Who doesn't love pie? Would you travel miles for a slice of that homemade, fresh, sweetly tart fruit, and that scrumptious crispy buttery crust? My husband and I did after we heard on NPR radio about the "Pie Lady" who bought the Gothic house in Eldon Iowa. Ok, maybe it wasn't that many miles but we were on our way home from the Social Security office in Ottumwa to Fairfield and Tim reminded me about the "Pie Lady". We were kind of in a hurry to get back home to our jobs, but had a little time to spare.
I responed by saying why don't we go and get some of that pie. We were hungry anyway.
To our surprise, we discovered a museum dedicated to Grant Wood's famous painting of the stern couple standing in front of the famous American Gothic house. A pleasant young lady named Holly, the director of the museum, came to greet us and enthusiastically showed us around and led us down the path of the artist's life and paintings from Europe to Iowa.
We asked about the "Pie Lady" and if there was any pie to be had. She told us that Beth Howard only made them in the summer beginning Memorial Day weekend and throughout. Yes, we were disappointed but she added, if we came on Saturday, Beth was going to be there at the museum launching her book "Making Piece, a Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie."
We left the museum still hungry for pie and a curious "need" to meet this young woman who was the pie baker to the stars, lived all over the world and finally came back to her roots to live in Iowa and bake pie. As we were getting to our car, we saw someone on the lawn playing with her dogs and talking on a cell phone. Her back was to us. My husband and I commented to each other; "that must be her." We didn't feel to disturb, but felt a nice energy around her. We decided to leave and knew we would be back on Saturday.
Of course we went and not only was there pie and, oh my goodness, lovely rows of crispy, fruity, splendor, but a vivacious friendly open young woman telling her story, of her love and heartbreaking loss, her process of recovery, and her conviction that the world trully needs more pie. It's all in her book which we bought and can't wait to read. She believes we need to get out more, knead the dough with nothing but our own hands, get into the dough, and build those upper biceps and triceps. In other words, get in touch with ourselves and the life lessons the simple act of baking pie quietly teaches.
We bought her book and I am now reading it. Already I can't put it down. Looking forward to going back for more pie and good conversation come this summer.
