Turn, Turn, Turn

¹There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

²a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹What does the worker gain from his toil?

¹⁰I have seen the burden God has laid on men.

¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

¹²I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

¹³That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

¹⁴I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Ecclesiastes 3, New International Version

Where were you in November 1965? Although I was but a wee one at the time, a favourite song then (as now) was/is "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds. The tune always comes to mind this time of year as Mother Nature paints my world with vibrant colours and the leaves turn, turn, turn in the Autumn breeze. So for old times' sake, here are the Byrds:

The First Frost

O, it sets my heart a-clickin'
like the tickin' of a clock,
when the frost is on the pumkin
and the fodder's in the shock.

James Whitcomb Riley, American author and poet (1849-1916)

The weekend dawned frosty, Fall's first frost and it's ffffrigid outside!

Quilts on the Catwalk

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

Coco Chanel, French fashion designer (1883-1971)

The sisters (plus one) made their annual trek to the big city for the CreativFestival. Judging by the appearance of quilts on the catwalk and the increased number of vendors selling beautiful fabrics, patterns and funky little must-have gadgets, quilts and quilting are haute couture. It was a great day of demonstrations and inspiration and, yes, a little shopping.

Exiting the convention centre, the CN Tower was behind us and before us. It might not be Paris and its Eiffel, but the Toronto skyline is pretty impressive all the same.

Best Rx

Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come.

Never take yourself too seriously.

Og Mandino, American essayist and psychologist (1923-1996)

I spotted this "vanity plate" in a medical centre parking lot. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the urologist but I think I'd like him. I would certainly thank him for my day's chuckle. Laughter is the best medicine -- especially when you laugh at yourself.

Helping Hands

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.

Albert Pike, American poet (1809-1891)

Helen Norris told this evening's audience of church ladies that she's an ordinary person with no particular talent except for the gift of gab. I'd say she's rather exceptional having risen up from pretty dreadful conditions to create the "Helping Hands" street mission in our inner city. She began by following behind the Salvation Army's soup truck and handing out clothes and blankets from her closet to the needy. Nine years later, her mostly volunteer and donation-based organization runs an impressive programme for people who don't have to prove they're needy. Helen was once in their shoes and her motto is, "Reaching out, one hand at a time, with love and respect." I was moved by her story and thankful for the chance to hear her mission. What an inspiration it is to learn of ordinary people doing amazing things for the benefit of others!

In fact, I was so moved by Helen and Helping Hands that I neglected to think about taking a photo for the Chocolate Box. So today's photo is of the Caramelized Pear Gingerbread that Mom and I made for the potluck. Since a couple of people this evening asked me for the recipe, I figured it was something I should share on the blog. It's easy and perfect for fall gatherings.

Caramelized Pear Gingerbread

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
3 large, firm-ripe pears, such as Bosc, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (we used 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and allspice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cane syrup or molasses (we used molasses -- I love molasses!)
3/4 cup boiling water
5 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger (located with the candied fruits in your grocery store)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the pears and cook until the pears are tender and slightly caramelized, but still retain their shape, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. (You may need to cook the pears in 2 batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.) When the pears begin to have a nice color on both sides, add the brown sugar and pecans and cook, stirring gently, to coat the pears with the sugar. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Note: don't let the mixture cool too much because it solidifies like toffee.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and using the 2 teaspoons of butter, lightly grease a 10-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides. Arrange the slightly cooled pears and pecans in a single layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Pour any syrup from caramelizing into the cake pan as well.

3. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, pumpkin pie spice (nutmeg and allspice), and cinnamon. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, molasses, and boiling water. Add sugar mixture to the flour mixture, blending just until combined. Fold the crystallized ginger into the batter and pour into the prepared pan over the pears.

4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake portion comes out clean. Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for 5 to 7 minutes. Place a large plate or cake stand on top of the cake and carefully invert the cake. Cool slightly and serve with Molasses Ice Cream (recipe on FoodNetwork.com) or whipped cream (which is very fine).

Source: An Emeril Lagasse recipe provided on the FoodNetwork website.

Sugar and Spice + All Things Nice

Sugar + Spice + Raisins = Love

Comforting aromas of sugar and cinnamon wafted from the kitchen as Mom commenced her baking for the upcoming Christmas bazaar. Is there anything that epitomizes the love of hearth and home more than a warm oatmeal raisin cookie shared fresh from the oven? Not for me. Grandma baked love into each one of her cookies and Mom continues the tradition.

Surprisingly, I couldn't find a quotation extolling the wholesome pleasure and goodness of oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon and raisins. I did, however come across this thoughtful poem to share:

The Cookie Thief
by Valerie Cox in “A Matter of Perspective”

A woman was waiting at an airport one night,
With several long hours before her flight.
She hunted for a book in the airport shops.
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies and watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I would blacken his eye."

With each cookie she took, he took one too,
When only one was left, she wondered what he would do.
With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other,
She snatched it from him and thought... oooh, brother.
This guy has some nerve and he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show any gratitude!

She had never known when she had been so galled,
And sighed with relief when her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat,
Then she sought her book, which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned in despair,
The others were his, and he tried to share.
Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings and your problems.

If your problems outnumber your blessings, count again . . .

Chances are the things that you take for granted were not added up.

Rishika Jain, Indian poet

Since the feast days of my childhood, I have loved pulling out Mom's china and silver, putting the extra leaves in the table, and spreading out a long tablecloth. Today we gathered around the special table setting for Thanksgiving lunch. Blessed with abundant good food and good family we caught up on recent happenings and reminisced about all kinds of things: generations of babies in "Jolly Jumpers", road trips, babysitters and teachers, and loved ones who are with us in spirit. We have so much to be thankful for.

Yesterday a young soloist gifted the congregation with moving song "Thankful", composed by D. Foster, R. Page and C.B. Sager and here performed by Josh Groban:

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!