March's Letter 2025

A knitting session, a symphony, a mid-winter trip

Saturday - Winding down the wintry road to a different state, a different town buried in heaps of snow, to see a friend. But first, I find Grace and we stomp our way into a warm coffee shop, knitting in hand. We choose a table by the window and I teach her the stitches.

Sunday - Two friends with tickets in hand. I wore my creamy wool cardigan with the lacy crocheted edge. She wore black on black with a watery-blue cashmere merino cowl around her neck. We sat in the balcony of the darkened theater and listened to the symphony.

Monday - When the wind tears snowflakes from the clouds and hurls them around, sit end to end on with your friend on her long window seat on this side of the glass, and let thoughts and ideas spill into the notebooks in hand. In the afternoon, when the wind still tears at the clouds, bundle up and go skiing in the mad storm anyway.

Tuesday - When you decide to jingle the doorbell of as many thrift stores as you possibly can in one day, you find treasure. A basket, a stoneware pitcher, and the perfect drinks table were among the wins.

Wednesday - Last morning. Last cups of tea. Last conversations. Last hugs. As I pulled past her mailbox at the end of the drive, I left a bundle of dried flowers and a packet of alfalfa sprout seeds inside.

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Moments Lately

knitting session

Bozeman Symphony!

snowstorm skiing

morning sketch

Jered & Grace (she crocheted his hat!)

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Reading Lately

Go as a River by Shelley Read. Exquisite, profound, heartbreaking, heart-mending, unforgettable. This book is beautifully written and perfectly crafted, the character development incredible. I am undone. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Colorado Rockies in the mid twentieth century, the book unfolds the story of a young farm girl, the choices she makes, and the love she has for the land, unexpected people, and the peach orchard that’s been in her family for generations. I do not remember when, or if I have ever before stayed up until 2:00am reading a book. I simply could not put this one down.

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Eating Lately

When you know you’ll be away for several days, the best idea is to make a pot of soup before you go so when you arrive back home, tired from the travel, with a growling in your belly, there’s soup to warm and eat. No prep, no cooking. Just heat it on the stove while you unpack the bags. Welcome yourself home.

Vegetable Beef Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 head green cabbage, chopped

1-2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes

4-6 quarts of water or stock

1-2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste

In an 8 qt. stockpot, warmed to medium-high heat, brown ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Remove beef from pot and drain. Return pot to stove, reduce heat to medium-low, add olive oil, then garlic and onion. Saute until translucent, 5-10 minutes. Add ground beef back to pot along with potatoes and cabbage. Fill pot with water or stock until level reaches about an inch above the other ingredients. Increase heat to high and cover with lid until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and slow-simmer until potatoes and cabbage are near tender, about 1 hour. Add tomatoes, and adjust seasonings. Simmer until potatoes and cabbage are tender, tomatoes are warmed through, and the flavors have melded, 10-15 minutes more.

Serve with warm, fresh bread, if you have it. Or butter-slathered toast if you don’t.

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Favorites Lately

• Old to new (1850’s cabin tour)

• Sprout some! (you really should)

• Never cry again (burn a candle while chopping onions!)

• In the garden (a treat to watch when there’s still snow out your window)

• Small in the city (top of a 19th century townhouse)