JOn's Famous Cookies

My Famous Cookies!

Do NOT Lick The Screen! :)

My Famous Cookies
In my last blog, I wrote about a favorite Thanksgiving. My cookies were a major part of that day. I have always wanted to write the story of My Famous Cookies, and this inspired me. I have scribbled the recipe down for others many times, but this is the very first time I have written the entire story, and included every little detail in the mixing, and baking process. The photos showing this process were taken two years ago, but show the detail, and process very well.

Anyone who has been in my life has experienced one of my magical creations, known as JOn’s Famous Cookies. By the age of twelve, I had decided most cookie recipes did not create a cookie to be called Famous, or Magical. I started playing, creating, experimenting, and taking notes about what worked, and what did not. The result is what is known as Jon’s Famous Cookies.

Awww, wasn't I cute at Twelve? :)

But it did not just happen when I was twelve. This cookie, literally, was twelve years in the making. The history of my cookie is almost as fun as the actually cookie itself.

When I was a kid, I was introduced to the magic of food… Not just food, but the science behind it, that made it so wonderful. Food has simple, utilitarian purposes, no doubt. As living beings, we need food regularly to continue functioning. But understanding the science behind the food takes food from simply creation and consumption to a level far beyond simple.
Enjoying food, engaging the mind, playing with science, knowing about every ingredient, and how it changes when it is combined with another makes for something to be thoroughly enjoyed… From the moment you buy the individual ingredients to the moment you wipe your face after the last morsel has been consumed.

I learned how a wonderful creation did far more than just give you something to eat.
All my life, I have been fascinated with every aspect of food… The way it works, how it is grown, produced, created, transported, packaged, and sold. There is not a detail I would not pursue. I wanted to know what made it so versatile, functional, and practical.

My first official cooking class was when I was five. But I started my education the day I was born~ Literally! I was born allergic to milk, breast milk, and normal baby-formulas. The doctors were baffled (See? I baffled doctors from the moment I entered this Earth!) They could not find anything my body could have for nutrition, so I was kept alive for two week on an IV through my ankle. Finally, they figured it out, and put me on a soy-formula. There have always been peculiarities in the way foods react in my body compared to anybody else. It turned-out that I had a whole list of allergies… and they did not always stay the same. As a newborn, infant, and toddler, it was always a challenge to make sure I got nutrition that my body could handle. I became aware of food, and how it does different things at different times early-on in life.

By the age of two, I was actively involved in the food and how it worked. I was always in the kitchen, watching, learning, understanding all the little nuances of what was happening. Every adult in my life allowed me to watch, help, learn, and understand. When it came to baking, cooking, creating, and presenting, I was fascinated with every single thing involved. The idea that you could change a simple ingredient in so many wonderful, fascinating, and creative ways just by adding something to it was magical to me! I was not content to just be given food to eat. I was making sure I understood how the food was created. I noticed how it turned-out, and how it changed in the process.
I was fortunate that everyone who ever did anything in a kitchen, would also allow me to learn from them. They would let me learn, watch, help, and be involved. I had the pleasure to be allowed to help in every kitchen I was near. These included school cafeterias, camp-kitchens, other people’s homes, restaurants, community events, and almost anyplace else you could imagine where food was created. Most kids thought it was a bother, or a chore to be made to help in the kitchen. I found it to be a privilege, a thrill, an education, and something I totally thrived on.

I took every available class I could get. I always found it interesting, and often frustrating, how many of the instructors did not understand the science behind the food. They were attempting to teach something they actually knew nothing about. I learned that in many people’s mind, the whole idea of learning to cook, or bake was simply about following someone else’s instructions. When I would ask about the reactions, or how things behave once they are combined, the instructors would get upset, and tell me it did not matter… I just needed to know how to follow instructions. My contention was the whole reason for taking classes was to learn about the food. I already knew how to follow instructions. It seemed I found way too many classes that focused only on duplicating what a recipe said to do. I found that to be a worthless way to teach. It takes absolutely no talent, skill, or understanding to simply follow a recipe. What was the point of taking a class, if you only wanted to copy someone else? Isn’t the whole idea of a class, to actually learn, grow, understand, and have a better, well-rounded knowledge? To me, cooking and baking was more about understanding the product, the science, and how they all worked, changed, and reacted in different situations. I started my life with the science-approach to food, and would not settle for anything less as I grew and attempted to further my understanding, and knowledge, I kept seeking those who actually taught about the food. It took some effort, but I found that for every five teachers who just taught “follow instructions”, there actually was one who taught about the food. It took some searching, but we found them. My mom found that by signing me up for specialty classes with only a few students in each was far more beneficial than just the classes most people took. We found summer schools, and community colleges offered much more detailed lessons than the average classes. I learned early as a kid, that it seemed most people who took any kind of class only did so to get a tiny-bit of understanding about the subject. Most people were not interested in truly learning, let alone mastering everything there was to know. This always baffled me. Why would they NOT want to learn?

This desire to totally understand how food worked, and not willing to settle for less than magical, is what eventually led to the creation of what is now called JOn’s Famous Cookie. It took me twelve years, but the moment I finally created This Cookie, I knew I had succeeded. I had the winner. Ironically, I have never attempted to create another cookie recipe since. I created the one I had been seeking. My work was done.

This is not just my opinion. Yes, I came to this conclusion immediately, but Ever since then, I have been told by thousands of others who have had my cookies. People always ask for my cookies. They tell others about the experience. People who have never met me, or even tried my cookies, request them.

It has been suggested that I should enter them in competitions, and county fairs. Everyone is convinced I would win. But in my opinion, I have already won. A competition is not necessary.
Another fun irony about my cookies: I have had many gourmet cookie shops ask if they could sell my cookies in their stores. I would love to let them... If there was anybody who could duplicate the same cookie as I make. Because these cookies are made with my love, character, and personality, it is impossible for another to create the same cookie. The recipe is not complex, nor does it have any secret ingredients. When others attempt to create the same cookies as I do, they just come out different.

I have had great friends come into my kitchen, watch every step, take their own notes, and not miss a single detail… Yet, when they attempt to recreate the same magic, they cannot. I have even had them make ‘em in my kitchen right beside me, doing the exact same as me… but the magic is personal.
After years of observing this, it became clear that it was not just a fluke, or that maybe one tiny step was being missed. It simply is due to the fact that part of what makes my cookies what they are, is they are MY Cookies. My cookies are made with my love, my character, and my personality. These cookies all have a little bit of me in them… and we all know there IS only one Me! :)

When others create the cookie, they add a little bit of themselves. The cookie then becomes Their cookie… with their love, their character, and their personality. The cookies always turn out wonderful, and are as wonderful as that person is. But they are not my cookies. So, when you make these cookies, they will be YOUR Cookies. :)

So, Now you know the story behind My Famous Cookies. Are Ya ready to create some of your own??
Now comes the fun part….

Enough about the story. It is time to get all the supplies you will need.
Do ya wanna start with the ingredients, or the materials? (either way you’re gonna need a shopping trip!)

You will need the following:

• Two Air-Bake cookie sheets. (Not the non-stick ones… those make the cookies too dark…and, YES… Two. Not one, not three..exactly two… you will see why later).
• Three wire-grid cooling racks. (Yes, three… You will see why later)
• A Very Large stainless steel mixing bowl. Yup, Only one bowl... but it's gotta be large!(You can use any kind of bowl, I like Stainless)
• One Large, sturdy wooden, or bamboo mixing spoon
• A  Large nylon, or silicone cookie-spatula … and it needs a straight, not curved, front-edge… and it should be beveled, so it slides easily under the fresh-baked, slightly-gooey cookies. (You will not be happy with the results if ya use a tiny one)
• Glass Four-cup measuring cup (I Prefer Glass… because you can see very grain of the ingredient inside... but any will work)
• Two individual One-cup measuring cups (‘Cuz If ya have only one, ya gotta wash it out to re-use it)
• A Measuring Teaspoon (Only one. And ya won’t need an entire set, either!
• A sturdy rubber, or silicone spatula (The kind for scraping the bowl, and measuring cups)
• An Oven … believe it or not, a regular oven works best for these. Convection ovens are great, but not for these.(Can ya believe how demanding I am?? I Actually expect you to have an oven for baking the cookies in!) :)
• Paper Towels (You can use any you wish… but I Like the ones with fun-prints) :)
• Good music to dance to (This is a Key factor… ya gotta be in a great mood, or the cookies will taste like your mood)

Now for the Ingredients:
(I will list Name-Brands on many of the items. This is kinda critical for the quality, and consistency. Not every item needs to be a brand-specific… but those that I list should be. This is based on years of experience, and finding that the generic, or other-than-listed brands often do not create the same desired results.)

• 2-cups Butter-Flavor Crisco at room temperature (Gotta be butter-flavor!... And, gotta be Crisco-brand)
• 2-cups Sugar
• 4 Eggs (regular, everyday Large eggs.)… Preferably Chicken… Not Duck(especially not Rubber Duck!), Robin, Pteradactyl, or Ostrich! :)
• 2-cups C&H Light-Brown Sugar (ya want the light-brown, NOT the Dark Brown)
• 4-teaspoons Real Vanilla Extract (I Never use imitation… Always the Real Thing)
• 4 to 5 cups Flour
• 2-teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2-teaspoons Baking Powder
• About 1-teaspoon Salt (Do NOT Attempt to go all healthy, by omitting the salt. It is Crucial)
• 4 to 6 cups Quaker Oatmeal (It’s gotta be Quaker… And Regular Oats, NEVER Instant)
• 2 bags Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 bags Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
• About 2-cups Walnut Pieces (I buy the halves, and crush them into small pieces myself... not crumbs, but good-sized crunchy pieces.) Make sure to sniff them to be sure they are not rancid… Walnuts do not have a long shelf-life, and turn rancid easily. Make sure they smell fresh, or they will ruin your cookies.

Now we get to the Fun!
This is best done on an empty stomach, because you will not have an empty stomach by the time you are done! :)

Proper attire is a must to help create the right cookie! :)

• Wearing the proper attire is critical for helping with your mood, and DOES affect the final outcome of your cookies! If you desire fun, and silly, or if you are into an apron, and chef’s hat… whatever the right, fun, and happy outfit for you is what is needed. (If you should to choose the “No Outfit”, be sure to keep your bits from hot surfaces.)
• Turn your fun, upbeat music up really loud. …and don’t forget to sing along, and dance, too!!
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Using a paper-towel, lightly grease the baking sheets with the Butter Flavor Crisco. You will only need to grease each sheet once, so grease each one evenly. Now, set the cookie-sheets on top of the oven, so they warm-up. (The warm cookie sheet is critical to a perfect cookie.) If your oven-top does not get warm, then pop them into the oven for a few minutes…just enough to warm them, and make the grease glossy.
• In your large mixing bowl, combine the Crisco, and Sugar. Use the Wooden Spoon to cream them together, being sure to clean the edges of the bowl with the back of the spoon. Notice how the texture totally changes as you cream it together. You will end-up with a really-smooth, yet grainy blend. It will not be lumpy at all. Be sure to smell it. (You will see why.)
• Now add the Eggs, Brown Sugar, and Vanilla. Stir/ blend it all well. As you mix, notice how the texture, and smell changes. If you make sure to mash it against the sides of the bowl with the back of the spoon, you will not have any lumps. You may need to use the rubber spatula to scrape the spoon, and sides occasionally… to ensure even mixing, and no ingredients left behind. You will notice how the aromas all blend together, creating an incredibly wonderful sensation. Then as you notice the new smell, you also notice you can smell how each ingredient also stands out by itself. Take a taste. What do ya discover? Remember, I did not create these just for a food to eat. Part of the magic is the smell, and taste, and feel every step along the way. You might be surprised how much more enjoyable it is to create when you know how each step smells, tastes, and feels.

Adding Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt

• Now it is time to add the Flour… but Do Not Add All of It at Once. Add only 4-cups. Sprinkle the Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt over the flour. Using your wooden spoon, stir and blend, being sure to scrape clean the sides of the bowl with the back of the spoon. Keep blending, making sure to get everything off the bottom, and sides, and also mashing against the sides to get all the lumps out. As you blend it, you will see, and feel the texture totally become almost like a paste. It takes a little effort, and can be tiring, but keep blending. You want it to become a fairly smooth, thick, semi-solid substance. It will become seemingly dry, and the sides of the bowl will suddenly start to become clean. If it has the right amount of flour, it will become one solid blob, and there will be almost no dough stuck to the sides of the bowl. It will literally, clean the bowl itself. If it does not, then add a bit more flour... but only a little at a time. You can always add more, but cannot take it away once it is added. Your hands will feel the thickness. Your nose will smell the wonder, and your eyes will see a magical transformation. It is hardly sticky, and almost seemingly dry to the touch. Now taste it again. You can taste the creation happening, the ingredients changing. Can you also pick out each of the individual ingredients? You will also notice that it really IS sticky, but seemed dry when you touched it. Do you smell the new scent it gives off? Can you also pick out each individual ingredient’s smell? It may be tempting to eat handfuls right now, because it is sooo delicious at this point.
• Now it is time to get rid of the spoon. You probably noticed how stiff, and thick it was as you finished stirring.

Adding Oatmeal

• Now you will add The Oatmeal…But Do Not Add It All at Once. Do the same as with the Flour. About four cups to start with. The Oatmeal is the glue that will hold it all together. The Oatmeal will be what retains the moisture, adds the chewy-factor, and how much you add will determine if they are dry, or perfectly moist. Make sure your hands are clean. Now with your hands, Plunge right in! Just squish, mash, and mix it all up. Notice, it really is quite a sticky mess? Keep blending the oatmeal into the dough. Enjoy the feel, and smell. As you squish it between your fingers, enjoy every texture. As you blend, you will notice each individual oat becomes coated with the gooey dough. There will be no dry oats, and no clumps of non-blended oats. You likely will need to add at least one more cup of Oatmeal. Add it, and Mix some more. You will have to decide for yourself if it is the right amount. You want the dough to have abundant amounts of Oatmeal, so that is almost seems like the oatmeal is the base, and the rest of the brown-gooey dough is just the filler. You literally want to see no spot without Oatmeal… But also you should not see any clusters of Oatmeal without dough. Add some more if needed. Once you have the perfect blend, this step is done. It is Gooey, Sticky, and Messy… But not one bit is without Oatmeal. Notice it is much stickier now than it was before the Oatmeal is added. Can you figure out why? Now taste it again. What do you taste? Can you also taste each of the individual ingredients? What do you smell now? Notice how the scent has changed from sweet to rich? How many of the individual ingredients can you still smell?
• Now dump in All the Chocolate Chips, and Peanut Butter Chips. Do not mix them in yet.

Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, and Walnuts

• Now it is time for the Walnuts. I like to crush the halves into pieces in my hands, and crumble them into the bowl as I go. You can use pre-crushed, or already small pieces if you wish. I enjoy the feel, and love the way when I crush them, it releases the fresh smell of the Walnut. By doing this, I can create the exact size of Walnut pieces I wish to have when I eat the cookie. I use about 2 cups of these… But you can add more, or less depending on your own desires.

As the final ingredient, the quantity will not affect the overall final product of the cookie. If I am baking these when my sister is around, I leave the Walnuts out, until I have put the first cookies on the baking sheet. Then, I will add the Walnuts to the rest of the batch. And similarly, when I am baking these for my friend Aimee, I withhold the Peanut Butter Chips until after the first batch is cooked. So, when it comes to the final three ingredients, you can omit, add, or even substitute some other ingredient.

Final Mixin, Squishin, and Blendin :)

• With your clean hands, it is time to get squishy again! Squish, blend, stir, and mix it all together. You will need to really work it to get everything all blended evenly. Enjoy the feel, as you blend it all in. This step is difficult, because the Chocolate Chips do not like to be buried in the dough. Chocolate chips like to stay out of the gooey stuff. But it is your job to make them become imbedded in it. You will not succeed in actually getting every chip to become part of the dough. (That will happen once you form the individual cookies.) Enjoy the feel as you blend it all in. Notice how the Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, and Walnuts each have their very own feel? Notice how they each blend in differently? Notice you can still feel every single Oat in the already gooey dough? As you blend it, do you notice how the smells all come out? Now, taste it again. Do you notice how much it has changed again? Can you taste each individual ingredient?

The Finished Cookie Dough :)

This is your finished product. The taste, smell, and feel will only change once the baking process begins. And even then, it will change several times.

Now we get to the baking:
Be sure and wash all the stuck-on gooey dough from your hands, before attempting to make the individual cookies.
Your cookie sheets should have warmed-up by now, and the grease on them should be clear, and glossy.
Using your hands, form large balls of cookie-dough. If you make them small, they will not turn out right… part of this cookie is the ability to get crunchy outside, yet remain chewy on the inside. To get the correct size, imagine you are using my hands. You will only be able to fit 8 per sheet. Do not flatten them… leave them as whole blobs. Arrange them so they each have about 2-inches between other cookies. Place 3 on each edge, at least an inch-and a half from edge. And place 2, staggered in between the rows of 3. (see picture) When they bake, and melt, they will spread, and take up every inch of space. Eat a blob of cookie-dough.

Only 8 per cookie-sheet

As The cookies begin to Droop, and melt, Turn the pan around.
(Notice... the droop, and  spread is not yet significant, just beginning)

Set one sheet on top of the oven to keep it warm. Place the other sheet in the center of the oven, not touching any of the sides. (Only one sheet in the oven at a time. If you put two in, they do not bake evenly.) I wish I could tell you how long to bake them. But that is impossible, because these bake by the way they react, not by a timer. Watch the cookies. As they first begin to droop, and spread (see picture), rotate the sheet so the back now becomes the front.

Almost Done.. As soon as they flatten-out,
they need to come out of the oven!

Keep an eye on them, and when they look like they are close-to-done, but still a wee-bit unbaked, they are done. Pull them out now. Pull that sheet out, and set it on the cooling rack, leaving the cookies on the sheet.
Place the second cookie sheet in the center of the oven.

Just out of the oven, and on the rack.
Notice the cookies are still liquid, and gooey.
They will finish baking outside of the oven.

Do Not Do Anything with the ones that just came out of the oven. This is the final part of the baking process. (It is tempting to attempt to eat one of these fresh-out of the oven… DO NOT EAT IT YET! It is molten, and will burn you badly!)Smell it, look at it, and enjoy all there is to enjoy about how they have changed in front of you… but do not eat it yet.






Bake the ones in the oven exactly the same way you did the first. When you turn the pan around, Now is the time to do something with those on the cooling rack. (Remember, the sheet will still be very hot!) Using your cookie spatula, carefully remove each cookie, and gently place it on the second cooling rack. Each cookie will still be very gooey, and easily fall-apart if you are not careful. Using the cookie-spatula, set each cookie directly on the rack, not piled on the other. (DO NOT ATTEMPT to Eat it Yet… two more minutes, and it will have cooled enough for careful nibbling.)

Once you have removed all 8 cookies, use the flat-front-edge of the spatula to scrape off the cookie-sheet. There will remain a film of grease, but it should not have any cookie-bits. You want the film of grease, for the next batch. It might be tempting to use a paper-towel to completely wipe it clean, but you want that layer of grease to remain.

While the empty-sheet is still hot, shape, and arrange another 8 cookies onto it. Let it sit on the top of the oven so it stays warm. Eat another blob of dough. NOW you can EAT The Fresh-Baked Ones!
Watch the ones in the oven, and remember to pull them out before they are completely done. Place the sheet on the cooling rack. Place the one from the top of the oven inside. When those begin to droop, and you rotate the pan, it is time to take the others off the cookie sheet, and onto the cooling rack…. BUT be sure to place them on the Third rack.

You now have two full racks of cooling cookies, and one empty rack for the next hot sheet to come out of the oven.

Scrape the cookie-bits off the sheet. Make more cookies, and place them on the still-hot sheet, and place it on top of the oven. Eat another blob of cookie dough. Eat another warm cookie.
Repeat this cycle for every sheet. But when the third batch comes out of the oven, and the sheet is placed on the rack, you will now stack the first batch that was cooling, still leaving them on the rack, but now stacked, so you have room for the next set to be cooled. Eat another blob of cookie dough. Eat another warm cookie.

You will quickly find a rhythm, and get the timing down. Just remember to rotate the pan, pull them out before they are fully done, and let them finish cooking outside of the oven. Remember to place the next set on the sheet while it is hot. Stack the cookies only after the third set has come out of the oven, or they will not have set properly.

Finished Stacks of Magical Wonderment :)

By the time I pull the very last pan out of the oven, the kitchen is completely spotless. The Only dishes left to wash, are the one cookie sheet, the spatula, and the three cooling racks.

Leave the cookies on the cooling racks until they are completely cool. (If you have trouble with insects –such as ants- coming into your kitchen, and getting into anything left-out, I have a solution for that, too!... Place each rack in a shallow pan of water. A shallow baking pan works well. The ants will not cross the water… kinda like a moat around a castle. Just make sure the water is not up to the rack, or you will have wet cookies!)After the cookies have completely cooled, place them in air-tight containers. They are big, so not many will fit in any container, but the Gallon-size Ziplok baggies work well. These cookies travel well, so put some in your pack, and head-out! Even once these are completely cool, they will remain soft and chewy inside, yet crispy outside. If ya want it to be like it just came out of the oven, just pop it into the microwave for 10-seconds.





ENJOY JOn’s Famous Cookies! ~=:-)

My Favorite Blanket Came out of Storage Last Night

My Favorite Blanket came out of storage last night.

Yesterday was Labor Day. To many people in The U.S., it marks the unofficial end of summer. The reason it is unofficial, is because that is usually the last long weekend they have while the weather is still good. Often schools begin again immediately following Labor Day (although lately many across the nation have begun in August). The Official end of summer is not actually until the Fall Equinox, September 21st. However, when Labor Day arrives, one notices dramatic changes in the season.

I am currently living in Las Vegas. Vegas is in The Mojave Desert, so it would come as no surprise that we see temperatures well-above 100 degrees all summer long. I moved here in February from Oregon, specifically to enjoy the warm climate. March, and April, the temps started to warm up enough that I could sleep with the windows wide open, but still needed a blanket. By the time June came around, I had long since packed-away all the blankets, and occasionally needed a sheet while sleeping. Once July came, we had daily temperatures that were never below 100 degrees, often mid-day saw 110-115. I Leave my windows wide open, and they face south, so my apartment would easily reach 110-115 by evening. Ahhhh, The most perfect climate for me! During the night, I would sleep with a fan in the window, and one at the foot of my bed. Never needing even a sheet, and I Loved it! By morning, the temperature outside had dropped to about 90 degrees, sometimes in the 80’s, but it not got “chilly”. (My body defines chilly as anything below 80 degrees.) This is just how my body is, I have no say-so in how I was made. I am comfortable at anything above 80, and chilly at anything below 80.

Irony: Yesterday was Labor Day. It was also the very first day in many months where the temperature did not reach 100. Vegas had clouds, and drizzle all day. Do ya suppose the Sun decided it was done with summer, and took a holiday?  The sunsets are now happening right around 7 and completely dark by 8. It was less than a month ago, I could watch the sunset around 9, and darkness did not come until 10. I have watched as the arc of the sun has gotten dramatically lower, and high-noon now casts a quite long shadow. The sunrises are not happening at 5 anymore. The first signs of daylight are not until 6.

With Temperatures below 100 yesterday, and a breeze last night, I pulled out my favorite blanket before bed. I knew it would get chilly by morning. It did. My apartment was close to 70 degrees when I woke at 5 this morning. Outside was 72 degrees with a cool breeze. I always make my coffee, and go enjoy the morning on my balcony. I love everything about being outside as much as possible. Watching the day come to life with a fresh cup of coffee, in my comfy chair on my balcony is a beautiful way to start the day. Even in the City of Las Vegas, one can find nature all around them if they look. I hear an owl every morning in a nearby tree. I see birds looking for breakfast, I see the stars fade, as the dawn breaks. I see the color f the sky turn from black, to grey, to light blue, to pinks, purples, and finally brilliant blue as the sun reports for work every morning.
I usually can come and enjoy my morning on the balcony without even a blanket. This morning, was a bit too chilly for me. For me, needing to grab a blanket is not a bad thing. But I do not grab just any blanket. I HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL BLANKET ever created, and it is MY FAVORITE BLANKET! What makes this blanket so wonderful?

On my 37th birthday in 2005, I was living in the garage of my best-friend’s house. I had gotten pneumonia again. I was working too many hours, and running myself ragged. I came home from work, and the ONLY thing I wanted to do was crash-out, and sleep. My friend (Cara) texted me when she saw me pull in the driveway to ask me to come inside the house for a few minutes. I wanted to ignore the text, and just go crash-out. There are many people I can just ignore, and a rare few that I absolutely could not. Cara was one of those few I cherished, and would not ignore. I had to go see what she wanted. When I walked inside, she could see how horrible I felt. She hugged me, and told me to stand there a minute. Then she came out, and wrapped a blanket around me. She hugged me, held me, and said “Happy Birthday.” Even in my wishing I were dead sickness, I could see the love that was just wrapped around me!

This, I Knew was THE MOST WONDERFUL, LOVE-FILLED Birthday present I had ever received! This blanket was the first one I had ever had that was actually longer than I was. It was not a tiny little blanket. Nor was it a skimpy, almost worthless thing that someone just threw together fast. The colors matched my personality perfectly, the yarn was heavy, and the knitting was done perfectly! As I admired this wonderful work of craftsmanship (or craftswomanship), She explained how hard it was to create. It was no small little knitting project she could easily stuff under a cushion when I came in. It was twice as big as she was, and not a light-weight, easy, fast project. She had found a yarn that matched my personality perfectly. The color was variegated, starting at the darkest blue possible, going through the entire color-spectrum all the way to the lightest yellow possible.

This blanket was knit to have plenty of warmth, but with large enough holes in the pattern to for it to allow air both in and out. It created warmth, but never made me sweat. I could be warm, and still feel the fresh-air through it. One of my favorite things to do at night is to watch the stars wearing nothing at all. This is not always easy when it is cold outside. This blanket became my star-gazing wrap. I could still feel like I was nekkid, yet have warmth. I could feel the night-air, yet not be freezing parts off.

There were many things I left behind when I (literally) ran-away from life as I knew it in Oregon in August of 2005, But this blanket was not one of those things. While I am not trying to make light of that whole situation by just glossing-over it, I only mention it to show the reference and importance of this blanket, and what it represented. (Eventually, I will write in detail about that event).
When one is running away, there also is irony: Every night when I would find a secure place to sleep a few hours, what did I wrap myself in? Yup, even sleeping under the stars in a corn-field, I slept with only the wrapping of Cara’s blanket. It Helped. After I settled in Virginia, and was back in contact with Cara again, one of the first things she asked me was, “You didn’t get rid of the blanket, did you?” We both understood what this blanket was. I even took it into The Salvation Army Shelter. Even though I knew it was a risk, because nothing was safe in that place…. But I also believe there is more in this blanket than just yarn. As Cara put herself into this blanket, God also wove himself into every fiber. (No, I am not saying this blanket IS God, nor do I worship this blanket AS God). I Believe God has a hand in all things created with love.

Virginia has some of the most breath-taking thunderstorms I have seen. They often came through during a summer night. I always went outside to watch them, wrapped in only this blanket. I would sit on the hood of my car, leaning against the windshield, and using the cover of the carport to stay just out of the storm’s drenching. Even in summer, the storms blew cold. The wind, and rain were wild! In this blanket, I was kept warm, yet through the large holes, I could feel every bit of nature in it’s fury. The wind and rain would hit my skin, the blanket would be wet, but I never got cold. I had two wonderful neighbors there. Lucy was a 22-year old college girl. Sandy was a 42-year old lady who had never met a male she could trust. Often, they would come and join me on the hood of my car, and all three of us would wrap in this blanket. They each were so completely different in everything about their lives. Lucy loved to be naked, and loved the storms. Sandy would never go naked (except on Memorial Day.. You can read about that here: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2012/06/get-naked-on-roof-for-memorial-day.html ) , and was scared to death of storms. All three of us fit perfectly. Sandy, the one who would never go naked, and even was not comfortable seeing naked until she met us, for some reason found comfort in the company of two who were not at all uncomfortable with it. She also found comfort and safety in a storm from two people who not only loved storms, but went out into them. I say it was the blanket ~Grin~ You decide.

This Blanket has traveled across The United States twice. It has moved to new homes along with me dozens of times. It has held me close, kept me warm, and reminded me there is love. There is not a single time I use it, or even see it, that does not make me smile.

The photo at the top of this page was taken at 5:30 this morning. The first chilly morning. This is Wonderful! Coffee, Early morning Chill, and THE MOST WONDERFUL BLANKET EVER CREATED!

Thank You, Cara! I Love You, and always feel your loving, caring, hands in every stitch against my body.