This was one of those mornings when I spend a lot of early morning time on the computer. I got started on a search by the word "skylark" which is the name of a speckled bird with a beautiful voice. This led me to remember a newspaper published in the sixties and seventies in Atlanta, Ga. It was called The Great Speckled Bird, and was mostly local in content and interest. It was considered hippy and eventually was drummed out of business. In my search, I discovered that in Jeremiah 12:9 there is a reference to a speckled bird. Roy Acuff recorded a song called The Great Speckled Bird. The founders of this local paper liked the sound of the title and began using it for their newspapers. We had just moved to the Atlanta area when the paper was in its infancy. My daughter remembers reading it and I probably did too. The song that Roy Acuff and also Johnny Cash sang is very southern and according to some Biblical scholars has a misunderstood meaning. The speckled bird that Jeremiah speaks of, refers to the people who lived around the Israelites and were idol worshipers. The song indicates that the bird is a heavenly haven for safety, when in reality the speckled bird refers to the many different peoples who were corrupting the worshipers of the one true God. .
Later in the morning, I was reading a magazine that my neighbor brought over for me to see. It is called "Grit" and is designed for country folks. I found it very interesting and learned that soon camel milk will be available for purchase here in the United States. A lady (Dr. Hinkle) has started a coalition for farmers who want to engage in this kind of farming. You can read about it at http://www.camelmilkusa.com/ . I may want to try it as it is touted as being good for many different reasons, one of which is that people who are lactose intolerant can drink it safely.
I can be sedentary for just so long and then I feel the need to get busy doing something active. My son had given me a small bag of whole wheat pastry flour so I decided to try it out with my favorite muffin recipe. When I make them with white unbleached flour I always put in 1/4 cup of wheat germ. This was my first time to use whole wheat flour. I had some fresh blueberries so that determined what I would use. Wanting to add more protein I got some slivered almonds from my freezer chest and went to work. I liked the result, especially with smart balance spread on the inside. If you are so inclined I am printing the recipe. It came from the new and revised edition of a Betty Crocker cookbook which I have had for over fifty years. I made some changes, as follows.
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I use canola)
2 cups flour- or whole wheat pastry flour (if using self rising flour omit salt and baking powder)
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 scant teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mace
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup slivered almonds
Heat oven to 400, Grease bottoms only of 12 cup muffin tin.
Beat egg, stir in milk and oil, add blueberries and slivered almonds, save some almonds for topping
Combine dry ingredients, pour wet ingredients into flour mixture. Mix with spoon only until wet ingredients are absorbed. Do not over mix. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 way full, sprinkle almonds over top, then sprinkle a little sugar on top.
Bake for 20 minutes, let sit in tins a few minutes, then carefully remove each muffin and sit on wire rack.
If 12 are more than you can use, wrap individually and freeze. I find that when they are thawed later they are better if wrapped individually.
Two visitors came by later in the afternoon. My neighbor came to pick up some of my muffins and I took her for a ride in the golf cart. I pulled up under the pear trees and she reached up and pulled a pear from one. I went to the other and pulled two for her to take home. I also drove up close to the wild blackberries and she was able to pick a few without leaving the golf cart.
The other visitors came by to bring me a pint of blueberries from her bushes and a piece of blueberry strudel that she had baked.
I had a phone call from my son who is on a trip out west. He was telling me about walking up the sand dunes in sandals and burning his feet, but having a wonderful trip.
My sister called around 7:00 from her bed in the rehab center. There are pleasures all about on this place and not all are out of doors.
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