Virginia's Life, Such As It Is!: July 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Comfort Food: Cherry Lemon Trifle (Gourmet with Dana)

During this week between my mother's death and her memorial service, we've all been pitching in as best we know how here at the house. I'm working on the communications aspect, such as notifying the extended family of funeral arrangements and hotels, writing the obituary, creating photo tributes on my blogs for family to enjoy, etc. My brother John and sister Barb are handling a lot of miscellaneous details and errands, and taking care of my Aunt Nancy's dog Zee, since she had to fly back home to Kentucky to take care of her daughter in the hospital.

My sister-in-law Dana has taken over the kitchen, as well as planning the family dinner after the memorial. That's a very good thing. The owner of Toute Sweets, a small baking and candy company, she is incomparable in preparing comfort food, whether it is truffles or pulled pork or potato salad. Last night, she baked two lemon pound cakes. This morning, I found her whipping puffy mounds of cream. She was making cherry lemon trifle. I asked, "When do we get to eat this?" Breakfast! I had three bowls, the perfect combination of smooth and sweet and tart. Comfort food.

Dana layered slices of one Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake with one can of Comstock lite cherry pie filling and a bowl of fresh sweetened whipped cream. (The whipped cream ingredients are a pint of heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.)

It's lunchtime. I'm ready for more.

You may like to see my entire Gourmet with Dana series. Some of my previous posts:

Shrimp Bisque {and} Salt Crusted Roast Beef with Mushrooms

Fall Harvest Quinoa with Butternut Squash {Vegan Recipe}

Orange Sunshine State Cake

Virginia Knowles
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Clouds (Looking from Above)

All but the last cloud photo were taken from an airplane while I was on my way to Maryland the day after my sweet mother's death. We grieve her death from below, she rejoices in her new life from above. Someday Jesus will come through the clouds and draw his own to himself in Heaven. Now we see dimly, then we will see him clearly and be transformed into glory.

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12

In hope and expectation,

Virginia Knowles
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Radiant Nurturer: Recent Photos of My Mother

More recent pictures of my sweet mother.

They make me cry looking at them.

I miss her so much.

These are not in order.

I just can't do it now.

Oh my.

Married to Dad for 55 years.
This is my favorite photo, by my daughter Joanna.

My sister Barb's masters degree graduation this past May

Our extended family at my brother John's wedding in 2004

Mom and Dad with three grown kids in 2004

Mom on the right, with her sisters Barbara and Nancy
and niece Elizabeth

Kissing a granddaughter

With her parents, sisters and brothers in 2005

When Mother and Daddy (her parents)
came to live with her, Daddy had to have
a vegetable garden. He would come down in his
wheelchair and supervise Mom's work.

Mom loved gardening and visiting

botanical gardens.

Longwood Gardens in 2011
for my sister's 50th birthday
- with Dad, me, my sister and brother, and Grandma Hess

My brother John with Mom

Mom with Dana, my brother's wife.
They loved to travel together.

Trying to French braid a pixie cut...
Always a sense of humor.

Mom with my five oldest daughters
at a high school graduation in 2011

Probably doing a sudoku puzzle! She loved them!

Mom with me and her sister Nancy

Mom loved beauty and nature and travel.

Mom and Dad and I
Yes, I inherited her dimples, and so did
all 10 of my children.

With her great grandsons,
my grandmother, my daughter and me
last October

She loved her kitty JJ and was so sad when he died.

So delighted to adopt abandoned newborn kittens.
They were so therapeutic for her.

Waterless shampoo doesn't quite do the trick
but she kept her smile as much as possible
during her almost seven week hospital stay.

Taken a week ago in the hospital with me and my six youngest children

Orchids from my daughter

The day before she died, probably her last photo.
Rev. Sabatelli brought her a prayer shawl made by a church lady.
He picked the softest one for her.

Happier days...

I am now a puddle of tears. Please pray for us.

Virginia
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Vintage Photos of My Mother

As promised, more photos of my mother, Mary Quarrier, who passed away on Friday. These are from her childhood and my childhood. I will post more recent ones later. You can also find many more at In Memoriam: A Tribute to My Mother, Mary Quarrier.
~~ Virginia