The Art of Basketball : Following the Gonzaga Bulldogs

I haven't written a post yet this season about my favorite college basketball team. Following the Gonzaga Bulldogs is one of my winter rituals. Gonzaga is located in Spokane, Washington close to home and from the time I was small we drove up Hamilton Street past the campus many times a year to visit my Grandma Woolum on Bridgeport. Who would have known I would start this love affair with a college basketball team? When I was younger Grandma spoke of Gonzaga in connection to Bing Crosby. My dad also followed the Zags and loved spending time at Jack and Dan's discussing the career of John Stockton, a Gonzaga grad that went on the the NBA. I have a student named Austin who loves, you guessed it, Austin Daye!The Zags are undefeated in their conference and pulled off a big victory tonight against the Portland Pilots. They are ranked 18th in the nation and make basketball fun to watch. Everyone knows where to find us when Gonzaga is playing a game. I've been know to adjust a few scheduled events to fit in a game! It is impossible to get tickets to watch them play at their home court, so we rely on the next best thing....the television in the living room.
I understand the art of basketball, but I don't understand the science of basketball . I couldn't explain why the defense works or how the offense switches up, but I know a masterpiece when I watch Micah Downs reaching the basket at just the right moment as Austin Daye passes the ball and he stuffs it in. I understand form when I am glued to the television set as Steven Gray does a fast break in a solo run down the court. I study still life when the people in the bleachers stand frozen as a ball gracefully arches over the opponents' heads and falls into the basket for a three-pointer at the buzzer. I appreciate balance as I watched Matt Bouldin do just about everything right tonight. That is the art of basketball. It is what keeps me watching this team. Go Zags!

Stories From the Kitchen: A Delicious Meme

My growing collection of cobalt blue glassware in my kitchen window.


What is your first memory of baking/cooking on your own?

This was hard for me because it seemed like I was always helping in the kitchen instead of doing it all by myself. One year for Christmas I got the pans that made a tiered cake (in fact I still have them). I am going to say I was twelve. I loved little black and white illustrations in the Betty Crocker cookbook and on page 147 in showed how to use these pans with a Silver White Cake. I think that is what I made.

Who had the most influence on your cooking?

If I would have spent more time with my two grandmothers they would both be on this list because each them had their own style, but both their cooking styles revolved around garden fresh vegetables, hearty desserts, homemade dill pickles, and delicious fruit desserts and cookies. I spent more time in the kitchen with my mom. She made homemade bread many Sundays, simple comfort meals like pork chops and meatloaf during the week, and great desserts like Lemon Fluff and brownies in her "spare time"! From my mom I learned how to explore cookbooks for unique recipes, clip recipes by Dorothy Dean from the Spokesman Review, and the art of putting a nutritious meal on the table within sixty minutes.

Do you have an old photo as "evidence" of an early exposure to the culinary world and would you like to share it?

The picture above shows me between my parents cleaning up after dinner at my grandma's house in Spokane. I don't even remember Dad ever doing dishes, but I love this picture of all of us together. We probably enjoyed dessert after the kitchen was cleaned up.

Mageiricophobia - do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?

Making candy and using a candy thermometer. Whenever I see words like soft ball and hard ball stage I shudder. I tried to make fudge once, but it was humid and I guess that changes the life of fudge. It was a disaster. I let other people make homemade candy.

What would be your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?

Valued appliance: My dark blue Kitchen Aid mixer.
Biggest letdown: nutmeg grater.... where do you find the nutmeg to grate and how do you do it without shedding some skin?

Name some funny or weird food combinations/dishes you really like - and probably no one else!

When I was younger it was always a pack of Fisher's sunflower seeds with a can of Pepsi while reading a book. I don't think it is funny or weird, but I have always loved applesauce with any pork dish, particularly pork roast. I think it would be weird not to have the following combinations: potato salad with cold fried chicken, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, baked ham with scalloped potatoes. (notice a little potato theme beginning...it will show up again below!)

What are the three eatables or dishes you simply don't want to live without?

pasta with other additions, good cheese, and a warm,fresh loaf of bread

Your favorite ice-cream?

Butter Pecan

You will probably never eat...

liver and onions

Your own signature dish...

Mitford Orange Marmalade Cake

Any question you missed in this meme, that you would have loved to answer? Well then, feel free to add one! Here are mine:

Which meal is your favorite to prepare?

I really like to create breakfast for a group because we don't have fancy breakfast very often when it is just the two of us. I love trying egg dishes, overnight roll recipes and pastries.

What vegetable is your favorite to prepare?

Perhaps it is because I am from the "Famous Potato"state of Idaho that I love to collect and prepare potato dishes.

Which cookbooks are the favorites on your shelf?

The Barefoot Contessa series, the original Betty Crocker Picture cookbook, The Habitat for Humanity Partners in the Kitchen series, Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining, and Pacific Northwest, The Beautiful Cookbook.

If you decide to do this meme, let me know so I can come and savor your answers.

Potential: Good News Inside

I have been reading a book called Half Full: Meditations on Hope, Optimism, and the Things That Matter by Mina Parker. It is one of these books that you can read a page a day and it gives you something to think about. On each page she combines her thoughts with a quote and a photograph by Daniel Talbott. This was on the page I read today:

" Everyone has inside him a piece of good news. The good news in that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" Anne Frank the view from my study on a recent sunny day

'Potential is a funny thing. In one way, it's just an idea-not real yet-just a maybe. Yet it can inspire you or stymie you, just the same. But the truth is that potential can never be taken away from you. There is always a possibility, always a maybe.
You don't know what the future holds, but instead of letting worry you, get stirred up by what is possible. When I'm struggling, it's great comfort to read through the trials that someone before me has overcome. And when I'm floating, the stories of others' achievements are an exciting inspiration. "-excerpt from Half Full by Mina Parker

I had a day today that had changes in routine, ups and downs, and some difficult sessions with students. I am glad I focused on this page when I returned home. I think this will be a quote I will post on the white board tomorrow in my classroom.

Garden Valley Church: A Blessing In Our Lives

I have posted before about our country church close to home. The Garden Valley Community Church is a blessing in our lives each and every day. It was a special treat Sunday when JEJ and his friend DH sang one of their popular duets during the worship service. Their rendition of the gospel version of "Consider the Lilies", accompanied by DH on the guitar, is a favorite of mine. Even after they performed it I went back and revisited the lyrics to enjoy the song even more. I am the most fond of Verse Two.

Consider The Lilies
Verse I
Consider the lilies they don’t toil nor spin
And there’s not a king with more splendor than them
Consider the sparrow they don’t plant or sow
But they’re fed by the Master who watches them grow

Chorus:
We have a Heavenly Father above
With eyes filled with mercy
And a heart filled with love
He really cares when
Your head is bowed low
Consider the lilies and then you will know

Verse II
May I introduce you to this friend of mine
Who hangs out the stars and tells the sun when to shine
And kisses the flowers each morning with dew
But He’s not too busy to care about you.
Chorus...
Author: Joel Hemphill
It was also communion Sunday so Pastor Shane led us in another gospel favorite " Let us Break Bread Together on Our Knees" as we prepared for communion. Our little church in the wildwood is growing and growing. In fact, when I arrived Sunday there was only one parking place left! I don't mind having to walk a bit if the parking lot is full!

"Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord."
Psalm 89:15 NLT

To learn more about The Garden Valley Church, go here.

Tuesdays With Mary: Sibling Assignment #89

"Think about a television show you watched growing up while you lived at home. Write about what you enjoyed about that television show, and how that show may have influenced you in your adult life."

Silver Valley Girl gave the sibling assignment this week. Raymond Pert's recap of television history in our childhood house and a reflection on soaps is here and Silver Valley Girl's post and videos of another show I almost chose, "The Carol Burnett Show"is here.

From 1969 until I left home in August 1973 to attend college I spent every Tuesday night at 10:00 in the living room with my mom watching "Marcus Welby, M. D. " I grew up with a love for medical shows beginning with the likes of Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey, then branching out to Dr. Gannon, Dr. Welby, Dr. Kiley and those doctors on the soaps, but "Marcus Welby, M.D." was an institution in our house. First of all it is amazing that a show ever stayed on the same time for it's whole run ( until 1976).

Everyone wanted a compassionate doctor like Dr. Welby that had time in his busy day to listen to you describe your symptoms, share your personal problems, and show photos of your children. He was familiar to us from "Father Knows Best" so we trusted him plus he had that handsome sidekick named Dr. Kiley ( James Brolin) that drove a motorcycle. Or course then there was warm, caring Consuelo that provided that female touch to the otherwise male practice. Mom would be on the couch correcting the last of her papers for the evening. I would be in the chair after finishing homework , learning lines for a play, or curling my hair as we would wait eagerly for the opening credits every week. Dad had bowling that night so we didn't have to compete with him over another show on our one television set. Silver Valley Girl must have already been in bed and Raymond Pert was probably more interested in listening to the stereo upstairs than watching Marcus Welby.

Mom has always loved anything medical. She still enjoys poring over medical books when she hears the symptoms someone may have and loves to engage in any conversation that revolves around hospitals, illness, and/or medication. This show was right up her alley. I think Mom would have also been a good nurse.

Marcus Welby dealt with serious illnesses and every week we were exposed to the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses that included autism, MS, brain cancer, blindness, diabetes, and leukemia. We made our own guesses of the disease during the first commercial and perhaps what might happen by the end of the show. Happy endings didn't always happen with Marcus Welby. There was a natural tension between old and young with Welby and Kiley and Dr. Kiley always seemed to be falling in love with a patient with sometimes sad consequences. I remember when an old girlfriend played by Stephanie Power has an illness and Dr. Kiley wanted to keep it a secret. I remember Dr. Welby dealing with illness with his own daughter and a love interest also. Whatever the illness or episode, it was always memorable.

The show was dramatic, warm, educational, and entertaining. I am surprised I didn't go into the medical field myself after working with Mom and these two doctors all those years on Tuesday nights. It influenced me as I watched my teacher mom diligently do her schoolwork earlier in the evening so she could take a break to watch the show. I must of felt later in life it was okay to quit working on school work in the evening and give myself a treat by watching "LA Law", "Cheers", "Dallas", " Cagney and Lacey", or " The Mary Tyler Moore Show".

We watched a lot of television in our house, but this show engaged us in more conversations. We cared about the stars of the show and the patients they encountered. As you will see from this clip, there were many other shows that were popular during this time., but this one sticks out for me. When I saw James Brolin sitting behind his wife Barbra Streisand at the Kennedy Center Awards I didn't think of him as anything else by Dr. Kiley. I would love to see him as the older doctor today with that striking white hair riding in on a Harley.

I had a few stays in the hospital in my adult life. I think I was comforted by the busyness of Mom asking questions, getting the scoop on other patients, and replaying the drama that was happening outside of my own room. She played this role with other family members when they were hospitalized also, plus when she had surgery and hip replacement surgery I could cheer her up by telling her the daily news from the ward of the hospital.

Now Mom and I don't have a Tuesday night ritual, but when I am there staying I know the soaps are the afternoon ritual, Jeopardy is at 7:00, and Meet the Press is Sunday mornings. When you watch this clip it will remind you of even more great shows during that time. No wonder I watched television so much back then.

Here Comes the Sun: Part 2

the sky west of Sherman Creek Orchard

"Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right "

I did a post on December 28th entitled Here Comes the Sun. That may have been the last time I captured such needed images of sun and blue sky until today. Sunshine can bring out laughter, smiles, cars to the car wash, neighbors waving hello, and dogs running with pleasure. As I loaded up for a trip to town this morning I packed my camera thinking I may get a few good shots. Here is my Saturday Sunshine collection:looking back at our sunroom as the rays pierce through a pine treea horse fence poised in front of a brilliant sky with a single jet stream heading down to Haag Cove campground the icy field stood empty and still looking north the mountains are still covered with snow Through the trees Lake Roosevelt shimmered from the reflection of the sun at the campground.

When I used to hear "Here Comes the Sun" I always thought of the Beatles, Abbey Road, the Humdinger, and the summer of 1970. Today I think of James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma and their duet released in October on Yo Yo Ma's CD "Songs of Joy and Peace". This CD has such an amazing collection of duets, but of course my favorite is Yo Yo and James Taylor. If you haven't checked out the CD, I recommend it. Enjoy some time here with Yo Yo and JT.