July 2010

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I know that your heart lies shattered,

Pieces strewn about the floor,

Waiting for your attention,

Waiting for your care.

Until that time arrives,

Until you have shed the tears still welling within you,

Tears for your brother and and the delicately fierce bonds of family,

Know that you are not alone.

The small hands you’ve enveloped in joy,

The eyes that have gazed upon you in admiration and wonder,

The ears that have heard your laugh and been made better by it,

The hearts touched by your caring,

Are collective souls hoping to buoy your spirit in this time of mourning

And return in small part what you have given so freely.

Colleen Sohn

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Last week was pretty hot here.  Super, retreat to the basement kind of hot.  And what does one do in the basement besides row on the machine or watch the old television, the one with the screen that occasionally turns bright red?  Why make a quilt, of course!

I had never made one before, and I, like many other people I know, have what seems to be a giant stash of fabric begging for just such a project to be made with it.  In particular, this beautiful Japanese cotton (running down the center of the quilt)  that Sarah bought me on one of her trips there.  I’d been contemplating what to do with it for ages.  A dress?  A blouse?  A bag?  When I started putting pieces of fabric together to decide what to quilt, I knew this was just the right use for it.

It was pretty simple, a total of ten pieces, including the batting, as I had no intention of drawing it out or starting something I would not finish because I bit off more than I could chew.  I am very pleased with the looks of it (the hubster likes it, too).  Not to mention, it’s just the right size for cozying up on the living room sofa on cooler days.

Now that I have the confidence, along with much more fabric in my stash and a piece of batting, don’t be surprised if you see another quilt here soon.  It is summer, after all, and there are bound to be more hot days requiring time in the cool basement.

Oh, and the beautiful baked good up there?  That’s a clafoutis, made from the recipe I posted here.  I used the Raven’s Heart plums that are in season now.  Aren’t they gorgeous?  They taste delicious, too.  I might add.

Have a lovely week!

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I read somewhere recently that the purpose of school is to make people learn to conform.   I have to admit that a tight knot formed in my belly upon reading it.  Fighting words.  School is so much more.  Then I thought a bit more about it and found myself conforming to whomever’s idea it was.  Sit here, be nice, 2+2=4, oh, and you better agree with me.  I’ve spent a lot of my life agreeing with people.  Sometimes even when I really don’t.  It is easier and kinder and usually feels right.  What about those times when it doesn’t?  When I quit the charade and speak my mind?  It surprises people and I don’t get invited back to that cool clique on the playground.  Someone I used to know called it my hard nugget.  “See, you’re petite, and have such a sweet smile, and then POW! out comes the hard nugget.”

I would rather be alone than not be me.  It’s that simple.  Which is a rather roundabout way of getting to Visioneers, the topic of today’s spotlight.  It is a weird and wacky black comedy about the power of corporate America to infiltrate our lives (and the government), and one man’s struggle to discover his authentic self, no matter the cost.

When the number of people exploding from some mystery ailment drastically increases, Visioneer George Washington Winsterhammerman (played by Zach Galifianakis of The Hangover fame) begins to worry.  He’s got the classic symptoms – insomnia, loss of interest in sex, binge eating and, most frightening of all – he still dreams.

I really liked this movie.  First off, in the aforementioned wacky way, it totally made me laugh.  People at the company where George works  flip each other off and say, “Jeffers Morning” to greet each other.  The insignia for the company is this same gesture (see it there in the poster?).  They are terrified by chaos, but they call it “chay-os.”  They are an uber efficient and detached group of conformists, with an extreme terror of exploding.   Especially George.

Yet there is a certain pleasure in his work, a connection with his level four boss, Charisma.  She calls and is friendly, human even.  She attaches sticky notes with smiley faces to his work.  But, when she gets fired and disappears, George starts to unravel and descend into chay-os.  His already troubled marriage takes a turn; his weird, drop-out brother starts to make sense, and his dreams intensify.  Is he going to explode?  It was terribly worthwhile to find out.

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Summer

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.

Celia Thaxter

When I was in high school and college, I worked at an Italian family restaurant.  It was very homey, decorated for every holiday, and served really good food.  It was red sauce galore, pizza, great steaks, pepperoni on the salad, and one of the best sandwiches in the world – The Sausage Special.  Made on garlic bread with green chiles and just a touch of that sauce,  it made me ever so happy.  Whenever I visit my parents, a visit must be made to indulge.

It was the eighties, and there was lots of drama at the restaurant, not to mention make-up, big hair, big clothes, and personalities to match, save one.  The sister of the owner, Aunt Liz, was a hostess on one of the shifts I worked.  I loved her.  She was soft spoken and kind, beautiful without a stitch of make up, had great style, close cropped hair, and made this awesome strawberry cake.  She brought it in a 13×9 pan with a metal lid that slid across the top, like the lip gloss that I loved.  To be honest, the cake could have been pretty average, and I may still have liked it, just for the sake of the container.  I am that kind of person.  But, it wasn’t just the tin, the cake was gorgeous and delicious.  So strawberry!  So summer!

I got the recipe from her but never made it, but it has been on my mind lately.  The memories of it have been clearer.  So yesterday, when I got an awesome deal on organic strawberries (three pounds for two dollars!) I made these cupcakes in homage to her.  They aren’t Aunt Liz’s recipe – hers were the frozen in syrup kind – but boy oh boy are they delicious and cute as a button.  We shared them with the neighbors, but mum’s the word if you want to eat them all yourself.  You just might.

Adapted from 1 Mix, 100 Muffins, by Susanna Tee

Strawberry Cupcakes

1 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

6 tablespoons sunflower or other mild oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup strawberries, hulled

Preheat the oven to 400.  Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan.  Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, in a large bowl.  Puree the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and strawberries (I used a large measuring cup and my trusty hand blender).  Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir gently until just combined.  Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch.  Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Frosting

1/4 cup strawberries, hulled

4 tablespoons butter, slightly softened

1/4 cup shortening

pinch salt

1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Puree the strawberries (again, the hand blender in a measuring cup – or mash with a fork), set aside.  Beat together the butter, shortening, and salt, until light and fluffy.  Reduce mixer speed and slowly add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, beat until combined.  Add the strawberry puree and mix just until blended.  You may need the extra 1/2 cup of powdered sugar here, if the frosting is too wet.

Frost your cooled cupcakes and top with strawberry halves, if you like.

Enjoy!

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