just a little time before I go back to work. I want to say something about focus. we can either focus on the world around us, focus on something that makes us feel uneasy...or we can turn our focus to God.
I choose to focus my sights on God. I may be getting some new students in my care today. I could worry. Instead I will place my focus on Jesus.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
watch CBN Foundations of Faith Study
http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/OGS/Foundations/FOF_2
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
.....the night before...Christmas...
...the night before last I found myself channel surfing, nothing good on to watch, except for news~ so I found QVC...you know the shopping channel.. the sales people were busy showing the latest sparkle and pop for sale. As I watched...the twinkle of musical bells, the hum of the latest vacuum cleaner..the thought occured to me..it won't be long before Christmas. Aaagh! Oh yes, christmas with all its sparkle and glee. Just thinking about Christmas..brings about memories of long ago... my favorite thing to do when I was a child was to set up my barbie house right under the tree. My mother had this glorious angel setting atop the tree...I used to look up at that...and wonder if it were real. Baking sugar cookies with sprinkles and icing was extra special when mom made them...I used to think she used some sort of magic to make them look so good. I loved how our house smelled, cinnamon candles burning, a pie in the oven... Snow always made for extra fun! Get all bundled up, mom made sure I was covered from head to toe. ....ah memories... there's just some that won't fit in a scrap book, or photo album...some are just left to be remembered in a special place, my heart.
Cheddar Cheese Chips??
i thought she was kidding when they put cheddar cheese chips in the meatloaf...from the first bite to the last..the meat was very tasty. I always add thick chunky salsa to my meatloaf..its always so moist with just a bite of spice!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Chocolate Ice Cream in a snap!
Chocolate Ice Cream in a snap!
1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1-1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1. melt chocolate base. combine coffee powder and hot water in small bowl. let stand until coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes. microwave chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture in bowl, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. let cool.
2. mix and freeze. with electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. whisk one third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. freeze in airtight container until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks. serve.
Makes 1 quart. If you plan to store the ice cream for more than a few days place plastic wrap directly on its surface before freezing.
1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1-1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1. melt chocolate base. combine coffee powder and hot water in small bowl. let stand until coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes. microwave chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture in bowl, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. let cool.
2. mix and freeze. with electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. whisk one third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. freeze in airtight container until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks. serve.
Makes 1 quart. If you plan to store the ice cream for more than a few days place plastic wrap directly on its surface before freezing.
high risk foods?
You've seen it before how a diet high in cholesterol isn't good for the heart...but have you ever taken notice which foods these are?
White potatoes
White rice
White bread
White flour
White noodles
White milk
Beef, Sirloin, roast, hambuger, etc...
Even pizza has cholesterol...
For some of you, I'm not telling you anything new... but for those of you that were curious...now ya know..
I'm sure there's more out there... like I mentioned this is a quik list.
White potatoes
White rice
White bread
White flour
White noodles
White milk
Beef, Sirloin, roast, hambuger, etc...
Even pizza has cholesterol...
For some of you, I'm not telling you anything new... but for those of you that were curious...now ya know..
I'm sure there's more out there... like I mentioned this is a quik list.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
rubber stamped madness....
I remember making my own greeting cards, even before they became "the rave"...back then there were no books, magazines dedicated to this art. I used to hand draw all of my cards, before there were programs on computers to just plug in a design with a simple push of a button. Infact, back in the early 1980's, there was no mention of computers..there may have been computers out there somewhere..but I didn't hear about this technology..and if someone told me that there was such a program to make designing cards a little easier..it would have been foreign to my ears.
Fast forward to the mid '80 and early '90's..I found a display of tiny rubber stamped images..ladybugs, hearts, mice, cats... as I held these little gems in my fingers I thought "how cool" this will help make my creative job a little easier with instant images. So, I picked up a black ink pad, blue, purple..and more card stock..I couldn't wait to get home to try this new skill. I was so thrilled with my attempts at making something beautiful..I couldn't wait to get back to the mall and pick out a new image...by this time there were other displays of bigger rubber stamps.. my eyes darted back and forth looking at all the possiblities. Now it was harder than ever to choose. What do you think I should pick?, asking my husband...he pointed to one then another...he said, well its really your choice. [ Alot of good that did! ] So, I filled my basket with rubber stamps of flowers, a cat, butterfly..more card stock...and now I had graduated to embossing powder and a heat gun! Think of the possibilities. By the end of the year I had more than I knew what to do with..my drawer was spilling over with stamps, stickers, ink pads, card stock, heat gun, glitter, glue, etc... when was this madness going to end? I wondered. Yes, the stamps helped me produce some lovely card items...I made them for friends, relatives...sigh..anybody I could think of. And now, I found myself getting bored.
To this very day...I still have a "supply" of stamps..various styles..ink pads...I still have my original heat gun. And just now, I picked up a 2000 February Issue of Stamping Arts & Crafts collecting dust on the bookshelf... thumbing through the pages...beautiful artful designs fill every page...I'm in instant wonder. They make the designs I did, look elementary.
I've got an idea..if you are a "stamper at heart" and you don't mind sharing your ideas with me..leave a comment and tell of your latest greatest project! I would love to hear from you. =) Mary
Fast forward to the mid '80 and early '90's..I found a display of tiny rubber stamped images..ladybugs, hearts, mice, cats... as I held these little gems in my fingers I thought "how cool" this will help make my creative job a little easier with instant images. So, I picked up a black ink pad, blue, purple..and more card stock..I couldn't wait to get home to try this new skill. I was so thrilled with my attempts at making something beautiful..I couldn't wait to get back to the mall and pick out a new image...by this time there were other displays of bigger rubber stamps.. my eyes darted back and forth looking at all the possiblities. Now it was harder than ever to choose. What do you think I should pick?, asking my husband...he pointed to one then another...he said, well its really your choice. [ Alot of good that did! ] So, I filled my basket with rubber stamps of flowers, a cat, butterfly..more card stock...and now I had graduated to embossing powder and a heat gun! Think of the possibilities. By the end of the year I had more than I knew what to do with..my drawer was spilling over with stamps, stickers, ink pads, card stock, heat gun, glitter, glue, etc... when was this madness going to end? I wondered. Yes, the stamps helped me produce some lovely card items...I made them for friends, relatives...sigh..anybody I could think of. And now, I found myself getting bored.
To this very day...I still have a "supply" of stamps..various styles..ink pads...I still have my original heat gun. And just now, I picked up a 2000 February Issue of Stamping Arts & Crafts collecting dust on the bookshelf... thumbing through the pages...beautiful artful designs fill every page...I'm in instant wonder. They make the designs I did, look elementary.
I've got an idea..if you are a "stamper at heart" and you don't mind sharing your ideas with me..leave a comment and tell of your latest greatest project! I would love to hear from you. =) Mary
Friday, July 24, 2009
Our Old Trees
My wife and I live in a 53 year old house which sits on a lot in an old neighborhood that back in the 1910's to 1920's used to be woods and farmland. Our yard now has only 3 trees, 2 in the back and one in the front. One tree is a rather young thorn tree, but there are also 2 different maples, which are mature; I became curious about what their ages might be. Looking online, I discovered some sources that showed how the age of a tree can be estimated from the outside, without chopping it down to count the rings.
Basically, you measure the circumference in inches at about the 4 foot level from the ground and divide by pi (3.14) to get the diameter. Then you multiply the result with the growth factor, which varies from one tree species to another. You also take into account whether the tree would have grown in a woods, or if it had grown by itself because stiff competition for water creates closer rings in the tree's growth.
We have a silver maple in the backyard with a growth factor of 3.0 which turns out to be approximately 85 years old. Our red maple in the front with a growth factor of 4.5 is about 100! We really have some antiques around here!
Mark
Here's the website for determining how old your trees are; http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/leaf/HowOld.html
Basically, you measure the circumference in inches at about the 4 foot level from the ground and divide by pi (3.14) to get the diameter. Then you multiply the result with the growth factor, which varies from one tree species to another. You also take into account whether the tree would have grown in a woods, or if it had grown by itself because stiff competition for water creates closer rings in the tree's growth.
We have a silver maple in the backyard with a growth factor of 3.0 which turns out to be approximately 85 years old. Our red maple in the front with a growth factor of 4.5 is about 100! We really have some antiques around here!
Mark
Here's the website for determining how old your trees are; http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/leaf/HowOld.html
Thursday, July 23, 2009
almost time...
to say goodnight...more like goodmorning, but since I have yet to go to sleep..its goodnight!
I have been having a blast making this newsletter for you all. I will return again to add more news, and features... later. :O) ~Mary~ thank you for visiting with us!
I have been having a blast making this newsletter for you all. I will return again to add more news, and features... later. :O) ~Mary~ thank you for visiting with us!
Sunset
This is my favorite part of the day~Sunset~
'Beautiful glory fills the sky ~
as we sing praise to our Lord on high.'
~Mary
I call them; Friendship Pockets
Here's another "pocket" I made for a friend.To decorate my pockets I use fabric paint, buttons, rosettes, lace, ribbon..just whatever I happen to have on hand. To see this image a lil' closer place the cursor over the pic & click.
Noah in Modern Times
NOAH IN MODERN TIMES
And the Lord spoke to Noah & said: "In six months I'm going to make it rain until the whole earth is covered with water & all the evil people are destroyed. But I want to save a few good people, and two of every kind of living thing on the planet. I am ordering you to build Me an Ark. "
And in a flash of lightning he delivered the specifications for the Ark.
"OK," said Noah, trembling in fear and fumbling with the blueprints.
"Six months, and it starts to rain, "thundered the Lord. "You'd better have my Ark completed, or learn how to swim for a very long time."
And six months passed. The skies began to cloud up and rain began to fall. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard, weeping. And there was no Ark.
"Noah," shouted the Lord, "where is my Ark ?" A lighting bolt crashed to the ground next to Noah.
"Lord, please forgive me!" begged Noah. "I did my best. But there were big problems.
First I had to get a building permit for the Ark construction project, and your plans didn't meet code. So I had to hire an engineer to redraw the plans.
Then I got into a big fight over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system.
My neighbors objected, claiming I was violating zoning by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission.
Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees to save the Spotted Owl. I had to convince U.S.Fish and Wildlife that I needed wood to save the owls. But they wouldn't let me catch any owls. So no owls.
Then the carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or hammer. Now we have 16 carpenters going on the boat and still no owls.
Then I started gathering up animals, and got sued by animal rights group. They objected to me taking only two of each kind.
Just when I got the suit dismissed, EPA notified me that I couldn't complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn't take kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of a Supreme Being.
Then the Army Corps of Engineers wanted a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe.
Right now I'm still trying to resolve a complaint from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over how many Croatians I'm supposed to hire, the IRS has seized all my assets claiming I'm trying to avoid paying taxes by leaving the country, and I just got a notice from the state about owing some kind of use tax.
I really don't think I can finish your Ark for at least another five years," Noah wailed.
The sky began to clear. The sun began to shine. A rainbow arched across the sky.
Noah looked up and smiled. "You mean you're not going to destroy the earth?" Noah asked, hopefully.
"No," said the Lord sadly, "Government already has"
And the Lord spoke to Noah & said: "In six months I'm going to make it rain until the whole earth is covered with water & all the evil people are destroyed. But I want to save a few good people, and two of every kind of living thing on the planet. I am ordering you to build Me an Ark. "
And in a flash of lightning he delivered the specifications for the Ark.
"OK," said Noah, trembling in fear and fumbling with the blueprints.
"Six months, and it starts to rain, "thundered the Lord. "You'd better have my Ark completed, or learn how to swim for a very long time."
And six months passed. The skies began to cloud up and rain began to fall. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard, weeping. And there was no Ark.
"Noah," shouted the Lord, "where is my Ark ?" A lighting bolt crashed to the ground next to Noah.
"Lord, please forgive me!" begged Noah. "I did my best. But there were big problems.
First I had to get a building permit for the Ark construction project, and your plans didn't meet code. So I had to hire an engineer to redraw the plans.
Then I got into a big fight over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system.
My neighbors objected, claiming I was violating zoning by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission.
Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees to save the Spotted Owl. I had to convince U.S.Fish and Wildlife that I needed wood to save the owls. But they wouldn't let me catch any owls. So no owls.
Then the carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or hammer. Now we have 16 carpenters going on the boat and still no owls.
Then I started gathering up animals, and got sued by animal rights group. They objected to me taking only two of each kind.
Just when I got the suit dismissed, EPA notified me that I couldn't complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn't take kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of a Supreme Being.
Then the Army Corps of Engineers wanted a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe.
Right now I'm still trying to resolve a complaint from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over how many Croatians I'm supposed to hire, the IRS has seized all my assets claiming I'm trying to avoid paying taxes by leaving the country, and I just got a notice from the state about owing some kind of use tax.
I really don't think I can finish your Ark for at least another five years," Noah wailed.
The sky began to clear. The sun began to shine. A rainbow arched across the sky.
Noah looked up and smiled. "You mean you're not going to destroy the earth?" Noah asked, hopefully.
"No," said the Lord sadly, "Government already has"
Rainbow in the Cloud
I just love this shot I took with my cell phonecamera, we were sitting in our car eating at
Burger King when we saw this sight.
Awesome =)
Recycling Jean Pockets
You'll need to use magnet tape, hot glue the tapeto the back of pockets. Viola~! A pretty pocket to
use to hold small kitchen spoons & whisk or coupons,
and notes! The possibilities are endless.
This is a very easy project to recycle an old pairof jean pockets.
The Art of Napkin Folding
Toss those paper napkins aside~think "green" by using cloth napkins. Here's a cool way of folding your napkin for your next Luncheon or just add something fancy for those special occasions. =)
Luncheon Napkin
* Fold the napkin in quarters.
* Place the napkin so the free points are on top and fold the lower right edge over the center, as shown.
* Fold the lower left edge to the right side. Turn the napkin over and slip the bottom three or four inches through a napkin ring.
**You will need your cloth napkin to be at least 17-20 inches square** This is a quick & easy fold to make.
Pumping Iron
Let's face it~now that I have decided to get on track with better eating habits.. I will need to get more iron in my "diet".
Here's a list of foods for best iron sources;
Clams (3oz) 12-24 mg
Oysters (3oz) 6-12 mg
Liver and other organ meats (3oz) 5-6 mg
Beef, pork, lamb, and veal (3oz) 2-3 mg
Poultry (3oz) 1-2 mg
Fish (3oz) .5-1 mg
Dried beans and peas (1 cup) 2-4 mg
Seeds--pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, squash (3 T) 2-4 mg
Dark green vegetables--kale, spinach (1/2 cup) 1-3 mg
Dried fruits--figs, raisins, apricots (2/3 cups) 1-3 mg
Pasta products (1 cup) 2 mg
Whole grain or enriched bread (1 slice) 1 mg
Here's a list of foods for best iron sources;
Clams (3oz) 12-24 mg
Oysters (3oz) 6-12 mg
Liver and other organ meats (3oz) 5-6 mg
Beef, pork, lamb, and veal (3oz) 2-3 mg
Poultry (3oz) 1-2 mg
Fish (3oz) .5-1 mg
Dried beans and peas (1 cup) 2-4 mg
Seeds--pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, squash (3 T) 2-4 mg
Dark green vegetables--kale, spinach (1/2 cup) 1-3 mg
Dried fruits--figs, raisins, apricots (2/3 cups) 1-3 mg
Pasta products (1 cup) 2 mg
Whole grain or enriched bread (1 slice) 1 mg
Word Fun
Word Fun
Determine the original words that sound similar to the given words. * Tip: Read the puzzles out loud to hear what they sound like.
Example:
As treat corn aimed ease ire Answer: A Street Car Named Desire
Row me own July it Romeo and Juliet
Get it? Play it: Television
Chip Party:______________
Hall midge hill drain:___________________________
Movies
Sway tome hallow beam a ______________________________
Lie inking_______________________________________
Answers will be given, somewhere on this page…. look carefully!
Determine the original words that sound similar to the given words. * Tip: Read the puzzles out loud to hear what they sound like.
Example:
As treat corn aimed ease ire Answer: A Street Car Named Desire
Row me own July it Romeo and Juliet
Get it? Play it: Television
Chip Party:______________
Hall midge hill drain:___________________________
Movies
Sway tome hallow beam a ______________________________
Lie inking_______________________________________
Answers will be given, somewhere on this page…. look carefully!
Ramblings of a Junk Food Lover
Junk Food: I was just thinking about the junk food I used to eat
& love.. they were cookies, chocolate chip have always been a
fav,…then if I didn’t feel like baking I would just eat the
dough…the best kind was Tollhouse, and Pillsbury…there are a few
store brands that are actually quite good. I must admit that
if there wasn’t a grain of junk food in the house…I would find
the tupperware of brown sugar….take the whole thing with me to
sit in front of the tv. And let me tell you, if we bought ice
cream….mannn I didn’t waste anytime at all eating my way through
the entire box..ok, leave a little for hubby…but not much mind
you… if I found myself in a mood…oh, lets say a little
depressed I would reach for the brown sugar…or munch on some
cookies…if there was any. Over the winter months…I didn’t
realize just how much junk food eating I did…until I tried
getting into my capris or shorts….boy!…not a good thing. Now
I’m not one to go for those crazy diets….eat only grapefruit…
pears…or walnuts….. no…. I have to lose weight when I make my
mind that I want to look and feel better. And I WANT to look
and FEEL better. So, I have started to regulate my eating
habits by having a banana, raisins and either a diet soda or
crystal lite in the mornings, for lunch I like to make sure I eat
something good like…a turkey sandwich…no potato chips please…my
stomach can’t handle all of that oil & fat…oy. <——What?!? I
know what you’re thinking “you didn’t worry about oil & fat when
eating all that junk food”——> yeah you’re right I didn’t…. but
now…I’ve been having more problems with my digestion…more than
ever before… so that’s why I’m really trying to hard to cut out
all of the unnecessary calories and reaching for something
wholesome.
After writing this... I found a book by Joni Eareckson Tada its a book of Encouragement..
She mentions this; "To hunger is to be human, but to hunger for God is to feed on him. Hunger and thirst after his righteousness and feed on him in your heart. Taste and see that the Lord is good; it is he who will fill you to satisfaction."
When I think about this passage...I'm reminded that God's word is indeed "wholesome". More satisfying than munching on potato chips, or reaching for a cookie.
& love.. they were cookies, chocolate chip have always been a
fav,…then if I didn’t feel like baking I would just eat the
dough…the best kind was Tollhouse, and Pillsbury…there are a few
store brands that are actually quite good. I must admit that
if there wasn’t a grain of junk food in the house…I would find
the tupperware of brown sugar….take the whole thing with me to
sit in front of the tv. And let me tell you, if we bought ice
cream….mannn I didn’t waste anytime at all eating my way through
the entire box..ok, leave a little for hubby…but not much mind
you… if I found myself in a mood…oh, lets say a little
depressed I would reach for the brown sugar…or munch on some
cookies…if there was any. Over the winter months…I didn’t
realize just how much junk food eating I did…until I tried
getting into my capris or shorts….boy!…not a good thing. Now
I’m not one to go for those crazy diets….eat only grapefruit…
pears…or walnuts….. no…. I have to lose weight when I make my
mind that I want to look and feel better. And I WANT to look
and FEEL better. So, I have started to regulate my eating
habits by having a banana, raisins and either a diet soda or
crystal lite in the mornings, for lunch I like to make sure I eat
something good like…a turkey sandwich…no potato chips please…my
stomach can’t handle all of that oil & fat…oy. <——What?!? I
know what you’re thinking “you didn’t worry about oil & fat when
eating all that junk food”——> yeah you’re right I didn’t…. but
now…I’ve been having more problems with my digestion…more than
ever before… so that’s why I’m really trying to hard to cut out
all of the unnecessary calories and reaching for something
wholesome.
After writing this... I found a book by Joni Eareckson Tada its a book of Encouragement..
She mentions this; "To hunger is to be human, but to hunger for God is to feed on him. Hunger and thirst after his righteousness and feed on him in your heart. Taste and see that the Lord is good; it is he who will fill you to satisfaction."
When I think about this passage...I'm reminded that God's word is indeed "wholesome". More satisfying than munching on potato chips, or reaching for a cookie.
Welcome to our online newsletter/ August '09
Thanks to our readers, our first issue The Copper Kettle (sent out via snail mail) was a big hit. Thank you dear readers for your encouragement. You have blessed me more than you know. =)
A lil' background: I first started a newsletter filled with recipes & hints back several years ago..it was called Kitchen Tips Unlimited. It was published in print form. And eventually was placed on the web. Eventually, I had to give up my site due to the webhost company going completely html...which my skill level was nada back then... I wasn't happy about this new way of doing things so I pulled out completely. I could have gone on with a "paper issue" but I think I was tired. Needless to say, many of my readers weren't happy with my choice.
This time 'round, I'm more inspired to stick with it. I love to share recipes and hints with my readers~ along with many more features... so you're invited to come along... you might find something that interests you too!
Welcome to The Copper Kettle News!
A lil' background: I first started a newsletter filled with recipes & hints back several years ago..it was called Kitchen Tips Unlimited. It was published in print form. And eventually was placed on the web. Eventually, I had to give up my site due to the webhost company going completely html...which my skill level was nada back then... I wasn't happy about this new way of doing things so I pulled out completely. I could have gone on with a "paper issue" but I think I was tired. Needless to say, many of my readers weren't happy with my choice.
This time 'round, I'm more inspired to stick with it. I love to share recipes and hints with my readers~ along with many more features... so you're invited to come along... you might find something that interests you too!
Welcome to The Copper Kettle News!
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