Tall Tales from Kansas

a trail of lots of pictures, cautions, and what to monitor yourself for

May I suggest that if you and 3 friends decide to go walking in the woods on a fine summer day (which is a wonderful idea), 

especially if the area is heavily wooded and the trail narrow (as noted below),  

that you use some bug spray before heading out...

and STILL examine yourself closely for ticks when you get done. A total of 6 ticks were found on our party of 4. Some of these after a thorough showering. 

A quick google search will lead you down a trail of lots of pictures, cautions, and what to monitor yourself for. Bummer. This was a nice trail but we won't be heading back there anytime soon.  

 

a good roasted beet on a salad

Let's start the Farmers Market report with these stunning poppies shall we? 

Then move on to the equally amazing fennel and garlic scapes. 

These are the mother/baby duos that were hanging out on a Saturday morning.  Just doing their thing at the market. 

The dill and cilantro were looking fabulous at Mellowfields farms. The cucumbers may not be far behind? I love it when they bundle the dill and cucumbers together for my pickle making. 

I snapped a picture of the "Slow Rise" doughnut selection for you. In the event that you come to Lawrence on a Saturday morning and get in line with all your friends... 

I went for the Orange Creamsicle cake because it was one of my top favorites from last year. I refer to it as the "dreamsicle" cake. 

While we are on an orange theme, get a load of these lilies. 

So beautiful, but I had to go with the peonies again. HAD to. 

Best "look" at the market this week goes to her. From head to toe - and including earrings. 

I got all the way back to my car before realizing I had forgotten to get bread. I almost went to Wheatfields and just grabbed a loaf, but I knew I would regret it because Mrs. Peters sourdough is what I wanted. I went back for it. 

Here is what I came home with this week. I might have gone overboard. Who can blame me?  

Strawberry limeade juice and a bunch of chioggia beets are my new items to try this week. A good roasted beet on a salad can't be beat. Did I just type that? 

I am compelled to report

Early morning walk, 60 degrees, it was just me, the geese, and dogs being walked. 

Are you just sick of me telling you about the joys of walking. I can't help myself, it's like a good book, a wonderful meal, a song I can't get out of my head - I am compelled to report .  

The climbing roses are blooming. 

Usually I only want nature and the birds with me on my walks. But I just completed episode 3 of the Wiser than Me podcast. It is highly unusual for me to listen to 3 podcasts in 4 days... but what can I say? Today was Fran Liebowitz. So entertaining.  At this rate I will be out of episodes before too much longer. If you have favorite podcasts I may be interested in, please leave them in the  comments. 

I will likely fail in my efforts

This week, on a whim, I parked in the middle of Old West Lawrence and went for a neighborhood stroll.  Up and down a few streets I hadn't been on in a while. 

Happily the route chosen had me walking right by one of my old favorites. 

There is nothing better than an artist who creates magic out in the yard for all those who wander by to appreciate.  

It has been at least several years since I was last by. I am saying it here so I will hold myself accountable... take more neighborhood walks and explore! I stumbled upon a neighborhood bar and Chris and I have a date to wander in and have a beer some afternoon. 

Here are the peonies from last weeks Farmers Market. Days 1, 2, 3, and 6 in order of progression.

They have held up well. I might try NOT to get more peonies Saturday morning, but I will likely fail in my efforts.

other than pretty that is

It's the time of year when annuals are being added here and there in the garden. Some color while we wait for seeds to do their things and later perennials to bloom.

I do so love a nice vibrant long-blooming vinca. That bright fuchsia color demanded to come home with me. The charmed wine oxalis is for a pot on the porch. It was a lucky find at the nursery, I was sure I had missed the chance to get some. 

The coral bells under the redbud tree out front are looking great. The red husker penstemon has started to bloom. There is a nice crop of poppies that will bloom in another week or two.  If one of you wants to come over and dig up all that liriope that continues to try and take over the front garden, I will ply you with iced coffee's in the mornings and adult cold beverages in the afternoon.  I keep telling myself "tomorrow I will deal with that".

I clipped a few roses the other day and brought them in to enjoy. I am looking at them as I type. Maybe in my next life I will live in a climate that is more hospitable to roses. It just gets too hot here in the summer. I certainly do delight in the small crop that I harvest each spring, and sometimes later in the fall. When I was listening to the Wiser Than Me podcast Julia Louis-Dreyfus did with Isabel Allende today, there was a lovely line in it from Isabel about re-inventing herself several times in her life over the years. Hence my thoughts of a cottage with a wild profusion of roses.

Yellow stuff is blooming at the Baker Wetlands right now. I forgot to consult the references posted out there when I was leaving to see exactly what it is. Other than pretty that is. I do like a wild prairie meadow. 

and get some lemon meringue pie

Last evening the Quails met to celebrate Nancy's birthday. As with many things in life, there were last minute snafus, adjustments had to be made, bottom line is only the "senior" Quails were able to be in attendance. 

We enjoyed cocktails, an appetizer, main courses were passed around (ok I ate some of Joan's French fries even though no one wanted a bite of my shrimp and grits), and of course there was dessert. If you are in the KC area, the lemon meringue pie at Rye in Leawood is sublime. 

We discussed how long it takes to recover from "things" as we enter the last third of our lives, shared how we can appreciate the things our mothers used to say now that we have been the age they were when they said it, and we talked about the ability to look back with more kindness and understanding at the sad/difficult times in our lives. Books were on the agenda - Mary Joan just finished The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry and recommends it. I put it on my list. Nancy told us about the podcast Wiser than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It is a series of interviews with older women in which she asks them great questions about the lives they have lived, and asks for any observations/advice they may have for us. I listened to the first episode this morning and have already downloaded the next one. Good stuff. 

Did I tell you we sat outside for dinner? What is it about eating outside that makes it seem extra special? A nice breeze, less of a clamor which makes conversation so much easier, being surrounded by trees... oh let me stop there and just say I hope each of you will take yourself out with your pals sometime soon, if you can sit outside, for sure talk about whatever pleases you, and get some lemon meringue pie. 

P.S. Happy Birthday Nancy!

look at it, can you blame me?

It was 48 degrees this morning when the bell rang to open the Lawrence Farmers Market at 07:30am.  She was ready for us in her orange beret, flannel shirt, neck warmer. The Mona Lisa smile and cool glasses took it over the top. 

Once the best vendor of the day photo was snapped, it was off to the the strawberries in my very boring black turtleneck, jacket, and baby blue Hoka's.  To my great delight, Moon on the Meadow also had snap peas. First of the season for me. Bonus!

The heads of butter lettuce were beautiful. In my mind it would be carefully rinsed and laid out on a pale lavender platter, topped with  a wee bit of smoked salmon, a sliced hard boiled egg, a few steamed then chilled fingerling potatoes, a small bit of diced red onion, and a silver bowl of a creamy Dijon dressing on the side. Next to the fresh flowers in the middle of the table was a basket of baguette and a thick slab of butter. 

Breakfast burritos were on the menu for the family eating in the sunshine. They were not dreaming of salads in French bistros. 

Next up, I headed over to restock my juice and protein balls.

Time will tell, but I swear I am getting something other than "sunshine" before the end of the season. But it's my favorite. Still, that bottle of orange looks intriguing.

She was most cooperative when I asked to take her picture as she selected a bundle of beautiful carrots. The immediate "sure" accompanied by a smile is my favorite response to this question. 

Around the corner, the Firefly Farm guys were making up bouquets right on the spot. I was all in. 

When I saw this guy I headed off in pursuit. When you look this put together at 7:30 am you have to expect to be asked to have your picture taken. He was v.v.v. friendly and complimented me on my baby blue Hoka's.  

Next up was the Chonky stop. This week they had strawberries and cream "crumb cake" and it seemed important to get a piece. I warmed it in the oven for a few minutes then served it alongside strawberries and blueberries with a dollop of greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Perfect. The crumb on the crumb cake was moist, but not heavy, sweet but not cloying, a perfect breakfast cake. I saved half for tomorrow. 

Did I mention the jalapeño cornbread muffin? Had to get one of those too. 

I mean look at it! Can you blame me?

it needs rain or distilled water, nothing from the tap

This week there was some much needed garden work attended to. The non-glamourous side of gardening, where you get hot, sweaty, and sore, then go sit on the porch with an ice pack on your back and a cool refreshing beverage in your hand.  While I was out pulling up the weeds, and wondering why my lavender plants seem not to have made it through the winter, I was delighted to note all the zinnias that have reseeded themselves from last year.

There was also poppy #1 hanging out. All by itself, though a few others are not far behind. I am engaging the bindweed in battle on multiple fronts. 

Geraniums and a fern have been put in pots. Caladiums, tradescantia zebrina, and neon pothos were put in pots under the Japanese maple out front. 

Caladiums were purchased at Jungle House in Lawrence. It's a cool little local business with knowledgable, helpful, people who are glad to help with your questions... and with advice about how to care for a plant you may not be familiar with. That was the case for me with the Stromanthe Triostar I purchased.

They let me know it needs rain or distilled water - no tap water. Really glad they told me that. I would not have guessed. It's my experiment for this summer. Fingers crossed that it does well. 

The market peonies from last week were pretty all week. I should also mention the coconut lime cake was delicious. 

While I am at it, the protein balls were WONDERFUL and will become a regular addition to my weekly purchases. I have made my own several times this year and liked them but her's were better. 

Today when I headed out to take my walk it was raining. Thus, I was forced to go get a latte, look out the window, and make sure I record all my vitally important thoughts in my journal. 

The end

I feel them sigh with relief when they are in the out of doors

It's raining today, so instead of getting out and walking I deleted around 137 photos from my repository of pictures that badly needs cleaned up. This made me feel productive. I stopped at 137 because there is no need to go overboard on a first pass. 

Here are some photos I did not delete (yet).

These lilacs I snipped from beside the road. I always have a vase, bottle of water, and clippers in the back of my car for just this reason. Don't you?

The Japanese maple I look at when I sit on the front porch. It makes the light there sort of a soft, glowing, pink/red. In a most pleasing way. 

This bouquet of peonies I went over and clipped from Pam's garden. At her insistence of course. She lets me come every year to harvest. It's a treat. 

After I deleted the photos, I went through my email and unsubscribed from 22 sites that I never signed up for in the first place. How does this even happen? Whatever. Again, it made me feel like I had accomplished something. 

Inside plants have been repotted and moved outside. All plants like it better outside. At least mine do. I feel them sigh with relief when they are in the out of doors. 

a fun adventure with a kindred spirit that clearly loves food

If you like talking about food, thinking about food, making things to eat, going places to explore new culinary trends, and have more cookbooks than you know what to do with... you are going to want to read Stanley Tucci's Taste: My Life Through Food.

It is a fun romp through his life in food - including his family's roots in cooking and food, his recollections about eating growing up, cooking for family, memorable meals in places where he was working at the time, just a fun adventure with a kindred spirit who clearly loves food as much as I do. Some of his recipe's are included. The book also covers Stanley Tucci's diagnosis of, and treatment for, cancer of the mouth/salivary gland, and how difficult this was for him. Radiation and chemotherapy can really wreak havoc on one's ability to eat. 

My friend Peggy sent it to Annette and I, and said we would talk about it when all three of us were done reading. Intimating a need to take a food centered trip somewhere? I am always up for a trip, and every good trip in my mind involves sitting around a table passing your plates around for tasting, moaning over the pure deliciousness of it all.  

Warning: do not get this book if you will be offended by the occasional use of a good curse word.  I devoured it, swearing and all. 

mixing it up with my people this morning

Local strawberries were waiting for me this morning at the farmers market. So were lots of other things.

As I walked over to get my asparagus, I ran smack into the middle of of a lesson on how to grab asparagus out of the container, to ensure the remaining stalks in the basket stay upright. You never know when I might need to know this. 

Farm fresh eggs were plentiful. All the colors from white to brown and including but not limited to bone, beige, ecru, cream, tan, and pearl. 

Cute family #1 complete with soft baby owl that she was holding very tightly to her chest.  She could sense (even at her young age) that I coveted it. 

Last year I enjoyed the fresh juices from Liquid Garden very much so today was the day to branch out and try her protein balls as well.  There will be a follow up report.  

The smoky aroma from the Flory's grill was intoxicating. Before the season is over I must try one of the sausages on a fresh baked biscuit. Which one of you is going to meet me there so we can sit on the curb and eat them together?

My salads for the week will be planned around spinach and a bag of mean greens. When you have good greens, every salad is a delight. 

The Peters were all smiles this morning. 

So was I when I saw the Chonky boys had brought their coconut-lime cake to the market this week.

Right next to them were these bunches of peonies. 

Her dress was too cute to pass up.  She told me she got it at Target, then she told me how comfortable it was. I loved that in her mind she even considered that I might dash over there and try one on.  

Here is what came home in my basket. 

What you can't see in the picture is my sense of well-being brought about by mixing it up with my people this morning.

because it's so much fun to look forward to them

The Huff girls tripped on over to Lawrence this week to have lunch with me. Will you please get a load of that fabulous dress Marti is wearing? Yes, the one with the Mola yolk/collar. Raise your hand if you know about Molas. They are the most intricate, colorful appliqué embroidery, done by the Kuna women who live on the San Blas islands. All of this known to me because of living in Panama in the early 1970's. Anyway, I just thought it looked stunning on her, and now you know about Molas too. 

We discussed places to eat in Kansas City and "huff marks" - the rating system used by the Huff women to determine the likelihood that they will be eating there. There are no strict rules, it's all based on gut feelings.

We spent a most pleasant few hours talking about anything and everything anyone felt like chewing on. Books are always a topic, none of us got up to see the Coronation but we talked a bit about "The Crown", someone had a chicken salad sandwich which led to a discussion about what we each put in our tuna salad - there was general agreement that a touch of dijon mustard is essential to the mix.  There were also consultations made with our calendars to pick our next lunch date in June. It's important to get these dates set... mostly because it's so much fun to look forward to them. 

P.S. Today on my walk I heard a Baltimore Oriole. I will try not to tell you everyday what I hear with my new bird ID app, but I am not promising anything. 

we'll see how long I keep up this new habit

I felt some of you might want to hear the full report on the strawberry breakfast tart.  The one from the Farmers Market this past weekend. 

Dangerously good. Perfect ratio of filling to crust. Lots of pure strawberry flavor and not overly sweet. The crust was firm but flaky if that makes any sense, and the drizzle of frosting was exactly right. There will be another one in my future. 

The stock and allium are doing well.  I am now a fan of dropping a pre-1982 penny in all my vases, and trying to change the water at least every other day. We'll see how long I keep up this new habit. 

In other news, let me recommend highly this new album by Joy Oladokun - Proof of Life. I read about her when I was flipping through the NYT a few weeks ago and of course gave her a listen. Then immediately went and purchased the album. I have been listening non-stop.   

And I haven't even mentioned the art work on the cover. Says the person who sometimes chooses wine and books based on the label/cover. Not this time, but it is an added bonus. 

dedicated to an artist and wild life photographer

When we made our pillows at the quilting bee, Pam shared an app that she uses to identify bird calls/song. On my recent walks out at the Baker Wetlands, I have tried it out and found it to be MOST satisfactory.

I have heard killdeer, indigo buntings, and common yellowthroats.

It's fun to record them, see what pops up, and then look them up in more detail (or not) later. 

This was a new bench I found this week. It was dedicated to an artist and wild life photographer named Harley Swanson. What a perfect thing. 

Below is a link to the app I mentioned. Super easy to use. I have used Audubon in the past and still do if I can get a good enough look at a bird, but identification by sound is another way and seems very accurate. 

Merlin Bird ID

a free spirit in a frilly skirt

More often than not, the the farmers market re-cap starts with a flower photo.  Not today. These boys have to lead because they are my favorite shot of the day. They were walking through the market talking, looking, hanging out. Doing boy things. I asked them if I could take their picture and immediately the smiled, turned towards me, and most unexpectedly put their arms around each others shoulders.  Good stuff. 

These fragrant stock and colorful allium bouquets met all expectations for the weekly bouquet. AND they also had asparagus for sale.

Really, I could stop there but then I walked on and saw...

... locally grown strawberries. Small, perfect morsels, red through and through. As I turned around after paying for my basket there was this. A free spirit in a frilly skirt with green shoes, getting a bouquet. 

At Chonky Sweets and Eats there was a magnificent carrot cake. But I have a plan to make chocolate frosted brownies today so I had to walk on.  

OK, full disclosure, Baking Traditions had a strawberry pop tart that I simply could NOT pass by. I have a "one sweet treat in the basket" rule at the market. 

You can fully appreciate my choice when you see what it looked like out of the box at home. 



I need a new black eyed Susan vine.

Her "lift and fully rotate" appraisal method for selecting the best of the flower baskets has clearly been refined through the years. 

I don't know about this family's selection techniques but I do approve of their delphinium and rhubarb purchases.

I got mixed lettuces and kale but admired the bok choy and Napa cabbage as well. The tomato starters looked wonderful as did the bucket of edible flowers. 

There was a serious discussion going on here, I think it had something to do with who was bringing what to whose house for dinner tonight. 

How about some succulents in wine glasses? It's a new trend. 

Right before I got in the car with my purchases, I spotted this couple. Some people just have a natural flair for fashion. In my next life I am getting that super power... and her hair!

My basket for the week below. 

I love it when I can get asparagus so fresh that you just have to cook them for ONE minute, rinse them in cool water, and have them in the frig to put on salads, eat with your chili walnut dip from the Lebanese Flower, or just on their own. 

 

 

finding an unexpected treasure waiting

My walk on this day was a competition between the honeysuckle and the smooth water.  Step, step, step, look to the right, sniff to the left. What a lovely dilemma to have.  

I chose the walk because it was close, and the rain was coming, and I wanted to get the walk in before the sky opened up.

The fragrance of the honeysuckle was intoxicating.

There is nothing better than going somewhere and finding an unexpected treasure waiting for you. 





After the walk there was a latte at Decade. Where I took the time to sit and think about all that I had seen and smelled. 

The flowers on the table and really nice baristas were the icing on the cake.  When life treats me extra right, it only seems right to let the universe know I noticed.  

the collective voice of young women/girls from Japan

I just finished listening to The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. It was recommended to me by a colleague when I mentioned I learned many things, from a cultural perspective, after listening to Pachinko. I had no idea what it was about. On faith, I just got it on Libby and started listening. 

I was blown away.

It is the collective voice of young women/girls from Japan, in the early 1900's, who travel by boat to America.  Holding in their hands photos and letters from the men they are coming to marry based on words and images that are far from reality. But they don't know that until they get to San Fransisco. 

Again, it is not the story of one woman, but many women, with many different experiences as they become wives, workers, mothers... all in a strange land where they are viewed with some degree of mistrust. Then came Pearl Harbor.  I don't want to spoil the story but we all know about the internment of Japanese in America during WWII, the majority of whom were American citizens.

The last chapter in the book is narrated from the perspective of the people who where the neighbors, friends, employers, customers, teachers of the Japanese women and their families, reflecting on what happened and what they could/should have done about it. 

Highly recommended reading.

something she whipped up in her spare time

You may have noticed the jacket Ann was wearing in some of the photos from our quilting retreat.

It's just a little something she whipped up in her spare time. 

The pattern is the Tamarack Jacket and she added the hood and a pocket. 

She made it from a couple of old twin bed quilts she acquired sometime in the past. I think the way she was able to position the pattern pieces to take advantage of that wonderful zig-zag edging on the quilts is just fantastic. 

I told her that she had reached the pinnacle of excellence with this piece of sewing. It is just fantastic. I think it's wonderful to be able to conceive of an idea like this, have the combination of pattern and fabric work seamlessly, AND have it fit PERFECTLY.

Bravo Ann!

the red garage and early morning shadows were a bonus

There were good country roads for walking outside the doors of our Airbnb near Clinton Lake. 

Lots of stacked stone fences to admire, birdsong to enjoy, everything you want a Saturday morning ramble to be. 

There are many hiking trails at Clinton Lake, but really we didn't want to take the time away from our wonderful spot to drive to a trail. Walking on the loose gravel roads was good hip therapy anyway. 

These lovely purple iris were blooming in a bed on the property. The red garage and early morning shadows were a bonus. 

While we breakfasted on the balcony later in the morning, we discussed the movement of the water on the lake in the distance, and the dark shadows from the clouds. There is no telling where a conversation will go on a quilt retreat, especially with a nice view like this one. 

someone to help you troubleshoot when things go awry

This past weekend Pam and Ann and I went into seclusion at an Airbnb near Clinton Lake to do some quilting. Not that you need to go into seclusion to quilt, but it is easier when you are not distracted by the things in your house that need your attention. Pesky things like laundry, cleaning, cooking... etc. 

Ann, who is our expert sewist, found this pillow pattern that she knew would "stretch" our (Pam & I) skills, but still be do-able and fun. 



We made the hexies ahead of time so we would be able to finish the pillow by the end of the weekend. Good thing we did. The placement and affixing of the hexies before sewing was probably the most time consuming part. But we met our goal of getting that done on Friday pm so we could sew on Saturday. 

Machines and supplies were set up on this great dining room table that also had very comfortable chairs. 

The views from the balcony that looked out to the lake were wonderful. For some reason it seemed like we were closer to the clouds out there. 

By 3:30 on Saturday, after only one quick trip to town to get more thread, we were all done with our pillows. 

Which of course meant it was time for cloud watching. Which is best done with a gin and tonic. Gin and tonics are not my usual go-to cocktail, but after having these with Cidadelle gin infused with fruits and aromatics, I am sold. I am thinking about calling the airbnb owners to see if they do a 2 hour balcony sit rent thing... I won't even go in the house, just sit on the balcony and look at the clouds and sip on my cocktail. 

In addition to pillow making, we discussed Cod versus God, books and book clubs, travel adventures, identification of bird calls, pranayama, and about a million other things. Pam introduced us to smoked oysters on crackers, Ann made pecan/blue cheese stuffed dates, and I baked a camembert cheese. There were grapes, pickles, vegetables, chili-walnut dip, almonds... it was all marvelous.

The balcony is also perfect for morning coffee by the way. 

Here is my pillow. I had not had the walking foot on my machine for awhile and was glad to have experts there to help me. I told Ann she needed to call me every 6 weeks and remind me to put it on the machine just so I will remember how.  I can definitely see using a similar linear pattern to quilt more projects. 

Those women in quilting guilds long ago (and today) knew/know what they are doing. It's so great to have someone to help you troubleshoot when things go awry.

Useful information and helpful links:

Hexie Pillow pattern

Airbnb name is vistalawrence and they have an instagram account with that same name. 

My new favorite gin for gin and tonics is Citadel Jardin infused with fruits and aromatics. If you have tried the Sapphire Bombay Murcian Lemon do let me know how it compares. I couldn't find it in Lawrence.