Fun Weekend January 18, 2010

(BB) You may have noticed that it’s just been me posting items recently. Cynthia’s seven months pregnant with twins and she keeps making excuses about being tired…whatever that’s about.   Anyhow, Cynthia’s sister-in-law, Renee, and I co-hosted a baby shower for Cynthia Saturday morning. I was in charge of the food and games, while Renee hosted everyone at her home, made the cutest diaper cake ever, and fashioned some take home treats, etc. It was a fun time!

I think I made a new friend in Renee. Not only is she an awesome mom, crafty person, and super nice, she is also a huge fan of the Muppets. Like me! Seriously, how cool can you get?

Anyhow, we had a lovely time, and it was nice meeting Cynthia’s other friends and family. She got some beautiful outfits for the girls! 

I had forgotten to pick up a bouquet, so in lieu of having to stop at the store on the way to the shower Saturday morning, I made some tissue paper flowers and attached them to faux-ivy. It came out quite nicely.  Making the bouquet, however, put me in a flower making mood so I made some for MK’s room.  She was quite happy to model with them and direct Dada as to where to hang them.

I think Ed the Alligator is trying to eat that last bunch of flowers.

Several of the ladies at the shower asked for the brunch recipes I used, so I thought I’d share them here:

Hunter’s Breakfast (Author: Barbara Watson, my mom!)…mix the night before and bake the next morning.

8 slices bread

8 eggs, beaten

3/4 t dry mustard

1/2 lb grated cheese (cheddar, jack, or mozzarella)

2 C milk

1 lb sausage, cooked

Topping: 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup and 1/2 C milk

Butter large Corning Ware style pan. Tear the bread into the pan. Add meat, cheese, eggs, milk, and mustard; stir. Mix soup and 1/2 C milk and pour on top. Refrigerate overnight then bake in the morning at 300 degrees for 90 minutes.

Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes (Author: Rebecca Bertok)

Sautee fresh or frozen green beans in a small amount of olive oil. Add Rosemary and Thyme.  Do not cook them too long. You want the green beans to remain crisp. Add cherry tomatoes, cut in half, and heat through.

Almost Heaven Cake (Author: Ola Watson, my grandma!)

1 box Golden Butter cake mix

1 can crushed pineapple

1 box instant vanilla pudding

16oz. Cool Whip

8oz. cream cheese

Coconut

Prepare the cake mix as directed. While the cake is still warm, poke holes in it and drain the pineapple juice from the can, over the cake.  Allow the cake to cool thoroughly.  Prepare the pudding as directed then beat in the cream cheese and fold in the cool whip.  Add the crushed pineapple to the top of the cake then the pudding mixture. Top with coconut.  This cake is really good if you freeze it or let it cool in the refrigerator overnight.

Mediterranean Noodles (Author: Rebecca Bertok)

1 box Rotini noodles

1 can whole Black Olives

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Zesty Italian Dressing

8oz. Shredded Mozzarella

Cook the noodles as directed. Mix all ingredients together. Vary the amount of dressing with however spicy you want it.

Enjoy!

Tiger, tiger burning bright… January 12, 2010

(BB) I try to stay off the adoption web sites. From what I have seen, they only contain horror stories and comments from negative ninnies. I realize this whole adoption process isn’t going to be a cake walk, but seriously, in my opinion,  many people who take it upon themselves to post on adoption forums are simply unhappy people, child or no child.  I had to laugh a few weeks ago when I came across an article on an adoption web-site entitled, “How not to go stir crazy while waiting for child placement.”  Some of the suggestions included taking a class, joining a book club, learning something new, travelling, redecorating, etc.  If you need to be told to ‘take up an interest’…well, that’s just sad.  And terribly boring, and I think that if a person has no interests, he/she is not going to use adoption as an excuse to find one.  If the person who wrote that article knew me, last night she would have been yelling, “Sit down, woman!” Even Steve said I looked like I had been beat on for two days straight. haha!  I have TOO many interests!!

Anyhow, I was thinking about all of this on my drive home last night after having spent the weekend bouncing around North Carolina, visiting friends and trying new things.

Saturday morning I drove to a quaint little town just north of Charlotte, NC to the home of my friend Tracy who is a fashion and costume designer. Much to my amusement, I was considered enough of an artistic rival to the professional photographer that I was asked to leave my camera at home. Boo hiss!  I did not want to steal his lighting effects but rather share with you what a professional fashion photo shoot is like behind the scenes. It’s so much more than the static image you see at the end.  Either way, I was content to help Tracy serve lunch, find props, and just goof off with the other creatives.  Here are some photos I took at Tracy’s home the last time I was there. Her lovely, turn-of-the-century home served as the backdrop for the shoots this weekend; a 1930’s black and red Cabaret-style corset number of Tracy’s design and an original 1940’s wedding dress. It was pretty cool seeing how the sets and photos are styled, arranged, etc.

After the photo shoot, I left Tracy’s studio for Carolina Tiger Rescue (CTR) in Pittsboro, NC where my sister-in-law, Kathryn Bertok or “Kathy”, is the curator.  We went to dinner with Kathy’s friends and co-workers at the lovely little General Store Cafe. I highly recommend their Energy Bowl; a mix of Oriental seasoned tofu, brown rice, and sauteed vegetables with a peanuty-buttery satay sauce. Yummmm-O!!

After dinner and a long, chilly night in the CTR compound…the building lost its heater…Kathy took me on Binturong feeding rounds Sunday morning.  Only one of the Bints braved coming out of his warm den box to greet us so we simply put their medicines and new food trays in their enclosures.  We also gave meds to several of the tigers. I was very excited to give one of the tigers his medicine, but Kathy had to take over when the tiger was clearly more interested in greeting her than taking the medicine-laced chicken leg from the end of the stick I was holding.  It’s wild to see a 350+ pound tiger rub against a fence, asking to be petted, as a house cat would rub against your legs…only this cat could take your leg off.  Kathy, the staff, and the volunteers of Carolina Tiger Rescue do an amazing job with the animals that have been left to their care…sometimes literally left in their care.  If you have about 6 1/2 minutes, take the time to watch the video below, where you’ll meet Kathy and learn more about CTR’s mission.

After feeding the Binturongs, we cleaned pens and laid out some pine-bough beds. It was rather nerve wracking to be cleaning the tiger enclosures! Keep in mind, please, that Kathy is the curator at CTR, has more than 10 years experience with big cats, she and I both respect that these tigers are WILD, and that everything is always conducted in a safe manner. That being said, it was still very scary to be inside a tiger’s enclosure, even when they are in a holding area. The fact that you’re in their area and they are behind you is very, very intimidating.  

 

JellyBean and Apache weren’t getting along so well as new neighbors so every now and then, you would hear them bellow at each other and the fences would rattle with their weight.  The smaller cats, Ocelots, Servals, and Caracals, didn’t seem to mind the noise. They were more interested in the occasional wren that wasn’t paying attention to where it landed.

All in all, it was a very fun weekend!  Thanks so much to Tracy of Victoria Velvet and Kathy, Dan, Bret, Lenoir, Scott, Dianne, Susan, and Julie of Carolina Tiger Rescue!  I am exhausted and my feet are crabby, but it was worth it.  To schedule a tour of Carolina Tiger Rescue, or to learn about volunteering, donations, etc. log on to www.carolinatigerrescue.org!  You can find all of my photos from CTR here.

Projects, projects… January 7, 2010

(BB) I recently found this little drawing by Mary Engelbreit, and I promptly clipped it from the magazine I was reading and taped it to my desk.  The saying could not be more true, and since I’ve been in uber-make-stuff mode recently, finding the drawing was well timed.  The holidays are over, but things are no less busy. I’m headed to a fashion photo shoot in Salisbury, NC this weekend and then over to Carolina Tiger Rescue to volunteer for a day; helping my sister-in-law, CTR’s curator, to feed the kitties. Yay! I’m so very excited. It will be a fun weekend!  Driver’s School is just 4 weeks away and since Panic Motorsports has several cars rented out, Steve’s in overdrive trying to get everything ready. My skills don’t come in with the racecars until later next month when we have our first enduro of the season for which, as usual, I’ll be running communications and crew chiefing.  MK is going with the flow as usual, and the three of us goof off plenty on weekdays, but until the next few weeks move on through, we’ll see each other only in passing on the weekends.  But, we wouldn’t have it any other way! We just have too much fun!

When I complained today that I still had fiberglass in my hands from peeling tiles off their net-backing, Steve rolled his eyes and mumbled something about “suffering for art.” I was undecided whether to laugh or chuck a paint brush at him…he brought me lunch so I went with laugh. However, if I had hit him with a paint brush, he would also be suffering for art. I guess.

Here’s the source of all the fiberglass shrapnel. I inherited three boxes of 1×1 Bisazza glass tile samples from work, when we pulled the line.  Aren’t they pretty?!  Since Steve was out last night and MK was in bed, I sat on the sofa, watched “Beyond the Sea“, and removed the tiles from their backing…for two hours.

And, I still have two boxes to go. 

Owwww! 

Oh well, I guess I am suffering for art since I plan to make (my first) mosaic. It will be a bird, of course, but I have yet to figure out the pattern…something to think about while working on the next two boxes of tile.

Another project I recently completed, with some lovely input from my dear husband, is the false headboard in our guest room. We are in between houses right now…that is, we are living in a lovely little place but we just sold our old home and are waiting to build;  I didn’t have a headboard for the guestbed, and didn’t feel like buying one, so I bought some $10 drapes and a $3 curtain rod from Target, then proceeded to hang one of my paintings to make it look like a perpetual-sunset via an open window. I think it turned out nicely, and it certainly beats the heck out of a blank, white wall. 

The square pillows I made years ago for our first house and the pink one I made out of my Grandma Ola’s old nightgown; with a few embellishments of course.  Anyhow, the headboard was a quick and inexpensive solution; the first of a few headboard ideas I’ve wanted to try out. I’ll sketch others and post them here for your use.

I’m off to pop some popcorn and work on more tile samples.  Until later, have a great afternoon!!  Oh, speaking of Panic Motorsports (back in paragraph one), I couldn’t be more proud of Steve for winning his second consecutive Carolina Cup Pro Series Spec Miata Championship in 2009!  Read all about it on Panic’s blog!

Bittersweet… January 2, 2010

(BB) 2009 was a challenging year in sooo many ways. Too many to go in to, really, but then again, life’s challenges help make us into the people we are, and it is only with hope and perseverence that we use those lessons for the positive.

I was reminded, last week, of my first New Year’s with Steve. We’re not partiers and prefer to leave the roads untravelled on New Year’s Eve so it was in a brand new house with no cable, hardly any furniture, etc. that we celebrated our first New Year together, ringing in 2001.  We sat on the floor of what would become our lovely little townhome (loft and spiral staircase included), watching the ball-drop on a black and white, portable 5″ TV screen, and drinking champagne.   We had only been friends for six months at the time; had been dating only three months, but I think we both knew by then that we were in it for the long haul.

We’re moving forward to our next decade now. We’ve been married since 2002, and our daughter will turn five this Spring.  Our house is larger, stuff has accumulated (good reminders, really, rather than “stuff”), and I think we’re doing pretty well!

Of course, things have not been all cherries and feathers. Starting a business has been no cake walk, albeit certainly worth the trials. Friends have moved on and away.  Family has left, never to return.  We had hoped to have another child by now, and although things did not work out the way we prayed they would, God will bless us in time through adoption.  Regardless of life’s speedbumps, I think we are starting 2010 for the better. There is a lot in our corner, and I can only pray that this is true for our family and friends as well.

And so, it was with a light heart that we were prepared to begin 2010 and perhaps that is why the reminder of time’s passage was so hard to accept this morning. How is it that a 3″, 3oz. bird could mean so much?  Ahab, our little one-legged wonder bird, passed away this morning. Really, she lived for a long, long time.  A Zebra Finch’s life expectancy is just 4-6 years, and Ahab was pushing six.  It was simply her time.  Perhaps she meant so much because like me, she was presented with mobility challenges and seemingly overcame them at every turn.  Born with one leg, we came home after her third day out of the nest to find her perched, albeit precariously and with a slouch, on the upper dowel in her cage.  After having racked our brains for three days, trying to figure out how to help a one-legged bird, it was pretty obvious that Ahab solved that for us. 

At least now you know why our female bird bore the name of a cranky, old male protagonist…she never gave up.  It’s not that Moby Dick is a favorite by any means, but “Blackbeard” was too long, and we couldn’t come up with any female, one-legged characters.  So, “Ahab” it was. 

I like to think that she was my reminder from God not to give up.  After complete reconstruction of both feet, nine surgeries in total, years of physical therapy, constant pain, and one clunky AFO on my left foot, I can always use reminders of why I should continue to work toward my crazy dreams.  My friends and family always support and push me, and MK is perhaps the best incentive in the world, but Ahab will always be, at least in my mind, a little postcard from God…reminding me that I am not alone in my struggles.  If a little one-legged bird can do it, so can I.

Ahab, we’ll miss you so much!  I love you!

Christmas Eve morning conversation with a 4-year-old December 24, 2009

(BB) We started off the morning with a nasty cough coming from MK’s room. She’d been fighting off a cold all week and finally gave in to it this morning so she and mom are at Urgent Care while I’m working a few hours this morning. I wasn’t going to fight for an appointment on Christmas Eve at MK’s doctors’ office so Urgent Care was our second best bet.  In an effort to cheer up MK this morning, I started this conversation (keep in mind that she is used to our friends coming over on a regular basis):

Me: MariKate, guess who’s coming tonight?

MK: Ooh, Kathryn Grace?

Me: No, he’s big…

MK: Jonathan?! <voice a little higher pitched>

Me: Noooo, he wears a red suit, black boots, and he has a beard…

MK: CARLOS?!! <voice is now at a fever pitch>

…to which Steve nearly falls out of the bed laughing…

Me: Um, no, sweetheart. It’s Santa Claus. Remember?

hahahaha! I thought that, perhaps this year, she would finally be in to the whole “Santa bringing gifts” thing, but I bet she’ll still be handing out gifts in the morning more enthusiastically than opening her own  (this would be the Christmas-morning norm in our house). Of course, I believe it says a lot to her character.   Although I’m not sure what the above conversation says in reference to Carlos’ style. haha!

Mom just called. MK has a standard Upper Respiratory thing going on, but the doctor wants her to hold off on antibiotics for at least five days, in the event that we can kick this thing before it gets to that point. So, hopefully she’ll feel better soon with the decongestant he gave her.

I still believe in you, Santa!

The dogs get gifts too December 23, 2009

(BB) Nelly and Mika got a new dog bed cover for Christmas. I made it using some old bath towels (blue on one side, chocolate brown on the other) and olive-green grosgain ribbon.  Nelly initially claimed it for herself, being the smaller and older dog, but she finally agreed to let Mika share. How sweet.

Illumination pre Winter Solstice… December 23, 2009

(BB) Last Thursday, we made our annual trek to Riverbanks Zoo to visit Santa and see the lights.  As usual, the zoo put on a wonderful show, and we had a great time…even if MK was trying to catch the fake, bubbly snow on her tongue. Haha! It was a very chilly night sans any of the real fluffy white stuff, but as usual, South Carolina charm reigned supreme with beautifully lit Palmettos.

 

Now that we’ve passed the Winter Solstice of course, the days are finally getting longer, albeit just minutes at a time, but I’ll take whatever the Earth’s lazy trek around BOB is willing to give me!  Although the long Winter nights are majestic, it’s too dark for my taste.

Christmas is just three days away now.  The house is clean, the center cut tenderloin has been ordered, and we’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of our friends and family, some from several states away, who will join us to celebrate over the next week.  What fun! 

Christmas draws near… December 13, 2009

(BB)  Being that we always use a live tree, we wait until two weeks prior to Christmas to purchase and decorate our Christmas Tree.  I just can’t stand to vacuum needles for any longer than that, but there’s no way I’ll switch to an artificial tree.  I’d miss that lovely smell too much. ;o)   Steve got home yesterday from PRI and promptly took MK to a classmate’s birthday party to spend some time with her, then they picked up a tree on the way home.  She and I decorated while Steve napped off a long week.  It’s always fun looking back through the ornaments, many of which my Grandma Jean gave me over the years…one for each Christmas until about 10 years ago.  Several of our ornaments were made by Grandma Jean and Steve’s mom, Marilyn; some were gifts from friends; a Snoopy one was made by my Grandpa Wiley some 30+ years ago; and my favorite is a tiny wooden bird from Germany whose wing we lost some time back.  I think my Dad purchased the bird while stationed in Germany, shortly before my birth, but I’m not 100% certain.  We kept track of and reglued her loose wing so many times, but it finally did not return one Christmas.

Birds, like so many things in our home, seem to be a theme on our tree.  Wooden birds, glass birds, sequin birds, etc.  MariKate was dismayed that one of the sequin birds, the purple one, her favorite, had lost its hanger so my little 4-year-old savant used a rubberband (all of her own doing and guidance) to fashion the bird to the tree.  I believe I will leave the little bird and her bindings just as they are. So cute!

I have remembered that I must add our Sand Dollars to the tree. It amazes me that after finding them on the beach so many years ago, there is still sand that falls from them every year.  Not only do they remind me of my beloved Edisto, but the legend of the Sand Dollar also makes a nice symbolic addition to our Christmas Tree. 

Christmas really is a time of wonder, though I do hope and pray it is a spirit we can carry with us all year through!  So many people shout, “Make merry!” this time of year, but why not all the time?  Don’t just stop to spend time with your children now, do it often and make a habit of it!  Make sugar cookies in the middle of July, visit friends whenever you can, and send cards rather than emails…letter writing and penmanship is such a lost art.  Why do people wait until Christmas to send a card to a friend and let them know how much they are loved?

As for me, I’m off to make some popcorn and find a Christmas movie to watch with the munchkin.   I think we’ll pull out The Muppets Christmas Carol…one of our favorites!  MK was a rather sniffly angel in this morning’s preschool service.  She sang loud and clear, but it was pretty obvious afterwards that she isn’t feeling very well, so I think it will be a day of hot cocoa and blankets around here.  May God Bless you and your family this season and always!

Catching up… December 10, 2009

(BB) I was sick last week. What started as a normal Fall cold quickly became a sinus infection, then it just all went downhill from there. I was miserable and NOTHING got done! Here’s a sampling of what was waiting around the house for me…

Stanley was in dire need of repair after Mika decided she wanted to try sock-monkey (picture me standing at the sink bawling for almost ten minutes after this discovery…Grandma Ola made Stanley for me years ago).  Mika’s bed needed a cover…thankfully for her, I have not used her own hide after the Stanley incident.  The Advent Calendar was still in need of repairs.  Our porch snowman was nothing more than a wreath, and my flowers sat unpotted.  **Oh, and I’m soooo excited because Mom found me some sock-monkey-style socks that were originally from my Papa’s dime store (yes, a true V&S Variety) that closed in 1995 after his death. In all likelihood, my Grandma got the original socks for Stanley the Monkey from the dime store too, so it really couldn’t have been better that Mom found them! 

I must admit, however, that I still haven’t been that spirited in catching up with my To Do list, but I have gotten a few things done. MK and I began decorating for Christmas, we shipped Steve off to PRI, and our final adoption home study was Tuesday night; so nonetheless, it has been busy!

This is my recently finished version of our one-legged wonder bird, Ahab, made using Alicia Paulson’s Friendly Bird Kit, although I covered Ahab in some fabric scraps rather than papier mache.

Here is MK and a Dogwood branch we cut for use in making a decoration…she was adding her own flourishes.  Below is the same Dogwood branch after we finished with it; red paint, ornaments, and all.

Fred!  Fred the Scarecrow is now a snowman. Albeit the South Carolina variety.  I couldn’t find a stocking cap so Fred inherited my old ski goggles.  Hmm…Fred needs feet.

Fred and me via MK’s perspective…

And finally, we got our Christmas photo done.  Happy Family! Mom took this photo of the three of us in front of the chimney at my uncle’s cabin in Cheraw.  I love the construction of the chimney as it has some of the prettiest marble and granite in it! 

Although, I’m sure we’ll speak again, here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas from the Bertoks!   Now off to rescue the Banana Trees from the anticipated first-freeze of the season tonight…

Heinz 57 December 9, 2009

(BB) No, not the ketchup, but rather a reference to a blend of familial backgrounds (after all, Heinz has 57 varieties!). “Heinz 57″ is a phrase I often heard my Papa use when referring to me. I was the only blonde in his branch of the family.  Two of my grandparents were Cherokee, one Scots-Irish whose family has been in America since the 1760’s, and another was Irish-Norwegian, fresh off the boat.  I favor my Norwegian Great-Grandmother right down to my fair skin and strawberry blonde hair. Only my dark eyes give me away.  My family tree is most certainly a study in America’s grand scheme!  But, in celebration of my Norwegian background and Montana’s Western borders, home to many former Vikings, I feel the need to make some Lefse.

 

It’s a good Winter snack, in my opinion, and has always been my favorite “on a stick food” when visiting the Western Montana State Fair.  Lefse is Norway’s answer to France’s Crepes, albeit Lefse is made with potatoes and is slightly heavier than its Southern cousin. I haven’t yet found a recipe I’m completely happy with, but I’ll experiment today and let you know what I come up with!