Memorial Day: Mourn and Honor the Fallen

-Kinsman

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Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May to mourn and honor all military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. 

Originally known as "Decoration Day," the tradition began shortly after the Civil War as a time for communities to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags.

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Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day: Memorial Day is dedicated specifically to honoring those who died in military service. 

Veterans Day (observed on November 11) celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, living and dead.

National Moment of Remembrance: At 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, Americans are encouraged to pause for one minute of silence to remember and honor the fallen.

Traditions: Many Americans observe the day by visiting cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers place small American flags on the graves of service members in national cemeteries. 

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Remember who gave us life! 

Salvation in Jesus Christ!

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Sad will be the Day

-Meme

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Planning for the Fourth of July in the Winter

-PLUGGERS 

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What a treasure this PLUGGERS was for us!

So many, many years ago with little ones at home we made big snowmen, but also towards the end of the winter we would make a small one: 3 snowball size. 

The children would watch as I would wrap the small snowman in aluminum foil. It was difficult for them to understand in February that in July we would bring our  Summer Snowman out and enjoy him as he melted.

A few years go by with it being July 4th and our now elementary school young ones at our second home with the excitement running high-- my son asked if he could throw the almost melted snowman pieces over the roof (a Cape Cod: higher roof line so he loved that challenge :o)

Of course, he could do this! And a new tradition begins! The small snowman pieces went up to the roof and did not last very long so I thought of ice cubes. Went inside bringing out a plastic bowl full of ice cubes.

The excitement filled their faces and the throwing of melting ice cubes over the house began with this extended tradition... continuing even to a new state, new home, and by that time, teenagers. 

Blessed!

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Happy Celebration for our Country!

 

A Legacy: Family

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, 

king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,


To discern the sayings of understanding,

To receive instruction in wise behavior,


Righteousness, justice and equity;

To give prudence to the naive,


To the youth knowledge and discretion,

 

A wise man will hear and increase in learning,


And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

 

To understand a proverb and a figure,


The words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;


Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction


And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;

 

Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head


And ornaments about your neck."...

Proverbs 1:1-9

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Happy Today

 

So Many Happy Memories

Mary Engelbreit

 

June 14, Flag Day.

Let's all sing the National Anthem as loud as we can! 

We don't need a special person to sing it!

Let's all sing it ourselves from now on!

The Star-Spangled Banner

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

by Francis Scott Key

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Patriotism in the midwest

 

I always wondered...

 

Saying Goodbye to Winter Things......

Winter is still upon us as I write this. Cold, icy, snowy, bitter....

But inside we are thankful it is warm and snug.

February's pink things and hearts are now put away and even snowmen are tucked into boxes for next winter.  We might be able to make more snowmen outside, but inside I've brought out a few spring things just to encourage smiles.

Hope you are safe and warm also as we all anticipate Springtime!

Ecclesiastes 3

"There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens...

...He has made everything beautiful in its time. 

He has also set eternity in the human heart; 

yet no one can fathom what God has done 

from beginning to end.

I know that there is nothing better for people 

than to be happy and to do good while they live.

That each of them may eat and drink, 

and find satisfaction in all their toil—

this is the gift of God."...

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The Summer Snowman

This is a classic children's book - most probably not in any library now - although it should be. 

A simple story of family and community. It is a treasure if you can find one. 

Does anyone remember it?

Our own Summer Snowman now in the freezer waiting for July Fourth :o)

This one is very unique snowman with chocolate chips for buttons and eyes, a piece of cheese for the nose, and pussywillow sticks for arms  :o)

Christmas Cookies and Pecan Pie

 

Christmas Time is full of Nostalgia

Making my Grandmother's Chocolate Frosted cookies!

Now all the rest. 

What else can be said except, Yummy!

Maps or Apps?

 

Our Beautiful Back Roads

 

Just Another Day for Us!

 

Treasured People, Treasured Recipes

During our marriage I have collected so many recipes. In the last decades I have organized and reorganized my recipe boxes in different ways.

Finally, I was frustrated with my last solution so I recently took all the recipes out, and I have laboriously culled, repaired, and fit all of the ones I really care about back into my original metal recipe boxes.

Now I am excited and ready to cook!

Both of these recipe boxes were acquired free through the mail in our first years of marriage by saved product labels so they are very sentimental to me as we began with very little. The boxes show lots of wear, but I have chosen to use them again in the autumn of my years.

As I was going through my recipes and reorganizing them I knew many of them, and so as I went through I was struck by the precious people who had given them to me - many who are gone now. Many of the recipes are in their own handwriting: Two Grandmas, an Aunt, my own precious mother, my “other mother”, a sister-in-law, my daughter, and so many sweet, precious ladies. A Treasure!

I was overwhelmed with emotion for the love written on these recipe cards as I was in the final stages of organizing all of them into the boxes. What a legacy I have to give a special person someday.

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Recipe Found!

I am always so organized *sarcasm* and because of this a favorite 
cookie recipe went missing years ago. A very simple recipe 
- Shortbread cookies - so I have tried all sorts of other recipes. 

How different could they be? Even so, we continued to "miss" this 
one recipe we treasured. I eventually got rid of all the other recipes - 
why make any of them if it is not what we like?

I have had this recipe since I was in high school. I had all my credits 
my senior year so I took some electives to fill in the time. One of these 
was a home economics class which had us divide up into groups to 
make meals from favorite family recipes at the end of that quarter. My
favorite recipe was my group's shortbread cookie which was unique to me 
so it has been my tradition all these years until it was lost! 

Last month I found it and just as I remembered it, a very simple recipe:

Debbie L's Shortbread Cookies

2 cups flour
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar

Mix dough by mixer and hand. 
Make small balls.
Press down with palm. 
Poke with fork.
Bake at 350* 8 to 10 (or more).

*Addendum: I have found it works best to have very warm butter or to melted butter.
I have also found that it always takes 20 or more minutes to bake. Personal preference. 
I sometimes push all the dough into a 8 or 9X13, poke with fork, bake ~25min. , and carefully cut squares through the warm cooked pan  :o)

Those were the days

My Father: #N8AEG