Easter Weekend



Daffodils in the Skagit Valley

Dear Cal,

  Just back from a weekend away.  Went to visit friends north of Seattle, just in time for the Tulip Festival.  Thanks to the continuing cold (snow on those foothills) there were probably three field tulips blooming in the whole valley.  But the daffodils were glorious!  It made my heart soar to stand in the fields and drink it all in.  And, as a bonus daffodil blooms were given to everyone attending the Easter services at the church I visited.  It was wonderful in every way.

All my best,
Kate

Ready to Celebrate

This year's flock of butter lambs

Dear Laurel,

We are ready to celebrate the best and brightest day of the year! The lambs are finished and have been delivered; I have one remaining to take to Easter lunch with me.  It's always quite a moment to open the refrigerator and be met by all the little faces peering back.  I hope that you and yours will experience the deepest blessings and joy as you celebrate the Resurrection!

All my best,

Kate

Perfect Pie Crust

Thanks to Graphics Fairy for this lovely pie

Dear Sonja,

   On Thursday evening a friend and I took dinner to an older couple--older meaning they are of the generation who has a deep and abiding appreciation for skillfully made pie and layer cake. I took an apple crumble pie because I thought they'd enjoy it.  As everyone took their first bites I felt like I was 15 again, waiting for the verdict....  The conversation went from "crust like plywood," to "not flaky at all," to "doughy", everyone offering an animated opinion on what passes for pie crust.  And then someone said, "Not like this pie... this pie is wonderful, the crust is perfect." And they meant it. Oh blessed, wonderful relief!  It made my day.

All my best,
Kate





I have not 4 got 10 you

From my collection

Dear Cal,
  I have not fogotten you, or any of the rest of my friends.  You know how it is... as each bit of time passes by it becomes harder and harder to return to the habit of writing, no matter how much a person cares about the process, the method, and the friends.  The message above is quite pointed and I'll bet that Mr. A. DeCasto of Danners, Mass was in big trouble with the person who sent this card--no signature needed, apparently!  For whatever reason he kept it, and it's easy to see that nothing has really changed over the last 100+ years. Oh yes, and I'm still looking for a card from you!

All my best,
Kate

Valentine's Day

Dear Laurel,

I still love Valentine's Day.  When else can you pour out your affection and kindly thoughts on your friends and family and have them readily accept with a happy and sometimes surprised, "Thank you!" I invited six single women of various ages to come for a Valentine's dinner party.  No one had to stop and think about it.  They all said yes and now the anticipation is running high.  It's just fun to have something special planned for a day often thought of as a couples only day. I'm all for making it a good day for everyone.  Hope you and your dearly loved will have a sweet time together where ever you are.  We'll talk soon.

All my best,
Kate

Brown bag dinner

Dear Cal,

  When my guest turned up an hour early for dinner the other evening I wasn't ready. All of the groceries were still in the brown paper bags sitting on the kitchen floor. (I'd been home for just a short time.)  So I offered her a chair by the fire, and I prepped my ingredients as I pulled each item from the bag.  Apparently not knowing what would happen next was quite entertaining. In the end the food was good and we talked for hours.  You should try it sometime--dinner theater breaks the ice and gets the conversation rolling!   Like you always say, "Sometimes you just have to grin and get on with it."  Good advice.

All my best,
Kate
  

It was perfect



For my good friend, from Tori--2009

Dear Sonja,

  This lovely mug bounced out of the cupboard this week, hit the floor and broke into five pieces.  It's broccoli you know. (That's what she said when she gave it to me.)  Perfect for me considering how many, many pounds of broccoli Tori chopped for me in our catering days.  Perfect because it held my three shot Americano with a little milk, exactly.  But mostly perfect because of the inscription she scratched into the bottom of the mug before it was fired.  I'm going to try to glue it for pencils and pens, but if it doesn't look nearly perfect I will send it on its way and choose instead to simply remember what perfect was like.

All my best,
Kate

I'm not there yet

Dear Sonja,

  Do you feel pushed this year?  I can't believe the feeling of Christmas pressure that caught me by surprise this evening.  The first card of the season arrived in my mailbox today.  The neighbors on both sides have their outdoor lights up and shining brightly. The ads are talking hurry, hurry and won't last long!  Stop. It's only December 1st, I just turned my calendar today. I'm not behind, and I haven't missed anything. I had to take half a second to refocus.  My method of peaceful preparation is simply different than theirs.  If that pressure tries to bite you just tell it no.  See you soon!

All my best,
Kate

Yes, of course!

Dear Laurel,

   It's hard to put a finger on those magical ingredients that go into the moment when a friend (of any age) unabashedly asks for something.  I love it!  Could I have more dessert with whipped cream?  Could I come over and have some of that pie you're baking?  I need some creative input with my project, could I come over and show it to you?  I need to bake some cakes, could I come bake in your kitchen?  Seriously, I can't measure how that warms my heart.  Is there any better gift than the confidence and trust of friendship?  I am thankful that I have that kind of friendship with you. So I have to ask, when can I come to your house for coffee?

All my best,
Kate

A winter luxury

Dear Sonja,

  I love to hear about the small luxuries people allow themselves--especially from people who live a simple lifestyle and their idea of luxury has nothing to do with a trip to Saks Fifth Avenue.  This is a good one:  My friend and her husband put a hot tub in their small, one-car garage so they can enjoy a hot soak in all kinds of wild weather.  When it snows they open the garage door so can lean back and take it all in--hot water and snow, who cares what the neighbors think.  Perfect!  I just checked with her, and if we get the predicted snow this weekend they'll be opening that big door.  What are you going to do for yourself this winter?

All my best,
Kate

James 3:17

The Message (MSG)

^17-18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Open table

Dear Laurel,

  Something fun happening here! Last summer I posted (to my base of nearly 200 carefully screened) Facebook friends that I was making ice cream... a handful of friends chimed in and said they wanted some, and a party was born.  Yesterday one of those guests posted (to her nearly 200 carefully screened Facebook friends) that she was making soup and bread and would have space for 7 guests for dinner.  Four people said they'd like to come.  What a fun group it turned out to be--an unusual mix of people who came ready for good food and good conversation. Now the eldest of those guests, a woman in her 70's says she's going to give it a try. I'll be planning an open table dinner soon, too. Maybe you'll come!

All my best,
Kate

A good way to give

---

Dear Friends,
  On the the approach to Christmas a couple of years ago our family of friends decided to take a different path.  I called a family meeting after church one Sunday; we gathered around a table in a very cold room and I brought out the World Vision Gift Catalog.  It took a minute and half for everyone to wholeheartedly agree to pool our resources to bless people around the world instead of drawing names for presents we didn't need.  That room warmed up instantly! It has given our friendship a deeper dynamic as we've considered our gifts and the impact they will have on people in desperate need.  Goats, chickens, mosquito nets, seeds and tools...would you be willing to try something new?

All my best,
Kate

Postcards

Refrigerator door

 

Dear Cal,

  I added a new card to the collection the other day.  Vera sent it from Pennsylvania--pretty picture but they missed the fall colors by about two weeks.  You have to admit that my small collection is somewhat impressive--oh come on,  you know it is!  Oman, Italy, England, and three states in this picture.  I love being remembered by someone off seeing the sights of the world. 

All my best,
Kate

A good plan

Butternut squash for roasting

 Dear Laurel,

Remember when I decided to try to invite people for dinner twice a month?  It was one of the best decisions I've made.  As with anything else, the more you do it the easier it gets.  There've been some tricks to learn about having company on work nights, but mostly I've had to learn to keep it in mind all the time so I can invite someone when the opportunity arises.  This plan has been so good for me and I'm happy to see people enjoying themselves at my table.  The greatest compliment is when I hear that one of my guests has in turn invited someone to their home.  Got to go get the sqaush in the oven.

All my best,
Kate

In the face of uncertainty

Apple Crisp in the making

Dear Friends,

  Now that it is dark and rainy again, and now that I've just come through a week with two funerals, life is looking somewhat diminished and certainly uncertain.  They in all their wisdom say that we should eat dessert first in the face of uncertainty.  I've changed my mind on that score and have decided that one of the best things you can do is to gather your friends around your table.  Comfort, conversation, company--it encourages the soul and strengthens bonds.  You'll feel better the next day, I promise.  Apple crisp tonight, pot roast in the slow cooker tomorrow morning, potatoes, carrots and salad after work.  Not hard.  Who cares if the mantel is dusty?  If it worries you, turn the lights down and light a few candles.

All my best,
Kate

Never easy

 Cemetery ~ Austin, Nevada

Dear Laurel,

   Two funerals this week--they were very different even though they were much the same. One for a woman of advanced age, the other for a woman who seemingly should have had decades still ahead of her.  Both had vibrant faith in God, both made a significant difference in the lives of others, both were dearly loved.  The grief for the first tempered by the experience of long life, the grief for the other like a jagged tear through the fabric of the lives around her.  Sad and exhausting. It is never easy, but heaven seems close.

All my best,
Kate

Good bye for now

Dear Laurel,

Isn't good bye the hardest thing we ever say, and isn't that the time so many pull away?  Day before yesterday my eldest went to a hospice facility to be with her friend Karen while Karen's mother was in her final hours here.  I am so proud of her for intentionally stepping into that hard place, for being present with her friend, and for putting her hands on that mom and saying, "Good bye for now."  The promise of heaven is so sure and so sweet, and the courageous love of a friend is beautiful.

All my best,

Kate

Kindred Spirits

Dear Laurel,
   I'm thinking big thoughts today.  Two of them.  First, that kindred spirits come in all ages, shapes, and sizes. Many times in my life I've had that kindred spirit kind of connection to much older people, but now that I'm older I have the joy of relating closely to someone who is much younger.  My second thought is, that it is a wise parent who holds the affections of their child with a grip loose enough to allow for good, meaningful relationships with other adults.   I need to remember to thank this young one's mother.

All my best,
Kate

Friends

Balls from Wrinkled Imagination

Dear Friends,
   In the last eight days I spent time with six different friends.  Six of them, all from different parts of my life.  After spending a great deal of time alone I'm amazed at how energized, comforted, and inspired I feel after hours of conversation that quickly moved from the mundane to the profound.  In each case a sense of trust opened the door for transparent talk and thinking.  Make the effort, take the time, reconnect because life is, for the most part, not what we expected.  We need to be together.

All my best,
Kate