Scones and Tea

I've been in a real scone mood lately. I just love having scones and fresh lemon curd. Yum!

I've been experimenting with scone recipes. I want something that's a little sweet, but still with that biscuit-like texture. Below is the recipe I've made up that I'm using now. I think I might lower the amount of butter in it just a tad next time and see how that goes. These are a little more cake-like in texture, but I LOVE the flavor.

I prefer my scones plain. I don't want chocolate chips or some other abomination in them. I just want the scone - flakey and buttery. I contend if the scone itself is perfect it doesn't need anything added in. However, watch me quickly and happily consume a scone of any sort that someone sits in front of me.

I think I like them plain because I love them with fresh lemon curd, and I just want those two flavors. But, if there's only butter for them, it's nice to have some additional flavors in them. I'm still experimenting to find the perfect lemon curd recipe. I'll share here when that happens.

In the meantime, here's my recipe for scones.

Patsy's Scones
1 3/4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup milk

To brush on top:
one egg
1 Tablespoon milk
sugar to sprinkle on top

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter with pastry blender. Add milk and mix just until blended. If you over-mix your scones will be tough.

Brush the top with the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle a little sugar on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

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A Long Walk at Dillon Nature Center - Thistles, Rainbows and More

This afternoon I took a walk at Dillon Nature Center. Greg was out shooting cicadas and called telling me it was really moody because rain was impending. I rushed right out because I didn't want to miss anything.

I spent at least 20 minutes photographing this thistle. I was enchanted with the various stages represented on the one plant.







We were on a trail and we never saw another person out in that area. We saw an amazing rainbow. There had been one when I was headed out there but it just lasted a couple of minutes. This one lasted more than 30 minutes.



At times there were two rainbows visible.



In the last few years I have been treated to lots of rainbows - most recently in Sedan, Kansas. I've seen them at Jackie and Mary Ann's in Kentucky, at Susan's farm, and here. It hasn't been very long ago that Greg and I saw one when we were leaving Skaets. Am I just leading a charmed life or are there more now than there used to be?

I was so glad Greg called me. He said this is one of the things he loves about me - that I'll just drop what I'm doing when something like this comes up. One of the things I love about him is that he'll call me when something like this is happening so I don't miss it.



One of the things I love about a walk like this is that you get little glimpses of life you would miss any other way. I thought I'd share some of the little moments of today with you.







It seems fall is starting to arrive, too.







When we walked back up toward the pond it was closing time for Dillon Nature Center. I was struck by the reflection of the trees and clouds in the pond.



I even took a little video of the reflection with the ducks passing by.

.

This is a 360 degree view of a statue up by the visitor's center and pond.



All in all it was a wonderful way to spend a few hours - in nature - with some moody rain. The bugs were serenading us as we left. Just lovely.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

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Being DONE (reblog)

Occasionally I have reason to go back on the blog to hunt for something. I always seem to end up reading a few entries about whatever was going on in my life at the time. Today I read this entry from July 19, 2006. I remember that day and that feeling of being done.

I think this is one of the reasons I have always kept journals - pen and paper, and now online as well. I would not remember that day otherwise. I would remember the shift, but not the moment, the experience. I like to remember moments. Very much.

So... I reblog for your enjoyment, too...

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Sometimes You're Just DONE

I had a really interesting series of dreams last night that involved people from almost every era of my life - long gone relatives, old lovers and childhood friends were blended into a melange of images that left me feeling "done" this morning. "Finished" is good.

I had to get up about a half dozen times last night to go to the bathroom, and I rarely get up more than once, if at all. It was as if my body was cleansing itself as my mind was doing the same. Each time I woke up I would think about what I had dreamed. When I went back to bed I would continue the dream, as if it were another scene in the same play. When it came to a natural conclusion I'd wake up and have to go to the bathroom again. I began to wonder just how much liquid I had consumed yesterday, but it was no more than normal.

The first time I woke up it was only about an hour after I went to sleep. The next time it was about 45 minutes later. Each time it was as if another chapter had come to a close.

Oddly enough, I also took a very long bath last night - as in hours long. That's always a sign of a clearing. When I went upstairs I had an urge to change my sheets, which I did. It was as if many things were pointing toward a clearing out. Not to mention all the cleaning out I've been doing in my house.

Two other interesting things - last night I unplugged the lamp by the bed, thinking I wouldn't be getting up until it was light anyway. So everytime I got up I turned the TV on for light, and yet that never changed my dream pattern.

The other interesting thing is that yesterday and the day before, I stepped on old, rusty nails in my yard that went through my shoe and were sticking the bottom of my foot. I haven't stepped on an old nail since I was a kid, and then it happens two days in a row, in areas I've walked in hundreds of times and never had a problem. Odd. One was in the back of the property and one near the front. I had on different shoes both times, but each time the nail went through the sole of the shoe. Two days ago, it was a small nail and a thick sole in my right foot. Yesterday it was a long nail and a thin solein my left foot. As I was driving to dinner last night I was considering what that meant - it seemed that the message was getting more intense.

The things that occurred to me were, "poking," "not seeing what was coming," "painful," "warning," "when you least expect it," and a host of other things. When something hasn't happened for decades and happens two days in a row it seems worthy of note. Maybe it was just that old business was pricking at me. Neither of them pierced the skin, but they were painful. Old business that's painful - no big shocker there.

When I woke up this morning about 5 and stayed up I took time to write about my dreams. Even before I started writing, I knew the meaning was that I was just "done" - with some people and some things and some situations. Done is good. It frees you to move on to other people and things and situations.

Some of these situations are in the past and some are current. I periodically go through a time when I just clear people out of my life - relationships that just aren't productive, where we really just aren't connecting, where I'm making all the effort in the relationship. I'm overdue for one of those clearings, but as of this morning the time has arrived. It's no big surprise, really, as over the last few months I've been taking my life in a new direction. That always means some people won't fit into your life anymore. Of course, there are also always those people who go through every season of life with you - those are the true, real, deep friends - they are few and they are priceless.

I really finished some old things last night - some of the past that I haven't been able to leave completely behind dissipated. It's a fresh slate.

I woke up determined to leave some current situations and relationships behind as well. There are always things I'm working on in some way or other. I'm officially letting go of a couple of those this morning. If they're meant to be, someone other than me can make them happen.

I'm also moving some people out of my "active" list. If our relationship is not deep now, and isn't growing, there's no point in putting any more energy into it. I'm always open to new friends, but there must be a natural progression toward more closeness or it's just a waste of time. I don't have any interest in casual friendships - you're either *in* it or you're not - if you're not, why bother. Casual is just a drain on one's energy - energy that could be devoted to something meaningful.

Well, obviously, I have much to think about. This isn't a new idea for me - I "clear out" about once a year, but it has never been suggested to me in the way this was. Sometimes, you're just DONE. And this morning I am DONE, with a lot of things.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

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Karma for Focus on the Family - video asking for rain

The conservative radio show, "Focus on the Family," released a video asking people to pray for rain during Obama's speech at Mile High Stadium to accept the Democratic nomination for president. "Rain of biblical proportions" was mentioned.

They have removed the video, but, fortunately, someone else had already put it up on youtube, so we can still see it. Have I ever mentioned how much I love technology?



According to the Rocky Mountain News, "Stuart Shepard, director of digital media at Focus Action, the political arm of Focus on the Family, said the video he wrote and starred in was meant to be 'mildly humorous.'"

You know, I don't see the humor in that. But, I do see the irony that it looks like Gustav - complete with rain - may hit during the RNC next week, leaving networks to choose what to cover. I hope Gustav does not hit. The potential damage to people's homes and lives would be a huge cost. Besides, I want the Republicans to get to enjoy their event like I've enjoyed the Democratic Convention.

But, wow, I can't stop thinking two words. Irony. Karma.

The video has inspired others, including this one by a guy who says he's a Christian but not a right wing Republican. My guess is that right wing republicans do not think this possible, but he says it's true.


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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

I've watched Obama's acceptance speech twice now. Wow. Incredible. There are so many things about it that I love that I know I'll miss some of them when I write here.

First of all, I am so glad I witnessed and shared this moment, this crystal-clear moment, this turning point in history, when an African American accepted the nomination for president. Amazing. It was a "remember when" moment. As a local candidate says regularly, "It's a good day to be a democrat." Indeed it is. It is a day to be PROUD to be a democrat.

Regardless of who was accepting tonight, it was going to be historic - due to gender or race. Democrats, everywhere, give yourselves a pat on the back for breaking stereotypes and looking at the credentials of those running instead of their personal details. It's not a surprise to me that it is Democrats offering these milestones instead of Republicans.

As you may remember I was a Hillary supporter until the night it was obvious Obama had the numbers on his side. At that moment I became an Obama supporter - and a wholehearted one. I've always liked him, but I just thought she had a better chance of winning. I was worried that we were not ready as a nation to elect a black man - a sentiment given to me by an older African American woman I know and respect here. The first time I heard her say it I thought surely she must be wrong, but the more I heard racist comments from people I started to think she might be right. But, I think we're ready to elect THIS man, regardless of his color. I hope so. And, ultimately, isn't that what we want, to elect the person, regardless of race? Of course it is. I just hope enough voters share that thought. He certainly gave people many reasons to vote for him tonight.

His speech hit so many points that appeal to me - everything from health care and education to rights for GLBT. And I love the fact that he put McCain's camp on notice that he's not going to just roll over and play dead and take whatever they dish out, that he's going to fight. Democrats are so ready for someone who will fight. I love it that he called out McCain and Bush and didn't mince words doing it. As a party we are so overdue for someone who will fight and get dirty if they have to. I hope that's not necessary. But if others are dragging you through the mud you 're going to be dirty so you might as well jump on in and get it over with.

I like that he offered specifics. I like that he mentioned how he would raise money for his programs. I like it that he served notice, while respecting McCain and his service to the country. I like the idea that we could be off of foreign oil within 10 years.

I know some of the excitement will fade over the days. I was on twitter with other folks and it was interesting to see that some people who were not big supporters when he started were by the end of it.

There were more than 70,000 people there to see him tonight. They're having a hard time filling a venue of 10,000 for McCain's announcement of his VP. I'm sorry I didn't see a shot of Hillary tonight, although I heard them say she was there. I don't know if Bill was there or not, but it would have been nice to see a reaction shot of them when Obama mentioned them

I'm just really happy right now. I have a feeling Obama will not roll over at the first sign of trouble. Thank goodness. This democrat has grown very tired of that.

I'm eager to see what happens over the next few days.

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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Michael Broome

Tonight was the United Way kickoff and the theme was "Live United." I run an agency that gets support from United Way and all the agencies were there with information. Afterwards was a dinner with motivational speaker, Michael Broome.

I had not planned to attend the dinner. I wanted to watch the Obama speech and when we had to order tickets I didn't know the timing on that. I had hoped to get a ticket to go see Obama in person in Denver, but I wasn't able to lay my hands on one.

But, as luck would have it, Julie had bought an extra ticket and invited me to stay for dinner. I was glad I got to hear Mr. Broome.

His overall theme was that humor is key to life. I would certainly agree with that. In the process of getting his point across he noted a number of different facts. I jotted down some of the ones I found particularly interesting to share with you. I'm not going to try and blend them logically, as he did.

One thing he said, which I've heard before is that "irritation plus time equals humor." That's so true. When you're angry about something, as time passes you can tell the story and it becomes funny.

He talked about how the chemical makeup of happy tears is different than that of sad tears. That is true. He also mentioned that laughing increases red blood cells. I had not heard that, but I'm not surprised.

He spoke for a while about how you should become a master of the small, sincere things. He said to never underestimate the power of a handwritten note. I know this is a powerful thing. He used as an example Abraham Lincoln, who wrote thank you notes, notes of condolence and letters. He mentioned that other than Jesus Christ, more has been written about Lincoln than anyone else - more than 5000 biographies. Part of the reason is that he left behind so many writings.

In the arena of personal relationships, he said to learn to say two things to your loved ones: "I'm sorry" and "I love you."

He also talked about reading a book about love languages and how there are five ways to show love. Some may combine them, but that all fall into these categories:
physical
verbal
acts of service
quality time
gifts

He talked about "Amazing Grace" being the most recorded song of all time, and how it was written by a former slave trader.

All in all a nice evening.

I rushed home to not miss a moment of Obama's speech. Incredible.

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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Democratic Convention

I've been watching the speeches at the Convention every night. Tonight, of course, was Bill Clinton. In my opinion they made a mistake not putting Bill in prime-time, but hey, they didn't ask me.

Bill Clinton is one of the great orators of our time, and one of the most popular figures of the party. Last night when he arrived, the crowd started cheering and one of the commentators on the channel I was watching said, "Bill Clinton just arrived and the crowd is reacting." She paused a moment and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis is in the building." I thought that was a thoughtful summation.

As you might expect, Bill gave an incredible speech. Just as Hillary did last night, and Michelle the night before. I'm so glad I got to see Bill Clinton last year.

I'm still shocked to see people saying they will not vote for Obama - die-hard democrats who would never consider voting for McCain. I just don't understand that. Obama is our candidate. Support him. If you don't support him, it's possible McCain will win - is that what you want? Do you want more of what we have? War? Deficit? Poverty? To not cast a vote for Obama is the same as casting a vote for McCain.

If you feel you can't vote for Obama for some reason - whatever it is - can you at least vote against McCain? Can you do that? Surely you can. You know what's at stake. Our future. I'm not a big proponent of voting against someone, but if that's the only way you can go into the voting booth and vote for Obama, then think of it that way because the stakes are just too high not to. No one will know who you voted for/against. Just do what needs to be done to get a democrat as President. Just do your part.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Mia and Pinky Horse

This is my great-great niece, Mia, with the appropriately named, Pinky Horse. Mia has been visiting grandma and grandpa in Kentucky recently and Kim sent this photo. I haven't seen Mia in awhile, and she's now 26 months old. She looks very different than last time I saw her.

See other Mia pix:
www.patsyterrell.com/2006/10/mias-entourage.html
www.patsyterrell.com/2006/12/i-have-been-intending-to-post-some.html
www.patsyterrell.com/2006/06/welcome-to-world-mia-isabella-mia.html

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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Speeches and Twitter

Wired had an article called, "Democratic Convention: Twitterers Gush Over Michelle Obama. Twitter (www.twitter.com) is a mini-blog site where people answer the question, "What are you doing?" You can "follow" people and read their "tweets" (updates) and you can post your own.

I was on Twitter the other night during the speech. It's one way I can share an experience with people on my terms, without having to put up with the person in a group who's talking over the TV, or making comments, or getting up to go to the bathroom and walking in front of the screen when I'm watching.

It was interesting to see people's comments, although not everyone was "gushing" as Wired put it - at least not on the list of people I follow. Of course, you can search for tweets on a particular topic and I would assume that's what they did.

Something about the whole article bugs me. I'm not sure exactly what. I think that they're dropping into our little twitter world and making sweeping judgments and moving on. Is that irrational? Of course it is. Twitter is completely open - anyone can search it and see what people are talking about. But being treated like bugs under a microscope is creepy, as if those of us on twitter are engaged in some secret society worthy of observation.

Perhaps I'm only projecting, as I'm so want to do, because I've taken more than a little bit of ribbing among friends for my affection for twitter. I say this when I can go for days without logging on. Maybe it's just that I seem to often find myself in the position of being "examined" and I was hoping that something like Wired would be above acting as if the fact that people are sharing their thoughts on news via twitter - as we've been doing for a long time - is worthy of an article.

It's old news. Just as much "news" is very old these days by the time we hear/see/read it. For example, I learned about the earthquake a few weeks ago from people on twitter who felt it before I heard it on the news. Why must we continue to pretend that this is surprising enough that it is worthy of an article in what is supposedly a publication devoted to the cutting edge technology?

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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my novel when it's completed. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

Tomato Basil Soup

One of my favorite summer treats is tomato basil soup. I love dinner taking less than an hour from garden to table.

I have a variety of tomatoes growing, and I like the flavor of mixing them together. But, of course, you can do it however you wish. I scald them first to make them easy to peel, but you can skip that if you don't mind the peelings. I generally put the water on to boil before I go out to pick and by the time I'm back and the tomatoes are washed, the water is ready.



I just dump the peeled tomatoes in a pot, and I go ahead and put the basil in early. Chefs say the flavor isn't as intense if you do that, and I don't disagree, but I like having the milder flavor throughout the soup. And I use a generous amount.

You can see there are some yellow tomatoes, large red ones, and smaller roma ones in this mix, as well as the basil. The only other thing I add is a pinch of salt.

I don't add any water as the tomatoes are juicy enough on their own. I let them cook down until their water is cooked out and then I puree the tomatoes and basil. I put them back into the pot and add some cream to taste.



The final thing I do is sprinkle a little sugar on top. It will turn a darker color, and I then swirl that around just to make it look pretty. You can also garnish with fresh basil if you want.

The sugar cuts the acid of the tomatoes, and helps blend the flavors together.

Voila! Tomato Basil Soup! Yummy!
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I am looking for book clubs willing to read and critique my soon-to-be-finished novel. If your book club is interested, please email me at patsyterrell@gmail.com. Thanks!

SuperTam Ice Cream sells Superman Ice Cream on Route 66 in Carterville Missouri

This is the interior of SuperTam Ice Cream in Carterville, Missouri. As you might guess, Larry, the owner is a Superman collector. He also sells Superman Ice Cream, which is a blue, yellow and red concocotion that tastes like bubble gum.

Every square inch of the place is painted in the Superman colors or covered in Superman memorbilia.





Greg, of course, was in one of his natural habitats - surrounded by collectibles.




SuperTam on 66 Ice Cream, purveyors of Superman Ice Cream, is open Friday from 5-9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 3-9 p.m.
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Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art and more.

Weaselhead The Cat

This is Weaselhead the Cat. Her main human is Miss Joy, Greg's mom.

You might wonder how a cute kitty could get a name like "Weaselhead." Well... let me illustrate...



That would be my purse with the cat weaseling her head into it.

Unsatisfied with that approach, she gave it another go from the other side...



She was able to get her entire upper body into the purse that way, where she was disappointed to find nothing exciting to kitties.

I've been in Joplin this weekend, where cat play is the number one form of entertainment. Any given moment might find two or more humans playing with cat toys while Weaselhead looks on, deciding if she will deign to join them.

Her favorite toy of late is my camera strap.



Her second favorite is what used to be my hair ribbon, and is now firmly attached the new cat toys which were completely ignored until said ribbon morphed from hair adornment to cat toy. Now, however, it's fascinating.

It has been a really nice weekend.

We went to Cafe on the Route in Baxter Springs, Kansas.


It's along Route 66 and has been featured on the Food Network. It's good stuff. Go there. What more needs be said?

This is how happy people are when they leave...



That's LV and Miss Joy. See those smiles?

It was really nice to be in Joplin. I needed to just have some fun and relax a bit.

Writing the Novel

I'm writing quite a bit this weekend on the novel and it feels good. I really enjoy cranking out more of the book when I get in the zone.

If I can just get in "novel mode" and focus on writing, I  seem to be able to crank out about 1000 words in a couple of sittings in a day. And they're decent words. Not saying they can't benefit from some rewriting, but they're decent.

The problem is in getting to focus and then actually write. Fortunately, I'm on a roll, so I'm going to get back to it intead of blogging!

How Many Houses Do You Own?

I haven't let loose on a political tirade in awhile. That just means it's overdue. So, if you hate them, this is the time to scroll past to the next thing. If you love them it's your lucky day.

McCain was asked how many houses he and his wife own. He didn't know. What!?!?!

I can understand not knowing how many pair of jeans you own. But houses? For most of us this is a pretty big ticket item. I know how many houses I own. One. Everyone I know knows how many houses they own. Most own one, a couple own two. But everyone knows.

The bigger question is why in heaven's name would ANYONE who knows how many houses they own vote for someone who doesn't? If a person doesn't know how many houses they own doesn't that tell you they are out of touch with the common man? Even the wealthy man. I know some folks who own two houses and multiple cars and have more money than they need, but they still know how many houses they own. How can you be unusure about that?

I know he's tired. I know Obama is tired. I know everyone involved in this never-ending campaign in any way is tired. Still... to not know how many houses you own is a pretty significant indication you're out of touch with people who are just trying to hold on to the one house they own.

I mean, come on, it's not like a house is an impulse buy. Well, at least not for most of us. It was a pretty huge decision for me. And let me tell you, at this point, with the housing market the way it is, I'm mighty glad I listened to my gut and ignored the banker, who wanted me to buy a far more expensive house than I did.

Voting for someone who can't tell you how many houses they own off the top of their head is voting for someone who is going to create an economy that favors the rich even more and has no sympathy - and certainly no empathy - for the average guy.

How can anyone think this is a good idea? Unless they're rich, which by McCain's definition is over $5 million a year, they have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Perhaps including their house. Their one house.

Osage Nation Traditional Textiles, ribbon and yarn work, blankets and more

Jerry Shaw of the Osage Nation spoke at the Hutchinson Public Library tonight as part of the "Native Threads" exhibit of quilts created by Native American quilt makers in Kansas. It's on display on the mezzanine of the Hutchinson Public Library.

Shaw is an instructor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at Wichita State University and spoke on “Understanding Native Identity.” He covered a wide range of topics - everything from gaming to the appropriate terminology to refer to Native Americans. He says "American Indian" or "Native American" is appropriate, as well as "Indigenous People."

His wife, Beth Shaw, a former school librarian and longtime student of Native textiles came with him. They brought some of the items in her and her husband’s collection, and it was fascinating to see them.


Jerry modeled this while Beth told us that the mustard and burgundy beads are not really seen anymore, unless someone had them saved back.
Notice the selvage edge running in a stripe down the back. That tells you it's a man's blanket. A woman's blanket has the selvage around the top.
This belonged to Jerry's grandfather who died in 1921.

The Osage are known for their ribbon and yarn work instead of beading. This is a great example of the ribbon work. She said this is done by laying down all three colors, then snipping and turning and stitching with a hidden stitch to make the design. His mother did the work on this piece.

The belt on this really significant because it's unusual.

There were items made for the War Mother's Society that featured flags and Palamino horses.



Jerry's aunt had these made for her and her husband.



Note the selvedge differences - around the top on the one she's wearing and down the back on his.

Women also wore blankets as skirts. They are folded over, with the design over the left leg in the Osage tradition, then the excess is folded on the right side and the whole thing secured with a belt.



This belt was made for another member of their family who is six feet tall, so it was a bit long on Beth. Traditionally, the ends would be even with the skirt at the floor.



If you look closely, you can see it's tied at the top of it and the other bits would be hanging free. She was just holding them up to keep them off the floor.

This belt is a great example of the Osage yarn work.



It was quite a striking ensemble. Note the selvedge on the edge that is folded over. That's what makes the stripe in the middle of the skirt. It would be important that all the designs lined up when finished.



This pink belt is modern, not vintage.


This purple, yellow and green belt  is about 90 years old. It's made of Germantown yarn, which was not available after 1918 due to WW1 blockades. Most of the things they showed us were pre-1932, but there's very little fading.



This is a blanket shawl made to Pendleton. Jerry's grandfather bought it for his wife on June 13, 1913, the day she gave birth to Jerry's mother. These are still manufactured and you can date them by the stripes. This is called "plain stripe" because it's the same on both sides.

The red fringe has been redone, so they don't know what it looked like originally.



This lavender is made on the reverse - each side is different.



These are made of wool, but they call it broadcloth. She said it's sometimes called "Trade cloth" too. This purple with the blue binding above was traded with the Navajo.



This blue with the purple binding is one Jerry has sat on during ceremonies, but he has never worn.



The blue one he has sat on during ceremonies and this lavender one were made in Europe, specifically for trade with the Osage Nation. Because they had some land with oil on it, the Osage Nation had money and were an important enough trade partner that some companies made products specifically for them.



This one is made in reverse. The blue on this side is purple on the other. It was made in Europe, too, as was the one below with the fringe.





This is made of a lighter weight, as you would think from looking at it. At a previous speech they did, an exchange student from Czechoslovakia said those were made in his village. Unfortunately, they never got to garner more information from him.



This cream colored with the embroidery is Spanish silk.



This one was once black, but is fading to a green color. It had very long, extravagant fringe on it with beads.



These beads are faceted Czech cut and the more they move, the more they sparkle. The fabric is wool gaberdine.



These silver buttons were ones Jerry's mother had as a child. Beth sewed them on when they replaced the fabric on this. They didn't want to lose the fringe, of course, so cut it as closely as possible and put new fabric on.



This red coat is a wedding outfit. It is the military garb worn by Napoleon's army. He asked for representatives of the Osage nation to come to France. They did, and when they left, he offered them a gift, and they chose this. This particular one belonged to Jerry's Aunt Nora who died in 1815.



These plumes were secured upright in a hatband as part of the costume.



She also showed some leggings. The Osage never had traditional trousers, their pants were three pieces.



She pointed out how the beading stitches do not show. She said this is an indication of age because these were brain-tanned, which you can't do today. The way tanning is done today you can't bead with a hidden stitch.

They both talked about the fringe, and how it goes back to the creation story that God sent an eagle ahead of them. Because of that, the feather is one of the most important symbols and the fringe is symbolic of the tarsal feathers of the eagle.

A feather in the headdress indicates a boy is now a man. The last thing they do with their dead is put a feather in their hand.



She showed this little vest, and I was struck by all the hand stitches inside it.



It was a fascinating evening with topics that jumped from one to another in the question session.

He said he thought "Dances with Wolves" is the most authentic film made about Native Americans.

He talked about the different qualifications for various groups. The Ute of Utah require 5/8 blood. The Osage and Cherokee accept anyone with any amount of blood. He said DNA may soon be used to determine such things. I was always told my great, great, grandmother was Cherokee. The place is right, the timing is right, and she certainly looks like a Native American in the one photo I have, but I have no actual proof. We have always accepted it as truth because we have no reason not to, but it would be wonderful to claim such a proud heritage with no doubt.

One of the most interesting things he mentioned was that in 2004, of 16,000 people in the Osage Nation, only five of them spoke the language. FIVE. So, they started language schools and now there are 1200 people who have studied. In 2004 they started with 25 students. It's amazing to think about how close they came to losing their language. That would have been a tragedy.

Of course, there have been plenty of tragedies visited upon plenty of indigenous peoples in plenty of places. I hope that one has been avoided. It would be a loss to the world to lose a language that has been spoken for centuries.

An amazing evening. I was trying to take photos and notes, and they were going really quickly, but it was fascinating.
________________
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Creative Sisterhood

All six of us were here for Creative Sisterhood, which was nice. It has been rare we've all been able to make it in the last year or so. Seems like people are headed in so many different directions these days.

Teresa, Julie and I talked until about 1 a.m. It was really good to connect with them. We covered a lot of topics we didn't get to during our time as a full group. It used to be common that some of us would stay quite late, but we hadn't done that in awhile. It is always good to be with this group.

Generally, I make some sort of baked goodie, but tonight I just popped a bunch of popcorn and made lemonade. It was nice for a change.

Dorothy and I had lunch at Roy's today. That makes two days in a row for me. I may well make it three days in a row. You can never have too much Roy's - at least that's what I tell myself.

It was good to talk to Dorothy. We're always trying to figure out how to make this a more welcoming community. We go back and forth. I keep thinking if I just ask the RIGHT question I'll figure it all out. It always feels like I'm just one question away. For some reason this has become my mission, to figure out the reasons people here don't connect in the same way as they do where I come from. It's as if this is the lab and I'm trying to figure out the answer to the question. No luck, so far. Dorothy is a trooper, though - she answers questions and I think and then we switch places. Maybe one day... one day... one day the answer will magically appear. If so, I'll be blogging about it ad infinitum.

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Caught in Our Own Webs

It seems I, and some of the folks I know, are caught in our own webs these days. We're stuck in the sameness of everyday life. I can't get the image of a fly stuck in a spider web out of my mind. No matter how much he struggles, he's still stuck. That's how I feel.

I need more energy to break free. I know it's possible, but it seems an overwhelming task to free myself of the things holding me back. It will take some magic as well as some mastery.

I suppose this is just one more thing to conquer. Breaking Free. Freedom. What I desperately desire.
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Summer

This little vase in front with the Cinnamon Basil is one of my recent thrift store purchases. I don't recall, but the one in back probably came from another trip.

Summer seems to be waning here, even though it's only mid-August. In just a few weeks it will be State Fair time, which heralds the beginning of fall for me. It seems this season has gone so fast.

Frankly, it seems like life is going fast. I'm trying to get as much from every day as possible, but feel I'm failing.

In no time at all I'll be putting up the Christmas tree and preparing for the season. Things will be moving in high gear. Why does it seem things are always in high gear?

I long to have time to write and paint and think, without worry about work and money and time.
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Kansas Dialogue

Kansas Dialogue was in Kansas City, Kansas this year. Our hosts arranged for our opening evening to be at the Strawberry Hill Museum, which afforded this view of downtown Kansas City. I'm sorry we didn't get there in time to see the museum.

I'm so glad I went to Dialogue. The theme was about neighborhoods, and some wonderful discussions ensued.

I was asked to present about "new" neighborhoods and barely scratched the surface. I don't think I even mentioned myspace or LinkedIn if that tells you how much I scratched the surface. I was amused at the irony that the night before I was at the desk in the hotel, arranging my thoughts about these new technological neighborhoods by the old fashioned note card method.



There's something about being able to rearrange thoughts physically that I like. Not sure what that's about, but there it is. I'm also very fond of using post-it-notes in much the same fashion. I did, however, make notes for my speech on the computer the next morning. Fortunately, the Hilton Garden Inn where we were staying had free printing in their business center. A nice perk.

Kris and I didn't get around to taking our "cute girl pic" until this morning. I don't look my best the day after a full day of sessions and very little sleep. But, there you go. You'd think at some point I'd catch on to the idea that I could just not put the photos up. So far, that seems to have escaped me. This little photo tradition got started a couple of years ago I think.

Kansas Dialogue is an off-the-record conversation so I'm very careful to only talk about my own thoughts, and would not reveal anyone who was attending without their permission. Obviously, Kris is cool with it, and the website shares that the topic was neighborhoods, so that's not speaking out of turn. It was a really interesting weekend and it reminded me of a number of things I've written about here in the past.

This I Believe
Dr. Robert Putnam's Lecture about "Bowling Alone"
Beverly Morgan Welch of the African American Museum

One of the best things about dialogue is reconnecting with folks from across the state. There are some folks involved I would love to see more often. This time we had quite a few new people that were wonderful additions to the event. I'm hoping they want to return. I'm eager to do it again.
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Kansas Dialogue Weekend

This is Kansas Dialogue Weekend and it has been my favorite so far of the six I've been to. Kansas Dialogue is an opportunity to gather with people from around the state and have an off-the-record conversation about issues affecting us. The theme this year is "Neighborhoods."

I spoke this morning about "new neighborhoods," referring to online ways of making community. I just glossed over a lot of things, and didn't get nearly as in-depth as I would have liked, but overall it went well I think. There's so much to that topic once you start thinking about it.

I haven't had a chance to really visit with some of the folks I generally see at Kansas Dialogue every  year. It's funny how those things work out - some years you just go in different directions I guess. There are some new folks this time - fascinating people. And our hosts are doing an exceptional job of having everything run smoothly.

There are some people here I don't see any other time of year and I wish I did. I find more than a couple of the people here to be folks I could visit with for many hours and never tire of talking with them.

It would be so cool to have a meetup/conversation with blog readers, but I think it would be a difficult thing to organize. Folks are pretty spread out. But it sure would be fun...

The Journey by Mary Oliver

I was reading some poetry recently and ran across this by Mary Oliver. I haven't read anything by her I haven't liked.

I don't write poetry, and don't even read a lot of poetry, but I've learned to appreciate the turn of phrase that only a master of the language can produce.

I love the last few lines of this poem. They really resonate with me on multiple levels.

The Journey
by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.

Photos are a Window to the Past

This photo is of my mom, Mary Lea Myatt Terrell, on the right, and my dad's sister Margorie LaVerne Terrell Duffany Gordon on the left. I'm guessing it was taken in about 1937 because during the flooding that year my mom's family moved out of the Barlow Kentucky river bottoms to higher ground and happened to move to land owned by my dad's family. My dad was working as a mechanic in Paducah, Kentucky at the time and when the water came over the flood gates there, he moved the thirty miles south, home to Ballard County, and that's when my mom and dad met. They were married in January of 1938.

Aunt LaVerne lived in California by the time I came along twenty plus years later, but moved back to Kentucky in my early teen years. Her son, Tim, was just a year or so older than me and I loved going up to Stella, Kentucky, where they lived.

You may wonder why the Kentucky Historical Society banner is on it. It's because some years ago they did a project called "An Ohio River Portrait," which is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. They traveled along the river and copied photos people brought in all along the way. I made a trip back to Kentucky just for that, and even produced some oral history interviews for them, as well as was interviewed myself. They also interviewed Mama.

I ran across this photo by accident when I was googling myself. I may share some more here in the coming months. Of course, I still have the photos, but they're locked away in a safety deposit box and not easily accessible. Conveniently, The Kentucky Historical Society has made them easy to access. And they've retouched them so they're clearer, too.

I'm so thankful to have photos that offer a little glimpse into other lives.
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Goodwill Find of a Porcelain Box Made in Japan

I've been frequenting Goodwill lately and have found some real treasures. Well, at least I think they're treasures. Occasionally I do remind myself - "Hey, you're buying things other people have discarded." But, I find things there I really enjoy.

I always head straight to the dishes and knick-knacks. Today I found this little box. Isn't it sweet? It says Japan on the bottom of it and had a little gold tag that said Thames, as best I could tell. It came off because they put tape over it to hold the lid on.

I assume it was made to hold rings or something, and I don't know that I'll ever use it for anything in particular, but I was really drawn to the shape of it, as well as the design. It definitely has that Japan look with the gold lines drawn on in a very clean style.

It's just a little something I'll enjoy having around, that will make me smile when I see it.

Shouldn't we all take every opportunity to surround ourselves with things that make us smile? I think so.

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MHA Victorian Tea in Hutchinson Kansas

I have tons of wonderful photos of people enjoying the MHA (Mental Health America of Reno County) Victorian Tea this past Saturday. This is one of our major fundraisers each year. Greg took photos for me and captured so many great moments.

When people come in the door, they stop and register for a drawing and find out where they're seated. Phyllis, who's closest to the camera behind the table, has worked almost every tea with me. She has become quite the expert.



Our mission is to encourage positive mental health and it's not difficult to see that is definitely happening during the tea. People have a good time.





My friends, Teresa and Susan, were having fun.



Susan drove down from Valley Falls, and brought our friend, Cynthia from Horton with her. I'm guessing they would get the prize for most distance traveled.



It worked out that I had an extra place at the MHA's table, and so Teresa got to sit with Susan and Cynthia, which was great. We've all been to tea together in Hiawatha.

Precisely at 3 p.m. we open the doors so people can look at the tables before tea starts. They are all decorated by different businesses, organizations and individuals. I'm going to show each one. The variety is amazing.

I'll start with the MHA table I did. My theme was Lavendar and Lace.







All That Jazz did a table again this year. They are creative gals. Their theme was daisies.







Carrie Lynn's Flowers did a really elaborate table with a Tea Party on the Beach theme.





Altrusa did a table again this year. Their colors are blue and white...



Shanna Soukup, a former board member, did a table with a butterfly theme.



Absolutely Flowers did a table with help from Andrea Ewert.





Andrea also did the Thanksgiving Table for the Hutchinson High Counseling Center.





The Hutchinson Recreation Commission Elmdale 50+ program did a beautiful table titled, "Gather Me The Rose."







Nancy Murry did a table for Friendship Force that was a 12 Days of Christmas theme.





The Kansas Underground Salt Museum did a table with - appropriately enough - a salt theme.



We are very fortunate to be able to hold our tea at Grace Episcopal Church in Hutchinson. They have been so incredibly gracious in letting us use their facility for the past three years. It is a wonderful setup and they're very generous to host us. I'd like to say a public thank you to the staff and congregation there for their kindness.

Our menu is different each year, although there are some standards I always have. This year it was:


Tea Menu

Sandwiches and Savories
Cucumber Sandwich
Tuna on multi-grain Bread
Egg Salad on Wheat
Carrot Chip
Calla Lily design with herb mix
Pimento Cheese on Rye
Tomato Boat

Bread Course
Scones with Clotted Cream
(from Metropolitan Coffee)
Pumpkin Bread

Sweets
Sugar Cookie
Ginger Cookie
Orange Cake
Lemon Curd Tart
Mini-Eclair
Chocolate Cupcake





We plate the food in the kitchen on clear plastic plates, then we sit those on top of people's china. That way we never have to touch the china people use to decorate the tables. I don't want to take a chance on breaking anything as it's often people's family heirlooms.



Precisely at 3:30 we start tea and begin bringing out the food and the tea. Board members and volunteers help make it all happen. Here Andrea and Sheila are preparing. Also helping Saturday were Hazel, Nancy and Gary - as well as bunches of volunteers.



We had wonderful entertainment this year. Sheila Lisman, a local writer, read some of her work. She had everyone laughing hysterically more than once.



She did one piece about hats, which was very appropriate because we had the Red Hot Lady Bugs joining us for tea.They were incredibly gracious ladies.



My friend, Sondra, came for tea...



and brought her neighbor, Kay.





I'm so fortunate to have great board members who help with the tea in multiple ways from finding people who want to do tables, to pouring tea and cleaning up, and everything in between. Gary Hughes even frosted the sugar cookies that morning and then came back to pour tea.








Sheila poured tea, too.





I love this photo of Joyce Nelson. She was seated at a table with Daisies as the theme, and look at the band on her hat. I had no idea what she was wearing when I made the table assignments, of course. To top it off, she won the prize at her table, which included some dishes with daisies on them.



Mary Hildebrand is the queen of her red hat group. You can tell by the little crown nestled into her hat.



Nancy Murry made the scones and also helped pour tea.





Sonja came with Juanita Bacon. I really like both these ladies.









My friend, Jan, was able to come, too...





Andrea and Linda were having fun... even before things got underway. Love that!





Marcella and Scarlett came for tea.



All in all, people had a good time. At least they seemed to.




I really enjoy that we create a memorable experience for people, but it does wear me out. I cook all the food except the scones. And, this time I bought the mini-eclair. It's a lot of work to cook that much food for 60 people - 62 this time - but I do love the look of it all on the plate. I'm still in love with those mini pumpkin bread loaves.



And, all those little touches that make the event work take time and energy. But, if you don't take care of the little details it's not a well done event. I think I mentioned these little vignettes a few days ago. It's those little things that become significant in their whole.



If I could figure out how to make it so I'm not the only one working on those little details it would be much easier. But, oh my goodness, I have so much help. The Volunteer Center gets a lot of volunteers for me. Amy came and helped on Saturday, and board members jump right in. Not to mention Greg taking photos.

We also had help this year from Zoomdweebies Tea Bar in Wichita, Kansas. They donated the tea, and it was wonderful. We had many comments from folks about it.

They're also offering a 15% discount to MHA folks through the end of the month for orders through the website. Just put in MHA as the discount code. It was delicious and I really appreciated their donation. We serve a large quantity of tea. We have served as many as 400 cups of tea. I'm adamant about keeping the cups full.

I brewed it this year using a concentrate formula so the water was freshly boiling when it was served. Here's the recipe I use:

Tea Concentrate
for 100 Servings:
1 gallon of boiling water
2 cups loose tea

Make the tea and let cool to room temperature, strain at least twice and then pour into sealed containers and store in refrigerator. Use 2 tablespoons of tea concentrate for each cup of tea, filling the remainder of the cup with hot water. So, if you're using a six cup teapot, that is 3/4 cups of concentrate into the pot, then fill it the rest of the way with hot water.

I implore you, please, learn how long to brew the particular tea you are using so you can do it properly. Don't over-brew or it will be bitter. And strain multiple times with a tea strainer, not a kitchen strainer.

If you're using multiple teapots, you'll need to figure out how many cups each one holds so you'll know how much concentrate to use. This is where that algebra will come in handy!

I was really fortunate I had a couple of volunteers who took this job to heart and did it perfectly this time.

Some of the volunteers were talking about me before we opened the doors - not in a bad way. I, who am not a detail person at all, turn into a stickler for every little detail at tea. It's everything - from how the plates are put together (all identical), to how they're placed on the table (cucumber sandwich at the guest's belly button), to how we have to be very quiet in the kitchen so we don't disturb people at the tables near there, to every teacup handle being at 4 o'clock, and every chair being an equal distance from the tables.

I'm convinced all of those little details are what create a memorable event. We gave people an opportunity for relaxation and bonding - two things that are definitely good for mental wellness.

________________
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Hutchinson Kansas on Google Maps

Hutchinson, Kansas, now has street views on Google Maps. Apparently Google comes to your town and drives up and down the streets with a video camera. I've seen these for other places, but I guess Hutch has finally worked its way up on the list to rate this being done.

As soon as I found out I went and looked up my address and breathed a sigh of relief that my lawn had been mowed recently when they did the video. Thank goodness. I hate to mow. Hate it, hate it, hate it. So, I'm glad they caught me at the right time. They should give a person a little warning for heaven's sake. It's like the whole freaking world is dropping by and no one gives you any notice.
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Epiphanies at Applebees

The other night I had an epiphany. I wish it had happened in an exotic locale, which would add another layer of intrigue to the story, but it occurred as I was sitting at Applebees, waiting for my half-priced appetizers to arrive. I know. I hope I haven't ruined it for you.

I was thinking about why I live where I live. There are some cool things about it, and there are some not so cool things about it. There are some neat places - the Cosmosphere, The Underground Salt Museum, Roy's BBQ - and there's nothing especially horrible about it. But, although I've lived her a long time, and there are people here I never want to live very far from, none of us are tied to this area. We could live anywhere. So, why do we live here?

Part of it, of course, is inertia. We're in a rut. It's human nature. Of course, I have a job, but I could get a job in almost any town. So... why here?

It finally hit me. I don't care so much about the specific town where I live as long as there's nothing horrible about it. Why? Because it's not where I stretch myself. I do that when I travel. In addition, when I'm in the town where I make my home, I'm a bit of a homebody. I like to go out to eat with friends and enjoy some gatherings with them, but otherwise I like to be home. It doesn't really make sense for me to be living in an 600 square foot apartment I'm paying thousands of dollars a month for when I can live in four times the space for a fraction of the cost and own the house. So, my home is a bigger deal to me than what town it's in - as long as some basics are met.

As is so often the case, I've been saying this for decades in another way, and just didn't recognize it. I can remember saying in college, "I could live anywhere as long as the house was great." That's why. Because the house is where I'm going to spend most of my time when I'm "home," where ever home is.

Is that a good reason? I don't know. But I figured out it's my reason. And it must be the same reason for a lot of people, because there are people living all over this country in towns much like the one I live in, who have no reason to be there other than there's no compelling reason to be somewhere else. All the research indicates that people no longer look for a job and then go where that job is. Instead they figure out where they want to live, then find a job in that place. That's why people prepare themselves with a broad base of education. Latest estimates are that today's college graduates will have 18 careers.

When this was mentioned at a group I was in the other night someone said, "You can't have 18 careers - 18 jobs, but not 18 careers." I disagree with that. I think you can have 18 careers in a working lifetime. If you're working for 45-50 years, which those folks will be doing, that's between 2-3 years in each one. Naturally, some will be shorter and some longer. I certainly consider that a career. I'm so glad I'm not still in the first job I ever had. I would be a much less well-rounded person and know much less about the world than I know now. We spend a lot of time working

This is yet another of those things people chalk up to age, when it obviously is not. I'm well into the age group of people who have one career, maybe two, and stick with them; who prepare for a job in college and work in that chosen profession. That is not what I've done, however. I'm on my sixth "focus" in my work-life, and working on my seventh. That's much more the norm these days. It's one of those things that the work world is going to have to shift with, or they're going to lose folks.

There's a great deal of talk these days about millenials and how they work to live, not live to work. This has always been my philosophy and I'm glad there's now a whole group of people in the work world who are insisting on being treated with respect for their private lives. I think it's the only healthy approach to life. You're not going to be on your death bed wishing you'd worked an extra 20 hours a week. Do something with those 20 hours that falls into the "living fully" category instead.

Well, again, I'm rambling... This has gotten off track from why I live where I live.

Handwritten letters and recipes

Most days my mailbox is stuffed with a magazine, a bill or two, and some maybe some advertisements. Then, on occasion, there's the most precious of things - a handwritten envelope.

Recently in my Kansas Country Living column I wrote about being over-run with zucchini and asked readers to send me their favorite recipes. I work a little ahead in the column and had forgotten about that request until the envelopes started arriving. What fun!

They come in these innocuous looking envelopes, hand written, often with forever stamps. Inside are precious bits of a person's life they're willing to share with me. That's always how I think about it when someone shares a beloved recipe with me - they're inviting me to be in their world just a little bit. I love that feeling.

I have the same sensation when I'm sharing recipes here - that I'm offering a little bit of myself through that. Food is so intertwined with memories, families and our identities if we're known as a cook. Very interesting to think about.

We'll see how many zucchini recipes arrive. Maybe I'll have to do a zucchini cookbook.

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MHA Tea Photos

This is what I spent the last few days doing, which is why I was so tired I could barely stand at yesterday's tea...



I also decorated one of the 10 tables. Of course, I couldn't let well enough alone and had to come up with a chair cover as well...



We put the food on clear plastic plates and then lay those on top of the china.



I was quite infatuated with the mini pumpkin bread loafs with the butter star on top. The only problem is that each of these things takes time... some of them lots of time. The biggest problem I have in pulling off the tea is that I'm the only one that knows everything that's going on and I don't have a solution for that. It's different every time and I'm literally changing the menu up until just a few hours before tea, depending on what I can buy or get out of my garden. I also do a ton of little things around the church that people don't notice individually but make an impact overall.

For example, in the restroom near the hall where we have the tea, there's a small white table that holds a silk plant and some supplies. I put those on the floor, covered it with a tablecloth I brought from home, and used the church's live plant on it. It still needed something, so I added some doilies and a little note. How could I possibly write all of that down so someone else could do it?



It's not something you do by rote, it's something you do by intuition. It's different every time. You have to be able to sense it. I don't know how to explain that to people.

I still have a lot of photos to work on to post, with photos of each of the tables. I'll try to get it done soon.
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Tea a Success

I've been working every waking moment the last few days preparing for the tea. I've been sleeping way too little - even for me. I'm headed to bed very soon - yes, right after 11 p.m. I know, scandalous.

Greg came today and took photos for me, which of course I"ll be sharing here but I'm way too tired to do that tonight. So, here are a couple of photos from Friday when we were doing the set up. Above are Dolly and Toyla doing the napkins for their beautiful table. Below are Nancy (pink) and Shanna working on Shanna's butterfly table. They were all wonderful.



We have different groups decorate the tables so each one is different. It turned out very cool and we sold out. So, all in all it was successful. Now if we could figure out how to do it without me needing to recuperate!

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Ginger Cookies for Tea

I'm busy preparing for the MHA's tea on Saturday. Today I made ginger cookies. Lots of ginger cookies.

I have a somewhat unnatural love of ginger cookies. They are the perfect accompaniment to tea as far as I'm concerned. Oatmeal cookies and ginger cookies are my two favorite kinds. Chocolate chip just doesn't do it for me in the same way.

This recipe is my favorite for ginger cookies. I've been making it since 1992. How do I know this? Because I wrote the first time I made it on the recipe. I do that sometimes - particularly if I make something for a particular person or event. These made their debut at the 1992 Christmas party.

Oh... and speaking of Christmas... I bought some ornaments at Hobby Lobby today. They're 40% off this week and I know from experience that they usually don't get additional shipments. So, if there's something you want it's the time to pick it up.

I'm sure I'll be making these cookies again before the holiday season is over. Enjoy!

Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Cream the butter and sugar, add in egg and molasses. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Shape the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. These cookies will spread out as they bake, although less if you keep the dough chilled.

This recipe makes about 60 cookies or normal size, more if you're doing bite-sized tea goodies.

I like to mix them the night before and chill overnight in the fridge, but that is not necessary. I just find the dough easier to work with when it’s cold. Today I mixed them this afternoon and baked tonight.
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Tell Me Who You Are

Tonight I ran across this, "The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer, which remains one of my favorite pieces of writing. It's so simple and yet so poignant.

There's only one stanza I don't agree with - I do care significantly about the truth. Otherwise, every word of it speaks to me on so many levels.

She expresses so beautifully my philosophy of life, which I bumble through when trying to explain to people. She is able to speak it so clearly - with a poet's command of the language.

The things that matter to me are not the things "the world" deems as important. I just cringe when someone asks what I do for a living - as if that's the most valuable piece of information someone could garner about me. Yet, I find myself wanting to ask the same thing sometimes because it's "inappropriate" to ask the things I really want to know.

What I really want is for you to tell me about when you've grieved, lusted, overcome, cried, laughed, given into your whims, marveled at nature, worried about tomorrow or longed for yesterday. I want to know what you think about at night when you can't sleep. I want to know what you fear. What wakes you from a sound sleep with the sweat pouring and your heart pounding? I want to know what you want. What do you desperately, terribly, painfully want - what is the desire that is always on your mind? Tell me about the lost love you still long for all these years later. Tell me about the great aunt you adored. Tell me about the desperation you felt when trying to find your way in the world. Tell me how you manage to get up and go through the day knowing what you know about life.

I long to connect with people in a meaningful way, which I cannot imagine will ever be based on what either of us does for a living. I want to find a way to say, "please, tell me who you are, not what you are."

As the poem says:

I don't care what you do for a living...
I don't care how old you are...
I don't care who you know...
I don't care where you live or how much money you have...

BUT...

I do care so much about...
what you ache for...
if you have touched the center of your sorrow and survived...
if you can dance with wildness...
if you can sit with pain...
if you can be alone with yourself.

The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
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Heaven Help Me - a New Collection

Heaven help me, there's a new thing I'm collecting. Okay, "collecting" might be a strong word since I've only picked up two pieces, but I'm suddenly enchanted with it and that usually means more pieces are to follow. At least it's something that seems to be of no real value to anyone else.

Is it something...
...exotic? no
...expensive? no
...that will put a child through college? no
...you probably have? yes
...you're proudly diplaying? no
...worth a lot of money? no
...of antique value? no
... I'm infatuated with? YES

It's Daher Decorated Ware.



Okay, a few days ago I had no freaking clue what that was, and wouldn't now if I hadn't read it on the back of the tray (above) I bought a week or so ago. Then I saw the same thing on a bowl I bought yesterday. My grand total for these two items - $1.49. Like I said - it's not worth a lot. Except I love it. And that makes it worth something to me. At least $1.49.



If you have it, it's probably tucked away in the attic in a dusty box because you couldn't bear to throw it out. Yet. I think these were made in the 1970s. I'm basing that on the fact that there's a 1971 copyright on the back of them, but I have no other info. Although I suppose they do have that distinctive 70s look as far as colors, which wasn't the epitome of home decor, even in the 70s.

But, for some reason, the colors appeal to me. Is it because those were my formative years? Is it because I don't have good taste enough to pack it away and put it in the attic like all reasonable people did by 1977? I don't know. I just suddenly re-discovered it and fell in love. I want more. I love it. I need more. Need, people... NEED... I have needs!

Okay... you are getting sleepy... but not too sleepy... because you are feeling the urge to go to your attic and riffle through boxes... you are feeling the need to pull out decorated trays and bowls and tins and other colorful items... you want to send me all your Daher Decorated Ware so I can love it and enjoy it and display it... you are addressing the box...

Okay, hey, it was worth a shot. I knew I should have finished that psychology degree. Since I don't see you running up the steps, I suppose I'd best go to Goodwill and see if another little treasure has made its way onto the shelves, just waiting to come to my house!
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I lead a charmed existence. I have known this for many years, and today is yet another example of why it's true.



Greg and I spent the evening - a beautiful evening - on a golf course in Wichita watching Air Supply. Forty-eight hours ago, I didn't even know there was an Air Supply concert planned and tonight I was sitting there with die-hard fans enjoying the free concert.








A friend of Greg's gave him tickets. We were a bit wishy-washy on going, but are so glad we did. I wanted to go to Wichita thrift store hopping and Greg decided he wanted to do that, too. We thought since we were there anyway we should check out the concert. This was after Greg had offered the tickets to another friend of his who is a devoted Air Supply fan.



The deal was you were supposed to park at an aircraft factory lot, and busses would run from there to the golf course for a concert that was starting at 8.




Well, at 8 we were finishing up thrift stores. So, we moseyed on over to the parking lot and found where we were supposed to park. But, the security guards told us the last bus had run and we were out of luck. We asked if we could just drive to the golf course and park there and they said no, there was no parking there for the concert.

We thanked them and drove off. I looked at Greg and said, "lets just go over there." He said, "yeah, definitely." So, we drive the 2-3 more miles over to the golf course, where we found another security guard at the gate. In my best southern girl voice I asked if there was anywhere there we could park for the concert. He said to go to the right and if we could find a place we could have it. We found one. A very nice one, actually.








So, we walked on into the event and arrived just as things were getting underway. I still had my lawn chair in the car from last night's Rudy Love concert so I set it up in the back and got comfy and sat back to enjoy the music. Greg, of course, headed right down front to get photos. It was very casual, so even though we had arrived late, he was able to go straight to the stage.  Naturally, all of these photos are his.



After the concert we met up and went and waited in line to meet the guys. They were very gracious with everyone, and even posed for a photo with Ace.





I gotta tell you - these guys put on a show. Even if you're not huge fans, you'll walk away impressed. And, for the record, there were lots of men there without women in tow. Straight men.



I guess if you tour for 30 years, you learn how to put on a show. Or, maybe that's the other way around and you don't get people paying to see you for 30 years unless you know how to put on a show. Regardless of the chicken/egg order, the show is worth seeing.

The crowd was loving it.



Greg tells me multiple women were flashing the band. Poor Greg. One has to suffer for one's art - even including watching women bare their breasts to the band.



Just in case you were wondering, it was a successful day of thrifting, too. Charmed, I tell you... a charmed life... for which I'm incredibly thankful.
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Rudy Love and the Love Family Band in Hutchinson

Rudy Love and the Love Family Band kicked off the weekend long Emancipation Day Celebration in Hutchinson Kansas tonight. It was a free concert, sponsored by the Hutchinson Reno Arts and Humanities Council. There was free music, free hotdogs, free lemonade and ice water. What more could you want on a summer evening?



I've seen Rudy and family perform before, but it's always a treat.



A musical prodigy Rudy formed his first group, the “Junior Canaanites” at his home church when he was in the 5^th grade, by the age of 18 he was touring with Little Richard and in the early 1970s was an established studio artist working for Motown Records and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section appearing on records with such luminaries as Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, and the Temptations.

In 1975 Love became the musical director for Sly and the Family Stone touring the world with that popular group. Later as a soloist and leader of his own band Rudy extensively toured Asia and Europe developing a loyal following of fans that help make his 1997 disc “Out of Rhythm” go platinum.



Rudy has recorded with some of the greatest. This list includes Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Marvin Gaye, Chaka Kahn, Van Morrison, Little Richard, Billy Preston, Buddy Miles, Herbie Hancock, Tower of Power, Bill Wyman, Little Richard, Sly and The Family Stone and Isaac Hayes.



Returning to Kansas Love has kept performing, recording and writing music. Examples of Rudy’s more recent work can be found on the sound track of the hit movie “American Gangster” and his collaborations with hip hop impresario Jay Z.




With Wichita as a home base Rudy Love has continued the family tradition of musical performing excellence began by his father Robert Love Sr. who recorded for the Chess Record label and toured the country as a performing musician with noted gospel and R & B artists. Now the next generation is performing as well.




One of the fun things about an event like this is bumping into friends and acquaintances. It was great to see Jocelyn...



When I looked at Greg's pix, I noticed he also had a photo of her family.



That's Jocelyn's mom in the salmon, and that's Theda in the white. With her back to us is Aunt Joyce. I didn't get a chance to visit with any of them tonight, but I know I've mentioned Theda on the blog, so now you get to see a photo. I'm sure you can tell these ladies all come from an amazing gene pool - look how great they look!

Diana was there too...



I also saw Scharlotte, although I didn't get much of a chance to visit with her. That's her on the right. With her are Mark and his wife, Gail. Mark is director of the HRAH council.



I sat with Elsie for quite a while and visited...

Greg got some great pix of these kids dancing... it was hard to choose a photo to use...



I love, love, love this park - right in the heart of downtown. It changed the face of Hutchinson. It's a real jewel.





Of course... almost all of these photos are courtesy of www.thelope.com.
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To Write Love on Her Arms

Today you may run into people who have "Love" written on their arms. It's an event inspired by the "To Write Love on Her Arms" story. The goal is to raise awareness of depression, addiction, self-injury and other mental illnesses. If you want to read more about it, go to http://www.twloha.com/the_story.php. If you want to participate, read more about it on facebook and write love on your arm.

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