Wednesday, December 28, 2011

photo friday

our christmas JULKAPP that i made for family when they visited during the holidays.   this swedish tradition was discovered in my research on holiday celebrations from around the world.   a julkapp is a gift wrapped in many, many layers of paper (the more layers, the more "successful" the julkapp is) and left on the recipient's doorstep.  the julkapp took more than two hours to wrap (with recycled christmas paper and ribbons) and about an hour to unwrap.  it seems it was a successful julkapp!  this was such fun we have decided to have more julkapps in future christmas celebrations.

thoughtful thursday

i'll be away the remainder of the week so here's the rest of this week's posts early......

this year the house has the most christmas decorations ever.  and all of them have been given to me by others.  first came the table top tree a few years ago.  it's about two feet tall and all the decorations, save lights, were in the box with the tree (it never did get any lights added).  it stayed in the box until the first year the grandchildren were able to visit the day after christmas.  they decorated the tree. for the last few years they have taken care of decorating this little tree.  the tree stood alone until this year when a plethora of decorations came my way.  a friend had a live wreath sent as well as an amaryllis, however, at the rate the amaryllis is growing it might more accurately be called an easter decoration!  no sooner had the wreath been hung and the amaryllis watered, another friend gifted to me a charlie brown christmas tree, complete with a single red ornament on a sagging branch. then the neighbor arrived with a tree to put outside on the screened porch.  when plugged in, the bright lights shine all the way to the road.  wow!  an outdoor christmas decoration. the best part of having these christmas decorations about is that all of them are thoughtful offerings by special people who just didn't think my house should be devoid of outward signs of holiday spirit.  these decorations bring a smile and a silent thank you to all who contributed to merry christmas here!  (and family were very impressed when they arrived to more than just the table top tree!)

whimsical wednesday!

megan, jacob and i have mixed and baked the ice cream muffins!  this two ingredient delight was enjoyed by the family.  this first time treat was assessed by the participants:

megan: tastes like mamala (me).
jacob:  tasty.
scott:  dense yet soft, butter would be good on them.
sarah:  would be enjoyed more if in a different flavor.

the muffins really have the texture and consistency of muffins.  the ice cream flavor used was "death by chocolate" a rich chocolate ice cream with nuts and brownie bits.  we decided next time we bake the muffins to try vanilla (what the recipe called for) or butter pecan or a fruited ice cream like strawberry or peach. the muffins were tasted warm, just out of the oven, and it was decided that warm made them taste especially good.  we'll taste them at room temperature later to compare.  (if warm is better, there's always the microwave to reheat them!)

a thank you to my sister for sharing the recipe with me. she got it at a cooking demonstration she attended recently.

here's megan and jacob with the muffins right out of the oven......

Monday, December 26, 2011

get ready......

ICE CREAM muffins for whimsical wednesday!

here is the recipe:

1 cup softened ice cream
1 cup self-rising flour*

*make your own self-rising flour:
mix together:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

mix together the ice cream and flour

spoon into a greased 6 cup muffin pan

bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes

enjoy!

Friday, December 23, 2011

photo friday

jack frost visited this week for the fist time this winter, nipping at the "nose" of the land as depicted on the holly tree.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

thoughtful thursday

this week has been filled with christmas gifts; wrapping gifts, wednesday's unexpected gift activity, gifts being exchanged with friends this week before christmas, and more to come with family on christmas day and throughout next week. the reason for the tradition is to offer a token of esteem to others the way the wise men offered gifts to the baby jesus.  it is important to remember that gift giving isn't the fulfillment of someone's "want" list, as though receiving gifts is like procuring items on a shopping list.  the most special gifts are those filled with love for the person receiving the gift. and the best gift in return is that the recipient is thrilled to have been thought of by someone at christmas.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

whimsical wednesday!

those i wished to treat to an unexpected christmas gift were all thrilled.  very pleased and surprised to be thought of with christmas cookies and homemade jam (yes, both!).  it was such fun to arrive on doorsteps of neighbors unannounced and greet the person who opened the door with a "merry christmas" and "this is for you".  what i received were also gifts; hugs and smiles and the joy of having made others happy.  i also treated the mail carrier and she left a note thanking me for the goodies!

a friend came for lunch and an afternoon crafting session.  she worked on two different christmas tree ornaments while i worked on another project.  she surprised me with an unexpected gift by leaving a set of her ornaments for each of the grandchildren.  they will like them a lot especially since they are from someone they know and like very much.  toward evening the doorbell rang and there was another friend.  he also surprised me with an unexpected gift; a huge ham for us to enjoy for christmas dinner!  indeed we shall.  neither of these friends know about the whimsey project so they don't know about whimsical wednesday activities. however, for me, they were active participants in the whimsey project today and i am so pleased that they were.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

miscellaneous

lots to do took me to town today.  i was there much longer than anticipated or wanted to be.  however, there is a benefit to being out after dark this time of year: the decorations of the holiday season can be enjoyed.  the city decorations were enjoyed until town disappeared in the rear view window and the country was before me.  along the way, a house here and there shone with the a magic that is only present during christmas.

tomorrow is the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year.  the following day will bring a few more minutes of daylight and for each day thereafter until the longest day of the year, june 21st, the first day of summer.  the rhythm of the earth. and the creatures of the earth, including humans, follow this rhythm as well.  happy winter's eve!

Monday, December 19, 2011

get ready.....

for whimsical wednesday, give someone a christmas gift.  this someone should be a person who would never expect to receive a gift from you; be that person known or unknown to you.  gift suggestions: something simple, possibly homemade, such as cookies or jam.  we'll be santas this whimsical wednesday!

Friday, December 16, 2011

photo friday

a lovely christmas gift from a lovely friend.  it is so lovely it seemed sad to hang it where it couldn't be looked at regularly.  solution? it was hung in the kitchen!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

thoughtful thursday

this time of year, beginning soon after thanksgiving, brings wonderful holiday greetings in the mailbox.  these cards are greatly anticipated as, each day, one wonders "who" might appear in the daily mail.  every card is special and wonderful because each is a tangible expression that someone is thinking of you.  among all these greetings there are those that are particularly extraordinary.  not extraordinary in an extravagant sense but for the thoughts, feelings or memories that are provoked.  one such card arrived in yesterday's mail.  my sister, who is an expert papercrafter, created a christmas card just for me (and our brother no doubt).  the card features a photograph of all of us sitting on the hearth by the fire one christmas when we were children.  the sentiment, "i smile because you are my sister.  i laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!"  made me both smile and laugh, nodding that, yes, indeed, that is absolutely, without a doubt, true!  this card will remain a treasure and it caused me to hope that the old-fashioned tradition of sending holiday greetings through the mail will never cease.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

whimsical wednesday!

a web search yielded serveral christmas traditions from around the world that could be readily incorporated into our christmas traditions.  it was too difficult to decide which one or two to select so all are being offered for whimsical wednesday. these activities can be done as explained or altered to fit into different family dynamics. enjoy!.......

Greece:  a special spicy/sweet bread called CHRISTOPSOMO (christ's bread) is eaten during the christmas meal.  it is made into different shapes and the top usually reflects the profession of the household (dad).

Latvia:  the first christmas tree was displayed here.  there are 12 days of gift giving, beginning on christmas day. a special dish for the christmas meal is brown peas with bacon.

France:  new year's cards are sent instead of christmas cards.  the new year's cards wish luck and joy in the new year.  a favorite food item is pate.

Russia:  stars are hung on the end of sticks and carried about outside.  these are "stars of bethlehem".

Poland:  special "stalls" (JOSELKI) are created in the market places; each stall decorated to depict a scene from the christmas story.

England:  apples and candy are hung on the christmas tree.  presents are not open until christmas afternoon.

Czech Republic:  no matter how full the table is set for family, a place is set for the christ child for christmas dinner.

Mexico:  designs are cut into brown paper bags that then contain a light to become a lantern (FAROLITOS). these are placed outside to "light the way" to christmas celebrations.

China:  red paper chains are created and hung on the tree and around the house. the chains symbolize happiness.

Sweden:  JULKAPP is the practice of wrapping a christmas present in many layers of paper. the more layers the more successful the julkapp is! the present is left on the doorstep of the recipient.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

miscellaneous

raining today.  i like rainy days, especially if i can be in the comfort of home.  tea is very grander than it already is on a rainy day!

i do not participate in many holiday activities.  one i do is the annual cookie exchange.  this year's was on saturday last and such a wonderful time.  now i get to package the cookies as gifts for others; which i enjoy doing very much.

there are even more birds at the feeders now that the temperature has dropped lower.  one of my twitter followers said she was feeding hummingbirds.  where, this time of year, are hummingbirds?  california! she has hummers all year.  that would be lovely.  although i do look forward to their return each spring as that has a special magic as well.

Monday, December 12, 2011

get ready.....

this whimsical wednesday look for something about the holiday season (whatever you celebrate this time of year) from another culture.  it could be music, stories or lore, recipe, activity; whatever you fancy.  after making a selection, consider how to incorporate it into your holiday celebration any way you would like.

Friday, December 9, 2011

photo friday

this photograph is so whimsically magical to me.  while walking across the lawn at mom and dad's house, i looked down to discover these button mushrooms growing amid the grass, clover, violets and wild strawberries.  the mushrooms were so cute and such a surprise they made me giggle.

thoughtful thursday

the cookies are baked and packed for the cookie exchange this weekend.  so much of celebration is ritual; sameness.  we wonder why we do the same things over and over again, year after year.  we could "shake things up" but when we do it doesn't seem quite the same.  ritual in celebration isn't just something we engage in, it's what we look forward to throughout each year.*


*this was posted on friday because it didn't get tended to on thursday.  just sayin.....

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

whimsical wednesday!

there are now 20 homemade gift certificates ready to give away!  all of them were created entirely with paper,  glue stick and colored markers.  the certificate base is a neat index card; bands of color alternating with white bands in red, yellow, green, blue and purple.  these colors offered a vehicle for colorful paper shapes (circles, squares, flowers, butterflies, buttons) to be used as embellishments on the cards. the colored markers added another element of color that produced vividly festive gift certificates.  hopefully all the recipients will enjoy their homemade gift certificates.  no doubt grandson, jacob, will really enjoy his:  time with me to play the games of his choosing and time with me to watch ernest movies (ernest goes to camp; "death from above!" giggle....).  like jacob's gift certificates, everyone who will receive one or more will have the gift of me!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

miscellaneous

sighted several license plates last weekend; alaska, west virginia, virginia, south carolina.....  all have been previously spotted on the road during the year.  a new one, mexico! was also seen.  i'd still like to see the six remaining states that have yet to be spied.

it's cold enough now that the birds are enjoying suet cakes along with the regular bird food.  it's so pleasant to look out the window at the bird feeding station and see so many birds; cardinals, jays, woodpeckers, finches, wrens, sparrows, doves,  the wacky vocal crows.  people and birds have a wonderful friendship.  people feed the birds and the birds give people  tremendous pleasure.

Monday, December 5, 2011

get ready.....

the gift of self is the best gift of all. giving someone your time, attention, effort can't compare to any gift purchased no matter how wonderful that purchased gift is.  for this whimsical wednesday, let's make the gift of ourselves to give each other this holiday season.  create as many gift certificates for those you would like to give yourself to.  personalize each certificate to the person receiving it.  it might be for a movie and popcorn, whether at home or at the theatre.  it might be game night.  it might be help with cleaning the garage or attic or yard or other chore that requires a lot of energy to complete.  it might be any number of household chores, like doing the dishes.  it might be baking cookies.  it might be for a surprise!  the gift certificates can be as simple as words on a piece of paper or as elaborate as decorated cards.  enjoy!

Friday, December 2, 2011

photo friday

the delightful thanksgiving cactus added cheer to our holiday.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

thoughtful thursday

just a week ago the house bustled with people; laughter, conversation, activity! in the week since memories of thanksgiving have come to mind, bringing many smiles. the best part of a special occasion ending is the opportunity to look forward to the next special occasion!