Chester Music Series

Ian and I, along with Joe and Virginia, went into Chester last night to hear a blues singer named Chris Kleeman. The music was foot tappin' good and our picnic of taboule, hummus, and pita bread was delicious. We brought along a bar of dark chocolate from Burdicks in Walpole to round it off. It was a clear blue-sky night, so we came home and built an outdoor fire to sit by and enjoy the stars.

Life in a small town is comfortable for us. We know a few people now that we have been here for 4 summers and a bit of last winter. It is nice to be able to go into the local bank and have the tellers know your name. The local bookstore owners recently hosted a poetry night with poems and potluck. The entrance ticket was a poem on the theme of "debt." Ian and I dutifully brought our poems, our dessert, and read aloud our tributes to the theme. What a great way to meet a group of creative and fun people!

We have met the local traffic cop and paid our dues (I have...) for speeding into town on a rainy night. The hardware store folks greet us eagerly on our frequent visits to buy materials to fix up or repair our house and gardens.

We love the little Episcopal church, St. Lukes, and the people who attend. Tomorrow night is the church supper. I have a turkey in the oven right now, preparing for the buffet of cold meats and salads. Saturday morning I will join the "chop and chew" group to help prepare the last minute dishes. Saturday night will be another opportunity to meet new friends, listen to their stories, and share about our call to Peru.

This area is filled with people who have been all over the world and people who have lived in Vermont their whole lives. It is an interesting mix which we enjoy.

Fun with Food

While in Peru we enjoyed delicious meals prepared in restaurants and homes. Since our apartment only had a hotplate, we did not try out many recipes. Our plan was to try them out this summer. Not always sure how fresh the fish is here in Vermont, we will not try our favorite: Ceviche.

We brought home a cookbook with most of our favorites dishes described and illustrated, The Art of Peruvian Cuisine by Tony Custer. So far, the Causa a la Limena, Pisco Sours and a Quinoa Tabouleh have turned out well.

I used quinoa instead of bulgar for the taboule and lime juice instead of lemon juice. The other ingredients were the same: parsley, mint, olive oil, chopped green onion, chopped red pepper and feta cheese. We took a container of taboule with us for our picnic last night in Chester where we listened to blues singer Chris Kleeman.

Causa is a cold dish made with mashed potato flavored with lime juice, ground yellow ahi pepper, oil and seasonings. I had brought the ahi pepper paste with me, but you could blend up yellow pepper and some jalapeno to get the color and the heat. The potato is then layered with a choice of ingredients. I used tuna and mayonaise and egg salad mixed with some tomato and herbs. I recommend sliced avocado and chicken salad, too.
It is pressed into an oiled mold so that it can be turned out and sliced.

The Pisco Sours are made with a Peruvian brandy called Pisco. The fresh lime juice is important to the flavor, but the sugar syrup is a standard. We blended the mixture with ice cubes and an egg white until it was white and fluffy. We topped it off with a drop of Angostura Bitters and then gathered around with our son Joe and his girlfriend Virginia to toast the stormy evening outside our cozy house.

Building a Wall with Local Stone

We have needed to tidy up the entrance to our property, and a stone wall provides that definition. Here in Vermont stone walls snake through property and along the roads. The walls on our property provide the boundary lines and evidence of a former road. Large rocks protrude from the cleared fields and along paths in the woods. With so much rain this year, many are covered with moss. They look like someone's craft project: rocks felted in green wool.

For our flower bed along the front we ordered a pallet of local wall stone. Composed of granite, marble and mica, the pieces were manageable so we could lift them to transport and arrange. I loaded and pulled the wagon and offered advice while Ian designed the wall using a visual spatial skill I've always admired.


When that wall was finished, we used the rest to line the driveway. We needed to augment the supply with "found" rocks from the property and former projects. Our son Joe was on hand for more artistic input and muscle to lift some very large flat rocks.


The wall is still in process, and we are deciding whether to order more rocks or glean from the streams and hillsides nearby.

More Fun in July

We visited Christ the King Healing Center in Greenwich, N.Y. these past two weeks and found a lively worshiping community. We also connected with friends from the past. Ian built a stone wall and I enjoyed cooking local produce flavored with our own herbs. We are blessed with friends, freedom to worship, a lovely home and great food!

July in Vermont

The time is speeding by this summer as Ian and I work on the house here in Chester, Vermont, visit churches and friends and work on our Spanish via Rosetta Stone. I have made two trips to Ohio to visit my mother and my brother and his family.

I am enjoying the return to gardening and cooking. The farmers markets and our own garden are supplying wonderful fruits, vegetables and herbs. Ian and I are fly fishing, too, but that has not provided dinner--yet! This is a wonderful respite and God has blessed us so abundantly!

A Respite at the Ocean with Friends

Ian and I enjoyed driving to the Atlantic Coast to visit Brad, Barb and Emily Lauderdale. The Nonquitt compound was lovely and we enjoyed the beach, the views and the gardens. It was wonderful to be back with friends from Neenah, WI. We have traveled to Africa together, and now we have met in Massachusetts to spend some time. Maybe we will next meet in Peru!