When I was nine years old and my younger sister was a preschooler, my brothers and I convinced her she could fly—like a bird. We lived on a small farm with a huge stone bank barn. We walked her to the top of the hill that abutted the barn and told her to back up and then run as fast as she could. We gave her clear instructions: As soon your feet leave the ground, flap your arms!

FLY!

With a look of sheer determination, she took off. She was so convinced in her ability to fly that I believed she would fly, too. And in the hazy lenses of my memory, I do see her lift with the wind for a split second before she crashes to the ground with a blood-curdling scream.

My brothers and I got in a lot of trouble.

Thankfully, she didn’t break a bone.

But this story has become part of our family’s legend.

And a metaphor for our lives.

Some crazy part of our psyches believes we can fly. An objective observer might say, “But Heather, you’ve learned nothing. The lesson is to remain realistic, to keep your feet planted on the ground in what you know is attainable. You’re only setting yourself up for failure.”

Now at mid-life, it’s risky enough that I’m starting over in New York City, I’m chasing down my dream of publishing novels, producing storytelling shows, and writing plays, and doing all sorts of crazy other things along the way.  And out of thin air, my eldest brother has built a soccer business that was voted Manhattan’s Best Soccer Program For Kids as his “side hustle” so that he can pursue his acting passion. My middle brother, with four young sons, quit his steady job to start his own concrete business. My little sister bought a run-down nursery, and together with her husband, through will power and hard work is making it a profitable business.

All leaps of faith.

Each of us is waiting for the wind to lift and carry us upward.

Learning to fly is tough.

Our mother is guilty of making us believe anything is possible. But in the face of the seemingly impossible, it’s important to have people who believe in you. Even our father, who just wanted his kids to have jobs with health insurance, before his death, had come to appreciate and support our unorthodox passions and pursuits. He was the first reader on all of my writing, proofing my novels eight and nine times.

Sometimes that’s what you need: someone to nudge you off the hill—like a sister or a brother, a mom or dad, a good friend, or a lover. The rest of the world might think you’re half-cracked. But to them, you are a good egg.

And capable of flight.

We sure thought my sister was.

And still is.

Happy Birthday, Tara!

Thoughtful Food:

Easter is just around the corner and I’m doing a test run for Sunday dinner. The problem is my family doesn’t get excited about the traditional ham. I thought maybe cooking it a different way might win a few converts.

Enter the slow cooker.

And boy does it make a difference! We’re having Sweet Slow-Cooked Ham, Baked Macaroni Casserole, and String Beans!

Sweet Slow-Cooked Ham:

6-8 pound bone-in Ham (I had to trim mine to make it fit into the crock pot)

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup honey

½ barbeque sauce

1 can of crushed pineapple

1 cup water

3 tablespoons corn starch

Place ham in slow cooker. Mix brown sugar, honey, barbeque sauce, and pineapple together in a small bowl and then pour over ham. Cook on low for five hours. Turn ham after two hours. Remove ham and set aside. Make the ham dressing by mixing the water and cornstarch together in a bowl, then whisk into bottom of cook slower, scraping up the drippings. Heat for five minutes. Carve ham and serve with the sauce.

Baked Macaroni Casserole:

1 box elbow macaroni (16 oz)

1 stick of butter (divided 5 tbsp & 3 tbsp)

4 tbsp flour

1 tbsp powdered mustard

½ tsp paprika

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 onion, diced

1 bay leaf

1 egg

16 oz shredded cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Cook macaroni al dente. Set aside in a greased casserole dish. In a medium saucepan, melt 5 tbsp butter, whisk in flour, powdered mustard, and paprika. Cook to thicken. Then add onion, stirring vigorously. Slowly add milk and heavy cream, stirring constantly. Add bay leaf. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Remove bay leave. Add egg, whipping as not to let harden. Add ¾ of cheddar cheese, mixing thoroughly. Fold cheese mixture into macaroni, coating the noodles with the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. In a small saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in breadcrumbs. Top macaroni with breadcrumbs. Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 

String Beans

1-2 pounds string beans

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped parsley, thyme, rosemary

Blanch string beans in boiling water for five minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan with herbs. Add string beans and sauté for twenty minutes.
Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Thought For The Week:

If you feel like giving up, give up on that feeling and give into the realization there are endless possibilities waiting to be discovered before you.

Tom Althouse

When is the last time you took a leap of faith?

Who pushed you forward?