This is an audience participation song. If you are reading this, you must sing along to the tune of “On Top of Spaghetti.”

Ready? Everyone together, with feeling!

On top of some apples

And cranberries red

The baker placed sugar

“And walnuts!” she said

But in her big hurry

She started to bake

Forgetting the flour

The mixture should take

 

The pie smelled delicious

The berries, well done!

But when she removed it

The top was no fun.

 

And while it still smelled nice

Flour matters, it’s true

Cause without the flour

The top looked like poo

 

The story ends happy

‘Cause the pie tasted great

It was good for the tummy

Though ugly on the plate

The moral is simple

For bakers of pie…

Some pies turn out ugly

But they’re still worth a try!

🙂

 

 

 

Alright, pie-lovers. Here’s your chance. The first local person (who can meet me or pick up the pie TONIGHT) to read this blog and comment (on the blog–not Facebook) wins today’s Advent Pie:

Pineapple Coconut Pie

I know–no lofty, meaningful message today. Just this:

If you pay attention and act fast,

you might win a pie.

 

On your marks, get set…..

GO!

 

 

This evening, I baked a Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie. It was one of those cool, easy recipes you find on the back or inside of a wrapper or package. This one came with a graham cracker crust. Yes, I used a store-bought graham cracker crust. I have made them from scratch, and I’ve not found them to be any better.

Here’s how you make it:

Mix 2 8oz packages of cream cheese with a hand mixer until it looks fluffy.

Add 2/3 cup sugar and mix some more.

Add 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and mix some more.

Next, beat in two eggs.

Finally, mix in one 15oz can of pumpkin.

Pour it into a graham cracker crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Cool it on a rack for an hour and then chill for at least 3 hours.

Add whipped cream if you want to.

Making the pie is not what made my muscles sore. I enjoyed some time with my father-in-law and my son this afternoon making (of all things) a fire pit in my back yard. My kids are having some friends over for a Christmas bon-fire this weekend, and we sent out invitations without having a fire pit. So…I’m super grateful for the help today. We drove around on the golf cart gathering rocks and sticks and sand and lights and stuff. We whipped up a pretty decent little fire pit in no time. Thanks, Tom!

I know I’ll be sore tomorrow, because I’m already sore.

I don’t mind a bit, though. As it turns out, I’ve been a bit of a SLUG lately. No good reason–I just haven’t made time to exercise much. Even though I’m sore, I feel good about getting something done. Not to mention, it sure is nice to spend time with folks where there are no SCREENS involved. It was a great day to be outdoors with family–even just for a little while–and it was worth every ache.

Today’s pie is going to someone else who knows about hard work (much harder than I did today). I’m taking this Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie to my son’s third grade teacher. She works hard every day at one of the most important jobs there is–teaching and nurturing children. What an impact she is making on my son and so many others! 

I am grateful for her hard work, and I am so thankful for the ability to do work myself. Whether your muscles are sore from the work you’ve done or perhaps just your brain :), give thanks today for the gift of work.

All right, folks. It’s December 3–and the third day of the “Advent of Pie” series here at fortyandtwentyblackbirds.

This week, I’m a temporarily single parent. My husband’s out of town on business, so it’s just me and the kids. And the kids’ school stuff. And the kids’ homework. And the kids’ rehearsals. And the kids’ activities. And the kids’ laundry. And carpooling. Now, before I officially declare how tired I am right now, let me say how thankful I am to have a partner who divides the job of parenting with me right down the middle. I’m always grateful, but I notice it even more when he’s not there. So a shout out goes to the best husband and dad ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I remembered about making pie on my way down the driveway at 8:30 this evening. I had just dropped off two other kids and been to a parent meeting while my kids were at a play rehearsal. Before I thought about which pie to make, I thought this:

I.Am.So.Tired.

But then I got over it. I realized that today’s big, wonderful, notable gift is endurance. Sure, we’ve all got plenty to do–probably too much on most days. Today, though, I paid attention to the gift of endurance. I had enough energy–and a lot of other resources, too–to do what needed to be done.

Enough gas in the car.

Enough food to pack a snack.

Enough time to get where I needed to go.

Enough clean clothes to avoid doing laundry tonight.

Enough.

Also, I had enough eggs, cheese and ham to make a very quick Ham and Cheese Quiche. The kids and I will reheat it for our breakfast in the morning. Good fuel for another busy day.

Seriously. So quick. You could do it, too. Here’s the recipe:

In a big bowl, mix this stuff up:

3 eggs, 1 cup of any cheese (I had shredded mozzarella), 3/4 cup cubed ham, 1 tsp basil, salt and pepper, 1 and 1/2 cups of milk, and 1 heaping tbsp of flour.

After you mix it all up, pour it into an unbaked pie crust. You can make the edges of the crust as fancy as you like, but you’ll see from the photo that my crust was ugly–don’t think it’ll slow anyone down. Bake it in a 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Time can vary a bit–if you stick a knife in the middle, it should come out pretty clean.

We all have crazy days. Sometimes, each of us wishes for less to do. But you can bet there’s someone out there tonight wishing they’d had the day that you did.

Tonight, give thanks for the ability–and the endurance–to do all that you’ve done today.

 

 

Today was full of notable people, things, and events. At our church today, I was a proud mom watching my son sing with the kids choir and my daughter sing “Ave Maria” all by herself. It was more than notable–to me anyway. I could barely video, I was so overwhelmed.

Now if that wasn’t enough, I was blessed to share a chili luncheon with friends from our church. I think there were 10 or 12 different crocks of chili and lots of yummy bread and cheese to go with it. Not to mention delicious desserts. I tasted a yummy banana pudding and a slice of my own Chocolate Chess Pie. My stomach and my heart were both full as we visited with friends in the gym. It just felt so–ABUNDANT. I thought fondly of my Dad, who loved to pile different foods on his plate at a church supper. I remember him saying once, “It’s polite to try everybody’s…” I was so polite today that my stomach hurt. 🙂

 

It struck me as I looked around. Our lives may not be perfect. Troubles come and go. Times change quickly. One thing is for sure:

If you’ve got a pot of something to share and someone to share it with, you are rich.

So much richer than so many in this troubled world.

Having enough to eat is a true blessing, but having someone to share with makes the blessing bigger. If today or tomorrow, you share a cup of coffee, a sandwich, your candy bar, some soup, or anything with someone you care about, you are blessed. Each day brings us an opportunity to share something with someone. Make your plan now for how you’ll use your chance to share. My plan involves this pot of yummy chocolate chips and butter.
Tonight, I baked a new recipe, Tarheel Pie. It was not difficult at all, and I still have a few ready-made crusts, so that made it even simpler.  I melted chocolate chips (the mini ones melt faster) with a whole stick of butter. A whole stick. Not a pat or a tablespoon. This pie is not messing around.
Next, I mixed eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, flour and salt together and then mixed in the awesome chocolate elixir. The icing on the cake (or the pie, as the case may be) was adding MORE chocolate chips and a big scoop of flaked coconut to the batter right at the end. It baked for about 40 minutes and smelled like the best brownies ever.

The sharing part will happen tomorrow morning at work (much to my kids’ chagrin). I am so thankful to work with some wonderful women each day. I just love them. Not a one of them is wealthy or famous. They are all going through the stuff of life like champions, and I’ve never seen such community–they support one another through the ups and downs. I know this is true, because they’ve supported me with hugs, laughs, casseroles, and anything else I’ve needed in the time we’ve worked together. I consider it a privilege to support them right back.

Tomorrow, we’ll share Tarheel Pie. Can’t wait to taste it. So grateful for the chance to share!

A lot has happened over the last few months in this world. In this country. In your neighborhood or town. In my life.

We all know we’re supposed to say things like, “Change is good” or “I can make it through this time in my life.” Both of those things are true, but sometimes we need more convincing than others. Often, we spend time thinking of what we CAN’T do, or what DIDN’T go our way:

–I didn’t lose the weight.

–We can’t pay this debt.

–I don’t understand.

–She can’t solve such a big problem.

–That’s not what I planned.

–He’s not getting better.

–I can’t catch up.

–She’ll never learn.

 

All this negative talk and thinking leaves us in a state of being that is, in a word, OVERWHELMING. I don’t know what everyone should do when this overwhelming state comes on. But here’s what I did.

Step #1: Take stock of what you have.

Look around. See what you already have. Stop thinking about what you DON’T have. Yesterday, I took all of the pie ingredients I could find in my pantry and put them on my kitchen table. I didn’t buy them–I already had them around. I just forgot about the stuff. Each one of us has something to work with–no matter how small that thing might be. Pie stuff, a smile to give, our health, a tank full of gas, a table to share a meal, a phone call, something.

 

Step #2: Anticipate something good.

Before I baked the first pie, I put a tablecloth on my dining room table. I found all of my cooling racks and trivets. I acted like I would get something done. I anticipated that table full of beautiful pies. That anticipation (hope, if you will) was just enough to get me started. I also had a little side motivation. My daughter had asked me to join her at a holiday craft fair at her school. She painted some cool light switch covers to sell, and she needed a booth buddy, so me and the pies were in. I baked 2 Pecan Pies, 1 Apple Pie, 2 Peanut Pies, 2 Chocolate Chess Pies, and 1 Mixed Berry Pie.  This brings me to the next step.

Step #3: Share.

We really did have a great day at the craft fair. I sold all but one pie, which we were very happy to have for dessert tonight. Pictured above is my SECOND slice of the evening. So salty, sweet and delicious–both times! I got to see some folks I haven’t seen in a while, and I had one awesome customer who did something great. She DID NOT buy a pie–not for herself. She said that she was on a diet, but she knew that I would know someone who really needed a pie. So she paid for one and told me to give it away. She took stock of what she had ($10.00). She anticipated something good (a happy, deserving pie-eater). She shared(I already found a very deserving pie-eater who was happy to take a pie home today). That customer made my day.

I was so tired from all that baking and pie-selling, but encouraged, so I made two more pies–a loyal customer found out I was baking and put in some requests. She’s anticipating Apple Pie and Coconut Cream Pie. I hope she’ll share!

Remember, when you’re feeling overwhelmed,

Take stock.

Anticipate something good.

Share.

Maybe then you’ll be whelmed. 🙂

Some things definitely get better with time–fine cheese, fine wine, meat when it’s marinating, dance steps (for some people, anyway), friendships, the economy (we can hope, right?), sinus infections… I like to believe that time is a healer and that there is a time for everything.

But some things DO NOT get better with time–leftovers after about the 3rd day (although lasagna is DEFINITELY better as a leftover), most mean people, a grudge, weeds, and, as I have recently learned–OVERripe fruit.

There is a lovely lady I know who grows stuff and makes stuff. She’s just one of those cool, earthy people who seem to always make yummy and useful things happen. This summer, she shared some pears with us from a tree in her yard. My husband loves a pear when it is really juicy and ripe. He wants the juice to run down his chin. Not me–I like a pear to be more crunchy, like an apple. Anyway, when he tasted these beautiful pears, he said they were the best he’s ever had. EVER. They did taste good. And their color is very beautiful and natural-looking.

We ate a few of the gorgeous pears, but then, I procrastinated. I waited. I got distracted, or something. And the rest of the pears got too squishy for pie. They got really squishy, and the fruit flies heard about it and made their way to my garage. There was a smell like pear wine and suddenly something sticky on my shoe as I made my way in from the car one day. Dangit. Shouldn’t have procrastinated.As good fortune would have it, the Lovely Pear Lady came through again. Above are pictured some of her lovely pears. I kept my focus this time, and as I’m typing this, a pear pie is in the oven for her. Boy, those pears smelled perfectly sweet and delicious.

Here’s to getting on with it.

A word about procrastination. Late last year, I wrote a children’s storybook. And no, I’m not telling you what it’s about. You can buy one when it comes out. 🙂

I showed it to a few folks and read it aloud to my family, and for a while, I could actually picture kids choosing my book from the shelf at a school library. I could picture a dad or a mom or a teacher reading my book to a child. I envisioned illustrations and even an action figure based on my book. I printed out the manuscript and bought some envelopes. Then I got distracted. I procrastinated.

The jury will be out for a while as to whether this “situation” will be better or worse with time. But today, those pears–the ones that I got a second chance on–inspired me to get on with it. Now it’s six months later. Time to get on with it.

So I did this:

I revised one last line, printed a copy, signed my cover letter, and sealed it all up. I’m taking it to the post office today. There is one of those self-serve machines for postage, so I don’t even have to wait for tomorrow.

I’m no fool (OK, I probably am a lot of the time, but I’ve researched a little), so I know that publishing is a tricky business these days. There are a bazillion writers out there hoping for a slice of the Publishing Pie. Will this one envelope change my career? Probably not. Is there enough hope in it to make me send another one? Absolutely.

There’s something to be said for Nike’s slogan:

Just do it.

 

I hope the Pear Pie tastes as good as it looks.

 

 

As for you, if you’re putting something off–

GET ON WITH IT.

Today, I participated in a yard sale at our church. For several hours, folks looked over tables of treasures, chatted about the hot weather, and several asked me,

“Can you make change?”

I could make change because I’d remembered to get dollar bills and quarters yesterday at the bank. I had plenty of time at the yard sale to think about that question some more. (Though I’m surprised my brain did not totally fry in the incredible Georgia heat. H.O.T.)

Can you make change? Not the money kind. Change. Can you change things? Or people? Or stuff? Or your destiny? Heavy questions for a pie lady.

Tonight, I baked Strawberry Pie. Tomorrow, there’s a covered dish supper for a wonderful lady who’s retiring from our staff. A BIG change for her. Now, she’ll be retired. She’ll change the way she spends her time. I’m so happy for her and glad that she’ll have more time to enjoy her children and grandchildren.

The strawberries changed a bit. They were excellent just way they came. They were perfectly tasty and sweet and juicy. Then they changed. Change happened to them. Things happened to change their flavor and shape.

The older I get, the more I believe that people don’t always “make change.”

Sometimes, change makes people.

The way people are is wonderful. People are excellent, just the way they start out. Take my son and daughter, for example. Excellent from the start, in my unbiased opinion. 🙂

Since they were babies, change has happened to them. Moving, growing, learning, school, knowing people, loving people, learning about themselves, wondering about the world. So much change.  When they were little, I sometimes wanted them to stay the same forever. They were so precious to me. So perfect and wonderful. Change happened anyway, whether I wanted it or not. Always does.

But let me tell you, I like what change did for those little people. I’m so proud of who they’ve become. My husband and I couldn’t be happier with the third grader and the eighth grader that will start another school year Monday morning. (Yes! Monday morning, July 30! We start early in Georgia.)

One can consider change as something difficult or scary. Sometimes, we feel like we can change things ourselves.Sometimes, we just wish we could change things.

I guess we do “make change.”

 Really, though, I think change makes us.

Even if we don’t understand it when it’s happening, change makes our lives beautiful. Even if it can take years to understand why change happens, it fills us with an inevitable wonder that shapes us. All in all, I’m in favor of change.

Just look what it did for those strawberries!