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Monday, June 30, 2014

Morning Praise

For the last week or two, when my feet touch the floor in the morning, my first response is thankfulness.

This isn't typical. Normally I stagger out of bed thinking such things as...

"What should I make for breakfast?"

"I am so tired...why didn't I go to bed earlier?"

"I should throw a load of laundry in the washer right away."

"The baby is crying. If I get her quick, maybe she won't wake the other children."

All these are practical mundane thoughts of a mother stuck on herself and her duties. I never thought to start my morning with gratitude that I was able to rise from my bed.

Until, several weeks ago, when I sat up in bed only to drop my head back on the pillow as the room started spinning. In a few minutes I tried again, finding that I could slowly rise to standing and the dizziness departed.

But the next morning the baby woke early. I leaped from the covers only to collapse onto the floor as the floor fought with the ceiling over which would stay under my feet.

And for two weeks, though I felt great all day, each morning I had to grip the bed's headboard until my head stopped spinning. Staggering around my bedroom wasn't an encouraging way to begin my day.

I figured my dizziness was the result of low blood pressure and anemia - two problems that I typically can keep on top of. But a few months ago I had finished my iron supplements and, weary of pill popping, I had quit taking iron and my prenatal vitamins (which my mid-wife said I should be taking since I'm nursing). A few days after going back onto my iron and prenatal vitamins the dizziness disappeared.

But I haven't forgotten.

So now, every morning, when I lift my head and all is right with my world, I find my heart singing "Thank you, Lord."

And I have found that praise is a much better way to start a day than reciting the "to-do" list.

I just wish I could appreciate God's gifts before they are taken away.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars


Early this spring, my sister-in-law Emily made this dessert. I knew I needed to get the recipe.

Only problem - when this is in my fridge, I eat far too much. Somehow the combination of tart rhubarb and luscious cheesecake is perfect! The layers take more time than some desserts but the result is worth it!

I wonder if this recipe would also work for cherries?


 



Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars


Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until small crumbs. Add walnuts and vanilla. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool.

Filling:
2 (8 oz.) packs cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Pour over crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

Topping:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Add all ingredients to saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until thick - about five minutes. Cool. Pour over filling.

Refrigerate bars for at least one hour before serving.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Seventh Annual Dutch Oven Gathering



Some events are worth repeating.



Such as the annual dutch oven gathering.



Every summer friends and family gather around cast iron pots and cook up a superb meal.




Twenty-seven pots were lined up manned by fifteen chefs. I love that this is an activity that all ages can join in.

 This may have been the best year yet for variety of food.


 

Chocolate laced pecan tart.





Cheesy biscuits and jambalaya.

 

Strawberry shortcake with fresh picked berries and real whipped cream.

 
Bacon-wrapped stuffed jalopenos.



Can you make cookies in a dutch oven?








Yes, you can! And these were some of the best oatmeal raisin cookies I've ever had.
And that is just a sample! There was french coconut pie, stuffed mushrooms, lasagna, beef stragonoff, several breads, and more!

 

Then of course there was the best part - eating!



But there was no way anyone could even try all twenty-seven different pots of food!



The popular vote chose the winner - Darwin's filet of fish stuffed with crab and shrimp. But sadly, I didn't get a photo before the pot was licked clean!

Already dreaming of next year...

For more ideas on how to use a dutch oven see past Dutch Oven Gatherings -2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009




Monday, June 23, 2014

To See the Moon Again - and Other Books

I had given up on fiction.

Especially Christian fiction.

Sure, I knew there was some good fiction out there, but mostly I was disappointed. Either they were bland or sensual, unrealistic or forgettable - mostly I regretted the time spent in its pages.

So for years I stuck with non-fiction and classic fiction.

And I'd be there yet except for a friend's recommendation.

One of my favorite questions to ask a friend is "What are you reading?" I have found many treasures through the years from answers to this question. A friend mentioned Jamie Langston Turner - describing her novels at far different than the typical fiction.

And were they ever. A few chapter into the first book and I was hooked. These were pages to be savored, not devoured. Instead of rushing to "see how it would turn out" I was lingering over phrases, rereading favorite passages, and saddened to turn the last page.

I'm not the best critic on writing but even I know that the literary quality of Turner's books far surpasses the usual fare. I have finished a book only to page back through wondering how ever Turner was able to weave all the various aspects of the story together. These are books that can be read and reread. The layers of the story become richer from digging deeper. The details of life and insight into human character put her books into a category of their own.

Turner takes her readers to the small South Carolina town of Derby. Each of her books stands alone as its own story and her books can be read in any order. But I highly recommend reading her books in the order that they were written. Turner's characters have a way of showing up in the pages of other books. You will want to know who is that eccentric old lady at the next restaurant table. But even better is the sneak peak into the growth of Turner's characters. The struggling main character in one book becomes a mentor in the next book - a reminder that God does bring redemption.

Redemption...if there is any theme through Turner's books it is grace and redemption. Turner doesn't hide the realities of life. Not everything is pretty and idyllic in Derby. But if there were no pain and sin, there would be no grace. Turner walks her characters through their pain into God's redemption - so that you and I that are reading can experience redemption too.

Turner is discreet and tactful but I'll add a warning here that her books are for the mature reader since they do face things like adultery and abuse. I don't want any of you handing these books to your twelve-year-old just because Gina said they were good books!

I'm going to give a brief review of each of Turner's books in order that they were written. This is the order that I'd suggest reading them - though if you can't get a hold of a particular book - don't miss out on the others. I'll try to tell you a little bit about the book without giving anything away - since I hate spoilers when I read a book!



Suncatchers introduces us to the town of Derby and Eldeen Rafferty. Eldeen's neighbor, Perry Warren left the shambles of his home to take an assignment to write about The Church of the Open Door. Through Eldeen, the reader finds laughter and Perry finds hope. Thankfully this isn't the last time that we will meet Eldeen because by the end of the book she became a friend.



Some Wildflower in My Heart is written in a unique first-person style, at times written directly to the reader like a non-fiction book. This was the first of Turner's books that I read and still a favorite. Margaret and Birdie are opposites but forge a friendship that turns Margaret's life upside down. Birdie's unassumming love challenged me in my relationships.



By the Light of a Thousand Stars focuses on four very different women. Each woman is faced with disappointments and trials but as their lives intersect, God's grace is revealed. Creating memorable characters may be what Turner does best. Who can forget Catherine and her crazy son Hardy or her sister-in-law Della Boyd?



A Garden to Keep begins with Margaret reaching out to Elizabeth in the same way Birdie had reached out to Margaret with an offer of God's grace. With Elizabeth's marriage crumbling she would need to hold onto grace - and respond with grace. It is hard to pick a favorite but I think A Garden to Keep is mine, probably because of the focus on communication, family, and  marriage. Poetry lovers will particularly enjoy this one.




No Dark Valley is Turner's only book that could be termed a romance - at least the main characters are a single man and woman. But these two are not looking for romance, they are searching for forgiveness. Celia attends her grandmother's funeral in Georgia and is reminded of how far she has traveled from her grandmother's faith. Just as books are to Some Wildflowers in my Heart and poetry is to A Garden to Keep, hymns are to No Dark Valley. I love Turner's chapter titles in all of her books but with the focus on old hymns, this book is a favorite.



Winter Birds combine an old lady's memories with quotes from Shakespeare, facts about birds, and obituaries from Time magazine. It sounds like a wacky combination but Turner makes it work. And work well. This book is set outside Derby in a small town in Mississippi. If I tell you the main character is an elderly woman, Sophia, who rarely leaves the four walls of her room, you may think it pitifully boring. But I loved this book. In all her books, Turner peels back layers to show the change in a soul and this book is a good example of that change as Sophia warms up to Patrick and Rachel's love.




Sometimes a Light Surprises brings Mr. Buckley, the owner of the Home and Garden Bazaar face to face with memories of his late wife and her faith through his newest employee. Of course I had to like a book with a homeschooler as a main character! Add in a busy-body secretary who tries to solve the mystery of a
 decades old murder and this was a fun read.

I had Sometimes a Light Surprises on my bookshelf for months before I read it. Not that I didn't want to read it...not at all. I just didn't want to read the very last Turner book and know that there were no of her books to read. I'd rather have the knowledge that there was one more left.

But finally I pulled it off and enjoyed it while we were camping. And it was only a few days later that, I was offered an advanced copy of Turner's newest book, To See the Moon Again. The copy I read was an uncorrected proof. The publisher, Penguin/Berkley, will have it available in September 2014.



To See the Moon Again introduces Julia Rich whose tidy life ravels when her niece Carmon drops in for an extended visit. The two women are so very different, but each carry a heavy load of guilt. Like all of Turner's book, this one follows a journey to forgiveness, along the way restoring broken relationships and making life changing discoveries. In some ways I found this book hard to read, maybe because I read it while feeding my baby and the book's reference to babies. (But I won't say more lest I give too much away!) But as always there is hope - hope in Jesus Christ. Hope that the moon will rise again with fresh mercy for a new day.

Definitely if you like Turner's other books, you will want to look for To See the Moon Again in the fall. You can pre-order now at Amazon. Turner's books have been reprinted in new editions so you can purchase even ones that were formerly out of print.

To be reminded of redemption and grace...to make friends within the pages of a book...to see the moon again...read Jamie Langston Turner's books.

I was given an advanced copy of To See the Moon Again but all opinions of this review are my own. This post contains affiliate links which mean if you click on a link to Amazon and purchase anything (not just books) I will get a tiny amount.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Rhubarb Crumble Pie


I love seasonal desserts. Those yummy recipes that only appear once or twice a year when the fruit is in season.

Rhubarb is sometimes called the pie plant. This pie is a combination of a couple recipes and showcases the delights of rhubarb pie.



Rhubarb Crumble Pie

1 cup sugar
3 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
4 cup rhubarb, sliced
10-inch pie crust, unbaked

Combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Beat eggs and add to dry ingredients. Stir in rhubarb. Pour into crust. Top with lattice crust or crumb topping. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

Crumble Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
4 T. cold butter

Mix together to form coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over fruit pie. Bake.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Popcorn

I didn't plan to take a blogging break but somehow, in the last weeks, we've been busy enjoying summer. There has been more days that I did not even turn the computer on to check email this month than maybe years. I didn't even show signs of withdrawal so maybe I'm not as addicted as I feared.

So here is a random collection of pictures from the last month to show what we've been up to.






 

We spent a weekend in Central Pennsylvania at the Black Moshannon State Park.  We were so glad we had picked Cabin #14 with it's wide porch and fireplace. We were able to cook most of our meals over the fire despite the rainy weekend.

The rain halted occasionally and searching for a geo-cache is a great way to burn off energy...


 And discover new places like this stream which Ed claims in the prettiest creek in Pennsylvania.



 In the wee hours of the morning, we were woken by a crash when a big black creature dumped out the carefully packed storage tub and licked the cake crumbs out of the dutch oven. The bear escaped before we could wake the children, much to their disappointment.


We enjoyed several other day trips such as Memorial Day visiting some historical sites.


And a lovely Sunday evening hike on the Applachian Trail.


 And then there is the imaginations of children who find adventures in their own backyard.


But it isn't all play.


 We've picked over 60 quarts of strawberries from our patch. We are endulging in every kind of strawberry treat - from strawberry pie, pretzel dessert, icecream, and shortcake. All the rain has hurt the berries some but there is still many unripe berries.


 I didn't plant peas this year but picked at a neighboring pick-you-own patch. They even shelled them for me!


 But sweetest of all is our smiley marshmallow. Five months old and such a joy bringer.

How is your June?