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Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Muffins and more

I learned over the summer that my sister Jan had fallen into the apple sauce muffin trap. First, on a trip to Amish country last summer, she wound up with a lot of apples. In her amble in an apple orchard, she picked up a peck of apples. When she returned to the car, or more accurately, when Tom returned to the car, too, it turned out they had three pecks of apples. Or maybe four, I don't remember.

At home, she made apple sauce. And apple pie and apple crisp. And more apple sauce. Then she heaved a great sigh, bought a supply of half pint jars, and began canning applesauce. I heard Tom enjoyed the apple sauce and occasionally had a jar for lunch. She gave me a little jar, and it was darn good. (I must return the little jar!)

Then she told me Tom asked again for apple sauce muffins. Talk of nostalgia. When Mom was still alive, up to 1989, she made me a dozen apple sauce muffins to take to a show. They were my breakfast, and supplemented cheese sandwiches for lunch.

The muffins are made with apple sauce, oatmeal, raisins, some cinnamon. Fortunately Jan knows the recipe; I don't. However, I think that is the basic recipe. No flour, no sugar, no shortening. Or as an exhibitor friend who took one for breakfast said, "women always know how to put a days worth of essentials down your throat by breakfast!"

One day I came in from an appointment and found a dozen muffins on my counter. I also found a message on the phone:  "I left muffins on your counter!" I called at once to thank her. I had one for lunch every day. The day I ate the last muffin I also called her because I hadn't had a word with her since the day the muffins appeared. 

We caught up the news and then she said "How are your muffins doing?" and I had to confess the last one was gone. "Well, you're muffin-worthy," she said. And today I had a text, "I'm on the way over with more muffins." Since I seldom read my texts, I had no idea until there was a knock on the door, and Jan with a dozen muffins.

I'm down to one table mate at dinner this week, Rose Marie. Rose is a tiny little lady with snow white hair, who uses a bright red Rolator style walker. In good weather she tries to take a daily walk and generally goes around the building. Two sides of that walk involve public sidewalk. Yesterday Rose told me that as she came up along the side road a car pulled off the road beside her and asked "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," from Rose. "But what are you doing outside?" "Taking a walk!" said Rose and proceeded on her very slow way. The woman exited her car and confronted Rose. "Should you be outside?"  Rose realized she thought she was a Memory Care or Assisted Living resident, and told her the very large building behind her was the  Independent Living facility, where she lived. Rose isn't sure she convinced the woman, who thankfully left. Probably to go around the corner and call The Atrium.


Long ago, in a chat about my weaving days, I published this picture. In the olden days we applied to shows with slides of our work. Here is my photographer's model wearing one of the shirts in a size too large. Sigh. Anyway, this was "cool" in the '80's and '90's. There is no describing the "feel" of the cotton fabric. It had great hand.

I know the work of many artist friends from thirty, forty, fifty years ago routinely comes up for sale on EBay, but I never considered Jan's and my work to be that sort of stuff. It was way more "feel good" than artistic. 

Imagine my surprise when my daughter texted me this:


This seller knows nothing about presentation! Grrrrr. This is a lovely jacket, and looks nice hanging, without the wrinkles. The hem hangs even; I know, I pulled every thread for the straight of grain. I even painted the blue wooden buttons. Forty years ago we sold this jacket for about $125. Beth found it on EBay for $225, down from $250. I'll keep an eye on it and let you know.

36 comments:

  1. I've never thought of looking on eBay! That jacket should go for much more, but that photo pulls it down. Not even trying!

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    1. Use a couple of key search words for items you want to look for. It's fun.

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  2. So, your works are ageless! I see what you mean about the presentation! It is quite lovely.

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  3. If your clothes had the same hand as your dish towels they would be heavenly!

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  4. That's a nice looking jacket. It would show a lot better on a plastic person with some light ironing.

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  5. I honestly don't know which would be worse - having dementia but people not realizing and failing to call someone to help, or not having dementia and people thinking you do. Both situations are bad.

    I love - LOVE - that pale top from the 80s/90s. I still like the "too big" fit from those days; it's so comfortable. And I'm delighted that people are still recognizing the value of your creations!

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  6. I would be contacting the seller and demanding that jacket be treated with the respect it deserves!

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    Replies
    1. I sent her a message with instructions to at least hang it up, brush out the wrinkles and be sure the bottom hangs evenly.

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  7. Those muffins sound delicious; I love anything with oatmeal in it! The jacket is a beautiful color but you're right--it's not effectively presented.

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  8. The muffins sound good. The jacket is exceptional - even badly displayed. And I would dispute your non-artist status.
    I still like my clothes at least a size too big. Much more comfortable.

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  9. Those applesauce muffins sound amazing! And oatmeal is always so good for you with its cholesterol-clearing properties. And wow, I didn't realize that handwoven fabric clothes appreciated in value over the years.

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    1. We'll see what she gets. It's up for $225 or best offer.

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  10. Did I ever tell you that I like muffins. I love muffins...the home made kind.

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  11. That is a gorgeous jacket. I can just imagine the work that went into it. Wow!

    I've never had an applesauce muffin. But now you've made me curious. I shall have to look up and see what kind of recipes there are. You are so lucky!

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  12. Rose Marie had quite an adventure, didn't she? Sometimes helpful people are not. That is pretty amazing to find one of your creations on E-bay. I'm not saying that you should get that recipe from your sister, but it would be nice.

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  13. One of the things I would take with me if I had to pack a bag here and leave would be your towels. They are wonderful.

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  14. I ought to know this, but how much is a 'peck'?

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    1. A bushel is 32 quarts; a peck is 8 quarts, or a forth of a bushel. I know there is a basket that hold half a bushel, but I can't turn up its name. Hard to believe we are that many years from my childhood, to forget already.

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  15. Hari Om
    All the way from yummy muffins through mistaken dotage to heritage weaving - what a wonderful post today! I too think you ought to contact the seller and declare your wish for better presentation - I think they'd be thrilled to hear from the creator! YAM xx

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  16. That's amazing to me -- about the old clothes showing up. Impressive too. Enjoy your muffins, but don't get too saucy. 😎

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  17. Thanks for the apple sauce reminder! I have used Crown Prince winter squash in the past as well.
    Well done Rose Marie! That woman could have been more polite....
    As you say, bad presentation of a very nice jacket.

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  18. I love big clothes, can't bear tight stuff on my body. The jacket is gorgeous but so badly displayed. You must be thrilled. You are an artist. I have a slew of gifted apples must do something with them.
    XO
    WWW

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  19. Now I know that I have to fake dire need so that someone drops over with a dozen muffins! Actually a good friend gave us apples from her yard yesterday, wonderful and tasty, free of all pesticides or other anthropogenic intervention, the kind of apple Johnny Appleseed would have been proud of. My friend has the delightful outlook on life that leads her to be happy to share the fruit with insects and birds without a moment’s resentment. The apples were crisp, slightly sweet and juicy. Wonderful!

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  20. It must be very satisfying to see your long-ago work still for sale at a good price.
    Pity you are not in Yorkshire. We could offload some of our surfeit of apple and pear muffins, and "mush" as we call it.

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  21. Jan, the applesauce muffin fairy. btw, we got Jade's quilt back from Jan and are very happy with the job she did with that mess of a quilt. funny story about Rose but I guess it's nice to know the neighbors are looking out for wayward wanderers. I love that shirt, the too big one the model is wearing. looks really comfy. and one time I discovered one of our small pate de verre bowls being resold on Ebay. never did follow through and see if it sold or for how much.

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  22. A jacket that you sold forty years ago! That's incredible and look how beautiful it is. Someone cherished it and someone will again.
    Applesauce is good stuff and makes terrific muffins. I like making apple butter too. Which of course you can put on muffins. Even applesauce muffins.
    Poor Rose. I know the woman in the car was thinking that she was doing the right thing but what an example of agism. A tiny little lady with a walker should obviously NOT be outside in the big wide world, taking a walk.

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  23. I would be deeply offended if I was Rose, but that's me. Your weaving is beautiful.

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  24. Your apple sauce muffins sound outstanding. Muffins without sugar and flour are new to me. With all those apples, Jan should be able to keep you well supplied with muffins. I recently found apple sauce butter at a grocery store and it has no sugar or salt but does have nice cinnamon. The quality of your woven garments is amazing. The jacket looks new and not possibly 40 years old. Poor Rose. The stranger meant well but Rose needs to be able to walk outside without interference.

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  25. How proud you must be about that shirt! It's looks beautiful.

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  26. The muffins sound delicious. So good without flour too!

    Love the woven jacket. Beautiful work, Joanne.

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  27. That's a beautiful jacket even when it isn't treated properly. I bet it's soft and a pleasure to wear.

    Love,
    Janie

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  28. I LOVE that white shirt, Joanne! And I know by the scarf and your towels how wonderful cotton can feel, thank you!

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  29. My mouth is watering and longing for those applesauce muffins. I'm going on holiday today, but as soon as i get back I'll make some! Re Ebay: I find it useful for sourcing knitting wool that has been discontinued by the manufacturer.

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  30. How absurd that some busybody thought Rose shouldn't be outside because she was somehow "lacking".

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  31. I am going to spend most of the next few days wondering if I am muffin-worthy.

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  32. Wow! What a find on Ebay! Presentation really does help sell, you are correct.
    The muffins sound really, really yummy. Glad your sis still knows the recipe.

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