Perishky

Time for a good "summer in winter" treat ...

A family favorite recipe that my  mom used to make is posted on the MGCC blog 

here

It is a pastry that gets mixed like a pie crust.

I used frozen plums here.

The pastry gets rolled out and cut it into strips or squares,

filled with fruit and a sugar/flour mix,

then pinched shut.

I pinch it in waves so it doesn't open as easily while baking.

I like to freeze these for a quick, warm, freshly baked dessert.

Some call it pie by the yard. 

And ... I finally found a way to import a video from my phone,

so here it is for a quick peek.

 

Where have all the Children Gone?

Back in August I shared about the beginnings of a treehouse

in a post called Of Treehouses and Growing Up

It's all a memory now.

This lonely treehouse ready, 

waiting for the children

who were waiting for it to be done.

I did my own little tour of it to take some pictures.

This is the view straight ahead,

coming into the front door, the back door open.

To the right there is a staircase going up.

At the top of the staircase there is a landing 

with a rope bridge to the loft.

The loft in the dormer

above the front entrance. 

Back downstairs, out of the back door,

you get to an outdoor porch.

And a view from the rope railing

looking toward the back door.

This treehouse was designed by my H and Chris, 

the pilot who became a builder on his furlough.

A childhood memory that stays with me is one of how I 

envisioned a playhouse under an outdoor staircase.

It was fun to plan and decorate it, even if only in my imagination.

Never would I have thought that real playhouses 

would become reality once I was too old for them.

But really? 

Maybe you never are too old if you can still dream.

The kids have their own plans about what they will do,

things such as having sleepovers or decorating it, 

oblivious to the virtual reality this becomes for their Grammy

who was once a girl with playhouse dreams.

My Little Builder Man

Christmas break was a beautiful new experience for us to have Tehya stay with us,

observing on a day to day basis what a special young lady she has become. 

A couple of days after she moved back to her dorm,

I picked Jack up at pre-school and we had a few hours alone.

The feelings in the switch from oldest to youngest 

fill my heart yet again

with poignant awareness to seize the moments we have. 

Conversations are precious.

I love seeing how he organizes his thoughts and

how practical he is in his talk and play.

He seems to be okay with predictability.

Just as I am. ...

because that is how he will remember. 

We baked buns, read, made pancakes and played.

I see sweet glimpses of a mom whom he adores,

one who makes him feel special and free to make others laugh,

with obvious tendencies to want to be just like his dad.

I see both building into his life,

daily small things, time spent talking, playing and teaching -

qualities to define

the true measure of the man he will become.

For the New Year

Look at the birds of the air; 

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, 

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not much more valuable than they?

 Matthew 6:25,26

Perfect Snow Days

Much to all of our delight, snow fell on December 21.

We had one very excited girl here, sitting by the window and watching ...

asking how deep the snow has to be to build a snowman.

And the girl from Indonesia built her snowman.

A week later we headed to Manning Provincial Park to try some snow shoeing.

Last year's Christmas gifts, still new. 

One cannot help but feel awestruck 

by the beautiful trails meandering underneath tall, snow laden evergreens.

My feet and hands kept warm with disposable heat packs,

and that made me very happy.

Snow shoeing is actually very easy. You just walk like a duck. 

We loved all of it ... snow flakes softly falling, walking, hiking, sliding and a picnic in the snow.

It is so much fun to be the ones to see Tehya's joy in these new experiences. 

Time and again, she mentions how much she loves the different seasons here. 

Of course, unbeknownst to her, 

in my mind's eye I still see the little girl in my arms

18 years ago ... holding on to that moment then,

but holding on now with the knowledge that seasons of life are beautiful as well! 

 

And so this was Christmas

I'm sitting here reminiscing about the strange Christmas we had, dropping off gifts and Christmas dinner at our kids' doors. 

Jack was wondering when they would be coming to our house and daddy reminded him that they couldn't because ... remember? The sickness. 

That is something that will stay with me. He's turning four this coming week and it makes me sad that in his wonderful innocent three-year stage he's had to deal with this.

We got to see the Sawyers with Shaun's mom staying there.

She lost her dear husband three months ago and came up from CA to be with her only immediate family.

We, of course, had Tehya with us! 

About mid afternoon we all logged into zoom, for which

our Indonesia family joined us as well,

bringing in some familiar aspect to this gathering.

The kids did a bit of show and tell for us,

as well as some recitings

and something to make us laugh.

We set out on the routine we have ... opening gifts from youngest to oldest.

Then we took  a break to have our dinner and came back for the adults to open gifts,

of which Kari won the prize for being the most enthusiastic!

It is always a joy to watch her open a gift!

She could give lessons on how to show appreciation for every small detail.

It was good to see each family comfortable in their homes,

making the best of this time.

We lack nothing and we are well.

If nothing else, this Christmas has shown us that the very reason we celebrate 

cannot be taken away. 

The world Jesus was born into was dark, 

waiting for salvation from fractions and oppression.

Mary and Joseph were alone because of a Census,

no family to be with ...

yet God chose these events to bring about 

"good tidings of great joy,

which shall be for all people."

Christmas is still good news!