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The Kitchen
If you have noticed my absence in the past week, I am sorry for having left without leaving much of a hint as to where I was going or when I would return. If you had been keeping up with my photo journal, you would have seen that we were gradually moving all of our belongings into a storage 'POD' delivered to our driveway about two weeks ago. Once we got everything out of the house, we had to move in with some of our favoritest people for a week while our wood floors were being refinished. The floors turned out beautifully and we are now in the process of moving our belongings back in.
While I was away, The Headmistress over at The Common Room recently tagged me for a meme she started all by herself!
I recently picked up a 1974 edition of a 'Woman's Day Super Special,' a collection of '365 money saving menus.' In the back of the magazine qua cookbook there was a questionnaire which the original owner filled out, but never tore out and mailed in. I thought it would be fun to reproduce some of those questions here, add a couple of my own, and get to know each other (and our kitchens) better.
1. How many meals does most of your family eat at home each week? How many are in your family?
17 meals/4 people (My husband eats carryout lunch at work five days a week, but I wasn't sure how to factor that in.)
2. How many cookbooks do you own?
I just boxed them up when we moved all of our stuff into the 'POD' last week, so I know that I have one large box of cookbooks. They are not all moving back in, though.
3. How often do you refer to a cookbook each week?
When I start regularly preparing meals mightier than macaroni and cheese and fish sticks, I will let you know.
4. Do you collect recipes from other sources? If so, what are some of your favorite sources (relatives, friends, magazines, advertisements, packages, the Internet, etc.)
I occasionally collect recipes from the sides of containers of Breakstone's cottage cheese, boxes of Bisquick and cans of Campbell's soup.
5. How do you store those recipes?
Store them? I usually have my husband go back out to the grocery store, grab another container, box or can of the product and then have him collect the rest of the ingredients while he is there reading the label and muttering to himself. He is not afraid to ask strange women passing by if they can see any cans of Campbell's French onion soup. He is a good man.
6. When you cook, do you follow the recipe pretty closely, or do you use recipes primarily to give you ideas?
I learned early in life that one should always follow the directions. I think I learned it shortly after l learned to raise my hand before asking a question. I raise my hand a lot while I am cooking.
7. Is there a particular ethnic style or flavor that predominates in your cooking? If so, what is it?
Does anyone know Betty Crocker's heritage?
8. What's your favorite kitchen task related to meal planning and preparation? (eating the finished product does not count)
Are you kidding? All tasks related to meal planning and preparation are the equivalent of self-flagellation.
9. What's your least favorite part?
Cleaning a two-week-old, chili-encrusted, non-immersible crock pot.
10. Do you plan menus before you shop?
I have a general idea, but no grand plans.
11. What are your three favorite kitchen tools or appliances?
The dishwasher, the microwave and the telephone.
12. If you could buy one new thing for your kitchen, money was no object, and space not an issue, what would you most like to have?
A cook.
13. Since money and space probably are objects, what are you most likely to buy next?
Since we just had our wood flooring extended out into the kitchen, I am most interested in finding a suitable, round braided rug to protect the main traffic area.
14. Do you have a separate freezer for storage?
Yes. It is on our back porch.
15. Grocery shop alone or with others?
I hate shopping for anything. I usually use Peapod to deliver my groceries. For five dollars, it is worth it for someone else to gather and deliver my groceries.
16. How many meatless main dish meals do you fix in a week?
A main dish that either isn't meat or doesn't involve meat? What is that?
17. If you have a decorating theme in your kitchen, what is it? Favorite kitchen colors?
I just had my kitchen redone. We have maple cabinets and cupboards with a dark green "moss" stain on them, wood floors, and a beige stone-look countertop. The walls are "lambswool" and the appliances are all white. I like to hang old, framed prints of children playing out of doors throughout my house, so you will find some out in the kitchen, too. Our house in general has a lot of browns, greens and beiges with a "nature" theme.
18. What's the first thing you ever learned to cook, and how old were you?
I made tomato soup with hot dogs cut up in it for my three younger siblings when I was about ten and my mother was in bed with the flu and my father was out of town on business. Otherwise, I was not allowed in the kitchen except to do the dishes.
19. How did you learn to cook?
I had to call my mother to find out how to make hard-boiled eggs when I was twenty-two and married. Does this tell you anything? My husband told me the best way to learn how to cook was to just start by using a cookbook. He is a good cook and a patient man. Maybe one of my siblings let on about the hot dog and tomato soup.
20. Tag two other people to play.
(Okay, so I am tagging three other people.)
Luna Moth
Palm Tree Pundit
Thicket Dweller
What A Balm For The Weary
As you may have gathered, I do struggle through the winter months. I have often wondered why we even have to have winter months. Of course, then I must wonder why we have tsunamis or earthquakes or any number of natural occurances we do have on this earth. One could speculate as to the "scientific" reasons for such things and in many cases one would be correct. I, however, am all too apt to look for the God reasons. I wonder why God couldn't figure out a different way of doing things that would, naturally, be more to my liking. More comfortable for me.
Of course, he did.
"But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground."
Genisis 2:6
In the beginning, there wasn't any inclement weather. God created a world were there was a mist that rose up out of the earth and watered everything there that needed watering. God carefully created a garden that would be a perfect place for us. He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden in a relationship that is hard for me to even imagine. I long for that with all of my heart.
We messed that up. Not God. But God still loves us and for that I am thankful this day. I may be weary of this world at times, but he has given me hope. Hope that one day I, too, can walk and talk with him. That he will wipe away every tear and I can sit at his knee and ask him about it all. And he will tell me.
In the meantime, I will spend my time walking and talking with God the best way I know how.
T'is The Blessed Hour of Prayer
'Tis the blessed hour of prayer, when our hearts lowly bend,
And we gather to Jesus, our Savior and Friend;
If we come to Him in faith, His protection to share,
What a balm for the weary, O how sweet to be there!
Refrain
Blessed hour of prayer, blessed hour of prayer,
What a balm for the weary, O how sweet to be there!
'Tis the blessed hour of prayer, when the Savior draws near,
With a tender compassion His children to hear;
When He tells us we may cast at His feet every care,
What a balm for the weary, O how sweet to be there!
Refrain
'Tis the blessed hour of prayer, when the tempted and tried
To the Savior Who loves them their sorrow confide;
With a sympathizing heart He removes every care;
What a balm for the weary, O how sweet to be there!
Refrain
At the blessed hour of prayer, trusting Him, we believe
That the blessing we're needing we'll surely receive;
In the fullness of the trust we shall lose every care;
What a balm for the weary, O how sweet to be there!
Refrain
Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)
If you need a little extra comfort, I highly recommend you read this post by Amanda of Wittingshire. Thank you Amanda for writing such an edifying post. It couldn't have come at a better time for me.
I Said...Think Pink!
|
Okay, this is what I asked for: 
Cherry Hung With Bloom |
And this is what I got: 
Cherry Hung With Snow |
A. E. Housman aside, I really wanted spring to come. It is the middle of February and I am tired of winter. It has been warm enough around here that my lilacs were trying to bud. My irises were sending up green shoots. We haven't really seen snow all winter, but I am more than ready for spring. I adore spring. In my last post, I put up that photo of the lovely cherry tree and sighed small, dreamy sighs. It was so beautiful. The sky so blue. I am sighing now. *sigh*
This morning, however, I awoke to more than twelve inches of snow blanketing everything in sight. What was this?! This was not what I had in mind at all! So, with all respect for A. E. Housman, here is my cherry tree poem:
Is hung with snow along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Valentine's.
Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Forty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs two score,
It only leaves me thirty more.
And since to look at things in bloom
Thirty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
Yeah, don't think I don't hear you doing the math.
Think Pink
Photo Meme: Tree (Thursday Challenge)
LOVELIEST of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.
Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.
And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
A. E. Housman (1859 - 1936)
Name The Puppy
I told you I would keep you updated on how things are going with our new Boston Terrier puppy, so here's the latest picture. *sigh* I am in grave danger of losing entire days gazing at his photo.
Four Weeks Old
According to the breeder, he weighs about a pound now and is being introduced to solid food. His mother still nurses her babies frequently, though, of course. While he was in a whelping box with his litter mates and his mother in the laundry room up until now, he and his siblings have been moved into the house and are being loved on at any given moment by one of the seven children living there. The puppies are actually in the family's school room and the children are allowed to hold the puppies while they work on their lessons.
We will be travelling to pick up our puppy in about five weeks, but we have still not settled on a name. We have a good idea for a name, but we thought we would see what names our dear readers might have. If you already know what name we are leaning towards, please refrain from announcing it. We really want to hear what other names our readers might come up with. We still wouldn't mind some input from those who know which name we are thinking of. Just don't give it away. We look forward to hearing from you!
Bioluminescence!
Pholph's Scrabble Generator          My Scrabble Score is: 23. What is your score? Get it here. |
Scrabble and Scrabble-like games have always been favorites for me, so this little Scrabble score generator caught my attention. I am not big on playing online games, but I was recently introduced to Bookworm. If you decide to play, please don't blame me if you become addicted. *wink*
