Tag, You're It!

Quote of the Day: 

Say, Say my playmate

Come out and play with me
and bring your dollies 3
climb up my apple tree
slide down my rain barrel
into my cellar door
and we'll be jolly friends
forever more - more - more !

My boys think this close-up shot of a plant in my yard looks like teeth.  It's summer, and the boys get all day to play.  I find myself doing more laundry.  Maybe we could switch places for a day.  Hey, Lisa, bring your dollies and a couple bottles!

So, there's this game of Tag going on in the blogosphere.  It's cute, and Robyn Campbell at Putting Pen to Paper (love all the P's) tagged me.  I really got to know Robyn during the A-Z blogfest in April, then the next week when she wrote a picture book a day.  Two huge accomplishments. We've been sending each other virtual chocolate ever since.  I'd like to visit her some day and ride her horses.

I'm supposed to answer some funny questions:

Do you think you're hot?
Yes, but only when it's over 90 degrees.  I'm a true Minnesotan. I can't take the heat.  We've had one day over 90, and I spent it inside reading a book.

Upload a picture or wall paper you are using at the moment.
I don't know how to do the wallpaper thing on my computer, but here's another one of my new cat Leo.  (He's all snuggled up to me now, but with his tail tucked under so I can write.)

Do you like his Tony the Tiger bowl?

The Song(s) you listened to recently?

Adelle, just bought two of her CD's, and Bearfoot, a bluegrass band from Alaska.

What were you thinking as you were doing this?

I still have a load of laundry in the dryer that needs folding, but it's more fun sitting here next to Leo and answering weird questions.

Do you have nicknames?

I'll list a few of the names that I've been called:

Mom

Mommy

Mama

Mother

Frau Rude

Someone

MaryMary

Mare

and Marmie (which Nancy calls me when she's feeling nice), from Little Women

Tag eight Blogger friends.

1. Doris

2. Roxy

3. JeMA

4. Karen

5. Jade

6. Keats

7. Kim

8. Roxane

Plus one more, 9. Laura

Then, the rules have us jumping all around and saying something about each nominee, in random order:

Who's listed as number one?

Doris, the social worker. She's an amazing writer and person.

Say something about number 5.

Jade writes poetry and lives in New York.

How did you get to know number 3?

JeMA and I met when we were helping with a drama program for kids.  It all evolved from there, talking about our art, our lives, our fears, our dreams. Now, she's traveling around the country in an RV. I miss her. The coffee doesn't taste as good without her conversation.

How about number 4?

I saw comments by Karen all over the blogosphere, then finally connected with her during the A-Z blogfest. She's great.

Leave a lovey-dovey message for number 2.

I love how in love Roxy is with words and old poets and opera.

Do numbers 7 & 8 have any similarities?

I believe they met in person at the Dakotas Children's Writer's Conference. They're both very spiritual and care about other people.

That's kind of a putzy one, but hey, it's still better than folding underwear. Wait, I don't actually fold the underwear, nor do I match socks.  Laundry Tip from the mother of four boys: Put all the socks into one laundry basket at the top of the stairs. 

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Use your imagination. What do you see in this picture, besides the obvious?

Leo the Writing Cat

Quote of the Day:  To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music the words make. - Truman Capote

This is Leo. 

We went to the shelter in search of a new cat.

He chose us with a leap on my lap, an instant purr, and curious blue-green eyes.

On Friday, I went to Turtle Town Books, an independent bookstore in the little town north of my home.  I wanted to get a copy of Abercrombie Trail by local author Candace Simar for my dad for Father's Day.  I had read that one and bought the other two in the series.  It's an excellent historical novel set in Minnesota, 1862, during the early days of the settlers, mostly Scandinavian, and the Sioux uprising.  So well done. Interesting story line.  Well researched.

I walked into the store and saw that they had a book signing by an author from Wisconsin.  I bought three of his books, also to share with my parents.

Several siblings and I, plus a couple nephews, were at the farm for an early Father's Day celebration, and after a delicious noon dinner, I presented my folks with their new books.  Mom saw Stolen Genes, Stolen Children by G.R. Revelle and said she bought his book when she was at Hoestfest in Minot, ND.  She said, "It's a terrible book.  You all need to read it!"  She'd given her copy to my brother Phil, and sent this new one home with my brother Nathan.  Guess I'm fourth in line.  (I'm the fourth of six kids.)

Leo was also curious about these books from a Wisconsin author with Swedish roots.

At one point he licked the books. The first time I had lobster bisque, I told the waitress that it was so good I could lick the bowl.  Guess the same goes for books, just ask Leo.

While Matilda was the piano cat who sat next to each of my students while they came for lessons, Leo sits on top of the piano and enjoys the good vibrations.  He also sits on my lap when I try to type.  I haven't quite figured out how to work around that big, fluffy tail.

Go. Create. Inspire!

And, sink your teeth into a tasty book!

Journaling Prompt:  Write about a time when you had a chance encounter or a surprising discovery.

Quintessential Childhood

Off they go.....

What will they find?

Cool.

Sore in the Saddle

Quote of the Day: This is a quote from Kittie Howard's comment from the previous post.  She had written about the Tuskagee Airmen and poverty and sharecroppers in the early 1900's.  You can read that here.  I asked if life in the USA had really improved.  

Thanks for stopping by, Mary. About your question, yes, I think our country is much better off. People live longer; have access to better nutrition; have greater opportunity to go to college; have improved mobility, communication and so on. But with all these improvements come negatives that have to be dealt with - pollution, clogged highways, a larger and better educated workforce and so on...and we're in the midst of a technological revolution - with the same upheaval as the Industrial Revolution - In 1898, a major concern in the U.S. was women riding bicycles. It was seriously thought that this would hinder reproduction. Family advocates feared women would ride bikes so much homelife would suffer, ie, they wouldn't have the time to cook for families as they should. You can google and read some of the articles - mind boggling! I came upon this by accident and just kept clicking and clicking - The more things change, the more they stay the same...speaking of which, I've got dishes to stack in the dishwasher - hmmm....

The timing of that comment is remarkable because I just completed my second annual Tour of Lakes ride, here in the Brainerd lakes area of Minnesota.  Here's what the club posted on their facebook page:

‎22nd annual Tour Of Lakes was today. 1100+ riders. Great weather. Wonderful volunteers. A few flat tires and probably some sunburn. Beautiful roads in the Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Crosslake area north of Brainerd. Some little hills. We made them smaller just for this ride. They're back to full size by this evening. You're welcome!

Plan for next year. Always the first Saturday in June. A different route every time.

(They lied about the hills. They were killers, especially the ones they saved for the end!)
 
Here's a close-up of the map.
 

It's true, what those folks thought back in the olden days, that women wouldn't want to reproduce and do dishes once they learned to ride bike.  I can honestly say that I had NO thoughts of reproducing OR doing dishes as I was pushing the pedal over and over, up and up the hills, until I couldn't press it down one more time and had to get off the bike and walk the rest of the way.

I'll have to confess that I was cursing out my friend Marina for ever talking me into the ride in the first place.  I was angry with the club for choosing this route, and I was questioning my own sanity and stamina, filled with regret, as I trudged forward.  A couple, older than me, biked by and asked, "How's it going?"

I said, "It's tough."

"We get to go downhill here."

"That's great," I said, barely able to talk.  "I'll be fine if the rest of the ride is all downhill."

It wasn't.  I forgot all domestic responsibilities and started singing my song for Sunday's service:  I lift my eyes unto the mountain, from where my help will surely come, For my help comes from the Creator, who made the Earth, the stars, and sun....and when the road is long and weary, and if you tire beneath the sun, You join with those who share the journey: bring them home when day is done. The Lord will keep me safe and holy.  The Lord's a shade when day is bright; the sun won't burn me with its glory, nor will the moon in dark of night.

I pedaled and walked and sang, and commiserated with the other bikers, ate snacks at the rest stops with my son, Bobby, and friend Denise, and when the road became too weary, I focused on the rootbeer floats at the end of the journey.  Oh, ya, I thought of the journey of life, of the creative life, of our spirits.  I thought of how when it gets really hard, someone comes along to lift you up.  That you make friends along the way, and through their encouragement, you reach the top. And, yes, as you coast down, feeling the wind whip over your sunburned shoulders, you know that another hill is coming, that it will test your power, but in the end, you'll reach the top, and celebrate when day is done.

After a soothing shower and a rest while watching a movie (The Majestic with Jim Carrey was on tv, and I enjoyed it. The first time I saw it, several years ago, I thought it was a little slow, but I got the meaning this time, and liked it.)  And, Marina invited me and my boys over for supper, and I totally forgave her for "making" me ride uphill all day when I ate her delicious turkey burgers (where did you get them?), pasta salad, wine, and her daughter's cute cake decorated with a bike!

Thanks!

Ride on!

Just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling...

As we finished our cake on Saturday night, the question was: So, who's in for next year?

I think I'll bring both Bobby and Zach next year, and Charlie and Eric if they feel up to it.  I saw other kids on the trail.  One dad had two boys riding tandem with him, and Marina road tandem with her 11-year-old daughter.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  Have you ever been on a long journey, or met a physical challenge, that made you stronger?

An Ending, a Beginning, and Blushing Peach Mini-Pies . . .

It's the end of an era and the birth of a new one. That's how it feels around here since my oldest son, Charlie, graduated from high school a few days ago in a beautiful and moving commencement. I realized only that night, as the processional music began to play, that I had been half-consciously trying to avoid thinking of the graduation ceremony as a real watershed moment, but that's what it was. A watershed in the life of my child, to be sure, but also for our family as a whole and for me as a mom.

Let's just say it was a good thing I remembered the Kleenex.

I find myself immersed lately in a whirlwind of emotions about Charlie. Extraordinary love and affection, pride at his accomplishments, a mixture of apprehension and excitement about him leaving home for college next fall, and curiosity as to what his future may hold. It's all just amazing to me that we've come this far in the journey.

When your babies are born, you imagine all of the landmark events that will likely occur in their lives, but for a long time that's all you can do--imagine them. When one of the big events actually transpires, and you're there to witness it in a formal and celebratory setting, it's a strange and wondrous thing.

About this recipe . . .

So, what does all this maternal sentimentality have to do with blushing peach mini-pies? Not a darn thing. But I figure  that's okay, because juicy little fruit pies don't need a special reason to justify their existence.

These were put together on a hot and steamy day. When I mixed the crust, I'd originally intended to make just one standard-size pie. The crust, what with the heat wave, wouldn't roll out all that cooperatively, so I went to plan B and formed these into casual mini-pies--much easier from the assembly standpoint on a blistering day. They look sort of free form and funky because I was trying to work swiftly and throw them in the oven without delay. I managed to get five minis out of the recipe.

Aptly named, blushing peach pie's moniker can be attributed to the girlishly pink, raspberry-based syrup that you mix with the sliced fruit. Made from fresh raspberries, sugar, and water, the syrup is cooked in a sauce pan, then strained. Combined with the peaches, this stuff's really good. Talk about something worth blushing over.

This recipe hails from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, a solid and chunky classic that every home-baker needs to have around. I didn't change the ingredients or their proportions, but I completely reworded the directions to reflect what I actually did.

Blushing Peach Mini-Pies

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

Ingredients for the pie crust:

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or pastry flour (I used pastry flour, but I usually use regular flour for pie crust.)
1 tsp. salt (I used coarse kosher salt.)
1 cup cold butter, shortening, or lard, or a combo of these (Does anyone out there still use lard? I've never had the guts to even buy it, but I've always heard it makes for a darn fine crust. I used half butter and half shortening here.)
2 to 4 oz. ice cold water, as needed (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

To make the pie crust dough:

Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. With a pastry blender, work in half of the fat until the mixture resembles large peas. Then, work in the rest of the fat until the particles are about the size of rice grains. Sprinkle in the ice water, a tablespoonful at a time, while tossing the dough with a fork. You want the dough to be just moist enough to hold together when pressed in your hand. Don't let it become so wet that it feels sticky. Be judicious with the water. 


Press the dough into one big ball, cut it in half, press each half into a disk shape about an inch thick, and wrap the disks in plastic wrap. Chill them for at least one hour before attempting to roll them out. 

Ingredients for the fruit filling:
6 cups of peeled, sliced, ripe peaches
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt (I used coarse kosher.)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup to 1 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup raspberry syrup (See separate recipe for that below.)



While the dough is chilling, peel your peaches, and slice them into large bite-size chunks. Sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to help keep them from browning and set them aside. (If you prefer, you can blanch the peaches first and remove their skins that way, but it's not critical you do it that way. To blanch them, put the peaches into boiling water, boil for a minute or two; quickly remove them and plunge them into ice cold water to stop the cooking, then peel off the skins by hand. The skin should come off easily.) 

In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, nutmeg, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the 1/4 cup cornstarch. Set aside.


To make the raspberry syrup: 

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Stir together the raspberries, sugar, and water in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for several minutes, stirring regularly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. 

Remove from heat. To remove all the seeds, pour the syrup through a fine mesh sieve that's been placed over a heatproof bowl. Set aside and let the syrup cool somewhat.


To roll out the dough, mix the filling, and assemble the pie:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.


If you're making mini pies have all of your pans nearby. Remove one of the dough disks from the fridge, unwrap it, and let it sit for about five to ten minutes to soften it up slightly. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out no thinner than about 1/8" thick. For five minis, cut out five small circles slightly larger than the diameter of your pans, and set the scrap dough aside. Working quickly, place the dough circles into the pie tins, being careful not to stretch the dough. Do the same with the second disk of chilled dough. Press all of the scraps into one ball and reroll that out. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into little strips that will fit across the top of your mini pies. 

Quickly add to the peaches the bowl of dry filling ingredients (salt, cornstarch, nutmeg, and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar). Stir well and taste the liquid; if it's not sweet enough add in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the raspberry syrup and stir into the fruit just to combine. Scoop the fruit mixture evenly into the pie shells. 

Lay 4 to 6 of the little dough strips in criss-cross fashion over the top of each pie, crimping the edges as you wish (with your fingers or with the tines of a fork, etc.). Brush the strips of dough lightly with milk and sprinkle the crust with coarse/sanding sugar or granulated sugar. Place the pies onto a parchment covered baking sheet.


Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then check the mini pies; if they're browning too quickly, lightly cover them with foil. Lower the temperature to 375 at this point. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling looks hot and bubbly, perhaps 15 to 20 more minutes more even for minis. Cool the finished pies on a cooling rack. They can be served while still in their individual pans, or you can try to remove them from the pans when they're completely cool by flipping them over into your hand and quickly reinverting each one onto a plate.

(To comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, please click on the purple COMMENTS below!)

Fun and Games Blogfest!

Quote of the Day:  Would you rather go forward in time a million years, or backward in time a million years? question from the game Would You Rather?

Our wall of games!

I'm participating in Alex's Fun and Games Blogfest!  I couldn't resist.  I've loved playing board games since I was a youngster growing up on the farm.  Back in the olden days (70's & 80's), we didn't have nearly as much tv to watch, and during the occassional power outage, we had to do something!  When our Iowa cousins came up to visit, we'd have Monopoly playing marathons.  I also liked card games like Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Kings in the Corner, and Clue.

The boys and I still like Clue.  The original with Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, and Miss Scarlet is still my favorite.  You can get it in several versions nowadays, like Harry Potter, and Discover the Secrets.

My very favorite large group game is Guesstures which is charades with four point cards and a timer that comes down like a "Scene One" arm, clicking in place and setting the clock ticking.  One of the boys got it for Christmas, and we played it that night.  It's exciting and filled with acting and running around and cheering, by me.  My son Zach even said, "You're fun!"  Yippy! and Merry Christmas to me!!

My "go-to" game at the moment is Would You Rather.  Everyone is playing all the time.  The question asker writes her answer to an either/or question, like the one above, and the other players have to answer as a group, after a bit of discussion, which is over after the sand runs through the tiny hourglass.  You really get to know your fellow players.  There are also challenges, which can get silly, and ones that stretch you out of your comfort zone, and times where you can write your own question.  I'll use one of mine for the journaling prompt.

I also love, love Cranium because it includes several different kinds of games, charades, sculpturades, sketching (sometimes with your eyes closed), trivia, and word puzzles.  It has everything and is great for couples' night.  I haven't played it in several years.

If I were to review the rules of this blogfest, I believe Alex asked us to write about our top three games.  I'm also one to change the rules just a bit to fit the players involved.  It's okay to change the rules as long as everyone knows them and is playing by the same set of rules.  It is NOT okay to change the rules so that you always beat your sister (Nancy)!

Journaling Prompt:  What are your favorite games?  Answer the above question, or this one:  Would you rather be trapped in an overcrowded airport during a snowstorm, or trapped alone in your car?



Spring