I'm getting ready for my very first trip to NYC this summer! My son in law sent me an email to tell me what to expect. Being a wordsmith by his trade, he's a journalist for the Associated Press, he gave me such a poetic description of the city. This is the city through the eyes of a native Arizonan. I wanted to share this with you since we are trying our hand at "creative writing" this year. I hope to see you all at the August 3rd meeting and then I'll be leaving on a jet plane on the 8th. Enjoy the following excerpt from my daughter's husband as he paints a picture of the the big city....
As our first family visitor, you're going to get the royal treatment. And I'm not overstating it when I say it will be a cultural experience. In some ways, New York is the complete opposite of Phoenix. Everything is clustered together. There are skyscrapers on every block. In some areas it gets so dense that they blot out the sun. Downtown is basically a maze of man-made canyons, and even after six months I still catch myself gawking at the rooftops like a tourist, amazed at the size of this city. Down below, the sidewalks and subway cars are usually packed with people. We don't "walk" here. We push, squeeze, force our way through the city. The streets are usually crowded, but nobody lets it slow them down. At rush hour, traveling on the subway is an intimate experience. You're packed shoulder-to-shoulder, back-to-belly with hundreds of other people -- and some didn't shower that morning. I think this was the biggest adjustment for me. It took a long time to get comfortable with the daily assaults on my personal space. But it's no big deal here. In the subways, you'll find businessmen in suits, tramply little teens, homeless people, tourists and more all riding together underground. When the subway jostles left and right, we sway together, holding each other upright, like a family. New Yorkers have their own language too. For example, you never say you're going north or south. It's "uptown" or "downtown." East and west are both "crosstown." If you say you live "in the city," it almost always means Manhattan. People from Brooklyn say they're from Brooklyn. People from the Bronx say they live in the Bronx, etc. And a slice of cheese pizza isn't called "cheese." It's a "plain" slice.
We can't wait to show you around. We live in a quieter part of the city. I'm sure Steph has sent lots of pictures. She found us a cool apartment that's a block away from Central Park, which is so nice. It's the best park in the world. You'll see. There's a huge lake and a boathouse (with cheap beer!) and there are trails going everywhere. On the west side, there's an outdoor theatre where actors like Anne Hathaway stage Shakespeare plays, and during the summer the New York philharmonic and other music groups play on the Great Lawn. All around, dancers and guitar pickers and hot dog venders compete for your attention. It's a great place for a picnic. At night, you can hire a horse-drawn carriage to take you around the park.
If I were you, I'd make sure to bring comfortable shoes. We do a lot of walking here.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Montana Rose Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Psa. 34:18 (NIV) “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Audrey walked quickly down the hall to her bedroom. On the way, she decided to change into a pair of gray slacks and a white short-sleeved dress shirt. There were many days living on the ranch she wore jeans. Thankfully, the wedding business gave her a reason to dress up. After changing clothes, she ran in her office to pick up a wedding catalog, sitting on the chair was the diary. She just could not resist reading the next entry.
Diary entry 17 July 1903
“Today I felt the first flutter of the baby inside of me. What a feeling knowing that mine and Marcus' baby is growing! Marcus says it does not matter whether the baby is a boy or girl. Thinking about all of this, reminds me of the secret my friend Alicia shared with me a few weeks ago. She had come over so the two of us could visit over a cup of coffee. I immediately knew something was wrong – her red rimmed eyes gave it away. She looked heartbroken and vulnerable. Nothing like what I thought of her a few years ago. After Alicia sat down at the dining room table, I urged her to talk to me. She looked hesitant at first, but then said, “I can't hold my secret inside any longer Abbey.” It was that day she shared with me a secret no one could ever know. Alicia told the story of what happened before we became friends and around the time Bradley Wellington left town.
That cloudy day in August, Alicia had asked Bradley to meet her at Bitterroot Creek which flowed on the east side of town. They were standing in the shade, under the massive tree where they shared their first kiss. Alicia grabbed both of Bradley's hands and shared the news – she was pregnant. Expecting that he would be happy and insist they get married immediately, but instead he instantly blamed her and yelled that he was leaving town. After all, he had plans – plans that did not involve sticking around here, in some small town. He had no desire to live in Montana, but instead had his sights set on moving far away, to a big city like Denver. He had never told his plans to his father or his brother. After all they wouldn't understand. They were content to stay here. He wasn't going to let anyone, even Alicia, stand in his way. He spouted off all of this and turned away from Alicia. Then hopped back on his horse, which he had rode there and galloped away. Alicia screamed after him, pleading for Bradley to come back. Later that day, she was feeling desperate and walked all the way to the Wellington home. When she got there she found that she was not the only one left crying – Bradley's mother answered the door only to inform her that he was gone.
Three weeks later, Alicia had lost at least ten pounds, she could not eat or sleep. Her mother and father thought she would eventually get over losing her longtime boyfriend. They meant well, both of them worried and prayed for their daughter, but neither one knew about the secret she carried inside of her. One cool summer night she was awakened by a horrific pain ripping through her body. That night she lost the baby. After falling into a deep sleep, Alicia woke up with plans of her own. Ever since she could remember, she had dreamt of becoming a nurse. But now the profession had taken on new meaning. Her hope was that one day she could save someone's baby to make up for the one she had lost.”
Just as she had finished reading that entry, Jamie walked into the room and nodded, “Oh, I see what's been keeping you.” as he spotted the diary in her hand. Audrey put down the diary, and as she did, spotted a slip of paper under her desk that looked like it had fallen there. She pushed it into the pocket of her pants to look at later, and walked down the hall ready to go. Ms. Conrad was famous for her peach pie, and she bet that was what she had made tonight for their little meeting.
By: Andrea Axness
Psa. 34:18 (NIV) “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Audrey walked quickly down the hall to her bedroom. On the way, she decided to change into a pair of gray slacks and a white short-sleeved dress shirt. There were many days living on the ranch she wore jeans. Thankfully, the wedding business gave her a reason to dress up. After changing clothes, she ran in her office to pick up a wedding catalog, sitting on the chair was the diary. She just could not resist reading the next entry.
Diary entry 17 July 1903
“Today I felt the first flutter of the baby inside of me. What a feeling knowing that mine and Marcus' baby is growing! Marcus says it does not matter whether the baby is a boy or girl. Thinking about all of this, reminds me of the secret my friend Alicia shared with me a few weeks ago. She had come over so the two of us could visit over a cup of coffee. I immediately knew something was wrong – her red rimmed eyes gave it away. She looked heartbroken and vulnerable. Nothing like what I thought of her a few years ago. After Alicia sat down at the dining room table, I urged her to talk to me. She looked hesitant at first, but then said, “I can't hold my secret inside any longer Abbey.” It was that day she shared with me a secret no one could ever know. Alicia told the story of what happened before we became friends and around the time Bradley Wellington left town.
That cloudy day in August, Alicia had asked Bradley to meet her at Bitterroot Creek which flowed on the east side of town. They were standing in the shade, under the massive tree where they shared their first kiss. Alicia grabbed both of Bradley's hands and shared the news – she was pregnant. Expecting that he would be happy and insist they get married immediately, but instead he instantly blamed her and yelled that he was leaving town. After all, he had plans – plans that did not involve sticking around here, in some small town. He had no desire to live in Montana, but instead had his sights set on moving far away, to a big city like Denver. He had never told his plans to his father or his brother. After all they wouldn't understand. They were content to stay here. He wasn't going to let anyone, even Alicia, stand in his way. He spouted off all of this and turned away from Alicia. Then hopped back on his horse, which he had rode there and galloped away. Alicia screamed after him, pleading for Bradley to come back. Later that day, she was feeling desperate and walked all the way to the Wellington home. When she got there she found that she was not the only one left crying – Bradley's mother answered the door only to inform her that he was gone.
Three weeks later, Alicia had lost at least ten pounds, she could not eat or sleep. Her mother and father thought she would eventually get over losing her longtime boyfriend. They meant well, both of them worried and prayed for their daughter, but neither one knew about the secret she carried inside of her. One cool summer night she was awakened by a horrific pain ripping through her body. That night she lost the baby. After falling into a deep sleep, Alicia woke up with plans of her own. Ever since she could remember, she had dreamt of becoming a nurse. But now the profession had taken on new meaning. Her hope was that one day she could save someone's baby to make up for the one she had lost.”
Just as she had finished reading that entry, Jamie walked into the room and nodded, “Oh, I see what's been keeping you.” as he spotted the diary in her hand. Audrey put down the diary, and as she did, spotted a slip of paper under her desk that looked like it had fallen there. She pushed it into the pocket of her pants to look at later, and walked down the hall ready to go. Ms. Conrad was famous for her peach pie, and she bet that was what she had made tonight for their little meeting.
By: Andrea Axness
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Moravian Sugar Cake
I am attempting the recipe for Moravian Sugar Cake and hope to bring to our meeting this month. Wish me luck!
Helen Bomberger's Moravian Sugar Cake
Sugar Cake:
1 package (or cake) yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup Crisco® shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup scalded milk
3-1/2 cups flour
1 egg
Add yeast to lukewarm water, set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Add mashed potatoes and salt. Add yeast water to cooled milk and add that to mixture. Add flour and mix until it forms a solid dough. Knead the dough until smooth. Place dough in large greased bowl, cover with cloth, set in warm place. Let dough rise 3-4 hours, until it doubles in size. Pat out dough in 2 greased 9 x 13 pans and let rise again for another 1 1/2 hours. Punch holes across the top of the dough in 2-inch intervals. Fill holes with bits of butter and cover with crumb topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes two 9x13 pans.
Crumb Topping:
1/2 pound brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter in small bits
© 2000 Liz Curtis Higgs
Helen Bomberger's Moravian Sugar Cake
Sugar Cake:
1 package (or cake) yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup Crisco® shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup scalded milk
3-1/2 cups flour
1 egg
Add yeast to lukewarm water, set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Add mashed potatoes and salt. Add yeast water to cooled milk and add that to mixture. Add flour and mix until it forms a solid dough. Knead the dough until smooth. Place dough in large greased bowl, cover with cloth, set in warm place. Let dough rise 3-4 hours, until it doubles in size. Pat out dough in 2 greased 9 x 13 pans and let rise again for another 1 1/2 hours. Punch holes across the top of the dough in 2-inch intervals. Fill holes with bits of butter and cover with crumb topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes two 9x13 pans.
Crumb Topping:
1/2 pound brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter in small bits
© 2000 Liz Curtis Higgs
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