Dec 7, 2009 | In-Edibles, Recipes, Uncategorized
This is the recipe I use to “feed” my Christmas tree.
I got it online somewhere a long time ago but modified it to not use bleach.
How to Make Your Christmas Tree Fire Resistant
(and keep it living til 3 King’s Day!)
Ingredients:
• 2 cups of Karo Syrup
• 2 ounces of vinegar
• 2 pinches of Epson Salt
• ½ teaspoon of Borax (some recipes also call for 1 teaspoon of chelated iron which you can get at a pharmacy or garden store- I’ve never used it though.)
• 2 ground up aspirins
• Hot Water
Procedure:
1. With a saw, make a fresh cut at the base on the tree trunk. Cut off at least an inch and try to make a flat or level cut.
2. Immediately after cutting the base off the tree, mix the fireproofing ingredients listed above. Fill a 2-gallon bucket with hot water to within 1 inch of the top and add the ingredients. Stir thoroughly.
3. Stand the trunk of the tree in this solution and leave for 24 hours.
4. Every day, without exception, fill up the well of the tree-stand with the fireproofing solution.
How this procedure works:
The Karo Syrup provides the sugar necessary to allow the base of the tree to take up water. The tree may take up to 1/5 gallons of water over a two-week period. Boron in the Borax allows the tree to move the water and sugar out to every branch and needle in the tree. Magnesium compounds in the Epson Salt and Iron from the Chelated Iron provide essential components for the production of chlorophyll that will keep the tree green. The vinegar keeps mold from forming in your solution. This fireproofing procedure will also help prevent the needles from dropping and will increase the natural fragrance of the tree.
They say you can try to light a branch once it’s sat for 24 hrs and it won’t catch on fire! I love that it does keep my tree nice and green until I want to take it down after New Year’s.
Dec 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
“Verse by verse, dissect a favorite song you had in 7th grade”
What is it with memories from 7th grade lately, Mama Kat? (Sort of fun though, honestly!)
In 7th grade (1983?) my cool cousin, Ginna, sent me my first “real” cassette tapes (those are things that held music for you young folk-like a cd sort of.) Before this I listened to my mom’s records (big cd things) or to my Disney tapes.
and 
They were bands that didn’t play on Spanish MTV at the time and I’d never heard of them.
I was taken.
Michael Stipe and Bono would adorn my walls for years to come.
It’s hard to pick a favorite song. I love poetry and both of these totally fed into the brooding teenage 13 yr old psyche. I almost wore the R.E.M. cassette out I played it so much. The tunes are great and perfect for dancing alone to. I looked up the lyrics to the Murmur album because, honestly, you can’t understand most of the words Michael Stipe was singing. I thought they were deep and political at the time (for some reason) but upon looking at them now I see I really still have no clue what they mean.
Here’s one for you:
U2’s “A Sort of Homecoming”
And you know it’s time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape
Oh, oh, oh…
On borderland we run…
I’ll be there
I’ll be there…
Tonight
A high road
A high road out from here
The city walls are all pulled down
The dust, a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance
And we live by the side of the road
On the side of a hill
As the valley explode
Dislocated, suffocated
The land grows weary of its own
Oh, oh, oh…on borderland we run…
And still we run
We run and don’t look back
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
Tonight
Tonight
I’ll be there tonight…I believe
I’ll be there…somehow
I’ll be there…tonight
Tonight
The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz
No spoken words, just a scream…
Tonight we’ll build a bridge
Across the sea and land
See the sky, the burning rain
She will die and live again
Tonight
And your heart beats so slow
Through the rain and fallen snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light’s in the distance
Oh don’t sorrow, no don’t weep
For tonight, at last
I am coming home
I am coming home
*Okay, so I didn’t really dissect this. I imagined then (and still do) that it was about the Irish resistance and the troubles that were going on in Ireland then. I see a young, Irish teenager coming home to see his girlfriend from wherever he was hiding/fighting.
Now it’s your turn!
If you choose to accept Mama Kat‘s assignment the prompts are:
1.) Verse by verse, dissect a favorite song you had in 7th grade.
2.) List 5 must have gifts you are purchasing for a loved one this Christmas.
3.) Open letter to Santa Claus.
4.) Describe how you would celebrate the holidays if it was totally up to you and money was not a factor.
5.) Book review time! What winter read has you snuggled in and turning pages?
Nov 30, 2009 | Arkansas, Travel, Uncategorized, United States
Red Rock Mountain (view from the field by the cabin!)
We went to the hills this Thanksgiving. Really.
We decided to get out of Dodge and stayed in a beautiful log cabin at the Red Rock Retreat.
Just what you need when you have a family addicted to technology and a husband who usually works all vacation! 🙂
We thought we’d be roughing it, but they even had a blender, movie library, marshmallow sticks, books, games, pretty much everything you would want or need.
There were lovely trails. One to a waterfall, one to a fossil hill where the kids found fossils of prehistoric leaves and bones. They hiked to the waterfall while I cooked our turkey dinner.
Field by the cabin,
complete with cows!
Another beautiful view
At night you could hear the elk calling. Spooky sound!
It was so peaceful up there we started thinking about how nice it would be to live in a little cabin like that.
My dream job has always been to run a bed and breakfast somewhere…
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Nov 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
I uploaded my camera and found these pictures…
What strange places my camera/phone goes without me…
Nov 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
OK, I’m so copying from my friend
Alison’s blog, because I honestly can’t come up with anything today!
A fantastic contest from
TodaysMama for these awesome prizes…
Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.
1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
- World Peace (of course-especially when it comes to my own kids.)
- A clean house (although this will probably NOT happen)
- A trip to anywhere is always good.
- Another trip to anywhere is even better.
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
My mom always made me the coolest gifts. I especially love the doll clothes and quilts she made when I was little. I still have them and Emily plays with them too.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
I have always wanted to conquer a beautiful handknitted afghan like this one on Etsy. I haven’t made it there yet, but there is still time!
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
My sweet pussycat doll that my Grandma Shirley and Popie Ken gave me. I cut all her hair off and Grandma promised me another if I got rid of her. She did give me another doll (but sorry Grandma I did keep the old one and still have her!) I love that poor, bald dolly.
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
What ISN’T on their lists? Honestly not sure what the oldest wants, but the little two want everything. Middle really wants an iPod and youngest a (get this) steel drum set. (Hey, at least he likes reggae.)
6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Wow, that is hard. Probably have to go with pie though, or fresh rolls, olives, or stuffing…
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
Ummmmm….. Maybe my cards and the food we eat? (Not much time in the day anymore.)
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
Have to say probably “It’s a Wonderful Life” or maybe “Holiday Inn”
9. Favorite holiday song?
10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Cooking with and for my family! Also going to cut down our own Christmas tree is a holiday event I love.
So long ago now!
Nov 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
Me at 13
I did keep multiple diaries when I was 13. Well, one for poetry and stories and one for personal things (both given to me by my awesome Aunt Kathy.)
So here it what I’ve dug up:
Diary entry from 13 yr old me
December 10th, 1984
“Dear Diary,
I guess a lot has changed since October when we moved to Margarita!
Derek P. left :(, Toneta D.’s last day is Friday :(.
Don’t know how many people are still leaving. 🙁
Thank goodness Jennifer, Ivette, Jody, Karine, Tony are still here.
Went to a party at Ivette B’s on Saturday. It was Panamanian Mother’s Day and Ivette’s birthday (Friday, the day before the party.) All of her cousins and other family were there, but we (kids) all went to the bowling alley and played video games. It was fun! Yesterday we went to Meme and Popie’s on the Pacific side and shopped.
M.M. “
Picture from my scrapbook
(Me in the middle – Karine to the right of me, Jennifer in the lower right.)
Jennifer and myself at our 20 yr reunion this summer
Me, Derek, and Mai Grace at the 20th reunion
Another Entry
“Time Capsule- 1984
Reason: So I’ll remember what it like when I’m grown.
Pop songs:
Beat It – Michael Jackson
Carma Camelian- Boy George
Thriller- Michael Jackson
Breakdance- Irene Cara
18 Wheeler- Alabama
Islands In the Stream- Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Panama- Van Halen
Jump- Van Halen
Purple Rain- Prince
Ghostbusters- Ray Parker Jr.
Movies:
Karate Kid
Ghostbusters
(I had a whole list of my friends here)
Styles:
Flashdance shirts (cut up shirts on top of t shirts)
Mini skirts
Oriental writing shirts
Blue jeans
OP clothes
Polo shirts
(Wow, that sounds familiar doesn’t it?)
Breakdancing is popular- the worm, windmill, popping, the wave…”
If you have the urge run on over to Mama Kat’s and join the fun!
