I Still Remember When Thirty Was Old

I haven't had much computer time lately for a number of reasons - asthma issues with my 6-year-old being the biggest one. As much as my family loves springtime, we always know there's bound to be a new growth/pollen complication or two. Before the problems arrived we did manage to have a lovely day for my birthday - we went to a park an hour north of us and spent the day exploring it's eerily impressive Indian burial mounds. This was followed by a self-guided tour of the Lottie Cooper, one of the only Lake Michigan shipwrecks (or any shipwreck, for that matter) that is on displayed on land. The day was topped off with a stop at the dollar store, where we stocked up on frog-catching nets, beachballs, and cute checkered tea towels. A fine day, indeed!

Are you familiar with that line above from Deanna Carter's song Strawberry Wine? I think about it every birthday...usually with both a smile and tear!

Today's Quote: Dr. Suess

"Be who youare and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

-Dr. Suess

Happy Birthday Susan Branch, Gladys Taber, & Mike!

Today is the birthday of three of my favorite people - Susan Branch, Gladys Taber, and my husband Mike. It was ironic enough when I heard my two favorite authors shared the birth date, but holy cow when I met Mike and found he was born April 12th as well!

Birthday presents should be special and personal, I think. The real test of birthday gift is that it suits the one person, and no one else. Just the right book is better than a diamond bracelet, if you like books. A piece of Mexican glass, or a vase that is right for gladioli, or a plain wooden bowl for salad - these are the kinds of gifts. And a birthday letter is fine.

- Gladys Taber, The Book of Stillmeadow

Puffy Springy Muffins

I made these puffy muffins this weekend for out-of-town guests, and if I had time today I'd make them again and eat them for dinner, on the couch like a lazy bum with some milk and a Madmen episode. That would be just heavenly.

The recipe is from the Pioneer Woman blog.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
3 cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
1 cup Sugar
⅔ cups Shortening (Crisco)
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Milk
1-½ cup Sugar (divided)
3 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening. Then add eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Dip fully in butter to coat all sides, then coat again with cinnamon sugar mixture. MUST be eaten warm to fully appreciate.

The First of April

-The delicate and delicious fragrance of the freesias came in through the door and floated round Mrs. Wilkins's enraptured nostrils. Freesias in London were quite beyond her. Occasionally she went into a shop and asked what they cost, so as just to have an excuse for lifting up a bunch and smelling them, well knowing that it was something awful like a shilling for about three flowers. Here they were everywhere- bursting out of every corner and carpeting the rose-beds. Imagine it - having freesias to pick in armsful if you wanted to, and in your summer frock, and its being only the first of April!

From the book The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

The Season's First Picnic!

We're in for a warm spell here along the lake the next few days - 60s and 70s, which is downright balmy, actually, this being Wisconsin. I have the first picnic of the season planned for Saturday, and I'm going to follow an easy menu suggested in the June 2009 issue of Real Simple magazine. We'll be having goat cheese spread, pasta salad with asparagus and lemon, and oatmeal-raspberry bars. It'll be the first of many picnics this year, but one of the only times we won't have to deal with winged intruders!

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Lemon

8 ounces (1/2 box) penne (they call for regular, I'm going to try it with whole grain)
1 pound asparagus (ends trimmed), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup Parmesan pieces (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
kosher salt and black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and add the asparagus during the last 3 1/2 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and asparagus and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the Parmesan, oil, lemon juice and zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.

Boat on the sea, bird in my tree

I heard this Mason Jennings song yesterday, and it helped along my springish mood (although it mentions summer). If I knew how to put a youtube clip of him singing here I would - learning how is on my agenda for spring break!

Lemon Grove Avenue

If I have my way

I'm never gonna leave lemon grove avenue

Where the summer breeze

Blows through the windows in the afternoon

And all the stars come out at night
And there's a boat out on the sea

And there's a bird up in my tree

And there's a feeling in my heart I can't explain,

I'm coming home, I'm coming home, yeah

Yeah, I'm on my way, I'm on my way

Martha's Vineyard Radio

Here's a website I enjoy that feeds into my New England/Martha's Vineyard/Cape Cod obsession - mvyradio.com. It's the radio station of Martha's Vineyard, and they play some pretty cool music over there. For example, Ben Folds is currently playing. How I'd love to go to one of the LL Bean sponsored concerts they advertise! I'm thinking of sending a SASE to receive my free Blue Lobster sticker to put on the farm's golfcart. :) Wonder when I'll ever actually set foot on the island and hear the music out of an actual radio with an ocean breeze in my hair.... one can dream!

Purple Light and Whippoorwills

My daughter is learning new songs in kindergarten for the school's Spring concert. She sang me one of them and I think it has such cute lyrics. When I told my mom about it she informed me that it was a version of a Dean Martin/Ricky Nelson song. He sings "my rifle, my pony and me" but my daughter's version has "my knapsack, my pony and me" along with a few other kid-friendly changes. I'm going to see if I can hear the original version on youtube - any song with the words purple light and whippoorwill is sure to be good!

Purple Light

Sun is sinking in the west
The cattle go down to the stream
The redwing settles in the nest
It's time for a cowboy to dream

Purple light in the canyon
that is where I long to be
With my three
good companions
just my rifle, my pony and me

Gonna hang my sombrero
on the limb of a tree
Coming home
sweet my darling
just my rifle, my pony and me

Whippoorwill in the willow
sings a sweet melody
Riding to Amarillo
just my rifle, my pony and me

No more cows to be ropin'
No more strays
will I see
'round the bend she'll be waitin
For my rifle, my pony and me

Throwing raindrops - That's What Leprechauns Do!

The three leprechauns placed a pot of glittering gold in just the right spot and watched the rainbow curve itself all the way down till it ended on top of the pot.

They settled themselves to wait. They tootled some grass stalk music, threw raindrops at each other, and ate rosehips they'd brought for snacks.

"Maybe we should put up a sign," Boo suggested. "'Pot of gold, this way.'"

"No, no!" Ari said, "that's not how it's done. There's a bit of magic to the finding, and a bit of luck, and a bit of imagination, too. That gold's waiting for just the right person."

From the book That's What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting

Glimpse of Spring

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

~Charles Dickens

Favorite Party Decoration Ever!

I spotted this neat idea for crepe paper streamers awhile back in Better Homes and Gardens. I've made them for several occasions, most recently for my daughter's birthday. I've made them for baby showers, Halloween parties, and Mother's Day. They are SO easy and have major impact! An embroidery hoop is used as a base, then the streamers are wrapped over the top and secured with the hoop inset. The instructions for this particular 'windsock' streamer calls for an 8 inch hoop, with 8 foot lengths of crepe paper, hung by fishing line. Normally I wouldn't put red, purple, and hot pink together as shown in the magazine, but the combination actually does make for a very pretty "Bohemian" type color scheme. I'm looking forward to hanging some outside around the deck for my first warm weather soiree, which will hopefully be sooner than later!

A Poem To Ponder

OUTSIDE OR UNDERNEATH?

-Shel Silverstein

Bob bought a hundred-dollar suit
But couldn't afford any underwear.
Says he "If your outside looks real good
No one will know what's under there"

Jack bought some hundred-dollar shorts
But wore a suit with rips and tears.
Says he, "It won't matter what people see
As long as I know what's under there"

Tom bought a flute and a box of crayons,
Some bread and cheese and a golden pear.
And as for his suit or his underwear
He doesn't think about them much....or care

Hmmmmm.....

My Girl Turns 6!

My daughter turns 6 today, but it's breaking my heart that she's on the couch right now with a double ear infection. I can't wait until we're back outside, on a day like the photo above, and not stuck inside with all the germs passing between each other, over and over. We'll make the best of today that we can, and we'll try again for our little family party later in the week. Maybe later she'll feel better to eat some of her cake, which she chose this year to be in the shape of a turtle.

Gladys Taber's Full Snow Moon

The Full Snow Moon is one of the loveliest; perhaps the crystalline air itself affects her. My friends Helen, Vicky and Olive grow restless after supper and decide to walk in the moonlit woods, even if the temperature is zero. The shadows on the snow are like etchings, and the only sound is the occasional cracking of an icy branch. On such a night in the woods, they feel a strange link with the universe and a renewal of their own identity. When they come in, they bring the smell of snow and pine and damp wood, and it takes a little time before they are ready to get out the popcorn and melt the butter and poke the fire.
In this age of tenseness, we all need such times to renew our souls.

-From Country Chronicle by Gladys Taber

On Demand O'Henry Bars

Last night, out of the blue, my 8 year old son asked me to make what we call O'Henry Bars (not sure why). Because the ingredients are simple and always on hand, I was able to oblige in minutes. "These will be his home from college request," said my husband.

O'Henry Bars
4 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter

Mix together oatmeal, butter, and both sugars. Pat into 10X15 inch cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 mintues. Cool.
For frosting, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together over low heat. Spread evenly over bars. Because the frosting stays quite soft, it's best to keep these bars in the fridge. You probably don't need to cover them - they'll be gone by tomorrow.

Back, Finally!

Hello to anyone who is reading this - who hasn't given up on me! I won't bore you with the details, but my blogging absence involved a variety of elderly people, sick (nothing serious, but seemingly pertpetual) children, and a number of other little things adding up to be big time suckers. I'm really hoping I can back to this little blog, back to writing about the things that I love and hoping someone out there reads a little tidbit that leads them to a book, recipe, or something that makes them happy, too.

I'll jump right in with my old "reading, watching, listening to" list. Just like having no time to blog, I've had little time to read or get into anything new for the last few months - my latest trip to the library is going to change this!

Currently Reading:

The Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
I must say I'm thoroughly enjoying this book - here is the blurb from Amazon - I particulary agree with the last sentence about introducing her to friends -

Rosenthal has collected a lifetime of thoughts, observations, and decisions, and created an alphabetized personal encyclopedia, complete with cross-referenced entries and illustrations. Rosenthal reveals the minutiae of her life, from pumping gas ("Every. Single. Solitary. Time I go to get gas I have to lean out the window to see which side the tank is on"), to witnessing her son's accident ("I saw with front-row-seat clarity, just how quickly, randomly, and mercilessly your child can be taken away"), and in turns both playful and poignant, engages the reader in effortless and stimulating conversation.
Whether you are laughing aloud or nodding along, reading Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is like being introduced to a new friend--one that you automatically connect with and feel compelled to share. Fans of shows like Arrested Development will appreciate Rosenthal's quirky, conversational humor and dead-on observations. Writers will see the book as a contemporary portrait of the fledgling artist, and should enjoy her aptly named, "Evolution of this Moment"--a timeline tracking her growth as a writer from her first word ("more") to publication of her fourth book.
Modesty prevents Rosenthal from acknowledging herself as anything other than ordinary--that, and the fact that she has not "survived against all odds"--but that certainly does not mean she has nothing to say, or to share. Her delightful memoir is a reminder that life is not always an adventure, but it can be full of sad, silly, and important moments that make it worth living. Witness the generosity of an author who is willing to reveal so much of herself, not just as a writer, but also as a person--share this delightfully quirky, utterly enjoyable book with family and friends with a note, "Here is someone I think you should meet." --

To Be Read Next:

The Autobiography of Mark Twain

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

Dirt - The Quirks, Habits and Passions of Keeping House by Mindy Lewis

Enchanted April (still have never read this, but would like to read it in April, dork that I am)

I'd love to hear any opinions about the above books from you!


Watching:

Lost, Lost, and more Lost!


Currently Listening To:

Iron and Wine

CD I'm Really Hoping to Get:

En Concert by Jack Johnson - this has a live version of "Constellations" sung with Eddie Vetter - ooh yah!

That's all for now - I'll be back again soon!