Saying Good-bye to an Old Friend

 We signed the papers and the “For Sale” sign appeared in the front yard the next day.  The sign’s presence makes me happy -- and sad. It reminds me of many good times in the past, and also of good things to come. 

Earlier this year, we decided it was time to move.  We’ve lived in the same house for 27 years, having it built to our specifications when we were 20-somthings with a dog, no kids, and our whole lives ahead of us. 

Through the years, we’ve maintained, updated, raised two children and numerous pets, renovated, and landscaped.  We’ve celebrated new beginnings, bid fond farewells, and hosted countless birthdays, holiday meals, Scout meetings, and sleepovers within the house’s walls.  In return, our house has provided us with shelter during storms and a comfortable place to live and just BE.

And with the sign’s arrival began the process of de-personalizing our home and preparing it to be marketed in the sluggish housing market.  Wallpaper?  Get rid of it.  Paint everything neutral.  Family photographs and knick-knacks?  Remove them.  It’s hard for potential buyers to visualize themselves in a home if it’s filled to the rafters with someone else’s stuff.  Those little fix-it projects that got put off?  Do them NOW.  Most people don’t want to buy somebody’s problems.  Our local hardware store and a nearby Lowe’s store have become frequent stops.

At our realtor’s suggestion, we decided to continue living here until the house sells.  So after removing boxes and bags of stuff and extra furniture, plus deep cleaning, our old friend is “on the market.”  The hardest part in all of this is keeping the place looking pristine and shiny while it continues to house three people and two pets.  We’ve had realtors and potential buyers come through (sometimes with just a few minutes’ notice), a deal that almost happened but fell through at the last minute, and comments both positive and negative.   

What I’ll miss the most is our back yard.  When we took possession of the property in 1985, there was no “yard” – just a newly-graded section of dirt.  In other words, we started with a blank canvas. 

Through the years, we planted, pruned, transplanted, and divided countless plants, bushes, trees, and flowers.  I brought seedlings and plant cuttings from the yard of my childhood home in Tennessee.  I went to my mother’s farm and dug up buttercup bulbs that had been planted by my great-grandmother in the early 1900s.  Friends passed along herbs and various perennials, which I promptly planted.  The seasons passed and we developed a beautiful back yard. 

And with the plants and fauna came the wildlife.  There was the raccoon our dog chased up a maple tree.  There was the duck that insisted on living beside our driveway for two years.  There were also turtles; frogs; countless squirrels and rabbits; a family of skinks; many generations of cardinals, mockingbirds, and swallows; a few moles; and even several small snakes.  In truth, the yard was never really ours.  We simply shared it with the creatures already living there.    

What we purchased and plan to move into is a 20-yearoldhome with “good bone structure,” but, like many of us of a certain age, in need of somecosmetic updates and a little TLC.  It also has numerous mature trees and beautiful landscaping.  We met one of the sellers o the day we closed the sale.  With tears in her eyes, she told me of the many memories the house held for her and her family.  I promised we’d take good care of it.

  

 As a sentimental plant lover, I’ve transplanted dozens of bulbs, herbs, and seedlings from our current residence to the one we hope to move into later this year.  Sadly, we can’t take our beautiful apple trees with us, but we plan to plant some in our new yard.  On a positive note, our new yard has two mature cherry trees that are loaded with tiny cherries.  Guess I’ll need to research cherry recipes and add them to the collection of apple recipes!

I’ll no doubt shed a few tears when we finally move everything from the old house.  It’s played an important role in our lives for more than a quarter century.  At the same time, I’m anticipating making many wonderful memories in our new home.  After all, change is part of life!

Strawberries Signal the Start of Summer

Contributed by Valerie Battle Kienzle

It's the end of spring, and in the part of the U.S. where I live, fresh strawberries will soon be ripe for picking. Strawberries are grown worldwide, both indoors and outdoors, in pots and in the ground. In some parts of the U.S., strawberry festivals are held to celebrate the harvesting of the first fruit to ripen each year.

Strawberries have been cultivated and enjoyed for centuries. There are approximately 20 varieties of strawberries, the most common being the Garden Strawberry. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. Fresh, frozen, preserved or prepared in food and beverages, strawberries' sweet/tart properties and vibrant color make them a popular food choice with young and old alike.

Strawberry plants are sturdy and produce small white, yellow-centered flowers which develop into the tasty fruit we enjoy so many ways. Strawberries ripen quickly and should be harvested when fully red or when only a quarter of the fruit's surface is still white or light pink. The fruit itself is fragile and is harvested and packaged by hand -- usually in the fields where grown.

Approximately one fourth of the world's strawberries are grown in the United States. That translates to a $1 billion industry. Strawberry breads, strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, strawberry preserves, strawberry lemonade, strawberry milkshakes, strawberry salads, and dried strawberries. This versatile fruit is low in calories (approximately 45 calories per cup) and is loaded with vitamin C.

Strawberry plants are perennials, but generate fruit for only a few years. New plants need to be planted in a strawberry patch every year or two to replace old plants that no longer produce. The plants like full sun and well-drained soil.

I planted a small strawberry patch when my children were young. We never gathered a huge berry harvest (a resourceful rabbit enjoyed munching them as much as we did), but the kids had fun checking for ripe berries each morning. One summer we made strawberry preserves. The recipe was easy (and kid-friendly) and the results tasted wonderful on bread.

I guess you could say strawberries played an important role in my life. Strawberry ice cream was responsible for bringing my parents together in the mid-20th century. They were college students and rode a commuter bus to classes during the summer. The bus wasn't air conditioned, and the driver stopped at a market each day so riders could get something cool to eat or drink. One day Mom and Dad shared a seat. Dad entered the market when the bus stopped and returned with two strawberry ice cream cones. Mom accepted the ice cream cone offered to her, they began talking, and the rest is history.

My favorite way to serve strawberries is to cap and slice them, sprinkle with a bit of sugar to draw out the juice, and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Yum!

I've used strawberries in dozens of recipes through the years, but the dessert that always gets compliments and requests for second helpings is the easiest to assemble. Here's the recipe:

Easy Strawberry Dessert

1 angel food cake
1 quart ripe strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 container Cool Whip

Tear the angel food cake into small chunks. Place in a large, shallow bowl or plastic container. Cap and slice the strawberries into another bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the berries. Gently toss the berries until the sugar dissolves and juice begins to form. Spread the berry mixture over the cake pieces. Spread Cool Whip over the berries. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Enjoy, and welcome the start of the summer produce season!