Arthur and the Christmas Spinning Top

As told to me by a friend …

The fall of 1939, I was in the second grade and we had a new teacher, Thelma Morgan. In my second grader eyes she was very pretty — about sixth in line after Alice, my older sister’s Jewish niece-in-law, my sisters Rose, Priscilla, Carol and perhaps Donna Mae Tallman – a blonde who lived on the farm across the railroad tracks and up the hill a half mile. (Later in life I realized Miss Morgan was not pretty at all.)

As well as the new teacher there also was a new second grader, Arthur. His family had moved from Texas to our area in Wisconsin and was living in an abandoned farmhouse off of Highway 73 near the swamp where Hay Creek starts. Arthur’s family was very poor as were other families in that area. As well as being poor Arthur had only one eye, the other eye had been hit by an arrow while playing “Cowboys and Indians”. His lunch usually was a lard and graham flour bread sandwich and a pint of half coffee and half milk. (One day a week my mother came to the school to cook soup and make bread for school lunch. She also put the quarantine signs on the houses with sick people in them.) Well, anyway Arthur’s family was very poor.

At Christmas time it was decided that each student in our room, first and second graders, would draw a name and bring a gift to school for the classmate whose name they had drawn. The big day came for the Christmas lunch and the handing out of gifts. Arthur had drawn my name and of course his family did not have any money for him to bring me a gift. I thought, “My father just died a month ago and now I do not get a gift.” I felt bad about my father, at not receiving a gift and felt bad because Arthur was poor and could not bring a gift.

Miss Morgan was not pretty but she was kind and had some gifts in her desk for those that did not receive gifts. So for that Christmas I received a Spinning Top made out of metal with holes in it that whistled while it was spinning. Often at Christmas time I think about Arthur and wonder what happened to him. JDB

I personally remember when we had Christmas gift exchange parties at church. There were some who came to the party and had nothing to share so I always made sure I had extra generic gifts so no one would be forgotten.

After all, isn’t that what the Christmas spirit is all about — God not forgetting about us and sending His son Jesus in the flesh to remind us that He loves us.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Miracle Christmas Card

Glancing outside the window, I noticed the mailman’s truck stopped at the mailbox. It was a warm day for Minnesota (not -5, hahahaha) so I put on my sleeveless down jacket, clogs, a hat and a sweater to bundle up against any winds that might be heading our way from the north. Walking down the long driveway with my head bowed to the ground to check for ice spots, I quickly made it to the mailbox. Brrr … no north wind but it was still a tad chilly for a sleeveless jacket.

Opening the door to the mailbox, I grabbed the mail and started heading back to the house. As I quickly thumbed through the mail, I was happy. Most of it was personal Christmas cards and not junk mail or Christmas catalogues. My eye quickly caught a look at a card that was not in an envelope. Oh.  My mind conjectured that this card must be from our mailman since it was not in an envelope. Once inside the house, I took off my jacket, sweater, shoes, scarf and hat and lay them on the bench inside the door. With the mail in hand, I opened all of the personal mail and read the sentiments in each card. I don’t know if anyone is like me, but I read the inside of the cards before I purchase them to make sure that the sentiment is one that my heart “feels.” I imagine that others do the same thing and take each card’s writings (whether imprinted or written) to heart. I was down to the last card — the one that came without an envelope. I didn’t think that the mailman would take too much thought in his Christmas card sentiments so I wasn’t expecting much — although it was nice to get a card from him.

Upon opening the card, I read the salutation — “Dear Norma …”  Huh. I guess the mailman did personalize his cards. (Our mailman’s name is Bob, by the way.)  Reading through the rest of the printed card, it didn’t take long for me to get to the bottom. Uh — what? “Love to you, Sue Brannam”  What? I re-read the card as if I had somehow missed something. This card was not from the mailman but from a dear friend. P1070377 I reached into the pile of mail that I had just gone through to look for the envelope. It’s not possible, I told myself. There is no envelope. How could I have received this card?

Wondering if I had lost my mind, I went through the pile of mail again looking for the envelope to this card. Nothing. This card did not come in an envelope and yet here it was in front of me — delivered. I’ll bet you’re wondering why this is so unusual, aren’t you? You’re probably thinking my friend just dropped it off and put it in my mailbox forgetting to put it in an envelope. Well, that would be logical, but, not probable.

You see, my friend lives in Seattle and has onset dementia. This card somehow arrived in my mailbox — somehow, but how? It is not possible, it’s just not possible. I wondered if perhaps, just perhaps, this was a “sign” that I should call my friend Sue, so I did.

When she picked up, her sweet voice sounded just like it always did. “Hi Norma. It’s so good to hear from you. Where are you?” After I told her I was still in Minnesota she said “I’m still here in Seattle.” Then she said “Where are you?” Because of her early onset dementia, she frequently repeats herself. I told her I had received her card and asked her if she had mailed it in an envelope. What a stupid question, right? “Yes, I did,” she replied. I explained to her how I received the card but it was not in an envelope. She did not seem to grasp what I was saying. Well, hey, I wasn’t grasping what I was saying so how could I expect her to understand?

Since she told me she was at lunch with someone, I told her I had to go and she simply did not want to hang up. However, before she relented, her dear sweet words rang in my ear “I love you” she said. She always tells me she loves me before hanging up.

I am still quite puzzled how this card made it to my mailbox. It is simply a miracle — simply a miracle. There is no other explanation for it.

miracle – an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Baked Butternut Squash With Apples

This Baked Butternut Squash recipe is a “side” dish from none other than Betty Crocker.  Remember her? I wonder if she knew she had made a paleo dish. It’s not hard to do.

You won’t need too many ingredients.

Ingredients
Ingredients

And you won’t need to do too much to make this recipe either.

Bake the Butternut Squash
Bake the Butternut Squash
Add Apples and Bake Again
Add Apples and Bake Again

Alright so … let’s take a look at this easy peasy recipe …

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used one Firebird apple)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Place the butter in  a 13×9-inch glass baking dish.
  3. Heat the butter in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until melted.
  4. Remove from the oven and stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
  5. Add the squash and toss to coat the squash with the cinnamon mixture.
  6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  7. While waiting for the squash to bake, get a large bowl and mix the apples, syrup and vinegar together.
  8. Once the 20 minutes are over, pour the apple mixture over the squash mixture.
  9. Cover with foil again and bake another 10 minutes.
  10. Remove from the oven and stir then bake another 5 to 10 minutes longer or until the squash is tender.
  11. Stir everything one last time before serving.
  12. Sprinkle with the pecans if you desire.

And that is pretty much it.

Baked Butternut Squash with Apples
Baked Butternut Squash with Appl

Enjoy this easy to make recipe.  I did!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Monarch Butterflies

When I spoke to a Master Gardener this past summer at a fair, they discussed how to attract butterflies to our yards – specifically monarch butterflies.

We occasionally have one monarch butterfly that comes by even though our property is quite shaded. I learned that there are shade plants that attract monarchs. One of these is the bee balm plant that I planted this summer. It is also deer resistant and the deer did not go near it at all this past summer.

I was sad to read an article though about a decline in the monarch butterfly population. Hopefully this next summer, I’ll see more than a “stray” monarch as I plant more bee balm.

Interested in reading the article on the decline of the monarch? Click below to view it.

The Year The Monarch Didn’t Appear

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Of Grandchildren, Sickness and Blessings

Waking up to a chilly -7° with a forecasted “high” of -2°, I headed downstairs to start my day. The past 3 days have been filled with lots of coughing and on-again off-again headaches.  It started on Sunday night after we arrived home from visiting the grandkids this weekend. What fun we had!

Our almost 2 year old sweet Caroline has grown big and knows how to do lots of things … like blowing her nose. She and her cousin both had colds so runny noses were the norm of the weekend. As she was sitting at the dining room table, I handed her a tissue and left for a minute or so. Turning back to make sure she was okay, I noticed that she was wiping the table clean — with the same tissue that she had just blown her nose with!  It was … how shall I describe it? Shocking and hilarious at the same time. She was trying to help out. Sometimes that’s how we adults try to help out — we just make things worse.

There’s no way to tell if my “cold” (if that’s what it is) was passed on to us from these two little ones. My husband has started to get an itchy throat now also.

I figured I would rest again this morning and after being up about an hour, I heard the doorbell ring. Who could that be in this weather? I wondered.

Opening the door, I saw a familiar face. It was Linda from a company called Renovation Painting. The company had done some interior painting and handy man work for us this past year. Behind her, sitting in a truck, was the owner of the company — Wade.

She handed me a container with miniature cakes and a holiday card. I smiled and with the best hoarse voice I could muster said “Thank you. I’m sorry I can’t say more but I’m sick.” She smiled and left.

When sickness and extremely cold weather tried to get me down, God sent an angel to cheer me up.

I proceeded to remove one of the small pieces of cake — raspberry swirl. It was not paleo but I didn’t care. I put my coconut milk with a chunk of chocolate on the stovetop, whipped it into hot chocolate, warmed the cake and sat down to enjoy my blessing.

Today was a most goodly day!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Bathing in Vitamin C?

What else will they think of next, right?

The article below talks about installing a vitamin C-infused filter to your shower head. The way it’s supposed to work is that it neutralizes the chlorine in the water.

Really? I won’t be going out and buying one of these but thought it was “interesting.”

Click below to read the article.

Does Bathing in Vitamin C Water Improve Health?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Winter in Minnesota

Technically, winter doesn’t start until December 21st, but we received a goodly amount of snow yesterday and with today’s and the next few days bitter cold temperatures (think no more than 10 during the day) the snow will stay with us for awhile.

That being said, Minnesota is known for sunshine in the winter and even with the snow and cold, the sunshine is a stark difference from the gloomy cloudy skies in Seattle during their winter season.

Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota

Yesterday, before snapping these photos, I took the mail over to an elderly neighbor and he invited me in and we chatted for a bit. He doesn’t like this time of year because he likes sunshine. I think he’s forgotten about the beautiful Minnesota blue skies that accompany the whiteness of the season.

Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota
Winter in Minnesota

Eventually, the bitter cold will give way to temperatures in the 20’s and 30’s and I’ll be able to take some neighborhood walks.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Sweet Potato Soup

Looking out the window, small snowflakes fall to the ground and join the thousand others that have attached themselves to the cold sidewalk. We should have a good 5-8 inches before the day is over.

The air is crisp — the sky white. Beauty at its best.

And here to make matters even better is the perfect soup. Really. I wouldn’t lie to you. This soup is much better than the squash soup I’ve made in the past and it’s vegan, paleo and gluten free. Yes! The sweet potatoes give it a wonderfully sweet taste. No added sugar. You just have to try it.

You will need just a few ingredients.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Soup (Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper not shown)

And it’s so easy to put this soup together. One of the “hardest” parts is slicing and chopping the leeks.

Slice the leeks
Slice the leeks

These will be put in a large pot (make sure you read all the directions below as I’m giving you a very shorthand account of the steps you’ll be taking – just the major ones).

Put leeks in a large pot
Put leeks in a large pot

The second hardest part? Peeling your sweet potatoes and cutting or chopping them into small bite sized pieces.

eel and Chop Sweet Potatoes
Peel and Chop Sweet Potatoes

Then you’ll be adding the sweet potatoes to the pot along with a few other things …

Add to the pot
Add to the pot

Oh, this leafy vegetable (called watercress) was something I had never tried before. Don’t be afraid of it though if you’ve never tried it. Although it tastes bitter when eaten by itself (of course I had to try it), it blends beautifully with the sweet potatoes and has no bitter taste at all when cooked. (Some people describe the taste of watercress as being peppery and tangy but I didn’t get that flavor.)

Watercress Leaves
Watercress Leaves

Look at this beautiful soup that’s coming along so well …

Sweet Potato Soup - Paleo
Sweet Potato Soup – Paleo

Okay so — you’re going to try it, right? I strongly encourage you to try it. This soup is chock full of vitamins. Go on — search it out and see for yourself. Check out the nutrition in the sweet potatoes and the watercress. Can something this healthy be so good?  Yes!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3  large Leeks, white & palest green parts only, chopped and rinsed well
  • 3 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced (original recipe calls for 4 but mine were pretty big so I used 3)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
  • 1  cup packed Watercress leaves, chopped loosely
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups Light Coconut Milk
  • Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste
  • 1/4  cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot.
  2. Add the leeks and saute over medium heat, covered, until they begin to turn golden. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add the sweet potatoes, bay leaf, bouillon cubes and enough water to cover everything.
  4. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. (Prick a fork through a few of the potatoes to make sure they are tender.)
  5. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a fork then stir those pieces back into the soup to thicken it.
  6. Add the watercress leaves and coconut milk then simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes longer.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, covered, for an hour or two before serving.  (You can also make this soup the day before as it tastes even better the more it is allowed to blend together. Make sure you refrigerate it.)
  9. Add the parsley right before serving and heat the soup through one more time.

I adapted the original recipe by using coconut milk instead of rice milk as it makes it more paleo friendly. Thanks to Kahakai Kitchen for this recipe.

I served this with a side salad and paleo muffins.

Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet Potato Soup

If you like sweet potatoes, you will definitely enjoy this soup.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email