Why I Love Owls

Kind of a funny subject I know. But for 2-3 years at least, I’ve been enamored with owls. Doesn’t get the bills paid, irritates certain members of my family, clutters up usable space, but there it is. I’m an owl lover. Not anatomically correct owls, mind you, but owls with big eyes, unrealistic colors, and with just a piquant hint of fluffyness. Did I just make up a word? See, that’s one of the things that the love of owls does for me, increases speech fluidity!
I’m actually writing this story to try and figure out why I love owls. I have an owl spoon rest, owl candle holders, a large owl statue (weird, I know) many pictures of owls, owl cards, a stuffed owl, salt and pepper shakers (more than one set) etc., etc. “Not ANOTHER owl!” my son scoffed recently as I unpacked my treasures I had discovered that day. He threw in a complimentary sigh and eye roll.
I read an article once that said large eyes in babies (and baby animals) bring out nurturing behavior in females. I agree with this, and if you sat inside a store that contained a good assortment of owls, you could count the seconds that it would take for me to ooh and ah and then squeeze most of them. For my time of life it makes sense as well. I’m a mother of a teenager and a twenty something and I see some of my friends squeezing their children’s large eyed offspring, and I can’t help feeling a twang of jealousy. (I’m sure my kids would rather have me crooning over owls anyway, as neither one of them are planning any procreation in the near future!)
Color is another reason that I love owls. The realistic colors of owls are black, brown, gray, etc., and even though there are many lovely patterns and details, the brightly colored and whimsical owls are my favorite. A quick Google search on emotion and color will give you an idea on how important color is to our psyche. A color can energize us, rouse our passions and inspire us, among other things. That must be why I’m drawn to these fanciful owls in purple, orange, bright blues and greens, which look great on a card, T shirt or salt shaker, but might not look as well on the walls, unless you’re someone like Henri Matisse.
I’m also a sucker for the small and fluffy. That’s why it’s not safe for me to pick out dogs, certain shrubbery or furry animals (read ‘hamsters’, which in the past have escaped more than once.) When I was little, I wasn’t a fan of dolls but I loved stuffed animals. I’d line them up on either side of me every night when I went to sleep, and almost all of them fit the ‘small and fluffy’ moniker. Fortunately for me (and my son) they don’t make a ton of small and fluffy owls (at least I haven’t seen many) so they’re not lined up next to my husband when it’s time for bed. (That’s a fun mental image!!)
So, summing up, the reasons I’m enamored with owls are 1) they increase my vocabulary 2) they bring out my nurturing side 3) I respond favorably to bright, fun colors 4) many are small and fluffy! and I’ve just thought of 5) they make a great gift! Who doesn’t like to receive a bright, loveable creature that might also bring out a latent attraction to the small and fluffy?!
Now that I’ve discovered why I love owls, I think I’ll dash over to Etsy to check out more of them. Maybe someone has a birthday or an anniversary, is celebrating 10 years on the job, perhaps a child graduating from kindergarten, or someone who remembered to put out their recycling two months in a row…..

Homemade Handpicked Blueberry Apple Pie!!

Whew!! The summer seems to be flying by! All the stores are busing selling school clothes and Halloween candy, it's always hard to put summer feet back in those new shoes. I had almost forgotten about blueberries in all the rush, so I went to Sauvie Island Blueberries to pick their 'fall bearing' variety. It was slow going, not many berries but I got some home and made blueberry apple pie and thought I'd share the recipe. First, the pie crust has to be perfect, and fortunately, I have that recipe!
4 cups flour 3 cubes butter 1 teaspoon salt 4-5 tablespoons ice water
Put the flour in a large bowl and sprinkle salt and mix it in. Using a pastry blender, blend in the butter. (I can't believe I used two knives once, time consuming!!!)
Put a couple of ice cubes in about 1/2 cup of water, and with a two tined fork, add a tablespoon at a time of water until mixture starts to stick together, then form it into a ball. This recipe will make 2 pies if rolled out thin. Roll out bottom crust and put in pie dish.
Blueberry-apple filling:
If using fresh berries, mash them up with a potato masher first, if using frozen, squeeze the excess moisture out in a strainer.
In a bowl, add 4 cups blueberries, 2-3 apples peeled and chopped (If small apples, use 3)Add 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, mix together and put in crust. Dot 3 tablespoons of butter in small pieces evenly around pie. Roll out top crust and put on and seal, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. (Don't forget to slit the top, so steam can escape. Bake about 40 minutes at 350, wait till you can see the juices forming around edge of pie and pastry is browning. Let cool and YUM!!!

Strawberry Rhubarb Memories

The strawberry season came late this year, so I was able to experiment a little more with making jam. When it comes to jam I'm a strictly follow the rules gal as I've made many jars of thick syrup in my time. But back to the jam. I have never made strawberry rhubarb jam before, but I found a recipe that looked plausible, and amid fear and trepidation prepared all the ingredients. Even though it didn't follow THE PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS, it still turned out! And here's the neat thing. As I was making this jam, the smell transported me back to my Grandmother's kitchen. Now Grandma was a little mean and gruff, and I was half afraid of her most of the time. But she was a great cook and loved rhubarb, and the strawberry rhubarb smell didn't remind me of her grumpiness but only of her in her kitchen, support hose, hair bun and dimpled elbows floating over the pot as she stirred the strawberry rhubarb jam, scooping a little jam on some homemade bread for me to try. I'm glad to say the two batches I made turned out marvelously thick, and I guess Gran wasn't AS grumpy as I remember, besides now that I just kept a tradition going, I have to find someone to taste this jam!

Here's the link to the recipe:http://www.kitchenlane.com/2010/04/strawberry-rhubarb-freezer-jam-spring.html.

Reuse and Recycle-But Can I Make it Pretty??

So many people are recycling these days. I've managed to incorporate something I love under the guise of recycling, but I've made it pretty, no empty milk jugs or flattened cans here! I love to visit antique shops, garage sales and second hand stores. I find such interesting things there if I'll just slow down and look,(true for finding agates on the beach, fyi.) But what I focus on is old jewelry. You can find it behind the counter at Goodwill, the front of a garage/estate sale by the cash register, and if you're fortunate, your mom or grandma might have an old jewelry box full of odds and ends. These pieces can be made into beautiful bracelets, like the ones pictured or necklaces, earrings, anklets, etc., and it's really fun to create new pieces from these vintage treasures. There are many 'findings' available at the local craft store, earring hooks, clasps, glue, etc., to complete your creations. (Kudos to my daughter for helping me with this!) I found some antique buttons and made them into beautiful brooches for my friends, I also researched the history of buttons and learned something new! So, keep your eyes 'peeled' as my mother used to say the next time you're at a sale, and see if you can't do your part to stay green (or blue, or purple, or....) :)

Connecting Rather Than Consuming

One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is to go to Estate Sales. It's exciting to research the sale descriptions, anticipate the treasures and head out in the morning on a quest for loot. But when I arrive at a sale, that's when the challenge for me really begins.

I was modeled as a child to push to the front of the line, angle to get my way and get the upper hand in every situation. (I say 'modeled' because my mom adhered to the ways of Jesus, but somehow they didn't always make it to everyday experience.) Back to the sale!

In the past, I hate to admit it, (but confession is good for the soul) I've taken advantage of situations at these sales because of the lack of knowledge on the part of the seller. Not that this is always bad, they can't know everything, but I've not always been as honest as I could have been. (I was wrong, I admit it!) A couple of experiences have helped me to see that getting is not always the best thing at these sales, and really, the human interaction is the most important. (I'm serious!)

I was rummaging through a box once at a sale and found important letters, rings, a wallet and a Korean War metal. Visions of filthy lucre floated through my brain for an instant, but I brought the box over and showed it to the obviously distraught seller. "I found these over in a corner," I said to him, "they might be important." He looked at me in disbelief and agreed, thanking me for bringing the box to his attention as he took it from me and stored it away.

Yesterday it happened again. I could see the seller was very overwhelmed. The owner had had a stroke and was in a care home now, and this guy obviously didn't seem up for the task at hand. As I went to the garage, I found another box with watches, rings, wallets, a stamp collection, etc., and brought it over to him. Clueless that it was even in the garage, he gave me an incredulous look and gave it to his sister to put away. I spent almost two hours there, (there was a lot of stuff) and talked with him and his sister, found some good things and really enjoyed the morning. Somehow pushing to the front of the line and getting the upper hand didn't seem so important now. The seller thanked me when I left and his faced looked clearer somehow. I hope I can remember it the next time I'm anxiously waiting in line for the next sale doors to open.