Buttermilk Chess Pie

This is a sweet, buttery custard pie that Bennie especially loves for me to make. I had some leftover buttermilk this week so decided to make good use of it. Mine is a slight alteration of the Blue Ribbon recipe I have used in the past. But I think you will like this one!

For the crust: grind 2/3 cup walnuts, add 1 1/2 cups white flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and cut in 1/3 cup shortening and 1/3 butter until well mixed. Mix together 1 egg, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and about 1/3 cup cold water. Stir in just enough of this liquid to hold together the dry ingredients. Roll out into 2 small pie crusts (8"). Refrigerate in pans until ready to fill.

For the filling mix together 6 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 Tbsp. vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups buttermilk on med speed in the mixer. Then pour in 3/4 cup melted butter mixing well. Pour into pie crusts and bake at 400 for about 12 minutes, then turn down to 350 and bake another 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool before serving.

Fall wonders.....

OK, so I'm trying to be optimistic. It's only been raining (constantly) for about 3 days. But living in the Northwest, we all know this is the norm for the next few months! My laptop is not working right, so I can't take pic's to show you how (gray) it is. This old 1999 computer is doing fine for the moment, but I'm sure it will need to be replaced soon. So I'm having trouble uploading any pic's for you.

Settling into this season is work for me. I work at staying focused on the positive, especially the extended summer we had. The older I get the more I'd like to live somewhere dry, and warmer. And one more positive I have to look forward, (drum roll please) I am going to be a grandma again!!! Jennifer is due June 10, such a long way a way, I know. Nevertheless, on it's way! Pray for her family though, as Cody, her husband, may lose his job soon. He was given some choices that will require changes. Hopefully not a move too far away. April and Zac returned from Europe with lots of great stories and some wonderful olive oil and chianti for me:~) April cut a foot of hair off her head before they left. It's still shoulder length. Just a different look, as she hasn't had hair that short since 4th grade. She donated it all to "Locks of Love" and they told her it would make 2 wigs for cancer survivors.

If you have a moment, take a look at the Joel Rosenberg link. And drop me a line as well and let me know how you are. You can just click on comments below; it's quick and easy.

From the beginning of summer to the end...

Nearer to the sea, we forget to count the days!
And how we did. It's been a fun filled summer of many sailing days. Many of our friends joined us, and some new ones we met. At the Christian school, a day of sailing was auctioned off and we met some lovely friends that used to own a sailboat called "Peanut Butter". He wrote a wonderful story about his sailing days on his boat and had it published in 48 North. We rounded up the summer sailing days with our great friends Larry & Jeannie and some new friends we've made this year, Dennis and Velda. The forecast was cloudy and cool but the last sailing day of the season turned out to be sunny and perfect winds.

But lest you think that is all I do with my time, I also got much canning done this harvest season, with very large tomatoes (and many) on my plants. Many of them are in pint jars on the shelf now for this winters delicacies. Pears, peaches and apricots are keeping them company. I enjoyed spending time with my grandson one or two days a weeks this summer while his mom worked at her job. I've started volunteering in the book store at our church on Wednesday evenings and have read a few books this summer. Two I would highly recommend are "The Ezekiel Option" and "Epicenter" (just published last week) both by Joel Rosenberg. A clear perspective on what is really going in our world.

I hope to update my blog more regularly and hope to hear from some of you! Tally-ho!

Our 3-day weekend at Cathlamet didn't turn out mostly sunny skies, but we enjoyed being away and relaxing. The first 2 days were cloudy and rainy but not too cold. We played games inside the trailer when it was raining, and went across the island to look around after it let up some. We waited for sunny skies and finally Monday we saw blue. But not enough wind for a sail. That will have to wait for another weekend. We did motor around the island anyway and saw our blue heron, a couple of bald eagles flying around, and many duck families. The girls enjoyed their first "sail" with us. We all spent the night on the boat and let friends Andy and Joann sleep in the trailer. We did all our cooking in the trailer together. Our other friends Dennis and Velda came along in their motor home. Dennis and Andy along with Bennie went to Louisiana after hurricane Katrina to help with the relief effort there. We have all kept in contact and fellowship since then and try to meet once every month or so. We look forward to another warm weekend for sailing.....with a bit more wind!

Where did summer go?

Well, I guess we were "jumping the gun" a little too soon. The sunshine was nice.... and it will return! My garden needed some good rain anyway:~) I've got many herbs and tomato plants to put in the ground after spending some time with my husband and grandson at the Pomery House Herb Festival Saturday afternoon.

Sarah has been busy with the marching band at her school.
Weekend before last we were at St. Johns parade, and this last weekend, the Hazel Dell parade. Her band won first place at St Johns! Her feet are a little sore, but she is getting some color and likes that. Her and Andrea both want to be tan before we go to California for, da da da dada...... Disneyland!!! They already can't sleep.

As I'm watching the ground soak up pure rain water, knowing it will produce green plants and beautiful blooms, I'm so thankful we only get what is pure and good from above. We know anything else that comes our way, anything that is the opposite of being pure and good, is not from above! Until next time, don't forget to breathe!