April 16, 1964 – A Journal Memory

Throughout the years while I was raising my four kids (beginning in 1954), I kept a journal where I periodically made notes about holidays, school, vacations, etc.  As an occasion arises where I think one of my journal entries would be pertinent, I’m going to post it just as I wrote or typed it back in the day (except for an explanatory note or correction of a typo).  

The children will be known here by the nicknames their grandfather used when they were toddlers:  The oldest daughter will be Newsie (because she was as good as a newspaper for finding out the latest happenings), the oldest son is Bar (because he called Grandpa’s truck Bar and Grandpa called him Bar), the youngest son is Jackson, and the youngest daughter is Shanty (as in Shanty-Boat).

Bar and Newsie

Jackson

 “Jackson saw a plump robin on the front lawn today and with the confidence of childhood announced:  ‘There’s a robin.  It’s spring!’  And I’ll have to agree with him that the miracle of spring has come to Maple Drive.  The sky is a pale clear blue, serving well as the background for tender green buds and leaflets appearing on so many of the trees.  Each lawn is the fresh green of spring and the gorgeous color compensates for the bare patches of earth.  Daffodils, dandelions and violets are blooming, and the tulips are budding.  The leaves of the iris are straight and sure and reassuring.  The temperature is 80 degrees this afternoon and the kids are wearing shorts and crop-tops, and Bar and his friend Danny are tossing a baseball.  Our dog Penny ran with great glee over newly-seeded lawns and through flower beds, and dug a foot-deep hole in the dusty patch beside the back porch.  Newsie and her friend Rosanne came in with nosegays of violets, dandelions and large leaves, picked in the hollow and carefully placed in a yellow plastic cup on the refrigerator.”

Precious memories of a spring almost 50 years ago.

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The Story Behind Mt. Shasta Cookies

Last year, I posted a recipe for a favorite cookie I’ve been making for about 25 years – Mt. Shasta Cookies.  Last week, I received a comment from a lady who said her sister originated the recipe, won a contest with it, and should be given credit.  I totally agreed.  My source had been a newsletter that contained blue-ribbon winning recipes from all over the country and I’m sure the person who submitted it didn’t know the background either.  I posted an update on my blog and then on Christmas Day, I received this message from the cookie baker/contest winner herself:

“Hello Lillian.

I am Linda McCready, and in 1958 I created the recipe for “Mt. Shasta Cookies”. I was the primary baker for my family of 10, and was constantly trying to come up with something different. This recipe began as a standard shortbread made with brown sugar and chopped walnuts. I love macaroons, so decided to try topping the cookies with macaroon mix. The result was such a huge hit that I spent many of my free hours making more and more … and more. The local newspaper carried Family Weekly magazine on Sundays, and one week they had a notice of a recipe contest for teenagers. I sent in the recipe and promptly forgot about it. Early in December of 1958 a man knocked on our door, introduced himself as a reporter for the Sacramento Union, and announced I had won the grand prize. My prize was a week-long stay in Chicago, over Christmas holidays, a slew of events such as plays, ballet, Ice Capades, museums etc. etc, and finally a gala luncheon with representatives of the food companies who advertised in Family Weekly. An amazing experience for a 15-year-old. Now I am 70, and still remember it clearly.
I am glad my recipe is still being used, and appreciate your sharing it with others.
Linda“

Isn’t that a wonderful story! Now, I’m happy to share not only the recipe but the story behind this great cookie.

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She’s Home!!!

Just brought Mom home from the hospital. She got a little queasy from the ride and is still groggy from all the medications, but she’s home. I imagine she’ll be bouncing back soon and getting back on the computer in a day or two. I know she’ll enjoy reading your comments.

Here’s hoping that nasty sciatica thing stays under control!

–Nancy

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Update on Lillian

Hi, all! Sorry I didn’t post anything about Mom earlier on Monday. There wasn’t that much of a change most of the day, although Mom was definitely doing better. It turned out the medicine they gave her for nausea was giving her nausea, and she had a couple of other issues. Today she was able to get out of bed and sit up in a chair—yesterday (Sunday) she couldn’t even roll over without extreme pain.

I visited her mid-afternoon and she was groggy, but we talked the entire hour I was there. She even raised herself in her bed, another good sign that the pain had diminished.

Then this evening she called me herself to say they’re talking about her coming home late tomorrow (Tuesday—which, in hospital-speak, means in the evening, I assume). I think they want to check on a couple of things and send her down for a physical therapy session. So, fingers crossed, she may be back home by this time tomorrow.

I told her about all the wonderful messages she has from her blog friends. I’m sure it will be a special kind of medicine to read all your comments. Thanks so much for being so positive and supportive of her.

When I have any additional specific information, I’ll post it here. Thanks again!

–Nancy

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A Message from Lillian

Hi, all. Mom wanted me to post a message to all her friends on her blog. She’s currently in the hospital with what we assume is a severe sciatica episode. They treated her with IV painkillers in the ER and the drugs did nothing. At 3 a.m. they admitted her. When I visited around 1 this afternoon, she was terribly nauseous and still in terrible pain if she wasn’t lying in the right position.

Hopefully x-rays or scans will show what the problem is and how they can treat it so we can get her back home where she wants to be. I’ll post updates when I know more.

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A Great Antique Mall Find

This time, my daughter made the find and presented it to me as a gift.  She found a 1946 edition of Popular Mechanics Magazine with a great cover picture of harness horses trotting behind a starting gate.  She knew I would be thrilled with anything with a harness horse on it but she didn’t realize that I would remember the magazine from when my father had it back in 1946.  He also couldn’t pass up anything about a  harness horse.

My father came from a family of harness horse people and had been caring for horses since he was a child.  As a teenager, he was already a respected driver on the county fair circuit, but gave up the horse business when he married my mother in 1932.  He knew what a hard life it was for a child and was determined his own two daughters would have things better.

In September of 1946, I was a freshman in high school and by 1950 when I graduated, my father had bought a horse and was back in the business for the rest of his life.

The magazine included a nice article about harness horses and especially about the starting gate on the car which had first been used that year at the old Roosevelt Raceway in New York.  Up until this time, races were started by an announcer trying to get all of the horses away at the same time, resulting in a lot of false starts, restarts, etc.

There were some other articles and ads about repairing a radio (just before the debut of TV), and various handyman projects.

I was intrigued by the ads, noticing several for getting into the plastics business which was booming after World War II.

I wear a tiny hearing aid that is barely visible, so I was interested in an ad about a hearing aid the size of a deck of playing cards with the ear plug attached by a cord.  I remember my grandfather carrying this kind of hearing aid in his shirt pocket.

I love old magazines and ads, and the cover is worthy of copying and framing, so this was a very good find at the antique mall.

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Problem with WordPress Comments

I just noticed this from another WordPress blogger.  Apparently, when you leave a comment on WordPress, you now have to uncheck the block when you don’t want follow-up comments rather than checking when you do.

Just for your information to avoid unwanted e-mails.

http://justasmidgen.com/2012/05/06/wordpress-comments-an-email-glitch-and-a-public-service-announcement/

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Cherry Fudge Mousse

I wanted to make a dessert that would use up some leftover frozen tart cherries and a carton of Greek yogurt.  I thought about how much we like a Cherry Fudge Pie I make and translated it into this dessert.  It is easy to put together, can be made ahead of time, and is really delicious.  Using 2% milk and lite Cool Whip, a serving is 250 calories.

CHERRY FUDGE MOUSSE

• 1-½ cups frozen tart cherries, thawed, with juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. quick cooking tapioca
• Pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli milk chocolate)
• 4-serving package of instant French Vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 5.3 oz. container of Greek yogurt (Dannon)
• 1 cup Cool Whip frozen topping, thawed

To make the Cherry Fudge Sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, mix the cherries, juice, sugar, tapioca and salt.  Cook until mixture begins to boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil for another minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in almond extract and chocolate chips.  Let cool to room temperature.

To make the mousse:

In a medium bowl, place the instant pudding and milk – whisk until smooth and starting to thicken.  Whisk in the yogurt and then the Cool Whip topping.

Spoon into six small serving dishes.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Spoon the cooled Cherry Fudge Sauce over the chilled moose and serve immediately or cover and return to the refrigerator.  Further chilling will thicken the sauce.  Can be kept refrigerated for several days.

Yield:  6 servings.

You might also like this Cherry Fudge Pie

http://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/presidents-day-and-cherry-fudge-pie/

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Pause and Remember – 2/10/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Roseville White Rose

Because I don’t mind a chip hidden in the back, I have a bargain-priced Roseville console.

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Civil War Quilt – Block 34 – Rosebud

This is block #34 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Rosebud.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/08/34-rosebud.html

I cut and sewed the A pieces a bit differently.  Also, note that I changed to a scant 1/4 inch for a portion of the block.  For new quilters, here is how I assembled the block.

• Cut pieces per Barbara’s instructions but note the following changes for pieces A.
• Draw a line diagonally on the 4 light 2-1/8 x 2-1/8 squares.  Lay 4 light and 4 dark 2-1/8 x 2-1/8 squares right sides together.

• Stitch ¼ inch on each side of the drawn line on each set of squares.

• Cut on the diagonal line to form 8 half-square triangles.  Press toward dark fabric and trim tails.  These pieces should measure 1-3/4 x 1-3/4 inches.

• Lay pieces out on a mat in the proper order.

• Beginning with first patch, join the two A half-square triangles and add the A triangle.  USE SCANT ¼ INCH SEAMS IN THIS PORTION.  Piece should measure 3-¼ inches across top.

• Join to triangle C, using FULL ¼ INCH SEAM

• Join to triangle B, using FULL ¼ INCH SEAM.  Press toward B and trim tails.  Piece should measure 4-½ x 4-½ inches.

• Complete remaining three patches in the same manner.

• Using full ¼ inch seam, join row 1, pressing seam toward the left
• Using full ¼ inch seam, join row 2, pressing seam toward the right.

• Join the two rows, using full ¼ inch seam.  Piece should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right-hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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