Why I Am So Thankful - Reflections on Thanksgiving

Last week I enjoyed my home being full with the sounds of laughter, crying, screaming and more.  Yes my grandkids were down for a few days as well as others.  It is always nice to have a house full of people.  The life it adds to air is priceless. 

We did the usual.. Watched Alice In Wonderland, the new one of course.  Their momma had not seen it yet so of course we had to watch it with her.  We read stories, colored pictures, and played for hours.  Vincent shared a new toy with them.  Needless to say they loved it and spent most of the day before Thanksgiving outdoors.  Yet it was a wonderful 80 degree day; something one does not experience much in Oklahoma in mid November.  

 Of course though the following day was to bring colder tempertures so we were sure to take a few moments to fill all the bird feeders as well as leave some corn out for the other animals that may wander through the yard on Thanksgiving.   

The feast went wonderful.  A tradional meal of turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and so on.  But the highlight for me was a wonderful 4 layer Carrot cake that my oldest son made.  He is not an avid baker but every so often he gets a wild hair and when he does his result is always totally yummy.  I have already put an order in for this to be my birthday cake and present from him for the remainder of my days.  It was totally made from scratch even to the point of grating his own cinnamon.  Believe me it tasted soooo good. 

As soon as all the fun started it was over and the house was once again silent except for Winston and I.  Yet there are many things to do.  Christmas cards to write, presents to wrap and goodies to make.  I hope all of you had as wonderful of a holiday as I was blessed with. 

The Evolution of The State Fair

This last week Vincent and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and jumped on the Harley and went out for a ride. The State Fair was going on so we figured that we would step by for some of that great fair food. You know what I am talking about: Roasted ears of Corn on the Cob, Giant Cinnamon Rolls, Cotton Candy, Funnel Cakes and the list go on. They even had something called deep fried beer. They are small little pockets of bread which have been deep fried with a small portion of the brew inside. Personally I do not see the attraction yet it seems that at least here in Oklahoma each year there are those who are just waiting to see what the next deep fried treat will be.

I myself enjoy the exhibits which themselves seem to be dwindling somewhat. We finally did find the building where all the 4-H and other home extension activities were taking place. Yet most of the exhibits seemed to be sales of items that in my youth would never have been found at the fair. Oh well I guess that is just a sign of the times. Already our state fair has shrunk down to a mere 7 day event. I remember when it ran full swing for 2 weeks. Yet attendance has fallen and it is no longer the “fun” thing to do, even here in rural Oklahoma.

Guess it is proof that I am beginning to age. When I speak of my youth I have to realize that it took place over 30 years ago. It hurts to type such a realization. A lot can change in a time span of that magnitude. Believe me…. A lot… But fortunately some things will never change no matter how much time goes by. And for that small miracle, I am thankful.

Eat Pray and Love - Something to Ponder

I will be honest and say that I am not one that reads as much as I probably should. Although my taste for the written word has grown in my later years, I always seems to fall asleep (or want to) if I try and curl up with a good book. There has been a few that once I opened the cover I was unable to put it down and carried with me everywhere until I finally finished the last word. I love a book that grabs me in such a way.

A book that is a good example of this was “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. I loved this book from the moment I picked it up. It was probably because I could relate to it in so many ways… I understood the frustration she had in the beginning of the book when she struggled with the possibility and eventual divorce from her husband. Her desire to travel to “find herself” also appealed to me.

Not only did she decide she would travel, she traveled to three of my favorite places as well as made it her quest to explore three areas of her life that she felt strongly about; food, her spiritual side, and love. I know that they have made the book into a movie which has recently come out. I have mixed feelings as to whether I wish to go and see it or not. One reason is because movies never seem to truly do a book justice and end up leaving you disappointed. I think this is mainly because when one reads a book they bring with them their own imagination. This in turn creates a fantasy land in one’s head of what they envision the story to look like, smell like and taste like. It is impossible for any movie to fit this interpretation of so many that would go and see it, therefore there will always be those who are not satisfied with the manner it was told in.

I loved the whole concept of “Eat Pray Love”. It got me to thinking about what I would consider my eat, pray, and love . Then as if we were on the same wavelength, I was clicking channels and landed on Oprah. She had Julia Roberts and Elizabeth Gilbert on her show and they were discussing the movie and were talking about that very thing. I guess great minds do think alike. Ha!!

What is my Eat… what is my Pray… and what is my love…. I would have to say that finding what my “Eat” is could be quite difficult. I have always been one who loves to eat. The main reason it thrills me so (and believe me it can thrill me) is that I love the intense flavors that one can find. I will try anything at least one time because I have learned that you never judge anything simply by its looks. (Especially food) Yet to choose a favorite in the vast selection is close to impossible. Last night it was the pepper crusted rare Ahi Tuna I had….. It was heavenly… yet a few days ago it was the homemade vanilla sugar that I simply ate by dipping my finger into the jar over and over. I am not sure where I would go to explore this side of me as I have found wonderful food in so many places… Yet I guess Italy would not be a bad place to start… Rich tasty homemade mamma food in so many places…. Beautiful country side and extremely good looking men… How could one go wrong with all that to choose from?

My Pray is an easy one…. It would have to be the peaceful serenity of nature. I find such tranquility in my yard and communing with everything that is not manmade. The simple sounds, smells and sights are more precious than anything that can be bought or made. When I feel myself overwhelmed in any sense of the word and I know that I need some time to relax and escape to my sanctuary, I head for the loving arms of Mother Nature. She is always there with her gentle ways no matter the season, no matter the time. In the quiet stillness of morning before all else awakens she stirs. In the heat of a noon day when the sun is high and the day is in full swing. In the slowing down of the afternoon and early eve when it seems that she begins to gather things in for the day. And lastly, during the night, when the stars and moon illuminate the world and a different side of her is shown. She never ceases to amaze me with her ability to bring me to that place where I need to be. To see that answer that I may be trying so hard to find and don’t until I stop and sit with her in silence for a while. My sanctuary, my church, my pray…. Is definitely, communing with the earth and sky.

My love… another easy answer. I love my Vincent and quite honestly he is probably the love of my life. Of course he can drive me nuts, yet over time I have learned that seldom can two be together nonstop 24/7 and not. Yet he accepts me for me and does not in any way attempt to change me. That is what I love most. No matter how silly, corny, or far out there I may be, he listens and makes me feel as if I am as sane as him; which may not necessarily be that sane. Also my grandkids, they likewise take me for who and what I am and love me all the more. They share with me their wide open minds and we ponder the mysteries of the universe together at times… They help me to keep the fact fresh in my mind that there is always something new in the world and that to notice the little things is what keeps us young. My children also have brought much love into my life. From the time they themselves were wee ones until now when they have grown and moved on with their own lives and values. There have been struggles and I am sure there will be more yet we have slowly learned to be accepting and understand that besides being family we are also people. They have taught me to listen more, and also that I do not always have to be the momma… Sometimes I am just another person across the table.

So in closing I ask you, what is your Eat Pray and Love. Something to think about and quite honestly it can really brings some sides of you out that you may not have thought of before. If you have not read the book “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and especially if you are female I urge you to do so.

I think if the book had not been such a favorite of mine I would not be so indifferent about seeing it, yet here I am. So when it all comes down to it I more than likely will not go and see the movie. Yet who knows… never say never.

Farmer Market Wednesday - (Done last Saturday)

The weather here has been so hot these last couple weeks... Our tempertures have hit well into the 100 degree mark.  The other day as I drove back from the city my car thermometer read 110.  Needless to say with tempertures like this I have not been spending much time outdoors except early in the morning and sometimes later in the evening.

I did manage to go into the Farmers market last weekend and check out what they may have.  Believe it or not I purchased more peaches.  I know I had already bought 2 bushel boxes in Tennessee and though after I had put those away that I would not want to look at another peach yet, I  could not resist when I saw them.  I love a good peach for a snack and I did want to put some jam up in pint jars so .... well you know the rest of the story.   I finished working them up today.  I had plenty to even put a few more quart bags in the freezer for cobblers.  There is nothing like a good peach cobbler in the middle of winter. 

I also ventured by my old farmers market here in the small town I live in.  I had been there a couple times earlier in the year yet the usuals that had been there before were not there, or so I thought.  I was delightlfully surprised to find the Pepper lady back.  Can you beleive I can never remember her name.  I just refer to her as the pepper lady.. Its terrible I know... I chatted with her for some time and of course purchased all of the shishito peppers she had.  These are little japanese peppers that are simply heavenly cooked up in olive oil with some garlic. 

I decided though to prepare me a stir fry for lammas with red bell peppers, the shishito, garlic, red onion, zuchini, and thinly sliced new potatoes.  It was delicious.. And for desert... of course I had some fresh peach tarts.... There is nothing more flavorable than fresh fruit and vegetables.  I can hardly wait to go back this Saturday... blessings.

Farmer Market Wednesday - A Day Late

A day late, I know. It is Thursday and the title states Farmer Market Wednesday. What can I say I had my days mixed up again… Although the majority of our days have started out in the upper 70s and quickly rising to the mid 90’s yesterday was much different. The day started out a bit muggy yet some clouds rolled in and even some light rain. It was just enough to keep the morning and early afternoon nice and cool.

We decided to take the bike and enjoy the pleasant weather so it was doubly fun. The ride in the misty light rain was quite refreshing. The abundance of what is available seems to still be the spring veggies. Don’t get me wrong I am in no way complaining. I love the cabbage, onions and varieties of lettuce that are available now. Alas my cabbage lady was not there so I was unable to get a new variety to try. Hopefully she will be there next week. My mother will be down visiting then so she will get to venture with me when I go out. I really think she will enjoy the variety of things we have to choose from.

Of course I purchased a good stock of cherry tomatoes. Vincent and I can’t seem to get enough of these things. They have been so favorable this spring. I think next spring I am going to try my hand at a couple bushes here at the house so we will have them on a 24/7 basis. There is nothing better for a hot summer lunch then a piece of buttered rye bread with thinly sliced tomatoes and a little salt and pepper.

I found some wonderful baby squash. A few yellow, a couple zucchini and one of my favorite the 8 ball. If you have never had one I urge you to try it. I discovered grilled squash last year and cannot get enough of it. You can count on having a post in regards to the many different ways to prepare it in the future.

I also found a couple ladies who were selling dip mixes. Of course this was a tasting booth so seeing that I tasted a good lot of them I figured that I should purchase one. I brought one home which is called Jack and the Bean dip. I will tell you right now I really do not know why it is called that. It is a mixture of Onions, Jalapenos, tomatoes, garlic, cayenne, cumin, paprika, oregano, thyme and pepper. The great thing about this is that is exactly what is in it and nothing else. There is no salt, msg, or preservatives. Something I am always looking for.

I made up a batch yesterday for Vincent and I to snack around on. Below is the recipe. I will have to be honest after doing so all I could think was is I could dry my own ingredients and make this myself. This of course would allow me to play around with the ingredients, which is something I love doing.

Combine 1 cup of sour cream and one cup of mayonnaise with 3 Tablespoons of the mix. I added a fresh chopped up jalapeño for a little extra kick. Mix and serve. Of course we started eating on it immediately yet I think it would be best if it sat for a bit to let the flavors mingle. Next time I also plan on trying it with fat free sour cream and maybe a different mayonnaise. I have been dying for an excuse to try the olive oil or fat free variety. We ate it with carrots and pretzels, yet I think sliced cucumbers or celery would also go nicely. I also think it would work great as a sandwich spread on maybe a turkey and provolone. Needless to say it was yummy.

Until next week, enjoy yourself and eat something fresh… Not only is it good for you but it taste so good.

Farmer Market Wednesday's - Spring Veggies

There are several things that I love about the warmer times of the year. The drear color of winter is slowly taken away by a blanket of green. Flowers burst into color everywhere. And of course the return of the sun; to not only brighten and warm our days but also to lengthen them.

Another of my favorite things is the return of fresh garden grown vegetables and fruit. The local farmers markets have slowly been returning. The early spring veggies and fruits can now be found, such as onions, cabbage, new potatoes, blueberries, strawberries and more. I am fortunate to live in an area where not only can I find a wonderful variety of fruits and vegetables but also a nice choice of farm raised meats, eggs, fresh butter, and ground flour.

Since this has become such a wonderful part of my life, I have decided to share it with my blog friends. Each Wednesday, I will feature my weekly jaunt to the market. I love that we have a choice of whether to go on a Wednesday or a Saturday. Sometimes the weekends can be so hectic and if one is not there the moment the doors open you may miss out on some of the choice products to choose from. Along with my weekly finds, I am planning to also share some of my favorite recipes.

This week I ventured to the nearby town of Norman, Oklahoma to check out their market. I was surprised to learn that they also have a mid week market. Needless to say I was not disappointed with what I found. Of course it was still small in size as it is still early for some markets and the mid-week markets are usually not as abundant as the weekend ones.

I had to pick up some new potatoes and fresh picked green beans. I loved how tender the potatoes were as I rummaged through them to find the small petite ones. You know they are fresh when your fingernail keeps slicing into them. I have plans to mix up a nice pot of green beans and new potatoes seasoned with some fresh ham this week for supper. I also picked up some newly picked sweet onions to add to my stew. A few nice little ones will do nicely as well as go with an occasional sandwich or just a treat.

As I strolled through the market I came across some peaches. Let me just say I am a sucker for peaches. Although Oklahoma peaches are not quite ready yet, the Georgia peaches I found will do nicely. They have a smell to them that is just wonderful. I can assure you all that as our peaches become more in season you can look for a post on peach jam as well as other wonderful recipes. We were so lucky to not have a late freeze and unlike last year, our peach crop should be a good one. We are even going to have a good crop of Apricots, another one of my favorites.

Lastly I picked up a beautiful head of sweet cabbage. This vendor had a large variety of choices and I am sure I will talk about them again. This specific variety is called tender sweet. I was assured that I will simply love it. The German in me loves her cabbage. I also found some fresh pinto beans. I have never had fresh beans and am eager to see the difference.

Until next week, enjoy yourself and eat something fresh…. Not only is it good for you but it taste so good.

Gimme More... Gimme More... For Tomorrow I Will Starve

Tuesday, February 16th.... known to many today as Fat Tuesday or Madi Gras.  A day of celebration and excess.  Since the Saints win at the Super Bowl, I am sure that Madi Gras started a tad early and has been continuing since.  However, today is offically the day that is set for this celebration.  Parties will be held, shirts will be lifted in order to gain the coveted beads that represent the event, and other acts possibly too graphic to post will be executed today... All because of what falls tomorrow - the Christian tradition of Lent.  Or at least that is how it all got started. 

Yet today there will be those who will eat their weight in Paczkis, the traditional Fat Tuesday doughnut.  I guess in some way it is the way we approach many things when we know that it will require sacrifice from us. We endulge in it until the moment we decide we will sustain from it.  As if the excess we experienced in a short period of time will somehow keep us from desiring it during the time we are away from it.  There are some things that this may work for... For instance when a loved one is going away and the distance will be for a time.  The excess of time spent together helps to build memories that can help us to deal with the time apart in a better manner.

Maybe it is just an excuse to party in the middle of the week.  I mean honestly most of us do not go out on a Tuesday like we would on a Friday or a Saturday night.  An honest assumption.  There are those that will take any excuse they can find to have a little fun and who can blame them, especially with Madi Gras as it is the party of all parties.  Although I have never participated in an honest to goodness Madi Gras / Fat Tuesday celebration I have always sort of thought of it as the wild parties likened to ancient Rome.  Lots of drink, food and craziness.  Plus a little more drink.  Such combinations always lead to a morning after where many may not necessarily remember much of the night before.  Of course I know that not all such celebrations end up in this way it is just the concept that has always somewhat confused me....

The noise makers will be loud tonight with horns blowing and beads flying.... Tomorrow there will be silence... Never the less.... I hope that all who decide to partake in this holiday  have a grand time and do not end up in any more trouble then they can handle. 

Enjoy - Endulge - Feel

I really had no intention of writing this morning... I was just going to  skim through everyones recent post and sit back and enjoy my Saturday... Then I came across Lyon's Post over at the Wandering Hearth....  A wonderful account of the beauty of the enjoyment of ones senses.  Something I think all too often we let slip by us.  The smell of a fresh morning... as you first step out to greet it.  The sun slowly rising over the horizon and the feeling arcoss your face of warmth as it continues to rise... the sound of the morning birds as they slowly awaken and begin their day.  Calling out to one another in song.  And that is just the first moments of morning... Imagine what a full 24 hour day could hold..... We have not even spoken about the the sense of taste or sight... It is an endless list of things that make us feel good, that make us smile.  Those things , that can transform us even when we are lost in the darkest of corners. 

It doesn't have to be just the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.  It can be felt inward also.. as there is nothing more precious then holding a sleeping baby in your arms.  Many of you I am sure have walked in the openess of nature and partaken of her beauty and all the wonderful sensory overloads she can give.  There is nothing like sitting in a "silent" wood and listening to all the sounds that surround you.... The birds and their many songs, the leaves as they rustle against the breeze as it softly blows, the sound of water as it runs over the many stones in the nearby stream.  The smell of the dew on the leaves that have fallen and cover the ground... the smell of the many wildflowers that periodically drift through on the wind as it blows, bringing with it a slight taste of each bloom.  And of course there is the pleasure of the visual side of all such things. 

And of course let us not forget the wonderful sense of taste.  There are millions if not billions of different taste that arouse, comfort, and tease all of us...  From the taste of that first cup of coffee in the morning to the indulgence of chocolate.  For some it is the light fresh taste of sashimi others prefer the lush taste of  a rare grilled steak.  Yet in all cases whatever we choose when we partake of it, we are transformed by the sensations that we receive. 

So my question to ponder is... What is your favorite sensual experience  or lets just say one of your favorite ones... As I know that it may be difficult to cut it down to just one.  From the sensations of touch and feel to the indulgences of taste let your mind wander.  Or maybe you are more moved by the vibration of sound and the feeling that it can bring to you.  And of course there is always the wonderful sense of sight which can allow us to experience so many things whether it be from actually standing on a mountains edge or sitting comfortably back at a movie  lost in a fantasy world created before you.