I searched my own archives yesterday for some Halloween ideas. I found three interesting posts full of ideas for Jacks and Jills. Enjoy!
These sweet Jack-O-Lantern ornaments are created from common oyster shells picked up from local beaches.
Today, my grandson decorated our “Holiday Tree” with these “Jacks & Jills.” Oyster Jacks Part I and Oyster Jacks Part II contain detailed directions with step-by-step photos.
If you are blessed with pumpkins galore and enjoy carving, you can create a replica of this set of bleachers loaded down with a crowd of grinning Jacks & Jills.
Last in our trio of ideas for “Jacks & Jills” is this baby-eating Jack. Spooky! My Jack’s eyebrows might be a little large and wonky…they appear to be extra eyes to me…but even now, just looking at the photo makes me smile. 🙂 The source of this idea can be found on Pinterest.
This post is one to pull back to the top of the blog—a timely tip for the holiday and transporting pies.
To keep a pudding, pumpkin, or any other pie without a top crust fresh, cover first with an overturned paper plate.
The paper plate protects the top of the pie from damage when covered with foil or plastic wrap. The plate has enough substance to protect the pie, but not enough weight to break the fragile crust.
The beautiful marigolds in the vase were picked yesterday from my wildflower garden. What a joy this little patch of flowers has provided me this summer. The early poppies, bachelor buttons and black-eyed Susans have been replaced by late season marigolds. Their Autumn colors are perfect for enjoying both outdoors and in.
If you enjoy Jane Austen era films, rent the movie “Belle,” which is out now on DVD. I loved it. The movie is based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle. She was the bi-racial daughter of an English aristocrat and a slave. A ruling on slavery by her uncle, Lord Mansfield, is credited with helping to bring about the eventual abolition of slavery in England. You can read an extensive and interesting history of Dido, and the time in which she lived, in Wikipedia.
Below is a painting of the real “Belle” and her cousin Elizabeth.
Yesterday, as I was beginning to work on a project that has no promise of success, I was besieged by doubts and fears, the perfect breeding ground for inaction. The treasured goal my efforts might bring forth will have no chance of being reaped, if ever, for months, maybe years, perhaps even decades in the future. My inner turmoil was worsened by the fact that I started the project five and a half hours later than I had planned. Why? What happened to the determination filling my spirit as I went to bed last night? It’s the question I asked myself as I began, as always, by chronicling the time and what I was doing in my “Art” diary.
“October 8, 2014 – 2:30 – Well, I’m about 5.5 hours late to get in here. There is no good reason other than I am not feeling quite right since I fell yesterday, and I am struggling with a bit of downheartedness, and everything seems futile due to the threat of Ebola, terrorism and the economy tanking. I am grateful though that God abides.”
You can surmise from the diary entry the thought of spending time on anything pertaining to a future hope seemed useless to me. All the problems I wrote of…along with constant government mismanagement, natural disasters…in short complete global chaos, crowded into my thinking like evil specters in a haunted house and shouted, “Why bother?”
I’ll tell you why I’ll continue trying, my friend, I’ll keep on keeping on because of the last sentence in my diary entry.
“I am grateful though that God abides.”
As soon as I wrote those words a sense of peace filled me and the song “He Abides,” flashed through my mind. I went to Youtube and found a beautiful acapella version of the song, along with many other hymns by the same group on the sidebar. Peace filled my heart, and I decided to share both the song and how my thinking turned around. I hope you enjoy the words and this version of, “He Abides.”
Hymn written by Herbert Buffum. Full lyrics can be found on the Timeless Truths website.
I check into this site at least once a day to read the Rapture Ready News. This section is filled with articles gathered from all over the the world. I don’t always agree with everything on the site, but it helps me keep watch, as Jesus instructs in Matthew 24:42.
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24:42
This week, publish an image of a sign — from the signs you encounter on the street to more personal, less obvious signs that hold meaning for you.
This is my first attempt at taking part in the WordPress Photo Challenge. I chose to take photographs of Alcyon Park. I have visited Betty Park (another name for the site) since I was about seven years old. Once an amusement park, the same land now hosts a gentle playground on one side of the lake, ball fields and walking trails on the other. I loved this place as a child. I watched many a July Fourth firework show from its grassy banks. When I was a young mother I played with my sons in the park, now I bring my grandchildren for outdoor fun. Thank you Alcyon Park in Pitman, NJ for many years of happiness.
In Transit
“Train stations, airport terminals, subway stops: soulless spaces full of distracted, stressed zombies, or magical sets for fleeting, interlocking human stories?”
Ah, an easy “Daily Post” for me, for the situation is a recent experience. In Jamaica, we stay at the Royal Decameron in Runaway Bay. What a pleasure for both my husband and me. The staff bestows an aura of goodwill upon you from the very start as they treat you with “courtly” behavior. When the time comes to depart, you hate to leave this perfect paradise and the wonderful people. On top of the letdown of vacation coming to an end, you find yourself forced to waste time, as is the rule for all on-time passengers, in the airport terminal waiting area. Oh my! After being called “milady” and “mommy” by the perfect-mannered Decameron staff, I immediately dealt with typical “Philly” (Philadelphia) behavior. I sat down, and placed my bag on the seat beside me, a seat that was empty. A big, sweaty guy, threw his head back and side-stared me, “My wife is sitting there,” he said in a abrupt bark. That was fine, I didn’t want to take a seat from someone, but instead of rude behavior we both would have benefitted from a bit more of Jamaican “courtliness” in his manner. Everything in me sagged as I realized I was indeed cut-off from the magic of Jamaica before the plane even left the runway.
Let’s try to be a little more courteous, and remember we are representing our country and the area we live in.
Don’t throw away onion skins, wash them, place in a baggie or container, and freeze. Onion skins are terrific additions to chicken broth stock. The skins add a lovely sparkle of yellow color. Onion skins can also be used to create natural dyes.
Drilling a hole in the ceiling or wall?
Drill through a clear plastic glass first. After drilling do not remove glass from drill bit.
Place plastic glass flat against wall or ceiling, drill your hole with the glass held in place.
My husband looked puzzled when I asked for a photograph of him drilling. “Why?” he asked.
“To use as a tip on my blog,” I answered.
“Everyone knows this tip already.” he teased.
For those of you like me who didn’t know, and never would have thought of this…WOW! What a great way to keep dust and debris off your furniture and floor.
The final tip…at your next gathering or party capture a little bit of whimsy. Welcome your guests with a greeting written in chalk on your sidewalk or drive. Guaranteed to start a party off with everyone smiling. 🙂
Has a number ever gotten into your head? For some unknown reason the number 10,000 has been swirling around in mine. Are you aware that a “Myriad of Angels” is considered to be 10,000 angels?
I can imagine you shaking your head wondering where this post is going.
“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.”
Revelation 5:11
Myriad – 10,000 (from greek ‘murioi’)
Another of my 10,000’s is a decades old remembrance of people in my grandparent’s generation saying when they arrived in heaven they would spend 10,000 years at Jesus’ feet. Well, let me tell you, I loved Jesus, but my pre-teen brain immediately reared up in a contrary attitude when I heard that remark. There was no way I could ever do anything for so long. Now, at 56, imagining myself in the presence of Jesus, sitting at his feet eon after eon, fills me with rapturous joy.
I like Thomas Edison’s attitude of perseverance as he worked toward making our lives better.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
~Thomas A. Edison
Another great 10,000 is the study that concluded 10,000 hours of practice often means excellence in your chosen field.
A 10,000 I love is the song, “He Could Have Called 10,000 Angels.” Searching for a sample of the tune to embed in this blog post I found this lovely Bluegrass rendition on Youtube.
Autumn has arrived, winter approaches, I have been purchasing potted herbs to grow on my windowsill through the colder months. I will still take cuttings for rooting from my outdoor herbs, but they will not reach harvest size until Spring of 2015. In the meantime, when I need fresh herbs through the winter, I will “pinch” them from my lovely windowsill garden. Another plus in growing herbs indoors is the scent they “whisper” into the air when you run your hands over them…heavenly!
Photo collage courtesy of Picmonkey.com
Our area of the country experienced a very cool summer, but my herbs didn’t seem to mind and have thrived. I don’t want to waste the bounty of my gardens so over the next few days I will be harvesting everything I have room to store. I will hang aromatic herbs such as lavender, catnip, and a portion of my mints, in dark closets to dry. Those I use in cooking I will freeze in ice cube trays.
Step 1
Soak herbs in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Remove the herbs from the water, check for debris, refill and repeat process at least three times. There is no need for scrubbing or agitation, the water floats the dirt away leaving the essential oils intact. (Organic potted herbs grown inside do not need to be washed.)
Step 2
There is no need to dry sprigs when they are finished soaking. Break leaves away from the stem, place inside empty ice cube trays, add water and freeze.
Step 3
Remove frozen cubes from tray.
Step 4
Place inside a labeled zip-lock freezer bag and store in the freezer. Your “fresh” herbs are now available anytime you are ready to cook a good meal. The cubes are terrific for making soups and stocks. I also freeze onion, scallions, peppers and other produce for quick stocks.
The Summer of 2014 was not very hot, but that fact was an advantage for my wildflower garden; the closely packed flowers thrived without the wilting heat. I spied a sweet bumblebee visiting a bachelor button and managed to snap a photograph at just the right moment. I have chosen this as my reference photo for this month’s WetCanvas Plant Parade Challenge.
Fall is just beginning in the Northern Hemisphere, while Spring has just arrived in the Southern Hemisphere.
But I’m not ready to let Summer or my garden go quite yet (even though we had a huge dump of snow in early September). So if you’ll bear with me, I’d like to share some photos from my garden with you to use as reference photos this month. Feel free to paint your own garden reference if you wish.
Use any media you like, we love them all! If you have time, do more than one!
Keep the banter going, share your adventures and misadventures while you’re creating.
All we ask is that you do not post your work until October 25th!.”
Joanne N posted an amazing array of reference photographs to use. I’ve chosen three of my favorites for this post.
After I chose one of my own photographs as my reference for the October Plant Parade I broke down some of the colors in my Paint application.
When I create a color chart I have an easy time choosing watercolors to use.
Today’s Daily Prompt: Verbal Confirmation – To be, to have, to think, to move — which of these verbs is the one you feel most connected to? Or is there another verb that characterizes you better?
My choice is another verb: “To Create.”
I create a home.
I create gardens.
I create meals.
I create a haven for my family.
I create friendships.
I create projects and crafts.
I create Art.
I create blog posts.
I create…create…create…I love to create.
Most of all I worship my CREATOR, The Lord God, creator of the heavens and earth.
I love the Golda Meir quote I used to create a poster for this daily post.
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” Golda Meir
The beaches might be empty, but the Ocean City Boardwalk was bustling with people, surreys and bicyclists this weekend. I was one of those pedaling a bicycle. What a joyful Autumn day!
Summer never arrived this year, at least not in its usual “HOT” attire. Most people in this area were thrilled with the cooler temperatures. Those of us who love the swelter of beach heat considered the lack of it a letdown. The Autumn season in a beach town does have its pleasures though, and bicycling the boardwalk ranks high on the list.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
Daily Post – September 26, 2014 :
Make It Count
You’ve been given the opportunity to send one message to one person you wouldn’t normally have access to (for example: the President. Kim Kardashian. A coffee grower in Ethiopia). Who’s the person you choose, and what’s the message?
My message is to the unknown scientist/researcher who is feverishly searching for a cure for Ebola and other terrible pandemics waiting to happen. My message is one word, “Godspeed!”
