Just One More Time

I would say that my Christmas cactus is in glorious full bloom. Cross my heart - I promise no more pictures of it on my blog! However, could not resist this one last time. (Sunday morning - I know I promised, but this plant has become so much more beautiful I had to add a new picture today. Can you see the difference a few days have made?) (Click to enlarge)

Looks like History is Being Made This Evening

After a long, long campaign that was way too nasty, it seems like we are witnessing history being made on this night in November 2008. This could be my last time to vote in a presidential election or I may have two or three left!! I hope and pray that things can be turned around in our country and that we can get out of the mess we are in. I just looked up on the web to check who was president when I was born in 1928 - Calvin Coolidge. My first vote was for Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 when I was 24. Back then, you had to be 21 to vote so had to wait four years. I have never missed voting in a presidential election.

Just now on tv - Barack Obama has been declared the new president of our country. God bless him and give him the strength and wisdom to lead and guide us to peace and prosperity.

My Christmas Cactus

Last Tuesday, I posted a picture of my Christmas cactus that is full of buds and getting ready to burst into bloom. It is starting to really blossom now - will post a couple of pictures. The color is so bright! (Click to enlarge)

I Goofed on my Recipe

Hope no one ran directly to the kitchen to make grapenuts bread! The amount of milk is shown as 1 cup and the actual amount is 2 cups! I have corrected it in the post. Actually, when I made the bread yesterday I only used 1 and the mixture was so thick I added some more. Had been a long time since I made it. My bread was very firm (but good, regardless) and I will make more soon and try to get it right!! Don't things like that keep a person humble? (Shirley and I are the same age - she is the reason all of the little girls in my generation had to have curls!! What a darling little girl she was. Saw a picture of her on line the other day and she is still a darling old lady!)

Grapenuts Bread

Right now I have in the oven some grapenuts bread from a PEO Cookbook that Ann gave me probably 6 to 8 years ago. It's a great recipe and the bread makes yummy toast!! It also freezes well. Starting to smell really good!

Grapenuts Bread

2 c. sugar

1 c. grapenuts cereal (or grocery store generic brand)

2 c. sour milk (use 2 tsp. vinegar to sour sweet milk)

2 eggs

4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

Soak grapenuts, sugar and sour milk together in the refrigerator for an hour. Add eggs. Mix the flower, soda and baking powder together and add to mixture. Stir well. Divide between two loaf pans - the larger size - and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool, slice and enjoy! (Click to enlarge)

YoYo's and Teddy Bears

In the late 1980's when teddy bears were everywhere, I made some. Here are three of them. I had named them after flowers but cannot for the life of remember who is who. The little blonde bear, I think, I called Sweet Allysum. There is a picture of another bear - which I think was the first one and was named Nicotania - in a post on potties earlier in the blog. They really are cute but were quite a daunting task to make. And, the yoyo coverlet----there are over 1100 yoyo's in it. I got started on the yoyo project because of my sister - she was so ill for a long time and she still did handwork. She was working on yoyo's when we went back to Illinois to visit her. When I got home, I cut out lots and lots of circles and sent them to her. Also cut some out for myself and started making yoyo's. Decided on putting them together like the grandmother's flower garden with the white path between them. It's a very pretty coverlet. Will take another picture of it one day so that more can be seen. My sister has been gone nine years now. The little heart pillow is one that Hannah made in a class in school that is evidently like what we used to call Home Ec.
(Click to enlarge)

Happy Birthday, Ann

Today is my daughter-in-law's birthday. This is a kaleidoscope made from a picture taken when she, Bill and I visited Molly in Portland several years ago. Sending you lots of love on your birthday, Ann!! (Click to enlarge)