Just wait...you will easily discover in the next few minutes why I say that my multi-talented friend has talents oozing out of her very pores.

Marilea Albert and her husband Mike were introduced to us years ago through a mutual friend. We originally met each other when we were both invited guests at the Petroleum Club in downtown Houston where our mutual friend's husband was the manager. It did not take long for us to realize that we enjoyed one other's company and the friendship blossomed.

Marilea is the bubbly sort of person who always has something interesting to say and when one is around her much laughter just naturally takes place.

It would be wonderful if her personality could be captured in a bottle since laughter is "good for the soul." Then, when needed to brighten up a cloudy day, her essence could be sprinkled generously and warmth and good feelings would seep into the darkest of corners.

Marilea Albert

Marilea and her husband have lived in many different states. Along the path of life they have collected friends, experiences and memories. They have much with which they can share with new and evolving friendships such as we had in the beginning.

We had no idea until we got to know Marilea better and were invited into their home that she possesses numerous talents and executes them to perfection. In fact many people could only hope to attain a fraction of what literally pours out from her very pores.

While not famous (at least at the time of this writing!) Marilea Albert can cook, can, garden, sew, upholster, paint and create things to equal the efforts of certain celebrities that have magazines and/or are on television. And Marilea makes whatever she accomplishes seem so effortless!

She and her husband love to vacation by going on cruises.

On one of the last cruises Marilea admired one of the vegetable displays that a professional chef had created as part of the decor for a buffet. She took a look at it and thought to herself that it might be fun to replicate.

When we invited Mike and Marilea to join us for dinner recently, instead of bringing some of her wonderful homemade pickles, flowers or other hostess gift, she showed up with one of her latest creations..........her cruise inspired vegetable platter!

That did it! I had to haul out my digital camera and capture that artfully designed centerpiece to preserve a memory of it. I knew that it would not last long in that state and it would have to be disassembled so that the vegetables would not be wasted.

What she had done was to cut and carve those veggies into forms that more closely resembled a floral arrangement.

She utilized a half moon shape of white cabbage as her base and with wooden skewers attached the following vegetables after being sculpted into the forms and shapes that she desired:

Red Cabbage

Radishes

Brussel Sprouts

Shavings of carrots

The leafy tops of celery

Red and Yellow Peppers

Zucchini Squash

Calabasa Squash

Poblano Pepper

Table onions

What an absolute delight to the senses! Of course I decided to use these veggies to make a homemade soup the next day. So Marilea's gift was one of unexpected beauty and also utility.

When I go grocery shopping in the future, I will probably always look at vegetables a little differently!

The "Pickle Lady"

My mother and I sometimes lovingly refer to Marilea as the "Pickle Lady" because not only does she generally grow her own cucumbers (in addition to other vegetables and herbs) but she makes the most scrumptious pickles and shares them with her friends. We are so happy to be counted among her friends!

We always save the empty jars to give back to her when we have enjoyed every last bite knowing that sooner or later we will be gifted with more of her canned goodies.

One recipe that we love is her Bread and Butter Pickles. It reminds my mother (and me) of the ones that my mother and grandmother used to make many years ago. It comes from the following book: Better Homes & Gardens - America's All Time Favorite - Canning & Preserving Recipes.

Here is the recipe:

Bread and Butter Pickles

Slightly sweet, and crisp to the bite, these pickles make any meal special.

4 quarts sliced medium cucumbers ( about 4 1/2 pounds )

8 medium white onions, sliced ( about 2 1/2 pounds )

1/3 cup pickling salt

3 cloves garlic, halved

Cracked ice

4 cups sugar

3 cups cider vinegar

2 tablespoons mustard seed

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

1. In a large bowl combine cucumbers, onions, salt, and garlic. Add about 2 inches of cracked ice. Refrigerate for 3 hours, drain well. Remove garlic.

2. In an 8 or 10-quart Dutch oven or kettle combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seek, turmeric, and celery seed. Add drained mixture. Bring to boiling. Pack cucumber mixture and liquid into hot, clean pint canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch head-space. Remove air bubbles, wipe jar rims, and adjust lids. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes ( start timing after water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks. Makes 7 pints (70 servings).

Nutrition facts per serving: 57 calories, 0 g total fat ( 0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0 g protein. Daily Value: 0% vitamin A, 3% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 1% iron.

KITCHEN TIP

To preserve freshness, supermarkets often wax cucumbers. Do not use waxed cucumbers for whole pickles because the wax won't allow the brine or pickling solution to penetrate the skin. For sliced pickles, you may use waxed cucumbers if you wash them well with a soft vegetable brush to remove the wax.

Helpmate and soulmate to her husband Mike...

Marilea's husband recently retired from being a hotel manager. While that might seem glamorous (and certainly there were good perks to that job) it necessitated many moves.

Besides shouldering the responsibility of rearing two children, Marilea became her husband's biggest asset with regard to his career. Pulling up stakes and heading to a new assignment became second nature to her. With energy and enthusiasm she embraced new challenges and provided a safe haven for Mike to come home to and relax after a long days work.

As the boss, Mike was expected to entertain and in that, Marilea was able to help him and excelled! With her creative ideas and her endless energy throwing a party became second nature to her.

She is a wonderful cook and with apparent ease and flair she creates the most delicious meals beautifully served on her large collection of linens, dishes and stemware. Her table settings are a feast for the eyes as her food is a feast for the tummy.

It is always a special treat to be invited to their lovely home for a meal.

Besides Marilea's cooking ability, she also sews and upholsters. She was even able to combine those talents with helping Mike at some of his hotels. She upholstered countless chairs in the hotels over the years.

Painting!

Not only does she paint the walls of their homes, but where they currently reside, she created a fantasy design on the inside of their backyard fence. Together with the abundance of flowering shrubs and flowers surrounding their swimming pool, the long legged birds and flowers that Marilea painted on the fence makes one think that one is in a tropical paradise.

It is so cheery a view looking out towards the backyard from any number of windows in their house. It would brighten any-one's mood!

Our friends Mike and Marilea have had their share of ups and downs in their lives......in fact many more downs than many people have had to experience. But that has not kept Marilea from being the ever energetic and vivacious soul that continues to delight her friends and neighbors with her optimistic and sunny disposition.

To say that Marilea's many talents ooze from the pores of her skin is no exaggeration. I hope this little piece gives you some idea of why we enjoy her company and look forward to more laughter and fun when we get together whether it is to share plants from our yards with one another, a meal or some other occasion.

My wish...

My wish for each of you is that you have similar friends in your life that can spread laughter and joy whenever you get the chance to be together.

Marilea Albert is like champagne......bright, bubbly, effervescent, and sparkling. It is a celebration of life when one is around her.

Cheers to you, Marilea!