Moving Day

I just put these three paper friends away, tucked into one of my desk drawers. We made them out of paper, colors, and much love, shortly after we moved here. They have been the first things I see as I come down the stairs early every morning. They are consistently serene, cheerful, prayerful. The holy Abbess Saint Walburga, reminding me of my dear little  Sister Marta OSB; Saint Therese de Lisieux, Number Six's dearest saint and confirmation patroness; St Juan Diego, on of the cutest paper saints Number Seven ever created! They were my three cheerful morning greeters here at the townhouse! We will miss the days here as we were comfortable and warm during the frustrating house-hunting months. 

Busy days!

Packing!

As usual when it is time to pack every single person in this household is busy. Drama camp, work... some actually have left town altogether! So here I am packing on my own--and having some fun along the process!

sniff

Port glasses

last stemware

A neighbor brought a million boxes so I am able to double-box every batch of fragile stuff :-)

Finished the course on Laura Ingalls' writings!

I finished the semester! The online course on the writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder was absolutely wonderful, and being a student again a delight! The class was taught by Dr. Pamela Smith, editor of the recently released best-seller Pioneer Girl. This semester the course focused on the later books: from The Shores of Silver Lake and on. Every week students had to watch lectures, do the reading , participate in the discussion and complete a quiz. Every lecture was so interesting, filled with fascinating information and curiosities about her writing process, about what happened in her real life, about her cooperative relationship with editors, and the list goes on.  

I have joined the Laura Ingalls Society, will attend this summer conference here at SDSU, and am planning on a proposal for a paper/talk for next summer's conference. I will discuss growing up in South America reading and loving the books, not having any idea I'd be living... here one day! How to the two worlds match up? The world Laura painted in her books, and the world of my life here, so close to where she lived. Doesn't it seem like a great project?

Well, I have a move and a wedding before I can begin!

Here is my last entry on the discussion forum:

I live in SD and it's fascinating to see how so many here have no sense of how widely known Laura Ingalls' books are! I loved them as a child in South America, and I believe they will be around for a long long while! The books offer a rare combination of a mesmerizing story, a historical setting of a fascinating time and place, and extremely talented, poetic writing. But even these factors together, I think, may have missed the mark and not become as beloved as Laura's books became, all over the world. Laura tells the story of a real girl, but a real girl who strives constantly to improve herself, acknowledging her faults and learning from them. Just like most of us! Great books are made of such characters: think Dostoevsky, Alcott, Austen! It it my profound conviction that Laura' books speak to the human spirit: it is her main character striving always for virtue, for Love and Charity--universal values and longings of the human heart in any age, in any space--that top off the happy combination of factors making the Little Books extraordinary in every sense. For these reasons, her books have the power to carve a niche in the corner of every reader's heart!

Back to the Nature Park

I am still walking daily with Kristie K., and yesterday we walked 1.6 miles at the nature Park! The girls went along and used my good camera to take some good photos! 

"The Walkers"

Photographing Irises

Friend and church-choir buddy Rose came over to bring some good moving boxes... and surprised us with the most gorgeous Irises from her own flower garden! Husband absolutely loves these flowers. My record of trying to grow them isn't very good...we will try again in the new house! Actually Rose said she will give us some!  This afternoon I just had to grab the camera.

Thank You cards

They arrive and go on the kitchen window... they fill my day with thoughts of dear friends!

My Cooking Class!

Earlier today, the Brookings HyVee hosted a Brazilian Cooking class in their well-equipped Chef's Kitchen and classroom. The guest and amateur Chef was... Ana Braga-Henebry! Yep, yours truly! I enjoyed entertaining the classroom and I made a meal of coconut-chicken over rice, zucchini with fresh herbs, and the Brazilian traditional dessert: Milk Flan.

I was very comfortable in the kitchen, and there was much laughter and cultural anecdotes along with mycooking demonstration. I opened the class by surprising the room with the assertion that I had never heard of a Taco or an Enchilada until moving to the United States at age 22 for grad school. Along with experiencing snow for the first time, I learned then that Americans usually assume that Brazilian cooking is like the rest of South American cooking. I talked about differences in usage of herbs in tropical countries when they are fresh year round, of the fact that Brazilian health food guidelines include things such as "people should cook from scratch" and "families should sit together to eat". The class was lively and students lingered to chat afterwards.

I mentioned that I moved to Brookings last year, following my husband "Dr. Geoffrey Henebry who is at the SDSU Geospacial Center of Excellence". I mentioned that Husband travels the world doing and presenting scientific research, but he is quick to say that he prefers my cooking best of all.

Kayla Aman, the Brookings HyVee registered dietitian, who invited me, offered this quote about the class: “Ana’s food was fantastic; with so many great layers of flavor! As she prepared the meal she told stories of her childhood growing up in Brazil and how she learned to cook. Those stories gave the meal a very personal touch. Ana is so comfortable in the kitchen and it comes through in her cooking.”

When asked of how I have gotten so comfortable in the kitchen, I smiled and said something like: "Cooking is much more than just fixing food! I have been in the kitchen for over 30 years, feeding and loving my family, and our dinner guests as well. Cooking is more than food and ingredients--cooking can be both an Art and act of Love! Truly there is a sacredness about preparing and sharing a meal around the table. By eating as a family, or entertaining dinner guests, we tell stories, we pray, we reminisce... we compose and recite poetry--indeed we build culture!" People asked me about future plans regarding my cooking, especially afterwards at a Brazilian ladies' night at a downtown restaurant. I think of how my family and friends have long encouraged me to expand my cooking beyond the home. I am beginning to think that a personal catering service may be a possibility. Even Husband approves the idea.

I have been already invited to return to the HyVee kitchen and I will set a date with Kayla for Kate summer or early fall, this time with a menu of Brazilian Black Beans over rice, meat-filled Brazilian pastries, and a surprise Brazilian chocolate dessert!