Food for Thought or..

The quick and sudden entree to winter here in the last days gave me pause to think about this series again on this morning's run. 

The thing that’s amazing is how… really a twenty-first century woman isn’t preoccupied with her covering up her body, but she is very preoccupied with putting on the makeup and putting on a mask to hide behind…
Gordon Clune

Four foot by about twelve or fifteen foot. It wouldn’t even fit the books in our house.
Mark Glenn, speaking of their Prairie Schooner wagon

Neighboring is a lost art in our society. We’re such a mobile culture, it’s rare to really get to know your neighbors or invest any great deal of energy into the art of neighboring.
Nate Brooks

I feel like I’m growing up a lot here because like before like if I was in Temecula or California or wherever I used to live like I wouldn’t do anything. I would just sit on my butt and watch TV and I was just a lazy person. But like now that I’m actually doing work I feel like a better person. Like you know I’m actually doing something to help other people.
Tracy Clune

The following quotes are reflections made by the people about two months after they return to normal life.

In modern life there’s almost too much to choose from so I’m not really sure what to do… We could do anything. We could get a Masters in anything and recreate ourselves and become anything, make any amount of money, have any amount of kids. It’s overwhelming. You know, I’m not sure exactly which one to pick.
Kristen Brooks

You’re a man or a woman working hard in the twenty-first century and your kids don’t know what it is that you do. It’s seamless. They’re isolated from it. And that’s sad… I realized that more so than ever since I’ve been back. But in five months in 1883 I got more satisfaction, more accomplishment, more appreciation than I did my entire career beforehand.
Gordon Clune

I think the year 2001 is kind of boring. Every day I always say I’m bored and my parents get mad at me for it. But there’s nothing to do. There’s just nothing to do here. You get kind of tired of going to the mall every day. And you get kind of tired of doing nothing all day.
Tracy Clune

The twenty-first century you’re bored because there’s so many things. It’s like you have so much stuff that you’re just bored of all of it. In 1883 you have such little stuff that it was like special to you when your mom would buy you stuff and things just for you.
Logan Patton

It’s an unnatural life that the twenty-first century offers us. I think there’s just too much. There’s too much stimulus. The pace and the noise and the…florescent lighting… It’s a bit overwhelming… Your principles, your ideals, your morals… they’re all for sale. I think there’s a lot of problems that we’re just not admitting.
Mark Glenn

Getting back to the heart of the matter... what <span style="font-style:italic;">is</span> your life?

In  the mood of the moment, I thought an Autumn Cobbler was just what we needed here for a mid -afternoon snack here at the Fish Creek(Frontier House)  A flavorsome alternative to the common apple pie for gatherings with family and friends.

Harvest Cobbler

Crust Ingredients:
    * 2 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1 egg
    * 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    * 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into 12 pieces
    * 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 4 pieces
    * 1/4 cup ice water

Filling Ingredients:

    * 5 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, cut into large slices
    * 4 pears, cored, peeled, cut into large slices
    * 6 plums, pitted, cut into large slices
    * 1/2 cup raisins
    * 1 cup dried apricots, halved
    * 2 teaspoons Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract
    * 1 tablespoon corn starch
    * 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
    * milk
    * 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

For crust, combine flour, salt, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor. Pulse several times until mixture resembles wet sand. Add shortening, and continue pulsing until bits are about the size of peas. Slowly add ice water and continue pulsing until dough just comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray pan with vegetable pan spray. In large bowl, combine fruit, vanilla, cornstarch and zest; mix gently. Spoon into prepared pan. Roll chilled dough out on floured surface to a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Using mini cutters, cut 8-10 holes from dough. Lay dough over prepared fruit; tuck edges under. Brush surface with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until crust is golden.

Serves 12.