Everyday Life for Four Seasons

Our table "centerpiece" is decidedly autumnal. Fall is here, isn't it?

One of the website projects I worked on in the past few months was a Wordpress site for Angelini Wine, a wine importer. Wordpress is a blogging site, similar to blogger, where this blog is hosted. Earlier today I was cruising around the internet and it occurred to me that there seems to be an endless number of sites with free Wordpress blog templates and surely there must be a similar number where I can find a new blogger template, right? I'm in the mood for a change!

I googled a bit and found Aqua Poppy Designs and picked the template I put up today. It's colorful and full of my favorite colors, and I like it, at least for this week!


As I mentioned yesterday, I'm starting to pay attention to the mind-body connection and how my neck and shoulders feel throughout the day. I'm super surprised to find that my neck has almost no pain in it while I'm at home puttering around, playing with 'A' and 'H' or soaking up the atmosphere outdoors. But when I head out to interact with the rest of the world - at the grocery store, or at any one of the number of activities the girls are enrolled in - the pain comes right back. Interesting, huh? Yes, I think so too. Part of it, I'm sure, is that I have natural lighting and a homey environment at home, as opposed to the artifical lighting and overstimulation I find many other places.

I think I'm extra sensitive during this time of recovery.

This afternoon I'll be cooking (green tomato pie, soup for dinner, granola for breakfast); cleaning up (the kitchen, the laundry); sorting through (stuff on my desk, toys that are all over the house); packing away (summer clothing); and refining the art of negotiation (with the girls, who want to keep toys out all over the house).

I've never made Green Tomato Pie before (I've never made anything with green tomatoes at all). This recipe came from Justine Denison. I have no idea how it tastes, and if it's supposed to be a savory or sweet treat. I'm thinking savory. But it has all that sugar. Sweet? Here is the recipe:

Green Tomato Pie

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening (recommended: Crisco)

1/2 cup cold water

Sift together flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cold water, then add remaining

1/4 cup and mix until combined. Cover dough and allow it to rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Place on lightly floured board and pat out.

Using a rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough to the size of a 9-inch pie pan. Put crust in pan and trim off excess dough around the edge. Roll out second ball of dough for pie crust top.


Filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins

5 green tomatoes, or enough to fill pie crust, thinly sliced

Glaze: 1 slightly beaten egg white and Sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sugar, tapioca, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins in a large bowl. Lay tomato slices in pie crust.

Sprinkle mixture over tomatoes. (Overlapping will occur but tomatoes will shrink in size when baked.) Gently lay top pie crust over filling, tucking in the extra crust around the edges. Pinch dough with fingers or butter knife to seal edges. Using a knife, make 4 to 6 slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top with egg white and sprinkle with a little sugar to give your crust a shine.

Place pie in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue to bake for 20 more minutes.

Cool on wire rack.

I'm very happy because today is the first day I've felt like myself in 3 weeks. The adjustments and the exercises I've done with the chiropractor have certainly helped; so did the cupping session I had on Tuesday. Making some physical adjustments has made me feel so much better. And so have the social & emotional adjustments. Earlier this week I wrapped up some things that were causing me various degrees of pressure and stress. Wow, does that feel good. Finally I have the time to relax and enjoy my children without thinking about the other things I should be doing instead. Finally I can laugh and live in the moment, and that feels so good.

I've been giving some thought to the mind-body connection. In my case, it's all too clear that the outside stresses were causing my body to be in pain. One of the things that has caused some tension in my life is something that in some ways seems so insignificant, but has actually been looming large: 'A's gymnastics class. She loves gymnastics, and I don't have a problem with her taking it. It's the time schedule. The class is once a week from 6 - 7 in the evening. That's our dinner time. I had no idea how protective I am about our family dinner hour until this class started. Dinner time is when we come together as a family and reconnect. We share information, stories, and love. We need that time together. In addition, I have been confused about when to serve dinner on those days. I don't want to serve 'A' a big meal right before her class, and I don't want to wait until we get home at 7:30 in the evening to serve dinner. When do we all eat?

The session ends next week and sign-ups for the next session happened the other day. Somehow I completely forgot to sign her up until it was too late. The class is full now, and she's not in it. Was it an accident that I forgot? I don't think so. I think my subconscious mind took over and said, "No!"

In the midst of all of this, I took 'H's in-progress Halloween costume out of my sewing bag and resumed work on it. While I was sewing my pain melted away. The key for me is to incorporate a little fun & creativity into every day. I need it to stay healthy & happy.

It's never too late to learn these lessons, now is it?

I'm on my way over the rainbow, hoping to get to the other side soon.

The good:
I got my car back today and it's fixed!

My neck/shoulder/arm is feeling better and better. I'm not feeling 100% better by any means - I still have a lot of pain, but the pain is less and less as I do the stretches my chiropractor teaches me, and I have hope that I'll be feeling better soon.

I've wrapped up a lot of loose ends around the house and in my life.

The bad:
There isn't any. My pain is bad, but since it's getting better, I put it in the "good" category.

Last night we had a hard frost and the basil turned black, the pepper plants wilted, and the eggplants looked like they were cold and shivering this morning. I feel melancholy at this time of year. Not sad, just thoughtful and full of feelings of wanting summer back.

Overall, life is good. And it's getting better.

Sure, I'm in a lot of pain because my shoulder, neck and arm are hurting. Sure, I don't have my car back from the dealer yet, because they don't know what's going on. Sure, the weather is getting cooler here and summer is most certainly over. The geese are heading south. Row covers have made their appearance both in our garden and at the farm. But I have hope for the future. For my future.

I've been in constant pain for over two weeks now. My shoulder, neck and arm hurt. All I think about is pain. I can't live like this anymore. I mention it to people and some of them say, "do you have a chiropractor? I do, and it's wonderful..." I don't have a chiropractor, and I'm scared to death of going to one. This morning though I woke up and decided that today is the day. It's the day I call a chiropractor and ask for help. I got a recommendation from my osteopath and he was able to see me first thing this morning. Wow! He showed me a stretch that has just transformed my life. All the pain that went down my arm has subsided significantly. My shoulder feels better. I'm not functioning at 100%, but I certainly am better. And most of all, I have HOPE. Life is good.

I suspect that today is our peak foliage day. At least in my neighborhood it is. There are still green leaves on some trees, but others are completely bathed in yellows and reds and oranges. Few leaves have dropped. It's beautiful.


I'm dealing with a few unknowns right now. For starters, my shoulder still hurts and I don't know when it will stop hurting. I can live on this muscle relaxer/wine cocktail for only so long. Physical therapy is the key to recovery. Sigh. I couldn't go today because I couldn't get there. I couldn't get there because my car is spending day #6 at the dealership while the technicians try to diagnose its problem. Don't you wish cars could just talk and tell you what is wrong with them? I take no comfort in knowing that technicians around the country have never seen a problem like mine.

So, these are my unknowns:

When will my shoulder and arm feel better?
When will I get my car back?
Will I make 'H' Halloween costume in time for Halloween? (It depends on how quickly my shoulder and arm heals)
Will I prepare apple crisp filling and freeze it before the bag of apples goes bad?


Of course, there are lots of good things going on here too. Now that I make an effort to lay down every afternoon and rest my shoulder, we've started a new tradition of snuggling on the floor together and reading stories. It's fun to read in new places, at new times of the day.

I've got a TON of the girls' artwork to sort through and I've got to figure out what to do with it all. I would love to frame each and every piece, but that's not possible. I can frame a few, make books from others, and perhaps make some embroidered pillows like this one.

I've got an amazing husband who is coming home early today so he can bring 'A' to her gymnastics class, and amazing cat who brings me daily gifts of mice and chipmunks, and two amazing daughters who continue to inspire me and keep me going.


And I've got beautiful trees just outside my bedroom window.

Nothing slows down your weekend pace like an injury and the absence of your car. I've been resting, as much as someone like me can rest. Sure, I made apple butter, granola and three more roasted root vegetable tarts. Sure, I went to a baby shower, wandered into the woods to look for big mushrooms, and put away loads upon loads of laundry. I feel better when I'm standing up and moving around. But I also rested when the urge struck.

The girls are handling my shoulder/spine/rib injury wonderfully. They keep track of how often I do the PT-prescribed stretches, rub my shoulder, and understand that I need time to rest. If I didn't have the girls to keep me busy, my injury would hurt more, I think. 'A' and 'H' keep my mind off of the pain, they keep me moving around and limber, and they give me the strength to keep going. I don't know what I would do without them.

Last night I made Julia Child's french onion soup for dinner. I shouldn't say that I made it last night, because it actually takes a good part of the day to cook the onions slowly so that they sweeten up nicely. I first made this on New Year's Eve years ago, with Jeff, my sister Jennifer, and my brother in law, Bill. Mmmmmm! This is goodness at its best. I used vegetable stock instead of beef stock, because that's where I am in my life right now, but beef stock does taste better.

JULIA CHILD'S SOUPE A L'OIGNON ~ The Classic Version
(6-8 servings)
From "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", Volume One

3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (to help carmelize the onions)
3 Tablespoons flour
8 cups beef stock, at a boil
1/2 cup dry white wine (like extra dry vermouth)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons cognac

Garnish: 6-8 croutes of hard toasted French bread rounds; 1-2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter and oil over low heat in a heavy soup pot. Stir in the onions, cover, and sweat until they are tender; this will take about 15 to 25 minutes.

Remove the cover, increase heat to medium, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook 30-40 minutes, stirring often, until the onions have turned an even, very deep, golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes.

Off the heat, whisk in the boiling stock. Add the wine. Season to taste. Place the pot back on the heat, bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, partially covered, for 40-60 minutes or more, skim foam from surface as it appears.

Taste and correct seasonings. At this point you may set it aside, uncovered, until you are ready to serve.

When ready to serve, with the soup at a simmer, stir in the cognac. Place the toast pieces in the bottoms of each bowl, pour the soup over it, and pass the cheese separately for your guests to help themselves.

To gratinée: Place a piece of toasted (sturdy) bread on hot soup (in individual oven proof bowls), sprinkle generously with grated Gruyère and place under broiler until melted and bubbly.

We're in flux today. No car. Not a lot of physical stamina. But lots and lots of painting, cooking, stories and love.

Usually I take an optimistic approach to life, and today is no exception. But sometimes I just want to whine. And today is one of those days. I went to a physical therapy appointment today to work on my shoulder and neck (and that darn dislocated rib problem). I found out that one of my vertebrae is twisted. It'll get worked on, and worked out. On my way home, my car died in the middle of the road. It's almost a new car - less than 3 years old! It's in the shop now and I await the verdict, and the bill. These days, car repairs don't come cheap. Everything is computerized and in turn, super-expensive. Today we missed a nature walk with the 4-H group, and tomorrow we'll miss 'H's gymnastics class.

Maybe this is part of the Universe's grand plan to slow me down?

Is that my way of looking at this in a positive light?

On the up side, you wouldn't believe how many people helped me with my car. So many people stopped to make sure I was okay. They pushed my car out of the road, kept my girls safe, followed me to the nearest garage. At the garage, the mechanics gave me an assessment and didn't charge me. They sent me to my dealer, where the car is now. The guys who towed my car from the local shop to the dealer also gave me and the girls a ride home. All in all, it worked out as well as could be, and it made me happy all over again that I live in the tiny little town that I do.

I finally got some answers about my neck and shoulder pain today. It's a dislocated rib. Ouch! I got it by keeping my stress in my shoulders, which in turn pulled my rib loose. It's actually a really good diagnosis compared to what I expected to hear - that I have a hernitated disk in my neck or severe arthritis. A rib in the wrong spot is something I can work with. I start physical therapy tomorrow and hopefully I'll find some relief soon.

In the meantime, I've been thinking that I need to make some changes to take some of the pressure off. Yoga? Saying "no" more often? What else?

I'll tell you what was probably not the best idea, but something I did anyway tonight because I was scheduled to do it... I went to a coffee shop in town as a representative of the stewardship committee at the UU congregation, to talk with whoever wanted to stop by about the stewardship drive at church. We're asking for pledges of Time, Talent and Treasure. It was me and another stewardship rep there, no one from the congregation came to meet with us. My body would have been happier if I hadn't gotten in the car and gone out. But it's done, and I'm home now with my kava tea, so all is well.

On an unrelated note, have you had a chance to check out Sandi Henderson's book, Sewing Bits & Pieces? It's giving me things to dream about, and that feels good...

Hi there,

No photos. Just lots and lots of pain. My neck hurts. A lot. It takes all I have to make it through each moment. So, no photos until I feel better. Hopefully that'll be soon.

Planning to:

Order one of these Pluckfastic.org stickers for my water bottle... and maybe one for my car too

Can many jars of apple sauce and apple butter tomorrow afternoon

Make felted soap sometime with 'A' and 'H', just as Meg did recently

Get a little more organized here at home

And enjoy the rest of the weekend with my family!

This is the wonderful gift given to me yesterday by someone who loves food as much as I do. Wow, a clay pot cooker! I can't wait to break it in with the bag of root vegetables I received at the farm on Wednesday.

We had a good day today - some organized activities, some time spent in a not-so-organized way, cooking, playing, some volunteer work, and an evening with friends. Everything that makes me smile.