Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: May 2021

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Mosaic Monday #133: Happy Homemaker

As I look back over the month, the photos suggest that I have been nesting. Cooking. Crafts. Being spoiled for Mother's Day. Celebrating a new creative space. But inexorably, the days are lengthening, and I am returning to my summer habits - gardening, kayaking with Dear Neighbor Friend, strolls in the back forty, river walks in Whitefish, hikes with Man with Hat, and so much more. So, before May becomes as faint as last year's tan lines, let's take a look!

May in Montana moves from brown to green in a matter of weeks, but frost can threaten anything that is not native, or particularly vulnerable specimens. I have learned the hard way not to plant pots or driveway baskets until June. Desiring a little color on the front porch, I decided to make a spring wreath. With the exception of the peacock feathers, which came from DNF, all of my materials came from the thrift store.

I resolved to cook once a week to give Head Chef a break, and generally I am on track. (I have cheated twice and opted for dessert rather than a meal!!!) The Somerset Stew recipe is another meal from Jan at Low Carb Diabetic; we added sausage to our dish.

Mom crosses my mind frequently. I've lost count of the number of times I reached for my phone to call her. One day, I was moved to make a childhood favorite, Snickerdoodles. I talked to Mom throughout the baking process. So yummy!

In college, I started collecting recipes in a school folder. Some were typed out on the family typewriter. Some are newspaper clippings, long since yellowed. A cherished few are in my Mom's handwriting, such as directions for the Thanksgiving turkey. It has been a (mild) source of annoyance for Head Chef, since it clutters his kitchen, and it is falling apart. So, it is now in my "office" (more later) and it will be put in order one day. In the meantime, reminiscing as I held the innards that have come away from the folder, I decided to make Broccoli and Cheese Crepes.

Spring always carries memories of rhubarb. My Dad's garden had several plants, and we ate rhubarb in many forms from sauce to crumble to raw, the moist end of the stalk dipped in sugar. (But beware that you don't eat the section too close to the leaf - my older brother did that once and he got quite sick!) I was a bit shocked to find that Head Shopper had to search high and low to find enough rhubarb for this crumble recipe! It was worth it!

Ever since we moved into this house, the dining room table and the couch in the great room have been my "office" and crafting center. I had plans to create a crafting space in the dormer of the upstairs bedroom - big enough for a large desk, and with a view of the lake and hills. I had envisioned a tall desk - think bar height - and something unique. However, once #1 Son moved in with us, I began to realize it was not a practical solution since the area would be unavailable anytime we had guests. Spousal Unit and I agreed that we could reconfigure the loft to accommodate me. After lots of fruitless shopping for desks/tables at vintage stores, Spousal Unit suggested I look at standing desks on the Web. Eureka!

The design by Uplift is attractive and also fits the rustic industrial theme of our house with the dark wood and black metal hardware. Without too much fuss, Spousal Unit and #1 Son assembled the two separate desks (each one raises and lowers independently). The "L" shape configuration is ideal for the space and provides significant working surface for me. And there is still enough room for the couch (we donated the cocktail table that used to be in front of the couch; we plan to buy two small ottomans and two small side tables).

Given the open nature of this set-up, it is important to both of us that my work space is organized and in keeping with the design of the house. I was thrilled to find this wood top storage unit with three meshed metal drawers - it is an added bonus that you can see the contents of the drawers without opening them!

I am also endeavoring to keep all of my supplies within the footprint of the desks, so using this vintage crate for binders and placing the Pendaflex on top of it maximizes the space. And isn't this trash bin adorable?

Here is the current look with one desk raised to standing height. (I wanted to show you the view, but the picture does not do it justice!)

On Mother's Day, Spousal Unit spoiled me with breakfast in bed, and also surprised me with a box of chocolates.

I always shed tears when reading my Mother's Day cards. It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket of hugs!

So, here we are, with one day remaining in the month. Life is too precious to take even one day for granted, so I will not write that I am anxious for June to arrive. Instead, I will leave you with more of May's bounty - lilacs along the Whitefish River, and reflections in our lake after a passing rainstorm. Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Mosaic Monday #132: This and That

I am on the front porch, and the birds serenade me from the trees. I feel blessed to be alive and healthy, but thoughts of others who are not so fortunate crowd my mind. It seems almost sacrilegious to write a post knowing others are suffering, but I speculate that most people would want me to carry on. This may not be my most creative of posts, but a post it is.

Back in April, I borrowed a Thai Fish Curry recipe from Jan at the Low Carb Diabetic blog. In my house, we are not too concerned about the low carb element, so we served it over rice, and had broccoli on the side. So good!

I have volunteered at the Whitefish Historical Museum for almost three years, and in April a new sign was installed. I think the sign will attract more visitors since it is much more obvious that there IS a museum in the Depot! On the National Register of Historic Places, the Depot was built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway, and shares the same architecture as other structures built by the railroad in and around Glacier National Park.

This sign caught my eye at the airport when I was on my way back from the trip to see my Mom in April. I immediately texted it to #1 Daughter, who loves the J.R.R. Tolkien quote. This sign fits both of us well since we are coffee fiends!

It's no surprise that spring was more advanced when I was in Ohio, and I snapped a few flowers while I was waiting to go to the airport.

Back in Montana, the trail cam was busy capturing lake wildlife.

As May progressed, flowers (and other plant life) began to emerge in Montana.

Our property borders a stream, and it is a boon for flora and fauna. As the summer proceeds, grasses, shrubs and cattails will overtake the stream, hiding its winding flow. Only in the spring can you get this view of the creek.

I moved the trail cam to face the meadow, and was not surprised to see many deer. At least one of them was a young buck. And then there is the camera-hogging sandhill crane. I think he considers the camera his own personal selfie stick!

In the afternoon, the sun strikes the front porch just right. Although there might be a slight nip in the air yet in May, the sun is strong and unfiltered, keeping that chill at bay. The perfect setting to enjoy a margarita for Cinco de Mayo!

In town, which has a lower elevation than our house, flowering trees cause me to stop in my tracks. How is it possible for one tree to have so many blooms?

A week ago, just two days after we celebrated being fully vaccinated (read: two weeks after the second shot), we hosted a dinner party with four vaccinated couples, all from our mountain Ambassador group. One of the ladies brought these Gerber daisies. For me, the flowers and the gesture were symbolic -- bringing color back to our lives after 12 months in the "desert" of the pandemic. In the past, receiving flowers on such an occasion might be expected; now it brings a rush of joy and delight. For those who might still be in the "desert", for whatever the reason, I offer these daisies as hope that better times might soon return for you.