Sacred Ground

Our family spent Christmas together in Woodbury, CT about 15 miles from Newtown, CT.   On Christmas Day, my son and I drove to Newtown, CT to lay a memorial for those lost in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  The outpouring of support, and the reverence of the people viewing the memorials, was heartbreaking and inspiring, all at the same time.  It was hard to describe the scene, even the photos don't do this justice.  

 Memorials from all over the world were laid at this corner in the middle of town.  Spanning all 4 corners, it was overwhelming at times to read the tributes. 

 This was over 2000 tweets from teens around the country. 

What struck me the most, is that I now know the names of all those who were lost, as if they were family--I've heard their names so many times over the past week, and reading these tributes made them even more real.  My son and I wondered what would become of the sheer volume of these notes, candles, stuffed animals and cards, and the town will have them gathered and processed into soil that will serve in the foundation of a future permanent memorial.  These tributes will become sacred ground.

American Gothic House Apple Pie

In my last post I talked about my friend Beth Howard who was driving this RV (which she calls The Beast) across the country towards to New Jersey to bake pies for the residents and first responders in Newtown, CT.  Beth got to her friends' house in New Jersey where pie baking was already taking place.  It's amazing how social media fueled this journey. 

                       Peter Melick, of Melick orchards, donated 150 pounds of apples---what a guy!

Pie uniting people to help deal with the unthinkable

Beth's volunteers are amazing

This group put the initials of each lost angel on the pies

Pies loaded into The Beast

Beth's signature is Apple Pie, and that's what the volunteers were baking for Newtown.  I thought I'd share her recipe for Apple Pie and hope you all will pray for Beth and her crews as they bake and try to help heal the residents in Newtown.  

American Gothic House Apple Pie

For the Crust

2 ½ c. flour (but have at least 3 ½ cups on hand, as you'll need extra flour to roll dough and thicken filling)

½ c. vegetable shortening

½ c. butter

Dash of salt

Ice water (fill one cup, but use only enough to moisten dough)

1. In a large bowl, work the butter and shortening into the flour with your hands until you see marble-size lumps form.

2. Pour in ice water a little at a time, sort of “fluffing” the flour to mix in liquid. When the dough feels moist, do a “squeeze test” and if it holds together you’re done. Your dough should feel tacky, but not wet. (Do not overwork the dough! It takes very little time and you’ll be tempted to keep touching it, but don’t!)

3. Divide the dough in 2 balls. Form each ball into a disk shape. Roll flat and thin to fit your pie dish.

4. Sprinkle flour under and on top of your dough to keep it from sticking to your rolling surface.

5. Trim excess dough around the edges with scissors so that it is about 1 inch wider than the dish edge.

For the Filling

7 large Granny Smith apples, depending on size of apples and size of pie dish  

2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, depending on how much you like)

¾ c. sugar       

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (to put on top of apples before covering with top crust)

4 Tbsp. flour    

1 beaten egg (to brush top crust before putting in oven)

Dash of salt

             

1.      Lay the prepared bottom crust into the pie dish. Slice half of the peeled apples directly into the pie, arranging and pressing them into the dish to remove extra space between slices.

2.      Cover with half of your other ingredients (sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt), then slice the remaining apples, and cover with second half of ingredients. Add dollop of butter.

3.      Cover with top crust and crimp edges, then brush with the beaten egg (this gives the pie a nice golden brown shine). Use a knife to poke vent holes in the top crust (get creative here with a unique pattern if you want).

4.      Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

5.      Turn oven down to 375 degrees and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes or so, until juice bubbles. Poke with a knife to make sure apples have softened. Do not over bake or apples will turn mushy.

Beth says that since life is messy, your pie doesn't have to be perfect --Someone wrote on Beth's Facebook page, "maybe compassion is as American as apple pie"---I am praying that is true. 

 

Our Hearts are Broken

The events of Friday morning from Newtown, CT have been broadcast endlessly on the news, and other outlets.  I am broken hearted for the families and friends of all those who lost loved ones, I have felt at a loss .... how do we react, care, and help?
I've read all the quotes about hugging your children, then there are the calls for gun control, and the inanity of Mike Huckabee, proving that he isn't interested in consoling anyone.
My friend Beth Howard, the author of Making Piece, A Story of Love, Loss and Pie put up a post on Facebook saying she felt like loading up her RV with pie making supplies and heading to Newtown from Eldon, Iowa where she lives in the American Gothic House.  After an hour, she was planning the trip with encouragement from all her followers and the offer of a co-pilot in Chicago---she is in Ohio as I write this, has gotten Costco in Bridgetown, CT to donate flour, sugar, butter and shortening for the pie making.  She also has a donation page on her website to help pay for gas, and pie making supplies that she might need.
This is the type of organic, holistic help that makes our country great---people see a need, they act on it, and help in ways that heal.

I'm proud to call Beth a friend, we met two years ago, and her story is one of loss and hope--she will bring that to Newtown with her pie making.  So if you see this RV rolling across Ohio or Pennsylvania tonight, honk and blow kisses!  They are on their way to help heal an aching community.

I'll end this post with a quote from Nelson Mandela:  "We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."  Hug your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you...life is precious.