Saturday, November 19, 2022
Doxology - for Harp
The Doxology is part of the soundtrack of my youth. We sang it absolutely every week. In choir, since we all knew it so well, we would get creative and break into crazy-mega-harmony at the end. That was a musical education. The melody is called "Old 100th" and it was written by Loys Bourgeois in the 1500s. The video runs about 3 minutes.
Pictures in Video -
1 - The River Oyat, painting by Vasily Polenov, 1883
2 - Summer View of a Forest Fen, painting by Henri Biva, 1929
3 - Lake in Ermenonville, painting by Antonin Chittussi, 1882
4 - Geese on the Shore, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1921
5 - David the Shepherd Boy, Bible card, pre-1923
6 - King David, painting by Gerrit van Honthorst, 1622
7 - West Rock New Haven, painting by Frederic Church, 1849
8 - Niagara Falls from the American Side, painting by Frederic Church, 1867
9 - Prophets, Patriarchs, Saints, and Music-Making Angels in Glory, detail of drawing by Giovanni Bautista Gaulli, circa 1670
10 - Adoration of the Shepherds, painting by Peter Candid, 1685
11 - Design for the Hall of Stars in The Magic Flute, aquatint print by Karl Friederich Schinkel, circa 1848
12 - Illustration of comet, appeared in Germany 1456, drawn 1552
13 - Internal View of the O'Neill Cylinder, by Don Davis, circa 1976
Monday, November 22, 2021
All Things Bright and Beautiful
At Thanksgiving time, I think of this song and how thankful I am for Nature. Arranged here for harp, bells, lute, and bass, the video runs about 2.5 minutes.
Pictures in Video -
1 - Deer in a Sunny Forest Glade, painting by Franz Xaver von Pausinger, 1880
2 - Fox Stalking Thrushes, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1887
3 - Highland Wanderers, painting by William Watson, 1907
4 - The Alpsee Near Hohenschwangau, painting by Karl Millner, 1872
5 - Common Eiders on a Rocky Islet, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1899
6 - Loons, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1913
7 - Geese, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1922
8 - Stretching Swans, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1915
9 - Deer, painting by Alfred Bassel Rehbrunft, 1903
10 - On the Prowl, painting by Otto von Groote, circa 1920
11 - Adirondack Black Bear, attributed to Oliver Kemp, 1902
12 - Deer in Repose, painting by Rosa Bonheur, 1867
13 - Morning in a Pine Forest, painting by Ivan Shishkin, 1889
14 - Playing Lions, painting by Wilhelm Kuhnert, circa 1900
15 - The Two Majesties, painting by Jean Leon Gerome, circa 1850
Monday, November 8, 2021
A Mighty Fortress - for Harp
This hymn was a kind of theme song from childhood for me and my brother in the 1960s. It was featured in a children's clay-animated tv show produced by the Lutheran Church: Davey and Goliath. One of my favorite hymns that we sang in the Methodist church, A Mighty Fortress was written by Martin Luther and later harmonized by J.S. Bach. With that in mind, it was a pleasure to arrange it for harp - the video runs about 3 minutes.
Pictures in Video -
1 - A View of Tantallon Castle with the Bass Rock, Scotland, painting by Alexander Nasmyth, circa 1815
2 - Edinburgh Castle and the Nor' Loch, Scotland, painting by Alexander Nasmyth, 1824
3 - An English Frigate in Choppy Waters in the Tagus [River] Passing the Belem Tower, Portugal, painting by John Thomas Serres, circa 1790
4 - Belem Tower, Portugal, bookplate, 1917
5 - Conway Castle By Moonlight, Wales, anonymous painting, circa 1795
6 - The Gate in the Rocks, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Germany, 1818
7 - View of Mont Blanc, France, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1813
8 - Conway Castle, Wales, painting by Thomas Moran, 1917
9 - The Norman Gate and Deputy Governor's House Windsor Castle, England, painting by Paul Sandby, 1765
10 - Medieval City on a River, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, circa 1815
11 - Kidwelly Castle, Wales, 1791
12 - Mannorbeer Castle Moonlight Scene, Wales, 1815
13 - Gothic Church on a Rock By the Sea, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1815
14 - Landscape with Pilgrim, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, circa 1813
15 - The Voyage of Life: Youth, painting by Thomas Cole, 1840
Sunday, November 22, 2020
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - for Harp
Another hymn that I like for Thanksgiving is "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." It works particularly well on harp. The line, "Here I raise my ebenezer, hither by Thy help I'm come" always comes to mind for me with this song. This video is all about ebenezers, or standing stones, memorial stones, etc. It is around 2-1/2 minutes long.
Pictures in Video -
1 - The Frithjof Memorial Stone on Leikanger by Balestrand in Sogn, painting by Hans Leganger Reusch, Norway, circa 1825
2 - The Bridge of Brodgar, postcard by Walter Hugh Patton, Scotland, 1875
3 - A Burial Mound from Ancient Times by Raklev on Refsnaes, painting by Johan Lundbye, Denmark, 1839
4 - Menhir, painting by Ferdinand du Puigaudeau, France, circa 1900
5 - Danish Winter Landscape with Dolmen, painting by Nordahl Grove, Denmark, 1873
6 - Winter at the Sognefjord, painting by Johan Christian Dahl, Norway, 1827
7 - Haymaking Between the Menhirs at Nornes, painting by Johan Christian Dahl, Norway, 1839
8 - A Walk at Dusk, painting by Caspar David Friedrich, Germany, circa 1838
9 - Cleder Menhir, postcard by Emile Hamonic, circa 1900
10 - Menhir Near Plouneour-Trez, by Auguste Mayer, France, 1845
11 - Cross of the Apostles at Logonna-Daoulas, by Eugen Cicen, 1867
12 - Sewell Memorial, sculpture by Arthur Calder, New Jersey, 1910
13 - Evening Landscape with a Dolmen, painting by Carlo Dalgas, Denmark, 1844
14 - Sunset at a Dolmen, painting by Carl Frederik Bartsch, Denmark, 1882
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Simple Gifts - Arranged for Harp
Here's one of my favorite hymns, which always puts me in a Thanksgiving mood. "Simple Gifts" was written in 1848 by Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, and I've arranged it here for harp. If you're familiar with the work of the American composer, Aaron Copland, you'll recognize my little musical homage to him at the end. This is a look at Shaker life and art from mostly over a hundred years ago. The video is about 2-1/2 minutes long.
Pictures in Video -
1 - A Little Basket Full of Beautiful Apples, Shaker drawing by Hannah Cohoon, 1856
2 - Shaker village, postcard, Sabbathday Lake, Maine, circa 1920
3 - Shaker box maker, photo, 1935
4 - Stone barn Shaker meeting house, postcard, Harvard, Mass., circa 1915
5 - Tree of Life, Shaker drawing by Hannah Cohoon, 1884
6 - Shaker gift drawing by Polly Jane Reed, before 1881
7 - Gospel Union Tree, Shaker drawing by Polly Collins, circa 1840
8 - Shaker gift drawing, by Polly Collins, circa 1840
9 - A Bower of Mulberry Trees, Shaker drawing by Hannah Cohoon, 1854
10 - A Present, Shaker drawing by Polly Jane Reed, before 1881
11 - Tree of Life or Blazing Tree, Shaker drawing by Hannah Cohoon, 1845
12 - Wreath, by Polly Collins, circa 1840
13 - Enfield Shaker village, postcard, Enfield, Maine, circa 1920
14 - A Tree of Love a Tree of Life, Shaker drawing by Polly Collins, 1857
15 - Harvard Shaker village, postcard, Harvard, Mass., circa 1905
16 - Shaker village, postcard, Alfred, Maine, circa 1915
Sunday, November 8, 2020
If You Could Hie to Kolob - Arranged for Harp
This is the first in a little series of hymns I've done for Thanksgiving. I am grateful for the many fine instrumental and vocal renditions of "If You Could Hie to Kolob," which inspired me to do a harp arrangement. The tune is an old Irish melody, and I have included 5 verses so you can sing along if you want. It's about 3 minutes long.
Pictures in Video -
1 - The Little Lame Prince, book illustration by Hope Dunlap, 1909
2 - Off on a Comet, book illustration by Paul Phillippoteaux (Jules Verne author), 1877
3 - The Earth and the Milky Way and Moon, charcoal drawing by W.T. Benda, 1918
4-Off on a Comet, book illustration by Paul Phillippoteaux (Jules Verne author), 1877
5 - Around the Moon, book illustration by Emile Antoine Bayard (Jules Verne author), 1872
6 - Figure 36 from Astronomia by Joseph Norman Lockyer, 1904
7 - The Signals from the Arctic Circle, book illustration by Daniel Carter Beard (Dan Beard author), 1894
8 - Illustration from Bible Primer by Adolf Hult, 1919
9 - Illustration of comet, appeared in Germany 1456, drawn 1552
10 - Illustration from "Alienist and Neurologist" book, 1919
11 - The Callisto and the Comet, book illustration by Daniel Carter Beard (Dan Beard author), 1894
12 - Off on a Comet, book illustration by Paul Phillippoteaux (Jules Verne author), 1877
13 - The Planets (Holst), painting by Zorro Mettini, 1995
14 - Der Donati'sche Komet von 1858, illustration produced in Germany, 1881
15 - Halley Comet in 1759, illustration produced in 1910
16 - Back to Earth, book illustration by Daniel Carter Beard (Dan Beard author), 1894
17 - Our Day in the Light of Prophecy, illustration by William Ambrose Spicer, 1921
18 - A Comet, book illustration from book by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, 1902
19 - Off on a Comet, book illustration by Paul Phillippoteaux (Jules Verne author), 1877
20 - Off on a Comet, book illustration by Paul Phillippoteaux (Jules Verne author), 1877
21 - Starlight Sower, painting by Hai Knafo, 2011
Thursday, November 28, 2019
We Gather Together
Here's a Thanksgiving song I arranged for harp. Happy Day!
The vintage pictures in the video are as follows:
1 - From cover of Ladies Home Journal, 1891
2 - Harvesters in Alberta, Canada, 1890
3 - Hopi, 1898
4 - Sami girl in Lapland, c.1930
5 - Hopi, c.1900
6 - schoolchildren in Frankfurt, Germany, 1930
7 - school party in Grand Coulee, WA, 1935
8 - dinner menu, Ft. Mifflin, Philadelphia, 1918
9 - WACs director at Thanksgiving in Frankfurt, 1946
10 - dinner table in Neffsville, PA, 1942
11 - children cooking in Norway, 1957
12 - Thanksgiving postcard, c.1900
Monday, November 4, 2019
Blackstrap Bread
I make it partly by hand and partly in the bread machine. But you can use whatever method you like best.
BLACKSTRAP BREAD
1-1/8 cup water
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses or maple syrup*(1)
1/4 cup olive oil
3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour*(2)
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
Stir together water, salt, and molasses until dissolved. Add oil. Pour into bread-machine pan or mixing bowl.
Add flour on top of liquid. Make an indentation in flour and add yeast. Let sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Mix ingredients and knead (bread machine can do both). Let dough rest for about 5 minutes or until it can pass the windowpane test.*(3)
Form dough into a ball, removing bread machine paddle if using. With 1 Tbsp olive oil in bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowl, roll dough around until coated with oil. Cover bowl with a layer of waxed paper and then a dish towel.
Let sit for 30-45 minutes in a warm place, until dough has risen above the top of the bowl.
Gently punch down the top of the dough to get rid of big bubbles. Turn it out onto a floured board and form it into a loaf.*(4)
Place loaf in pan, seam-side-down, cover with waxed paper and dish towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 20-30 minutes, or until it's approximately 1" taller.
Bake at 350 deg. F for 40 minutes (bread machine can do this too).
Remove from pan and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
*3. For the windowpane test, get a ping-pong ball-sized piece of dough and pull it into a thin disc. Hold it up to the light. If you can see light through it, the dough has passed the test. If not, let it rest more.
*4. To form bread dough into a loaf, roll or pat it into a 1-1/2"-thick oval. Roll it up like a jellyroll, sealing the front of the roll onto the surface of the unrolled dough with every turn--about 4 times. Roll the remaining flap of unrolled dough up onto the rest, pinching it onto the body of the roll. Turn the roll seam-side-down, pull the ends under, and pinch them together underneath. Securely pinch all seams, folds, and gaps.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Cream Cheese Maple-Pumpkin Pie

This is my latest eggless, soy-free pumpkin pie recipe. After working on it for four years, it's my favorite of all the varieties I have made.
CREAM CHEESE MAPLE-PUMPKIN PIE
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thanksgiving Dinner, 2012
Sage Gravy
Cream Cheese-Maple Pumpkin Pie
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Stir-Fried Spinach
This is an easy veggie for a holiday meal. Grinding the sesame seeds is optional, but it does make the seeds' nutrients more accessible when eaten.
STIR-FRIED SPINACH
spinach leaves, well-washed
olive oil
sesame seeds
salt
(use amounts needed for your guests)
Using a mortar and pestle, lightly grind the sesame seeds (about 1/2 tsp. per serving).
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil (about 1/2 tsp. per serving) on med-low heat. Add the spinach and sesame seeds, and shake in some salt. Stir-fry until the spinach wilts a bit.
Serve immediately.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Holiday Cooking
"Never trust a skinny cook." That's posted at the cafe up the road from us. But here I am, getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.
This post is sort of a round-up of my holiday recipes for anyone who is interested. It's all vegetarian, and most can be converted to vegan by substituting olive oil for butter. There are no eggs in any of these recipes.
Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Butterscotch Bark
Chestnut Soup
Hazelnut Shortbread
Holiday Nut Loaf
Irish Coffee
Irish Soda Bread
Maple-Pecan Fried Slaw
Mince Pie
Mulled Wine
Onion Pie
Potato Soup
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Soup
Sage Gravy
Spiced Pecans
Spiced Tea
Stir-Fried Spinach
Stuffed Cheese & Walnut Loaf
Wassail
Whole Cranberry Sauce
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thanksgiving for Two
For the first time ever, my son helped cook Thanksgiving dinner. Here's this year's vegetarian menu:
Pumpkin Soup
Holiday Nut Loaf (do not serve from the pan like I did this year)
Maple-Pecan Fried Slaw
Croissants (store-bought)
Jellied Cranberry Sauce (for Michael)
Sparkling Apple Juice
Sage Gravy
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie (a disastrous experiment)
Friday, November 26, 2010
A Small Feast
Sparkling Apple Cider - in the fridge
Homemade Bread - baked and sliced, butter softening
Pumpkin Soup - simmering
Holiday Nut Loaf - baking
Sage Gravy - ready!
Maple-Pecan Fried Slaw - done
Cranberry Sauce (whole) - cooked & cooling
Cranberry Sauce (jellied for Michael) - in the fridge
Pumpkin Pie w/ whipped cream - cooling
Espresso
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Maple-Pecan Fried Slaw

This is a wonderful veggie side dish, which I adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine. Originally calling for shredded Brussels sprouts, I tried cabbage once, and found that it tastes much better. So here's my version, which the whole family likes--even the kids.
MAPLE PECAN SLAW
1/2 cup pecan pieces (approx. 1/2”)
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
-------------
In a dry skillet, toast pecans over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly browned. Add 1 Tbsp. of the butter, the maple syrup, and 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Turn heat to low and warm the ingredients until butter is melted and pecans are coated. Set aside.
In a large, open pan, such as a stock pot, melt the remaining butter with the black pepper and the rest of the salt over medium heat. Add the cabbage and toss. Sauté until wilted but still crisp-tender--about 3-5 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the pecan and maple glaze from the skillet, and cook for another minute, stirring well.
Serves 8
adapted from a recipe by Shelley Wiseman found in Gourmet Magazine, Nov. 2003
http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2003/11/brussels-sprouts-maple-hickory-nuts
For more of my favorite cabbage recipes, see
How to Cook Non-Yucky Cabbage
Barely Borscht
Cabbage Soup
Colcannon
Onion Pie
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Pumpkin Soup

This is a greatly simplified, vegetarian version of a recipe I found in Martha Stewart's Living Magazine: can't find it online today. It's a super starter for the Thanksgiving meal.
PUMPKIN SOUP
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lg. parsnip, peeled and chopped
4 cups pumpkin purée, fresh-cooked or canned
4 cups vegetable stock
2-3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
-----------
In a large soup pot, melt butter with black pepper. Add onion, leek, carrots, and parsnip, and sauté until onion is soft. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
Using a food processor or blender, purée the soup in small batches. Add more vegetable stock or water if needed.
Serves 6 - 8
adapted from a recipe in Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine
Cranberry Sauce

This is the only whole cranberry sauce that I like. The orange pieces add some sweetness that balances the bite of the cranberries. I worked it out after years of trying different recipes. This has the best parts of most of them.
WHOLE CRANBERRY SAUCE
12 oz. fresh cranberries, washed and picked-over
1/2 cup cranberry juice or orange juice
2 Tbsp. nonalcoholic red wine
2/3 cup sugar
dash of ground nutmeg
16 oz. can mandarin orange segments, rinsed and halved; or 1 Tbsp.
chopped candied orange peel; or 1/4 cup orange marmalade
-------------
In a deep sauce pan, stir together all ingredients except the mandarin orange segments. If using candied orange peel or marmalade, add it now.
Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped--this won’t take long. Remove from heat, stir in mandarin oranges, and let cool. The cranberry sauce thickens as it cools. Chill if desired.
Makes about 4 cups.
Pumpkin Pie

Finally, I have got a recipe for soy-free, dairy-free, eggless pumpkin pie! This year's experiment was a success. It's an adaptation of Bryanna Grogan's Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and my own tofu pumpkin pie recipe.
VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE - SOY FREE
1 unbaked pie crust
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 cups steamed and puréed pumpkin (or canned)*
1 Tbsp. molasses (not blackstrap)
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
-----------
Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Place rolled-out pie crust dough in 9” deep-dish pie pan. Trim edges and prick bottom and sides with a fork. Reserve extra dough, if desired, and make a garnish (see below). Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool while making the filling.
In a large bowl, stir cornstarch and a small amount of pumpkin together until smooth.
Add the rest of the pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into pie crust and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several hours, to get a good “set.”
Garnish: roll out remaining pie crust dough and make leaf shapes with cookie cutters, and little acorns as 1/2” balls. Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 deg. F until golden brown. Arrange on top of pie just before serving.
* Note: I cook my own pumpkin for the purée. It's easy to use a steamer to cook cut-up pumpkin chunks (about 1"), slice the skin and strings off after cooking, and purée in a food processor or blender. This produces a light, wonderful texture for the pie. If you use canned pumpkin, you might want to mix a little rice milk or water in, to get a consistency of stirred yogurt.
adapted from Bryanna Grogan’s Vegan Pumpkin Pie, http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/1435893.htm
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Sage Gravy

Great vegetarian gravy! I found a recipe in Whole Foods' newsletter many, many years ago, and as usual, I adapted it. Here is my version.
SAGE GRAVY
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. unbleached flour
1 tsp. onion powder (or 1/2 onion, chopped and cooked in butter)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or 2 cloves, minced and cooked in butter)
1 Tbsp. celery flakes (or 1 celery stalk, chopped and cooked in butter;
or a pinch of celery seed, ground in mortar and pestle)
2 cups vegetable stock
1-1/2 tsp. rubbed sage (or 3/4 tsp. powdered sage)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soy sauce
-----------
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet. If using powdered onion and garlic, mix into flour before adding. Gradually stir flour mixture into melted butter, smoothing out the lumps with a spatula. Cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes until browned (not too dark).
Gradually stir in vegetable broth, smoothing out lumps, if any. Add celery flakes and remaining seasonings. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. This gravy will get thicker as it cools.
Note; You can use fresh celery, onion, and garlic for a chunky gravy—it’s very hearty. If you prefer smooth gravy, use powdered seasonings. Fresh sage leaves give a much sharper flavor, and most folks prefer the rubbed sage taste.
Serves 4.
adapted from Whole Foods Market’s recipe: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=1279




























