I'm Dreaming of a Christmas Quilt

     Searching through bolts of yard goods for a particular color and pattern of homespun proved fruitless at this particular fabric store. However the display of seasonal textiles was astonishing - shelf after shelf of holiday prints from muted primitive shades to classic green, red and whites to flashy, sparkly modern designs - the selection was awesome and absorbing. What really caught my eye, however, was an array of quilts atop the display cases, and in particular, these two which feature split complementary color schemes. I was fascinated by the intricate patterns and quilting but even more so by the red, gray and white palette - oh, how I fancied these and imagined them in a room with comparable colors!

Below are two closer looks at the exquisite craftsmanship.

Matthew aka Yukon Cornelius

     Nephew Matt is a good guy. Really, he is loving, kind, funny, generous, hard-working and cute to boot. He knows how much I love him, therefore he expects a little good-natured ribbing once in awhile. It is nigh on Christmas week and I also love the seasonal television specials, so when Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was telecast last night, I just had to watch it. The animated classic, which first aired in 1964 when I was, ahem, ten years old, is a favorite and I've seen it so many times that I can recite the  lines and sing the soundtrack songs word for word. Anyway, when Yukon Cornelius made his appearance, I immediately thought of Matt. They both sport a similar brick-colored beard and mustache and maintain a comparable masculine bravado. Put a red knit beanie and a green shirt on Matt and the resemblance is uncanny!

A Visit with Santa in 1960

     The Christmas season prompts lots of memories; old photographs can do the same. Combining the two is an extra-special treat and a case in point is this snapshot of myself and two little sisters visiting Santa Claus, probably at a local department store. Taken in 1960, it is notable for baby Peggy's snowsuit, Mary's pink matching coat and hat, and for their very short bangs. I sported longer hair that was probably in braids. I don't remember the visit, but I remember clearly the innocent delight and rapture that precipitated Santa's arrival.

     But back to photographs, imagine my initial astonishment when a friend recently posted the following image on Facebook. It is quite obviously the same Santa, same setting and probably even the same year. Twins, Maureen and Kathleen, were classmates of mine during all eight years of elementary school at St. Dismas Parish. Their mom must have been a fan of short bangs as well! 

Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

     Peanut butter and chocolate are good go-togethers. These rich little brownie bites were served on the birthday of a pb&c fan. He loved the flavor combination and I loved the morsels that topped the peanut butter filling!

Christmasy Clay Pot Tower

     Flower towers are popular for patios and yards during the summer months. I chose to create this holiday tower after the plants in the largest pot died back from cold. That pot was the centerpiece of a garden that I established to  hide the stump of a recently removed tree (see below). The petunias, basil and sweet potato vine were very pretty but zoysia grass crept in over the tree root area pretty quickly, as I had hoped. However, I liked the low wide pot in its place atop the smooth flat stump, so I decided to try a winter theme.

     On my daily walk I gathered pine cones from a neighbor's yard and snipped some berry-laden holly branches from several shrubs that border the parking lot at my office. The evergreen fronds were clipped from a couple of arborvitae that have grown quite large in my own backyard. The only money spent was at the Dollar Tree Store for a package of shiny red ornaments. So on an almost warm Saturday afternoon when I should have been raking leaves, I dug through my collection of pots on a shelf in the garage, picked out two of graduated size and filled them with gravel and potting soil. Assembling was the fun part - first placing the pine cones and solar light, then the holly, the fir branches and finally the ornaments. I love the naturalistic look of my clay pot tower and can't wait for the first snow, which will cover the leaves and brown grass and highlight the holiday colors!

Mom's Chicken-Fried Pork Chops

     I call these Mom's - probably every baby boomer whose mother used the Betty Crocker Cookbook had them the same way. They are one of the only meats that I actually fry (unless you call bologna a meat!), preferring less fatty ways of cooking. Dipped in an egg/milk mixture and then in seasoned cracker crumbs, the chops are browned in hot oil till they are crispy and golden on both sides. Serving them with fresh steamed brocolli redeems the nutritional value of the meal a bit, and a small slice of homemade oatmeal bread completes one of Pop's favorite dinners.

Tale of the Powdered Floor

     The tale of the powdered floor has been stored away for a generation or more; my sisters and I have chuckled about it once or twice but we always suppose it has no significance to anyone else. And, of course, we are wrong.


     On this Sunday, the first in January to follow the holiday season, I am visiting my mother, who still lives in the large house where I spent my childhood. My granddaughter has accompanied me on this occasion to help carry boxes of Christmas decorations up the stairs to the second story and into the attic over the garage. She is seven years old and curious, having no notion of the nuances of an attic; therefore the girl who loves scary movies and delights in hide-n-seek, is anxious to do some exploring. But she doesn’t like the cobwebs or the chilly air, and when we are finished and the small door (which is just her size!) is firmly shut against the dimness, the dusty boxes and old luggage, she wants to investigate the rest of the upper story.
      I tell her the dormered bedroom to the left of the stairs belonged to my older brother, who had his own room as a result of being the only boy for so long. The access door to the attic is in this small room but usually hidden behind a chest of drawers. (Brother was playing with matches one day and accidentally burned a hole in his throw rug. He rolled up the rug and shoved it in the attic, hoping against really bad odds that no one would notice). Directly across the square landing from Brother’s, is another small dormered room where my grandmother slept. She was a widow who lived with us for many years and was a working woman before it was fashionable for a lady to have a career. (On more than one morning, Grandmother would call us to her room in a firm but slightly frantic manner, where she would be sitting on top of the bed with her feet drawn up off the floor. Our gerbils would escape their cage, find refuge in Grandmother’s closet, and a roundup would ensue).


     The last door off the landing opens to a large, light filled room that spans the back of the house and has four windows overlooking the backyard. To the right is a bathroom and a large walk-in closet (built at a time when walk-in closets weren’t the norm yet either). At the other end is also a closet, but one that had been the envy of all our small friends – a child could crawl under the hanging clothes and emerge in a closet that led into Brother’s room as well. It was, at various times, a hideout or a quick getaway. But best of all, with the lower shelf emptied of paraphernalia, and then outfitted with a desk lamp and a long extension cord, it became a secret clubhouse where we sat on the floor and crayoned in coloring books, drew pictures of horses or did homework.

     Granddaughter is politely interested in my narrative but the only story she really likes, of course, is the tale of the powdered floor. Now covered with plush carpeting, the original linoleum tile of the big bedroom was smooth enough but when sprinkled with a little talcum powder became a sort of skating rink, a place for limber skinny bodies to slip and slide on stockinged feet. Great fun until Grandmother, who was neither skinny nor limber, made a midnight visit to the bathroom and slipslided onto her backside.


     As Granddaughter and I tour this house of memories, I become nostalgic. Not for childhood innocence or teenage thrills but for some object or material thing. The big bedroom holds no trace of the little girls that played and worked, slept and scrapped through those years...no hairless teddy bear or baby dolls …no Nancy Drew book or box of carefully sharpened crayons...no saddle shoes or knee socks...no fountain pens or book bags piled on the small desk (now even the desk is gone). My eyes sweep over that bedroom that now assumes the role of a den, and observe the matching brocade love seats that face a small television, replacing the three twin beds of some indeterminate blond wood, and I note the venetian blinds blocking out the sunny view that was once framed by pairs of worn but frilly yellow cotton curtains.

     A silent sigh escapes me but Granddaughter notices. She grins and remarks that things must have been really different “back then”. I agree with her, musing that it wasn’t actually that long ago, and as I see the precocious twinkle in her eye and take her hand, I realize that this day will become a part of her own “back then”.

2008

Pantry Between-the-Studs

     Our ranch house, built in 1959, has a spacious feel due to the soaring vaulted ceilings, large open entry and big windows. It is, however, sorely lacking in closet/storage space on the main level, especially in the kitchen. Being an avid from-scratch cook, I keep stock of several types of vinegars, oils, flours, sugars. Canned goods and small tubs of extra beans, rice and nuts are stockpiled on sturdy shelves in the basement laundry room (this area doubles as storage for a small supply of natural disaster survival staples such as water, paper supplies, pet food, etc.) The kitchen's food storage situation is haphazard at best: a couple of small cabinet shelves, and an island for everyday essentials.At the very least, I can boast a large well-organized spice drawer!

     The last storage area is wall space grabbed from the basement stairway just off the kitchen - an ugly wire shelf mounted with clips. It has served its purpose but not very gracefully. I have long wanted to replace it and finally found an idea that appealed and actually opened up the stairwell by a few inches: between-the-studs shelving.

     So we began knocking out drywall, which was scary at first but after a bit we got braver and finished with a nice sized opening in which to place our shelves. After measuring, we visited the home improvement store and bought some lengths of durable but pretty poplar (Pop laughs at my descriptions of utilitarian wood), brads, and shelf clips. I measured and marked, Pop sawed and then I assembled, drilled shelf holes and painted - this was fun stuff!

     Putting the shelf boxes in place was a joint effort; the far one went in quite easily but the near one did not. My fault - I had measured the width between the studs close to the bottom and did not figure that it might be different at the top. Well it was - narrower by half an inch!@# Oh well, nothing for it but to disassemble that side of the box, cut the frame and the backing, and then nail it all back together again. Lesson learned!

     Pop used a nail gun to attach the boxes to the studs; I think he found this task highly entertaining - he loves wielding that tool! We were pleased as punch with the way things were looking (and that the drafty hole in the wall was mostly covered). The vodka bottle was kept handy because it was, ahem, essential for placing the lower shelves at the correct height.

     Here is a close up of the wires we encountered and how we dealt with that obstacle. It was simple to just construct that box a little narrower and use shims to hold it in place, thereby keeping the wires unobstructed and safely enclosed.

     The next step was cutting and assembling the face frame.  After considering some type of milled molding, we decided a clean flat surface was more appropriate, so the choice was 2 1/2 inch poplar for the outside and 3 1/2 inch for the vertical center piece. This photo shows a different angle - looking up the stairway.
















     The final step was placing the shelves. These were lengths cut from an old cd tower and after seeing how they looked in their natural wood finish, I decided not to paint them white. Actually the look mimics the kitchen island, which is white with a butcher-block top.

     And with the stocking of the shelves, we reach the end of our project and couldn't be more pleased. Now we are anxious to start another! 

                                          

 Mayhap now we need a shot of that American Honey to toast our hard work...

Roast Beef Nachos...and a Beer

     Football Sundays are in full swing at our house and on the last few balmy days of autumn (of which we have had quite a few this year!), Pop enjoys the televised games on the screened-in porch. Sometimes I will join him for awhile and almost always we have lunch there on our laps. Finger food is the easiest option; a favorite is nachos, but yesterday I changed things up a bit and instead of the usual ground beef, I chopped up some leftover chuck roast, which was heated in a few spoonfuls of beef broth. Tortilla chips were spread an a platter with the beef scattered atop and then  sprinkled with lots of cheddar and monterey cheese. After a quick spin in the microwave, the nachos were served with small side bowls of sour cream and salsa. Oh, plus several napkins and a beer!

Tim & Lydia's Pumpkin Patch

     Neighbor Tim and his children planted a couple of pumpkin seeds in the spring. The vines refused to be confined to a garden and crept into the front yard, overtaking a good third of the lawn. Now the growing season has reached an end and the last pumpkins need to be picked, the massive vines removed and the grass restored to suburban orderliness. (Surprisingly, the zoysia underneath survived unscathed and the only facelift needed was  a quick trim with a mower!)

     Lydia may be tiny yet but she is not afraid of work and she is quite proud of her harvest. She is also cute as a button!

 

Beef and Vegetable Shish Kabobs

     At summer's end, the vegetable harvest dwindles and yesterday only a handful of cherry tomatoes and a small green pepper were destined for the dinner table. However they were just perfect for shish kabobs that also included small yukon potato quarters and cubes of beef sirloin that had been bathing in a greek marinade all afternoon. There was room on the grill too, for buttered and foil-wrapped French bread slices. Mmmm, I can still smell the lovely aroma and hear the tempting sizzle!

Nothing Sadder than a Sad Dog

     Whenever we prepare to leave the house, Duncan is quick to comprehend. Some internal radar alerts the little wisenheimer that he will be left alone for a spell and his response is calculated. The pose shown here is the "I can't believe you guys are leaving without me"  look. It does inspire a little remorse on our part, therefore, before the door shuts a little extra attention is showered on the poor, poor boy, even though that's not his aim.

As It Began - St. Michael Street

  

   When my father received a promotion in late 1958, he also accepted a transfer from Grand Rapids, Michigan to the metropolitan area of St. Louis,  Missouri. One of the fastest growing suburbs at the time was an outer-ring city called Florissant and perhaps he was advised to settle his large and still expanding family there. Idealist that he was, he chose the top of a hill with an expansive view (above), a tract of land that had recently been cleared of an orchard and farm fields to make room for new streets and houses. Dad was a visionary and he made a few changes in the architect's plans, that opened up the main floor plan in a way that, decades later would become extremely popular. We moved into the five bedroom, two story house in the autumn of 1959 (below), before concrete was even poured in the street. Dad was a smart man - our home was a perfect fit.

55 years later

Manly Beer Can Burgers

     Pop saw this recipe on a television cooking show and volunteered to make dinner (perhaps I should have protested - he recently informed me that Pinterest recipes might not always be as good as expected.) Anyway I had to help because after forming the ground beef around a beer can, he had a little trouble wrapping each with a bacon strip The burgers were grilled and during the last few minutes of cooking time, they were filled with cheese and chopped green onions

     Pop placed his manly burgers between buns but I had mine served open face. It was tasty fare and an interesting adventure in good eating but we probably won't make these again for awhile.

Harvest Moon 2016

     This celestial body known as earth's moon is intriguing. The prodigy of night that subtly morphs over the months - waxing and waning between new, first quarter, full and last quarter,  can be a photographic challenge.  However I overcame that challenge this September with a beautiful rendering, which surprised me with its beauty.

    

     When Karuna, a friend from India, told me about her culture's association of the moon and the pearl, I was fascinated, because I always felt an emanation of peacefulness and strength from the orb of night but dismissed it as fairy tale stuff . Karuna told me that a pearl draws energy from the moon, therefore it is beneficial to wear a ring that allows that gemstone to touch the skin. 

     A little research into the effect of gems on the subtle energy of the human being proved interesting. The moon has long been considered feministic in  nature and also denotes tenderness and beauty. There is a continuous vibrating power from the moon that can be absorbed by the individual and this aura can protect one from external negativity. The wearer of a pearl may feel confidence, energy, and strengthened will power. ("Shrivinayaka Astrology" by Dev Kaushik)

     I feel an affinity with the moon - I think I need a pearl ring.

Bird Catchers

     A summer Sunday in 1963,  four sisters gather on the back porch steps. Three of them are still in church dresses and shoes, and the oldest is holding on to a taut length of kite string. However it is not a kite at the other end but a stick perhaps eight inches long that holds up an overturned galvanized tub. Strategically placed bread crumbs placed on the lawn lead into the dark area under the tub and the girls are waiting for a hungry bird to enter the "trap". The birds are never harmed and are always immediately released because even though they love the thrill of the catch, especially a large grackle or a noisy blue jay, the tender-hearted girls are animal lovers.

    Just a little post-script to this story: As a toddler, littlest sister Judy did not like socks and was even prone to an occasional tantrum if they didn't "feel right'. She must have outgrown the aversion by the time this photo was snapped because her white anklets are neatly folded and perfectly in place!

Summer Chicken Salad 'n' Jalapeno Dressing

     A standard summer dinner in our house is a tossed green salad topped with slices of grilled boneless chicken breasts. Following at a close second is the same green salad served over crushed tortilla chips and topped with Mexican seasoned ground beef - commonly known as a taco salad. A new favorite this year is sort of a recombination that includes a home-made dressing that adds a tantalizing tweak - slight ranch flavor and as much or as little jalapeno fire as desired. The colors and textures are so pretty that presentation counts too! 

Sliding Closet Door Upcycled with Paint

     The master bedroom needed an update, especially after replacing the old bookcase headboard with a new tufted leather one. Many years ago, the walls had been rag rolled with a forest green glaze; it had a lovely aged patina but now I wanted something a little more modern and neutral. Our comforter had tones of green and gray, so I chose a color called Dolphin Gray, which would coordinate nicely. When the ceiling and walls were finished, I was uncertain what to do with the closet doors - Pop wanted them white and I preferred the same gray as the walls. I compromised, a little, and am pleased  with the look. 

   




 


     White enamel paint was swiped a few inches from the perimeter of each door and then painters tape was placed in a large rectangel.  Dolphin Gray was applied over all and then the tape was removed.











     The final product was quite appealing and lent a little architectural character to the plain flat doors. New knobs with a satin nickel finish complete the look.

Raspberry Love

     It's raspberry season - it's hot outside. Smoothies for lunch are so cool and simple. Frozen vanilla yogurt, milk, an ice cube and lots of berries are pureed in the blender, poured in a glass and topped with whipped cream and a berry garnish. 

Peter & Juliana Voorhies

     We'll start with the end of a story here -  a tombstone in St. Johns Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan that stands as a silent reminder of a family long gone. The beginning was in Belgium, where Peter Voorhies was born in 1870, and in Flanders, where Juliana Desmyter was born in 1875. Peter immigrated to America as an adult in 1892 but Juliana was a toddler when her family arrived in 1877. The couple married in 1893.

     They were living in Scio Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan in 1900 where Peter (left) who had been a buggy maker in the old country, was now a farmer, and the couple had two little daughters, Florence and Marie. In 1910, the family had moved to Jackson City where Peter was employed as a laundryman at a hotel, and Juliana had borne two more children, sons Lawrence and Edward.











       Ten years later, the family was living in Summit Township, East Jackson; Peter was working for the railroad as a track foreman and a last little son, Louis (named for Peter's father) had joined the family. This photo shows the family plus a fellow named Harold Brown, seated far right, who was or would become Florence's husband.





     Here Peter and Julia, as she was called, smile on the wedding day of their oldest son,  Larry, and his bride, Phyllis Phillips (who would have only one child, my mother). Not long after, in 1926 at the age of fifty-six, Peter passed away but Juliana lived until 1952 with her single daughter, Marie. Sadly she lost two sons, Lawrence and Edward, before she died.

     I feel quite unfortunate that these hard facts are the only things I know about Peter and Julia (below). They lived through so much, overcame many obstacles and a large measure of their life must have been difficult. Why did they leave Europe and were they happy in America? What kind of personalities did they have? I can only speculate but I am glad that at the very least, I have these few photographs.

Simply Potato Salad

     Potato salad is a top favorite of my husband and he especially likes it made the way my mother did for decades. Her recipe is quite plain, which makes the preparation relatively simple. Cooked red potatoes (sometimes I use Idaho Russets because that's what we happen to have in the pantry), celery, pimento, hard-boiled eggs, and a dressing of Miracle Whip mixed with a touch of mustard, salt and pepper. Mom didn't care for onions in salads and I follow her rule in this instance, unless there are a couple of green onions available. Occasionally I will add a chopped sweet pickle, and in the early summer a few leaves of homegrown romaine lettuce add a special touch, as well. And there is just enough room on the plate for a tender grilled fillet mignon or barbecued pork steak!

Summertime - In the Pool

     Summertime memories are often evoked by the hot bright sun, the cool shade of a tree, a brilliant blue sky, and the smell of new-mown grass and pool chlorine. Back in the early 1960's, my little sisters and I spent most of our summer days outside. Before air-conditioning, it was more comfortable than in the house but I think we also just loved being in the backyard. In the morning, we set up doll hospitals or veterinary clinics (for injured or ill stuffed animals), or cared for the imaginary horses in the garage "stable".  

   Afternoons were spent in the pool. Although we envied a neighbor who had a "big" pool - really a galvanized stock tank - our vinyl version served its purpose quite well. It was filled with fresh water daily (after moving it to a new spot so the grass would not be smothered), and kept clean of grass and bugs by skimming with a dented sieve from the kitchen. No one was allowed in the pool until they rinsed their feet clean in a tub placed next to the pool!

Bacon Wrapped Burger Franks

     Summertime and grilling is easy...and fun...because creativity takes the ho-hum out of the everyday! These "burger franks" were so yummy and so worth not having dessert.  Cheddar cheese wrapped with ground chuck wrapped with bacon and grilled to sizzly perfection and served on a hot dog bun (which has to be a Ball Park Bun - our current favorite and not the thriftiest buy - they are substantial yet soft). Ketchup and mustard were hardly necessary!

Day Bed from Old Doors

     After replacing the interior doors, original to the house built in 1959, these three were in good enough shape that they were not slated for trash. Like everything else in the house, they were very well-built -  hollow core but strongly reinforced - so I thought maybe to use them for shelving in the garage or in the attic. Instead they assumed new life as a piece of furniture, and an old twin bed frame and box springs were trashed instead.

     Removing the hinges was not difficult, despite layers of paint. The knobs were another story. There were no discernible screws so a little research revealed that the tip of a paper clip inserted into a tiny slot in the base would pop the knob out, releasing the collar to allow access to two screws which disengaged the core for easy extraction. Of course, one  was easily manipulated while the other two proved a bit more challenging. Finally, with all hardware removed, wood putty was applied to the various holes, nicks and divots, and then sanded smooth before painting with white enamel latex. (I almost felt like this pile of hardware should have been recycled or refashioned but after the removal battle, I was actually glad to throw the mess into a garbage can!)

     Lengths of 1 x 8 pine were cut to size, painted also with white enamel latex, and assembled into a framework. The doors (one 30 inch wide combined with a 9 inch edge of another to accommodate a 39 inch wide twin mattress) were attached to the framework. Lastly four tapered bun feet were attached to the bottom.

    

     I love the new day bed, even with the old quilt and pillows, which I intend to replace. Miss Molly, in curious kitty fashion, is not so sure.

(Old bed)