Happy New Year

I took down the tree and Christmas decorations today because I had the time to do it.  I'll miss the pretty tree lights in the evening though, and the pine smell.  Moved the furniture around a little different.  Have to have room for the toys and extra furniture for a while yet.  I have my spinning wheel back in the living room so I can spin the wool for Elaine better now.  I hope I get it done by the next time we meet. 

third major snow storm in progress

The name of the snowstorm begins with C but I forgot what it was, some girls name I guess.

Broke my glasses and had to go get new frames, luckily they had ones that fit the lenses.

Kids are very tired, came from Mom's without any naps or lunch...fell asleep on the floor watching Ben10.

I'm rather sick today, but it may be just the barometric pressure drop with this snowstorm...hope so.

Had some good stew for supper...Owen...Grandma daddy made me eat that stew!  So I gave him some gingerbread cookies and milk.

Tags: snow

A few Christmas pictures

We had fun this Christmas

Merry Christmas

Just dropping in a minute to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  A little hectic around here, cleaning, baking, wrapping...a few more things to get done this year with the kids here.  It's fun though...except for the five and a half inches of blowing snow we got yesterday.  Lots of birds at the feeder have to go fill them again and get some of the snow off the paths.

I'm looking forward to a nice warm cup of tea when I get back in the house...oh, and can you believe I lost two pounds this week even with all the junk food around.  I have a couple good books to read and some nice music to listen too also.

Merry Christmas

Tags: Christmas

Winter Solstice

Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
December 25, 1927 Presidential Message, Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)

Vintage Windows

I just had my little camera along at the museum...30 second videos...but it gives you a little glimpse of the windows from long ago that were in Prange's Department Store windows at Christmas and are now located at the museum along with Santa and helper and Bruce the Spruce.

 

 

Tags: Christmas, vintage, store windows,

Ho Ho Ho

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A Poem

Sunny, still and cold

Found, on the gravel road I walked this morning.
one beer can, part full of frozen tobacco juice
that when I shook it came apart like chunks of amber,
and a quarter-sized piece from a fluted china plate,
with a soft pink rose the size of a pencil eraser
and a curl of flying ,pale blue ribbon. In a nearby tree,
five noisy crows who had seen me snooping there
were busy creating a plausible story.

Ted Kooser
Winter Morning Walks

http://www.tedkooser.com/

There's Something About Fruitcake...

Earleen's Masterpiece Fruitcake

2 cups sugar;  1 cup butter;  2 1/2 cups applesauce;  2 beaten eggs; 2 cups raisons;  2 cups chopped walnuts;  4 cups flour; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp soda;  1 tsp baking powder;  1 tsp cloves; 1 tsp nutmeg;  2 tsp. cinnamon;  2 pounds candied dried fruit;  1 1/2 cups chopped dates.

Cream sugar and butter.  Add beaten eggs and applesauce.  Mix flour, salt, spices, soda, and baking powder, then gradually add to other ingredients.  Mix well.  Blend in candied fruit, dates, raisins, and nuts.  Mixture will be stiff.  Bake in 325 degree oven in two loaf pans for one hour.

Cool and remove fruitcake from pans.  Cut a piece of cheesecloth to fit and soak in 1/2 cuprum or brandy.  Pour any remaining alcohol over the fruitcake.  Wrap fruitcake in cheesecloth and then cellophane, followed by aluminum foil.  Store in refrigerator for up to three months.

 

Sophie McKay's Chocolate Fruitcake

Make 3 weeks in advance.  Store in refrigerator.

Place into large bowl:

2 cups maraschino cherries, sliced in half;  2 cups chopped dates;  2 cups pineapple tidbits, well drained;  1 cup coconut;  2 cups walnuts;  2 cups pecan halves; 2  12 ounce packages semisweet chocolate chips.

Beat the following ingredients on low for thirty seconds, then on high for three minutes:

3 cups flour;  1 1/2 cups sugar;  1 TB baking powder;  1/2 tsp salt;  3/4 cup shortening;  3/4 cup butter;  2/3 cup creme de cacao;  1/2 cup cocoa powder;  9 eggs

Pour batter over fruit and nut mixture.  Pour into two well-greased loaf pans.  Bake at 275 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  After two hours, check with a toothpick every fifteen minutes.  When cool, set each loaf on a large piece of plastic wrap and pour a jigger of creme de cacao over them.  Wrap tightly and place inside a ziploc bag and keep refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.

Peggy Lucas's No-Bake Fruitcake with Marshmallows

1 cup raisins (dark or golden);  2 cups dates;  2 cups mixed candied fruit;  4 cups chopped nuts (you can reduce this to three cups if desired);  3/4 cup evaporated milk;  2 cups marshmallows;  2 cups very finely crushed graham crackers.

Mix raisins, dates, dandied fruit and chopped nuts in a large bowl.  In a saucepan (or in a bowl in the microwave) bring evaporated milk to a boil, add marshmallows and stir until thoroughly combined and marshmallows are melted.  Grind the graham crackers in the food processor (one package at a time) until they are very finely ground (like flour).  You can also use packaged graham cracker crumbs.  Stir the graham crackers into the fruit and nut mixture.  Add the marshmallow mixture.  With wet hands, mix all ingredients.  Rinse hands, wet them again and press the mixture into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan lined with wax paper.  Press it down well and refrigerate for 2 days until set.

Note:  If you use 1/2 cup candied fruit, 1/2 cup flaked coconut and 1 cup candied pineapple instead of 2 cups candied fruit, the cake has a topical taste.  If mixture seems to dry, add a little orange juice or strawberry jam.  Don't worry if it seems too wet, because as it sets the graham cracker crumbs will absorb the liquid.

These are the three recipes that are in There's Something About Christmas by Debbie McComber

Tags: Fruitcake, Debbie McComber

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A little Christmas Cheer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

Kids are here

Hali doing some Packer cheers...or not.

 

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Snow Day

We got about six inches of snow overnight.  It was the slushy kind and kept plugging up the snow blower but it was good for playing in.  Luckily I didn't have to drive in it as the snow plows were slow getting around.

Black Friday

It sounds like an ominous name but I guess the merchants call it that because today is the day the they turn a profit...so instead of in the red, they are in the black today.  Went shopping with Jenny and stopped at the museum and for lunch.  It was a pleasant morning but tiring.  Jenny got some real good bargains.  I got a package of candy canes for my hot chocolate.

Tags: Black Friday, Christmas shopping, transformers, ben10, cabbage patch kids, care bears, Christmas crafts,

TEST YOUR
KNOWLEDGE OF KNOVEMBER

1. In the ancient Roman calendar, November was which month? First — because "novem" meant "new" Ninth Tenth Eleventh The Romans didn't have "November" — it wasn't a month until 1422 2. Who was the Pilgrim leader that invited neighboring Indians to the first Thanksgiving? William Penn William Bradford Miles Standish John Bunny Button Gwinnett 3. November 1st is "All Saints' Day" ... what is November 2nd? Saint Patrick's Day Saint Christopher's Day Saint Swithin's Day All Souls' Day Nothing 4. Who is commemorated with Bonfire Night on November 5th in England? William Shakespeare King Arthur Guy Fawkes Winston Churchill Lord Byron 5. What is the birthstone for the month of November? Diamond Topaz Ruby Sapphire Emerald 6. Name the Native American chief who was invited to the first Thanksgiving feast? Squanto Chingachgook Massasoit Jamiraquoi Pocahontas 7. What famous speech was given in November, 1863? "I Have a Dream" Emancipation Proclamation "Go West, Young Man" The Gettysburg Address "Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus" 8. What is the flower for the month of November? Poppy Morning Glory Chrysanthemum Primrose Calendula 9. The end of what ... is celebrated in the U.S. every November 11th? Daylight Savings Time World War I World War II Autumn Baseball season. 10. Which country first adopted Thanksgiving as a national holiday? Canada Mexico England United States Spain 11. What mountain climber reached his peak on November 15, 1806? Admiral Byrd Sir Edmund Hillary Zebulon Pike J. Tuzo Wilson James Audubon 12. What astronomical event happens in November? Halley's comet Perseids meteor shower Lunar eclipse Leonids meteor shower Solar eclipse 13. Which Thanksgiving dish is known to scientists as "Meleagris gallopavo" ? Cranberry sauce Turkey Stuffing Ham Mashed potatoes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANSWERS (access each link below for lots of interesting details) 1... Ninth 2... William Bradford 3... All Soul's Day 4... Guy Fawkes 5... Topaz 6... Massasoit 7... The Gettysburg Address 8... Chrysanthemum 9... World War I (Veterans' Day) 10. Canada 11. Zebulon Pike 12. Leonids meteor shower 13. Wild Turkey

This year's Christmas Parade

It was a cold (34) windy day and the snow started to fall right on schedule.

Tags: Christmas Parade, Santa Claus, Christmas Crafts, Carols, Christmas Shopping

    

       My Grandchildren

What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails,
And puppy-dogs' tails;
That's what little boys are made of.

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What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice,
and all that's nice;
That's what little girls are made of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

 

Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Bowl them in water until they are tender enough to pierce with a fork. Drain and mash

In a large bowl mix the sweet potatoes, 1 cup brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, spices, milk and melted butter.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The center will be almost set when done. It will continue to set as it cools.

Serves 6 to 8.

OLD SCHOOL DESK

We learned to read and write And we learned to spell At the old school desk With a hole for the inkwell. We scratched out our initials To say that we were there, But it's been so long now, No one would really care. Funny thing memory - I often think of something that actually took place when I was a kid and it seems like last month - what is more amazing I want to talk about it with my daughter or son and I am taken up short realizing they were not there - it is so hard to take in that they do not share the same stories and history that float in my head.   I will dig up the Cannas soon...and maybe even clean the garage so I can fit my very old car in it when the weather is too cold  and snowy for it to be outside.  Tomorrow I will take Owen to the dentist, he needs caps, last time he had a tooth pulled  and a spacer put in.  He does very well with the dentist.  The dentist office has two computers for the kids when they are waiting and in 'the chair' there is a tv on the ceiling that plays kid videos.  I stay with him and he whispers to me to make sure I am still there.  My sweet boy.

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds -
November!
-   Thomas Hood,

Pumpkin Seeds and Pictures

How I made pumpkin seeds this year...

Put single layer on sprayed cookie sheet (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray)

Spray and salt seeds

Roast in 250 degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Good

Found some tulip and daffodil bulbs on sale and will be planting them in the morning.  I got purple and red tulips...should make me smile in April.  Weather is in a warming trend and it's supposed to be in the mid to high sixties for the next few days.  I made a really good dessert for supper.  Cut up apples in the bottom, sliced Snickers on top put in a 350 oven for 15 minutes and ate will a scoop of ice cream.  I also enjoy baked apples cooked for 15 minutes at 350 with sugar/fat free frozen whipped cream on top.  I guess I just enjoy apples raw too...I really like apples.  I took a picture of the dessert and that's it above.

 

still doing some gardening

I planted a new mini garden with Danford Iris and Grape Hyacinth.  It's supposed to come up in early spring.  Did some weed pulling.  Plugged in the electric birdbath and filled the feeders again.  Started cleaning the garage, my saddest job because it means that summer is really over.  Supposed to be a killing frost tonight and the rest of the flowers still in bloom will go.  I'll just have to bring in the Canna Lilies and spread the straw mulch and then I'll be done for the winter.

...and of course finish cleaning that darn garage. 

Creatures of the night party/ Mystical herbs

Except on Halloween most of us don’t think much about goblins, ghosts and witches, but there was a time when these creatures of the night were a hot topic. And many of the plants we now use to beautify our gardens were believed to have certain powers that could protect us.

For instance, rue was thought to keep werewolves at bay and larkspur was used to put ghosts on the run. And of course, we all know garlic will keep vampires away and your friends too if you eat enough of it!

The thorny hawthorn was considered to be a favorite of witches and it was said that witches danced under pear and oak trees. But all it took was half a cup of basil juice to send them flying into the air.

According the ancient Greeks pomegranate and rosemary placed over a door would protect home owners from misfortune.

And of course, the pumpkin was transformed into a Jack-o-lantern to keep goblins away on Halloween.

In the past people believed that plants had specific powers and even today some of us are still intrigued by these myths and superstitions. Buckeye has long been regarded as a symbol of good luck .

Tags: Halloween, herbs

Busy Day

Not much journal reading time anymore since grands moved in.  Also busy time of year getting the house, garage, and yard ready for winter.  Library day today, then met old friends for lunch.  Yard work mostly finished except for a few more spring bulbs to plant and after halloween to spread the straw mulch.  Garage is another story, still is my potting shed and have to turn it back into a garage.  The closets are changed around except for mine which still has all the summer clothes in.  I do stop at other journals on my list but rarely get a chance to leave a comment.  Lots of birds in the yard and the seed goes fast, will have to stock up again tomorrow.  Last night there was a bat in the house and Owen wasn't here so he missed it.  I bet he would have loved it.  It was a Momma bat and she's caught and safely returned to her children...probably back up in the attic and we'll meet again I'm sure.  When I get a chance to watch tv late nights I have been knitting hats and mittens.  Tomorrow is WW meeting and then maybe a little shopping for sundry things...whatever that means.  Prayers and love to all.

Picture is of my Jenny on her birthday with her niece and nephew.

Fall Harvest

Farmer's Market ends next Saturday for the winter months. 

 I will miss it. 

Yum

Kraft Caramel Apples

If you are a product of post 1950s America like me, whenever you see a bag of individually wrapped, chewy caramels the first thing you think of is caramel apples. Those candies always take me back to my mother’s kitchen and October afternoons spent with my brothers and sister preparing these tasty fall treats. 

To me the flavor is a classic and they are so easy to make. I suppose that is why kids continue to create fall memories about making caramel apples.

Ingredients

5 medium to small apples. (Tart varieties such as Granny Smith’s complement the sweet caramel the best.)
2 tablespoons milk
1 (14) ounce package individually wrapped, chewy caramel candies

Possible Toppings
Chopped nuts (I think walnuts are extra delicious with the apple and caramel.)
Chocolate chips
Candy sprinkles
Raisins
Pumpkin Pie Season Mixed with Sugar

Special Tools
disposable wooden chop sticks or popsicle sticks
wax paper, lightly buttered
cookie sheet

Instructions

Wash and dry the apples. Remove the stems and insert a wooden chopstick or popsicle stick for a handle. To help the caramel set better, chill the apples overnight in the refrigerator. Leave them there until you are ready to dip them in the caramel. If you are short on time, put them in the freezer while you prepare the caramel sauce.

Unwrap the caramel candies.

Place the candies and 2 tablespoons of milk in a medium sized, heavy bottom saucepan. Cook over a medium-low heat until the candies are melted, stir constantly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. If there are kids involved with the preparation, allow the caramel sauce to cool slightly.

Dip the chilled apples in the caramel. To get an even coat, turn the apple while dipping. Allow excess caramel to drip back into the saucepan.

Place the caramel apples on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper that has been lightly buttered.

Chill the apples for about 15 minutes and then press the desired topping into the soft caramel.

Return the apples to the refrigerator and chill for another hour.

Notes

Chilled caramels are easier to unwrap.

For easier eating, cut the caramel apple into wedges.

A seasonal recipe

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Half a 15 ounce can of pumpkin with spices added as for pie (one cup minus one tablespoon) If you are using plain pumpkin you can add 1/2 teaspoon each..cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

3/4 cup water

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat pumpkin in a small saucepan over medium heat until steamy.  Stirring continuously.  Cook until pumpkin is stiff and starts to stick to the pan bottom..about 3 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the water, then brown sugar, then oil, then eggs until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients, then fold into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.  Scrape batter into 3 greased miniature disposable loaf pans (or 1- 9 inch pan).  Bake until firm and golden brown..about 50 minutes for miniature loaves and about 70 minutes for large loaf.

Let bread stand for a few minutes.  Then place on wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Slice and serve.

Recipe doubles easily and freezes well.

 

The Clothesline Said So Much

A clothesline was a news forecast 
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep 
When clothes were hung to dry. 

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two. 

For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table clothes
With intricate design. 
                                      
The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride. 

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown. 

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung. 
                                
It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare. 
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare. 

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away. 

But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess. 
                                   
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line! 

         Author: Marilyn K. Walker

I'm not feeling well today

Not serious, just sore throat and cough.

Was library day, pajama day, Owen is so pleased to get there and see all his friends now.  I'm very happy to have started this for him.  We had a picnic at Murphy park as usual but it was so cold and the day care kids didn't come so we were the only ones there so we came home and played horse shoes for a while until the kids left and went to their mother's house for the night.  It's good to be a grandmother.

I ran across this quote and wanted to save it...

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.....

it's about learning to dance in the rain.

A few pictures of a family outing

A Time to Talk

 

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaning walk,

I don’t stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven’t hoed,

And shout from where I am, "What is it?"

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

 

Robert Frost

 

 

Library Day

Owen continues to have a lot of fun at library story time at SW library.  Today he made another new friend, Olivia, and they won a game together as partners.  We had a picnic at Murphy Park after for lunch.  It was a little windy and cold but fun.  There was a group of kids from a day care center again and Owen played a lot and ran around.  Hali was here today too but doesn't go to Owen's story time.

Hi.

I got some really big native perennials today at Farmer's Market.  They are selling cheap cause it's the end of the season but they can still be planted and will do well.  They will flower again next year.  Then I sowed the oat grass in the gardens.  That's what I use for fertilizer in my yard.  It does a good job and is very earth friendly.  I also put salt on a couple picker weeds that were in the yard and watered the new evergreens.  They had a lot of ornamental grasses at the market today too but not the kind I'm looking for.  Although, I may go next week and check to see if they still have some and get a few for the back fence area.  I like to watch them blowing in the winter time breezes.  I put up a few more decorations for autumn.  I got a bale of straw and a couple big pumpkins.  I use the straw for decoration now and then in November I mulch with it.  Picked the last two tomatoes today.  Well I didn't actually pick them today, I had them ripening on the garage sill and they were ripe enough to bring in.  Also put out a few more clothes lines so I can get the towels and sheets hung up at the same time.  Went to lunch with Jenny and did a little shopping together.  She's doing well in school and asked for this salsa recipe so I'm putting it here and then will copy and paste to her email.  I'm enjoying my weekend.

Salsa

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups diced onions

1 1/2 cups diced green peppers

1/2c celery

1 six ounce can tomato paste

2 tsp. dill pickle juice

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper (if you like)

2 tsp mustard seed

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp lemon juice

One very, very small, diced pickled jalapena pepper...take the seeds out and discard without touching with your bare hands.

Mix all ingredients.  Add small amount jalapena peppers and taste before adding more.  It will get hotter after it sits a while.  Can be canned in hot bath.  May double or quad recipe.

Summer...oh what a time it was!

Owen ate a Macintosh apple that we bought at Farmer's Market and he wondered  what to do with the seeds so we planted them yesterday in a little pot.  After it overwinters in the house we'll plant it outside and maybe someday we will be eating our own Macintosh apples.

Come, let us plant the apple-tree.

Cleave the tough greensward with the spade;

Wide let its hollow bed be made;

There gently lay the roots, and there

Sift the dark mould with kindly care,

And press it o'er them tenderly,

As, round the sleeping infant's feet,

We softly fold the cradle-sheet;

So plant we the apple-tree. -

What plant we in this apple-tree?

Buds, which the breath of summer days

Shall lengthen into leafy sprays;

Boughs where the thrush, with crimson breast,

Shall haunt and sing and hide her nest;

We plant, upon the sunny lea,

A shadow for the noontide hour,

A shelter from the summer shower,

When we plant the apple-tree. -

What plant we in this apple-tree?

Sweets for a hundred flowery springs

To load the May-wind's restless wings,

When, from the orchard-row, he pours

Its fragrance through our open doors;

A world of blossoms for the bee,

Flowers for the sick girl's silent room,

For the glad infant sprigs of bloom,

We plant with the apple-tree. -

What plant we in this apple-tree?

Fruits that shall swell in sunny June,

And redden in the August noon,

And drop, when gentle airs come by,

That fan the blue September sky,

While children come, with cries of glee,

And seek them where the fragrant grass

Betrays their bed to those who pass,

At the foot of the apple-tree. -

And when, above this apple-tree,

The winter stars are quivering bright,

And winds go howling through the night,

Girls, whose young eyes o'erflow with mirth,

Shall peel its fruit by cottage-hearth,

And guests in prouder homes shall see,

Heaped with the grape of Cintra's vine

And golden orange of the line,

The fruit of the apple-tree. -

The fruitage of this apple-tree

Winds and our flag of stripe and star

Shall bear to coasts that lie afar,

Where men shall wonder at the view,

And ask in what fair groves they grew;

And sojourners beyond the sea

Shall think of childhood's careless day,

And long, long hours of summer play,

In the shade of the apple-tree. -

Each year shall give this apple-tree

A broader flush of roseate bloom,

A deeper maze of verdurous gloom,

And loosen, when the frost-clouds lower,

The crisp brown leaves in thicker shower.

The years shall come and pass, but we

Shall hear no longer, where we lie,

The summer's songs, the autumn's sigh,

In the boughs of the apple-tree. -

And time shall waste this apple-tree.

Oh, when its aged branches throw

Thin shadows on the ground below,

Shall fraud and force and iron will

Oppress the weak and helpless still?

What shall the tasks of mercy be,

Amid the toils, the strifes, the tears

Of those who live when length of years

Is wasting this little apple-tree? -

"Who planted this old apple-tree?"

The children of that distant day

Thus to some aged man shall say;

And, gazing on its mossy stem,

The gray-haired man shall answer them:

"A poet of the land was he,

Born in the rude but good old times;

'Tis said he made some quaint old rhymes,

On planting the apple-tree." - -

                     

THE PLANTING OF THE APPLE-TREE

by William Cullen Bryant

Nice Day

I went to farmer's market today in the parking lot at Festival foods.  It's the first time I went to that one and it was very nice.  Got raspberries for only two dollars a pint, also got acorn squash, patipan squash, little jack horner squash, a bag of apples and a bag of red potatoes.  Also got a nice cantalope. 

This afternoon I picked the grapes, they are so sweet and good this year I think I'll keep them all. I also furtilized the south flower bed and weeded the raised garden.  I have a lot of room in the flower beds now and I want to plant things but I guess it's too late.

Everything isn't roses though, after supper I was flossing my teeth and a filling came out...have to call the dentist in the morning.

Anakin was curious about the sunflowers and had to check them out closer.

A little p.s....in case you are wondering if that's some sort of spray on the grapes, it isn't.  That's how they grow naturally.  I never use chemicals in my yard.

 

Tags: Concord Grapes

Frost warning...

Ah, when to the heart of man

 

Was it ever less than a treason

 

To go with the drift of things,

 

To yield with a grace to reason,

 

And bow and accept the end

 

Of a love or a season?

 

Robert Frost

We made ice cream, it was very good, the camera lens got kind of smeary and sticky with it.

September

The goldenrod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusky pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow-nook;
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer

   Helen Hunt Jackson

I haven't been able to add an entry, the link wasn't there.  I see it's there today so maybe later I'll get a chance...off to work in the yard now before the storm gets here.

Eating Yogurt

practicing

Someday I'll take a little movie outside so I can actually see it.

sunny day

Twenty or so years ago when I lived in another house there was the sweetest little boy that lived across the street from me.  He used to play in the yard all the time.  Today that sweet little boy came to visit me and told me he has good memories of that time.  He's all grown up now and about to be married.  I was thrilled that he stopped by.

On free cycle a woman said she had perennials to give away so I emailed her and she said I could have some of them  She lives in DePere and I went there and picked them up.  Her yard is beautiful with so many flowers and garden structures.  I got some herbs, purple cone flowers and I forgot the names of the other ones that she dug out for me when I was there.  She used her bare feet to do the digging...said she was a farm girl.

I also stopped at a few places as long as I was in DePere.  Went to the thrift store, it was loaded with decorations for Halloween but too early for me to get any.  I did get a pretty lavender sweatshirt to match my lavender shoes.  I think lavender is the up and coming color because there is such a little bit of it and it's hard to find.

I got some wonderful nectarines at farmer's market, sweet and juicy, and a few odds and ends at Shopko.  They were having a 70 percent off sale.  Quite difficult to get around in DePere as there is a new bridge being built and a lot of road construction.  I had fun going on the new double round about...a lot like a carnival ride LOL. 

I just planted the new plants and watered the new grass this evening and that was my day.  I'll be 67 tomorrow.  I'll miss being 66 cause it was fun to say.

Container Plants for Autumn

I went searching but didn't find any.  Just perennials and bushes and mums...I don't like mums unless they are growing wild in someone's garden.  The ones nowadays are too manufactured.  When I was at Green Bay Nursery they had a couple piles of mulch, top soil and cocoa beans with broken bags that were selling for a dollar each.  I was too lazy to load up the car or I would have taken some.  They also have their tent sale going on right now.  At Schroeder's they have the plants I want but already planted in their containers and I have my own.  I noticed the red bench is moved to a different spot and covered with fake flowers.  It's on sale for 30% off today.  Anybody know any place in or near Green Bay that has annuals I could put in my big barrel planter?

The cats say it's nap time and then yard work I guess.  What a great day...the rain went away yippee!

Rain Rain Go Away...Come Again Another Day!

Went to the Boutique today and got some books.  They have a cute little rocking chair I may have to go back and get tomorrow.

A couple days

Yesterday was Factory Day with Owen and today I went on a day trip with some friends from work.  Both days were a lot of fun.

Apple Scab

Crab apple trees commonly get apple scab and over the years can cause the tree to weaken and die.  It presents usually in mid summer when the leaves turn yellow or gold and prematurely fall from the tree.  

Clean up all the leaves and fruit this fall. Next spring, spray the trees with lime-sulfur while the trees are still dormant and again after leafing. Use a fungicide known as Captan. Repeat again in 10 to 14 days.

I also got this response from a gardening question and answer board:

It may have cedar apple rust, a fungus that effects crab apple and apple trees, the leaves start out with a small yellow spot that gets bigger and has some red around it normally. Then the leaves fall off. There's not much you can do about it this year, but next year you will need to spray the tree after it blooms. Spray it with copper sulphate every seven days for a month. that should keep it from getting it. Source(s): State Certified Ornamental & Turf Specialist since '85

cooled off

Did my yard maintenance then sat in my big red chair and read for a while.  Book by Ann Hood is what I'm currently reading.  It's called The knitting Circle ...it's a very good book.  Have a good night...watch for fireflies they sure are out in big numbers this week.

amd if you stop by I found out how to fix the crab apple tree and will post tomorrow

Tags: Ann Hood,

Booyah

Went with Jenny to the 70th anniversary picnic of Annunciation Church/School.  I got some souvenirs...enough for all my book club sisters if we ever get together again.  I also got to look at the pictures from when I went to school there.  I even found one of Dad singing in the choir that I had never seen before.  We had a nice hamburger and root beer float lunch and in the raffle I won some animal blocks and a set of drum sticks.  There was a very nice hat mittens and scarf set, hand knit, but the price was 35.00, kind of expensive.  If it had been 15 I would have it now.  The chicken booyah was smelling delicious but when I looked at it, didn't look good so I came home and made my own and that is delicious.  Hardly anyone bought the booyah at the picnic.  They didn't have the white elephant sale either so I think that cut down on people that were there.  That always was a big draw as they had a lot of nice things, plants, books, etc.  I have the A/C off tonight and all the windows open, it feels so good to be able to do that.  One of my crab apple trees is dying.  I've had this one about three years and last week I noticed a few yellow leaves on it.  Tonight when I went out to look at it all the leaves are crispy and yellow/orange and there are holes in some of the leaves.  When I scrape the trunk it's still green but most of the branches are brown underneath. I have no idea what caused this.  I rarely, if ever, have anything die in this yard.  It sure has me puzzled.  I will be sleeping late tomorrow hopefully.  Maybe do a little yard work.  I won't cut the grass though until this heat goes away or the city says I have to...whichever comes first. 

 

Booyah is a thick chicken stew that many believe was created in Northeastern Wisconsin by Walloon Belgian settlers. Mary Ann Defnet, a respected historian of Walloon culture in Wisconsin explains the origin of the rather unusual word in a letter sent to K. Fleurant, who had suggested to a reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette that the origin was bouillir, the French word for to boil. Although variations of this dish are found in many cultures worldwide, the wonderfully hearty dish called "booyah" can only be found in Wisconsin.

1 lb. butter
25 lbs. chicken, cut in pieces and browned
5 lbs. beef, cubed and browned
5 lbs. onions browned with meat
5 lbs. celery, diced
5 lbs. carrots, diced
3 pecks potatoes, peeled and diced
5 lbs. shredded cabbage
5 lbs. fresh tomatoes, diced
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons pepper
1 cup chopped parsley

The following may be added if desired

5 No. 2 cans whole kernel corn or equivalent of fresh cooked corn.
2 lbs. dried split peas, soaked overnight and cooked until tender
2 lbs. dried navy beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender.

After the meat is browned thoroughly, add seasoning and enough hot water to cook until tender. Remove chicken from bones and cut into cubes. Place all the meat in one very large container and add vegetables in the order given with reference to length of time for cooking each, with enough additional boiling water for cooking the mixture. Watch the mixture carefully to prevent sticking and burning.

Makes 25 gallons

Recipe thanks to Mrs. Mary Ann Defnet, Green Bay. Originally appeared in "Wisconsin's Folkways in Foods", 1948; Collection made by the Wisconsin Home Economics Association."

Of course, when I make it at home I use much smaller quantities

 

Pictures Pictures Pictures

Got to work in the yard a little today cause it wasn't so humid.  Took a few pictures.  Grass needs cutting but better to let it grow long in this heat than cut it and have to water it every day.  Lots of rabbits, birds, butterflies, bees, squirrels, and chipmonks in the yard and two little green frogs made their way here somehow.  I'm going outside and sit in the big red chair and read my library book.  Have a good weekend everybody that stops by.

Corn and Tomato Casserole

2 cups corn kernels
1/2 onion, chopped fine
2 hot peppers, chopped fine
3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced thick
2 tablespoons butter
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Salt to taste

Instructions

Spread half the corn over the bottom of a 8 x 8 baking dish.

Top the corn with a single layer of tomato slices. They should fit snuggly.

Add half the onion and hot pepper on top of the tomato slices.

Dot with half the butter.

Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Repeat the layers in the same order.

Finish with a topping of bread crumbs and the bacon crumbles.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Tuesday was a fun day

Library story day was yesterday and it was teddy bear picnic day.  Hali Anne won the 'door' prize of a teddy bear.  Milk and cookies were provided by the Red Owl Store and after there was a lunch picnic.  Cheese sandwiches, bananas, rice Krispie treats and juice.  It was a hot day but we were in the shade and there was a breeze.

Owen finally pooped on the toilet...I know, too much information...and I had told him I take him to toys r us for anything he wanted when he did that.  He chose sitting in one of the cars and a Sponge Bob ice cream bar.  He also wanted to run under the sprinkler which he did.  Hali got picked up right after the library but Owen stayed for his little shopping trip.

I'm busy changing the house around as Friday Dan, Owen, and Hali will be moving in for a 'couple' months.  I have a big house.  Judge Judy always said when you move to an apartment make sure that you can afford it on your own if you ever split up...my son didn't take the advice.

Oh no not another video

I can smell Fall in the air this morning.  I wonder why so early.

This was my sunrise this morning.

The organic garden

here are pictures of some of the things we planted in the class I'm taking on organic gardening....raspberries, dill, pole beans, tomatoes, peppers and Canna lilies to name a few. 

Wednesday doings

The movie is of Owen washing his family car they just got.

Still on pain meds from dental surgery...oh my gosh!

Owen has left the building.

Ooops...Teddy Bear Picnic is next week but all the kids passed around the bears so it was ok.

Owen's Mohawk Haircut...wait until his parents find out.

Gram's Bear

Here's Gram Bear that I spoke of along with Owen's Teddy Bear, waiting to go to the library tomorrow.

Spent the morning at the dentist.  Face is swollen and numb but I lived through it and it's over with.  I have a very nice and professional dentist, she does very good work and has a wonderful assistant . 

Sassy

That's the name I have given this squirrel.  She likes to shake all the bird seed onto the ground and then making chirping sounds if there isn't an ear of corn in the feeder or a few peanuts on the ground.  I spent the day laboring over the fact that I have a four hour dentist appointment tomorrow.  It will be over by noon. 

this day

I finished up the yard work...well there's always something but it's finished for today.  It looks pretty good and it was quiet and peaceful for a couple hours of reading.  I finally have some buds coming on the flowers and I'm looking forward to finding out what they are going to be.  I also have one red rose caught between the Chocolate Joe Pye Weed.  The Sweet Autumn Clematis is almost in bloom.  I guess that means we're coming into August.  Tomorrow I'm going to water with the feed stuff.  The Morning Glories are not doing well and something is eating the leaves, that never happened before.  I'm having a little problem digging down far enough with the vines I want to move...I usually know the name but I am having another Mature Moment...the flowers are orange/red and look sort of like tubes of lipstick.  Going to read for an hour and then lights out.  I think my book is called Back To Earth.  It's a 7 day library book and pretty good.  Tuesday story time is a teddy bear picnic.  We are to bring our favorite teddy bear and a blanket...I think I'll take Hali too this time.  I have a home made Grams Bear that needs an outing hahahaha.  I'm such a kid!  72 and sunny again today...we sure are having a spectacular summer.

It looks like I figured it out sort of.  It's my old camera without sound though.  My new camera with sound is not compatible with my old computer so I'll have to save up and only have silent movies in the meantime.

The clip is just me experimenting...it's Owen chasing a seagull.  He's pretty far away but you can see his little head bob up and down as he runs along and you can see the seagull take off when he gets to close.  Only his Nana would think how wonderful LOL

It sort of has a 3D effect.  Thanks for the help!

At the park

At the park

Trying to teach myself how to add video...obviously I don't quite get the hang of it.

What a beautiful summer!

It was perfect weather for a band concert last night at St. James park and today we got a chance to go to Leight's Park and chase seagulls.  It was a great break from yard work but tomorrow back again to cutting back and making room for my overgrown plants.  Maybe it will rain...in that case I have a new library book to read.

I have the ingredients to make a pasta salad...black olives, tomatoes, green pepper, cheese, pasta.  One of my favorites.

What A Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Yard work

Continuing to prune the bushes, what a job.  Haven't started to move the vines and bushes yet.  One more day of pruning along the fence and I should be done.  Then I'll move a couple things then trim....then Owen and Hali will be back to play in the yard.  It's getting a little easier to do this work and more fun than riding my NordicTrack to the Maui Video.  Now time for supper.

Moon Pies and Movie Stars

That's the name of the book I just finished.

I guess no takers on Bastille Day.

Back to yard work.  I'm going to thin out the Sweet Autumn Clematis a little so it blooms better.  Then after that whatever strikes my fancy.  Arms still aching from yesterday.

Lots of butterflies and bees and birds in the yard today and one chipmonk looking for a place to raise her family I guess.  A beautiful sunny breezy 70 degrees today.  My favorite weather.

For all you French, tomorrow is Bastille Day...I am part French and part Candian French.

Hali and Owen visited this morning for hugs and kisses and Apple juice and cheese sticks.  They were with their Daddy and they enjoyed watching the latest family video and playing Go Fish.

I pruned the North Fence which includes the Grape Vines...four hours.  Grapes are on schedule so it's time to prune back to get the sun and rain on them better.

Reading a fairly good book, a seven day one that's due on Tuesday so I better get reading.

Farmer's market tomorrow.  Looking forward to some great veggies and some fresh berries and eggs.

 

Bastille Day is a National holiday in France. It is very much like Independence Day in the United States because it is a celebration of the beginning of a new form of government.

 

At one time in France, kings and queens ruled. Many people were very angry with the decisions made by the kings and queens.

 

The Bastille was a prison in France that the kings and queens often used to lock up the people that did not agree with their decisions. To many, it was a symbol of all the bad things done by the kings and queens. So, on July 14, 1789, a large number of French citizens gathered together and stormed the Bastille.

 

Just as the people in the United States celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence as the beginning of the American Revolution, so the people in France celebrate the storming of the Bastille as the beginning of the French Revolution. Both Revolutions brought great changes. Kings and queens no longer rule. The people rule themselves and make their own decisions.

 

 

Hali came along to library day yesterday and she was very impressed with all the children there.  She didn't stop smiling at all.  It was Froggy story day and they each had their pictures taken with the frog.  We had a picnic after on a blanket in the library yard.  By then it was nap time and then they were supposed to leave but they didn't.  They stayed overnight and left this morning at 9 am.  They were both up about 0530 playing and having a great time.  After they left I spent most of the day outside...although not working in the yard.  I did fill the feeders so that was something.  Last evening when we were outside Owen noticed the little girl across the street so I said he could go there.  He took his bubbles along and they had fun together.  I got a new bread recipe from my sister and I made it this evening.  It's delicious and also a lite bread.  I have made it in preparation for my fresh tomatoes I'm going to get at farmer's market on Saturday...I also want peas, corn and raspberries.  I'll probably get some farm eggs too.

Here's the bread recipe...it's for a bread machine:

HIGH PROTEIN DIET BREAD

A high fiber, protein complimented bread developed at Cornell University.

1 ½ t. yeast
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup soy flour
2 T. wheat germ
½ t. salt
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. honey (Use the spoon you used for the oil, and the honey won't stick to the spoon!)
1 cup water

Cook on white bread cycle

and here's the recipe for how to eat a fresh tomato...

Grill or toast a slice of country bread, coat lightly with olive oil and rub a peeled clove of garlic over the bread. Cut a ripe tomato in half horizontally and rub one half of the tomato into the bread until the tomato flesh is thoroughly massaged into the bread. Top with basil.
(looks like I'll have to get some fresh Basil too)

Above are pictures of the Grands from yesterday and today.

Finished my book

It's library day tomorrow.  Story time with Owen.  Tomorrow I will be taking Hali too.  I'd rather have this be Owen's time but it's nice to be with her too.  I get a 7 day book now on Tuesdays.  I never got them before because I wouldn't finish it.  The one I got last week is called Flower Children and it's written by Maxine Swann.  It's a good book but the last chapter made me cry.  That was unexpected.  I finished it this evening while sitting on the screen porch.  The street cleaner came along just as I was finishing it and all the cats ran in the house.  Hoping for a cool day on Wednesday so I can prune some of the bushes and flowers.  I want to move some of the Mallow and one of the trumpet vines and one of the lilacs.  They've outgrown their spaces. 

Had a 'hatching' or whatever of Red Spotted Purple butterflies this afternoon.  First time I've had this kind.  They seem to be favoring the little cup and saucer feeding stations because of the water in the saucers.  I'm going to try a little later to get a picture of one of them.  Also a couple hundred birds in the backyard now.  Finches, Robins, Sparrows, Cardinals, Cow Birds, Flickers, and others.  I think the reason the back yard is so active is because it shot up to 90 today and as soon as the sun passed the backyard I started watering.  Many, many birds flew in for baths.  Or maybe they came for Anne Frank's goodbye.  I also noticed one little chipmonk, cute thing and of course the squirrel family that lives in the back yard.  Even though I put peanuts out for them, the darn babies this year insist on jumping into the feeder.  I think it's going to rain.

Tags: Red Spotted Purple Butterflies

It's 85 degrees, too hot to work outside, just right for reading inside.  Owen and Hali are gone home now, time for a rest.  Pictures are around my yard.  I took them to remember for next year.

Don't Drink Bottled Water...here's why

By many measures, bottled water is a scam. In most first-world countries, the tap water is provided by a government utility and is tested regularly. (You can look up your water in the National Tap Water Quality Database.) Taste tests have shown that in many municipalities, tap water actually tastes better. Bottled water is not as well regulated and studies have shown that it is not even particularly pure. A four-year study of bottled water in the U.S. conducted by NRDC found that one-fifth of the 103 water products tested contained synthetic organic chemicals such as the neurotoxin xylene and the possible carcinogen and neurotoxin styrene (Grist). Much bottled water doesn’t come from a “Artesian springs” and is just tap water anyhow. (Coca-Cola adds salt to its Dasani water to make it taste better, just like fast food.)

Not only is it more expensive per gallon than gasoline, bottled water incurs a huge carbon footprint from its transportation, and the discarded bottles are a blight. It’s no wonder that some people even think it’s a sin.

If you want to carry your water with you, get a bottle and fill it. (Look here for some advice on durable, non-toxic container options.) If your water at home tastes funny, try an activated charcoal or ceramic filter. Here is a comparison of home-use water filters from Grist.