It was an outstanding occasion when I met two of my Grainews readers in early October. The rare event resulted from an earlier phone call to yours truly that eventually led to my face-to-face meeting with Jennie and Bill Van Straalen from Coaldale, Alta., east of Lethbridge. A story unfolds shortly including a recipe from Jennie.
The bulk of communications from my family of Grainews readers come via emails and handwritten or typed letters delivered by Canada Post. Letter writing was once a favourite past time for many and reminds me of pen pal days, now long since gone. Not surprisingly, some pen pals eventually got to meet in person after corresponding for years.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without including something seasonal. After all I am The Singing Santa too with a great imagination. Mrs. Claus and I have been busy keeping the elves occupied at the North Pole wrapping thousands of gifts in readiness for Santa’s imaginary humongous journey across Canada and throughout the world on Christmas Eve. So that’s it for what to expect.
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When people want some influence and agency to try something new, and are faced with “This is the way the grandparents always did it,” enthusiasm and creativity can be dampened.
Every so often I handwash and starch the same original Tilley hat I bought more than 30 years ago. It’s a testament of durable longevity. The hat reminds me of what some folks say that goes something like this: “They sure don’t make things now like they used to.” With that said it’s a tip o’ the hat and a welcome as overflowing as Santa’s bags of gifts to all the good folks out there who gather with me on this page, whether around the fireplace or a favourite reading spot such as the kitchen table while sipping on a cup of hot green tea with squirts of lemon and/or lime juice and honey to taste if desired. Kids — remember to leave out a plate of mom’s homemade cookies and glass of milk for Santa.
Meeting Jennie and Bill Van Straalen
They pulled into town from Ontario on Monday, October 3. I already knew from personal experience they would encounter a rough, narrow roadway with bumps during reconstruction of Saskatchewan Avenue (Highway 1A) in Portage la Prairie, Man., and also face work crews and machinery for a couple kilometres. Prominent intermittent warning signs read Max 30 KM and Speed Fines Double.
We met and greeted that morning at Chicken Chef and then proceeded south over the Circle across Crescent Lake to Island on the Prairies where we spent considerable R & R time having indoor refreshments while discussing gardening, farming, plants and crops. You’ll read about Jennie’s orchid cactus shortly. Eventually we went outdoors during a gentle weather afternoon to tour several acres of well-groomed grounds covered with lawns and numerous trees, shrubs and plants. A common picture taking sight was periodic appearances of wild deer nearby. Highlighting our walkabout were the enormous colourful castor bean plants of huge stature with some leaves as large as elephant ears still at their ultimate best. Castor beans are a story unto themselves. We said our goodbyes and the Van Straalens continued the rest of their journey home toward Coaldale.
Email from Jennie a few days later
Here are highlights from Jennie’s narrative: “It was very nice meeting up with you when we passed through your neck of the woods. We got home on Wednesday and on Thursday they put Bill to work hauling sugar beets, so the vacation was over. Harvesting on our own farm was finished already. They are now hauling manure and discing it into the ground.”
Jennie sent along a picture of her orchid cactus called German Empress and she gave these particulars: “It blooms in the day and has no scent. My first plant started from clippings I received from a barber. I had taken our boys for a haircut and saw this huge orchid cactus in the corner of his shop. I asked if he ever trimmed it and he asked why. Well, I said, if you ever do I would like some cuttings from it. He promptly took his shears and cut some off for me.”
Jennie continued, “This last plant (see picture on this page) came from cuttings taken from an old plant of my mother’s. It is about eight years old and when given enough light in winter it will bloom in February or March. It is a real showpiece when it blooms in July. Each spring it goes outside in the shade and before frost I take it back inside.”
Jennie provided these easy-care points from her eight years of experience with the orchid cactus. “It likes to be pot root-bound, meaning don’t transplant too often. It has only been transplanted once. I water it every two weeks and will give it some orchid fertilizer when I water my other orchids. In the summer it gets Miracle-Gro and I water every other day as it dries out faster outside.”
Jennie’s kale with potato and sausage recipe
Jennie also included this in her email: “In the September issue of Grainews you mentioned kale as being good for you. Here is the recipe for Boerenkool or kale with potato and sausage. It is a very traditional Dutch dish eaten mostly in the cold season.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds kale
- salt
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled sausages
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup warm milk or light cream
Strip kale from stalks and chop it. Cook in small amount of salted water until tender. Peel and cook potatoes in salted water. If using smoked sausages lay them on top of the potatoes to heat up. Remove sausage, drain off excess liquid and mash potatoes. Drain kale and add to potatoes. Add butter then whip in the milk with hand mixer. Add a small teaspoon baking powder and mix again. Serve topped with sliced sausages. Serves six.”
When I inquired why the baking powder, Jennie replied that “the baking powder in the recipe makes it fluffy and not so heavy. I also use the baking powder in mashed potatoes.”
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Think of a large department store back in the ’30s. The store manager was looking for some kind of a free handout to give shoppers and get them in the holiday spirit to spend money. The store’s advertising manager wrote newspaper advertisements but needed something more. What was his clever idea? He created a seasonal holiday character in poem form about a reindeer with a red nose that would light up the night sky for Santa and his eight reindeer and called it “The Night before Christmas.” After a long list of other name suggestions, it was changed to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Free paper handouts with printed poetic words were given shoppers to take home and read to their children. Kids liked the story so well it became a classic in 1949 when the poem was set to music and recorded by Western film movie star and country singer Gene Autry.
Christmas Card
Twenty years ago, I wrote and recorded a song called Christmas Card. Here are lyrics of the first verse.
I received your card, Christmas card,
Have a merry beautiful Christmas,
And a happy, bright New Year,
Warmest wishes for a happy holiday filled with cheer,
After all there is a reason
Why we celebrate this season,
Something special happens at this time of year.
Spirits rise as families plan,
To be with loved ones if they can,
I’m coming home for Christmas that is clear.
