So, so busy here.

Losing energy....

Falling slowly.....

I've been so busy that I think my life has decided at the keen age of 35 (Hey, I'm not afraid of saying my age! If you're afraid of age you're afraid of fun!) that there are too many "things"  going on to visit here, or other places like usual, so therefore I must tend to these "things" so that I can come back here and do...well, "things" here...

Hrm...

Anyway, these "things" are a major attack on my house. Spring isn't too close, but you know what? It's close enough. I'm tired of feeling locked up in my own house because of the freaky weather. Rain...snow....hot....cold....argh! Exactly what is Mother Nature thinking of these days? Well, actually, it's not Mother Nature's fault. It is ours, but I won't get technical. We all know what I'm meaning.

So...  um.....

These "things" are being dealt with here at home with a keen attack from four sides, and me cozy in a bunker of thought. Well, a lot more than thought, but still..I like to think I have a cozy spot for thinking while I'm attacking my homefront with a loaded broom. (And rags...and cleaners..and...mmmm....homemade cleaners that don't smell icky like chemicals...)

I will be back on here soon to write more and post more and do things more because I do love it here. I miss reading everyone's stories and finding out what everyone is doing, and of course finding yummy recipes....

So...

I've taken some time to blink from the Battle of Pre-Spring Cleaning...

But now I must return to the field! Hur!!!

(You may now shake your heads in bewilderment and say "She's nuts." )

Carry on!

I have this thing about my pantry. And you know, some may say it's nothing at all, really, until they hear me fuss at my husband or brother-in-law or someone else messing about in the cabinets. You know what I mean. Everything is where you put it. In your mind, you know it's there. You can go into the kitchen in the pitch black, blind folded, and still make your way around the kitchen and cook a meal without hurting yourself or anyone else, and you know exactly where everything is! That's the kind of pantry I have.

"Don't touch that cinnamon unless you put it right back where it belongs!"

"On the shelf."

"Not just on the shelf."

"Um...."

"Alphabetical!"

"Yes, dear."

If I ran out of things in my frige or freezer due to whatever the problem may be, I have enough goods in the cabinets to live on for over two weeks or more. We have bought goods, we have home canned goods, and we have a lot of staples that I use to make sure we are set for awhile.

I don't like going out much into public around here. In these parts it's like trying to wrestle down that state pig in the greased pig contest. You're avoiding people in carts, you're avoiding squealing noisy people in the aisles, too many people are complaining, and sometimes that person complaining is you! I have to pray sometimes at my local shopping center to get patience to come into me because my goodness shopping near the big city can make you lose 2 years off of your life!

So, we shop to stock up our pantry every other month or so. Due to that, I have a nice stocked pantry. Jars full of things, containers full of things, and oh my goodness does it feel good to see that!

I learned from my Mom to store in clear containers. Nice air tight jars are good to use, and I found some at Big Lots awhile back. Big old pickle jar like canisters that were meant to be those sun tea jars. They were messed up though. The nozzle that allowed the tea to come out was sealed over with the glass. They had messed up in the molds I guess. I bought 10 of those things one day, and went back the next to get another 10. They were cheap, and they are worth every cent we spent.

In those jars we can see what we have, how much of it is left, and the food is protected in a sealable container for freshness. They're perfect for the pantry!

What you put in your pantry will depend on what your family enjoys eating. My husband is a meat and potatoes man. That's all well and good, but I have kids who eat a more wide variety of things. I also have special care to consider with my daughter. She can only have certain foods certain ways. I consider myself a great short order cook. Not only do I have my husband's foods to consider, I have my daughters, and then my own. My diet changed after my youngest son. I stick to the diet. So now there are three different diets there.

My sons, well, they both eat anything. I have a feeling that Daegan will be just like Ethan in that aspect. Eat whatever is put in front of them!

Anyway, back to the pantry. Items we buy every two months or so:

• various pasta shapes and noodles, egg, spaghetti, macaroni, bow tie, and so on
• whole wheat flour
• sugar (sucanant is expensive in our area at the moment or I'd get that)
• brown sugar
• yeast
• bread flour
• unbleached flour
• corn meal
• a bunch of spice. I buy a new spice every other shoping trip to get it, and for those we enjoy I make sure to buy it again to restock. I do not keep the spices in the same containers. I move them to a zip lock bag that is then placed in a small sealable container. Again, glass, and with a screw on lid. Also found at Big Lots. Lucky me! I got 25 of them for various things. They fit spices, candies, nuts, snacks...it's a great little jar to hold things in.
• various flavorings and extracts for baking
• baking items like baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, cocoa, and so on.
• Bread Crumbs (regular and flavored)
• Confectioner's Sugar
• Corn Syrup
• Evaporated Milk
• Honey
• Oil ($9.99 per gallon at the discount grocer) 
• Rolled oats
• bran
• flaxseed
• wheat germ
• lentils
• white beans
• pinto beans
• kidney beans
• raisins
• peanuts and nuts of various kinds
• peanuts for making peanut butter (yes, we grind it up on our own! it's too good to ignore this process and it's much better for us!)
• rye flour
• tea
• canned vegetables of all kinds
• canned fruits of all kinds
• dried fruits
• canned sauces, homemade or store bought

I'm sure I missed other things, but that's a close list to what is around here and kept constantly in the pantry. The only time we've run out was due to over paying on credit cards to get rid of debt, and I'm not going to feel bad about that, but it was a scary time. We've planned better since that moment and we're never letting that happen to us again with this.

So, that's another tip. Have a good, organized, useable pantry!

If it's growing on your property it's not crazy to put some wild things to use! Living on a 49 acre mountainside for several years helped me find a lot of "free" food. Sure, it's wild food, but guess what? It's goooooood food!

One of the best wild foods I enjoy are dandelions! Mmmmm....I love dandelions! To date I've used them as greens, wine, and tonics! Just remember, don't get them on any highways or other people's properties. They could have used pesticides and chemicals on them as weeds to get rid of them or hinder growth, and you do not want that in your body! You should have plenty of dandelions on your own property, and if you do, take real good care of them! They are a treasure, not a weed!

How can something with high magnesium, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and C be bad for you? Well, it is a diuretic, so use them sparingly, but...use them! Yummy yummy good in your tummy! Ok, before I get carried away, let me put ideas here:

About.com has a nice recipe I found and use often now, though I did have a fritter recipe for the blossoms from a neighbor before, but I find About.com's recipe a bit better! (Sorry Pat...ahem..)

Frittered blossoms
Pick fully opened blossoms, the bigger the better. Trim stems very close to the heads. Soak in cold salt water for two or three hours. Rinse under cold running water and drain.

You'll need:

• One inch of oil in heavy pan
• 1 and 1/2 cups of finely crushed cracker crumbs

Make an egg batter:

• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Roll drained blossoms in cracker crumbs, then in the egg batter, then cracker crumbs again. Fry in hot oil until golden brown, drain and serve warm. These taste a little like mushrooms.

About.com has a lot more information there as well to check out on these tastey plants. I use the greens in salads, mix them up with spinach on lasagna or in noodles, and I enjoy them wrapped around zucchini blossoms with some red wine vinegar sauce.

Yes, they're yummy! So, don't diss the dandelion. Embrace it's yummyness! Here's one I found on about.com that I plan on trying, I haven't done this yet. I will this summer!!!

Jelly
This golden clear, delicate tasting jelly is glorious with biscuits and gravy on the first snowy morning of the year.

You'll need:

• Quart of fresh, bright dandelion flowers
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 5 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 package (1 3/4 oz) powdered pectin
• paraffin

Using enamel or stainless steel pan, boil the flowers in 2 quarts of water for 3 to 5 minutes, cool, and strain, pressing the liquid out of the flowers gently. Measure 3 cups of the liquid, add the lemon juice and pectin. Put into a deep jelly kettle and bring to a boil, then add sugar and stir to mix well. Stir and boil for 2 1/2 minutes, or until mixture sheets from a wooden spoon, pour into jelly glasses and seal with melted paraffin when cool .

The other wild foods that are common:

There are soooooo many more! I suggest reading on-line, educating yourself before eating, and double check with identification, and enjoy eating in the wild!!!!

Mmmmmm....

I've looked at some maps recently and discovered that many of the roads near the farm that were mere numbers on a simple map are now named roads! I bet, if I ever travel there again, that they finally paved those roads too. I'm partially surprised by this, partially sad, and the other half of me is pretty much unmoved. My life is here now, after all, but you know, there is always a little something of you left behind in a house or in a piece of land. The farm is no exception. And changes have hit it, much like changes do in old places that belong and stay in memories.

So, the mountain range, as far as I can see fit on maps, is named Clinch Mountain. It's a section of the Appalachian Mountains, from what I've read, on the Tennessee side. It's also a mountain area that runs through Virginia. Tennessee and Virginia basically do a little "swing your partner" and "heel to toe" anyway in that area, so it's not to be a surprise that there are a lot of wild stories out there of what side the mountain is on and so forth. When you have huge mountains, steep angles, and a lot of rural farmers...well, there could be a lot of ta-do's if they want, or they could keep it simple and just be neighbors! I'm sure hoping a lot of folks are just being neighbors. We've got enough drama in the world right now!

Anyway, Clinch Mountain. We're on the rugged side though, sadly. The road near the farm, from what I can tell, is probably called Clinch Mountain Road. (Original, no?) On the Tennesse side, that is. Cross over into Virginia and it's still a number, number 629.

Now, if you grab a map to see, which is always fun, I'll lead you to the farm.

Find a map somewhere, Mapquest is good, and go to Gate City, VA. Find it, and then come back. Don't worry, I'll wait here.  Ok, now, once you found Gate City, VA, trail your little finger there along the road 23/421. Take that West along the map.  Now, don't go too far. If you went up towards Clinchport there, you've gone too far. Get reaaaaaal close up to the map now, and pause on 23/421 just at the curve where it does a quick north there at the railroad track section that goes north, south, and east, west. That's where 629 is, it cuts off of 23/421 and goes west.

Follow 629 west as it turns into Clinch Mountain Road. Somewhere between where you cross into Tennessee and somewhere before Wake Forest Road (I believe..these are new names to me..) and somewhere after Virginia Road, is where the farm would sit. If you're heading west on it, as I lead you, the farm would be on the left side of the road there abouts.

Now, if you notice, Hancock County and Hawkins County lines up there in that area real nice? The line is the top of the mountains. One side, the side of the farm, is on Hancock's side. The other side was the other side of the mountain, Hawkins County. Real easy to figure out on land, but on a map? It looks dorky. Trust me, that mountain is huge, and it has brought awe to me, and made me feel so, so small each and every time I've looked at it in person.

Now, if you pan back a bit on the map (if you're using mapquest), there's a road, number 70. That's the road that goes to Kyles Ford (North on 70), where I mentioned turning left to head into Sneedville. Now, the map on MapQuest doesn't show it, but there's a river there. It runs in the middle of Kyles Ford Road and Horton Ford Road.

There's a lot of roads that aren't show on MapQuest, because I recall going to that river a few times from the farm through a simple turn off and a few turns. So I guess people are lazy and can't go check it out  Or they're really, really scared of the locals? Ha! That's funny. There are a couple of nuns there, some families, and a lot of farmers. Not one of them would harm anyone, either. They'd feed ya, but harm ya? No!

So, there you have it. The farm's area. Oh, if you take 70 south, it'll eventually twist and turn you around and down the other side of the mountain and lead you into Rogersville area. That's a nice area. I've always heard more about Rogersville than Sneedville. Honestly, both are nice towns, but I actually enjoyed Sneedville. Small, older, charming. It wasn't a bad place at all and it was comfortable. Even the small grocery store there was nice.

Ah well, changes have come to the area. I'm sure the towns are both even bigger than ever.

Changes come and go, but at least I still have my memories!

My daughter is only 4 so we do simple projects for science, usually. We'll be doing some science projects this month with Groundhogs Day and Valentines Day as subjects, leading up to both days respecfully. It's not hard to mix Science with just about anything you're learning, and I enjoy teaching several things from one theme to bring interest. My daughter has learned best with hands-on teaching. It just helps her learn better, and hey, it is more fun because you're using not just your mind, but all of your senses!

Valentine Flowers

You'll need a white flower (carnation, rose, daisy...)..

A vase

Food coloring

water

scissors

Snip the end of the stem with a diagnal cut using the scissors or snips. Whatever will cut cleanly is best. Remember!!!! Cut under the water!!!! Air can get into a stem if you do not do this, and it can slow the process as well as the project! Let your child pick what color they wish to use to color the water. We use purple for one, pink for another. We have to pre-mix purple, but pink is just a light dose of red in the water. Double up the dose, as sometimes it is necessary to see the colors. One experiment I read up on this did up to 30 drops...!

A fun side experiment in this is to take one or two of the flowers and slice the stem up the middle about half way. Put half the stem in one colored water, put half the stem in another color of water. See how this progresses.

Put the flower in the vase with the colored water. The flower will start to color within 24 hours. Sometimes it may take some time. Remember to be patient.

This teaches where a water goes when a plant is watered. It will show functions of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers.

Here's some technical things that I liked about this project:

"Okay, now it's time to get technical. There are two things that combine to move water through plants -- TRANSPIRATION and COHESION. Water evaporating from the leaves, buds and petals (TRANSPIRATION) pulls water up the stem of the plant. This works in the same way as sucking on a straw. Water that evaporates from the leaves "pulls" other water behind it up to fill the space left by the evaporating water, but instead of your mouth providing the suction it is due to evaporating water. This can happen because water is very sticky--to itself (called water COHESION) and because the tubes in the plant stem are very small (in a part of the plant called the XYLEM). This process is called CAPILLARY ACTION.

 

Coloring the water with food coloring does not harm the plant in any way but allows you to see the movement of water through the roots to the shoots. Splitting the stem simply proves that the tiny tubes in the stem run all the way from the stem to the petals of the flowers. Our unofficial tests indicated that the blue dye went up the carnations the fastest followed by the red dye and then the green dye.

 

Like colored dyes in this experiment, some chemicals that pollute our waters can get into the soil and ground water and contaminate our vegetables and plants growing in the soil. Some chemicals and pollutants, just like the color dyes, may travel up into the plant and affect its health or growth."

Heart Beat

We'll be studying the heart and heart rate before, during, and after exercise. Then we'll discuss the differences and make a chart while we're at it. Then I'll have her color a heart and then look at a real heart, and we'll talk about how they work. This is a real simple project, and it's science mixed with health and crafts.

Shadows

This is a simple project. We'll make a sundial for shadows outside and track it at various times during the day using a watch and paper.

We'll also be putting a trace down on the sidewalk of her shadow using chalk. When we go to check the sundial we'll also check the sizes of her shadow each time to see it move.

Skills this helps with: observing, predictions, comparing, classifying, communication, collecting and recording information, and making conclusions are among the main skills learned.

Added studies: Shadow Puppets. This brings in history, art, and other subjects. This will add in a lot of other things to learn, and I think it will add some time onto the project as a step up from learning about the other shadow work we'll do with the sundial and her own shadows.

Shadow Puppets will teach her how to interact with light and how light will react to certain objects and things that she will be using in the puppet work. This will also teach her about another culture, their history, and their art, music, and so on.

I'm finding these subjects so much fun!

I don't know, but I can't seem to get the yummy cranberries out of me since Christmas and Thanksgiving. I found these on-line and they sound really, really good.

• one egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (unflavored)
• 1/4 cup almonds (nuts are always optional to me)
• 2 tablespoons of cranberries, dried, chopped up
• 1 tablespoon of raisins, chopped up
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 pound of ground up meat of your choice
• 1/2 pound of ground up meat (another type) of your choice
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce, or your homemade sauce if you have it
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard (trust me, this helps add some yum!)

In a large bowl combine the egg, bread crumbs, nuts, cranberries, raisins, onions, cloves, and allspice. Stir well. Add in the ground meats; mix up and incorporate the flavors for a few minutes. Wait about 5 minutes. Start forming meatballs. Place in a semi-hot skillet to brown on all sides. Remove from heat. Place in a crock pot.

While the meatballs sit, in the same skillet, put the catsup, cranberry sauce, vinegar and dry mustard. Mix up well, let simmer slowly for about 2 minutes. Remove and put on top of the meatballs.

Cook for about three hours or until meatballs are done, on low. If you want to cook them faster, don't add the sauce, just put the meatballs in with about 3 tablespoons of water. Cook them in the crockpot on high. Then add sauce 20 minutes before serving.

Also found on-line.

• beef broth
• beef cubes (strips, or whatever you want)
• diced tomatoes, undrained
• large onion, diced
• sweet pepper, green, diced
• sweet peper, red, diced
• jalepeno chile pepper, seeded and diced
• hot chili powder
• ground cumin
• garlic
• hot italian sauce, your style choice
• corn (optional)
• pinto beans
• kidney beans
• (any beans!!! )
• shredded cheddar cheese for toppings
• corn chips or other tortilla chips for crunching

Throw it all in the crockpot and cook it all day. That's what I do.

Um...ok, well, let's make it a bit more scientific I guess.

Cook the beef for a bit in a pan, browning the pieces. Add in the sausage. Let the meats combine flavors awhile. Add a tad bit of the broth in the same pan, work up the drippings into it all. Dump it all into a crock pot. Add tomatoes, peppers, spices, and onions, etc...all into the crock pot. Let it cook all day....and walla, a nice Chili you can serve with your favorite things!

I found this on-line.

• chicken cut into cubes, about 1/2 inch cubes
• chicken broth, 6 cups or so
• 1/2 cup of chopped onion
• 1/4 cup of chopped leek (remove if you want)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, slightly crushed (these can be expensive...use only if you wish to. It's a "splurge" on our list, so I may not even use them.)
• vegetable ravioli or chicken tortellini (pre-prepared or your own. I make my own.)
• 1/2 cup baby spinach, fresh (wash well, please please please wash well!), chopped up into pieces

Cook the chicken for a few minutes in the saucepan, add broth, ginger, onion, leek, and saffron. Let them come to a boil. Add the tortellini or ravioli, sirring often. Simmer for about ten minutes, check for noodles to be done. Remove from heat and put in bowls. Add the spinach and stir gently.

I'll need to take some scans, but my daughter and I did some crafts for Groundhogs Day as well as Valentines Day. She also did a few cards to send to family members. She loves coloring and doing projects so it was literally half a day of work for us, but she sat quietly and enjoyed the entire time we worked. I was literally wishing to lay down, though, because my sinus problems but...I didn't dissapoint and we had a lot of pretty things for Daddy to see when he got home.

We would have had a few more if the cat hadn't danced across the work and added the pieces we had out to my son's toy area. He was playing and reaching for everything we set up, and of course, the cat had them land right in there. He crumpled up a few hearts and things, and of course, the cat looked 'innocent" but, when you see cat paws painted across the table, the chair, the couch, and more papers....fading away to where she sits? Hmm....CAUGHT YA!

My daughter considered it a funny thing and laughed hysterically at all of the cat prints and how she could follow them right up to the cat from the "evdence", as she called it. She immediately wanted to be a detective because I stood there looking at the mess after we had eaten a snack and said "Hmm, I wonder who did this?"

Off my daughter went, looking for clues, and of course she found them and the cat.

My only concern was my son and the pieces he crumbled up. He was so quiet when he woke up that I didn't know he had woken up, and he had grabbed up quite a few pieces that had fallen. So far he's not pooped out any colorful hearts (sorry for the graphic...), so I think we're alright in that department

I was looking over the Consumer Reports ratings chart for the car seat experiments they've completed, and I was pretty worried. My Mom even called, stating the news had several pieces about the car seats and how bad they were failing tests. So I started reading up myself on-line, as I don't normally watch much TV dealing with news because it is depressing as can be, and just couldn't believe how bad some of the seats are.

I've been using a Cosco brand chair for my son, Daegan. It was also my daughter's seat when she was a baby. She's going to be put in a booster chair soon, but for now she's still in a car seat with the pull down bar because she can't gain the needed weight for the booster for our State requirments. However, I'm still concerned. I know we don't have the rated chairs that were looked at.

Now, part of me is worried, but the other part of me is not, as we are very, very safe drivers. Neither my husband or I have ever been in a car wreck, caused a car wreck, or had any accidents. We're very careful and always have been. We feel that our driving skills work out well, and since we don't travel often on fast roads we have a relatively good chance of avoiding any problems. But, there is always a chance.

We can't afford to get new car seats. After this report, I feel outraged that car seat companies would be so ignorant to test car seat safety under the reported average car wreck speed. What in the world are they doing to consumers? I never would have thought that someone who should have safety in mind first, and not money, would put something out there that is considered safe, but it isn't really safe at all.

It was said that cars, on average, wreck at the speeds of 35 or over in most cases. The average number listed at wreck sites were 38 miles per hour. The car seat tests were done at 30 miles an hour on most models. Not over 35 miles an hour.

What are these people trying to accomplish other than making money?

Silence in the gallery I see.  

If all they want is money then perhaps they should start selling ocean front property in Utah. Why? Because they can apparently sell anything to anyone without much problem!

Now, I need to go and get a new car seat fund started up, so excuse me

Why can't the media put out more positive stories like they did recently with the people of New York? Why can't some of them focus more on that than the ugly news of the world? I was so uplifted when I read about several people in New York City who helped save others from a terrible fate. God does have Angels on the ground, and not all of them have visible wings.

Two men, just walking around like thousands of others in New York City, heard screams up a building, and saw a little boy hanging from the fire escape, ready to fall. Three year old Timothy had just gone out there, the babysitter had been distracted, and the next thing - he was dangling from the fire escape. The poor little thing hung on as much as he could, and while he fought his fall, Julio Gonzalez and Pedro Nevarez moved to stand directly under the little one to catch him if they could.

Timothy did fall, and he landed hard on Pedro's chest, knocking him off balance as Timothy bounced into Julio's arms! Timothy has as mall cut on his forehead that was treated, but he was smiling and happy and safe. If it wasn't for those two wonderful men, who just happened to be passing through, the outcome of that could have been much, much worse. And, the sad part is this: several others were there, just standing around, and watching. They didn't do anything to help, they just stood there. It's a sad thing to hear.

The other story is about Wesley Autrey, who saved Cameron Hollopeter after Cameron fell down into the tracks of the subway. Cameron suffered a seizure, and during that attack near the tracks, he fell in. Wesley moved swiftly, dove on top of Cameron, and rolled him into a gap that sits between the rails. The train had passed a few cars over the two men, but neither were hurt by it. Wesley, another angel without wings...

God does work in mysterious ways

On December 24th at 12:35 AM Santa began putting up decorations in our home and he also put the Christmas tree up. It's a tradition that Santa helps us, and it's a new tradiiton. It isn't usually done in homes. I've heard some people put their tree up on Thanksgiving Day. I've heard some put their tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Some wait till December 1st. Some wait till mid-December. Some do it in October!

Well, this year, we asked Santa to help us. We did a few decorations at first, but not a tree. "No, I'm sure Santa will put a tree up for us." We celebrate and believe in Santa in this household. Oh yes, we know the true meaning of Christmas. Please do not get us wrong on that one. But when your kids grow bright as lights when they see Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and Santa you can't help but feel the giddy feeling too! Besides, we see him as a messenger of what is the true meaning. He's just wearing some really bright clothes to do it.

So this year I tried something different. Santa would bring our Christmas tree if everyone was good!

Sound odd? Well, sure, it does, but it worked really, really well in keeping some peace in the house during some times it was needed. And, I didn't have to dodge the tree or wrestle the cat out from under it or...well, anything you normally have to wrestle with after you put a tree up that needs to stay up for over a month or more in time. I recall trying to keep the tree in balance as we plucked a young Oy from it's branches. I recall the tree falling, with my daughter attached, because she wanted an ornament on it so, so badly. Some of our tree memories were good, some not so good.

Not this year. Nope. Not for us.

This year Santa was bringing our tree. Yessir. I didn't want to have anything to do with it. He would come and decorate our house and make our wishes come true.

And I...erm..I mean...he did.

My daughter's face on Christmas morning is forever in my mind as a memory that will be kept locked away like a very special, unique treasure. No one else gets to have it. Only me. Because I was asleep on the couch next to the baby boy when she came out, and I got to see her eyes light up and her mouth open wide and her joy of seeing the gifts that Santa brought...along with the tree and all the decorations that make the season special.

"LOOOOOOK MOMMY!"

Oh yes. It's my memory. Not shared with anyone. Well, except for maybe Santa...

So now, Santa has to come and take our tree down, and make sure he's set for his vacation to a nice warm climate. He has already come to some neighbors and some houses that had lights. He has already taken a cute blow up rudolph, polar bear, and pooh bear from down the street. I'm sure they're packed away with loving care by Santa himself, and will be taken good care of till next season by Santa's elves.

Yes, Santa is crafty and he certainly has talent in this area. He sneaks in and takes the pretty decorations slowly. Plucking here, plucking there. And all the while my daughter, who has a memory Einstein would love to have studied, knows when and where exactly when we drive around. "Santa got the deer there and rudolf..." I glance back to the seat where she is sitting behind me through the side mirror. Her face is slightly sad. "Yes, hun, I know. But you know what? They need time to rest. They have worked so hard for Santa and for everyone to look pretty, don't you think?"

She looks at me through the glass of my window into the mirror. A game we've learned to play on the road by accident. "I see you....!" She giggles and ducks and weaves, trying to avoid me seeing her. Now, she knows it's a way we can talk. It's a mirror of communication. "Yes, but I sad about it." She forgot the "am" again. I smile and my husband smiles. He squeezes my hand. Our daughter is learning to talk through a tough surgery on her throat area. We aren't pushing her. She will learn in her own time.

"He'll come back, and maybe with even prettier things." I watch her pretty eyes light up, and she smiles. I know eventually she'll forget about Santa and the Christmas tree and all the lights. I know this because we're already getting ready for Valentines Day. One of our favorite holidays. We become Daddy's girls, and The Boys girls, and we get to make pretty cakes of pink and purples with icing and sprinkles. We get chocolate and wrap it up for Daddy...

Yes, Santa will pack up the tree, wrestle it neatly back into it's rightful place for us. He'll pack up the paper rings, the paper ornaments that have survived this year, and all the snowflakes hanging on the walls, from the windows, and the snowmen that dot the house here and there.

Hopefully, this time, he won't tire himself out to the point of being sick again.....

Ahem.

So, a toast of my last eggnog to all of you who know Santa very, very well.  I hope you get to enjoy his company again in......

354 Days, 22 Hours, and 14 Minutes! (and counting......)

A medium sized kit is something that is not usually thought of in a car, but it's not a bad idea to have one. Keep it in the backseat with a extra seatbelt over it if you have space. Keep it in a under-the-seat-bin if you have one of those cargo type under-the-seat locations. Or just keep it behind the seats where feet can't hit it. The size I consider medium sized is about the size of a cooler that holds a six pack of pop cans. Not bottles. Cans.

You can tuck a small kit in along with this kit, as well as extra goodies. Here is what is considered for a medium kit, in my ideal pack:

• rubber gloves; latex gloves (4 pairs) *
• sterile dressings *
• saline solution toweletts or baby wipes are fine*
• rubbing alcohol toweletts or iodine toweletts *
• antibiotic cream or liquid *
• burn ointment or burn wipes*
• adhesive bandages of all sizes*
• eye drops *
• thermometer*
• medications for kids *
• medications for adults *
• any prescription medication (update as needed) with printed information *
• prescription materials (needles for diabetics, blood reading gear, wrist blood pressure monitor, etc..) *
• tweezers *
• permanent pen and paper (to record temperatures or numbers on bandages as well as on papers) *
• scissors *
• sewing kit *
• petrolium jelly packs *
• activated charcoal *
• adhesive tape *
• hot pack *
• cold pack *
• glow sticks *
• syrup of ipecac *
• small flashlight *
• replacement batteries *
• emergency blankets (2 at least) *
• bandanas or cloth napkins (trust me, they're good for lots of things) *
• first aid booklet *
• zip lock baggy with extra cash and ID's as well as medical information*
• More rubber gloves
• butterfly closures
• fingertip bandages
• knee bandages
• elbow bandages
• extra gause wraps
• extra sterile dressings
• safety pins
• q-tips
• finger splints
• sterile eye pads
• liquid bandage
• adhesive fabric
• moleskin
• blister treatments
• insect bite kit
• snake bite kit
• waterproof matches
• candles (UCO Lanterns)
• masks
• extra pieces of like items from the small kit (extra gloves, blankets, etc..)

And yes, it will all fit into the small case and fit quite well. Remember that you can make your own kit up. Following on-line survival sites or emergency kit lists can help you. Talk to the Red Cross as well, and see about getting pamphlets and information from them if possible.

Also, if you haven't already, train in CPR and First Aid with a classroom at your local hospital or with the Red Cross, or some other means. It can save a life.

* Aready in a small kit

With nearly 50 acres of land, which was basically half of a mountain, there was a lot of walking available to do when there was time or when we fancied a good walk. The house was down at the very base of the mountain, in a narrow valley area that basically followed the mountain side by side. I'd say the valley was no more than a few acres wide, and the road was in the center. It curved and followed the mountain all along the way to the main road in both directions.

When you own half a mountain side you begin to wonder about it's top. I would sit in a small field in front of our house, which used to be covered in rows and rows of cedar trees that were taken down to make open space around the farm house, buildings, and barn. That field had a sure shot all the way up to the top of the mountain. I would sometimes glance up there, wondering about it, and then look back to where I was, and follow the mountain back up again. It wasn't an easy walk if we were going to ever go up there.

I had mentioned that the land had once been property to a logging company. They had a road zig zagging all the way up from the gravel road (the main road in our area) to mid-way up the mountain. It had been decades and decades since anyone had used it as a road. But it was a good marker for walking up the mountain. So one day we packed up a lunch and some drinks and headed up that way. We didn't know how long it would take us, but we weren't too concerned. We knew that we'd be alright either way. No hunters were about at that time, and there hadn't been any sightings of wild cats or bears.

As we made our way up, it was an easy walk at first. Actually it was very gentle and soft. The redbuds had just become full in bloom, dogwoods were peeking about, and everything was lush and feeling new and fresh. It was almost like a painting. The only problems were fallen trees in our path, boulders here and there, and the concern of copperheads. They were usually not too keen on meeting anyone, but you know, sometimes they had days where they felt like shouting to the skies. Especially if they're stepped on!

We went up the mountain half-way without much problem, other than my shortness not handling some of the larger trees too well that were in the way. Being only 5' 4" compared to someone who was 6' tall was a challenge. A leap here, a bound there for him and things were prefect! Me? Oh no no no. No leaps and no bounds here.

First came the inspection of the structure. A foothold? Where is a foothold...oh dear, there isn't one, I need to crawl over it! So, then there was inspection for a hand hold.  After that it was scrambling, grunting, pulling, pulling...and of course by the fifth tree I had to crawl over, under, or through...well, my clothing looked more like camoflauge than jeans and a t-shirt!

At least I made it half-way up the mountain!

At that point we were able to look up the mountain some more. The angle of the sloap to the top of the mountain from the end of the logging trail was astonishing. I know that it wasn't 90 degrees. But I tell you, I bet anything it was around 65 or 70. We were able to get a good idea of what we needed to do to finish our hike up the mountain. And we talked about the best route while we sat and ate. It had taken us about four hours to hike to the area we were at. We couldn't see the house from where we were, or the barn, or anything on the valley. The trees were way to thick, but we knew the general area it was in. I wish I could have seen that section. I bet it was really, really great.

Eventually we finished looking at the mountain, packed up our garbage, and headed back down the trail. This time moving easier and a bit faster, as it was down hill. I had an easier time with the logs, after knowing the best places to cross or crawl over (or under), and we made it home a bit sooner than we imagined. As I stood in the field in front of the house, and looked up into the darkening mountain rocks and forests, I felt a slight urge to go back. Twilight was coming swiftly, lightning bugs were flashing, and the breeze was warm.

I knew at some point we would be up on the mountain top, and see what we could see...

But when?

Okay, I don't usually watch much T.V., and when I do I usually don't even watch the commercials much. Tonight I'm doing a few things on our computer and I have the T.V. on a show I enjoy. One of the commercials was a McDonald's commercial for breakfast.

It starts out with a lovely sunrise behind a silouette of trees as a farmer walks out of his nice farmhouse and over towards his barn. As he does, he lifts a coffee cup up to his lips and silently enters the barn, smelling the morning air...and probably the fresh hay nearby. As he quietly walks into the middle of the barn he pauses and looks around as if he's very happy to be where he is. I was thinking, wow, I wish I could do that...

...until he blurted out at the top of his lungs like a rooster....!

He woke up the rooster, hens, pigs, and cows...and he cackles and says, "How's it feel!?"

Gooooooodness!

I've made a few changes for one of my favorite times of the year, which is Valentine's Day. I just enjoy the atmosphere in our house, the fun the kids have, and the colors that it can bring out - which is pratically anything in crafts and with the feeling of love

I'm hoping to do more posts soon, but we have to go out and about. The first time I've been out since December 21st!! I don't enjoy going out much around here much anymore. The people are rather hyper or rude around Christmas. Stress levels too high. All sorts of things go on.

I'm glad to be going out, but I'm not looking forward to it if people are still....cranky...!

We'll see how it goes!