Still Here!

Ah, the Merry Month of May! 

 It started out with hosting the Garden Exchange here, in the midst of the Monsoon of Mitchell.  Probably the first meeting to not even visit a garden.  We contented ourselves by the fireside as the temps dropped and the water was wade worthy around here.....A yummy dinner diverted our attention and a good visit with other rabid gardeners rounded out the evening...

 It was most important to visit Eldest Son and Lovely Wife, on this the first Mother's Day that she has the privilege of nourishing and nurturing their firstborn, due in August!

Unlike other expecting mamas, Lovely Wife has eschewed her usual sweet cravings for a much healthier diet. 

 After a full day of gardening and visiting and catching up with each other's lives, these two most hospitable of host/hostess, produced the most lovely of Mother's Day/Birthday Boy Supper: Grilled Salmon, Steamed Broccoli with Beau Monde sauce, Rice and a most hearty salad...Yummmm...

 After church that Sunday morning, we headed more north, to visit with BG/BG and Her Hubby/Daddy so that we could help them move....But before that pesky task(which didn't actually happen) we needed to check out their favorite Middle Eastern restaurant for some authentic Mideastern cuisine....Yummmmmm

Plans can change for grad students and we found ourselves driving home that evening so to prepare for BG's arrival at our home, for A TWO WEEK VISIT!

 Mimi Nirvana....

Peonies welcomed them home....The blooms began and continued during their visit, adding so much. My favorite cutting flowers; showy and fragrant, why can't they be more available than the quick weeks in May?

Math Friend came by during the first week of the visit for homework help.  Do you know that her math book contains a most pleasing Chocolate Cake recipe?  Well, we really needed that one made quickly!  Yummmmy and full of measures for us Math Seekers.  Wonderful to start the week....

Which turned out to be a highlight....A blight of the most tenacious kind, managed to attack all in the house and outer bounds...Days and nights of sneezing, hacking, coughing, sneezing.  Tissues became an accessory to everyone in the  house.....except moi.....BG, her BG, Her Hubby, My Hubby and Youngest Son, all fell victim to the late season plague.

Some days, it was all we could manage was good eats and a good fire, for the weather joined us in feeling icky.....

Little Lady managed some major growth rings while at Mimi's.....She played and played and bounced and sang...She found out that her little knees and strong arms can move her around quite well, thank you....Her sweet little dimpled smiles made all the phlegm being coughed up around the house, quite manageable......

While on the porch, in between seasonal changes from frigid to tropical, I chanced to study the most lovely pink center on this fading peony....Love the pinky/salmony shade.

Towards the end of the visit, BG felt well enough to work some magic in the kitchen.  The most Yummmmmmy pizza....Fresh dough, sauteed spinach, garlic, italian sausage...No sauce; just the vegetabley goodness...Wow!  Thank you BG!

One last food request from BG: mama's Homemade Eggrolls...!  Hadn't made them in a month of Sundays so it was indeed time!  Utilized Sunday Dinner's roast beef and veggies and some additional items to create some pretty Yummmy eggyrolls....

Frozen Novelties on the Porch always round out a summer supper around here...But not Sunday night! Bugs intent to drive us to lunacy, decided to add to our lists of  ourTwo Week Visitor Challenge...We did NOT want buggys in our 7-up sherbet floats!

And since I have kept you waiting ever so long and since this post is full of food centered reports, I figured you are probably hungry right now and need a basic egg roll recipe.  I fashioned mine from a recipe given to me  30 years ago from a bible study friend.  I have altered and adapted it for almost any meat or vegetable...Let's hope your version is just, well, dare I say it?.....YUMMY!!!!!  

Bon Appetit!!

Mama's Authentic Egg Rolls:

2 pkg of egg roll skins

1 1/2 cup of cooked meat; chicken, pork, beef (or leave it out and add more veggies)

2 cups of assorted vegetables; shredded cabbage, onions of all kinds, leftover steamed vegetables, shredded or cooked carrots, leftover rice, whatever can be minced and mixes well together...

1/4 cup of wheat germ

1 can water chestnuts or bamboo shoots

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 egg

2 tsp garlic powder

Add all your ingredients together in a food processor on shred, till fine consistency.

Add two tablespoons of mixture in the center of one egg roll skin.  Starting on the diagonal, flop one corner on the mixture, then the two opposite sides, tucked in, then with a small bowl of water and a bit of cornstarch, wet the last corner of the skin before the final roll.  Set aside while 1/4 cup of canola oil is heated in a heavy, high sided skillet.  Cook egg rolls till golden brown, turning them as needed...Drain on paper toweling. Serve with your favorite sauce: sweet and sour, hoisin, brown mustard, horseradish, soy sauce etc.....

Potpourri

Have traveled a bit this summer.  Collected sights and memories and now that I'm perched for a spell, I'm having fun viewing all that I have taken in.  Swell visits.  Companionable people. Fun car trips.  Nothing on a National Park Scale, but lots of lovely visits with some of my very favorite people. Miss Vivien, of course.  And here at Baby Girl's Baby Shower for her Baby Girl, Vivie and I clued in on each other and quite honestly, it took me awhile to see anything else.  We spun a neck grabbing hug as we caught up on all our lovins.  The photo of the grandest gathering of lovely young women was taken at Squirrel Park.  Aptly named.  And there were actual squirrels there, not just a Mimi crawling up a slide for her granddaughter.  In the heat.  After traveling three hours.  For a special party. Vivie and Mimi had to have some time. In her piggy tail photo, V is wearing a dress that Mimi made her.  Didn't think the fabric or pattern could have gotten much cuter.  I was wrong.Then there was the Niece Lovefest.  Eldest/Admin is absolutely smitten with her Unborn Niece.  She could not wait to feel for herself the magnitude of movement that Baby Girl is experiencing.  I walked in on this moment.  Two sisters with the Baby Mind Meld.  Adorable.Kindred Spirit Friend, Stained Glass Artist, author, poet, most precious of friend.  And we are quite silly as well, climbing into the back of her seatless RAV, indulging in Whitey's Ice Cream.  We laughed and giggled as we traveled to her gracious home, while our Hubby's caught up on their lives and listened to the Two Buds in the Back.  And our Leaving Photo had to include, Pearlman, her doxie, who just at that moment wanted to be a Cory.As Crazy Dee was purchasing some Spectacular Gem adorned sandals, I came across this sign that really does define us.  She still owes me $10.00.

Peek a Boo.  I see you, most Wonderful Granddaughter.....Mimi loves you......

Quiet

Had one of those days.  The Come Down after a visit from my children. This past weekend, Baby Girl and Her Hubby returned from a vacation.  They were able to make an overnight stop with us, which thrilled Hubby and I.  As we prepared for bed, BG came into my room and laid across the bottom of our bed like she has done on many, many occasions.  This time, it was different.  This time, she had a very active in utero daughter tossing around within.  And Grammy got to witness it all.  BG and I have had some extraordinary discussions in this very place in my room, but this sweet little visit had to exceed them all.  We have talked about school, dance team, boyfriend issues, friend situations, matters of faith, fashion, homework, going to college, going to Africa and marriage.  But here we were, silent in our observation of this newest member of our family, introducing herself to the Visit to mama's Bedside at Night.  Stunning in it's simplicity and meaning.

Baby Girl and Her Hubby left the next afternoon to life back in college and parenting preparation.  But then came the call from Eldest Son.  His new job has brought a need to visit our hometown a bit more frequently, and this night he was to be coming on business but including supper with us as an added bonus.  As I wave BG and HH off, I slip into the next gear of entertaining ES.  We had a pleasant supper, unique in that it was me and 'The Boys', Youngest Son was off of work early and was able to join his brother, dad and mama.  Rarely happens; wonderful in the opportunity.  As I watched ES take on a fourth helping of Pepper Steak, I quietly said a prayer of appreciation for the man he has become.  He spoke glowingly and sweetly of his wife, the pride of his life.  He told us of her proficiency in taking care of children and his enjoyment of watching her in the church nursery the Sunday previous.  Lesson 342 on How To Please Your Parents:  Speak Glowingly of Your Spouse.

We ventured out to the porch for we had Frozen Novelties to enjoy.  Cory Rule: If you have a Frozen Novelty, you must enjoy it on the porch. And yes, after four helpings, ES did indeed have room for an ice cream sandwich.

Our conversation drifted in and out of many topics, all set to the steady rhythm of the swing.  Too soon, he needed to head home to Lovely Wife

The next day was Quiet Day. The joy of having four of our kids in our home in a 24 hour period can make me giddy and that giddiness can lead to a pleasant tiredness.  Not overwhelming- can't- move- tired, just peaceful, content, pleasant tired.  The tired that makes you go in slow motion and observe things like you're looking through a lens.

So as I went about my chores and errands, I observed the quiet in the still house.  The air conditioning off , and the windows open, sounds missed by motors, allowed another reverie.

I found the quiet spots in my home so enjoyable, I grabbed my camera to share them with you....

May your life be full of quiet still thoughtful moments......