Many Shades of Green

 I was raised at the doorstep of the Smokey Mountains and very thankful to parents who fostered a love for them. One of my father's heroes was Sir Edmund Hillary, so when I was 8 years old we trekked to the top of Mt. Leconte  and stayed in one of their small, musty, cold, very rustic cabins for the night.  That was Dad's Mount Everest and I am glad that he shared that with me, but I believe that my parents were just as glad to get off that mountain as I was.

I love stringing and breaking beans.  I love the smell of them cooking. (Thanks, Granny) But I hate the way they taste! In the early years Son would eat the school lunch green beans but NOT the ones from a can.  I could not figure it out because I was sure that the school did not break beans for all the little ones.  At a Boy Scout function I was introduced to a mother who worked in his school cafeteria.  I am not sure I even said "Hello" before I questioned her on her green beans.  What was her secret?!?  Ham stock, who knew...well, I'm sure many know but from someone who cannot stand to eat them, I had no idea.  This stuff was not as easy to find as you would think, or at least not where I was looking, but low and behold I tracked it down and he has been eating my beans ever since.  I just throw salt, pepper and ham stock in the pot and hope for the best.  I am not going to taste test it.

My art work has been more on the utilitarian side as of late.  Mother-in -Law has been out of her gallery/pottery shop since early June so I have been making items to help fill the shelves until she is able to work the clay.  I have been making bead earrings, crochet hats, and coptic stitch books.  Thanks to Ms. Cheryl for teaching me the coptic stitch, and for you tube for filling in the blanks where I was confused and not sure how to proceed. She is back with us after another 3 weeks in the hospital and we hope that she will be back in her house sometime next week and her shop doors open soon after.

As a side note:  One of my father's other passions was reading Sherlock Holmes stories.  My first and second names are Hilari Holmes.  I am just thankful that Bond or 007 was not in there somewhere.

Off to glue some book covers.
Peace,
Hilari