A Crystal Heritage

The Shoe Box

2012-01-29T08:01:00.000-06:00

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautionedher husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but the day the little old woman got ver...y sick and the doctor said she would she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife’s bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should knowwhatwas in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $15,000.

He asked her about the contents. “When we were to be married,” she said, “my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue.”

She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.”

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness. “Honey,” he said, “that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?”

“Oh,” she said, “That’s the money I made from selling the dolls.”

Free Cupcake Cookbook for Kindle

2012-01-29T07:50:00.000-06:00

I picked up a free cupcake cookbook for my kindle this morning. Sounds like it might have some good recipes. If so, it would be great for all kinds of "cupcake appropriate" occasions, including parties at school! You can get yours at the link below and while you are there sign up for the newsletter for more free kindle books!

http://fkbt.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/cupcake-recipes-free-from-amazon-kindle-store/

Atta Girl Anna Comnena

2012-01-17T21:45:00.000-06:00

Anna Comnena led a life of privilege to be sure, but I still find her worthy and noteworthy of the Atta Girl Hall of Fame for her incredible contribution to preserving history and demonstrating women definitely have a place in the field of science.

Oddly though she studied science so long ago and was apparently quite good at it, how did society forget between that time and the time of the fight for women's rights and even today that women are just as capable as anyone else?

Anna Comnena or Anna of Byzantium was born December 1or 2 approx 1083 to 1148 (sources differ on this). Anna was a Byzantine princess and she was also a political figure, medieval historian and medical writer.

Anna was the daughter of Irene Ducas and her father the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus who ruled from 1081 – 1118. Anna was the oldest of her father’s children. She was born just a few years after her father won the throne as the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire by taking it from Nicephorus III.

When the time came, Anna was betrothed to Constantine Ducas, who was a cousin on her mother’s side and a son of Michael VII but Constantine died before the marriage ever took place.

Anna Comnena was well educated. She studied the classics and she studied music, but she also studied science and mathematics, which included astronomy and medicine which were topics that she wrote on later in her life.

In 1097, Anna married Nicephorus Bryennius who had some claim to the throne. Nicephorus was also a historian. Anna and her mother, the Empress Irene, plotted to have Anna’s husband succeed Alexius in place of Anna’s brother John, but plan never came about.

When Anna’s father was dying, she used her medical knowledge to choose among possible treatments. Despite her efforts, her father died in 1118 and her brother became the next emperor.

It seems that at one point Anna and her mother tried to overthrow Anna’s brother and replace him with Anna’s husband but apparently her husband refused to take part and when the plot was discovered and thwarted, Anna and her husband left the court.

When Anna Comnena’s husband died in 1137, she and her mother were sent to a convent that Irene had founded.

It was at the convent that Anna began to write a history of her father’s life and reign which her husband had begun. The history, The Alexiad, was 15 volumes when completed and was written in Greek rather than Latin.

Though the Alexiad was written to praise Alexius’ accomplishments, Anna’s place at court for most of the period covered meant that the details were unusually accurate for histories of that time period.

Anna wrote about military, religious and political life of that time and was skeptical of the value of the Latin Church’s First Crusade which occurred during her father’s reign.

Anna also wrote on medicine and astronomy and it is clear that she knew much about science. She included references regarding the accomplishments of a number of women including her own grandmother, Anna Dalassena.

There was also mention in the Alexiad, of how isolated Anna felt at the convent and how disgusted she was with her husband’s unwillingness to carry through with her efforts to put him on the throne. She noted that perhaps their genders should have been reversed.

In 1928 Elizabeth Dawes translated the Alexiad into English for the first time.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/medbyzantempress/p/anna_comnena.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Komnene

Famous Firsts by American Women

2012-01-17T20:56:00.001-06:00

Here are two great links to pages highlighting great "firsts" in history made by American women. I found them to be pretty interesting. Hopefully you will too.

Famous Firsts by American Women 1587 to 1900

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensfirsts1.html

Famous Firsts by American Women 1901 to present:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensfirsts2.html

Atta Girl Ida Lewis

2012-01-15T08:05:00.000-06:00

Idawalley Zoradia Lewis was born February 25, 1842.

In 1857, Ida Lewis' father, Hosea Lewis, accepted the position of keeper of the Lime Rock Lighthouse, at Newport, Rhode Island but after only four months of accepting the post, he suffered a stroke, which left him disabled.

Ida's mother and Ida took charge of the upkeep of the lighthouse and since Ida was the oldest of the four children and her youngest sibling was ill, most of the duties soon fell to Ida so that her mother could tend to her father and the younger children.

Ida's swimming skills soon became well known in Newport, Rhode Island and her rowing skills and strength were also quite accomplished as she had to row her siblings to and from Lime Rock, which was completely surrounded by water with a constant current, to school in Newport and to get their supplies.

In the mid 19^th century it was very unusual for a woman to handle a boat, but not only did Ida do it with great skill, she is credited with saving at least 18 persons and possibly as many as 35 persons from drowning over the course of her years at the Lime Rock Lighthouse.

Ida continued to help her father thru his declining health over the years and in 1879 officially received the post of keeper of the lighthouse, which she maintained until 1911 when she retired.

One morning of that year, Ida herself apparently had a stroke and she died on October 25, 1911 at the age of 69. The bells of all the ships of Newport Harbor tolled for Ida Lewis that night.

http://www.nelights.com/stories/shipwrecks_rescues/ida_lewis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Lewis_%28lighthouse_keeper%29

The Crafts Box and Inventions Box for Kids

2012-01-15T06:38:00.001-06:00

When the kids were little, I used to keep two very important boxes on a shelf over my my washer and dryer. One of these boxes was a Craft box and one was an Inventions box.

In the craft box I would toss bits of lace or ribbon, found markers,crayons, big buttons, used greeting cards, tubes of glitter I had bought and any found or cheaply purchased items that I thought would be good additions to the box.

In the inventions box I would place broken radios and clocks, juice can lids (the kind that come from frozen concentrate with tear strip - no rough edges) soda pop caps, any odd ball pieces that I thought would be good invention material.

On rainy, cold, or otherwise bad weather days, I would get down one or both of the boxes and let my son and daughter spend the day just exploring the boxes and making whatever they wanted from the boxes. It was always a big hit and made even better because they never knew what would be in the boxes because I had been adding to the boxes since they last looked in them.

Atta Girl Zuzana Ruzickova

2012-01-15T05:47:00.000-06:00

Obviously musically talented, Zuzana Ruzickova,born on 14 January 1927, western Bohemia, was forced to keep her music lessons and talents on hold for years as her family was forced into first one and then a second concentration camp during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. She finally did succeed in studying music interpretation and the harpsichord and over the years has taught music and performed many times and received many honors.

Atta Girl Taryn Davis

2012-01-13T15:54:00.001-06:00

This article was written Dec 4, 2011 - widow Taryn Davis pioneered the American Widow Project, which has benefitted widows nationwide in coping with the loss of their military husbands. CNN named Davis one of their Top 10 Heroes for her work. In the article you will find mention of a request for the public to vote, but that has past. I hope you will be inspired by the article and check out the American Widow Project link as well!

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/buda-woman-honored-for-helping-military-widows-2012586.html

http://www.americanwidowproject.org/

200 Things to Do with the Kids

2012-01-13T15:47:00.001-06:00

Its always wise to have a ready list of things to do when the children decide they are bored, or the weather turns foul or even when the weather turns nice and you want to do something outdoors.... Here are links to two great lists with a wide variety of ideas of things to do and I am sure they will serve as launchpads for more ideas for your own list.

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/moodyfamily/100things.html

http://zenhabits.net/100-ways-to-have-fun-with-your-kids-for/

Memory Books

2012-01-12T06:11:00.000-06:00

Memory Books: Either in your child's baby book if space allows, or a separate blank book, keep a sort of diary about your child's spiritual, physical and emotional growth. Every few months (or weeks while your child is very young) make an entry.

You could include topics such as:

*how they have grown

*things they have learned

*special experiences (bad as well as good moments) and how you felt about those moments

*why that child is special

*new events that are going on in the world at that time

*special things the child says

*special awards or honors and relating the event to a special family time

Give the book(s) to your child as a gift when he or she is old enough to appreciate it. It would be a great gift for graduation or on a wedding day.

Lozen Apache Warrior

2012-01-11T06:36:00.001-06:00

Lozen was born about 1840. She was the sister of Apache war leader Victorio and is considered the most famous of the Apache war women.

Lozen was born in the northern New Mexico /Arizona area and was never interested in learning the women's duties of the tribe. She preferred to ride with her brother and participate in the rough games of the boys. Lozen took part in the warrior training and never married. Lozen dressed lived and fought like a man. She devoted her life to the service of her people.

Lozen's brother said, “Lozen is my right hand, strong as a man, braver than most and cunning in strategy, Lozen is a shield to her people.”

Considered a shaman or prophet, legend has it that Lozen used her supernatural powers in battle and learned the movements of the enemy and that she helped each band she was with to avoid capture. She was also able to use song and herbs to help heal people.

When Lozen's brother Victorio died, Lozen continued to ride with Chief Nana and eventually she joined up with Geronimo's band. She eluded capture until she finally surrendered with this last group of free Apaches in 1886. Lozen died of tuberculosis at the Mount Vernon Barracks in Mobile, Alabama at about the age of 50.

More information about Lozen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lozen

Barbie Doll Pancakes

2012-01-11T05:55:00.000-06:00

Last night I was thinking about how much kids like things like the "silly" and the "offbeat" and was remembering how my daughter used to love her "Barbie Doll" pancakes.

Barbie Doll pancakes came to be when I was making pancakes one morning and my daughter was standing on a stool at a safe distance, watching.

I poured the batter for one of the pancakes and as I finished, a small amount dripped away from the normal sized pancake, forming it's own tiny pancake. My daughter saw that and being that she liked all things tiny, she said "I want that one, I want that tiny pancake."

Sensing something big, I made lots more tiny pancakes, all about the size of a penny, and made the comment that they were about the size that a Barbie Doll would eat, and so Barbie Doll pancakes were born. From then on when I made pancakes, my daughter had to have her tiny, Barbie Doll pancakes even though everyone else had the normal sized pancakes.

It takes so little to do something just a bit offbeat and out of the ordinary and yet it can make all the difference to a child and make all the difference in whether they will be encouraged to eat their meal!

Below is my regular standby pancake recipe. Sometimes I change it up a bit by adding fruit or vanilla or mashed sweet potatoes etc. *note when I add sweet potatoes I double the baking powder and throw in an extra egg.

Light Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour

1Tbs sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

Combine dry ingredients. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Bake on hot griddle that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Use more cooking spray as needed. Cook one side until pancake starts to bubble then flip once to cook other side.

* buttermilk substitute - 1 Tbs vinegar and fill remaining one cup measure with milk to replace buttermilk.

*I keep pancakes in one of my glass pie plates in oven set on low to keep them warm. I just stack them up in the pie plate as I cook them.

PawPaw Bunyan

2012-01-10T11:46:00.001-06:00

About a year ago, my husband, aka "Pawpaw" to our grandson, and my son's brother in law and father in law put together a swing set for grandson for his birthday.

Even though there were lots of hands helping to put the swingset together, grandson gave Pawpaw all the credit. "Pawpaw built my swingset" he said and I think what must motivate my grandson's thinking is the shear size of my husband. Grandson must look up at his 6ft 7in Pawpaw and see an impressive giant of a man and so that is all he remembers.

This past Sunday grandson was at our house and I showed him a room we are remodeling that will be a guest room when they stay with us.

I showed him the wall that Pawpaw is refinishing and I told him that Pawpaw was making the room for him to sleep in when he visits. Grandson was impressed. His reply was "Pawpaw make the room for me?" as he pointed to himself.

Later that day our son and his family left, taking the pickup truck they were borrowing until their suburban could finish repairs in the shop. While they were still traveling, son called to tell me that Grandson had made the remark that Pawpaw built that truck for them!

We had to laugh that grandson seemed to think that Pawpaw builds EVERYTHING and it made me wonder if, when I start reading the Paul Bunyan books I have waiting for him when he is a little older, maybe I can substitute the word "Pawpaw" for "Paul" and get away with it!

Indian Corn a Quick Easy Supper

2012-01-10T09:12:00.002-06:00

My son used to say he liked this as much as he liked pizza so that tells you something! It's quick, easy and really good! It comes from Linda Coffee and Emily Cale's Four Ingredient Cookbook which you can find at any bookstore if easy recipes is your thing, like it is mine!

Indian Corn

1 Pound Lean Hamburger meat

1 Can (16 oz) whole corn (drained)

½ Onion (chopped) (*I sometimes omit the onion and use 1 tsp onion powder for those that don't like onion)

1 Jar Taco Sauce (*usually comes in 8 ounce)

Brown Hamburger and onion; add corn and taco sauce. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 4-6

*(my notes)

Atta Girl Francisca "Panchita" Alavez

2012-01-08T19:30:00.001-06:00

The survivors told their stories and it is thanks to them that we know of the bravery of this woman, this hero of the massacre of Goliad.

This incredible woman, Francisca “Panchita” Alavez has been immortalized with the term “The Angel of Goliad”. Francisca, was the wife of Captain Telesforo Alavez, commander of Mexican Centralista forces in the Copano and Victoria region under Gen. Jose de Urrea's command.

Numerous accounts place Francisca with the movements of Captain Alavez on assignment in Copano Bay, Goliad, Victoria and Matamoros, where she assisted Texian prisoners at all locations.

There are written accounts by some of the men that Panchita saved from certain death:

to Rueben Brown, whose life she saved at San Patricio, and who was again to share her mercies as a "Prisoner of Matamoros," he referred to "a Mexican lady named Alvarez."

to Dr. Jack Shackleford, whom she befriended in his darkest hour, and who first proclaimed her virtues to the world, she was "Pacheta Alevesco, wife of Captain A."

to Dr Joseph Barnard to whom we are mainly indebted for the little we know concerning her, she was "Señora Alvarez * - * [who] arrived at the Copano with her husband [who was one of Urrea's officers.]"

to Benjamin F. Hughes lad of fifteen, whom she saved on that fatal Palm Sunday at Goliad, she was "a young lady, Madame Captain Alvarez, evidently of distinction."

Other Texans who owed her their lives knew her only as "the wife of a Mexican officer."

There is also an account of an instance where near Victoria, Madame Alavez and one other Mexican lady of distinction literally stopped an execution by jumping between the executioners and the prisoners and proclaiming that the shooters would have to shoot them before shooting the prisoners.

Although there have been variations listed of Panchita's last name, Mexican military records confirm Telesforo Alavez serving under the command under General Urrea, so it is just a matter of the early Texans not being familiar with the correct Mexican name that the variations exist.

It is said that Senora Alavez returned to Mexico City with the Captain and was there abandoned by him (he had another wife). At that time she returned to Matamoros, penniless but she received help from Texians who knew of her humanitarian efforts.

Although some accounts state that Panchita disappeared from history when she returned to Matamoros, other accounts place her on the King Ranch and say that she died there and is buried there in an unmarked grave. It is also said that many of her descendants use the name Alvarez and other of her descendants include foremen of major divisions of the King Ranch, first Mexican-American to play high school football in Kingsville, brothers Bobby Cavazos, Gen.Richard O. Cavazos and Dr. Lauro Cavazos, former president of Texas Tech University and Secretary of Education 1988-1990, the first Hispanic to serve in the U. S. Cabinet, the Alvarez clan is alive and well in Kingsville, Corpus Christi and all over South Texas.

http://www.theoutlaws.com/people2.htm

http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/goliadangel.htm#fate

http://www.andrewbutlerphotos.com/keyword/texas%20historical%20marker/8/1278295101_RWqPgF8#!i=1278295101&k=RWqPgF8&lb=1&s=XL

Atta Girl Adina De Zavala the Angel of the Alamo

2012-01-07T07:24:00.012-06:00

Adina De Zavala, the tough, black haired, blued eyed “Angel of the Alamo” passed on in 1955 after spending years making it her primary goal to protect one of Texas' treasures, the Alamo.

During her years of protecting the important mission, she identified historic sites, formed volunteer groups and defied law officers in her determination to protect this historic landmark.

Adina also encouraged statewide recognition of Texas Independence Day on March 2nd and worked to further the education of Texans about their heritage.

Adina was the granddaughter of Lorenzo De Zavala the first vice president of the provisional government (for whom Zavala County, Texas is named).

Born November 28, 1861 in Harris County within the sight of the Battlefield of San Jacinto, which is east of where Houston is located today, Adina was the oldest of 6 children. Her father was a rancher by the name of Augustine De Zavala, who became a Captain in the Confederate Navy and her mother was Julia Tyrrell De Zavala, a Dublin born woman, educated in Galveston.

Adina loved to read and she best loved reading about history. She also loved reading myths. In a 1935 interview for Holland's magazine she said that she and her sister used to produce plays and they were always scenes from history.

Adina was first tutored at home and then she attended the Ursuline Academy from 1871 to 1873.

It was about 1873 that Adina's father moved the family to Locke Hill, a community on Fredericksburg Road, about 12 miles north of downtown San Antonio.

Adina continued her education from 1879 to1881 at Sam Houston Normal Institute (now Sam Houston State University) in Huntsville, and she also attended a music school in Missouri.

After teaching High School in Terrell, TX from 1884 to 1886, Adina returned to San Antonio, where she taught Elementary Schools until 1907. It was about the time of her return to San Antonio that Adina began her lifelong efforts to preserve Texas Historic places and traditions.

In two years time, she had formed a group of other women interested in preserving history to help her carry out her work. In 1893 Adina said that the group, who gathered periodically, gathered "to keep green the memory of heroes, founders, and pioneers of Texas." At that time the women became affiliated with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas as the De Zavala chapter.

Adina and Lizzie Coppini, wife of an Italian born sculptor, would make daily rounds by horse and buggy, appealing to local merchants for bricks and lumber to help repair the missions that were falling into such a sad state of disrepair, due in part to relic hunters who had been carrying away souvenirs from the missions. At the San Jose mission, whole figures had been stolen or made headless and fine old carved doors carried away in pieces.

Adina became somewhat of a national figure in her zeal to protect the long barracks section of the Alamo because of her belief that it was the location where much of the battle of the Alamo had been fought. She and fellow preservationist Clara Driscoll, disagreed on what was to be done with the long barracks, also called the convento. Driscoll wanted the long barracks taken down and had also considered renting them to outside investors and Adina was adamantly against either.

In protest, Adina barricaded herself in the long barracks for three days. But apparently, in holding the fort, Adina crossed swords with the law.

The February 11,1908, edition of the San Antonio Light reported that the sheriff, armed with an injunction, went to the Alamo grounds. "An attempt was made to serve the injunction upon Miss De Zavala. . . but the decrees of the court brought no fear.... she refused to accept a copy. . . and when an attempt was made to read it. . . she stopped her ears with her fingers."

Although Adina is probably best known for her work as a preservationist, her work as a teacher is equally important and it was through this work that she used creative ways to teach children about their Texas heritage. Her 1900 play, The Six National Flags That Have Floated Over Texas, helped acquaint her students with the diverse nationalities that formed the state. Her "Texas Under Six Flags" concept continues to be used today.

Adina and a group of women were also instrumental in helping to preserve the Spanish Governor's palace, and a group of houses once lived in by Texas patriot Jose Antonio Navarro, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Adina was a charter member of the Texas State Historical Association, a member of its executive council for 35 years, and in 1945, she became the only member voted an honorary life fellow of the council.

On March 2,1951, when she was 90, the San Antonio Conservation Society presented an award to Ms De Zavala at the Spanish Governor's Palace for "marking historic homes and sites."

Adina was a prolific writer. Her work included many newspaper articles on historical Texas subjects and a 1917 book titled "History and Legends of the Alamo and Other Missions In and Around San Antonio".

When Adina died at age 93 on March 1,1955, she was the last surviving member of her family.

Two months after her death in 1955, the Texas Legislature honored Adina De Zavala for her “life of devotion to Texas history, folklore, and general civic and patriotic work,” as well as her commitment to “immortalizing Texas history for the ages.”

http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/adp/history/bios/zavala/zavala.html

http://www.texasescapes.com/MurrayMontgomeryLoneStarDiary/Savior-of-The-Alamo.htm

One Bite at a Time

2012-01-03T06:03:00.003-06:00

I guess I am on the same wavelength as many others are right now; I feel like it is time to do some organizing.

I did some de-cluttering in the house over the weekend and my thoughts have now moved on to the garage.

The garage is my elephant size project but since I have always heard the term "you can eat an elephant, one bite at a time". I think I am going to use that approach when tackling that mess.

The garage quite frankly still has stuff that got shoved in there when we moved into the house a few years ago and I have not gotten to doing much more than just moving things around and a lot of it just needs to be cleared out and donated or whatever.

I think if I take the "one bite" approach it will make it easier to make some decisions on what to get rid of and what to keep.

I plan to start with the wall of shelves and deal with everything on them. After that I will mentally divide the garage into about three more sections and just sort each as I get time until it is all done. By doing the garage in sections and only tackling one section a day it won't be the elephant that it seems now.

Really as I think about it, that is pretty much how I do things in the house as well, I just never thought to apply it to the garage till now.

It will sure be nice to get the garage back and once that is done, who knows what other projects I will take on!

Atta Girl Betsy Ross

2012-01-01T07:53:00.003-06:00

Elizabeth (Betsy) Griscom was the 8th child of Samuel Griscom and Rebecca James. Born on January 1, 1752, Betsy was one of 17 children.

Elizabeth (Betsy) is most often thought of in terms of being the woman who sewed the first flag of the United States, when the country was still in it's infancy.

Betsy grew up in a Quaker upbringing and attended a Quaker school. After her education, her father apprenticed her to a local upholster. In that day and time upholsters did various sewing jobs. It was not just sofas as we think of, but could include other sewing work, such as uniforms, tents, and flags.

It was while being apprenticed with the upholsterer, that Betsy met John Ross and fell in love and even though inter-denominational marriages were frowned upon with her Quaker church, she eloped with John in 1773. She was 21 years old at the time and this marriage caused an irrevocable split with her family.

In less than 2 years time, John and Betsy Ross, started their own upholstery business and now, no longer a Quaker, Betsy and her husband attended Christ Church, where George Washington also attended church.

In mid January 1776, after joining the revolutionary call to arms, Betsy's husband John was wounded while guarding an ammunition cache. Betsy tried to nurse John back to health but he died, on the 21st of that month and was buried in the cemetery of their church.

In late May or June that same year, Betsy now a young widow, met with George Washington, George Ross, and Robert Morris, and the outcome of that meeting was to commission her to sew our nation's first flag.

Betsy remarried in 1777 to Joseph Ashburn, a sea captain. They had two daughters together, Zillah and Elizabeth but Zillah died while still a child.

The winter of that year Betsy's home was occupied and forcibly shared with British soldiers.

Betsy's husband Joseph, also ended up being first imprisoned, and then dying in England after being captured on a voyage to the West Indies to retrieve supplies for the Revolutionary War.

Betsy heard of her second husband's death through an old friend and sailor, John Claypoole, who had been held in the same prison where Joseph had been.

Betsy and John Claypoole married at Christ Church in 1783. John, abandoning life at sea, took up the upholstery business with his wife and the two had five daughters (Clarissa, Susannah, Rachel, Jane, and Harriet who died as a baby)

John Claypoole died in 1817, Betsy carried on the upholstery business, bringing other family members into the business with her. She worked until 1827, after which she moved in with her married daughter Susannah. Betsy also lived with her daughter Jane for a time. Betsy died January 30, 1836 at the age of 84.

Betsy, is an Atta Girl in every right, not only for her participation in giving our great nation it's first flag but for the loss of her first two husbands who died for our freedom and the many personal hardships that she and so many others of that time endured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_Ross

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flaglife.html

December Remembrances

2011-12-30T09:24:00.003-06:00

The month of December always takes me back to my hometown of Crystal City.

I remember walking up and down the sidewalks downtown and shopping and peering in the windows of the storefronts.

I remember Christmas plays where I played an angel in the nativity scene only because I had blonde hair and they thought at the time I guess that angels needed to have blonde hair!

I remember the Christmas lights decorating contests in neighborhoods.

I remember our hometown's homeless gentleman, Assi Alli, walking around near the Christmas tree lot where my Dad took us to buy a tree one year. I was afraid of that man in the ragged clothes and the American Flag bedecked hat, but as I got older I learned more and more what a kind soul that man was, and was saddened to learn years later that he died on Dec 26th, the day after Christmas.

I remember counting on getting new Nancy Drew books every year to read and add to my collection and the year my parents decided I was old enough to have a transistor radio and the year they decided I could wear makeup and gifted those items as well.

I remember a few years when Dad decided to help Mom with the Christmas shopping. When we were little, he gave me a little robot and a steam engine plant powered by sterno fuel and a remote controlled airplane. When I got to be a teenager I remember one year him buying me perfume...this was not long before he passed away.

I remember helping to cut branches from our juniper bushes and tying them to the fence in front of the house just before stringing Christmas lights over them.

I recall the year my mom, feeling festive, put a blue light bulb in the porch light, to go along with the other decorating and then wondering why the police car drove slowly by our house...

I remember some cold and rainy winters and some winters where I was still wearing shorts.

Christmas school holidays!

And then as the month draws to a close as it has now, I recall that my mom always said that all the world would be celebrating her birthday on the the 31st. Happy Birthday Mom, Happy New Year!

A new blog for the USA made shopping list

2011-12-30T06:36:00.002-06:00

I decided to set up a blog page for the American Made products shopping list. I believe that buying American is so important and even more so now in this present economy.

I have a big link in the sidebar of this blog that will take you to the list.

You will also find other links there that I gather as I search for more US products. If anyone cares to let me know about other items I don't have listed, I will welcome the input.

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-12-08T15:05:00.000-06:00

I am really in the mood to make cookies this week but as of yet have not had time to do it. For now I will post a few of my favorite cookie recipes and maybe this weekend actually get to do some baking. This is a favorite recipe. I love anything good and easy and this fits both criteria! Oddly enough these cookies DO NOT require flour and yes the do come out just fine! :-)

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix ingredients together. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet. If you prefer, shape into balls and pat down with fork for a more traditional look. Bake at 375*F for 10 minutes (Believe it or not there is no flour in this recipe)

Christmas Rocks - No Bake Cookies

2011-12-07T11:21:00.000-06:00

This no bake cookie recipe is one that came to me through my son's kindergarten teacher. She served them at their Christmas party that year and I asked for the recipe. I love the orange-y flavor of the cookie and the fact that it is no bake. I have let kids help with this one over the years.

Christmas Rocks

Combine:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 stick margarine
1 six ounce can frozen orange juice
1 cup chopped pecans (chopped fairly small)
1 pound vanilla wafers, crushed (note- I open the bag of cookies to let out the air and then tape the open end and use my rolling pen to crush the cookies while they are still inside the bag)

Mix all of the above. Roll into balls then roll into shredded coconut.
Yield 96 cookies

Stuff my Mom said #1

2011-10-30T06:40:00.001-05:00

I was thinking this morning about the time when we were living in New Braunfels and I told my Mom I was going to join the Presbyterian Church.

My Mom gives me a concerned look and replies, "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" I reply, trying to figure out if there is some seriously wrong with me or the church that I can't join...

"I can't spell Presbyterian!" she says.

Frugal Menus and Recipes

2011-10-29T08:33:00.000-05:00

We all know that grocery prices are going up. I normally am a pretty frugal shopper but lately have been re-doubling my efforts and looking for ways to combat the ever climbing prices.

I thought I might start sharing some of the menus and recipes I come up with during the week, thinking that for one thing, my kids might read this and benefit from this and others may benefit too.

The following menus are a partial list because quite honestly, I can't remember what we had before Wednesday.

Wednesday Night Supper:
**Potato Cheese Soup
Saltine Crackers

Thursday Night Supper:
**Chili Topped **Cornbread (with shredded cheese and chopped green onion)
Raw broccoli florets and ranch dressing (used the great value brand dressing)

Friday Night Supper:
**Mackerel Croquettes
Macaroni and Cheese (great value brand)
Steamed Zucchini (.78 lb)

THE RECIPES:

**POTATO CHEESE SOUP
In a 4 quart pot melt 4 tablespoons butter and add:
2/3 cup onion, chopped (or teaspoon onion powder)
3 stalks celery, washed and chopped small
After onion and celery has cooked a couple minutes add:
6 Large Potatoes, diced
3 cans chicken broth and 2 cans water
Let potatoes boil till tender
Add:
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste (I use 1 tsp)
Stir in 1 1/2 cups cubed velveeta and stir till melted.
Add 1 cup half and half and remove from heat and serve
Note - It makes a big pot but is really good so they will go through it fast!

**CHILI
saute 1/4 onion and 2 cloves chopped garlic in frying pan sprayed with cooking spray

Add:
3/4 pound ground beef (save a little here by reducing meat by 1/4 pound, In many dishes you will never miss it!)

Add:
1 can 15 ounce Ranch style beans
2 cans 8 ounce tomato sauce
package chili seasoning (store brand)

Heat and stir on low heat 15 minutes

**CORNBREAD
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 cups milk
Mix well and pour into 9x12 pan sprayed with cooking spray or coated with oil. Cook at 425*F for 25 minutes.

**MACKEREL CROQUETTES
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 can drained, deboned mackerel or salmon
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (optional)
2 chopped green onions (optional)

Mix together. Form six patties and fry in VERY small amount of oil. All you need is enough oil to coat bottom of skillet.

Grandma Magic

2011-10-25T06:16:00.001-05:00

In my idealist mind, I have a certain life experience I want to give my grandchildren. For lack of a better explanation, I call it "Over the River and Through the Woods"; reminiscent of the song.

I don't have that that ideal location yet, although my grandmother radar is always actively watching for it, searching for a house and land that would be such an adventure that my grandchildren would have to travel that way to reach me. I don't have the chickens and goats and other animals yet for them to chase around the property.

No, it is not quite the storybook setting I want.

What I DO have so far is a vegetable garden that my grandson (and soon to be granddaughter) can help me in and I am working on landscaping the back yard so that the entire area is kid/pet friendly and no plants are toxic.

I keep plenty of story books on hand with classic Paul Bunyan tall tales and fairy tales and nursery rhymes and I keep a stock of toys. When they get old enough I will have them help me in the kitchen as my own kids did when they were little.

I also have big plans for the other side of my yard which I hope to have a screened porch and plenty of yard games and things for them to do.

I want my house to be the most fun and magical grandma's house ever. A place where memories are made, games are played, and stories are read. I want to hear laughs and giggles and see the happy smiling faces of my grandchildren as long as I can. Now if I can just get the time to do all the things I want and better yet, get the magical place!

"Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go......"