A Mystery Trip Elderberry Style

Went on another Elderberry trip, this time to "destination unknown", that is, until we arrived--Wichita, KS. I am a MO girl, so you have to show me something great about KS. Guess what, we truly enjoyed ourselves there, and we learned something about the area around Wichita, and got to visit with many friendly folk out thataway. Stayed at the Broadview Hotel, right on the edge of the Arkansas River that winds through town, and is on the edge of Old Town, a beautifully renovated district. Did some shopping and walking around after lunch at a restaurant down there, had a real Flapper Girl lead us on a tour of the haunted hotel, and encountered our own ghost in our room--opening drawers on us when our backs were turned! Our Flapper Girl called the spirit Clarence, so I guess we met him "in person". Traveled out for an evening in the country, first picking up our tour guide, Gracia Burnham. Some of you may have read her book, In the Presence of My Enemies, and if you haven't, check out her website, www.graciaburnham.org. She and her husband were missionaries in the Philippines, and were captured by Moslem terrorists eight years ago, and forced to walk the jungles for a year, until the military rescued them. Only Martin was killed in the rescue operation, she was badly injured, and now she missions to the Philippines people while living outside Wichita with her children. She went with us to Prairie Rose, a chuckwagon ranch, where we dined cowboy-style and were entertained by wonderful cowboy and cowgirl musicians. Next morning Gracia had breakfast with us at the hotel, then gave a presentation on her mission work. We then bade her farewell, and got on the bus for more touring, this time out to a glass factory, where we also got to shop. Then back to Old Town Wichita for lunch, then home. A grand two days was enjoyed by all!

Garden Trek Log--Day 11

We celebrated the first days of June and summer, by doing another walkabout, at our favorite nature area, Powell Gardens. There we spied a giant species of preying mantis, and realized, aha! that is how they keep the bad bugs away! Fell in love with a honeysuckle clematis vine climbing along a bridge, and just admired the view across their lake. We saw other people taking pictures to get garden ideas too, and as we went along, I was able to compare my plants at home with theirs, and think, wow, mine is doing the same as theirs. I don't have the army of volunteers, just me and hubby, but I guess we are doing something right at home.

Pickle Making

I've made dill, sweet, bread 'n butter, sweet red chunk, all kinds of pickles from hand me down recipes, and those are absolutely the most failsafe kind. And used great-grandma's crocks to cure those pickles down in the basement, before I processed. But the easiest, and quickest by far is a recipe my mom gave me a few years ago, from her friends down in the Ozarks. It's called "Winter Pickles", but you can make them anytime.

Start with a gallon jar of dill or kosher dill pickles, the whole ones. You will need 4 cups of sugar, 3/4 cup white vinegar, and a jar or box of pickling spices. Her recipe only called for two tablespoons of the spices, but I put the whole package in. First wrap the pickling spices in cheesecloth, tying it well and tight, because you don't want all those little bitty pieces getting loose. Trust me, it is hard to get them out once they escape! Then drain the pickles in the sink, wash them thoroughly in a collander, and cut into chunks. Wash out the jar and lid well too.

Then layer the chunks back into the washed jar, with the other ingredients: a layer of pickle slices, a cup of sugar, more pickles, the packet of spices in the middle, more pickles and sugar until all in, then pour the vinegar over the top, and close and seal the jar lid well. Roll it back and forth on a towel, checking for looseness of the lid, until the sugar is dissolved. Then turn the jar upside down on a cookie sheet, and let is set all day. At night, before you go to bed, turn the jar right side up. Keep up the jar turning for 7 days, twice a day, and then they are ready to eat. At this time, you dig out the packet of spices and discard. Refrigerate this jar, and take out pickles anytime you want to indulge. Word of warning--they go quickly at a barbeque or picnic.