A Story - "The Christmas Exchange" and Poinsettia

 Story

The Christmas Exchange

The Christmas gift exchange for the adults was organized by the efficient oldest daughter using a random selection program that ensured that no one received a gift from someone they were giving to.  The creative son got mixed up and gave a gift to the wrong couple who then fretted that they were expected to reciprocate.  But what about the exchange rules? It was discovered that younger daughter didn't get a gift.  Quick! An e-gift card for her favourite store.  "Are these my chocolates?"

Christmas is always full of fruitcake.

I bought this bright poinsettia a couple of weeks ago.  One year, I kept a poinsettia growing over the summer and then did several weeks of short days by covering it with a garbage bag to trigger the formation of the red bracts.  It did make some red bracts but all in all it was disappointing.  I had a big awkward plant and not much colour.  So I have decided to let the greenhouse growers do their magic and I simply buy a fresh plant each Christmas and throw it out when the red bracts are finished.  Lovely pink and cream coloured ones are also available. A collection of all three colours, if you have room for that many plants, makes a nice decorative arrangement. 

A Story - "The Next Chapter". and Beet Carrot Corn Salad

 This story is a Covid-time story inspired by outside church services that took place when people were not allowed to gather inside a church.

The Next Chapter

Puffed clouds nestled in the cerulean sky.  A breeze wafted by, uplifting a monarch butterfly and a sparkler of plant fluff.  Mrs. Graves sat in the shade of an ornamental crab apple tree polka-dotted with crimson fruit.  Spaced out around were her fellow church members.  The pastor's mellow voice blended with melodic bird songs.

Suddenly Mrs. Graves' chair crashed over; the pastor froze mid-word.

A few days later, Mrs. Graves was buried in the graveyard across the road among the mossy crooked tombstones that she had gazed at for weeks of Sundays, the next chapter of her life beginning.

Beet Carrot Corn Salad

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups cooked (boiled or baked) diced beets

1 1/2 cups cooked (boiled or baked) diced carrots. Only cook carrots until they are lightly softened - boil    5  min.

1 cup cooked corn. I used frozen.  Fresh or canned would work, too.

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp black pepper

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and top with salad dressing such as ranch or vinaigrette.

This blend of vegetables is also tasty heated up and served as a warm vegetable mix.

A Story - "Waves" - Spiced Carrot Sweet Potato Soup , dried Parsley

 A Story:

Waves

Life was so grey.  Work so dull.

Alicia hoped a Maine seaside holiday would recharge her.  Today the ocean, at high tide, was calm, and the hot sand had warmed the water enough to make it swimmable.  She swam lazily, the gentle waves rocking her, the saltwater buoying her.  But she didn't want to be lulled, she wanted excitement.

A plastic bottle, something inside, slowly drifted near her.  Curious she grabbed it and swam to shore.  She extracted a note: "The waves will find you, my special love.  Call:  Liam, 222-333-444

Alicia gasped and whipped out her phone.

Spiced Carrot Sweet Potato Soup

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 medium large carrots

1 sweet potato

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Saute the chopped onion in oil or butter.

Add 3 cups water, carrots (peeled and diced), and sweet potato ( peeled and diced)

Simmer until the carrots and sweet potato are soft - about 20 min.

Add the ginger and cinnamon, salt and pepper, and simmer for another 10 min.

Blend with a hand blender or mash with a potato masher.

Ladle into bowl and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

This soup is creamy and smooth and taste a lot like pumpkin pie.

I like to dry my parsley in the refrigerator.  After rinsing it, I place it in a paper lunch bag or, in this case, some paper towel.  The parsley keeps its dark green colour while it dries. I find if I try to dry parsley just by hanging it in the air, it gets yellow.  In the fridge, it will take the parsley a couple of weeks to be fully dry. When I use a paper bag, I make sure that I don't overfill it. If I have lots of parsley, I use multiple bags.

A Story - "The Well-worn Shoes" and Lentil Vegetable Soup

A story:

The Well-Worn Shoes

The white sneakers were noticeably creased, grass stained, scuffed toed.  Marley picked them up, studied the worn soles.  The shoes were a testament to a life lived richly, generously, fearlessly.

Just four days ago, her mother had died. In life, she had always taken her time lacing up her shoes as she pondered where they would take her, who she would see.  Her acts were lovingly thoughtful, appropriate.

Marley felt the weight of the shoes as her mind swirled with memories.  Her mother's legacy would always be with her.  Bending over, Marley put on her mother's shoes, laced them tight, and walked into life.

                                  The  amounts are suggestions.  Soup is very flexible.

 Lentil Vegetable Soup

1 small onion

3 medium tomatoes (I used frozen from my garden)

1/2 green zucchini

1 large carrot

1/2 cup sweet pepper - any colour

2 cups dried red lentils

Saute the onion in a tablespoon of butter or oil of your choice.  Add 3 cups water.

Add chopped carrot, chopped zucchini, chopped sweet pepper.

Add tomatoes - I would use peeled tomatoes. Canned are already peeled, and frozen are easily skinned by running them under hot water and slipping the skin off.

Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 -45 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and any herbs you feel like. I used Greek oregano but thyme, parsley, marjoram, sage would all work well alone or in combination.

Simmer a bit longer to let the herbs flavour the soup.

If the soup is thinner than you like, simply simmer until more water evaporates.

Pair the soup with a sandwich and you have a substantial lunch that will get you through the afternoon.

A Story -"The Invisible Woman" and interesting Fungi, and pretty Mare and Foal

 A story:

The Invisible Woman

At the restaurant, elderly Patricia spied two Italian-suited middle-aged men sitting a couple of tables away from her.  They kept leaning towards each other, speaking in low voices.  Patrica turned up her hearing aid until she could hear what they were saying.

"We need to get rid of the Attorney General.  He won't work with us."

"Georgio can do the job."

Shocked, Patricia turned on audio record on her phone.  As they were leaving, she discreetly took photos.

She e-mailed her information to the police.

The puzzled looks on the men's faces when they were arrested, made her smile.

This fungi looks like layered rock.  Very attractive design.

With doom and gloom in the news,  I think it's nice to see a peaceful picture of this lovely mare and her foal.  This is a picture I took a few years ago. The horse belonged to my neighbour.

Another month to the shortest day and then we turn the corner.  Take care.

A Story - "the Unwanted Guest" and Cabbage Pear Salad

A story:

The Unwanted Guest

When they arrived, Joe wrapped Mom in a big hug, then exclaimed, "You look amazing."

Mom blushed and tittered.  Dad beamed, "Welcome, Son."

Sarah, Joe's wife, noticed the guest. "Bigoted man, drinking his Coke, judging us all. What a fraud."

Glaring at him, she strode to the table.  Joe helped her get seated.

After blessing the food, the unwanted guest prayed, "God comfort the sad, the frightened, the weary."

His heart's voice flowed like golden sherry. Sarah's face flushed.  Her heart gave a pound.  Her tears without warning spilled, erasing her make-up, exposing the purple and blue.

Cabbage salad 

 I'm trying out a new cabbage salad - my own version.  It has cabbage, pear, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.

1 1/2 cup shredded cabbage

1 pear - any kind

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix together with mayonnaise to taste.

You could also add a little bit of green onion, some sweet pepper, and a mix of green and red cabbage would be nice.

A Story - "The Event". and thoughts on Leaves with White Markings

 A story:

The Event

Philip had been training for months.  Today was the day.  To warm up, he did some deep knee bends, waved his arms, stomped his fancy running shoes.  Mom gave him a high five.  Dad waited at the finish line.

Ready, set, go!  Philip was off.  Dad cheered wildly.

"Go, Phil, go!"

Mom held her breath as he charged along.

"Halfway there!"

They gasped as he wobbled.  Digging deep, Philip found his second wind and pushed to the end.

"Yeah! You made it!"

Grinning, Philip plopped down on his diaper-padded bottom.  He'd completed his first solo totter across the living room.

The acidentera bulbs and calla lily tubers that I got for free at the beginning of September have been growing quite well.  They were outside  on the deck for September and October, and only came in last week when we had frost.  I don't think the calla lily will bloom as the fall sun isn't very strong but I am pleased at how many leaves grew.  I will let it dry down now and give it a dormant spell December through February.  The acidentera should have bloomed as most bulbs have enough energy stored to bloom once but I'm not optimistic on that front.  Anyway, it makes some nice bright greenery at a dull time of year.  I will just throw the acidentera out when they have finished growing as the bulbs will be exhausted from being forced.  They are in water with some fertilizer.

I was looking at the calla leaves and realized that the white markings aren't actually white but are simply places where the leaves lack interior material.  Where it looks white, there is a thin leaf membrane on both top and bottom but nothing in between.

The lamium and the pulmonaria are different from the calla.  They both have a uniform leaf with the outer top layer having variation in colour.  Although the pulmonaria spots look white,  they are actually greyish and are very similar in colour to the back of the leaves. The pulmonaria also has hairs all over the leaves.

I was also thinking about plants that need resting periods.  Why do they? How do they know when it has been a long enough rest? Why does it sometimes have to be cold? So many things we don't know about plants.

All around us nature is amazing.