The Forever List

We all have memories, some deep in the back files of our mind never to be released and others that are easy to share.  The good and the bad are all for the taking, it's our choice on how to deal with them.  I for one consider the not so happy times can turn into a joy.  How did I get on this subject?  Cleaning house today and rearranging furniture and "stuff".  I tend to be the type to move everything about once a month.  As I was moving my favorite framed rooster picture I instantly thought of Ginger which in turn brought a smile because then I thought of Ricky and the time he tried to make me eat a night crawler  We laughed about that for over 50 years.  The Horse Run Street sign that Glenn gave us is hanging over the door.  The many beautiful gifts from far away places Bart would bring to us when deployed.  A painting of the shoot out at the OK Corral by D. Wyatt Taylor,  given to us by Beau.  A statue of a bulldog Dave and Kathy gave us when we raised bullies.  Kent gave us a picture frame that I put camera cards in and it gives us a wonderful slide show.  Dick's grandmother Angeline's painting of a young Black boy sneaking a cigar.

Our memory from Angeline.  It is painted on silk and showing
the years.  Nothing can be done to restore it. We keep it from
direct sunlight (I don't move it).

We both love this picture and how great we could have it.  Three pieces of furniture that belonged to Dick's mom.  Beautiful dishes Amber has given me through the years.  A carved hen and egg I bought from Dot Bailey's estate sale.  The list just keeps going.  It makes me wonder......did I ever buy anything or is my house full of beautiful gifts with a loving memory hooked to each one.  My dining table was bought 45 years ago.  It brings the memory of a great kid (guy now)  that I babysat, Mark (Squeaker) Voorhees.  Every week I tucked the money away until there was enough to buy the Ethan Allen set.   It has been refinished twice to update the appearance.  So I think of Squeak and what a great kid he was/is.  I probably should have paid his mom to watch him since he was so easy to have around, like one of my own.

The list could go on forever and will be cherished forever.

Bringing up memories from so many family and friends from back in my teen years to the present made the day much more enjoyable than just cleaning and rearranging.  Heck, I talked to myself but not out loud.  There's a difference, right?

The day was so warm and the little bit of breeze flowed through and actually I didn't smell that burnt chicken feather odor.  We shall see when the doors and windows are shut tomorrow and the heat is on.  The bedding was hung out for a final fresh air smell.  Nothing better than cool, crisp, fresh smelling sheets for a good sleep.  In the winter depending on the temperature I like to hang sheets out.  They dry quite fast if the temperature is below freezing, almost like a freeze dried and then they dry with a natural softness.

Remember how many times we have used the butternut squash?  Yesterday I made a dessert bar with the squash.  I have also used sweet potatoes and cooked carrots when a recipe calls for pumpkin.  There really is no difference in taste, I think it all provides the moisture and the seasonings are really what we taste.

Dessert Bars:  1 cup of your choice, pumpkin, squash, mashed carrots or sweet potato.
                           Beat in 3/4 brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 stick of butter, 1 tsp vanilla (I also added 1 tsp maple flavoring),  1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk.
                           Mix 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (I use garbanzo flour to avoid gluten) 1 cup quick oats, 1/2 tsp baking soda, baking powder and salt, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg. You could even use pumpkin pie spice! 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 1 cup of golden raisins, add to wet ingredients, mix and pour in greased baking pan.  Bake 375 until center is done.  You can use dates, apples, cranberries, pecans, coconut.  I have used orange flavoring with cranberries, very good.

Dessert bars with a little glaze drizzled on top. There's a
memory, the baking dish my friend Tracy gave me!

Whoopie Pies for the men in my neighborhood ♡

Even making Whoopie Pies brings back a few memories.
The recipe is in this Oswayo River Telephone cookbook and of
course it reminds me of paying the telephone bill in person
 and the bonus, visit with Helen and Janet!

Remember paying the gas, electric, telephone, water and sewer every month?  The electric bill was paid at the hardware store and we even had a gas company office.  It was nice to see people and take the time to chat.  One thing electronic pay offers no conversation but is convenient.