The folks at StoryCorps were on NPR the other day asking everyone to take time to write a thank you to a teacher who made a difference in their life; which prompted me to try to find an art teacher I had in high school. I’ve tried many times over the years to find this teacher but I’ve hit a dead end so I will post this open letter in hopes that one day he might stumble upon it.

Dear Mr. Mark Mahoney,
(here’s your photo from my yearbook)
I’m writing this note of thanks to you because you made a big difference in my life. By this time you’ve taught many students so I’ll try to refresh your memory. (see photo above)
The setting: Columbus High School in the mid-70′s. I’m a sophomore and I’m in Sister M’s Geometry. Most of the nuns I have as teachers are great but Sister M seems to delight in a somewhat sadistic way of shaming students at the blackboard. If you don’t understand a problem she acts like it’s because you’re trying to ruin her day. I’m flailing (not a typo) miserably in this course and one day you appear at the classroom door. You tell Sister M that I am a talented artist and that you need me to transfer into your art class; but to do this I have to transfer out of Sister M’s class into another math class. She calls me to the door and asks if I want to transfer out of her class. All I can think of is that I can’t wait to get out of this prison-of-a-math-class. Totally missing the point that you, Mr. Mahoney, think I’ve got some artistic talent—enough to incur the wrath of Sister M.  Many years later it strikes me that YOU were one of the first people to believe that I had some talent in the visual arts. I’m sure I thanked you then but I’ve always wanted to thank you again.

That day was a turning point in my life. Your belief in me and my other mentors in college who encouraged me to persevere have brought me to this place.

So thank you Mark Mahoney, art teacher (and hockey coach!) for all you did. You are a blessing.

In the first of my Mother’s Day blog entries I want to honor my daughters who make me such a proud mama. A sweet photo of them that they both love. It’s such a sweet visual reminder of their friendship. And now a slightly altered excerpt taken from an article I wrote for The Lutheran, but that in its tone applies equally to both of my daughters:

“…so my prayer for my daughters is this: that the ordinary acts I practiced as a mother: times we prayed on the way to school, laughter filled meals we shared and times we spent cuddled up together with a book—that these acts will be a quiet and steadfast reminder of God’s love for them and the love I wanted to share and the gratitude I feel being able to be their mother.”

Thanks C & M for all your love, creativity, spunk and all around great humor that continues to fill my days with such sweet happiness. I love you! Mom (Kate)

I treasure this memory-gift from Aunt Rosey. She tells it like it was (difficult) and yet she wraps it all in gratitude.

Here’s a tried and true recipe I like to use. I wish I could credit the author but I don’t have the information. I like his folksy way of telling us how to make bread—lots of helpful hints.

Great Sandwich Bread

Measuring: When measuring the flour, fluff it with a spoon and then spoon it into the measuring cup and level but DO NOT PACK. This is the most important thing for getting consistency.

5 ½ C bread flour
1 TBS salt
2 ½ tsp rapid rise or bread machine yeast
16 oz very warm water
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS honey
(I add in 4 TBS flax seed)

Place all dry ingredients in the mixer bowl but don’t turn on mixer. In a separate container, place the warm water and add the oil first and then the honey, using the same measuring spoon, as the oil will keep the honey from sticking to the spoon.

Stir the liquids together and stir them, then turn on the mixer with dough hook installed to low speed for 15 seconds. Then add the liquid mixture all at once and turn the mixer to its lowest speed for about a minute and a half—until ingredients are pretty well together and shut it off. Let it rest this way for 10 minutes.

Turn the mixer to the second speed and let it run 3 minutes. Remove the dough hook and turn the dough onto a floured board or table. Knead 3 or 4 times to get the air bubbles out.

Place it in an oiled bowl (you can put it back in the mixer bowl) and put it in a warm place, like your oven with a cloth draped over it for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, punch it down and turn it onto the floured surface and knead another three or four times. Form loaves and put into 2 loaf pans.

Put them in the same warm place with a cloth draped over them and let them rise 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is the color you like. If you put a small pan of water on the rack below the bread, it will make the crust softer and chewier. Remove from pans and let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.

I usually brush the tops with olive oil because it softens the crust a bit and makes the loaves look nice.

This bread has a wonderful flavor and keeps very well.