Christmas Winds

In 1939 Irving Berlin was sorting through a stack of songs he’d written for the musical that would eventually become Holiday Inn. He came across “White Christmas” and had second thoughts. Was it too depressing for a holiday song? He sang it to Bing Crosby (Can you picture singing ANYTHING to Bing Crosby?) who at first didn’t see anything special about it. But Bing told Berlin not to toss the song. Audiences took a while to warm up to “White Christmas,” too. When Holiday Inn debuted, “Be Careful, It’s My Heart” was by far the biggest hit. I suspect it’s not a coincidence that the popularity of “White Christmas” blossomed during World War II, when so many soldiers were serving overseas and longing for Christmases at home, “just like the ones I used to know.” Today the song Irving Berlin almost threw away is still the best-selling single of all time.

Fig Tree Wyoming Valley

I wish I could tell you who wrote this little poem. I’ve seen it attributed to Russell H. Conwell, to Karen McLendon-Laumann, to Rajarshi Chakraborty (No, I’m not kidding) and to Spike Milligan. Whoever penned it, it seemed to me to be worth passing on:

Smiling is infectious, you catch it like the flu,

When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin.

When he smiled I realised I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile, then I realized its worth.

A single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin, don't leave it undetected.

Let's start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!

 - Source Obscure

Turkey Platter

The turkey shot out of the oven and rocketed into the air.

It knocked every plate off the table and partly demolished a chair.

It ricocheted into a corner and burst with a deafening boom,

Then splattered all over the kitchen, completely obscuring the room.

It stuck to the walls and windows. It totally coated the floor.

There was turkey attached to the ceiling, where there’d never been turkey before.

It blanketed every appliance. It smeared every saucer and bowl.

There wasn’t a way I could stop it. That turkey was out of control.

I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure, and thought with chagrin as I mopped,

That I’d never again stuff a turkey with popcorn that hadn’t been popped.

-          Jack Prelutzky

Feed Sack Furrows Quilt

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

1 1/2 pound red potatoes cut into large cubes

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen cut green beans (not French cut)

1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 quart beef broth

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Add all ingredients to slow cooker in order listed. Cover and cook on low six hours, or high for three. If you don’t have Italian seasoning mix, you can make your own by blending equal parts of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary and  sage. I’ve made several variations of this recipe – even thrown a handful of uncooked barley or brown rice. If you have a little stew beef or ground beef on hand, you can brown it in a skillet before adding it to the pot. But then, of course, you’d have vegetable beef soup.

Wyoming Valley

Thanksgiving’s two days away, and it kicks off a whole season of dinner parties. Over the next few weeks you’ll likely be dining at least once or twice with family or friends. There’s lots of advice on how to host these events, but not much about being a good guest. So here goes:

RSVP early. It’s impossible to plan unless you know how many to plan for. For the same reason, don’t bring last-minute, unexpected guests without clearing it with the host.

If you want to bring a dish, ask first to avoid duplicating something on the menu, and bring serving utensils.

If you haven’t been asked to bring anything and you don’t like to show up empty-handed, bring a beverage or better yet, flowers.

Come on time.

Ignore your phone.

Keep the conversation light. This isn’t time to discuss politics or your most recent surgery.

Remember to thank the host. Even better, offer to help with the dishes.

Twenty-five Sawtooth Stars

“Do our sheep know we are watching over them with love and we will take action to help? In Matthew 25 we read: ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in?’ Brothers and sisters, the key word is saw. The righteous saw those in need because they were watching and noticing. We too can be a watchful eye to aid and comfort, to celebrate and even dream. As we act, we can be assured of the promise in Matthew: ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.’” – Bonnie H. Cordon

Four-Patch Fox and Goose

November 7 I shared my personal autumn bucket list: the things I like to do this time of year, just for fun. Here’s a far more serious list: stuff that SHOULD be done each year before the snow flies.

Trim large tree limbs that might hit the house in high winds.

Tighten loose deck screws.

Clean and store patio furniture.

Clean dryer vent and rain gutters.

Change smoke detector batteries.

Sweep and mop under all major appliances.

Vacuum fridge/freezer coils.

Flush your hot water heater.

Replace furnace filter; vacuum heat vents and cold air returns.

Replace tub caulking and clean grout.

Update medicine cabinet (cold and flu season is coming).

Flip mattresses.

Swap lightweight summer bed linens for warmer sheets and blankets.

Clean ceiling fans and switch them to winter mode.

The carpet is your house’s biggest air filter; have it shampooed or steam cleaned.