Monday, May 9, 2011

All In the Merry Month of May

I am not sure why it is so, but the month of May is not one of, but my most favorite month of the year. I start looking forward to it in April when the words "April showers bring May flowers" is on every body's lips. It's the month when all the trees are fully clothed, blossoms have pretty much begun to turn to fruit and best of all the Strawberries are in season. I find myself in McBee at least four times during May, headed for the Strawberry stands...(you notice I did not say patch...I'm afraid if I picked my own I would eat far more than I deliver to the shed to be weighed and paid for). May is so lovely and cool in the mornings, you can get your yard work done without suffering heat stroke and so warm in the afternoon that a fit of lazies washes over you like honey from the comb. Sitting on the porch can bring on a case of the dozies for sure, a cat in my lap and a book in my hands, a tall glass of iced tea at my elbow. Even the word "May" gives you a warm feeling...yes you may, mother may I, which puts me in mind of the games we played in childhood that had nothing to do with a game of wii. Mother May I, Red Light Green Light, Red Rover Red Rover and best of all was "Coming to See".



How many of you remember the game of Coming to See...it was a game we played inside and out...we would build little houses under the elm trees at Mammy's house blocking out our little dirt wall bounderies. We'd set up little table and chairs made from stumps and pieces of tree limbs, describe our imaginary curtains to our neighbors who "came to see" us. Our little houses were always close together and extremely visible in our mind's eyes. As cousin Becky described her gingham curtains hanging at her kitchen window, I could see the blue in the check and knew that a white ribbon held them back for the sun to shine in. As cousins Kay and Crystal came to visit me I would proudly point out the new breakfront I had lately installed to hold the dishes that were made of leaf and pebbles in fact, but porcelain in imagination. We played all this under the canopy of Elms next to Mammy's house. But if it was raining, we played just as happily in the three bedrooms upstairs, only we had actual furniture to display, not the gossamer furniture designed and distributed totally from our imaginations.



May 12 is also Mama's birthday. And I remember the Strawberry pie that she made for us with the first batch of strawberries that came into the house. Mama was such a great cook, I don't think she ever made anything that wasn't perfect. For her birthday I'm going to give you a gift from her since she is no longer with us to receive a gift. I'm sure she'd be quite happy with this arrangement. So, here's Mama's recipe for Strawberry Pie. Keep in mind that you can substitute the sugar with any sugar substitute you like. I use Splenda, but whatever you prefer. Happy Birthday, Mama



Mama's Fresh Strawberry Pie



4 cups fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar (or splenda works just as well)

1/2 tsp baking powder



Line a baked pie shell with 2 cups of fresh strawberries and take the remaining 2 cups of berries and cook with the cornstarch blended in with the sugar and baking powder until clear and thick. Pour the cooked berries over the fresh ones after it has cooled. Top with whipped cream. This will be the only Strawberry Pie recipe you'll ever crave!

25 comments:

Vee said...

When strawberry season arrives, I hope to remember this recipe. To be safe, I'll print it off. John loves all things strawberry.

Your description of your girlhood play homes reminds me of the ones we built from pine needles. How fun that you still remember the creations your cousins came up with.

May is my second favorite month after October my first.

Hope you had a very Happy Mother's Day!

Sally said...

Awww, Sandi, your stories always move me so. Lawdy mercy, this brings back memories of all the years my mom had us pickin' strawberries. This went on even after I had my daughter; she'd just crawl between the rows following. My mom loved strawberries SO much, and my grandson took after her. I really haven't been able to even look at one since he passed away.

Okay, I didn't mean to get into that, but as I sit here I'm remembering some of the games we used to play also except we'd be under pecan trees. :)

I'm going to print that recipe also, and one day will make it!! :)

Lee said...

Glad you're in a happy month, Sandi! I like May too, but mine is a tad warmer than yours what with the temps being in the 90s and up.

That recipe sounds a lot like my Mom's Strawberry Bavarian. I'll have to try it sometime. Or you can catch a train from SC to San Antonio and then we'll make one together. Now that would be fun!

Love,
Lee

i beati said...

oh Lordy I had forgotten simply delicious strawberry pie...oh my what a memory !1

Jinksy said...

The very thought of this makes my mouth water! But I think for the sake of my waistline, I'll stick to just the fresh strawberries on their own... :)

Brian Miller said...

ah, thank you for the gift...strawberry pie is a fav...mmm...and yes we played similar, of course for guys it was forts, but...

Shrinky said...

Ha! Oh Sandi, you have the gift of pulling us right back there with you, and of upturning our own near-forgotten childhood memories in the process, too! There was a lorry park nearby where we lived, the flat, empty beds of the unloaded articulated trucks provided perfect "houses" for us to decorate, even if it was a bit of a scramble to climb up there!

Our strawberries won't be ripe for picking until around September - that pie sure sounds good, I may well use that recipe of your mother's, watch this space!

Sweet Lily said...

That's true, nowadays I keep eating orange pies, until I can remember what strawberry is, not to say strawberry pies. I must change back to strawberry pies for good.

Wall-E said...

Just came in from my strawberry patch! Mine aren't ready yet, but will be very soon. In first grade at recess under the pine trees, the little girls would stake out the rooms of our imaginary homes and visit one another ......... I think they do that on a computer screen now.

Hilary said...

What a lovely gift from you.. and your Mama. I love the memories you shared.. it brought me back to the lazy, hazy days of my own childhood in May. I can't say we ever played "Coming to see" but we took to the outdoors from morning til night with just about every activity for the next few months.

Merisi said...

Down in the Secret Garden, a gaggle of girls are playing in the sunshine, they may even be visiting each other's imaginary homes. A lawn mower robot is gliding in and out from sight next to theme. Idyllic May day, Anno 2011. ;-)

Lynne said...

What a lovely description you paint of what May means to you. And how thoughtful of you to pass on your mother's recipe. A lovely gift from you both.

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Lovely post Sandi. What wonderful memories you have of your Mama! Thanks for popping over to mine and leaving such a great comment! Hxx xx

merry weather said...

I think May is my favourite month too - for all the reasons you describe here.

I built dens when I was a kid - but my children never showed the inclination. Sometimes, this is is daft - when I'm working on big shrubs, I still size up the possibilities - front door, kitchen, bedroom - !

Hope you have a lovely day on the 12th.

Hug X

Maggie May said...

May is the very best time of year and it is my Birthday month too.

I think we had to use our imaginations more when we were little because we didn't have so many material possessions and there weren't so many things to distract us like there are today.
I used to play imaginary games all the time!

Mmmmmmmmmmh! strawberry Pie!

Maggie X

Nuts in May

SandyCarlson said...

I love May, too. It is the month of my beloved Gram's birthday. Everything is fresh and beautiful and the sky is so very blue. May is to the year what Thursday is to the weekend--so full of promise.

I don't know that game, but I enjoyed reading about it.

Donna said...

Don't remember the game! But we use to have a special hidden place under huge bushes for our car races!Hahaa
Happy Birthday to your Mother and thanks for the recipe!!! Sounds GOOD!
hughugs

Sharon Rose said...

Sandi,
We used to play that game. We lived on the edge of "the woods" full of tall pine trees.

We would take rakes and go sweep the outlines of our homes with their rooms intertwined through the trees. Gosh, those were the days. In the hills of Alabama, we could just about lose ourselves from dawn til dusk playing Coming to see.

Thanks for reminding me of just how fun that used to be.
Happy Birthday and sweet memories of your Mama.

NitWit1 said...

I do not remember all the games, except Red Rover.But the strawberry pie caught my attention. Of course I love for somebody to come up with a decent tasting lower calorie crust.

My Mother could make perfect pie crusts which cannot.

Zonacitas said...

This was a very interesting topic that you never hear about anymore. Or you do but people are hesitant to really dive into the core fabric of it and be upfront in detail.

Pondside said...

You know, I've never made a strawberry pie. It will be a while before the strawberries are out up here, but I'll give this a try.

myonlyphoto said...

Sandee May is a beautiful month, and now especially because Matthew was born in May, and my best pay pal friend was also born on May 12. Thanks for sharing your beautiful thoughts, and the recipe, I will book market it. BTW thank you for your lovely comments on my blog. Anna :)

Leigh Anne said...

I just got my first batch of strawberries last weekend and that pie recipe sounds perfect!
I would give anything to be a kid again, even if just one long summer day, playing kickball and building forts and having dirt-clump fights. Thinking back, it feels like one long summer. Ahhh, makes me so nostalgic.

San said...

May. A Strawberry Pie kind of month, a gingham curtain kind of month. Sweet memories, Sandi. And a great recipe.

best stretch mark creams said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe. Will deinitely take time to make it.