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Thursday, December 15, 2011
“Open the window wider, the air is so fresh and pure and calm, that the elms and the beech trees are all decked and draped, branch by branch with white snow.” Francis Viele-Griffin (1864-1937)
The weather has been really mild the last few days. One night I opened the patio door and the balmy air and dripping eaves sounded like spring had arrived. Yesterday it rained all day. Our snow is GONE! (No sliding this weekend!)
I agree with a friend who said, “Who said it was okay for it to RAIN in December????” The weather is colder today, and the remaining showers turned to snow so now we at least have a dusting of white back.
The sun rose this morning at 7:39 am (although our skies are still cloudy – day number 6?), and will set at 4:29 pm. There are only 8 hours and 50 minutes left of daylight, but the solstice will be on the 21st, and things will turn around. It seems an irony to me that winter begins on the day we start gaining sunlight…
I am sure it is beginning to look like Christmas where you are. I see lots of poinsettias around, and I found some information about them that you might find interesting.
The reason blazing red (and now pink, white, orange, plus combinations of these colors) poinsettias are the Christmas flower is an accidental discovery by Joel Poinsett, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in
1828. An amateur botanist, Poinsett saw the red flowers when visiting the Mexican state of Taxco, shortly before he was thrown out of the country for trying to buy Texas from the Mexicans for a million dollars.
He shipped plants to South Carolina, as he left the country, where they were propagated and called “Mexican Fire Plant”. The plant was shared with botanical gardens and growers across the country. And, it was renamed for Poinsett. Paul Ecke in California began growing the plant in the tens of thousands for the Christmas season, when other flowers were scarce. The Paul Ecke Ranch is still the largest commercial producer of poinsettias in the world.
I have always heard how poisonous the poinsettia is, but the truth is that they aren’t all that bad. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says…
[The poinsettia’s] white, milky latex sap… can cause eye and skin irritation. Plants are not poisonous, as many think, but they are problematic for those with latex allergies and small animals. According to the Poison Control Information Center, the average person would have to eat 500 to 700 leaves to incur serious digestive problems.
So there is more than I ever knew about the poinsettia! If you are in a warm climate you may have one growing in your garden like a bush. If you are from the cold north they probably come to you as a gift in a foil covered pot. If that is the case, here are some tips on extending the life of your potted plant:
Place in front of a south or west-facing window, but don’t let leaves touch the cold glass.
Avoid spots near heating vents and doors. Cold drafts will cause leaves to drop.
Maintain temperatures that are comfortable to people. Be sure to lower the thermostat at night so that plants cool off.
Use a humidifier or place plants on a tray filled with pebbles and water.
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. If under watered, plants wilt and shed leaves. Overwatering causes roots to die.
I like to remind people at this time of the year that homemade gifts of cookies, jelly or candy are as meaningful and appreciated as costly gifts that many of us just can’t well afford. Don’t be afraid to share a homemade gift – it is from the heart, and that is what really counts.
I have a recipe book that specializes in homemade treats – in a jar. Here is a fun example that you can put in a quart jar and give to some lucky friend:
Crispy Holiday Treats Mix
1 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal
½ cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries
¾ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup pecans
¾ cup coconut flakes
Your directions:
1. Layer all ingredients except coconut in the order given in a one quart canning or food storage jar with a tight fitting lid. Pack ingredients down firmly before adding another layer. Place coconut in a small food storage bag and pack on top. Put lid on jar.
2. Cover sealed jar with fabric. Attach a gift tag with the instructions.
Gift Tag Instructions:
1 jar Crispy Holiday Treats Mix
1 cup peanut butter
¼ cup butter, softened
1. Remove coconut packet from the jar. Place remaining contents of the jar in a large bowl; stir to blend. Combine peanut butter and butter in a medium bowl, stirring until blended. Add to the cereal mixture. Stir until blended.
2. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Roll the balls in the coconut. Store in airtight container in the fridge. Makes about 2 dozen treats.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Snow Towards Evening
By Melville Cane
Suddenly the sky turned gray,
The day,
Which had been bitter and chill,
Grew soft and still.
Quietly
From some invisible blossoming tree
Millions of petals cool and white
Drifted and blew
Lifted and flew,
Fell with the falling night.
The sun rose this morning at 7:33 am, and it will set this afternoon at 5:07. I love it that we are out of the 4:30 pm range for sunset. It feels like we are making progress in gaining sunlight! And we are – we have 9 hours and 34 minutes of sunlight now. We are in the dark of the moon, but I got a neat picture of the waning moon rising as the sun rose a few days ago…
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