Mrs. Allen

I know where my darling is today and now I know where he was 

on October 1, 2008 at 12:13 pm thanks to his purchasing this book for a mere fifty-one cents.

But this is not all about John; this is about the woman who was called "The Nation's Homemaker." 

Her name was Ida Bailey Allen (1885–1973). She was a prolific cookbook author, writing over 50, and she wrote a column for Good Housekeeping where she also served as an editor. Her accomplishments were many and you may read more about them with a simple online search as I did. Other bloggers have done posts and Wikipedia also has good information.

I am going to allow this book and Mrs. Allen speak for herself with the following pictures.

She could not have been a perfectionist allowing her signature to be published that way. (I am not one either...don't you think my thumbnail looks odd? That's because I had a snagging event that resulted in my using a lot of fingernail polish to weld it all back together again.) 

Many interesting recipes appear in this book first published in 1924. Thought you might especially enjoy making Popcorn Pudding. 😉 Lest I tease too much...have you ever eaten this concoction? Heard of it?

Pronounce it correctly or "they'll" know that you aren't from there!

This was a fun description of Mrs. Allen's first encounter with a microphone.

 

Does the Pioneer Woman or the Mennonite Girls Can Cook crowd know to include household tips in their cookbooks, hmmmm? After all, we really do need to know how to keep the staff looking presentable.

Honestly, if you want a few hours of fun reading, this book is highly recommended. You probably can find any one of a number of Ida's books at your local flea market. 

Edited to Add: There is an important update below on my post of January 23. Sam will be happy if you check it out.ッ

Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good

This book is the tenth in the Mitford Series written by Jan Karon and published in 2014. The series are stories about Father Timothy Kavanagh. Early in the series, he marries Cynthia. They make a wonderful team. (Book 6 is a story about their wedding that takes place between books 2 and 3. Karon takes liberties like that. ☺)

I remember reading a review that a blogger wrote and I had to have this book having read all the previous ones. When it arrived, I set it aside because my eyes were giving me troubles — a two-year bout with polymyalgia rheumatica. In September, I pulled the book from the shelf and placed it by my pillow and began to read at bedtime. 

I found that reading at bedtime is very good for me, very relaxing. Often, I would wake a few hours later with the book beside me or on the floor and the light still on. I have probably enjoyed the best sleep I have had in years in the last few months; however, the author may not find this news necessarily flattering.

In addition to the relaxing qualities of reading at bedtime, I loved reading this book because it was taking place in the same season. It begins sometime in autumn and ends at Christmas. Perfect!

If you've read Karon's books, you know what a warm cast of characters she has created. Her style is conversational and cozy. I think I recognize each character from those "characters" in my own community. I suppose it's a classic case of "there's one in every crowd." Jan Karon has herself said that there are Mitfords all over.

Then for the quote collectors...there are so many pithy and thought-provoking ones. These are some of my favorite Father Tim quotes:

I can't say I have any confidence in confidence. I have confidence that God is with us in all things, both tender and tough.

Your goodness to me has been overwhelming. How tender you are, though I am often as tough as gristle. How patiently you have loved me since you made up your mind to love me always.  

When I speak of God’s will, it helps to know that he wants the best for us. If you can’t believe he’s there, pray anyway. If you feel he’s cheap and withholding, thank him anyway. There will come a time when you’ll thank him even for the hard places.

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know thee as thou art revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of thy love, amen 

 

As I understand it, Karon has retired Father Tim. The next book, Come Rain or Come Shine, moves on to Father Tim's adopted son Dooley. The perspective shifts from Father Tim to Dooley.  I won't be making the move. This is a good time to say goodbye (for now) to Father Tim and Cynthia. I don't want to shift my loyalties to anyone else. Dooley is not a large enough character for me to even feel inspired to make the transition. I hope that Karon never does Father Tim in. We need all the Father Tims we can find in this world. 

Happy

So I was reading the final chapters of the book I mentioned yesterday when I began to wonder what John might look like if he were a member of the Duck Dynasty. More on that in a bit.

Two unlikely gals introduced Duck Dynasty to me: Debbie of Words on Wheels and Auntie of Auntie Sezzzzz (Found it!) Oddly enough, both of these wonderful bloggers have pulled a disappearing act. Anyone seen either of them lately? They may be hanging out in Louisiana — groupies!

This is the book I was talking about. I did not expect to like it. John picked up the book that I was hoping to read so, having nothing to read, I went with this one. And I loved it. LOVED it. It is a powerful testimony. At one point, I was reading aloud to John about the part when Phil decided that he would repent. I glanced up to see John's eyes glistening a bit. John had been there once upon a time you see. Neither Phil's story nor John's is mine to tell so you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Now back to that earlier question. What would John look like as a Duck Dynasty dude...

Pretty good if I do say so myself except that he has dimples under there. He shouldn't cover them up!

P.S. Duck Dynasty airs Wednesday nights on A&E at 10 EST. We watch via an A&E app on the iPad.

Lobster and Surfing?

I have been reading the most delightful book to take my mind from a grandson's troubles this past week. It arrived last Saturday and was a complete surprise to me.

The note begins this way: Did you say that you had been looking for this? 

Oh my! Why, yes, I had! The Lobster Chronicles is written by Linda Greenlaw and recounts five years of lobstering from the Maine island where her family has made its home for a couple hundred years. Fascinating!

My adventure began one day recently when Kim was describing a Blondie recipe — you just never know where reading a blog will take you! So, if you'd like the background to this story, you'll find it at Kim's Happy @ Home first on Starting Summer in the Kitchen and then the following post Blondie Recipe and a Cookbook Connection. Kim has a beautiful blog, takes delightful photos of her charming home inside and out, and you can't go wrong to visit. Tell her I sent you. Besides, she'll visit you back!

~~~

Did your 4th of July go well? Weather seemed a big issue for so many. 

Here it was so miserably humid 
that breathing wasn't easy so we enjoyed our picnic lunch outdoors and then went inside to watch a movie Sam had requested: Soul Surfer. It's the true story of Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm to a shark attack. Yes, we do love to keep things in perspective around here. < insert wry, wry grin > Yes, Sam did enjoy the movie, though there was a collective closing of eyes quite early on. Gotta admire true grit when one sees it!

Happy fifth of July! Our local fireworks are actually tonight so we may be off to see them. Did you get to see some last night? (Besides a Capital Fourth?)  

The Importance of Punctuation and Other Stuff

Well, I was quite convinced yesterday that I had nothing to share so didn't post. Funny how that goes...

I do have a bouquet of flowers from my sister to share. She and her husband were in town for the weekend and we had a fun time visiting, going out to eat, going to church, the usual. These flowers were a gift to mark the two-year anniversary of our mother's passing. I must try to remember to do this for my sister as she seems very taken with the idea. 

It was a very cold day when the flowers arrived and I was upstairs puttering in my sewing room. Translation: It took me forever to get to the door. This may have resulted in the posies getting "touched" on the edges.

***

If you find grammar and punctuation stale, dull stuff, you would so enjoy this book. I laugh out loud reading it. The premise is that the very same words can mean several different things depending upon where the punctuation is placed. One can find proof all around. I did!

***

Okay, this may be the real reason why I am ambivalent about blogging. No stats again. Site Meter seems to be having ongoing difficulties. I know that I should be an adult about this, but Site Meter is the best when it's working. When it isn't, it is just depressing. 

***

For those who wondered why the vibration setting was off when using a tripod. This is the tip for my camera. Do you have a vibration setting on yours? Do your directions tell you the same thing?

So, how are you feeling this January day after the Inauguration about blogging?

No Time on My Hands-The Story of Grace McCance Snyder

In Blogdom, I have been reading so many wonderful Year in Review posts in the past couple of days. It has all felt familiar because, for the past several weeks, I have been reading a life in review.

The biography autobiography is No Time on My Hands. It is traveling around the country because Suzanne of At Home With the Farmer's Wife created a book swap and lined up an itinerary from the bloggers who expressed an interest in reading it.

The book is based on the life of Grace McCance Snyder who grew up in Nebraska during the 1880s and 1890s. Her dream as a girl was to grow up to marry a cowboy, to create exquisite quilts, and to fly above the clouds. It's a Little House on the Prairie sort of book for adults. Death and Weather feature prominently and more vividly than many of the characters.

Whether Grace married a cowboy or flew above the clouds, I'll not say, but I will give it away that she did create exquisite quilts. Her famous flower basket quilt is at the bottom of *this list* where you can click on her quilt to see it more closely and you can read the amazing details of its creation.

This book is much more, however, than a story about quilting. In fact, quilting does not feature prominently until the final chapter. No Time on My Hands is the story of a pioneer life homesteading in Nebraska. Grace lived a remarkable life in a remarkable time.

Often as I was reading, I thought that the book could be made into a compelling movie. Imagine my surprise reading in the Epilogue to learn that it had been made into a play called Quilters. I loved the description of the play (except for one clinker) and would love to see it performed. Life is like a quilt with thousands of pieces making up the whole.

On this last day of 2011, I want to thank you for visiting me here in my little spot in Blogdom. I am living an unremarkable life (though I may be living in a remarkable time). That you honor me by visiting and commenting never ceases to amaze me. With about gazillion four hundred million blogs from which to choose,  I am humbled that you're reading here today. I also look forward to another year of blogging together. Blogdom is remarkable...

Here's wishing you a Happy New Year filled with God's richest blessings!