Little Jimmy

Jimmy
Originally uploaded by lynnikins.

Here is little Jimmy, circa 1954, playing in the dirt as usual. This photo shows that his love of the outdoors began at a very early age. Jim still likes nothing better than a long walk in the woods. His clothes are always studded with stick-tights, and little holes torn open by briars. Plus he's a tick magnet. Fortunately we're not a family that gets upset by dirt and bugs.

Odie Underfoot

Odie Underfoot
Originally uploaded by lynnikins.

In the way that cats seem to choose their owners, Odie has adopted our family. Rachel has charmed the wildness out of this once feral tomcat. Odie keeps a high profile spot on our back doorstep, where he has perfected the art of throwing himself under the feet of unsuspecting humans. He also likes to harass our other cats, especially the genuinely feral Evil Kitty (if you could see Evil Kitty slinking around, you'd understand why Rachel gave him this name). Although I've often wished he would go on walkabout like other toms, Odie's comical personality sort of grows on me.

Blueberry Muffins

These are the best muffins I've ever made! The recipe is Basic Buttermilk Muffins, from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, with flour and sugar substitutions.

1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup frozen blueberries

Muffins are about technique. Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl whisk the wet ingredients together. Add the wet to the dry using a rubber spatula, and stirring only until ingredients are together (I count to twenty as I do this). DON'T OVERMIX!! Fold in frozen blueberries, also stirring as little as possible. Put batter into 12-muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 5 minutes, reduce heat to 360 degrees and bake 18 minutes longer (I use convection--may take a few minutes longer in conventional oven). Enjoy!

Baby Jill 1954

Jill was six months old when this photo was taken at Bema & Grampa's house. Sometimes we can spot family resemblances more readily when we get out our old photos. Jill's childhood pictures often remind me of my son Matt, something in the eyes or way the baby fat sits on the face. Matt was more of a smiler, though. I'll try to dig up some old pics to prove my point.

Zurewich Kids 1945

This is a photo Aunt Jeanne sent me recently, taken April 1, 1945. Mom (Georgia, the oldest, holding baby Mary Ellen) was 11 years old when this picture was taken. Nancy is at the far left, Alan at right, Bobbie in front (she looks so sweet in this picture!). It's interesting to think about what was going on in the world at that time. I was born almost exactly ten years later.

Still alive and kicking!

It's been a week since my surgery. I still feel pretty bad, but most of today was better than usual. I'll spare you all the photo of my grapefruit-size ovarian cyst that Dr. Cooper gave me as a memento. It's just amazing, but I think you have to be accustomed to looking at graphic medical photos to keep from puking. So I had the entire plumbing job, as my friend Vicki described it. The good news is that all the various kinds of cysts that were growing all over my second chakra area were all benign, according to the pathologist. I should be feeling like a human being again in a few more weeks.