what a tangled web we weave….
Image
Monthly Archives: September 2013
the ultimate tree carving
So. We had this tree. It was beautiful but was a house killer so it had to come down. I hate when trees have to come down. The tree guy says to us at the time (a few months ago) “Do you want to keep a tall stump I know a guy who carves trees.” We said yes. We called this guy up several times. Only this tree carver never called us back. Good thing in the end, because our tree was carved by the person I think meant to carve it.
Around the same time Carver “X” wasn’t calling us back, friends in Phoenixville had a giant tree carved. It was amazing. We asked them who they used. “Marty Long” they replied. So we called him up. He asked us to look at his website to see if what he did was to our liking.
I think it took five seconds of looking at his website to say “oh yes, please”. This was tree carving I had never seen the likes of. It was fully sculptural, often lyrical and even fey. I have a friend from high school who is a marvelous sculptor, so I appreciate the craft.
Marty said he would fit us in when he had time.
Summer rolled through and I began to realize that some of my favorite wood carvings I had seen out of trees were his creations. The giant frog in North Wayne. The rabbit totem pole on the Haas Estate facing County Line Road in Villanova. And many others. It ends up that all of the wood carvings I really like are his.
Marty was trained as a chef at Johnson and Wales. He went from crazy ice carving to tree/stump carving. He also carves benches and furniture and does extreme power carving. One of the many articles written about his work was written by my friend Bonnie Cook:
Tree sculpture creates a buzz A dead white oak is transformed into art with a children’s theme.
By Bonnie L. Cook INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: September 02, 2008
High above the road in Villanova, what’s left of a giant oak is becoming chainsaw art.
Marty Long, an ice sculptor turned wood carver, slices away at the 12-foot-high trunk in front of an orthodontist’s home at 91 N. Spring Mill Rd.
We had a different vision for our tree then the people interviewed above. We both love owls and I also love green men and wood sprites and spirits. Marty came and walked around, checking out my quasi tamed but somewhat feral garden (as I have previously mentioned, my garden suffered from lack of care due to an elderly gardener before I got my paws on it.)
He called us a week ago and said it was time. I was so excited I think I was probably a bit ridiculous to live with.
Marty and his assistant John showed up and he asked me what we wanted, or should I be more specific, had what we wanted changed since we first met with him. I said nope and said the end result would be up to him as the artist. I figured the wood would tell him what it wanted to be as he got into it.
From the body of a tree formerly known as a GIANT RED OAK has arisen this amazing sculpture. It’s like a totem pole and it is awesome. I have the ultimate owl on one side 
guarding over us and my garden, and on the other side of the tree is a wood-spirit who must have a green man as a cousin. He gazes out at us with knowing all-seeing eyes and his hair and beard are partially made of leaves.
I find myself just staring at the tree. Marty’s work is simply amazing and very beautiful. His tree carvings are raw energy and then they flow into these amazing creations. They are indeed pieces of art if you let him go with the flow of his creativity.
If you want to connect with Marty, here is his website: www.martylong.com. Tell him you read about him on Chester County Ramblings. If you want the most amazing thing ever, this is your guy.
Chester County has some truly amazing crafts people and artists.
I think this thing is so cool that I need my own druid…..
Thanks Marty!
why not say who you are?
First Lady Michelle Obama. Photo taken by me in March 2008. Yes, I was that close and this is among my favorite candids I have ever shot.
The political process always has and always will fascinate me. I enjoy being a student of politics, so to speak.
I came from the Main Line where it can be said when it comes to all things local politics, well it is different. It is also nasty and cut throat. Hope Chester County doesn’t prove to be the same.
I am a registered Republican. I am also known as an inveterate ticket splitter at times. You will for example never get me to vote for people like Sarah Palin or Michele Bachman or Christine O’Donnell from Delaware who had a Wiccan fascination. These people are not true Republicans. They are aberrations who are embarrassing to women everywhere. But I digress. (I guess I just believe in moderation versus extremism)
I will look to the person behind the candidate to help me decide. I will also speak to candidates and see what they are about. From First Lady Michele Obama to Congressmen, to State Representatives, to State Senators to U.S. Senators to Supervisors and Commissioners, I will talk to them all. I figure why not? They want my vote, right? Why shouldn’t they talk to me? They are just people, after all.
The photo above is of the current First Lady, Michelle Obama. I met her in a small setting in 2008 – and to this day I still enjoyed interacting with her. Not so fond of how her husband has done his job, but honestly? She is pretty cool. Sorry if that upsets my die-hard conservative friends, but it is what it is. I can still enjoy liberals as people on occasion. The heavens won’t open up and smote me.
I do not donate to political campaigns. I don’t believe in it. I believe our political process is broken. I believe at times power corrupts. But I do ultimately believe in the process. And that we as citizens have to keep participating.
I believe extremism in U.S. politics is ruining our political system. I see it reflected locally in Chester County in a sense. I do not see that as a bad thing, incidentally, what bothers me are the Chester County Democrats I see running for office right now who seem unable or unwilling to put out there their party affiliation. If they are proud to be a Democrat, why don’t they say so? Are they embarrassed by their national party?
I started nosing around about this last spring when I saw “Julia4Judge” signs. At first I was amused. I had no clue who this person was. Did she think she was like “Cher” or “Madonna” and only needed one name? You know like “Judge Judy” of television fame? Or was she trying to appeal to the tweeting and texting set?
I found her website. Could not find her party affiliation on it. Even today her official campaign website seems to be playing possum with party affiliation – check out her welcome:
I did not know what her affiliation was until I went to the Chester County Democratic Committee Candidate page. I could not find it on her “blog” (not sure she actually writes it as it reads like a campaign is writing it) , her website, or her Facebook page. Realistically how many average people are going to do that? Search out a bunch of stuff until they see the party affiliation? They look at the mail drop literature and the palm cards and are done with it aren’t they?
Now I have not seen Julia Malloy-Good’s mail drop literature yet or a palm card, but I have seen another running Democrat’s palm card and website and don’t see his party affiliation either – Bill Holmes the guy who wants you to “get on board with Bill.” (Choo Choo he needs a conductor’s hat, right?) He is running for Supervisor in East Whiteland.
Now mind you, I do have issues with a guy who a brief time after he became supervisor wanted to run against State Rep. Duane Milne and is that unreasonable? (he lost somewhat miserably by the way). I hate people who say they are running for local office because they love where they live and want to help, yet seem to want to use the local offices as a political stepping stone almost immediately don’t you? (Lita Cohen comes to mind there, and now on occasion you see stuff come out for her about non-profits on what looks like “official” State Rep stationary, only she hasn’t been an elected official for years at this point.)
East Whiteland has a Democrat majority on their board of three in East Whiteland I think. I know that Virginia McMichael who is Holmes’ “honorary campaign chair” is a Democrat, so theoretically wouldn’t Holmes be proud to say on his palm cards and website her was a Democrat since they appear to control the political majority on the Board of Supervisors of East Whiteland Township in a Republican dominated county?
See from his website:
Now putting aside the fact that this “welcome” to his website is not exactly humble or self-effacing, why not say political party affiliation? And wow, if you go further into his campaign website you will note he is an IT professional. So one would think that East Whiteland would have a totally fabulous, easy to navigate website, right?
I don’t get it. I have a lot of friends who are Democrats, they aren’t afraid to tell you their party affiliation in the least….even out here in Chester County. But political candidates for public office who can’t seem to disclose this stuff on palm card, websites and whatnot? Why should I consider them? In my mind that gives me something NOT to trust.
Even when it comes to politics, say who you are. Be who you are. Hiding it or omitting it deliberately on literature, websites and palm cards leads to people mistrusting candidates, so if you are a Democratic candidate in Chester County, please say so…unless you are of course embarrassed or ashamed? Then you might consider Republican or Independent status, right?
Just something that bugs me.
save the barn (easttown township)- important october 3rd meeting!
I have written about residents trying to save this historic Chester County barn before. Twice as a matter of fact.
Here is a flyer that was sent to me about an upcoming zoning meeting on October 3rd in Easttown Township. Apparently the developer (Bentley Homes) is seeking a demolition permit now I presume. Not shocking after that fabulous effort to market the barn to a new owner, right? And the thing is this: this barn has had restoration to modernize it and is in good shape. So why wouldn’t it sell unless it wasn’t really ever marketed? Why not make the barn into a house as part of this development? Oh never mind, why ask redundant questions.
A historic barn means nothing to Bentley Homes, does it? They are, after all the people who took a heck of a lot of forest off of Forest Lane (Willistown Township, Malvern), right? The people who have done the same de-treeing thing on County Line Road in Radnor Township, right? This is a sin if this barn gets demolished. If you can help or know someone who will buy it, please go that meeting.
You can always build another Tyvec wrapped box. Structures like this barn? Not so much. We need to preserve history like this. And this is perfectly adaptable to modern use. This developer has more than enough jingle in his pocket that he could either sell or reuse this barn if he wanted to.
Once again I reiterate my plea to residents in Chester County to lobby any elected official they can to slow down development in the county.
Bentley Homes development County Line Road, Villanova, Radnor Twp
dear citibank,
(Warning: this post is somewhat of a rant. If you aren’t in the mood, turn away now.)
Prior to being a stepmom in Chester County, I spent years in the financial services industry including as a Compliance Officer. So I am very familiar with how banks and other institutions should send out customer correspondence.
This morning as I am editing some photos the doorbell rings. A UPS man had dropped an envelope on the front porch. The envelope is from Citibank, N.A. I opened it not thinking initially it could be addressed to someone else. We don’t have accounts with Citibank, so I did not know why they were contacting us.
Turns out the correspondence was for a woman who used to live in the house, but had been dead for close to three years.
I start reading this letter addressed to the “Estate of Mrs. X” . They (Citibank) open by extending condolences a few years too late. Then they state how they have closed the account referenced above (I whited out the number for this post, but they disclosed the entire account number of this credit card) and apologized for any inconvenience and if anyone in the house was using this card they can call 1-800-456-4277 to apply for their own card. Then they say if the records are incorrect and Mrs. X is still alive, accept their apologies and basically let them know to reactivate account. They sign the letter Credit Management Department 1-866-775-0556.
As someone who used to work in the financial services industry I was appalled by the phraseology and the unabashed shill to try to get a dead woman’s relatives to sign up for a credit card. I was also profoundly disturbed that they sent a letter to an Estate where they did not even check to see if the address was legitimate still and disclosed not only the decedent’s name but her ENTIRE account number. People, even dead people, have become victims of identity theft on far less information – the news has these horror stories far too often it seems. (My bank and credit card company which are different institutions do NOT disclose my entire account number on any statements and correspondence that gets mailed.)
So I call up Citibank to (a) tell them they are sending correspondence to my home to a woman who has been dead quite a while and to (b) to ask them to correct the address of record.
I get a “helpful” customer service representative who says they found out only recently this woman had died due to another account she had with Citibank.
O.K. too much information. I am not a relative or estate attorney or executor and if I was I should have to be able to give them proof of such standing before any conversation took place.
So I said to her I had not received other correspondence from Citibank so why would they send account information here when they had another address for whatever the other accounts were?
Very annoyed. I had some nerve asking a reasonable and logical question.
So I then told her how distasteful in general I found the letter along with foolhardy. Foolhardy as they disclosed to me a stranger an account number and did not verify a proper address for estate paperwork before sending anything out. Distasteful because they are on one hand offering condolences but on the other hand pimping for new customers, but oh yeah if Mrs. X really isn’t dead let’s get her hooked up with more credit again.
Very annoyed again.
So here’s to you Citibank. I don’t think I could ever open any account with you given this whole thing. I want my financial institutions to safeguard all my information, and if I had any deceased relatives where I was executrix, I would want the same thing.
Financial institutions are sloppy. They have rules and regulations they are supposed to follow with regard to client accounts, and once anything gets tagged “estate” they are supposed to be even more vigilant.
Aesop’s moral to this story is make sure accounts are CLOSED when you close them.
fall gifts from the garden
The fall flush of flowers has begun! I think this is my reward for planting 300 bulbs yesterday.
door knocking and candidate frequent flyer miles
Door knocking season is upon us. This evening did not bring a candidate, but a volunteer on behalf of a candidate . The candidate is Bill Holmes, running for East Whiteland Supervisor. Apparently he is an incumbent of sorts.
His volunteer credited him with Uptown Worthington and Wegman’s. Would love to get Brian O’Neill’s opinion on this wouldn’t you? Mr. O’Neill likes to have top billing, generally speaking doesn’t he? But anything is possible since his honorary campaign chair is East Whiteland Supervisor Virginia McMichael (D).
Now Virginia McMichael seems interesting and is obviously really bright. Malvern Patch on Nov. 4, 2011 reported that McMichael was a former Rendell Common Pleas judge nominee that got “stalled” in the PA State Senate, and that her hubby Larry McMichael is one of developer O’Neill’s lawyers? Holy recusal city Batman, right?
But back to Bill Holmes who is employed in IT or something at Vanguard. So wow….what happens if Vanguard ends up coming to East Whiteland like his campaign website infers ? (His website states “Vanguard expansion forthcoming” ) You have him having to recuse (and he should be already if it comes up for discussion, right?) on Vanguard and McMichael on O’Neill issues so that leaves what? Only one supervisor free of conflicts or appearance of conflicts over major issues having to do with big companies? (Do I have that right? And if I have this wrong, please correct me.)
Anyway….Let us start with his literature “Come Fly With Bill”. Oh sorry, that is not quite right, it is actually worse: “Get On Board With Bill”. (Can’t you just hear the train whistle?) Am I to infer there is something wrong with me if I am not immediately on board with someone who means absolutely nothing to me in the first place?
Also according to the Chester County Democrat Committee he is some sort of endorsed Democrat candidate (they use the phrase “supported candidates”) so why is it on his door knocking palm cards it does not give party affiliation anywhere? Is he ashamed to be a Democrat? Why can’t I seem to locate his party affiliation on his candidate website ? Is it there and I simply don’t see it?
Another thing I noticed on his accomplishments section of his website and campaign literature it is as if he personally takes credit for Moody’s rating East Whiteland aa2?
Let us not forget that Moody’s Investor Services operates under an issuer paid model. One could say that you get what you pay for as an issuer of debt, yes? East Whiteland issues debt, yes? And given the role Moody’s and S&P seemed to have in market/economy meltdowns circa 2008, well……sigh, maybe not something so much to brag about?
Look, I am sure he must be an affable fellow even if he doesn’t seem to be able to go door knocking on his own, but unfortunately for him there is a better candidate running for supervisor in East Whiteland. Her name is Maureen Martinez. She seems to manage door knocking personally and she works, has kids, is on the planning commission, has time for non-profit work and so on.
Maureen Martinez is not afraid to tell you she is an endorsed Republican candidate, and you can see her affiliation on her literature.
I am not endorsing her, but I am telling you she is far more appealing than the candidate who can’t do his own door knocking, can’t disclose party affiliation on literature he has other people tote around, brags about a business expansion that would mean he would have a potential conflict gives me pause, and how is that wrong ?
I am new to Chester County politics but have long been a student of politics. I go with my instincts. And my instincts say candidates who appear to brag and who can’t come around and hand out their own literature are not my cup of tea. They might be affable, they might be lots of things, just not necessarily the right person right now. They may have indeed provided years of service but sometimes change is good, right?
What moves me is not party affiliation either. I am and always have been a ticket splitter. What moves me are candidates who take the time to try to talk to all residents. And face it, East Whiteland has more non-voting business residents than actual voting and living in the township residents. So if I were running even as an incumbent I would get my feet on the street personally.
I mean Mr. Holmes no disrespect but you only get one chance as a political candidate to make a good impression and the one who had done that is Maureen Martinez. And frankly sometimes it just takes a good woman to get the job done.
Sources for this post include:
http://www.BillHolmesforEW.org
Malvern Patch November 4, 2011 “East Whiteland Supervisor Race: McMichael and Matty” by Pete Kennedy
East Whiteland Republican Committee Facebook page
baking day: banana bread
It really felt like fall this morning when I woke up, so I decided today would be a baking day.
I like making quick breads, and here’s a banana bread that’s easy to make and fun to share. It makes one loaf.
Banana Bread
1 tsp mace
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped pecans or hazelnuts
1 cup raisins
1/2 c unprocessed wheat bran (Millers Bran)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
Additional sugar for dusting
Oven pre-heated to 350 degrees
Cream butter, sugar, molasses
Add spices
Add eggs and mashed bananas and vanilla
Add salt, buttermilk powder, baking soda
Add flour and bran
Add nuts and raisins
Pour this mixture into a loaf pan that you have greased. My loaf pan is 9 x 5″
After you have poured the batter into the pan and it’s even, dust the top with plain white table sugar or turbinado sugar. It gives this bread and a little sweet crust on top
Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes. When a wooden skewer comes out of the middle pretty much clean your bread is done
This recipe is one I have been making an tweaking for years. The proportions seem to work, although I will tell you this is the first time I’ve written this recipe down. Which is the case for a lot of my recipes- I did not write them down until people asked me to share some of them.
Enjoy!
hooters return to their ardmore roots
This is not a Chester County specific post. So if that is what you are seeking, turn away from your computer now…I saw the Hooters in Ardmore once again last night. (Photos found HERE)
As I said to Hooters drummer David Uosikkinen last evening when he was talking to my friend Eric before the show, the last time I saw the Hooters live I think I was about 23 years old. I am a little older now….
If you were a child of the 1980s and grew up in the greater Philadelphia region you remember the Hooters. They were part of that amazing music scene in Philadelphia of the 1980s which also included Robert Hazard (RIP – he passed away in 2008 – saw him the last time at MilkBoy in Ardmore in 2007), Beru Revu, Tommy Conwell , Dennis Selfridge and more.
The music in Philadelphia at that time was amazing. Original song writing, not cover bands. A lot of the music had a ska and reggae influence, not just rock and roll or folk. You can hear that in the Hooters. I loved ska and still listen to English Beat and Madness on occasion although overall my music tastes have evolved somewhat to indie singer-songwriter people with a more lyrical and folk sound to them.
So “back in the day” we all heard bands like the Hooters at high schools all over the area (I remember seeing the Hooters in Harriton High School’s auditorium, for example), and then at the cabarets: Chestnut, Avalon, and Ardmore.
The Hooters were already popular on the Philadelphia music scene when they opened for Philadelphia’s portion of Live Aid in 1985. I am not going to restate their entire history, it exists online, but the Hooters are also known for Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman giving Cyndi Lauper one of her greatest hits, Time After Time. Throughout the years, other artists like Joan Osborne for example, benefitted from the talent (remember her song “One of Us”?)
When you think of the Hooters as many of us do, you do think of them and the Ardmore Cabaret. And last night was like old home night on the Main Line. Including, amusingly enough, the groupies. They were older and in some cases wider, but there they were pressed up against the stage….waiting. Including the twins.
Now a brief homage to the venue. It started out life as I knew it as the 23 East Cabaret. Then about 20 years ago my friend Joe Rufo purchased the building. It morphed into Brownies 23 East and then 23 East.
I got to know Joe when Lower Merion Township tried to take a large chunk of the Main Street downtown business district via eminent domain for private gain. Thankfully that ill-advised initiative failed miserably.
Joe is the guy who has opened his doors many, many times for fundraisers and is incredibly generous to the community…besides just being a nice guy. Personal highlights for me include 2007 when he opened his doors to those of us having a fundraiser on St. Patrick’s Day for a woman named Moira Shaughnessy who was part of our community and had been struck down by viral encephalitis after surviving non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. On that night, the community came together and everything from the use of the building to the food to the bands was donated. St. Patricks Day 2007 artists like Deb Callahan, Jeffrey Gaines, Amanda Kaletsky, and Dennis Selfridge all donated their time. Another memory of the building is more recent. Earlier this year we did a fundraiser for my friend, the late Jim McCaffrey who was not only a friend but an amazing reporter. (Have a minute? Listen to what he had to say on that evening.) Joe also hosted countless other fundraisers over the years.
A few years ago when the guys from Point Entertainment had lost their music home in Ardmore and were looking for a new place I remember saying to both Rich Kardon and Joe Rufo at the time that they should combine talents and “bring the Hooters back to Ardmore.” We laughed about that last night before the show, because it is just funny how life works out. What the heck did I know? I just thought it was a great idea and they were people I liked.
So when the news broke this summer about their new partnership, I was definitely psyched. 23 East was reborn as Ardmore Music Hall. After all, living in Chester County, it is definitely easier all the way around to get to Ardmore versus West Philadelphia for WXPN Live.
Ardmore Music Hall is the same building, slightly reconfigured. And it is still an awesome place to hear a band. And last night just exceeded all expectations.
We got there in time for the doors to open to the VIP ticket holders and people were lined up around the block waiting for general admission like the old days. Inside, the Hooters milled about with guests, graciously posing for photos,autographs and chatting.
You know what the best part of the Hooters was? They still have it and more. They haven’t turned into aging rockers who should stay off the stage. Their sound has matured and evolved and they are as engaging and awesome as ever. It is no wonder that European audiences love them – they have a huge following there. The Hooters are a band who just love what they do and it shows. They are accomplished musicians and singer songwriters and the magic hasn’t waned.
The Hooters played many of their old favorites and newer music. They did this absolutely astoundingly beautiful cover of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer”. That is one of my favorite songs, and I have to say I think I like their version I heard last night better than the original version.
All of the photos are mine except the photo of the play list. That comes courtesy of the Point Entertainment folks. I was upstairs seated overlooking the balcony.
The place was packed to the rafters for this concert which made me happy. I wasn’t jazzed at times by some of the people behind us, especially Mr. Pin Stripe Shirt. He was all so perfectly pressed and pushy. He reminded me of people I saw when I saw when Robert Randolph and the Family Band were doing a then WXPN festival on Penn’s Landing. And I did get a beer dumped down my back by a tipsy girl and a camera whack in the side of my head by a zealous woman who decided to just stick her camera into my face to try to get a shot. But overall it was an amazing experience. The Hooters always did attract a good crowd.
Also as musicians and human beings, this band is as gracious as ever with their fans. I always remembered that about them: very genuine bunch of guys who took time for everyone. If you are jaded you could have said last night they are just past masters at working a crowd now, but it wasn’t that, it was different. They stop and spoke to people, looked at old photos of concert events passed. It was a nice thing to see.
I hope the Hooters return again to Ardmore. It was such a pleasure to hear them live again sounding better than ever. And yes, Pierre Robert introduced them. I have some concert snippets posted up on Chester County Rambling’s Facebook Page.
Check out Ardmore Music Hall for other upcoming shows including Soul Asylum, Fountains of Wayne, Marc Broussard, Uncle Kracker, and Michael Allman Band. Go early, Lower Merion Township doesn’t offer much parking in downtown Ardmore.
channel your innner grandmother: pickle something
My kitchen is full of the spicy sweet scent of pickling.
I don’t know why, but I woke up and thought I might try pickling some of those glorious beets I purchased from NorthStar Orchards at East Goshen Farmers’ Market yesterday.
I already have the jars, so I went to the store and bought fresh apple cider vinegar, new pickling spice and a bag of cipollini onions.
Yes I channeled my inner Pennsylvania German heritage and I swear somewhere up there my mumma is smiling. A pickled beet is a sweet pickle, and that makes me think of her. My great aunts on my father’s side were Italian and they did the hot pickled peppers and when I was really little I remember them canning tomatoes and peaches.
I did not do the whole hot water canning method. These are a small batch of simple pickled beets that will keep refrigerated about six months or so. I kick them up a notch by adding dill and hot pepper flakes and garlic. I hadn’t written this down before so I hope my proportions are right….
Here is how you do it:
6 to 8 medium to large fresh beets, scrubbed and top free*
2 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 cinnamon sticks broken up
6 cloves of garlic not peeled
1 bag of small pearl or cipollini onions not peeled
1 Tablespoon allspice
4Tablespoons pickling spice
4 Tablespoons dill- freeze-dried or fresh chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons hot pepper flakes
Makes 3 jars – these jars in my photo are the Weck 744 Tulip and they hold about 2 cups of whatever in them. I think in European measuring they are 1/2 liter. I love these Weck jars. They have wide mouths and can even go in the freezer.
*Option I should mention:
Roast beets in foil instead of boiling. If you roast, roast in a pan in an aluminum foil “bag” at 350 degrees for about an hour.
Put beets in a large saucepan or stockpot and add enough cold water to cover them a few inches over the top. Bring to boil, then turn heat down to maintain a slow boil. Cook until beets are tender when pierced, about 40 minutes.
Pour water off and let beets cool. Slip skins off once the beets are cool enough to handle. Slice and set aside.
Boil another pot of water. When water is roiling and boiling, toss the little onions in skis and all. When a scant three minutes have passed, lift onions out and allow to cool. If you take a kitchen scissors and snip the end of the onion bulb you should then be able to easily peel these onions or pop them out of their skins. After they are clean set aside whole.
Place the sugar, cider vinegar, water, salt, and spices in yet another saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off.
Working quickly so pickling liquid doesn’t cool off too much, arrange beets and garlic and onions evenly in your jars. Ladle in the liquid so it covers the vegetables(you might have a little left over, just toss it if so).
Cover with lids, seal, and cool down. When jars are room temperature, put them in refrigerator.
Let the beets sit at least ten days before tasting.
Keep in the refrigerator up to 6 months. Maybe 8.