Stillmeadow Friends

 

 

Dear Gladys Taber fans,

This is the first entry I have made here and it seems fitting that today is also February 1st

 

To all of you who had given up on me, I'm back. These past few years have been really hard for me. My parent's health declined and I spent a lot of time flying back and forth to North Wales, helping to take care of them. Then they died within a year of one another.

 

People handle loss in different ways, some reach out for others to help them through the pain. Some just gather themselves up and go on, but some simply put their head under their wing and withdraw from things they love doing best. This is what happened to me. I felt so sad and lonely.

 

I missed them so much and the things that gave me joy no longer seemed to matter any more. However, my deep love and appreciation for Gladys Taber and her books never dimmed, it was just put on the back-burner. Indeed, it was Gladys' quiet wisdom and sensibility that brought me through many a dark time.

 

I lost my father Jan 25, 2002 and my mother Feb 6, 2003.  But this year, on the anniversaries of their passing, instead of being sorrowful, I am doing what they would surely want me to do and that is to celebrate their lives and get back into living my own life.

I can only imagine what my Mum would say to me now if she knew how I had been feeling. She would have plenty to say!

 

So, I'm back! I'm re-designing the site and have opened this journal to keep you up-to-date and informed of it's development. My good friend Shelley will be posting here too.

 

Shelley and I share a lot in common and we have known each other for years. We look forward to a good and entertaining rapport with one another and with you.

 

It's a cold, but beautiful day today with a bright blue sky and the sun sparkling off the snow. Mike and I went into the woods to empty the big can of woodstove ashes. I stumbled along up to my knees, and discovered all the tracks made by mysterious animals...There were deer tracks and maybe fox, and then there was a large line of tracks that came out from the woods and ended abruptly in the middle of nowhere?!

I wonder how these poor animals manage to get by over the winter months. I put food out for the birds, squirrels and chipmunks, but what of the other animals? It's a tough life for them.

 

On a cold winter's night there's nothing better than a good rib-sticking casserole served with fresh home baked bread. I have my own chili recipe simmering away in the slow cooker now. Here it is:

 

Susan's Chili Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, or turkey/pork/chicken, browned and drained

2 medium onions chopped small

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup of unpeeled zucchini chopped small

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 medium potatoes diced - peeled or unpeeled.

1/4 cup rice, any kind, but not instant. OR, 1/4 cup quick cooking barley

1 large (28oz) can of plain diced tomatoes

1 medium (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce

1 medium (15oz) can of kidney beans rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin or curry powder will do

1 tablespoon chili powder (use more or less to taste)

1/2 teaspoon of Worcester sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil or 1/3 cup of fresh, finely chopped.

Salt and pepper according to taste

 

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients together and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours of on high for 4 hours.

This could also be done in the oven at 350 deg for an hour or so in a large casserole.

Almost any vegetable on hand is good in this, carrots, sweetcorn, green beans, green or red pepper, cauliflower, etc..

Broccoli is good, but I find that adding it semi-cooked about half an hour before serving is best so it won't break up.

Try substituting one of the onions for lovely thin sliced leek, slice it right up to the light green part.

I salt and pepper it well, even though it may not be the greatest for your health, salt really brings out the flavor!

 

Take care all and please accept my apologies.

Love, Susan,

New Boston, NH.

xxx