THINK SPRING

Now that snowmen are hopefully looking the worse for wear be sure to let that make you think of spring.

Meanwhile turn the oven on and bake something.

OOOOoooo - I LIKE my new convection oven!


Happy Birthday to me every time I use it!
Thanks - again.

This fellow is really trying to hold it all together.

I choose to spend yesterday cozied up in the kitchen.

It's been a long time since I baked anything (except a random pie every so often that doesn't count because I purchase the crusts and just pretend to bake - but don't tell that part - apple pie always smells and tastes good.)

I made 3 loaves of bread (mixed in a bread machine), and some very fun cookies.

Want to make some 'spring thinking' cookies yourself?

You can look up 'melting snowman cookies' or just read about the ones I put together. There are several websites that say they are the first and the original but I will let you toss the coin, if you are so inclined, while I decorate cookies.

Let's go in reverse today and start at the finish and finish with the start - the cookies really are so easy that I think you need to see the final fun before you even think of getting flour out.

hmmm - WHO ate the rest of that new loaf of bread?

Fresh bread is the ultimate 'comfort' food to me and I never had a sweet tooth.  If I can do 'cute' while waiting for the bread though - why not? Even small children can create a melted snowman.

there is a little fellow as cheerful as his sunny buttons

The buttons went on last - (just after the heart) after the nose was settled at a nice angle. Use any available and suitable edible material - come on get creative - these noses are an ancient gummy bear that was abandoned in the candy dish. It happened to be orange and I happened to not feel like making orange icing for such a small amount. I cut it into 4 strips that are cut in half on an angle. A tiny dot of white icing, applied directly to the cookie, secures buttons and noses as they are put in place.

Before the buttons and noses I pressed the scarves out of decorating tube 47 (Wilton). I chose green because today I am thinking spring! Just squiggle and wiggle it around the head/ neck area - be sure the grooved side is up. You may need to practice on wax-paper or foil if you feel a bit insecure.  Other options abound - cut strips from fruit rollups or use licorice strings ... any other good ideas?

[Children decorate better with small candies. Piping may be beyond their abilities.]

Dots of chocolate frosting (of course it was ready made - do you think I am totally insane?) from decorating tube 4, mimic lumps of coal for the eyes and mouth but any color or candy could be used.  What about Nerds? mini M&M's? chocolate chip miniatures? or any number of other bits of things. It is like building a snowman - use what you have on hand and get creative.

While I had chocolate frosting in the bag I pushed some 'sticks' for hands/arms randomly onto the cookie.

After sprinkling with edible glitter I let the cookies and melted frosting/marshmallows cool over night.

Half a marshmallow seemed to be enough for this size of cookie. I cut them with my kitchen shears before I start and set them aside.  When I needed to pop them into the microwave (about 5 seconds - don't let them puff too large) the cut side had dried a bit.  I put it down onto a lightly greased saucer.

The marshmallows are coated with a powder so I could carefully, but very quickly, pick them up and set them onto the cookie - where? - pick a place!


 I turned the saucer upside down and tugged gently without squeezing and they pulled away readily.

We all know that if we put frosting on warm baked goods it melts.  I don't like royal icing (never have) so I decided to thin my butter cream slightly - just enough for it to almost flow.  I then placed a sufficient spoonful onto the cookie and spread it out to the edges. Sure enough it ran and dripped and then dried - viola! Melting snowmen needing heads! Best of all no waiting for the cookies to cool.

While waiting for the cookies to bake mix some butter cream frosting - be sure to use at least 1/2 shortening and add a drop of lemon juice. The tangy tart offsets the sweet nicely.

Bake the cookies at about 325 degrees F (or as your favorite dough directs) until the bottom is golden brown but the brown does not come up onto the top - about 15 minutes for cookies this large and thick.

I hate rolling dough - why not pat out a ball and 'mis-shape' it after I flatten it?

 worked I think - and super easy.  Kids would love this part -
 WHERE are the kids when you need them??

After mixing the cookie dough I put it in the fridge while I mixed the bread and washed some dishes.  I like clean counters to work on - no I need them to keep my books and papers clean as I multi-task.  I can study some Old English Scripts for Family Search Indexing (if you haven't tried that you are missin' out) and mess around in the kitchen chasing away the chill gray of January rain and even pay bills or talk on the phone/work on the Internet too!

I used a shortbread recipe that is intended for a cookie press.  It always works and what's not to taste good? It's all butter and sugar.  I added enough flour to make a stiff dough that could be handled easily when chilled.

Cream 2 cups butter [ thoroughly - and yes that IS an entire pound] with 1 cup of icing sugar - and add a drop of real vanilla. Add 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch blending in gradually. Add up to 2 cups more flour but only until dough is the correct consistency - for the press I sometimes only use 2 cups total flour (besides the cornstarch). On very humid days the dough may need more flour.  Some flour is very dry, other flour is more moist. Blend well and use immediately if using the press. For rolled or shaped cookies chill several hours or overnight in a sealed container.

I love how this guy seems to be holding up his britches

Thinking of baking something?

Get out the flour and sugar.

And real vanilla - put it in everything.

RANDOM THINKING

YOU
are not going to hell
for stupid things I have done or may do -
all the mistakes
and idiocy
 my span of years on earth may entail.

Yep that's right - you are safe from me.

Me on the other hand -
well -
I am not going to hell
for the ridiculous things you are doing,
have done
or may continue to do in the future.

 I am safe from you.

Isn't that nice?!!!

And even better than that -
we both will likely make it to heaven.

That is nice to think about, that is -
YES IT IS!

And true too!!

FIVE

Five!

REALLY?

You are so big
and you are growing so fast!

Hendrix, how can you be 5??

ALREADY???

Do you know that you like some of the same things that many people in your family like, and you have many special talents like other people in your family?

I remember making teeny tiny baby slippers for you when you were born and putting flower beads all over a special white dress and hat I fixed up just for you. 

 I suppose your feet are much bigger now ...

When I was a baby I had 4 big brothers. You are lucky to have 3 brothers. Having older brothers is fun.

Everybody comes to earth as a baby.

My mom, Elna Jean Campbell Forsyth, was a baby 80 years ago!
She is your mommy's grandma.

When you were born I thought you looked like her and like me.

She is very kind and gentle. She is a very hard worker and helps lots of people.

She made new dresses for me and for my sisters for every special day. She also made shirts and pants and suits.  She helped me learn to sew and cook - she is a very good cook.  I have 7 brothers and 3 sisters. How much food would you need to fix to feed so many kids? She had to make 10 loaves of bread 3 times each week.

When her mother, Elna Bohne Campbell (that is my grandma), was a young girl cameras were a new fangled invention. Getting your picture was a big deal. If you moved the camera couldn't take your picture. It was very hard to get pictures of babies and children. The picture would look sort of blurry.

girl on left believed to be Elna Jean Campbell
girl on right is Roberta Campbell Uncle Ted's daughter

We only have a few pictures of my mom and my grandmas.

Laura Elizabeth Carpenter

We have a picture of my Grandma's mother, Laura Elizabeth Carpenter Bohne. She is my mom's grandma. She liked to help people. She was a nurse/midwife and helped many, many mommy's when they had babies. I saw a little red book once that had all the names of the mommy's and their babies written in it. I hope I can help people like my mom and her grandma.

A long time ago - about 50 years ago - I was 5 years old.

Linda about age 5

I wished and wished I could read.    I started school when I was 5.

winter 1961 Linda, Rex, Tim, Shane, Mom, Necia, Gene, Scott, Randy, Dad behind holding Becky

The next month I turned 6.  I was so happy.  I loved my teacher and I learned to read. It is one of my favorite things to do. I also like to draw pictures.

My mom likes to write stories and paint pictures.

She loves to read stories too. When she was a girl she would sneak a light behind blankets at night so she could read when she was supposed to be asleep. Her sisters would tell and she would get into trouble.

It has only been 30 years since your mommy was a baby.  She had lots of cousins that were babies too.

sitting Jace,
L to R - oldest to youngest - Laura, Nena, Shauna, Jami

When Aunt Bonnie, my youngest sister, got married your mommy and her girl cousins all had matching dresses.

Nena , Jami, Shauna, Laura

Sometimes you have fun playing with your bothers and cousins too. Do you remember making shirts?

It was very, very hard for your mommy to learn the alphabet and read but she loves stories too.  She worked and worked and worked until she was a good reader. She always begged Papa to tell her stories and dance with her. She loves dancing and she can draw and paint and make wonderful things.

 1985 Mommy far right front row age 5. Grandma behind her to the right. 

When she was about your age she made lots of cool things for her dolls and toy horses. Ask her to tell you about the pony cart she made out of an egg carton.

Can you see Papa-pa in this picture?

I know you like to swim. I think you are part fish.  When your mommy was a baby (14 -18 months old) I had to hold onto her or else she would run and jump into any water she saw and try to swim.

Do you still like to travel?

When you went to see my dad and mom you had to drive in the car for 12 hours - that is half a day! You just smiled and played.
I like to go places too.

Do you still like to dance?
I love to dance.
When you dance with Papa-pa it makes you giggle!
Papa-pa loves to dance.
When he was in college he could dance like the Prince in the Nutcracker. He has a nutcracker that is almost as tall as you are!

We like when you come to play at our house.
It is very fun. Remember when you were almost as tall as the sunflowers and the peach tree?

When your mommy got married to your daddy in the temple she looked like a princess. The temple is a very special place.  I hope we can go there together some day.

Hendrix we love you very much.

We hope you have a very fun fifth birthday.

MISS BRIGHT EYES IS WATCHING

At church yesterday a bright eyed little girl stood peeking over the pew in front of us.  She watched us with great interest and tried every way imaginable to engage us in play.

Her mother, and her grandmother, tried their level best to get her to sit quietly and not 'bother' us - even when we whispered she wasn't.

At one point I touched my finger to my lips and then folded my arms. She was looking me directly in the eye and I smiled at her as I looked back.  My husband had winked at her a few times and given her back toys or books that were 'dropped'. She glanced at him a few times but he was looking at the speaker.  I too looked at the speaker.

She looked at me.  She continued to look at me. She was slightly in my line of sight and I could see her watching me.  She stood raptly as if in a trance.  Her mother turned to see what she was looking at - I gave no indication that I noticed.  Her mom turned back around after a second or two with a bit of a puzzled expression.  I don't think it mattered a lot what Missy Bright Eyes was looking at as long as she was quiet and calm. I remember those days.

The child stood there, wriggling once in a while (but never taking her eyes off me) for a minimum of 5 full minutes.  I couldn't stand it! I NEVER hold still that long.  I jot notes or some other appropriate 'fiddling' to prevent myself from standing up, yelling, or running out of the building.  I picked up my pencil.

Miss Bright Eyes instantly took my movement as permission to do like wise - to move - and continued to watch me!

(What? How can I fiddle now? Excuse me but how can you hold so still for so long? You are 2 or less! Let me pinch you and take you out in the hall to run around.)

I read in her eyes - we were locked in rapt gazing again - that my irreverence would be permission for hers so instead of writing I folded my hands quietly over the pencil wondering how long I would be held captive.

She continued to watch me until her mother, in an effort to sit more comfortably (and oblivious to the favor she was doing me), shifted enough to that side that she picked the child up from where she stood between mom and grandma, next to the wall, and placed her on the outside edge of the pew.

WHEW! finally I could scribble down all the things rambling around in my head from the speaker and even look up a song in the hymnal and a scripture or two - without intense scrutiny!

Miss Bright Eyes faced forward for a few minutes (in the circle of her mom's arm) and then wiggled around so she could see us again.  I was fine with that.  This time she was face to face with my husband.

He was dozing.

Boring!

That didn't last long at all.  Soon she was back over between her adults trying to lean far enough over the bench to grab my red pencil. She swung and swung her little arm and stretched and stretched to get that pencil - it was just a smidge out of reach every time! And she was perfectly invisible to me.  I acted like I could not see her at all and she eventually gave up and found other things of interest.

Those eyes are still vivid in my mind.
Miss Bright Eyes is watching me.
I better mind my P's and Q's!

LOOKING BEYOND

Sin,
evil,
punishment,
damnation,
hell,
judgement -
is that a summary of your religion?
your Sundays?

I surely hope not!

Those don't sound too desirable to me.

I get downright cranky when I hear messages that impute such things as the core of religion and religious beliefs.

To me the real core is hope,
along with peace, kindness and happiness.

Are these real? - I want to know more about that very thing - that is why I choose to study the Bible and other sacred texts, for at least a few minutes, almost every day.  I believe they are as real and perhaps more so that that first scary list! And I choose to think on them and learn about them first - even if I have to have a bit of the other to help me understand - I am reaching for these - the good and the wonderful - the better and the best!

At Sunday School this year our class is studying the New Testament.  We started the New Year with the central and wondrous message of all Christianity - the gospel - the good news angels sang so long ago ...

JESUS CHRIST is born!

Why is that such a big deal?
I will study that every Sunday this year -
and hopefully find some answers to the question.

So what is the new testament?
Not the book itself but the testimony it contains that earned it the name of being new and if it is new what is the old?

I hope to learn more about that very thing.

I learned many, many things as I studied the Old Testament last year.  Of course the main thing I learned was that the testimony there [in that part of the Bible] is indeed old and indeed a testimony - of what? of Jesus Christ, of course - that he, a literal son of God in the flesh, will live among people as ordinary as you and I here in the very place we live - on earth.

I also pondered again Isaiah's message (it is one of my favorite things to read). Isaiah exulted in that testimony! The reality that Jesus Christ, a literal son of God, would be born - and die! Exulted? Absolutely - exulted in and testified of the most joyful and incredibly wonderful and happy news ever to be known! You may have to read it to get it! You may have to read it more than once - just remember all he ever really says is that one thing  - or some version of it and why it is a big deal.

Each week, this year, I will (hopefully) peruse a study guide and not only read but also study the New Testament (King James Version)  itself and learn more about what the testament there, in that book, is.

I have read it before.  I will read it again. And again.

Hope,
Peace,
Kindness
Happiness -
that is a summary of my religion,
and usually my Sundays.

FOLLOWING IN FOOTSTEPS

SNOW - inches on everything - deeply - breathe -
 there that is better, cold invigorating snow - 
yay for snow!


I actually kind of like snow.
Not having dangerous roads
or getting stuck,
but skiing, sledding, snowflakes, snowmen and all the other fun and invigorating things that come with snow and winter generally. I like seeing the footprints of birds and animals and shoes/boots and even tires. 


I went for a walk a bit ago - 
before the snow came, 
but it had been here before that and things were fairly icy and nasty out.


On my block my neighbors hadn't bothered to shovel sidewalks and frequent freezing and thawing storms had made that first block very treacherous.  


On the next block came the plowed street and then a street between here and where I was headed that has been mostly blocked off and is used as a walking short cut.  

I could see people tracks - just a few.  Some big fellow had been along while the snow was fresh and then the sun had melted the footsteps down to bare pavement.  My little feet fit into the footsteps and I decided it might be a good plan to 'follow' the footsteps.  I thought it might be safer to walk on the payment than the snow and ice.  There were a few other fresher prints that had crunched through on the colder days (since that warmer one) but they had not melted.


So I started out to step in the steps. I quickly found I could not safely do so. Although my little feet fit in the tracks nicely my short legs could barely reach from one to the next - that was not only exhausting but not particularly safe either. 

Really - have you ever tried to walk, step by step, in someone else's footsteps? 4 of my steps equaled 3 of the big ones - or maybe it was 5 of mine to 4 of those - I couldn't decide but my stride definitely came up short and did not match. I think you or someone like you walked along again the same day I did.  I tried to line up our prints. 


That block was past and I noted that many cars had mostly polished the ice off the intersecting cross street. 

It isn't really used much either.  The next block MIGHT have a car drive down it - nothing there and no reason for any car to turn there or drive along it but once in a blue moon a car might - and sure enough on the part that can still be driven along there had been - one. I could see the tracks. 

They were nicely melted too.

I tried walking along one wheel track. 

It was just a smidge too narrow - I know because later I took a short cut along a strip of concrete edging that was perhaps only an inch wider.

I gave up trying to line up my feet one in front of the other and balance along the tire track. I just walked along the snowy part but along the concrete edging I had no difficulty at all.






I thought about trying to follow 'others' most of the way as I walked that mile or so. Perhaps it is not as easy as it appears to be.  Though we may pass the same way please don't judge me if I walk more slowly - perhaps my stride is shorter or your balance better. And if I stop and snap cell phone pictures - well - what if I do?


I know you would have to be very patient if you tried to walk in my footsteps.  You might wonder why the steps are so close together or why one shoe has a different shape and sometimes tread.  And btw is it your toes that turn out or in? 


During some physical therapy I spent part of my time on an elliptical trainer. It was very difficult for me to make the machine get going.  Over the holidays we 'acquired' an older, used model that was counting its days until dust in a garage after passing through multiple forgotten or discarded exercise programs. 


I have learned something funny about walking/running.


Does your right arm swing with your left leg or with your right leg? The elliptical swings the opposite arm and leg together.  It felt very awkward to me.  I wondered if it was not set up right, until I realized that my normal gait is not opposite.  I swing my left arm and leg together and my rights together - at least until I really get moving.  I don't notice the changeover but when I get moving they swing opposite. I wonder if that has always been the case or if it is a learned way of walking with crutches or some such thing.   


My husband laughs - he thinks it is because of the way I see.  I have a astigmatism.  My two eyes see as if independent from each other. I have very little depth perception, terrible eye hand coordination, cannot use binoculars (I look through them one eye at at time) and I hate 3D movies. 


I think I see things my own unique way - no snide remarks permitted!  I am very far sighted and get nauseous if I sit too near the front of chapels, auditoriums or movies. I love to sit as far away as possible - and resent being asked constantly to 'move forward'.  It makes me sick - seriously! I try to compromise with people that like to sit near the front - are you nearsighted?


As we pass along to our ultimate destinations please allow for my steps being over 'there' a bit and moving like the tortoise compared to the hare. And I will sit nearer the front with you, read upcoming signs before you  can really see what is on them - or whatever. 


And let's shake our heads and laugh together sometimes -
at how truly unique, special and OK we each are.  

FOR AVALIN

Snowflake on my windbreaker (slick nylon fabric magnified)

You've had a birthday, shout HOORAY!!

Six years old. That is amazing!
I remember coming to your house when you were born.

It was very snowy and wonderfully cold.
Tiny snowflakes were floating in the air like dust.

On very cold days tiny snow can look like glitter in the air.

Snowflakes are amazing. They are very, very tiny.

snowflake beside my jacket zipper

Did you ever see a real snowflake?
All by itself?

They often have six main points.

To see snowflakes everything has to be just right.

this picture is magnified from the picture below (showing a camera)

You have to have good eyes, and look very carefully.

snowflake on our car

Sometimes pictures can help us see tiny things too.

look at the picture above to see the two snowflakes here magnified

One day, when I could see snowflakes everywhere, I ran into my house and got a camera.

 I forgot I was going shopping.  Uncle Clarence and I took pictures of snowflakes.  THAT was more fun!

It snowed so much that the snowflakes slid into piles everywhere.

You know what piles of snowflakes make - snowdrifts.

Soon I could not see each little snowflake - they were all getting stuck together into bigger and bigger snowflakes and piles.

I can still look at all my pictures of little snowflakes and see each one of them.

I can look at my pictures of piles of snowflakes that look like something soft and fluffy.

Sometimes I even look at pictures of snowdrifts.

I have piles of grandchildren.
I like to look at their pictures.

I love to see each one.

This picture makes me think of a mommy with a tiny baby.

Lots of love
Grandma FarFarAway