Travel Accoutrements
We calculated last night our time away from home has been 4 weeks. In this time, our assortment of dish ware has been limited – but I have been pleased with the many good meals we have invented. I brought along a fair amount of garden produce, of which we are just now depleting . Last night we had yummy roasted veggies and leftover carrot cake from the New Morning Bakery. I made enough for this morning’s brunch to take along – which I have just finished eating ! I love our new 3 – tiered stainless steel lunchbox! It has been a revelation in easy on-the-go dining . A bowl for Pa , a bowl for moi, and a bowl for Beau .
3 Stories
Bandits
Our morning routine while working on Pa’s grandma’s old house is to get up early, have a cup of tea with toast and head out to the nearby grassy field to let Beau go for a run and go potty . Then , time allowing we continue our walk through the neighborhoods where Pa grew up and knows so well . Of course , we always have our masks with us , though not on as we seldom meet others . But if we do , we don’t approach them and /or we give people space . So today, we were walking down the sidewalk when we saw in the near distance an older man approaching . On our right was a narrow walkway/alley Pa pulled us over to , but as we were managing to get our masks on – another group at the other end of the alley appeared and waved at us – apparently it was probably their private walk . Not knowing for sure what to do, masks on – we stealthily hustled out of there – just as the older man was right in front of us . I have never felt more like a bandit .
Rhodies
Almost every home in the old neighborhoods of Corvallis is blessed with a beautiful tree and there are many examples of lush landscape designs , often featuring a big rhododendron . We are planning to redo the front of Grandma’s yard , reviving what is there and bringing new plants eventually . I am not sure if it was Pa’s thriftiness that made him suggest we could just go up in the forest and dig up a big rhody and if he really thought that was a good idea , but I told him “that has got to be illegal” . He’s still the guy I fell in love with who lived in a hidden treehouse. I think I am more sensible, and thriftier, and will just dig up some plants from our own overgrown yard in Entiat .
Scrappiness
This fixing up the old family home has been both rewarding and challenging . The yard was a jungle of blackberry brambles, overgrown laurel trees, and neglected lilacs, ferns, hydrangeas and unknown shrubs and is now a fairly blank canvas . The basement and garage were rat and possum habitats, and are now neatly ( for the time being ) arranged shops with old tools and treasures from the generations of mechanics who have lived here . The house itself is around 100 years old , built with long grain wood floors , high ceilings , plastered walls and interesting woodwork – all in need of care and love. Painting the exterior has been our primary goal , and after a pro painter hemmed and hawed about how much the tedium of hand scraping the peeling surfaces would cost, Pa decided we would paint the house ourselves . The color scheme was chosen and with the help of our three sons , work began . 3 weeks later, we were nearly finished . One flaw remained . There is a little back entryway outcropping built of flimsy wood that had a gaping hole made by who know what – an angry boot? A hungry rodent? An errant ball? On one of our trips to Home Depot , I was done with my shopping , waiting at the checkout area when Pa came along with a few items in the cart and a large sheet of what I assumed was plywood for patching . But when the checker was ready to scan it , he told her he had come across it in the aisle and that it was packing material – and on better inspection – it was a very flimsy sheet just barely a grade higher than cardboard – but hey – thriftiness wins again !
Mister Dog
Beau James and I howl harmoniously with canine passion. When I prepare a carnivore’s delight meal for my dear one, served lovingly on china at a place of honor, he eats to please me, but later when we dance, tug of warring a dish towel between us, it is more humanity than he wants. His love has limits. All that nourishment spoiled, he asks for a simple meal of kibble on the floor. His love is like gravity, spinning circles with unleashed abandon. It is untamed and generous. It is the peaceful rest of a satisfied soul. I love Beau.
Red Cabbage Sauerkraut
Good Day to Run
Gary began working as an apprentice carpenter after passing the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America test in April , 1977 in Corvallis , OR. He worked for many companies in Oregon building offices, a fire station substation, a heavy timber framed warehouse, schools, private homes, and more. I recall that on the warehouse project for Westwood Structures he was highly valued for his ability to nimbly carry heavy sheets of plywood up a bow truss system 65 feet in the air. Thank goodness he didn’t take them up on the offer to continue with them permanently! In the early 80’s he worked for his brother-in-law building houseboats on Lake Union in Seattle, WA. In 1983 we moved to Entiat, WA . Gary continued his career in construction working for various firms in the North Central Washington area and sometimes traveling out of town for jobs. In 1984 he was a field superintendent for Gencon Construction and remodeled and built an addition to a Prosser, WA school. In following years he worked for Impero, Moen, Shea, Imco, Redding, Levernier, Hale and Long , Lydig and Cree Construction companies building so many buildings in North Central Washington. ( I will need to research more to add all of the various structures ) In 1994 He was hired by Aldrich and Associates as a Foreman Carpenter on the addition of the ambulatory surgery center for the Wenatchee Valley Clinic . In July 1996, he was appointed the Field Superintendent for the new medical facililty for Wenatchee Valley Clinic in Omak, WA. The remainder of his career has continued with Aldrich and Associates making this year his 26th with Aldrich and his 43rd in the construction field. Aldrich has been a steady, progressive, and honorable company for him to work for. He and our family have greatly benefitted from the opportunities he has earned and been offered, and from his very dedicated work ethic. These excerpt from a few letters of recommendation I found describe him well, “ Gary’s greatest strength lies in his willingness to accept responsibility, his willingness to work hard…, his honest, sincere, yet firm manner. He is a creative, yet practical problem solver. “ and from another letter , “Gary’s integrity and honesty are flawless. He is timely in his work; never late, and puts in a generously full day.”
Gary often says how good he feels about the recent years working to improve the Columbia Valley Community Health facilities in Wenatchee, Ephrata, Chelan, and Moses Lake. We were early patrons of Community Health in Wenatchee when it was just a small office building on Wenatchee Avenue, and were parents of very young children. He feels that his work has helped to provide support for families who need good medical care regardless of their ability to pay. He also feels good having been able to be a leader to the many workers he has supervised.
We are so looking forward to the freedom to make unhurried visits to see our large extended family and dear friends to do the things we love to do together. Our first trip will be to Oregon to see Gary’s mom and sister and 2 of our kids’ families. Up at The Pines, I will be his regular working buddy from now on. And we have an apprentice – Beau James the dog. Gary is learning to be my assistant chef and dishwasher. Our wish is to be thankful for each day, make good choices and see what happens! Cheers!
Unpolished thoughts
As I write today, the growing sense that a huge downpouring of every kind of calamity, disaster, depression, revolution, etc. , is but a couple of weeks away. I won’t review what we all have been experiencing… but will offer a very few thoughts on what I find interesting about it.
How is it changing our paradigm? For my part, a reflection on the power of a real and present danger to impose change on human behavior is remarkable. It truly would be amazing if we had leaders who suddenly realized the true importance of life on earth and our role in affecting and saving it. Mother Earth seems to be taking matters into her own hands. She is resilient and has a lot more eons to go. We are begging her to give us another chance. What can we give up and still live good lives?
Another thought I just had was what if we were to purposely avoid the name of the perpetrator ( even if the perp is a virus ) to lessen its greed for fame and notoriety. The strange think is that there really is a different kind of virus pushing humans to act ridiculously… 911 calls for folks who are out of TP?! Yikes.
No matter simple my playing is, I bask in the harmonic sounds and interesting rhythms of the songs in my Easy Piano Charlie Brown Collection. Vince Guaraldi’s compositions are balm to my mornings. If you choose to listen, and the first notes are jarring, be patient, it gets a bit better. For parents, of children who play music, I also encourage you to be patient. Music is the best , and we need it to grow exponentially.
40 year old Fruitcake
For at least 40 years, since I had my first babies and my sister Dolly came to visit us in Corvallis, I have been making fruitcakes for Christmas. The recipe has evolved over the years. Here is a rough description, in case someone might want to try it, or to just know what goes into the fruitcake.
10 cups Dried Fruit from previous season, or fill in with storebought dried fruit. Some years I have lots of dried cherries, or Italian plums. This year’s variety included
8 cups dried apricots
2 cups raisins
2 cups of chopped dates
You may chop the fruit into smaller pieces, particularly the dates, but I leave the apricots in pretty big pieces.
Soak the dried ftuit in 2 cups of dark rum overnight
The next day ( or the day after ) start the batter. Preheat the oven to 350. Use coconut oil to grease your loaf pans. I like to use small loaf pans for individual gifts, and a medium sized one for a family size loaf.
Cream together the following ingredients one at a time. Using a stand mixer is very helpful.
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 T. Grated orange peel
1/2 cup orange or apple juice
Blend together the following dry ingredients
3 3/4 cups flour. You may use a mixture of all purpose and whole wheat, in whatever proportions you desire
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 – 4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 t. grated nutmeg
1 t. ginger
1 t. cardamom
1/2 t. cloves
Mix the dry ingredients and the wet together
Chop into large pieces about 4 cups of a variety of nuts. I vary according to what I have on hand. Choices can include almonds, pecans, walnuts , Brazil nuts, hazelnuts. Use a food processor to chop if you have one.
Mix the nuts , the soaked dried fruits and the batter together . You will need a large bowl.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pans, and flatten the tops with a rubber spatula. Fill to almost the top of the pan.
Bake in the center racks for about 45 minutes for the small loaves or about 1 hour and 15 minutes for the large loaves. Rotate midway through the baking. You may also want to cover the tops with tinfoil near the end of the baking to prevent the fruit from scorching. Check for done ness by seeing a golden brown risen loaf with some cracking on top. Cool in the pans for at least 10 minutes. After cooling , remove from pans to cool completely.
Wash pans, and replace the loaves back into the pans. Douse the loaves with between 2 T and 1/2 cup of dark rum. Cover the tray with plastic bags or other airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for a few days. Wrap in parchment paper and tinfoil for gift giving.
Voila!
Flight Into Understanding
Recently, my son Ben, known to his many middle school language students as Mr. Dalgas, sent me this photo of his classroom door. It is surprising and dear to see his honoring Mama, the grandmother he never met, for breast cancer awareness month and Día de los Muertos. When she was the activity director for Don Bosco Community Center in downtown Kansas City , MO, in the mid sixties, Mama’s work was inspired. There were many children of various ethnic backgrounds and abilities she taught and loved. One year she wrote a children’s play titled “Flight Into Understanding”. Her message of overcoming hate with understanding is timeless, and necessary now more than ever. Finding her original handwritten script brings her essence even more to the present.. I am now over 10 years older than she was when she died. How much she missed, but how big her heart was .
”Peace is a major concern for us all and yet except for those of us who have sons who may be called to fight or those whose sons are now at war, it is still something far off, unreal. More real to us is a feeling of day to day struggle to pay bills, loneliness, a rushing to get necessary things done. Sometimes there isn’t even time to laugh or smile, to be happy or to do another person a good turn. And yet, if a little time had been spent each day in this manner perhaps the bitterness all over the world would not have reached such proportions. We can never undo all this hurt, but we must start now with this generation teaching them love and understanding, which is the theme of our show.
This is a fantasy play that is also realistic. The time is the present, the place is anywhere in the world where a large group of children of different nationalities are playing. It could in fact be right here – say a block away.. There is to be a play at this school at which the children are to costume in the dress of their native country.. There is some rivalry. It is not new. It has existed for many years. Yet, we propose that this misunderstanding and distrust can be overcome – perhaps through the mind – in a dream. “.
As a fairy played by my sister Ruth enters a scene where two sisters ( one played by me ) are sleeping after a stressful day at school, she prepares them for an adventure that takes them around the world to meet children from many lands and cultures. She sings to them and recites these words
“Sometimes within a dream, our troubled thoughts unwind
What seems so hard to understand can suddenly be clear
Tonight you’ll dream you take a trip to many far off lands
You’ll find you like the children there , they’re the same everywhere.
You can’t keep hating other folk , you have to learn to love.
Put on your coats , pack your bags – we’re leaving right away
To go to see what it is like in lands across the way
Don’t be afraid, I’m by your side to guide you all the way.
Hurry children , grab your things the countdown has already begun
We’re taking off by rocket ship , its much much more fun!”
As the girls are taken around the world to many countries, the native children sing and share lovely songs and dances. It was a simple but meaningful presentation performed by untrained children. Our mama had many travels in her lifetime across the states, but never across an ocean. She ended the play with this epilogue
“We hope you liked our show. We hope that ancient prophecy – They shall beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks – could come true within this generation and that this dream of peace and understanding become reality.”
Snip , snip
One of the most challenging things to teach Beau James is impulse control. I have seen such improvement with consistent training. He is much more patient, and last night stayed totally cool and calm while I worked for a good long while in the garden. Might have just been the time of day, but I gave him lots of “good dog” encouragement because he was using self control.
Learning to control my own impulses is another story. Yesterday, I decided I needed a haircut and because I am somewhat reluctant to sit down for a hairdresser, I figured I could just cut it myself. Or at least get a start on it. So , I watched a YouTube about how to put your hair up in a ponytail and snip off the ends. The girl had perfect hair, I sort of followed her directions – snip, snip – and hey not too bad, but maybe a little uneven. I regretted my impatience, and decided I better go to town and have a real hairdresser fix me up. The first place I called was full for the day. But once I was in Chelan, I looked up a few more places I could go. I didn’t have much time, as Beau was in the back of the car, and I don’t like to leave him for long. There was one place I found that was a combination Barber and Hairdresser Shop. The owner only accepted walk-ins, which was perfect for me… but when she opened up after lunch, I was fourth in line behind two older men and one younger. I found out she only accepted cash after the young man had to leave to get cash from Walmart. I realized I only had about 7 dollars and the cut cost $17. I thought about going for cash, but by that time I had lost my patience and just drove home. What the heck, I can just do this myself , I thought. This time I didn’t’ even consider watching an instructional video, just ponied up, and chopped off a little more. It actually turned out pretty good , which does not bode well as I will likely suffer the consequences of impulsivity in the future and not fare so well.
Secrets from Granny 