A Project for Great Grandpa

My mother inherited a box of her grandfather's papers and things.  There are all sorts of treasures in it, but my favorite are the negatives.  My great-grandfather loved taking pictures.  We have negatives of pictures he took from about 1910 up through about 1960.  During these years he traveled a lot.  

We've got pictures from Mississippi, New Orleans, Washington DC, Yale, Salt Lake, North Ogden, Idaho Falls, Yellowstone, Chicago, Nauvoo, New Zealand (I think), and New York.  We've got pictures of missionaries, government workers, poor southern farmers, and fishing buddies.  We've got pictures of horses, buggies, buses, planes, and cars.  And, best of all, we've got pictures of his parents, his wife, some of his siblings and their kids, his children, and some of his grandchildren.  

Philadelphia 1926 ~ Sesquicentennial Celebration

As I have access to the scanner that can digitize these oddly sized negatives, I get the fun of discovering treasures.  And then the detective work begins.  Who are these people?  What are their stories?  And how do they know Grandpa?  And how can I find their families to share these with them?  Amazingly enough, we often figure it out.

Apple Dip

I recently found a new recipe.  It is called "Raw Caramel," but then people compare it to caramel instead of appreciating it for itself.  And so I call it "Apple Dip."  I love that it doesn't make me feel sick when I eat more than a little (as opposed to caramel) and that it has less sugar and more magnesium, calcium, iron, protein, and most other vitamins than caramel.

Author: McKel Hill, MS, RD, LDN

Recipe type: dip, sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup organic coconut oil
• ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons of raw almond butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 dates, pitted
• 1 tablespoon of local honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Simply blend all of the ingredients together into a Vitamix or high speed blender until thick and smooth.
2. Store in an air tight container for up to 1 week.
3. You may chill this after serving (if you have leftovers).
4. You will need to sit it at room temperature before eating again as the coconut oil will solidify.
5. Enjoy!

I don't have a high speed blender.  So I cut up the dates and soak them for a bit.  Then I blend everything besides the coconut oil and the almond butter until the dates are blended well.  Then I add the coconut oil.  Sometimes I need to heat it up a bit.  Finally, I add the almond butter.  This way, if it gets too thick, I can just stir it with a spoon.

And there you have it, a no-cook, dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free tasty treat.

A morning at the opera

This year, our local university is hosting a series of concert aimed at families with young children.  We spent a weekend morning last October at the opera (children's version--only 3-4 songs.)  We were even provided with masks.

Overheard at our house

From last October

Setting:  The family is gathered around the table eating dinner.

Young M (proudly):  I found lots of broken wires on the piano.

The Professor and I look at each other as we wrack our brains trying to figure out what he means.  Did someone get inside the piano and break the strings?  Did someone get out the spare guitar strings?  What was going on?  And then, I figured it out...

Me:  Do you mean broken chords?

Young M:  Yeah, that what it is.

(Note.  At piano lessons a few weeks ago, Young M was showing his teacher how he could play the notes of a chord separately.  She taught him that those are called broken chords.  He was proud of figuring out a real thing all by himself.)

Of Kawasaki and rainbows

One year ago, Miss S came down with Kawasaki disease.  A week ago, the Professor and I spoke in church.  I spoke about dealing with Miss S's illness and the emotional fallout that followed.  For those who are interested, my talk is after the break.

On the perils of play dough

I've been meaning to make fresh play dough for the little ones for the last month.  Today I finally did.  I thought it would be a quick, simple, clean thing.   (Apparently, I haven't done this for a while.)  Making it wouldn't have been too bad, except that Miss S wanted to join in the fun.  This wasn't supposed to induce tantrums...but it did.  Once the dough was done, Young T and Miss S thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was much more fun than playing with the dry stuff last week.  I now have tiny bits of play dough all over the floor, on the chairs, smashed onto the table, and smashed into Young T's pants--so much for clean.  But, by far, the silliest and worst part of it all is that I seem to have gotten a blister from stirring the thick dough.  Maybe tomorrow I can find a quick, simple, clean way to entertain these busy kids.

On perfection in important endeavors

"...I'm not getting it all sorted, she worried.  I'm not getting it right.
     You are brilliant, the Voice reassured her.
     It is imperfect.
     So are all things trapped in time.  You are brilliant, nonetheless.  How fortunate for Us that We thirst for glorious souls rather than faultless ones, or We should be parched indeed, and most lonely in Our perfect righteousness.  Carry on imperfectly, shining Ista."

~from Paladin of Souls

I appreciated the reminder that perfection isn't expected or important now.  What God wants and needs from me is the willingness to turn to Him, trust in Him, and allow Him to guide my life.  He can do the rest, even with imperfect me.  (And, as a corollary, even with the imperfect people around me.)