The Wonderful Soup Stone

And I swear you could taste the chicken and tomatoes, 
And the noodles and the marrow bone. 

Have you ever had stone soup? If you haven't, well, you're missing out! The recipe is quite simple!

A while back I was lucky enough to have some of the Littles over for the week. They hiked around the mountain, examined all the new trees, played at the ranch and just had fun.

One day I asked them if they wanted to make Stone Soup. I got a look that said, “Mamye has really lost her mind. Doesn’t she know a stone is a rock? You can’t make soup out of rocks!” I sent them outside to each find a good ‘stone’.

“Stone Soup” is an old folk tale. I remember hearing it in second grade. Throughout the years there have been many variations. Basically, it goes like this. A traveler was making his way through a village one day. He was tired and hungry. He started a fire and got ready to set up camp for the night. He pulled out a pot that he filled with water. Then, he added a clean stone that he’d taken from his pocket to the pot. . Finally one of the villagers came over to see what he was doing. He told the villager he was making stone soup. The curious villager questioned him and he said it would taste better if there was a little cabbage to add. So the villager found some cabbage to add. This continued with the curious villagers asking about the soup and the clever traveler suggesting ingredients to add that would make the soup better. Soon he had an aromatic, tasty soup that he shared with the villagers. When everyone had their fill he gifted the stone to the villagers so that they could make stone soup long after he was gone.

The kids came in, each with a ‘stone’ in hand. I washed and scrubbed them until I was sure there wasn’t anything foreign and filled a pot with water. I put all of them in the pot and turned on the burner.

Clean stones to start the soup!

They went off, doing what they do, and I snuck some beef bouillon into the pot so there would be some flavor when they sampled their concoction.

After a bit of hesitation, making sure they weren’t eating dirt, they each tasted the broth. Because of the bullion, it had a nice taste. They approved.

Next we proceeded to see what would make it better. We loaded the pot with extra vegetables, some pasta, some tomato juice and even some meat that was leftover from another meal. The fun thing was I let them pick what to add.

The kids loved it! We all had a lot of fun. And they got to take their ‘stones’ home so they could do it again!

The verdict? Yummy!!

But it really wasn't nothing but some water and potatoes, 
And the wonderful wonderful soup stone. 

The kids were impressed with the Stone Soup we made. As soon as possible, Caleb went to the school library and checked out the book!

Is he checking to see if I told the story correctly?

Not to be outdone, Belle checked out a copy the next day!

Whatever it takes to make them read!

Little did their mom know that she would soon get to join in the fun! Guess what they wanted for supper? Right. They made Stone Soup!

Stone soup at home!

It’s good to know they will remember the time we all made Stone Soup with Mamye and Pap. It’s great to know that together we made a memory.

Just add a little love to the wonderful soup stone, 
And everything will be alright.
Oh, the wonderful wonderful soup stone...

Happy New Year

May we all have a vision now and then 
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend.

Happy New Year!

May we all have our hopes, our will to try...
You and I...

 

Happy New Year!

Making a Memory

You and me 
We should be 
Making a memory whenever we're together, yeah… 

Well, it’s the end of spring break here. Oh yeah, and daylight savings time started. Woo hoo! I’m kidding. I dislike daylight savings time. A lot.

Truth is it kicks my butt. It doesn’t matter if it’s spring forward or fall back. It makes me tired. I don’t ever seem to get that extra hour of sleep the news talks about. And in the spring, when it’s not dark until 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock, I tend to stay up late. Then when it’s time to get up, it’s pitch black and I just want to stay in bed. Add the time change and the Littles together and there wasn’t much rest!

This is the first time that all three have come to stay for more than a day or two. I didn’t think it would last long but it was the whole week. And it was fun!

We didn’t go out much; to the park one day, to the grocery store another. Evan went with his cousin a couple of times and he came here but otherwise they just played together.

Ouch! Bike wreck.

My kids, their mother and uncles, loved to go outside and play on the ‘mountain’. They enjoy it just as much. They find crystals, or fossils or flowers or cactus. I’ve told them over and over to stay away from the cactus. This time for some reason, Caleb had a really strong curiosity about the cactus. He and Belle came in a couple of times with the tiny needles in their hands. One time the two of them came in and Caleb said he had needles in his tongue. I told them to go in the bathroom and I would be there in a minute. The next thing I know Caleb is throwing up. Belle had tried to help get the needles out of his tongue, gagging him until he puked! I found out that their other grandpa was eating cactus. Napolitos are the edible paddles of the prickly pear cactus. I got them a jar of pickled ones at the grocery store and no more curiosity!

I fixed them their favorite things to eat. One day we had tiny little pancakes for breakfast. Many tiny little pancakes! We had pigs and blankets, steak dogs, and cinnamon rolls. I made French toast one day and sliced it into fourths. I put it on the plate in a square with a little cup of syrup in the middle. Then I sprinkled powdered sugar over the whole thing. Evan came to the table and said, "Mamye, you always do things so fancy!" It really wasn’t but it made me happy that he thought so.

A happy note!

One of the funniest things was when I made spaghetti for them. They were downstairs watching a movie. I put the spaghetti in bowls and cut it up so it was easier for them to eat. I mixed up some grape Cool Aid and put it in wine goblets then sat it all out on the table. The only thing I forgot was the camera to capture their reactions!

They got to the table and their little mouths literally dropped open! In hushed voices they were saying things like, “She’s giving us wine.” “You try it.” “No, I’m not trying it!” Finally one of them was brave enough to taste.  "It’s just Cool Aid!!” I wonder why they would have even thought that I’d give them wine!?

Sleeping was an adventure for sure. Alan and Junior just moved to another room. Then the rest of us  climbed into the king size bed. The hard thing about sleeping with them is that they all want to be beside me. That’s fine if we take turns but that doesn't happen. Close is what they want to do; all at the same time! I need to be on the outside or I get claustrophobic. I might have started out on the outside but sometime in the night, besides Belle the human magnet, a little boy would be on the other side of me. Then another might be at my feet. Instead of everyone being at the head of the bed like we started, I might wake up to a set of feet on the pillow. Sometimes even two! It was fun but there wasn’t a lot of rest going on. Around midnight I’d finally get everyone settled in. If I was lucky we’d sleep in til around 10:00. And if I was really lucky I could get up and have a cup of coffee and they’d stay asleep a little longer!

It works...if I don't move!

It was a fun week for me and with any luck for them as well. I hope they remember the fun and look back at the time as the week we made memories. And I look forward to making more.

Look at me 
Can't you see? 
We were meant to be. 
Making a memory… 

I’ve been on a crochet kick, making many half double crochet Mobius scarves. No reason. They are quick, fun and the yarn has been colorful. They will make good gifts I suppose.

Three of the cowls.

I also went to a bracelet workshop to learn to do a heart in the kumihimo. It was fun and quick too.

Kumihimo. Can you see the hearts?

Then I tried an experiment with a straight chain closed with a button. It’s kind of cute and summery. I don’t like how I attached the button but I can work on that.

Long chain with big button closure.

While the kids were here they wanted to make crafts. Well, Belle did. Next time I’ll have some little projects she can work on.

We should be 
Making a memory whenever we're together, yeah…

Teach Your Children Well

Can you hear and do you care and 
Can’t you see we must be free to 
Teach your children what you believe in… 

It’s that time of year! School is starting. I love the ‘new’ associated with school. There’s smiling, polished faces dressed in their new clothes carrying new backpacks filled with wonderful new supplies. It’s a new year, most likely with a new teacher. It’s time to renew old friendships and begin new ones. It’s time to learn.

For the first time in a long while we had a new first grader at the house. She was excited because we were excited. And she couldn’t believe the bus would come all the way up to the house to pick her up!

First day waiting for the bus!

All of the Littles except George are in school now. It’s bittersweet. I love that they are growing and learning but I also long for the time when they were babies, no worries or cares, wanting to sit in my lap. We could do nothing together and have a good time. We still enjoy each others company, when we have a chance to be together. But schedules, both mine and theirs, activities and life in general make those meetings few and far between.

Now we have one in Kindergarten, two in first and one in fourth grade Time seems to pass so quickly.

I asked each of them about school this year. Starr, moving into a new state, besides a new school, has some cultural factors to overcome. In Texas, where Spanish is a common second language, she’s hearing words she’s never experienced before! The morning of her second day, before she was ready to get on the bus, I asked her what her teacher’s name was. She thought for a while and finally said, “Mrs. Tomato”. I laughed because I thought she was playing. She was serious. But when you’ve never heard Maldonado before, Tomato is pretty close!

She's really paying attention!

Belle is our kindergartner. She’s 5 going on 20! Her mother says she’s a lot like me because we have common interests: shoes, clothes, pedicures! One day last year when Callye was getting her ready for pre-school she burst out crying. “What’s wrong?” Callye asked. Belle, between sobs, told her the problem. “I don’t have any diamonds on my jeans!”

When I talked to her the other day, in her grown up Belle speak she told me she’d already gotten in trouble. “Oh no,” I said, “What happened?” “A girl was shaking me in the bathroom and I shaked her back and it got me in the OOPS can!” she said breathlessly. “Did the other girl get in the OOPS can too?” “Yes, she did!” she said. And without remorse I said, “Well good!”

Caleb is our little dinosaur expert. Except the other day he was Spock. He’s got varied interests which he seems to have inherited from his uncles. He can recite information and whether it’s correct or not, convince you! He is comfortable playing with a group of kids or he is perfectly content being alone. When his mom asked him last year what his favorite thing about school was he said the cafeteria! She told me he rubbed his belly and said he really liked that place! He also had a crush on his teacher last year. He liked her so much he was going to marry her! He didn’t have a lot to say about school so far this year. All he told me was that his new teacher was pretty! Hmmm…I wonder if she’s going to replace last year’s crush!

 

Evan is a big kid now. He’s into listening to his music, dancing and just being a cool kid. He’s getting to the age where he can throw a little attitude to and fro, much to his mother’s chagrin! She had an interesting conversation with him when he came home from his first day of school. “Mom,” he said, “My teacher is old fashioned. She called earbuds headphones.” She said, “Well that's what we called them when we were young.” And he, in his fourth grade superiority voice says, “I can't believe they had earbuds when you were young.”

I figured out their graduation years. That was an eye opening experience! Evan will be the class of 2022. Caleb and Starr will share the distinction of being in the class of 2025. And Belle will graduate exactly 50 years after I did. WHAT?? She’ll be the class of 2026. And they’d better watch out!

And feed them on your dreams 
The one they picked, the one you'll know by. 

Here’s the Quaker Yarn Stretcher blocking.

It really grew with the blocking!

 

I liked it so well I'm making another with this yarn. It’s almost finished! 

Fun with Brenda’s handspun yarn!

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry, 
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

I chose you for the one...

My blogger friend, Frugal Mummy, recently posted Ten Things that Made Her Smile. She invited others to join in. Well, it took me forever to write it up, but I thought of ten things, I put in alphabetical order, that make me happy. I thought it would be very difficult. It wasn't as hard as I thought after I got started.  

Lighting candles make me feel cozy.

I have them for every occasion

Fall is my favorite season. I like it all; the colors, the smells, the chill in the air that warrants a sweater but not a jacket.  

From our Vermont trip a few years ago

Flowers remind me of my grandmother. I could never have a flower garden like she did. I don’t like to get my hands dirty! I plant things in my pots on the deck and celebrate my single blooms!

My cute little zinnia I grew from seed. Then the cat used the container for his bathroom. :(

I like food. I like to cook it. I like to eat it. I like to try new things but fall back on my comfort foods for…well, comfort!  

We are one of those weird families who take pictures of their food and put it on Facebook!

Music keeps me company. I know a lot of the lyrics to both country and rock songs and I sing with the radio in my car. I hum along in my office. I’m really quite good!

Anything goes. Well, except Rap. And maybe classical. I like things with words...that I can understand.

I recently moved to a corner office. Doesn’t that sound impressive? It’s not, believe me! It’s at the intersection of two halls. But the best thing about it is that it has a door! And that makes me happy.  

Is it pessimistic to look at the door as half closed most of the time?

Old tv shows and movies are entertaining and I enjoy watching them. They aren’t violent and scary, like the programs today, even when there’s a murder.

Give me Jessica Fletcher, Perry Mason and Andy Griffith anytime!

A quilt on the top of a bed makes me feel welcome and reminds me of summers spent with my grandparents.

Old quilts, hand quilted.

The Littles have the best hugs and kisses! They love me unconditionally. They truly think I’m great! They make me smile. I know as they grow up and get busy I won’t be in the spotlight. So I’ll enjoy it now, while it lasts!

One of my favorite old pictures. This was when Belle was born. But they are still glad to see me!

I have more yarn than I can ever use. That’s hard to say! In knitting talk it’s called a stash and when you have as much as I have it’s called SABLE. SABLE means Stash Totally Above and Beyond Life Expectancy. My kids will have a heck of a garage sale one of these days.

Just the tip of the iceburg...or is that yarnburg?

Now it’s your turn. Tell me ten things that make you happy. It will make you feel good. And it’s not hard at all. Leave your list in the comments or leave a link to your blog post. That would make me happy!

You’ve Made Me So Very Happy...

You Say It's Your Birthday…

It's my birthday too—yeah!

They say it's your birthday,

We're gonna have a good time!

I'm glad it's your birthday,

Happy birthday to you!

Yes, it is my birthday today. Me, Myself and I were sitting here, drinking coffee when Myself decided she wanted to know more about this birthday. She wanted to have a guest interview on the blog. Since it’s her blog too, it’s probably fine. The idea probably came to her because we were watching the Today show and there were a lot of interviews going on. Otherwise,she might have just left things alone.

Myself: Is there anyone famous born on this day?

Me: You mean besides Me? Okay, don’t look at me like that. Lawrence Welk was born on this day. You know, the orchestra guy. With the bubbles. Well, then how about Flaco Jimenez. Texas Tornados? Well then, there was a nice man here in this little town that shared my birthday. Mr. Harold Wright was his name. And the lady across from me at work has the same birthday. Oh and this is kind of cool. My first grade boyfriend, Daniel Bandel, has the same birthday as me. It’s Dan Bandel, now. He's famous! People thought we were twins back then!

I: Do you like fish?

Me: What kind of question is that?

I: A fishy question?

Me: Yes, I like fish because I’m a Pisces. You should too.

I want to make this! Cecilia1's fish blanket from Ravelry. Isn't it great?

I really want to make one some day. Blanket by Melidomi on Ravelry.

Myself: Do you remember your first grade teacher’s name?

Me: Duh. We had the same teacher. Mrs. Martha Robertson was her name and she had a loud gravelly voice and scared me really bad at first. But it turned out she was the sweetest, nicest, lady. She was the perfect person for a first grader, or for me anyway. She’s the reason I always liked school. And, funny thing, my sister and brother both had her too. I was her first year and my brother was her last, at that school anyway.

I: Is that why you decided to be a teacher?

Me: No. I never wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to be an advertising executive and live in a big city. Remember? But small towns and marriage change things. And I’m glad that I did go into education. I think that’s what I was meant to do.

Myself: Where do you live?

Me: I live right here with y’all.

I: Are you getting a cake today?

Me: You sure hope we do, right? I don’t know. I know we get some cookies! And that’s okay by me cause you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com Birthday cookies

Yarn and knitting cookies. http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com

Myself: That was lame. So what makes you smile?

Me: The littles can almost always make me smile. Yarn makes me smile. Nice people make me smile.

I: What’s your favorite movie?

Me: It would have to be “Pretty Woman” because it’s such a nice fairy tale. Then "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" because I’ve sort of lived that! Besides, I think the underwear and socks in the sink scene is hilarious.

Myself: Do you have any secrets you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?

Me: They are called "secrets" for a reason. If I wanted people to know, then they wouldn't be secret, right?

I: Do you have any special plans for today?

Me: There’s a party planned. A sleepover party! I’ll have three littles shoving and pushing to see who gets to be next to Mamye. Great warm fuzzies!

I: Do you feel old?

Me: I feel one day older than I was yesterday. Hey, I need some more coffee.

Myself and I: Oh, okay. Thank you for sharing your time this morning. Happy birthday to us!

You say it's your birthday!

We're gonna have a good time!

I'm glad it's your birthday,

Happy birthday to you!

Wow, I got an awesome March present from my sister! She beaded it. It’s really pretty. I still have to come up with something for her March present.

Beaded pendant necklace.

March Bling from Judi!

Oh no! Something ate one of my favorite scarves. It’s the first or second (I forget) Clapotis I made and I really like it. I have a tiny bit of this yarn leftover. Just have to find it and I think I can fix it, at least enough to wear it. It might not look good but it will be okay.

An early Clapotis

What's the dealio? Something ate the whole thread.

Day 342, March 8, and I met a friend for a birthday supper. It was good and I had a free dessert coupon to top it off. Then I got to go to the dollar store and look around. All was good til I got one of those McDonald’s coffee things that was wonderful. But it didn’t set well and I was up half the night. I guess that’s what I get for being a glutton and wanting everything good in one night! I chose a fat green yarn cause it looks like I feel! Day 343, March 9, and I have a couple of stops before work. Stomach is still acting up but I’m taking Pepto pills and that’s my cure-all for the stomach! I head to work and have a blow out. I don’t know what my problem with cars is lately! Alan saves the day but I have to drive the truck again. I even left early because my stomach still hurt. I chose pink boucle, not Pepto pink, but close. Day 344 is March 10. I stayed home from work and just kind of lay around all day. I need to get things together for Sunday and I do manage to do a little. I’m feeling better by afternoon and fix a good supper. I chose a gold yarn with a purple thread twisted through it. Well, day 345 is March 11. It’s the B-day! I’m looking forward to tonight, the slumber party at Callye’s house with the littles. I picked a multicolor mixed with white. It’s going to be a good time. They can make me smile. Then I won’t feel so old!

Yes we're going to a party party!

Yes we're going to a party party!

Yes we're going to a party party!

Happy birthday to you!

All The Lonely People...

Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people,
Where do they all belong?

I was in a coffee shop recently and there was a young man and young woman seated at a table close to where I was waiting. They looked like they were students, maybe. It seemed, from the conversation, they were just getting to know each other. He asked her what she liked to do in her spare time and she told him she liked to read or watch old movies. He said what about hanging out with your friends? She said she didn’t have any friends. He gave her an odd look and told her he was sorry. She said don’t be sorry. I don’t mind being alone. I’m alone a lot.

I know I probably shouldn’t have been eavesdropping but I was right there and really couldn’t help hearing. Their conversation made me think, though. I spend a lot of time alone. Sometimes, even in a group I’m alone. My Mamaw spent a lot of time alone. My mother and my sister do too. Even my daughter does, if you count not having any outside adult company as alone. It doesn’t bother me.

I guess it’s always been that way. I’m married to a worker bee and if he’s awake he’s probably working. There is nothing wrong with that. When the kids were little and home it was me and them when he was working. That’s not to say we didn’t do things as a complete family. We did. But the majority of everyday life, when they were little, was seemingly spent as just me and them.

I'm the only one in my office who does what I do. There are others across the state who do the same thing and I collaborate and work with them even though we all work in our own regions. But at the office I'm alone. Even when I was teaching, I was the only one teaching that subject. Actually, it’s a lot easier that way. I don’t have to please anyone. I just have to do the best I can do to help my teachers. I have had to go with large groups before and I don’t really like it. I can go with the flow but the drama of just deciding where to eat lunch is stressful to me. Multply it by a few days and I am ready to call room service and just stay in!

Oddly enough I’m put in the position of interacting with people I don’t know, all the time in my job. A lot of the time I’ll know not one single person in the group. It usually doesn’t bother me. I can talk to strangers or I can go off by myself. I know some people who won’t eat if they are alone. I’d have starved to death long ago if that was the case for me! The key is whether I feel comfortable or not. If I do, no problem. If I don’t, well, I’m not hanging around.

I’m not an ogre or anything like that. I don’t think so anyway! I really can make friends. And I do have friends. As everyone, I have more acquaintances than true friends, but I’m okay with that. I have a hard time opening up to people because of trust issues from way back. So I don’t. But I can. But I won’t. Again, it’s the trust issues. It seems if I do trust and share, something happens and everything gets thrown back into my face. And it happens every time. One friend asked me if I was in the witness protection program. It made me laugh but it also made me realize just how much I keep to myself.

Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been.

Lives in a dream.

Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door, who is it for?

One time for a graduate class I had an assignment, silly as it sounds, to explain if I were an animal, what animal it would be. First off, I don’t like that kind of stuff. It’s touchy feely in my opinion. Some of the worst experiences of my life were touchy feely incidents. This was a bit better, however, because it was an online class. I only had to draw the animal and then explain in writing why I picked what I did. I thought about it and finally chose a turtle. My reason was that sometimes I feel like I’m carrying the world on my back. But when it gets really bad all I have to do is pull my head into the shell and I’m safe. There’s a funny thing about turtles. A turtle can never have a friend over to spend the night. That’s because his house is on his back!

Am I lonely? I might be, at least some of the time. But most often I’m okay. It’s been this way so long I really prefer it. I entertain myself, either by watching TV, knitting, reading or using the computer. I participate in social networking and I enjoy that. I think. I try to analyze all of my faults and diagnose why I am the way I am. And I can never figure it out. But it’s all okay.

I picture myself as an old lady. I’m alone. I have some cats, but they can’t come in the house. And sometimes on the weekends the kids might come by. The weekends will seem pretty long. At least that is what my great-grandmother used to say. But I’ll still have the TV, my knitting or some books to read. I might even listen to the radio and sing a little. I don’t know if I’ll still be using the computer or partaking in social networking or if there will even be such a thing. I’ll still be analyzing myself and I’ll come up with the same diagnosis. And I’ll hope, that when I die, someone will notice.

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name, nobody came.

All the lonely people,

where do they all come from?

I had to improvise on the Anthropologie knock off scarf. I did run out of yarn so I took out part and added another color then finished in the original dark green. Then I made the pompoms out of both yarns. I’m still not decided as to whether it looks okay or not. But it’s done. I'll post a better picture later.

Dark green with turquoise/green blend stripe.

Pom pom out of both yarns.

I started a GAP-tastic Cowl. It's on Ravelry. I found a boo boo so had to fix it. I like it so far.

Now you see it!

Now you don't!

Day 287, January 12, and I’m still knitting! Surprise! I’m being thorough today. Finishing up all the little things, the paperwork and such, that I need to. I choose a thick aqua yarn. Day 288, January 13, and I’m still finishing! There was more than I thought and I didn’t get it all done yesterday. But I did today. I’m almost caught up if anyone can ever be caught up. I chose a rose colored cotton. TGIF! It’s day 289, January 14 and I’m feeling a little cornered. I am pretty independent and I don’t like having to report to people. So I’m not. I’m lying low! I meet Callye and kids in Odessa. Alan even comes up to join us. The littles are coming home with me for the weekend! After a nice supper we head home. Belle chooses to ride with Alan and the boys with me. There isn’t a moment someone isn’t talking! I choose a black and white twist with spots of color throughout. January 15, day 290, I feel wanted. There’s nothing quite like three little kids, all clamoring for your attention. Makes you feel a little important. I choose a warm colored yarn that is orange, gold and green variegated. It’s fuzzy, too, so it reminded me of a warm fuzzy! Ha ha Day 291, January 16, and I’m feeling a little hypocritical! The wanted feeling is turning into demanding! I’ve just forgotten how three littles can need so much attention. But it’s a good demanding, if there can be such a thing! I choose a light blue fuzzy yarn. The little kids are the sunshine of my life. They can always make me smile. They worry that I’m alone when they are gone. I guess they know.

 

Ah, look at all the lonely people.

Ah, look at all the lonely people.