41st President of the United States
George H.W. Bush
1924 – 2018
Quotes – December
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” ~ I John 5:11
“Remember This December, That love weighs more than gold!” ~ Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon
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Project – Easy Christmas Tree Crafting for Kids
Once again, I’m reblogging a terrific seasonal project. I used the same technique a few year’s later to create a Valentine’s Day heart with my grand-daughters. The project and shape can be adapted to any holiday.
This beautiful Christmas tree was easy and inexpensive to create. All three of my grandsons loved putting it together. The only supplies we needed were bought at the dollar store. We purchased one piece of black foamboard and two packets of glittery stars. We had freezer paper on hand for the template, but old newspaper would work just as well.
First we scattered the stickers and took a good look at them. We noticed the stars could be used as they were, or to double the amount we had to use, the insides could be punched out and used as separate stickers. Whoo-Hoo…fun…let’s begin!
Before the boys were ready to start I cut a piece of freezer paper into a tree shape by folding it in half and cutting away half a tree. When opened, the sides matched and when placed on the foamboard waxy side down, the paper clung to the surface just a bit. To help keep the freezer paper from shifting we weighted the corners down with what was handy…salt and pepper shakers. The littlest grandson thought the salt was part of the project and promptly salted the foamboard.
All three of the boys ages 2 1/2 through 8 years enjoyed the project. It was completed within fifteen minutes and was instantly gorgeous and bright. The only problem we had was some of the paper backing on the stickers stuck a bit for the younger boys.
When the tree was complete and we had oooh’d and aaah’d over how beautiful it was, I used my glue gun to place a string for hanging about a third of the way down from the top. The foamboard is very light and will hang on even the smallest nail.
Happy Christmas Crafting to You!
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Plants – Bargains in the Clearance Aisle
What is that oddball bag lying beside my carrots in the vegetable bin of my refrigerator?
What looks like small onions or shallots is really a bag of Spring-Flowering bulbs, leftovers from my Autumn plantings.
While you’re looking for Christmas trees and poinsettias in big box stores or garden nurseries, take a moment to check if there are any leftover Autumn bulbs on clearance. Often a business will slash prices of out of season plants to the point of almost giving them away. I mimic frosty cold by storing unplanted bulbs as the Gardening-Know-How site suggests:
The highest chilling temperature is around 40 degrees F. (4 C.), so chilling bulbs in the refrigerator is ideal. Just be sure not to store them near any fruit, as the released ethylene gas reduces bloom. Store the bulbs in the refrigerator in a ventilated mesh bag.
~ Gardening Know How/How to Chill Flowering Bulbs
The article has many fine tips on how to select, chill and plant the bulbs in Spring. I have about three months to come up with good ideas for forcing these beauties. The bright flowers and colors will certainly be an antidote for the doleful greys of late-winter skies.
The glorious red tulips are part of Cee’s Flower of the Day.
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Perspective & Project – Scrub Pine Christmas Tree
The Christmas Tree That Ran Away was a favorite album of my sister and me. Why do I mention this song? Because the words and tune ring through my head whenever I decorate a scrub pine and turn it into a sweet Christmas tree. Here’s the Youtube song, if it sounds dated, it is; the album is from the 1960’s.
I had forgotten how cute a scrub pine can be when decorated with simple ornaments. This one is loaded down with some turned-wood decorations I found for pennies at a thrift store. Planted in a pot and placed on the kitchen table, it reminds me that things that are ‘found’ are sometimes what become favorites during the Christmas season.
We dug this little scrub pine up along the railroad tracks. Plants that grow in the rocks that border the track are by necessity resilient. Most foliage succumbs to the lack of dirt and good soil, which is what the railroad wants…encroaching plants and trees would be a hindrance to the train’s smooth travel. When Christmas is over I’ll find an out of the way spot amid the ivy where a fir tree that can grow in rocky soil will survive.
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Photo Challenge – Wednesday Weather Vane/Seashore Offerings Part II
Most of our seashore weather vanes are nautical or fishy. We even spotted a sperm whale vane on one of Ocean City’s summer homes.
Further along, across Corson’s Inlet bridge into Strathmere, we came upon a weather vane that is probably a fisherman’s weather vane. This vane is perched high on a tower and is definitely no-nonsense in appearance. Most likely, it is used daily by a seafaring man to see what direction the wind is blowing.
You can see it’s height in relation to the nearby houses.
Thanks to these bloggers for their response to last week’s challenge:
Exploring Color – It’s a Dog
The 59 Club – Fishing Forecast
Robert’s Snap Spot – Photo Challenge – Weather Vane
The Photo Challenge: Each Wednesday, I post a photograph of a Weather Vane with a short description of where it can be found and any history connected to it. The main focus of the challenge is the photo of the Weather Vane and the location. The challenge can be Wordless if that is what you choose. If you would like others to see your post leave a link to your blog in the comment box. You can also tag the post #weathervaneweds. If you place a link to my post in your post you will create a pingback that will appear in the comment section. The challenge is open all week for comments and posts. Thanks so much for taking part in my challenge.
Many thanks to Cee, of Cee’s Photography, for including this challenge in her listing of WordPress Challenges. If you love challenges take a look at this page and while you are there check out some of Cee’s terrific posts. Thanks Cee!
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Phlowers – Silken Petals
Autumn Rose Scepter
Pure silk bloom of royalty
Reigning o’er chill Fall
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
~ Matthew 6:28-30
This rose isn’t waiting for dormancy, but is blooming still. When I pick a flower, whatever the season, I have contact with the Creator of heaven and earth. Does this bring the 2018 growing season a sense of closure or will I still dream of rosebuds in December?
Today’s beautiful blossom is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Blog Post.
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Pots & Pans – Repeat of a Repeat of a Repeat/Rollo Pretzel Bites
I had no intention reblogging this recipe yet again, but then I whipped up a batch for after Thanksgiving game playing. Oh MY!!! They are fabulous and everyone loves them…and they are so easy.
Rollo Pretzel Bites are a great recipe for the absolute perfect bite. There are only three ingredients involved: Square waffle type pretzels called “Snaps.”
Rollo candies, a bag or several rolls.
The third ingredient is pecan halves.
I use my toaster oven set on a very low temperature, around 275. I arrange the pretzels on the pan. (This year my toaster oven was broken so I used the large oven…works great too! I think the large oven is a bit faster)
Place one rollo candy on top of each pretzel…
Place the pan in the toaster oven and watch closely until the bottom of the Rollo begins to spread out and melt. It only takes a minute or two.
To finish them off lay one pecan half on the top, smoosh it down gently. Ah…the perfect bite in just minutes.
They are a bit pricey to make since pecans are so expensive right now, but definitely worth it. Your guests will love them.
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Psalms – Heavenly Blessings
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Places & Pheathers – Town, Country & The Pied Pipers of Raptor
Small Business Saturday has arrived, and we supported the cause by window-shopping in one of the small towns near us, Pitman, New Jersey. I like the reflection of the Broadway Theater in the door.
It’s fun to check out how the small businesses decorate their windows to draw shoppers inside.
We went from town to a small woods and field behind our home. As we walked, a large bird swooped in front of us, almost as if it was showing off a bit, and flew to a tree on the edge of the field. What excitement filled us to see not just one very large hawk, but two. I zoomed in with my camera and after downloading was able to make out their markings. I believe they are a pair of red-tailed hawks, although one appears to be much older than the other. Not only did we see them, they were very aware of us and split up, one flying into the horizon beyond the woods and one towards the homes nearby.
I followed the hawk that flew to the trees near our neighborhood as if it was the Pied Piper of Hamelin, or as my imagination deemed it while I played catch up with it on foot: The Pied Piper of Raptor. I never did get close enough to get a photograph without using the zoom on my lens. Smart birds! What a perfect Saturday we’ve had, a little bit of town, a little bit of country.
This post is part of Skywatch.
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Phavorites – The Nativity Story/Christmas Movie Listings Online Guide
I often reblog my favorite tips for seasonal projects or recipes. Every year I also repeat my recommendation of The Nativity Story as a reminder of the events that led up to Jesus’ birth.
My heart is always filled with gratitude as I watch this realistic depiction of God’s perfect plan to bring salvation, through his Son Jesus Christ, to all mankind.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with holiday shopping and activities. For those of us who find it relaxing to pull up a seat for an hour or two of seasonal entertainment, here’s a terrific movie channel and schedule available through Countdown Until Christmas/Christmas Movie Database. The Journal Sentinel also has a day by day movie schedule that is worth a look. Take a look at this amazing collection of Christmas and holiday movies and their air times. There is also a search box on the site with an amazing database of movies.
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Quote – Heart’s Gratitude
“Thanksgiving is very vocal: doorbells ringing, kitchen sounds, automobiles hurrying up driveways, and in cities hasty footsteps resounding on pavements. It is also full of sounds of greeting, welcome, laughter, and reunion.
But it’s quiet during the moments when we pause to offer heart’s gratitude, not only for the blessings of the months past but for the disciplines; and above all for the ability to believe in the future, whatever we may read or hear; to believe in friends, in love, in the world itself, no matter how troubled it may be.” ~ Faith Baldwin
I always feel a sense of calm when I read the reflections of Faith Baldwin. I have three of her books and most often when I read her words I am inspired by her insight. The quote above was taken out of Evening Star, pubished in 1966.
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Photo Challenge – Weather Vane Wednesday/Seashore Offerings Part I
We took a Sunday drive to Ocean City, Strathmere and Sea Isle City, New Jersey on the weekend. Most weather vanes I see tend to be near our seashore towns. We saw at least three vanes that had spun and predicted wind for so long they lost their decorative top piece and were left with only letters. The chosen weather vane photograph is one my husband predicted, ‘Maybe today you’ll get two vanes in one photo.’ Within minutes of his remark I did just that. Can you see the second vane behind the first in the distance.
Most of the vanes I find at the seashore have a nautical or ocean theme. One interesting note is the positioning of both vanes. These two are actually working vanes and both show the wind blowing from the same direction.
Thanks to these blogs for their participation in last week’s Weather Vane Wednesday. Take at look at their great weather vanes:
The 59 Club – The Highest Point
Exploring Color – Farm Barn Vanity
This Made Me Smile Today – Seascape Weathervane
The weather vanes, seen from above and below, are also a perfect fit for Nancy Merrill’s challenge of Above and Below.
The Photo Challenge: Each Wednesday, I post a photograph of a Weather Vane with a short description of where it can be found and any history connected to it. The main focus of the challenge is the photo of the Weather Vane and the location. The challenge can be Wordless if that is what you choose. If you would like others to see your post leave a link to your blog in the comment box. You can also tag the post #weathervaneweds. If you place a link to my post in your post you will create a pingback that will appear in the comment section. The challenge is open all week for comments and posts. Thanks so much for taking part in my challenge.
Many thanks to Cee, of Cee’s Photography, for including this challenge in her listing of WordPress Challenges. If you love challenges take a look at this page and while you are there check out some of Cee’s terrific posts. Thanks Cee!
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Pots & Pans – Drying Cranberries and Bananas
Some ideas are worth reblogging every year. As I write this post I have cranberries sorted and washed, waiting to be heated, dried, sugared, frozen and dried in the oven. Give this a try while cranberries are on sale for the holiday. It appears to be a lot of steps, and it is, but each step is very easy and quick. The craisins turn out lovely.
Cranberries are available again in the produce section. I love to use dried cranberries throughout the year, but I am very allergic to the sulfite preservatives sprayed on them. So…I did a little research on the Internet and dried my own.
First I sorted through the berries, keeping only those that were firm and dark red in color. I carefully washed them taking care not to bruise them. While I was doing this I boiled about two quarts of water. I placed the clean cranberries in a large bowl and poured the boiling water over them.
They started sizzling and popping right away. When it appeared that all the cranberries had at least one large crack in their skins, I drained them in the colander. I let them sit for about a half hour to dry.
I placed the cranberries on a cookie sheet covered with parchment, sprinkled them with sugar, and froze them for two hours. After their chill-down was complete, I put them into a preheated 350 degree oven for ten minutes, and turned the oven off for several hours as the directions instructed. The berries didn’t seem to be drying out though, so I turned my oven back on to the lowest temperature. It seemed to do the trick, within a few hours the cranberries had turned into craisins.
The directions I followed recommended freezing them on the same sheet and then bagging them for storage in the freezer. I can’t wait to make cookies, breads and muffins with my delicious and nutritious dried cranberries.
Check out this link for good directions for drying cranberries: In-Depth Article on How to Dry Cranberries
I was so pleased with my dried cranberry success, today I dried bananas. They were even easier, slice them, dip in citrus juice, I used lime, and dry them on parchment until they are dry. A good tip I found is store them first in a glass jar for 7 – 10 days. If condensation appears on the sides of the jar, you will know you need to dry them for a bit longer in the oven. Shake the jar every day while you are doing the moisture checking. When the time is up and the sides of the jar are dry, you can store them in plastic bags or jars in a cool dry place. They will keep for several months up to a year. I had one problem though…
Can you see all the empty spots on the parchment? That’s because I couldn’t stop taste-testing the delicious, scrumptious, delectable and tangy banana slices before they were even finished cooking. They are FABULOUS.
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Quote & Photograph – The Heart of November
“November is usually such a disagreeable month as if the year had suddenly found out she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it.” ~ Anne Shirley (L.M . Montgomery)
I love the heart of Anne Shirley in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables novels. There are so many wise quotes and life lessons in the books. I’ve read the stories many times over and love to rewatch Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in the 1980’s series, Anne of Green Gables.
November is full of change; the glorious jewel-like colors of Autumn leaves have vanished and left behind the rough textures of grasses burnished to golden hues by the frost. The cooler weather has cleared out the dense undergrowth in our forests, giving us the opportunity to indulge in a short hike this past weekend.
We’ve always wanted to see this beautiful pond up close, but it would be lunacy to try and forge through the massive amounts of undergrowth in summer. In November, when bare branches rule the day, it was finally possible to clamber over the strands of thorny, but leafless brambles to get our first look at this small pond near Belleplain State Forest.
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Quote – Transformed and Aglow
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Project – Caterpillar Update
Both caterpillars are thriving on the seventh day in the habitat we created. The one in the foreground is eating parsley, the one in the background is reclining on a piece of dill. The smaller one, caught in an overnight freeze, took a few days to fully revive, but is doing very well now.
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Quick Tip – Sprouts!
The first snowfall was pretty, but also makes me resigned to the long winter ahead. For those of you who, like me, enjoy standing in the garden eating peas right out of the pod, I’m posting a reminder about sprouts. I love sprouts. The batch above was especially delicious, although definitely odd in appearance, when I used them on hummus for lunch this week. The meal might look a trifle strange, but it is full of health benefits and a good percentage of your daily vitamins and minerals.
Amazingly, the sprouting seeds I used were purchased in 2015 from The Sprout House through Amazon. After three years almost all the seeds in the packet I chose to use still sprouted. The Sprout House offers an amazing variety packet that will last for months, if not years.
“There are tremendous health benefits from including sprouts in your diet: … Vitamin, such as A, B, C and E, and essential fatty acid nutrients increase in sprouting and minerals bind to protein, making them more easily absorbed. Sprouts alkalize the body and protect it from disease including cancer.” ~Longevity Wellness Worldwide
The Sprout House on Amazon. Here’s the link to the variety package I purchased in 2015. You can also find smaller products through Amazon offered by The Sprout House.
This post is part of Kammie’s Oddball Challenge
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Photograph – Skywatch Snow
My backyard in the noon hour of November 15th. A very early and heavy snowfall for southern New Jersey. They say it will turn to rain in the late afternoon. We’ll see! This post is part of Skywatch.
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Past & Phavorites – Throwback & Nurturing Thursday/The Waltons
I’ve already been playing Christmas music and loving every minute of it. One of my very favorite CD’s is ‘A Walton’s Christmas – Together Again.’ This CD was given to me by my sister many years ago. Not only is it a perfect choice for Nurturing Thursday, the music and show are also an excellent selection for Throwback Thursday. It’s easy to see how well-loved and played the CD has been over the years by the battered state of the case. If like me, you are immediately uplifted by the opening chords of this song, enjoy listening to the Youtube video below. If you have never seen ‘The Waltons,’ try and find these reruns on your cable channels for enjoyable Christmas nostalgia.
