the friday feed: the good ole betty crocker cookbook

This past week, I pulled out my 1978 Betty Crocker cookbook a couple of times. First, the favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe on page 266 came to the rescue after Todd dropped a few not-so-subtle hints that he’d love a batch of cookies. Then, a couple of days later, my daughter-in-law asked if I would make macaroni and cheese for Owen’s birthday party this weekend. That recipe is on page 117.

Chocolate chip cookies may be one of the most nostalgic treats ever created. And that macaroni and cheese recipe was a quick, easy dinner that earned no complaints from my four children and has since become a favorite of my grandchildren as well.

The photos show just how often these recipes were used over the years. These days, I don’t turn to them nearly as often, but whenever I open that cookbook to fill a special request, the memories come flooding back.

big boy

Union Pacific's Big Boy 4014 is making its first trip to the East Coast as part of a nationwide tour in honor of America's 250th birthday. The massive steam engine is 130 feet long, weighs 1.2 million pounds, and is the world's largest operating steam locomotive.  It went through Cleveland this past Monday. 

Yep, we missed it by a day.

I like the second photo with the Cleveland skyline in the background and the road in the forefront with all the people watching the train pass.

All photos taken by Drone Ohio.

 

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Look what arrived at the farm... sugar plums! They are incredibly sweet, juicy, and just the right size for a quick snack. Each week, the variety and volume of produce continue to grow. It’s exciting to see what each new week will bring.

We spent the weekend in Cleveland, and our first adventure was a trip to the Cleveland Zoo. Our little grandson has visited the zoo several times, so he was happy to show Didi and Grandpa exactly where we needed to go. Our first stop was the elephants, and he made sure to tell us that elephant poop is really, really big!

Little people love little spaces, and this cozy kitchen nook is the perfect size for sharing snacks, giggles, and sibling togetherness.

Have you ever seen a purple pepper? The outside is a deep purple, much like an eggplant, while the inside is a bright lime green. The color combination is stunning. The flavor reminds me of a green bell pepper, although it’s a bit milder.

Finally, finally, I planted my cosmos! They are such beautiful flowers, with colorful blooms dancing on long, wispy stems. The bees and butterflies absolutely love them.

My sister lives in Philadelphia and is a devoted fan of European football, or soccer as we call it in the United States. When she learned that Philadelphia would be hosting several World Cup matches, she immediately signed up to volunteer. And here she is, looking every bit the official World Cup volunteer. What an amazing experience and what memories she will make!

entertainment for the day

Yesterday’s entertainment was courtesy of our neighbor having a large tree in their front yard removed. Last year, during a storm with high winds and torrential rain, a massive branch broke off and fell across the road, blocking traffic. Although there haven’t been any incidents since then, the possibility of another branch, or even the entire tree, coming down on their house was enough to convince them it was time for the tree to go.

The tree had to be at least 100 feet tall, and watching the crew work was fascinating. The amount of equipment involved in making the job look smooth and efficient was impressive: a truck with a built-in chipper, an operator using a grapple-equipped machine to pick up and bring branches to the chipper operator, a worker in a cherry picker high above the ground, carefully tying off massive limbs before cutting them loose (he was a master at knot-tying), and several crew members below managing the ropes to guide each branch safely to the ground.

From the first cut to the final stump grinding, it was an all-day operation and quite intriguing to watch.

The through-the-family-room-window-screen shot. I was still in my pjs when the tree cutting started.

The log chipper. Such an impressive, efficient piece of machinery.

The last of the tree

monday's mulling: hearts in nature

Finding unexpected heart shapes is a beautiful reminder of connection. Hearts are everywhere in nature, gentle reminders that beauty is all around us.

"The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature." – Joseph Campbell

 

on this day...

On this day, June 7, 2025, I came across a quote about travel that resonated with me. Travel changes your perspective by pulling you out of your daily routine and immersing you in new cultures and experiences. It broadens your worldview, builds resilience, and fosters independence by requiring you to adapt to unfamiliar environments. Often, it also helps you appreciate your own life in a new light.

On this day, June 7, 2024, I was taking a walk around the neighborhood when I noticed a clematis vine completely covering a mailbox. There are many mailboxes adorned with clematis in our neighborhood, and everyone seems to enjoy the vibrant purple flowers. I love photographing flowers and sometimes wonder what my children will think of the thousands of flower photos in my collection after I'm gone.

On this day, June 7, 2023, my neighbor gave me a bundle of sassafras leaves. She told me to hang them in the garage to dry and then grind them in my food processor to make filé powder, a seasoning commonly used in Cajun and Creole cooking, especially in gumbos and stews. The day I finally ground the dried leaves, I celebrated by making a big pot of jambalaya for dinner.

On this day, June 7, 2022, gasoline prices were soaring, reaching the highest levels in U.S. history at that time. Prices rose sharply because of disruptions to the global oil supply following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, combined with a surge in consumer demand as the world emerged from the pandemic. It too approximately three to four months for gas prices to decline. Prices spiked to a record high of over $5.00 per gallon in mid-June 2022 and fell back below $4.00 per gallon by mid-to-late November. 

cottonwood

It’s cottonwood season again, and the snowy little seed puffs are arriving by the thousands. During their spring dispersal, cottonwood trees release masses of cotton-like fluff that fill the air and blanket the ground. While the fluff itself isn’t the allergen, it often carries pollen and other irritants that can make life miserable for allergy sufferers.

When my Chicago family visited last weekend, my son-in-law arrived feeling perfectly fine. Soon he was dealing with itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and plenty of sneezing. He couldn’t figure out what was causing it. I pointed outside and said, “See all that white stuff floating through the air and collecting in the grass? That’s cottonwood. That’s what’s making you sneeze. Welcome to springtime in Dayton."