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Day 38: Jan

15 May

Today I googled a recipe for Apple Pie because I wanted to make a pie with apples but I wanted to try something new.  I found this recipe by Grandma Ople and thought about it.  I liked the idea but wanted to know that all the apples were coated with the syrup and so instead of following the recipe I did this: I made the syrup and then I tossed the apples with it – but I also added about a cup of sliced almonds to the mixture.  Then I put all of that into a pie shell and baked it.  When it came out of the oven it looked like this:

It didn’t take long to figure out who this pie belonged to – her name is Jan.  I met her when we were both volunteers with the SMART reading program.  She is smart and funny and we clicked right away.  Soon after we met she asked if I would consider becoming a member of PEO, which is a philanthropic organization that raises money for women’s college scholarships. I was tickled that Jan asked me to join – and loved spending time with her  – and I have been with PEO five years now.

I called Jan this morning as her pie was baking and asked if I could stop by.  When I got to her house she told me that her birthday is in a few weeks but she is leaving in just a few days to visit her children in Seattle.  If I’d have waited, I would have missed her. I was able to gift her with a pie just in time.  How cool is that?

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DAy 37: Miss Lee

14 May

This morning when I woke up, I had no idea who today’s pie recipient would be.  As we went for our walk I considered different people, and while they were all good candidates, I felt that I needed to keep thinking about it.  When we got back from our walk I just began to bake a pie and knew that the “person” would come to me somehow or other.

I decided to focus instead on the process of making the pie for in a way it is a kind of meditational “practice” for me.  First, I take my dough (I am making pie dough in batches so that I only need to make a batch once a week) and my silpat and my rolling pin.  Then I begin to roll out the dough. The dough is tender and so I handle it gently, and continue rolling it out until it is large enough for the pie pan.  Next, I trim the dough so that there is just enough of an edge to fold under. When the edge is folded, it is then time to make it look pretty.  It is easy for me to do this because over the years I have made hundreds ( perhaps thousands?) of pies. Think about the things that you do easily today.  Perhaps they weren’t always easy but because you wanted to know how to do them, they became easy because you practiced them over and over again.  That’s what it has been like for me with baking – I became good at it because I did it all the time.

Today after I made this pie (Apple Walnut) I knew that the recipient had to be someone special because it was a beautiful pie.  And almost immediately I knew who the recipient would be.  I called Lee to see if she was still in town because each spring she goes to Alaska to fish and I was worried that I might have missed her.  Well, I was lucky – she wasn’t leaving for three days!

Lee was my son’s kindergarden teacher at Helman Elementary. She came to our house before school started in 1998 to meet us and my son.  He was a bit shy but seemed to like her right away.  That year Lee had 15 boys and 5 girls in her class.  I couldn’t imagine how I would handle all those energetic children, and Lee did it with a quiet grace. I never heard her raise her voice and loved how she  kept their attention. Maybe it was her New England accent, her sense of wonder, or her gentleness – I don’t know – but my son was very fond of Miss Lee.

At the end of the that year, after Miss Lee had gone to Alaska, I was shopping with my son and he saw a guitar shaped brooch and told me that we needed to buy it for Miss Lee because she played the guitar.  I told him that she was already gone for the summer.  He told me that he could give it to her when school began again in the Fall.  I was impressed that he thought enough of Lee to want this pin for her and so I bought it.  My son kept the pin in his bureau until school started and he brought it to Lee on his first day back to school.  She was delighted with the pin and wore it often.  And each time she did so, she would make sure to point it out to my son.  I don’t know who felt more special – Lee  for getting the gift or my son for giving it.

It was wonderful to visit with Lee  today and hear about her family and their tradition of fishing which has been going on for many decades. She showed  me pictures of her family and shared with me some of her history.  As I was leaving, she told me that I had made her day by giving her the pie.  It doesn’t seem like much at all because she made my son’s first year of school so very special.

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Day 36: Another year as a SMART volunteer comes to a close

13 May

Today was the “end of year” celebration for the SMART program at Helman Elementary. SMART stands for “Start Making A Reader Today.”The SMART reading program helps kids become confident readers by providing individual volunteer attention and new, take-home books every month. I have been a SMART volunteer for many years and love spending time reading with the children and watching them as they pick up clues and begin to learn to read. While it is not our job to teach kids to read, I think we support that process and I do my best to instill a love for reading.

As a volunteer for this program, I feel that my responsibility is to be a good role model and a caring adult. Occasionally, I am reminded that some of the children face challenges that I cannot begin to imagine. When I volunteered in Portland, I showed up and the little girl that I read to was absent. The next week as we walked to the SMART room, I asked her if she had been sick that week. Very casually she told me “No. My dad was hitting my Mom and we called the police and they took him away.” I was grateful that she was not looking at me at the time because I was stunned. It felt insignificant to be there to read with her when she faced much greater obstacles. I suppose that, at the least, it was a welcome respite for her.

Fortunately, that sort of thing has been rare in my time as a SMART volunteer… most of the time it’s just about reading good books with emerging readers. I have loved the time I have spent with this program and think that helping a child learn to love reading is a wonderful way to make a difference in their life.

Today I made an Apple Blueberry Pie for my SMART coordinator, Sam.  If you live in Jackson County and would like to learn more about SMART, please contact Julie Brimble @ 541-734-5628.

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Day 35: First Grade with Gail

12 May

About twelve years ago my son entered first grade at Helman Elementary School in Ashland.  He’d had a great year in kindergarden and we were excited about the new year.  Early in October the first parent-teacher conferences were held.  We scheduled an appointment and when the time came we set off to meet to talk with the new teacher.  As we walked to the school my son said, “I think my teacher is going to say that I need to be left back.”  Left back?  When I asked him why he thought that he wouldn’t say much. When we arrived at the classroom we met Gail.  She was smiling and greeted us warmly.  I asked my son to tell Gail what he’d just told us.  After he did, Gail asked him why he thought that and he told her that the girls at his table were already reading and writing and he couldn’t do either of those things.  Gail just smiled and said, “Well, girls usually are faster at reading and writing than boys.  But what you should know is that those girls are in second grade!”  My son did not realize that  he was in a blended first/second grade classroom and had been worried that he was way behind when in fact he was right on course.  With Gail’s reassurance he never worried about being left back again.

This year, my son and Gail are both “moving on” together.  He is graduating from Ashland High and Gail is retiring.  They are both embarking on journeys that are exciting, scary and new.  I have no fears for either of them as they face the future because they are both wonderful people -and have the skills necessary to succeed – they are smart, caring, and positive.  I look forward to hearing about their adventures – wherever life may take them.

Today I made Gail a Spinach and Pepper Quiche.  I thought that a gift of dinner might come in handy – and she said I was right.  Isn’t it great when things come together like that?


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Day 34: Mother’s Day in Mexico

11 May

In Mexico, Mother’s Day has been celebrated on May 10th since 1922.  In the US, Mother’s Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday in May since 1914.  It is likely that many times over the years these two celebrations have occurred on the same day.  What is most important is that both countries have established days to honor the mother’s of the nation.

Today I wanted to honor a woman who has been a friend and co-worker for many years.  We come from different worlds but deep down we are the same:  we love our children fiercely and would do anything for them.  We don’t know how to behave any other way.

To my friend, I want you to know that I share your joys and your sorrows, for your journey is mine as well.

A hundred years from now… it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove… but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. -Kathy Davis

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Day 33: For it is in giving that we receive

10 May

It’s only been 33 days since I began making pies and giving them away.  There have been times that I wondered, is this what I should be doing?  What difference can a pie make?

It has been amazing to find that such a small gesture can be so appreciated.  At times I am overcome with gratitude for being the one to give someone else thanks or recognition.  What a gift. It occurs to me that  perhaps we don’t express our thanks, or our love, often enough.

Three things happened this week that have inspired me to continue with this project.  First, my dear friend Debbie bought me a case of pie tins – 250 pie tins to be exact.  That is a lot of pie tins!  I am grateful to have her support and encouragement.  Thank you Debbie.

The second event is that my husband bought me an antique Hoosier cabinet or “kitchen queen”.  It is such a gorgeous piece of history – and I am thrilled to have his love and support as well.

The third event happened last evening.  My doorbell rang and it was my friend Claudia – and she had brought me a Rhubarb pie.  How about that?  I have been baking pies for over a month and had yet to make a pie for my family.  Thank you Claudia for giving the gift of a pie to me – it was delicious!

Lastly, tonight I brought a Triple Berry Pie to a young lady who is experiencing health challenges – and she was delighted.  Yet moments later when I left her house I felt as if I had been given the greater gift.

“For it is in giving that we receive.”  St. Francis of Assisi

Day 32: Mother’s Day

9 May

Today is Mother’s Day and while I am blessed to be the mother of two great kids, it is also a time of sadness since my own Mother passed away twenty two years ago, only a few months after I became a Mom.  Over the years I have found women who were able to help fill the empty space my mother left – dear aunts and good friends – and that has been incredibly helpful.  However, it hasn’t stopped me from missing Mom.

There are so many things I would have liked to ask my Mom about being a mom.  I would have loved to talk with her about the challenges I faced as a mother and  listen to her advice. There are times I think of what I put her through when I was a teenager (and didn’t think anything of at the time) and hope that she knows that I regret them.

I think of the things I only understood after having children of my own.  My mother had a baby girl about 18 months after I was born.  Her name was Elizabeth.  When she was not quite two months old, she died from pneumonia.  My parents were 23 at the time.  They had no counselors to help them cope with their loss; the conventional wisdom was that you didn’t speak about it.  My mother never really talked about Elizabeth except around the time of her birthday or the anniversary of her death.  Until I held my own baby I did not know how strong a mother’s love was – or how much it could hurt.

On this day, I wanted to honor my Mother but I wasn’t sure how to do that.  A friend recommended honoring the women and children at the local women’s shelter, Dunn House.   They are courageous women who are on what can be called  a “hero’s journey”. To them I offer these three apple-blueberry pies.  May they be blessed with all that they need to succeed.

Day 31: Bernie

8 May

If you look carefully,  you will see a path that my cats have made in the grass from my house to my neighbor, Bernie’s.

When we moved into our home 16 years ago, Bernie was our backyard neighbor. He was retired and was sort of quiet; we were a noisy bunch busy with kids and work and so we did not become close friends. However, in his own way, Bernie has become a great neighbor. We have shared gifts from our yards – roses from our yard, cherries from his tree.

As far as I know, Bernie has never had a pet. We, on the other hand, have had a steady stream of pets in our household: 2 Mice, 2 Rats, 2 Bunnies, 2 Fish, 1 Dog, 6 Cats. When you have children, it seems that pets just become part of the mix. My husband and I had two cats before we had children: I thought of it as a trial run. Okay, I now know that there is no comparison but at the time I thought that if we survived pets, we might be able to handle children.

What I did not consider at the time is that I might need help. And in his quiet way, Bernie has been a help. He has given our cats a much needed respite from our busy household. In his lovely British accent he has told me, on more than one occasion, “Well, I gave him some salmon, I hope you don’t mind.” Mind? Are you kidding? No wonder my cats have beaten a path to your door!

This evening I would like to offer my thanks to Bernie for his help with our numerous pets. He has given them a safe berth when they most needed it and for that we are grateful.

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Day 30: Thanks for a job well done

7 May

Today, I baked an apple pie to thank someone that I don’t even know. We see her each day as we take our morning walk. It is my guess that she is an owner in DeVore Construction, the company that is doing the installation of sidewalks in our neighborhood. This project has been going on for only a short time and it has been amazing to see the work that is accomplished each day.

Have you ever noticed how sometimes the area surrounding a construction site is strewn with debris from the building process, or with coffee cups or other trash from the workers? That is not the case with this crew. In fact, often you will see the owner sweeping gravel from the roadway and at the end of the workday, the entire area is straightened up. It is really impressive. She seems to understand that this space is part of our home, and she is respecting that space.

Now, I know that this woman is getting paid for her work – but you can’t pay someone to care. That comes from within. What I want to acknowledge is her conscientiousness and her attention to detail. She is going above and beyond and we appreciate it.

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Day 29: Miss Mia

6 May

We live one block away from Helman Elementary School.  Both of our children attended Helman and I have volunteered there for many years – and because of this I have a good relationship with many of the teachers.  One such teacher is Mia – and she teaches kindergarten. It seems to me that children in kindergarten are discovering new things about their world each day…  and Mia seems to share that trait with them.  I love her positive energy and enthusiasm.

Mia is a master at crafts and finds uses for fabric scraps, excess tile, scrap paper, and all sorts of other things.  She is also an avid gardener and has established a garden plot at Helman.  Often I will see her walking with her class towards a pond in our neighborhood so the children can learn about nature first hand.  She is the real deal.

A few years ago, when my nephew was stationed in Kuwait, I asked Mia if her class would be willing to write a few Valentine’s cards for the men in his company. She jumped at the chance. Within a short time she had arranged for the whole school to write Valentine’s cards to the service men.  I sent my nephew two boxes filled with about 200 Valentine’s.  After doing so I wondered how that was going to be received by the other soldiers.  After a week or two I was able to ask my nephew about it.  He told me that he had placed a few Valentine’s on each person’s bunk.  He said that when the men came back to the barracks and saw something on their bed, they would shout, “What the ….” and then they would be silent.  Not another word was said.  I asked him what they had done with the cards and my nephew said, “Aunt Karen, they are all taped inside their lockers.”   Because of Mia, those children were able to give a precious moment of respite to those men.

For this and so many reasons, I would like to thank Miss Mia with a Berry Pie. She gives her all everyday – and her students – and we in the community – are lucky to have her.

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