Cookbooks

Tonight I peeked into the pantry and was slightly appalled at how the row of cook books has lengthened to take up a whole shelf...

I gathered them all together, removed them and piled them on the dining room table, washed the shelf and quickly replaced them with some of the other staples that had been elbowed out of the way to make room for dessert books, slow cooker recipes, a tome on how to cook British Beef and dozens of others that had seduced me somehow into giving them shelf space.

How does this happen????  I know I am not alone, - I know of people who hide cookbooks in drawers and out of the way places, and other ladies whose Achilles heel is found in fancy shoes.

I chose just nine from the great accumulation, - old favourites and certainly the old red Purity Flour recipe book that has been replaced twice since I started cooking,

 and even before that lived on my Mother's pantry shelf;  my version is held together with elastic bands!!

I saved an old church cookbook that contains dozens of tried and true recipes from tried and true friends and a couple of Canadian Living Christmas books that I will probably pass on to granddaughters.

I'm here to tell you that I'm feeling terribly virtuous these days as I look at the boxes of cast-offs that sit around waiting to slip into the Bargain Centre and begin a new life!!!

A River of Stones

A small stone for the 1st of July, - cool in my pocket and polished idly between my thumb and forefinger.

Turned upside down

and inside out -

the winds of change blow fresh

and promising.

ABC Wednesday

The letter this week is X

Xu Gu   1824-1896

A painting by the Chinese painter and poet Xu Gu (Hsu Ku)

during the Qing Dynasty (1844-1912)

Xu Gu was born in Xin'an in the Anjui province and later lived in

Guangling in the Jiangsu province. 

Xu was an army official, and then later a monk.

When painting he used the side of the brush in a fluent and

bold style.

In poetry he produced the work Poetry of Xugo monk. 

All this information was kindly given to me by Google!

For more original X's shuffle over to here ABC Wednesday

and see what all the participants have come up with for this

difficult letter.

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Texture Tuesday

Some photos using Kim's Golden Texture, - lovely and warm.

For more beautifully textured pictures go here to Texture Tuesday.

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Jess brought boxes today!   Moving boxes, - once more into the breach, dear friends, as we garner visions of the simple life and rid outselves of all the extraneous stuff to which we give storage room.

I have lovely visions of simple, spare rooms, - cupboards with nicely spaced contents, - perhaps even ribbons around the towels in the linen closet if I get really inspired by Martha Stewart, although that might be a little counterproductive if we are striving to live the simple life.

We are moving back to town.  Away, alas from our wonderful view of the valley, but closer to facilities, available for friends to drop in as they pass,  a pretty little garden with just a soupcon of all the plants that live in our hillside jungle, and for each thing we give up there is something splendid to take its place.

So I am being very ruthless, - except for treasures and things of historical or genealogical interest, if you are just taking up storage space out you go to find a new home.....  I am thinking of setting up a long table with things that have been precious to me and inviting children and grandchildren and even great grands to come and take their pick.  I know the really little ones are fascinated with music boxes or merry-go-rounds.

Same with books, - but oh, it is harder with books.  How does one pass on an old friend!  Will my bookcase be barren without Penmarric or Louis Bromfield's Malibar Farm?  Well, perhaps I can be a little more discriminate when it comes to books.

I opened two suitcases in the walk in closet today.  They came with us on our last move and have lain dormant since then, - one contained old, old, ancient music, and the other was full of cards we had received for anniversaries, birthdays, Mothers' day and Fathers' day and Christmas!!!!  You can imagine, - I knew I had a box of these cards, but the suitcase was a surprise!

We will keep the letters that Charles and I wrote back and forth during the war, for sentimental reasons.  And pictures.  But gone are the extra dinner plates and gravy boats and the remnants of a half a dozen sets of cutlery and the white gloves from bygone days!   And at least some of the pretty china tea cups.

And I haven't mentioned yet the travel trailer that is full of weaving supplies  - cottons and silks and linens and wool and heddles and shuttles and ball winders and umbrella swifts, books and magazines and looms and spinning wheels and spindles.   We gather so much in a lifetime....sometimes Charles and I remark on the time when there was just us, his uniforms, my trousseau clothes, some wedding presents and a great deal of love and determination.

Wish me luck as I dive into this desperate task, so that I don't linger too long in memories.

And while you're at it, remember Charles in your prayers, - you ought to see the accumulation of tool treasures in the garage and workshop!!!!!! 

 I am thankful for family that will help us for the next few weeks...  You hear me family????  Come for a keepsake and a hug.....