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I have always loved pecans!
If they are in any dessert, or salad, or dressing, the more the better:) Even a handful of fresh plain ones are tasty:)
So tonight I looked online & found a microwave rendition of a favorite of mine. It turned out so well, I made two batches:)

GLAZED ORANGE PECANS

1/4 c. orange juice
1 c. sugar
2 c. pecan halves

Combine orange juice and sugar in a 7×12 glass baking dish; mix well. Stir in pecans. Microwave on ROAST for 6 minutes. Stir and continue cooking on ROAST for 8-10 minutes or until syrup crystallizes. Spread and separate glazed nuts on buttered cookie sheet to cool. Yield 2 cups glazed pecans.

Store in a pretty jar or tin & give as a gift, or, serve at your next party, or–take time this December to visit with a friend & sip Russian tea & nibble glazed orange pecans:)
A Christmas treat!
Edna, do you remember?
Merry, Merry:)!

Photo is of Seth, Janie, & Louise at The Lucky 32:)

Tuesday, December 8th:
1. Regular routine of walking Wyatt about 7pm.
2. Last minute cleaning before friend Janie (part of our youth group in NY) comes. We haven’t seen her in 34 years! She’s bringing a neighbor/friend. They found a special deal on Jet Blue for a round trip ticket for $99 (cheap)!
3. Nancy’s mom’s Memorial Service at 2pm at Jordon Oaks.
4. After work Keith has a Dr.’s appt./consultation at 3:30pm.
5. Meet Keith at Dr. Jordon’s office after Memorial Service. He complains of feeling terrible, a pain in his upper abdomen. The wait is so long, I leave after 45 minutes since Janie & friend Louise are arriving at the house about 5pm.
6. Keith arrives home at 5pm. Says Dr. Jordon sent him for x-rays & is trying to admit him to the hospital—she suspects gallstones.
7. About 5:30 Janie & Louise arrive. Oh happy day to see Janie again!! And meet Louise:)
8. Then Seth & Cameron arrive to meet the girls & go to dinner with us (Kelley wasn’t feeling well).
9. About 6:30 I drive Keith to the hospital (right across the street from The Lucky 32) & the boys take our guests on to the restaurant.
10. It’s raining & chilly.
11. I meet our dear friend Janie & friend Louise at dinner, being entertained by Seth & Cameron:) We had a delicious “Southern” dinner:)
12. Afterward we visit Keith, now situated in the Short Term Care unit, being given an antibiotic & pain-killer intravenously—and feeling much better:)
13. About 10pm we leave the hospital, Seth going on home & the girls & Cameron & I visit while I mix up an egg, cheese, sausage casserole for breakfast. Cameron’s day at work sounded pretty dicey. Four of his team have been laid off & he is worried:(
14. Bed at 11:30. The girls have been up since 4am! I’ve been up since 6:30am. We all sleep soundly as the rain pours.
15. Wake up at 6:30am to walk Wyatt but it’s still raining hard.
16. Enjoy casserole, coffee, biscotti together, then head to Western Wake to check on Keith.
17. Visit for 2 hrs. Pastor Andy drops by for a while.
18. Nurse thinks the surgery won’t be till evening since Keith is considered an “add on”, so I decide to go on to Southern Seasons in Chapel Hill with Janie, Louise.
19. We spend 2 hrs. at Southern Seasons, one hr. shopping, the other hr. having lunch at the Weathervane–the food was wonderful but the best part for Janie & Louise was eating outside on Dec 9th (the sun had come out & the weather was mild)!
20. Have to say goodbye to Janie & Louise–they are going on to see Duke Chapel & Duke Gardens & fly home, while I drive back to sit & wait for gall bladder surgery with Keith. Must admit it was hard to leave them.
21. Cameron, Seth, & Kelley come to the hospital after work. Seth & Kelley bring supper.
22. Keith is finally taken to surgery at 7:30.
23. By 10pm Keith is out of surgery, then in recovery for about 1/2 hr. All went well, & Keith is alert enough to talk, but fades in & out of consciousness.
24. We all head home about 11pm. I spend the first night alone in our house of 22 years. I sleep on & off.
25. Wake up Thursday morning, walk Wyatt, shower, then drop the deposit keys off at work (Yvonne is hoping not to come in). Toni has graciously offered to work for me if I will come in at noon for an hour or two. She has a hair appt. she’d like to keep.
26. When I get to Western Wake the surgeon has told Keith he can be released as soon as the paperwork is finished. I find the nurse Wendy to speed things along.
27. At 11am we head out the door & go across the street to our Harris Teeter pharmacy to pick up Vicodin for Keith’s pain management. He’s joking about being “House”:)
28. I drop Keith off at home, get him settled into his recliner, then dash to work…..
29. By 3:30, I am napping on the couch, Keith’s sleeping in his chair, & Wyatt is snoring away between us:)
30. Whew!!! Worked 9-5 today, tomorrow 12-7pm. While Keith’s recuperating, I need to figure out when I can recuperate:)!
31. But, above all, what a blessing to see Janie again, to meet Louise, & for Keith to be so well cared for throughout his attack & surgery.

Rest in peace, Martha, mother of Nancy, mother in law of Jeff, grandmother to Jennifer, great grandmother to newborn Tanner, & friend to many:)
97 years young.
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 is your graduation day!
The race is run, good & faithful servant.
Till we meet again….

November.
A time of reflection.
A time to think of planning & preparing for the holidays:)
A time to stroll through the countless colorful leaves, unhurried.
The last few fluttery leaves left on the branches appear delicate & wispy-like.
Bare limbs gracefully reaching, twisting, outward.

A season of changeable weather.
Gray skies often cover the landscape.
Cold rain seems especially daunting, dreary.
Wind sweeps in once in a while, bringing a chill & the promise of colder days to come.
But sunny skies still reign in NC during November; brilliant blue skies & glorious sunrises & sunsets.

Retail is headlong into the Christmas season, leap-frogging over gracious & forgiving Thanksgiving.

November can be a sad time; last year one of our church teenagers, Matt, was murdered around Thanksgiving–still so heart wrenching, so heartbreaking:(
This year’s news; in a neighboring county an innocent 5 year old girl sold & murdered:( Hard to grasp such tragedy.
Grief seems harder in November.

Bazaars dot the calendar, Christmas Open Houses, Thanksgiving, the Raleigh Christmas Parade, all special events that give us comfort & cheer us on:)

A time of rest for the Earth.
A time we should slow down & be thankful for our blessings, but, will we take the time?

(Photo taken from Lake Pine trail last week)

 

Lake Pine early yesterday as the November sun’s rays stretched across the steam-covered lake & leaf-carpeted trail.
Glorious walking!

 
Yesterday, out of the blue, I received a Facebook email post. Beth was looking for Keith & me:)
Little Beth, young—or that’s how I picture her still in my mind, long dark hair, a few freckles, a smile, & twinkling dark brown eyes:)
One of our youngest youth group kids, from NY:)
Surprisingly, a few of the younger ones are the ones that have touched base with us through the years….

We found out later she had Googled my name & found my home church’s website (ironically designed by my sister!).
Amazing:)
I called the cell phone number she had left for me. She’s been in Durham working with the UMC Judicial Board this week. No voice mail. But, she saw I had called & rang me back when she finished her meeting. I knew her voice immediately! We both chattered over each other & giggled & laughed we were so excited to connect!

She was busy writing summaries or something to that effect all afternoon, had plans for last night & church this morning, but she could meet us for lunch.
Lunch, in Durham, near Durham??
The only restaurant that came to mind was Crackerbarrel…near the airport.
Would that work? She asked her friend, Belton Joiner, who was her transportation.
He said he could find it.
Belton Joiner, a former Raleigh area UMC District Superintendent–I recognized the name:)

I asked my boys & Kelley & Holly to come & meet Beth.
But disappointing to me, the place was so busy we had to sit separately:( Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be…
The three of us, Beth, Keith, & I sat at our table for more than 2 hours (the kids said goodbye/glad to meet you Beth & disappeared at some point). We were intent on catching up, knowing our time was limited; I’m not quite sure if we knew what we ate… She had to meet her next ride at 4:30.
A whirlwind conversation, but so encouraging, so uplifting, so precious.
To know dear people with which we shared 4 years, or less, still thought of us, still took the time to look us up, still crossed their minds—that moves me, warms my heart:)

Beth, we’re proud of you! So gutsy to become a lawyer, to raise a daughter single-handedly, to crusade for Justice & Reconciliation:)

Till we meet again:)
May the Lord bless you & keep you.
)

Keith & I spent this past weekend with our friends Judy & JE and Linda & Dean on Oak Island:) The weather was primarily overcast, we had showers now & then, but among friends it was a lovely time!

Ahhh…
We packed our bags & our bikes & headed southeast early Friday afternoon for a leisurely road trip to the coast:)I was so ready after a tiring week! I think Keith was feeling exactly the same:)

And on the way down we stopped by my Aunt Isabelle’s for a brief, but sweet, visit. She met me at her door with a “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again!”. Now that’s worth a few minutes any day, any time!! She is as sharp as ever, reporting on most of the nieces & nephews as well as her 10 children, all my Robeson cousins:)She had been crocheting, sitting in her chair by the window waiting for whatever the day brought:)

Linda & Dean & Keith & I arrived near Southport about the same time that evening, so I called Linda, Linda called Judy & JE, who hopped in their SUV & drove inland to meet us at a Southport waterfront restaurant for supper. Such a pretty place at dusk to dine on such delicious seafood!
Afteward we followed Judy & JE’s onto the Island.

Judy & JE have built a beautiful home near First St. &, as often as time allows, they are ‘in residence’:)
Judy could actually hang out a B&B shingle since she & JE invite family & friends to visit year round. Plus she’s a great cook; she plans & bakes brunch for her guests each morning–or she always does for us:)!! Homemade bread, breakfast casserole, pound cake, coffee, fruit salad, etc.:)

Most importantly, we catch up on each others’ lives with ‘us girls’ reminiscing about our younger days growing up together, Judy & Linda talking ‘grandma stuff’ & knitting (which they’re both learning to do) & gardening–while I soak it in:) Lord willing I’ll talk grandma things someday, don’t plan to knit, & gardening is something I admire but it’s not one of my passions…..listening is fine:) The fellas watch whatever game is on & seldom talk; they do now & then.

This is our third time of re-uniting at the beach & what a blessing each visit has been!

Judy’s health is stable at this time, but she is dealing with a serious diagnosis, which makes each of us concerned about how she’s faring. JE says she’s doing so well her Dr. may publish a paper on her positive response to treatment:)!
(So many of my family members have dealt with the same health issue that I tend to feel I’m in it with her–but, having a high percentage of contracting an illness is different from being diagnosed; that is truly another story)
Judy is handling her situation with such grace & optimism, & any of her struggles she covers well.
How grateful we are she’s doing so well, but know it’s a hard, daily battle!!
Judy, you’re one of my hero’s!!
You are amazing.

JE, Dean, Linda, & Keith & I are simply dealing with the aches & pains of growing older….we can’t complain too much, but will share our latest ache if the subject comes up:)
LOL!

We ate, we talked, we laughed, the girls shopped, the guys watched football, Dean ran, JE walked, Linda & Judy walked, Keith & I rode bikes, we played Sequence, we ate out, we nibbled goodies, we drank coffee, & tasted Lu-Mill wine–and talked some more!:)

Such a relaxed time:)
I can’t say I slept great (simply not sleeping in my own bed), but being with friends with no expectations, no time limits, no alarm clocks, no watches, is so peaceful….:)

After saying goodbye to Judy & JE about 1:30 this afternoon, Dean & Linda & Keith & I stopped by the Lou-Mill Winery in Dublin on our way home. We sampled their selections & bought Christmas wine, jelly, salsa, & tasty Scuppernong cider:) Keith & Dean hefted our boxes of wine & goodies to our cars, we said our goodbyes, & headed toward Aberdeen & Raleigh…..a pleasant way to end the weekend:)

Nothing like sharing a few days with friends that know you through & through & like you in spite of it, that care for you & your families & want a full account of all the goings-on, that support you through thick & thin, & always welcome you with open arms, no matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen one another:)

Judy & JE, Linda & Dean, thank you!
Take care till we meet again:)

“What happens at the beach stays at the beach”—the details, that is:)

 
Last week Keith & I put in our Netflix movie Grand Torino, not knowing what to expect. I’m not sure we even read the basic premise.
But this little movie packed a powerful one-two punch; a tough story, filled with crude and offensive language, (for those of us who live a pretty sheltered life), with the most tender, bittersweet, sacrificial love ending.

It affected me to the core.

We can find the greatest love in the most unlikely places, from the most unlikely folks!!
My clean and safe world is not where God lives and shines for the majority of people on this Earth.

Am I open to being surprised at every turn?

This chair is at the home place, Sandrock Acres. A Mr. Briggs made it many years ago:)

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.
– Stanley Horowitz

Years ago, back in the early ’70’s, Keith & I met a girl I always associate with the song “Maggie May”. I think of her every time I hear Rod Stewart’s song:

“Wake up Maggie I think I got something to say to you.
Its late September and I really should be back at school.
I know I keep you amused but I feel Im being used.
Oh Maggie I couldnt have tried any more.
You lured me away from home just to save you from being alone.
You stole my heart and thats what really hurt.
The morning sun when its in your face really shows your age
But that dont worry me none, in my eyes you’re everything.”

I heard it today on the car radio.
“Maggie May” was popular then & Liz, her real name, was like no other person I had, or have, ever met!

After we moved to Stone Ridge, NY, in 1969, a coffeehouse was opened in the tiny village, located in the back of a large white historic church, Rondout Valley UMC. We attended Rondout Valley where we volunteered as youth counselors–actually the pastor drafted us as soon as we arrived since we were the youngest adults in the congregation. Keith & I grew to love those kids like family:)

The Stone Ridge JayCee’s sponsored the coffeehouse held each Friday night and church folks helped as well, even our youth group. It was offered as a place for the young people to congregate since it was a rural area (Kingston was 10 miles away). I recall one of the JayCee’s, Larry Lohman, a policeman in Kingston, would always be around every time the coffeehouse doors opened, ready to talk with any of the young people that dropped in. A friendly, jovial fella.

Some of the sponsors would go into Kingston each Friday afternoon and collect day-old donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts which were then served that evening along with coffee, soft drinks, etc.–all free. I can vividly recall Keith and I doing the donut “run”:) Maybe I remember so well because we did it often; maybe because I was just tickled to get into town!!

Liz dropped in.
She liked the coffeehouse:)
She was the most unlikely friend I’d ever make, but we became friends. She was a pothead who lived with other potheads in an abandoned house in the woods close to town. She never smoked in front of me, but even as naive as I was, I knew she did. (I didn’t know where she lived for a long time, but found out eventually, and the conditions horrified me; just nasty!)
SUNY at New Paltz was not far (where I was attending), as well as Ulster County Community College, so maybe originally she came to the Stone Ridge area to go to school. Or, maybe she traveled to Woodstock and never found her way home again.

Liz had long tangled, unkept, brown hair, was terribly thin since she seldom had a real meal, looked older than her years, and her teeth were beginning to deteriorate–most likely because of drugs and lack of nutrition. She didn’t have a job and didn’t attend college, seemingly someone’s throw away daughter.
Sad.

If she didn’t come to the coffeehouse one Friday night, we’d worry about her.
Larry would try to find her.
I can’t remember which happened first; if she finally quit coming and we couldn’t track her down, or we moved away. To this day, I wonder what became of her. I wish I remembered her last name. Keith can’t recall it either:(
The years have robbed us of details.

I pray we gave her at least one bit of encouragement, one place that people cared for her, one hint that life mattered.
Liz, I remember you.