From Saveur Magazine
Friday, April 20, 2012
Favorite Recipes
Strawberry Shortcake
From Saveur Magazine
Monday, April 16, 2012
Story - "Vanishing Strawberries"
Spring in Ballymore was now evident everywhere. The trees were greening. Wildflowers popped up daily in the woods. It smelt like spring. Petunia Porcupine's large gardens were no exception. She provided most of the fruits and vegetables for the Ballymore residents. Little green shoots were emerging from the soil from her many neatly planted rows.
On the other side of the pond, the chipmunk kids, Colin, Craig, and Conner, loved spring also. It meant they would be having their favorite dessert soon - strawberry shortcake. Actually, they loved strawberries no matter how they were served. One morning their mother suggested that they create their own small strawberry garden. Everyone agreed that was a great idea.
So they went to Petunia's to get some young plants that they could grow. Petunia gave them five. There was one for each member of the family. Petunia also told them how to take care of the plants so that they would have the biggest and juiciest strawberries.
They brought the plants back to their cottage and carefully planted them according to Petunia's directions. By noon there were five little strawberry plants enjoying the sun in a small garden to the left of their cottage. Each plant was given a name: Colin, Craig, Conner, Cheryl, and Charles. These would be the most cared for and watched strawberry plants ever.
In the middle of the first night, Craig crawled out of bed and went to visit the strawberries. It was a cool, clear night with a full moon. The plants were bathed in a bluish light. He sat and watched them quietly. Before long Conner and Colin had joined him.
Conner whispered, "What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting for the first strawberry to be born. I don't want to miss it."
Conner laughed. "You'll have a long wait. It won't happen tonight."
"Are you sure?" asked Craig.
"Oh, yes. It might take a long time."
The three brothers continued to stare at the plants in the moonlight.
As they watched, two pairs of eyes were watching them from the edge of the woods. Wilde and Wilder Weasel, the unofficial Ballymore security guards, were on their nightly rounds. Coincidentally, they also loved strawberries. More than once each year, they visited Petunia's gardens to sample the sweet treats. Of course, Petunia knew what they were up to and planted extra strawberries. Even with the weasels' sampling, there were plenty of strawberries for everyone.
Over the next few weeks, the strawberry plants grew fast. Eventually, tiny buds appeared followed by tiny strawberries. The chipmunks were thrilled as they watched this "miracle" develop. The weasels were also watching each night.
One night, near dawn, again under a full moon, the weasels believed that the time had come for them to "help". They brought a wheel barrel and trowels with them. Carefully, they dug up the five strawberry plants and placed them in the wheel barrel. Then they smoothed the soil. You could hardly tell it had been a garden a few minutes previous.
Quietly, they moved to the other side of the cottage and replanted the strawberries there. Then they went into the woods and waited. Shortly after sunrise, Craig came out to see how big the strawberries had grown overnight. His scream could be heard around Ballymore pond. The rest of the family rushed from the cottage to see the empty ground. The weasels snickered from behind some trees not far away.
"Where did they all go?" yelled Craig. "How could they just leave? We were taking such good care of them."
"I don't think they left on their own. I think they had some help," said their father. "Let's look around."
It didn't take them long to find the new garden. Everything looked fine. Just then the weasels appeared.
Wilde said, "Good morning everyone. We have been getting some strange reports of missing plants. Have you had any trouble?"
Cheryl answered, "Yes. Somehow, our strawberry plants moved from the east to the west side of the cottage overnight."
"Have they ever moved before?"
"No, this is the first time."
"Perhaps, they are a special variety and they wanted more sun. Some plants will do anything to get more sun," said Wilder. "I would suggest you put a fence around them so they can't escape again."
The chipmunks stared at him. They didn't know what to say.
"Well, we must be going. Please let us know if there is any more trouble," said Wilde.
As they left, Wilder looked back over his shoulder and said, "You've been weaseled. Have a nice day."
© 2012 Robert N. Brooks
The weekly Story about the animal residents of Ballymore is available for free syndication to family-oriented blogs and websites. For information, please contact me at: ballymoretales(at)gmail(dot)com.
Tales From The Glades Of Ballymore
Thank you, Bob Brooks
Monday, April 9, 2012
Story - "The Unbirthday"
Rachel and Rain Rabbit watched from the front window of their cottage as a soft rain dappled Ballymore pond. Their mother, Rhonda, was standing behind them.
"Girls, it's going to rain all day. Why don't we do something new and different? I think we should make an 'unbirthday' present for someone."
Rain asked, "Whose unbirthday is it and what should we make?"
Their mother laughed.
"It's probably everyone's unbirthday and we can make almost anything that is made of fabric. I think we should choose someone who could use a little cheering up."
So the rabbits sat down at their dining table and began to choose. While they enjoyed tea and scones, they discussed the possibilities. Last week Sam Snapping Turtle was helping the ducks pull the delivery raft across the pond when a basket of flour tipped over. He was briefly turned into a snow turtle. Recently, Grenby Groundhog tried to make another cake. The result was the same as his previous try; cake batter ended up all over the kitchen. Oh, and Finn Frog had his kite drag him into the pond during the kite flying contest last month. It was the second year in a row that that had happened.
As they were talking, they could hear the ratt-tat-tat of the sewing machine from the next room. As always, Reginald, the head of the family, was hard at work making clothes for the Ballymore residents.
Rhonda stopped and said, "Why don't we make something for your father. He is always making clothes for everyone else but hardly ever anything for himself."
The three rabbits stared at the door to the room. Ratt-tat-tat-tat. Then they stared at each other and smiled.
"What shall we make?" asked Rain.
"Well," said Rhonda, "he has always liked those wool caps that people in England wear. Of course, we would have to change the design a little."
Just then the ratt-tat-tat noise ended and Reginald came from the room. His family looked at him and smiled.
"Why are you all smiling at me?" he asked.
"You'll see," answered his wife.
He shook his head and smiled also.
"I have to go and visit Burton Beaver and Petunia Porcupine. I need to check some measurements for their spring clothes. I'll be gone a while."
He gathered his measuring tapes, put on a rain coat, grabbed a scone from the table, and hopped out the door.
Rachel yelled, "Yeah! Perfect!"
The family went into the tailoring room. There were pieces of cloth lying everywhere. Under one pile, Rhonda found a picture of a nice English style cap. It would be made from a piece of grey and white checkered wool. The material was left over from a skirt for Belva Beaver. They sized the cap to fit Rhonda because her head was about the same size as Reginald's. They added two important openings for his big ears. When it was finished, Rhonda modeled it. They all laughed. The cap fit well, but it was not her style. Then they found a box and some gift wrapping paper. After a total of three hours, the "unbirthday" gift sat on the tailoring table.
"How shall we surprise him with it?" asked Rain.
"I think we should just let him find it here. He certainly isn't expecting anything," answered Rhonda. "Let's go back to the kitchen, get something to eat, and wait. He won't be long."
Everyone was excited. This was the first unbirthday gift they had ever made. About a half-hour later, Reginald came home, said hello, and quickly hopped to the tailoring room.
"What in the world is this?" was heard shortly thereafter.
"What do you mean, dear?" called Rhonda.
"There's a very nice gift package sitting on the tailoring table."
"Perhaps you should open it," she suggested. Everyone giggled.
Unwrapping was heard and then an "Oh, my! How beautiful!"
He shortly appeared at the door proudly wearing the cap. Everyone got up and hugged him.
"Happy unbirthday, Papa"
"Thank you, dear. Thank you everyone. It's wonderful! I suspected you were up to something and I was right," he laughed.
He didn't remove the cap for the rest of the day.
The soft rain continued to dapple Ballymore pond. The rainy day had been turned into a joyful one by an unbirthday. Things like that happen frequently in Ballymore. It is part of the cement that holds the community together so well.
© 2012 Robert N. Brooks
The weekly Story about the animal residents of Ballymore is available for free syndication to family-oriented blogs and websites. For information, please contact me at: ballymoretales(at)gmail(dot)com.
Tales From The Glades Of Ballymore
Thank you, Bob Brooks
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Favorite Recipes
Raspberry Trifle
"A trifle is of a far greater character than its name implies," says chef Jeremy Lee. This classic dessert is moistened with the sweetened, wine-spiked cream known as syllabub."From Saveur Magazine
Tales From The Glades Of Ballymore
Thank you, Bob Brooks
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