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Good morning friends, did you have a nice Mother’s Day? Were you able to be with your mother? Or your children? This year I wasn’t able to be with my mother but my sister and niece made sure that she knew that she was loved and special. Hopefully soon I will be able to do the same.
Have you ever picked up a book and started to read it and it was just what you needed at that moment? Lately I feel as if every quote, book, Pinterest pin, I pick up or see is sending me a “message”, or a “God wink.” Things like, when it’s time things will fall into place, to be grateful for what I already have, to stop wishing away my time here, and that maybe what I want is not what God wants for me. Whatever the case these quotes and books are giving me pause and frankly a little balm for the soul.
I found The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman in my “to read pile” and it was just what I needed, a little baking, a little romance and a loving tribute to the women in our lives, perfect for Mother’s Day weekend. From the first page I felt as if I was standing by the side of my own grandmother baking our favorite family recipes, just as Sam the main character was standing next to hers. Set in Michigan on a family orchard and interspersed with recipes the book was perfect for me not only for my love of baking but also knowing how special old family recipes are.
As for the orchards, many of my summer days were spent in Michigan orchards. My aunts and cousins would drive over from Wisconisn and we would pick bushels of peaches and apples and baskets of blueberries for my grandmother to “put up”, and to make jam and preserves for the winter. Each summer when I take my first bite of a fuzzy peach I am instantly transported back to those warm summer days picking peaches and running amongst the trees where I think I ate more peaches than I put into the basket. I know they say Georgia peaches are the best but I am partial the Michigan peaches. I love them best when they are fresh, plump and warm from the sun and the first bite causes a river of juice to run down your hand and arm. I am looking forward to my first summer peach and all of the other seasonal offering from my local farmers market.
I don’t have a recipe box of family recipes but I have a book of of my grandmother’s recipe, each page is decorated with photos of me, my siblings and our adventures with my grandparents. My aunt and my cousins made it and gave it to me on my wedding day. Every time I open it and see my grandmothers handwriting or the faded photos of my sisters, brother and I standing by my grandmothers side making cinnamon rolls or Christmas cookies I wish that she were here to bake with, to talk to and spend time with and I savor those wonderful memories and the gifts she passed to me, one of which is my love of baking.
Do you have a recipe box or book filled with your families favorite recipes? Have you ever thought about making a book of your family recipes for your children or grandchildren? If you have a family recipe that you would like to share with us please leave it in the comments or leave a link to it.
Have a wonderful day friends and a beautiful week.
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I love your memories. I think my favorite family recipes actually come from my husband’s family and I have and will continue to share them on my site…and one day…maybe a cookbook will be created…
Enjoy your week.
Your writing is beautiful. You take me right along with you. The recipe book from your grandmother-what a treasure.
Love imaging you looking over your grandmothers recipe Elizabeth…what a lovely memory. Georgia vs. Michigan peaches, there’s a thought. Who new? I will be on a peach quest now! We created a “Quarantine Recipe Box” when the kids were living back home last year. It’s in a shambles, recipes stacked up in one basket. Most are from The New York Times Recipe Collection. They are keepers, your post reminded me to pull it together and create a booklet for each of my children. One for the memory books. Keep well Elizabeth, happy reading, happy baking and keep looking for those signs. xx
YES I Bought TWO leather bound BIG BLANK BOOKS YEARS AGO from RESTORATION HARDWARE to make BOOKS for MY SONS!
HERE they still sit!I couldn’t figure out how to do it…….APPETIZERS FIRST but how many pages to leave blank?
Or do I just write down the recipes as I cook them?Then they will have to mark up to find!
I am NOT THRILLED WITH MY HANDWRITING EITHER……..it changes so………
SO, for what ever reason I have NOT BEGUN THE PROCESS but there is still time!
THE BOOKS ARE BIG AND GRAND.I feel it has to be done in MY SCRIPT!DO I put photos in too?
As you know I do not do anything the NORMAL WAY!
Perhaps too much thought………..I just need to start WRITING!
My mother as she was dying with a terminal illness handwrote the family recipes that were unqiue to us. I have the orignial in her distinctive hand writing in an old style paper folder with brads on my shelf. Look for those recipes to be showing up on my blog and other favorites from my immediate family.
What beautiful thoughts you’ve imagined for us. No, I don’t have old recipes from a grandmother. But I can see why you treasure yours so much.
Brenda
What a sweet post this was Elizabeth! Very near and dear to my heart. Thanks so much for sharing your memories, I gave my daughter some family recipes when she got married. I’m working on a book I’ll share sometime.