For weeks I had been thinking we'd go to Colonial Williamsburg to celebrate Veteran's Day. There will be a parade for all veterans, cannon volleys, speeches from historic speakers and fife and drums. I knew it would be a special treat for my husband, who retired last winter after serving 24 years in the USAF. However he works for a private company now. Even though they are based at the Pentagon, he has to work. I keep forgetting he doesn't necessarily get Federal holidays off anymore. I think reality hit my husband this afternoon, when he asked if we could watch a Veteran's Day movie. I explained that we've recently watched the last of all of our WWI movies. "Sgt York" is the traditional Veterans' Day movie for us. I'm going to have to think of something meaningful to remember this important day for him.
In the meantime, the significance of the day means more to the kids and me, now that we have completed our studies of World War I. We've read about the trench warfare, the endless wait for battle that gained little, and the frightening new technology in weaponry, airplanes and chemical warfare. We've watched the utter hopelessness in "All Quiet on the Western Front." Told from the viewpoint of a German soldier, it revealed the agony of the war itself for the soldiers of every nation. Even though "Anne of Green Gables" is based on a series of Victorian books for girls, the third part of the trilogy is about WWI. The second part of the movie shows the horrors of the front lines and trenches of the Western Front, while Anne works as a Red Cross worker while looking for her husband, a Canadian doctor who has been conscripted by the German army. Anne returns to England with an orphan baby and her best friend's husband, who lost his arm due to an infested wound from battle. Swept up into intrigue and espionage, Anne returns to France with hidden jewels to help the Underground. We see the end of the war...the armistice. In graphic cinematography of the movies, we experienced the horrible trenches, the exploding bombs, the wounded soldiers waiting for hope, the dead waiting to be buried.
The most poignant of all the WWI movies, was the end of "All Quiet on the Western Front." As the war ended, the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, we see the results of the final shot, encapsulating the theme of the movie. Also in school, we've pondered the depth of meaning in the poem, "In Flanders Field."
In years past, I remember my husband being called out in the middle of the night to arrive on base with his duffel bag to fly around on a plane...exercises. Keeping that duffel bag packed, my husband placed it in a readily handy location. How many times did I stumble upon it...wondering? How many times did I walk into the downstairs powder room and found a ghostly gas mask staring up at me from a cleaning solution in the sink, in preparation for the next exercise or deployment? How many times did we cancel family vacations, events or activities so he could be on call, available at a moments notice? How many "buckets" was he put into, waiting for deployment to the Middle East? How many times did we hold our breaths, trying to prepare for his times away? Assignments stateside and to Korea were many. The deployments to the war zones strangely eluded him...and it made us feel guilty...fully aware of the families who sacrificed as their loved ones did go to the war zone. My husband's career field engaged him in safer zones, in support of those overseas, working long hours as needed for the mission. Our sacrifice was easy, as compared to those who sacrificed the most.
To all those who did go to the war zone, thank you. You sacrificed so we could keep our freedoms at home. Your life is different because of the sacrifice. Your family's life is different because of the sacrifice. Serving wasn't easy. Serving was dangerous. Serving gave us freedom. We salute you.
I recently found an amazing price on apples, so, of course, I canned Apple Butter and Applesauce. Here’s my favorite Apple Butter recipe and the directions for canning applesauce.
Apple Butter
Ingredients
4 ½ pounds tart cooking apples* (about 14 medium apples)
4 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Wash, core, and quarter apples.
Combine apples and cider or juice in a large Dutch oven. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until apples are very tender. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching.
Press apples and liquid through a food mill.** Return mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in sugar and spices. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over very low heat, about 1 ½ hours or until thick, stirring often to prevent sticking.***
Ladle apple butter into hot, sterilized pint or half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints or 5 minutes for half-pints. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks. Makes 4 pints or 8 half-pints.Notes:
*The classic Granny Smith apple is a great choice for Apple Butter. I happened to be able to get some McIntosh apples, too, so I made this batch from a mix of the two. I should also note that I used apple juice instead of cider because I found a “buy one get one free” sale.
**If you don’t have a food mill, you can press the apples through a sieve or colander using the back of a large serving spoon or ladle. By the way, after helping me do this with a batch of apples, my hubby bought me a food mill.
***This recipe can also be cooked in a crock-pot. If you don’t want to tie up your stove top for a couple of hours, place the spiced mixture into the crock-pot and cook uncovered, on high, for two hours. It takes a little longer, but frees up the stove top.
I love Apple Butter on toast, on oatmeal, and, don’t laugh, swirled into cottage cheese. However, if you do make this, Beware! As the scent of apples and spices simmering together begins to waft through the air, you just might be tempted to play Christmas music way too soon.
After being so pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make Apple Butter, I decided to try my hand at canning applesauce. Wow! That’s even easier than Apple Butter!
Applesauce
Ingredients
12 pounds tart cooking apples
Fruit Fresh™ (optional)
½ - 3 cups sugar
Directions:
Wash, peel, core, and slice apples.
Optional step: Make a solution of 3 tablespoons Fruit Fresh ™ and 2 quarts water. Soak apples in solution for about ten minutes to prevent browning. Drain completely.
Place apples in large Dutch oven with ½ cup water. Cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until apples are tender. Depending on the variety of apple this should take 5-20 minutes.
Press apples through food mill or sieve for smooth applesauce or simply mash with a potato masher for a chunkier sauce.
Add sugar, if needed, stirring to dissolve completely. The amount of sugar will depend on the tartness of the apples and personal preference.
Reheat to boiling.
Fill hot, sterilized jars with hot sauce, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints or 20 minutes for quarts. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
As always, when canning, be sure you are familiar with all basic canning procedures to ensure safe canning practices. Cool jars completely and check seals before storing.
My favorite canning resources for both the beginner and the experienced canner are:
If you check out these resources, you’ll notice my recipes are a little different than the ones in the books. I like changing things a bit. However, the canning directions provided here are safe and accurate.
Now, just because I can’t help myself, I’ve added one more Apple-y recipe.
Mulled Apple Cider
Ingredients
1 orange
1 lemon
1 gallon Apple Cider
5-6 whole cloves
5-6 whole allspice
2-4 cinnamon sticks
¼ cup packed brown sugar
Directions:
Wash and slice orange and lemon into ¼ thick crosswise slices.
Pour Apple Cider into a large crock pot. Add orange and lemon slices, spices and brown sugar. Stir well to dissolve brown sugar.
Heat on low for at least 4 hours to blend flavors. Strain into serving mugs. Strain any leftovers and refrigerate. Mulled Cider reheats very well!
Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy the recipes!
A few months ago, my son intently looked at me and seriously said, "Mom, you're just not a gadget gal." With my husband's retirement from the USAF and a move from San Antonio, Texas (where I lived most of my life) to the Washington DC area brought about sudden crash courses in my learning how to use....
....a lap top where the keys must be spaced differently from what I was used to. My fingers usually fly when I type and I rarely made mistakes until I used the lap top. Now I was making nothing but mistakes. I was making a gazillion typos, bringing up other web pages, and closing down my page by the mere attempts of striking the keys. Then there was a "ghost" feature that mysteriously appeared while I was typing. I accidentally found a setting to get rid of that ghost and my fingers have finally learned to fly on a lap top!
...a cell phone which I rarely used in San Antonio. With the move across country I finally learned how to plug in phone numbers so that I could keep in touch with my parents, our real estate agents in San Antonio and Virginia, etc, etc, etc. Then we moved into our house and my phone basically sits in my purse. When a friend of my son's came over, I had to ask the boys how to put in the phone number for the friend's mom. What can I say...I forget things I don't use all the time.
...a GPS, which I've dubbed Lee because describing him takes a lot of adverbs while we are on the go. He likes to drive us through downtown Washington DC. However I've learned to reroute him so he will take me out and about via easier routes. Interesting-lee, he gets lost once we reach our own neighborhood. I'm glad I have that much of the area figured out!
...television cable which in Northern Virginia apparently requires numerous mega monster electrical cables and three remote controls. That's crazy! I still haven't figured out how to use the VCR or DVD or any other doo-dad on the machine. My husband says I'll never figure it out. Hmmmm, that sounds like a challenge.
... the telephone answering machine which is now more complicated than a simple push of the button.
...learning a new phone number took me months. Numbers aren't as friendly to me as letters. I tried to give someone my phone number the other day. He thought he remembered the prefix, which was wrong, but since he put the wrong number in my head, for the life of me I could not remember the correct number.
...the clock on my nightstand is beyond comprehension. I purchased it when we moved into this house because my husband gets up at 4:30am to get ready to arrive at work by 6am. 4:30am is too early for me! I want to wake up at 6am. However I couldn't figure out how to set the alarm, so my son set it up for me. Now my husband turns my alarm off on Friday nights and sets it up again on Sunday night.
...and now a new sewing machine which the moving company recently paid for! I have been busily sewing window treatments, Year 4 Unit 1 costumes, and researching and gathering supplies for new colonial costumes. I want to make my daugter's dress more historic. My son wants me to make a warmer and more accurate Lafayette costume for winter and a gentry outfit for summer. I've not had much time for sewing, due to lesson planning and studying. We've also been sight seeing, either at historic places or at Lowes, my husband's favorite store. When he runs out of projects, he takes me shopping. I can't complain. I'm thankful my husband is perking up the house. Alas, my sewing sits on the table during the hours we are at Lowes. The few times I get to sew, I optimistically think I'm going to be extremely productive, but something always happens.
I've been sewing on a piece of silk and the tension has been too tight. I thought it was due to the flimsy fabric. Tonight I finally took a look at how to fix that. I'm not great at figuring out tension. Remember I'm not a gadget gal. It appeared that the top tension was too tight, so I decreased the tension but it didn't make any difference, not even at a 1. I tried a piece of cotton and had the same problem. Oh dear, my new machine is broken. I resorted to my old machine which is broken from the move, but at least the tension still works. As I sewed on my silk, the tension problem kept nagging me. I finally sat at the computer to do some googling.
Specifically I googled, "Pfaff Expression 2.0 tension". Oh, no. I found a lot of comments about the exact same problem I had experienced. They users all sold their Pfaffs and purchased other machines. I felt awful. I looked through my google search and found another forum (not Pfaff), where the thread was about the Pfaff Expression and opinions of it. Everyone loved it! One lady had a thread gunking problem. She took her machine to the Pfaff dealer and found out she was doing two things wrong. One, she was threading her machine with the presser foot down. Hmmm, I thread the machine with the presser foot up, so that's not the problem. Second, when she inserted the bobbin, she didn't listen for the click when she moved the thread around to different parts of the chamber. Hmmmm, this could be my problem. I've always suspected that I was not putting in the bobbin correctly. The thread was always flowing too freely from the base of the machine. However the insertion method is completely different from any I have worked with and is quite intricate. I went to the machine, took out the bobbin, moved the thead around the different parts of the chamber until I heard the click. "Click!" Do you know how wonderful that sound is????? I've never heard that before! I finished threading, replaced the cover, and started sewing. Eureka! The seam was gorgeous!!!!!!
Since Pfaff users sometimes find my blog for information, I wanted to be sure I posted this little tip. Also it will make great reference for me. Since I'm not a gadget gal, I might forget if I am ever away from sewing for months at a time!
I love to bake, and I especially love to bake during the holidays. In fact, there have been years that I’ve made a batch of cookies just about every single day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s how much I love holiday baking!
Obviously, with all this baking going on, I go through a lot of supplies which can really strain the budget. One of the most expensive yet most commonly used ingredients is vanilla extract. Since I do not like using imitation anything, my baking habit can get pretty expensive just in vanilla alone. In order to combat the ever-rising price of real vanilla extract, I started making my own. It’s surprisingly simple to make, but please note, the recipe contains alcohol, just like real vanilla extract.
Ingredients
1 quart vodka or brandy*
1-3 vanilla beans**
Pour vodka or brandy into a quart-sized jar.
Using a very sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean(s) down the entire length of the bean but not all the way through. The objective is to expose the seeds inside, to slice the bean into two pieces.
Submerge the bean(s) in the alcohol, and seal the jar tightly. Store jar in a cool, dark place. The mixture needs to steep for about two or three months and should be shaken weekly. I keep mine on my baking shelf behind my most used items so I don’t forget to shake it every once in a while. You should see the tiny seeds floating in the alcohol.
After about two months, open the jar and test the vanilla. I do this by smelling it. At first, you’ll probably smell just alcohol. Leave the lid off the jar for about five minutes and that will dissipate. How does it smell now? If the smell of vanilla isn’t strong, reseal the jar and let steep for another month. If your scent of vanilla is rich and strong, then your extract is ready to use. You might find it easier to refill a small bottle continually rather than trying to work out of the quart-sized jar. Also, be careful to filter out the seeds as you refill your bottle.
Notes:
*Both vodka and brandy are good choices for making vanilla extract because they absorb the flavor of the vanilla easily. The biggest difference is color. Both vodka and brandy will yield a brown vanilla extract, however the vodka will be a lighter shade. Also, some people will swear that only the finest vodka or brandy will create a good vanilla extract. Me? I buy the cheap stuff, and have yet to be disappointed.
**Vanilla beans can be difficult to find and very expensive to purchase. Believe it or not, I recommend checking out a local health food store. Many health food stores carry Frontier organic herbs and spices at amazingly low prices. Also, the strength of the beans you use will determine how many you use. Does the bean have a really strong scent? Then you might need only one. I usually use two or three. When the jar is looking a little empty, I refill it with vodka, and add one vanilla bean, leaving the old beans in the jar to help flavor the new batch.
Making vanilla extract at home does require patience. However, it has saved me a significant amount of money. My initial investment on a quart of vanilla extract was equal to the price of a 4-oz bottle. I got eight times the vanilla for the same price! Now that’s a savings!
So I developed an obsession with sweetened green tea this summer, and as I was indulging in this treat I noticed the bottles were a pretty shape, so I started washing them and saving them, and they have become one of my favorite new mom, new neighbor, have a happy day gifts! Just add in one or a few flowers (either from your garden or Albertsons and other grocery stores sell a small bunch for about $4)
I was so excited at first that I didn't take pictures of the super cute ones before giving them away but I have snapped pictures of a few of them!
Go to God in prayer daily. Read God's word daily. Obey God moment by moment. Witness for Christ by your life and words. Trust God for every detail of your life. Holy Spirit - allow Him to control and empower your daily life
Kaira was a very excited princess when the big day finally arrived. We were were joined by Lady Beverly, Sir Richard, the Bowman James, Lady Lorelle, the beautiful princess Kaitlyn, and the delightful jester Sirhc! The games were underway when the Royal executioner showed up, escorting a servant girl he had found fleeing the Manor of Lord S and Lady K.
The servant girl threw herself to the ground and begged the princess for mercy, and the executioner inquired what should be done with the servant, who was no doubt an accomplice in helping the Lord and Lady escape. Kaira looked upon the groveling servant girl in mercy and answered the executioner emphatically, "Let her have fun!"
And so, have fun we did. The games included a quest for the grail, tests of archery, musical chairs, and tiara and shield making. James the Bowman provided a demonstration of his skill, putting arrows through our bales with such force that we found broken shafts the next day! The Lady Lorelle even brought along her pet draglet, whom Kaira took to immediately.
Kaira's cousins attempted to present her with her very own prince, (who had journeyed all the way from Prague) but alas, her mischievous cousin, the wee jester Sirhc had enchanted the poor fellow and turned the Prague Prince into a Frog Prince. The counter enchantment required she recite "Prairie Frog Fairy Prince" seven times in succession before kissing him three times. (Seven plus three adding up to ten--her age, of course!) Poor Kaira failed to recite it properly each time, and he remained amphibious. Fortunately the fellow seems content to remain a pet. (She's too young for a real prince anyway, so I'm secretly relieved.)
"Kenneth O'Laughlan" read the Fools Prayer, and the wee jester Sirhc did a Sirhcus act for us! We feasted on shish kabob and raspberry cream filled cake.
I should have required a few guests stand still for a quick photo op. I didn't manage to capture my niece and nephew's beautiful costumes as fully as I'd like, and somehow the Lady Beverly managed to avoid the camera lens. I also neglected to capture my own wee knights, Sir Keegan and Sir Kieran before they shed their armor. (And, I was behind the camera instead of in front of it. Which is all very good and well.)
A good time was had by all! Huzzah!
Edited to add clarification regarding one of the couples pictured: Two separate bloggy friends emailed convinced that I was mistaken in declaring myself absent from the photos. Drawing my attention to the upper left of the collage, they pointed out that I was right there, next to my husband, Ken.
In the interest of autonomy, I should explain that the lovely lady in that photo isn't me, but rather my sister. Likewise the gentleman beside her isn't my husband but her own--Ken's younger brother. They are a cute couple, and especially since they are younger than their aging, older siblings, the confusion is considered a compliment. (Shhh... please just don't tell "the sibs" you mistook them for their Froggy northern relations....)
It's time to change the video at the top of my blog, so my darling daughter asks me to post the "Beanie Weenie" video from the Skit Guys. How could I resist?
After mailing out the invitations, Kaira was delighted to see her courtiers respond. Here are a couple of the more interesting replies:
To the Attention of Princess Kaira,
It is my grievous duty to bring a matter of utmost importance to your attention. Reliable sources have informed me that the party invitees of (Lastname) Manor are planning to be late for the festivities. Such blatant disrespect for the royal Princess needs to be dealt with quickly and harshly to keep order in the kindgdom. Therefore, on the appointed date, I will personally apprehend the culprits and bring them in haste for you to make a ruling on their punishment. I pray this will not cause too much disruption in the roayl festivities.
Signed in my own hand
X
His Majesty's Royal Executioner
And a little later, from her Aunt:
Thank you, dear PrairieFrogs, for your delightful invitation.
Your unfortunate messenger, a drunkard no doubt, first delivered our summons to a dwelling two kingdoms away, the Court *Edinburgh.
However, the royal family there discovered the mistake and kindly hired a more reliable carrier to complete the letter's journey.
And so at last, we (Lastnames) of the Court *Capella did learn of the wondrous celebration to be held in honour of our beloved cousin, the Princess Kaira!
With great glee, we are preparing ourselves for the day. The wee jester Sirhc, the young princess Kaitlyn, the bowman James and I shall travel north at the appointed time to partake in the festivities!
I've wanted to try this recipe for two summers now, after seeing it all over the blogworld, but somehow I just never got to it. Today I came across the last of the blackberries we picked this summer and decided it was now or never! (I've seen it made with all kinds of fruit, but had it in my mind that *I* wanted to try it with blackberries!)
So the children and I mixed it up and not only was it fun to make it was a HUGE hit here!
The picture above was about halfway through baking. YUM!
Clafouti:
12 oz or so of fruit
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup creme fraiche (we used sour cream)
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter a 9" baking dish (we used more fruit so I used a 9x13) then sprinkle with granulated sugar. (I used it out of the 1/2 cup we had already measured). Arrange fruit over the bottom.
In a bowl wisk eggs, then add flour. Once well combined mix in remaining ingredients and pour over fruit.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until center is set.
Exploring homeschooling with 2 little ones--trying to capture memories of the sweet and funny things they say and do before my memory fades--comments on being a wife and mama
