Katherine J Krein

Horseradish

All the pictures shown above came from the Wikipedia site.

I’ve been looking through my Treasury of Christmas cookbook and perusing online recipes. The holidays is definitely a time when I do more cooking than normal. I have a boneless leg of lamb in my freezer, so I have been researching lamb recipes. The lamb recipes in my Christmas cookbook all use mustard or horseradish in the cooking and serving. Neither of these spices appeal to me at this time.

I do remember horseradish from my childhood. The first time I tried it I ended up spitting it out. My father liked it and used it generously on some meats, specifically roast beef. I never ate it after trying it that first time.

I am interested in plants so my curiosity caused me to look up more information about it. Plus, I wondered how it got its name. It has nothing to do with horses, and it can be toxic for them. Linguists think that perhaps something got mixed up in translations. It is a root of the plant Armoracia rusticana. Thank goodness for scientific names. There is also a Horseradish tree which is a different plant altogether, and should not be confused with the horseradish condiment.

According to Wikipedia, “The root was used as a condiment on meats in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain… and both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson mention horseradish in garden accounts.”

After researching horseradish I have turned my attention to other spices. A lamb leg will be cooked, using neither horseradish or mustard in the cooking or serving. I am still reading about different spices, and I have not decided definitively what spices I will use. I saw a Persian slow cooker recipe that used pumpkin pie spice (or a Persian spice blend.) I do have pumpkin pie spice I could use. This recipe also used saffron spice. My husband recently gifted me a bottle of saffron threads, so I am leaning toward using this. I might end up using a more traditional rosemary and sherry blend. We will see…

Right now, my house smells like corned beef. It has been cooked for a breakfast casserole I will cook this week.

Happy menu planning to anyone out there who might read this!

Don’t Knock the Shoebox –From Dollhouses to Nativity Scenes, and to Habitat Dioramas

Recently I saw an online news headline which used the phrase "shoebox size" to describe the size of a home. It was being used in a denigrating way to mock the size of a home. This got me to thinking about all the uses of shoeboxes. Then I remembered seeing students make habitat dioramas using shoeboxes. I started to research the use of cardboard boxes in different types of crafts. I was amazed at all the numerous websites that show examples of cardboard box crafts. I decided to ask the AI image generator on my WordPress resource to generate an image of a "shoebox nativity scene", next a "cardboard shoebox dollhouse", and lastly I asked for a "shoebox habitat diorama." Above you can see the images it produced based on these prompts. I especially like the use of an old worn out shoe in the outdoor habitat diorama. This made me laugh.

Many school holidays will be beginning soon, if they have not already started. I think making shoebox nativity scenes to teach about the birth of Jesus, or dollhouses to give as gifts, or habitat dioramas to teach a little science, are all great ideas of ways to spend quality time with your children, friends, nephews, nieces, or neighbors. This might make a greater childhood memory, and have a greater impact on their creativity, than simply buying something.

Anyone who uses the phrase "shoebox size" to describe a home is a snob. Maybe they need to do a little research on all the creative ways to use and enjoy a shoebox, and be grateful for what they do have. (This a just an older lady's advice. Take it or leave it, but don't knock the size of a shoebox size home, at least not in a public forum.)

Sunday Reflection – A Season to Give

It is 2025. This garden picture was taken by me in my garden in 2010. It looks nothing like this today. Now I have family priorities that take most of my time.

I look back and I am thankful that at one time I had the luxury of playing in my garden for hours upon hours. I am thankful that I took enough pictures to look back at and be grateful for that time. I am grateful that my family allowed me this time.

This coming Tuesday 12/02/2025 is Giving Tuesday. Some of you, including myself, have already given to organizations or missions that speak to the heart. Though it is nice to have a day set aside to make sure in this season of giving that you remember others, especially those organizations that serve people who need help.

Count your blessings, and be grateful by giving to others that need your help.

Happy Thanksgiving !

Miss Piggy and her friends give thanks for all their blessings. They will pray at the dinner table. (This is an IA generated image.)

My family and I are having a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I cooked a turkey breast and all the traditional fixings about two weeks ago. I did not want to repeat it so soon. Today we are having Beef Bourguignon with Sopa Paraguaya (which is a hearty cornbread), and a few other dishes. The other day when I was shopping for a red wine to use for cooking the beef I was surprised to run across a cabernet with the name “Katherine”. I stopped with a strange feeling of serendipity. I was currently reading Dan Brown’s latest book, The Secret of Secrets. One of the main characters in this book is named Katherine. Also, the picture featured on the front of the wine bottle reminded me of a black cutout profile picture of me when I was very young that had been artistically framed. My black profile picture has a ponytail much like the one on the wine bottle. The resemblance ends there, though my name is Katherine also. I bought the wine on a whim. I bought another bottle of a different wine to use in my cooking.

This is the picture from the bottle I purchased.

You might be asking why I used a picture of Miss Piggy at the top of this post. I thought it was funny since “piggy” , possibly a relative of Miss Piggy, has been in the news recently. Of course, I was instantly reminded of Miss Piggy whom my daughter grew up with and whom we all love. She had a Miss Piggy doll that was so loved and played with so frequently that eventually I had to throw it out. I was able to find one book, which we still miraculously possess, featuring Miss Piggy.

Here is the book we own. The dirt in the bottom right must be from a pulled off price sticker.

Another interesting side note about Miss Piggy is that she has been featured several times at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I read that in 2016 she saved Tony Bennett from falling off the float they were standing on.

I hope anyone that might happen to read this has a fun and happy day.
I am thankful for many things. Too many things to elaborate here.

Washington D.C. in 1950

https://www.katequinnauthor.com/books/the-briar-club/

This novel begins in Washington D.C. in 1950. I picked it up about a week ago at my local library. After a few days, I realized it had to be returned earlier than I expected since it was in high demand. I started reading it on Friday and got hooked immediately. I had to force myself to set it down this weekend when my family needed attention. I was able to finish it before bedtime on Sunday evening. Before I finished my first Kate Quinn book I ordered her book, The Rose Code. I bought it because I did not want to be rushed reading it.

I loved reading The Briar Club novel. After I finished reading it, I read a few reviews of this book, and heard some complain that it was too slow-paced with deep dives into characters. The in-depth attention to portraying all the characters is one of the things I really liked about this book. I, like Grace, enjoy watching people, and studying their behavior and trying to understand their motives. The book has several surprises which I did not expect. I am normally very good at predicting what is going to happen in movies and books before they happen.

The setting is a boarding house in Washington D.C. during the 1950's. If you are a student of history, you will know this was when Senator Joe McCarthy was terrorizing everyone with his investigations into complaints about Communist sympathies. I guess bullies will always exist, and flourish when people are too afraid to stop them.

I would highly recommend this book.

It is Veteran's Day today. I would like to thank all those men and women who have served our country in the military, and in some case had to put their lives on the line.

Milkweed and Math

Hairy Balls milkweed aka Gomphocarpus physocarpus

I ran across this picture the other day when I was looking at fall pictures I had taken in the past. I did not know what it was. I don’t think I had ever learned its name. The search began for its name. I remembered it was a tall plant about 6 ft. tall. It was located near several short well-known milkweed plants. I still did not make the connection because I had only ever had swamp milkweed in my own garden. I had no idea that there was a milkweed species called Hairy Balls. I learned this yesterday when I finally figured out what this plant was. I knew I recognized the thin lance-like leaves of the swamp milkweed I grew in the past, but still I did not make the connection until I saw it featured on a garden blog. When I looked it up I was surprised to find that there is a math theorem called Hairy Ball theorem. I had to laugh.

(I was intrigued by the use of “carpus” since I related it to bones. It turns out when talking about plants it means “fruit”. )

I have no idea what this means in math. I am not schooled in algebraic topology nor am I a math genius, so it means nothing to me. However, I still find it interesting that people’s lives are devoted to studying such things. I am more interested in the beauty of plants that are tangible.

Please go out and vote tomorrow!

Pippi Longstocking Pumpkin Sculpture!

(AP photo/Markus Schreiber) “Pumpkin sculpture depicting fictional Swedish book character Pippi Longstocking is displayed at Klaistow’s farm’s annual pumpkin festival, which this year celebrates ‘powerful women’.” It is near Berlin, Germany. See the link below .

https://apnews.com/article/germany-pumpkins-halloween-farm-festival-cb94e3a160a87a8041cbd23c78487f24

You should click on the link to see a fantastic pumpkin festival that has a 22 year history. They have several other sculptures that you should see of real-life women who were strong in a real life sense. I have never seen so many pumpkins in one place. Thank you to AP news for posting this story.

Pippi Longstocking books were enjoyed by me when I was a young girl. She was super naturally strong and this was depicted in the very first book where it shows her lifting her horse onto the porch of her home. She could overpower all men who tried to trick her or her friends. I will post a screenshot of the history of these books.

This AI summary was taken from a **Bing** search.

My own daughter, Laura, owns a few Pippi Longstocking movies.

I received a Pippi Longstocking book for Christmas when I was about 9 or 10. I have a picture to prove it. Unfortunately we cannot read which Pippi book it was. This picture is very old and of poor quality.

It Started with a “Twang”

Late this morning I was making egg salad for a sandwich. I opened a new jar of Duke’s light mayonnaise. On the top of the lid are the words: “Duke’s. It’s Got a Twang!” _TM

This got me to thinking about this word and its meaning. My first thought is that it is an onomatopoeia which is a word that is a vocal imitation of a sound, (Ex: bang, buzz, whop). Then I thought that mayonnaise does not make a sound, so I had to look the word up. It has a 3rd definition not used by me. (All definitions here are screenshots from Merriam-Webster online dictionary.)

I have used this word to describe a person’s voice that has a high nasal accent like in many Southern US accents. I immediately thought of Jim Nabors, aka Gomer Pyle, who was an actor (The Andy Griffith Show, and Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.) and a singer. These shows were popular when I was growing up.

My brother, sister, and I would tease my mother, and we associated her with Gomer Pyle. She grew up in Branson, Missouri near the Ozark mountains, and when she went back there she would start talking in a high nasal voice, which I guess was a throwback to her childhood. We would say to my mother, “How come I talk like this, but I sing like this?” We would try to imitate her high nasal accent and then try to sing smoothly like Jim Nabors. It was all to tease her, and my brother, the family comedian, was the leader of this.

I wanted to give you audio examples of what I am talking about. The files were way to large for this format here. I will give you pictures to research. (The album cover is from Internet Archive.) (I quickly grabbed the Gomer Pyle collection picture, so I don’t remember the source. But it is an ad.)

His voice is incredible smooth when singing.

There are several clips of Gomer Pyle on the internet where you can hear the high nasal twang that his character had. You can also research his singing voice which was incredibly good, and nothing like his speaking voice.

He had an opportunity to sing on his Gomer Pyle show during the 4th season, in an episode titled "The Show Must Go On" which was aired November 3, 1967. Nabors sang "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha. (This information is from Microsoft Co-Pilot.)

https://youtu.be/PCC9fUTDO3E?si=HjOITgRW3KKWPgs8

Bright White Flowers and a Blessing

As I was fixing breakfast for my daughter this morning, I happened to glance out the kitchen window. Everything looked dull, especially since the overcast sky was providing little light. I spotted several bright white dots in the far right corner near the fence. I wondered excitedly if they could be the anemone Honorine Jobert I planted a good 20 years ago. I had to put my boots and a warm jacket on and go investigate. I wanted to be prepared, so I got out my old Nikon and made sure it had enough battery power. I then ventured out.

Sure enough I was right. There standing among all the evidence of neglect, multiplied by the browning and dying back that fall brings, was Honorine Jobert lighting up her corner of the garden. There were four flowers and several buds waiting to open. I took a few pictures to mark the occasion.

As I was heading back inside, I looked around the gloom to see if there were any more hidden surprises. I saw a single small white feather in the pond. I was surprised because just yesterday when I was researching Native American dream-catchers, I read that white feathers can symbolize peace, hope, and angels. With a sense of whimsy I would like to think that this white feather brings a blessing!

Moving forward…

A Growing Appreciation of Okra

Another reason I love the fall is that I enjoy cooking soups and stews this time of year. It is getting cool enough to really enjoy a nice warm bowl of homemade soup. I have been experimenting with a variety of vegetables and cuts of meat with different combinations of broth.

I ate okra for the first time when I was in college. I attended a university in North Carolina, and I ate frequently in the university cafeteria. I first sampled fried okra there, and then became aware of it being put into soups that I would also eat there. After college I went for a long time without eating it because I did not see it in the grocery stores where I shopped. I noticed it years later in the canned vegetable aisle labeled hot pickled okra and it was packaged in a jar. I ate it crisp out of the jar and loved it. I could also find it in the frozen vegetable section in some stores.

In recent years I began to occasionally see it fresh at various farmer’s markets. Within the past year or two I have begun to shop at international grocery stores. I live within an ethnically diverse area, and I am fortunate to be able to choose between a selection of grocery stores that cater to these diverse populations. Two weeks ago I found a grocery store that had the longest freshest best looking okra I have ever seen. I bought a bunch of it and sliced it up and cooked it with a little oil and salt. Later I added some to a vegetable beef soup that I was making. It was delicious both ways. Today I went back to that same store and bought more of it. This time I took a picture with my cell phone.

Okra has an interesting history in the United States, and the reason I first became aware of it in the southern U.S. is because it has a long history there. I read that slaves brought seeds with them from west Africa. I read that the seeds were hidden within the black braids of the slaves. I will show you a picture of the seeds, and you can imagine how this might have been possible.

Recently I saw a picture of home grown okra from a garden blog newsletter. I also discovered that I can buy seeds from a variety of sources. Now, I have another incentive for trying my hand at vegetable gardening again next spring. The okra flower is beautiful which is another inspiration for me to grow it. I read that it is a member of the mallow or Malvaceae plant family. There is green and purple okra you can grow. I don’t think I have ever eaten the purple okra. Now I am curious.

As a side note that goes off the topic of okra, I will post a picture of lychee fruit that I tried for the first time today. I saw a display of exotic fruits and saw a man picking through the lychee fruit putting many into a bag to buy. I asked him about it, and he said that it grew in his backyard in Hawaii. I asked him what it tasted like, and he said sweet, and then he encouraged me to try one. I have never eaten anything without buying it first. However, I did not want to buy any without tasting it. He told me how to pick out the good ones. I tasted one for the first time with his encouragement. I ended up buying a small bag full. Here is a picture