Kentucky in November

Studying requires alot of energy & focus - so they say...

Alex - staying warm

Diana & Emily - Paint Lick, KY

Three generations: Loraine Stoughton Todd; Diana Todd Morris and Emily Morris - 2007
















Michael's chopping wood for a cozy fire...

Enjoying the farm in Paint Lick...chilly outside, cozy inside.


My father's family settled in this area over 120 years ago...Although most of the farm has been sold over the years, my parents own a little over 30 acres of beautiful bluegrass country - in the foothills, just outside Berea - folk art center of the country.

Class of 2007

Congratulations! May God be your guide every step of the way! May you always be a Christ follower, always loving others and growing in faith.

I hope you always have an inquiring mind, to learn new things and new ways of doing things. I hope you never settle for less and live each day to it's fullest. Live big, love big and give away as much as you can.

Remember, you are never alone and you are a delight!


Love always,

Your Mommy

Friends

A Night To Remember

PROM 2007

PROM TICKETS, AFTER-PROM & DINNER $$$

SHOES & DRESS $$$$




















HAIR, MAKEUP & JEWELRY $$$$$

A WONDERFUL NIGHT THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS TREASURE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE...PRICELESS!!!

Enjoy your special NIGHT! You deserve it!

Spring in Indiana

So, Emily talked me into getting my hair chopped off. It's been about five years, so I did it!
I went to Great Clips and donated my long locks. They use the hair to make wigs for cancer patients. Pretty cool idea.
What do you think?
This will be a busy month. Emily has her Senior Prom, finals and graduation! Wow! This is it. Alex has been hanging out with his buddies that have their own apt and he can't wait to have his own place. He's great! Being their mommy has to be one of the best parts of my life!

Family Fun

Riverwalk, San Antonio

The drive to San Antonio wasn't too bad. I was surprised that the road signs weren't helpful at all in knowing which exit to take, but we found our way. Downtown reminded me so much of some old cities in Brasil. There were lots of trees and squares with benches and fountains. Once you get to the Riverwalk, it's like entering a private garden. The street noise is gone and the trees, flowers and shrubs are wonderful. The walk is shaped like a "T" and part of it is much busier than the rest. Once you get close to the restaurants and the shops, it gets really crowded and noisy.
After enjoying the Riverwalk, we walked over the the Alamo. Then we stopped at a great little cafe for a snack. Heading back to the car, we enjoyed some of the old architecture. Back in the car, we headed East to Winnie, Texas for the night. Poor Michael had to drive through several hours of heavy rain. I'm so glad he was driving!

Wednesday, Caverns of Sonora

What a beautiful morning! We checked out of the hotel and drove about 7 miles west to the Caverns of Sonora. This is privately owned and has camping facilities, as well. There are deer all over. The caves were not developed for tours until many years after they had been discovered. The original opening led to a huge opening that dropped down so far, the explorers were afraid to attempt going further. I'm glad they finally found a way to get through, it's really an interesting site. Very different from the Mammoth caves in Kentucky. That's Michael, to the right.
Their website is www.cavernsofsonora.com
The tour lasted about 1 1/2 hours and the guide had alot of info to share on the history of the caves. One of the most incredible formations in the cave, was shaped liked a butterfly - but someone broke off one of the wings, so it doesn't quite look the same. What a shame!
After visiting the caves, we headed east to San Antonio. SPEED LIMIT 80 mph!! I guess because the roads are fairly straight and the distance is so great, you can really make great time.

Tuesday in Sonora, TX

Arriving late Monday in Sonora, we were soon faced with small town facts. Everything shuts down by 9:00pm. In other words, no supper. We checked in and fell asleep pretty quickly. The next morning we headed out to The Enchanted Rock. This is about 17 miles north of Fredricksburg, TX. I'd like to come back to spend a few days just visiting this quaint town and climbing the rock some more. Photos cannot do justice to the scope and magnitude of this mountain of stone. It was incredible. If you look closely to the picture up in the right corner, those little specks at the top are people. It is ginormous! It started to rain while we were up on top, so we climbed down very carefully. The flora growing on the rock was incredible. Well worth spending several days exploring. There is a campsite at the bottom of the mountain with plenty of sites and clean facilities. We drove back to Sonora and stopped by the Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. You can check it out at www.sonoratx-chamber.com
That evening we did catch supper at the local Pizza Hut and had ice-cream at Dairy Queen. Yum, yum!

Monday in Shawnee

After visiting the college, we drove down to the old Shawnee Depot. We took several pictures of the depot, the old train and an oil pump nearby. Next, we headed over to the original Van's BBQ. Delicious! Brought some sauce home with us. Their website is www.pigstands.com
We also stocked up on baking mixes from Shawnee Mills, they have great muffin mixes, corn bread and brownie mixes. With much reluctance, we said our good-byes and headed southwest to Sonora, TX.

Fun in Shawnee,OK

Sunday was such a lovely day. We spent time catching up on the news and playing with the girls. Late lunch was delicious, at a local Mexican Restaurant - huge portions! Perfect!
In the morning, we headed over to see Saint Gregory's College, where my oldest brother, Phil, works. As you can see, the campus is beautiful.
Here's another shot, Phil walking across campus after his morning class. We didn't get up early enough to sit in his class. That would've been so amazing. He has a great way of helping his students think through things that most of us take for granted.

Road Trip 2007

Wow! We are in Sonora!
We left home around 8 pm on Saturday, as soon as Michael. Loaded everybody up and headed west on I-70. it was after midnight when we drove through St Louis. The Arch was beautiful, lit up against the skyline of the city. No time to stop, so we headed southwest on I-44 to Springfield, and then onto Joplin, Mo.
I took a detour in Joplin, following the old Route 66. Parts of the road were so old, it felt like a gravel road. There were old abandoned buildings that hinted to a more prosperous time gone by, but no touristy spots along this stretch. We arrived in Miami, OK around 5:30 am. It was still pretty dark, so my photos are questionable. it appears that work is underway to spruce up the old downtown. There are several interesting buildings, but I didn't see the courthouse.
My parents were married in Miami, OK in 1962. How fun!
We jumped back on I-44 and headed towards Vinita. Stopping at the "Nation's Largest McDonald's" - a restaurant that straddles the Will Rogers Turnpike. It used to be the Glass House Restaurant. I was able to get a photo of the sun coming up(see photo above right), from the restaurant. Well, no one was quite ready for breakfast, so we headed down the road, through Tulsa and toward Chandler. There were signs of storms in the distance and Phil called to let us know we might run into rain. The rain was refreshing and lasted about the last hour of the drive. Arriving in Shawnee, we grabbed a bite to eat, then made our 1st stop - Phil and Kristen's home.
We were welcomed by happy girls, playing on the porch, watching the trees bloom and the rain fall. It was wonderful to breathe Spring fresh air and sit outside.

Road Trip 2007 - Part I

It's been almost a year since my last road trip, so it's definitely time. The last time we were all on the road together was in 2001. Two weeks. From Connecticut to Oklahoma, through Washington DC, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and back again.
This will be a special road trip for many reasons, so we're packing in alot of sights in just 8 1/2 days.

• We'll be heading out on a Saturday, by 6pm. From Indiana we'll be driving west, through Illinois to Saint Louis, MO. The Arch will welcome us, just as all the pilgrims that have gone before. That will be a good place to take a quick break, before heading southwest to Springfield, MO. Birthplace of Route '66. Coffee will come in handy about now. Continuing southwest thru Joplin, MO, where we may take a small detour on "Old Route '66" to Miami, OK. A quick drive thru Miami to get a photo of the courthouse (that's where my parents eloped, back in 1962.) We'll catch breakfast somewhere in the area, then we'll continue on thru Vinita, OK (the nation's largest McD's - it stretches over the Will Rogers Turnpike), pass by Claremore, OK (home of Will Rogers) and Catoosa, OK (home of the Blue Whale). On through Tulsa, OK until we get to Chandler, OK (there are murals on the town's buildings and an old Phillips 66 station). From Chandler, OK, we'll head south to Shawnee, OK (home of OBU and St Augustine University). About 750 miles. Time for a break. ETA 9am Sunday morning.
• Sunday in Shawnee, OK - best BBQ ever at Van's, and Shawnee Mills has wonderful muffin mixes. Load up on BBQ sauce and muffin mixes. Hang out with family.
  
• Monday morning in Shawnee, visit St Gregory U and head out after lunch. Drive through Oklahoma City, then catch 44 south to Wichita Falls, TX. Take a quick break before heading south through Abilene, TX to San Angelo, TX on 277. We'll be crossing the great Colorado River and drive by the Twin Butte Reservoir. Between Abilene and San Angelo, the terrain will start to change as we get closer to the Edwards Plateau and The Hill Country. Our stop will be Sonora, TX. About 477 miles. ETA 9pm Monday evening.

I'll be posting pictures and notes along the way, so keep checking back!

No Greater Love

Love.. what is love? Is it merely an emotion that comes and goes like the rain? Is it proud or conceited? Or is it subtle and enduring?

When I think of love, I think of long hot hazy summer days in Kansas - when the heat rolls off the pavement and sand hills, like ocean waves breaking on the beach. I think love is like the wide open blue sky that spans across the golden Kansas wheat fields and it flutters like the windmill in the late afternoon breeze.

Love takes me back to a very special place. Love leads the way past the old family farm, lost so many years ago. It leads past the empty school yard where only memories linger and on down the lane past the old gas station...Love is no longer here. It hasn't been found here for quite awhile.

Love moved on. So we followed. My mother and I. We drove past buildings, past cars, past open fields... Love led the way. It led the way down a dirt road to a small family cemetery. On this hot hazy summer afternoon, I was given a gift of love. As we sat in the cemetery, my mother shared her beautiful love story.

The story is of a young lady, born and raised in the sandy hills of Kansas. Oh yes! There are sandy hills in Kansas. One day this lovely young lady, her husband and their four young children moved far, far away from home. She left behind her sisters and brother, her family and friends. But, the hardest thing to leave behind was her beloved mother. She was her dearest friend.

And so this lovely young lady traveled far, far away, across the sea to another land. This land was very different from Kansas. With love, this young lady set about making a new home for her family. She studied hard to learn the new language and embraced this new culture. She worked hard to help her children adjust to their new home. She did it all with amazing love. Love not only for her family, but also for the millions of people in this new land who had never heard about the Greatest Gift of Love. That was her purpose for being there.

Not long after the young lady had arrived in this new land, she received news that her beloved mother was dying. Cancer was slowly taking away her life. There wasn't much time left. The young lady had to borrow the neighbor's phone, since they had none. She soon discovered how hard it would be to leave this new land. But love would find a way.

The lovely young lady packed a few things and got on a bus, all alone, and traveled for many hours to request permission to leave this new land. She would go every day to the Consulate begging for permission to leave. Days turned into weeks. No one understood the odds stacked against her. No one could see the battle that was raging. Each day her beloved mother would ask for her and wonder why she had not come. Each day she would pray and ask for help. As time drew on, the lovely young lady, who loved her mother dearly, prayed that her mother suffer no more. She couldn't bear the thought of her mother lying in pain just waiting for her to come home.

Finally, after six long weeks, the papers were issued, granting permission for the lovely young lady to fly back home to Kansas. She had her papers, she had her ticket. Love had prevailed. Or so it seemed. For when the lovely young lady called home to give them the news that she was on her way, the answer came back..."it's too late." Her dear mother had passed away.

Love... what is love? It is sacrifice, it is letting go, it is enjoying each precious moment you have, it is as deep as the blue summer sky. So I wanted to pass this on to celebrate the love my mother has given so freely in her life. Her love has been unselfish, not holding a grudge against those who could not understand why she went so far away and why she could not come back so easily. Her love has been gracious, accepting and sincere. Her life is a beautiful reflection of her Heavenly Father.

The Red Spiral Notebook - "Cake, Cookies, Pudding"

Later today, I'm going to a Coffee party at a friend's house. She asked us to bring a treat that would go well with coffee and tea. My first thought was to make a run to Starbucks for some yummy Biscotti. How ridiculous! This is a great opportunity to try out some recipes from Grandma Daisy's notebook! So, I retrieved the notebooks from my cabinet and started looking. These sound delicious:

Crunchy Coffee Cake
(looks like this was cut out from an old magazine)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Calumet Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Chiffon Margarine
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Post Grape-Nuts Cereal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, the soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl; mix well. Add sour cream, margarine, eggs, and vanilla. Blend at low speed of electric mixer or by hand; then beat1 minute at medium speed or 150 strokes by hand.
Combine cereal, 1/2 cup sugar, and the cinnamon; mix. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a greased 9-inch square pan; sprinkle with 1/3 of the cereal mixture. Continue layering, ending with the cereal. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
NOTE: If desired, this recipe may be doubled and baked in a greased 13x9 inch pan at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.

Newspaper clipping circa 1969 (Jewish month of Tishri and the start of the year 5731 in the Jewish calendar)...Apple, honey and carrot dishes in different versions are served at the Rosh Hashannah dinner. Here are a few of the best known recipes.

CARROT CAKE
1 cup carrot pulp
5 eggs seperated
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 pint cream, whipped
Cook and strain carrots; squeeze dry. Mix egg yolks, sugar and salt and beat lightly. Stir in carrot pulp and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Add chopped nuts and vanilla. Bake in spring-form pan 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool. Serve with whipped cream.

HONEY CAKE
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup boiled coffee
2 Tbsp salad oil
3 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each: baking solda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg.
2 Tbsp chopped nuts
Beat eggs well, adding sugar gradually. Mix honey and coffee, add oil and dry ingredients, sifted together. Add to beaten egg mixture. Reserve chopped nuts.
Sprinkle bottom of greased pan with nuts. Pour in dough. Bake in 350 oven 40 minutes. If desired, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts to dough.

Cut & Paste Recipes from Grandma Daisy

One of my most precious possessions is a collection of three small 9 1/2 inch x 6 inch spiral notebooks. One is red, one is blue and one is green. Each one is worn from decades of use. Each one is bulging with hand picked recipes from across the span of my Grandma Daisy's life as a new wife in late 1930's, mother in the 1940's, hostess, Grandmother and active member of many committees, including DAR.
Although I have also inherited my Grandma Daisy's Good Housekeeping CookBook, Third Printing, 1955, and her Betty Crocker's Picture CookBook, Seventh Printing, 1950, these are not nearly as dear to me. When I think of her putting these spiral notebooks together over the years, testing out different styles and tastes, I feel like a piece of time has been preserved.
The red spiral is titled "Cake, Cookies, Pudding" across the cover and she taped a vintage drawing by Louise Howe Ewing that depicts a cheerful lady rolling out dough on a simple table, surrounded by various baking supplies. I believe it was part of a greeting card.

The Red Spiral Notebook


The blue spiral is the fullest one, newspaper clippings hanging over the edges. This one is titled "Bread, Candies, Soups, Pickles". The green spiral is titled "Meat, Chicken, Fish, Sauce, Salads, Vegetable". Although each spiral had it's own title, I have found that several recipes are mixed around in other spirals. You just may find a wonderful recipe for "Chinese Chicken Livers" in the blue spiral, which you would expect to find in the green instead. I guess that's one of the benefits of compiling your own recipes, you make the rules.

Twisted turns on the Path

So here the path takes another twisted turn. The way is rough and dark. I've had to sell my home and close my business, letting go of dreams. In times like this I hold tight to the essentials of life, my children, my story, my faith. It's hard not to loose a sense of who I am and where I'm going. Stumbling along, grasping for something solid.
A faint voice across the years reaches out to say I have not been forgotten, that I do matter. Somehow I'm getting up again, dusting off my knees and focusing my sight on tommorow. Re-energized to never give up and never give in. It is only high noon and there's still so much to see and do.
Another voice invites me to consider other options, helping re-build confidence in my abilities. Yes! I do have alot to offer. I do have compassion and empathy, love and tenderness. Life is callous at times, but I don't have to become that way. I would rather suffer because of my kindness and generosity, then have abundance through greed and selfishness.
As I venture out looking for new opportunities, I can already feel revitalized, full of possibilities and a smoother path.

Just To Be

I am a pilgrim on a journey. The road is mapped out ahead, but I can only see a few yards in the distance. One step at a time I boldly move with anticipation and curiosity. Sometimes I face pain around a corner, other times I am overwhelmed with kindness. In my pack, I carry a precious trove of memories. As I close my eyes to rest, I am reminded of friendly faces and peaceful places from years before. Each person has impressed me, contributed to my identity in some way. Some have travelled only a few short steps with me and others have travelled many miles. Some friends walk along for awhile, then dissappear for a season, before returning again to share their stories, their battles. I am not alone, even when I am by myself. This pack of memories keeps me warm and gives me hope of things to come. I am forever grateful to each one that has considered me a friend, a sister, a daughter, a part of their family. On this journey I have come across people of all walks of life. My hope is to befriend them and help them along on their journey; help them grow outside their shell, outside the walls built out of fear and hurt. This journey is not easy. There are no chariots to whisk us across the rocks and valleys. There are no wings to carry us over the swamps and deserts. But, there are friends who show us how to use the rocks, find beauty in the swamps and peace in the desert. This journey offers us an opportunity to discover our strengths. As we put our talents into practice, the sharper they become. The more we use our strengths to build others up and encourage them along the way, the sweeter our journey becomes. I hope that one day on your journey you come face to face with the Author of your pilgrimage, the Creator of life, the One true God who gives each journey a purpose worth living for. I've discovered that there is only One and no other. Only One God that provides the daily strength needed and peace that never ends, even along the darkest trails. There is no other love to compare with the love of God. Nothing else keeps my feet grounded and my eyes set on the future, the work that is yet to come. So, as I continue on my daily walk, I pray for those that have crossed my path and for those that feel lost in the dark. I pray that I may carry the Light to others who have given up and are ready to quit. Don't give up! There is only One Hope, One Way, One Sacrifice and it is not within us to save ourselves. The answer lies in placing our hope and trust in the True Shepherd, who was willing to give up His own life for us and by doing that became our Perfect Sacrifice, our Saviour. When we couldn't find our way, He opened the gate. He bridged the gap. He called our name. Through Jesus, In Jesus and With Jesus, I can boldly travel along without fear, guilt or shame.
May your journey be meaningful, may God open your eyes to see and your ears to hear all that He desires for you.

Ode to My Grandfathers

Good Morning, Grandfather!
Did you catch the sunrise this morning as it spread out, rays stretching endlessly across water, land and sky?
Amazing how I never tire of watching the sun being born over and over again, anew each day. Every morning seems like the first dawn, full of beauty, peace and wonder. For just a moment I can put aside the world and all its demands. I can travel across time and space to any memory I choose or even create new dreams as I stare out across the earth.
Today I think again of special memories I have of you, Grandfather. Although I have many, they seem so inadequate. Your life was lived fully, your story is an epic and somehow I only got the cliff notes. No matter. There are always the photographs that endure to remind us of snapshots in time, of the fingerprints you left on the world you travelled through. There are also the stories shared by children and grandchildren. Stories that will pass down to future generations for those who ask about their roots, their ancestors, and their heritage.
Provider. Strong. Handsome. Loving Husband. Faithful Friend. Leader. Father. A Man of Few Words. These are just a few or the words that come to mind to describe you. But, I could never fully paint a picture of your whole person with plain words.
As the sun begins to set, not just for the night, but for your journey here on earth, I feel such melancholy. I feel sadness for all the things left undone and the words left unsaid. I feel like there was never enough time, never enough space. Why does everything have to move so fast? What's the rush all about anyway? Just one more chat, one more walk across the old farm, just one more story around the campfire, one more hug, one more sunrise, one more something, anything. All the memories, all the stories, all the photographs, will never be enough to capture it all.
This fleeting life is difficult to grasp. We were meant to live forever in God's presence, not limited to some cursed timetable. My only joy and peace is to know that one day I'll meet you there, on the other side, with the entire host of all the prophets and saints that have served God during their generation here on earth and have gone on before us. What a comfort to know that all the restrictions will be lifted, there will be no more rush, no more distance between us, no more regrets or lost time to make up.
I know you will receive the reward we so long for, to hear Our Father say, "My good and faithful servant", welcome home. I promise to press on with faith, hope and love, knowing that my work here is not done. I still have a few more sunrises to enjoy, a few more heartaches to endure and many lost souls to fight for. Please pray that I might finish the race as well as you. May my life be an acceptable sacrifice to my Lord , my Saviour, my Gracious Jesus.

With Love that lives beyond time and space,

Your granddaughter

The Lost Art of Day Dreaming

As I was setting this up, it occurred to me how little time I spend on reading and writing. One of the most beautiful things in living day to day is to discover new ideas, new ways of doing things, new ways to communicate. Somehow, those things are never written down or captured and soon they are gone, whisked away with the business of the day. All day long I have wonderful little discoveries, but the moment comes and goes before I can truly appreciate it.
There are several library books on the floor next to my bed. I'm sure each one is full of amazing thoughts, conjectures and dreams that I would never think of myself, and yet by opening up a piece of writing from someone else, I can travel through time and space and discover with them new ways to see the world and the beautiful people in it. But somehow, there is dinner to be made, groceries to be bought and I didn't make time to grow.