Cherries
Tag Archives: Cherries
I had been planning this week’s column in my head for quite a while, but then, as often happens, life got in the way. For just over a month now, I have been getting reports on my cousin Jimmy and his health issues. Then, on Friday evening, I learned that Jimmy will never have physical problems again. The text I received informed me that “Jimmy just went home.” James William Ogden was a special soul, loved by oh, so many…..
At my stage of life, there are not many things that I find more enjoyable than time spent with my grandchildren. Last week I was privileged to have two visitors for a couple of days – Vivian (8) and Elijah (4). I brought them home Sunday afternoon, then took them back to their parents on Tuesday evening. The in-between hours were packed with activity. For some reason, Vivian loves to ride on my zero turn mower. Usually when she asks…..
There are some things in life that are hard. Things we wish would never happen. Things we would rather avoid, but we are forced to face them anyway. How we choose to deal with difficulties either builds our character for the better or tears it down. Some people try to hide and hope their troubles will go away. Others grow angry and feel “put upon,” feeling a need to blame someone or something (often God) for what they are enduring. …..
The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is the date we as a country celebrate the establishment of our nation. Through the years, we have been truly blessed to enjoy the freedoms we hold dear. Those freedoms, however, were not without cost. And they still have a cost today. Repeating words that I wrote a few years ago, which are still meaningful today: “Parades, picnics, fireworks – all of these seem to play a huge role in Independence…..
It is time to write Cooks’ Corner again, the morning I use every week to sit down in front of my computer and type out what I am going to say. Usually, I have very few, if any, interruptions. However, today has been a different story. Birthdays are like that – filled with phone calls and texts wishing me a happy day and filled with lots of love and caring. I decided a few weeks ago what my recipe subject…..
I learned creative cooking from my mother. Or maybe I should say, I often observed my mother cooking creatively. I don’t think it is something that can be taught; one has to have a natural ability to be able to do so. There are some people who should just follow a recipe and be done with it. My high school home economics teacher showed our class how to make homemade pizza. For the crust, she used a boxed hot roll…..
Several people have asked me lately about “that little girl who used to cook with you.” That girl, my granddaughter Maggie, isn’t so little anymore; she is taller than I am! She turned fourteen on Saturday. Maggie lives in Newburgh, Indiana, and recently started her freshman year of high school. She plays clarinet in the marching band, so a lot of her summer was spent at band camp. Also in 4-H, Maggie completed several projects this year, one of which…..
February is special for me, as my birthday just happens to fall during this short month. My parents were very excited when my mother conceived. They had been married for almost five years and wondered if they would ever have children. Doctors had informed my dad that the high fevers he suffered during illnesses contracted in World War 2 would probably leave him unable to father offspring. After learning of her pregnancy, Dad and Mom chose to move home to…..
Last week was made brighter by an overnight visit from my granddaughter Vivian, who is six years old going on 30. My son Jonathan brought her to my house on Wednesday evening; she was very excited about spending time with Grammie. As bedtime neared, Vivian declared that she was going to sleep in the “guest bed.” She informed me that she kicked in her sleep and didn’t want to hurt anyone. When bedtime became a reality, her fear overcame her…..