On our recent trip to visit our son and his family in North Carolina, I brought along my rock painting materials. I had collected several smooth stones for the grandkids to paint, and I prepared them ahead of time by painting the background black.
The set up…
We set up our work area by placing a cheap, plastic table cloth over the kitchen island. We put on old t-shirts to protect our clothing.
The creative juices…
We took out the paints and put a few drops of paint in each indention of the little palettes I brought along. We set out our paint brushes, and a glass of water in a plastic glass to clean our brushes in-between colors. Then we sat down to paint.
We each painted about 6-8 rocks with non-toxic acrylic paints. We painted some designs but mostly words (and some design with words). Our intent was to bring them on our next hike and place each stone strategically along a path for others to find the painted rocks.
Brush to rock…
The kids loved that idea, although they did want to keep a couple rocks for themselves. I sprayed lacquer, to set the paint color, on the two they wanted to keep.
Placing the rocks along the trail…
The next day we went to the near-by nature preserve, which we visit often. On our hike we stopped occassionally, to place a painted rock on the ground next to the trail, hoping someone would enjoy finding these special treasures.
I know I always enjoy finding positive messages in unexpected places. A good time was had by all, and hopefully for those who find the rocks.
When our sons were growing up we had an annual tradition, with another family, of decorating and assembling a gingerbread manger scene. Our friends had the cookie cutout kit that included cutouts for: a stable, Joseph and Mary, Baby Jesus in the manger, kings and camels and other animals. It was a fun activity for the whole family. Then, the five kids grew up and went their different ways.
When my friend moved from her home of 30+ years the gingerbread manger scene resurfaced. And she made the gingerbread manger scene with her grandchildren.
The first step…creating the stable from gingerbread…”glued” together with royal frosting ahead of time.
I asked her to outline the pieces of the set for me so I could try to recreate it with two of my grandchildren who were coming to stay with us for the holidays. I made the gingerbread dough and “royal” frosting (the glue) and cut out the stable pieces. Gary assembled the stable ahead of time to let it set.
Second step: After baking, we all helped decorate the manger scene cookies.
Then I cut out the paper figures my friend had given me, and placed them on the gingerbread dough and tried to cut around the outline. It was not easy, and when I pulled the paper up from the dough, some of it stuck to the paper. The pieces were a bit mangled, but then… Mary and Joseph were probably a little mangled when they finally got to the stable. I persevered, and continued cutting around the paper patterns.
Third step: Pasting the figures to the stable with the royal frosting.
The figures turned out ok – although I reduced the numbers to one king and one camel (not three), and two animals (not several… ) I baked them ahead of time so all that was left to do was decorate and assemble.
The finish: A very creative gingerbread manger scene.
We had a lot of fun creating our masterpiece, that depicted the wonderful story of Jesus’ birth.
The “old-fashion” Christmas card is not as prevalent as they used to be. Many of us have started sending photo cards, which we find are easy to create (after a time when they were not so easy to create) and now are readily available.
Sweet manger scenes.
For a while we slowed down on sending Christmas cards, but when the grandchildren came along we decided to make photo cards to share pictures of them with our family and friends (since I think they are the cutest grandkids in the world)!
A fun favorite this year since I’ve been helping to feed horses on a farm, and discovered a newfound liking for these beautiful animals!
But, there are still so many traditional and beautiful Christmas cards. I enjoy looking at the myriad of designs: from doves to the Christ Child, Snoopy to Santa, snowmen to Christmas trees. A relevant message inside is welcomed too.
Cardinals are a favorite of mine too!
Christmas cards are hard to throw away, however I can’t keep them either. I already have boxes of cards and letters I’ve received over the years…from Gary, family and friends.
A three- dimensional poinsettia on velvety card stock.
This Christmas card is unique with a wonderful picture and an Irish Blessing on front.
One way I extend the joy of Christmas cards is by using them as name tags on presents the next year. They really do dress up a package. This year I’m using the pictures from last year’s beautiful cards.
I enjoy using last year’s Christmas cards for this year’s gift tags.
It’s fun to see them again. This was not my idea. My mother did this when I was growing up, and so I’ve continued the practice.
I use cards for gift bags too.
I recently used the picture from a Christmas card to write out a recipe. I cut the card to the size I needed and wrote the recipe on the blank side, the back side of the picture. The recipe was requested from a Christmas brunch so it seemed fun and appropriate.
I’ve used blank sides of picture cards for sending notes to others, too.
A beautiful winter scene, on foil.
I hope I can think of more ways to use these lovely cards.
There are millions of lights in Bentleyville. Here strings of lights were made to look like brick!
Tucked into the middle of a string of mild November days, was one unseasonably, frigid night when the temperature dipped to 9 degrees with windchills of -11*. And that is the night we had arranged to tour Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” in Duluth, Minnesota. When planning this adventure weeks before, we had no idea we’d be walking through this spectacular Christmas light display in freezing temperatures.
The full moon and the tall, center tree of Bentleyville, which changes colors constantly. photo by ta.
We packed all our warm winter gear and headed up to northern Minnesota. We had reserved a hotel room within walking distance of Bentleyville. It was a clear night with a beautiful full moon.
The full moon rising over Lake Superior (11/27/23, 5:33 pm)
As we left our hotel, the temperatures were dropping, and the winds were picking up, and we could feel the strong, freezing wind gusts (17 miles an hour).
We entered Bentleyville through this tunnel of lights.
A tree farm light display…
But we did it! We walked to the event. We walked all around the event in the cold. And we had fun, and felt a sense of accomplishment too. Bentleyville is an impressive place. Explore Minnesota informs that Bentleyville is America’s largest free walk-through (Christmas) lighting display.
So many lights and so much to see.
Bentleyville was celebrating its 20th anniversary. Nathan Bentley started the “Tour of Lights” in 2003 at his farm outside of Duluth. Each year he added more and more lights. It grew bigger and better every year, and of course, became more popular. Duluth’s Mayor invited him to move his display to the Bayfront Festival Park in 2008, and so he did.
One of my favorite light displays…there were many!
Another favorite: This ornament was stunning.
As we walked through tunnels of lights looking at all the different theme displays, cheerful Christmas music was playing making it even more festive…we could hardly mind the frigid temperatures.
This tunnel had pretty blue icicle lights.
Free cocoa, cookies and popcorn were handed out. There were fire pits burning in different places, but because the wind was so strong it was hard to get warm, even next to the fire.
One of the many fire pits around Bentleyville.
We did snap a few pictures, but quickly put our mittens back on…the fingers got cold very fast!
Because it was so cold outside, there was no line to see Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus.
Back at the hotel we took off our many layers of jackets and scarves, hats and mittens, and made ourselves some hot chocolate and sat by fireplace in the lobby. We felt invigorated, while warming up by the cozy fire.
A Viking Ship. So many displays including: a manger scene, the Duluth lift bridge, dinosaurs, Disney characters, sea creatures, and much more. I can’t even begin to describe how many lights displays there were.
A reindeer waving from a classic car.
We can say we had merry time in spite of the freezing temps – which just made it more memorable. We’re hardy Minnesotans after all!
I’m reading a historical fiction novel, The Magnificent lives of Marjorie Merriweather Post(1887-1973). She was an American businesswomen, socialite, and philanthropist. She was the only child of C. W. Post who invented Grape Nuts cereal (in 1897) and Postum, a supposedly healthy, decaffeinated hot-powdered drink, intended to replace coffee (in 1895). Postum Cereal Company (now Post Consumer Brands, shortened to Post) was the original name of her father’s company, located in Battle Creek, Michigan, where Marjorie grew up. After his death, Marjorie inherited the company at age 27. For much of her life, Marjorie was known as the wealthiest woman in the United States.
Fast forward 125 years and Post bought out Northfield’s beloved Malt-O-Meal cereal company. Although Grape Nuts is still made, it is not made in the Northfield plant. (But the hot Malt-O-Meal cereal still is.)
In later years, Marjorie bought smaller food companies and combined them into one business called General Foods. It’s an interesting read.
We have these two antiques: an Instant Postum tin (5″tall), and a Malt-O-Meal sample box (3″tall)
As I was reading, I remembered my mother use to make a quick bread using Grape Nuts. They are hard, nutty kernels, but tasty. I decided I wanted to make that bread again. I remembered I liked it, especially toasted. I could not find my mom’s hand-written recipe in my collection, so I looked online and found a different recipe for a quick bread made with Grape Nuts. I made one loaf. It turned out OK, but it was not as good as I remembered my mom’s to be.
A loaf of Grape Nuts bread using a recipe off the internet.
I reached out to my brother and he found my mom’s Grape Nuts bread recipe in their recipe box. So, I made her recipe and it was yummy. I’ve included the recipe below.
Two mini-loaves of Grape Nuts bread, using my mother’s recipe.
Now, I have to decide if I want to try Postum. 😉
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Ruby’s Grape Nuts Bread Recipe
1 Cup Grape Nuts
2 Cups Buttermilk
1 ½ Cup Sugar (originally 2 cups sugar...I reduced it)
2 eggs, beaten
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda in 2 tsp. warm water
4 Cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Soak grape nuts in buttermilk for 15 minutes.
Add sugar, eggs, soda and salt.
Stir in flour and baking powder.
Put in greased loaf pans and let stand 10 minutes.
2 large pans or 4 mini loaf pans.
Bake 350* for 1 hour for larger loaves.
Bake 350* for 30-35 minutes for mini loaves
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I read a blurb in a magazine letting me know the first iPhone released in the US was in 2007. And I started thinking of all the ways cell phones have changed our lives.
It was 2014 when I got my first “flip” phone (Samsung), which was long after my husband was issued his first mobile phone for work sometime in the late 90’s. According to the internet, Motorola was the first company to develop a handheld mobile phone which was released in 1973 (50 years ago) weighing 4.4 pounds! The first commercially available phones were introduced 10 years later (1983). Today, most people can’t leave home without their phone.
My flip phone was identical, except for the color…
I was excited to get my first phone. It was red. And at the time I had a red leather coat, and red leather gloves, and a red leather purse – I was all decked out. I no longer color coordinate my phone. HA! We got our first iPhones in 2018, and that is the kind of phone we use now, and like.
An early smartphone Gary was issued at work.
Cells phones have improved a lot (and gotten bigger!). In addition to the actual function of calling and talking to people, a lot of us use our phones as our camera, and what would we do without our GPS to guide our way to so many places?
And it’s nice to consult Siri. Siri has a lot of answers, and it’s convenient that we can ask her anything, anytime.
Texts are also fun…and maybe a preferred way to communicate these days. Who knew? I often dictate my texts, and if I forget to proof-read them, they can be an interesting read with the way the technology translates my words.
I’m thankful for the mute button, so as not to be interrupted when it’s an inconvenient time.
I think the down side is…everyone is looking at their phones all the time…airports, restaurants, stores, every…single… place…and some feel the need to immediately respond to a text or call.
Gary’s iPhone, identical to mine.
I met my friend for breakfast the other day and she had forgotten her cell phone at home. She didn’t need it of course, but she was uncomfortable without it. I get it. I’ve been there. When we stopped to pick up a few things at a large box store, we were separated from each other and it was interesting to walk the aisles to find her, both of us missing her cell phone.
I remember when my son left his cell phone, his only phone, in our house, years ago. He left for his apartment in the cities (or so I thought), so I called him to let him know he forgot his phone at our house. I burst out laughing when I heard his cell phone ringing on our kitchen counter! (He just had run an errand and came right back.)
I know my phone can do so much more if I would only take time to figure it out. It’s amazing to think about how much our phones have become a vital part of our lives…for the good and not so good.
Here are colorful hollyhocks to add some color to this post! 😉
After completing our planned hike along Hadrian’s Wall, we left northern England and took a train to Scotland to start our driving adventure there…driving on the wrong…I mean opposite…side of the road. Gary and Dave took turns driving.
A picture of the very narrow roads…
The guys said it is much easier to drive in the countryside than in the city, although the very narrow roads in the country could be nerve-wracking. The busy streets and round-abouts in the cities were challenging.
Edinburgh Castle.
We spent the first day in one of two major cities in Scotland: Edinburgh. We toured Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Water of Leith walkway, and ate dinner in The Old Bell Inn, a pub in Edinburgh.
St. Margaret’s Chapel. This holy place is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh. Built in about AD1130, it is within the castle walls.
Beautiful flowers at The Old Bell Inn.
The remainder of our days we toured and explored the Scottish Highlands. They are stunning.
Loch Ness.
We drove through Cairngorm’s National Park, and alongside Loch Ness, looking for Nessie –we’re pretty sure we spotted her.
We saw Nessie…(upper right)
We stopped to walk along the North Sea, and went to the Culloden Battlefield. We hiked a “hill climb” up the Devil’s Staircase on the West Highland Way trail system in the stunning Glencoe Valley.
At the top of the Devil’s Staircase hill climb.
Glencoe Valley in the highlands.
Scottish Highlands
We toured the Isles of Skye, Mull and Iona, saw very old brochs, castles and abbey’s (a different post coming), and rode over the Glenfinnan Viaduct on a steam train.
The Jacobite Steam Train, aka Hogwart’s Express.
In Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, the second movie in the Harry Potter movie series, there is a famous scene that involves the Jacobite steam engine train, aka Hogwart’s Express, going over the picturesque viaduct at Glenfinnan.
Gary took this photo of our train going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct….the scene in a Harry Potter movie.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a twenty-one-arched concrete bridge built in the 1890’s. (A viaduct, by definition, is a type of long bridge, usually supported by a series of arches.)
Ready to ride the Hogwart’s Express.
Sue and I enjoyed riding on the Jacobite steam train, while the guys drove to the small town of Mallaig, a northwestern coastal town on the North Sea, and met us there. On their way to Mallaig, they parked the car and walked through a field, along with many others, to take a photo of our train passing over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. It was a memorable ride.
Kilt Rock.
We spent our last night in the other major city in Scotland; Glasgow where we would fly out the next morning.
The Citizen, a restaurant in Glasgow.
In Glasgow, we saw a bit of the city, in the rain, on our walk to our “last evening celebration dinner” in a lovely restaurant called “The Citizen” where we revisited all aspects of our time together. And it was time to say good-bye.
I didn’t know much about Hadrian’s Wall when we chose to hike it. I loved the idea of hiking from inn to inn, and I’ve enjoyed seeing pictures of England’s countryside, so why not there? We hiked a thirty-four mile section of the Hadrian‘s Wall Path, which is an eighty-four mile coast-to-coast trail in northern England.
It was interesting to learn about this path that follows the course of an ancient Roman fortification wall. The construction of the Roman wall began in AD122 under the orders of Roman Emperor Hadrian. It was considered both a defensive barrier and a marker of the northern reaches of the Roman empire.
The original wall was 20 feet high and 10 feet wide. At each one-mile interval they had stone structures called milecastles which housed 32 soldiers.
Evenly spaced between the milecastles were two stone observation posts called turrets. Additionally, the Romans had built numerous forts in proximity to the wall.
Back in its day, there was a garrison of around 20,000 soldiers from across the empire at Hadrian’s Wall. After three centuries the Romans left, and many stones were pilfered to be used to build stone fences, and stone houses, by the local people.
John Clayton, in the 19th century, spent 50 years excavating Chesters Roman Fort and many other Hadrian’s Wall sites and is credited for saving Hadrian’s Wall. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a museum along the way, next to Chesters Roman Fort, with amazing artifacts that John Clayton excavated and collected. It was fascinating.
Today, the stone wall is intact in several places, up to 20 feet high, but then only a remnant stone, or nothing visible, in other places. Foundations and remnants of forts, milecastles and civil settlements were enroute with spectacular English country landscapes as the backdrop.
We hiked mostly in open countryside, although there were trees in the periphery… in the farm pastures and beyond.
One lone sycamore tree at the bottom of a gap along the Wall is very picturesque, and been seen in several movies apparently – one being Robin Hood. If you hike along the Wall path, it takes you down the gap to the tree, and then you walk back up the other side. The tree is stately and magnificent (and 300 years old!) The area is known as “Sycamore Gap”.
There was a small portion of the trail that goes through a wooded area…a fairy forest we called it.
And there was a copse of trees with protruding roots that provided a perfect place for us to sit and eat lunch one day.
Beauty surrounded us on our hike, and we were grateful for the opportunity to walk this Walk through this amazing setting.
We saw thousands of sheep on our recent trip to Great Britain.
Sheep, sheep…I took lots of photos of sheep!
Thousands.
Pastoral setting…sheep, and trees, and green pasture, and blue sky, and Hadrian’s Wall…
I’m thankful they were sheep and not goats. I like sheep – goats, not so much.
Sheep are everywhere.
Not only were the sheep in fields along the highways and byways, but we walked right next to them in their pastures as we hiked along Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. The sheep didn’t seem to mind us hikers. They tolerated our presence and our antics towards them.
Docile sheep looking at my fellow travelers.
But the sheep also didn’t care about where they did their business as we had to carefully (and constantly) step around all the sheep droppings. They chewed their cuds as they watched us make our way through all their poo, maybe with smiles on their faces. I still think they’re cute.
The four of us at the beginning of our hiking adventure.
Our first steps on the first morning – walking on the road to get to the trail.
Sheep on one side, Wall on the other, expansive views of beautiful English landscapes surround us.
Only two times did we miscalculate our steps, and needed to stop and clean out poop from the cervices of our hiking boots.
We went through many gates…
And climbed over many stiles.
Climbing over a stile.
Through the gate.
There were also stone steps in a few places.
We were prepared for what is typical Scottish weather, cool and rainy, on our four-day trek along Hadrian’s Wall. Instead, we had unusually warm, humid and sunny weather. Although we were hot and sweaty as we hiked, it was preferred to the cold and rain.
The white acorn was the trail marker for Hadrian’s Wall.
The terrain was more rugged than we anticipated, but it also made for interesting scenery and amazing vistas. We walked a total of 34 miles in four days. We were hiking from inn to inn.
Hadrian’s Wall…following it up and down…
A section of Hadrian’s Wall.
At the end of the day, we hiked off road to an inn where there were rooms reserved for us, and our luggage was waiting for us.
The Battlesteads B&B…located in an International DarkSky Place.
As we hiked, we only had to carry our backpacks with water, our lunch and a rain jacket (which we didn’t need).
The Greenhead.
All the inns provided for our needs of a place to sleep, dinner options, breakfast the next morning, and packed lunches for the trail.
Twice Brewed Inn, in the town of Once Brewed! Love the names!
Pastoral scenes, beautiful and expansive vistas, Hadrian’s wall, sheep, various cattle, personal and lively conversations, and occasional fellow pilgrims on the trail provided our entertainment.
Walking along the trail…sometimes we could see Hadrian’s Wall, sometimes not. It’s old. It was built in 122 AD, by the Romans in Britain, as a former defensive fortification, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
And we had a marvelous time!
We sometimes had to watch out for cow pies too!
This cow watched as we walked off trail, by a farm, on our way to an inn for the night.
My love language is quality time. So as I looked around at our two sons, their wives, and our four adorable grandchildren, gathered together “up north” at a house on Leech Lake, my heart was full. It was a blessing for me and Gary to have all ten of us together in the same place for a few days!
A beautiful metal design of Leech Lake on the wall in the house. Leech Lake is one of the largest lakes in Minnesota.
It was fun seeing the four cousins together (ages 8, 7, 6, and 3). They immediately connected and had a blast playing with each other: running around, creating secret forts, playing games, digging in the dirt and, of course, time on the boat; swimming and fishing.
The pontoon boat is tied at the end of the dock.
We enjoyed fires, one in an indoor fireplace the first night, and others outside in a fire-pit.
The nice, permanent fire-pit with comfortable chairs for everyone.
We were able to take several pontoon boat rides; this was one of my favorite things to do. I love being on the water. The kids fished off the pontoon boat and Gary, the biggest kid, caught the biggest fish.
Gary’s northern pike.
We anchored the boat in a spot for swimming. And I jumped into the lake! I’m not sure when the last time I jumped out of a boat and into water. Jumping into the lake was a pretty common activity for me during my growing up years…but not so much now.
Swimming in the lake.
But I did it so I could go swimming with the grandkids. They were a great incentive, and it was fun!
Gathering around a big table each night, and eating dinner, was very special. What a wonderful thing to do, to set apart time and all sit down and eat good food together.
The large dining room table in the center of the “cabin”.
I will cherish the memories we created up north. I am so grateful for this undivided time we had together.
