Thank you for asking what I needed you to pray for. I am in need of a loving, caring place for my 82 year old Dad who has Alzheimer's. It is time for him to have more consistent care and of course, he doesn't want to move. We are looking for a place near me in Cary, NC. I've been staying with him this past week- trying to see this time as a gift, but also observing him, laughing, crying, worrying and trying to come up with a plan in a very uncertain time. Any prayers are appreciated at this time. Thank you.
Sounds like an amazing experience at the Olympics! So glad you were able to go! I have Circle of Hope on hold and am looking forward to reading it. But not half as much as I’m
Looking forward to Good Soil! Thank you for sharing that beautiful cover!
Thank you for another insightful essay. I love your stories from your nephew trips.
Your potato pile is certainly impressive! How do you store them? I'm in CA, so no one here has cold rooms or cellars. I'm always curious how to store food.
Our garden is cranking out tomatoes, but I can tell things are going to start slowing down soon. We've decided not to do a winter garden this year, so I'm ordering bell beans and buckwheat for cover crops and more clover for the rehab meadow where we hope to plant grapes someday. I need a really good human powered tiller, if you've got any recommendations.
Our 9 year old cattledog had knee surgery in March and is not healing as well as we'd like, and keeps reinforcing herself. Poor little girl is in pain and can't tell us what exactly is wrong, and I think we need to find a new vet who can help us sort out what's going on in there. Prayers for our Lacey's healing and for us to find a kind and competent vet would be so welcome.
Thaks again. Your book cover is beautiful! Looking forward to reading.
What a gorgeous cover for your book! I can’t wait to read it!
Potatoes… i’ve had potatoes in tacos and on pizza, both of which I enjoyed, even though they felt strange, but my favorite way is potato salad or maybe latkes?? Or potato soup, once it gets cold enough. Yvette Van Boven has a lovely cod chowder recipe that we make every year!
Was it hard to get Olympic tickets? I’m not sure if I should even bother trying for LA., any thoughts?
If you love the Olympics, it's worth a try and it is really not that difficult. You just need to plan early and be flexible (the tickets went on sale for Paris about 16 months beforehand.) Also? Two sports—softball and whitewater canoeing—will be in Oklahoma City in 2028. So if a trip to California is out of the question, there's always Oklahoma.
I’m pondering the connection and your thoughts on the Olympic spirits and stories with Griswold’s words you shared - “it is “our” work to examine an experience for what it reveals not only about the world, or God, but also about ourselves…”. I’m also guessing the experiences revealed in the book are gifts to you just as the cover is beautiful. It will be a gold medal, too! (It’s probably just my lectionary overload habits.🙄) My favorite new potato fix is using small potatoes, boiling till tender, turning out onto a greased cookie sheet, smashing them, season, and into the oven till slightly browned. Add cheese near end of cooking time. Check out seasonings by searching smash potatoes. Thanks for all the good thoughts. Prayers always cherished.
Only zinnias in pots for me successfully this year. But I found a volunteer basil plant near the alley that’s fairing far better than the potted one if my porch! Unexpected blessings.
I've loved your Olympics updates! What a wonderful time it looks like you had with your nephews. Eric and I are already dreaming what it would look like to attend the Games in LA in '28, including getting a tent top for our Subaru so we can easily camp wherever we find a spot. Do you have any tips for buying tickets?
Re: potatoes: my go-tos are 1) cubed and roasted on a sheet pan with lots of butter, oil, salt, and pepper; 2) in a pureed mint-pea soup, and 3) mashed with a couple of garlic cloves thrown into the boil. The soup recipe is below, and it's a family favorite, as are my mashed potatoes, but I know from reading your newsletters for awhile now that we have differing opinions on how potatoes should be mashed, so I'll leave you to your way. :)
Mint-Pea Soup
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cubed peeled potatoes
10-oz. frozen peas
2 T. chopped fresh mint
½ c. low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Sauté onion in olive oil in a large soup pot until translucent. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes. Add peas for 1-2 minutes, just until they are warm and bright green. Add in mint, and pureé in a food processor (I use a stick blender). Stir in sour cream/yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Can be served warm or room temperature.
And finally, as to your review of Eliza's book, I appreciate your encouragements these past few weeks toward staying in the messiness of a congregation. You've certainly modeled that well yourself these past few years, and it's helped us as we navigate a sticky relationship with our own church. Things have gotten worse lately for us, and we're considering taking a leave of absence for a determined time, but that feels like one more step toward quitting altogether. It's hard.
Every Olympics is different in terms of ticketing. The main thing at this point is to get on the LA 2028 mailing list so that you get notifications of when tickets go on sale. The other thing I'd suggest, if budget is a concern, is to be open to different possibilities. Track and field, swimming, and gymnastics are always going to be the most expensive. We ended up at the first day of rugby sevens, which was the most affordable, even though none of us really knew a thing about rugby, and it was delightful.
One of my favourite ways to eat potatoes: boiled with the skin on, then cut in half and/or into quarters and fried in a cast iron frying pan with butter and avocado oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder. I also love adding lots of onion slices and frying them with the potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or dried herbs. Serve with homemade mayo.
One more favourite way my family enjoys potatoes is called Zwetschgenknödl (plum potato dumplings) - an Austrian specialty and dinner and dessert in one! If you make these, Jeff, let me know what you think! See link for recipe (or search the Internet for others). Apricots are also good, instead of plums (but if you use plums, try to use the Italian prune plums if possible).
Love your story about the Olympics. Love your book cover,can not wait to read it. Please pray for my knee replacement surgery on Sept. 5. I went from walking independently to needing a walker for 6 months. I am immunocompromised which adds a high risk of infection and rejection of the knee
I'm so sorry about your knee—and glad about the possibility of relief soon. May the surgery go smoothly, may your recovery be quick, and may you feel courage and peace in the meantime.
Sending up a request for otherworldly peace for Dorcas and her family.
Look forward to reading, Jeff!
Thank you for asking what I needed you to pray for. I am in need of a loving, caring place for my 82 year old Dad who has Alzheimer's. It is time for him to have more consistent care and of course, he doesn't want to move. We are looking for a place near me in Cary, NC. I've been staying with him this past week- trying to see this time as a gift, but also observing him, laughing, crying, worrying and trying to come up with a plan in a very uncertain time. Any prayers are appreciated at this time. Thank you.
You and your dad have my prayers. What a challenging thing. May you find a place soon that can feel like home to him.
Sounds like an amazing experience at the Olympics! So glad you were able to go! I have Circle of Hope on hold and am looking forward to reading it. But not half as much as I’m
Looking forward to Good Soil! Thank you for sharing that beautiful cover!
Thank you for another insightful essay. I love your stories from your nephew trips.
Your potato pile is certainly impressive! How do you store them? I'm in CA, so no one here has cold rooms or cellars. I'm always curious how to store food.
Our garden is cranking out tomatoes, but I can tell things are going to start slowing down soon. We've decided not to do a winter garden this year, so I'm ordering bell beans and buckwheat for cover crops and more clover for the rehab meadow where we hope to plant grapes someday. I need a really good human powered tiller, if you've got any recommendations.
Our 9 year old cattledog had knee surgery in March and is not healing as well as we'd like, and keeps reinforcing herself. Poor little girl is in pain and can't tell us what exactly is wrong, and I think we need to find a new vet who can help us sort out what's going on in there. Prayers for our Lacey's healing and for us to find a kind and competent vet would be so welcome.
Thaks again. Your book cover is beautiful! Looking forward to reading.
Here's an insight into potato storage from someone in Arkansas. The key, I guess, is the coolest, darkest place you can find: https://journeywithjill.net/gardening/2016/07/04/store-potatoes-hot-humid-climate/
Prayers for Lacey!
The tortilla Espanola is the perfect use for potatoes.
That's what we did the other night! Delicious.
Gorgeous cover! Please pray for my son-in-law Joe and his job search.
What a gorgeous cover for your book! I can’t wait to read it!
Potatoes… i’ve had potatoes in tacos and on pizza, both of which I enjoyed, even though they felt strange, but my favorite way is potato salad or maybe latkes?? Or potato soup, once it gets cold enough. Yvette Van Boven has a lovely cod chowder recipe that we make every year!
Was it hard to get Olympic tickets? I’m not sure if I should even bother trying for LA., any thoughts?
If you love the Olympics, it's worth a try and it is really not that difficult. You just need to plan early and be flexible (the tickets went on sale for Paris about 16 months beforehand.) Also? Two sports—softball and whitewater canoeing—will be in Oklahoma City in 2028. So if a trip to California is out of the question, there's always Oklahoma.
I’m pondering the connection and your thoughts on the Olympic spirits and stories with Griswold’s words you shared - “it is “our” work to examine an experience for what it reveals not only about the world, or God, but also about ourselves…”. I’m also guessing the experiences revealed in the book are gifts to you just as the cover is beautiful. It will be a gold medal, too! (It’s probably just my lectionary overload habits.🙄) My favorite new potato fix is using small potatoes, boiling till tender, turning out onto a greased cookie sheet, smashing them, season, and into the oven till slightly browned. Add cheese near end of cooking time. Check out seasonings by searching smash potatoes. Thanks for all the good thoughts. Prayers always cherished.
Congratulations on cover design! Looks lovely....
Love love love that cover! Every time I see it, I like it even more.
Only zinnias in pots for me successfully this year. But I found a volunteer basil plant near the alley that’s fairing far better than the potted one if my porch! Unexpected blessings.
I've loved your Olympics updates! What a wonderful time it looks like you had with your nephews. Eric and I are already dreaming what it would look like to attend the Games in LA in '28, including getting a tent top for our Subaru so we can easily camp wherever we find a spot. Do you have any tips for buying tickets?
Re: potatoes: my go-tos are 1) cubed and roasted on a sheet pan with lots of butter, oil, salt, and pepper; 2) in a pureed mint-pea soup, and 3) mashed with a couple of garlic cloves thrown into the boil. The soup recipe is below, and it's a family favorite, as are my mashed potatoes, but I know from reading your newsletters for awhile now that we have differing opinions on how potatoes should be mashed, so I'll leave you to your way. :)
Mint-Pea Soup
Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cubed peeled potatoes
10-oz. frozen peas
2 T. chopped fresh mint
½ c. low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Sauté onion in olive oil in a large soup pot until translucent. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes. Add peas for 1-2 minutes, just until they are warm and bright green. Add in mint, and pureé in a food processor (I use a stick blender). Stir in sour cream/yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Can be served warm or room temperature.
And finally, as to your review of Eliza's book, I appreciate your encouragements these past few weeks toward staying in the messiness of a congregation. You've certainly modeled that well yourself these past few years, and it's helped us as we navigate a sticky relationship with our own church. Things have gotten worse lately for us, and we're considering taking a leave of absence for a determined time, but that feels like one more step toward quitting altogether. It's hard.
Every Olympics is different in terms of ticketing. The main thing at this point is to get on the LA 2028 mailing list so that you get notifications of when tickets go on sale. The other thing I'd suggest, if budget is a concern, is to be open to different possibilities. Track and field, swimming, and gymnastics are always going to be the most expensive. We ended up at the first day of rugby sevens, which was the most affordable, even though none of us really knew a thing about rugby, and it was delightful.
I signed up for the LA 28 newsletter! Thanks for the tip!
One of my favourite ways to eat potatoes: boiled with the skin on, then cut in half and/or into quarters and fried in a cast iron frying pan with butter and avocado oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder. I also love adding lots of onion slices and frying them with the potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or dried herbs. Serve with homemade mayo.
One more favourite way my family enjoys potatoes is called Zwetschgenknödl (plum potato dumplings) - an Austrian specialty and dinner and dessert in one! If you make these, Jeff, let me know what you think! See link for recipe (or search the Internet for others). Apricots are also good, instead of plums (but if you use plums, try to use the Italian prune plums if possible).
https://search.app/UrWXycJcHhFCP7yi7
Is this a potato dessert??? What is the texture like?
Love your story about the Olympics. Love your book cover,can not wait to read it. Please pray for my knee replacement surgery on Sept. 5. I went from walking independently to needing a walker for 6 months. I am immunocompromised which adds a high risk of infection and rejection of the knee
I'm so sorry about your knee—and glad about the possibility of relief soon. May the surgery go smoothly, may your recovery be quick, and may you feel courage and peace in the meantime.
Thank you Jeff