Grammies Birthday Breakfast

Wordless Wednesday: an evening at grammy and papa's



Friday's Letter

Dear Mr. Veen:  Do you know that there are few things more attractive to me than seeing you doing laundry and unloading the dishwasher?  Dear Jake and Ella:  It is so much fun to watch you grow up into your own people - I can't believe I have a 5th and 3rd grader this year!  Dear Self:  It's been approximately eight years since you've had a traditional "job"; no wonder co-workers, lunch breaks and paperwork feel so foreign to you.  Dear Mom:  A few days ago I actually said out loud "I smell fall in the air" - remember how mad I used to get at you when you would say that?  Dear Awesome Song found below:  I first heard you about a year ago and then heard you again last week when I went to see this movie.  You are a keeper for sure.  And last to Mr. Veen:  It makes me happy to watch you ride away on your bike complete with safety helmet.  So glad that it's Friday and we have a nice long weekend ahead!

HAPPY WEEKEND ALL!

Special Day

Happy Birthday Mom!

This photo was taken in August of 1974.  I was 6 months old and mom was 30 or 31.  I love everything about this picture from the clothes we're wearing, the trimmed green lawn and the happiness it expresses.  I know how much my mom loved that baby girl and now that I've had a baby girl of my own I understand it all the more.  

When it comes to a mothers love words like "thank you", "i love you", "i'm grateful" seem so small.  A mothers love is large and complicated and carries weight and history along with it.  But since there are no other words I have to work with I will use those I know:  I love you Mom.  Thank you for all that you've done and all you continue to do to show me your love.  Have a beautiful day! 





Wordless Wednesday: Tribe

It's a classic

For me banana bread has always been a comfort food.  I can remember walking in the house after being at school all day and immediately being enveloped by the sweet aroma of freshly baked banana bread.  I loved to have a thick slice with margarine for a snack and always favored the middle section of the loaf, even better if the top layer was slightly under baked.  My mom sometimes put walnuts in her banana bread, but as a kid I preferred it plain, no need to mess with the simple goodness in my opinion.
I'm not sure if the love of banana bread came from my moms or dads side of the family, but I do know that my dad always packed a banana in his lunch (and still does), and my Grandma Hay faithfully kept bananas in stock on her kitchen counter.  It seems Grandma thought it was a general sign of heath and well being for a person to have a banana a day.  So instead of  "an apple a day..." it was "a banana a day keeps the doctor away".  

For me, bananas are only good a couple of ways:  in banana bread, smoothies or fresh but only if they are in the delicate half green but not too green - half yellow but no brown spots stage.  And since that very elusive condition comes and goes so quickly with bananas, it's no wonder that we end up making quite a bit of banana bread in our house.  And that's exactly what happened this past weekend.

As per usual I tried a new recipe out with the banana bread.  And you know what?  I actually didn't like it as well as my mom's classic stand-by version.  I guess with some things you just don't mess with the best!

Mom's Banana Bread:

Preheat oven to 365

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 small bananas or 2 large bananas mashed
1 tsp. vanilla
optional:  nuts

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add the eggs.  Alternate adding the flour and soda.  Finally add the mashed bananas, vanilla and nuts if using.

Bake at 365 for 1 hour
P.S.  I understand that bananas are somewhat of a controversial fruit.  Many people have absolutely no use for them in any of their forms.  So in order to ease the eruption of disdain that may result over my posting a banana recipe I'll end with this video...enjoy:)

Friday's Letter

Dear Mr. Veen:  I'm sorry you still have a cold.  The first night you make it through without snoring may be cause for a small celebration.  Dear pyrex stacking dishes with lids:  you make me so happy I actually *might* have done a little dance in the kitchen while putting leftovers in you last night.  Dear Mom:  I think you missed your calling as the official blog PR person in my little circle of friends.  Also - I think you need to start your own blog - it would be mighty entertaining!  That's all.  Dear Ingrid:  you are like my music comfort food.  This is one of the only songs of yours I don't own - might have to remedy that very soon!  Dear coffee pot:  every time I hear you complete your cycle I get a twinge of excitement for the goodness about to come my way.  And last to Mr. Veen:  thanks for being my parachute - over and out!