26 Years of Marriage

Yesterday was the 26th Anniversary of John and I getting married.  I am 52 years old.  I have officially been married for half my life.  It was kind of an  important milestone for me .

Long marriages used to be the norm, but these days seem to be something of a rarity.  I can understand that.  Marriage isn't easy.  We humans are such individuals, such ever changing, ever growing, ever questioning individuals.  It is not easy to partner with another and manage to stay on parallel paths throughout your life.  We live in such a disposable society and I think that that mindset has filtered into so many aspects of our life, even our partnerships.  When the going gets tough... too many people are willing to just throw it all away and start over. 

John and I have had our share of rough spots along our journey. We are so different.  We see life so differently and approach our lives from such sometimes opposite perspectives.  I was asked what has held us together all this time, and really I don't know the answer.  Love would be the expected, contrite,  response, but it falls so short of the reality of what has kept us together for all these years.  It is so much more than love.

- November 11, 2011 -  I found this note in my drafts... never finished it but want to.  I have written a couple of paragraphs to follow this one trying to answer what it is , besides love, that has held us together all these years .  I threw them all away.  There are so many answers.  There are so many reasons.  Although we are so different , we are also very much alike.  We accept our differences and even admire that in the other that we don't have.

- April 29, 2013 -  this ancient dribble will be published today.  Love is a mystery.  This year I will celebrate 28 years of marriage.    Its been an adventure!

Family Recipes

Why is it that when you are on a diet, all you can think of is food!   It is true though... at least for me... at least today anyway.

I'm really not sure if it's the diet, the upcoming holiday feasting days, or just the fact that I have had family on my mind a lot lately, but.. I have been thinking about family recipes this morning.  In particular I've been thinking about pies, cobblers and crisps.

Of course, butterhorns are a classic in the Eaves household.. but there are others that are less special occassion.

Mom's Peach Cobbler -  like no other cobbler I've found in any cookbook.  It's like a cross between a pie and a cobbler.  Made with pie dough simmered into the juices of sliced peaches and topped with another sugar and cinnamon sprinkled crust, then baked to perfection.  It and it's sister "blackberry cobbler" were the most resquested dessert in our household!

Merengue Pie -  Chocolate, Lemon, or Banana Cream.  There is nothing quite so pretty as one of Mom's beautiful Merengue pies coming out of the oven with those gorgeous golden tip curly q's of sweet stiff merengue !   And the stories that went with them (Deanna's famous mud pie... David's favorite Lemon!)   I haven't seen a merengue pie in years!

Mom's holiday cinnamon candied apples.  Simple, made with red hots, baked and topped with ice-cream or cool whip.  (Our house was a cool whip house). :)   Oh my I used to love those apples!  and they were so pretty.

Ton's of other sweets too - fudge, divinity, snickerdoodles, etc.... and baked goods.. let's not forget cinnamon rolls, buttermilk pancakes from scratch & crusty yeast bread dinner rolls. Yes, there were non sweets too.

Biscuites and Sausage Gravy.  This is a family staple.  There's is nothing like homemade sausage gravy.  Chipped beef gravy was good too... but my favorite was sausage.  I learned to make it best when I was 22 and living briefly with my brother Lee.  He had the technique down pat and I picked up the tricks easily.  Too bad John is not a fan... or maybe that's a good thing ... considering the diet.  Remember the diet?  Life is one long diet!

Beans and Cornbread.   I wish I had Mom's recipe for this but I don't think there ever was one.  She just made them.   Oh, I can make a great pot of beans and a decent pan of cornbread, but, Mom's were somehow better.

So this post, started months ago, ignored until today... Kind of got off topic... But ,  it is blog worthy.  Good food is good stuff.