Happy New Year!

So I'm 12 days into my dream of a healthier, more productive and creative new year!  Like many of you, I'm aiming for better nutrition and physical fitness to help in improved sleep and a sharper mind.  AND since I'll be 65 this year, I've figured "there is no better time than the present"!

After the joyful Christmas season binge, I started keeping track of what I put in my mouth.  My new I-pod touch has been a big help: I downloaded the LiveStrong Daily Plate app to track meals, snacks and exercise.  Already, I'm sleeping much better and feeling more energetic.  Psychosomatic perhaps??  What ever it takes, I guess!  The key is keeping up to my commitment - updates to follow!

This morning, I took a lovely long walk with with a friend and her dog and caught some frosty beauty along the way....

Star Carol

 Performed at Mt. Tabor Church yesterday.


Star Carol from Peg Baker on Vimeo.

Blue Tango

A selection from our Winter Concert on December 12th.  Portland's Community Music Center Orchestra.

Blue Tango from Peg Baker on Vimeo.

Raspberry Ribbon Strips

This recipe is from the stack of "oldie" cookbooks that I believe I haven't used since my daughter was a little girl!  The dough tastes subtle, like a butter cookie, but not sweet.  The jelly adds the sweetness and texture.  I used raspberry jelly mostly, but ran out and used spiced blueberry jelly, both made and canned last year by my friend Melanie.

The cookbook cover displays the oil, crumbs and finger prints that denotes as well-used and loved cookbook.  There were some errors in some of the recipes, though.  You can see that this recipe didn't say "baking soda" or "baking powder".  It's definitely "baking powder"!

Gifts from my kitchen

First loaves: a little odd looking, but delicious.

While visiting with my daughter and her family in Richmond, Virginia, I was treated to delicious home-made sourdough bread from her kitchen.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and asked for some "starter" to take home with me.  Many of you have heard me say "I'm not much of a bread eater", but I believe all that has changed.

After refining my technique, I tried a whole wheat recipe from the KitchenAide Cookbook.  This recipe uses fast acting yeast so we had bread by the end of one day, rather than a day and a half with "natural yeast" sourdough.  I made three sets of this recipe: we're eating them faster than I can wrap them up for bread!

Whole Wheat Bread

Finally, the "Hearty Herb Loaf".  This recipe is from a bag of Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White Flour.  We like the multi-grain qualities of this bread.  It's moist (minced fresh onion is included) and has a fine grain with a delicate herb favor.

 

Catching Up....

It's been a while since I've updated, so here's what's been happening in our lives since March!

April 8, 2012

My mother, Molly Baker, had her 90th birthday.  My sister Marilyn and I joined Mom and many friends for a big celebration at Wicomico Shores Country Club in Maryland.

April 15, 2012

Our granddaughter Eva Wiznerowicz received her First Communion at St. Michael  Church in Richmond, VA.

Spring 2012 - Michael built our long-dreamed of deck.  This was our favorite place to spend our evenings this past summer when, from July to the end of October, we had rain-free lovely outdoor weather.

April and May - Michael painted our living room and dining room, crafted custom molding and installed wood blinds.

June - My sister, Sister Marilyn Baker celebrated her 50th Jubilee as a Sister of Providence.

L to R: Molly, Molly's sister Phyllis Gervasi, Sister Marilyn, Blaire, me, Eva, Mimi and James.

Marilyn at her reception into the novitiate at St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana, with our parents, Bill and Molly in 1962.

September - our vacation at Crater Lake, Oregon.

Summer and Fall - I'm still studying cello!

Portland's Community Music Center Orchestra - Summer Concert

November - Thanksgiving at Molly's House

A Happy St. Patrick's Day

Gloria, Julie, Peg & Mike

Michael has been away in Las Vegas at a Foosball Tournament so I had to celebrate the wearing of the green without him.  But I did have fun!  I joined friends Gloria, Julie and Mike on a walk (it stopped raining for a couple of hours!) to the world famous Horse Brass Pub for some brews and fish and chips.  An additional treat: Bagpipes!  Not exactly Irish, but it sure adds to the fun!

A tribute to Don Younger (RIP 1941 to 2011), Horse Brass owner and  champion of  Oregon's  craft beer industry.  

Our living/dining room finally getting a redo

Michael's working his "handy man" magic, giving our LR/DR a fresh coat of paint.  Last time he painted it was in 1989!  Of course, we weren't here long enough to get bored with beige, but I'm so glad (and thankful to him) that it's looking "leaf green" now!  There's more to be done but here's how far he's come so far.

I have realized that I didn't post the photos of the new paint in the kitchen and sunroom done in June 2011.  Another great re-do by the Gnat-ster

I'm still at it....

For those who have asked about my cello study, I know I haven't posted on that for a while.  However, I'm still pursuing the study of this wonderful instrument, although I'm still a few years away from making it sound wonderful.  Soon after we arrived in Portland last February, I found a new teacher to take the place of my beautiful Rebecca Caulk in Fredericksburg.

Anna Fritz, a member of the Portland Cello Project, took me on in April and has been a great guide for me in the cello world.  I've also joined a beginner adult string quarter (there's actually seven of us) to improve our sight reading and ensemble skills.  No performing.

OK, so it might be a while before my cello playing will be something someone might want to listen to, but I just want to let you know:  I'm still at it!

Peg, Angela, Mona, Dennis, Roderick, Tom and Rachel

A quiet Christmas....

It's true that the magic and mystery of the season is strongest in the hearts of children. The excitement and anticipation are less tangible without the children in the house, dancing around a Christmas tree soon to be surrounded by gifts.

So we're thinking about the years we were embraced by the warmth of family and traditions and are now sharing our holidays with friends, old and new.  There are many gifts to be found in change: the gift for us here is a deeper appreciation for beauty of Christmas and how it opens us to gratitude.

We send along our wishes for a beautiful holiday filled with God's Peace and Joy, and a Happy and Hopeful New Year.

We've just returned to Portland after two and a half weeks in Maryland and Virginia to celebrate Thanksgiving, birthdays, family and friendship.  Thank you to all who's hospitality made this such a lovely visit: quiet relaxing days at my mom's house (Molly Baker also known as Gigi to her greatgranddaughters) in Southern Maryland, my sister Marilyn Baker in Laurel, Maryland, my daughter Blaire (also called Liz) and her husband James in Richmond, Virginia, with their daughters Eva and Mimi, and our friends in Fredericksburg, the Hansons, the Craigs, the Semieas, and Matareses.

Looking back on our Summer

Celebrating our 20th Anniversary on July 6, 2011.

Enjoying micro-brews at the Pelican Pub in Lincoln City, OR

The day I returned from my visit to Virginia and Maryland, Michael's sister Sandra and her family arrived in Portland.  They (Sandra, Chris and 3 year old Lucinda) had been driving west from Chicago for several days for a three-month long sojourn in Portland.  They were able to rent a house just two blocks away making it easy to get together for meals, planning area sight-seeing trips, and just having fun!

Michael, Lulu and Chris at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

In July, our Virginia friends, Jim & Margaret Matarese and their daughter Amelia arrived for a four-day visit. We posed for our group picture at Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.

Lucinda 3, Mimi 5, Siena 4 and Eva 7 1/2

In Mid- August, Blaire (Liz) and her girls, Eva and Mimi arrived for their five-week visit (James was able to fly out for five days in late August).  Having them here in Oregon was a delightful experience!  We had four great days at the beach and followed that up with Eva and Mimi's first camping trip!  Many of our plans included their cousin Siena (4) who lives in Tigard, Oregon, with her folks Mike and Cheryl.

Weenie Roasting on the Beach!

Peg, Blaire & Cheryl with Sienna, Mimi & Eva at our campsite river in the Mt. Hood Nat'l Forest.

Mimi and Grandpa

Eva & Grandma at Oaks Park

Our perfect Oregon Summer is over.  Now we've we're back to the projects around our old house, working on the yard, canning local produce and keeping our neighborhood restaurants and brew pubs in business.  We're seeing a lot more rain now but the rain is a big part of living here, and after our spectacular summer, we welcome the wet stuff!