If My Life was Made Into a Movie

There's a swap on Swap-Bot called If My Life Was Made Into a Movie. I thought it would be fun to imagine what a movie about my life would look like.

The Synopsis

Experiencing the Harvest Moon is a film about Ann's discoveries, new experiences, and moments of awe throughout her 55 year old life. She was born in Minneapolis and spent the first six weeks of her life on the shores of Mille Lacs Lake where her father was a director at a boys camp. These first days of her life foreshadowed one that would be connected to nature and working with children. 

After living in Minneapolis for seven years, her family moved to Bass Lake in Plymouth, Minnesota, and she enjoyed the outdoors with her sister and brother. After college and getting married, she moved back home and then to Charlotte (NC), San Francisco (CA), Minneapolis (MN), and finally to a ten-acre hobby farm in Scandia, Minnesota, where she has lived since 1995...26 of her 55 years. 

Life at the farm has been a series of learning experiences - running a Community Supported Agriculture farm; founding and operating a children's camp focused on the arts, nature, and agriculture; and taking care of a host of animals - dogs, cats, horses, sheep, chickens, turkeys, fish, and even a hedgehog. 

Hosting exchange students from Brazil and Japan laid the foundation for starting the adoption process. During 2001 and 2003, two daughters who were born in China were adopted and have been the highlight of Ann's life. 

The farm became another place of discovery for the girls, as homeschooling became a way of living and learning for the family. With one daughter now a junior in college and heading for Thailand for a semester of college and teaching children how to speak English; and another daughter a senior in high school doing three college courses each semester, 2021-22 will be a year of transition, challenges, and excitement for Ann and her family.

The Cast

Who would play you? I would want Meryl Streep to play me in the movie. In every movie she has been in, I have been impressed with her creative talent and versatility in playing diverse roles. I also read a book in August 2020 called The Good Among the Great by Donald Van de Mark. He pointed out many different qualities that great people tend to possess. One person who embodies all of the qualities is Meryl Streep. So, because she exemplifies a great person - someone who has qualities that I would like to have - I would want her to represent my life.  

What other actors and actresses would be in the movie, and what roles would they play? Paige would be played by Albert Brooks. He was in a movie with Meryl Streep called Defending Your Life. It's an excellent movie that focuses on fears and how they hold back people from completely enjoying and living one's life to the fullest. Albert is a very funny actor - both in words and actions - and he makes me laugh. He would be a good representative of Paige. 

For the girls, Sophia would be played by Ziyi Zhang who is a Chinese actress best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Memoirs of a Geisha. She has an impressive background in the arts and reminded me of Sophia and her talents in the arts as well (especially piano and harp).

Olivia would be played by Ming Na Wen. She is best known as the voice of Fa Mulan in the Mulan animated film series. She was also Melinda May in the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Since Olivia loves to do Tang Soo Do and she regularly watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ming Na Wen seems like a logical choice.

The Soundtrack (including links to YouTube)

What would be the main theme song? Make Me a Channel of Your Peace. I love this version of the song with a full orchestra and chorus singing it. The lyrics are: 

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is hatred let me bring your love

Where there is injury, your pardon Lord

And where there is doubt true faith in You

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is despair in life let me bring hope

Where there is darkness only light

And where there's sadness ever joy

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

It is in giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we are born to eternal life

What song would be played as you started school as a child? I looked up popular songs in 1971 - when I would have been 5 years old. Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens was on the list. I do remember hearing that song. However, I heard more as a teenager when my dad would listen to WAYL - The Big Whale (easy listening music) - in his home office which was next to my bedroom. The lyrics are:

Morning has broken like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven

Like the first dewfall on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God's recreation of the new day

What song would we hear when you fell in love for the first time? In college, I loved seeing The Wallets at nightclubs in the Twin Cities. I happened to come across a video of The Wallets at First Avenue. It was taped in 1987 - so either my Spring semester of my junior year or Fall semester of my senior year. Also found a live recording of a performance in Moorhead. There are a lot of songs on the almost two-hour recording. At the 1:10:46 mark is Body Talk and at 1:17:10 is Totally Nude which both were very popular. 

What song would be played when we're seeing how you handle a stressful situation? Under Pressure comes to mind immediately. I listened to the Queen/David Bowie Remix version SO many times as I drove to visit my parents as they were aging and their health was declining. I would play it very loud as I drove to the nursing home to see my dad.

I also would play it when I went to the geriatric psychiatric unit when he was placed there because of Alzheimer's Disease. It was a horrible place and he should not have been there. Thankfully, it was only for 11 days, but, nonetheless, it was not the place for someone with a cognitive decline (vs. someone with a mental illness - it's two completely different issues). He came out of there unable to feed himself because they had him so doped up on pills. So, yeah....Under Pressure is what immediately comes to mind.

What song would we hear when you're sad? Young@Heart Chorus singing Fix You. This song was sung in the movie that documents the true story of the final weeks of rehearsal for the Young@Heart Chorus in Northampton, MA. The chorus members average age was 81, and many of them had to overcome health adversities to participate. 

This song, Fix You, was sung by Fred after the death of his friend, Bob. This song was supposed to be a duet with Bob. He tributed the song to Bob and Bob's family was in the audience so there were lots of shots of his family reacting to the song. When I first heard this song, my father was in the middle- to late-stage of Alzheimer's Disease. It captured exactly how I felt at the time of wanting to fix my dad...to take away all the struggles he was experiencing due to Alzheimer's, but realizing I couldn't. 

The lyrics are:

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something, you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below

When you're too in love to let it go

But if you never try, you'll never know

Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face

When you lose something, you cannot replace

Tears stream down your face and I

Tears stream down your face

I promise you, I will learn from my mistakes

Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

And finally, what song would we hear as the movie ends and the credits are rolling? Another song from Young@Heart Chorus and movie that I like - especially for the lyrics - is Forever Young. 

This version of the song was sung to prisoners at Hampshire County Jail, and is a very powerful and touching scene in the movie. The chorus learned that one of its members died that morning, and they went ahead with the performance. I'm sure the death of their beloved friend was on their mind. 

The main reason I like this song is that the message is one that I would want to impart to others, especially my daughters as they go through their lives.

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay
Forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Forever young

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true

May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you

May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
And may you stay
Forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Forever young

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift

May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay
Forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay
Forever young

End of Summer Rice Salad with Ground Cherries

One of the items in my CSA box last week was ground cherries. I have never tried ground cherries and thought it would be good to see what they were like. They come in paper husks that need to be removed, leaving a little gold fruit. They have a unique flavor that I'm not sure how to describe. 

Looking online, I came across a recipe for End of Summer Rice Salad with Ground Cherries. It's a flavorful salad and very easy to make. I plan on making it again this week to use more of the ground cherries; and the tomatoes and basil we have here growing in the garden and containers. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

2 cups greens of choice (spring mix, arugula, kale) (I used spring mix)

1 cup heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes diced

1/2 cup ground cherries

1/2 small red onions diced small

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup of loose fresh basil minced

1 to 2 tsp ground sumac (I didn't use this)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black ground pepper

Directions 

Cook the rice as per the package instructions. Once cooked, let cool slightly. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside (olive oil, lemon juice, basil, sumac, salt, and pepper). 

Prepare the vegetables and place on serving plates, along with the rice. Drizzle dressing on top and serve immediately. 

7 Days of Food

On Swap-Bot, there's a swap in which participants photograph one thing they are eating every day for one week. Below are seven days - from August 9th-15th - that included two salads, two dinners, an appetizer/meal, and two desserts. Below are the photos and descriptions of the seven things I ate along with links to the recipes.

Sunday, August 9th - Garden Fresh Corn Salad

I've been enjoying the Garden Fresh Corn Salad that I made to use up some ears of corn. This recipe took five ears of corn...a good amount of what we had. However, there's still more corn left. It's time to start looking for more recipes for fresh corn. 

Monday, August 10th - Powdered Sugar Cookie

I had a Powdered Sugar Cookie that I made for the Washington County Fair. Sometimes in the afternoon I need a little pick-me-up, especially if my days start early like it did today. 

Tuesday, August 11th - Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

I've had this recipe for Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs since December 2014 in my "Want to Try" file and finally made it on August 10th. It's an easy recipe to make since it is basically just chopping, pouring, mixing, and frying. Nothing too complicated. The recipe makes 12 servings, so I froze half of it for a meal at another time when I'm rushed and I need to make a meal for my family. 

Wednesday, August 12 - Supreme Pizza Eggrolls

This is another recipe that I've had for a while that I've wanted to try. I had a lot of onions and peppers from the CSA that I wanted to use, and this recipe called for 1 cup each of green peppers and onions. So, it was a great way to use them. 

The innards of the eggroll do not have sauce - it's just meat with vegetables. I added two pepperoni slices in each eggroll which gave it more of a pizza taste. 

Everyone liked these and they were very easy to make. I'll make Supreme Pizza Eggrolls again. 

Thursday, August 13 - Quinoa with Vegetables and Raisins

This recipe for Quinoa with Vegetable and Raisins is one that I tasted at an open house at Hazelden many years ago. It calls for couscous and cilantro, which I didn't have. However, I replaced the couscous with quinoa which tasted great. What sets this recipe apart from other ones I've had is that it uses a head of fennel. I like the taste in this recipe.

Friday, August 14 - Chicken Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce

This is a recipe that my sister gave me. She found it online and experimented with it a little to come up with a version that she liked. I made her version of Chicken Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce and it turned out great. I added some fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden and CSA to give it some color extra flavor. 

Saturday - August 15 - Mackinac Fudge Over Ice Cream

My daughter wanted to make Mackinac Fudge for a friend who loves fudge. I had found this recipe on the Taste of Home website and thought it would be a good one to try since Taste of Home's recipes are typically very good and easy to make. 

This one, however, did not turn out. My daughter followed the recipe exactly as it was posted and it never set. Although the flavor is delicious and it is quite decadent, it isn't fudge...which is what we wanted. So, instead of the recipe going to waste, we are using it as a topping over ice cream. 

So, that's seven days of food - six new recipes...plus one modified recipe. It was a lot of fun to try so many new recipes in one week! 

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce

My sister gave me a recipe for Chicken Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce. She found it online and experimented with it a little to come up with a version that she liked. I made her version of the recipe and it turned out great. I added some fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden and CSA to give it some color extra flavor. 

There was plenty of enchiladas for multiple meals - dinner plus several lunches. It reheats well which makes it a great recipe to make during busy weeks. 

Ingredients

Chicken Enchiladas 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder (my sister didn't use this, but I will try it next time)

2 teaspoons garlic powder (my sister didn't use this, but I will try it next time)

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or 1 can corn)

5 canned whole green chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped (mild or red pepper)

4 canned chipotle chilies, seeded and minced (I couldn't find these, so I didn't use them)

1 can black beans, rinsed

8 tortillas

Red Enchilada Sauce

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Red Enchilada Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

fine sea salt, to taste

Directions

Chicken Enchiladas

Cook chicken with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken is 165 degrees.

Saute onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until tender. Add corn and chilies. Stir well to combine. Add black beans and saute for 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. 

Coat the bottom of a 9"x13" pan with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Heat the tortillas high for 30 seconds to soften them. Spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture and a spoonful of sauce in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place the enchiladas in the pan with seam side down. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated (350 degree) oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, sour cream, and chopped tomatoes before serving. 

Red Enchilada Sauce

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano, and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.

Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to combine until no lumps remain. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (the sauce should continue lightly bubbling) for 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has slightly thickened.

Give the sauce a taste and season with salt, if needed.

Salad Pasta with Greek Vinaigrette

I've been looking for recipes that I can try that use a lot of produce from the CSA. Came across a Salad Pasta with Greek Vinaigrette from WW. The recipe calls for lentil pasta which I had never tried. The texture isn't as soft as wheat or traditional pasta, yet it's a healthier alternative that provides some extra protein and fiber. 

I doubled the vinaigrette since WW tends to be a little skimpy when it comes to dressings. It ended up being more than I needed, so I ended up doing a double batch of the salad. It all worked out. 

The photo of the salad isn't the most appealing-looking since I forgot to take a photo of the first batch. Nonetheless, it tastes very good.

Ingredients

4 ounces yellow lentil penne

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp red-wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 dried oregano

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 medium garlic clove, grated

5 ounces lettuce

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup red onions, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

In a large bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add cooked pasta, salad greens, tomatoes, and onion. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes about 2 cups or 4 servings.

Garden Fresh Corn Salad

While scrolling on Facebook early one morning, I came across a recipe that the Stillwater Farmers Market shared for Garden Fresh Corn Salad. Having been given a bag of corn, I needed to find some recipes to use it. 

This recipe used 5 cobs of corn as well as quite a few ingredients I had from the CSA and my garden. Everyone liked it (except Olivia who doesn't like fresh, raw vegetables), so I know I'll make it again. 

Ingredients

3 cups raw corn kernels (about 5 cobs)

1 medium tomato, chopped

3/4 cup chopped green onions (I used a regular onion since that's what I had from the CSA)

1 cup quartered and sliced cucumber

1/2 cup fresh leafy herbs (e.g., basil, dill, mint, parsley, and/or cilantro - I used all of them except cilantro which I don't have in my garden)

1/2 cup chopped radishes

1 medium jalapeno pepper (optional) (I didn't use one)

1/3 cup feta cheese or 1 ripe avocado diced (I used the avocado)

Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions 

Mix the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. 

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This recipe for Apple Cider Vinaigrette was in a book that was focused on recipes that use produce from farmers' markets. It is from Eric Simpson, the executive chef of Hazeltine National Golf Club. 

I used honey from the bees that Sophia used to have and parsley from our garden. The lettuce for the salad is from the CSA.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup apple cider

1 honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup canola oil 

1/4 cup olive oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, reduce the cider by half to get 1/2 cup.

Place the apple in a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in the vinegar, mustard, honey, and reduced cider. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, add the oils in a steady stream and process until the mixture emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley to taste.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - August 23, 2017

From this Side of the Pond

1. Did you watch the solar eclipse? Your thoughts?

Sophia, Olivia, and I went to the Minnesota Zoo for part of the day; and watched the solar eclipse there. As it got closer to the peak of the eclipse, we went outside and enjoyed watching the snow monkeys.

It was cloudy, yet we were still able to see the eclipse.

There was a notable change in the amount of light in the sky (even with the cloud coverage) and the temperature dropped quite a bit. 

This final picture shows the amount of the coverage that was visible in Minnesota.

We were very happy with where we saw it. It was fun to combine a visit to the zoo with the solar eclipse.

Sun Chips, Moon Pies, Starburst candies, a Blue Moon beer, a Sunkist orange, or a Milky Way candy bar...what's your favorite eclipse related snack on this list?

A Sunkist orange would be my ideal snack. Fresh fruit is always refreshing!

2. What are you 'over the moon' about these days? What's something you enjoy doing every 'once in a blue moon?'

One of the things that I'm very happy about and enjoying is trying new recipes using fresh vegetables from the farmers market and CSA.

I made a salad with fresh raspberries, pears, macadamia nuts, and dried cherries. The dressing was homemade - a raspberry vinaigrette with honey.

Sophia made roasted potatoes that were lightly covered with olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and rosemary from the garden.

Something we don't do often is see the Minnesota Twins play at the stadium in downtown Minneapolis. My sister is a nanny for a family who has tickets to the Delta 360 Club.

The seats were off of third base and under an overhang which was nice - so we were in the shade when the sun came out.

We had a great view of the game.

Indoors, there's an air-conditioned lounge with a variety of places to get food. This one had wood-fired pizza which we had. It was very good.

There were cases with Twins memorabilia.

We had a fun afternoon and enjoyed being in the 360 Club. It made that outing even more special.

3. Tell us about something in the realm of science that interests you. How do you feed that interest?

Wildlife is something that interests me. I feed that interest by going to the zoo, visiting nature centers, and spending time outdoors - either in the backyard or at state parks.

At zoos, sometimes I am able to observe animals that I have seen in the wild (like black bears) up close and in a safer way.

At other times, the animals bring back memories of ones I've seen when I've traveled - like the kangaroos and wallabies that are at the Minnesota Zoo now.

I learn about how some animals are endangered and what people can do to help save the remaining animals of a particular species.

At a recent visit to the Minnesota Zoo, the girls and I sat down or spent an extended period of time at a few of the animal enclosures so we could watch the animals for more time and see what they do. This grizzly bear was sitting in the shade and watching man-made geysers and water fountains.

We watched the sea otters for a long time and there was one who kept coming right up to the window and looking at us. This is the otter swimming past us cleaning its arm. Another time it found a shell (food) and came swimming by with it - almost as if to show us what it had found.

We watched a morning feeding time in the shark tank. These are all carnivorous fish and aquatic wildlife. Although that stingray looks like it has eyes and a mouth on its underside, the two "eyes" are actually ways that it smells food on the floor of the ocean.

This past year, I was fortunate to be able to also visit two national parks. A highlight was seeing elk at the Grand Canyon.

Olivia and I had never seen elk before, so it was exciting seeing these two eating leaves near the road and then another group of elk with three babies further back in the woods. 

4. What are a few things you remember about going back to school as a child?

A good memory: I remember getting new school supplies and clothes. It was always exciting get a school box that could be filled with new pencils, Elmers paste (when I was very young) or liquid glue (when I was in elementary school), and crayons.

Getting new clothes was also very special because we only got new clothes three times a year: at Christmas, on our birthdays, and when school started. Otherwise, we made do with what we had which was fine. It made getting new clothes - especially for that first week of school - such a joyous time! We couldn't wait to wear our new clothes to school.

A bittersweet memory: I do remember getting a small box of crayons - 24 colors at the most. I wanted to have the 64 crayons, but my parents - who were on a limited income - couldn't afford them. They said 24 colors was a sufficient amount.

Source

It made me sad to see the other kids have the big boxes or crayons with all the colors. I loved to color and used all the crayons in the box they bought for me. I often wondered what I could have created if I had more colors to work with, though.

The smaller box of crayons also reinforced the fact that we were poorer and had limited resources than the other kids did. I didn't notice it when we lived in the inner city. It was only when we moved to the suburbs - a move that my parents made to provide a better life for us kids and them. It was a very good life.

It was just when I was at school that I noticed how much my parents had sacrificed to give our family a nice, safe home on the lake.

It wasn't extravagant or excessively large like homes nowadays. We used all the space and were so grateful for the opportunity to live where we did.

I never mentioned my disappointment to my parents because I knew they were giving us everything they could provide. In my heart, I knew I couldn't - and shouldn't - ask for anything more.

5. I've seen several versions of this around the net so let's make one of our own...share with us five words that touch your soul and briefly tell us why.

Family - because they are with you for the long-term and support you when you need it.

Home - the place I feel most comfortable and want to be.

Nature - a place of inspiration, comfort, and discoveries.

Compassion - an essential character quality for those who are in my life and who I choose to spend time with (in all aspects of my life).

Creativity  - something that sustains and challenges me. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

We are in the middle of canning season now. The last time that I did a lot of canning was 2014 and early 2015 - before my mom died. After that, I didn't do much of any food preservation like I had done in the past.

This summer, I resigned from being the leader of the 4-H club I started; and it has freed up a tremendous amount of time for me to do things that I once enjoyed doing - including canning.

This weekend, the girls and I went to the Minneapolis Farmers Market to get a variety of produce to can and freeze.

We were happy to see that we did not miss the cucumber season. They have both been asking for homemade pickles. The last time I made them, the girls enjoyed them so much that we ran out of pickles by December.

This time we bought a bushel of cucumbers of varying sizes. They all needed to be scrubbed, the blossom ends cut off (otherwise the pickles would be soft), sorted by size, and then cut (either slices or in lengths). Both the girls did this part of the canning process.

Sophia stayed to help with putting the dill, cloves or garlic, and vinegar-mixture into the jars. She also helped with putting the lids and bands on the jars.

Putting the jars into the water-bath and taking them out is still my responsibility.

Before and after the pickles, I was working on the stewed tomatoes. My mom used to remove the skin from the tomatoes. I don't do that. I just take out the part of the tomato where the stem grew, cut the tomatoes into chunks, and put them in a big kettle to cook.

When they are done cooking, they are transferred to quart canning jars along with two tablespoons of lemon juice in each jar. Tomatoes take a long time to process in the water-bath - about 45 minutes. So, this is a rather long time-commitment once you start with the tomatoes. (In contrast, the pickles only take about 15 minutes of processing time.)

We made 20 quarts of pickles (kosher dill, polish dill, bread & butter, and a homemade dill); 11 quarts of tomatoes (for chili and goulash); and froze lots of peppers (green, red, and jalapeno) and onions.

Today, I have the remaining bushel of tomatoes to can (probably another 11-12 quarts) as well as peaches (two boxes).

Wednesday Hodgepodge - June 14, 2017

From this Side of the Pond

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day?

We don't fly the flag at home. The only American flag I have is the one that was given to my mom when my Dad died. She was presented the flag at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

My mom receiving the flag that

covered my dad's coffin.

Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)?

When the girls were about 2 and 4 years old, we traveled to Philadelphia. There were some historical things we did and places we visited.

Sadly, the thing that truly stands out for me about Philadelphia is the stressful trolley ride back to the hotel. Sophia was having fun, but Olivia was having a challenging time. It had been a long day and I think she just wanted to take a nap.

And then it happened. The mother of all diaper-fillers. Right. On. The. Trolley.

"Are you serious?" I thought. "Of all the places this could happen." There was nothing I could do at that point except wait until we got back to the hotel.

Thankfully, the girls and I were near the end of the ride and there were only a couple of other people on the trolley. The ride couldn't come to and end fast enough for me.

Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House?

YES! Thanks for jogging my memory. We did see that.

The Betsy Ross House.

Source

Enjoyed the tour and learning more about Betsy Ross. I remember being in the courtyard waiting for the tour to begin. There were only so many people who could go into the house at any one time.

Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore?

I think I've been there when I visiting Washington D.C. It would have been about 25 or 26 years ago.

If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

I don't think I saw Fort McHenry. Doesn't bring up any memories.

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

Not sure what this means. I'm clearly out of the loop on flags.

Olivia and Sophia learning about the U.S. flag

on July 4, 2011.

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

There's not a lot of songs that I enjoy listening to on the radio. If there is one I enjoy when I arrive at my destination, I may listen to it for a bit after the car is turned off.

When my Dad was in the middle stages of Alzheimer's Disease,

I labeled his stereo so he would know how to turn it on.

Generally I don't listen to the end of a song. Either I need to go into the place that I've arrived at or I can hear the dogs howling for me to come inside. I love being welcomed home by the dogs. (Apparently in wolf packs, there is a wolf or two that stays back when the others go hunting. The dogs that stay will howl to guide the hunters back home.)

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? What's an expression you associate with your father?

The traits of qualities that I think of when I think of a good dad: Compassionate. Respectful. Understanding. Encouraging. Supportive. Loving.

A good dad is a provider to his family; is committed to his family; builds up and respects his wife; and makes time to spend with his family.

He finds joy in the simple things in life, wants to be at home, and makes time to see his children's activities.

In one of the buildings at the Historical Village at Pella, Iowa,

the girls sat down in the old desks

while my dad taught them something. 

I don't know what. 

They were just having fun in the little school setting.

(Taken on April 29, 2009.)

These are all things that describe my dad. He was, by far, an incredible good role model, an inspiration to me both as a person and in his service to others, and made such a positive impact in the world.

He seemed to know people wherever he went; and people were always so happy to be able to talk with him. He valued strong relationships with people; and those he loved knew they had a special place in his heart.

The people at the Scholte House in Pella, Iowa, 

let my dad play the pump organ there. 

He use to play the pump organ at his church

when he was growing up. 

This was a highlight of the day for him

to be able to play a song on the old organ.

(Taken on April 30, 2009.)

I can't think of one expression that I associate with my dad. The one thing that I do miss is hearing him announce to my mom when I called, "Dorothy....it's ANN MARIE!!!!" It was like the biggest deal in the world that I called...or at least he made me feel that way. Both he and my mom genuinely cared about what I had to say. I miss that. A lot.

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?

Nothing comes to mind as being a rule that I always disagreed with when I was growing up. The guidelines - rules - that my parents set for me were ones that I knew were set with love. The boundaries they set for us, the things they expected of us - these were all things that we knew kept us safe, happy, and out of trouble.

Having firm boundaries and guidelines with the girls when they were growing up (and still are growing up) is something that I've continued. I think of things that my parents did that helped provide that security, comfort, and knowledge that we were loved. These are things that I try to do with Sophia and Olivia.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

On Sunday, my sister and I went to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church - the church that my parents founded in the 1970s when they moved from Minneapolis to Plymouth. Fr. Don was celebrating his 40th anniversary of his ordination of becoming a priest.

Source

My parents thought very highly of Fr. Don; and he provided a tremendous amount of support, encouragement, and compassion during their later years - especially after my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and mom with multiple health ailments.

At any rate, after the mass, we went to the reception. Mary and I went up to congratulate him.

Fr. Don

Source

He was both surprised and very happy that we were there. He was so welcoming and appreciative of our parents and of us. It truly was a highlight of the week so far.

That day we also had a severe hail storm and strong winds. The sky changed to one of the eeriest shades of green that I've ever seen. Trees were swaying in the 60-70 mph winds. Hail was pummeling the building.

The storm on Sunday, June 11th.

Source

When I came home, piles of hail were sitting on the sides of the roads. Pulverized leaves were strewn on the roads. In some parts of the metro area, there was so much hail that they had to bring out snowplows to clear the streets. I've never seen anything like it in my entire year...over half a century!

Later that evening, I found out that the berry patch that we enjoy going to - and have been going to for over 20 years - was devastated by the hail. They lost everything - all their plants were pulverized or the berries blew off the plants.

Today, I found out that the CSA that we are members of also was significantly affected. Many plants were decimated by the hail. Lots of hard work - gone in less than ten minutes. The sad thing is, this particular CSA provides a home and work for many developmentally disabled adults. It follows the Camphill philosophy; and does so much to help the adults live meaningful and productive lives with one another.

We were fortunate not to have had that level of damage....just some branches and leaves down.

Tuesday night/Wednesday morning another storm came through with significant lightening and loud booms of thunder. There were several strikes very close to us. We lost power about 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning. It was restored by 10:30 a.m.