness.

I do not want to grow weary in well doing. I thank God for good books and warm hearted people who encourage along the way...

Picture: Dessert dishes from 2008's Thanksgiving's table

What fun peeks into the pantry

I have been enjoying the comments from yesterday's pantry post. Isn't it fun to see what other people find essential? Stephanie even commented! I do remember how she made all kinds of unusual (to me) meals when she was first married.

Partly inspired by a wedding gift of unusual spices (from our friend who recently moved to Europe) and a natural curiosity about different grains and foods. Steph is one of the best cooks I know but David's food sensitives now hinder her creativity at mealtime.

I must admit to having an unusual need for storing all kinds of canned tomatoes, too. Since all of the money I usually use for stocking up (when hubby works a few weeks each semester at the bookstore) went to cover not one... not two... but three car repairs last month... I'm down to just a couple cans of my favorite brand of tomatoes I use for soup. Do I detect a nervous twitch? :)

I used to stock those boxes of tofu that can be stored without refrigeration. They make a great pudding and pie filling by adding a package of melted and cooled chocolate chips (half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate works best for me) to two packages of the tofu in a mixer or blender and then chilling until firm. One of those recipes I used to make all the time but rarely do now. They also work great for smoothies if one is not sensitive to soy products (I use a little yogurt now).

If you haven't added your own unique or regional items you must have in the pantry, you can go to yesterday's post by clicking... here.

Note: I forgot, Nutella is a spread of a cocoa and hazelnut base which I find on the shelf next to peanut butter. Some stores may have it in the section where they have foreign foods on the shelf. I think (?) it was originally Italian?

Pantry Talk: Stocking the unique

Most of you know one of my favorite places on the Internet is Rhonda Jean's down-to-earth blog. I congratulate her for being chosen one of the five most influential blogs in the Asia Pacific blog awards. The last time I checked, you can still cast a vote for her. She is an excellent teacher for all of us wanting to live a more self sufficient life.

I got such a chuckle from her pantry post a few days ago... found here. It is a very good post about how she moves items from the stockpile to the pantry and I've already gone back and reread it again. I do something similar when I move items from the garage to the kitchen cabinets. She gives very good advice, it is well worth your time to read the post even if you don't keep a deep pantry.

However, what I thought amusing was the amount of the truly Australian product... Vegemite. I've heard of it before but I don't know what it is. It got me to thinking if there were any items I stock up on that may be unique to the way we eat or the area where we live. Kinda' like my parent's always stocking pickled pigs feet in their pantry.

I suppose I'm one of the only people I know who has lots of cans of SPAM. Christopher and I both really like it sliced very thin and fried almost crispy. My husband has about the same reaction to us eating it as we do when he eats over easy eggs served with grits... gross.

I always try to stock up on cranberries for the freezer each December. They are very American but then again, I know lots of people who do the same. I do buy Nutella once in awhile, I don't know why it hasn't become as popular in the United States as it has in other countries. It is amazing. No one else I know buys it, though.

I have a can of coconut milk in the pantry. There is a cake recipe I want to try that requires it so I bought it on a whim one day just to have on hand. Otherwise, I think my pantry is pretty boring.

The yellow chimney pantry holds all my spices and baking supplies. I did have some garam masala on hand so I could try an Indian recipe (as in... from India). I doubt any of my rural neighbors find that an important item in their pantry.

Is there anything in your pantry that would be considered unique, regional, or even just plain weird but you absolutely must have on your shelves?

Pictures: Photos of my yellow pantry taken last year. I inherited it from my mother-in-law. Stephanie gets it when I go to that great kitchen in the sky.

Trials and Heavenly hope

I'm working on a pantry post but a conversation and a song reminded me of past ponderings about Heaven and Jesus and all things eternal. I was talking to a sweet friend that I met through this blog (blogdom is a wonderful way to meet likeminded people) yesterday and the conversation came around to what Heaven will be like. I'd been thinking a lot about kitties and Heaven this past week.

Then last night I tuned into Ravi Zacharias' program where one of his associates was talking about philosophical stuff. I was rather tired and what would normally be interesting was going over my head until he mentioned C. S. Lewis... of course I listened more closely then.

He talked about Lewis' book called The Great Divorce and the description of the scenery as they were getting closer to Heaven. Everything became brighter and more clear, the grass looked thicker, it was as if this earth was ethereal and Heaven was what is real (of course, Lewis is famous for saying this life is nothing but the Shadowlands).

My ponderings during the time we lived by the pond took me back to the reality of who Jesus is and what I expect from Him. I knew how John the Baptist felt when he was in the jail cell awaiting death and sending out a message to Jesus... basically, are you who I thought you were? This is not what I planned. If you are the Messiah, I wouldn't be in this bleak cell.

During this time, I had an epiphany (I love epiphanies) that Heaven must be an amazing place if Jesus was willing to enter Time and Space to become the perfect sacrifice needed for the sin of Eden. What is it about us that stopped Him from just obliterating humanity and starting all over again?

At the time, I thought of what Lewis said about Jesus... basically He either was God or He was a nut case running around saying He was God. If He truly was sent from the Father to pay the price of sin and take back the Keys to the Kingdom... why? There must be some kind of amazing future ahead of us that is only known by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit... to make the Father send... the Son sacrifice... the Holy Spirit come to earth as Comforter and Teacher.

If He was just a raving lunatic who thought He was God, then how did the Church survive 2,000 years? Certainly not because church people are the nicest or most holy. In spite of humankind, His church survived, flourished, and changed the world. Would a lunatic cause us to change our calendar to B.C. and A.D.?

I had to come to a place during the days I didn't want to keep going that He has a plan and my place in that plan is not about my being comfortable or even happy. If He was willing to leave Paradise and walk the desert sands of Nazareth... how could I complain about my circumstances? One tends to ponder in the fires of affliction more than any other season of life.

All of this was on my mind as I drove down country roads and through lush "end of season" green forests while listening to K-love on the radio. One of my favorite songs by Mercy Me started to play (Jesus Bring the Rain), which I thought appropriate as the wind shield wipers were working overtime to clear rain so I could see where I was driving. What appropriate words at just the right time. It is somewhere on my Play List but here are the words...

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory
And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain... you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain

A little more about the pond

I went back to bed yesterday morning and slept until noon! That just doesn't happen but I guess I was really, really tired.

I haven't written about our year by the pond before. It's a year that is difficult to explain, even by one who loves words. We lived there after we left Detroit and before we moved back home. As I said yesterday, it was the year that changed everything.

As painful as that year was, I don't think I could have accepted the changes in my life without it. Hours spent by a pond and a lake will do that to you (and for those unfamiliar with American geography... watching the waves of Lake Michigan is not unlike sitting by an ocean). There is a reason they call them The Great Lakes. :)

I can look back now and know everything I had to give up was worth it. I remember during that year looking up at the sky and shouting to Him that He required too much of me, that He had asked me to give up too much over the past few years. I think I even stomped my feet. The result of that year is in my writing these past three...

That was a number of years ago and we now own a home at the edge of the forest so there was obviously a happy ending to the story. The in-between years were interesting to say the least. Sometimes when I look back, I am still amazed at how quickly one can lose so much materially but then realize it is not "stuff" that matters.

The story of how we bought our house is on the sidebar under "Coffee Tea Books & Me Favorites" and called Laying My Isaac Down.

If you left a comment recently but you don't see it listed, Blogger was having issues with comment moderation lately. Instead of publishing many comments, they just vanished into thin air. I'm afraid at least a couple dozen were lost.

Thank you all so much for your comments and e-mails about Sasha. It has been an incredibly difficult few days since she was put to sleep. Everyone who has ever loved and lost a pet knows what it is like to walk by the space where they often curled up and think for just a moment you see them there. Last night I was putting items away on a shelf in the kitchen and saw their "nummy" dishes, which held their Fancy Feast treats and I broke down all over again.

I remember holding my mother's hand as she passed from this life into Eternity. I was telling her she would now be able to run and jump again, after so many years of being bedridden. I like to think of Sasha now young again and chasing her sister through the flowers. Perhaps not Storm's idea of Heaven... but certainly Sasha's. :)

I think it is just now sinking in that she is gone.

Remembering the days by the pond

I told my husband recently that I had to hold up my hand and say STOP to how hectic my life had suddenly become. Somehow we had scheduled multiple doctor's appointments, the trip to the V.A. hospital, a few food pantries (having spent most of our cash on repairs), taking the car in for new tires and then yesterday to have a belt replaced, and necessary errands all in the same week.

Then the added stress of Sasha's sudden illness and the decision to have her put to sleep on top of an already busy schedule... and a personal crisis going on in Christopher's life which kept me up into the wee hours of Saturday morning... AAAACK!

I finally lit a candle and stretched out on the sofa (Sasha-less) with a cold glass of water. I was too tired to brew tea. I shut my eyes and listened to the sound of crickets outside the window, which brought remembrances of my year by the pond with nostalgia, forgetting the hard times... remembering the peace.

We rented the house by the pond when we were going through a difficult time, one of the "years with no income", and one of those time periods I have written about when life was so difficult I had to remind myself to breath. I knew why poets wrote about hearts breaking from sadness.

The front steps to the house were only fifteen or twenty yards from the pond. I spent hours upon hours sitting on those cement stairs with my Bible open, a mug of coffee or cup of tea at my side... taking pen to paper as I pondered and prayed.

I would often pack an inexpensive picnic and take Christopher to nearby Lake Michigan where we would place an old quilt on the sand and watch the boats sailing nearby and great vessels in the far distance on their way to Chicago, wondering what important cargo they carried and what port they originated from. We would often enjoy a sandwich and perhaps an apple or freshly baked cookies and then walked the various trails in the forest that hugged the Lake.

Days and days and days of nothing but quiet and nature... nature and quiet. Well, kind of... for anyone who has gone to sleep on a summer night with the window open to catch a welcome breeze also knows the sound of rowdy neighbors... the hundreds of crickets and frogs singing their evening serenade. Their song continued on this autumn evening in another place and another time... but the song brought the memories as songs often do.

I find it interesting that the year by the pond was in many ways the most difficult year of my life. It was the year it all changed. But it was also the year of the fire of affliction... along with the hours watching the life in and around the pond with my Bible on my knees... holding on to the Rock of my salvation. This was the year of pain and loss but also the time of great miracles.

I can look back and know this to shall pass. The days of multiple appointments are now behind me. This isn't Heaven, yet. Like Abraham in the book of Hebrews, I search for a City whose architect and builder is God.

In the meantime, I may visit the pond in the park where my mother and I would take days old bread to feed the ducks... as I did with my own children so many years later. Perhaps I'll pack a sandwich and my Bible... and rest.

Picture: Ducks Unlimited, As Good As Home; allposters.com

If nothing else... decorate

Thank you again for your comments. They are appreciated. I know time will make each day easier but we feel her absence very much. I decided to get my mind off of our loss.

One can either do a little decorating or eat chocolate... I did both. I not only love making seasonal changes but I enjoy going around the house and seeing if there is something I can use elsewhere... redecorating by "tweaking".

The vintage lace tablecloth came off the pine table. It's amazing to me how it changes the "look" of the dining area. It will stay like this until after Thanksgiving, when I'll add red plaid placemats and a little Christmas glitter.

I wanted to add even more red accents to the kitchen (like I didn't have enough already). The kitchen is the only room in the house that is all mine to decorate... and it shows with bright colors. :)

I had the idea of bringing the above red wire basket into the kitchen to hold a few favorite cookbooks. It has been holding magazines in the living room but I love the way it looks in its' new home.

The old sewing machine table has been a wonderful addition to the kitchen (since I "borrowed" it from Christopher's room). It is a great place to store extra veggies and such.

I love the brightly colored cups on the breadbox. The one on the right was sent to me by sweet blog friends, the one on the left was 49 cents at Goodwill.

Of course, there were some red items in the kitchen already. :)

The shorter and darker days of winter will soon be here but my kitchen will be cheerful.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Thank you so much for your comments and e-mails. I appreciate them very much.

It has been a difficult weekend as I walk in the house and by habit glance at the sofa where Sasha spent most of her days, doing what Sasha did best... nap. She was a black belt napper since her kitten days.

You would think as I knew that day was inevitable, it would be easier... but how heartbreaking it was to wash out their blue kibble container and mauve water bowl (the popular "colors of the day" back when we purchased both 18 1/2 years ago) for the very last time. Although she had stopped eating and drinking a few days earlier, I couldn't bring myself to wash and put them away until she was under the dogwood tree.

I'm not quite up to writing a true Sunday Afternoon Tea today. So... I leave you the lovely video I found on Tullian Tchividjian's blog, honoring his late grandmother... Ruth Graham... a tribute to a woman I admire set to the music of a favorite song (and singer). Have a blessed Sunday. :)

Rest in Peace

Our dear Sasha
1991 - 2009
A long life, a faithful friend

We went down the same country road this morning, in which we drove a little over two years ago with Storm. The decision had been made to let her gently go to sleep, with the help of her sweet veterinarian (who believes all pets go to Heaven).

Storm had come home wrapped in a vintage tablecloth. Sasha was snuggled in a very soft and cuddly throw... so much like her. She joins her sister under the dogwood tree.

Pantry Talk - organics and gourmet foods (part two)

Inherited Victorian china
Thrifted napkin and napkin ring
Garage sale silver plated flatware
End of season clearance tablecloth

Click picture to enlarge!

I know I've already written about some of this... one could find the post somewhere in the Pantry Talks of the past three years. However, I don't know that I could handle going through three years of anyone's posts! :)

Today I want to chat about how our pantry truly can be the start of "gourmet" cooking and fine dining... add in a few great cookbooks and a collection of inherited or thrifted china (and candles... must have candles)... and viola', a meal as good as anything in the expensive restaurants.

I wrote earlier in the season about my quest for the small gourmet additions to add to the pantry. All are either very reasonably priced or on sale (or clearance) and added only once in awhile or when seasonally available. For instance, very good quality baking supplies often go on sale during the Holidays.

I learned to love fine dining back in my former life (basically the 1980s) when two of us were working and we had but one little girl who could enjoy having the silverware in the correct positions and drinking a Shirley Temple from a crystal goblet. Most often she would bring her current reading along with us when she tired of adult conversation.

The decision to "come home" (thus, cutting our income by a great deal) and later the birth of a very hyper little boy limited our fine dining experiences to birthdays and anniversaries. In the past decade, they have become even rarer, which is why I SO enjoyed the gift of dinner at the French Bistro when Stephanie visited this past spring (a gift from my son-in-law as well since his hard work paid for it). :)

That dinner reminded me of what I love about fine dining. That meal was perfectly cooked with the best simple ingredients in such a way one enjoyed every bite. There was no rushing through food that is so good and well prepared. The atmosphere was very bistro... less elegant and more classic... but very special.

That's why there is a gourmet section of my pantry, even though my grocery budget is ridiculously slim. They are the items which can add that "extra" to fresh veggies in summer and root vegetable in the cooler months... to create magic. Some are everyday items used in special ways, others are special items used in everyday foods. :)

My pantry is not as "deep" as it used to be but I always have a few boxes of organic chicken broth on the shelf (although they are gone now that my husband was on a liquid diet for a few days), one extra Grey Poupon harvest stone ground mustard, one bottle very good quality extra virgin olive oil (right now it is a small bottle of Lucini), a jar of capers, a few cans of organic pizza/pasta sauce (I add a can of Red Gold Italian tomatoes for use with pasta), a jar of chopped garlic for those times I don't have fresh and need garlic... just to name a few that comes to my mind right now.

Interesting spices give a lot of opportunity to add something different to all dishes. My mother never used some of those I enjoy now... coriander, cardamon, and smoked paprika just to name a few.

I keep real butter in the freezer. Although I use whatever good chocolate chips I can find on sale for most baking (Hershey's or Nestle's), when on sale I'll buy a few packages of Ghiradelli or Guittard to keep on hand when the chocolate chips are the star of the show (for instance, some fudge recipes and ganache). Of course, always real vanilla and other extracts. I like to keep a bottle of Key West lime juice on hand for key lime pie... it also works great wherever lemon juice is called for in a recipe.

It is so easy to have special items for baking to give cookies and cakes that pastry chef look. I purchased meringue powder earlier in the year but I haven't had a chance to use it for cookie icing, yet. I have all kinds of special colored sugars, sprinkles, cupcake liners, etc... all very inexpensive. Now that dried cranberries and cherries are more reasonably priced, I keep them on hand for baking and salads... as well as currents.

In the refrigerator, I keep lots of cream cheese as it lasts a long time and goes on sale once in awhile. It is there for baking and as a basis for dips of all kinds. In the freezer I try to always have bacon and those tiny peas (recommended by Nigella, whose pantry I LOVE to see on her show).

Then there are all the unique crackers and cookies. Regular cheddar or colby cheese become "uptown" when served with a special cracker or bread. Being a cookie connoisseur, I am not fond of most store bought cookies but Pepperidge Farm cookies are wonderful, as are some of the brands imported from England. One or two packages kept hidden from anyone with a carb attack is a frugal luxury to have on hand.

I hope to can a few jams and jellies as well as apple pie filling soon (some recipes on my recipe blog). All would make simple foods special. I always try to keep one container of vanilla ice cream in the deep freeze for a la' mode... anything.

I have collected lots of interesting baking pans on thrift store and garage sale excursions. For instance, a simple pound cake baked in a mini Bundt pan (or a big one) looks amazing.

When Stephanie was growing up, we often had candles lit on the table at dinnertime. I think we stopped that practice when Christopher was old enough to blow them out. However, pretty plates and candlelight makes even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (cut out with heart shaped cookie cutters) look beautiful.

A selection of pretty napkins and serving pieces can be found at thrift stores and Goodwill. I have a large selection of buttery soft linen napkins, all purchased while thrifting. I find the most gorgeous paper napkins deep discounted at Tuesday Morning and if anyone thinks they are too good for pretty paper napkins... they wouldn't be coming to my home, anyway.

Of course, all kinds of beautiful tea time items are available by thrifting. Perhaps because I am looking for them... I find them all the time. The most I've ever paid for a thrifted teapot was $7.00 at an antique mall for one I saw in a magazine six or seven year ago... I think it was Country Living. Most were much cheaper. I've also been given a lot of tea time gifts over the years.

Thankfully, tea has become so popular that one can find good tea for thrifty prices. I love Candy Cane Lane (which is a decaf green) and plan to stock up come the Holidays. This time of year I like to serve the original Good Earth Sweet & Spicy blend which is a cinnamon tea (they also have an herbal blend with the same cinnamony goodness). I find it easy to keep a few brands on hand that people would like, including Bigelow's Earl Grey Green and Green Tea with Lemon. It is available on Amazon if you can't find it at your grocery store.

The Folgers coffee I like is the new Folgers Brazilian coffee which is part of their Coffeehouse Series. I didn't like their "Gourmet" brands at all. The 8:00 coffee is pretty good and I actually liked the Dunkin' Donut coffee even though I saw bad reviews online. I like the Trader Joe's coffee but the nearest is in the "big city"... and I hate driving in it. I know Laine (of Laine's Letters) once wrote that she mixed expensive coffee with the cheap stuff for a good taste.

I believe allowing good cookbooks in the budget is money saving in the long run as they give spark to creativity. Great cooking is often just simple food assembled in various recipes and the cookbooks we love give us the permission to try something new... knowing it has worked for another before us. I have paid full price for a few favorites over the years but I find they become available used on Amazon for great prices after only two or three years. My local library book sales often have a large collection.

This is already a very long post but I think you can tell I am passionate about beautiful and "fine dining" done on a budget and ready to make with items in the pantry... and I didn't even get to keeping a pretty tablecloth in a picnic basket for that beautiful outside meal (which doesn't happen in our home now that there are no young children around) of cheese, fruit, and really good bread. :)

Update on Sasha

She continues to decline but she certainly is showing a lot of spunk. She slowly walks over to where either my husband and I are sitting, wanting affection. I'm certain she doesn't understand what is going on.

My husband talked to her veterinarian. She said Sasha's kidneys and liver have most likely shut down. As long as she is not in any pain, she also prefers a natural passing. Should she begin to show pain, we can bring her in on an emergency basis. I didn't talk to her but I'm sure she is surprised Sasha has lived two years longer than Storm.

It cost over $100 to put a cat down (it is law that they must give them a thorough checkup before they can administer the shot... even if it is obvious such as in this case) and we'd pay it, even though we have had hundreds of dollars of unexpected costs this month. We just prefer the natural way as long as she is not suffering.

A quick update

The drive to the Veteran's Hospital was beautiful today. We are fully in autumn now... the aroma in the air on the way to the mailbox is now musty (as in fallen leaves) and the trees are just beginning to show pale green, butter yellow, and a touch of red here and there.

We took the scenic route to the hospital and was rewarded by beautiful forests, corn all ready for harvest, and the view of the wind farms which are now springing up throughout the Midwest. You begin to see the huge windmills from miles and miles away.

Hubby remarked that some of the farmers were late taking in their corn. I told him the answer was in two words... um... field corn... which dries in the field before heading for storage. Sigh, city boys.

He did redeem himself by saying perhaps it was seed corn where the ever prevalent agricultural research signs were at the end of rows. I gave him a "get out of jail" card for quick thinking. :)

Although we were on the road as the sun was rising above the horizon and left the hospital around 1:00, his actual test went quickly. He was under a mild anesthetic throughout the procedure. He received a clean bill of health from the doctor and a reminder to come back again in seven years. I'll put it on my calendar.

Sasha is getting weaker but doesn't appear to be in any pain. She is receiving a lot of love. We hope she goes quietly in her sleep soon so we don't have to go through having another cat put to sleep.

I can't imagine life with neither of our kitties. My husband has been telling her she is free to go and be with her sister (which may make her want to stay here as Storm could be rather cranky). I tell her I can't imagine life without her.

Added Note: Sasha is 18 1/2 years old. Stephanie brought home the two tiny kitties when they were all fur with paws and ears. Christopher was not even two, yet. We have teased her about living longer than her sister just so she could experience what it is like to be queen for awhile. :)

A brief interruption

I had planned to write another pantry post yesterday but... life happened. :)

Sasha has stopped eating and drinking. She has lost a lot of weight these past few weeks and we knew things did not look good. We're giving her a lot of love and shedding tears as we know a visit to her vet will soon be necessary if she doesn't begin to eat and drink soon...

We were out early yesterday morning to buy new tires for the Buick. We knew we had to replace two tires before taking the trip to New England but they found a nail in one of our "good" tires. Now we know why it had a very slow leak. Sigh... we had them patch it and it will become our spare.

We had an hour between finishing at the tire shop and my doctor's appointment so we stopped by the Mission Thrift Store. I found the cutest tea cozy for a quarter. It may have been donated by the same person who gave the pretty brocade looking cozy I found last week for a dollar. I'll take a picture of it soon. It's crocheted in the form of a teapot and so much... fun.

I love getting inspiration from "decorating" blogs... or at least blogs who feature decorating and entertaining. Lately I'm getting a lot of inspiration from Daisy Cottage. I've long enjoyed that blog but it is bringing out my love for color... perhaps also an influence from reading The Gentle Art of Domesticity... both inspiring my 25 cent tea cozy purchase. :)

I saw my new doctor at the clinic yesterday. He's an older African American gentleman and just so nice and understanding, he also knows a lot about Type 1 diabetes (an answer to prayer!). He believes I need to begin taking far more insulin than I have been so we will see how that helps. :)

Today I'm driving my husband to the Veteran's Hospital in Danville (Illinois). He cannot drive himself since he will have a test that requires a mild anesthetic. Which takes me back to the beginning of this post... and why we had to put new tires on the car... another sigh.

By the way, I am SO far behind in answering e-mails that require more than a yes or no answer. All of a sudden, life became busy at the same time the garden needed as much attention as a new baby. Very soon I'll be able to write more.

I'll continue the pantry posts tomorrow.

Pantry talk - organics & gourmet foods (part one)

I've had a lot of questions about how I decide what to stock up on (given a desire for a deep pantry with a small income) and if I ever buy organics. I do like organic foods but most are out of our budget. By keeping a price list and writing down what the various grocery stores charge for items, I am able to purchase a few for the pantry.

For instance, my husband likes to have few canned organic soups on the pantry shelves for days when he makes his own lunch. He buys most at Wal Mart (much cheaper!) and then what they don't carry, he purchases on his senior citizen discount day at the health food store. Some items are not expensive in season, such as organic romaine lettuce.

I read that the next best to organics (and far superior as far as freshness) are locally grown foods at the farmer's markets, even if they are not organic. From what I have read, vegetables and fruits grown by local farmers who plan to distribute only locally often have far less pesticides and chemicals than those grown by very large national and foreign distributors. Of course, it is nice to grow your own when possible.

I've found it so much better to watch for sales on the better brands rather than settle for bad products. For instance, cheap pasta and noodles usually are so inferior that the small amount required to purchase better brands add up to very little... and the new higher fiber pastas are very good.

I used cheap noodles a few weeks ago for chicken and noodle soup only because that was all I had on the shelf. They were okay at first but were so mushy when I warmed the soup the next day that it was horrible!

When it is half price and I have the money, I will buy all the various pasta shapes I use for a few months at one time. Dried pasta has a shelf life of at least one year (and I'm told when stored properly it can last a couple years). I also watch for sales on my favorite Red Gold tomatoes (which go on a buy-one get-one-free sale once every few months) and stock up when my pocket book can handle it.

Other items I prefer to buy when on sale are: real butter, King Arthur flour, good quality jams and jellies (made without the usual corn syrup), real maple syrup, olive oil (although now I buy only extra virgin for those recipes which require it and use canola oil instead of mild olive oil as I used to do for baking and frying), good quality coffee once in awhile (although I've found a decent Folgers for everyday use), and cream... when it has for some reason jumped into the grocery cart.

Some items that used to be regulars on my grocery list are now purchased only when they are on sale... like vanilla ice cream to have on hand in the deep freeze, potato chips, corn chips, and other snacks.

I must admit to rambling a bit and having trouble putting thoughts together... I need to brew some tea and think calm thoughts. It has been one of "those" days.

More later... :)

Picture: "Curtain" in the window of a restaurant we visited in Indiana Amish country last year

Old books and cold pizza

We had such a lovely day on Saturday. After weeks of alarm clocks and early mornings, neither of the menfolk had to be anywhere and were quite happy about sleeping in late. It is rare to have unplanned hours where the three of us can spend family time together so we embraced the day.

A benefit of having the University close by is that ability to squeeze in family times once in awhile. Before we know it, Christopher will have graduated and started a career... most likely elsewhere.

A friend had surprised us with a "love gift", which made it possible for the three of us to have breakfast at our favorite neighborhood restaurant (our former neighborhood "in town"). I can't recall the last time we were there together. How lovely to enjoy our breakfast without guilt because of that gift. I've mentioned before that "breakfast out" is my favorite eat-out meal.

One of the libraries was in the middle of a book sale so we decided to stop by and see if there was anything good left. Normally I would attend on the Friends night and get the first look at everything. However, given our tight budget and me still feeling overly fatigued, I decided not to attend this time.

I tend to pray about everything... small and large... so I sent up a quick prayer as we were on the way, asking Him to lead me to any good books left... and gosh was that answered. Would you believe there were three Gladys Tabor books in the Old Books section, along with The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter (we visited that part of Indiana last year)?

I also found Tea Celebrations by Alexandra Stoddard and Housekeeping by M. Robinson, a book I've wanted to read for ages but the reviews on Amazon were so mixed I didn't want to actually purchase it... $1.00 at the sale is do-able.

There was a very nice "anniversary" copy of Christy, a vintage Miss Read book in perfect condition, a vintage Cherry Ames book, and a biography of missionary Amy Carmichael for the grandchildren (Amy's books inspired Elisabeth Elliot).

Christopher purchased Utopia and a few X-men comics (his reading preferences are as eclectic as mine). I love finding great books for a dollar each.

We had to go to the Mall (yuk) to find a bag for Christopher's computer. We dropped Dad off at Barnes & Noble where he could peruse football and basketball magazines (to see how the University is ranked this year) and headed into the zoo. We had to park out in the "back forty" as it was packed... this is one of the larger malls outside of the big cities and the lot was full. So much for an economic downturn.

We looked everywhere but couldn't find what we needed. There were excellent sales going on and I came across a clearance rack at J. C. Penney that held boxes of remaining sections of drapes for $3.95 each... originally $79.00... for the valance only... and it would take two for my window.

I found two matching valances in a sage green (raw silk look) and decided they were just what I needed to replace the ugly beige valance on the long family room window. For that small amount of money, it was worth bringing it home. I'll press both valances and have hubby hang them this week to see how it looks. I can handle $8.00-ish instead of $160.00 (plus tax).

I've had so many surprises like that which turned out far above what I originally planned. Such as the lovely way the deck turned out... all because I couldn't afford the larger picnic tables we thought we'd place on the deck. :)

Back to the mall... we couldn't find the bag we were after so we returned to Barnes & Noble to pry Dad's hands off the magazines and return home (my feet were tired from all that walking!). Would you believe Christopher found exactly what he needed at B&N... sigh? Of course, if the valance works out... and I've been looking for one I could afford since we moved in... then the trip to the mall was well worth it.

Saturday night I stretched out on the living room sofa watching Masterpiece Mystery on PBS, while also reading the tea book (and at times missing a clue to Who-Done-It on Miss Marple). Christopher arrived home from campus, where he had met up with some friends to work out at the gym and then go out for pizza.

I felt something drop on my lap (behind the book) and there it was... I asked him if it contained what I thought it did and he smiled. I opened the pizza box and sure enough, the remaining slices of macaroni and cheese pizza... yum.

He's the only other person I know who likes macaroni and cheese pizza (the pizzeria near campus makes "from scratch" mac and cheese with good cheddar and then spreads it out on pizza dough... no sauce... and bakes it until the dough is cooked and the mac and cheese is bubbly). When he first told me about this pizza, I thought it sounded horrible... until I tried it... another yum.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

"Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a shelter from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert and
the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land."
Isaiah 32:2

I made certain to watch Beth Moore teach on Life Today each Wednesday these past few weeks. She has been teaching a series from the above verses... how each of us can become a shelter for another person as we use our past hurts, disappointments, experiences to help another sojourner along the way in life.

I have mentioned this before but I've often had people tell me they wish they had the kind of deep faith I have in the One who created me and I think to myself that they would not. It is faith forged in the fire of trials and affliction where there were some days I felt life would never again be good. Those seasons of time when the circumstances seemed to swallow all hope of laughing again and no escape looked possible.

Then a day came when the pain lessened and the flowers once again brought a smile to my face... when good books were enjoyed and an old song came on the radio and I was humming along. The baby was not in the grave but I knew He was in Heaven... another much loved child was born. Jobs were lost, much longed for houses sold, the move to another town didn't work out so we had to move again, being misunderstood by family and friends, no money, deeper debt, illness, disease, questions unanswered... life not as I expected.

But throwing my arms around the One who never leaves me or forsakes me. Sometimes curling up on the edge of the sofa with my nose in the Psalms and pretending I was on the lap of the Eternal Father and surrounded by His arms as I read His Words and feel His comfort. Somehow the peace always arrives... at times softly and gently as if He knows I was too fragile for overwhelming feelings and at other times in a rush of emotion not unlike standing at the bottom of a waterfall.

The reality is one rarely lives a life free of suffering and the age in which we live is full of uncertain days. What Beth was sharing these past weeks is how each one of us can be a shelter in the storm for someone else. We've walked the path and survived where another has only begun to walk.... and not only survived but came through with our faith stronger than before.

One learns to appreciate what they have when they have felt the sting of loss. The person who has only recently lost is not there, yet. They need the one who has been there to come along side and shelter them with friendship, knowing it is not about them but to briefly share what they, too, have been through and then just to encourage... often times acting as that stream of water in the dessert offering hope.

The young wife is overwhelmed with new days of cooking and cleaning and working and getting used to living with that person she thought she knew (and one never really knows another until they are together each day)... knowing there can be a person she can come to for help and wisdom who will not gossip about her fears and frustrations.

How much easier it will be for her when there are women of faith who remember their own early years of marriage... and becoming a mentor to share recipes, and the best way to scrub soap scum from the tub, and the knowledge that one stays through the bad days to achieve the good.

We've all "been there and done that" in some aspect of life. No human has gone through all the possible trials or they would not be emotionally stable today. But you can look around and see the one who is suffering as you have suffered, invite them to tea or coffee, and listen. Eventually will come the time to advise and teach but anyone can sip tea, nibble a scone, and listen.

God never wastes your trial.

A time to harvest

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven....
A time to plant and a time to harvest

Most people my age know this section of Ecclesiastes 3 as a song from the 1960s. However, gardeners have known this Truth since Eden.

There is a reason I love prose and poetry about finding God in the garden... plant a seed and harvest the results in the form of green beans and red peppers and golden squash and purple eggplant.

What an amazing Creator we serve and I'm sorry to offend those who believe otherwise but... somehow I find it hard to believe God's creation came from a primordial ooze. I just want to hug He who created these veggies, and fruit trees, and golden wheat, and duck billed platypuses (platypae?). As it is I often send up little prayers of praise.

My friend who is giving us her half of a CSA (where one pays a farmer before the season begins and receives veggies from spring through autumn) called early this week and asked if I was willing to work her hours on Thursday. My friend, who spent DAYS helping me get ready for the move to Detroit, is moving to Europe next week... and her daughter is getting married today. Of course, I said yes!

Although the work was rather hard at first, it was fun helping people know what the freebies were (basil, apple mint, extra yellow peppers, and little really hot red peppers) and talking to like minded people who love fresh "from the farm" food.

I noticed when I picked up veggies before (when my friend was out of town) and this time how many families brought their children, showing them the different kinds of food and letting them pick their choices when the option was given.

The above are part of our CSA veggies. We also brought home a bag of mixed salad lettuce, butternut squash, and the most amazing celery I have ever seen. Part of my celery is going into soup. I dropped off the other half of our veggies to the woman from church whom my friend split the share with... her celery leaves are a gourmet food for her hamster. :)

These two pictures are from our garden. I'll plant the little purple eggplant again next spring just for how pretty they are.

A time for every purpose under Heaven... I think I'll go back and read the rest of Ecclesiastes 3. :)

Picture: Our garden on Friday

For all who asked :)

When we lived in the Metro Detroit area, we were in Warren... where 12 Mile Road meets Schoenner.

I shopped at the Sterling Heights mall and our favorite barbecue place (Memphis Smoke) was in Royal Oak (we did visit the zoo there!).

I actually ended up liking the area even though I was happy to move away, not being a big city girl and all. I hated driving on the Expressway around Detroit so much that when we moved, I drove all the way up Twelve Mile to Royal Oak to get on the Expressway there!

Regarding the BBC shows...

Good Neighbors is special to me as I watched it in the early years of my marriage when we wanted to "get back to the land". I remember watching it on PBS each week and LOVING it so much. I often check it out of the library, someday I'd like to own it. There is not a Christmas season that goes by that I don't think of their Christmas episode.

I enjoyed two of my favorite comedy actresses in Rosemary & Thyme. I haven't seen it on PBS or BBC America for awhile... a very good "cozy mystery".

We used to get As Time Goes By and Keeping Up Appearances on BBC America but they stopped a year or two ago. Our PBS station plays As Time Goes By once in awhile. Although very different forms of comedy, I like them both.

I started watching Last of the Summer Wine on PBS soon after we had the new antennae installed. Who would think a comedy based around old men would be so funny that I'd be laughing out loud half the time I'm watching it?

I'm so happy the library near campus has all of The Darling Buds of May. I need to start with season one soon and watch all of them again. They also have all the James Harriot shows. I enjoyed them when they were on PBS originally but I haven't watched them for years.

There are others I know I've enjoyed but their names escape me right now.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the Foyle's War shows and I've enjoyed just about everything on their Masterpiece Mystery series these past few months. There is something so delicious about a British mystery program. Hmmm... was Cadfael a BBC production?

Then there are the BBC Jane Austens... sigh... bliss.

Once the weather gets cold and especially when the snow falls, I tend to hibernate (can we say driving on ice is not my favorite thing to do?). That is when I check one or two DVDs from the library.

Suggestions are welcome!

Remembering September 11

Originally posted September 11, 2006

There are parts of that morning I remember, some are a blur. I know my husband was up very early to catch a flight to New England. I can't remember if I was up early to see him off or if I'd slept in. Leaving on a jet plane was familiar in our house. He was always "going to" or "coming home from" the airport each week.

Detroit was a difficult place for my son and me, coming from rural areas and a college town. Neither of us were used to millions of people living in one, relatively small area of real estate. The sounds of traffic at all hours of the day and night on surrounding four-lane “streets” were at the least...distracting. The racial tension was new to us.

We lived in a suburb off of Twelve Mile Road. Detroit proper begins at Eight Mile Road. The only difference...skin color. Mostly white on one side, mostly black on the other. Otherwise, you could drive miles and not know when you are leaving one suburb and going into another. We learned never to go out alone at dark. Since my husband was traveling most of the time, we stayed home at night. We both remember the day we were out later than we had anticipated and he had to walk home after the sun went down. Rather, we ran home...

We had moved a lot to follow my husband's career. In each community, we would look for something good. (Some towns were easy, some not so easy to find the good things.) Living in Detroit had one very good thing we enjoyed. Within walking distance were numerous neighborhood restaurants, grocery stores, produce stores, etc. It was nice when planning dinner to be able to walk five minutes to the produce store for fresh vegetables.

For many years, we had a family tradition to have breakfast or lunch at a restaurant on the day Dad was leaving for a business trip. Somehow, it made it not so bad. On this day, we decided to have a late breakfast at our favorite neighborhood diner. (It is the place my son still misses from Detroit.) I had briefly looked at the news at home. One of the early morning news shows was talking about a plane having gone into the World Trade Center. At this time, they thought it was most likely a small private plane. It made news but it hadn't interrupted their regular programming.

My son and I walked to the diner and sat at our usual table. Our favorite waitress took our order. There is a unique feature of most neighborhood diners in Detroit. They have at least one television placed where it is easily seen by customers. I do remember my son and I were talking about Dad's trip, how he was being transferred to New England and how excited we were about the transfer. Once in awhile, I'd look at the TV where Good Morning America was now showing the World Trade Center on fire. Speculation had begun that this was more than originally thought.

Then the little TV on the wall showed us a picture that will never leave our minds, the second plane hitting the other tower. The hosts were asking the same question I was thinking, "Did you see that"? My mind could not comprehend what it meant but deep within my stomach was now a heaviness that didn't leave. I'm not certain it has ever left. All of us knew when that second plane hit, this was no accident. My son was only eleven at the time but he knew something terrible was happening. By this time, we had finished our breakfast. We both agreed we wanted to be home, surrounded by familiar "things" in an unfamiliar city.

We weren't concerned about my husband at this time. There was no way his plane would have been involved in those events, or the crashing into the Pentagon later. Then we heard rumors of other planes down. Finally, a report of a crash over Pennsylvania. The timing couldn't have been worse; his Chicago to New England flight would have been around that area at the same time. It wasn't until much later that we would know the flight had originated from the East. We stayed in front of the TV all day. Calls went back and forth between my daughter and me. Had we heard from Dad? Did his office know anything? Hours had passed, where could he possibly be?

Finally...that evening...a call. He hadn't heard about the plane crashing in Pennsylvania so he figured we knew he was safe (what is it about men that they think this way?). The first tower had been hit when he was in the air on the way to Chicago. Everyone leaving that flight knew something was wrong as soon as they entered the airport. Groups of people were surrounding the TVs. Then the flight monitors begin to show "cancelled" for every flight. It took him awhile to realize what this meant. He made his way to the rental car area, along with hundreds of other people. Every rental car was gone. The people at the rental car agency spent hours trying to locate cars for those stranded in Chicago. Eventually he would take a taxi to a town in Northwestern Indiana where there "might" be a car he could rent the next day. He ended up back in Detroit two days later.

In the days that followed, the only air traffic over us was the helicopters providing security at the American-Canadian border. It was an eerie feeling; normally the sky is full of aircraft going to and from the International Airport, news helicopters, police helicopters, private planes, etc. The next weeks and months would have Detroit on a high alert for terrorist activity. I half expected to hear an explosion at any time.

Our world was changed that day, both personally and as a nation. The much anticipated transfer to New England was cancelled. My husband would soon be out of a job. The foreign parent company had decided to close the New England plant entirely and cut back their Detroit holdings due to the economic uncertainty brought about by 9/11. Due to illness, my husband never worked as an engineer again but at least our Dad did come home. There were a lot of families who never received that much anticipated call of safety.

Bookish signs of autumn

There are all kinds of signs around my home that autumn is not only on the way but here. I went out to the garden yesterday afternoon to check out what was ready to harvest and was quite amazed to see many of the plants turning colors already. That didn't stop a super harvest of bush beans, those cute purple eggplants, and some cherry tomatoes.

However, the true sign that autumn is here came yesterday after I dropped my hubby off at the bookstore (they asked him to stay a few more days than planned... we could use the income!) and I drove to the library near the University. When we were still homeschooling, we mostly went to the large County library but now I find I prefer this smaller campus library. It has a great selection of BBC and other British comedies, mysteries, etc.

During the summer, I would find myself perusing titles and going home with nothing. Summer reading is much like summer cooking... I usually enjoy both but hot weather makes me turn to light reading (magazines, cooking and garden books with pictures, easy novels) as well as light cooking.

Now that the leaves are changing and even 70 degree temps feel cooler, times they are a changing. I checked out the latest Paula Deen book, The Deen Family Cookbook, which contains many recipes I want to try. I come from Kentucky DNA... Paula cooks a lot like my mother did when I was growing up. Her idea of health food was fried okra and breaded tomatoes.

I was very happy to find a biography of Alice Waters by Thomas McNamee on the New Nonfiction shelf. Ummm... yes... we are at polar opposites as far as politics and such but I have long been fascinated with her Chez Pannise restaurant in Berkeley, California and how one person could make such a difference in making organic and "local" food popular.

I suppose she reminds me a lot of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin (to name just a couple famous cooks) who helped Americans learn there is more to food than cream of mushroom casseroles. Not that there is anything wrong with those... which I why I love Paula... and butter.

I also brought home the new book by Ted Dekker called Sinner. Looks good and typical Dekker... a little on the scary side. My favorite scary book was Monster by Frank Peretti. Which is rather odd since I have that whole Bigfoot thing... living at the edge of a forest and all...

I recently checked out The Great Influenza but then I came down with the flu. Umm... not the book to read if you have flu symptoms. Especially since this is the book people are talking about when they discuss the next pandemic. It's due back soon so it may be the next serious book I read (or at least skim).

I brought home two DVDs from season two of Foyle's War. I just discovered this absolutely wonderful TV series even though it has been on in England for years. PBS recently played a few episodes and I so enjoyed them. It takes place in WWII England. This kind of show is why I have a love-not love relationship with PBS and have since the 1970s. :)

Last... but certainly not least... I pulled this book off my own bookshelf:

I love this book. I know many of you do, too. I found it really cheap used on Amazon either last year or the previous autumn. It all kind of runs together. However, it stays out all season and I look through it quite often for inspiration and recipes.

I'll post some more autumn scenes from home from time to time.

Added: The three framed photos in the top picture are wedding photos... my in-laws WWII wedding, our 1970s wedding, and my parents 1950s wedding (they were in their 40s).

Two new canning recipes

I keep forgetting to tell you I posted my favorite recipe for canning apple pie filling on the recipe blog. I haven't done any canning this year but I promised my husband I'm going to make a couple batches of this.

It's a Beverly Nye recipe she originally gave on TV when I was a teenager and then added it to one of her cookbooks.

I also added a recipe for "Christmas Jam", which was an award winner from Country Woman magazine years ago. It's a delicious combination of cranberries and strawberries (pictured above).

The recipe blog is set up much like a virtual cookbook with lots of favorite recipes on it. The link is on my sidebar or here. It has many family favorites already but I have more to add as I get the extra time.

Picture: Christmas Jam from the Country Woman website

Thrifty finds this week

I rarely stop by Goodwill or the Mission thrift store these days. However, I was out running errands recently so I made certain to visit both stores on my way to pick up a prescription. My timing was perfect!

I wanted to share these items to show how one can have lovely items for serving meals, pretty tea time "girly stuff", and good books at a very low price. Everything shown cost between 49 cents and $1.99. :)

I've been wanting to read Mitten Strings For God for awhile so I was so happy to find it.

I also found a Barbara Pym book I'd never read. If you enjoy British novels, you might like Barbara Pym. I have read two of her books and enjoyed them very much, Excellent Women and Quartet In Autumn.

She is often compared to Jane Austen as she is a great observer of people and her writings show an understanding of human nature in an often humorous manner.

This is called her "darker" novel so I must admit to wondering what it will be like. It was cheap enough I could take the chance to see if it is good. If not, I'll donate it to the library sale.

The silver and crystal carafe was my most "expensive" find at $1.99. I thought it added depth and height to my tea tray... even if I never use it to serve anything, it is pretty.

By the way, the teapot was a garage sale find from long ago.

I really don't need any more serving dishes but these were pretty and cheap. I could think of all kinds of things to serve in them.

It's hard to tell but the round platter is much larger than it looks. Hmmmm... crudites and dip?

I found the tea cozy at the Mission thrift store, on the shelf where they keep all the tablecloths and such. It is very well insulated and the brocade is even prettier in person.

The little old lady at the cash register had no clue what it was and as it had no price, she asked if a dollar would be fine. Of course, my answer was yes!

Even after I told her it was a tea cozy, she looked at me with a blank expression. Obviously not one who has been to enough tea parties... how sad.