I made the short list

You would think that since I'm in my late 20s, am done with college, and have held the same job in the "real world" for at least 2 years, I would be comfortable thinking of myself as an adult. But much of the time, I'm not. I still often feel like a 17 year old who is waiting for life to really start. But every once in awhile, something happens to me, or I do something, that make me feel like I really am a grown up after all, and life is the way I imagined adulthood would be.

One of these moments come one summer in college, when a friend and I got together and canned cherries. When I was little, my mom canned every summer, and often we'd get together with her sisters and mother and have a huge canning party. My brothers and I would help wash the fruit, slice or pit it, and neatly slide each piece into the jars under adult supervision. So by doing the whole process myself, including the actual sealing of the jars, I was taking my place as one of the women. When I told my grandmother that I wanted to can, she gave me her old canning pot and jars. I looked through some cookbooks and searched online, and then called my grandmother to find out her exact method. (For one thing, she uses much less sugar than most recipes call for.) Then my friend and I bought a couple of boxes of cherries and other supplies, and spent a Saturday afternoon canning together. A smaller group than my aunts and grandmother, but a enjoyable one none the less.

Home canned fruit is so much riper and tastier than store canned. My grandmother had cherry trees for many years, and I so she would often serve us bowls of home canned cherries, giving us an old lid from a jar to spit the seeds into. My mother would usually get some of the cherries from my grandmother's tree, and we had apricot trees. She would can apricots and also make jam, which she would give out at Christmas. We loved all the canned fruit, there would usually be peaches and pears too, but she'd tell us that we needed to save most of it to eat for the winter. When I canned cherries, I probably only did about 9 bottles. I did try and keep the last one for a special occasion, but it never quite came. I think I finally ate it before I moved, so I wouldn't have to worry about it breaking during the move.

A few months ago, I was telling my dad about another adult moment I had experienced. (Now I can't remember what it was exactly.) He shared with me his one of his pivotal adult moments. It was when he was discussing sprinkler systems with a friend, since he was going to have one installed in the front yard of the house he'd recently bought. His friend pointed out that this was something only adults would talk about. I laughed about it, but was also a little shocked, because at that point in his life, he already had 3 children, of whom I at age 5 was the oldest! I always assumed that having children would make you feel permanently like an adult, but I guess I was wrong. Of course, I also assumed that marriage and children would come naturally and in my early 20s. That I would be a mother before I was an aunt. (I'm not married, and don't have children, and am not yet an aunt. But I may be an aunt before I am married, and I decided one day on the subway that if I don't get married, I'll still adopt at least one child.)

Tonight I got a call from the husband of that very same friend that I canned cherries with. At first I was surprised that he was the one calling me, but suddenly I realized what he must be calling about. Their first baby had been born! (This is the baby that I made the pink sweater for.) She arrived a couple days ago, and is now at home with her parents. Both mama and baby are doing well, and dad was dispatched to call with the news. I forget her size and weight, but her middle name is Eve.

This is the first time that I have been called personally by proud new parents! Usually I find out later by email (or blog) or through a family member passing on the news. But I'm a grown up now, and have close friends who are having babies, and are calling (or having their husbands call) to tell me about it. Hurray!

My one and only

So, my sister did not like my joke. The one about her being my favorite sister, seeing as how she is my only sister. (Although I do have a new sister-in-law, which is exciting!) My brothers actually started this joke. They used to tell me all the time how I was their favorite sister. Then, when my sister was born, they would say that I was there favorite older sister. (My sister & I are bookends, I'm the oldest and she's the youngest.)

I could have said that she would write something involving muskrats. Or that she is the fierce one (I mean that in a good way. While I often feel shy and reserved, she is braver. She used to take people's faces in both of her hands and squeeze to show how much she loved them.) I could also argue with her that although she is my only biological sister, I do have other sisters in spirit, but she is my favorite overall.

My sister has told me that in her mind, I'm perfect. I could say the same of her. I love everything about her. (Even though I tell her that she's weird sometimes.) She's artistic, energetic, passionate, and empathetic. She's wise beyond her years. Maybe in part because she's grown up as the youngest and been expected to keep up with all of us.

But what it comes down to, really, is that no matter what, she is my sister, and I will always love and adore her.

Tag, you're it!

Some of you have probably seen this one going around:

Once you've been tagged, you have to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them.

The person who tagged me gave the reason that it will give me material for my blog, so here goes:

1. I like to ride my bike. In the winter, especially, for some reason.
2. I actually got up and rode my bike today before going to work.
3. I continue to believe that I can someday get up and do things in the morning regularly and cheerfully, or at least without really, really wanting to go back to
bed, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
4. I felt like a morning person over Thanksgiving, since I was getting up at 8am (which was 10 am according to my body clock) and most of the rest of the household was not up until 10 or 11am.
5. I'm not really a night owl either. I just like to sleep, mostly. Except when I have insomnia.
6. Today I saw The Tallest Man on Earth sing. He walked like a bird around the stage and didn't sound at all Swedish.
7. habit: sneakily poking, or "zotting" my siblings and those who remind me of them. (Sorry, M.D. & H.G.)
8. I've developed a love for dark chocolate, since living with my sister again after college.
9. I can't make my chocolate last nearly as long as my sister can hers.
10. I can keep my room tidier than my sister's, although I don't always.
11. Whoever designed the north exit to the bike path is sadistic. Yes, it's a great idea to end with a sharp curve around which there is a staircase! And just in case that didn't kill the cyclist, let's send them into oncoming traffic that's entering the freeway!
12. Goal: take calculus someday.
13. Goal: learn another language somewhat fluently. At least passably.
14. My French's not up to snuff.
15. Habit: staying up later than I mean to. (speaking of which, it's 1 am now...)
16. "I want to change the world, instead I sleep" borrowed from Ingrid Michaelson.

People (sorry, no names, just initials. You'll know who you are, and I'll email you):

JG: so he has an excuse not to grade papers.
JL: he'll come up with something hilarious. (no pressure. smile & wave)
JW: because she's my favorite sister ;)
FC: since we're always playing tag.
HG: so I can find out more about what she's up to.
ND: like you don't have enough assignments.
MW: because he thinks I have great style.
SW: his answers will be unexpected
HDMW: she now has 4 names.
DW: since he loves to be online
RO: she was my first blog follower.
MC: my most recent friend
MD: since I'm always poking her.
RD: I want to know what she'll write.
CW: I <3 pizza face.
KC: since we haven't met for lunch for awhile.

Pumkin Pie! Pumpkin Pie!

I love Thanksgiving. I love that it's about family and gratitude, that there are special foods that we always have, that it's not commercialized.

Did you know that Thanksgiving was instituted as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, during the civil war? Here's a link to his proclamation:

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm

Growing up, Thanksgiving was my dad's holiday. He usually made the food, with a little help from us kids, and my mom got the morning off. My brothers made mashed potatoes, jello, and rolls. I always wanted to make the pies--using Libby's pumpkin pie mix and frozen pie crusts. (Once we gave a pie to our neighbors across the street, and he complemented the pie crust, saying that it was better than many grown woman's that he'd had. I had to tell him that it was store bought. Someday I would like to master pie crusts and be a real woman.) We'd cook all morning, eat in the early afternoon, and then watch movies and play games, going back for more food as we felt like it. There is also a important family story about my sister having to do with Thanksgiving. My mother points to this incident as the beginning of my sister's vegetarianism, at age 4. She took one look at the turkey and announced "I don't eat dragon."

During college, I spent many Thanksgivings at my aunt & uncle's, driving up to their house with some of their friends who lived near me. We'd often have the main meal at their house, then pack up the leftovers and spend the remainder of the weekend camping in the mountains, in a cabin with some electricity and a wood stove. We'd go hiking and play in the snow.

This year I went to spend Thanksgiving with many members of my extended family & one of my brothers. My aunt and my grandmother divided up the cooking. My aunt and her family made the pies and rolls, and my grandmother made most of the rest. I decided to make a cranberry chutney from my good friend/adopted cousin's family, where I spent Thanksgiving a couple years ago. I also asked my dad for his stuffing recipe, he makes his own every year that is unlike any that I've had elsewhere, and I missed it. It turns out that it's based on what his grandmother used to make, so it's a family tradition that I can now carry on.

We had a plethora of pies--my aunt, uncle, and cousins made peach, apple, cherry, lemon meringue, banana creme, pumpkin, and a fruit tart! Here's photos of them working. Each child got to roll out at least one crust. (So they are real children!):




Zesting a lemon



preparing fruit for the fruit tart




the key to a good photo is to hold something right in front of your face.


my helper with the cranberry chutney. I love blenders!


Peach pie, prior to baking.


cherry! sweet, not sour.


mini gluten-free pies & pumpkin.


2 different apple--crust and crumb topping


can you tell which dressing I made?


Here's the recipe for the cranberry chutney, thanks to Kim!


-1 LB. Cranberries
-1 unpeeled apple
-1 whole orange (skin and all)
-2 C. Sugar
-1 small can crushed pineapple
-handful of pecans


grind cranb. apples and orange and pecans
add pineapple and sugar
stir alottt
make well in advance
refrigerate

I didn't add all of the sugar, though.

I'd give you the stuffing recipe, but I'd probably have
to kill you. ;) Just kidding, but I think I'll keep it a
family secret for now.

my newest hobby (hopefully)

So, as a birthday treat, I signed up to do a stained glass workshop at the Museum of Biblical Art. They have an exhibit about the stained glass windows that Chagall made for the synagogue of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. They don't have any of the widows there, of course, by they do have his sketches and etching made in preparation for the windows.

We looked at the exhibit before making our pieces. I noticed a Star of David in one, and decided to base my design on that. Here's the finished piece:




I really enjoyed making it, and would love to do more stained glass work.

E is for Elephant

So, I'm reading this book, and there is an excellent quote that I want to share. They are discussing the temperament of Norma Jean, an elephant who paints.

"One thing is clear of Norma Jean,' Nandini said. 'She is excellently disposed, all good things an elephant can be: kind, friendly, big-hearted, barrel-shaped, very fragrant, like sandalwood...And she is very smart too."

I hope that I am also kind, friendly, big-hearted, and best of all, fragrant like sandalwood.

My first sweater

So, I've been knitting again lately. I just finished my first sweater! I should mention that's is a bolero for a newborn, so isn't that big.

Here's the front:


back:


The pattern on the back is suppose to bring protection. I hope it won't make the baby itch!

Here's a detail of the pattern:



I've very proud of myself for doing this pattern--I looked at it about a year ago and thought it was too complicated for me. But I picked it up and decided to try. I only had one moment of confusion with the pattern--I made one sleeve twice as long as it should be! I had to undo it carefully, as I was trying to keep careful count of the rows so both sleeves would be the same. I did figure out which way the stitches should be placed when you undo them, though. (If you put them on the wrong way, they are harder to knit and probably look funny.) Knitting is teaching me patience, and enjoying the process rather than just the result.

I better hurry and get the sweater in the mail before the baby is born, because I don't think it will fit for very long!

Everyday is Halloween at our house

That's what my dad used to tell his 7th grade students, anyway. At the photo studio where I work, we do a costume contest every year at Halloween where we photograph kids and adults from the neighborhood in costume, for free. This is the 3rd year that we've done it. We started just after I started working there. My job is to sit outside and get people's names, a description of their costume (so that we can figure out the names of the winners) and their contact info. It's fun to see everyone's costumes, but by the end of the night I'm usually exhausted and a little grouchy from dealing with the line.

Here's my costume from this year:


I'm a jellyfish, if you can't tell. (My boss's guess was a rainbow rain. Probably since last year's costume was more conceptual.) I did tell one parent that asked what I was that I was feeling more like the victim of a jellyfish.

Last year's:


Most who ventured a guess said I was a dryer. My title was "the place where all the missing socks go." My headband and collar are socks as well.

Our first year:


I'm supposed to be a sunflower. I made the headband myself. The blue sweater is the sky, the green shirt the leaves and stem. Unfortunately, the wire I put in the leaves wasn't that strong, so they flopped down. One little boy exclaimed, "Look! She's a banana peel!"

An addition to my art collection

This is a recent art purchase--bought in a subway station. He had a bunch of
drawings sitting out, and one that had flashing lights in a spaceship caught my eye and
made me laugh--he'd put a light behind the paper to make it flash. (They can be switched on and off, and he told me that they take watch batteries.)

The one was of a spaceship attaching an above ground train, which seemed rather violent, so I thought this was more what I'd want to look at regularly. (It also has 3 lights on the spaceship.) I think the dog is hilarious! It even has a magnet on the back, so I can hang it on my memo board!



You can almost see one of the lights in this photo.

Adventures in Food

There's a farmer's market a few blocks from where I live, every Saturday. I'm enjoying the fresh produce and experimenting with new recipes.










The other night, I was talking to my sister on Skype. I told her that I needed to go so that I could make dinner. She suggested that I just take my laptop into the kitchen and keep talking while I cooked. So I did, and I had my own cooking show! (Slow moving though it was.) I made a beautiful, red stir fry with fresh beets!

Here is some more colorful produce: