Suan and Dick Hanson

Suan and Dick Hanson are two of the most talented individuals we know.  Suan plays flute, composes music for our UU Choir, writes stories for her three grandchildren, and sews many of her clothes.  And she knits.  Plus she is an artist and pens tiny black dots as her medium.  We have two of her pieces, one of our house on Augustine Way and another of the house out here in Charterwood.  Suan has pet turtles, big guys. 

Dick is one of these fellas who can can build, remodel, or fix car problems.  Dick was instrumental  making the new entry way to the Church a reality with his expert engineering skills.    Dick likes to sail and hunt.  As a springtime ritual, Dick and a group of his buddies head up to the boundary waters to hunt.  Plus he has this sail boat.  One of our friends needed Dick to travel out East with him to pick up a boat the other fella purchased.

Both Suan and Dick did the first remodel of the RE lower level of the Church years ago.

They sing with us in Civic Chorale as well as Choir at UU.

Julia Child: TV's First Cooking Show Host

The other day a Master Gardener buddy sent this link about Julia Child, the first person to host a TV program about cooking.  Julia's first cook book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, remains popular today. I used mine for many years.  The recipes are detailed because she insists the successful cook needs explicit instructions and therefore in places, the recipes read like narratives.  This link is in song and makes Julia look as though she is singing.  The message? Of utmost importance -- "freshness is essential, that makes all the difference." Very clever! (No way to delete the Walmart commercial --- aarrruuggh!)

Her TV show, the French  Chef, 1963 - 1973, was viewed even by non cooks. She became a beloved TV personality.    The sets for her TV show(s) were built with kitchen counters high enough to accommodate her  height of 6' 2".

• Cooking with Master Chefs  
• Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
• In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs.

After the Goldman-Sachs commercial, you will see Julia punch down a ball of risen yeast dough -- BOOM!  Martha Stewart shows Julia how to make an exquisite  three tiered wedding cake decorated with marzipan cherries and raspberries.

Her marriage to Paul Childs is an inspiration.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 56 -- no matter, "Paul did not marry me for my breasts."  My Ed said something similar when I had my mastectomy. 

Julia was born in 1912 and passed away in 2014 at the age of 92.

My Holiday Greeting

Squirrels

The Ring Cycle and the Metropolitan Opera Brass Section

When sadness happens such as the death of Nelson Mandela, favorite musical pieces -- in this case a video of the Metropolitan Opera brass section soothes my soul.  Richard Wagner designed a special tuba specifically for the Ring Cycle.   Metropolitan Opera YouTube - an explanation of the leitmotif.

Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

Yesterday we lost a hero of the world at the age of 95.   Nelson Mandela from South Africa was imprisoned for many years because he spoke out against whites ruling over South Africa with the blacks coerced into a state of less than second class citizenry, apartheid.  Blacks and Whites lived apart from each other.  While in prison with other black demonstrators,  Mandela worked in the salt mines and his tear ducts were burned thus making it impossible for him to shed tears.   He cried in his heart.   Out of prison, he became the first black president South Africa.

Like Mahatma Gandhi, both believed in nonviolence.

As an aside, one of my favorite composers, Philip Glass, wrote an opera about Gandhi --  Satyagraha.  My opera guru, Karen Khusro let me know it was to be performed in PBS and I saw it ---- and LOVED it.  No subtitles, the music and the staging is all that is necessary to follow the story.  

Money Tree

The first time I saw a Money Tree was in Minneapolis way back when Neal was beginning his Ph.D at the University of Minnesota.  We had dinner at a Thai restaurant and I spotted a small plant with a braided trunk on the counter,.  Curious person that I am, I asked one of the employees if they knew anything about the plant.  They said it was a Money Tree and one was on display in the window of a florist shop down the street.  After dinner we saw the Money Tree is in the window, a much larger specimen, maybe about a two feet tall, with a price tag of $82.00.  Holy malolee!

December 5, 2013 before pruning

Through the years, though, these plants became available in many stores with price tags of about $10.00.  My first Money Tree, purchased at Target, lasted about two years.  They are sold with the  braided trunks held together with wire.  Unfortunately, the wire needs to be removed after a while but I was unaware of this and hence the tree died due to strangulation.

December 5, 2013 after pruning

These are pictures of of my second Money Tree.  It is common for the tips of the leaves to turn brown.   I chopped off the branches and in time, new ones grew back and healthy leaves appeared.  I am hoping for a repeat performance.

Also, the plant may do better in a location with less light.

An important part of gardening is learning plants only thrive if they have the correct amount of light.

Today is January 17, 2014.
Not even a month has passed and new growth
has appeared. .

Here is an excellent example of how regenerative pruning can benefit a plant.  That is, doing a major cutback.  If all goes well, the Money Tree will produce new branches and leaves.

Today is Februrary 17, 2014
Four weeks have gone by
and the plant is filling out beautifully.
 

Ivy from West View Cemetery in Pittsburgh

When we visit Pittsburgh, a trip out to West View Cemetery where Digby and Mole  are laid to rest is usually part of our visit.  While there last summer, I pinched a few pieces of ivy from the graves, rooted them in water and potted up the rooted cuttings.   As you can see, the plant is spindly.   Should I do some trimming?  This is the usual technique to create a bushier plant.  

Because we share approximately the same climate zone as Pittsburgh, if the cuttings grow, a new home in the patio garden will be in the plan. 

Digby and Mole are the loving nicknames my twin brother Jan and I gave to our parents when we were teenagers.  

Thanksgiving at UUBN, Recipe Treasures Culled

We joined our UU buddies for the  annual Thanksgiving meal, an event we used to host every now and then but have not attended in a while.  Turkeys and dressing are provided by those who host the dinner, and those who attend  bring other foodstuffs.  Always delicious! Always enough left-overs for everyone to take some home.   My friend, Joan Netzbandt,  made bulbous, buttery, soft rolls and I brought 4 home.  Ed had 1, I consumed 3.   

Postscript:  Joan emailed the rolls were purchased at Great Harvest.  

I signed up to bring an apple crisp but since there were a few bags of fresh cranberries in the refrig, it seemed like a good idea to add some to the crisp.    When I found several recipes on the web, I chose this one and the results were yummy.
 
Apple Cranberry Crisp

• 2 cups cranberries fresh cranberries
• 3 cups sliced, peeled apples -- I used Fuji
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice -- A few squeezes from an orange worked fine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup quick cooking oats -- I used regular, not quick cooking
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Combine cranberries, apples, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt; turn into a shallow, buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Combine brown sugar, oats, and flour. Cut in butter. Spoon over cranberry-apple mixture. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until topping is crispy and fruit is tender. 

Upon adding this recipe to my Recipe Treasures folder, something told me there were way too many saved recipes.  Therefore I culled the files keeping any written in Grandma Mimi's or Aunt Ruth's handwriting or for that matter, any recipe written by a friend.   

Consumerism Gone Rampant

As many know, Signy, Roslyn and Liesl have many, many toys. 

At UU yesterday, a friend and I were talking about the excesses some children have.  The girls will arrive here during this holiday season.  Our idea this year was to do donations to charities with them at the computer to help key in the information.   My friend, a promoter of Fair Trade, wanted to know the ages of the girls and when she learned they are young, she suggested to do the donations but to purchase a small gift as well to symbolize the particular charity. 

Crossroads was open yesterday, Sunday, for us UU's, to do our holiday shopping -- these are like-minded folks who are offended by glitz and the consumerism that envelopes many.

Shopping, done.