What They Handed Down

Last week the Little Miss and I went to our favorite You Pick Farm. We came home with 1 zucchini, 1 squash, some blueberries, some raspberries, some to die for blackberries, and oh 100lbs of tomatoes. We picked every red one on the vine and some green ones too.

I love walking up and down the aisles, the tart smell of those vines, the baby powder dust, and listening to the Little Miss sing her story songs stopping to ask, is this a good one?

So this weekend we jarred those 100lbs of tomatoes (the berries got eaten, as did the squash for Sunday dinner and the zucchini is still on the counter). And the whole time I was thinking, why am I doing this? This is a ton of work. I am tired and my hands are stinging. 

Then I remembered why.

Because my sweet Mom did it with me, and her sweet Mom did it with her, and I even did it with her too--my Grandma. And then I started wondering why they did it? Sure it might save money. Yes you enjoy the garden in the bleakest of winter days. But I am thinking they did it for the same reason I do it now. 

For what you hand down. For the time you are spending together.

Because that sweet Little Miss stood by me on the chair the whole night, wooden spoon in hand, mushing those 100lbs of tomatoes down, singing of course and asking lots of question and chattering on and on about being so grown up.

By 11pm we had 51 jars of beautiful tomatoes on the counter cooling. 

But I was happiest thinking about Her and Her and of course my little Her.

Buttah

A boy? What will we do with a boy?

This is what I said to my sisters when my mother

walked through the door with my new little brother.

And now two new little sisters have a new brother.

And what will they do?

They will love him 

and squeeze him 

and buttah him on toast

for as long as he will let them

Just like we did 

And now my new little brother is

a new daddy to a new little buttah ball

And I want to buttah him on my toast

But this time, with some

sweet raspberry blueberry blackberry jam

Cohen Douglas Garner

I love you

Food, Love

Two Christmas' ago, just before we moved to the Harbor, Russell got me lots of books. Maybe he was filling his own love, or maybe he thought I would read more since I wouldn't be spending my days outside as much, or maybe he hoped I would start cooking again (which I did), but maybe he somehow knew I would need the kind of friend you find sometimes only in a book. Or only in the kitchen for that matter.

And I did. I found that in Julia. 

So much that I then read, The Tenth Muse by Judith Jones. She was THE publisher who was really the only one in the cookbook world to believe in such a possibility that American Housewives would actually attempt cooking something French. 

The same rainy morning that I finished the Judith Jones book, un-showered I drove to the book store and purchased my very first, very own 49th edition of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". 

I have heard many times that this book has changed lives and at first I thought, why because you learn to cook French? For some, it may be that. I have a love for food and I have a love for French cuisine--it is simple and not complicated. The food tastes like the food that it is. It reminds me how to live. It is beautiful and does what my memories of food are, gives that gift--a memory. I think Julia gave us the gift of putting memories back into our kitchens at a time in America when we needed that. I read her books when I needed that.

Today, my little Sous Chef Holland and I went to the movie "Julie and Julia". I cried. I cried a lot, in a lot of little places that I really don't know why I was crying. To watch her and Paul, Her Butter to Her Bread, and their life--Paul coming home asking, So what's for dinner? Living in France for his love and Julia finding hers. A life together that somehow picked up the line like an energy pole when the other line swooped down. Changes, Disappointments, Time, Patience, Adventures, Laughter.

Food and a kindred friend, in all their simplicity, have saved my life. Both have far greater meaning to me than sustenance. 

To Russell for twelve, 

so, what's for dinner? 

food, love.

Pearls

My amazing sister Jennifer,

more amazing than just for her photos, 

but for her love and connection to little wonders, 

for letting them be who they are and then for capturing it, 

is all amazing to me. 

And we are spoiled for it.

And I must add, Holland chose the pearls, all by her dainty little lady self.