Making grape pies - updated slightly

The weather is miserable for North East, PA's 2011 Wine Festival. Pouring rain all day today. Ugh. Nevertheless the ambitious folks at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross gathered to make 200 grape pies. Unfortunately I didn't think to take photos during the very hectic first day so some of the folks who helped aren't shown. These are from the second baking day and the first of the festival. Also should have gone to the booth in Gibson Park to take a photo of the brave souls who endured many hours of wet and cold with few rewards.

This is where the recipe, sans crust, resides - on the lid of a jar. Gold Medal flour and Butter flavored Crisco were used for the crusts. The filling was obtained from a New York State winery.

On Tuesday we filled the fridge with the bags of crust mix.

On Wednesday, the first batch of filling was prepared so we were ready to go.

On Thursday, there were four people rolling out crusts. Fewer today.

There were others to fit and trim the top crusts, flute the edges (at which we learned I'm a failure) and cut a design in the top. Baking took an hour or so. They baked 100 on Thursday while I folded and labeled boxes. Today they did 50 pies including a dozen sugar free.

The vicar is responsible for this pile of scraps which she judiciously preserved for who knows what. Holy Cross doesn't waste. She took them home and came back with pecan tarts and iced cinnamon pinwheel things. The latter never made it to the sale. Yum.

In the background the boxes I folded await pies like those in the front.

Each box has a special message.

Meanwhile the vicar takes time out to make a folder to include with the pies. One thing to sell pies. Another to invite people to worship with those who make them. This blogger enthusiastically recommends this parish!

Back tomorrow. Prayers for better weather! And happy Holy Cross doesn't have an entry in the bed race tho they tried to get it together and it might have been fun.

Update: The weather brightened on Saturday. More pies were made and many sold. On Sunday the gals used the last of the ingredients to make even more pies before the liturgy. I understand everything was sold. Way to go, Holy Cross!

Critter sitting

Keenan is one of the largest dogs I've ever known. He is also a real sweetie. I let him out and he finds an appropriate grass patch then pees like a horse. He doesn't lift his leg. After that he goes to the door to be let back in. He didn't eat much this morning for some reason. He's drinking plenty of water tho.

Miss Poops-a-Lot really does. She is not very friendly.

Mr Thumper is usually friendly but not today. Hope to get a real photo eventually. He's a cutie.

More Keenan photos. 

And Mr Thumper finally came out to say Hi.

Between the rains

Saw this on the way home from Cleveland. Haven't seen a rainbow in awhile. It was most welcome yesterday.

After breakfast

This is the usual morning scene after breakfast. Jellico finally discovered the top of the new catbox. Tim has been up there but she doesn't hang around long. I didn't put the car away last night so she is under it watching the world go by. PuddyTat goes wherever she goes. Tommie and LittleOne bathe then snooze.

All grown up

This is not a cat, in case you hadn't noticed. This is one of the wee ones I saw a few months back now all grown up, curious and not afraid. Guess I need to get the traps going again. And maybe buy my own 22?

Finalized cathouse for now

Tommie and LittleOne are not interested in what I'm doing.  This is their "pet me" posture. The new catbox is as finished as it's going to get for now. There is insulation on the top and in each box. I can lower the sides of the rug to provide more protection from the weather when it gets cold. I'd like to put a board across the bottom to hold the blankets in. I suspect the raccoons will pull the blankets out. Have the board. May or may not do it later. Do need to wash their dishes.

New catbox approval

Apparently these three approve of the new catbox even before it is finished. PuddyTat was in the left space most if not all of the night. This photo was taken after breakfast. Guess I don't need to worry about the right space being too small. PT and Tommie have always cuddled.

LittleOne was still there three hours later. He must have interesting nights.

And, no, his buddy Dude has never returned. sniff...

Tim never gets into a box. She has her canoe, the tractor seat and wherever else she finds to roost in the barn. Jellico is sort of an outcast. The others either don't like him or don't trust him. They will head butt with him but they all tend to chase him away from food. He is desperate for my attention now and seems to have abandoned his habit of trying to claw me after I withdraw my hand. Yea. I think he sleeps in one of the cardboard boxes below. One of those needs replaced before winter but the others are ok.

Meanwhile LittleOne sleeps on well into the afternoon...

New catbox

I put together a new catbox. It isn't exactly what I want or need and it is too "tall" to be warm but it will work with a few modifications. If you look at the post below you will see what a mess the raccoons have made of the traditional cardboard boxes. The cats are pretty destructive too because they like to climb up on top. It usually takes four replacements per year. I need to get a short 2 X 4 to straighten this up as the top extends beyond the sides. The current board is too thick. Eventually I will nail a ledge to the outer side to keep blankets in the box.

I was concerned that the right side was too small but the largest cat Little One is in there and was curled up within earlier. On the left is Tommie.

To allow the critters to sit on top, I plan to scrub this blue thingie and fasten it to the top then drape it underneath to create a smaller space within.

Poor Jellico. He peed on the thingie then spent many minutes trying in vain to cover his deposit. He is not the brightest of the clan. He worked at this for many minutes. I gave up watching so I don't know how long he tried. Hee.

Happy cats

Holy Cross North East then and now

The first time I visited the Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross (the little church that can!) in North East, PA in 2008 the ceiling was all dark wood and the atmosphere was friendly but darkish. After much vision, fund raising, faith and hard work the space is as warm and inviting as the members.

The lower photo was taken at the 8.14.11 concert by Backyard Brass. The next concert will be classical guitarist David Coester at 7:30 pm on Sunday, 9.11.11.

The donations from the concerts as well as lemonade sales and other fundraisers will be used to fund a Heifer International Ark - a $5000 goal. Holy Cross is an amazing place!

(Please say a prayer for Pippa, one of the parish dogs, who needs to either get better or cross the Rainbow Bridge.)

Books, books, books up for adoption to help internet friends

The story is on the blog Leave it lay where Jesus flang it. The adoption agency is Amazon.

1000th post

Amazing. This is the 1000th post to my "new" blog. Thanks to all who have visited!

Family visiting

My nephew is "home" from San Francisco. Well, he is where his parents are living. Not sure where he calls "home". Pittsburgh? Wellesley? Elsewhere he has lived? Probably San Francisco now. They visited his sister (photo) so I did too. There are photos of the World's Cutest grandniece and grandnephew along with the rest of the clan here. Sad that his wife couldn't come too.

Here he is in a poster for a series of performances at The Dark Room in San Francisco this September. If you are in the neighborhood, attend and tell him you know me. He's a really good guy.

It's Friday again. Yea!

It's one thing to look forward to Friday when working. I never dreamed I'd be looking forward to Fridays for Bible study. Bible study? Me? The resident heretic who worries a friend because hell is my inevitable destination since I don't accept his literalism? Yep. It is a great group of women in an Episcopal church that has no anxiety. A great escape. Thanks, all y'all, for the privilege of joining you whenever I can without ignoring my duties elsewhere!

My opinion on the debt ceiling mess

Anyone who sincerely believes the blame must be shared between the Democrats and Republicans must only watch Fox TV and listen to Rush Limbaugh. The Democrats are dumb enough to think they can negotiate with the Republicans but the Dems aren't responsible for the problem. The Tea Partiers are liars and traitors. Their refusal to compromise is treasonous. The people who elected them out of malice toward a black president or frustration with Obama's inability to clean up the Bush/Republican mess in two years are ignorant of finance, government and reality. I have no sympathy for anyone who voted for them and has suffered as a result.

This crop of Republicans is evil. Those who support them are evil. I'm angry enough to not even ask Godde to have mercy on their souls. May they reap what they sow! May Godde help us find a way to frustrate their evil demands, defeat them and reclaim our democracy!

25k visitors

Amazing that so many have visited this humble, mostly, blog. Thanks, all.

Down one cat?

Dudie has not come to eat since I came home. Perhaps he has found another place to stay. Perhaps he doesn't realize I'm home. Perhaps he is gone. I don't miss the messes he made but I miss him.

St Edward the Confessor

On Sunday, 24 July 2011 I attended mass at St Edward the Confessor in Clifton Park, NY on the way home from Berkshire. The building is sort of industrial chic. It is functional and pleasant.

The main reason was to meet Fran, a long time blogger friend, for the first time in person. We did lunch and probably could have talked all day and all night but she had plans and I needed to get home. I hope we can get together again!!!

Raccoon mess

While I was gone, the raccoons tore everything apart. The dishes were on the ground too but I picked them up to feed the cats. The blue thing is the litterbox. There is litter stuff everywhere. Forgot to set the traps tonight but will do it tomorrow.

All my BCF Photos

Well, at least the ones that aren't too blurry are here. I really need to read the book or reset the camera or something.