I used to say I could be the next Rachael Ray if I could just get on TV! Well, I might not be Rachael yet, but I did make it on television. Thanks to the City of Shelbyville for sponsoring Just Peachy, I had a television spot on IndyNow on Fox59 this past Friday. It was a great opportunity to showcase some of the delicious items we have at the cafe and talk about this gem in Shelbyville.
The city chose us to for the spot because of our perseverance story. I didn’t highlight it much in the interview but, for those who do not know it, I thought I’d share it here. We opened the cafe in November 2019. I knew it would be challenging opening up a new restaurant heading into the slower, cold months of the year, but had hopes that would just give us a chance to perfect our craft before the busy season. November went by with a few hiccups due to downtown construction. We had some days that we had to close for water issues and sidewalk repair. BUT, we kept plugging along. Until March of 2020. When everything shut down. When everything came to a halt. You remember. You were there. Stay home, they said. Wear a mask, they said. And we did. For weeks, people stayed home and couldn’t work. However, we were still at the cafe cooking! Doing what we do and coming up with new ways to serve the community.
And, at last, it passed. We slowly were able to reopen. First, we opened at 25% capacity, then 50%, 75% and finally 100%! Praise the Lord, we made it! No more masks, face shields, or weird signage on the door.
After that, we have consistently found ways to increase our service to the community: Outside dining, catering, our new food truck, and who knows what else I’ll come up with!
So maybe in the end, I don’t want to be the next Rachael Ray. I think I’ll just be happy being Peachy in Shelbyville and serving you all!
You’ve heard it takes a village to raise kids, right? I say it takes a village to succeed at anything!
December in the hospitality world is crazy! We need more hands, more hours in the day, and more storage space for 31 days straight. Then, in my world, someone says “I have an idea!” and we add a food truck to the list of to-do’s! Things are never dull when you’re serving others.
But my village. Let me tell you of my village. My mother, my ride or die, signs up for every event she can to make my life easier. My husband, he’s the first to help lift, carry, & fix what needs to be done. My staff, oh heavens, my staff. These people take every bright idea I come up with and make it happen. Yeah, they’re getting paid but they go above and beyond EVERY TIME.
Example, I scheduled Shelle in yesterday to knock out 115 box lunches with Jacob and deliver them for me. She could have left after that but knew help was needed, so she stayed all day and offered support at the cafe.
Garreth, my 20 year old son from another mother (my boy’s best friend), ran things to me at the food truck SIX TIMES yesterday! He filled my generator and brought back more gas for me. Not to mention, we had a clogged drain that he handled at the cafe (it was quite gross). Nowhere in his job description does it say any of this.
Sheri took it upon herself to get the race schedule of the 2900 racers at the cross country track & plan a seating strategy to make our Saturday go smoother in the cafe. I didn’t even think about getting that schedule. They say surround yourself with people smarter than you, and I do!!
Jacob made every catering this week go out the door without a hitch. The trays were beautiful and the clients were happy.
Chef Amy, made sure the I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed on everything happening at the cafe as I ran around executing things. When you all love that food, it’s thanks to her. Then, to top it off, she did some end of the day maintenance on Saturday that was MUCH appreciated. It was something a less dedicated person would have left for me to handle on Monday. It was a mess and her and Shelle took care of it so I didn’t have to.
Angie, Makayla, Makenzi, Carol, Kiera, & Kelsey has handled all the extra business like pros! They have been coming in earlier or on off shifts. Handling all the extra guests, orders, & dishes in the spirit of the season.
Our goal is to give the last guest at 2pm the same service as the 1st guest at 8am. There are a lot of people between those hours. There are a lot of personalities, demands, happiness, irritation, sweet behaviors, & ugly behaviors. It’s not always easy and maybe sometimes we don’t succeed. But we try. Thank you for trying with us!
The success of this restaurant is thanks to my team, my village that surrounds me. Without them, these 5 years in business wouldn’t have happened. If, Lord forbid, something happens and we fail, it lies solely on me. The buck stops here. As a business owner, success is shared, failure is solo. So to my village that makes Just Peachy function so well, THANK YOU!! To our amazing guests who make Just Peachy such a success, THANK YOU!
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Stay Peachy, Friends
-Charity 🍑
(Who will be getting some rest in 1 week after the last holiday catering is done!!)
In 1999, my friend Jenny & I drew a funny dream picture of us owning a hot dog stand on the beach. We were both graduating from Purdue with degrees in RHIT (Restaurant , Hotel, Institutions, & Tourism) and dreams of being business owners. Well, the hot dog stand didn’t work out, but this business owner thing seems to be going ok!
November 18, 2024 marks 5 years since Just Peachy Cafe had its grand opening! I’m beyond honored and humbled at the success of my little cafe. When opening, I never imagined we would host the amount of guests every day that we do. Saying I am grateful to this community for its support is an understatement.
SWHS Student Council Fundraiser
Over the years, we have seen many changes and growth. When we purchased the cafe, I added a small 24” by 24” hoodless griddle because I felt that was probably as big as we needed. Not to mention, equipment is expensive and I needed to get the doors open ASAP! Never would I have imagined that 2 years later I’d need to add a full exhaust/hood system and a much larger griddle. Some days, we could use a griddle twice this size to keep up. It’s amazing.
Other improvements, include concreting the patio, adding an outdoor tent for dining, upgrading the antique doors, adding a computer system, upgrading countless pieces of equipment, the creation of a beautiful mural, & (most recently) adding the Bites & Bevs food truck. Each new thing that happens might seem normal to the naked eye. To this small town girl’s eye, it’s one more step on an incredible journey.
Some of our staff has come & gone and we’ll be forever grateful to that group of people who got us started off strong!
2019, Day 1
Special mention to Sheri Hobbins who is the only original peach left. She is an amazing team member and her family has become family to my family. My mom was doing the interviews the day Sheri came in and I’m so glad they hit it off! She is the rock in my front of the house.
I’d also like to give a shoutout to some of our die hard fans that are in so often. We have quite a few guests who mean so much to us, so if I miss you, please forgive me.
Mary Hartsburg
The Nolley Family
Amy Conner
The Limpus family
Paulita Thomason
The Drakes
Mr Grey
Brandy Coomes
Vern
Diane
Mr Polston
Janet Pribble
The Mings
MHP – the whole hospital!
Ron & Anna
John Boyle
Our friends in purple
The Taylor family
Mike Stephenson
Luke
The Sandman Brothers
Brice Mitchell
And there are SO MANY more that I can’t list you all 💛. Thank you for your support.
Life work balance is a BIG deal for me. Which is why our hours stay M-Sat, 8am-2pm and we’re closed on major holidays. It’s important to me that not only I get the time I need with my loved ones, but that my staff does as well. By keeping hours tight, I am able to employ the best of the best. The folks that serve you every day care about your happiness and satisfaction. They care about the success of the establishment and our reputation. They are not JUST employees and this isn’t JUST a job.
SWHS Prom 2023SWHS Prom 2022Our first PEACHY WEDDING 2020
And I hope that, to you, this isn’t JUST a restaurant. I hope that we feel like home (without the dishes).
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for going on this journey with us!
Oh Deer! Deer, deer, everywhere I look, I see deer! I just drove into the Big Meadows campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park and they are not joking when they say “watch for deer”. They are in the roads, at the campsite, and by the shower houses. Beautiful creatures! And these guys are fearless.   If you have followed me for long, you know that each year I try to do a section of the AT, the Appalachian Trail. It’s a trail that runs appx 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Many people complete the trail in one long hike which lasts about 6 months. They are called thru hikers. I’m a section hiker. I pick and choose which section I want to do and will probably finish at the age of 80!
This trip is a little different. After a back injury last year, I think my backpacking days are behind me. (No pun intended) No more carrying a 30lb pack up and down mountains and sleeping on the ground. This year, I packed up my SUV as a mini camper and I’ll be sleeping in the SUV at a base camp and day hiking my sections. Not sure I’ll get as many miles per day in as I would backpacking, but as with every season of our lives, I’ll adapt this activity too. 
So I’m hanging out on my bed in my SUV, watching it rain, reading my book, and watching the deer family enjoy the Apple tree in my campsite.
Maybe this will be the year I FINALLY see a bear!!! (I’ve been hiking in the mountains since 2016 and have never run into one!)
Sleep well and stay peachy! -Peachy (my trail name)
Day 2 (Wednesday) First night in the Wamper(it’s a Wagoneer so we’ll call it the Wamper: Wagoneer+camper) was good!! It rained all night so it was MUCH better than being in a tent. My memory foam & air mattress bed were very comfortable and much better than anything I could have loaded into a backpack. I covered each window with sun visors so that no one could see in and I felt very safe. (I know a lot of you worry about my safety doing this alone) One thing I have already decided about camping in the Wamper, is I need more organization! I don’t like clutter and small places need organized. So next time, I need better organizing. I feel like everything is everywhere! I got to sleep in till 7am! It’s still raining but I have a little fire, made some peanut butter cup coffee, and I’m waiting for a break in the rain to start hiking.
Two hours later….. No break in the rain to be seen. In fact, it rained all day and through the second night! I took the opportunity of a rainy day and drove around Shenandoah Park. I’m sure the overlooks are beautiful, but all I could see was fog today. Better luck next time.
I did do a short 2-3 mile hike to visit a couple water falls. It was a wet trip but i didn’t mind. The falls were gorgeous!
The maps warn that they are usually very busy, so pro-tip – go when it’s raining! I met up with a family that took my picture- Thank you random folks! I also met 2 retired police dogs and their people. Such sweet dogs. Found a yellow tailed lizard too.
Back to the car, with heat turned up to dry me out, and I found a lodge. Shenandoah knows what they are doing! The Skyline drive runs through different sections of the park. I’m staying in Big Meadows. I drove up the road and found Skyland. I walked into the lodge and there is a Starbucks! This has got to be the roughest mountain trip I’ve ever been on! lol! There was also a restaurant/taproom. I decided to hang out, enjoy the foggy view and read my book. Meanwhile, I enjoyed some Italian wedding soup and, Omgoodness, a piece of Blackberry Ice Cream pie with Mile high meringue & fresh berries. I might have to go back for a second piece!!
I was still waiting for the rain to stop so I drove around a little more, hung out at camp, then went up to another little cafe in Big Meadows called the Wayside. Read my book for a good while in the warm, dry cafe then had the most delicious smash burger! It was called. Virginia Smash burger and it was 2 beef patties with a special sauce, pimento cheese, & a fried green tomato. I think fried green tomatoes would be about the only thing I would ever be talked into frying at the cafe! One of my favorites! That burger was amazing!
Weather forecast said it was supposed to clear up around 5pm, but Virginia weather just as accurate as Indiana and it rained all night. So early to bed!
Oh! Bear report… still no bear sighting.
Day 3 (Thursday) No rain!! Time to hike!! It started as a great morning with campfire coffee and hanging by the fire to read my book for a while. I got my gear organized and wrote my note to put on my car (just in case anything happened, there would be a record of my journey for search & rescue. Safety first!)
I headed to Lewis falls trail and the weather was great! Actually a bit warm which was a nice change of pace. I intermittently had cell service, unfortunately, and found out the cafe was having a computer problem. Big thanks to my hubs who went in to handle tech support and thanks for the patience of the clientele who were inconvenienced. The Lewis water fall was beautiful! It was also a perfect place for lunch and some book reading.
Getting back to the trail was a bit tricky. If you’ve ever hiked around a water source, nature makes its own paths which can be confused with the actual trail. So after a few back and forth moments, & a trip to nowhere in the woods, I backtracked and found the correct trail. These trails are marked with a blue blaze on trees every so often so you know you’re on the right path.
Then I saw it. My white blaze marking the Appalachian trail. I didn’t spend much time on it, but it was good to see.
I then came upon Black Rock. I was finally able to see a bit of a view as the fog was lifting. I sat here for a good while enjoying the quiet and thinking of the future.
After returning to camp, I realized my solitude is coming to an end. Today is Thursday and with the weekend, comes more campers. Oh well, the peacefulness was nice while it lasted.
I did experience something different today. A quarter operated shower! Since the campground is along the AT, and many thru hikers are just looking for a quick shower and resupply, they have pay showers. $5 for 10 minutes! Totally worth it though.
And…… still NO bear sightings!
Day 4 (Friday)
I was supposed to leave this morning but weather forecast predicted it would be the nicest day yet & they were right!! So I booked one more night, having to change campsites since my original one was booked by someone else, and I’ll be leaving in the morning (Saturday)
I do have to say, the best time to visit Shenandoah National Forest and trails would be Sunday- Thursday. Once Thurs evening rolled around, so did the campers and hikers. I got the last site still available for this evening. The trails were definitely more crowded too.
However, I had a GREAT day! My day started with coffee by the fire, of course. And the locals put on an amazing show for my entertainment.
I then drove up to the lodge restaurant for some WiFi with my hubby and a short stack of pancakes with blackberry compote! Wow. Sooo good! I mean, not Just Peachy good, but they did hit the spot.
I hiked on the AT, then to Rose River Falls, then back by Dark hollow Falls (that I did in the rain Wednesday) then back to camp. All in all, it was a 7 mile hike. Excellent. I’m so glad I stayed today to enjoy this weather.
I finished my hike with a milkshake. Blackberry milkshakes overlooking the mountains are A.Maze.Ing, if you were wondering.
I’m going to finish my day with another Virginia Smash Burger, buying some souvenirs, and enjoying my campfire for one last night.
My new site was situated very close to my neighbors. Usually, I would not have been very happy about this but they were all lovely people. I met a couple from the Netherlands here on their honeymoon and a man from the Air Force stationed in Washington DC. Neat people and good company on my last night here.
How many times do you go into a restaurant, place a to go order, and low-and-behold they turn that payment screen around to you and it asks how you want to tip? Does it bother you? Do you care?
Let me explain why it does this.
The same system is being used whether you are dining in or taking out. The payment screen is the same and cannot be changed. We NEVER expect tips to be given on to-go orders. We ALWAYS appreciate it but you’ll get the same service with a smile no matter what button you press. In fact, we usually don’t look at individual checks to see who has tipped what. It all evens out at the end of the day.
So, next time a server or cashier flips that screen around for a signature and it asks for your tip preference, choose what you want with no guilt or irritation. That NO TIP option is there for a reason.
Now, don’t get me wrong, tips are always appreciated, especially when dining in.
Personally, my rule of thumb when dining out is a standard 20% then it goes up or down based on service. SERVICE, not the fact that the kids next to you are noisy, not the fact that the music is too loud, not the fact that the kitchen put tomatoes on your sandwich. Now I will say, service includes how those issues are handled. See where I’m going with this? Service is how your particular server takes care of your table.
The other big discussion is, “Why not just pay servers more so they don’t rely on tips?”
Goodness, I’d LOVE, to pay all my folks $15-$20/hour. Unfortunately, could you imagine what that would do to the price of your daily cheeseburger?!?! Food prices are high enough these days without tripling/quadrupling the labor portion of the price!
Lets re-cap:
Tipping screens are universal, tip how you want on to-go orders knowing we do not take it personally so you shouldn’t either. (Unless you DO tip, then we LOVE THAT!)
This winter has been pretty uneventful by the way of news. I mean, some exciting things have happened. For instance, in September, we hired Chef Amy Beyer who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Seattle Washington. Chef Amy has been a great asset to the cafe and blended into the team wonderfully. Her leadership skills and ease in the kitchen are much appreciated. It leaves me time to work ON my business, not just IN my business. (Not to mention a few days off to hike when I want!)
In December, we participated in the Mistletoe Marketplace again. If you aren’t familiar, you should definitely plan to attend next year. There are vendors, rides, local restaurants, and (most important) SANTA!!
January was a quiet one. And just like at home, when its quiet, we clean! Nothing like some kitchen spring cleaning in January to pass the time. We did some really fun caterings too, one of which was a wine tasting sponsored by the Major Hospital Foundation. They had individual Charcuterie boards at each place setting. It was a really neat event and organized very well by their department. Hats off to Ms LaTisha Idlewine for her hard work on all she does!
February brought on our annual Valentine’s Dinner. This year we had more guests than ever and a great time was had by all! We served 3 courses consisting of Salad, a combination plate of Chicken with a Mushroom sauce, Beef Tenderloin, Mashed Potato Puree, and Roasted vegetables, then a Silk Chocolate Mousse for dessert. Thanks to all who attended and who helped make the night a success!
If you have been following us for a while, you know that I had plans to build on an addition where our patio is. Unfortunately, do to the cost of EVERYTHING these days, that isn’t going to happen. I do want to retire at some point in my life. What is going to happen, though, is we will be pulling up the uneven pavers and pouring a nice concrete patio. I know they look neat but they cause the tables to sit uneven and my servers’ legs to kill them at the end of the day. So for the safety of everyone’s iced teas, we’ll be replacing the bricks. We’ve contracted a local gentleman, Travis Atwood of Atwood Concrete Construction, to take care of this for us. Hopefully, construction will start in April and we’ll be all set to serve on the patio for Mother’s Day!
In April, Shelbyville will be hosting thousands of spectators who wish to be in the areas of the Total Eclipse. We’ll have special hours over that weekend to accommodate everyone. So for all of you who wish we were open later on the weekends, here is your chance! We’ll have dinner specials, Eclipse themed mocktails, and viewing glasses (while supplies last).
Last but not least, MOTHER’S DAY is coming up! We will be open on Mother’s Day Sunday from 8-2pm. We cannot wait to celebrate with you and your families!
But WAIT! There’s MORE! Check out the Special Event Section of my page to hear some great music my dad and his band (from the ’70s) put out in 1975.
The American Way
This has been a pretty boring blog, sorry. More informational than anything. No hidden gems of wisdom, no funny antidotes. I guess if I can leave you with anything, it would be this…. If you own/run your own place, surround yourself with people who are working to make life easier on everyone. Really, that is how life should be in general, right? If I’m working my hardest and you’re working your hardest, in the end, we all succeed.
Stay Peachy, Friends!
-Charity
Easy Chocolate Mousse
1 package chocolate instant pudding
2 cups heavy whipping crea
1/3 cup whole milk
8oz Cool whip
Mix first 3 ingredients until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip until combined. Chill till ready to serve.
Day 1 Mountain Harbour Bed & Breakfast to Dennis Cove to Moreland Gap Shelter
I’m at it again. Back on the Appalachian trail for my 2nd solo hike. 💪🏼. All in all, this hike wil be about 25 miles with 5437 ft ascent and 5067ft descent. The highest point along the route is at 4200 ft above sea level.
This hike has been planned for quite awhile. I was supposed to have completed it in April. As some of you know though, my son and I were in a car accident in March. With a broken hand and a messed up back, hiking 25 miles in the mountains (with a 30 pound pack) was not going to happen after a month’s time of healing. Fast forward to October and the hand is healed but back still gets tired some. I just didn’t want to miss my mountain time this year.
HostelBed & Breakfast
I headed out Sunday morning to Roan Mountain area, TN to stay at a bed and breakfast that someone told me about 6 years ago. For 6 years, I have dreamed of these people’s breakfast because it is known all up and down the Appalachian trail as the BEST breakfast spread on trail. I decided to stay here for the night and start fresh Monday morning. I usually opt for a private room when I stay at these hostels but this time I stayed in the hostel which is like a bunk house for hikers. Multiple beds in a room and we all share a bathroom or two. It wasn’t bad. It, by far, was the cleanest hostel I have ever been in. The wood floors in the loft area I stayed in literally shined.
Loft Area
But breakfast….. OMGoodness! These folks had muffins, French toast (served with local syrup and pecans), tomato pie, egg soufflé, potatoes, all the meats, fruit, a beautiful braided pastry, breakfast quesadillas, biscuits, gravy, apple butter, coffees, teas, & juices. It was the finest spread I’ve seen except my momma’s holiday breakfast spread! Let me repeat…. MOUNTAIN HARBOUR B&B if you need a beautiful place to stay on the mountains. Their private rooms looked very nice too if you aren’t into the $30 bed 🙂
Beautiful table settingsThe owner’s mother telling us what is for breakfast
While there, I met a flip flopper (a hiker who started at the middle of the AT, hiked all the way to Maine, then went back to the beginning in Georgia and will hike back to the middle). His name is Waterboy. Quiet guy with plans to do the PCT trail when he finishes this. Also met Sarge. Ex-Marine who is out here to, as they say, loose his mind and find his soul. Sounds like he has been a mentor to different people on the trail who failed to test gear out at home before coming out here. This morning at breakfast, met a couple from Missouri. They gave me their real names but she described themselves as June Cleaver & Evil Knievel and now that’s all I remember! They are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary! Congratulations Ms Cleaver and Mr Knievel.
The owner of MH, Dave (an ex marine, California native) shuttled me to my starting point at Dennis Cove.
my starting point
I started hiking south and stopped a short 6.4 miles at my first campsite. It’s kind of early but I was afraid if I hiked on I’d be stuck between good sites to hunker down. I had a fire, ate dinner, and hit the sleeping pad by 8pm.
random building on trail Part of the trailGorgeous viewsThere are groups & individuals that take care of the trail by clearing downed trees and picking up after others. Night 1 dinner & cook system
It was a good night. The frogs sang to me all night, no bears stopped to say hi, and it didn’t rain. However, I did figure out I probably wasn’t ready to venture back out to sleep on a thin air mattress again so soon.
Day 2 Moreland Gap Shelter to Walnut Mountain
Waking up on a hard ground when your’e over 45, might be ok for some but this lady says it’s for the birds. At least this time around. I was apprehensive about taking this trip anyhow since my accident was just 6 months ago. So much could go wrong and there aren’t a lot of rescue points. I had a scare last night as I was walking for water. The source was 100 yards down hill and I slipped on a small stick that rolled under my feet. Luckily, I went down gracefully and didn’t cause any damage.
Today I had my coffee (instant) and some delicious oatmeal (pour water in it to set) to start my day. I stopped every hour to take off my pack and rest.
The views were gorgeous. You’ll see pictures but without feeling the breeze and hearing the stillness, it’s hard to for you to get the full feeling of it.
This spot had a memorial bench at it. A perfect place to rest and appreciate the beauty. You can see my Garmin InReach SOS device and my Damsel in Defense alarm on my shoulder strapLots of odds mushrooms out today!Water Source on the trailThru hikers headed SOBO (south bound) will have already hiked 1800 miles at this point.
After walking about 7 more miles today, I was at my last bail out point before committing to the rest of the hike.
I decided that I’d seen beautiful views, pretty water falls, and recharged enough that sleeping on the ground one more night wasn’t necessary. So I called in the Calvary (a local shuttle) to come get me.
I’m now back at the hostel chilling for the night.
Post hike pizza… yum!!
It’s been another great experience. I’m glad I came. I’m also glad I know my body’s limits and know when to push or when to be sensible.
All in all, it was 14.3 mile hike, 45,000 steps, and one night on the ground.
Till we meet again, Appalachian Trail. It just might be in my camper next time 🤣
Stay Peachy, friends!
-Charity (or as my new trail friends, who have given me a trail name call me- Peachy!)
I spent this snowy, cold Sunday binging on cooking shows and movies. Nothing can inspire a cook more than other cooks – or chefs. I watched the season of The Bear on Hulu, some Gordon Ramsey episodes, and the movie Julie & Julia.
The Bear & his staff are very loud and passionate about their work. Everything revolves around the restaurant and family. Can I tell you how true this is? I mean, maybe not always the loud and the foul language, but the revolving around food and family. It truly is where we come from. We want everything perfect and when it doesn’t go that way, it is upsetting. We show our love by feeding you all. If we fall short, it is almost like we’ve betrayed your trust. So we try our hardest to fulfill our duty to connect the food of our dreams to your tastebuds. Every day brings on new challenges and opportunities to connect with you.
Now Gordon, he seems to have many different faces. Whether he is dealing with a failing kitchen, a struggling staff, or children, we always see a different side of him. The one constant, though, is that he is a rock star in the kitchen. He wants the best quality out of anyone around him. I get that. We don’t have the name calling, but we do strive for the quality!
Julia Child. Wow. Say no more. She inspired so many people. If you haven’t seen Julie & Julia, it is about a lady named Julie who writes a blog. The blog is about her working her way through Julia Child’s cookbook. No one has loved food and the pleasure it brings, like Ms Child. She was in love with food, Paris, her husband, and life beyond measure.
The last chef? Charity? Not on TV, not in the movies, and no famous cookbook. BUT I have the heart of Julia, the devotion of Gordon, and the drive of the Bear to please your palates; to make you feel like family every time you come in. That is my goal. That is my purpose in this community.
I’m looking forward to a new week of cooking and creating for you.
May your beef bourguignon be well seasoned, your souffles not deflate, and your pasta stay al dente.
Stay Peachy, friends!
-Charity
Julia Child’s Braised Cucumbers
1 huge cucumber (or 2 regular sized)
1 tablespoon butter
1 dash salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pinch dried mint
Peel cucumber. Cut into quarters and remove seeds. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Melt butter in a pan and add cucumber. Cover and cook about 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir in salt, lemon, and mint. Cover and cook another 2 minutes.
‘Tis the season for the men (and women) of my family to head off into the woods to hunt. Now, before you start in on “we should get our meat from the grocery store like everyone else”, please know that we hunt smart, safe, and only kill what we eat. That, however, is a different topic for a different page.
I’m talking today about the many memes and shirts and cartoons out there that show sad, crying women who ‘loose’ their husbands from Oct to Dec during hunting season. I’ve never really bought into that. You see, my husband was a hunter when I married him. I’m happy he has something he enjoys doing and I’m ok that I do not have to be a part of it. Trust me, if I’m in a tree stand, there will be no deer approaching! I CANNOT sit still! So, there goes the first option for me on how to deal with hunting season. There will be no hunting for me. That doesn’t mean you can’t join your man or woman who enjoys it. Just remember this if you do decide to join them, it is their time. It is their peace and their enjoyment. If you aren’t in it to really enjoy it with them, leave them alone. Let them have this.
So, what do I do? I find my own peace and enjoyment. I might go to a festival with my mom or friends. I might plan projects to complete that I know my husband would want to help with but I choose to do alone. This weekend, I hooked up the camper and came out to enjoy some quiet time in the woods. He enjoys his thing, I enjoy mine. **If you aren’t quite this adventurous, start out small. Take a book or a magazine to a coffee shop and try 30 minutes of quiet time.
When the kids were younger, this was a little more difficult. Now that they are teenagers, it is much easier to find me time since they have their own schedules. Doesn’t mean the 30 minute phone call from my 18 year old didn’t brighten up my whole day yesterday though. I think he is bound and determined to make me learn about cars whether I want to or not! So, mamas of littles, hang in there. There will be a day you can enjoy a shower without someone asking where their shoes are through the door. Once again, another topic for another day.
So, to my husband who supports me in my independence and doesn’t expect me to stay at home waiting on him to finish his hunting trip, THANK YOU! If any of you ladies out there see yourself as ‘hunting widows’ (and want to change it because some people are ok with it), give me a shout! Maybe we can have coffee or I can give you a ‘me time’ challenge to spread your wings.
Stay Peachy, friends!
-Charity
Brookville Lake Campground
Venison Stew
4-5 lb Venison Roast
3 cups Water
1 package of dried onion soup mis
Diced Carrots and Potatoes
In crockpot, place all ingredients. Cook on high for 8 hours or until roast is tender and at least 145°
I have been in the food industry since I was a pre-teen. My ‘why’ for being in this business has changed throughout the years though. At first, I did it because it was a family business and that is just what you do. Then, it was all I know and, really, what else would I do? Then the opportunity to create and experiment was a good reason to continue in this business. Somewhere in there, a love of cooking was a big reason. And finally, most of all, it was a love of serving those around me. However, with any job, sometimes it becomes a bit monotonous.
When I opened the café, I couldn’t wait to share some of my favorite recipes with everyone. But after peeling approximately 7500 pounds of potatoes over the last 3 years, my love for potato soup has dwindled some! Until this past Sunday. It was a beautiful day at my farmhouse. I had the windows open, a movie playing (yes, it was a Hallmark Christmas movie. Don’t judge me), and it was time to cook. I made potato soup & apple pie for my family. It was a very rewarding afternoon. It reminded me of when I first developed those recipes and WHY I wanted to share them. It brought me back to the beginning – back to basics.
So no matter what you do, you probably started because of a love of something. I know not everyone gets that luxury, but for those that do, when the work day/week gets mundane, remember why you started. Are you an accountant? Did you choose that because you enjoyed math as a kid? I’m sure there are some fun story problems you could find on the internet to take you back to the beginning. Are you a builder? Why not take a minute and build something with a kid or maybe something small for a neighbor (perhaps a birdhouse?) Find your joy in you job again.
I always love what I do. Somedays I just love it more than others. But when I peeled potatoes on Monday for my Just Peachy family, I remembered standing over my kitchen sink peeling them for the Elliott family as I looked across the hay fields by my house. Basic. When you find your joy starting to waver, take it back to the beginning and remember your why.
