Sunday Snapshots: Celebrating the Dads

This afternoon we gathered to celebrate the dads in our lives (at least the ones who are near)...  

Ron,

my dad,

and my son-in-law, Brian...

all of whom happen to be spectacular dads!

::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::

As an aside...

There was a bit of color coordination going on here,

because we are that kind of (quirky) family.

Fathers {A Repost}

Reposting from last year...musings about Father's Day...

We always make a big deal out of Mother's Day and Father's Day.

There are those who say that such holidays were created by people who wanted to sell cards. Years ago, one friend told me, "I don't need gifts or cards because I am a mother; I don't do what I do so that I can be appreciated."  Another friend encouraged her husband to do something for his own mother, but not for herself.  

Honestly, I can see the point in all of those perspectives.  And these celebrations certainly are not Biblically mandated; they are recent observances in the scope of history.  

My dad with my sister and me, 1963

But I choose to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day because I wish to honor the role of mother and father.  

When my husband gives me a card and chooses to give me a gift, he is saying to my children, Mom is doing an important job, and I appreciate it.  He is honoring the role of "mother."  And when I do the same for him, I am saying, "Your father is an honorable man and you are blessed that he is your father."  

When we give to our parents, we are obeying the Biblical command to "Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."  (Exodus 20:12)

When I give a gift to my own son (who is a father), or to my daughter (who is a mother), or to my son-in-law or my daughter-in-law,  I am acknowledging and appreciating the challenging but vitally important job that they are doing.

So this weekend, we will honor fathers, and their unique position in the family.  

I will honor my husband Ron whose quiet strength, sincere desire to do right, and love for the Lord has made him a wonderful father.

I will honor my own father whose integrity and hard work have made him a good example to his children and grandchildren.

I will honor my son-in-law Brian whose servant heart and selfless giving has been a tower of strength to His family.

I will honor my son Ryan across the miles, as he faithfully leads and trains his family in righteousness.

I will honor my father-in-law who, although He passed away almost a year ago, has left behind a story of God's grace.

And we will thank our Heavenly Father for His grace.

The grace that He gives to imperfect human beings, the grace that enables them to be fathers and mothers and raise children in this sin-cursed world.  The grace that takes their imperfect efforts and uses them anyway.

The grace that He gives to children whose parents are poor reflections of His glory.  The grace that He offers to those who will accept Him.  The grace that He extends to be the "father to the fatherless." (Psalm 68:5)

The grace that He gives to those who have lost their earthly father...as Ron did this year, as the children of my dear friend whose father passed so quickly last summer.  Again, that promise that He will be the "father to the fatherless."  


And for this grace...

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, 

made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, 

that we might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

(Galations 4:4-6)

The Hidden Art of Homemaking {Chapter 8: Food}

I tentatively blogged my way through the chapters on sketching and gardening and flower arranging, wondering whether I'd have anything substantive to say. (I managed to find plenty to say anyway. No comments from Ron, please.) 

But this chapter about food has challenged me in a different way.  I have so much to say!  And much of it, I have already said in the four years that I have been blogging. 

First of all, let me say that I found myself nodding my head in agreement over and over as I read Mrs. Schaeffer's words. She takes mealtime seriously, from the variety of flavor, texture, and appearance of the food that is served, to the arrangement of the plate and the table, to the atmosphere surrounding the meal.

Here are some of the passages that had me nodding...

"Cooking should not be thought of as a drudgery, but as an art."

Yes!

"To 'help cook' is one of the most enjoyable things of childhood - to say nothing of being a sure way of producing good cooks."

Indeed! I have seen this with each of my children. When I included the children in the tossing in of ingredients or the stirring of the soup or the kneading of the bread or the chopping of the carrots, we enjoyed memory-making moments. Not that it is always the "easy" thing to do with youngsters. In the beginning years, it takes longer and it is messier to include them. But in the end, you're doing yourself a favor. Both of my older girls love to bake. My son loves to grill and can make a mean omelet. And my youngest (12) has come into her own in the kitchen this year.

"Food should be chosen for nutritive values, of course, but also to give variety and interest to meals. Food should be chosen to give pleasure, and to cheer up people after a hard day's work, to comfort them when they feel down for some reason, to amuse them when things seem a bit dull, or to open up conversation when they feel silent and uncommunicative."

Yes again! Is it a part of the mother-heart that likes to feed her young...even when they're no longer "young"? I see that in my mother-in-law who feeds something to my husband whenever he comes for any reason. I see it in my mother too, and I see it in myself. 

"Being challenged by what a difference her cooking and her way of serving is going to make in the family life gives a woman an opportunity to approach this with the feeling of painting a picture or writing a symphony."

I love this! This seemingly mundane chore can be elevated to art!

"The cook in the home has opportunity to be doing something very real in the area of making good human relationships."

And that is one of the ideas that I have proposed several times in my years of blogging. It is what I believe, and it is what I teach the two girls who are still living at home...
Mealtime is about more than the food. 
It is about a gathering of family. A time to connect. A place to tell stories. A place to share values. Allow me to share what I wrote about mealtime a while back in my series 31 Days to Make a House a Home...

Perhaps one of the surest ways to make a house a home is to make the dinner hour a priority.  Family mealtimes are a priority at our house...always have been, always will be.  There is just something about that time when everyone comes together, sits around the table, and shares a meal.  And it's not just about the food.  We connect at meal time...not only a physical connection, in that we're all in the same place at the same time, but a relational one. We share conversation.  We talk about the details of our day.  We talk about the upcoming birthday party.  We talk about what we learned in our homeschool read aloud, or who we saw at the grocery store, or what we want to watch on movie night.  We talk about the Bible passages that Mr. Phil read on Sunday and the discussion that followed. We share family history and family stories.  Dinner topics often lead to stories of our younger years.  This is how our kids learn about our lives, and the lives of their grandparents and great-grandparents, and thus, they discover their own history.  (Since there is such an age difference on our four children, we often discover that there are stories that the younger two have not yet heard.) We share our values in the daily gathering at the dinner table.  Values are communicated in the honest, open day-to-day talk. We share time together, simply enjoying one another's company.  Shared mealtimes encourage family unity. We enjoy stillness and respite.  The dinner hour is a time to slow down the pace, a time to relax.  It's a time to feed the body and the soul. Dinnertime is an anchor for the day. Sometimes mealtime is lively.  There is laughter and engaging conversation.  Sometimes mealtime is quiet.  People are pensive...or just plain tired. Sometimes meals are special, wonderful food served on a beautifully set table. Sometimes the meal is canned soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (or leftovers, as it was last night). But a meal that is shared by a family (whether that family is one with a table full of children, or a couple whose children have grown*) is a special occasion of grace and blessing. Consistently sharing meal time is an important part of making a house a home.

That said, it is worth the effort to make ordinary mealtime a special occasion. 
Do what is appropriate for your season of life. If you are a mother whose children are all young, you will have neither time nor energy to prepare gourmet meals. But you can serve a colorful plate of simple foods and place a dandelion bouquet in the center of the table. If your children are teenagers who work during the evening, your family may not be able to dine together every night. But you can make the nights when everyone is together extra special. And be sure to share the meal with those who are present on the other nights...there are no unimportant guests at our dinner table.

I could go on. (I told you I had a lot to say!) But perhaps I'll just direct you to some of my musings about mealtimes that I have shared in the past. Then it's up to you whether or not you read any more...

Set a Pretty Table  The "hidden art" of a pretty table...and not just for company. Plan to Eat  Planning is half the battle. Turn Off the TV! This one is about distractions at mealtime. Mealtime Traditions  Some practical ideas for making mealtimes special. An Ordinary Tradition  Friday nights at our house. A Breakfast Request  In which Bekah wants some pretty food. Packing Lunches Bekah Style  In which Bekah again wants some pretty food. Setting the Table for Resurrection Sunday  I take you step-by-step through an easy-peasy holiday table setting plan.

 

If you're interested in this book discussion, you may read along as I usually do 

(click ~here~ for all the posts in the discussion), 

or join in the discussion yourself!

(Click ~here~ for details on how to participate.)

Fruit On Tuesday ~ Week 2 {Blackberry Pavlova}

Pavlova is an elegant summer dessert. 

A popular holiday dessert in Australia, pavlova is named for the Russian dancer Anna Pavlova. It consists of a very light meringue layer, topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, usually some kind of berries. (We have made pavlova with strawberries for Mother's Day a couple of times.)

photo by Bekah

This week, I thought I'd get a jump on Fruit on Tuesday. I made the meringue part of the pavlova on Monday evening while preparing dinner. (First mistake.) After dinner, the girls and I went out to run a couple of quick errands. Before we left, I peeked into the oven, saw the golden brown meringue, and declared it a success . I propped open the oven door, per my recipe, and out we ran.  (Second mistake.)

An hour later, we were back home. I was ready to whip the cream and assemble the dessert, but when I retrieved the pavlova from the oven, it had fallen and was sticky.  Definitely underdone.  

This morning, I had another go at it. As I gave it my full attention (not making dinner this time), I realized that I had omitted two-thirds of the sugar last night! I had only put 1/3 cup...totally missing the part about adding the remaining sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Hello.

As it baked this morning, I did a little internet sleuthing.  Some sources said to leave the oven door fully closed after the meringue is browned, not leaving it ajar as my recipe had said. So this time, I kept the oven door closed, and left the meringue in all day. 

Take 2 was a success!  

That is, it tasted good. Delicious, even. 

The presentation, however, could stand some improvement.

The meringue did have several cracks. And my internet sleuthing showed me that pavlova is taller (looks more like a layer cake in shape), not as low and wide as mine. Look at the lovely shape of this one...

source

Oh, but it was good!  So good, in fact, that I am willing to make a third attempt should the occasion arise.

(Serves 8) Ingredients: 4 egg whites pinch salt 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 teaspoon white vinegar ~ 1 cup heavy cream  1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar ~ 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries Directions: Beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until dissolved and mixture is thick. Add remaining sugar a tablespoon or two at a time. When mixture is very stiff, add vanilla and vinegar. Beat to combine. (Should be thick and glossy.) Spoon mixture onto parchment paper on baking pan; build up sides. Bake at 250° F (very low oven!) for 1 1/2 hours. (Meringue should be light brown and dry to the touch.) Turn off oven and allow pavlova to cool in oven.  Allow to cool thoroughly (several hours, or even overnight).  Whip heavy cream and confectioner's sugar together until stiff peaks form.  Spread on pavlova and top with blackberries. Note: For individual pavlovas, make 8 mounds of egg mixture on parchment paper and decrease baking time to approximately 1 hour.

Have you ever had a dessert flop?  Did you try again? 

Sunday Snapshots: The Little Girl in the Strawberry Dress

The little girl wanted to don her strawberry dress as soon as she woke this morning. Her mama insisted that she eat her breakfast first, but then the little girl dressed for the day.

That afternoon, her Gran oohed and aahed and got out her camera, but the wee one hid behind her mama's legs, reluctant to be the center of attention.

Later, Bekah brought me her camera to show me the pictures that she had taken. The young aunt had supplied a stuffed kitten as a prop, and had convinced the little girl in the strawberry dress to pose for her "photography studio." (Gavin had a bakery, Maddie was a veterinarian, Owen owned a toy store, and Ben was a doctor.)

I am glad that her Aunt Bekah was able to record this...a memory of her strawberry day.  

Some Weekend Reading and Some Mom Bragging

My girls have had a good week!  

Bekah is working her way to the end of a wonderful school year.

Kati planned and hosted the cutest baby shower for a good friend. In fact, it was a Cute as a Button baby shower!  She shared lots of pictures and clever ideas this week at her blog, Kati's Little Corner of the World. You can see all the cuteness if you click the photo below...

Kristin had big news this week...she released her first eBook! It is called Summer Reading Guide for Families and is the compilation of book suggestions and reviews, all from an avid reader and experienced mom. And it's FREE! If you click the picture below (the one with my sweet granddaughter Alaine!), you can get the link for your FREE download.

You can't blame a mama for a little bragging, can you?  ☺

This weekend, Lord willing, I'll be finishing Bekah's portfolio for our annual school review, doing some lick-and-a-promise house cleaning, and making The Pioneer Woman's Beef Fajitas. What's up for your weekend?

The Hidden Art of Homemaking {Chapter 7: Flower Arrangements}

I was a little nervous about this chapter.  Flower arranging?  Eek!  It is no secret that I rely on faux flowers, faux plants, faux topiaries.  Frankly, they stand a much better chance for survival at my house.  In fact, I've never killed a faux plant.  I can't say the same about the real deal. Have I ever told you about my rosemary topiary?  

My parents have given me lovely rosemary topiaries at Christmas time several years. The plants are carefully pruned into the shape of a Christmas tree, and their pungent aroma is so pleasant in the kitchen.  But they are living.  At least they are when Mom and Daddy give them to me.  (Gulp.)

I usually manage to keep them alive until the season is over.  One particular year, however, the tender green stems were slowly becoming brittle and brown...a good week or ten days before Christmas! I imagined my parents coming on Christmas day and seeing the lifeless "Charlie Brown" topiary. Then I wondered if Lowe's had any more in stock.  Hmmm...it was worth a try. 

Off the girls and I went to Lowe's, in search of a still-vibrant rosemary topiary.  On the way out the door, I grabbed our memory-of-a-topiary.  (I didn't want anyone to know that I had killed it.)  

At Lowe's, I found a replacement topiary...for half price! Merry Christmas to me!  

But what to do with the dead one? I couldn't take it back home; there was nowhere to hide it without Eagle Eye Ron finding it.  It was too big to put in a trash can. I decided to leave it somewhere that it could just blend into its surroundings and decompose in its own good time. I drove over to the edge of the Target parking lot, got out of my vehicle, and tossed it over the chain link fence, toward a little ravine. Problem is, I didn't throw it hard enough and there was a little snow on the ground and it didn't slide. When I threw it, it just went kerplunk, and lay there on its side not too far over the fence. Of course, by now the three of us were laughing hysterically at the lunacy of trying to ditch this poor plant as if it were contraband or something!  

Okay...so where was I?  

Yes, I was saying that I felt unqualified to be tackling this chapter about flower arranging, considering that my expertise lies with faux.  

And yet again, Mrs. Schaeffer has let me off the hook! 

She does talk about flower arranging, but with the purpose of encouraging us to bring life and beauty to the family dinner table, to make just a little effort to add a special touch. 

(I think I can do that!)  

The idea is to use your own creativity and talents, and work with what you have.

(I think I can do that too!)

So allow me to personalize the concept of flower arranging, using the means that I have.  

Last week, as I discussed the chapter on gardening, I told you about my herb garden. I love to snip bits of herbs and bring them inside to brighten a corner or two. Since they have been "snipped," I don't have to worry about keeping them alive. (Whew!) If they begin to wilt, I just toss them out (in the compost bin, not at Target ~sheepish grin~) and bring in some new sprigs if I wish.

When we visited my son Ryan and his family a few weeks ago, my daughter-in-law Sarah had gathered branches and blooms from their yard and had artfully arranged them into beautiful symbols of welcome. This gesture has caused me to consider whether I might not "stretch" my talents to try some simple arrangements now and then, for the purpose of bringing cheer to the people within my walls.  

Kati hosted a baby shower for a family friend last weekend, and she wanted to use small clusters of flowers to decorate her tables.  I called her from the grocery store on Friday to let her know that I had found some inexpensive bunches of miniature roses.  She said to pick them up, so on Friday evening we amateurs spread out all the flowers and the vessels Kati had chosen and we dug in!  

Here's a photo that Bekah took, a view of the set table. Not bad, those arrangements?

There were only two of us at dinner last night.  Kati was working and ate early; Ron had to work late and then run some errands. But as Bekah and I ate together, we enjoyed one another's company and the beauty of this gorgeous coral-colored rose, a gift from my sister-in-law.  The single bloom was enough.

Do you bring beauty to your home or your dinner table in the form of flowers? Do you arrange flowers?     

If you're interested in this book discussion, you may read along as I usually do 

(click ~here~ for all the posts in the discussion), 

or join in the discussion yourself!

(Click ~here~ for details on how to participate.)

Fruit On Tuesday ~ Week 1 {Strawberry Shortcake}

Today, I am beginning my new summer recipe series Fruit On Tuesday! 

My first recipe series was born after a post-holiday meltdown. After I pulled myself together that frenzied Tuesday afternoon, restoring a bit of order to my home and making a tried-and-true soup for dinner, I hatched a plan to make soup for dinner--a different soup for dinner--every Tuesday that winter, and share the recipes with you. Thus began Soup On Tuesday.

Last summer, we had Salad On Tuesday. (And you can bet I'll be pulling out some of those recipes again this summer too!)  

This past winter, I made Bread On Tuesday.  Nothing like the aroma and taste of hot-from-the-oven bread.

In this Fruit On Tuesday series, I am going to challenge myself to use fruits in creative ways. Again I'll be sharing some old favorites as well as some brand new (to me) recipes. We'll be  using fruit to make everything from pie to salad, from sauce to salsa, from cake to chutney.  

Today's recipe is of the tried-and-true variety. We were blessed with oodles of strawberries in our garden this year! Strawberry shortcake is just one of the ways we used some of our bounty.  

My shortcake is not really cake-y. There is no shortening (is it really "shortcake" then?) and no eggs. It is more like a slightly sweetened, buttery biscuit, and I make them in individual portions.  

Makes 8. Ingredients: 2 to 3 cups capped, sliced, and slightly sugared  (1/4 cup?) strawberries   ~ 2 cups all purpose flour  1/4 cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon salt  1 stick butter 2/3 cup milk or half-and-half ~ 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar Directions: Cap and slice strawberries.   Sprinkle a little sugar over them and stir.  Set aside while you prepare the shortcakes.   Preheat oven to 450° F.      For shortcakes, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt in medium bowl; mix well.   Cut cold butter into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly.   Add milk; stir quickly with fork just until dough begins to hold together.  Turn onto floured surface, knead several times, and roll  to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out 8 rounds with a large cutter (I use a drinking glass) and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 9 minutes. Meanwhile, whip heavy cream and confectioner's sugar together until stiff peaks form.   Slice warm shortcake in half.  Fill with berries and sweetened whipped cream.

Do you eat more fresh fruit during the summer months?  Do you find ways to use in-season fruits in your cooking?


(Links to all posts in Fruit on Tuesday can be found ~here~.)

 ***

Linking to Finished Friday at All Our Days.

Sunday Snapshots: And Summer Begins

This weekend, we turned the calendar page over to June, hosted a baby shower, and had our first homemade ice cream party of the year.  That means it is officially summer in our world.  

~ ~ ~

Ice cream is served.  

One tub of chocolate, one of vanilla.  Choose your own toppings.

Bekah chose the perfect jewelry for the occasion!

The children always eat their ice cream on the trampoline!  

This little sweetheart was coming back for seconds.  (Her dress bears the evidence of the first bowl.)

We had hoped to enjoy the shade of the new umbrella this afternoon.  But the warm gusts toppled it a time or two, so it was folded down.  

Oh well, these girls knew what to do...pretend to be flowers with umbrella-petals! Gavin came along to join them, mistakenly assuming that they were just cranking the umbrella up and down. "You want to be a flower too?," ask the girls.  Nope.  He did not.  The end of that.   (Do you know any 10-year-old boys who would stoop to being a flower?)

We had some extra guests at our ice cream party this afternoon.  I am not referring to Ron's mom or his sister or his brother or their spouses.  

Pinky came outside and walked in and among us for a while, then settled down in the shade of the chairs.  Moses was on the back porch, keeping his eye on us from a safer distance.  Then a few guests of the insect variety joined the festivities...a Pennsylvania leather-wing and a lady bug.  

I wonder if you can judge the success of the party by the condition of the children's feet?  

If so, then our party was a rousing success!