This past week as I sat to journal as I do every day, I recorded 4/4/24. That rang a bell in my memory. On 4/4/74 I set apart a day to pray about what I should do with about 250 poems I had written over the previous 15 months. I heard nothing, so I decided to type each one on a paper, put them in a box, and send them to a local publishing house listed in the yellow pages….
After the main meal is consumed and desserts are a mere memory, family gatherings take a funny turn. The kids drag out the junk from an old toy box upstairs and let ‘er rip. Beside the usual toys, there are old Halloween masks and ancient wigs in the treasure trove. The picture above is of one of the twenty-five guests who gathered for Easter this year pretending to be a feeding horse. later, various ones try on the old wigs…
Although Resurrection Day has nothing to do with rabbits, they seem to hop in anyway. I made these for my great-grandchildren to enjoy when we gather after church next Sunday. I’ll include the recipe in case you want to try your hand at it. I use my basic roll dough to make these bunnies. The recipe is included in my cookbook Family Favorites from the Heartland found at Amazon.com . Basic Roll DoughThis recipe can make Parker House Rolls, Butterflake…
If you’re a morel mushroom lover, it’s about time. We need temperatures in the low 70s and night temperatures in the 50s. They are usually found around the bases of elms, ashes, and cottonwoods. The season is only a couple of weeks long so don’t put it off. When hunting morels, use a mesh or breathable bag. That way, the spores can escape to make more for next year. I usually bring them home and soak them a few minutes…
Miracle of miracles, my bees made it through the terrible -20 degree temperatures this winter. They are busy gathering pollen and gearing up for warmer weather. Hopefully, this year I’ll be able to harvest some honey. I think I hear someone saying, “How did they survive such cold? Bees are so fascinating. When cold winter hits, they gather around their queen in a cluster. The warm bees move to the outer edge and the cold ones move inward. I fed…
In last week’s blog I shared a letter from Deffenbaugh Disposal Service we received over 50 years ago. There was a recipe scribbled on the back. People have asked what the recipe was, so here it is. After reading through this recipe, I’m not sure I’d have the energy to make it anymore! Boston Brown Bread Combine:1 C. sifted flour1 t. baking powder1 t. soda1 t. salt Add:1 C. yellow corn meal1 C. whole wheat flour In another bowl combine:¾…
While looking for a recipe in an old cookbook, I found a recipe jotted on the back of an old type written letter. It’s undated but has to be over 55 years old. It’s from Deffenbaugh Disposal Services. The letter states that we can either pay every two or three months. They will furnish us with a coupon book to keep track of our payments. At an additional cost they will supply us with a container for a nominal fee….
I’ve been trying to distribute a lifetime of old photos to my kids. I ran across this one sent to me by my cousin. I was overjoyed to receive it. Mine had been ruined in a cardboard box in a leaking basement. This is my father with the U.S. Army in Germany after WW II ended in May, 1945. He didn’t get to come home until October, 1945 because the ships were so crowded. I once asked my mother about…
This past Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, I drove out of my way home to Kansas City, for 577 miles from St. Simon’s Island, Georgia to Cape Henry, Virginia, in order to read Rev. Robert Hunt’s declaration that he made before stepping on this land for the first time on April 29, 1607. By the time I arrived at 5:30 p.m., the little hut pictured above, was closed. Id’ missed the last tour by an hour and a half. In the…
When winter becomes a drag, I turn to cooking. This apple cake was one of my family favorites. I included it in my book Family Favorites From the Heartland. Gram’s Raw Apple Cake Ingredients: ½ cup butter2 cups sugar2 eggs2 cups flour2 teaspoons sodapinch salt2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon nutmeg5 grated large apples or 7 small ones (Granny Smith work best) Combine all ingredients, adding apples last. Bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan at 350 degrees for 50 min….