Daily Archives: September 7, 2011

To Dad on His 80th Birthday

Posted on September 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

With me at birth, and at 21

You now celebrate 80, a lifetime not done

You’ve got the ballet, lots on your plate

Let’s get together, before it’s too late.

I love you, Dad, Dee

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Posted in Editorial

Self-Interview, Concord Grape

Posted on September 7, 2011 | 1 Comment

Me Interviewer (Interviewer) or Me

Interviewer: So how did you get to know Concord grapes?

Me: I lived, from age 8-10 next to a vineyard a local farmer/dairyman lived.

Interviewer: What did you think of them?

Me: the most amazing taste.  Fresh off the vine.

Interviewer: Were you legally picking from that vine?

Me: Yes, we were told we could eat all we wanted but that if we were ever caught having a “grape fight” with each other (my sister) or our two boy neighbors that tasting would be forbidden.  We solemnly adhered to that rule.

Interviewer: Why can’t fresh Concord grapes be shipped long distances?

Me: I don’t know but think it has to do with freshness and the pristine nature of the grapes when picked at their prime stage of readiness, plus they must not ship well

Interviewer: People in grape-growing counties love their grapes and use them in all kinds of recipes.  How did the Concord grapes get preserved for people across the country?

Me: Try Welch’s grape juice or Manischewitz kosher wine.  I now hear that Concord grapes come frozen, but getting them out of their leathery skins and removing the seeds must just make it a pulp.  I’ve never been able to find it and would look.

Interviewer: Why would you look?

Me: Because if I can’t be back where I lived as a child, I’d like to taste the next best thing and remember those days at the creek where I was allowed to be a tomboy.

Thank you for your time and interesting commentary. Cheers, Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Recipe Ideas

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Changing Seasons

Posted on September 7, 2011 | 3 Comments

In many ways.  We’ve had a very brief summer after a very long and snowy winter, then lots of mud, then lots of high grasses.  The trees are still green but it snowed here through June 3, so the peaches never really got ripe.

Nights are getting colder.  The dog even gets me up at 4:00 in the morning to close the slider and put a corner of Jim’s extra blanket over her.

Zoe, the dog, an Aussie mix, has at least a single undercoat.  I bathed her recently and bought a “rake” and have combed her nearly every day and thought the undercoat was gone.  Now there’s this maroon area rug in our living room and it no longer has undercoat tufts that you can just pull out with your hands, it has top fur as well.  There’s no keeping up with it.

The irony of all this work is that by next week her body will tell her to grow another undercoat to prepare for snow.  There’s no end.  Two combs, thin, one slicker brush, one rake and a furminator.  Plus avocado oil spray so she doesn’t have static.  But she’s not spoiled or anything.  She only has her own pillow (on our bed) and gets covered when needed.

The seasons change in other ways.  This weekend we meet up with year-rounders, friends who we have dinner parties with over the non-touristy months.  It’ll be good to see them.  We’ve also gotten to know people who come here for months, like the entire summer, and they’ve left or are in the process of leaving.  One of the interesting things is getting to know a lot of interesting people.  Then they leave.

No, we don’t get to know the skiers here for a weekend, but I think you know a nice person and when you see them the same time of day, every day, there’s a camaraderie that develops.

And up in the mountains, we’re always here for each other.  That’s why we stick together and try to meet in a warm place with good food every once in a while.

People change, seasons change. It might be nice to retire here but it’ll be a while…  Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Pet

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