Mother's Day held a golden moment for me. I took my first novel, Beth, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch to my Mama. I used her pen name Vivian Varlowe for my series.
As she held the novel up her brilliant, brown eyes, (they still sparkle like diamonds), filled with soft, joyous tears.
I said, "Mama, it took awhile but you made it! YOU and I are published! I would never have had the talent, skill, or determination to write a novel if you hadn't been my fan club, my teacher, and my beloved friend."
Then came the warmest of hugs, and the sharing of long held love. For me the achievement of a goal is ALWAYS sweeter when shared with my Mother!
Happy Mother's Day everybody!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Rose's Fruit Crisp
This is a delicious recipe. I know because it's one of my favorites!
2 cups brown or white sugar
1 1/2 cubes REAL butter
1 cup white flour
1 cup other types of flour (I like using almond, garbanzo, whole wheat, flax, etc,
and sometimes I blend a bit of several of those flours)
2 cups oatmeal
6-8 medium apples (I like to use multiple types to get both a sweet,
and tart combination taste)
2 tsps vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
1. Blend together all of the ingredients down to and including 2 cups oatmeal,
you can use two forks to blend them or butter your hands well (so that the
mixture doesn't stick to them) and mash it all together with your hands. It's
kind of like playing with playdough...fun
2. Chop the apples into thin slices...not too thin they dry out and don't have
as much flavor. Mix the vanilla, lemon juice, and spices together in the bowl
where you have your chopped apples. Stack the bottom of a deep dish pie pan
or casserole dish with apples layer by layer.
3. Put the dry ingredients on top of the apples.
4. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
5. Serve with whipped cream, or ice cream.
6. YUMMMMMY!
You can make this recipe using other fruits. I also love to make it with blackberries
which grow wild in Oregon. If you use blackberries, or berries of any type, add
1/2 cup of cornstarch to your berry blend to thicken the fruit. Don't use lemon
juice or pumpkin pie spices, but still use the vanilla.
2 cups brown or white sugar
1 1/2 cubes REAL butter
1 cup white flour
1 cup other types of flour (I like using almond, garbanzo, whole wheat, flax, etc,
and sometimes I blend a bit of several of those flours)
2 cups oatmeal
6-8 medium apples (I like to use multiple types to get both a sweet,
and tart combination taste)
2 tsps vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
1. Blend together all of the ingredients down to and including 2 cups oatmeal,
you can use two forks to blend them or butter your hands well (so that the
mixture doesn't stick to them) and mash it all together with your hands. It's
kind of like playing with playdough...fun
2. Chop the apples into thin slices...not too thin they dry out and don't have
as much flavor. Mix the vanilla, lemon juice, and spices together in the bowl
where you have your chopped apples. Stack the bottom of a deep dish pie pan
or casserole dish with apples layer by layer.
3. Put the dry ingredients on top of the apples.
4. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
5. Serve with whipped cream, or ice cream.
6. YUMMMMMY!
You can make this recipe using other fruits. I also love to make it with blackberries
which grow wild in Oregon. If you use blackberries, or berries of any type, add
1/2 cup of cornstarch to your berry blend to thicken the fruit. Don't use lemon
juice or pumpkin pie spices, but still use the vanilla.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Holding my book in my hands
A glorious moment today. I held my first book, "Beth, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," in my hands. I've spent twenty years wishing, hoping, and dreaming for this event. It makes me smile to think of my sweetheart Nyle's pride for this accomplishment.
In case anyone reads my dedication and wonders who "Bingo" is....that was one of the many names for my husband. He was in a play at Brigham Young University that he didn't want to be in. The director begged Nyle so he decided to do it even though it was a tiny part. He had his name listed as Bingo Smith because he was slightly embarrassed to be on a small stage in a small part.
How could he have known that the small stage with the small part would earn him a nomination for the Irene Ryan Regional Acting Award? This is a very big deal in this corner of the world. Imagine his chagrin when on the list of nominees he was listed as "Bingo Smith," just as he had printed on the program.
After that many of his friends called him Bingo. I thought this story was so funny, and it was entertaining to call him Bingo. I have a lanyard somewhere that says "I Love BINGO." Our girls gave it to me for Christmas one year. Many people would be surprised and say, "Really, do you love Bingo that much?" Then they would get to hear the story about my beloved Bingo...and NO it wasn't about the game!
In case anyone reads my dedication and wonders who "Bingo" is....that was one of the many names for my husband. He was in a play at Brigham Young University that he didn't want to be in. The director begged Nyle so he decided to do it even though it was a tiny part. He had his name listed as Bingo Smith because he was slightly embarrassed to be on a small stage in a small part.
How could he have known that the small stage with the small part would earn him a nomination for the Irene Ryan Regional Acting Award? This is a very big deal in this corner of the world. Imagine his chagrin when on the list of nominees he was listed as "Bingo Smith," just as he had printed on the program.
After that many of his friends called him Bingo. I thought this story was so funny, and it was entertaining to call him Bingo. I have a lanyard somewhere that says "I Love BINGO." Our girls gave it to me for Christmas one year. Many people would be surprised and say, "Really, do you love Bingo that much?" Then they would get to hear the story about my beloved Bingo...and NO it wasn't about the game!
A hint of news from the 1800's
So....we speak often in our country in the year 2012, about the current litigious nature of our culture. It seems as though we're always hearing about somebody suing somebody else. Imagine my surprise to discover that in the nineteenth century the people of America were MORE litigious!!
In 2012 if you go to the doctor he wants you to sign an arbitration agreement. This means that you WON'T sue him if problems arise. Instead you will have a mediator who will work with both parties to reach a compromise.
My husband was an attorney for twenty years. He believed in the justice system. On the other hand he believed that litigation was a LAST RESORT, not something to ever be used frivolously.
Well, there is my little random factoid about litigation in the 1800's!
In 2012 if you go to the doctor he wants you to sign an arbitration agreement. This means that you WON'T sue him if problems arise. Instead you will have a mediator who will work with both parties to reach a compromise.
My husband was an attorney for twenty years. He believed in the justice system. On the other hand he believed that litigation was a LAST RESORT, not something to ever be used frivolously.
Well, there is my little random factoid about litigation in the 1800's!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)