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Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

On Being Settled & Apple Crisp

October 27, 2017 by HappyGoStuckey 5 Comments

When we moved to Georgia several years ago, we left North Carolina at the height of a colorful Fall. Admittedly, I was afraid that the classic Autumn patchwork I loved would not show up in the South.

But I was completely wrong.

Three days after we moved into our new home, a parking lot made me cry. In my new favorite spot at my brand new Target, I shut off the car and looked up– straight into a row of fiery red trees. Hot, happy tears brimmed my eyes. Because as crazy as it is, I thought we were moving away from a proper Fall — and I was more than happy to be surprised.

In seven Autumns, I have been educated on all the things that surprised me about that first season. I know that our house requires sweaters and cozy socks beginning in early November. I now know what shade of blue an October sky is. I know that Halloween is often balmy and warm. And by the time I stand in the kitchen amidst pumpkin pies and cranberry sauce– our backyard is ten thousand show-offs of a finally realized Autumn.

With every single October that starts steamy and ends crisp & colorful– I am home all over again.

In all this slow realization that I am more settled with each season, I find the deep desire to relish my today. To know that I mustn’t cling where I haven’t been grounded. To remember that God is good, no matter how I feel.

Do you know how it is to be caught between a once home and a not-quite? I do. I’m not in that place of change anymore, but I might find myself there again one day. That knowledge makes me want to be the one who speaks into the places you’re feeling green, and new, and not yet comfortable. I want to tell you it’s ok even if it isn’t easy yet.

Because it takes time to make a place in a new location. Our hearts need room to settle slowly, one new memory at a time.

We do different things now than we did back then. Our Sundays are different. Our Saturday mornings, too. Our coffee shop has changed and changed again. But in the years that we’ve learned the song of our opening kitchen door, we have found it– the familiarity of place-making. Still, I feel like home is more an act of surrender than it is an address on our electric bill.

You might feel that– at least the painful part of the surrender. You know it doesn’t always come easily. Sometimes the work is in the love that we choose for the place we are given. We make accidental memories and then return to them again like a child in a twirl. Sometimes we build it with conscious decisions to celebrate the present. Other times it is built in us despite our desire to run away, back to what was familiar.

But I know that even when we are not yet comfortable, God is good. I know that when we would choose to change a thousand things, He is doing a thousand things deep within us. In that place that is only uncovered in the uncomfortable, He is at work. And He can be trusted.

*******

One of our family’s accidental traditions has grown into a brief, yearly trip to the Georgia Mountains. This year we picked apples in late summer and hiked and rested and laughed until the very last minute was over. My sweet mother in law made this delicious Cinnamon Apple Crisp and we’ve made it three times since then. See what I did there? Accidental tradition. It’s warm and simple and spiced and delicious. Make it. You won’t regret it.

Print
Apple Crisp
Author: Cynthia Stuckey
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  30 mins
Total time:  40 mins
Serves: 8-10 servings
 
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup melted butter
  • 7 cups sliced, peeled, cored apples
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • ⅔ cup All purpose flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp white or raw sugar
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon plus ½ tsp cinnamon
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 375' F
  2. Butter or spray a 13x9 Glass Baking Dish
  3. Layer apples in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with lemon juice, tbsp of sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon
  4. In a large bowl, combine flour, pecans, brown sugar, salt, oats, melted butter, and cinnamon. Mix.
  5. Sprinkle topping evenly over apples
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until light brown.
  7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
3.5.3228

 

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Comments

  1. 1

    Rachel says

    October 27, 2017 at 2:40 pm

    I’m in a green place right now and this is a good word from a good girl. Thanks, Cynthia ? also – I am excited to make this Apple crisp!

    Reply
    • 2

      HappyGoStuckey says

      November 3, 2017 at 4:18 pm

      Thank you so much, friend. I hope that green place deepens with time. <3 Much Love!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Sonya Earnest says

    November 8, 2017 at 5:44 pm

    God spoke to my heart through your words. We moved September 9th from a 4 bedroom house in a neighborhood to 13 acres w/ pond & a 2 bedroom trailer. Our plans are to build a house but in the meantime…..!!!
    Different seasons take some adjusting but I’m learning. Thanks for your encouraging words.

    Reply
  3. 4

    Amy says

    September 20, 2018 at 11:02 am

    Cynthia, what a beautiful testament to home and place. I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to do it.

    Can’t wait for the apple crisp to spread cinnamon perfume all over my house. 🤤

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. What I Learned & Loved in the Fall. says:
    November 30, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    […] Four. With every single October here that starts sweltering and ends crisp & colorful– I am ho…. We celebrated our seventh anniversary of moving to Georgia this fall and each year it seems I learn a new lesson about surrender and finding and making home. This year’s lesson was a quieter one. A more peaceful head nod at how far God has brought us in our place-making, how much more delight I find with every new autumn. I feel more alive in the fall. I just do, and it seems that our initial surrender has deepened into a slow contented sigh. […]

    Reply

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Hey There!

I'm Cynthia and I'm so glad you're here. I am an introvert with an extrovert's love of gathering people together. I love good books and capturing moments. Whether you visit me here or on my own front porch, I'll be the one holding the Iced Coffee for us both.

Instagram

happygostuckey

Instagram post 2191701631330368631_396980240 This year, the 🍋lemon tree🌿 gave fewer lemons than normal. I asked my Dad and he confirmed, just a slow year.

So we picked (still armfuls,) and I’ll love every one.
If you read #feastingandforaging (have I mentioned I wrote a book? Gosh, that is never not awkward.😅) If you read it, then you know how special this tree is to me.

Again this year, I’m reminded all over again that our sweetest gifts are sometimes cloaked in harder things. Often our ‘unexpected ugh’ makes way for what we truly need.

And I just want you to know that if this December is already more than you wanted or less than you hoped, if you’re sitting at the end of a very long year— take courage.
Take peace.
Take hope and as you pass around the gift of the Advent to those beside you, don’t forget to also take some for yourself.

Don’t forget to remember that the Hope of this season (and every other,) cannot be squelched by sickness, pain, or the general ugh of life in a broken world.

We have this Hope and it is one that won’t be diminished by anything that could land in our laps today.
#prepareHimroom
Instagram post 2191016735687527448_396980240 Sometimes I think I could live in New York but I’m low-key afraid I might eat bagels every day. 🥯🍎☕️ (TB to October when @friar_stuck and I took our Pio Bagels to @devocionusa and pretended we were regulars.) ✨What city would you love to live in if it didn’t mean leaving where you are?✨
Instagram post 2189510127085979732_396980240 Home sweet merry little home.🎄This December will be busier than most for our family, so I’m treasuring every single slow moment we are gifted. Starting today with homemade lattes and little white lights.✨ #merrymerrystuckeys
Instagram post 2187513959237917323_396980240 We can all agree the point of the charcuterie platter is to get as many family members into one room at once, right? The cheese is just a bonus. {yes, second charcuterie pic this week. Because holidays. And family. And the sweet full feeling that comes not from eating too much pie, but seeing almost all of your entire family in one day.} ❤️🦃 Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends. 
#feastingandforaging #charcuterieboard #f52byyou #allthecheese #gratefulforhome #savourtheseasonalshift #simplethingsmadebeautiful #merrymerrystuckeys #almondavenuecrew
Instagram post 2185903851697559572_396980240 🍁Maybe she’s born with it.
Maybe it’s Maple Leaves.🍁 I know that when the clock strikes midnight on Thursday, everyone switches to Christmas— but I’m probably going to be here with leaf spam for just a bit longer... 😏
Instagram post 2183058239117455684_396980240 ✨In a world where you can be anything, be the one who volunteers to bring charcuterie. ✨
🧀🥖🍇🌿
Bonus points if your flannel shirt- wearing husband can hold said charcuterie while you take a million photos of cheese in the golden hour.

#feastingandforaging #charcuterieboard #thanksgivingdinner #onthetable #f52byyou #foodie #savourtheseasonalshift #simplethingsmadebeautiful #chasethelight #bluehousekitchen #merrymerrystuckeys #gratefuldays #cheeseboard #gratefulforhome #iwentlookingforbeauty #ofsimplethings
Instagram post 2181659993774021605_396980240 You’re Kale-ing me, smalls.

Listen. Kale is that self-righteous leafy green that everyone feels like they should eat, meanwhile many of us are secretly not enjoying it and I just need to say— yes, but... have you massaged your kale?

No, don’t go. I promise this is not a joke. Kale is packed with vitamins, but it’s kind of bitter and grass-clipping-like. However. 3-5 minutes of prep work and it’s downright tasty. Here’s my three step process—

Remove the stems and rip your kale in large bite sized pieces.
Add it to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. 
Massage it. Really. With your hands. For 3-4 minutes. The kale will darken in color and will release that bitter smell.

And... you’re done. Now build your kale salad with the total certainty that you won’t get tired of chewing before the end of your meal. 
Pictured: Kale Caesar Salad with Ten Minute Croutons from #feastingandforaging 🥖🌿
Instagram post 2179451951070532163_396980240 Another fall.
Here in this city we love.
Here in this BlueHouse where we’ve learned to mark our days in falling leaves & saturday morning pancakes.

I’m not sure where you are and how you feel about tomorrow, or next month even. But before the weekend wears the clothes of Monday preparation, here is your friendly reminder—

Even if the future is obscured by foggy uncertainty, the present can still be shimmering with lovely. 
#feastingandforaging #hopewriters #hopelenses #simplethingsmadebeautiful #savourtheseasonalshift #daysofsmallthings #ofsimplethings #beallthere #weareplacemakers 
#nothingisordinary #lifegivinghome #learntolovewhatmustbedone #chasinglight #everydayfaithfulness #gratefulforhome
Instagram post 2175841201919747949_396980240 There is nothing like a blustery, drizzly day to remind you of all the reasons why November is lovely in all its getting-dark-early glory. ✨
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