The Big City

Let me preface this post by saying I was born in Chicago. Raised in Chicago. Worked in Chicago. Married in Chicago. Accustomed to city life, I worked in the 'Loop' and commuted by trains and buses daily. I love the museums, the Lake, the shopping, the 'energy'.

It's been a long time since I've been in the city my friends. I'm only an hour away from it out here. This weekend I realized that I wasn't just an hour away, I was light years away.

We attended the Dearborn Garden & Architectural Tour yesterday. 22 award-winning gardens on display on Chicago's Gold Coast. The gardens were magnificent. Most weren't bigger than my living room but stunning nonetheless.

This one was a personal favorite.

It was a beautiful day in the city. 75 degrees and sunny, with a beautiful lake breeze. Oh how I miss that lake breeze.

I became painfully aware about 20 minutes after getting to the city that it's been a long time since I'd been in that mode. I seriously thought a woman was hitchhiking when I realized she was hailing a cab. I used to hail cabs!

I won't even go into how I felt about my clothes. So many people dressed so fashionably. This is my latest fashion accessory. It's a keychain. Oh wait..it gets better....it's also a flashlight!

That's a little felt bag with squirrel on it. What am I 12?

In a futile attempt to feel better about myself this morning, I did the following to my hair. I give up. I'm not leaving my property.

THE END.

8 Down 1 to Go

Lives that is. I sure hope so. I'm not too sure he's in the clear. Poor thing wants to go out so bad. He's up, he's drinking a little water, but still not eating. When he tries to eat, he's aspirating. I'm starting to think he may need to be tube fed. I don't mind nurturing animals, in fact I love it.

Poor little Mocha.

Oh My Mocha

Oh my dear Mocha....what happened? You were missing for two days and we found you like this. I'm heartbroken and oh so worried.

So is Aaron.

Calvin....not so much.

Your mom was asking about you today. She looks so worried.

She stayed up all night. She even sent out the bat signal in hopes it would help.

Here you are this morning. Don't try to get up Mocha...you need your rest. The Dr. doesn't know what happened to you, neither do I. 105 fever. No food ingested in three days. Salivating. Lethargic. All tests came back clear. Please pray for my kitty.

Even the chickens were up late last night worried. Note to girls...it's called a ROOST pole. You are supposed to use it. Bird brains.

The Family "Pig"nic

For about three years now, I've been hosting a family get together here at the house. It's informal, as most picnics are. It's all of Glenco's side of the family. The only family I have close by is Cindy and Aaron, and I do see them everyday. Glenco's family, even though they are relatively close by, we only see them once a year for the most part. I am to be remedying that soon.

About 15 minutes before it was supposed to start, I came down with a killer headache. I apologize to the family members that I didn't even get a picture of!

Allow me to introduce you to.....

Jim and Sarah. Dad and Daughter. Glenco's younger brother and his oldest girl. Sarah, I know you are LOVING me for posting this pic. They have a great relationship.

This is the lovely Samantha. Oh my she is so lovely, and she has lovely offspring. This is Elena. She has a son too...but did I get a pic? Um...nope.

I'm sure you recognize Lenny Kravitz here. That is Cindy, my older sister (I'm the baby), Aaron's mom. She needs a good man if you have one available.

Here is Jim again and his dashing son Ryan. Ryan is the second born, the first born Jason, was unable to attend due to work.

Oh! Here is the front side of Ryan. How cute is he? He's a 24 year old bachelor. Send in your resumes girls! And that is Glenco manning the grill. I've never been so painfully aware of how badly I need a cupola on the garage.

Here's a much better pic of Sarah. I wouldn't diss ya girl. So pretty. Looks run in Glen's side of the family.

Here's the baby....my niece Rachel. She's Jim's last born.

Sherie and Valerie. I sure wish these gals lived closer. Oh the times we could have. Oh the weeds they could pull for me. Glenco's two younger sisters. Glen is the eldest.

Here is Aaron again with Miranda, Sherie's daughter. Every year, when I take pics, it's the kids that just get me. Heck, hard to even call them kids anymore, you know? She has breasts now. When did that happen? I demand to know.

I had an awfully nice time. The Advil Liqui-gels kicked in and I just totally took it easy and let everyone wait on themselves. It's amazing really. People really do know how to poor their own drinks and find forks. I never realized that before!

Melissa..I'm so sorry I didn't get your photo. A pox upon me. I'm sorry. I also didn't get a pic of the two little hooligans in the pool, or the progesterone cream that ended up on the bathroom ceiling! TOO FUNNY! I KNEW I shoulda put that away.....I'm not used to little ones about anymore.

Here's the matriarch of the whole clan. Genevieve. A mild mannered gentle soul she is. She's had a hard time in life. I'm not quite sure why she reminds me of the Godfather in this pic. I mean no disrespect. I just keep hearing Marlon Brando in my head.

I asked the God...er I mean, Genevieve for a very special thing and she grante...er, I mean, said yes. About 20 years ago, I gave her a sewing box that my mom had given me when I was 11. Why? I've no idea. I used to be awfully bad about things like that. I really so don't like clutter, and it must have been clutter at that time.....she still has it, and she's giving it back. It's going to be SO special to me. I just can barely wait.

Nothing a Trip to the Library Can't Fix.....

Thanks for your kind comments regarding my 'outofsortness'. I've been off kilter a few days, but feel that I got my mojo back late last night as I finished pitting the cherries....ohhh about midnight. I'm happy to report that all the sour cherries are resting safely in the freezer.

I've taken all of your comments to heart. I really have.

I made a trip to the library yesterday. That always cures what ails me. Book therapy. Now, I'm not joking when I say that I had to go pee as soon as I got there, I was THAT excited when I found a few of these great books. When I go to the library, it's like all of my organs get mixed up and put in places they don't belong. It's hard to describe.

I'm not sure if you can read the titles or not. Do you have ANY idea how hard it was to NOT get a few cookbooks? I'm the poster child of self control.

See that top book? ADHD & Me. Ya. Well....I'm diagnosing myself with Adult ADHD. Are you laughing yet? If you know me in 'real' life, you probably are.

Not shown in that pile are the cds, dvds and homeschooling books that I brought home as well.

Aaron was quite proud of his pile. A new 'thing' we started is that he has to get books from the following categories every two weeks:

Science

Art/Music

Biography

Age appropriate novel

Practical how-to

History

Well how did this chicken pic get in here? I just wanted to show you how big the girls are getting. I'll have to properly introduce you to each of them in another post. That's Helen on the upper left. She's a true blue chicken now. She even runs away from me, the ingrate. If you are new to the blog, you'll have to read back to some of the Helen stories. Click on the 'chickens' link on the lefthand side.

PS If you're a family member, and you keep coming here checking for family picnic pics, please be patient with me...they should be up by this time tomorrow.

Until then.....be grateful ya'll.

I'm Trying

I took this picture this morning on a weed identification nature walk with Aaron. I loved the way this particular flower was up above the rest.

It was trying so hard.

I feel like that today.

I'm trying.

Hard.

Trying to balance homeschooling, work, the garden, my social life, and my quest for a simple quiet life.

I feel battle weary today. Bad headaches and sciatic nerve problems are cropping up. I think it's my body's way of telling me to slow down some.

I'm trying. :-)

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Sometimes a farmgirls gotta do what a farmgirls gotta do. When the cherries are ready, you pick them. Rain or shine, get the cherries. Night before last when I got home from work there was a steady heavy drizzle, but I didn't let it stop me. There's pies in them there trees! By the way, that isn't a mole on my face, which now I almost wish it were, cause it looks so Cindy Crawford...not sure what that is? A leaf bit? A tick? I dunno...

Every single time I pick cherries I think of my dear Aunt Gladys who fell out of a cherry tree and broke her leg. I always worry that I'll do the same. It's just the stuff that happens to me. See how precariously I'm perched on this ladder with wet rubber shoes on? It's an accident waiting to happen I tell you. (By the way, love those grubby shoes. Bought them at Target a couple of years ago, they were SO cute new. I love how I can muck about in the yard and then just hose them off. I'm about due a new pair, don't you think?)

Glenco came out to make sure I didn't fall off of the three foot ladder. Oh, I didn't tell you I have dwarf cherry trees? :-)

Apologies for the pics. The light was terrible. I think my shutter speed was about 1/8. I'm holding my breath, standing on a wet ladder people...cut me some slack.

Here are the jewels. These are sour cherries, sometimes called Pie Cherries. Montmorency is the variety. I don't like to eat them right off the tree, too sour for me.

Just as in life, some of the best things are just out of reach and require extra effort. It was right about this moment when my frizzy curly hair got all tangled up in the tree branches and I imagined myself hanging from my hair out of the tree. Didn't that happen to someone in the Bible?

I don't spray my trees with any chemicals. I'd love to say that it is cause I'm so organic, which really I am, but the real truth is that I'd never have the time to prune and take care of these trees correctly. It's by the goodness of God that I get anything at all! I planted two, cause you need a pollinator with these trees. This year one died, I have no idea why. Renee, you'd asked in a comment how I keep the birds off the trees? I'm sure they do get some, but they like the mulberries much better which actually ripen at the same time! How convenient that I have a large mulberry tree just steps from the cherries! Maybe they haven't discovered the raspberries, or the cats lying on the porch keep them at bay.

If you have the space, and you truly don't need much, I'd encourage you to plant a couple of these trees. They are beautiful in the spring, loaded with white flowers. Structurally, they are a pretty, small landscape tree. You will be so tickled going out and picking something off of a tree in your yard, and making a pie with it. Trust me on that one.

I'd planned on making cherry muffins this morning. Given the time of the month right now, I dare not bake them. I dare not I tell you. I want to share this recipe with you though.

Before I do, let's talk about muffins a little. I'm assuming that you bake alot, and maybe know these tips. If you do, scroll on down to the recipe, if not, read this, it will really help. (Do you know that all the time I write this blog, I'm paranoid that I'm using comma-splice sentences and run on sentences!? I'm sure am, I'm sorry.)

OK...muffin tips. Don't even think about using an electric appliance anywhere near your muffins. You really want to do it all by hand. You aren't making CAKE, you are making muffins. You don't want to incorporate a lot of air into the batter. I actually imagine that it is some nuclear mixture that will explode unless I treat it with the utmost care. I kid you not. I mix it SO gently, barely getting it mixed at all. It's hard to describe, and you can thank hormones that I don't have a photo of it to show you. Next time I do make muffins, I promise to show you a picture, ok?

Again, DO NOT OVER MIX YOUR DOUGH!!!

You should also have an oven thermometer and make sure that your oven is correct. Disasters may ensue if you think you are baking at 350, and your oven is really at 400.

I like using an ice cream scoop to insure that my muffins are uniform. I also do not like using cupcake liners on muffins. It's just my preference, but I like having a nice browned crust on my muffins.

Ok, without further adieu, the recipe. If you don't have access to cherries, try looking in the freezer section. I THINK they sell sour cherries there.

Cherry Vanilla Muffins

Makes 12.

Preheat oven to 400.

2 1 /4 cups of flour

4 t. baking powder

1/2 t salt

3/4 cup of sugar

2 cups of sour cherries

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 c. of milk ( I prefer using 1/2 cup regular milk, and 1/2 cup buttermilk)

1 T vanilla

Sift your dry ingredients together, mix in your cherries. Set aside.

Mix your wet ingredients together.

Mix the wet and dry together GENTLY! Remember the nuclear theory!

Bake about 12 minutes (longer, if you've used frozen cherries). Again, I just look and can tell when the muffins are done. Look for a golden brown muffin, that seems a bit firm when poked.

Cool, and glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. I don't have a recipe for that, I just plop about a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl, add about a teaspoon of vanilla, and then enough milk to make it drizzleable.

Count your blessings today ya'll.

75 lbs of Flour Indeed

I spent the day in Shipshewana Indiana on Monday. For those of you that aren't familiar with that area, it is an Amish community. I used to go all the time, and then it just got a bit old. It was fun to go this time, I'd not gone in some time. What did I get? Let's see here.....how about 75 lbs of flour? Check. Why I got this, I'm not sure. Cause I could I suppose! I do go through alot of flour around here with baking and all..but 75 lbs? I keep hearing Morilla say to Matthew, from Anne of Green Gables...'25 lbs of brown sugar indeed'.

I also picked up this clothesline. It was .99. I can't even begin to pronounce the name, but that is why I got it, I just got a kick out of it. It feeds my clothesline obsession I have now. I miss my soft towels, but I'm 'stickin' it to the man'. The man is the electric company.

I also got something else that I'm drooling over, but that's another post, so I'll keep you in suspense for now! I didn't take any other photographs of the area. Two reasons, well three. #1. I plum didn't feel like it. #2 I didn't want to look like a tourist. #3 Seems disrespectful to the Amish.

Other news on my wannabe farm. The raspberries are about ready. I pick enough for breakfast every morning. I doubt I'll have enough for jam at any given moment. They get gobbled up too fast. I'm not a huge raspberry fan. I prefer blueberries or strawberries.

I feel so rich in my soul when I go out in the morning and pick raspberries for my breakfast. Simple pleasures.

I eat this alot. It's a blend of lowfat cottage cheese and lowfat/low sugar yogurt blended with fruit. Very yummy, and healthy to boot.

Just wanted to show you the view from the screen door tonight. It's really filling out isn't it? The raspberries are right behind the kettle grill there. The gourds are starting up the trellis.

Oh ya, the Blue Lagoon is still here. Didn't sell it. Probably won't now. Is it me or does it look smaller?

Other little news, the girls now 'put themselves up' at night! Hallelujah! No more scrounging in the dark for chicken birds. Now if they'd just reach a wing out and shut the door, I'd be set! Helen is doing fantastic. You'd never know she'd been sick a day in her life. Goes to show you what a little faith and a lot of love can do.

Be happy ya'll.

A Peach of a Pie

Pie. Everyone has a favorite. Everyone has good memories associated with pie. I'm convinced that there are no ailments or heartaches in life that aren't made better by pie. There are no celebrations complete without pie. A birthday pie is sometimes better than a birthday cake. Did ya have a bad day? Have some pie. Did you have a wonderful day? Make it even mo'better with a nice piece of pie.

All joking aside, pie is a lost art, and I aim to fix it. A kind hearted woman in the kitchen with an apron on making a pie can do more good than you can imagine. Don't you want to be that woman? I know I do. Did you know my nickname is Pie? Yep. Not cause I make such great pies, it's just a name that stuck right after we got married. He used to call me Jayme Pie, and then it just was shortened to Pie.

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite things. My rolling pin. My dad made this for my mom when I was about.....11? It's one heavy dude. Solid maple. It's got such a nice patina to it that I never wash it. See the flour stuck to it? Love it. See the awesomely cool rolling pin rack I made out of old vintage hooks? It's the little things like these that make me weak in the knees. A Lamborghini could pull in the driveway and I'd still be more impressed with this rolling pin on the hooks.

Donna requested a Peach Pie for her birthday. I was a bit worried since peaches aren't quite in season here yet, but I obliged her. I used a new crust recipe (to follow). It's MaryJane Butters all butter buttery good butter crust. I just made up that name. It's really called Butter Cookie Pie crust. I'd never made an all butter crust before. It was a little challenging. I was afraid I'd overwork it, so it was a little crackly looking and dry. It was also thicker than I'm used to, but I just need to make it a few more times and get more used to it.

I always always roll out my crust on a floured dishtowel. I then pick up that dishtowel and use it to roll the crust over on the pin......

Then I use the pin to lay the crust out over the pie pan. See how dry and cracked the crust looks? I was surely worried. Here she is getting ready for the oven.

Here she is, hot from the oven. I had to bring the pie near the door cause the light was so poor in the kitchen. There is just something about hot pie, a screen door and summer, that well, if I'm not careful, I could easily faint from the pleasure of it all. Now I know why women carried smelling salts around. Now it's not a perfect looking pie. I'm not in the business of perfect. That would be God's job.

Things like this...these flowers...they are perfect.

Remember that super busy day I had planned? I'm happy to report that I did finish about 95% of what I wanted/needed to do that day. The day ended beautifully with a supper outside. It was a PERFECT night. I love bringing the table out and putting it under the tree. It's so romantic feeling.

The guests of the evening....Dave and Donna Miller.

And here's a peach herself, eating her peach pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. I'm on an ice cream making kick too, Lord give me time to blog all of this!

I want to really encourage you to try your hand at a pie. I don't care how many crusts you've destroyed in the past, please try again. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first. Did Thomas Edison quit when trying to make a light bulb! I think not. You must be confident when you make your crust. It will sense that you are scared, like a horse, and give you nothing but trouble. Handle it with a gentle, but firm hand. Let it know who's boss.

Here's the recipes girls. Would anyone be interested in coming out to the Coop Keepers' house for a hands on pie making class? I was thinking it'd be fun to slap on some aprons, have a bite to eat in the garden and make some pies. Please let me know if you are interested.

Butter Cookie Pie Crust

2.5 cups flour

1/ t salt

1 cup cold butter, diced

1 t sugar

5 T cold water

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. (I use my fingers). Sprinkle cold water over the top of ingredients and stir til just moistened. Form two disks and refrigerate for a bit, then roll them out.

Enough for a 2 crust pie.

Peach Filling

4 cups of fresh peaches, peeled and pitted.

1 1/4 cup of sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 t cinnamon

2 T butter

mix all dry ingredients and fold into peaches. Pour your peaches into a lined (with pie crust) pie pan and dot with 2 T butter. Top with top crust, vent (slice slits into crust) and then bake at 375 degrees until your pie is brown, and bubbly.

Really try to let it cool some before you cut it. I know I know...but it's much better. It will 'set' and not be all runny on ya.

Happenings at 2600 West

Today is my day off for the week. Aaron is in Missouri with his mom, leaving me alone. I'm never alone really, ever. Well, a couple of hours in the am, and then that's it. There is no school today, no work today, no one here today. You'd think I'd be relishing in that fact. A day to myself! ME! It's all about me today. Fact is, I'm a little disoriented. I know alot of women that would go shopping, or read a book, or go to the spa. I spoiled myself by letting myself sleep in an hour late. Didn't get up til 5:30, and now I feel like I'm already behind! I've got a day planned that well, it's nothing short of a 12 hour workfest. It's what makes me happy though, so I can't complain. I'm planning on redoing a big hunk of the garden today. I have friends coming over for an outside supper tonight. I have to make a peach pie, some homemade ice cream, and a arugula pistachio pesto pizza with spinach and asparagus, topped with feta cheese. I'd planned on going to JoAnn fabrics and drooling over fabric. I was hoping to get all the things I needed to do some new crafting projects. I wanted to go to the lumber yard and get my clothesline fixins and get that put up today. I need to order my garden walk tickets for the near north side garden walk in Chicago that I'm going to soon. I'd hoped to spend some time catching up on phone calls. I have some things to return to Target. I need pool chemicals. I wanted to get things to make a big worm growin' container. I wanted to take a lot of pictures today. I have to clean the bedroom and livingroom today. The roost box in the chicken coop needs cleaning. I can't even let myself think that this is Yard Sale Thursday and I'm missing all sorts of treasures. There's just no time for that today, and well...like Scarlett O'Hara says 'I just can't think about that today, I'll think about it tomorrow'.

Do you think I'll get all of this done today? I always said that Rome wasn't built in a day, cause I wasn't there.....but I'm starting to slow down at nearly 50 years of age. It takes me a couple of days to build Rome now. Frustrating.

Whatever you are doing today, I hope that you have a wonderful time doing it. Enjoy your work. Pour your heart into it. Go to bed tired tonight. It feels good.