Young Blood

Hard topic today, because I wasn't ready a few weeks ago...

This morning, I asked Alexa to define young blood, and she replied, "Young blood typically refers to youthful people. It can also apply to fresh, revitalizing ideas or vigor."

This answer made me curious, so I followed up with a question about the science of young blood, and I learned that there is some scientific evidence that young blood contains molecules that may have rejuvenating effects, including "specific proteins that can improve cognitive function and skin cell regeneration." Who knew? Well, I suppose the scientists did! 🤣

Before we go any further, please know that I have not fact-checked this AI response, and I'm also not researching cosmetics or fountain-of-youth products! The thing that prompted me into this rabbit hole is that my cousin passed away on Christmas day, just a few minutes after she and I had been texting holiday greetings...but I don't feel old enough for that to have happened. I still have young blood, don't I?

Teresa (DeLuca) McQuay is not the first person I've known to pass away from among my peers, but she is the first of this cousin group to pass on to the next life, and it makes me so sad for her kids, her brother...and also for me. 

Teresa was 59, and I've known her since 1968, when I was born. Neither one of us had regularly been referred to as "young" in many years (unless you count time spent with our moms!), but I would venture to guess that, like me, she wasn't feeling like she was old. I mean we're not as young as we were in 1973,

or 1982, or 1997, or even 2003,

but we're certainly not OLD!, and it feels unfair that she would have to leave so suddenly, without having the opportunity to meet any grandchildren that may come along. Wasn't 1983 just a few years ago? 

Hmmm, no. I guess not, but that cousin bond can be strong. Some even compare it to a semi-sibling-style relationship, or mention that cousins are our first (maybe forced) friends as well as family...which is not wrong. (If you can't tell from those 80s photos, Tre was a bit of a rebel. She was Sandy at the end of Grease, while I was Sandy-fresh-off-the-boat...but we were friends!) While we hadn't talked often recently, when we did, we laughed over many shared memories of our childhood and teenage years, and we celebrated the women we have become. 

Just a few years back, in 2021, almost all 8 of us cousins got together to celebrate one of our parents, Aunt Mickey, who passed away during the awful year of Covid.

We talked, and we laughed, and we remembered together, as you do...it was so very good...and the bond was still there, as she grabbed my hand for the photo. 

Memories of late-night gab sessions when she stayed at my house...

 

Memories of holiday photos taken on the front porch, or in front of the tree, with Grandpa Joe's little camera (not instant, you got one chance at the "right face"... did you choose well? We'll find out when the film is developed!)...followed by cookies in Grandma's kitchen...

Memories of running around Euclid, while Tre and I stayed at Mary's house in the summer...

Memories of board games, and sleepovers, and shocking (at the time) truths between cousins...

All these memories add up to a life, no matter how many years it lasts...so I'll keep making more, but (sadly) not with my cousin, Teresa.

Zach, Ricky & Kylie, Rich, Tony, Patti, Kim...she was amazing, wasn't she? Keep her memory alive in your hearts, and her legacy will continue to bless you, and your children and their children, for generations to come. 

Blog friends, treasure your loved ones as long as you can, for none of us knows the hour of our death. Love one another well, whether your blood is young or old, and your legacy will be love. 

Thanks for stopping by, and for listening...and Knit in Good Health. 

It's Gonna Be Wild!

Once upon a time, when my own kids were small (and a bit beyond that even), I looked forward to VBS (Vacation Bible School) every year! It was so fun, and I wish I had digital photos to show you, but that was another time and place. Wasn't it? I mean, I like to think the old VBS photos are hanging around somewhere, but mostly those memories live in my mind, and that's ok. 

Eventually I had a couple of grandkids, and I was so excited to share the experience with our first little peanut, as she came of age for such things...

By the way, she is 12. She's a "Swiftie" now (went to see the Eras Tour last night with her family), and I'm not sure she would be thrilled to know that I know that she sometimes sang those church songs in the shower back in the day, but her mommy told me she did! 

So, it's been a minute since I've been a part of VBS, but the oldest of our grandsons has been asking about church, so I've signed him (and me) up to attend! As a volunteer, I had the awesome opportunity to help with setup. I'm not sure, but I might have had just as much fun at church as the Swifties had last night! I mean, these people are Wild!

Jump rope anyone?

No, tying up Marcie is better...

Or Miss Amanda. Yes, tie her up too!

Miss Amanda, I think you have lost control...

Well, that's what we did, in between perching perilously on chairs and creating water and trees from thin air for our Wild Life week! Yes, the volunteers have transformed the church, and VBS is gonna be Wild all week!

If you're local, you can sign up and get all the details at this link: VBS Registration, and I hope you'll consider it! Even if you don't get a chance to register ahead, join us tomorrow at 6 (come a little early to fill out a short form)! We will play games, sing songs, get a little wild and have so much fun learning that Jesus is Wild About Us all week!

If you're not local, look around for a VBS near you. Memories and new friends are made at VBS, whether you're a volunteer or a kid, and summer is all about memories and new friends! 

Now, it's time for me to settle in and knit a bit on my Modulancho...it is growing daily, and I am enjoying the process as it comes together!

What's got you excited this summer? Whether it's VBS or something else, drop a comment and tell me about it!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Eight

Today is the seventh. It is also the eighth! Today marks the eighth trip this Pikachu-loving granddaughter has made around the sun, and boy did she love that sweater!

You know the knit's a hit when it goes right on, as soon as it is out of the box, and much posing ensues!

Yes, a matching sweater for Kitty...lol!

(FYI, the concert hoodie was also a hit, and it went right on, and posing ensued...but it's different with a pre-teen than with a kid still in single digits! Hahahahahaha...)

As you may have guessed by the first few photos, second Christmas was a big success last Saturday at our daughter's house! There was too much wonderful food...

The boys watched football, played with new toys and had fun...

The girls applied makeup, took selfies, and squealed over new knits...

...and all was right in our little corner of the world! 

Pop Pop and I went to bed before the ball dropped, as per usual and despite the big college game that was not over yet, and we woke up for a moment with the neighbor's fireworks... Since then, we have started to get back to the normal of a northeast Ohio winter. Part of the ritual is storing the Christmas decorations, which we did...

Well, except these sweet girls, who have entered their eternal rest. At first glance, they are still lovely, but something new falls off or comes unstitched each year...and they are tired. 

A gift from my Sister-in-Law, many Christmases ago.
I love that I can keep the memory in pictures.

As our decorating evolves in this house, I find myself using less and less of the ornaments I've used every year. Of course, if you decorate your tree with cookies, that'll happen! Still, for the past two years, I've used garland around the mirror to display some of my favorite handmade goodies, and others have found new homes. 

All-in-all, 2023 has started strong. This year will bring birthdays number 8, 12, 1, 3 and 5 for the grands, so it's gonna be a good one with lots of milestones and lots of smiles. For today, happy birthday number 8 to our Sweet Pea! We can barely believe you are not a tiny baby anymore, but we are excited to watch you continue to grow!

I hope your year has also started well, readers. While each year and season brings ups and downs into all our lives, I pray that you are treasuring the good and coping well with any challenges. Remember that you are loved, and take a moment to let me know if you have any big plans this year! I'd love to know what you are looking forward to. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Anyone Want a Cookie?

For Christmas, I bought myself an embossed rolling pin. I have all this counter space now, I should definitely be baking more. And, if am going to bake, it is going to be fun! so I bought two pins and gave one to my daughter, then I made my first batch. Remember the sweater cookie from my last post? That dough was embossed with my first pin, and it was so much fun that I bought three more. Lolz... (Not a sponsored post, but here's where I got my pins: pastrymade.com)

Can I just say that these are super fun to work with! And they gave me the inspiration to find the perfect cookie recipe to use with them. One of the places I looked was my sister-in-law's recipe box. Remember these tin boxes that we all used in the 80s and 90s to store our treasured recipes?

This box first came into my possession a couple of weeks ago, and although I knew it would never be my permanent recipe box, I ventured inside to peruse the handwritten recipes, typed recipes, recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines and some other trinkets (and trick birthday candles). And yes, the family's favorite recipe for Santa Cookies, the first recipe I've tried with my new rolling pins.

Having put my hands on the recipe I was searching for, I stashed the rest in my own recipe box, and got ready to bake some cookies for my favorite cookie jar!

And they turned out pretty good. I have found that the finer details on the sheep only come out sometimes, so I will continue testing recipes for the right consistency. 

In the meantime, these are super tasty and nostalgic, after years of eating them at Cindy's house every Christmas, so I will use this recipe for iced cookies for the holidays. I am really enjoying the combination of vanilla and almond flavorings, and I've found that piping some melted chocolate onto the backs of these fancies ups the flavor and texture, since it would be a mistake to cover that embossing with icing! 

So I am still auditioning for the perfect embossed cookie recipe, and I have two or three that I've taken from the internet to try. 

The cat is not a fan of baking, since there are no laps to snuggle into when I'm in the kitchen. She would much rather I knit, so perhaps I will sign off now to indulge her (and my needles) a bit!

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe? I'd love to hear about the flavors that evoke nostalgia for you and your family, at the holidays and all year round. Drop a comment or send me an email to let me know, then grab your needles and knit with me for a bit!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

From Grandma's Kitchen

...with Love.

That's the title of this book that my daughter gave me for Christmas this year. She is a particularly gifted gift-giver, that one!

Jess knows that I love family...and food...making and sharing memories, often combining both. These last few years, she has come into her own in the kitchen, and she's started asking me to share some of our family's favorite recipes. She also knows that I love to write, so giving me a place to write down and share recipes and memories was a slam dunk, for sure. So much so that up until today, I hadn't figured out which of my treasured recipes would have the honor of the first page.

I'm not sure Delicious Scones are one of her favorites, but they sure are one of mine. They are also really easy to recreate, and it makes sense that the first recipe in the book should be a success, so scones it is!

While I don't remember where I originally found this recipe online, the name of the recipe was "Delicious Scones," just like I wrote on that recipe card...and they are! Sooooo delicious...especially with a little fruit or butter, a glaze or some clotted cream...you just can't really go wrong with them!

I've made these biscuit-like treats for parties, for holidays and for gatherings at church, and they are always a hit! Today's are plain, but I've added orange and cranberries, lemon and blueberries, apples and cinnamon and even strawberry jam to this recipe through the years. Sometimes I take out the sugar and add shredded cheese and garlic for a savory treat! So, after enjoying scones and strawberries for breakfast, I put this one in the book, and I hope that she gives it a try for her family! 

What will go in the book next? Will it be the dinner rolls? Easter bread? Christmas caramel? Something else? I don't know yet, but I do know that I will keep this book close to the kitchen while I cook this year. 

Where do you keep your treasured, family recipes? Have you shared them with your kids yet? If not, I hope you have plans to share them in some way! Some of my favorites are for foods that have been enjoyed for generations, and I love knowing that they will remain, even when I an eventually, inevitably gone.

So will the knitting, so I'm gonna sign out now to work on another baby blanket for the next member of the next generation! That's right, this good gift-giver is growing another grandchild for Pop Pop and Pretty, and we could not be more thrilled!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and share your recipes) in Good Health!

Looking Forward and Back

Last January, I blogged about my Aunt Mickey (and some other things). It was a sad time of saying goodbye, and I even posted some pictures.

Today, there was a gathering to honor her memory and celebrate the 80 years she spent circling the sun on planet Earth, touching lives and loving well. Covid has caused the gap in grieving, but I am glad for the opportunity to consciously call back the good memories and see the photos of her smiling face again. 

As this day has approached, I have thought about the memories that dance in my brain when I think of her, and I looked for some photos that are a good indication of the Aunt Mickey I remember so fondly. Note: Some of these photos are not mine, but the face on that sweet lady is the one I remember when making similar memories. (Thank you Facebook, for showing me other parts of her life all the time!)

I remember visits to Aunt Mickey and Uncle Bill's house when I was growing up. I remember the layout, even though I have not been there in years, because it was essentially the same as the Tiny House I just sold in June! It was always good to walk into that familiar kitchen and to sit at the table. It was so good to share food, whether a meal in the basement for a First Communion Party or desserts and snacks in the kitchen, because the food and company were so wonderful! 

I remember cooking and baking with Aunt Mickey, and learning all the time! "You have to whip the egg whites for 10 minutes," she would tell me about the meringue cookies, "and everything has to be very clean before you start." After years of following her advice, I know that she was right. Clean tools, well-rinsed and chilled, or your meringues are doomed! I remember watching her bake, and tasting the goodness of so many treats that came out of her tiny kitchen. I am thankful that her grandchildren were able to enjoy similar memories, and all the taste tests!

I remember when I would approach Aunt Mickey, a "fun-sized" adult, to see if I was getting taller. She would jokingly threaten to cut us off at the knees if we got taller than she was, and she would tell us to sit down...lol! For the record, I did grow taller than Aunt Mickey, and my knees are in tact!

I remember introducing my children to her and watching their eyes light up as she told stories. She was a crazy-good storyteller, full of imaginative tales! So my kids knew her as "Crazy" Aunt Mickey...but the good kind of crazy, not the "they're-coming-to-take-you-away" kind of crazy. As kids, and even as young adults I think, they looked forward to the intermittent visit with Crazy Aunt Mickey.

I remember calling Aunt Mickey when our extended family went sideways a few years back, seeking solace and comfort in a confusing time. I called, out of the blue, and I'm not even sure I told her what was wrong. And she listened. And she told me I was doing a good job as a mom and grandma. And she told me she loved seeing pictures of my beautiful grandbabies on Facebook.

As I look both forward and back, I celebrate the influence that Aunt Mickey has had on my life. I hope that I am half the mom and grandma that she was, and I continue to strive to improve every year. I miss knowing that Aunt Mickey is just a phone call away, but I am glad for the renewed friendships I am creating with some of my cousins over the last few years. 

Thanks for the memories, Aunt Mickey. I love you and miss you so much, but I will go on, just as you would have. 

For those of you who didn't know Mickey Segulin, I hope you have a Crazy-good Aunt Mickey in your life, and that you recognize her worth and celebrate her constantly!

Thanks for stopping by, and Look forward and back in Good Health!