All Things Nice . . .

 

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She had a way with salads,

A way of cooking rice,

An extra touch to cooking meat,

That made it extra nice.

A loving pat to buns and bread,

That seemed to make them rise,

As white and soft as thistledown,

And more than twice their size.

She had a way of sealin' in,

The covers of a pie,

That kept the juices all inside,

The crusts all crisp and dry.

She'd crimp the edges neat as wax,

Then cook it long and slow,

Until it had that special taste,

That all old timers know.

I've seen her frying doughnuts,

In an old black iron pot,

The golden circles bubbling up,

Rich and sizzling hot

The kitchen filled with warmth and cheer,

Fragrant with mace and clove,

With cheeriness just belching out

from that old fashioned stove.

And when I see new fangled ways,

I would wonder how it feels,

To sit down at the end of day,

To skimpy modern meals.

I'll take my grub old-fashioned thanks,

For taste instead of style,

Thus fortified I'll face the world

And neighbors with a smile.

~Edna Jaques, A Born Cook

Roses in December, 1944

There's a lot to be said about the old way of doing things.  For old fashioned ways and flavors and life styles.  That is probably what the pull and interest of Amish and Mennonite lives is all about. There is probably a place deep inside of each of us that longs for simpler, uncomplicated times. For dinner plates filled with fried potatoes, ham and beans, with thick slices of buttered white bread on the side. Or soup pots that bubble and boil away on the back of the stove for most of the day, tantalizing the household with their aroma.  There is something deeply satisfying in doing things the way they have been done for hundreds of years.  "New and Improved" is not always better!

I stumbled upon this old Shirley Temple Movie on YouTube late yesterday afternoon and I sat and watched it with the cats.  Oh how very enjoyable it was. I had probably not seen it since I was a young child.   Its actually quite a bold version of the Heidi story, and very well acted. Yes, a bit cheesy in parts as one would expect from a film that was made in 1937, but overall it was very entertaining.  There were some really scary aspects of it as well that I had not remembered. That Fraulein Rottenmeir was a really wicked woman. Over all a very enjoyable story however, of how a little girl brought love back into an old man's broken heart and of how much joy there is to be found in the simple things of life.

I have always, since I was a child, enjoyed driving around at night.  I think perhaps when I was a child it was two-fold. For one reason I did not get car sick at night.  Secondly I held a certain fascination for lights amidst darkness.  Lights in the dark have a very celebratory-like air about them.  They are filled with color and sparkle. Festivity.

I can remember when my sister was in the hospital with rheumatic fever. I would have been 10 perhaps, my sister 7.  We had had our tonsils out and my sister was very ill afterwards.  My parents would be in hospital visiting her, and my brother and I were in the car waiting outside in the dark.  Of course I was in charge.  I remember entertaining my brother by making up a game I called Tornado. We were kneeling on the back seat of the car and if a car approached, we had to yell tornado and duck down as the car lights approached and passed by.  A silly game, but it kept us occupied and, again, held the fascination of light in the night.

Happy memories of being at the local summer Exhibition at dusk, when the lights start to come on and the air is filled with the smell of  hot dogs, candy floss and French fries, and the sound of carnival music, laughter and excitement.

Driving the children around town in the car at night to look at all the Christmas lights.  There was a special house here in town that also had Christmas carols that played along with the lights. Such fun.  People came from miles around to view that house. Every line and angle of the house was lit up with white fairy lights and the carols were beautiful to listen to.  Christmas candles shone in every window. It was like a dream.

 

                                                      

The “green things growing” whisper me
Of many an earth-old mystery.
–Eben Eugene Rexford (1848–1916)

Happy Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, when San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to join in a grassroots demonstration. Dealing with dangerously serious issues concerning toxic drinking water, air pollution, and the effects of pesticides, an impressive 20 million Americans, 10% of the population, ventured outdoors and protested together.

We've come a long ways since then, but still have a long ways to go.  There are many ways that we can support Earth Day, not just today but every day.  Planting trees, planting wildflowers, taking care of the bees, recycling what we use as much as possible. Using less plastic and halting the use of single use plastics.  Change begins with me/you/us.

 

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I am having the family over for supper tonight. I am cooking sausages.  I was going to make scalloped potatoes to go with them, but seeing these baked potatoes now, I am craving a proper baked potato. With plenty of butter and sour cream, chives, etc.  My chives are up in the back garden so it would be the perfect time for using some of them.

I love potatoes in any way shape or form, but I especially love baked potatoes.  I am a skin eater, are you?  For me, that is one of the best parts of the potato.  The skin.  I love it.

I finally got my chapter tabs put into my New Testament Journaling Study bible. I had done them for the Old Testament study bible which matches last year.  I had saved the tabs for this year. It only took me four months to do it.  Yes, I am the great procrastinator.  I love these journaling study bibles. I got them (one at a time) at Deseret Book. They have pretty floral cloth covers.  The chapter tabs are also florals and go very well.   I am hoping that they will have a study journal BOM in the same style for next year.  It would be nice to have a matching set.

You know, I do like pretty things, and these are really pretty. I can combine two of my great loves. The scriptures/scripture study and pretty things.

 

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I find myself wanting pancakes for breakfast here this morning. I have not had them in quite a while.  Dad was having them the other morning when we met him for breakfast. My sister and I both ordered them as well, but when it came right down to it, they only had enough pancakes thawed to make up one order and so I said I would have scrambled eggs and bacon instead. They forgot my hashbrown, but by the time I noticed it was so late that it didn't really matter.  The toast was hardly toasted.  I know they were really busy. A lot of Seniors go there for their breakfast and morning coffee.  I ate it anyways, well half of it.  I kind of like my toast toasted.  

The best part was being there with my father and sister.  Its not about eggs, or hashbrowns or anemic toast.  Time spend with family is everything.

Speaking of family.  My granddaughter has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. My oldest son told me.  I had no idea. I did know she was suffering from some kind of immune system disease as my bil and sil had told me this. My son confirmed what it was.  My daughter is a Nurse Practitioner and my sil is a physiotherapist so I am sure that they have it in hand. It is sad that I have to find out these kinds of things second hand, but it is what it is. Now I know what the problem is, I can effectively pray for her.  Her name is Maryn and she is a beautiful little girl. I am grateful to my son for telling me.

 

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Oh no!  Now I am wanting bread and jam.  Do you think I might be hungry?  I just might.  I guess I should end this off now and go and get myself some breakfast. I have to pop out to the shops to pick up a few bits, and I have a carpet to clean in the bedroom because of a naughty cat.  Yes, my beautiful braided carpet.  I will need some help moving my bed first however as I cannot move it all on my own.  Sigh . . .  this is one of the drawbacks to having animals.  But they are still worth it.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

  ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

 ˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*Above all remember that

the most important thing you can take

anywhere is not a Gucci Bag or

French-cut jeans;•。★★ 。* 。

Its an open mind.•。★★ 。* 。

~Gail Rubin •。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

Something a bit old fashioned in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Dandy Candy Cake.  Its quite simply delicious. A simple coconut/brown sugar streusel is sprinkled over the cake batter prior to baking. It makes for a sweet and coconutty crust that is really delicious!

I hope for you a wonderful day filled with lots of nice things.  Be happy.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!