Hear My Prayer

It has been a while since I've shared any music, but today our Internet connection is actually working well enough that I can get on YouTube! ;-) Here is a very moving, short piece by Henry Purcell based on Psalm 102:1 -- "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee." In the video it is performed by the choir of Clare College, Cambridge.

Golden fields

Living in the countryside certainly keeps one in tune with the changing rhythms of nature. I took this photo of "our" soybean field about a week ago and already it is outdated. When the leaves turn yellow, they turn fast! Last night and today we have had high winds and any remaining dry leaves have been mostly whisked away, leaving the field a rather dreary brown... however, I imagine the view will be lovely once again when we get some snowfall.

Decorating inspiration: vintage nursery

This photo also comes from the museum where my sister-in-law works, which we visited this past summer. What I love most about this room is the voile curtains and the way they soften the light coming in to the crib.

Laura's Autumn Pancakes

1 c. white flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 heaping T. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 T. wheat germ or ground flax seed (optional)

2 T. oil

1/4 c. molasses

2 eggs

1-3/4 milk

Blend the dry ingredients together in large bowl. In a medium bowl, blend the wet ingredients, then mix with the dry ingredients until the batter is thoroughly blended. Pour the batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a skillet on medium heat. When bubbles begin to appear in the batter, flip the pancake with a spatula to cook the other side. When the pancake is finished cooking, flip it onto a plate and eat them warm!

Suggested toppings:

warm applesauce

maple syrup

apple butter

vanilla yogurt with apple slices

This is my first "totally made up" recipe (aside from a disgusting fiasco at age 8 or 9), so if you try it, let me know what you think!

Vintage tea towels

These towels, alas, do not hang in my kitchen, but at the museum where my sister-in-law works. I dearly love the embroidery and stripes, though!

Eggs a la goldenrod

Lunch was inspired by my morning walk along the Indiana roadside.



Make medium white sauce by melting 3 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 3 tbsp. flour and blend together, then add 1-1/2 c. milk. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. (This will take forever unless you up the heat a little as you go. Just be careful not to scorch or scald the sauce. You can get away with working on the eggs while this is thickening, just give the pan a stir frequently.)

Hard boil six eggs, then strip off the shells and cut eggs in half, dividing the yolk from the whites. Coursely chop up the egg whites and add them to the white sauce. Spoon the sauce over a piece of toast. Press the yolks through a sieve (I use a garlic press), then sprinkle the yolk over the white sauce mixture. Eat it while it's hot!

(This made enough for one pregnant lady, one hungry husband, and one visiting sister-in-law.)

Dog blocks

Last Saturday I found a few goodies at a garage sale up the road from our apartment. I don't think this lady had done a thorough clean-out since at least the 1950s! One item I picked up was this 1977 McCall's embroidery transfer book.


There are a lot of cute motifs inside -- one of my favorites being this dog stacking blocks, which quickly went on to a plain white onesie:



Sweet!