I cut the butter through the salted flour with my fingers.
I wash them off, then take a fork and, holding bowl beneath icy spring water trickling from the faucet, I mix the pastry till just moist enough.
I shape the rounds of dough and flour the mat, then carefully roll with that well-beloved French rolling pin Husband fashioned in his winter woodshop, using lovely cherry wood from right here on the property. I push just enough here, a little more gently there, to master the challenging circle.
Almost, but not quite. I trim all ’round the sort-of circle till it really is one, and think of my mother rolling dough on her generous, smooth wooden board, perfect circle every time.
I assemble the pies: the pumpkin whirred in the blender, the apples with the crumb top, or sometimes with the dough “lid” (as husband calls the top crust. (He once made a pumpkin pie himself–mistakenly “with a lid”!)
One by one they enter the oven, to fill the whole house with delightful aroma. I will set these before the gathered loved ones for one purpose.
Though there’s nourishment and sustenance in the portions slid onto dressy plates, my aim is their enjoyment. I might even say, “Enjoy!” And whether the pie assembly has been easy or fraught with “little kitchen difficulties,” when I see them digging in with gusto and smiles, I relish their pleasure. I so enjoy their enjoyment!
And now I reflect not only on my mother with her big mother-heart set on our enjoyment when she did these same acts of love, but of God and all that He takes thought to orchestrate and assemble, not just to keep us breathing, but with the same intention: for us to take pleasure in it, and for Him to enjoy our enjoyment.
Listen through the coming week. Can your spirit hear His Spirit’s invitation, saying, “Enjoy. Enjoy!” and be grateful?
*****
This post was inspired by a the word prompt “enjoy,” on this week’s Five Minute Friday. Visit there to enoy more bloggers’ responses to the prompt.
You had me smelling the sweet fragrance from the labor of your hands. All of it beautiful and meant to enjoy. Thank you!
Thanks, Debby. I’m glad if you enjoyed it! 🙂
Oh my goodness, Sylvia. That was incredible. I enjoyed your post almost as much as if I was actually tasting that pie. Well done!
I loved this: “… of God and all that He takes thought to orchestrate and assemble, not just to keep us breathing, but with the same intention: for us to take pleasure in it, and for Him to enjoy our enjoyment.” What a beautiful picture of the heart of God!
Have a great weekend!
Shauna (your neighbour down the street in #10FMF today)
I’m glad that’s the part that “spoke to” you, Shauna. I need to remember this more often myself. We can sometimes get so serious, even grim, about trying to do what will please God, when such enjoyment of what He’s done and given might please Him a whole lot more! Especially if it’s coupled with gratitude. So glad you stopped to comment.
Sylvia, your comment on my blog caused great interest in me and I had to come over and return the visit – I believe you and I are kindreds at heart. Very, very possible.
And, your crimping technique? To enjoy. The one thing now I want to do is sit at YOUR table, with a cuppa, a big piece of that apple pie, and you to get to know you better!
I would really *enjoy* that, Susan. On the front porch, if the weather is warm! 🙂 So glad we “met.” Hope to see more of you on the net now, over a cuppa…
Crimping techniqe? Hard to explain without pics, but easy to do. That’s why I do that kind of crimping. My mother used to (somehow) use her thumb and the side of her forefinger to twist the edge so it looked like a braid. Amazing. I never managed to master it myself, so substituted this easier way. I might be able to find a cookbook pic that explains it better than words, and email you. Meanwhile, I too would like to know how you make printables.
Sylvia, one of my favorite things to do is making pies – not eating them, necessarily, but making them, with my mother’s crust recipe, which is a bit different from everyone else’s. And then, watching someone else eat and enjoy! God created all of this universe for us to enjoy! Thank you for reminding me. God wants us to enjoy! Visiting fmf#60
I know what you mean, Mary. I’m that way about cakes. Pies I like better, but not all that thick crust around the edges. I make it that way because my husband loves it, and so he and my granddaughter can “fight” over the extra pie crust edge somebody else (like me) breaks off their slice of pie. Thanks for visiting. Hope you have an enjoyable Sonday tomorrow! 🙂