Day 316: An Amazing Gift

16 Feb


Chocolate Cream Pie

A few weeks ago one of my fellow Rotarians approached me and told me that he wanted to recommend someone for one of my pies.  When I asked who it was he wanted me to bring a pie to he said it was the gal who worked as a barista at his favorite Starbucks.  Then I asked, “Why does she deserve a pie?” and he answered because she is expecting a baby.  And the best part? She is a surrogate mom… the baby that she is carrying will go home to live with someone else.

Since that conversation took place, I have been fairly busy – if you can call a vacation to Mexico busy that is – but I never forgot about that barista.  I wanted to acknowledge the gift that she was giving but also wondered how to approach her.  After all, she was pregnant, and I thought she might be reluctant to take food from someone she did not know.  How would I explain this project?  What would you do?

Today I thought I would just call that Starbucks and talk to a manager and tell my story.  When I called this morning and asked to speak to a manager, the person who answered the phone said she was a supervisor and could help me.  I explained my story and asked if she thought that I could give a pie to the most generous barista on the planet.  She told me that she was that barista’s best friend, and she thought her friend would love a pie.  That is why tonight I brought a Chocolate Cream Pie to Starbucks, and though I did not meet the barista, I was assured that she would receive it.  This was my gift to her to acknowledge the tremendous gift that she has given.  The world is a wonderful place because of people like her.

The only gift is a portion of thyself.

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Day 315: Kirby Shaw

15 Feb


Apple Crumb Crust Pie

A little more than a year ago, I tried out for Kirby Shaw‘s choir at Southern Oregon University.  My friend Leslie encouraged me to try out because she knew how much I liked  to sing.  In fact there is a joke at her house about a night I seemed to sing every song in their music book.  Her family referred to that night “Karenoke.

To be in Kirby’s choir you must “try out” and you can do that over the phone or you can do it in person.  Since I felt much to shy to try out in person, I chose to audition over the phone.  I’d heard that many students audition with the song, “Amazing Grace” and I tried it but I wasn’t comfortable with it. Then I remembered an old song that I used to sing to my children, “Mama’s Little Baby Loves Shortening Bread” and that was what I auditioned with.  I sang into my phone for less than a minute and before I knew it I was in the choir!

All of the songs that we sang that term were sung without accompaniment.  Some of the songs didn’t even have actual words but instead had sort of scat sounds. What a challenge that was!  And then there were songs that were so beautiful sung by talented people with amazing voices.   What a class!

Of course, what really made it a great class was the instructor himself, Kirby Shaw.  He is encouraging, enthusiastic, and his love of music is so infectious that soon everyone in the room is loving it too.

Tonight I brought an Apple Crumb Crust Pie to Kirby to thank him for the gift of music that he so willingly shares with us.  We are very lucky to have him here at SOU.

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”
Billy Joel

Tags: , , ,

Day 314: Happy Valentine’s Day!

14 Feb

Apple Blackberry Cobbler

The legend of St. Valentine – or at least one of the legends – tells us that St. Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century.  Claudius, the emperor at the time, felt the need to build up a strong army to fight Rome’s many battles but he was having trouble recruiting men because they did not want to leave their women at home. So he did what any power crazy person might do and banned all marriages!

But our dear Saint Valentine was a kind man and he continued to marry young couples in love… that is until he was caught and sentenced to death.  Yet the legend goes further.  Before his execution, Valentine befriended the jailer’s daughter and left her a note signed, “from your Valentine.”

The reason I share this story is only to give some background to a holiday that has been reduced to just another reason to shop for gifts.  Saint Valentine so believed in love that he was willing to die for it.  That kind of conviction is not something we see very often.

On this Valentine’s Day, I chose to make a pie – actually an Apple Blackberry Cobbler – for my daughter Alexandra.  On her birthday, last October 1, instead of making her a pie, I brought one to the nurses at the maternity ward at Ashland Community Hospital where she was born to thank them for their patience and dedication.  (I made Alexandra  cupcakes for her birthday!)

Alexandra was my first-born and tested my mothering skills from the beginning.  It has been such an amazing journey watching her blossom from a fearless little girl into the remarkable woman she has become. This past year, Alexandra created a blog, sheisred.com, and she has also been a tremendous support to me with my blog as well. I am so grateful to her for all she has done to help me with this project.  Tonight I wish my dear daughter Alexandra, a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart.  ~Author Unknown

Tags: , , ,

Day 313: Don and Donna

13 Feb

Yesterday I was interviewed by Channel 10KTVL News about my pie project.  A nice young lady named Caitlin came to the house and spent about fifteen minutes asking me questions and taking photos.
We saw the results of this interview at 6PM last night. It was just about a minute long and fairly accurate.  A few hours later I received an email from a woman I have never met named McKenzie asking me to consider making a pie for her grandparents “the sweetest people she knows.”
This morning McKenzie and I exchanged a few more emails and I made her grandparents a lemon pie because it was their favorite flavor.
Late this afternoon I knocked on the door of a home in Phoenix, OR.  A beautiful woman named Donna answered the door and I asked of I could come in for a moment. Once inside, I met her husband, Don.  We talked for a while because I wanted to learn more about them and it seems that they wanted to know more about my pie story.
During the course of our conversation we found that we had some things in common – Ashland, San Francisco, the Firehouse Five,  and our friends the Delsman’s. Threads that united us that we most likely wouldn’t have discovered but for this project.
Tonight I give thanks for the gift of this amazing journey and all of the people I have met along the way.

Day 312: Ava

12 Feb


Asparagus, Pepper and Provolone Quiche Prep

A few days ago my neighbor Ellen told me that she had a “pie recipient” for me.   She told me her name was Ava and that she was a very gracious and generous person.  Not long ago, Ellen felt she needed to relinquish some of her duties at the Ashland Food Bank, and Ava stepped up to assume them.  Ellen said that this was not unusual because Ava is really a special lady, always willing to offer help when someone needs it.

When I asked Ellen what kind of pie Ava might like she suggested a quiche because a) she works full-time, b) she volunteers at the food bank, and c) she is expecting her first child!  Having dinner ready in the fridge may come in handy for one so busy.   With that in mind, I began my day today by roasting the vegetables for a quiche for Ava.

This afternoon, I was unable to reach Ava by phone.  Finally, I decided to bring the quiche to Ava at her workplace but unfortunately she was out of her office at the time.  However, a short while later Ava called to thank me for the quiche and said she planned on sharing it with others.  It sounds just like something she would do.

Ava, thank you for all you do… and I wish you and your baby all the best!

Man can never be a woman’s equal in the spirit of selfless service with which nature has endowed her.
Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

Tags: , ,

Day 311: Gavin and Family

11 Feb

S’more Pie

A few days ago, our friend Todd emailed us to let us know that his son, Gavin, would be competing this weekend in the regional wrestling tournament which was being held at Eagle Point High School.  Gavin is a senior at Bend High School and has been wrestling since he was in the sixth grade.  Last year he came in second in his class at the state finals.

Gavin had two matches yesterday and two matches today.  He won the matches yesterday and also won the first match today… and then Gavin got to compete against the top wrestler in the country in his class!  Talk about luck! Last year Gavin competed against this same guy and was pinned in under a minute.  Today it took more than 3 minutes for the guy to pin him.  That means that Gavin earned a second place ranking and is headed to the state finals in two weeks.

Bend High School Wrestling Team

Todd asked if I would consider making Gavin a pie as a special treat for after the tournament.  Then he said that Gavin’s favorite pie was S’more Pie.  Since I have never made a S’more Pie, I was looking forward to making one today.  There were quite a few recipes for this pie on the internet.  Some of the recipes called for making a chocolate pudding and then adding marshmallow cream, while others called for a ganache filling that was topped with marshmallows.

The S’more Pie that I chose to make used the ganache filling and was topped with mini-marshmallows.  That was then set under the broiler until it was lightly golden and then I tossed some chocolate chips on top.  It smelled divine – just like it might at a campfire!

Gavin received his pie after the final match but then he was being whisked off to the team bus for the ride back to Bend.  He asked his parents to safeguard his pie until he got home because he wanted it all to himself.  And he deserves it!  Congratulations Gavin on your second place finish and we wish you all the best at the state finals!

“You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.”

~Arthur Ashe~


Todd, Gavin, Grace and Parker

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Day 310: Don and Denise

10 Feb

 

Chocolate Pecan Pie

We met Don and Denise years ago because they are good friends of our neighbors Deb and Armo.  We’ve all spent time together over dinners, barbecues, and backyard bonfires.   It’s been nice being the “friends of friends” and sharing in the ups and downs of life with them. One of the funniest memories I have of them was from a yard sale that they held.  At the curb there was a box of stuff and in front of it was a sign that said “Free or Best Offer.”  That’s classic, isn’t it?

Denise is an artist specializing in viscosity monoprinting.  She also helps others create art in the workshops that she holds in monoprinting, book making, and printing with paste paper.  You can see some of her work displayed at her website “Drawing on the Dream.” Though I’ve never taken a class from her I know that Denise would be a good teacher because I’ve listened to her encouraging beginning artists.   That is so important because beginners need all the encouragement they can get – and we are all beginners at some point in our lives.

Don is an expert on fire management and his official title is “Incident Information Officer”.   Don has worked for the for US  Forest Service and then for the Bureau of Land Management.  A few years ago I asked for his help with a fire safety plan that I was developing for Sanctuary One located in southern Oregon.   My main my concern was how to safely evacuate the animals in the event of a wildfire. Don suggested that I should consider some other possibilities as evacuating animals can be very difficult.   He advised the sanctuary staff talk to their neighbors so that they could share resources and ideas and said they should create a phone tree in case of emergencies. He also advocated  sheltering in place so that the dangers of evacuation might be avoided.

Since Denise was raised in Georgia, I made them a southern favorite, Pecan Pie, but with a hint of dark chocolate for added sweetness.  It’s a small gift to thank them both for their friendship and support over the years.

Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tags: , , , , ,

Day 309: Amy

9 Feb

Apple Pie

Last evening while I shopped for groceries, I bought some granny smith apples.  It seems like a long time since I’ve made a fruit pie and I was happy to be doing that today.  There is something so relaxing about peeling and slicing apples; it takes a bit of concentration but you can also let your mind wander a bit.  Today as I peeled and sliced,  I began to think of Amy, the person I was making this pie for.

We met when my son and her daughter were on the Nordic ski team together at Ashland High School.  I remember we had driven to Eugene for a meet and were staying at the house of some folks associated with the Eugene team.  Isn’t that amazing?  These folks let the whole group of us (kids, parents, and coaches) camp out in their house so that we would not have to spend money on lodging.  That spirit of cooperation and camaraderie is one of the best things about being associated with the Nordic team.  Another is getting to meet people like Amy who are enthusiastic, involved, and supportive of their kids endeavors.

It had been a while since I’d seen Amy and I hoped to surprise her at work with this pie.  Unfortunately, I arrived after Amy had left early for an appointment.  Her co-worker was able to reach her by phone, and so I told Amy that I had hoped to speak with her for a moment.  We then made arrangements for her to stop by my house when she was done.

When Amy arrived I explained that I had wanted to surprise her at work with a pie… and all the while she thought I needed her help with a surprise for someone else!  That’s the kind of person Amy is… ready to jump right in and help you before you really even ask!

Tonight Amy, my husband Emile, and I sat and visited for the first time in a long time.  We caught up on the goings on of our kids, work, the ski team, and my pies.  As we chatted I thought,  if I had surprised Amy at work, we would not have had the chance to visit like this.   That’s one of the lessons of the pie journey – it’s okay to have a plan, but don’t worry if it seems to not be working.  Things will work out in the end somehow – you’ve just got to have faith.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis

Tags: , , , , ,

Day 308: Doreen

8 Feb

Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Cheddar Quiche

Coming home from a vacation is often a bit challenging.  There is the dirty laundry to wash, there’s sand in your shoes, and you might have a bit of jet lag to deal with.   However, what I felt today after returning from Barra de Navidad was challenging in a different way.  I wandered through my house seeing abundance everywhere , yet where I had been, abundance was in short supply.  As I took Sofus, my daughter’s dog, for a walk, I could not help but feel a bit overwhelmed at the injustice of it all.

All these hours later, I have yet to reconcile the disparity between the two.  However, I think at the very least it is important to recognize the abundance and beauty in our midst, for too often we take it for granted.  Perhaps we all need to spend some time living in poverty before we can really appreciate our many blessings.

My friend Leslie helped me out today by suggesting that I take time to assimilate back into my “normal” life and I really appreciated that advice.  It was important to honor the break that we had from our routine and to acknowledge how lucky we were to be able to afford that luxury.  Of course that would involve giving thanks… and the way I do that is with a pie.

Fortunately I had some key ingredients on hand to make a savory pie – fresh asparagus, cream, eggs, and roasted peppers.  As I prepared the quiche, I let my mind wander until it settled on a fitting recipient – and today that person was Doreen.  She is the Alumni Director at Southern Oregon University and has served in that position for about five years.

When Doreen came on board, she brought with her a wealth of experience and a seemingly endless supply of energy.  She works tirelessly to build lasting relationships for the university and to orchestrate fabulous events throughout the year.  At one time I thought I wanted to have her position, but I am very grateful that Doreen was the person selected.   Like a trained dancer, she makes her work seem easy, but I know better. Doreen truly deserves to be recognized for her outstanding efforts.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

Tags: , , , , , ,

Day 307: Jose of the Malecon

7 Feb

Chocolate Cream Pie

Today I made the last pie I will make in Mexico.  We leave in an hour or so to go to the airport and I am so sorry to leave the warm sunshine the hospitable folks that we have met this past 9 days.

For our last excursion we went out to the Malecon and rented an umbrella/table and had our lunch overlooking the ocean.  Of course we watched more of the pelicans, furiously diving for their fish and we had to say “no gracias” to many of the vendedores who traipse up and down the beach hoping to make a sale.

On the malecon we met Jose, the man who takes care of the umbrellas and cleans the area each day for visitors. We had seen Jose on our last visit to Barra and we had enjoyed renting from him and admired his determination to keep the area in good shape.

When I talked with Jose today, I asked him how many children he had and he told me that he had five, three girls and two boys.  Who better to receive a chocolate pie than a man with five kids?  So, that is it.  My last pie was given to Jose… and he is excited to bring it home to share it with his family… and I am grateful for the opportunity to have enjoyed the harbor wall that he oversees.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →