Quiet Night

We live in an old fishing/farming village on the very edge of  southern New Jersey.
We are surrounded by bays, lagoons, salt marshes and creeks all flowing into the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

The soil  is world famous for growing tomatoes. New Jersey is known for its vegetables and flowers and earned the nickname of The Garden State.

There is a rhythm to life by the seaside.
Each season has it's own rhythm, its own habits and traditions that vary little from generation to generation.

In winter the boats are taken out of the water for the most part as the bay sometimes freezes up .   Nights are spent at home where it is warm rather than outdoors as they are in summer.

This week the family made a trip into the city to pick up a special hat that had been ordered for one of the grandfathers at Saks 5th Avenue  and went to look around in  FAO Schwarz  toy store.
It could have been shipped but it is a good excuse to make the trip into the city and look in the stores.

The girls spent time  dancing around on the giant piano, which they love to do.
If you saw the movie Big, then you saw that piano in the store with Tom Hanks playing Heart and Soul and Chopsticks on it.
That movie was in 1988, a long time ago now.      It is a favorite movie of mine.
I did not go as I think I still am not ready to be jostled in crowds and in December New York City is filled with people shopping.  There are quieter times to go.

Tonight the neighborhood is quiet, but then it usually is out here.   Dark and quiet. 
The only sounds that break the night come from the pine barrens. There are animal sounds like the  foxes that screech  in the woods.  There is the sound of the pines and cedars  that stretch for miles around the bay as the wind off the water blows through them. You can hear them rustling and creaking.
But on the coldest winter nights the fox, rabbits and deer are curled up asleep in their snugly dens.  Even the old barn owl is sleeping in his hollow tree tonight. No 'who, who, who' can be heard.
He is an old hand with winters around here and does not migrate south.
His den, in a hollow tree high up off the ground, is warm and cozy.

Lights are on inside the few houses around me and  outside colorful lights break through the dark in honor of the Christmas holiday.
Most of the families older parents live in Florida now. Sad  for the grandchildren and I think the trend of families moving far from one another is not a good one at all.  I see the sadness in the young couples eyes as they talk about missing their family more around holidays.

A boy is setting off little firecrackers in his backyard which he does for each and every occasion he can think of! Bang, crackle, bang!   It goes on for almost half an hour breaking the silence of the cold winter's night.
 Our homes here are not close to one another but separated by little 'woods' of trees on either side of most houses. It does little to dampen the sound for firecrackers.

 The skies are clear and full of stars and the air, which had been warm all week, is icy cold once again.
 The bay is choppy  thanks to a 20 knot wind. Its surface is glittery with star shine  on the choppy waves that head to shore.
Wherever you are I hope you have a lovely evening.

Thursday Already?

The past week was spent with a chest cold and bronchitis, but not too bad a case as I have gotten in the past.
I  had medicine right away that helped tremendously and so it never took off to become too much.

Number 2 daughter and her kitty Garfield

Still, I felt depleted and too tired to post much.
In the meantime the weather was icy cold and we got some sleety rain and then today sunshine and warmer temperatures.
Physical therapy continues and I love it so much. I will be sorry when it ends. After so long a time it is good to see my muscles getting strong  and to be moving so much better.
My legs and core are getting harder every day.
 I hope I can continue for a long time.

 I have end of  the year cookies to make with the Famous Anonymous Kid to thank the neighbors for their help with the Little on days when weather kept me from walking to the corner to pick her up.   They all volunteered to help and it was just wonderful.I  have  such nice neighbors, so they will receive the Butterballs (Russian tea cakes) and decorated sugar cookies. 
Just have to find some boxes to put them in.

Lovely Weekend....

I am down fighting off a chest cold as quickly and hard as I  possibly can! 
Meanwhile, I  wish you all a very lovely, warm weekend.

Frozen trees reflected in the pond

 

Cookie Recipe: Russian Tea Cakes

Butterballs or Russian Tea Cakes

M  other made these a lot in the winter.


 Guests were always coming to the house and they would also drop by on holidays before going elsewhere just to get some of my mother's food.

  She and my grandmother, who lived with us, were the best cooks I know.
 Their pies and cakes and cookies were famous.
During the Depression my grandmother kept the family going by baking breads and pastries to sell.  She did a land office business!

Here is my mother's recipe for Russian Tea Cakes. They are also called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Polish Wedding Cookies and probably many other names as well.
 Whatever you call them, they are delicious.

Don't forget the Housekeeping Meme.
Please join in!
you can access a copy of this recipe HERE 

Housekeeping Meme

This week let's talk about housekeeping.

It is something we all have to do and it might be fun to see who does what and how!
Maybe you have tips to help us all out or special cleaners you can recommend.

1.   Do you enjoy housework?
2.   What chores do you dislike most?
3.   Which chores do you enjoy?
4.   Do you have a favorite cleaner? 
5.   Household appliance  you can't live without?  
6.   Powder, liquid or new drop in?
7.   Softener? favorite brand? 
8.   Softener sheets or liquid?
9.   Dryer or clothes line?
10.   How often do you change bedroom linen and bathroom towels?
11.   What one thing would you just love to have to aid in your housekeeping?

 

The Typical American

"SHE "is not what you think!

The 
Typical

American

Woman
 Is a Blue eyed, 
Fair Haired Young 
Woman!

 Because the typical American is a woman!

 Here is what  a typical American looks like according to several decades of census information: 

The typical American is a white woman who is 32.7 years old.
 Being a woman she represents  more than 52 % of the US population
 and being Caucasian, she represents over 89% of the population of the United States.

A very Typical American Girl!

 Her hair color is a light medium brown to various shades of  blonde and her eye color is predominantly blue or green in that order.

 She is  very happily married and has at least 2 children.
She can trace  her ancestry to Germany, or, secondly, to Ireland.
She is at least a high school graduate.
She received good grades in school.
She was active in serving others.
She earns about $42,000 dollars per year and owns her own 3 bedroom 2 bath home in the suburbs that is heated by gas or electricity.
22% of "her" are university graduates and she did well there , being serious about her studies.
 She drives her own car to work at a private company or corporation.
 She is a clerical worker.
The company is in manufacturing.

Her home has 2 telephones and there is no answering machine on it.

She also has 2 televisions, a VCR and cable connection is available.

  The typical American does not own a gun and never has!

She is 5ft 3.7inches tall and weighs 134 pounds.
 She is slim and trim and in generally good health.

Typical American Neighborhood 3 bedroom, homes

She enjoys some sports and is active.  
She is not fat ( contrary to the world's stereotyped view of America)  but typically slim and well proportioned.
She uses more soap and takes more baths per year than any other woman on earth.

(Kaboom..myths exploding!)

She is a Democrat with  conservative tendencies rather than liberal.
She is concerned with the environment but not fanatical about it.
She does NOT smoke.
She never met anyone who has AIDS.
She has never been in trouble with the law.
She does not know anyone who has been in trouble with the law.
She reads the newspaper daily.
She is currently reading a book.
She is religious, believes in God, believes there is a satan but does not believe in ghosts or witches.
She is a Christian and has membership in a church.
She attends services regularly and puts her children in Sunday School.
She believes in Creation according to the book of Genesis, not evolution.
Her average dinner consists of Green salad , a vegetable, soup, steak or meat of some type,potatoes and broccoli , bread, cheesecake or ice cream and tea, hot or iced.
She likes bananas best.
She doesn't like diet soda, and opts for regular soda (pop/carbonated beverage) despite what commercials make you think.
She drinks low fat milk.
Her choice in alcohol is Beer and uses it moderately.
 She has never used drugs or been drunk.
Her religious views govern her choices.
She prays and reads her bible.

Answers for Tradition

Traditions meme answers   

Morning In the Kitchen

1. Are traditions important in your family for holidays or do you just celebrate without them? 
2.  Is there one particular tradition that is most important to your and yours? 
3. Did you incorporate any new traditions with your family that are in addition to ones your parents held?
4.  What are they? Do you think tradition is important? 
5. Are there any traditions you do not include that you would like to try? What are they? 
6. Can you tell us why your traditions are special to you and how they benefit you?
7.  Are there daily /weekly/monthly traditions you follow? 

 1. Traditions are very important to my family from the earliest I can remember.  Holidays feature food as a main ingredient in celebrating and tables set with special china for each occasion.  Special tablecloths, candles, gifts.  Every holiday has some special things associated with it that everyone misses if they are not there.
Because we were and are a musical family, music was also important.
2. Each member has something they love especially. For me it was people stopping in even if they were invited elsewhere just to be with us for a while.  That was special and became a tradition for quite a few to stop in for holidays each and every year.  
3. Yes. In my family now we make a big deal of the 4th of July, which as a child was not as big in my family.
4. Tradition is very important.
We make a ton of pies for dessert. Sitting around the table with pie and coffee or tea makes a nice atmosphere and for lots of conversation.
5.Not that I can think of.
6. They bring the family into a tighter, closer bond. They help children to focus on religious or national events and make them important to them.
7.  Yes, almost too many to list.
Daily prayer before and after each meal. Prayer with children in the evening before bed.
Cooking  with the Famous Anonymous Kid and watching our special programs on a weekly basis.
Weekly game of I Spy with the Little.
I have a close friend with whom I write stories and watch special programs.  Not so much since they are busy right now, but it is tradition.

♪ ♫ ♪ Let it Snow ♪ ♫ ♪

O h


The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let is snow.    ♪♫ ♪

 Photos are not blurry, its snowing hard, so they are whited out a bit!

The solution to cold snowy weather is hot steamy chili cooked in Mother's old Descoware Dutch Oven.

Keep warm wherever you are.


 

Traditions Meme

This week's meme is all about holiday traditions.

Family Circle by Diana Meyers

From Christmas to the 4th of July, many have traditions for each holiday. They seem to make holidays and seasons special and memorable.
Some traditions have nothing to do with holidays at all but are well established on a daily or weekly basis.

1. Are traditions important in your family for holidays or do you just celebrate without them?
2. Is there one particular tradition that is most important to your and yours?
3. Did you incorporate any new traditions with your family that are in addition to ones your parents held? What are they?
4. Do you think tradition is important?
5. Are there any traditions you do not include that you would like to try?  What are they?
6. Can you tell us why your traditions are special to you and how they benefit you? 
7. Are there daily /weekly/monthly traditions you follow?

I will be doing this meme tomorrow. I hope you join in sometime soon.

Ricky Bobby

A righteous man considers the needs of his animal" Proverbs 12:10

We need more righteous people in this world.
I have been doing physical therapy and getting in better shape.
I will be around visiting tomorrow and putting up this weeks meme as well.