Day 187: Berniece

10 Oct

As I was thinking about my pie of the day this morning, I thought of Berniece. I first met her a few years ago and I was immediately impressed by her spunk and determination. Berniece is a fireball and I really am in awe of her. She has more energy than people half her age and she always seems to have something positive to say when we meet. That is a gift in itself.

A few years ago, I was working with Berniece on the committee for the 100th Anniversary of the Elk’s building in Ashland. The volunteers met several times a month for nearly a year to help make this event a success. Berniece was instrumental in helping us succeed. She and I put together several gift baskets for a raffle to raise funds for the anniversary celebration. Berniece put a lot of effort into creating lovely prizes for those raffles and we raised a tidy sum of money for the Elk’s centennial fund.

What I (factually) know about Berniece is minimal compared to what I feel that I know about her. Berniece is all heart… and that is apparent from the moment you meet her. She is tenacious when she needs to be and is fearless as well. We can all learn a lot about living by spending a few hours with Berniece.

This afternoon I brought a Mediterranean Quiche to Berniece at work. Unfortunately she was not in to receive the pie, but the young man who was working for her told me that he would call her right away to tell her that a pie was waiting for her.

What I would have said to Berniece if I had seen her is : Thank you for being such a great role model of living life to the fullest. I am honored to know you and I promise to do my best to follow your lead. With much admiration,
Karen

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Day 186: Adam

9 Oct

http://www.fi

For the past eight months a group of people at my church (First Presbyterian of Ashland) have been conducting a search for an Associate Pastor. A few years ago, I served on the search committee for our pastor and I can tell you that it is not an easy task. First you have to determine what kind of person your congregation is looking for. Next, you sort through a multitude of files containing the information about the candidates for that position. When you whittle that group down to a reasonable number, you begin the process of interviewing the candidates on the phone. Then, you choose the top candidates to interview in person. Finally, if you are lucky, you choose the person you think is best and present him or her to your congregation. After that, the congregation must vote to accept or reject the candidate. It’s a long process and it takes quite a commitment on the part of the committee to see it through.

Today, our Associate Pastor Nominating committee presented the person who they unanimously selected to be our Associate Pastor. His name is Adam Walker Cleaveland and this morning he preached the sermon to the congregation. It was the first time that I had a chance to see Adam and I was looking forward to it.

Adam did a wonderful job this morning – with both the children’s lesson and the sermon itself. In delivering the message he was able to make the scripture real and relevant. He also shared a deeply personal story that mirrored the Bible story and was very moving. At the end of the service, there was a meeting and our congregation voted to ask Adam to join our staff and welcomed him with a standing ovation.

This morning I knew that Adam and his wife would be at our church. Though I did not know which way the vote would go, I was hopeful. And I thought this person deserves a pie either way. Now, perhaps an apple pie would have been a good fit (Adam, apple) but I did not have enough apples for an apple pie. Instead, I prepared a mixed berry pie for Adam and his wife Sarah. I want to extend to them my very best wishes and I hope that they are as excited about coming to our church as we are to have them.

Day 185: Paul Giancarlo

8 Oct

 

A few weeks ago, on this blog, I asked readers to recommend people to be pie recipients. One friend wrote back and suggested that I make a pie for Paul Giancarlo. It didn’t take long to think about this suggestion for who deserves a pie more than the person who has found a way to keep our local food pantry stocked?

For those of you who don’t live in Ashland, Paul is the co-founder of the Ashland Food Project. This is a plan whereby families opt to buy one extra food item per week and set it aside for the food bank. Every eight weeks, these items are picked up by a group of volunteers who then bring it to the food pantry.

The Ashland Food Project is about three years old. It had humble beginnings but has grown significantly in this short time. In fact, this message came via email tonight after today’s food collection:

Hello neighbors,

Another great day in Ashland. 19,000 pounds of food from AFP green bags were dropped off at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank today. Isn’t that remarkable!
Thanks for making this possible.

Isn’t that amazing???

In July, Paul received the eTown E-Chievement Award for his work with the Ashland Food Project. This NPR show was taped at the Britt Festival in Jacksonville and a large group of AFP volunteers were in the audience cheering for Paul. As much as I wanted to be in that audience, I was unable to attend the show because I was preparing to cater a weddding the following day. However, I did get to listen to the show when it aired on the radio and you can see his interview here.

Last night I just happened to be at a restaurant where Paul was celebrating his birthday and I was introduced to him. I thought it best to ask him what kind of pie he liked and told him that at some point I’d be bringing him a pie. And when I woke up this morning, I thought, why don’t I bring him a pie today?

This afternoon I delivered an Apple Blueberry Latice pie to Paul and his wife Mary. They welcomed me in and asked about my pie project. When I mentioned that it started as a crazy idea in the night, Paul could relate because the Food Project was just an idea to begin with as well. Just think of all the wonderful things that could happen if we all were willing to listen to the “crazy ideas” in our hearts?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has – Margaret Mead Poster

Day 184: Bob

7 Oct

My husband and I have known Bob for a long time. He has been in charge of the weekly “Keyway” for our Rotary club for many years. Bob does a great job with this project and puts a lot of time into making sure it is perfect.

Recently Bob had trouble with his computer and he has been speaking with my husband about how to fix things. I share his frustration with the technical world. I told him that sometimes I can sit at the computer for an hour trying to figure out something and then I mention the “problem” to my son or daughter and they come over and push one key and “fix” it. Bob understood exactly what I was talking about.

Bob has a nickname and it is “Dirigo”. Someone told me that he thought it was a reference to Shakespeare. When I asked Bob about it he told me that Dirigo was the motto of the state of Maine. It is latin and it translates as “I lead” (or direct, or guide).

It makes perfect sense that Bob has taken this nickname. He is as steady as a rock, as dependable as the sunrise. There are few of his caliber, steadfastness, and modesty. And you should know that Bob would balk at these accolades.

This afternoon I made Bob an Apple Blackberry pie. Once the pie was baked, I called Bob to see if he was at home. When he answered the phone, I told him who I was and asked if I could stop by. He said, “Okay” and hung up. There is something about those Maine folks; they don’t mince words.

When I arrived at Bob’s house, he asked me how he could help me. When I told him that I had made him a pie his face changed. He certainly was not expecting this visit, or this pie, and he told me several times how wonderful I was. I think that it was wonderful to surprise Bob with a pie. He definitely deserves it and I am thrilled to have been the one to bring it to him.

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Day 183: Debbie

6 Oct

Today is a huge milestone for this blog (and me). As of today, I am halfway towards my goal of a making pie a day for a year! In a way, it feels as if I’ve only just begun – but it’s already been six months now.

And this all began because I had a crazy idea in the middle of the night to make “a pie a day” my gratitude project. The next morning I met my friend Debbie and asked her to talk some sense into me… but instead she encouraged me to follow through with this project, and I am very glad that she did. Debbie also sent me 250 pie tins so that I would not have to ask for my pie plates back every day (something I had not thought much about).

When I had my “grand idea” it seemed so simple – make a pie a day and give it away. There was no thought about the time it might take, the people I might meet, the emotions that would surface. I’ve spent time with folks that I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to visit; I’ve heard the words, “You’ve made my day” more times than I can count. It has been a wonderful experience so far and I am looking forward to see where the rest of the year takes me.

Today I wanted to thank Debbie for her tremendous support of my “pie” endeavor with a beautiful frittata. She saw my idea as something wonderful and I am most grateful for that.

Only she who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible. Claire Goldberg Moses

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Day 182: Dennis

5 Oct

Dennis Slattery has lived in Ashland for more than thirty years. He is a CPA with a masters in business administration and he is on the faculty of the School of Business at Southern Oregon University. He is also a city councilman for Ashland and has been very active with the Ashland Chamber of Commerce (he was elected president twice) and has served on the Ashland Economic Sustainability Committee.

Dennis was my daughter’s instructor for Managerial Accounting and he has been a mentor to her ever since. When I spoke to Dennis last spring about his job, he told me that he loves teaching and that he feels passionate about it. It’s not a job to him – it’s about helping students find the success that they seek.

Today I decided to bake an apple pie for Dennis. When his pie was baked, I drove to the university to deliver it to him. I circled the lot a few times but could not find a single space to park my car. Finally, I decided to park illegally for a few minutes so I could just run in and give him the pie. Unfortunately, Dennis was not in yet. In fact, he was not due for class for two hours. That is when I decided I would have to leave the pie with Kathy, the School of Business Secretary.

While I waited for Kathy to finish a call, the door on the opposite side of the office opened, and in walked, you guessed it, Dennis. It was absolutely perfect timing! Sometimes things work out like that.

To Dennis, and his lovely wife, Sandra, thank you for all that you do for others. We are really lucky to have you in our little town.

Day 181: Happy Birthday Linda!

4 Oct

When I was growing up I lived in a neighborhood called Stapleton on Staten Island. We lived in the “Stapleton Projects” which were built around 1960. What was amazing about this place was that literally hundreds of families lived inside of two city blocks. The apartments at the ends of the buildings had the most bedrooms and so families with lots of kids lived there: the Mulvaneys, the Lufranos, the Migliores. My family had two children when we moved in and we lived in a three bedroom apartment. My friend Linda also lived in a three bedroom apartment in my building. The difference – my family lived on the second floor, while her family lived on the eighth (read top) floor.

Linda was two years ahead of me in school… and while our perspectives were different, we knew many of the same people. Unfortunately, I have not been to a single high school reunion – mainly because I have lived three thousand miles away. Linda is one of my few connections to those long ago days – and I look forward to catching up with her when I go home for a visit.

Today is Linda’s birthday. When we were kids we used to joke about this day… saying something like “10-4 Good-buddy.” It’s been a while since I’ve seen Linda but, really, she always looks the same to me. Maybe that’s the way it is with old friends. Or maybe she has a painting growing old in the attic…

In Linda’s honor, this afternoon I made a Banana Cream Pie with a graham cracker crust. I considered a number of recipients before I “knew” where this pie was going. And it turns out that it was destined for the free dinner held each week at the United Methodist Church of Ashland. It was definitely the perfect place for this pie.

At about 4:30 PM, when I delivered the pie, a man greeted me and asked what I had to offer for the dinner. When I told him it was a Banana Cream Pie, he told me, “We were light on desserts.” And then my friend, Elaine, asked, “Is this your pie of the day?” I smiled and nodded and quickly left because I was filled with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, it felt great to be in a place where I was needed, while on the other hand, I felt overwhelmed by that very same fact. Maybe that’s just part of the journey I am traveling.

Day 180: Kathy

3 Oct

Kathy is the secretary at the School of Business at Southern Oregon University. Our family has known and appreciated Kathy for a long time. She has helped us to navigate the myriad details of college life with skillfulness, empathy and a sense of calm that is admirable.

Kathy does not reserve this behavior for a chosen few – she is professional, courteous and respectful to everyone who comes to her desk. And when you are a stressed out college student, having someone like Kathy around to help you is a real blessing.

When my daughter, Alex, arrived back on campus last week after having been away on exchange for two years, Kathy made such a fuss over her. As a parent, it felt wonderful to witness that warm welcome. And I am sure it helped Alex feel a bit more at ease.

Today I baked a sausage and roasted pepper quiche for Kathy. I thought that a woman as busy as she is might appreciate having dinner made for her. When I arrived at her office, I found out that she had already left for the day. Fortunately, Kathy does not live far from campus and so I delivered the quiche to her home.

Kathy invited me in to chat for a bit. As we sat and talked I learned something new about her. She and her husband originally came to SOU to be campus ministers more than thirty years ago. And while they are no longer active in that capacity, in a way, Kathy is still doing that kind of work – because she helps people every day.

Day 179: Preston

2 Oct

My husband met Preston Mitchell last winter when he volunteered to be the photographer for the Medford Food Coop and I met him at the grand opening celebration for the coop in August. Earlier this week, my husband had lunch with Preston and when he came home he suggested that I make a pie for him.

This afternoon we made an appointment to meet Preston in Medford. We enjoyed an exhibition of his photographs on display at the Rogue Valley Manor. One photo showed a very young Preston with his family having a picnic on the side of the road with their vintage 1916 car parked nearby. There were also photos of his daughters, kittens, and the Yosemite half dome.

In addition to being an accomplished photographer, Preston is a very active man. He plays in several bands in the valley ( he plays tuba, flute, recorder and bass), is an avid swimmer, and until a few years ago he could be found hiking the trails of southern Oregon. Preston is a wonderful example of a person with “joie de vivre.”

This afternoon as I was preparing to make a pie for Preston I considered the beautiful figs that I bought at the Ashland Food Coop and the gorgeous apples in the bowl on my table. Having never made a fig-apple pie I googled a recipe and found this one. I made few changes to the recipe. Here is what I started with:

About an hour later, this is the pie that I pulled from the oven:

After our tour, Preston walked us to our car where I presented him with his pie and explained my project. When I told him that his pie was made with apples, figs and walnuts his blue eyes lit up and he exclaimed how much he loves fresh figs. And though it might have been just a lucky coincidence to have made a pie with his favorite ingredients… I believe that there’s more to it than that. And it’s one of the best things about this pie journey… those moments when everything seems to come together perfectly.

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Day 178: Ashland Birthing Center

1 Oct

On this day, twenty three years ago at 7:02 PM my baby girl was born. It had been a twenty-five hour labor and at times it was pretty intense (as I remember it). Even though I had been to birthing classes and thought I could handle natural childbirth, I was definitely not prepared for the pain. Call me a wimp – it was hard.

In birthing class the instructor had done all she could to help us “imagine” a very hard contraction and we all did the best we could. But who imagines that kind of pain? Well, not me. I had no clue. Suddenly there I was in the birthing center at Ashland Community Hospital screaming my head off.

And I was embarrassed to be doing that because another woman from my birthing class was also in the hospital giving birth. She was a super athlete and I was not even a contender and I did not want to be screaming in pain with her down the hall! (Later this woman told me that she didn’t hear me screaming because she was screaming herself!)

At one point, perhaps twenty two hours into labor, I lost it – I simply forgot how to breathe. When the contractions came I tensed up and held my breath. The nurse who was on duty kept telling me to breathe… but somehow I had forgotten how to do that. A short time later, as I held the hand of the nurse with my left hand and my husband to the right I felt a contraction coming. I tensed again and instead of screaming I chose to bite down on my left hand. And it didn’t even hurt. When I looked at my hand I saw that instead of biting my own hand I had bitten the hand of the nurse!

Immediately I began apologizing to her, and to her credit, she did not slap me! She just told me again that I needed to breathe. When I told her that I did not know how to breathe, she held my face between her hands and demonstrated how to breathe. I remember looking at her and thinking “Wow… she is amazing.”

Tonight, I brought a spinach, roasted pepper and caramelized onion quiche to the birthing center at Ashland Community Hospital to thank the nurses for the work that they do. It is such a wonderful gift that they give to all of the families that have their babies there. And I am very thankful for their efforts. And to that nurse whose hand I bit, I really am so sorry.

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