Spring Gardening, Missouri Style

It's been a wonderful spring in my opinion, for gardening. Who knew you could get such beautiful crops this time of year.?! I took the extra steps to cover my cole crops, such as my cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, and the cabbages are doing beautifully.

The potatoes shot up like weeds, so I may get two crops if I do this right. Although you can't see them, on the hill behind the potato plants are raspberry starts. My goal is to have a single row, up against the fence, so I don't have the major weeding I dealt with in Oregon.

My garlic is getting the scapes, so harvest time is coming soon. I look forward to sauteed garlic scapes for dinner. Garlic scapes are the seed pod bearers that come up from the center of the plant. once they reach a certain length they start to curl. After you get the second curl you can harvest them, and should so you garlic plants put all their energy into forming the clove bulbs. You can saute them and add them to all sorts of stir fries, or eat them by themselves, or you can pickle them. They're delicious!

We're getting some peas this year, yay! So far the beets and carrots are doing okay, but they do look like the need a bit of nourishment. All in all though, the garden is looking pretty good! How's your garden growing? What are you planting this year?

Life by the Big Muddy

 A dear friend asked me to blog our new adventures in Missouri, but I’ve not taken the time to sit down and write anything. I wanted fabulous pictures to go with the posts, but unlike where we used to live in Oregon, the roads here are roller coaster strips of pavement winding through corn and soybean fields. Shoulders to pull off on are non-existent on most back roads. I didn’t want to scare folks by pulling off onto their driveways to jump out and take photos, but I’m hoping to get some good shots soon. Our neighborhood is surrounded by verdant fields, so add that to beautiful early morning sunrises, I have captured a couple of share worthy shots so far.

Missouri is unlike any other state I’ve lived in. Most notable to me so far has been all the back roads spider webbing through the landscape; some flat, some quite winding with deep dips shaded under a canopy of tree branches reaching across both sides of the road.

Intriguing to me has been the lack of sprinklers anywhere here. The corn, and soybean fields stretch for miles, with nary a watering system in sight. Yards here are watered by Mother Nature, and that’s it! Our yard has some spots that could use watering, but that’s only because of the soil in those areas. No one waters their vegetable gardens either, yet they have huge beautiful squash, pepper and tomato plants. I was so intrigued by the lack of sprinklers so I asked my neighbor and she said the soil here is mostly a silt loam, which has great drainage, but is also relatively moist, so gardens don’t need to be watered unless we have a long dry stretch of weather. Haven't seen that happen yet. Combine that with the rainfall here, and there’s no need to water in most cases. We do have pockets of very thick clay in our yard, so I will have to loosen that up with sand and a lot of peat moss, because it doesn't hold water, as it's too dense. 

Speaking of rainfall, when it rains here, which happens more than predicted, it comes in waves of water from the clouds. You think I’m kidding, right? Ha! We had 18 inches come down in a 24 hour period, and thus ended up with a bit of water in our basement because the ground was saturated and there was no where else for it to go. Luckily for us it was minor flooding, but the folks across the street had inches of water in their basement for days as it kept trickling down the hill from above. As for driving in a cloudburst here, there are some who think they are impervious, but most of us just pull off to the side of the road, if there is one, or become one of those annoyingly slow drivers going 25 mph to keep from going off the road or veering into oncoming traffic. It's like trying to drive through a car wash, without the suds of course.

My next post I’ll share a bit about the birds, and the bugs and the heat, oh my! Have a blessed day, Sheryl

Of Family Heirlooms, the Pretty Things

 A lot of lovely things sit in boxes for decades, never being used or shared. How often do they get discovered by adult children sorting through what their parents have left behind? We as humans do a lot of collecting and never using things, leaving them to sit in storage with a "maybe someday", or "they're for company", attached to them, that never happens. That someday never comes, and that special occasion meal ends up being served on paper plates and plastic cups, for convenience sake. That antique occasional table sits in the garage waiting for the right place to be placed, and the family photos pile up in cardboard boxes, while modern wall hangings with clever sayings are hung, where that great photo of grandpa Frank and Grandma Mildred should be.

My husband thinks he remembers these beautiful plates hanging on his grandmother's wall. He says she loved pretty and elegant things, even though she never had a big home, or a well off lifestyle, she managed to collect a few that got passed on after she was gone. She was an extraordinary cook I hear, and could stand up to anyone on the major cooking shows. She always wore a dress, and loved to wear brooches. She had a quick sense of humor, and introduced classic movies to my husband and his sister. Whenever my husband sees some of her things he loves to share what he remembers about her, as they spark a walk down memory lane. These plates are hand painted if I'm not mistaken, but regardless, they are designed to be hung on a wall to beautiful a room or area.They are a constant reminder of that loved one who is no longer here, and the good times to be remembered.  It's a shame they didn't get put out, to be a part of new memories being made.

Pretty things accompany memories, of dinners around the table at Christmas, or that quiet conversation over some warm drink during the cold winter months, where  you learned about your grandma's first sweetheart. Maybe grandpa shared his memories of the war, as you sat in front of the fire, and you cried inside to think that he had to go through such horrible things. Always present, never interfering, but silently there, something to gaze upon as life, and sharing, and caring go on. 

Hopefully this home will be a place of peace, and a sanctuary of love and family heirlooms. A place where memories are hopefully cherished, and maybe someday, these pretty things will hang in another of our children or grandchildren's homes, a reminder of stories of yesterday.  A reminder of the special events, or times of struggle, but in all are attached to memories to be shared. 

Put out those pretty things, and use them if possible, and hang those family photos. Use them to tell your children and grandchildren the stories they don't know. Have them out when you create your own memories, so some day they will be a reminder of the great times you've shared together. I know we will.

Sometimes You Win, and Sometimes You Have To Try Again

I recently bought this really nifty vintage metal cabinet that had been painted white, but had no top. I found some wide wood boards at Home Depot, and made a top for the cabinet, then painted the cabinet, top and handles so they somewhat match the microwave.  I've been looking for something to use to set my KitchenAid on, as it's too tall to fit on the counter. I love the color and how it turned out.

I got it because I've been looking for something to use to set my KitchenAid on, as it's too tall to fit on the counter. I was hoping to set up a baking area on the right end of the counter, over where all my baking supplies are. Well the best laid plans went awry when I didn't measure the depth of the counter, taking into account that the heat register and the base board take up some space. It's okay at the other end of the counter, but totally defeats the purpose I got it for. I also have other things in mind for that area. So the search goes on, and this can go downstairs in the someday to be art studio, as it will match my desk perfectly. 

As you can see by the mess on the counter I'm still unpacking and trying to decide where everything will go. For now I need to go hunt down my shoes. I know they're in one of those boxes somewhere.....

He Is Risen Indeed!

At 6:30 this morning we had the opportunity to attend an interdenominational Sunrise service for Easter. What a gorgeous morning for gathering to welcome the Easter sabbath! It was a cool 54 degrees at Edwin A. Pape lake, but the setting, with birds raising a joyful noise in the background was perfect. 

It was a short but sweet service, where I learned that other churches don't believe in what the resurrection is, the way we do. I won't go into that now, as we learned that these kind folks, who had to split from a larger group in order to include our church in this service, are faithful and sincere in their belief in Jesus Christ. Regardless of doctrinal differences, which are few by the way, they accepted us as fellow Christians, when others wouldn't. They truly represent what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about, loving everyone, and including them in our lives, and our worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We also had the opportunity to show support for their benevolence fund, and thus support their good efforts to help those in need. 

Afterwards we talked with and got to know some of our new branch members. Our branch president pointed out that when Joseph Smith went out into the grove that early spring morning so long ago, where he experienced the first vision, he probably saw trees the way we were seeing them this morning, with the tiny green buds on the tree branches. We saw the remnants of winter die off, among patches of newly growing grasses, and some trees still standing bare, unlike the beautiful green trees and undergrowth depicted in so many paintings of that sacred event. An interesting perspective, as we often paint things with limited vision, not knowing all the details. 

Through that event, regardless of the surroundings Joseph Smith experienced, because of his sincere desire to know the truth regarding religion and the gospel in general, we have been blessed with the opportunity to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and to know that He died for us that we might live again. The resurrection is for us all, and we can in all sincerity say, He is risen indeed! 

 

Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Official Video)

Yukin Gold & Turnip Gratin with Fresh Thyme

Sometimes you don't get the best photo, but hey, that's okay. It was too late to do a full on photo shoot, so I had to settle for the mad dash photo because we were hungry and the aroma from this was heavenly! Give it a try and I think you'll understand.

Yukon Gold & Turnip Gratin with Fresh Thyme

3-4 Medium Size Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

3 medium size turnips, scrubbed

1 clove of garlic
butter for greasing
fresh cracked black pepper
sea salt
leaves from 6 sprigs of fresh thyme

about 4-5 oz. Gruyere or Pepperjack, finely shredded

1/4 c. each sour cream and plain nonfat yogurt blended

2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter sides of a shallow round or oval baking dish.
Crush clove of garlic and add to broth.
Thoroughly wash the potatoes and turnips. You can peel them if you want, but I like the skin on. Slice the potatoes and turnips (start with 3 each) into 1/8-inch rounds using a mandolin. Beginning with the potatoes, place the rounds in overlapping concentric circles until the bottom is covered. Sprinkle with some salt, a good grind of pepper, dollop with 1/3 of the sour cream and yogurt mixture, leaves of two thyme sprigs, and a third of the cheese. Repeat these steps using turnips. For the third (and last) layer, alternate the potato slice with turnip slices. Then evenly pour the broth over the top. Add the pepper, salt, thyme, and top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle a few dashes of Parmesan cheese over all.

Cover with foil or lid and bake for about 15 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake until the potatoes and turnips are fork tender and the top is golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for above 5 minutes before serving.

Cast Iron Skillet Breakfast Eggs, Potatoes & Sausage

This is an amazingly delicious change of pace egg, sausage and potato breakfast. The mildly spicy sauce reminds me of a Spanish omelet. Smoked paprika and a touch of cumin makes all the difference in the savory flavor of this dish. This is perfect for 4 average appetites, or two hungry folk. It's easier than you think, and well worth the effort. 

To Start preheat the oven to 350 degrees 

 You'll need:

4 cups cubed microwave baked potatoes (3-4 medium)

1 15oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 T. ea. chopped fresh oregano or basil, parsley

3/4 t. salt, divided

1/2 t. each smoked paprika, and black pepper

1/4 t. cumin powder

1/8 t. crushed red pepper

2 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 cup chopped smoked sausage

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

4 large eggs

1/3 cup grated smoked Gouda

1. In a medium saucepan combine tomatoes, oregano, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 t. paprika, 1/4 t. black pepper, cumin powder, and red pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and set aside. 

2. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add sausage, and onion. Lower heat to medium; cook until sausage begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, remaining 1/2 t. salt, and remaining 1/4 t pepper; cook until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over potatoes. Make 4 indentations in mixture and crack 1 egg in each.  

3. Bake until eggs are just set, about 15 minutes, or until desired doneness. Sprinkle with Gouda. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh oregano, or minced parsley. Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Covered Cherries

It's almost that time of year again, when the store shelves are covered with boxes of all sorts of sweet delights. As a young child chocolate covered cherries always caught my eye, and was one of my favorite treats, even for my birthday.

I stumbled across a small pamphlet of chocolate treats from Nestle that I picked up waaaay back in 1982 and still have. The rest of the recipes I may get to some day, but I've never tried them, because my family loves these so much. It's time to share this recipe with you.

Chocolate Covered Cherries
60 maraschino cherries with stems (are about 30 cherries in a 10-ounce jar)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 cup each milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T. vegetable shortening

Drain cherries thoroughly on sheets of paper toweling (several hours or preferably overnight). In a small bowl, combine softened butter and corn syrup. Stir in sifted confectioners' sugar, salt, vanilla. Sometimes I add just a touch of the marachino cherry juice as well. Knead mixture until smooth. If mixture is too soft to handle, put it in the refrigerator to chill well. On a surface dusted with confectioners sugar roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick with a small round cutter, about 1" in diameter, cut the dough into circles. Shape around each cherry. Place the coated cherries upright on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. Chill until firm. Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler over low heat. Holding cherries by the stem, dip one at a time into the chocolate. Spoon chocolate over the cherries to coat. Be sure to completely seal the cherries, otherwise the cherry juice may leak out after the chocolate has set. Let excess chocolate drip off cherries. Place the dipped cherries stem side up on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Chill until chocolate is firm. I sometimes double dip. Don't skip the shortening, it makes the chocolate smooth and keeps it from "blooming" when hardened. Enjoy!

Gala Apple, Celery & Pecan Salad with Figs

I discovered a version of this salad last winter when I was looking for a nice crispy salad for a linger longer at church. It's a perfect blend of sweet, tart, and savory, which is a big hit around here, well except for with Nature Guy, but that just leaves more for the rest of us!

Enough chatter, let's get to the fixings!

Gala Apple, Celery and Pecan Salad with Figs

SALAD

6 c. thinly sliced Gala apples, (cored)

2 cups thinly cut on the bias celery

1/2 c. chopped dried figs

1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

DRESSING

2 T. lemon or orange juice (I tried orange juice today, and I think I like it better!)

2 T. Dijon or yellow mustard, either is great

1 T. each honey and real maple syrup, or just use all honey or all syrup

I/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all dressing ingredients in a medium size bowl. Core, slice and add to dressing the apples, mixing to coat. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat. Whalaa! Fresh and crisp, deliciousness in the middle of winter, or anytime. Enjoy!

Orange Cranberry Caramel Rolls Quick & Easy!

 

What to do when the man of the house is craving cinnamon rolls and you don't want the thick gooey frosting? Compromise and create a yummy caramel roll infused with orange, and slathered with cranberry sauce in the center. 

 

 We bought a bag of oranges that are hit and miss. Some are flavorful and juicy, others are rather dry. Thus the reason I usually don't by bagged anything in the way of fruit. All is not a loss though, because I juiced a couple of the oranges and grated the peel on one to make the most amazingly flavorful rolls, if I do say so myself, and I just did!

These rolls are soft, with a nice caramel topping, buttery and sweet, with a touch of sunshine and Autumn all rolled into one. Yes, I know it's officially winter, but I had leftover cranberry sauce that was crying to be used, and I associate cranberries with Autumn mostly. The plus side is that these are relatively quick and easy. Enough of this chatter though, lets get cooking!


ORANGE CRANBERRY CARAMEL ROLLS

TOPPING

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted in a 9" x 12" baking pan
2 T honey
1 T. grated orange rind

ROLLS

3-3 1/2 c.  flour
1/4 c. oats
2 T. flaxseed meal
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. yeast
1 t. salt
1/2 c. each orange juice, and water
1 T. each butter and oil
1 egg
1 T. grated orange rind

FILLING

2 T.  cinnamon sugar + 1/4 cup brown sugar
 brush rolled out dough with some of the melted butter in the baking pan
1/4 - 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1 T. grated orange rind

Grease 13 x 9 inch pan. melt one cube of butter in the pan by placing in the oven heated to 250. Check after five minutes. Combine all dry ingredients listed under ROLLS, except for 1 1/2 c. flour in your mixer bowl. Heat to very warm the orange juice and water. Add the liquid, orange rind and egg to the dry ingredients and mix on low using the dough hook,  until combined, turn up to medium and continue to mix about 3 minutes, then gradually add 1- 2 cups of additional flour until a nice soft dough forms and pulls away from the side of the bowl.

On a  clean, floured, dishcloth roll out the dough to a 15x7 inch rectangle  Brush the dough with some of the melted butter in the baking pan. Using a wide spatula spread a very thin layer of the cranberry sauce on the buttered dough. Sprinkle the combined sugar over the cranberry sauce, the orange rind, and then roll the dough up starting on a long side.

Add the orange rind, 1/2 cup brown sugar and two tablespoons of honey to the baking pan and mix with the melted butter. Cut the dough into twelve slices. Place them in the baking pan and cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a dishtowel. Let rise until doubled in size, in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes.

Taking off the plastic wrap or towel, place the rolls in the oven on an upper rack, and turn the oven on to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Remove from the oven and let sit for 1 minute, then turn out onto tinfoil. Whaalaa! Pure heaven for breakfast! Enjoy!

Bearers of Heavenly Light - Women of Strength Who March Quietly In the Path of Service and Love

On a day when women are taking to the streets to protest perceived injustices, I want to take a moment to pay honor to those quiet bearers of heavenly light, who go about their days in humble service. These angels of mercy are a strength and example to me, and those who know and love them.

I won't mention names, because there are so many good women I know that I fear I may forget someone and cause hurt feelings. There is a dear lady who wanted to have something to do to help others in our congregation, so we called her to be one of our compassionate service leaders. She will be organizing women to help take a meal in, or care for children, or whatever the need was in any emergency or care need situation. She was so excited when she found out what we wanted her to do, she hugged me, and got tears in her eyes.

I recently put a text out to give this same lady a ride to a doctor's appointment 7 hours away, on the other side of the state. Within 3 hours, I had a response from someone who needed to go to Portland anyway, so they left the day before the appointment, and this dear lady got a hotel room for them both along with driving and paying for gas, and I think some of the food.

Today, after having surgery three days ago, the first lady is being driven home by another angel of mercy, who came down from Washington, where she cares for her ailing mother, to bring the patient home. When this recovering woman gets home, her visiting teacher will be there to provide the proper diet she will need to recover and heal, and help organize any other need such as cleaning, tending to the dog and such.

I know of another woman who has an elderly woman staying in their home, to care for her. They aren't related, but the need was there, and she and her husband (when he's home), take turns seeing to her needs. This takes a lot of sacrifice of time to do things she would probably rather be doing at times, to care for someone who needs long term care.

Recently we had a huge cultural event in Idaho for a temple dedication. Our youth were asked to learn a dance, and we were given the task of sewing their costumes. Several women participated in the sewing project, but we had 19 flapper style dresses to make, so this was a huge undertaking. One woman spent several all nighters sewing seven of the dresses all by herself, and they turned out gorgeous. Considering the slippery fabric that tended to snag and fray , the pattern issues and multiple sizes, plus lack of time to get these done, these women did an amazing job, and our girls looked awesome!

I wish I had a picture of them in costume, but these are some of the finished dresses.

I also know of women who have volunteered for years on our local Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts committee. Their dedication to the arts here in our little neck of the woods has been amazing, some serving on the committee for 10 years or more. They are a positive force for good in bringing the arts and culture here, as well as helping support local businesses and galleries.

One of my friends is a genealogist, and helps people on a weekly basis to organize and build their family trees online.

There are countless women I can think of who will take time out of their days to lift another through a visit, or phone call, or ride to wherever they need to go. Many of these women donate money as well to help the poor and needy in our valley and elsewhere. Their good deeds are many, and make our world a better place to be. They lighten and brighten the days of so many, and are bearers of heavenly light.

These are just some of the most recent stories I can share that come to mind. I hope you will share your stories here in the comments so we can perhaps lift each other, and realize just how much good is being done in our world today.

Holiday Beef Brisket

HOLIDAY BEEF BRISKET

There's something to be said for quick and easy during the holiday season. All the baking, running around shopping, attending parties, more baking, wrapping gifts, visiting friends, and family, MORE baking, decorating, whew! Who has time to get too elaborate during Christmas?! 

We recently had a unique for me at least Christmas party called a night in Bethlehem, at our church. The premise was that people would come "to be taxed and counted" to "Bethlehem". After traveling so far, of course they would want to eat and rest, so we had market stalls where food could be "purchased". 

As I looked into middle eastern, and specifically Jewish recipes, I had a very hard time finding any truly traditional recipes for the time period of when the Savior, Jesus Christ, was born. I did find modern recipes that came from some of the many cultures that have come and gone in the middle east, as well as dishes picked up and embraced by the scattered tribes of Israel. 

I found several recipes for beef brisket so I plucked a recipe off the internet, and made it my own with a change in an ingredient or two. It was a super hit, as the beef was served shredded in pitas, rolls or bagels, whatever they chose, and the sandwich could be layered with cucumber, salad greens and such. We also had classic Jewish deli chicken salad for those who aren't as big into beef, and to provide variety. There were plenty of sides and delicious treats, so we had a great feast, a delightful and spiritually uplifting program, and everyone left with full tummies and touched hearts. Since then he requests have come in for the beef recipe so here it is!

HOLIDAY BEEF BRISKET

A melt in your mouth beef that’s perfect for slicing and serving with traditional potatoes and veggies, or shredding and layering with onion and creamy horseradish on a sourdough roll, depending on how you want to serve it.

1 5-8 lb beef brisket, back fat trimmed

1 1/2 c. ketchup

1 1/2 c. fruit preserves or jam such as peach, apricot, apple, fruit based mincemeat, or a combo of those

1 package Lipton’s Onion soup mix

1 c. water

Place the brisket in a baking dish or pan large enough to hold it. in a bowl combine the liquid ingredients with the soup mix and pour over the meat. Turn the brisket to coat both sides. cover tightly with foil and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

Place directly in an oven set at 275 degrees and let cook for 6-8 hours, flipping once about half way through. You can also cook this in a slow cooker, but a lot of people like the crispy edges you get on the meat when it’s roasted in the oven.

The meat should pull apart easily when using two forks to test for doneness.

Once sliced or shredded put back in the pan it was roasted in to soak up more of the delicious juices, and keep warm until serving.

Enjoy!

Sisters Forever!

 I can'e even begin to tell you how happy it has made me to be able to meet at least two of my new found siblings! Estelle, her daughter Jessica and partner, and two of Estelle's grandchildren flew over from Guam to go to Disneyland, shop and see family and friends. I thought I was good at shopping but these ladies are professionals! They have to be, because their choices are somewhat limited on Guam, and shipping is double what we pay so ordering online is rather pointless.

Jessica was the "ringleader" on their shopping forays, and she runs a tight ship let me tell you! She's sweet as can be, as they all are, and super smart.

 

 We went to Joe's Crab Shack in Vancouver for dinner the first night we met, and had a blast.  Madison and Michael are the best children! Well okay, Michael is a young teen., but they both are so sweet, polite and aren't afraid of adults. You can tell they are loved and well cared for.

Jocelyn is Jessica's partner, and very sweet as well. 

I wish we would have had more time with all of them, as the chances of seeing them again any time soon is low. I get so ill when I fly, it sends me into panic attacks. We will have to figure this all out as I have two more siblings on Guam I want to meet. I believe I found my younger brothers and sisters for  a reason, and I don't want to drop the ball on getting to know them all better. 

So almost a month ago now Nature Guy and I took off to Colorado to meet my sister Josie and her family. She and her husband spoiled us so much I didn't want to leave!

They both work so hard, but also like to play, so they took us to Estes Park for browsing through the shops since it was drizzling out. Josie and I have similar taste in some things, so that was fun to find out. We look forward to seeing them next summer. 

Again, the dilemma of living so far away from everyone, and I don't fly. Ugh! I pray this can be resolved somehow, as I also don't get to see my oldest daughter much, and she could use my visits for moral support and help. I'm forever grateful to know that whatever happens in this life, families can be together forever. I may come back and edit this later. I'm having a hard time expressing my thoughts, but let's just say I'm happy to have met all the family I have so far, and hope to meet the rest soon.

They Shall Rise Up and Call Her Blessed

 I sit here typing with berry stained hands, loving that I can even do that. We have had a bumper crop of raspberries and found an amazing blackberry patch, so I'm in seventh heaven. We get to snack on berries all day long, and I'm gathering gallon bags full in the freezer.

I pulled out one of my favorite antique Ball Blue Book canning books from 1932, and noticed this saying on the inside first page.

 "They shall call her blessed - this woman, who - loving and thoughtful of future joy and health - secures the goodness of Nature at her best, and cans against the barren sameness of the Winter months. Well does she look to the ways of her household. "

 

I love that paragraph as it speaks to my inner heart and soul. For me, gardening, canning, and preserving are a way to show my love and support our family in being healthy, staying out of debt, and enjoying the good things God blesses us with.

Tomorrow we go out for more blackberries because I've challenged my husband to try and eat what we have on hand, so we need plenty to go to.  He's very good about that sort of thing, so we are going to see how far we get into the winter without having to buy anything but dairy, meat and perhaps snack things like crackers. It will be fun to see how creative we can get. I will keep in touch.

This Is the Reason I Fight.... A Mother's Day Share...

There are times in ones life that we reflect on the challenges our adult children are going through and wonder how we may have impacted their lives. I still cringe when I think of some of the choices I made after my children's father left. It was a no win situation, but I can't say I handled it very well at all times either.

My heart aches when I see their struggles with exes and life in general. It's not what I wanted for them, although I know that no one has a perfect life without struggles. Even the most faithful of good and decent people have their burdens and trials.

I will say this though, I did try and do some things right, such as trying to keep the home they had lived in a good portion of their life up to the time of our split. I worked odd jobs cleaning homes for people, I worked 16 hour days part of the week, working 6 days a week to keep up with attorney fees, and ended up selling our home, the piano, and anything else of value to try and pay that off. I tried to stay active in church, and struggled with that, primarily because the kids were all mad at me, and weren't with me on most Sundays. It was so hard to go and see all the intact families and not feel so deeply alone, and hopeless. I said no to the men who thought I should hop in bed with them, and no when my children thought I shouldn't have such high standards in dating and finding someone who might respect and care for me in the right way. It was important that they see that there could be a better way.

I spent many lonely hours trying to sort out everything that was going on, feeling abandoned by everyone pretty much, even though that wasn't necessarily true. It sure felt like it sometimes. Not having my own mom around, or parents that really wanted to be there didn't help. It's hard to express all that I want because there is so much that would cause hurt by sharing, so I will leave it be.

I still fight for my children, all grown up, and trying to make their way, through prayer, trying to visit when I can afford to, messages, money, and so on. Is it enough? Maybe not, I'm not sure any more. I constantly feel like I'm chasing my tail financially, always trying to find a way to have the money to go see them, and never quite being able to be there as much as I would like.

To top that off, there's that invisible wall that sometimes is hard to break through when there's been a divorce in the family. Even when my children live close by, I don't see them as much as I should or would like to. Misunderstandings, taboo topics, stressful lives all seem to create a barrier that I don't know how to deal with. I marvel at mothers who can tell their adult children whatever is on their mind and not cause a major rift. Maybe that's just the dynamic of their relationships, whereas I've tried both being frank, and being cautious and I still don't fare well.

I will continue to be a warrior mother in my own way though. I love my children and grandchildren with all my heart. The world they were born into is harsh sometimes, and confusing most times. My stance is to choose the right, and come what may. I will fight for truth, for peace, for faith, for God, as that is how I can best serve my family. I know I still make mistakes, but Heavenly Father is merciful, and lets me know when I need to change something I'm doing, or just stop something.

I Know Where I Stand As a Woman In My Faith and With God

 I was at Missy's Uptown Art in our little slice of heaven, to sit and paint demo while the annual Oregon Mountain Cruise Car show was happening right on our main street here in Joseph. A young mom came into the gallery with her adorable six year old daughter. The first thing I heard this mom say to her daughter was, "look for a painting that depicts either abstract, impressionism or realism." "Impressive!" I thought to myself, so when they wandered my way, I struck up a conversation with her. I told this mom I heard what she instructed her daughter and asked her if she home schooled. She beamed a yes, and proceeded to tell me about the classical music and art units she had been working on with her daughter. It did my heart good to see and meet a mom who took her role as mother seriously, in the way she knew best to do it. I know several young moms who home school, and the results are amazing. These moms all happen to be members of my faith, but I don't know if this mom was religious or not. She sure was dedicated to her little family though, and seemed very content in her role as mom and wife as I watched her interact with her husband and toddler son.

The next day I saw a Facebook post that linked to an article by former President Jimmy Carter. In the article he tells why he left his faith of sixty years because the leaders had done this, "quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service."

He goes on to talk about the way women are treated in various religions and countries, and yes, he's right,  there's a lot that needs to be changed in the way women are treated around the world. I would like to share my thoughts on all of this, as the difference in what I live in my faith, and what others experience, and how they look at leadership roles within religion is striking.

Sunday night as I lay in bed, I was thinking about what I had read, in contrast to what I've been through and done at church and elsewhere. Here's some of the things that came to mind.

1. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we start very young in speaking at the pulpit in church. My first talk in Primary was when I was about six or seven and it was two and a half minutes long. Do you know how long that seems when you are a little child? Eons, no centuries!!!! Primary is our children's organization for those who don't know.  I trembled,  I balked, but no I wasn't forced to give the talk. I was asked that I at least give it a try. I so wanted to do the right thing so I spoke, but I shook the whole way through. To this day I sometimes still tremble when public speaking, but that hasn't stopped me from trying. Some would say it's probably because I'm opinionated and like to share my opinions too much. My family didn't take the opportunity, but each week except for Fast Sunday, we have different families or leaders giving talks from the pulpit in sacrament meeting. Think about that! We don't hear from our bishop every week, everyone has a turn. On Fast Sunday we have the opportunity to share our testimonies with the congregation and that applies to everyone. So our children get leadership training from an early age, both male and female. We are often assigned topics, but are never told what to say, as that is left to us to seek divine guidance on what the Lord would have the congregation hear from us.

2. I can be and have been a valued leader in the congregations I have lived in. As a woman I can be a Relief Society president, Primary President, Young Women president, ward missionary, Family History consultant, or Center director, and more. I can teach Gospel Doctrine to the adult Sunday school class as well. Do I or will I hold the priesthood? No, but I believe in order, and organization. Does this mean I'm any less valued? Heavens no! I have served as a president in all the organizations listed, and have been sought out many a time by my priesthood leaders on my opinion or thoughts on dealing with certain issues or people, as well as how I would implement or organize an event or activity. There have been times when I didn't agree with what local leaders did, but I stood my ground based on church policy and was respected for that stand. In most cases the priesthood men know that if something is to be done, and done right, they ask the women to handle it. Are there priesthood holders who are top down, or micro managers? You bet! They are human, and flawed like us all, but they aren't picked to be in those positions because they are necessarily great leaders. We are all given opportunities to grow through the callings we serve in within our church, and the Lord knows what we need to grow and progress.

3. In our youth organizations the young men and young women have responsibilities as class leaders. They have a president and two counselors in most cases, and counsel with the bishop monthly on activities, as well as goals for the youth. The boys and girls are split up during this time, but they have plenty of opportunities to interact and work together.

4. We as women play a critical role in the plan of salvation. Without us, the spirits waiting to come to earth and gain their mortal bodies would never get that chance. Without Eve, Adam couldn't have fulfilled his mission here on earth. Without our mother Eve, none of us would be here today. We have been divinely gifted with the opportunity to directly work with our heavenly parents in a way that men will never be able to. For them to be the priesthood holders and not women is okay, because we are equal and yet different in the roles we play in God's plan. Our influence for good is immeasurable if we choose to be leaders, and not follow the ways of the world. That may mean different things to different women, but here's one thing I know, and that's that women are valued and cherished in my faith and by our Heavenly Father, and our Savior Jesus Christ.

I'm glad that I know where I stand. I so wish that all women of the world could have this blessing.

A Hearts Desire - Broken China Heart Pendant

A hearts desire is...

a smile, a whisper, a kiss

My hearts desire, this.  

Give the gift of love any time of year. This piece will be available at the PFATT Marketplace February 10th.

 

The Elephant In the Room - Actions Have Consequences

There's so many ways to approach this topic, as the emotions I'm having are washing over me like a river. I'm not one to run to heartache or pain, it's not something I want to dive into and wallow around in, but right now it's almost unavoidable. For far too long though, I've not let myself feel deeply, the profound sense of loss I'm feeling right now. Sure, it's always lurked around in the back of my mind, but I've tried to avoid thinking about it as it isn't productive to dwell on something you can't change.

It's a good thing my husband is gone right now, as I need a couple of days to just sit around and cry when the tears overwhelm me. The quiet and opportunity to grieve alone without having to think about anything I don't want to is a blessing. I'm too emotionally tied into the needs and wants of others, and often deny myself the chance to just sit and ponder and feel.

So where am I going with all of this? What is that elephant in the room that everyone walks around, but pretends isn't there? Even when we bump into it by chance, or slam into it by choice, we act as if it's not there, because we want what we want when we want it, and don't want anyone telling us we can't have that "thing" or do that "thing". We don't want to acknowledge that actions have consequences that impact those around us, often for the rest of their and our lives.

There was a time when most people believed that physical intimacy outside the bonds of marriage was wrong. Everyone knows where babies come from, and at one time that wasn't something to be taken lightly. In fact when girls or young women got pregnant out of wedlock, families found a way to deal with that, either with a shotgun wedding, or sending the girl off to live with relatives, or in a home for unwed mothers. The understanding was that this wasn't something to celebrate, and more often than not the pregnant person lived in shame and carried that around for the rest of their lives in one form or fashion. I'm not going to say that was a good or a bad thing, because shame or guilt can be a motivation for not making the same mistake twice. Often though, the shame and guilt is there regardless of how anyone else treats the situation. Actions have consequences, and in the case of sexual relations, they can have a far reaching impact that doesn't go away for some, ever.

I'm certainly not here to judge anyone, as only God knows the intent and desires of our hearts, and He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to atone for the poor choices we all make at times. I've made some very big mistakes myself and still regret them to this day. As I start to gather the bits and pieces of my new found siblings life stories, along with allowing myself to face and deal with the profound sense of loss in my heart, it's something that can't be ignored.

There are many in the world today that say there's nothing wrong with doing whatever you want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt others. But for every action, or even inaction, there is an impact on those around us, for good or bad. Just because it's something you want to do, and enjoy doing, doesn't make it okay. The heartache that I've lived with most of my life, and others in my family as well, comes from the choices of others. The heartache my children have gone through comes in part from poor choices I've made.

As I write this my hearts desire is to perhaps get people to think. In working through my pain, and by sharing my pain, I hope to encourage discussion. We live in a world that would use the story of my heartache, and the heartache of others to justify abortion. They say that if you just get rid of the baby no one gets hurt, but that's so misguided, not true, and is selfish. If my mother had had the choice of abortion, and made that choice, her heartache, pain or shame wouldn't have gone away. Much like the profound sense of loss I'm feeling right now, she would have suffered, as she did anyway. A child is the very essence of who we are. No feeling woman can have an abortion without the emotional impact and sense of loss anyone feels at losing a family member, because that tiny life growing inside the womb is family. That little person is made up of bits and pieces of not only our bodies, but our ancestry. I have two family members I know of that have dealt with life long struggles of alcohol and or drug addiction due in large part to having abortions. Their living children have suffered as well. It has been a heartbreaking thing to see their struggles and not be able to help them.

Part of the discussion we should be having is about the sanctity of life. The mantra from the pro-abortion crowd is women's rights are human rights. How humane is it to brutally mutilate and or poison that tiny life growing inside you? How humane is it to tell your daughter, sister, or other family member that you will be there for them if they do this, and that things will be much better this way? Wouldn't it be much more humane to teach our daughters and granddaughters to respect themselves, to understand that life is sacred, and we must do all we can to keep it sacred? That if we accept responsibility for our actions and don't make another wrong choice, we can find a peace that abortion will never ever bring.

My situation might have been much different had my parents been talked to about intimacy, the why and why not of marriage versus being intimate outside the bonds of marriage. That was something not talked about back then, you were supposed to know.... We as humans are way too smart to put that to chance. We can't assume our children will understand the deeper part of intimacy, the part they don't teach in sex ed at school, that yes, you will have these strong and sometimes overwhelming desires and emotions regarding being physically attracted to someone, and here's why you shouldn't let those feelings run away with you. We should be teaching our children how to avoid getting into a situation where passion rules instead of rational thought. Parents should be taking an active role in knowing where their children are at all times, and help their young people set appropriate boundaries and curfews. Our children should know that the desire to be intimate is God's gift to those who get married, a way to bond a man and woman together emotionally, as well as spiritually. It's part of  God's plan to bring us to earth to live this earthly part of our eternal journey. Without that gift, none of us would be here.

I know so little about my father, but I know enough about my mother and her life story to know that she was a good person who was deeply hurt emotionally and spiritually by the actions of others. She never intended to cause this much pain and heartache in my life, nor do I think did my father.  From the little I've gleaned so far he felt things deeply, and I'm guessing was very hurt by my mother. They were young, and foolish, just as I was at that age. I also had the adults around me telling me conflicting things, and in my own lack of self esteem my life choices reflected that.

In our modern day and age, we should and we must move forward, not backward in society. We must teach our children better than we have been doing! And if they make a mistake, we help them work through that, not by teaching them to avoid responsibility for their actions, but by encouraging them to make the choices that will have the most chance for success and happiness. Regardless of whether you believe in a Heavenly Father, we as earthly parents have a solemn obligation to get serious about this thing we call life, to speak and teach truth. Actions DO have consequences, and that elephant in the room will continue to take up valuable space and time in our lives unless we learn to be unselfish in our actions.

I'm feeling a little better now, as I get this in writing. Oh, that life's lessons could all be as easy as putting pen to paper to work through our struggles. There is a place I can go though, to find help to heal. It's on my knees in humble pleading with my Father in heaven that I can find that peace, and get the relief I need. I have a lot to look forward to in the months and years ahead. I have new found family to get to know and embrace, and what an exciting adventure that will be. That will be a huge part of the healing, not just for me, but my siblings as well, because we are all a part of the essence of our earthly father.

So I am facing that elephant in the room. I don't regret being alive, even with the pain and loss and heartache I've experienced, and am feeling right now. Pain can teach us, it is to learn from, not be embittered by. I will talk about that elephant now, and acknowledge it rather than pretend it's not there. Hopefully it can be used to teach and help others.....

I Finally Found My Father's Family - Thanks To A DNA Test

 

Years ago, after a family spat that spanned a couple of states, my grandmother finally got fed up and showed me the photo above. She wanted me to know the truth, which is ironic as it was meant to in part get back at someone who was bad mouthing her and her husband. Mom had passed away by the time I was shown this photo, but as soon as grandma showed it to me I said, "That's my father, isn't it?" She filled me in on the story, and the whole time I was feeling such a sense of relief. That may sound strange regarding just finding out that the man you grew up thinking was your father, wasn't. For me though it answered a lot of questions about how I was treated growing up. 

 Even as a child I had a sense that something wasn't quite right. I always thought it was because I was chubby, and plain, not something you could accuse my two adorable sisters of. There were some obvious times that one person in particular was especially cruel, and I didn't understand that. There were also times I thought I was adopted, especially since I didn't look anything like the parents I was with, or my siblings. Here's this chubby frizzy headed white girl, with two darker and beautiful parents, along with everyone else in the family who were all good looking and trim. It was frustrating at times to figure out where I fit in. Was it because I was fat and homely, or what? Families should never keep secrets, but that's another topic for another time.

 

So I've looked for my father over the years off and on, but with little to go on it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. I had what I though was his name, but that brought up nothing either although my first internet search for him gave me 54 men with the same name. Who knew there were that many French men in the US named Maurice?!  Fast forward to 2016, when I got a DNA test done through Ancestry.com. Talk about intriguing! Not only did I discover that I had nationalities in my genetic makeup I wasn't aware of, I all of a sudden had cousins everywhere, well okay, mostly down south, but there are quite a few! And most of them have French surnames, wow!

I contacted one person because she was at the top of my list of DNA matches, which is one of the great aspects of getting your DNA test done through Ancestry.com. They have the biggest data bank around, and so many people utilize their services that it's the best source I've found for genealogy resources. Couple that with their partnership with the LDS church, and Family Search, and I can search for free. They connect you with anyone who has had a DNA test done through them, and you get a ranking regarding relationship. Some people don't have family trees there, but you can see the surnames you all have in common, that's so cool!

So this person contacts me off and on, and then another member of her family asks for a photo of my father. The next thing you know she is sending me photos, and I'm sitting there crying like a baby, looking at photos of my father and some of his family. She then contacted the son that she knew, and sent him the photo above and he verified that it was his dad, and the rest of the family story regarding siblings. I was up until midnight last night crying and rejoicing and worrying.

 Meet Elmo Anthony Prejean, my father, who has passed on now, but left behind a good wife and three children by that union, as well as three children by a previous marriage. I'm tearing up again thinking about all of this. I frankly thought this day would probably never come. I now have six more siblings, all younger than me, and I was able to talk to one of them today. He is such a nice person, honest and open, and I look forward to getting to know him and his family better. I'm sorry I missed my father, but the good Lord knows what we need, and what's best. I will see him on the other side, and we can get to know each other there.

I'm still a bit befuddled, not quite sure what to say from here except wow! I have a whole new family to get to know, and learn about. My children have another grandparent to learn about. We have Cajun roots, which is awesome, and there's a lot more to learn. Oh the tender mercies of God, and the blessings of believing! I'm grateful for the services Ancestry.com offers and encourage everyone to start building their tree, who knows what fruit that will bear!