The Gordon Potluck

Wishing that we could have all been there. But it was so, so good.
(These pics before Bailey and Michela arrived).

Palazzo Needs

The Last Unicorn

So I posted this on facebook...but I felt like it really needed to go on the blog too. This is an actual movie that I watch a little bit of and it made me think of all of you.

Back Again

May this also be a wish for all of you as you begin the new school year:

And Back Again

It is almost time to go back again. Wind’s shhh sound through pines is visible on a contoured field. Light bends around blue mountains, their familiar shapes appearing now in dreams, now in a chance pebble. This has become the textured boarder of our life.

At the center of Dante’s paradise there’s an ordered rose, complex, structured, beautiful, but we find God in small, jumbled moments—in soccer and sweat and wordless songs. We venture out like forest creatures into a new day or night without answers, but with stories. We speak to each other and God simply with small words—sincerely.

We feel the dust of our mortality in Rome, in farming, in ancient tombs, our faces painted, in chapels, domes, street corners, shop window glass. We find our shapes proportional in space—a landscape, cathedral; we are small and grand.

Were we overawed by trumpets and fire and gold—on nights of contagious laughter, on nights of twisting pain? We grew together in cracked places.

It is almost time to go back again. Do not fear familiarity or strangeness, a place too small to contain you. God is in the miniscule and vast. We carry a world within which can never be lost. In a world of noise and traffic and half-price deals or plate glass and death and fear, we hold together. We sit silent. We listen, and once or twice or three or four or over and over, little by little, piano, piano, we do right to one another. 

{you are all simultaneously in my thoughts and affections}

Back to School

Hey kids!
I wanted to wish everyone the best of luck in starting back to school. This summer flew by and it's so weird to be back in the land of School IDs, parking spots, and no sleep...and for me, fried chicken and sweet tea.
I spent this summer with the sweetest kids, a 4 1/2 year old and a 6 year old who (thank goodness) loved art... so this is our printmaking adventure one day...

I was very impressed.

This summer I also painted everything known to creation... a mural in the church basement, a tree in my cousin Linnea's room and a giant baseball in my cousin Porter's room and many other things. 

Anyway, best of luck to everyone. I keep saying things that only you all would understand and then getting funny looks. So sad. Miss you all.

Rachael

Panmarino (Rosemary Bread)

                                                    This Happened.

Which color??

Portlandia once again shares my feelings....

How I feel about Italy's waste disposal (link to video!)

SOo I found this on awkward family photos. Haha unicorns!!

The Doxology

I was just thinking about singing this song with you guys this morning. So yes.


Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
Amen.



I love you all.

All The Italian Places Video

So this is one of the videos that Luke made while we were in Orvieto and I figured he wouldn't mind if I shared it with everyone through our blog. I was just watching it and felt that it needed to be shared. Enjoy!

Pie and Heima

Made my first lemon meringue pie on Thursday. As you can see, the dollops are friends. Like us.

And then, last night, I snuggled up here at Gordon with some friends
                and blankets
                         by the A.C.

and watched Heima.

The Golden Legend

I found another portrayal of everyone's favorite story; the search for the Holy Cross! Only this was entirely embroidered, and in a church in Stratford Upon Avon. I honestly hope Shakespeare learned as much about this stuff as we did. 

Regardless, I DID feel very proud that I could explain the whole story.

Shhh don't tell Prof. Skillen. 

Crostata

Ciao tutti,

For all of you that wanted it but didn’t get it, here is the crostata recipe that I wrote from Alessandro’s demonstration.  Disclaimer: The recipe is after Alessandro’s directions, which includes a lot of questimation, but I did my best to make things clear including photos.

Crostata Recipe
To make this type of crostata there are three stages
-the base
-the cream
-the fruit

 To make the base you will need

~1 stick of butter
-350 grams of flour (~2.5 cups)

-3 eggs
-150 grams of sugar (~3/4 cup)

To make the cream you will need (be warned as this part is essentially questimation)

~3 glasses of milk (I used ~ 24 ounces)
~3 large spoonful’s of flour
~3 large spoonful’s of sugar
-3 egg yolks

For the fruit you will need
-various kinds of fruit
                Bananas are recommended by Alessandro

Other Materials

-bowls of various sizes
-pots
-pie pan or something equivalent
-stove
-oven
-spoons- measuring and mixing
-fork or wax paper
-knife
-cutting board

Directions

For Base

-preheat oven to 320 f =160c

-melt the 1 stick of butter

-In separate bowl (while butter is melting)
                -pour in the flour 2.5 cups of flour
                -crack the 3 eggs in the center of the flour
               -gradually add in the ¾ cup of sugar and mix

-once the dough is thick, add butter gradually and mix

(Note: butter must be melted, but not too hot as this is the point where you may need to use your hands to mix)

-Add flour as necessary to make the dough less sticky
-put a cross in the center to bless the dough 

For Baking

-Butter the pie pan and press in the dough
-smooth edges with a spoon
-with a fork, poke hole in the dough to keep it from rising or cover with wax paper
-place in oven and bake for ~ 20 minutes
Note: This base can be used for most cakes and biscuits

 For Cream

-Heat 2 glasses of the milk (stir so it doesn’t burn) (note: here is where it is nice to have a helper)
-In a separate bowl
                -mix the 3 egg yolks and sugar
                -gradually add in the flour
                -add the 1 cup of cod milk into the mixture
-In a larger pan over low heat (or in a double boiler)
                -mix the mixture with the hot milk gradually
                -stir until it gets thick
(Note: A little trick of Alessandro’s is to put some pieces of the yellow of lemons in for flavor and then to remove them)

 For Completion

-Once baked take the base out of the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes
-Pour the cream into the base
-wash and cut the fruit into strips
-Decorate
-refrigerate for ~ half a day for best results
(Note: gelatin per dolce (I don’t know the English equivalent) can be melted and poured on top to keep the fruit from browning)

 

The famous diving horse. 

biscuits

Via Postierla Quote Board

Orvieto Quote Board:

“I just want him to be my tour guide FOR LIFE.” –Alyssa on Prof. Doll

“Why do they need Nutella commercials? Everyone loves Nutella.” –Heather

“I feel like today didn’t happen.” –Schuyler

“I hate it when dead people talk.” – Michela

“… And a UNICORN!” – Prof. Doll

“You know those ‘how’s my driving’ stickers? I think they don’t have them in Italy for a reason.” –Emily

“Dear people of Orvieto: Tomorrow we will look normal.” – Rachael

“Yeah. Why aren’t you a king? – Alyssa to Garrett

“It was working fine up until it caught on fire.” –Kate

“Cheese is a vegetable.” –Rachael

“All’s fair in love, war, and naming babies.” –Bailey

“I feel like I’m an elephant in the form of a 5’4” person.” –Olivia

“I was made near where the sun was made.” – Heather

“Why would you want to feed pigeons? Pigeons are stupid.” – Meaghan

“You’re so good at looking sad and despondent.” – Michela to Schuyler

“I feel the muscles pulsing in my forearm.” –Alyssa

“I need an artichoke stand-in.” – Rachael

“It smells like Purgatory: almost Heaven.” –Katie Joy

“He has a name that begins with a letter of the alphabet.” –Katie Joy

“I’m like a Kinder Egg that has an awful toy inside.” –Kate

“His whole life is an extenuating circumstance.” –Kate

“Can I sing you a song I wrote while I was lying on the floor between crunches?” – Katie Joy

“A hummingbird egg is 25% of the bird’s body mass.” – Garrett

            “What’s the human ratio?” – Heather

                        “Humans don’t lay eggs.” – Garrett

“I mean, haven’t you ever looked a cow in the eye and seen its intelligence? You don’t get that in a chicken.” –Schuyler

“I’m thinking of putting together an NFL team.” – Luke

            “Count me in, because I’m such a good soccer player.” –Audrey

(Schuyler, reading quote: “That’s wrong on two levels!”)

“I was designed to gnaw on bread.” – Alyssa

“This is my romance language.” – Alyssa

“I’ll evaluate according to your interpretation.” – Alessandro

“At least Snow White did chores.” –Schuyler

“So we can make Pentecost eggs!” (Alyssa on getting a late package with egg dye)

“That thing (organ) is unworthy of me.” –Anna

“I don’t really want to be John the Baptist.” –Katie Joy

“It’s my goal in life to marry a pirate; I don’t care who knows it.” –Kate

“What if deoderant came in lots of different forms, like ‘mashed potatoes’?” – Holly

“Pasta La Vista and Achuna Croistata!” – Olivia and Rachael, Via Postierla dinner

“I think if you fried an angel it would taste like this.” –Dave

“I’m so type A!” – Rachael

“You have to admit, it’s like a romance novel walking away.” – Jack (of the man on horseback)

“Anna, can we like plan playdates for our future ‘children’?” – Holly

“I’m all about sucking the life out of teabags.” – Claire

“Wouldn’t you like to have a giant rocking horse to ride around your house on?” –Katie Joy

“Corn only goes with itself.” –Paul

“So, what you’re saying is: Benedict is like Madonna?” –Bailey

“Your bed is part of the lovenest.” – Audrey

            “The bed IS the lovenest!” – Olivia

“I’m wearing tights right now!” – Schuyler

“It’s like I just took a drink out of the Pacific Ocean.” – Paul

“I’m becoming quite an acrobat.” – Anna

“I use words from EVERYWHERE!” – Paul

“One of my favorite blasphemous things to do.” – Olivia

“Entitled yuppie frat boy.” – Paul on Saint George

“Are you putting gold in my hair?” –Heather

            “I am. This may be the only time anyone ever does that to you.” –Katie Joy

“Is this too exciting?” – Anna

“We’re like sprinklers, looking back and forth, back and forth.” – Jack

“Clear things are very hard to see.” – Don Forsythe

“You have descended into the Inferno. This is the 8^th level.” – Jack

“This isn’t so bad.” –Schuyler

“I’m like loving this! Who even are we; this is great!” – Claire

“Over my dead body. In fact, I’d rather do the hobbits in the bed scene than Twilight.” – Prof. Doll

“The glass is always half full for me. Of poison.” –Kate

“Schuyler, were you reading it?!” – Kate

            “No, I was just looking at the words.” – Schuyler

“Is it an orangutan?” –Dave

            “No! I totally forgot about those!” – Audrey

“You don’t hunt pygmy owls.” – Anna

“Oh, wait! What is an octopus?” – Audrey

“I am The Cosby Show.” – Erin

“It’s OK! Put those away and just sing in suspenders.” – Jack on Paul McCartney in tight pants

“I’m really impressed with your ability to get the sun to move.” – Rachael

“Come se dice ‘lounging’?” – Anna

“Princesses never grow up.” – Anna

“Think safe thoughts.” – Don Forsythe

“Like nothing funnier than your professors bleeding profusely.” –Don Forsythe

“I like to grill… shirtless.”

“I hunt crocodiles… with a toothpick.”

            “I like to go to the zoo and scare the gorillas… with my biceps.”   - Schuyler

“There’s a lot of guilt in our blood right now.” – Prof. Doll

“Smoke, fluorescent lights, an accordion…” – Jack

            “That’s just a recipe for love right there.” – Prof. Doll

“We used to worship in a tent on a lake.” – Audrey

“It’s a very sad and happy day.” – Christy Forsythe

            “Sappy!” – Erin, under her breath.

First post

Hey guys! This blog is for you all. To share ideas, recipes, memories, pictures, books, art, and whatever else you can think of. Like the unicorn, this past semester was indeed a magical time and I think we should continue the magic through this blog. Love you all :)

Holly