So long, Andy

How sad, I read, earlier today, that singer Andy Williams passed away. He was 84 years old. I've always loved his music. As I mentioned in other posts, my mom played a lot of music, all kinds, so I tend to have very eclectic taste in music. There's something about listening to Andy that just brings memories of good times. His wonderful voice relaxes me too.

Moonriver, Canadian Sunset, Days of Wine and Roses, Autumn Leaves, Born Free, Three Coins in the Fountain - all favorites. I'm listening to his wonderful voice right now.

Well, I hope he's meeting up with all the terrific crooners that have gone before, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin. So long, Andy, we'll miss you.

Tangled in memories,
Mrs. K.

Questions

I found this at featherinthenest.blogspot.com - Jennifer says she doesn't tag so just grab it if you feel like participating. So… if you feel like answering these questions and posting on your blog, leave me a comment so I can read your answers!

1. Would you rather live in Svalbard or Papua New Guinea?

Neither, forget it, not happening. My idea of camping is the Holiday Inn.

2. What is your favorite regional cuisine?

Italian

3. If a genie granted you the requisite education and experience for one career change, what career would you choose?

Archeologist

4. What is your favorite book?

Persuasion by Jane Austen

5. If tomorrow you had to choose the last cross stitch pattern you could ever stitch, which one would you choose?

The Loara Standish Sampler - which, by the way, I have the chart and all materials sitting, waiting patiently, nudging now and then.

6. What is your favorite season?

Autumn

7. What is your favorite finishing technique?

Hand sewing, it is so satisfying.

8. What is your favorite band/musician?

This is difficult, my music interests are so eclectic - opera, classical, folk, bluegrass, new age. However, if I have to choose one, I'll choose a composer, Debussy. His music has always moved me, taken me to other realms.

9. Describe your dream holiday.

A tour of Italy - a long tour, at least a year. Of course, I get homesick so maybe my favorite holiday is my life, being home in my little condo with my darling other half and the Doodlebee.

10. If you could instantly solve one problem that is plaguing the world today, which one would it be?

Intolerance.

11. Name two simple things that bring joy to your life.

My needlework and art pursuits. There are so many things that bring joy to my life. I am very lucky, those things are actually too numerous to list, it would go on and on...

Deliciously yours,
Mrs. K

Memories

I was reading today's post over at the Blind Pig and Acorn blog, all about life in Appalachia, (www.blindpigandtheacorn.com). Tipper's post was a list of remembrances by one of her readers about growing up in Western North Carolina. I have loved Western North Carolina and Appalachia since my very first visit some years ago. It seems something just draws me there and I keep going back, hoping to move there someday.

I grew up in upstate New York, near the Catskills, and lived in a small town, an area much like Western NC. That's probably the reason I love NC so much - nostalgia. I have always felt I was born in the wrong time because I love to do things the old fashioned way, love old crafts. I prefer cooking right from scratch, canning, weaving and embroidery, etc. There is so much of that back home and in NC. I know I won't get Mr. K. back to New York, but I keep hoping for at least halfway back!

The list Tipper posted by one of her readers reminded me of my favorite spring and summer pursuits as a child in the country. Inspired by that list, I thought I'd share some of them here.

- picking wild strawberries in fields and woods - those little tiny ones.
- going barefoot as soon as it was warm enough. We never wore shoes all summer and we would use our toes to pop tar bubbles on the tar and gravel road. Took a long time to get the tar off!
- building forts, with the trees that fell during winter storms, in the the woods.
- wandering the woods, alone or with friends, without any cares or fears.
- lightening bugs!
- watching bees on the flowers.
- barbecue every weekend - hot dogs, hamburgers, steak; especially my dad's Chinese hot dogs and hamburgers!
- sleeping out on the porch or in homemade tents out in the backyard.
- helping to plant our garden.
- stealing tomatos and cucumbers from the gardens to snack on, fresh and still warm from the sun.
- spraying each other with the garden hose to cool off until we got an "above-ground" swimming pool.
- my mom's potato salad with those hot dogs and hamburgers.
- watching the vegetables grow. I was born in the city and we moved to the country when I was eight. I was fascinated by all the flowers, gardens and trees.
- my mom's daffodils in the spring when it seemed too cold for flowers to be blooming.
- weeping willow trees.
- the row of lilac bushes in our backyard and the scent of them.
- neighborhood block parties.
- my first taste of venison.
- sitting on the patio on a Saturday night with everyone, roasting marshmallows, listening to the adults talk.
- falling asleep with the windows open, listening to the sounds of nature, trying to figure out what each sound was.

When we moved from the city to the country, my first experience was getting stung by a yellow jacket. We had some Lombardi trees along the driveway and I was sitting playing with the dirt around the trees when all of a sudden I felt the most awful stinging on my finger. I let out a wail and my parents and relatives, who were helping with the move, came running out. A neighbor came over and diagnosed the problem. A little ice and love from mom made all well. After that, stepping on bees and getting a sting in the foot was no big deal, we'd just rub our feet on the grass and went on our way. I guess the rubbing pulled the stinger out! Funny, everyone got stung now and then, bees, yellow jackets, wasps, but I never knew of anyone who was allergic.

No one would mind when we kids would steal a few vegetables to snack on. Those were the best, still warm and just so good. Sometimes we'd even make a salad. Everyone had gardens, some bigger than others, and people shared the bounty.

Now, my dad loved to barbecue and we loved to eat it so we barbecued a lot. He came up with a very funny, but really good idea to top burgers and hot dogs - Chun King chow mein!!! It sounds weird, but honestly we loved it. He would take one of my mom's copper bottomed pots and heat the chow mein on the edge of the grill. We'd bring our plates over, rolls open and waiting. He'd give us a burger or dog and top it with a spoonful of the chow mein. Boy, they were good. When friends would join us, they'd hesitate, but eventually give in and try it. They never could believe how good it was.

Weeping willows are still my favorite trees. It was such an amazing thing for us, fresh from the city and even later, to put a branch in some water and watch the roots come out. Those branches grew into trees pretty fast too and made wonderful places to to play under. We would also just stick a branch in the ground and it would grow into a tree pretty much in no time at all.

And I still love the sounds of night time, frogs in the lake, the wind in the trees and hedges, all the other rustles and sounds I can't identify, that lovely stillness that comes on slowly as we turn on a few lamps. We settle down, me with my needlework or a good book, and Mr. K. in the den watching TV or sometimes joining me in the living room, sitting in the willow rocker, chatting.

Life is good and so are the memories.

Deliciously yours,
Mrs. K.

Thoughts For A New Year

In general I like to avoid New Year's resolutions. As most of us know, they just set us up for disappointment, even the most enthusiastic and positive-minded of us. Every day is a new day, every hour, every minute, we can start over, start new projects, leave off the old and whatever doesn't work... at anytime. That being said, a new year, there's just something that puts many in a place to begin again. I can understand that because I feel that way myself sometimes. Usually January 2nd was my start over point though, as I feel New Year's day is still part of the holiday and I wasn't ready to "begin again."

Like most, I bounce around the internet reading, researching and wasting time too, ; ) but many times I come across good stuff. This morning is one of those times. I checked FaceBook, as usual, so I know what's going on with friends - generally more than I want to know, and came across a link to someone's blog (createyourgreatlife.wordpress.com) who had referenced another blog I occasionally look at (marcandangelhacklife.com) - and an article called 30 Things To Stop Doing To Yourself. There is really good advice there - nothing that many of us haven't read elsewhere or know intuitively, but put together in a very handy little way that I am saving for my "Libby's Book of Wisdom" - a small notebook that I jot down various quotes, bits of advice and my own thoughts I think are really worth saving and carry in my handbag. However, it was a previous article (28 Dignified Ways To Impress Everyone Around You) and one particular point that really hit home and set me off. It's something I've thought about over the past few years a great deal in this time of texting, cell phones, iPads, social networking, etc. which, supposedly keeps us in touch with everyone all the time.

Really? Do these networks really do that? I don't think so. The point was number 24, Make Yourself Available and Approachable - "If people cannot get a hold of you, or have trouble approaching you, they will forget about you. They go on to suggest keeping an open line of communication to those around you. I certainly understand that folks can't take every phone call all the time, but there are people out there who never talk to anyone in person anymore - or perhaps it is just certain people they don't talk to?

OK, maybe I'm just old, but texting a brief reminder or hello is fine, but to carry on a conversation, it's ridiculous - never mind the auto-correct errors! Even a fast typist spends considerable time at this when, for goodness sake, you could pick up the phone and talk - it would take less time and just be so nice to actually hear the voice of someone I care about! I tend to call someone if they start a text conversation because I think it's just silly to keep typing. Sometimes they don't answer, but text me again - then I ignore them. I can't stitch and text at the same time. I can, however, talk and stitch at the same time.

Another thing, people who don't answer their phones and are rather proud of it. You have a phone with you all the time so you can be in touch, but let all your calls go to voice mail... all the time. What is it about that do you feel is so significant or important? Does it make you feel special? If you don't want to talk to anyone, why have a cell phone with you all the time? I won't even get started about the folks who you leave a message for and they don't call you back. If you don't want to talk to me anymore, please text me (this is what I call an appropriate text) and I'll remove you from my contact list.

These same people are the ones who post to their FaceBook or Twitter accounts, all day and night long, every little thing they are doing or thinking. Now this I just don't need. You have another headache? I'm sorry for you certainly, because I care about you, but do you need to post it every other day? Or the fact that you are at a certain restaurant or doing your exercise class or having tea, coffee, wine, whatever - you have time to post all this but not return a call to friends you claim to love so much? Should you really be posting that you're not home, where you can be found, etc. - not a good idea.

I post the occasional thought about what's happening. I share funny stuff or a photo. I never post what I am doing every hour on the hour, because I don't think it's important for everyone else. Certainly I think it's important to me, but to everyone else, no. However, in the spirit of everyone needs to know what I do, are you curious? OK, here's a rundown, basically, it's the same every day.

7:00 AM - Mrs. K. is drinking a large glass of water, as she does every day, to get her system going.
7:30 - 8:30 AM - Mrs. K. is having breakfast.
11:00 AM - Mrs. K. has straightened up the house and is having a cup of tea.
1:00 PM Lunchtime!
2:00 - 4:30 PM or so: talking on the phone to friends or relatives, reading, writing, stitching, painting, playing with the cat if he is awake, playing music, checking email, thinking, contemplating life. Some days I go to the grocery store, stitching shop, library, post office, etc.
5:00 PM - fixing dinner or thinking about what to fix if I haven't done this already.
6:30 PM - dinner with DH.
8:00 PM until bedtime: stitching, reading, drinking tea, talking to DH, phone call or three to friends and family, painting, gluing crap to other crap to make what I think could be art, playing with the cat, thinking, contemplating life, checking email, looking at my calendar for the next day in case there is something particular I have to do, sitting, staring into space wondering if I should go to bed since I just woke up, having fallen asleep over a book.
11:00 PM on - wash my face, brush my teeth, go to sleep... OR... stay awake until whenever, doing any and/or all of the above.

Are you bored? Do you really want to get a post or tweet (actually I don't tweet) about this repeatedly all day? Do you want to be involved in my life or really know what I am up to? If so, do me a favor, call me. I answer my phone.

Deliciously and sarcastically (at least today) yours,
Mrs. K.

Holidays

Christmas tree with my needlework light close by!

I'm sure everyone is gearing up for their holidays. I'm a little behind in the decoration department because I decided to tear things apart and really have at the cleaning. In any event, in this house we celebrate multiple holiday as my husband is Jewish. I myself love to celebrate anything and everything so we have an open house on Christmas Eve, light bayberry candles on the Winter Solstice and celebrate Chanukah. In general, we celebrate the arrival of winter - despite the fact we are in Florida.

We both were born and raised in New York - once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker, and honestly, I'd probably go back if I knew I wouldn't have to drive in the snow - it terrifies me. Anyone who has lived in Florida for a good length of time dresses appropriately for our winter - anything below 70 degrees and out come the sweaters, boots, coats - seriously!!!! And we all complain about the how cold it is. Meanwhile, relatives and friends who live where it really is cold just have no sympathy or patience. We live where it is really hot most of the year, I guess it thins the blood and we freeze when the mercury heads below seventy, what can I say? I won't even go into how we react to fifties - and yes, it drops down that low sometimes.

I'm always hoping it will be chilly around Christmas and especially Christmas Eve. Our little condo is the standard brand - and almost forty years old, but quite cozy and nice. The one thing that was missing and I desperately wanted was a fireplace. Well, there's just no adding a real fire place to a condo. Being me, I went on a quest to find a way. I didn't want an electric fireplace because they actually give off heat. In my search, a few years ago, I found something called a ventless fireplace at Plow and Hearth - see this link -http://www.plowhearth.com/Petite%2DVisionary%2DJelled%2DFuel%2DFireplace_p8278.html
This is almost exactly what mine looks like. Those "logs" are ceramic and you place these little cans of natural alcohol gel behind them. This stuff actually crackles and pops just like a real fireplace, but... no heat to speak of, all natural, no toxins. It looks like they are using two cans of gel in this photo, and you can use up to three. I have only ever used one.  I remember when we first got it, friends came over and I lit the fire. All of a sudden I noticed no one was talking, we were all staring at the fire, listening to the crackling - we were all delighted. So I use it quite a bit and it makes me feel like I've got the real deal. And yes, we hang our stockings there too! Even in the summer time one can use this since there isn't any heat - yay!!!

My husband never celebrated Christmas growing up, of course. He came from a very conservative Jewish home. There was quite a to-do when we married, I can tell you and not from my side. However, it all worked out and I was extremely close to my in-laws. They would come to our place for Christmas. My hubby tends to get really excited about Christmas despite the fact that we rarely exchange more than one gift. We've been married for over 31 years, there just isn't anything we need. Still, he wakes me early, asking, "Is it Christmas yet?' and drags me out of bed. I usually find that he's been up, the tree is lit and the music is playing. He's very sweet.

When I was a little girl, one of my aunts lived in Germany as her husband was in the army. She sent us advent calendars and since then I have just loved them. I always buy one for myself and this year is no different. I purchased mine from The Victorian Trading Company, http://www.victoriantradingco.com/, along with my holiday cards. I love all things Victorian and this is a great place. Ah... I just realized I haven't opened the little window for today... better do that!

I bet you're wondering about the pork! Yes, hubby eats pork, we do not keep Kosher. There are many things he strongly adheres to: never drives or even leaves the house on the high holidays, etc. but the man loves a pork roast! What can I say?

For Chanukah, I make latkes (potato pancakes), the delight of my husband's life, and we light candles. DH would eat those pancakes every night if I made them. Where he puts them, I don't know, he eats a truckload. You would think I was feeding a family of ten. I prefer Chanukah early in December because it takes the edge off waiting for a gift, LOL, but many is the time that we are lighting the menorah and the Christmas tree is decorated nearby, and the Solstice candles are burning merrily too. It's all good, don't you think?

Perhaps if the rest of the world thought this way there really would be peace on earth. And now... off to open today's window on the advent calendar and brew a cup of tea!

last year's celebration

Deliciously yours,

Mrs. K

Apple Butter!

Every year, for the past 25 or so years, I have made apple butter to give as holiday gifts - oh, and of course, for the DH and myself. Most all of the gifts we give are homemade - fruit butters, shortbread and other cookies, some kind of candy and needlework ornaments or trifles. I really enjoy making these goodies despite the work involved. If I'm honest, it's much better than fighting the mobs in the stores!

But apple butter - oh, it is truly a labor of love! My little condo cottage is filled with the scent of apples and spices, and it lingers for days. Even the canning process is delightful, especially when I remove the jars from processing; after a minute or two I hear that little ping as each jar seals. The apple butter fairies are at work!

Of course, other jams and fruit butters are prettier - the apricot butter I make is like sunshine in a jar, golden yellow and the taste!!!! Apple butter is this brown stuff - from all the spices - but lift the lid of the jar and the scent of those spices dance with the fragrance of the fruit. One can't help but believe it is the ambrosia of the gods.

Peeled, cored and chopped! Into the pot, where cider has boiled away to half its measure, concentrating the flavor; the apples cook until very tender. Ah... the sweet smell of honeycrisp apples! Then more work - all of the cooked apples are put through a food mill - manual labor! I'm not kidding, hand cranking that food mill, I have to keep switching arms!

The apples, saucy consistency are placed back into the pot with sugar and spices. I am lucky enough to have a neighbor who brings me real cinnamon bark right from his trees on one of the islands near South America. Amazing stuff. This year he brought me nutmegs as well which will season my homemade eggnog.

Cooked and cooked more; a bit onto a chilled plate from the freezer to check consistency - all was just as it should be. Then, onto ladling the apple butter into jars. I had to process two batches, but ended with...

nine half pints and two quarter pints - I do love those little jars! One half pint went directly into the fridge unprocessed and we have been enjoying it on toast. It is quite good on shortbread too - real shortbread. My family's shortbread recipe was given to us by a very elderly Scottish lady. My mother was, for some time, a lay minister of the Holy Communion in the parish to which she belonged. She took communion to this elderly lady every Sunday and spent time chatting and drinking tea with her. The woman gave my mother her recipe for shortbread - the real deal - butter, flour and sugar, that's all. We've been making it for years. I am famous for that shortbread and the apple butter too, LOL!

To be honest, the shortbread is, if you will pardon the pun, a piece of cake to make! Very easy and the aroma while it bakes... ooh, delish! Oh, one other thing I use that apple butter for: pork tenderloin! I coat the pork with the apple butter and roast - yummy!

Fruit butters are really the easiest of jams to make. You measure your fruit after putting it through the mill and use a half cup of sugar for each cup of milled fruit. I always leave out the last half cup of sugar, only adding it if needed. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit or lack there of, sometimes you may need more. Taste and add as you like. As for the spices... it's all up to you - how much you prefer. Very easy!

In any event, the apple butter is prepared, mellowing in the pantry, one holiday chore complete.

Inside me live a skinny woman crying to get out,

but I can usually shut her up with shortbread and apple butter.

author unknown, but that little end bit was adapted by yours truly!

Deliciously yours,

Mrs. K.

P.S. Excuse the abundance of exclamation points in my writing. I can't help myself, something or other always inspires such enthusiasm, they are the only way to express all that emotion! (There I go again!)

New Blog!

So... who am I and what am I going to be up to here? Well, I'm very much in love with my home, it's my sanctuary - there's no better place I like to be. However, I have lots of interests, get about town and enjoy all sorts of things. I wanted to make a place to share that joy, so this is it.

I'm sort of a gypsy-spirited gal - mature - turned 55 a few months ago, but feel like I'm 11 at heart sometimes. I rather like my age; while I know there's still a lot to learn, I know I've "gotten" many important things - I KNOW what counts now. That makes me happy and I think I am able to just enjoy life more.

I love to stitch, craft, weave, cook, bake, write, oh... all things Victorian, secret vice - regency romances and the list goes on. Each day is an adventure. Like today! Up early and off to the post office to mail a couple of packages, I returned home with the intention of tending to some cleaning and holiday decorating. Well... my buddy called and we were off to the needlework shop. The cleaning can wait!

In the meantime, with the holidays coming on fast and so many of us baking cookies, here is a link to the Farmer's Almanac and their tips for cookie making.

http://www.almanac.com/content/ten-things-cookie-bakers-really-ought-know?utm_source=Almanac+Recipe+Box&utm_campaign=4f931378d4-OFA_Recipe_Box_11-30-2011&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=4f931378d4&mc_eid=1544a334d6

Wow - long link! Enjoy!

Mrs. K