New Year Harvest

As the resolutions and dreams mound into a beginning today, it feels good to already have something accomplished. A harvest, and its only  the first day of the year! I went out to prune the raspberry canes (check) and stayed in my garden a bit longer to pick a few stalks of fennel. The new plants are already several inches high and bright green--it seemed a shame to leave the wilted and grey stalks of last summer among them. I only saved a few heads, because (in spite of its delicious aroma and endless cooking possibilities) I don't often use fennel in the kitchen. But every now and then it comes in handy (thinking of Lemony-Fennel Loaves from the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, and my sister-in-law's deep dish lasagna) so I snipped a few heads from the pile, brought them in and ended up with a few tablespoons of seeds.

Each Thursday morning I breathe deeply, tuck my hands under my arms to warm them, and wait. I started taking piano lessons when I was seven, and haven't stopped. My sister taught me for eight years, and the last two of those I also took lessons from my brother-in-law. My sister led me through my lesson books (good old Faber and Faber) and thoroughly into the world of classical, romantic and baroque music, and my brother-in-law taught me about chords, harmony and improvisation. A year (plus a few months) ago they moved to another state and I started taking lessons from the woman who taught my sister while she was in college. I was nervous, but felt comfortable quickly because hadn't I been taking lessons from her, through my sister, for several years?
This year, one Thursday at a time, I'm learning a new thing: performing. Seminar is only a group of students, our teacher, and the beautiful old Bluthner in Smith Recital Hall, but it is teaching me how to move past my nerves. It also gives me motivation to practice hard, and a chance to share in others' musical progress. I love to listen to them. But I am so human! After I play each week, I sit back down and let my mind wallow in criticism of my performance, or in jealousy of others' talent. It takes prayer and a heck of a mental effort for me to return my focus to healthy analysis and pleased listening. My goal is to do away with the pride, and the jealousy, and the self-consciousness, and just fall in love with the music. Maybe this will be the year.

We had Halloween

Another post without pictures, because I'm lazy and I don't know where the fancy camera is. Oh well, I don't know how to use it anyhow. It would have been nice to show you some of today, though! Carved pumpkins, autumnal decor (on a clean counter) and a fantastic harvest dinner. Here is what I did:

Let's call it "Acorns and Apples"

3 acorn squash

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. butter

3 garlic cloves

1/2 large yellow onion

3/4 Lb. Italian sausage

2 medium red apples

3 stalks celery

1 C. fresh plain bread crumbs

1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

6 slices fresh soft bread

Room temperature butter, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the ends off the acorn squashes, then cut the squashes in half (perpendicular to the ridges) and scoop out the insides. Place them hollow side down in a large, lightly greased baking dish (rub a little oil on the bare ends if you like, to keep them from burning--it really does nothing besides keep them looking pretty, and you won't even see that side when serving). Bake for 40 minutes. Keep the oven on.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic and onion. Add these to the hot pan and stir to soften. Add the sausage and break it into small chunks. Dice the apples and celery, make bread crumbs if you need to (a hunk of bread popped into the blender for a minute does the trick), and grate the cheese. Add apples and celery to the saute pan and stir to soften. Turn heat to low and mix in the cheese and bread crumbs.

Turn the squashes so the hollow sides face up, and fill them with the sausage mixture. Grate a little more cheese over each one. Place the pan in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.

Toast the slices of bread and butter them.

Serve the baked, stuffed, deliciously flavorful acorn squash halves with hot toast. Enough for 6.

I liked this meal because, well, so many reasons! Acorn squash cooked any way makes me happy, but it was good to take a break from the cinnamony dessert version. The comfort of an honest, simple baked stuffing is tangible. And a side of toast! Perfect. 

A blurb for gratitude

The day began with a cold grey sky. Only the eye of the sunrise--a great almond shape cut out of the cloud--was open to reveal dreamy blue, and flecks of gold. We started it right, with pumpkin pudding (a little too gingery, perhaps) and banana muffins. Me and Mama got school going, precariously reading, folding laundry and keeping G out of too much trouble. Elaina went to work on her still life, which is autumnal, smooth and (honestly!) beautiful. It may be my favorite of her paintings so far. Our morning walk was a rainy one, ranging from mist to pelts to a drizzle at tempo. Now that it is afternoon, there is only a foggy breath ensconcing the valley, and a thick comforter of clouds. There is no rain.
To say the least, I am glad that it is autumn. I'm glad that the school week was good, and that it is almost over! I'm glad for the (license-stimulated) chances to be with friends, whether praying together or cheering at a football game. I'm glad that Daddy will come home from a business trip tonight, and we will have a delicious family weekend. From grey sunrise to the people I love, I am glad!

Two Weekends

Last weekend was spent celebrating Mama's birthday at our favorite haunt--a quiet, rustic cabin tucked away in the shelter of the cascade foothills. We were so happy to relax there, just being together (and holding my peaceful, newborn nephew!), enjoying the river sounds and the clean mountain air. Me and Daddy even found time to go on a wonderful run up and (painfully) back down the mountain at our doorstep. We were so enthralled with the scenery on top of the ridge that, the next day, we took G up  there to explore, this time in our car. We found a beautiful glacier lake that was cold and blue and perfect for skipping rocks across.
Just as we were happy to hide away at the cabin last weekend, we are happy to be home now. I finished my second school week, plummeting from the heights of scholarly excitement to the plateau of a high-schooler catching up after Labor Day. I had to transfer one book (a very good book by Don Richardson) from my "school reading" list to my "to be read whenever I have spare time" list, which means that it will take an eternity to get through.  I groaned and vowed I would never take another holiday, if it meant so many extra hours of reading. But I'm sure I will. However, I hope that next time I'll catch up a little faster. For now, a good Sunday at home-ish. Which means lots of time writing, being in nature, and reading some Don Richardson!

Back to School (and a few good books)

My school-days begin with these:

And end here:

But between the running shoes and the bedside table are about fifteen hours of wonder. Honestly, it's exhausting. I have rediscovered that tiredness that comes from real labor (whether mental or physical) and consequently can enjoy the deliciousness of falling quickly to sleep each night, tired and satisfied with the day. The wonder is well worth the exhaustion: my school curriculum is a treasure trove of excellent literature that helps my roots to grow deeper and my fingertips to reach up among the stars. The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, by Dr. Jay L. Wile and Marilyn M. Shannon, M.A., is a perfect fit for this final year of high school, since I have always been excited about health and fitness, and plan on studying exercise science next year. I'm hoping to develop a solid foundation of knowledge in anatomy and physiology throughout the next few months, at least enough to prepare me somewhat for the college level courses to come. I am working through three government/politics works: The Complete Idiots Guide to U.S. Government & Politics (Franco Scardino), God and Politics (edited by Gary Scott Smith) and Basic American Government by Clarence B. Carson. I used to dread any politically-oriented discussion or article that popped up because I didn't understand them. I still don't understand them, but I am now on the way to understanding, and enjoying the journey. I'm also reading William Zinsser's On Writing Well, 100 Best-Loved Poems, edited by Philip Smith, The Elements of Style (William Strunk JR. and E.B. White) and (my personal favorite) Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren's How to Read a Book. I've always enjoyed reading, but that last has broadened my perspective considerably on the topic of reading, and over the past week I have already discovered some great tips on reading effectively.
I wasn't ready for school to start this year. But I am ever so glad that it has! If you need a good read, please consider one of the seven that I've mentioned--they really are good.

From Asparagus to Artichoke

The spring that went past at race pace is now over, and the raspberries are already in full swing. We enjoyed several happy weeks of fresh, crisp asparagus, served boiled with poached eggs or sauteed with garden vegetables.

Then Easter came, and I had to share this bit of the many precious moments from the day.

The artichokes were better this year than ever before, and I had loads of fun tucking them, caramelized, into toasted cheese sandwiches, pureed and folded into souffles and creme brulee, and classically boiled with lemon-butter sauce and plenty of pepper.

Ladybird took this glowing photo of a spiced apple German pancake that we made one Saturday morning, a few months ago.

Now the garden is quietly sucking up the water and nurture that Bethany and I are pouring into it, and we're anticipating lots of corn and a variety of squashes and melons soon. I can't wait for the new cooking adventures they will bring! So far it seems as if all I do is garden and cook, which is close to true. But I've also spent a lot of time running through the countryside before sunrise with Daddy, dandering in the woods with Gavin (he's so delighted to go outside at any time!) practicing piano and finding ways to keep inspired with it, and delving into books from science to gardening to Jurassic Park.

I spent the week before last in Rockaway with my youth group, helping to lead a sports/Bible camp for Pre-K through 6th-graders, and also a youth group for the teens there (which were few). It was an exhausting week, but far more fun and rewarding than I ever anticipated. I had no idea that watching kids, keeping them safe, entertained and teaching them, could be such a struggle. But when we were the weakest, we could see and feel God acting most visibly. It was beautiful to see, and so exciting to be a part of!

Now I'm home and more summer stretches out peacefully in front of me, with the promise of good times with family and friends, and next month, blackberries!