P's and Q's

P is for P's and Q is for Q's, but no one is really sure what P or Q stands for. I think it makes a great way to catch up on two weeks worth of ABC Wednesdays.

Whenever I have heard the expression, "Mind your P's and Q's" it's always appeared to be a reference to having good behavior, kind of like saying, "Mind your manners." At any rate, it's a warning to pay attention to what you're supposed to be doing and whether or not it has anything to do with a P or Q is anybody's guess.

For more ABC Wednesday, click here.

P is for Pull

P is for Pull.

I noticed them loading the truck when we went out to the bus stop this morning. It's a big truck, one with a flatbed trailer and eighteen wheels. They strap a bazillion crates of apples on and haul them out of the orchard either into storage or down to Mott's where they're turned into juice and applesauce.

The girls got on the bus and I returned to the house and my computer. Outside the front window I heard the low roar of machinery; tractors, trucks... but was barely paying attention. It's one of those sounds, like the apple sprayers in summer, that I've become accustomed to. Background noise, stuff that could almost lull me to sleep.

I'm not sure what made me get up and look out the window, probably the fact that one of the engines was either running a little longer or revving higher than normal, but I looked just in time to see the Peterbuilt spinning its tires in the soft mud of the lot across the street.

Being the naughty girl that I am, I grabbed my camera, popped the card back in (I'd taken it out to look at last night's party pictures...) and turned out the computer room light to record the excitement.

The tractor spun its tires in the road as it worked to pull the truck and its load of apples out of the mud. (Yes, there is an orchard road but the rig needs to make a wider turn.)

In no time at all, the big rig had its tires on solid ground and was able to move under its own power. Good thing I was quick! It took all of two minutes and maybe not even that. Tractors make even big problems small.

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.

P is for Perfect

P is for perfect. If there ever was a perfect wedding, I think it must have been the one we attended this past weekend.

We took to the friendly skies early last Friday morning, headed for Minneapolis, Minnesota, where our oldest son was about to get married. The area had been buried under a foot of snow the week previous, and our sweet Michele had planned an outdoor wedding. Others were concerned about the weather, but not Michele. She kept telling them it was going to be nice, and it was. It was more than nice, it was gorgeous! We had temperatures 70ºF  and over all four days.

I'm much too tired and distracted to write much about it. I'm still absorbing the experience and can't quite believe it's all behind us and we're back home already.

I hear it's snowing in Minneapolis today. I guess my new daughter in law picked the perfect weekend. I wonder how she knew in December that April 27 would be the perfect day for an outdoor wedding?

 For more ABC Wednesday posts, click here.

P is for Previous

I have perused my previous "P" posts; purple, painter, pepper, and pies. I could easily repeat one of these subjects as at least two of them are in the forefront of my thoughts today...

It is autumn and autumn is the very best time of year for baking pies. Pie is on my mind, in fact there is a grape pie cooling on the stove right now. It will be good with ice cream later this evening.

The painter (click here) is also in my thoughts this day. I am hoping his basement studio in the Bronx stayed dry throughout the hurricane. I pray his paintings are safe. I know those pictured here have already been installed at the Bronx Community College, but every successful studio stores other paintings, sometimes a lifetime of work. I'm hoping to hear from my friend that her husband's work is safe.

And finally, P is for pictures (or photos) which are not wanting to upload for some unknown reason. Oh, wait! There they are!

For more ABC Wednesday fun, click here.

P is for Purple

P is for purple.

The lilacs are blooming. I stuck my nose into the blossoms this afternoon and took a nice deep breath. Dangerous, I know, but the threat of allergies is always worth the scent of fresh lilacs. I just can't help myself and try it at least once or twice every May. Perhaps tomorrow I shall find myself a pair of shears and cut a nice bouquet to bring inside.




To see the other partici- pants in the new round of ABC Wednes- day, click here!

P is for Painter

P is for painter.

My friend's husband is an artist. He lives in the Bronx and does most of his painting there. He challenged Hannah and me to come up with ten American painters. I'm afraid that I was at a loss to come up with ten well known American painters. I am rather uneducated in this area... Um, how about Georgia O'Keef? Norman Rockwell?

To see the other participants in the new round of ABC Wednesday, click here!

P is for Pepper

P is for peppers.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper...

I love peppers. A salad is hardly complete without sliced red or green bell peppers, and there is no better summertime sandwich than a fried green bell pepper sandwich on toast with cheese, sliced tomato, a piece of ham or turkey, a little bit of mayo, and maybe a leaf of lettuce. Mmm! Perfect!

And chile peppers too! I can scarcely believe that for my entire childhood I ate Chili con Carne without any chile peppers! What is chili without any chile?

I tried growing chile peppers in my garden. They were supposed to grow into nice, big, fat peppers, but instead they stayed miniature, only about as fat and long as my little finger. They were too small to roast on the grill and hotter than "you know what!" Good thing they were pretty.

To see the other participants in the new round of ABC Wednesday, click here!

ABC Wednesday- Letter P

P is for pie.

What follows is a repeat for some of you, but I thought it was worth sharing again. This fall my daughter has been raising money. Her goal, to make enough to pay for a missions trip in February. She has been making pies, mostly apple, pumpkin, and blueberry, and selling them to friends. I have been helping. I don't think I have ever seen so many pies in my life! It has been a fun adventure.

Sit back and enjoy Auntie Martha's Pie Making Class, once again...

This is how my mom taught me to make a pie. I honestly haven't tried anything too fancy. Simple pies are some of the best, especially fresh fruit pies in season. I use Crisco because I have found cheap shortenings hard to work with, and I add water just one tablespoon full at a time and stir it with a fork. Why? Because Mom said to and it works. When I divide my dough for a two crust pie, I make the ball for the top crust slightly smaller than the bottom. I dampen the edge of the bottom crust before placing the top one and make sure the edges are sealed up. It's always a good idea to place your baking pie on some kind of a tray to prevent messes in the oven unless you don't mind the beeping of the smoke detector.

1-CRUST PASTRY

1½ c flour
½ t. salt
½ c. shortening
4-5 T cold water

Stir flour and salt together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water one tablespoon at a time stirring lightly with a fork. Add only as much water as is needed to gather dough together in a ball. Roll on lightly floured surface. Place in pie plate, roll and crimp edges before adding filling.

To bake unfilled pie crust, prick bottom and sides will with a fork. Bake in very hot oven (450°) for 10-12 minutes or until golden


TWO-CRUST PASTRY

2 c. flour
½ t. salt
⅔ c. shortening
5-7 T. cold water

Make as one crust pastry dividing ball of dough in half before rolling. Roll on lightly floured surface. Place in pie plate, add filling and top with second crust. Crimp edges together and bake as directed.

To see the other participants in the new round of ABC Wednesday, click here!