twas the night before finals.....

twas the night before finals

notes from maggie's farm

T’was the night before finals,

and all through the college,

the students were praying

for last minute knowledge.

Most were quite sleepy,

but none touched their beds,

while visions of essays

danced in their heads.

Out in the taverns,

a few were still drinking,

and hoping that liquor

would get their brains thinking.

In the St. Ed's library,

I had been pacing,

dreading that first exam

I'd be facing.

My classmate was speechless,

his nose in his books,

and my comments to him

drew unfriendly looks.

I drained all the coffee,

and brewed a new pot,

no longer caring

that my nerves were shot.

I stared at my notes,

but my thoughts were all muddy,

my eyes went a’blur,

I just couldn't study.

“Some pizza might help,”

I said with a shiver,

but each place I called

refused to deliver.

My head in my hands,

oh, I need help quick!

Maybe a catnap would do the trick?

I'd pretty much concluded

that in french, I'm a fool

would my future depend on

this one A in school?  

When all of a sudden,

the door was flung wide,

and patron saint put-it-off

ambled inside.

Her spirit was careless,

her manner was mellow,

she looked at the mess

and started to bellow:

“On cliff notes! On crib notes!

on last year’s exams!

on wingit and slingit,

and last minute crams!”

Her message delivered,

she vanished from sight,

but we heard her laughing

outside in the night.

“You’re going in with an a, 

so just do your best.

Happy finals to all,

and to all, a good test.”

i count myself extremely blessed to be able to enjoy a new business, doing the work i love, while enthusiastically going back to school for what i like to refer to as my ‘late life second degree’. as is so often the case, the second time around is so much more fulfilling than the first. as a younger student, i was a single mom struggling with working, a full class load, and raising two lively daughters who needed my full attention. now, things are different. the goats and chickens (and dogs and cats and ducks and dust!) aren’t nearly as demanding of my time, and i happen to have a husband who makes darned sure that he does everything he can to support my efforts. it seems love, (and finals) as the song goes, actually is easier the second time (or maybe third, who’s counting?) around.

we promise that later this week we’ll jump right into the thick of holiday things, but finals week, the second time around, is not without its familiarities and today’s post is born on the eve of a first final, therefore, we share a poem, and following, a very quick finals week nosh that you may enjoy, whether you’re studying, or simply in the midst of the christmas rush. it’s fast, easy, cheap, and chocolate. what else can one ask for?

Emergency Chocolate

will serve 6-8 for dessert, or one or two pre-final student(s) for an entree. (don’t judge!)

you will need:

one small box of instant chocolate pudding mix

one small carton of whipped topping

one half small bag of miniature marshmallows

one cup chopped pecans (or peanuts, or walnuts, or almonds, or no nuts, if you wish.)

one jar from maggie’s farm cherry dessert sauce

this is an emergency fix so details are scant, and rather unnecessary—just dump this stuff in a bowl, fold together, refrigerate, and revisit in an hour or so. done! 

from maggie’s farm cherry dessert sauce

5.00/half pint

this, my friends, is a little bit of heaven. a concentrated dessert sauce, a delicious dress-up over ice cream, scones, pound cake, and farmer maggie’s favorite—on a spoon. try topping your yogurt or accompanying goat cheese. delicious. for a lighter touch, thin with water, fruit juice, or our favorite, champagne!