We had a wonderful Easter Sunday.
Many of our children and grandchildren joined us at the Governor’s Residence for a beautiful spring afternoon. We all enjoyed our picnic style lunch. And there was nothing more fun than watching the little ones find the Easter eggs hidden around the gardens and in the daffodils.
Daffodils surround the beautiful bronze “To Life” sculpture of a family, done by artist Arthur Tibor, in memory of the families and those who died in the Holocaust. The cherry trees were in full bloom and I pointed out the Japanese cherry tree that is a descendant of one that First Lady Nellie Taft planted around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. It just couldn’t have been a more beautiful day!
On Monday morning Mike and I continued our visit of vaccination sites. Colleges and universities around the state are now starting to vaccinate their students. Mike and I stopped by the Schottenstein Center where The Ohio State University is giving shots to the students. Mike really wanted to see how it was going. We were met by President Kristina Johnson, Dr. Andy Thomas, and many staff and volunteers who were helping with the vaccinations. We talked to many of the students who were getting shots, and asked them if they had misgivings, or just what their thoughts were. Most of them told us they were excited to go home and see their grandparents and friends, and they also wanted to protect others. They just wanted to get back to class as normal and get their lives back — and set an example for others to do the same. I gave lots of Buckeye Brownies to the students.
In my conversation with Dr. Johnson, whose home is close to the Governor’s Residence, we talked about what a beautiful Easter Sunday it was. I told her I loved seeing the gardens really opening up, and how even my rhubarb was about a foot high and ready to pull. Dr. Johnson told me she had a great recipe for a strawberry-rhubarb pie that she would share with me.
Yesterday I made Dr. Johnson’s strawberry-rhubarb pie. Mike thought it was his lucky day — the first fruit pie of the season! The pie was delicious. It doesn’t have too much sugar; you can add a little more if you want. I thought the strawberries were nice and sweet and the touch of nutmeg was perfect!
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
2 sticks rhubarb, preferably yellow/red
3 cups strawberries, quartered
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup granulated white (or brown) sugar
pinch of nutmeg
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Stir into a pastry dish, with pie crust covering. Then cover with top pastry crust. Pinch around the edges and use the fork prongs to punch holes in the top doughy crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the crust browns. Optional — add a dab of butter on top crust after 45 to 50 minutes. Take out of oven. Cool and add ice cream if desired.
