No hunting this morning after all. There was thunder and lightening and rain like the second flood. But the Lord said a fire not a flood next time. We got 3 to 4 inches in all.

Dick and Brenda are visiting from Madison. Dick is Dick's son, his oldest one. He has decided that when one is over 70 one deserves to be taken out for dinner. Dick (the Dad, my husband) figures he has four dinners owed to him. Hee Hee.

Have a nice Sunday.

Mary

I believe that I had mentioned in an earlier posting that I have been writing a bi weekly food column for a little paper called the Pike Rive Community News. A friend of mine started this little local paper in the Amburg Area. It consisted of news, nice little columns, comics and a crossword puzzle. Unfortunately, Janet Kaat was unable to get it profitable in the time she had and the next issue will be the last. I was having a lot of fun doing the column and had been looking for such an opportunity. But Janet invested in it an it was a GOOD paper.

Just for fun, I will attach my latest column so you can see what it was like. I hope to do a book of them some day and this was my practice. Hope I can find a new practice place and hope Janet can continue in some way. As it said it was good and fun.

JUST DESSERTS

By

Mary J. Kunert


My Mother made fantastic desserts. She had nine of us so she looked for easy, delicious and economical ways to feed us. We ALWAYS had dessert with our main meal. We also ALWAYS had bread and butter on the table with every meal.

From her I also learned that it is nice to put good looking dishes on the table. One of the easiest “fancy” desserts she prepared was nothing more than pudding, whipped cream and graham crackers. Even the most amateurish of cooks can put this together and it will look great.

FRENCH PASTRY

1 Package Instant Chocolate Pudding – Regular or fat or sugar free
5 Whole Graham Crackers
1 Large Container of Cool Whip or Whipped Cream

Mix the pudding according to the recipe on the package. Break the crackers in half. Place two halves side by side about two inches apart. Spread about a tablespoon of pudding on each half. Layer another cracker and the pudding until they are all used up in two stacks. Cover each stack generously with the Cool Whip. Let set for a couple of hours so the crackers absorb some moisture. When serving, cut each stack in half and serve with the cut side down. It is nice to swirl a bit of chocolate syrup on the plate and over the pastry for effect.

Easier, but not so elegant, you can purchase a graham cracker pie crust or make one using the following:

24 Graham Crackers
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
¼ Cup Sugar

Crush the graham crackers to make 1 ½ cups. Pour into a 9” pies tin. Add the melted butter and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Cool to room temperature.

Then pour either instant or cooked pudding (prepared for pie not pudding) into the crust. Spread whipped cream over the top or serve with a dollop (I love that word.) on top.
Chocolate Grahams make a wonderful chocolate crust. You can use cinnamon or oatmeal flavors for an exciting taste, or add some cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg to the plain grahams.

Last year, I found measuring spoons for a pinch, a smidgen and a dash. I bought several and used them for package decorations for all the “cooks” in the family last Christmas. What fun!


I have another dessert that I found on the Internet that is easy and Oh so Good and full of chocolate and whipped cream. This one is not so healthy because it is full of sugar and fat. It is best made with real whipped cream and chocolate chips - not exactly diet foods. But it is easy and really tastes good. It is called

STRANGE CHOCOLATE PIE

1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 dash salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup margarine -- melted
5 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butterscotch morsels
1 9 inch pie crust -- unbaked
Whipped cream - Lots

1. Sprinkle butterscotch and chocolate chips over bottom of unbaked pie
shell.
2. Combine sugar, cocoa and salt; set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, combine eggs, melted margarine, milk and vanilla
extract. Beat well with a wire whisk. Add sugar mixture and beat again to
combine.
4. Pour over chips in pie shell and bake in preheated 350-degree oven
for 45-50 minutes.

Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Again, calories and fat can be cut by using Cool Whip, low fat evaporated milk but to really get the taste use the real thing.

Desserts don’t have to look pretty to taste good, but it is nice to make a good presentation. The cook does not have to be an expert or have a lot of time to prepare the above.

I will in a future column share a recipe for the ugliest looking best tasting cupcakes in the world. And they don’t even need frosting.







By the way, it is Dick's 74th birthday today, May 7th. If you can, send a card to him at ekunert@charter.net.

Love

Mary

Guess what, a new Harry Potter movie premieres on June 4. I can hardly wait.

Went turkey hunting again this morning. No luck. I saw a deer this morning and a LOT of turkeys but they were all our of range or didn't have a beard. I was conversing with a hen for quite a while as a matter of fact. We left the fields at about 9:30AM because it started to thunder and lightening. Not a good time to be out in an open field holding metal.

Choir tonight. We LOVE our new director. She seems pleased to be working with a larger choir and is willing to teach us more music theory and all that stuff. I sometimes think of cantoring but it would have to be all ALTO stuff and very simple. I'd probably be scared too. Well, sufficient unto the day. I am quite busy enough right now.

Be happy

Mary

I went turkey hunting today. Really. I did. I went with my brother Randy and my brother in law Kenny. The turkey license is only good through Saturday. Randy got his today, so we are all going out again tomorrow. Randy will call for us and Ken and I will sit in the "hot spots". At least we hope they will be hot spots. I would love to get one and be able to hang the tail fan above the fireplace.

I am a bit tired and am going to shower and go to bed a bit early so I can get up at 4AM again.

From Cadfael again:

"There was no profit in lying awake fretting for what would, in any case, have to be faced on awakening, and he had long ago sloughed off the unprofitable. It took too much out of a man, of what would be needed hereafter." Ellis Peters

In other words put your worries in the hands of God when you go to bed and face it fresh in the morning. Much easier said than done but I did it at least once. Aren't you proud of me?

Mary

When Bart and Barb and I were in Ireland, Barb and I found a teeny tiny Barbie doll sized shirt on the street in Athlone. We picked it up and I brought it home with me and washed it and gave it to Mother.
Barbara and I had decided that it must belong to the Little People.

Chelsea, our dog, is afraid of Mother's kitchen. Mother and I wonder if perhaps there are Little People inhabiting the kitchen that she senses. She absolutely refuses to set foot on the kitchen floor. Once she sped into Mom's spare bedroom and realized that she was trapped. I actually had to drag her back to the livingroom. She spent a day with Mother when I was in Ireland and all of the Kunerts went to Madison to see Dick and Brenda. She had a good time but stayed in the living and dining rooms.

Mother put the little shirt out for the Little People but nobody took it so either there are none or they didn't like the shirt.

Mary

What a day. I had lunch with nine of the gals that I graduated from high school with. Such a wonderful group of women and I am so glad we get together off and on. We try to especially if someone is "home for the summer" as some travel to warmer climates in winter. Today, Kathy Kinney (who left town in the 6th grade) joined us. We didn't recognize each other of course but quickly reacquainted. Kathy has a picture she is going to send me of her and me dressed up in white as "angels" who led the first communicants up for the sacrament when we were probably about four years old. I think I was chosen because of my cousin Colleen and she because of her brother who were receiving that year. Our friend Carol Van Dixhorn Kaat, has retired since our reunion last summer. She has had her knee operated on and she looks WONDERFUL. It is good for the heart to see people relaxed and healthy.

Randy, Kenny and I walked the fields in which we will be hunting turkeys. Wednesday morning, I will be out there before 5:00AM so that we are in place before the turkeys wake up. We saw two today over in a green patch. I am really excited. Last year I saw one - just before dawn. I couldn't see what it was and in this spring season, one has to know that it is a Tom or a Jake. Don't I sound like I am really good at this? A Tom is an adult male and a Jake is a "teenager". They have to have a beard anyway.

Shopping tomorrow. That is my only planned event for tomorrow so after today, it will be a vacation.

Have a great day.

Love

Mary

Shot two rounds of trap at Rhine this afternoon. I AM improving with my new gun. It was suggested, and I followed the suggestion, that I purchase and install a Morgan pad, which is contoured and adjustable. My score went from three to nine on the first round and then to thirteen on the second. Bill Olson, a friend who teaches high school trap, went with me on the second round and was a great deal of help. This is the first year that I am actually getting any on the spot instructions. The first time I went out to shoot they just told me which direction to point. I think after a couple of times they just figured I knew how and was just bad. This year I may be able to improve steadily as I have a gun that actually fits.

Did I tell you that I play the Penny Whistle or Tin Whistle as it is sometimes called? Of course, I only play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and easy stuff from the "Tin Whistle for Dummies" books and I make cats cry, but I do play it. Seriously, Waylon used to come to wherever I was playing and cry. I don't know if it was my playing or just the tone of the whistle itself. Roxie fusses at me if I start whistling. I think the sound must hurt her ears.

Have a nice week.

Mary

Had a wonderful day at the Fireside. The meal, as always, was really delicious. We had roast pork on top of stuffing with whipped mashed potatoes, green beans with ham and a wonderful mixed green salad with fried won tons on it. The dessert was a lemon ice cream pie in a pecan crust. Yum Yum

We saw Guys and Dolls. A lively well done production. When we got home, we checked on Frank Loesser who wrote the music AND lyrics. He also wrote the music to Charlie's Aunt, Hans Christian Anderson and believe it or not the song Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition. Such talent.

I got my bartender's certification so I can register with Rhine Plymouth Conservation and be an official bartender. Bet you didn't expect that, did you? We serve beer and wine coolers, so someone with a license always has to be on site to comply with the laws.

Have a good evening.

Mary

Today when Bobbie, Jim and I were driving back from Rhine Plymouth after shooting pistol, I was looking out over the fields at the stands of trees scattered all over the Wisconsin landscape. I was reminded of the woods that stretched in back of our house. We used to play in those woods. We played war and cowboy and Indians. We even had a tree that we called the Tarzan Tree. You could climb that tree, grab a vine and swing to another tree. This was really fun until the day the vine broke. Naturally, I was the person doing the swinging. I landed on my solar plexis and knocked the wind out of myself. I still remember the terror I felt because I was unable to catch my breath. Obviously, I lived and frankly it did not discourage me from acts that are a little bit on the edge.

However, what the woods really reminded me of was lying in bed at night with my sister Nora. We could look out of our bedroom window over the woods and there were three big pines that stretched high above the rest of the trees. We gave them names. I believe they were a family of some animal or other and we would put ourselves to sleep making up stories about the family of trees.

I remember some of those big pines being blown over by the strong winds of winter and spring and us using the root holes for forts the following season.

That woods is now all gone and built up with houses. Lots of good memories.

I seem to be the only on not done shooting, but I missed two Fridays and did not try to catch up on Sundays. I just used Sunday for practice, such as it was. We have two more weeks of league actually so I am OK and only have two more targets to fill next Friday. The bust-up party is May 21. I wonder if they know they are having a birthday party for me.

Tomorrow, we are going on a bus tour to Ft. Atkinson to the Fireside where we will partake of a delicious meal and see Guys and Dolls.

Later

Mary

A couple of years ago, Jim installed a couple of "computer pets" on my computer. A cat named Felix and a Puppy, who had no name. When I would turn on my computer both of them would in the background and just kind of roam around the screen. Really nice low maintenance pets.

After a while, the dog began to disappear occasionally. Jim was able to find him again, or at least ANOTHER puppy that looked just like him. At the same time, Felix started multiplying. Sometimes one cat appears, sometimes as many as three. Jim says that this is not possible. However, then he said that if it does happen, they should be mirror images. Not so. The three cats all be behave differently and if there ARE three, only two appear ON screen at one time.

My theory is that the cats kill the dogs. So I do not have Jim reinstall him any longer. As far as the cats go, when more than one appear, I just put the extras "outside." They get back in soon enough anyway and I figure they are just taking up space.

Have a great day.

Mary

Mark Russell has a new show tonight on PBS. Haven't seen him and his politically humorous music for a long time. He looks older. For years he didn't seem to change much. But he looks old now. He sounds the same and his humor and songs are just as pertinent and funny as always. So far he has touched on Condoleezza Rice and homosexuality.

It was a beautiful day. If this keeps up, Dick will turn on the air conditioning. You know his theory. Furnace in Winter - Air in Summer. The Kitties will be awfully disappointed when the windows get closed. They do like sitting in them and watching all the birds out there.

I planted my honeysuckle vine and the peony. I put the peony over on the other side of the house next to the herb garden. Now if everything just will grow.

It is a time for rebirth and hope after a long dark winter. I am putting trust in the Lord that Spring will bring better times, health and prosperity.

Peace to you

Mary

I went to the Senior Meals in Sheboygan Falls with Mother and then took her to the eye doctor for her ultrasound on her eye. She is scheduled for her cataract surgery on May 19. On the way to Dr. Larson's office, we stopped at Superior Gardens and I bought three plants that can be planted this early in the spring.

I got a honeysuckle and a clematis for the trellises that are on either end of the deck. I also got a peony to replace the one I planted last year that just didn't grow and seemed to have disappeared.
When I got home, I took Chelsea out for her bathroom call and glanced over to the spot I was going to plant the new peony and lo and behold - there was the old one peeking above ground. So I have two. Now - where to plant the new one.

The Cadfael Book of Days entry was special today so I will share that with you.

"Even the pursuit of perfection may be sin, if it infringes the rights and needs of another soul. Better to fail a little, by turning aside to lift up another, than to pass by him in haste to reach our own reward and leave him to solitude and despair. Better to labour in lameness, in fallibility, but holding up others who falter, than to stride forward alone." From The Raven in the Foregate by Ellis Peters

Have a good day

Mary

It was chilly today. The sun was deceptively lovely this morning but it clouded over and a chilly wind came up. I had plenty to keep me busy in the house - mainly on the computer - but would really like to spend an hour or so a day outside.

I found some cooked brats in the freezer yesterday, so I fixed potato salad and warmed them up for supper. They sure tasted good. I will give MY recipe for potato salad. There is a Kunert version which we use about half the time but tonight I fixed mine.

American Potato Salad

6 potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
2 Large pickle cut in small pieces
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1 heaping teaspoon mustard

Boil potatoes, cool, peal and cube into a bowl. Add all other ingredients. Mix well and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least an hour.

(Dick is an official taster of potato salad if you are not sure it is right.)



Love

Mary

I think we figured out part of the reason I have been shooting the pistol so badly the past few weeks. Jim noticed that I was not using my finger tip to SQUEEZE the trigger but was putting my whole finger on the trigger and then jerking to the right a bit. I tried with the tip and did MUCH better. We will see on Friday when I shoot league again.

We had spaghetti tonight. The sauce was especially nice. I use a recipe that I got from a friend many many years ago. It calls for a can of tomato soup, a can of tomato paste and a can of tomato sauce to each pound of hamburger. I substituted a four cup bag of frozen tomatoes for the tomato sauce and it was delicious. The rest of the recipe is as follows: a medium onion, a clove of garlic per pound and oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, a little salt, generous pepper and a dash or two of Worcester Sauce for zip. I was able to use fresh oregano from the garden too. Fresh Herbs are really the BEST.

"The following is also something to ponder...

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over-head and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8%of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all."

This is the beginning of a beautiful week. Each day is a new page in the book of your life. Live it because it won't come around again.

Love

Mary

Such a chilly day. It was gloomy too. I went shopping, however, which did brighten the day. I replaced some wine glasses and lunch plates. The plates are actually considered dessert plates, but they make such a nice size for lunch. I found some really colorful plates with four different fruit patterns on them. They were 70% off so it was quite a deal. Go to Kohls if you are looking for bargains in the housewares department. I bought a couple of cutting boards too. I like to have two. One to use and one to wash and mine are getting pretty bad. I replaced one and got a spare for Jim.

Jim bought a dehydrater. I believe I mentioned that some time ago. He is dehydrating EVERYTHING and could use a cutting board for some of his things. He also purchased a slicer/chopper which I have been finding very handy for many things myself. I believe I will fix a carrot salad next week and it will be much easier to grind the carrots in the machine. But meat is better done on a board. I have some venison in a marinade to put into the dehydrator tomorrow. That should really be good.

Blessed Trinity has hired a new music minister. How great is that. We will have a rehearsal on Thursday and can be singing for Pentecost. We have really missed being able to sing in choir. I will have council meeting that night too so will only be able to attend a bit of the rehearsal but at least I will be able to meet her.

Here is a nice easy rather elegant dessert that Mother used to fix when we were young.

FRENCH PASTRY

1 Package Instant Chocolate Pudding
5 Whole Graham Crackers
1 Large Container of Cool Whip

Mix the pudding according to the recipe on the package. Break the crackers in half. Place two halves side by side about two inches apart. Spread about a tablespoon of pudding on each half. Layer another cracker and the pudding until they are all used up in two stacks. Cover each stack generously with the Cool Whip. Let set for a couple of hours so the crackers absorb some moisture. When serving, cut each stack in half and serve with the cut side down. It is nice to swirl a bit of chocolate syrup on the plate and over the pastry for effect.


Enjoy

Mary

I am searching the internet for information about Fairy or Faerie Fields. I know they exist in Irish legend but the information on them seems to be very sparse.

Somewhere, I learned that you can always identify a fairy field if there is a big open field with a lone tree or bush in it somewhere. The tree or bush is where the fairies can hide if they need to. It is bad luck to put a road through a fairy field. I know that for sure. There is or was a fairy field out in Sheboygan County where the Irish settled. For many many years, the road went around that field. Foolish highway designers have now run the road through the field but we all know that no good can come of that.

Some say that you can tell a fairy field if there are fairy rings in it. Fairy rings are found all over Ireland and are three foot circles of dark green grass with paler grass in the center. The fairies are supposed to dance around these circles. One of my neighbors has a much larger circle that does match the description of a fairy ring except FOR the size. Maybe everything is bigger in the U. S.

Liam Clancy got trapped in a fairy field for a whole night on his way home from the pub one evening. He could not find the gate in the hedgerow until the sun came up and it reappeared. He never said he saw any fairies though.

Anyway, I am trying to find out a bit more about fairy fields. If you know anything, please pass the information along to me.

Slainte

Mary

I am full of ambition to be creative again. Maureen Smith, my friend in Chicago, had sent me a pattern for a Nativity Scene on blocks of wood almost two years ago. When we had our bathroom remodeled, the man who did the work was kind enough to cut the leftover supports into the lengths I needed. So the other day, I sent out an SOS to my brothers, Jeff and Randy and my brother-in-law Ken to locate a sander. Kenny responded and brought it over today and we rounded the edges of the chunks of wood.

Now - I have to cut all the pattern pieces out of the felt pieces that I have purchased and glue them together. I figured that would make a nice donation for the Festival of Trees this year. I have entered several stockings and a couple of wall hangings and this would be something really different. The Creche consists of the Holy Family, the Three Wise Men, a Shepherd, an Angel, a Donkey and two sheep.

I also started cutting out the pieces for Fire and Ice, a 35 by 35 wall hanging that really impresses me.

Kenny also brought me a video on Turkey Hunting. Randy, Kenny and I will be doing that in about a week. I hope I get a shot off at one anyway. I am using my 20 guage this year which is easier to handle than Randy's 12 guage. I did see a bird last year but it was before it was light and I could not idenitfy it as a Tom. One of the major rules is to KNOW YOUR TARGET.

"If God is your Copilot - swap seats"

See Ya

Mary

Dick and I took Mother to lunch today, prior to her eye doctor appointment. We are so blessed to have that lady with us at 88 years old.

She wasn't happy with the news at the eye doctor. The good is that there is no recurrence of the macular degeneration. The bad news is that the cataract in her left "good" eye is now in need of being taken care of. Therefore, she will have cataract surgery on May 19th. As she got into the car, I could hear her muttering "what a business" under her breath. Much like swearing. I am just pleased that they can do something. If she would lose her sight, she would have to give up reading, sewing and so very much else and she doesn't need that.

She is our "Sunday in every week." and we want her to have nothing but good.

Keep her in your prayers.

Good things for you on the morrow.

Love

Mary

This will be short. It is 9:00PM. This morning I had to go for a followup mammagram. Thank the Lord. It came out OK so I am back on my usual checks again. It is always a little frightening when they want you to come back to check something "questionable".

Then I had my teeth cleaned. And tonight I went to Volunteer Appreciation Night Banquet for the volunteers to Rocky Knoll. I go out there every month or so to help the residents play bingo. They have such fun that it becomes fun for the volunteers. The staff out at Rocky Knoll is very caring and obviously take such good care of their charges. For those that do not know, Rocky Knoll is the county Health Care Hospital for many disabled people. We play bingo with the mildly retarded, aged and sometimes a bit disturbed. But they are all sweet and love to win their quarters which they can use in the vending machines.

Remember - Peace starts with a smile.

Mary

Boy, did we ever get a wind storm last night and this morning. I guess we've had worse but it was pretty bad. The temperatures are in the mid to high 50s which I don't mind. Wouldn't hurt to be a little warmer though.

I guess it is in the 80s in Boston. They were running the Boston Marathon today in that heat. I wonder how many made it through this year. Several years ago, my brother George ran the Boston Marathon. He came in the upper 1/3 of the finishers. Pretty impressive for a guy in his late thirties who had just started running a couple of years earlier. His wife, Betsy, tells the story of the first marathon he ran. I think it was in Texas but would not swear to that. She was waiting at the finish line. As she waited, a man ran across the finish line, collapsed and died on the spot. Eventually, George came through and she said he looked like he was going to die too. Obviously, he didn't and he went on to run others. He said he learned from that experience. One thing he said, I have always remembered. If you are in a physically stressful event or situation, grab water whenever you can. If you wait until you are thirsty, it will be too late. Your brain just doesn't assimilate the thirsty need soon enough. Just like it takes about 15 minutes for your brain to know that you are full after eating.

Have a great day.

Mary