Berlin's Whimsy

Conversation.

This was my view for much of a recent hike with my son: his lanky frame in front of me between the curves of our trail. It was a rare just-you-and-me moment for us---- few and far between these days. And those moments always put a lot of pressure on me---- should I bring up all the important subjects at once?! Or let things develop?

He was extremely quiet. In fact, he often is. I don't know that it's his age or just his personality--- I'm quiet, too. With my kids the age they are, my experience is that full communication is as unpredictable as trying to forecast a rainbow. Forget about it. But when it happens---- when they are receptive and open--- I listen. And I ask. And I'm present.

My son wasn't ready for long conversations today.

I asked him about potential colleges. About driving. About his friends. About the plot to his newest story he's writing. About the book I brought home for him to read. His answers were one to two words, at most. I asked him how he felt about going to college in a little over a year and his answer was, "nervous."

Frankly, it was all okay with me.

At his age, I remember all too well adults trying to pry information from me (they called it communicating)----- how their "let's talk" voice alone sent shivers up my spine. And advice---well, it was plentiful. I remember adult family friends telling me of my "vast potential" and that I'd have "all the time in the world to pursue relationships" after I'd settled myself into a successful career. Yet, those words fell on young and stubborn ears. The ears of a young adult who had not experienced the far reaching cause and effect of adult decisions yet. I had my own agenda. And frankly, don't we all? Don't we all have our own custom-made, personal lessons to learn from our choices in life? I know I did. 

So, on this evening with my son, rather than pushing the point, I waited for cues from him. Cues that weren't there. He politely waited for me when I lagged behind----as I was taking too many photos of the beautiful views--- but moved on when I caught up. He asked me when we would return to town because he wanted to go to the local festival, wondering if it was still going on. He had his own agenda that night.

I've learned that so much of parenting older kids is about choices: "reading" their moods and being there when they're receptive. Guiding rather than telling. Backing off when you need to. And all the while, I'm sure that I'm facing more of my own lessons as their parent, as well. We often learn through teaching.

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let go or be dragged.

Basil Butter Spread for Grilled Corn

This time of year, our grill gets a lot of use and since corn on the cob is plentiful, cheap, and GOOD, we often serve it alongside our other favorites.

Sometimes, though, the usual butter & salt treatment gets a little boring.

I'm fairly certain this way of serving corn on the cob comes from my brother & his soon-to-be wife--- both chefs. It's surprisingly good and very easy, too. Just the right thing on a busy summer evening!

Basil Butter Spread for Corn

This is more of technique than a recipe...

Into a blender, add equal parts melted butter, olive oil, and fresh basil leaves. Throw in a couple peeled garlic cloves & a tsp chili powder. Blend until smooth.

Grill ears of corn over a medium-high grill. For great grilled corn, don't overdo it. You want the kernels to carmelize just a bit (brown) but if they overcook, they will be tough and dry. I always error on the side of less time (even if I'm boiling corn the traditional way--- less is more).

When corn is done, brush with the basil butter and serve. YUM!

Pimento Cheese Dip & 17-year olds

It's been a very busy week around here.

This happened.

And he is growing up too quickly. This post was just yesterday, right? And yet, in many ways, he is still that same kid. Now, I'm very much enjoy his developing intellect--- we have interesting discussions (GMO foods, politics, poetry, philosophy). I'm amazed at his thought processes and he's an excellent debater---- kind, and willing to listen to other opinions.

My daughter is growing up fast, too. Chunks of my time are spent wondering how she will cope when my son goes off to college. In the meantime, she is always ready to help me in the kitchen and it's very welcome (including greasing the cake pan--- above. Ha)!

And after 17 years, birthday celebrations are pretty routine around here: the same friends, the same party, the same German Chocolate Cake. It might seem boring, but after all the changes my kids have gone through these past few years, I believe routines are welcome.

One of our snacks was this version of Pimento Cheese Dip. I make it with this homemade Mayo that I always have in the frig. Made with that mayo, this dip is SOOOO good! Tastes much more complex than the ingredient list would make you think! And if you have the mayo already made up, this dip comes together in minutes. It's excellent.

Pimento Cheese Dip

1/2 C. grated extra- sharp cheddar

heaping 1/3 C. green olives stuffed with pimento, coarsely chopped

1/2 C. this Garlicky Mayo

1/8 tsp. paprika

A couple grinds of black pepper

Method:

Into the bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients. Pulse just a couple times until mixed but still coarse in texture. Refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to develop. Enjoy!

patient kids

My kids are so patient with me. They put up with my chores, frenzied demands, deadlines, healthy foods, and yes, my worrying. Sure, they make messes, put off mowing, sleep until 12:30 when no one's home, bicker, and maintain a level of mess in their rooms that would make the cast of Hoarders cringe.

But, they bring so much humor and levity to my life. They talk me into forgoing the vacuuming to go out for a swim at the river below their Grandma's house. Something I didn't do at all last summer!

They talk me into bringing home DVDs of funny tv shows from the library and we sit down and LAUGH!

They introduce me to new music that I wouldn't have been aware of otherwise. (And thankfully, we all like! No rap, mercifully).

And even more so, they remind me that life moves forward and they have their own dreams and goals for the future and it fills my heart to see them becoming their own unique individuals--- people that I am proud to have in my life.

 

 

let go or be dragged.

I am experiencing a lot of illumination in my life.

Interesting how one conversation and another person's similar experiences and perspective can change everything. It's as if I was looking north all this time--- looking for the path through a disorienting fog--- and really all I needed was someone to grab me by the shoulders and point me south. For, all of a sudden with that shift, the clouds cleared and a shining beam of light not only illuminated my path forward but also the path behind me and all that confusion and creepiness was moved into the light-- in full view for me to examine.

And what I came to accept is that sometimes you cannot understand or make sense of things. Of people and their actions. You never will. Sometimes, you cannot fully comprehend them. Sometimes, they can't, either. And you know what, it's not your job to do so. And that's my lesson--- to let go. For if we don't learn the lessons that our lives present us with, we will make the same mistakes over and over, looking for the truth.

I added the zen proverb to my sidebar: "Let go or be dragged." I finally let go. 

 

Out in the Garden...

 
My favorite aspect of summer is my garden. I start each morning out there, with a cup of coffee, the slanted morning sun, the promise of a new day, and the joy of discovering new growth and sometimes surprises. It was only a few weeks ago that I wondered if I'd ever get around to starting my garden. Our spring weather was not conducive to growing much of anything and the snow and grey clouds kept me inside. But then, the sun finally broke free and inspired me to start my garden. It's in full force now. In fact, these photos are from awhile back.

 
My garden isn't large by any means, but for what it lacks in size, it makes up for in producing the kinds of things we enjoy eating. I'm speaking of tomatoes. I have eleven plants that I'm encouraging along daily. Alongside my tomatoes, I'm growing tomatillos, cabbage, zucchinis and pattypan squash, greens of all sorts, a couple pepper plants, peas, basil, onions, and herbs. I'm pretty pleased with my garden this year. We also constructed a bean pole teepee with visions of spicy pickled green beans in our future.

 
My garden has already offered up a few of its gifts for a recent family barbecue. I used a recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, Heidi Swanson's, Supernatural Cooking Everyday. I made the 'Yellow Split Peas & Greens,' with inspiration from Knittingiris' improvisions here. It was oh so good!

 

Chocolate Cookies from my Mom.

 
 
My Mom has knack for throwing a bunch of ingredients together and making something perfect. As I'm a meticulous baker at heart (weighing ingredients out--- leery of diverging from the original recipe), her success with this technique surprises me. And inspires me, for sometimes I gather inspiration from my Mom's wing-it approach.

I tried some of these cookies at her house awhile back, and I had to ask her for the recipe. I wasn't surprised when she casually listed the ingredients off the top of her head.

 
These cookies are both hearty and perfectly chocolately, with the addition of both melted chocolate, chocolate chips, and flaxmeal! Even better, they're quick and simple to make. The butter is melted with the chocolate----no need for dirtying the electric mixer, which is another of my Mom's characteristic traits: she seldom uses electric kitchen appliances. 

So, whip some up and see what you think!

My Mom's Hearty Chocolate Cookies

Print Recipe

8 T. butter (1 stick)

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker's) 

1 C. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 C. whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 T. flaxmeal

1/2 C. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Melt the butter with the chocolate either gently (being careful not to burn the chocolate) in the microwave, or over low heat on the stove. When melted, stir in the sugar and allow to cool a bit. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Stir the wet & dry ingredients together just until combined and add the chocolate chips.

Drop by the 1 1/2 T. full (I use a #30 disher) and bake for approximately 15-minutes; until crisp around the edges but still soft in the middle. Makes approximately 16 cookies.

Celebrating the Now.

Sometimes it is difficult for me to take the time to stop the ever forward movement of our lives long enough to celebrate the milestone that click by along the way. My life is often a hectic flurry of doing the things that are right before me, demanding attention. Often, my hands are so busy with other things that I don't use them to pat my loved ones, and myself, on the back.

So, I'm trying to make a concerted effort to stop. Take a breath. Notice. And celebrate.

 
This year, my son began high school. Adolescence seems to bring on a whole new level of speed by which your children grow up and away. Believe me. For here is my son--- as impish and charming as ever--- yet the future young man is so very quickly taking shape. I can't stop it. Yes, before I know it, he will embark on his own life. If ever there was a time to remind myself to embrace each day with my children, it is now. Savor the moments, I tell myself. Over and over.

Thankfully, I have others who remind me of this, too. Recently, my son won academic awards at his school. It was a night I won't forget. Sitting on the rooftop of his school, as the sun went down behind the awards podium, his name was called. Twice. And we weren't expecting it. The sweetest of all, was the special English & Literature Award he received from his teacher, along with a very flattering letter. Later, at home, P said to me, "Amber, these are the times to celebrate. Savor this moment." And though I was enjoying it all, I hadn't really stopped to take notice---- not in that way of reflecting on all these years of parenting and the years ahead, and thinking this is a night to cherish. This moment.

 
This summer, I finish up the first part of my educational goals. No, I'm not done, but it's a transition from one school to another. I look back on these quarters of school---- all those classes---- and allow myself a little pride in my accomplishments. I've primarily received good grades, but those math classes have been a challenge for me. Slowly but surely, I've plugged away at learning what felt like a foreign language to me, and this term I received an A in math. A major milestone!  And this time, I'm allowing myself a little time to recognize what I've accomplished. What we've all accomplished. And it feels good.

I still knit. But not with cotton.

Remind me to never start another project in cotton. Silly me, I decided to make this baby sweater in Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. It seemed sensible at the time: washable cotton for a baby. Well, that's only sensible if the sweater is completed and the baby actually receives it. Apparently for this wool-lover, that's a tall task.

 
 
Once again, I'm reminded of how tactile & sensual knitting is for me. The mere thought of picking up those needles and pulling stitch after stitch of dead-feeling, stiff cotton through loops makes me avoid picking up my knitting at all. That's because I told myself I could not knit any other project until this one is complete. And it's sooooo near completion. But then again, I don't relish the feel and for me, that's everything.

I'd much rather knit on this (Shalom Pattern).

 

It's in the scrumptious and squishy wool from Quince & Co: Lark. I love it. In fact, I'm fairly enchanted with all of the yarns from Quince & Co.  I love how alive wool feels. How it slides over the needles and fills in each stitch. How I can gather it up into a big handful and smell wool's earthy scents. How each wool sweater is unique. Lesson learned---I'll be knitting with wool from here on out! (Except for dishcloths, of course)... I guess I'm stuck with living in cold climates!

Playing with Albino Squishy Brains.

 
This post's title comes directly from P's mouth upon seeing Kefir Grains.

 
They're often described as looking like "cauliflower" but they do sort of look like brains. Have I turned you off? Read on... 

 
After reading so much information about how beneficial Kefir is to good digestion and happy belly flora, I decided to try making my own. It's amazingly simple. So simple, I think everyone should do it. I've went through phases of making yogurt for our family, but even that simple task pales in comparison of Kefir's simplicity. Same with Kombucha. Making kefir is easy. And even better, making your own Kefir is so much cheaper than purchasing the prepared stuff. You'll be amazed. Just don't think of them as Albino Squishy Brains.

I've found that making kefir requires 5 simple steps:

1.) Obtain Kefir Grains  

2) Pour kefir grains into milk (or even coconut milk--- video tutorial).

 
3) Let the Kefir Grains (aka. Albino Squishy Brains) swim around in the milk, spreading their healthy charms. Cover them with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours.

4) Strain out the Kefir Grains & add them to new milk.

5) Drink the strained Kefir. 

...Of course, there is a lot of room for experimentation. You can shorten or lengthen the culturing time to increase or reduce the tang and the effervescent qualities of the Kefir. I'm using "dairy grains," but there are also water grains for use with sweetened water or apple juice.

 
There are many uses for Kefir but our favorite is adding Kefir to smoothies. It tastes like the store-bought stuff and we also get a good dose of fruit, too. My favorite (so far) is a simple smoothie of strawberries, bananas, Kefir, and a little maple syrup.

Your Kefir Grains will grow and multiply like any happy creature does, and at that point you can either give them away or dehydrate them. In fact, your Kefir Grains will start to make a daily appearance in your life because they accomplish their task every 12-24 hours. But when you want a little break, you can put the whole mixture in the refrigerator to slow it down. They'll be happy to see you when you invite them back. 

And lastly, there are many, many health claims regarding Kefir, from increased immunity to reducing the risk of colon cancer. I don't know the validity of many of the claims, but it seems to me that when one's belly is happy, so goes the rest of one's body...