The Bird Feeder

As I sit here with a cup of tea, I'm watching the birds at the feeder.  Following the rush of Christmas, I'm enjoying watching the birds and looking at the winter woods.  Today there are at least 20 cardinals at the feeder.  I've seen purple finches, chickadees, gold finches, titmouse, downy woodpeckers, and yellow bellied sapsuckers/woodpeckers, blue jays and a few sparrows.  Earlier I heard the scream of a hawk.  I think he might have been eyeing the gathering of song birds at the feeder and considering them for his lunch!

One of the most disconcerting things I've seen at the feeder happened in just such a setting.  I was watching the birds enjoy their seeds when a dark shadow passed over the feeder.  Most of the birds scattered, but one or two stayed.  Suddenly, a small hawk, probably a sharp-shinned hawk- came screaming in from the west and without missing a beat of his wings he snatched a cardinal right off the bird feeder.  The poor cardinal screamed and struggled, but it was the last time he would cry out.  The last I saw of him was his struggling in the hawks talons as the hawk flapped up over the trees and headed into the woods.

But today is bright and sunny, and so far the birds have been unmolested.  I hope the hawk found a mouse or snake to eat today and will leave the birds alone!

If you want to attact birds to your yard, try this recipe for bird seed cakes http://www.pallensmith.com/articles/bird-seed-cakes

Moonlight

It was a full moon last night; I think it might have been the most beautiful moon I've ever seen.  Even as it rose, it remained golden and bright.  Not only that, it seemed to be close enough to touch.  Crossing the river on our way home, the moonlight just poured over the water like shining golden puddles.  There was just something about the moonlight and the December night that was peaceful and bright.  How does the Christmas carol go?  All is calm, all is bright.  That was what it was last night.  Hallowed light coming from the heavens and spilling itself on the earth.  Peace to all.

Wild Turkey

Grandpa and I were up early this morning to walk a trail along one of our local creeks.  To reach the trail we first have to drive eight miles along meandering country roads through the woods and by neighboring farms.  It is always a beautiful drive, but we had a special treat this morning.  Rounding a curve near a pond, five or six enormous birds flew out of the trees right in front of our car.  Big dark forms that even from the car were intimidating as they passed in front of the windshield. Wild turkey.  Now, these are not graceful birds when they fly.  They are heavy and generally they fly more like chickens - rather low to the ground, but they can fly fast.  Swooping across our path these birds were flying like it was the day before Thanksgiving and their lives depended on their escape.  Most flew on across the field and disappeared into the far woods, but one bird just couldn't keep herself air born.  She came down in the field and than ran to catch up with the rest of the flock her strong legs pumping her across the field.  A turkey can run up to 25 mph, so it didn't take her long to disappear into the woods with the others.  You never know what you will see when you go for a morning walk.

Soothing and Reassuring

It's been raining all day.  It's a light rain, the kind one thinks of when one thinks of the weather in Seattle.  It is a beautiful fine mist.  You can stand in it and not realize you are slowly becoming soaked.  You know it is raining, but you don't notice that you are getting wet until suddenly a small rivulet of water begins to run down your collar.

It is the kind of day where staying by the fire and reading is a joy. It is a soft day - soothing and reassuring.  Of course, Grandpa Swift says that his snoring is soothing and reassuring too!  He says that it is reassuring because I know he is alive, and it is soothing because it is steady and constant every night.  I think I prefer the soft patter of rain on the windows.

Persimmon Bread

The spoons just keep coming in  the ripe persimmon seeds!  Just in case the persimmon prognosticator is correct and we are in for a winter with lots of snow, Grandpa and I have the wood cut and piled and covered.  We even had a good portion of it split and ready for the wood stove.  What is the old saying?  Wood heats you twice:  once when you split it and again when you burn it.

So while you are sitting next to that crackling fire and enjoying a snug room on a cold day, bake some persimmon bread!  This recipe came from the book Foxfire 3. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 1975. 

1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp soda
1 cup mashed persimmons
1/2 cup walnuts

Cream shortening, add sugar and eggs; beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternately with persimmons and nuts. Pour in a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

(note: if the batter is a bit thick, add a small amount of buttermilk to make it the consistency of banana bread.)

Persimmons: Sweet and Puckery Prognosticators

The first frosts have come and with them the wild persimmons have ripened.  Those of us who like to forage in the woods for wild things to eat have a veritable treasure of sweet goodness from the persimmon just waiting for us.  You can tell if a native persimmon is ripe because it will be soft and a bit on the brown side.  But don't let the brownish color of these plum sized  fruits fool you; they are sweet when ripe.  Persimmons must be picked and eaten at just the right time.  If picked and eaten too early, the astringent tannins in the fruit will make you pucker and will lock your jaw.  But if you wait a day or two the fruit is tasty and sweet.  You only have to eat a green persimmon once to learn to tell when the fruit is ripe!  Soft is ripe.

Captain John Smith had this to say about the native persimmon, Diospyros Virginiana, " If it be not ripe it will drawe a mans mouth awrie with much torment; but when it is ripe, it is as delicious as an apricook."  The first settlers at Jamestown not only ate the fruit but also drank it.  The seeds could be used as a substitute coffee and the fruit itself was used for making beer.  Native Americans used the astringent qualities of the fruit and the bark of the tree to treat burns and would make a kind of gargle from it to use for infections in the throat and mouth.

Today we not only eat these delicious native fruits, but we "old timers" use them to predict the weather.  If you cut open one of the brown seeds inside the fruit, you will see an image of a knife, a fork or a spoon.  If you see a fork, the winter will be mild and dry.  The image of a knife prognosticates a cold, sharp winter with winds that "cut through you like a knife."  However, if you see a spoon, expect plenty of snow.  You will have to shovel it all winter long.  I don't know if the legend holds true, but our family living in Christian County said they saw spoons in the persimmons there. Just in case it is, I think I'll  find the snow shovel and get the ice melt ready!

Tips for Aches and Pains

With leaf raking and wood cutting and splitting beginning to be a part of the routine, it is time to make a new rice bag.  This is our old fashioned pain reliever, but it works better than anything more modern to soothe aching muscles.

To make the bag, I prefer flannel, but any tightly woven material will work.  I have a variety of sizes, but my favorite size is a 5x7 bag.  Cut two pieces of flannel that are 6x8 inches big.  With right sides together, stitch them on three sides about 1/2 inch from the edge.  I usually do this twice to make the seams very tight.  On the fourth side, stitch the opening only about half way closed leaving enough space to put in the rice.  Turn the bag right side out and fill 3/4 full with whole grained rice.  You can also add a bit of herb to it if you like.  With the rice in place, finish stitching the fourth side closed. I do this as close to the edge as I can to keep the seam line even.

Now you can put your rice bag in the microwave and heat it up.  I usually heat mine for about 3 minutes, but this will vary depending on the size of the bag and the microwave.  It is better to have to reheat it than to get it too hot initially.  Be careful when you take the bag out - it will be hot.  Wrap it in a towel to protect you skin and place it on the aching muscle.

These work even if the electricity is off.  During an ice storm we were without electricity for almost two weeks.  I simply put a cookie sheet on top of the wood stove and put the bag on the cookie sheet to warm  Worked like a charm!

The Rockpile

This is not work for an old woman and an old man.  Tonight Grandpa and I spread a pile of gravel on the driveway.  The dump truck did most of the work on the driveway itself, but it left us a pile to spread on the parking pad and in front of the garage.  It only took us about an hour with a scoop shovel and a garden rake, but now I am beginning to feel it between my shoulders.  Grandpa is a strong wiry man, and he moved right through that big heap of rock with his shovel.  I thought of how many humans have had to work gravel or rock piles throughout history.  Sometimes for their own need, sometimes to build cathedrals, sometimes as a punishment.  It is difficult work, and it's not a job for Grandma!

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"

The chill of autumn is only evident in the mornings so far.  The afternoons still hold the heat of a long and blistering summer, although these days of mid 80s are tolerable.  Along the roadside I see the nurseries and farm stand with their piles of pumpkins and carpets of mums in golds and russets and purple.  The trees are just beginning to turn to gold.  It puts me in the mind of James Whitcomb Riley's poem.  It's a folksy piece written in rural 19th century vernacular, but I love his images of country life.  I too feel the comfort of a well stocked larder and a successful harvest.  I can't help but let the lines run through my mind as we put the garden to bed and greet the quiet time of autumn.

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"                                  

James Whitcomb Riley. 1853–1916

 

 

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,  

And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,  

And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,  

And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;  

O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,          5

With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,  

As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,  

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.  

  

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere  

When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—   10

Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,  

And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;  

But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze  

Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days  

Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—   15

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.  

  

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,  

And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;  

The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still  

A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;   20

The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;  

The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—  

O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,  

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.  

  

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps   25

Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;  

And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through  

With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...  

I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be  

As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—   30

I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—  

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock

Sweet Treasures

There is just enough nip in the morning air to awaken the craving for comfort foods.  Warm waves of scent revealing a pie or muffins baking are a part of fall.  I yearn for the sweet and hearty tastes of pumpkin and sweet potatoes.  So today I'm making sweet potato muffins.  These are versatile muffins that can complement a salad or entree or they are good for a quick breakfast on the run.  This recipe comes from Colonial Williamsburg's Christiana Campbell's Tavern.

Sweet Potato Muffins    (makes 6 dozen, but they can be frozen and reheated)

1/2 cup butter                                       1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar                                    1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs                                                   1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cups canned sweet potatoes         1 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder                             1/4 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
1  1/2 cups flour                                   1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.   Grease 1 1/2 inch muffin tins.  Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix well.  Blend in the sweet potatoes.  Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add alternately with the milk.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the nuts and raisins.  Fill the greased muffin tins 1/2 full.  Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.

Tarantula

Snakes on my porch make me jump, but tarantulas just give me the creeps.  I'm not a fan of spiders, although I do love my big garden spiders that weave the most beautiful webs and eat the harmful bugs.  But big, hairy tarantulas are another story.  I did not have to have a personal encounter with one today, but one did cross the road in front of my car this afternoon.  He strode right across the black top lifting those big hairy legs like a goose-stepping soldier.  It is amazing how fast a tarantula can travel on those stilt like legs.  This one was dark, maybe black with a reddish body.  I swerved to miss him.  No need to bother him on his way to his supper.  I'm just glad that he was headed away from my house!

Killing Snakes

Snakes don't usually come too close to the house; the animals usually keep them away.  But I had to kill a poisonous snake this week that had come up on the porch.  I went out to water the front flower bed, and as I pulled my hand away from the faucet I saw him.  He was only about eight inches long, but his little mouth was wide open.  He shook it back a forth at me as he raised up.  It was a baby copperhead.  We had cleaned out a nest of them a week ago, and he was probably one that got away.  Young copperheads will bite, and the venom can make you sick.  Although you should go to the emergency room, they seldom administer anti-venom for a copperhead bite.  It can be more dangerous than the bite itself.  This little snake was angry!  When they are young, copperheads have a green/yellow tip on their tails to lure in their prey.  He was shaking his little booty at me, and I think if he had been bigger I could have heard him hiss.  Normally, I will just move a blacksnake, but this little guy was small enough to go up the siding, and he was a threat to me, the animals and the grandchildren.  So suffice it to say he lost his head.  I always feel so bad when I have to kill a creature.  Maybe I'm writing about this because I still feel sorry to have killed him and a bit scared that he was making himself at home by my front door.  The porch isn't big enough for the two of us, and this time I prevailed.

Fried Potatoes

I suppose everyone has one or two secret foods that are not healthy but that he or she loves .  We may say we don't eat that kind of food anymore and feign disgust at such indulgence, but secretly we love those fatty, fried, sauced foods that we ate regularly as we grew up.  At least we "country" kids did.  One of my secret favorites is fried potatoes.  I love the smell of the onions and potatoes as they fry, crispy crunch as I eat them, and that little skim of grease that they leave on my lips!  About once a year I indulge myself in this culinary pleasure.  As the seasons begin to turn and the temperatures cool, give yourself a treat and tried some fried potatoes.

Fried Potatoes

Peel and cut potatoes in halves or quarters depending on the size of the potato.  I use 2-3 per person depending on the size of the potato.

Parboil (this step can be skipped, but the potatoes are so much better if you do this) until they just begin to soften.  Do not over boil.  Better a little firm than too cooked.

Drain and cool until you can handle.  Slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices.

Heat vegetable shortening in a large skillet until a potato slice dropped in the melted shortening sizzles.  A cast iron skillet is the best followed by cast aluminum or stainless steel.  Nonstick will work if that is all you have.
Add all of the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste.  When the potatoes are just beginning to brown, add in chopped onions to taste.  Continue to cook until the potatoes are crispy and golden.  Turn them occasionally, but not too often.  Too much turning makes them crumble  Keep the heat on medium, but you can turn it up for the final crisping.  Watch them closely so that you do not burn them.

Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels and serve immediately.  These are so delicious and are worth the yearly indulgence in a secret favorite food.

How About This Weather

Love the weather today - still in the 70's.  Grandma actually had to wear a jacket to work yesterday!  The garden, or what is left of it after the ravages of this summer of extreme heat, is barely going.  A few peppers hang sadly on the plants; tiny things compared to the big, plump peppers I expected.  The eggplant is doing fine.  It took the heat and is still going.  If you haven't tried eggplant, I would suggest the Japanese varieties (you can find them at Farmers Markets).  Peel them, slice them and stir fry them with some onion and dill.  Top with Parmesan cheese and you have a quick lunch or side dish.  Think I'll go to the garden and pick some - I've made myself hungry!

In the Garden

It is amazing what 30 degrees difference in temperature can do!  Last week it was over 100 degrees and today it is 75.  Grandpa and I worked in the yard most of the day trying to catch up on long overdue tasks.  We took the swing out of the tree today.  The limb to which it was attached died, and it was unsafe for the grandchildren.  We moved a wood pile and worked in the raised bed garden.  The biggest, heaviest task was moving the railroad ties from around the old garden.  The big, old garden is being given back to the grass (at least the majority of it).  It is surprising that after 20 years in the ground how heavy those old, half rotten beams can be!  We heaved and hauled and got them to the burn pile.  It was heavy, hard work, but in this delicious weather we really didn't mind.  After unloading the ties we jumped in the truck and headed to the highway to blow out the debris.  Like a couple of kids we rolled down the windows, let our hair fly and flew over the country road in the sweet September afternoon.

Hot Summer; Cool Food

The dog days are here and as we swelter in the 100 degree temperatures it occurs to me that it is way too hot to cook.  The tomatoes are virtually cooking on the vine, and all the vegetables are suffering.  The cats press against the foundation of the house for any wisp of cool air that might escape.  They are stretched to full length exposing as much body surface as possible.  I have to admit, I'm tempted to run through the sprinkler myself as long as no one is watching.  So, in a effort to keep cool, we are eating tomato sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, cold fruit, and lots of salad.  A friend shared her meatless taco salad recipe with me, and it is so good and just suited for these sweltering summer evenings when cooking is beyond good sense.

Taco Salad
 (just mix the ingredients in any proportion you like for the number of people you will be serving.)

lettuce (you can use any kind, but I like to use a good Romaine)
green onions
tomato
shredded cheddar cheese
1 can regular ranch style beans drained (I use the ones with the black label)
crushed yellow corn chips
creamy Italian dressing

Add the corn chips and dressing just before serving.

Hummer Is Here

Just now the first hummingbird of the season has come to the window and peeked in.  They are such curious little things; they hover at the window darting back and forth fighting the reflections to see what might be happening inside.  Naturally, we dashed for the hummingbird feeder, scrubbed it yet again, and filled it with the sugary nectar they love so much.  The flowers are a bit sparse yet this season, so the tiny birds will be more dependent on the feeder for a while.  I'm always happy to see them when they return, and this one was especially welcome at the end of a long day.

Around the Orchard

Spring is in full force in the orchard.  The fruit trees have bloomed and the leaves are young and green.  The garden is partially planted.  The early lettuce and the radishes are being harvested.  There is nothing like the taste of the first fresh greens from the garden.  Some of the early plantings have succumbed to  late frosts, but most of the peppers and tomatoes are thriving.  We've had more than enough rain, so now if we can get some sunshine the garden should take off.

Sadly, the old peach tree did not make it through the winter.  It will have to come down, but we will burn it next winter.  I don't know if I've ever burned peach wood; we'll see how it does.

This was the week of finding snakes.  While mowing, Grandpa found a three foot black snake sunning itself.  He said it was glossy and shiney and just beautiful.  As long as the snake stays near the barn I can enjoy his presence.  It's when he makes himself at home on the porch that I get nervous and go for the snake hook.  The grandson found a two foot garter snake today.  It was a sassy little thing; just raised his little green head and dared us to come into his territory.  He won of course, and we left him to his little pile of leaves.

Bunny Cake

I've been thinking about my maternal grandmother this week. We are planning the family Easter dinner, and my mind always returns to two things my grandmother made for Easter.  One is a banana nut salad, which will have to wait for another time, and the other is what we call bunny cake.  It used to be a unique tradition, but now I see small, sad knock-offs with plastic faces in the super market and discount food stores.  We still make our own.  The tradition has passed to my daughter who is in charge of making the bunny cake this year.  The odd thing is that no one eats much of it except the children, but the bunny cake had better be on the table when everyone arrives.  It is a presence in and of itself; a tradition that must go on even if it's little pink jelly bean eyes slowly side down his frosting face because no one eats it!  So I give you . . . Bunny Cake!

Bake an angle food cake. (Yes, you could use the store made ones, but your cake will be a small, sad bunny minus the plastic face.  Come on, it is not that difficult - use the box mix and you will have a self-respecting bunny.)

While you are waiting for the cake to cool, create two paper "ears" from a piece of computer paper.  I always make them a bit large and tall and then trim them to fit the cake later.

After the cake is cooled and out of the pan, cut it in half.  Trim up the "top side" so that it looks somewhat even.

Cut a small notch about 2 inches wide two or three inches from one end.  This creates a bunny "head" and neck. Take the piece from the notch and place it at the opposite end for the "tail."

Now make a 7-minute frosting(check your old Betty Crocker cookbook).  When the frosting is ready, cover the cake.  Make sure to build up the head and sides so the cake actually looks like a bunny.  Before the frosting sets, place the ears and use pick jelly beans for the eyes and nose.

Finally, using green food coloring and coconut, make green grass and place it around the cake.  Add some colorful jelly beans, and you are ready for Easter dinner!

Redbud: Edible Beauty

My redbud is in full bloom right now, and April is the perfect time to take those tiny pink blossoms and add them to a salad.  They are quite edible and add a unique splash of spring color to a green salad.  Watch for the young green pod that will form later on the tree.  These are also edible and can be cooked and used as you would snow peas!

National Poetry Month

Poetry. I think the first time I tried my hand at writing a poem I was in second grade.  I remember standing at our back door watching a terrible rain storm.  I was getting ready for bed, and my parents were urging me to get away from the door.  I stood transfixed by the whirl of wind and the driving rain.  I remember these words popping into my head:

The lightening crashes
The thunder booms
The children all are in their rooms
Snuggled in their beds so tight
Listening to the rain at night.

Seminal moments as well as everyday ones can inspire us all to create a line of verse - even a childish line.  You might enjoy the poems found at Poetry 180.  You can connect with the widget on this page.  The site is sponsored by the Library of Congress and was the brain child of former Poet Laureate of the United States, Billy Collins.  The site is for the use of high school students (180 school days and a poem for each day).  I think the poems are delightful; I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy them.

Clouds

I love watching the sky; clouds in particular  fascinate me.  I keep a cloud chart NOAA pinned to my wall near my desk to check the sky and identify the types of couds I see.  I've seen some strange formations over the years.  One stormy day the clouds looked just like Picaso had painted his Starry Night over the yard.  They were big fluffy swirls of gray and white.  Today however, I've encounted the strangest cloud yet.  I've learned that I can keep my music in a cloud.  So Grandma Swift has claimed her tiny spot in one of those virtual clouds whose whereabouts seem as nebulous as the mist and wind in the clouds that roll through the sky.  I think I will call it my heavenly music - even if it is just an old cowboy song or two.

Spring Rain

There is nothing quite like a spring rain.  The grass turns green before my eyes.  The birds at the feeder this morning are slick and shiny with the cool rain, but they seem to be enjoying the moisture.  They take their time and reflect as they crack the seeds and eat.  The red bud has exploded in color all the more vibrant against the gray sky.  I find myself, cup of tea in hand, watching from the windows.  The illusion of being kept inside can last just a bit longer before I have to venture out umbrella in hand.

Winds from the East

Today I found an almost forgotten recipe.  It was tucked into a stack of cards that I seldom use.  But there it was faded and written in my childhood script.  It is called Indian Curry, but truth be known it is a very Americanized version of an Indian dish.  During the 1960's my parents had friends from India.  When they visited us here in the US, they would bring gifts.  So in my closet is a genuine silk sari and three glass bangels.  Gifts from a lovey lady named Pushpa.  Pushpa also gave us this recipe for curry.  What makes it stand out in my memory is that she said since beef was not available in India she would use lamb or monkey.  Just the idea of eating a monkey made me curious.  However, she adapated her dish to use our all American hamburger.  As I made the dish for dinner the memories of many days with our friends were as pleasant as the food.  So if you are up to something a bit different, try Pushpa's curry.

2 Tbls oil
2 large onions
2 Tbls of curry powder
2 large green peppers
1/2 cup coconut
2 lbs of hamburger
1 cups of peas (I use frozen)
22 oz of tomato juice
salt to taste

Grind onions fine and set aside.  Grind the green peppers and coconut together and set aside.  Heat the oil in a heavy pan or dutch oven and brown the onions.  Stir in the curry powder and continue browning stirring constantly.  Add the hamburger and brown.  Add the peppers and coconut mixture and brown well.  Add the juice and cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the frozen peas and uncover and cook until nearly dry.  Salt to taste.  Serve over steamed rice.   (You can easily make half a recipe)

First Planting

St. Patrick's Day is traditionally the day for planting potatoes, but for me it was the day to plant lettuce.  The raised bed is cleaned off and new soil has been added.  Rich and black, it felt good to dig my hands into the moist ground and see the worms wiggling and at work enriching the soil.  It is almost a holy action.  The earth is still cool, but it is moist from the rains.  It always amazes me that such tiny seeds - and lettuce seeds are tiny - can grow to be so lovely and green and good. There will be much more planting when the ground warms, but for now I dig and sing.  I always sing David Mallett's Garden Song as I plant.  You can listen to the song at his website http://davidmallett.com/music/listen/.
Find a pot or a spot in your flower bed or yard and plant something this week.  Be a part of spring.

Spring at latitude 36°N

Sure Signs of Spring

• The daffodils are up and blooming
• We have 30 degree weather one day, and two days later it is 70 degrees!
• The oak trees have shed all of the brown leaves from last fall.
• The peepers are singing in the ditches and in the ponds.
• Where the pavement hasn't crumbled on the country roads, the potholes are multiplying.
• The marten house is up and open.  The scouts should be here any day.
• The trees all have fuzzy green tips.  One weeping willow looks like beautiful strings of green pearls.
• The skunks are up and out.  Dead skunks on the highway are a sure sign of spring in the country.
• The children are playing outside.
• I'm curled up in a chair on the porch catching the rays along side the cat.

Lent

I'm thinking this evening of Lent and how I might observe it this year.  Yes, I know it has already begun, but I keep turning in my mind the various observations of the season.  My understanding is that in the early years of the church, those who were going to be baptized were literally set apart from the community for six weeks.  During this time they fasted, prayed and prepared themselves for baptism.  Over the years, the practice came to be observed communally as the six weeks before Easter - our Lent.


I am not a strict literalist, but I find the idea of setting myself apart from my everyday life one that I want to pursue.  For me this has to go beyond giving up chocolate (especially since the doctor has already taken that away - not much of a sacrifice).  I think it has to be some of my time.  Time perhaps that I guard for myself.  I will spend that time listening to God.  Praying too, but I think I need to listen more.  Especially in this time of preparation for the baptism that is Easter.

Pancakes

There is nothing quite like the smell of warm syrup and pancakes on a Saturday morning.  I still enjoy pancakes, but I don't eat them as much as I used too.  I began making pancakes for pure self-preservation.  When I was about 11 years old, I had learned to cook, thanks to 4-H, and my parents decided that I should have more opportunity to use this new skill.  Consequently, they began to sleep in on Saturday mornings.  To stave off my own hunger after an hour of cartoons, and to keep my younger siblings in a better humor, I would make pancakes.  I became quite skilled at making almost any design the siblings wanted with my pancake batter.  Giraffes were my favorite, but they could be difficult to flip.  More than one giraffe broke his neck in my pan.

In my early married years these pancakes really did stave off hunger.  As poor college students we could eat for a week on 1/2 pound of sausage, a carton of eggs, a gallon of milk, some flour and soda, and a bottle of syrup.  We ate pancakes 4 or 5 times a week.

So, next Saturday morning, or any time, stir up a batch.  These are quick and easy, and so much better than what you can get from a box.

Grandma's Pancake Recipe

1 cup of flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon baking soda
a dash of salt
1 egg mixed into 1 cup of milk (mix in a 2 cup measuring cup and you only have one container to clean)
1 Tablespoon melted shortening (you can use oil, but shortening is best - it makes them tender)

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the egg and milk mixture.  Gently mix together until the dry ingredients are just moistened. (You can add blueberries or other goodies at this point.) Too much mixing will make the pancakes tough.  Melt the shortening in the pan you will cook in and add to the batter.  Stir in gently and let the batter rest for a minute.  Pour or spoon the batter into the pan or onto the griddle in any size you want (try a shape!)  When tiny bubbles appear on the top it is time to flip.  Cook until done and serve with butter and syrup.  Yum yum!

For a fancy pancake, top with fresh peaches and whipped cream.  Just to die for!