Apple Pinkie Pie Cookies

Saw these apple pie cookies on www.ohbiteit.com.

I LOVE PIE!

And to convert it to cookie form: GENIUS! Thank you, Amy for posting your fine ideas!

This was my first attempt and there is always a learning curve for me when it comes to baking ooey, gooey,sticky, oozy, pastries. I don't mind really. Even if it's a hot mess, it's still a yummy mess!

Seriously, cobbler cookies is what they turn into at worst, right! (unless they burn. And if burning your pie is your thing, then maybe you should...I don't know...maybe not make pie?)

Anyway, I made these and I burned my pinkie. So, I guess I'll name them apple pinkie pies cookies.

I had some English tea and a few cookies. (After I slathered my ouchy with lavender oil!)

 

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Tub of Tea

It's nearly Christmas.

Shopping, schedules, shindigs....cooking, crafts, craziness.
We're enduring.
We may be limping, coughing, wheezing, bleary-eyed, over-stuffed, under-rested & generally ready for something a bit more relaxing but oh by jolly, we are enduring.

I know, a tub of Epsom salts would be great.  But, why not consider a TUB OF TEA?

I'm sure you have all you need in your kitchen or house, so there's no need to run off to yet another store.

Here's some things to look for:

Green Tea, Peppermint, Rosemary, Orange peels, Rose Petals, Lavender, Chamomile Tea, Essential Oils (Eucalyptus, Lavender, Tea Tree Oil, etc)

Green Tea: Energizing & stabilizes mood. Also a great antioxidant, anti-aging, healing tea.
Chamomile Tea: relaxing and anti-inflammatory. It's great for irritated or dry skin.
Rosemary: Relaxing, helps with alertness, clarifies skin
Peppermint: Energizing
Lavender: Calming, anti-inflammatory, induces sleep
Sage: helps with acne & oily skin

Here's what you do:

Brew about 2 cups of very strong herbal tea using existing tea or herbs. Strain the tea. Add it to your bath water. You can add essential oils to your bath water as well. If you used loose leaf tea or herbs, once strained, you can take the strained leaves and place them in cheesecloth or a wash cloth. Gather the ends of said cloth and tightly secure a rubberband, hair tie or string around the ends. Place in bath water while you soak all your cares away and rejuvenate.

It's like a mini spa treatment. I think we can endure that!

What Brings JOY

Now that the Holidays are here, I feel sentimental as I'm sure many do this time of year. This feeling leads me down several paths and one being the tea party path. Yes, I'm always thinking what would be a fun tea party, but during this time of year, when there seems to be perpetual busyness, I think of how warm, intimate and refreshing it would be to gather some favorite girlfriends for a party. These are friends whom I love dearly, and love spending time with and to be with all of them together would be like a small, special gift. A gift that feels like Christmas. A gift that doesn't always come at other times of the year.
The Christmas season is special. It's a time of treasuring our loved ones and memories of times past. Sure, we can get depressed this time of year quite easily (I have). But I find that it's mostly due to our commercial culture where we live our everyday lives. A culture where we are constantly bombarded by the marketing of excessive luxury & the idea of joy and happiness. A culture where the images are of happy faces and fun times. Because of this, some of us can become sad & lose sight of what the season is truly about. We can become inwardly focused on the things we don't have instead of focused on the things we do have.
This is the season where, if you believe in the Christian faith, you believe God sent his only son as fully man & fully God to this planet Earth to have relationship with humans.
Relationship. It brings God joy. Isn't that what brings true joy to our lives too?
So how about gathering those close friends & loved ones together for a tea party and celebrate relationships. Reminisce about the past, talk about the future, enjoy the present moment. Get sentimental. I promise you'll feel joy when they're gathered around your table. This is true meaning of Christmas.
Now go put the kettle on and make a few invitations for a holiday tea (& if you need help, I'm truly happy to help you).
jOY

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A wee tea party in Forest Grove

During the early Fall of 2013, in a small town of Forest Grove, a tea party took place.Stella, a small 10" teddy bear visited a dear friend. In the friend's garden, a tea party was hosted in honor of Miss. Stella's visit. In fact, two tea parties took place in two different locations in the garden throughout the two week visit. Throughout the visit, when it rained, they partied in a small, warm attic room where all sorts of art, paper crafts and textiles hung from the walls and were stashed in little nooks and crannies. When it was sunny, the small bears and one duck partied outside or inside near a window.

I was able to capture a few photos of Miss. Stella and her lovely friends during the parties. Here are a few photos for your amusement:

The fruit tart was a huge hit with the guests. And the tea was a wonderful berry blend sweetened with local clover honey. Miss. Stella had a memorable time when she visited Forest Grove and she looks forward to many happy returns.

 

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about those Olive-Pecan Finger Sandwiches

As promised, here is a wonderful yummy Autumnal recipe for those who love olives, pecans and cream cheese!
I found this recipe in Tea Time Magazine and immediately went to my kitchen to whip some up! I had everything on hand except the "Very Thin Wheat Bread" so I just used my regular bread. 
Because of the noise from the mixer, I had a teenage boy show up in the kitchen. Teenage boys are sort of like pets; like when a pet hears the fridge(or a wrapper, a tater chip bag or even the tuna can leaving the shelf) and then suddenly are under foot, that's sort of how it works with teenage boys. So, here I am, chopping, toasting, mixing, spreading, cutting and someone else wants to eat the fruits of my labor!

Ok. I let him. He's a charming boy.

HOLY TOLEDO! We couldn't stop eating this. I gave up the bread and grabbed some crackers and we just about finished that up before there was any evidence for other house occupants to find (the dog new. He liked it too.)

Hubby ventured through the kitchen while teenage boy, dog and I had our cheeks stuffed with the stuff. That incriminated us as we couldn't really speak. 
Or hide.
Or run (we didn't want to leave the mixture).
Hubby looked around and finished what was left.

I've been told to make it again.
I have. 
shhh....they don't know.

Here's the link:
Olive-Pecan Finger Sandwiches

Tea Sandwiches

Tea sandwiches are so much fun to eat. You need to think beyond basic cucumber (though, I like those too, especially with some herbed cream cheese or some Boursin spread). How about some open faced tea sandwiches, which in some parts of the party sphere are called "canapés". Uh huh, I'm venturing into what the party elite call "horse doovers" or better yet, "or derbs". But hear me (or read me in this case), tea sandwiches are like the proverbial step child; they are underrated; they aren't really considered. It's a crying shame. They absolutely can be a great addition to a party menu. Take for example their ability to stretch a loaf of bread, the ease of preparation, the convenience factor of the leftovers. These little buggers can be a hostess' bestie! And, I should mention how they transcend age and gender. If you have kiddos, pb&j cut into four little handy sandwiches with the crust removed get eaten more than a whole big-a$$ sandwich does! AND...bbq pulled pork on miniature buns, as men fondly call "sliders", get gobbled up on game day like nobody's business. 

Have I convinced you to re-think your ideas of tea sandwiches? 

For the remainder of the month, I'll post some autumnal flavors that get served in miniature style on a wee bit of bread. 

A Case for Tea Parties

I'm a tea party enthusiast.

So much so, I've started a traveling tea party business.

Yep.

It's what you're thinking. 

I prepare the foods, find the teas, pack my wares and deliver the whole shebang to your place. All you have to do is invite 8-24 friends. I'll even give you the invites for a small fee, or for a bit more, I'll mail them out for you. I try to make this as painless as possible.

Parties and celebrations are something we all should have more of. Creating space for friends, families, co-workers and well...people, to come together and celebrate. Celebrate what? Do you really need a reason? If you keep a gratitude journal you will find that for every entry, it can correspond to a reason to celebrate. Are you thankful for your pet goldfish? Then how about a party celebrating pets? Are you thankful for sunny days? Then how about a little picnic with some special people? See how this works now? I knew you were smart.

One of the best things about a tea party is that it can happen at anytime of day and anytime of year and in any sort of setting. They can be for a party of two or a party of_##__.  I personally prefer the smaller crowd for a more intimate time. Eight people is most delightful. It isn't too big or too small and everyone can feel like they have properly visited with each other. If you have a large crowd (over 24), then having seating for 8 per table is a must (for reason I mentioned above).

I also believe tea parties to be one of the best options for a bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party/anniversary. It can be as casual or as formal as the host/hostess desires. And because of the types of food served, it really is convenient. Dietary limitations are easily met with various menu options. With the addition of soups, salads & brunch foods, the tea party can be a rather filling experience.

I hope you'll consider a tea party as your next party. Hey! A holiday tea is perfect for gathering your friends and family. Call me. I'd love to help.

Small Victory

I
I ran
I ran 2.5
I ran 2.5 miles.
I ran 2.5 miles and
I ran 2.5 miles and had
I ran 2.5 miles and had a
I ran 2.5 miles and had a smile
I ran 2.5 miles and had a smile on
I ran 2.5 miles and had a smile on my
I ran 2.5 miles and had a smile on my face.

My iPod helped. (King of Pop. RIP)
My commitment to health helped.
My iPod helped. (zzTop)
The threat of rain helped.
50 degrees helped.
My pedometer helped.
My iPod helped. (Seal)
Pushing through the pain (never done that before) helped.

Small victory.

Back in TEXAS

Howdy!

Our little family moved back home to Texas.
We've had a few losses though. Murphy, our little mini schnauzer, received his wings May 5th of 2012.
He was the best dog in the entire world. To us. He was loved by all who knew him. A very friend to all. I miss you Murphy.



We also lost Walter (the sourdough I created when we moved out of the old farmhouse in Forest Grove and into our "ranch" house in Forest Grove). Walter was Sid's companion and lived almost 2 1/2 years. Walter and Sid journeyed to Texas from Oregon in a styrofoam cooler (spare me the atrocities of the styrofoam, I know!!!) that sat in the passenger seat of a large UHaul. I sat squished between Mr. Friend and the cooler. Stella and Beary (two stuffed bears that keep my craziness company) sat upon the cooler enjoying the scenery. Every night, in the motel room, I would fret over and stir the two sourdoughs. Each of them took turns frightening me with a lack of bubbles (bubbles in a sourdough is a positive sign of life). Anyway, they survived the trip.

It is my mom's fridge where Walter met his demise. Apparently, a fruit fly found its way to the starter and, well....fruit flies LOVE hootch (and sourdoughs make their own hootch, since they do ferment).
Let's just leave it at that. The boys, Mr. Friend & I gathered around the sink and had a moment of silent reflection of all Walter gave to us. Then, we sent him to the sea.

Sid, however, is ALIVE!! In fact, he has taken to bubbling and doubling in his jar that he has popped out and spilled over his jar a few times now! I had to stir him twice a day, just to stop the commotion. He's slowed down now. I'm not sure if that was the mourning process, or if it was just that Walter kept Sid from that sort of potential. Sid, now lives with the beer out in the small fridge in the garage.

I'm going to start another blog soon and just thought I'd update this one.

Not that anyone will notice.

He Nudged Me

Day16 of the Lenten Journey finds me alive and well!

Since I've been attempting to deny my flesh of certain mindless indulgences or comforts I find myself inconsistent yet determined. My focus has been more on a physical level than a spiritual level; but didn't Jesus blend the physical with the spiritual when he fasted and journeyed through the desert for 40 days? Of course, He was led by the Holy Spirit.

Am I? Am I believer in Jesus? Do I believe in the filling of the Spirit when one accepts Jesus as their Saviour? Yes to both of those questions. So, when being led by Spirit, why do I tend to limit that to just an emotional experience? Actually, that nudging I had, to direct me towards the Lord before the Lenten season, was that not the Holy Spirit who indwells me? He nudged my intellect and my heart.  My Bible teaches that the Spirit always testifies to Jesus, the Son of God. It wouldn't have been the devil encouraging my heart to move towards Jesus. And believe me, it surely wasn't my flesh either! My flesh would NEVER desire anything that wasn't pleasurable and didn't bring immediate gratification. That's just the nature of the flesh.

So yes, indeed I was led by the Spirit into this 40 day journey in my desert of sorts. I'm still battling the fleshly desires on an ever constant basis. I'm trying to be conscientious of my mind, will and emotions, my fleshly desires and my spirit man, who so desperately needs to built up in Jesus. I am more aware of my desert surroundings. I'm also more discerning regarding needs, wants and desires. I feel I'm slowly awakening. There is a Spring-like quality that is happening inside of me. This short path of death and darkness that I have chosen is allowing light to shine and define some things in my life.

Following is a small list of physical victories and losses:
- I walked out of three various retail stores within the last week without purchasing a single thing my eye lusted after. I even put stuff back. It was a sad but good feeling at the time.
- I also confess that at other times, I did buy some stuff that I don't really need. I was lured by the $1 price tag.
- I'm making good on a vow I made to myself for the last 20 years. I told myself that when I turn 40, I'd get serious about exercising for health. Basically, I'd eat a whole lot more salads and veggies, less red meat and less dessert and exercise everyday. It won't be about "looking good", it will be for health. Granted, I'm in the days of small beginnings, but I BEGAN!
- I ate pizza, Cajun tots, homemade monkey bread (using Sid, my sourdough starter...he turned 1 year old on the 22nd) and had 1 pt. of Ruby beer.
- I ran 2.3 miles today. I've never enjoyed running. But today, I felt different about it; only after starting the run. That leads me to tomorrow's story.

a misspelled question

"Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert being being tempted for forty days by the devil."  Luke 4:1-2a 

I think it is very important to read in Luke 4 about Who lead Jesus into the desert. There is a clue in there as to Who helped Him speak the very Word to cause the devil to back down. I believe this Who is also key in our living our lives as Christ followers.  Jesus said all who believe in Him will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

I believe it is up to us to allow the Spirit to lead us. I think so many times, I see where God, through His Spirit would want to take me and if it looks uncomfortable or like there could be a "devil" there, then it must not be God or even Spirit-lead, so I actually end up denying the Spirit rather than the flesh. What would have happened had Jesus said "no" to the Spirit leading Him to the desert to be tempted by the devil?

Notice how Jesus didn't avoid the desert. I avoid.

I know you know what I'm talking about.
I'm specifically talking about not buying cookies.
Or making cookies.
Or having cookies anywhere in the proximity of where I live.
I'm talking about not having to listen to the little package of cookies call out my name from wherever they may be stashed. Avoidance. How easy it is. I am wondering if it really is me resisting the temptation or is it really me avoiding the test all together?

If I change one letter, in one word, in that verse in Luke 4, then the story of Jesus being lead by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil would read like this: "Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the dessert being tempted for forty days by the devil." For you A+ spellers out there, I just changed a dry, arid place into a French bakery. Desert becomes dessert.



This is getting trivial in a light-hearted way about something seriously spiritual. So, thanks to the English language, we'll just change one word so we don't have to dwell on this any longer. "Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness being tempted for forty days by the devil."

There, that should remove any attempt at relevancy to my life. No need to dwell there. I'm so glad I avoided those questions.

The Cookie

This chocolate cookie was a no-brainer temptation. What I mean is this: I was painting and while I was painting, the thought of the chocolate cookie came to mind, then I instantly recalled how good it tastes. It had been 2 hours since lunch and a little snackie would be good and tasty. So, I put my paint brush down, washed my hands and wandered into the kitchen. I popped open the lid and the fragrance of chocolate cookies wafted up to my nostrils. "Mmmmm", I thought. And then, an image of a glass of milk entered my mind. I poured a small glass of milk. I took a bite of the cookie. As soon I did, it occurred to me that I had just given into temptation. GASP! I finished the cookie. GASP! I stared at the small glass of milk. Cookies and milk go together like burgers and fries or pie and coffee. One without the other is sacrilege. So, I figured I had better take a photo of the culprits of my failure. (As you may or may not know, I'm on a mission for 40 days to resist temptation.) I grab another cookie (and smell that wonderful smell), I feel remorseful that a chocolate cookie is such an obvious temptation and yet, without even thinking, I was tempted and just gave in to it. INCONCEIVABLE! (you are now thinking about the Princess Bride, aren't you?) I set the cookie on a napkin and I position the milk beside it. I take several pictures of the offenders. I take a picture of the cookie, from different angles and lighting settings. (sigh) I scroll through my shots and delete the bad photos. I forward the good ones to my email. I got distracted by the dog wanting back inside. Mind you, this all happened in about 2 minutes. I let the dog back inside and see the cookie and milk. I pick up the cookie and mindlessly eat it. GASP! .........................FOOL! I DID IT AGAIN!!! How could I go through 2 minutes of realizing  MY depravity regarding the temptation of cookies just to do it AGAIN?!  INCONCEIVABLE!

The thing of it is, Jesus was going without food for 40 days in the desert and the devil came to Him and tempted Him to turn a stone into a loaf of bread. That was a temptation based on a legitimate need.

Cookies and milk?

It's Painfully Obvious

It's painfully obvious this resisting temptation thing for 40 days isn't going to work. At least on my own, it isn't going to work. Denying oneself and the lusts of this flesh just doesn't come easy. Jesus tells us if we are going to follow Him then we are to pick up our cross daily, we need to deny ourselves. Why would anyone want to do this? This will be 40 days of dying. Why?

This isn't going to make me holy. This isn't going to get me into Heaven. This isn't going to earn me any points with God. Why should I bother?

Why should I feel so compelled to prepare my heart for Resurrection Sunday, the day Jesus conquered death? It's amazing how I am already fighting against this inclination to "deny oneself". Quite frankly, I am comfortable right where I'm at. Or perhaps not just comfortable, but complacent.

....No, not complacent; because I still believe there is more to this Jesus than I've known for the last 27 years of walking with Him. There is something in me that needs to die in order for new life to emerge. I'm not sure what that is, or what it looks like, but I'm going to commit to this 40 day thing.  I have a feeling that my failing on this human level is actually succeeding on some small spiritual level.

It's going to be painful, obviously.

Another 40 Day Project

I'm not Catholic. I've never "done" Lent. However, this year, I am feeling compelled to prepare my heart for Resurrection Sunday (I prefer calling it what I celebrate; the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after His death.). Lent is a 40 day fast that is supposed to represent Jesus' 40 days in the desert overcoming the temptations by Satan. It's recorded in Luke 4.

I'm not fasting. I am on a mission. I am reading Luke 4 for 40 days. I am pondering this story. I am examining my own heart and ways.  I am thinking about Jesus being in a desert and the lack of comfortable living he endured. I am thinking about how the text clearly mentions that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. I am thinking about the three recorded ways the devil tempted Jesus. I am thinking about how at the end of the temptation period, the devil departed from Him until an opportune time. I am thinking about how Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit and thus began His ministry.

I shall imagine what it would be like to live 40 days in the wilderness (in the area Jesus was in, it would be like living in Arizona). I don't know if He had a tent, a camel, and a 40 day ration of water. I don't know if he took any good scrolls to read. I don't know if he stayed out of the skin cancer inducing UV rays. I don't know if he traveled by night and slept by day. I don't know if he had memorized the constellations to know which direction he was going.

You see, if it were me going for 40 days into the wilderness (especially if I knew I would be fasting), I would pack my Jeep with all the Costco water bottles I could fit in it. I would have 5 vat-sized SPF 50 sunblock lotion bottles.  I would have my sunglasses, my sunhat, a good pair of hiking shoes, a box of matches, some camp fire wood, a topographical map or a TomTom GPS, a portable chair, some chewing gum, my iPod with car charger, good books and magazines, a camera with some good lenses, a couple of pencils, a pen and a journal.

I would definitely be ready to capture whatever God wanted to tell me be it a scene, a word or some lyric from a great song.  I would be quasi-comfortable...like camping, but with more of a spiritual intent. Right?

So here is what I'm thinking I'm going to do for the next 40 days (we don't count Sundays for some reason during the Lent season otherwise it would be 46 days), I'm going to try to overcome temptation. I know the difference between eating for sustaining my life and eating because I'm tempted (like the creme brulee on the dessert tray after I have already broken the law against gluttony). Or like when I'm tempted to run off to the store for something that I really don't need. There's so many things I can be tempted by. But the choice is up to me. I have the inconvenience of not being in a desert. Temptation is everywhere.

I'll blog each day about my triumphs and (most likely) failures. This is an attempt to realize my real, true need. Jesus. Because like I said, if I were going somewhere for 40 days, I would...

10 Weeks!

Well, it's ten weeks until the big 4 OH!
 I'm taking stock.
 I'm pondering.
 I'm hesitantly moving forward.
 I'm grasping new truths.
I'm letting go of familiar lies.

It's a good place to be.

I was thinking back to my childhood to see if I could recognize what was in my heart way back then. What sort of things did I like, what games did I like to play, what did I like to do, who or what did I pretend to be? What happened to that girl? If I imagine myself so young and small like her, and I could talk to her, what would I say? Or would I say anything? Perhaps I would just listen.

New Dough in Town

I made a new sourdough starter. I still have Sid.
Sid is good.
Sid is easy going.
Sid still reigns supreme.

Now I have Walter. Where Sid is a milk-based starter, Walter is a water-based starter.

I made Walter 20 days ago. Ten days later, I made a some artisan loaves with him. He tasted yummy. Not quite as yeasty as Sid, but still, he was good.  Then I fed him. The little guy was a glutton! It was my fault though. I gave him 3 times the amount of sugar! I realized that and then had to adjust his flour and water accordingly! I'm not sure how he'll taste the next time I make bread with him.

Flash Forward one month later:  Walter is the Shiz.

Oh Walter...

Here's a blues song. After each sentence you can flourish it with your own "blues sound" (i.e. bum DUH da  dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, bum DUH da dum,etc.)

I woke up this morning (insert blues sound)
I mixed up some dough (blues sound)
I was in a hurry (blues sound)
I had somewhere to go! (blues sound)

I heated up the water (you know what to do)
I waited for the right temp (.....)
I added some more flour (....)
I did not add hemp (.... okay, okay, so I needed a rhyming word + it's a true statement! Of course, I wouldn't know where to get such stuff. I've seen it in health food stores, not-so-secretly- added to chips among some other things. Oh, and it's in the craft shops too; in yarn and jewelry supplies. Back to the blues!)

Here's the part of the song where you can really let it go....think House of Blues....think laundry!

The dough mixed up nicely (blues sound)
It smelled pretty good too (blues sound)
I dumped it out on the counter (.....)
It was a big gob of goo (...)

More flour was kneaded needed (blues sound)
The dough wouldn't let it in (get grungy with it, because my frustration at this point is high. The dough was NOT letting the flour incorporate)
I fussed at the dough ball and looked at the jar and when I realized that Walter was still in the jar, I felt real apologetic, because I wasn't making sourdough at all, I just had a big ball of gooey dough and poor Walter wasn't a part of it at all! (okay, so I'm not much of a song writer and I ruined your groove. My groove was ruined too).

Song over.
Story not over.

I added 1 cup of Walter (the new sourdough starter,yes I still have Sid) to the dough and got my hands reeeeeeeeeeeal goopy. Then I got all improvisational with it and added a tad more flour and a tad more Walter. When it was all said and done, I had a very dense ball of sourdough. And because Walter was such a glutton after to first time I fed him (I gave him 3x the amount of sugar and had to compensate with more flour and water) I'm not real sure how it's all going to turn out.

I've got the sourdough blues.

Flipping-out on this Freaky Friday over Flirtatious Females

nuf said.

Michelle's Summer 2010: 10 Things

10) COLD and CLOUDY June.

9) Started process of buying house in Forest Grove.

8) STRAWBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES AND TAYBERRIES

7) Snag in the home-buying process

6) Home-made freezer jams

5) Theater In The Grove Children's After School Theater Productions: "The Saddest King" & "Music Man, Jr." with Charlie acting in both and Autry as a Stage Technician

4) Another snag in the home-buying process.

3) Trip to Port Townsend, WA. for 4th of July.

2) Beach trip

1) BFF from high school visits for a week. What fun!

 

We are still awaiting the closing of our house. Will keep you posted!

Accessories For Sid

Sid is my sourdough starter that lives in my fridge. He's about 5 months old now. He had a near death experience a couple of weeks ago and since then, I have really been more sympathetic towards him.

My family and I went strawberry picking last week for our first time EVER. We picked 20lbs of strawberries in 40 minutes. They were $1/lb. We paid $20 for our strawberries. They should've weighed us before we started picking, because I'm sure between the four of us, we ate 5lbs worth. I only ate two strawberries. It was my boys who ate in poundage.

Unlike blackberry picking, there aren't any thorny briers that scratch up your skin or clothes. There are just small, green clusters of plants and if you move the foliage out of the way, you will see under the green leaves and stalks, a red cache. It's beautiful. Red strawberries hidden under the shade of the plant, resting peacefully, waiting for someone to find them and pick them.

Pick them we did!

We took our 20lbs of strawberries home. We ate our dinner, went to see Charlie in his play at the Theater in the Grove, ate ice cream and then, at 9:30pm began the cleaning/de-stemming/pureeing/jam process. It took us me 2 1/2 hours to process all of those strawberries. It was my first time. I wasn't sure how to set up the system. I had my food processor out and started the puree process with that, but realized that the blender would hold more. I had 4 bowls to begin with but realized 2 were sufficient.

About 1 1/2 hours into the whole shebang, I had this thought: "Puree can later be made into jam. Jam does not have to be made RIGHT NOW".

Well, you might think that was a little long to take to have that thought, but this was my first time. I was a strawberry jam-making virgin. It took awhile for the  "Aha" moment to happen. If you don't have anyone there giving you advice or pointers, then it takes a little longer.

Needless to say, I hastened the process by just making puree and freezing that in Ziplocs.

I will return to the strawberry field and pick some more and freeze more puree. I will make jam in January. It will be like a Beatles song, "Strawberry Fields Forever".

Oh yes, about Sid.

Sid was accessorized (after 20 minutes of cooling from the oven) with fresh, homemade strawberry jam. The strawberry jam dressed him up quite nicely. And as ZZ Top says, "Every girl's crazy about a sharped dressed man" (bread).

The love affair has begun.
Sid was consumed within his first hour of accessorization.