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A Community of Cooks and Bakers~ Part I

My mother was my first cooking teacher. Although I was a student in the time when public schools still had “home economics” classes, I was in Catholic School, and we did not have that benefit. Now, until we moved to the Union Villa, (the hotel, bar and restaurant my parents bought) I was never invited, or required to help with anything in the kitchen. Mom did at all, and I don’t remember even…

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Marking (the passage) of Time ~ A Monday morning re-set story

I often note special anniversaries and important personal and family dates on my calendar. I don’t know how many others do this, but besides family birthdays and anniversaries, I remember my parents’ birthdays and wedding anniversary, even though they are no longer with us. I also mark and remember the dates they died. In my father’s case I also remember the date of his funeral, simply because it…

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Pastor Without a Pulpit ~Taking the Fine Print Seriously, Part 2 You Can Make a Difference

I had my first hip surgery when I was ten years old. I don’t remember having any pain, or complaining to my parents that my hip hurt. But one, day as I was walking up the driveway to get my newspapers for my paper route, my father saw my strange gait and said to my mother, “She is walking like a drunken sailor, and one of those in the family is enough.” It turned out that my hip bone was slipping…

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A Pastor Without a Pulpit ~ Taking the "Fine Print" Seriously

(OR, my Monday morning re-set on Wednesday) Since I have not been writing regularly and some of you may be new to me, let me restate some information from my about page. Although my blog is primarily memoir and not religious, I am a retired Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. Sometimes the Pastor likes to share the spotlight with the Beach Girl:). Whenever I am working with couples…

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My New Favorite Prayer ~ A Pastor Without a Pulpit (more or less)

(Or, my Monday Morning Re-set, delivered on Thursday) Well, first I should explain why I am only ‘more or less” without a pulpit. After a year of retirement in which I did pulpit supply, filling the pulpits of other pastors once a month, I did come out of retirement to take a very part time, two Sundays a month, assignment, that includes everything, preaching, leading worship, sacraments,…

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A Monday Morning Re-set

To be honest, I am starting to write this post on Friday evening, to give myself a head start. I have heard it said that if you are starting a new practice, discipline or tradition, like a diet, or quitting smoking, that you should not tell people that you are doing it, at least not for several weeks. The reason behind that is if you fail you are less likely to be embarrassed. At least I think…

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A Short True Story from My Recent Trip Home (you can't make this stuff up!)

It was a simple thing really, but when I shared this story with a 96 year old former parishioner, who could not stop laughing she said, “Pastor Michele, you should write this down. ” Now, in quoting her, I am not telling you that this is funny, or that you will laugh, I am just following instructions. If you have read any of my posts about making bread in the last year, you know that I have…

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Home Again and Grateful

I just returned home from my sixth trip to my hometown, six years in a row, after an almost fifty-year absence. Every year since 2018, I have had the opportunity to travel to there once a year. In many ways each trip has proven to be an unexpected blessing, and every time it seems there are tears that show up unbidden. I have written about those other trips in several posts, and I have listed…

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I Can Can, Can You?

Just to be clear, I am not talking about the famous French dance of time gone by. If I tried to do that, I would fall on my, well, you know. No, what I am referring to is the art and science of food preservation. A year a half ago I was going to write a similar post, but that title would have been, “I Can Can, but I choose not to (can)” But procrastination, coupled with writer’s block held sway…

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Most of the Time, but not Always #strongerthanthecookie

I have rooted my Stronger Than the Cookie posts in absolute honesty so, I have to admit in the last year, I have gained some weight. My goal weight was 145 pounds. From May 2021 through October 2022 I did pretty well. There was always some variety on vacations and Christmas time, but right now my weight is fluctuating between 150-152. I had knee replacement surgery in early March and was 149 on…

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Where I Have Been, Why I Have Not Posted and What in the World I Have Been Doing

Hello Friends, I have been away a long time. Statistically it looks as though people are visiting my blog and reading, but since I have not written a post since April, I am not sure what they are reading. I want to try to get back in the swing of things, but as I have said in previous posts, bewailing my tardiness, I feel honor bound to read others’ writing if I am going to post my own and that…

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Baking while Recovering

I am not ready to give up my blog, but I admit I have been feeling a little uninspired, or uninspiring, beyond opportunities to preach once a month. Fitting in physical therapy exercises, preparing meals, and throwing myself into baking, partly for us and partly for cause. So here, in a few pictures, is what I have been up to. A loaf of white sandwhich bread for us and a loaf for communion for…

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I Have Not Fallen off the Face of the Earth ~ Blog Update

I thought I would attempt a short update, not that folks are beating down my proverbial door to ask where I am. But perhaps even writing and posting the update will help me prime the pump and get back on track. It might also help me finish up my “#What’s On My Bookshelf” post that is now three months long. One thing that has kept me from posting regularly is that I do not want to put too much…

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Flour-ishing in 2022 (My Year in Bread)

Flour-ishing in 2022 (My Year in Bread)

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My Word of the Year for 2023 (#WOTY)

My Word of the Year for 2023 (#WOTY)

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Kneeling at the Manger

Kneeling at the Manger

A Pastor Without a Pulpit # 2 It is my first Christmas as a Pastor Without a Pulpit. i had not planned to write a Christmas message, but these are some thoughts that have been stirring in my heart. It is not a treatise, just some things I have been thinking about decided to offer them here. If you are still reading, but are unsure of what will follow, let me say that I am writing from a…

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What's On My Bookshelf in December

What’s On My Bookshelf in December

#Whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge I had vain hopes of participating in the October #What’s on my bookshelf, but all my attention was taken up by preparing for my vacation home to Massachusetts, and preparing for my husband’s hunting trip; you know, laundry, cooking, baking, packing, finalizing arrangements for visits and reservations, and the actual travel. I can’t say for sure that I did any…