 A light snow storm came through last week. It was just enough snow to make it look like a pretty Currier & Ives scene at Sall Farm. With no horse or winter sleigh to speak of, I picked up the camera and spent the day bird watching for entertainment. And boy they did not disappoint.  Sall kept the feeders full all day and they just kept coming in for more!  More sparrows than we could count. So pretty in their fluffy winter coats!  The blue jays were the rulers. They would fly in and squawk at all the little sparrows. They are quite rude for being such a beautiful bird...  My mother always said "never judge a book by its cover", that applies with birds too I guess.   But then this guy showed up! The prettiest of them all AND the most well behaved!  He was also the hardest to capture in my lens! He was in and out quickly, never causing any trouble, He would grab a mouthful of seeds and hide under the cover of the spruce tree. That vibrant red color kept me searching for him all day long!  Then I spotted these two out by the garden fence. They have to be pretty desperate to wander up close to our house where the bird feeders are. They know where they are the safest and the bushes and fencing gives them a good shield from two golden retrievers?  What a fun day of bird watching it was at our house. Especially when there is a cardinal in our midst. I love the saying "When a cardinal appears in your yard it's a visitor from Heaven." I'm certain this one is heaven sent. My mother was an avid bird watcher. I can remember her squeal like a little girl the first time we saw a cardinal in the yard. We never see cardinals in this part of South Dakota, so it was an exciting sight to see! But, you would've thought she spotted a pot of gold. It was funny to me. It warms my heart now to think of her and how a beautiful bird can bring back a fond memory. 
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I'm sure ours is not the only household that's discussing Thanksgiving plans lately.... We decided about a week ago that we would be spending the day at home just the two of us....we'll call the kids, maybe facetime, maybe zoom. Definitely not like getting a hug in person or sitting across the table from them that's for sure. What a big let down....no kids, grandkids, or big turkey dinner! This got me thinking about what are we going to fix for the two of us? So I started going through all of my recipes....does anyone use recipes besides me anymore? My mother was a collector of recipes and recipe books. Thanks to her, I can't throw out a recipe book and I treasure every hand written recipe like its gold.  When I hold my mother's recipe for Rhubarb Custard Pie in my hand I can not only smell it baking in the oven, but also I can see my dad brimming with pride as he tells her, "the best pie I've ever tasted!" My mother's pies were awesome and those recipe cards are her legacy. The best of them covered with stains, splashes, and smudges, I can just picture her hands covered in flour rolling out the crust like a true master baker.  I never have learned the art of her perfect pie crust or her heavenly homemade bread. So here I am with a pile of delicious recipes at my disposal and no ambition to attempt any of them. Am I sounding sad and pathetic about it all?? Enough for you to bake an extra pie and send it to the Sall's??  this recipe must have been the talk at the flower shop, it was written on a sales ticket April 1962 by someone other than my mother, maybe she was busy making a corsage  The truth is I never acquired the love of cooking and thank God I married a man that can. So we won't go hungry, we'll just be family-starved in this crazy time of Covid 19 just like everybody else. Meanwhile I've made some tea and will continue looking at the recipes that mother left for me and remember all the good times sitting around the table telling stories and eating the best food ever!
Lisa P.S. We'd try your pie if you're feeling ambitious. |
Lisa SallI am a wife, step-mom, and grandma. A true entrepreneur, with never-ending ideas. Lofty goals and a "never give up" spirit keep me on the move constantly! ArchivesCategories |
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