A Blush of Lily Petals – Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola.
“The earth laughs in flowers.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Author: Timelesslady
Married with children and grandchildren. Reader, writer, painter - maybe a bit of an artist. Gardener... Led by the Spirit.
Product – Kefir
I’m in love with Kefir! This delicious smoothie is satisfying as a snack and boosts my immune system and mood.
Kefir is loaded with good bacteria for your body. The vitamins, minerals and easily digested protein kefir contains strengthens the immune system, and has been thought to lower blood pressure and lessen anxiety. A good article about kefir can be found at
Be Well Buzz.
Kefir contains tryptophan, the amino acid that helps raise the levels of serotonin in your brain.
We can all use a little boost to our mood when the sunlight wanes in winter. Lifeway Kefir has a terrific website that lists the Benefits of Kefir. Check it out, and try some kefir this year. It will improve not only your mood, but also your health.
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Photo Challenge – Color Your World/Breaking the “Brrrrrr” Factor with Color
Winter has given us the cold shoulder here in the Northeast U.S. We were spoiled with record-breaking warm temperatures throughout December, and now January is demanding we pay for it with cold, blustery wind and temperatures.
A beach scene taken at Montego Bay, Jamaica warms my heart, if not my fingers and toes. It’s also the perfect photo to use in a new challenge I found on the blog of Jennifer Nichole Wells: Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola. Challenges are a great way to discover new blogs and new blogging friends.
The color for today is Blue-Green. I think the swathe of ocean cutting through the center of the photograph matches the January 13th challenge color of blue-green.
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Photograph – The Dove
After a storm passes the air feels weightless.
As I was driving home from a grandchild’s birthday party Sunday afternoon, I glimpsed this beautiful cloud and immediately parked the car. Luckily, my camera was on the passenger seat beside me. I took several shots, impressed by the vivid outline of silver created by the sun. Surprise filled me the next day when I downloaded the photos and noticed the small shape of a dove in the lower corner. In the moment I took the photograph I was completely unaware of bird’s presence.
The photo of the dove silhouetted against the sunlit cloud reminded me that even when I feel lost and alone, the Holy Spirit is always with me, guiding me, protecting me, loving me, even if I am not aware of his presence.
“But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.” ~ John 14:26
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Photograph, Phun and Place – July in January/Wharton State Forest
Nothing is quite like a rope swing for defying, and then succumbing, to GRAVITY. When you are flying through the air life seems weightless.
“Show us the effects of gravity in your photo this week.” ~ WordPress Photo Challenge
“Wharton State Forest is the largest state forest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the largest single tract of land in the state park system of New Jersey, encompassing approximately 115,000 acres of the Pinelands northeast of Hammonton. ~ Wikipedia
In these dreary and chill days of January I enjoy paging through photographs of summer scenes. Winter has its own merits: warm fires, hot cocoa, ice-skating, etc., but if I had to choose I’d live in the summer’s heat year-round.
Here’s to a bit of weightless fun, an homage to defying gravity.
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Proverbs – Trust
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Quick Tip – Hidden Sources of Aluminum
Did you know Baking Powder (Baking Soda is aluminum free ) contains aluminum unless otherwise stated on the container it is sold in? This is what gives some baked goods a tinny taste.
“One of the least expensive, and most effective, things you can do to improve the taste of your cakes, quick breads, cookies, and muffins is to switch to aluminum-free baking powder right away.” ~ David Lebovitz
Why You Should Use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder by David Lebovitz is an informative article on avoiding aluminum in baking powder.
Aluminum is toxic in food. Aluminum can be absorbed through the skin through deodorants and lotions.
A substitute for baking powder can be made by combining these easily available ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch.
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Perspective – Circumstances
Treasure Beach, Jamaica, is an earthly paradise, but in this beautiful place you can also find extreme examples of land and seascape: warm inviting water, threatening jagged reef. Like the photograph, life is so often a portrait in extremes. In the hours of one day it is possible to experience the sweetest, uplifting highs, only to find yourself cut to bits by unexpected, devastating lows. We’ve all experienced these contradictory days. Yet, through it all one fact holds true, the Word of God stands eternal. Whatever I am going through in my life, whatever injurious circumstance I, or someone I love, might be experiencing; the Word of God is a lifeline if I reach out and open the book.
This small devotional, “Daily Food,” contains timeless Bible verses. It is one of my “treasures.” Given to my grandmother by my grandfather in 1939, the inscription is a tribute to the love he had for God and his, “Beloved Buddy.”
Dear friends, in these trying times, when life deals out its many highs and low, hold fast to the timeless Word of God, and let Him be your hope and strength every day.
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Place – Cape May Zoo – The Park – Part III
As you pass through the entrance of the Cape May Zoo you enter a free, beautifully maintained, eighty-acre park facility. The Cape May Zoo asks only for a donation as an entrance fee.
Some areas of the park resemble a savannah plain in Africa, other exhibits are maintained on New Jersey Wetlands. The green mosses of my state are one of my favorite sights.
The Leucistic White-tailed Deer are an interesting exhibit. The deer are not considered albino due to some pigment in eyes, ears, noses and sometimes spots on their bodies.
One of our favorite moments was the interaction between one of the deer and a groundskeeper.
Another moment of fun was discovering these winsome baby squirrels in the rafters of a pavilion. We were surprised to see a nest with babies in December.
The mother squirrel was uneasy with our attention to her babies and darted to and fro like an acrobat to draw us away from the nest site.
The reptile house is terrific. I loved this green snake hanging on a branch, posing like an illustration in a favorite children’s storybook titled “Verdi” by Janell Cannon.
I guarantee, if you enjoy animals in a natural, beautiful setting, you will leave Cape May Zoo with a smile on your face.
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Place – Cape May Zoo – (Part I) The Birds
I like sharing the beautiful places my State of New Jersey has to offer. The Cape May Zoo, open year round (except Christmas Day) is one of the loveliest zoological parks you can visit. What a pleasure it was to visit this zoo two days after the Christmas holiday. Cape May Zoo is not in Cape May proper, but is in the town of Cape May Court House. Information: Cape May Zoo
This amazing zoo has a large array of animals lodged in beautiful, natural settings. Because I just couldn’t pick and choose only a few of the photographs I took, I decided to break our zoo trip up into three separate blog posts. Enjoy this winter walk through the Cape May Zoo.
THE BIRDS
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Plant – Wintergreen
While walking through the woods Saturday afternoon, I came upon a patch of vibrantly green wintergreen plants adorned with red berries. The diminutive plant adds a nice touch of green amid the greys and browns of the forest floor. Wintergreen can be identified by its easily recognized fragrance. The minty flavor of wintergreen is popular in gum and candy.
“Wintergreen berries, from Gaultheria procumbens, are used medicinally. Native Americans brewed a tea from the leaves to alleviate rheumatic symptoms, headache, fever, sore throat, and various aches and pains. These therapeutic effects likely arose because the primary metabolite of methyl salicylate is salicylic acid, a proven NSAID that is also the metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin. During the American Revolution, wintergreen leaves were used as a substitute for tea, which was scarce”. ~ Wikipedia
* Care must be taken in the use of wintergreen. Taken improperly, or in large doses, the plant is toxic.
“IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : Wintergreen is not taken in large quantities by any species of wildlife, but the regularity of its use enhances its importance. Its fruit persists through the winter and it is one of the few sources of green leaves in winter. White-tailed deer browse wintergreen throughout its range, and in some localities it is an important winter food. Other animals that eat wintergreen are wild turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, northern bobwhite, ring-necked pheasant, black bear, white-footed mouse, and red fox. Wintergreen is a favorite food of the eastern chipmunk, and the leaves are a minor winter food of the gray squirrel in Virginia.”
~ US Dept. of Agriculture
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Photo Challenge – Woodsy January Circlets
A few natural CIRCLES photographed on a January walk.
“God must be the very first thought and the very last thought in the life of every disciple of Jesus. God must be the centre as well as the circumference of our lives. We live and move in Him, within the circle that He has drawn for us. And within that circle we will always find Him.”
~ Zac Poonen“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
Acts 17:26-27
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Place – Wildwood, New Jersey in the Wintertime
The day after Christmas we visited Wildwood, New Jersey, a resort town located between Atlantic City and Cape May. In the summertime crowds of people descend on Wildwood and the neighboring towns of North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest; winter clears the boardwalk of all the summer’s revelry.
December 26th was a dreary, overcast day. I find boarded-up amusement parks and carnivals a little spooky. While we were there we had dinner at a restaurant called Alfe’s. The food was delicious and the wait staff excellent.
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Plans – Recharging
RECHARGING!
Next post…January 1, 2016
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Praise – Merry Christmas!
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Perspective – Wisdom
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Quick Tip – Candy Cane Cure
Candy Canes, made with natural peppermint oil, are not just decorative and fun to eat; candy canes can battle stomach ailments during the holiday season.
“Peppermint is effective at settling an upset stomach, and it tastes strong and refreshing. If that rich holiday dinner leaves you feeling a little queasy, just snag a candy cane off the tree and you have dessert and a convenient stomach remedy all in one. It also makes a handy breath freshener. If you don’t have a candy cane around, a peppermint lozenge will work just as well.” ~ How Stuff Works
Read more on the history and benefits of candy canes: How Stuff Works – Candy Canes
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Project – Salt-Dough Snowmen
Re-blogged from 2014:
Salt Dough Snowmen are easy to craft. We spent two dollars at the dollar store and purchased a three pair pack of colorful girl’s socks and a microfiber towel that matched the color of the socks. The materials we used at home probably added up to about another two dollars.
The salt dough is so easy to mix up…knead it in a ziptop bag and slowly dry in a low temperature oven. The salt-dough can be used to make Christmas ornaments and other holiday gifts too.
SALT DOUGH CLAY
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Place the dough in ziplock bag and knead until smooth. Could also be kneaded on a board or countertop with no problem. A ziplock bag is recommended because it keeps the dough, counter and your hands very clean.
(We doubled the recipe to make three good-sized snowmen)
After the dough is kneaded, take out of the ziplock bag and form into three smooth balls. They should be graduated in size, just like a snowman made out of snow.
Have a plate handy to set them upon as they are formed.
Place them together in a snowman shape to make sure they sit well. Cover a cookie sheet or flat pan with parchment paper or foil. Take the snowmen apart once more and bake them in a 180 degree oven until they are hard. Ours took about three hours. I checked them constantly for browning. You don’t want any browning to mar the off white color. I also turned them several times as they dried out.
When they are hard to the touch let them cool. Glue the pieces together. We used a glue gun which did not hold after a few hours. Tacky glue is a better choice.
I made a mistake at this point and added the features with permanent felt-tipped pen before brushing on Mod-podge. (Mod-Podge is the name of a waterproofing glaze, we used the glossy variety.) The foam brush I used smeared a bit of the ink, even though it is supposed to be permanent. I reapplied the eyes after the Mod-Podge dried. I had no problem adding it at this point. Much better to draw the features on after the glaze is applied. (Glaze is a good protection, not sure how well the snowmen would hold up without it.) You also could use acrylic paint to create features. This would add at least a half hour to completion time for drying.
The salt dough is still a bit pliable at this point. We were able to push small branches into their torsos to create arms. Small buttons were added and a toothpick was colored orange and pushed into the face as a nose.
We cut the top of the socks off, rolled up a brim, and placed them on the heads of the snowmen as hats. We added pompoms to the top of one. The hats were a little ornery to get on…they kept popping off until somehow they gripped and stayed in place. We cut the microfiber towel into long strands and used these as scarves. We were so very happy with the way our sweet snowmen turned out.
The boys were able to form the snowmen, but an adult or older child might need to draw the features as was the case with ours.
