Stephanie says

Kaneohe Bay, Kahalu'u side circa 1978   I rented a house in Kahaluu, it was built on stilts with a car port underneath .  It was a 3-bedroom overlooking Kaneohe Bay on the Windward side.  I’m guessing it was built in the 1920s, jalousie windows in single-wall stick construction.  By my time, wood termites fed their growing colony on that single layer of wood leaving only the paint in some areas.  In the still of the night, I could hear the low-pitched grind of chewing insects.  Kind of creepy.

Honolulu late 1970s   I temped at a posh glass-faced highrise overlooking Aloha Tower and the harbor from one direction, the opposite side with mountain views.     Swank with a private elevator opening directly into the penthouse reception area. From there the interior was tricked out in a subdued maritime theme, windows all around and walls teak-clad with brass railing accents.     Seems like it was real estate investments.     They played polo on the North Shore in Mokulaea. The kind with horses.  I was there for a two-week gig womaning the reception desk.     It was a snooze of a job in luxury surroundings.  

  Summer in Broadbent 16 x 20" November 2024

 Fishing the Nestucca Mixed Media Collage 16" x 20" 5/2024

  Available on Amazon in paperback or ebook.   My life coming up in the mid 1950s. This story came roaring into my brain after my story published.    Argghhh Grandma was a teacher and she drove the 18 miles from Powers to Myrtle Point every school day.  It’s a pretty drive on a narrow road that hugs the hillside high above the snaking south fork of the Coquille River, past high pastures and a few scattered houses. One day there went Ethel on her morning commute when she noticed “Howard Post” boldly painted on a large rock embedded in the hillside.  She kept going and there was another one.  Then another one. For a stretch of several miles young master Howard took it into his adolescent brain to spray paint his name on many, many exposed boulders in the hillside.   My grandmother’s solution to this embarrassment was to buy her own can of spray paint and on the way home that day, wearing a dress, (she wore only dresses then,) she...

  Fresh Peach Pie in buttery lattice crust   America’s Test Kitchen Recipe   I’m reposting this recipe because I forgot the content in earlier Peach Pie recipe.     Pie Crust Recipe  – serious butter! Ingredients:  20 TBL COLD butter, (2 ½ cups) divided 2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces) divided 2 TBL sugar 1 tsp salt ½ cup COLD water   To make crust: Grate 4 TBL butter into small bowl.  Place bowl in refrigerator until ready to use.   Combine in food processor:   1 ½ (7 ½ oz) flour 2 TBL sugar 1 tsp salt   Blitz in blender.  Then Add:   16 TBL butter (remaining amount) cut in ½ inch pieces   Pulse until dough is formed   Add to food processor   1 cup flour (5 oz)    Pulse 4 – 5 times until mixture is crumbly.   Pour into a bowl. Add reserved grated butter – toss until butter is coated with flour.   Add ¼ cup ice water to bowl.  Stir til mostly absorbed.  Add r...

Cherries and raspberries are ripe in the fields here in the southern Willamette Valley  Following family tradition, my daughter and I took to the local fruit farm to pick raspberries, sweet cherries and enough sour cherries to make eight pies, (my favorite).   I love this time of year! After a hard day in the fields, a light and fluffy dessert was in order.   Can't see all the layers - but they're there. Sorta Cheesecake   Recipe from Girl Meets Farm 6 servings Pistachio crust In food processor: 1 cup Toasted/roasted nuts (I had roasted salted pistachios on hand so skipped the kosher salt.) 1/4 cup sugar Pinch kosher salt Blend until it forms a coarse crumb.  Add 3 Tbl butter Pulse until butter dispersed Place in dessert glasses. Tamp down crust. Cheesecake filling 1/2 block softened cream cheese 1/4 cup Powdered sugar Pinch kosher salt  1 Tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract Whip together 1/2 cup yogurt, fold with cream cheese mixture. Whip 1/2 cup hea...