A New Year's Wish...

I found this in a magazine when little one was just born. I've kept it somewhere that I could see it ever since. I love it because it is exactly what I have aspired to as a mother (and as a person)...saying yes to life as often as I possibly can each day. I love the part..."yes, I will sing the song, yes, just this once, no three times." What was the hurry again? I think I forgot while I was singing. xo

A Christmas Tradition...

A long, long time ago, when I was about 10 years old, my mom taught me how to make bread. She taught me with my grandmother's recipe:

"For every package of yeast use 2 cups of warm water, two teaspoons of salt, three tablespoons of oil, two tablespoons of sugar, and approx. 4 cups of flour - bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes."

I usually double this recipe - and it will make two loaves. Delicious! This recipe is also the base for the most amazing cinnamon rolls. I make them on Christmas Eve, and then that is our breakfast Christmas morning while we open our presents.

Bread:

1 package of active dry yeast

2 cups of warm water

2 teaspoons of salt

3 tablespoons of oil

2 tablespoons of sugar

4 cups of flour (approx.)

Put warm water in a bowl, add yeast (Fleischmann's "active dry" yeast) and let sit for about 5-10 minutes until yeast expands a little. Then add salt, oil, sugar and stir. You will start adding flour until the dough is ready to knead...then you add a little flour as you knead it on the counter. I usually knead it for a few minutes, then pop it right back in the bowl I mixed in, put a towel over it and let it rise. After it rises, push it down and split it to roll out your rolls. Flatten out a slab of dough (see photo below) and slather with butter, sprinkle with lots of sugar and cinnamon....roll into a long log. Prepare your pan (I use a glass pyrex lasagna pan) with butter and sprinkle it with sugar....cut the cinnamon rolls (maybe 1/2" thick) and put in the pan. Let them rise until doubled and then bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Make sure and take them out of the pan and onto a wire rack (with a paper towel under to catch the melted butter) right away....the bottoms will be gooey, but get harder as it cools.

"...and Super Monkey saves the blog!"

Oh my dear blog...I have really, really missed you! While I have a huge list of things to "put on my blog" (just ask anyone who is ever around me and my camera) this will be my first post since peaches this summer (sigh). What a better way to start again than with a post about this sweet little Super Monkey? Oh how I love my little monkey...running all around the living room doing tricks, his cape flying, and then stopping to hug me really tight and say "It's a great day at Christmas time mama!" I couldn't agree more. xo

Peaches and Fedoras

My sweet neighbor Dolores left a bag of peaches on our door step the other day. I love peaches and I love things left on my door step! Anyhow, I had just gotten a fedora hat for the summer, random connection, right? But, peaches and a fedora, all while tinkering around in the kitchen making cobbler...how summery is that? Anyhow, back to the cobbler, I go between recipes, but always come back to my mom's recipe for Apple Crisp. It works with any kind of fruit, and for me it's perfect. In fact, we just made it in Oregon with fresh Marionberries!! (The official blackberry of Marion County, Oregon).

Sometimes I double the topping, just for the pure joy of it. xo

Peach Crisp

topping:

1 cup of flour

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cube of butter (1/2 cup)

Mix this together until it forms a crumbly texture...

fruit:

Fill a 13 x 9 with fruit (any kind really), sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup of water over it. Pour the brown sugar topping over the fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes, until golden brown on top.

ENJOY! xo

Charlie's toes...

I really love summer...and I

really, really LOVE these

tiny little feet!! xo

a summer wish...

i send you tiny seashells in a toddler's hand

jewel tone glass bottles

a private poetry recital, just for you

homemade biscuits with soft butter

and the applause of your ancestors...

-sark

This little light of mine...

There are times we are called to be a light in the darkness.

Now is that time. Be a calm presence of love.

Let your heart shine like a beacon in dark times.

It is surprising what a difference one light can make.

-An inspirational reminder this morning from my brother Tony. He is a gift in my life and I was most definitely INSPIRED! xo