Vanilla Icing

Mulberry Mischief

Everyone knows that stolen, taboo fruits taste better.  It's a fact as old as history.

I have lived in my town for six years this past May and it was only two days ago that I discovered, in the park at the top of the hill, two mulberry trees.  Perhaps being perched on a grassy hill and a little too close to their neighbor trees has made them reach for the sun and surpass the whole 'bush' thing.  I wish the 'Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush' could have surpassed my head as well!  

Usually when I walk in this park, I have my dogs with me and I'm concentrating more on them not pulling me head over heels down the hill rather than looking at the trees.  But the other day, I walked up the hill with a bowl in my  hand looking for the black raspberries (I've never been sure exactly what they are called--you can't find them in stores) and to my disappointment found three berries.  They didn't even make it in the bowl; I immediately popped them in my mouth.   As I trippingly stalked down the hill, a leaf brushed my face and I looked up.  Mulberries!  A great big tree full of plump, nearly black, juicy sweet mulberries.   Where there's one tree there's often another and sure enough about ten feet away there was another.  There were too many to pick in the time I had allowed myself and I decided to come back the next day.

                             

The next day I passed my friends who live at the top of the hill.  Cathy, of Intentional Stones, was in the middle of a task and couldn't stop to go berrying but her husband was able and willing.  In the middle of picking Adam and I noticed the 'No Trespassing' sign and had to snap a picture of it.  I'm not really sure just who the sign is intended for because lots of people who live in the immediate vicinity of this park use it to walk their dogs and themselves.  Kids and dogs run in the grassy field at the top of the hill.  It does seem that only the people who live on my block and a block to either side of mine seem to use the park.  No one else in Edgewood seems aware of its existence.  Maybe that's who the sign is for? Nonetheless, the borough workers drive by on the road at the bottom of the hill all the time and wave to us so the sign is very much an empty threat.

We picked berries for about twenty minutes or so before we had reached all that we could from the lower hanging boughs.  The mulberries are so plentiful that the middle and higher ones belong to the birds and no one could mind sharing with them.  It's very satisfying to 'find food' outside that is delicious and free with a little bit of work.  Mulberries are easier to find and gather than morels were but it took me six years to realize that they were practically in my backyard!

I would like to attempt jam with the mulberries but I can't gather enough in one batch to do so.  It would be easy to place blankets underneath the trees and give them a few hearty shakes to effortless drop the ripest ones but with the trees being on a hill that would never work.  The berries would hit the blanket and roll right off!  Ah well.  I've just made strawberry jam and soon, my mother-in-law's grapes will be ready and I will make lots and lots of grape jelly.  

The first batch of mulberries were tossed with twist of lemon juice, a bit of tapioca flour, a few grates of nutmeg and the scantest amount of sugar believable because they were already so sweet.  I rolled out a circle of pie crust and gently folded the edges around the mound of mulberries before popping it in the oven to bake until the pastry was beginning to turn golden.  Next, I think I'll make muffins.  And then maybe ice cream.  

Being Neighborly

I love my neighbors.  I really do.  They give me a convenient way to share the things I bake and cook.  And that helps me get feedback AND also lets me bake or cook something new sooner because I don't have an overabundance of anything in my kitchen for too long.  They might enjoy receiving what I send over (or secretly hate it as they smile as I hand it to them and immediately begin to plot if they will feed it to the dog or cut it up in tiny pieces and dispose of them one at a time in the trash) but I benefit the most.  

This week, I've shared fresh Butternut Squash Lune, sourdough bread and Italian Wedding Soup with a few of my neighbors.    And I've gotten so much in return!  Good neighbors and friends, good company and I must have sent out some good karma because my left hand neighbor took it upon himself to leaf blow all of the leaves out of my front yard.   I glanced out of the window and there he was industriously removing leaves unasked.  This particular neighbor I have only sent over cookies at Christmas time  so I decided by way of thanking him that I would send over some of the Wedding Soup I had simmering on the stove.  Perhaps it isn't as 'traditional' as cookies but on a cold drizzly night I thought it might be just perfect.

I brought over a large container of soup and thanked him.   Turns out, his wife is out of town for the week and he had nothing to eat!   Funny how karma can work, huh?

Black & White

Half & Half.  Whatever you call 'em, I don't want to see them for 6 months or longer!   Maybe not until the next Edgewood 5k a year from now!

I made 135 125 of these for our community's 5k race that Rick organizes and I help him.  This is only our second year of being in charge of it and things went even smoother this year than last!   Granted, between pre-stuffing race packets and baking 5 inch diameter cookies with two flavors of icing the day before the race things got a little hectic but always stayed under control.

If I was one of those Super Bloggers (meaning those with far better camera skills and the foresight that they ARE going to take a certain picture) you'd have been rewarded with a much nicer picture.  I promise that I will not be foisting awful pictures off you on much longer!

Black & White Cookies

 

Unfortunately, this is not my photo but when you are making 128 of these it's easy to forget to stop and take a picture! 

Saturday was our town's Community Day.  Every year, Edgewood Community Day starts with the 5k Walk and Run.  It's a challenging run as the first two miles are pretty much all uphill but we have so many trees at least it's shady!

I volunteered Rick to run the race this year.  And when I say run, I don't mean feet pounding the ground running.  I mean I volunteered him to be the Race Director with me as his helper.  =D   Nice of me, huh?  There were several dozens of times that I thought Rick might choke me. 

Everything went very smooth and I think turned out very well.  We had lots more participants this year than last.  I did however do two things I have never done before one of which I mentioned at the beginning of this post:  1) Pick up 80 POUNDS of bananas and 2) Bake 128 giant-five-inch-diameter cookies and ice all of them!

Missy made me little labels to put on the back of each wrapped cookie.  They said 'Vanilla Icing....An Organic Bakery' and then my email address.  I don't have a storefront (maybe one day!) or anything of that sort but maybe this will be the start of something.  Holiday pies, cookies and bread.  Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

I must get on registering for that cake decorating class.

OMG! Guess What??!!

This blog post could have so many titles:  First Attempt at Sugar Paste, Failure at Sugar Paste, Try Try Again. Why You Should Always Have Your House in Presentable Shape.   But I'm going to call it:  OMG Guess What??!!

Now before you go getting all excited, probably only I am the only excited one.

Late this morning, I mixed up a batch of Sugar Paste.   It's time, I thought to myself, to start learning how to do 'more fancy' decorating in case my dream of owning a bakery ever comes true.  (I'd prefer the writing thing first if there's anyone out there listening.  Thank you.)   I'm planning on taking a cake decorating class and also a marzipan class in the fall with my friend Missy's, sister but there's no time like the present to give it a try now I thought.

In between lunch with Missy and kids running in and out of the house I made my first attempts at Sugar Paste Roses.  It wasn't easy!  I think my sugar paste was too dry; next time I'll have to make it so that it's more pliable because the petals were drying a little too fast and then cracking.

Right after a torturous attempt at a fourth or fifth rose, the doorbell rang.  Flower in hand, I went to the door to find an older man standing on my porch with a camera in his hand. Behind him, in a van was an older woman looking very hesitant and unsure.   I stepped outside and he introduced himself to me.

His name was Leo N. and he lived in my house from 1940 to 1953 when he was 7 years old.  I was so excited I invited him and his wife in and then proceeded to have one of my most enjoyable hours of the summer.  I took Leo and his wife all over the house and he told me all about how the house used to be and answered all the questions I had about the house and the town. 

Things about my town:

*A Greek family lived next door that had five sons that fought in World War Two and the mother displayed five stars ( a flag?) to indicate that her boys were fighting.

*The parkway that goes through the middle of our town used to be woods and had a creek running through it.

*When they finally built the parkway some of the houses on Greendale Avenue had to be moved!

*Dixon Park had clay tennis courts that were scrupulously maintained.  (Overgrown now but you can still see them).  Leo's sisters learned how to play tennis there.

*One of the nearby apartment buildings near the main road used to be a lumber yard.

*Our 'downtown' area used to have stores like a grocers, a drugstore, a gas station, a barber shop and a shoe repair shop.  The barber shop and the shoe repair shop are still there.

*Koenig Field used to be the football field for Edgewood High School.

*When the second of two rock quarries were being dug a natural spring was hit and the hole rapidly began filling with cold, fresh spring water.  Hastily, the equipment was pulled out and Rock Bottom Swimming Pool was 'made.'

*Johnny Weissmuller  dived off the 50 foot diving board (manmade?) into Rock Bottom Swimming Pool.

*It was common for boys to carry fresh spring water to their mothers from Rock Bottom Swimming Pool.

Still with me?  I'm so excited that I want to write this all down so I don't forget anything.  I think I'm managing to get everything down accurately.

Things about my House:

*Originally there were four fireplaces in my house.  The two on the 2nd floor have been covered (As a side note, all the woodwork in my house has been painted an off white).  The mantel above the living room fireplace is mahogany.  The mantel above the dining room fireplace is chestnut.

*In the mirror above the dining room mantel there is a flaw on the glass.  Leo and his siblings called it 'Hitler' because they thought it looked like him

*I DO INDEED have pocket doors in between my living and dining room whose openings are covered with painted plywood just as I suspected that compliment the pocket door in between the living room and foyer.  His mother used to lock them shut to keep warmth in the living room.  The pocket doors are chestnut (I believe this is the type of wood he said--he told me so much!) as well.

*The weird tree looking support in the basement is from a Black Locust Tree.  His dad painted it many, many times. 

*He and his brothers used to make homemade root beer and cool it in the basement.

*Leo's mother did laundry in the four basin slate wash tubs.

*My kitchen did have the old servant stairs (blocked up), larger windows and walk in pantry.  Hopefully this is something we can one day have again!  Their fridge was kept in the walk in pantry.

*Leo and his brother once got locked in the corner kitchen cupboard and had to wait for their sister to come home to let them out.

*Ping pong was often played on a long dining room table not unlike the one I now have.

*Our large master bedroom was once two bedrooms; Leo and his brothers was on the left and they used to sleep on the back porch roof (now gone and replaced with a deck) when it was hot.

*There used to be an old claw foot bathtub in the second floor bathroom.  Now there is a somewhat sunk in whirl pool bathtub and Oh! Do I wish that I had that old clawfoot tub!

*The third floor used to be let to a young lady and when she married her and her husband lived there until she was expecting their first child.

*The third floor bathroom was a full kitchen.

*The life sucking Maple tree in the back yard was NOT there but there were ducks and chickens.

*There was a large tree in the front yard.

*The shifted bricks and the crack in the outside window ledge were present when Leo and his family lived here.  I guess there's no reason to worry about it anymore, huh?

*Leo and his family had a porch swing exactly where my porch swing is except it was wicker.

*Despite what the online county records may say, our house was built in 1909 and that means that pretty soon it will be 100 years old!  

We are going to have  a big party next year for our house and we don't care how silly our neighbors think we are!

I shared our town's monthly newsletter with Leo and his wife and also gave them t-shirts from the 2007 Edgewood 5k race just as a little something from our town.  I urged them to come to our town's community day (this Saturday) and also to stop by anytime they are in town.  We also exchanged information--names, emails and his address--and I mean to keep in touch.  I'd like to email him some interior pictures  that he can share with his siblings so they can see what their home looks like now.  Leo took a few pictures of the outside of the house as well and he did so with tears in his eyes. 

I am so happy that they stopped by and THIS time were brave enough to come up and say hello.  It was pure pleasure to spend time learning about my house and town from someone who used to live here.  I only wish that they could have stayed longer!

Plant Hospital

Here is a picture of our house as seen from a small 6 year old girl's perspective.  Maia knew she wasn't allowed to step in the street to get the top of our house in but she made up for it in making sure she got in our garbage cans.  (they really need a new home but where??)

This isn't a very flattering picture because our poor, tall house desperately needs to have his face and body washed.  The porch is scheduled to be repainted sometime this month when the painters can schedule us in.  We are finally getting rid of that icky shade of green.  Also, believe it or not this house is supposed to be a yellow brick house!  I know!  Who would have realized under his coat of grime of oh--likely 88 years (he's a pretty old boy) that he had such fine clothes!?  Poor guy---he might have to wait until next year for that one.

The plants in this picture aren't so wonderful either because when you know that any day now you are going to have college boys from College Works Painting trying their hardest (and likely succeeding only half of the time) not to tramp your flowers and plants there is no great urge to put a lot of effort in prior to the painting.  The rosebush on the left against the porch hasn't bloomed yet; I'm hoping to get a few flowers before its squashed demise.  The pool of green on the right are hundreds of babies from last year's very prolific Forget-Me-Nots' threesome.  I'm pretty sure those guys are not going to make it either because they get to be about 3 feet tall before their flowers really come out in force.

Lastly, at the top of the steps you can see my plant hospital.  This place gets the most sun and also the most attention from me because I can't help but notice them every single day.  On the right, is a small container of marigolds that were left over from our Daisy Tea Party that Maia potted.  They were doing wonderfully--that is until Maia and her friends decided to pick some flowers and wrenched them out flower, stem and roots!  I found three out of the four of them in a glass of water and re-potted them two days later when Maia had forgotten about them. 

On the left are four plants.  One is a purplish vine-y ivy plant that Tristyn grew for me at school that had two stems and three leaves in a tiny dixie cup pot.  I had potted them both in this bigger pot and they had both grown to about 18 inches long with many leaves and then someone kicked over the pot.  I was able to replace the one back in the pot and it's sort of thriving; the other one is in a glass of water in my kitchen attempting to grow back its accidentally chopped off roots.

The second plant is a calla lily that I 'won' at a wedding shower where it was the centerpiece.  It really doesn't need to be in the plant hospital but I don't know what to do with it or anything about calla lilies.  Do they get bigger?  Should I plant it in the ground?  I'm clueless and keep forgetting to look it up.  The third is a prayer plant that I rescued from hall outside of Rick's office.  It had one leaf and was in a cracking pot.  I re-potted that plant and now he's up to four leaves with another one rolled up cigar style and ready to unfurl any day now. 

The last plant is in the hospital entirely due to my own negligence.  It was one of the mini-rose bushes that come in  a pot.  It and its sister graced my table during the Daisy Tea Party.  Amanda took the sister home and left me with the brother.  Who then sat on my mantle dying for a few weeks.  Who then moved to my kitchen when I realized he had received no water in said period.  Or sun.  Who then in a desperate attempt to save him got moved to the plant hospital and rewarded me by making the rest of his leaves turn brown and fall off.  Then, and as silly as this sounds, I remember reading this L.M. Montgomery book, The Blue Castle, where Valancy shops a rosebush to smithereens and it comes back better than ever.  Because I believe everything I read in books (ha!) I did likewise until I had three much shorter sticks coming out of the pot.  Four days later and guess what?  Teeny tiny leaves are starting to grow!!!!!!

All are healing well in the plant hospital.  =)

Library Love

The last day of school was yesterday....summer is finally here!!!!!

Tristyn and I took an immediate emergency trip to the library because who can start a summer vacation without books and lots of them??!

Books!!!

This spot is lovely for reading when warm summer breezes come through the window but only if you are reading the right sort of book.

Tristyn prefers this spot for reading in that particular seat.  At least that's what I think because he always chooses that exact place.

Edgewood 12 Turtle Creek 10

After 2 extra innings to break the tie....Edgewood won!!! The final score was 12-10. Tristyn hit the ball several times and even was responsible for getting one of the runs. =)

Tristyn asked for ice cream to celebrate but after the extra innings it was a little late...so after homemade pizza here's what we had instead.

A piping hot brownie (fresh out of the oven!) drenched in chocolate sauce with a side of Black Raspberry Ice Cream with swirls of raspberry and chunks of chocolate.

Everyone agreed that it was much better. I'll have to take their word for it because I was too full from pizza!

Edgewood 2 Forest Hills 6

Tristyn had his first away game of the season tonight. The first game, a home game, he played 3rd base for part of the game. But today--oh wonderful today!--he got to be the catcher. He thought it was so cool putting on all the gear because it made him feel like a robot.

Check out his face in this picture. Wondering why he looks so upset? It's because he had to become human again. I think he would have left that stuff on the rest of the game if had been permitted.

This is the please-don't-make-me-stand-here-any-longer look. And I can't say I blame him---it was freezing outside today!

Look Who Came to Town!

A loud, persistant wail of sirens will send anyone dashing to the window to look....but...add a Santa and some people will dash OUTSIDE.

It's Santa with the Edgewood Fire Department!

This is just one of the many, many, MANY things that Edgewood does that makes it such a wonderful town to live in. I am so thankful to be able to live here. =)