The Secret Ingredient

Long before I knew how to do anything,  I knew how to bake an apple pie. From the moment I was tall enough to see over the kitchen table, my Nana had me in her kitchen and at her side. Before that, I was under the table playing with her Tupper-ware and wooden spoons.  Everyone in my family could tell you stories of their favorite Nana recipe. They could each remember how they tasted, how they smelled, and how they felt when they ate it. After my baking partner passed, I threw in my baking towel. Over the years since, I have attempted to bake a few pies here and there, but they never seemed to match up to the pies Nana and I would make together; they tasted like they were missing something. Tonight, and long overdue, I took out my baking towel; actually, it was my Nana's. I fired up the oven and sunk my fingers into the mixing bowl once again. I am not sure how my pies will taste, as they are sitting on the cooling racks just waiting to be enjoyed, but I was sure to add the secret ingredient. 

Leggett's Gold Mine

Ok, so Leggett's mine is not really a gold mine. It is actually a closed anthracite coal mine. This photo was taken today and ironically  this morning, my husband and I coined our property the Leggett's gold mine. Why? Well, these beautiful images taken from the view of my front porch will soon be luxury homes within the next few years. Although we will miss the spectacle of  sunsets, we are happy to appreciate them now as our home appreciates in value! 

Autumn Sunset

I took this photo today when I got home from work, around 4:15p.m. Usually, the sun will set to the right of the tree line, over West Mountain. Because of the time of year, I was able to see the sun slip behind the Leggett's Creek mine, just across the street from my home. All of the leaves have finished falling, leaving the sky filled with a winterly scene of branches and cool hues.

6th Degree Celebrity

I've always wanted to have a document keeping track of all of the famous people I have met in person in my life. Here's my best attempt.

1985 I think the first famous person I ever met was Richard Harris. He came to my school when I was in 3rd grade and hand picked several children to perform in his adaptation of Julius Caesar. I was one of his children. My role was to wait upstage right until the girl with the flashlight gave me my cue to go onstage. While I was waiting, Sir. Harris exited in my wing, and every night, he kissed the top of my head. After he kissed me, the girl with the flashlight gave me my cue and I went onstage.

1988 Also while in grade school, on a typical vacation to Atlantic City, my sister and I had an experience of a lifetime. We were staying in one of the suites and were allowed private pool access during certain hours. These hours were also the same hours that the performers were allowed to use the pool. My sister and I played for hours in the pool with our favorite TV stars (we watched the reruns every morning), The Monkees, MickyDolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones. My sister rode the elevator with Davy Jones, for which I am eternally jealous!! It is also fair to saythat The Grass Roots were swimming with us too, however, I was really not interested in them, nor would they play with our beach ball the way Micky did!!

1991 When I was in middle school I used to usher at the Masonic Temple, a local venue for traveling Broadway Shows. I remember I would run out into the alley behind the backstage area to try to meet the actors. One year I caught up with Barry Williams, or Greg Brady. I didn't even have a piece of paper to ask for his autograph. He gave me a hug and I can still remember the smell of his black leather jacket.

1996 In college, we frequently would have guest performing artist and directors. My freshman year in college as a theatre student, I was assigned the job of props mistress. One of my jobs was to create real torches for the production under the direction of Paul Barry. Well one day, Mr. Barry met me in the scene shop area and instructed me on how to make proper torches for the stage. It didn't look complicated to me as they were only made out of coffee cans and a little bit of sand. I should have known to trust my instincts as the grand curtain went up on flames on opening night!!

1997 I have been very fortunate to grow up in the very creative, and small town of Scranton. Hometown to Pulitzer Prize winner playwright Jason Miller, it is small enough that it is not long before you meet him out somewhere. Always ready for a conversation, and never remembering me each time I would meet him out, Mr. Miller bought me several drinks on different occasions. A brilliant man with a great style of conversation. I am honored to have met him.

1998-2004 While working at an upscale summer camp, it is more than fair to say that I met my fair share of children of celebrities and their parents. I don't think it would be fair to list them, as they were children in my care. To me, they were no more or less important than any other child. My love and experiences with them will last a lifetime, designer name or not. So, I reserve these few lines for all of the children who will be something some day, famous or not. And to their parents, who entrusted me with their care.

2002 (I think..will confirm this) It was a sunny day at the Portland Sea Dogs game. I was there with about 40 of my campers. We sat in the nosebleed cheap seats, just below the luxury boxes. Ironically enough, as I was getting our girls settled, who were trying to socialize with the boys camp sat just a few rows away, they quickly became distracted by watching me speak to a very familiar gentleman, former President George Bush Sr. He asked me about all of the girls and where we were from. He joked about my responsibility with them. Then he offered to buy us all ice cream. He ushered over a couple of the ice cream sellers. We were thrilled to have such a treat from the former President and his wife. It was a wonderful experience as he sat with me for a bit in the cheap seats with the former President. As the sun beat down and he became hot, he went back into his luxury box and our girls went back to harassing the boys!

2008 A couple of years ago I became involved with an organization for children who stutter. At our summer camp, my partner arranged for his friend and supporter Jessie Martin to make an appearance at our camp. He sat in on my counselor meeting. We had great conversations about camp and said, "I will send my kids to your camp someday." after I told him of my goals to own a camp.

2009 At our camp/organization fundraising gala, I had the honor of meeting some of

our honored guests. I spoke to B.D. Wong about possibly coming to camp as one of our "counselors." John Slattery and I

had a nice conversation about the camp and was a very genuine person to speak with. On our way out of the building, my husband ran into Bill Withers standing near the door by himself, as I was looking around the room for the ladies room. We asked if we could have our picture taken with him. He was such a gentleman and said to Jon, "A piece of advice, as you get older, you must always wait for your wife." The flicker of the flash had no sooner finished, and his wife just arrived from the ladies room.

Beetle 1 - Michelle 0

Before stepping away from my garden, home, and precious puppies for 10 days, I had some expectations for when I returned. I expected that my garden would be fruitful, my home would need a cleaning, and my puppies would be filled with seperation anxiety. So what happened? My home was spotless (thanks to my mother giving me the royal treatment), my dogs now have seperation anxiety for my mother (thanks to her giving them the royal treatment), and my garden is now absent of all of my cucumber plants, my tomatoes are splitting, and my corn looks like it was run over by the lawn mower. My blossoming rose bush has been completlely eaten by some bug, who has only left the stems, to remind me of where a rose bush once stood.

$$ The Green Hou$e Effect $$

I remember I was a junior in high school, history class with Mr. Douaihy, when I learned about the Great Depression. My public high school text books were nothing to brag about. Maybe it really was the quality of the photos in the books that made the people in them look that much more desperate, that much more gray-er. I thought then how awful it must be to one minute have a job, and the next, to be huddled on a heat vent with children, just tying to stay warm.

What will future children read about these times? A news report yesterday said that NYC is offering one-way free flights for the homeless. The unemployment rates are near 11%. The most popular vacation is the stay-cation, or homation. Basically, we're not going anywhere this summer kids, have fun on your Wii we charged for you 2 years ago.

As we enter into the school year, more uniform swap gatherings are popping up everywhere. Last spring during prom season, I can remember many of our seniors going to Cinderella's Closet, a place where the girls could buy a donated, used dress for $20.00. Even the most popular, the most well off girls sported their Cinderella's Closet dress at the prom. No shame in hiding the bargains these days.

And then, there is the worst part of this economy; the emotional factor. The fact is, it appears to be no end in sight. It feels that way, anyway. Logically it has to end. Financially, most of us just can't tighten the belt any more. (actually many of us probably can because we have cut down on eating out, buying fewer groceries, and getting more exercise because we are walking instead of driving everywhere).

Truth be told, this is probably just what Americans need. I know I do. I need to know that it is ok not to charge outlandish items, just to keep up with the Jones'. I know the Jones' aren't charging, they aren't going on vacation, they are also trying to chip away at their credit card debt. The Jones' dad just lost his job or the Jones' aren't going to the new swanky restaurant..they're having a BBQ this weekend, too. We all spent together, we all lost money together, and together we need to rebuild. If I need a pick me up, so do the Jones'!

Positive things to do in a crummy economy:

• Have more family time - yes you do really love each other
• Board games & cards can be fun - try learning a new game, like bridge which can last for hours!
• Try one of your family's recipes. I recently made my mom's stuffed peppers.
• Try something new - I started a blog, it's free!
• Visit the library - we check out 2-3 movies a week, for free!
• Have a "vacation" at a friend's house. Take a trip to visit a long lost friend. You won't have to pay for a room and it will give you a break from the same old routine.
• Does your city offer free concerts? Our city offers concerts on Sundays. We might not even like the music but it is fun to get out and be social.
• Walk - cancel the gym membership
• Visit the farmer's market - you are helping your local economy & you will buy healthier items
• Go to the flea market - the best part of the flea market is people watching, you don't need to buy a thing!
• Start a book club - a great way to get together with friends. check out the book @ the library and have everyone bring a little something.
• Clean out your closets! if you can't afford to buy anything, and you are going stir crazy, start weeding though your stuff. Pack it up and bring it out again in 6 months. It will be like a whole new wardrobe! If you have money by then and want to buy clothes, then donate the ones you don't want.
• Put unused items on Craigslist, and make a few extra dollars
• Have a yard/garage/tag sale - and have your neighbors get involved so it is a neighborhood event
• Volunteer!! It keeps you busy. I now know why retired folks volunteer!!
• Read books online! thousands to choose from and they are free! http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/
• Sort your photos...oh, yah, remember that project you started years ago?? Try scanning them into the computer to Picassa to preserve them electronically.
• Start a garden. You can plant a garden almost any time of year, depending upon where you live.
• Write letters. Stamps are only 44c and getting a letter in the mail is just great. You can even make fun stationary online. http://www.freeprintablestationery.net/
• Do one of the TV exercise programs on cable or satellite. I know, they are annoying. But, what do you have to lose? A few lbs?
• Pamper yourself. Soak in the bathtub. Give yourself a pedicure or facial. Here is a simple facial recipe:

1 medium to large Banana; soft and peeled
1/3 to 1/2 cup oatmeal(depends on the size of the banana)
Instructions:
Mash the oatmeal into the soft peeled banana a little at a time. Continue until all of the oatmeal is moistened. Apply to your face evenly, leaving it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water or soft wash cloth

All in all, these times are tough for everyone. What is difficult for everyone to accept, whether you were once rich and are now less rich, or once paycheck-to-paycheck, and are now, paycheck-less, is that we will survive this. This may not be how we intended our lives to be, this is not how we expected to be rewarded for all of our hard work. Bottom line, our lifestyles and quality of life have been disrupted, so we need to adjust. Lastly, we need to stick together and help each other though these times. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "When you have come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."

Cucumber Beetle

These very pretty, striped or spotted beetles have become my nemesis this summer! Beware of these awful little creatures. I have not come across too many solutions to removing them. Apparently, waking up very early in the morning while they are feeding, then plucking them from cucumbers and squashes, is the most effective way to ridding oneself of them.

I decided to write a poem as a tribute to these little buggers.

Cucumber Beetles

LiftLift

under there?

pick

lift

pick

pick

cucumber beetle

cucumber beetle

squish, squish

lift

damnit!!! my flower!!!!

squish

lift

cuCumbeRrr -- beeTle

DAMNIT!
CUUUUUUUUUUUUU CUMMMMMMM BER BEEEETLE

STAY OOOOOOF my CUUUUUUUU CUUUMMMMM BERRRRRS!

ska wissh!

Food Additives & Eating More Naturally

Why in the world do we need some scientific research to tell us that by putting more chemicals in our bodies, that we are going to have negative side effects?? I understand why some farmers and food manufacturers will add these preservatives, food additives and pesticides to their products...money, money, money. The time is now, people, to go back to basics. Sure, a completely organic and whole food diet can be challenging. I am struggling myself. In this economy, when we are just barely making ends meet, we are charged MORE money for eating FEWER chemicals and preservatives!! As an example, a lb of organic baby cut carrot is nearly a whole dollar more than non-organic.

Just to let you know, I am very proud of my backyard garden. I have 23 tomato plants, 8 string less bean plants, 6 cucumber plants, 4 butternut squash plants, garlic, chives, basil, carrots, and corn (which usually doesn't yield anything but looks cool). It really takes up only a portion of my yard (15x15) and little attention. For my family of 2, this is way too many plants. Just think what you can do in your yard. One of my favorite things to do is to mix some of my vegetable plants in with my flowerbeds. Carrot tops are so pretty, and cucumbers have a beautiful leafy vine. Just put them in your planters! Hang some of the upside down tomato plants from your porch.

Other than feeling a little more connected to the earth, you will be shocked as to how a real vegetable is suppose to taste. Yes, they taste very different than the store bought ones. So, you think you know what a cucumber really tastes like? How about sun ripened tomatoes with fresh basil? They say, that after 1 hour of picking fruit and vegetables, the flavor begins to dissolve. So, what are you waiting for?

If you have not started your own home or backyard garden for this summer, I urge you to visit your local farmers' market. But don't be fooled!! Everyone is there to make money. Make sure you look at the fruit & veggies and make sure the box isn't marked "Imported from Mexico."

Read the following article about how these chemicals are affecting your kids.You need to be an advocate for your child. Contact your school lunch program and have them review the ingredients. Believe me, I see this every day in school!! Remember when the period after lunch was sluggish?? No anymore folks!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1659835,00.html

Homegrown Garlic

Yes, I am very new to this blogging thing. I am sure that years from now, when I am a successful blogger, I will look back at my first blog and say, "What were you thinking?" But right now, I feel it is very important to discuss the simple pleasure of garlic.

Once used to scare away vampires and scorpions, to treat infections and dog bites, this staple from the onion family swept me off my feet today. To fully understand, we need to go back in time a bit. Last summer, while shopping for my latest order, I picked up one of those 5-garlic-in-a-net things. At the end of the summer, with a full garlic left over, (and having heard roomers at the farmer's market of how easy it is to grow) I planted the garlic cloves on the southern edge of my garden. This spring, sometime around April, a strange thing happened. I forgot that I planted garlic, and these tall thin shoots popped up, even before my crocuses and daffodils. It wasn't very long before I realized what they were, and quickly congratulated myself on being so efficient.

So, the garlic grew along side my freshly planted seedlings for some time before they developed these very alien beak-like tips, that after a few more weeks, burst into orbs that must replicate another planet somewhere. They were beautiful with pinkish color, softly scented like garlic, but unlike anything I had seen before. I then went online to see what in the world they were, and, is this normal? Some sites said to chop it, others said to fry it, I decided to leave it alone. To me, it was like a rose in my vegetable garden.

Earlier this week, I noticed that several of my garlic orbs had started to wither. Many of the stems had turned brown. I then read online that it is OK to dig up the garlic at this point. So I did. How amazing it is to see how it had grown, beneath the soil, through the harsh and cold winter, and unbeknownst to me, the wost garlic farmer east of the Mississippi! (My sister would be the worst garlic farmer west of the Mississippi.) I washed off their octopus roots, trimmed the stem, and set them on a plate in the sun to dry out. They were so clean and white.

This brings me to tonight. My husband wanted spaghetti for dinner. In a pot I started to saute some onion, and decided to add some of my garlic. After a few seconds, my husband said that our house smelled delicious. I told him it was only onion and garlic. But it wasn't. Something was happening. My husband and I just could not get enough of the smell. Like children we fought to take a whiff of the pot. It smelled like garlic, but sweeter and with wine, and with all the flavors of love that I did not have on hand to add. I added the ground beef, the tomatoes, that fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh rosemary. A little more of this and not much more of that. When it was done, and when we had had our fill, we took one look at each other and knew, it was the garlic.

So, my friends, the lesson here is to take the time to plant some garlic. Who knows? You might need to ward off a vampire, or need to heal a very nasty dog bite. Or, just maybe, you are looking for that simple secret ingredient. Fresh garlic tastes a lot like love.