Welcome to my blog and Hope’s Homestead. It’s nice to see you. If you are new here, yah! If you haven’t been here in a while, you’re not alone as neither have I. Ha! You’d think that with the current state of the world, (everyone isolating at home due to the COVID-19 global pandemic) I’d have nothing better to do than write on my blog, but if you know me at all, that’s not the case.
We are b*u*s*y around here doing things we love. Home is where it’s at people.
What do you think? How are you weathering these times?
At first, I felt rather guilty when the whole pandemic started; as if my wish had caused it. You see all winter the mantra flowing out of my being went something like this; “we need to slow down, something needs to let up, life is going too fast.” It’s the craziest thing to think that the whole world came to a screeching halt just for me, but those were my thoughts in mid March.
The only downside was that our seventeen year old daughter, Grace’s spring break, school trip to the U.K. was cancelled at the last minute. She had worked so hard last summer to earn the money for the trip. In addition, she was taking an English course that totally revolved around all the sights they were planning to see, and all the assignments were geared to the trip.
At this point, although the trip has been delayed until later this summer, we obviously don’t know if international travel will open up. Only time will tell how life will unfold in the coming months but any sadness we felt over the loss of that trip, or not being with our oldest daughter as she celebrated a milestone birthday at the end of March, have been quieted over the news of so many deaths reported around the world. It always surprises me how grief and lose reminds us of what’s truly important.
It was one big wake up call for the earth in my opinion.
I could have become a dweller of dark places in the last two months but thankfully, I remembered why I sign off as “Hope,” at the end of my blog. I remembered my true nature and quickly chose to move towards the light. My oldest sister B says, “there is a silver lining in all of this.” My oldest daughter Alyssa, an English major, teacher and writer says, “it’s like a Dystopia novel!”
Whatever it is….
The silver lining for us, is that in the last ten years our family has been moving in the direction of becoming more sustainable in our day to day life. Last night at dinner our ten year old son, William, observed, “we make just about everything from scratch, except ketchup.” (Watch out Will, if we have a good tomato crop this summer, ketchup’s on the bucket list) Having learned to reuse, make do, grow our own food, cook from the basics, and live more simply, has conditioned us to thrive in a time when so many people are falling apart.
It’s been two months now since the world stopped spinning so fast and our family has a lovely, at home learning groove happen’in, our back forty is newly planted, and it’s time for me to come back to my blog, share a story, a recipe and maybe a bit of hope. If that’s what you are seeking, let this be a place of refuge. Also, I have to share a secret for our contentment and what’s helping our family handle this social isolating gig so well.
The secret can be found in:
Books
We are surviving and I’d like to believe thriving too, because we all love to read.
Well, almost all of us. It’s a process.
Ironically, the month before the kids were out on spring break, their school had a book competition. It’s a yearly tradition at their school to encourage as many children to read as possible. When our older children went to school. they were involved in something called, “The Battle of the Books.” It was a school district affair, where each school prepared teams, representing the various grades. Throughout the spring, there would be zone competitions to see who knew their books the best. Finally, the teams winning at the zones, would move onto the final district competition, which was open to the public at our local performing arts centre. It was quite an affair and a prestigious event to win.
Our older children were “Battle of the Books,” champs. Alyssa’s team won the district award two years in a row and Clark’s team won it one year. We were so proud of their accomplishments. In those days, their school, “Coldstream Elementary,” was considered the school to beat. Then a few parents started to make waves. Their children had competed to earn a spot on the team but didn’t qualify, and they were annoyed. We personally didn’t understand their reasoning, since our school also competes in athletics, such as track and field, and only the best move on to compete in the zones and districts in that area. It’s the same if you ask me but they didn’t view it that way, so our participation in the local Battle of the Books ended and our school started an in house competition. Originally, it was called, “Gypsy Breath and Longstocking,” but over time it has been shortened to be just, “Gypsy Breath.”
At first, when our school stopped competing at the Battle of the Books, I was angry, as that was a place where our children who were book savvy, could shine. I didn’t encourage our next in line children to join the competition, which was watered down in my opinion, but then our daughter Grace joined one year without any encouragement from me. I watched her happily fly through the book selections for that year. When she came home with the first place award, I realized it it wasn’t about competition at all.
It was about reading.
Now, I’m all over anything to get kids hooked on reading.
So when…..
Our younger kids came home from school one day to say that they were all going to be on the same Gypsy Breath team, I was thrilled. They called themselves, “The Survivors.” That’s the ironic part; I feel like we are surviving this social isolating pandemic, partly due to our love of literature. When you can enter a book and become lost in another world, you can escape anything. What a gift. Also, while our family has quite an extensive library, we are also living in a time when we have access to any book written on the planet, within a tap on our computers.
It’s mind blowing.
Our children read some pretty incredible books since Christmas in preparation for the Gypsy Breath competition. Kathryn read the most. She read all, but one of the grade 6/7 books (Refugee) and of course she didn’t read the two adult selections. Victoria wasn’t far behind her; reading all the grade 3, grade 4 and almost all the grade 5 books. She also read a couple of the grade 6/7 books.
I was most proud of William though, first to join the team, bringing two of his (non reading) friends along to experience the event, but mainly watching him methodically working through book after book, that I know he wouldn’t have touched otherwise. This for a boy who loves to be active; bouncing on the the trampoline, swimming in the pool, or even playing his cello. To watch him sit quietly in our big, comfy chair in the living room, turning page after page, was a sight to see.
There is hope!
I’m also proud to say that the kid’s “Survivor,” team tied for second place on the night of the competition, out of at least ten or twelve teams. I never counted but the gym was full of kids dressed up in wacky costumes, all joining together with their teachers, to answer the questions that were posed by the “Book Wizard.”
I know you are probably here for the fruit pizza recipe but I want to share the Gypsy Breath book selections with you first, as in addition to great food, it’s the books that are getting us through this difficult moment in time. A time when we are sheltered in place, in order to beat this virus. If you REALLY want the food, (like my son William, who is growing crazy, fast lately) scroll to the bottom. If you can hold off, here are the 2020 Gypsy Breath Books, many of which our family read this spring.
You may have read some of them with your kids or when you were a child:
The Grade 3 Books
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary
When the Soldiers Were Gone, by Vera W. Propp
A Boy Named Bat, by Elana K. Arnold
The Grade Four Books
The Lemonade War, by Jacqueline Davies
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Chocolate Touch, by Patrick Skene Catling
I Survived the Nazi Invasion, by Lauren Tarshis
The Grade Five Books
The following book, “The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle,” was my children’s all round favourite! They even encouraged me to read it. The main character, Mason, is an endearing child who shined a light on the colour of feelings and inspired me to try to be my best self. It’s a beautifully written book in Mason’s unique, sweet voice.
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, by Leslie Connor
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul-Curtis
The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani (Victoria loved this book but then she loves writing in her diary/journal too)
Magyk, by Angie Sage (My older sons read this book…well the whole series actually, and if you are into fantasy, then this book is for you!)
The Grade 6/7 Books
The following book, “Save Me a Seat,” was William’s fav book. He said he could relate to the book’s main characters, Joe and Ravi, as he, like them , has been bullied at school too. As a mom this made me cry. I want to protect my children from these sorts of experiences. It’s when I hear this that I want to homeschool them full time when we get through to the other side of this isolation.
Except, I know it’s often the toughest things we go through in life that develops our character. No amount of reading or virtual experiences can teach us to be strong people. We need to step out of our comfort zones, become vulnerable, and learn how to relate to others. We need to build our own voice and our inner resilience muscle, to become confident individuals. That’s why, after this whole pandemic is over, I’m pretty sure I will encourage our children to return to school, whatever that looks like. I’d like to believe it will be a gentler place and my children will be beacons of kindness and compassion towards their classmates.
William made tons of connections while reading this book and told me that the ending was “fantastic.”
Will gives this book a *****stars rating and two thumbs up!
Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks
Firegirl, by Tony Abbott
The following book, “Bridge to Terabithia,” has been around for awhile. I read it with my older children and it was a Battle of the Books selection during one of their competitions. We read it to our younger children, as a family, last summer and I would highly recommend it for the 8 to 12 year old set….and beyond.
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
The final book for the children was “Refugee.” It’s on our “to be read list” but it sounds incredible and inspiring.
Refugee, by Alan Gratz
The Adult Books
I loved the following book. The main character Susan’s view of the world was witty and refreshing. Also, after my daughter, Alyssa, spent two years living and working in London, with me vicariously living with her, I loved the whole English vibe, in this Debut novel by Sarah Haywood. I laughed all the way through this hilarious book, which is saying something for me.
The Cactus, by Sarah Haywood
I read a lot, so when I say the following book, “We Were the Lucky Ones,” is the best book I have read all year, that’s really saying something. The book follows one Jewish Family’s experiences during the Second World War years. Even though I read this book months ago now, it’s helped me put this global pandemic into perspective.
It could always be worse, is my thinking, and this family and the Jewish people’s plight during the middle of the last century, has lifted me up and given me hope. If you only read one book this year read this. Don’t let the premise scare you….pick it up, allow yourself to be submersed into history and enveloped in great writing. You are one of the lucky ones, if you take the time to read this book!
We Were the Lucky Ones, by Georgia Hunter
I guess you now see the theme of this year’s Gypsy Breath book selection was all around war and diversity. I’m never failed to be amazed at how life prepares us for every eventuality. Reading these books, in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, helped us shift into the mentality of believing we can overcome anything. If the characters in these books, (some of them based on true stories) could overcome life most difficult challenges, we know we can do it too.
Together.
All we have been asked to do is shelter in place. How hard is that with a good book? If you aren’t into reading, then watch a movie based on a book. Last night, we watched part one, of the movie, “Stranded,” based on the book called, “The Swiss Family Robinson.” That book was written by Johann David Wyss, which was first published over two hundred years ago in 1812. Our kids can’t wait to watch the second part and are intrigued over a family shipwrecked on an island. I was telling them that in a way, we are that family now.
Here’s the link to part one if you are interested in watching it too.
Well, enough about books, isolation and even movies, now onto the part that you may be waiting for and the part that is also my son William’s favourite: yummy recipes. The next time you are in the grocery store stock up on fresh fruit and some cream cheese and you can make a……
Fruit Pizza
I actually can’t take total credit for this recipe as it was originally my brother in law D’s recipe. He’s been making fruit pizza for years, long before it became fashionable in the food world. That’s my brother in law D and sister C; they are always ahead of the rest of us. Earlier this year, we got together for dinner and the topic of fruit pizza came up. I knew I wanted to make something special for the Gypsy Breath snack table and thought D’s recipe might just be the thing.
I first tested it out at our kid’s group orchestra, snack table, one week, and it was inhaled in a flash. Those are kids who know good food, and by the way, it flew off the table and into their mouths, with sighs, I might add. I knew we were onto something that would work for book aficionados as well. Okay, so that’s the back story. Now let’s create this divine dessert, in celebration of books, movies, or whatever you are passionate about….anything to survive and stay well.
Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
11/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
Spread
12 -16 ounces of cream cheese
1/2 to 1 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla
(The ingredients range depending on the amount of spread you want on your pizza)
Glaze
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
Fresh Fruit
Anything goes but some ideas are:
Kiwi (the bright green is lovely)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Pineapple
Raspberries
Blackberries
Grapes
Instructions
Make the crust by mixing the butter, cream cheese and sugar. (An electric mixer works best) Add the egg and vanilla and combine well. Add the flour, baking powder and the salt.
Basically, you are making one big batch of cookie dough. Once mixed, let dough cool in bowl with a cloth over top for 1/2 hour in the fridge.
Use cooking spray and grease a large pizza pan or a cookie sheet (it doesn’t have to be round)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bring dough out of the fridge and spread it evenly on the pan using fingers or you can use a rolling pin. I find flattening it with fingers and then rolling it with a pin works best. Bake for 12 minutes, (350 degrees) but watch closely as you don’t want the cookie base to over cook…a light golden brown is perfect.
Once out of the oven, allow pizza crust to completely cool. I place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before spreading on the cream cheese mixture.
While your pizza is cooling in the freezer, cut up the fruit into small pieces, thinly slice the kiwi and strawberries. Cut up your pineapple, unless they are already in slices. Think about the design you want to create. If you are making it for a special event, you may be able to make a word with fruit for instance. ( Later, I thought I could have written “Books” with blueberries .)
Once the pizza has cooled and the cream cheese has been spread, you can add your fruit. Any combination tastes great, but this is where the artist in you can flourish.
Once the pizza has been topped with fruit, drizzle the glaze around for the final touch of yummy. Here’s how our pizza turned out for the Gypsy Breath event.
P.S. Serve soon after topping with fruit and glaze, although it’s still yummy the next day, albeit the crust is a bit soft.
Every time I make this pizza it turns out different but it’s always amazing!!! Here are some other pictures from our kid’s Gypsy Breath night.. Remember their team was called, “The Survivors.” We had ordered a bunch of buffs for the kids to wear for the event, which turned out to be great masks for them to wear in the early days of this pandemic, when we were just out for a walk in our neighbourhood in case they came across other people.
Their buffs and dirty looking and ripped t shirts completed their Survivor costume.
And so we may be sheltering at home right now, but we are not alone. We are all in this together and if we have books, then we have the world at our feet. Let literature take you wherever you want to go. Fly if you want to.
Thank you for coming to visit today. I hope, not to be a stranger here in the coming weeks. Since we just planted our vegetable garden this week, I do have some images and some gardening stories I’d like to share as well as thoughts on guiding our children at home with their learning.
Stay tuned, stay safe.
Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.
Blessings from Hope