Stillmeadow Friends

Hi Aunt Shelley,

You remember me. Right? I'm Emma. The people I own called me that because I'm a tabby cat and my markings form a perfect little "M" on my forehead. I'm grey, beige and white, trimmed with black stripes and my tail is striped like a raccoon!

I'm pretty, and I know it. They all tell me that I'm a snob - Well I can't help it if I'm better than them!

Although I don't remember because I was just a baby, they tell me I turned up on their front door step early one chilly morning in October 1995. I was crying and cold and terribly upset. Mum (I have to call her that because she's british) held me close until I was warm and I felt a lot better. Boy was I hungry! She fed me on pink salmon and then I snuggled up and went to sleep on a baby blanket in a cat carrier.

A little while later, Mum, me, and the kids went door to door around the whole neighborhood, but nobody knew who I was.

They fell in love with me over the weekend. I knew they would. Even the two dogs made a huge fuss of me and Sophie, the big golden one would get huge drinks of water and then aim herself straight for me to slap a big dripping wet kiss all over my face - YUCK

I went to the vet a few days later - It was very scary. I got poked all over and he looked at my teeth and said I was 8 weeks old and as fit as a fiddle. ...

...And so the weeks and months went by and I settled down happily. Mum had just decorated the living room and hallway and one night I decided to add some personal touches. It looked great to me, but they didn't think so. To this day I still don't know why they didn't appreciate the fifteen holes I made in the plasterboard. I was disgusted when she filled them in and painted over them...After all my hard work!!

I don't go outside because there are too many scary critters out there and I'm not very brave. Birds scare me too - Mum reckons I never read the instruction manual on how to be a cat.

Oh! I chose the nice portait of me on the top, but mum insisted on putting this one here too. I'm sure she's trying to damage my ladylike reputation. You see, I like catnip...I'm hooked on it actually, and I had just had a good sniff and snort at my toy...It makes me a bit silly, and I batted around the house a few times and then plopped down in the office feeling quite giddy, and of course Dad, always with his camera at the ready, took this...Oh the shame of it...How would he like me taking his photo after he's had a few beers?!

I've got a few hobbies. My best one is snoozing and I have lots of favorite places in which to do it; the porch, Jenny's bed, which is mine now since I took it over; The back of my favorite chair in the family room, the dining room chairs... I also like to snooze on the top of the stairs, but mum swears I'm going to kill one of them some day and so she always picks me up and plonks me on one of my other favorite spots.

I also like food. First thing in the morning I won't let mum do anything until she's given me my Temptations. I discovered a long time ago that the more pathetic I can make myself sound, the quicker she gives things to me... I just open my mouth and holler. Try it whenever you want something. It works!

I like Jenny. She's black and fluffy and she's sweet. I like giving her head butts and I rub my face against hers. I don't know why but she doesn't like it. She always raises her head high, as if there is a bad smell under her nose and she looks for mum to save her!

Ok...Here's what I love.

Fancy Feast
Iams Seafood Recipe crunchy food :)
Temptations treats
Sleeping
Ham
Cheese
Sleeping in the sun on the screened porch
Having my tummy tickled - but only when I want something and need to humor them...
Having my ears stroked.
Catnip
Sleeping
Chasing a length of yarn all over the room and pouncing on it.
Munching moths - yum!
I ate an ant once but that didn't taste good...
Chasing bottle tops or bits of crinkled up paper!

Here's what I Hate
The vacuum cleaner - It's a monster.
Strangers -very scary indeed
Birds - especially Dopey and Beauty the two parakeets who live here - They make fun of me.
People walking in on me when I'm using my litter. I mean, wouldn't you be upset if yours was kept in the laundry room?!
Hairballs...They are really gross and yucky, but very funny when someone steps on one, especially if it's gone cold and they have bare feet!
Being picked up and messed about with and cuddled when I don't want to be... Mum ALWAYS does this to me. I choose when I want affection and kisses -mostly at mealtimes.

Well, that's the story of my life so far. Jenny will most likely want to make a blog here too just cuz I did. But I was first because I'm a cat. What do dogs know anyway?

Love, Emma.
New Boston, NH

Dear Susan...

Your last letter brought back memories of achy muscles from "digging out" and nights spent up "raking" the roof so that snow wouldn't weigh heavy and cause damage. At the same time, it reminded me of soups simmering and biscuits in the oven to ward off the cold. Add to that the drama of a red cardinal against a backdrop of white and there is no place in the world like New England no matter what the season.

It's Sunday afternoon in the Hudson Valley, and the house is quiet save for the sound of Scooter's snoring. Erik and the girls are out for the afternoon and I'm enjoying the solitude. I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to sit and write you and catch up. Sunny and bright, it's a beautiful day Susan. The winds that we've had for the past few days has finally quieted and the trees are still and contemplating Spring no doubt. The sky is a watercolor wash of blue interupted only by the occasional trail from an airplane going to points unknown. Even the usual bustle at the birdfeeders has wained. Yesterday Erik and Rebecca filled all the feeders and with lightning speed the squirrels "got the word out". Not only were they being emptied this morning but one of the feeders had been completely dismantled!! Now squirrels have to be the greediest little things I've ever seen. Even if they empty the birdfeeder and all the contents spill onto the ground except for a few seeds on the inside...they will continue at the feeder until it's either empty or destroyed.

Yesterday the girls finished their homemade Valentines. Between the two of them, they made over 40 separate cards for their classmates!! They had a wonderful system Susan. They did all the boys first because after all, boys are yucky and they didn't want to waste a lot of time on yucky boys. I smiled to myself as they discussed this and I wondered how many Valentine's Days would come and go before the boys weren't yucky anymore. Daddy helped them pack their cards into little paper sacks decorated with red heart stickers. They'll deliver these to their classmates tomorrow.

Do you remember Valentine's Day parties at school Susan?? I can recall that the teachers would decorate a cardboard box (usually a shoebox) and then we'd all bring in Valentines (most homemade with red paper and white paper doilies) and we'd put them in that box. While we'd fare on Kool-Aid and cupcakes our teacher would reach into the box and one by one pull out those Valentines. She'd call our name and we'd race to the front of the room and snatch that little card that said "Guess Who??" Sometimes we'd figure them out, sometimes we wouldn't. What sweet innocent fun.

Last evening found us on Long Island with our friends Neal and Karen. It's a yearly tradition to meet them there for Chinese New Year's dinner!! Now I have to confess that until I'd met Erik, I'd never celebrated Chinese New Year. The dinner consists of a number of different courses and the variety of food is wonderful. We had everything last night from duck to shrimp to steak to lobster!! You get a little sampling of each and everything is served one course at a time. Erik made chinese stars for the girls while we were there, and they brought them home as little girls are apt to do. 2005 is, I am told, the year of the Rooster. One of the courses contained chicken. I wonder how the rooster felt about that??

I suppose that my solitude will come to an end soon, so I think I will close this for now. I hope by the time you read this, you're thawed out once more. Perhaps Emma will give you a little space beside the woodstove that you can call you own.

Love, Shelley
Ossining, New York

Dear Shelley,
I'm finally getting back to the computer. I was busy most of yesterday and all this morning.

First they said we were going to get a lot of snow, then they said we weren't. Guess what happened? we got DUMPED on!!

I think meteorology is very much an inexact science in spite of all the hi-tech thingamybobs they use for predictions. I think seasoned country folk are better at it...

A few years ago, in Southbury, a fine countrywoman pointed to a tree and said, "look at those leaves and see how they're turning themselves around and showing their undersides? We'll get rain soon". And we did...

I remember my friend Suzanne telling me about the Blizzard of '78... She headed off to work in Massachusetts, after being told they were in for some flurries, and she ended up being stranded at her workplace for three days!!

Anyway, Mike and I are aching all over today. We went outside to shovel after the plow had cleared our drive. The picture below is before we started shovelling. I did not look quite so happy after we had finished!


It looks incredibly pretty because it is the heavy variety of snow that sticks to the trees and branches, and because of the weight of the snow, quite a big branch came down from the huge pine and the oak tree.

Last night there were more deer in our front garden. at least two and possibly more. They are eating the evergreen shrubs in front of our house. I'm going out later to try to buy some food for them. Apparently they like grass, fruit, acorns and nuts, but in the winter their only source of food is usually from woody plants, and yet they looked quite plump.

Emma stayed in front of the woodstove just for a change. She's there now and only moves to meouw for food or treats, and I know she tries to get me into thinking she's hard done by, but in my next life, if given the choice, Oh yes indeed, I want to be a cat!

Mike and I are going to buy a flotation pump today. Our basement flooded last year during the spring thaw and we never want to go through that again. We built a sump and hopefully it will work. There's nothing worse than waking up to no hot water because the boiler and everything else on or near the basement floor is immursed in a foot of water. It took us a long time to dry out after that!

Well, I'll send this off for now because I must get ready and I'll be back later to give you my Mum's scone recipe!

Take care,
Love, Susan
New Boston, New Hampshire.

Dear Susan,

I must admit that I expected to wake up to snow this morning but instead it's raining. It's a good cold-to-the-bone February rain and I'd have rather stayed in bed under warm blankets today. Erik and I are up at 5:15 on weekdays so that he can catch the train into the city just past 6 am. We both have our morning routines and as long as uninterupted we do quite well. Scooter too, has his routines and for the most part he follows them to the letter. This morning however, he decided to throw the gum into the works. As I was making coffee (a long day...a few extra beans in the grinder) he was in the mood for a treat. He meowed. No response from me. He MeOwED! I scowled. He MEOOOOWED!! "Wait!!" I said with the obvious strain in my voice. His comic timing being what it is, he yawned the heartiest yawn I've ever seen. His mouth opened so wide that I thought the jaw might unhinge. His eyes got as big as butter plates and his ears turned completely back. When he was done, he meowed once more. I could resist no longer and gave him a "cookie". It was then that I realized I'd been arguing with a cat and what a silly way to start a day.

I suppose when all is said and done, we all "argue with the cat" now and then. I wonder how much we miss when we do that.

With cats in mind, how is Emma?? Is she continuing to toast herself by the fire these days??

What are your plans for the day?? I may meet with a friend this afternoon if we can coordinate that. If not, I plan to make some Cranberry Scones. It's a good day to have the oven on with warm, homey scents filling the rooms.

Love, Shelley

Dear Shelley and Everyone,

I've had a really lovely birthday. Early this morning, just after dawn, the sky turned pearlescent pink and mauve and lavender and gold, and then there was the most beautiful rainbow!! It was below freezing and the sky was clear, but there was my birthday rainbow!!!

I will treasure this gift forever! I grabbed our digital camera and the result really does not do it justice...

My two older children are working nights tonight, so our party is on hold until tomorrow and I'm going to make a cake and a buffet!

Thank you all for your good wishes,

Love, Susan,
New Boston, NH.

Dear Susan...

This weekend found us on the go the entire time. Friday was monumental for me. I took the train into the New York City all on my own. I would tell you that I felt completely empowered by my newfound independence, however it's basically a straight line from the station to Grand Central Terminal. Considering that I had to call Erik after I arrived in the city or simply stay at the station indefinitely, my independence had real boundaries. Meeting friends for the evening, we toured the newly opened Rubin Museum of Art on West 17 Street. It's a fabulous collection of Himalayan art; some of the pieces being centuries old. I think what struck me most in each of the paintings was the incredible attention to detail; every inch being alive with color.

Dinner was entirely fun. The restaurant was crowded, loud, bustling and smelled wonderful. We were escorted down one set of stairs, then a second until we were in a little room with oddly matched high backed sofas and equally odd soft chairs. Each of the little tables held a flickering candle--the only real light there was. Our meals were delicious.

The train pulled into our station just before midnight and then the weekend began.

Saturday found us celebrating Rebecca's 7th birthday. We had planned her "birthday tour"!! Lunch was spent with two little friends of the girls, and then we travelled to Long Island to visit Uncle Nik. We ended the tour at Aunt Mimi and Uncle Bob's house where the cousins and Erik's Aunt Gale and Uncle Charlie were waiting to celebrate the Birthday Girl's 7th. It was a fine day filled to the brim.

Today was slow and comfy and quiet. The girls busied themselves with Legos and a trip with Daddy to the park. Rebecca was convinced that a coat wasn't necessary. Daddy won that one in the end. Cassandra climbed the Infinity Climber at the park.

At dinner tonight, we talked about the Birthday Tour 2005, and Spring and how far away Christmas is.

Love, Shelley
Ossining, New York

Dear Shelley & Everyone,

Today is a sad day for me, it is the second anniversary of my mother's passing. Her name was Dorothy, but she didn't like to be called that, so she was always Dolly to everyone who knew her. I miss her and love her with all my heart and still can not believe that she has gone. She was an intelligent and remarkable lady. She could sing beautifully, knit anything, and was a gifted artist. She was loved by everyone who knew her. This photo was taken at my wedding and I have it in a lovely silver frame on my Grandmother's table.

Today I went out and bought beautiful pink roses, carnations and baby's breath. I put them in a crystal vase and they are standing next to this photograph. I love you Mum and again, here is the poem I read at your funeral service:

The Rose Beyond the Wall

A rose once grew where all could see,
Sheltered beside a garden wall,
And, as the days passed swiftly by,
It spread its branches straight and tall...

One day, a beam of light shone through
A crevice that had opened wide---
The rose bent gently toward its warmth
then passed beyond to the other side...
Now we who deeply feel its loss,
Are comforted----the rose blooms threre...
Its beauty even greater now,
Nurtured by God's own loving care.

~~*~*~~

In memory of you and Dad I made our family tree. It gave me a lot of solace during many a sad time. It also brought me closer to who you were and all of those who came before us.

I will love you both always....
God Bless,
Susan
XXX

"We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. Time to be."

Dear Shelley & everyone,
It is snowing yet again tonight. I don't think it will be much, at least I hope not because we have more than enough already.

This IS fun and I'm glad you like the "Doodle-Board" what a neat little gadget it is...I love it!

As you will see we also have Amber, our resident cat. She plays with you if you run the mouse over and around her.

Right now Emma, our cat is roasting herself right in front of the woodstove. I will have to move her in a minute because she hasn't a clue when enough is enough. She fries what brains she has! She is the laziest little individual I have ever known in my entire life and spends her day sleeping, grooming, eating and more sleeping. What a life. She doesn't go outside because here in the woods there are many preditors.... fisher cats, coyotes and brown bear being the main risk. She's never been very bold, I don't think she ever read the instruction manual on how to be a cat because she is afraid of birds. She spends entire summer days on our screened porch, but at the merest sight of a bird or squirrel her tail is between her legs and she runs inside ears-down for me to rescue her.

In the summer months we hang a humming bird feeder right by our porch and sometimes curious hummingbirds hover at her level to get a better look at her....She panics. She's sweet and we love her. We called her Emma because the markings on her head form the letter "M" ...But Mike has always called her Butthead because she loves to butt our dog Jenny with her head. Jenny distainfully tolerates it. Emma is always extravagantly loving at mealtimes, or whenever she feels like a treat, but mostly at other times she could not care less...She's a snob who thinks she's a princess. A typical cat.

Emma is now moved and lying dazed and dopey on the back of the sofa. It's snowing harder outside and there's already an inch or so on top of the two-plus feet we already have on the ground.

Our daughter Sarah is out bowling, and Carl, our oldest son is at work on the night shift in the computer department of the hospital in Manchester. Even though my two oldest are young adults now, I can't rest until I know everyone is safe and tucked up in bed.

Here's another Welsh recipe. Welsh Cakes are delicious and wonderful spread with butter:

Welsh Cakes
(Cage Bach)

These small cakes were made and served at Sunday teatime and if there were any left over they were given to miners in their "tocyn" lunchbox. Cage Bach were made on the griddlestone - one of the Welsh cook's basic cooking untensils

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup golden raisins
pinch of cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten

Instructions:

Rub flour, butter, and sugar to fine crumbs. Add spice. Make a well in the center, then add egg and raisins. Mix to a firm dough, roll out to 1/4 inch thick, and cut into rounds. Cook on a heated griddle or heavy frying pan until brown on both sides. Cool and spread with butter before eating.

Goodnight Shelley and take care everyone,

Love Susan,
New Boston, NH.

Dear Susan...
I often wonder if we think different thoughts on cold days than we do on hot. Does the chill air change the thought processes?? Being as it's February the 2nd and Groundhog Day I wonder if the Groundhog gives any thought to the fact that his every move is being monitored by those of us in the cold and frozen north. All of this is I suppose, food for thought and the musings of yours truly as I sip ginger peach tea on a chilly afternoon. I'm nibbling the last bits of an apple cinnamon muffin with the tea and the spicy combination is yummy to say the least. It seems to me that Gladys Taber would have enjoyed such a late afternoon treat and that thought makes me smile.

Speaking of food and nibbling...I can't wait to try your recipe for Bara Brith. It reminds me of the sort of loaf that my Papa would have enjoyed. I'm certain that my Great Grandmother Exelby (Papa's Mother) would have known Bara Brith having grown up in Britain. Earl Grey or Lady Grey with that??

There were no birds at the feeders again today, and I think it's because of a hawk in the area. This is about the fourth day in a row, and I hope our little regulars aren't having a rough time of it finding food. I miss the chickadees especially. They're always bright and happy no matter what the day and perhaps this is why I miss them so much. On a cold day it's good to be reminded to smile!!

Love, Shelley
Ossining, New York

Hi Everyone,

This recipe is Welsh, like me. It comes from a book called "Little Welsh Cookbook" and I have made it many times.

This tasty fruit loaf is made from ingredients that are always in the cupboard. It has many variations. It is served as a filling snack at any time in a Welsh home and farmers often take some in their lunch box when they go up the mountains to gather the sheep for shearing.

Bara Brith

1 cup of very strong cold tea -steep a tea bag in boiling water for at least 15 minutes and let it go cold.
4 tbsp marmalade
1 cup of golden raisins
Soak the above ingredients together for about an hour and then add:
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups self-rising flour
2 beaten eggs
good pinch of allspice

Instructions
Mix the ingredients well and put into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked at 300deg F.
You can add chopped walnuts or pecans, Glace cherries. even chopped apple or mashed banana to add moistness. Serve well buttered - delicious!

Susan
New Boston, NH.