Elementary School Chicks

There are joys which long to be ours. God sends ten thousands truths, which come about us like birds seeking inlet; but we are shut up to them, and so they bring us nothing, but sit and sing awhile upon the roof, and then fly away. ~Henry Ward Beecher

What I've Learned: The Best Way Aunt Knows to Pick Up Chicks.
What I always forget, dear Reader, until spring comes 'round again is how wonderful it has been to grow up in a family that keeps farm animals. I'm 34 now, a responsible, upstanding adult who dutifully rushes off to work each morning in chandelier earrings and returns many hours later, her mind full of what was accomplished and what still needs to be done. I breeze into the house, deflecting canine affection, and drop keys on the desk while juggling ipod, cell phone & purse. The same dull routine every night.

But God blessed me with a family whose unabashed philosophy about loving all forms of life is best explained in hyphenated phrases like: go-with-the-flow, we-had-a-change-in-plan & okay-this-is-what-happened. There have been countless times when a new baby goat, lamb or other critter in need of special care has come to stay at the house for a few days or weeks. Animals in need just appear in a crate in the garage, mudroom or kitchen. Which is why I only do a brief double-take when I come through the door and hear peeping coming from a large cardboard box on the kitchen counter.

Peering into the box, I see 20 adorable assorted baby chicks, all staring dubiously up at me. They're fully-outfitted with a tiny feeder, watering station and a red-glowing heat lamp. The driveway is empty and no one else is home. There's no obvious explanation for a box of chicks. At most other homes, this might seem strange. But at Aunt's house, one simply remembers that ah, yes, it's spring and the parade of baby animals has begun.

A day or two later, I peek on my way out the door and, suddenly, there are a lot more chicks in the box. Then Aunt appears and explains the presence of peeps. It seems several local grade schools had just completed their class projects of raising chicks from eggs. With the school year ending, homes must now be found for all the chicks and Aunt is on the chick-placement list for 2 different school districts. As hobby farmers, getting 50 or so chicks a pop at no cost makes fine business sense. So, here we are: 70-plus chicks cute as a button and free to good home. Our new Future Egg-Layers of America.

"It's the best way I know to pick up chicks," says Aunt, the 7th grade English teacher.

It might just be the best way I know to live too.

Quote courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Soup Course, Thanksgiving Dinner, November 25th, 2010

Today's Joy: Thanksgiving Dinner with the Family.
Reader, I've been looking forward to this Thanksgiving holiday for weeks. A whole lot of planning & delegating resulted in the most relaxed Turkey Day ever. Every dish that came out of the kitchen was perfectly done & more delish than the last. Had a wonderful time visiting with everyone--I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. So many blessings to be thankful for!


Table Setting



Plate Of Joy
(clockwise from top: greenbean casserole, yukon gold mashed potatoes w/gravy, mussels, stuffing, oyster stuffing, scallop & shrimp scampi (center), cornbread & turkey)


Place Setting

Enjoying Old Photos

Buffet & Serving Pieces

Mom & I at the Midnight Premiere of
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1


Today's Joy: Embracing the Nut Within.
All right, Reader. I try very hard in my lovely little blog not to overwhelm you with in-depth ramblings on my specific hobbies, else my posts begin to bore those of you who don't love orchids, cooking and holiday decorating quite as obsessively as I do. Still, you know the desire to ramble on is there, just as I know you long to acquaint me with the minute particulars of the things you love best. We can't help being passionate about our passions, after all. Don't you find, sometimes, when you meet someone new that it takes all your self-control not to wax poetic for 20 minutes about the activities you love? If not, I salute you.

Still, our pet projects are so much a part of who we are and what brings us joy that they can't be over-looked in a balanced life. So, consider this fair warning. I'm about to talk some Harry Potter.

My mother is about as big a Harry Potter fan as you will find outside the Rowling family. We have both enjoyed the books immensely and always go to the theatre to see the latest film versions when they come out--usually attending the midnight premiere. Last night was no exception.

Brother, Mom & I all attended the premiere of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1. The movie was extremely well done and far exceeded our expectations. By splitting it into 2 parts, the film makers were finally able to truly delve into the nuances of the book's storyline. Thus, all of the things that made it such a great book were well-showcased in the movie. This was definitely a book lover's film.

This was also the first premiere that Mom & I dressed up for. (Yes, I am that geeky about this.)Thanks to Aunt Chef's fabulous, costume-quality, handmade hats, we drew stares from the moment we entered the building and received many compliments. Mom was all aglow with excitement. From the moment we took our seats up in the highest row (didn't want anyone to have to sit behind our hats--they were both over 1 ft tall), we became part of this mass of die hard fans. It was like the whole theatre turned into one great, big Harry Potter single celled organism. We all laughed and cried and cheered as one. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. And we left doubly excited for the last Harry Potter premiere.

So, my suggestion for you today, Reader, is embrace whatever gets your inner geek in a tizzy. Life goes by so fast and that nutty thing you put off doing or don't allow yourself to enjoy now, may soon become out of reach or out of vogue or forgotten when life suddenly puts a curve in your path. When I am ready to move on from this existence, I won't remember the exact date of each movie premiere or the theatre we were at. But I will remember how much joy it brought to share them with my mother and how fabulous we looked in our hats.

Today's Joy: A Favorite Sunday Night Ritual.
Spent the day doing the right thing, Reader. Taking care of some things I had put off and getting ready for the week ahead. After working hard all afternoon, I walked in the door and flopped down in a comfy chair just in time to hear Aunt say the magic words: "We're going to Red Ox for dinner."

It's become a tradition over the years that on certain Sunday evenings--after a horse show or a hard day's work, we gather at our favorite local restaurant to enjoy a meal we didn't have to cook and some quality time with friends. It just so happens, we're very blessed to have the perfect family-owned eatery just up the road.

The Red Ox offers a cozy, small town feel while still boasting an excellent menu. Nearly every dish is worth recommending. Great entrees, piping-hot bread, delish garlic mashed potatoes and even a fresh, mild & creamy bleu cheese dressing, that turns a run-of-the-mill salad into something much better. Sunday night means prime rib on special. The toughest choice of the night? Queen's Cut or the 2 1/2-inch thick King Cut. "As rare as you can serve it," Aunt always says. We're definitely a red meat crowd.

Then, as we sip iced tea and the soup & salads arrive, we settle back and recount the day--our successes and adventures, as well as the less-than-successful and the unintentionally hilarious. We laugh and enjoy just being together. At some point, somebody always orders a dirty martini, extra dirty. And somebody else always asks what makes it dirty.

Many of my favorite memories are from Sunday nights at the Red Ox. They are part of the social fabric of my life here. I can't think of a better way to round out a busy weekend or get ready for the week ahead. And as we amble out to the parking lot afterwards, to-go boxes tucked under our arms, there is more laughter and a chorus of Good Nights! These are the moments that come to mind when I think about how nice it is to be home.

Grace, Me, Aunt & Mom

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip.
~ Author Unknown

Today's Joy: Birthday Celebration.
We've had an incomparable day, Reader. Today is my 34th birthday and it has been the loveliest one I've had in a while. I decided to be proactive this year and plan something that all the girls would enjoy. Viola! Enter this summer's grand-opening of Charming Charlie at Yorktown Center in Lombard, IL.

We set off to have a splendid adventure. First we met to peruse all the accessory fabulousness at Charming Charlie. Hours later, we emerged laden with handbags, scarves, boots and, of course, myriad pieces of gorgeous (and inexpensive!) jewelry: rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces galore!

The Mothership Has Called Us Home

Then, as we were ravenous from all that mega-shopping, it was off to find a place for lunch. Aunt Chef spotted something promising down the square and so we discovered the culinary joy that is the Flat Top Grill. It's a rather swanky place when you walk in the door, but don't let that fool you--the food is as affordable as it is delicious.

Once seated, you write your name on a little paddle and head to the buffet, where you design your own gourmet stir-fry from a large spread of veggies, tender, marinated meats and over a dozen sauces. Once you've made your selection, you stick your paddle in the top of your bowl like a flag on Mt. Everest, hand it over to the grill chef and return to your table. In 10-15 minutes, your personal culinary creation arrives, piping hot, to your table where all conversation stops as everyone dives into taste nirvana.


The Fabulous Miss Elle

After lunch, we dispersed with full tummies. On the way home, Mom, Aunt & I stopped at Planter's Palette, a beautiful & creatively-inspired garden center on Rt. 38 in Winfield, IL. Walking among rows and rows of sale plants and lush tropicals was the perfect finish to a wonderful day. Thank you to everyone who came along to share the joy!


Aunt (An English Teacher in Her Natural Habitat)

The Girls' 1st Trip to Charming Charlie

Aunt Chef Having a Ball

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.

~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Aunt & Poodle, Driving Portrait

Today's Joy: Photo Editing.

Whew! Went thru all the photos I took using both cameras yesterday, Reader. There are approximately 1,000 images in all. Of course, most are bunk. But around 230 are worth editing and about 15-20 of those I'm actually quite pleased with. Lately, have been trying to upload my photos on an almost daily basis to reduce the amount of large-scale uploads that I normally post to my flickr site. It works wonders, except when I cover fun family adventures like yesterday's driving show.

I really enjoy snapping shots of my family as they whoop it up in all their technicolor fabulousness. They are such original characters, I couldn't have made them up! Much better to just follow along and catch their antics on film. So, once in a while, several hours of sitting in a chair, squinting at the computer screen to make sure each shot is cropped right and the colors reflect things just as I remember them is worth the stiff back and flat bottom I inevitably get.

Few things are better than hitting play on a photo slideshow and watching everyone smile & laugh as they see themselves the way I see them. They are so colorful and vital. I suspect it will be my life's work to capture that essence in photos. Good thing I have a good camera and they always have a new adventure on the horizon. Wonder what they'll come up with next...

KB & Rosie

Today's Joy: The ADS (American Driving Society) Show.
I am posting this quite late, dear Reader, only because our grueling show schedule caused a major back-up in my photo editing. And I refuse to present unfit images for your perusal. But, at last, they are done! I'm quite pleased and hope you enjoy this little peek at an amazing driving show. As you will see, we had a ball. Dressing in period attire and showing off your reinsmanship in front of a judge can be serious stuff. Fortunately, with this crowd, it's just seriously fun.


Uncle is the Ralph Lauren of our Set


Aunt & Aunt Chef show off their millinery creations

Aunt Chef's Fabulous Hat

Aunt & Poodle Await the Carriage Dog Class

Mr. Superintendent's first show!

Uncle & Julia going into the Carriage Dog Class

Mr. Superintendent & Ginger

Dreamer, Aunt Chef & Weiner await the Carriage Dog Class

Aunt & Super Charge strut their stuff!

Uncle & Fred

The Incomparable Grace driving Sarah

Aunt finishes the cross-country course.

Aunt Chef & Uncle doing what they love best.

Mr. Superintendent & Ginger finish cross-country.

Aunt Chef & Dreamer race through the last gate!

Uncle tries out a new look.

Today's Joy: Mom, Brother, The Sorcerer's Apprentice & Me.
Having Mondays off has been such a blessing, Reader. With all the activities my family manages to squeeze into the weekends, I need a whole extra day just to recoup and do all the things I should have done instead of going out with them, having a marvelous time. Of course, I'd rather be out having a marvelous time, so Mondays are my new favorite day of the week.

Today, I did some final edits on my new bookmark designs (should have a sneak peek of those for you next week) and then went to the movies with Mom & Brother. Have decided I adore going to the movies on a Monday afternoon. There are no lines and you practically have the theatre all to yourself. I mooched a few of Brother's pretzel bites (yum!) and a handful or two of Mom's popcorn. Brother & I made our usual bet about how many previews there would be before the movie starts. He invariably chooses five and is often correct. I pick either four or six and every once in a while, I win. It's a pointless little thing we do to amuse ourselves, but we still do it. Gotta love those little movie rituals.

Anyway, we settled in to watch a scruffy Nicolas Cage, dressed in a Harry-Potter-meets-The-Matrix outfit, attempt to teach a wussy physics nerd to be the most powerful sorcerer in history all the while saving the world and, of course, the girl. Alfred Molina played the deliciously-evil villain. Lots of action and lots of fun, though our nerdy young "hero" leaves much to be desired (I miss the days of Mr. Darcy-esque protagonists). But all in all, a great way to wile away the afternoon.

Is there a summer movie you've been wanting to see, Reader? What better time to tootle on down to the air-conditioned theatre? Think of me when you're watching the previews. ;-)

Peach-stuffed Pork Loin

Peach-stuffed Pork Loin ready to go in the oven.

Today's Joy: Culinary Success!
Reader, as you can see from the photos, my peach-inspired summer dinner was a raging success! A lot of work went into it, but oh, it was fun! And I learned several new skills. I butterflied a piece of meat and stuffed, rolled & tied it for roasting--all for the first time ever! Thanks to the easy instructions in my July, 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living, I was very pleased with the results.


Right out of the oven.

As promised yesterday, here is the Peach-stuffed Pork recipe I used. While pretty labor-intensive, it was totally delicious and well worth the effort. I found it much more manageable to break the prep up over a couple days. Please note: I did alter the recipe a tad from the original posted in MSL. I added ground ginger to the seasoning mix and increased some of the ingredient quantities to accommodate a more generously-sized pork loin.

Peach-stuffed Pork (courtesy of Martha Stewart Living: July, 2010)
For instructions on how to dry fresh peaches or make your own quick & easy peach glaze, click here.

1 cup water
9 peaches, dried, or 6 ounces store-bought dried peaches
1 boneless pork loin (2 1/2 lbs.), trimmed
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tbl. all-purpose flour (for dusting)

#1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Bring water to a boil in small saucepan.
Coarsely chop dried peaches and add to water.
Return to a boil.
Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes.
Remove peaches using a slotted spoon and squeeze; reserve liquid (can be added to your pre-made glaze).

#2 Butterfly pork loin: starting 3/4 inch from top of loin, make a horizontal cut into side, slicing through meat in short strokes and leaving about 1 inch intact at outer edge.
Unfold meat as if opening a book.
Cut a vertical slit 3/4-inch deep at seam, and repeat to make a horizontal cut in the opposite direction.
Pound to an even thickness with meat mallet.

#3 Stir together a seasoning mix of salt, pepper, ginger & clove and sprinkle over pork loin.
Spread drained peaches over pork, leaving a 1-inch border on one short end.
Roll up pork from short end to enclose filling.
Tie together with kitchen twine to shape and hold in filling.
Sprinkle with seasoning mixture; dust with flour.
Place in a roasting pan, seam side down.

#4 Roast pork for 20 minutes.
Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 138 degrees, about 25 minutes more.
Brush with glaze and roast for 5 more minutes.
Transfer pork to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes.
Brush with glaze again.
Untie pork; cut into 1-inch-thick slices.
Serve with extra glaze on side.

This dish appeals to a wide range of palettes, from the meat & potatoes crowd to our fastidious foodies. It also gave me some ideas for how to adapt summer fruits like peaches, mangoes & papayas to dishes involving chicken or fish. Will keep you posted on those results too.


A lovely summer meal: peach-stuffed pork loin, oregano roasted potatoes & fresh steamed asparagus.

For Oregano Roasted Potatoes recipe, click here.

First patio dinner of the season.

Thank you, my dear family, for being such a joy to cook for!

Reception under the tent.

Today's Joy: Love & A Wedding.
Reader, when Aunt was asked by a dear friend & colleague to do the flowers for her wedding, she was delighted to say yes. Today, weeks of planning culminated in a beautiful ceremony and reception for the lovely couple.

It was my joy to be able to help with the flower arranging and set-up and then to take photographs of this love-filled event. It was wonderful to see the couple so happy with their friends and family gathered around. You knew, being a part of their wedding, that it truly was a joyous moment for all involved. Such a blessing!


Bride & Groom listen to a reading by the Groom's Father.

The Kiss.

Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. ~Zelda Fitzgerald

Quote courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Fred, the Belgian Draft, Headshot.

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.
~Winston Churchill

Today's Joy (Part II): Watching the Family Share What They Love Most.
Reader, today was a wonderful opportunity for me to follow on foot and photograph my family & friends participating in the Homecoming Celebration at St. James Farm. What a honor for them to be asked to show their horses and ponies for the public and in honor of this amazing facility, which has hosted innumerable world-class equestrian events over the years.

They were all having such a good time, I wanted to capture every moment! Below are a few of my favorite shots from the day. More highlights of the Homecoming Celebration are available here.


Uncle & Fred in the royal blue buggy.


Little Man, Priscilla & Cousin resting before the parade.

Aunt, A Driving Portrait.

Aunt Chef & Bibiena, one of the original St. James Lipizzans.

A little love before we go in the arena.

The horse is God's gift to mankind. ~Arabian Proverb

The lovely Grace & Sarah, the Suffolk Punch.

Feeling down? Saddle up. ~Author Unknown

Little Man, Priscilla & Cousin demonstrate Lead Line for the crowd.

Aunt makes a very pretty picture driving Super Charge, her welsh pony (2006 Roadster Pony of the Year).

Even an E-type Jaguar looks merely flash beside a really smart pony and trap.

~Marion C. Garretty

Cousin warms up her American Quarter Horse mare, Decka, for the barrels & flags demonstration.

To me, horses and freedom are synonymous. ~Veryl Goodnight

At four years old, Little Man is already riding Priscilla, the pony Santa brought him for Christmas, all by himself.

The incomparable Grace dressed to the nines and showing off her custom-made wicker cart.

Uncle & Fred, the Belgian Draft, showing off their moves.

Aunt & Charge working for the crowd.

Aunt Chef long lining Bibiena. Purchased by Brooks McCormick as a two year-old, Bibiena was part of the celebrated St. James Farm Lipizzan four-up for many years. Now semi-retired, Bibiena enjoys a leisurely life & the occasional show with Aunt Chef.

Julie & her Arabian mare, Breezy, represent their favorite discipline, Competitive Trail Riding.

Little Man leaves the arena after demonstrating his newly-acquired riding skills.

In my opinion, a horse is the animal to have. Eleven-hundred pounds of raw muscle, power, grace, and sweat between your legs - it's something you just can't get from a pet hamster. ~Author Unknown

Cousin exits the arena after wowing the crowd with her barrel pattern & flag run. Her 16 year-old AQHA mare, Decka, routinely performs a 7-second flag run.

Grace & her husband Peter enjoy visiting.

Kelly & her Clydesdale-Morgan cross, Toby, move out for the crowd.

Cathy & Harry, Kelly's parents & lifelong horsemen, enter the arena as part of the Fox Valley Saddle Association & Hub Club contingent.

Horse Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.