Pie crusts

I have never captured the art of pie crust making.  My Aunt Fausta was the best and I had lessons from her, but the talent did not rub off.  When one learns, it is so easy to whip together a pie, but if you have to rely on Pillsbury or Trader Joe's ready made pie crust the fate of the pie is sealed. Of course, I may be in a prolonged slump when it comes to baking, but I have tried both named ready made crusts and find them lacking.  The first one and the most popular has a funny taste and if the pie lasts to the next day that taste increases.  I like almost everything I've tried at Trader Joe's but he needs more practice in the pie crust realm.  The crust is already split into pieces as you unroll it.  You spend a lot of time piecing it together.  The taste is pretty good, but the results are not pretty to see. We love pie here at Many Branches but have it seldom unless the pie queens from Cincinnati bless us with their makings.

I am a new woman.  Erik and his crew have cast out all of the dead leaves from the property.  It is a clean slate and now I am happy to look out the window at the neatness.  Every spring we have a list of to-do(s) but having the right people to do it is a good thing, as Martha would say.  Next, all the white wood such as the pergola, the bay window area, the 2 sheds and the window boxes as well as the stairs to the apartment will be painted. We are going to be pretty.  The driveway is to be recapped or whatever you call it too.  The pool is to be opened the third week of March in time for it to be cleaned for Easter.  No one will swim, but it looks pretty. Power washing the tennis court and the outdoor furniture is high on the list.  I actually bought Martha Stewart's power washer which she was working on QVS or one of those shows.  It is electric and one that does not weigh a whole lot.  I figure I can do some of that power washing myself once I get it hooked up.  I'll let you know if that was a good purchase.

Well, good luck with the spring cleaning.  I am so glad to be able to say that after the winter we have had in Ohio.  Boo hiss.

I have rewatched a couple of Netflix series you might like: The Fall and Marcella. Also, I have given John Grisham another chance and am reading Gray Mountain. He used to be my favorite author, now, not so much. I do like Gray Mountain so far.