Remembering Raija

My beautiful Finnish aunt, Raija, passed away on Tuesday. Her childhood was one of war and hardship but she also found the LDS church. She married my mother's brother, Keith. Uncle Keith had served as a missionary in Finland including Raija's home town. He also translated during the 1952 Olympics. He and Raija were married in the Idaho Falls Temple May 29, 1953 after Keith invited her to come to the United States some months later. (I have a copy of their love story as written by Raija if you would like to read it some time.)

During the Ronald Reagan Administration, Keith was appointed ambassador to Finland and he and Raija returned to live in the Embassy. The Finns loved them, these two who spoke their language and exuded dignity, grace, and love. They had a special gift for entertaining and making everyone feel welcome. Raija introduced them to Valentine's Day as celebrated in the United States. Guests who were served steak and Idaho baked potatoes at the embassy considered themselves lucky. Read more about them here.

Raija enjoying her "name day" on Febuary 9, 2004. In Finland, "name day" is celebrated much like a birthday and you celebrate with others who have your same name. Raija passed away on her "name day" this year which seems so appropriate as she loved to celebrate special days.

Aunt Raija introduced me to the presentation of food. She was not only a magnificent cook, but everything she prepared looked so beautiful. She would tell me, "We also taste with our eyes." Her artistic eye in cooking as well as decorating her home were an inspiration in my life.

She loved her native land of Finland and shortly after moving from Idaho to Tempe, Arizona my sixth grade teacher assigned world country reports and presentations. I quickly chose Finland and them wrote my Aunt Raija a letter. By return post, I not only received information but a cardboard box full of things from Finland. I was overwhelmed with her generosity and help. My teacher was also pretty impressed.

She has been ill for years with lupus and its side effects. She still continued to live with beauty and great grace as well as faith and hope. She was too ill to go with Keith when he was invited by President Hinckley to the dedication of the temple in Finland, but she was with him in spirit. She will always be an example to me of a beautiful person who lived a lovely life which she filled with beauty because she chose to and she also chose to share it with others. Well done lovely Raija!

On a lighter note

Ruby and Sadie came for a cheer up grandma visit.

We made popcorn and watched "The Wizard of Oz" on grandpa's new TV. See all those new instruction manuals, etc., on the new media cabinet? Gives me a headache.

Tomato loving Ruby participated in the yellow tomato taste test. Her review, "Tastes just like a tomato."

We didn't get a picture of Glen with his new flowering pear tree near his birthday this year.

A month later is good. Everyday there are even more of these delicate little flowers.

Spring has sprung in Arizona!

Wear red today

The "Wear Red" campaign has suddenly reached my consciousness this year. The above picture is a pretty good representation of my week. Late Monday afternoon, this is what happened to me! As I tried to figure out what to do and how concerned I should be, Glen came home from work, googled "women heart attack symptoms" and decided that we were going to the ER now. After EKG's and a CT scan and multiple needle stabs to check my heart enzymes, I was given the all clear and discharged from the hospital with everyone from Glen, to the nurses, to the discharge doctor giving me their opinion. (The discharge doctor's opinion was the most bizarre and included the advice to dispose of all my peanut butter and honey :) Where is Dr. House when you really need him?

It could be a funny story if it hadn't been so scary and painful and distressing. Yes, I'm grateful that all tests were negative and that I was surrounded by family members who could give me a priesthood blessing, but it has given me pause. So ladies, remember that you only have one heart and that it is the leading killer of women; more die from heart disease than all forms of cancer each year.

To all of you who showed that you cared and enquired about me, I thank you. To my children who rushed to lend support, I thank you. To my sisters who surrounded me in person and by cell phone, I thank you. To my Relief Society sisters, including Becky and Emilia, who filled in for me on the night of a Stake Relief Society meeting, I thank you. To my sweet husband who supports me always, I thank you.

As my granddaughters, Ruby and Sadie rode up and down with me on my hospital bed, I realized that I am a blessed woman who has more blessings than I can truly enumerate.

Emilia took pictures of the RS meeting and the basil. Thanks Emilia for delivering the plants and documenting the evening for me! Don't smirk when you see the night's theme!

Greenhouse inhabitants

Glen or I have been making daily jaunts out to the greenhouse this month.

We have been babysitting 300+ basil seedlings.

Lynette helped me plant out six packets of Sweet Italian Basil six weeks ago during her visit. As you can see, there are a few secondary leaves which are beginning to look like basil. On Tuesday, they will go home with new owner/gardeners with a recipe card for pesto at the end of our "Stress Less" Stake Relief Society Meeting. There will also be another small gift as well as desserts (stressed spelled backwards.) Come dressed for the chapel, 7:00pm at the Stake Center on Brown Road for a lovely time with your RS sisters. Learn how to "stress less!"


The basil has been sharing the space with some of Glen's warm loving plants and tropicals. You laugh at his "Down Under Pots" but isn't this lovely?

The plants outside the greenhouse are happy as well!

Eating green

rainbow brights swiss chard

broccoli

broccoli, leaf lettuce and snow peas

Our carbon footprint is rather small, even with the trip to the nursery to buy seeds and seedlings last September. I love walking into the backyard for some fresh, rain washed green!

National Pie Day

Glen and I just did our part to support National Pie Day. We went to Croshaw's Gourmet Pies (100% made from scratch) where we enjoyed chicken pot pies for lunch. Then we each picked out a pie to take home; coconut cream for me and sugar free apple for Glen. That definitely is too much pie for two people, so if you haven't celebrated pie day yet, come on by.

I also recommend Croshaw's Gourmet Pies any day that you have a hankering for a great slice of pie.

A little bird told me that they prepared 1700 pies for Thanksgiving and 1200 pies for Christmas. Now that's lots of pie! They are located just west of Power Road on Brown. They took over the old Dippin' Dots spot, thank goodness!

"The Mormons are the only utopia that ever worked."

The above quote is from this man, Peter Drucker, who is now deceased but is known as a world-class organization and management guru with continued great influence.

I read this article with regards to this quote in Mormon Times with interest this morning. It is the short version of a blog post by Mark W. Cannon. I substituted and taught Relief Society last Sunday, lesson #2 of Gospel Principles. I found this article fascinating with regard to the lesson as it talked about the talents we bring with us and develop here on earth and how our talents bless others as we are blessed through others' talents. Drucker was impressed that a large organization like the LDS church could operate so well with only volunteers. If you have a moment, take a look. I'm always interested to see how those outside the church view us.