I love food and cooking, but I’m a mom … a wife … an educator … a geek … a history buff. I wear many hats and like to write about each just as much as I like to write about food and cooking. Below you’ll find a variety of posts about my life from dogs to kids to travel and beyond.
When JD’s Grandma Davis passed away, we inherited several items from her home. One of these was a Christmas tree that she has always placed on top of an end table during the holidays. With the tree came its original box! The tree dates to the 1960s and is from the American Tree and Wreath…
From the moment I first read the New York Sun editorial written in 1897 by Francis Church in response to an 8 year-old’s question about Santa Claus, I was in love. I was in love with the idea of Santa Claus and the idea of writing … and sharing that writing. I don’t even remember how…
Over the weekend, a friend from college posted a Christmas memory on Facebook about being “dirt poor” … his words … as a child and how that impacted Christmas for him and his seven siblings. Christmas stockings were filled not with trinkets and “stuffers”, but with fresh fruit and hard candy, both being treats for his…
In honor of Wishful Wednesday … Have you ever been asked, “If you could sit down with anyone in history and have a conversation, who would it be?”. I have … several times. I always have a different answer, too. Sometimes it’s Eleanor Roosevelt, sometimes it is Mary Queen of Scots or Robert the Bruce….
Why is it that people remain a specific age in our minds no matter how old they really are when we lose them? My grandpa was 89 when he died in 2008, but he will always be in his mid-60s in my mind. That was the age when he raced me across the yard and let me…
September in Southern Illinois can be hot or cold … or both on the same day! Autumn approaches, regardless, and pumpkins and apples are ripe for the picking. Noodle, Grandma Debbie, and I went pumpkin picking today. We mostly picked from the piles of already picked pumpkins … but I’m okay with that! These are pretty…
This was the view at Flamm Orchards in Cobden, Illinois last weekend! The Flamm family has owned this orchard for over 120 years… six generations! It’s one of two of our “go-to” spots for fresh fruit and vegetables during the summer and fall seasons. Mom, Noodle and I stopped at the fruit stand on our Saturday…
It stormed really bad this morning and well into the afternoon. The kind of storm that makes you wonder what’s coming next. When it quieted down a bit, Mom, Noodle and I made a break for our favorite museum and resale shop. Upon our return, I noticed the power had gone out at some point…
I’m writing about something a little different for my 52 Ancestors post this week. Earlier this summer, a brick honoring three men in my family was placed at the veteran’s memorial at Riverside Park in Murphysboro, Illinois. I stopped by a few nights ago to take some photos. It was bright; the sun was setting…
Even though we might not set a formal place setting at everyday meals, it is important to do so – to the extent possible – for family get togethers and holiday meals. This teaches our children a very valuable skill that will undoubtedly come in handy in their future. Setting the table is also a…
I’m beginning my table etiquette series with a post that has nothing to do with actual table etiquette. However, I feel the need to address the issue of the RSVP, mostly because people don’t do it anymore. They should. What is an RSVP? Over the years of teaching dining etiquette to youngsters, I have…
We’ve just passed the 70th anniversary of D-Day. My family has been watching WWII documentaries on the History channel, including The World Wars series which is one of the best I’ve ever seen. We’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI. It doesn’t seem like these events should be so far…
Table etiquette is just as important for kids as it is for adults … we have to learn somewhere, and at home is a safe place! I have been teaching Noodle how to set a proper, albeit informal, table for dinner. This is something that my mom taught me when I was little and, as…
One of our first adventures this summer was to Blueberry Hill Farm this past weekend where Noodle was able to pick strawberries for the first time! She also took advantage of my camera to begin her summer photo project. This was a girls-only outing and Grandma Debbie and Aunt Steph went along. We picked strawberries,…
When Noodle was about 3 years old, we bought her a VTech Kidizoom Camera for Christmas. She loves it. It doesn’t take the best photos, but for a toddler who’s just playing photographer, it’s perfect. It’s rugged, which is good because it was dropped repeatedly. When she was 5, Grandma Debbie (my mom) bought her…
My grandpa was a firm believer that people come in and out of your life when you need … or no longer need … them the most. Sometimes they’re around for a little while and quietly slink away when you no longer rely upon them. Others become more of a mainstay … they’re the ones…
Easter is around the corner … literally. Now, I’m an only child, but I’m fortunate to have women in my life who are close enough they might as well be sisters … my friends Stephanie and Amber are certainly among the handful! So, Aunt Stephanie and Aunt Amber came over Wednesday night to help me…
It’s Friday! We’ve been drenched for 3 days here. Between snow and rain, I’m ready for a warm weekend to clean my backyard and get ready for summer BBQs. In my preparation, I’ve been searching for great party food. Here’s what I found! Green Beans that Noodle will eat! I have a picky little eater…
This has not been a good winter here in southern Illinois. It snowed about 12 times, which is 11 more times than our normal winter and 11 more times than I was interested in! I’m not a winter person. I like spring … I like fresh herbs and produce and berries in the summertime. I’ve…
Is it Friday already?! This week flew by! I am so thankful that we didn’t have any snow this week (except Sunday) and it has been warmer and sunnier! Here’s a few of my food finds for the week. Enjoy! What’s under that kilt? I’ve been trying to catch up on a little reading this…
Sometimes the smallest of things turn out to be the most remembered traditions. When I was growing up, one of the things my dad and I shared a love for was movies. We liked the same kinds … or maybe he just pretended to like my movies! We’d stay up to the wee hours…
It’s been a full week of reading and researching, and I’ve come across a few blogs and other food-related sites that I’ve shared below. Enjoy lurking and linking … and eating! Food Blogs Over 300 Cookbooks – Join Kerrie as she explores her enormous cookbook collection! Of course, I would be drawn to the German…
My mom and I frequent the antique stores in Murphysboro, Illinois. We’re almost never looking for anything specific … but almost always find something interesting. On our most recent trek, I found a 1946 edition of The Joy of Cooking that seemed to call to me from the bookshelf. Have you ever had that feeling?…
My mom bought me this cute little egg cooker for Christmas … it’s made by Dash. I wanted to use it for awhile before writing a review and, come to find out, they’ve release a new one! Oh, well. Amazon has the new Dash DEC005BU BLUE 6 Egg Rapid Cooker w/ Poaching Tray & Measuring…