Neighbors

Walnut harvest articles

2009-10-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

October is harvest time for walnuts. Below are the articles we have done in the past about harvest.

September 28, 2007 Walnut harvest
October 10, 2008 Walnut harvest 1
October 17, 2008 Walnut harvest 2
October 24, 2008 Walnut harvest 3
October 31, 2008 Walnuts to market

Other related articles about growing and caring for walnuts are:
June 19, 2009 Walnut husk fly
June 12, 2009 Coddling moth
February 20, 2009 Walnut tree removal
April 18, 2008 Walnut pollination
October 19, 2007 Walnut varities

Articles with recipes and nutrition about walnuts:
August 8, 2008 Walnut oatmeal burgers
October 5, 2007 Nutrition in nuts
April 20, 2007 Flavored nut recipes

Enjoy!

Marriage related articles

2009-10-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Marriage is not a happily ever-after once the "I Do's" are said on the wedding day. Here is a list of our former columns that will help in working to make any marriage one step closer to to the ideal marriage most couples only dream about.

March 6, 2009 - Overcoming Winter Blahs
February 27, 2009 - Loose Change Date
January 9, 2009 - Marriage Bible
September 19, 2008 - Marriage takes three
August 15, 2008 - Margin or overloaded lives
July 4, 2008 - Marriage maintenance
June 27, 2008 - The Don't song
March 28, 2008 - Date your mate
July 13, 2007 Romance

Keep your marriage a priority to help it last your lifetime.

Boulder Creek Falls

2009-07-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

Boulder Creek Falls in Whiskeytown National Park.

This week we received a letter from the current publisher of the Red Bluff Daily News, Greg Stevens. He begun his letter thanking us for our “valuable contribution.” Then went on to say they had “financial difficulties” and would “no longer pay for local columns,” but hoped that we would still “continue to contribute” them.
We do a lot of volunteer work for non-profit organizations but draw the line when it comes to for-profit businesses. So this will be our last column for now.
This week we hiked to Boulder Creek Falls in Whiskeytown Park. It was a lot of fun.
We researched the park’s website to find the directions to the trail. There are two ways to the falls. One starts about 2.5 miles past the Carr Powerhouse on South Shore Drive. That way is about 2.75 miles long one way, and has an elevation change of 1300 to 2250 feet, or 950 feet total change. The trail is a steady uphill climb and is rated “moderate.”
The falls can also be accessed by a trail that starts at Mill Creek Road. This trail is one mile in length one way and has an elevation change of only 80 feet. It is also rated as “moderate.” This is the trail we hiked.
Mill Creek Road is located about .5 miles from Highway 299 off Carr Powerhouse Road. It is a fairly rough jeep track that rapidly climbs the side of the hill for about two miles to the trailhead.
The park guide recommends a four-wheel drive vehicle, but we found that is probably not completely necessary. Any vehicle with good ground clearance, such as a pickup should have no trouble. The road is closed after the first winter storm and reopened in late spring.
There are two trails leading from the parking area. The trail on the left, which goes uphill, is the correct trail.
The first part of the trail climbs rather steeply for a short distance but then is mostly level for the rest of the walk. With a few exceptions, it is nicely shaded for the whole route.
After crossing the creek the trail proceeds to a fork. The right side goes to the falls and the left side goes back down to the South Shore Drive. The trail to the falls follows right along the creek to the base of the falls.
The falls are impressive this time of year with a considerable water flow. There is also a path of steps going up the side of the hill to an overlook where the entire 81 feet of the falls is visible, plus the 28 feet of cataracts above the falls.
It was not so difficult as to leave us exhausted, but was a good walk just the same. We thought it was on the easy side of the moderate rating. This would be a good family hike.
Farewell for now. Maybe we will see some of you in town from time to time.

Civilization Game

2009-07-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Original “Civilization” game along with newly made cards.

Our family has played a game called “Civilization” for years. It is a little complicated and takes about five hours to play, but is one of our favorites.
One problem with the game is that it is worn out. We wanted to replace the parts that were the most worn, such as the cards. But the game has been out of print for many years. We looked at online auction sites and while there are few available the price is prohibitive. Additionally, while the game was still being made, an add-on game was produced, called “Advanced Civilization.” It is also out of production today, and is even more expensive.
Finished pieces can also be obtained from independent internet suppliers. But they are fairly expensive. Plus, we think half the fun of a new game is making it yourself.
We wanted to get a copy of “Advanced Civilization” and replace our worn out pieces. The best way to accomplish both of those objectives for us was to make it ourselves. All the art work necessary for the various cards are available online at: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/177.
All the additional information necessary for the game to work, such as the rules and various player aids are also online.
A game board expansion was made for this game but that is also no longer available. But we were able to locate files for this online too. All that remained to do was to print everything out.
Printing the cards came first. The files we got for the cards required that we create a document in a word processor and place the card images on it. We also had to create a separate document for the card backs.
Civilization uses multiples of individual cards so we had to print several of each one. Some of the cards came with lines on them to help with the cutting out while other did not.
For the one that did not we devised a template to help. That way we could get them all evenly sized. Previously we had purchased a corner clipper at a craft store. Using that gave the cards a finished look.
The cards come in two shapes: square and rectangle. The square cards we laminated with clear self-adhesive contact paper. We used the corner clipper on the rectangle cards but that made it difficult to use contact paper. So in its place, we sprayed them with clear craft varnish. It is not as bullet proof as the contact paper, but they should hold up well enough.
Printing the map is another story. We actually have not done that yet. It is larger that a standard 8.5 by 11-inch paper, so it requires additional software to split the file up into paper-size chunks before it can be printed out. Once we figure this out we plan to attach it to a foam board for stability.
Meanwhile the game is playable with the original game board. We are all set to play again.

Mill Creek Falls

2009-06-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Mill Creek Falls in Lassen Park.

This weekend was the “Fee Free” weekend at the local national parks. We are always looking for ways to save a little so we decided it was a good time to go up to Lassen Park for a hike. Also the weather was beautiful so what more could we ask for?
Mill Creek Falls trail is considered a “moderate” trail. We rate it a little more difficult than that. The total elevation change is about 300 feet, but the trail goes up and down over the whole length of it so the actual climbing is probably much more.
The falls are very nice this time of year. There is enough snow melt to keep the water levels up to a point to produce considerable water flow. Two streams come together to form the falls: East Sulphur Creek and Bumpass Creek. We were surprised to find out that Mill Creek Falls is not really on Mill Creek. Mill Creek actually begins downstream where East Sulphur Creek meets West Sulphur Creek.
The trail starts at the north end of the campground just inside the park on the Highway 89 side. There was a little confusion for us on finding the trail. There is a nice description of the trail on a post right next to a very substantial looking asphalt path. We found out that is the path to the campsite, not the falls. The falls trail is a rather narrow dirt track that takes off downhill to the left of the signpost.
The walk to the falls goes through nice forest terrain. Depending on the description, the trail is either 4.7 or 3.6 miles long round trip or somewhere in between. There are some open areas covered with wildflowers, as well as a lot of mature forest.
From the trail we saw a young deer fawn. It walked off as we approached but we got a good picture. There were also numbers of pine tree seedlings just coming up from the ground. Many seeds were still stuck to the top needles of the seedlings.
We continued on the trail up and down until it comes out to an overlook of the falls. The falls are 69 feet high, the tallest in Lassen Park. The water falls into a deep ravine. From the overlook it certainly seems to be a lot more that 69 feet deep!
For those that are interested, there is an additional spur of the trail that runs out to the top of the falls. It is said to be a great place to rest on the boulders and have lunch, but just a little farther than we wanted to go at the time.
When we got back from out hike, we checked out the new visitor center and amphitheater. The visitor center is a large building which houses a café, gift shop and display areas.
Our day was enjoyable and we would recommend the falls as a “must see.” Just be in good shape before you go!

Walnut husk fly

2009-06-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Husk fly trap hanging on rope lowered from walnut tree to check for flys.

In our last column we talked about coddling moth and what a pest it can be to walnut growers. Another insect walnut farmers have to watch out for is husk fly.
The husk fly is an actual fly that lays it’s eggs in the walnut husk. The eggs hatch and small maggots emerge to eat the husk. They do not actually eat into the nut itself, just the husk. But when they eat through the husk it turns all black and mushy which stains the nut a dark brown or black.
Also nuts with husk fly damage are more likely to have moldy nut meat. Either of these conditions makes the nut unmarketable. Therefore controlling them is important.
As with many insects if left alone, husk fly will build up numbers year after year until they will attack nearly every nut in the orchard. They were first noticed about 40 years ago, when substantial portions of the crop were being destroyed by the pest. Some growers lost over a third of their crop before adequate control measures were put in place.
Husk fly have only one generation per year. The adult fly deposits eggs into a nut husk. The eggs hatch and the maggots feed on the nut, eventually dropping to the ground and forming a pupa where they stay until the next year.
Unfortunately they do not all come out at the same time. The generation emerges anywhere from the first of July to the end of September.
Treatment of the flies must be done consistently to be effective. Most sprays only last a couple of weeks so repeat applications are necessary.
Usually an insecticide is mixed with fly bait, such as molasses, and then sprayed on the trees. Because bait is used only every other row needs to be treated. The flies are monitored using a yellow sticky card hung in a tree. They are attracted to the card with a lure and caught in the glue. They can then be counted to see if it is necessary to treat the orchard.
Recently a method has been developed to more accurately time the spray. The flies caught in a trap can be divided up by sex. Then the females are checked to see if they have any eggs. If they do, then the farmer knows it is time to spray.
Controlling insects is not the only thing walnut farmers do in the summer. Irrigation is another big task.
Walnut trees use a tremendous amount of water this time of year. That water has to be constantly replenished to keep the trees from stressing.
Some crops can tolerate a lack of water for a period of time. That is not true for walnuts, however. There is no time that walnut trees can go without water and not be damaged.
We use sprinklers on three-inch aluminum pipe that have to be moved every day. It runs into a fair amount of work for the farmer, but the trees like it.

Coddling Moth

2009-06-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Coddling Moth trap is lowered from tree on cord to check for moths. Then it is raised to about 20 feet to catch moths.

Insects are a big concern for walnut farmers at this time of year. The Coddling Moth is one of them.
They usually have three generations each growing season. The first overwinters from the previous year, surviving between cracks in tree bark or debris on the ground. They come out as moths in early to mid April, mate and lay their eggs on or near the developing walnuts. The larva hatch out and eat their way into a nearby walnut.
The second comes out in early to mid June, mate and lays their eggs on what are now mostly full-sized nuts. The larvas again move to a nut and eat their way in. The third comes out in late July or August, and because of the shorter days and cooler weather in September and October, usually remains as a larva until spring. Some warmer growing areas can have a fourth generation, but that is rare in Red Bluff.
If left uncontrolled, Coddling Moth can cause extensive economic damage to the crop, even to the point of making it unmarketable. Fortunately a lot of scientific research has been done resulting in various control strategies to help keep damage to a minimum.
Most moth control is done by spraying an insecticide on the trees. The idea is not to kill off the flying moths, although any that are around will be goners. The real strategy is to coat the outside of the walnut husks with the insecticide. This will kill the moth larva when they eat into the nuts.
One problem with this method is the insecticides only last 10 to 15 days before they become ineffective. That means timing is critical. If sprayed too early or too late some larva will be missed.
Through research it has been determined that it takes a specific number of day degrees for a Coddling Moth generation to be completed. If the spray is applied at a certain point in that day degree cycle, the generation can be suppressed.
It takes a fair amount of monitoring and attention to get an accurate total of day degrees. Here in Red Bluff the Davis University of California extension office monitors this for farmers.
One of the newest control measures is called mating disruption. The idea is that if we can prevent the moths from mating, then there will be no eggs, thus no damage.
When mating, the moths find each other through a pheromone scent given off by the female. The disruption occurs from a number of “puffers” or aerosol cans located throughout the orchard that emits Coddling Moth pheromone. These automatically dispense a puff of pheromone at predetermined intervals through the night during moth mating time. With the orchard saturated in pheromone, the moths cannot find each other to mate. This method is new but it shows great promise.
The cost is currently why most farmers are not using them. They are waiting for mass production to kick in and the price to come down to an affordable level.

Whiskeytown hikes

2009-06-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

Crystal Creek falls seen from the foot of the falls.

Hiking was the activity we choose for our date last week. After searching the internet for ideas we found several interesting trails around the Whiskytown lake area. Information is available on the park’s website: http://www.nps.gov/whis/planyourvisit/upload/All%20Trails%20Guide8x14FINAL5.31.07.pdf.
We were not quite ready for a strenuous hike yet, so we picked one of the easier trails. The one we thought looked interesting was the Crystal Creek Water Ditch trail. It is mostly level and only about three-fourths of a mile long, one way.
Looking at a ditch does not sound all that intriguing at first until one considers where it is located. These ditches were not dug in open fields or by the roadside. Instead they were built on the sheer edge of a rocky canyon. The engineering planning and human labor that went into the construction of the ditch is easy to see.
It seems that in the 1850’s most economic activity in the north state revolved around mining and agriculture. And for both of them, water was a necessity. Charles Camden claimed water rights to Crystal Creek and Mill Creek in the mid 1800’s. He hired a crew of workers and built the Crystal Creek water ditch to supply water to his orchards and mines during the years 1855 to 1858.
Near the beginning of the trail is the cleanout house. Its purpose is to remove pine cones, leaves, sticks and other debris from the water before it goes into the pipe. It is done in a very clever way. The water turns a small turbine which is connected to an old automotive rear end. That rotates, via a chain drive, a rake wheel that removes the floating material from the water.
The trail continues along the canyon wall next to the ditch. In many places rock retaining walls had to be built to hold the ditch in place. In one area the canyon walls are nearly vertical, so a flume had to be built that is about 250 feet long.
After we got back to the car, we decided to go to Crystal Creek Falls, just up the road a ways. This also was an easy walk, but more out in the sun than the trail along the ditch. We suggest bringing a hat for this one. The falls are very nice this time of year.
Once at the falls we climbed down the rocks to the water at the base of the falls. Compared to the trail, which is in the full sun and rather warm, being right by the falls feels like sitting under an air conditioner.
We did both of these walks in less that three hours and the trails are fairly easy. This also included a stop for eating snacks and picture taking along the way.
Both of these hikes would also be ideal activities for families looking for something to do with children. These hikes are not too difficult that even smaller children should be able to finish them.

Refashioned T's

2009-05-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Close-up view of print tank top edged with an overlock stitch using a decorative thread and stains on plain t-shirt covered by bleached butterfly designs.

Refashioning unusable clothing and other items into usable has been a big part of our week. Several weeks ago we went thrift store shopping and while finding many items we could use as-is, some needed a little help.
First, several pieces of clothing had stains or just looked tired. Also we got a couple of extra-large plush bath towels but they had bleach spots on them. These items were all candidates for a dye job.
We had a bottle of brown dye so after mixing it with water we soaked all these items until they were a nice dark brown. Most items were good as new after this.
The towels were all one color with no bleach spots showing. Also a nightgown that had a few stains on the front and a pair of shorts that were a dingy off-white color were now a nice shade of brown.
However one t-shirt that was stained took more dye in on the stains than the rest of the shirt. So instead of covering up the stains they showed even more. That called for plan B.
We went on the internet and found some patterns of butterflies which were free. Next we cut out the butterfly shapes and placed them on the shirt over the stains. Using a bleach pen we traced around the butterflies. Then we removed the patterns and filled in the details using the bleach pen again. We had the washing machine full and ready to wash so when the bleached areas were looking good we washed the shirt. That did the trick. No more stains to be seen.
Next item to fix was a t-shirt someone had started but never finished. The body was sewed together but it had no sleeves or neck facing or hem. There was a pattern and extra fabric so we could have finished the shirt but opted instead to finish the edges of the neck, arms and hem with an overlock stitch using decorative thread on a serger-sewing machine. This made it into a tank top perfect for the summer weather ahead.
Then our daughter had a t-shirt top she liked but the sleeves were too tight to be comfortable. We opened up the side seam under the arm and on the sleeve. Next we sewed in a wedge of contrasting fabric making the sleeves a little roomier.
The towels were only $2 each and the clothing was all about 50 cents to $1 each. The dye was a bottle we had on the shelf for a few years but never used. Now they are all like new and can be used again.
Before tossing out something because it has a stain or minor flaw think about a way to make it new again. It not only saves money but makes you feel good about successfully completing a project.
More refashioning in blogs on March 27, "Refashioning thrifted clothes" and March 13 "Wardrobe refashion."

Mosaic flower pot

2009-05-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

Clay flower pot covered with broken pieces of ceramic coffee cups and then grouted.

Decorating does not have to be expensive. Broken bits from ceramic coffee cups can dress up an old clay flower pot. Making something old look new is fun and saves money. Refashioning is something everyone can do with a little time.
We decided to try this project after seeing a similar one at this website: http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2008/07/newspaper-column-re-crafting-with.html. It is by Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza. They glued buttons to a clay pot and then grouted around them.
Other items that could be used to decorate a pot could be coins, keys or store bought mosaic tiles. Even sea shells or small pebbles would be good choices. Old picture frames could also be decorated with similar items to give them a new look. The possible variations to this project are endless.
Ceramic cups get chipped or broken from time to time at our house. We just hate to throw anything out. So when we came across the idea to use them to decorate flower pots we decided to give it a try.
First we used a hammer to break the cups into small pieces. The pieces need to be smaller than one might think to fit flat onto the surface of the pot.
To attach the pieces to the clay pot we used E6000 glue. This glue is applied to the pot as well as the broken pieces. Then the pieces are fit onto the pot, it is kind of like putting a puzzle together. We tried to mix the colors as much as possible and not make any particular pattern.
If a particular design is desired one would need to draw an outline first, then fill it in with one color and so on. Another choice could be to use items of all one color and a contrasting grout color.
The glue takes about 24 hours to dry completely. After waiting a day we grouted between the broken pieces. We just followed the directions on the package of grout.
All the materials for this project we had on hand except for the glue. So our project was low in cost.
This was our first time using the E6000 glue. It works a little like rubber cement except when it dries it is stuck on for good. That made it the perfect choice for this project.
This project does take three or four hours to complete, not including drying time. But doing it with your spouse, friend or children will make it fun.
Before buying something new always look for ways to reuse things you already have. It will not only save money but make a fun project as well.
Projects like this are always nice to use for gifts as well. Handmade gifts are always special.

Books by Cramer

2009-05-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

“Levi’s Will” and “Sutter’s Cross” both by W. Dale Cramer.

A novel we found in one of our recent thrift store shopping trips is “Levi’s Will”, by W. Dale Cramer. This is the first book by Cramer we have read and found it to be very rewarding. He has written four books, “Levi’s Will” being the third.
The main character is Will Mullet who was raised Amish but left the church as a young man in 1943 to find both the freedom he desired and to escape the harsh rules of the Amish. In leaving, Mullet condemned himself to a lifetime of being shunned by the Amish community, his father Levi Mullet and his family.
Once outside of the Amish community, he works various jobs but finally ends up in the United States Army because he is afraid that he will get arrested as a draft dodger.
In the Army he finds plenty of hard work but also starts to live a lie: he changes his name to Will McGruder to prevent his father from finding him, he also changes his birth date to avoid trouble with the Army and he changes his place of origin to Canada to explain his Amish Dutch accent.
He marries Helen, a southern girl, and they live in the Georgia. They have two children and he soon realizes that he is raising them just like his father raised him. The difficult and demanding relationship he had with his father was one of the main things that drove him away and he finds himself doing the same thing to his youngest son.
The book is setup in a series of alternating time periods, beginning with the characters in 1985 attending Levi’s funeral. The next chapter is in 1943, then back to 1985 and so on. By the end of the book, the past has caught up to the present, and we can see all of Will’s struggle to be accepted by his father, his brothers and sisters, his wife and his son. But to reconcile any of these relationships he must give up the lie.
We really liked “Levi’s Will” so we got another of Creamer’s books, “Sutter’s Cross.” This book is about a burned out biker, Harley, who found a relationship with God and the upset he causes in the small town of Sutter’s Cross. People in the town were comfortable in their church and businesses but Harley, in demonstrating authentic love and speaking the truth, makes everyone feel a little threatened.
“Sutter’s Cross” was Creamer’s first published effort. It was a good read and the plot is very creative, but we thought “Levi’s Will” had better characters. Still we highly recommend either of these books.
Now that summer is approaching, they would be great for reading at the beach or on the deck with a tall glass of ice tea. Additionally, for those on the go, complete and unabridged audio versions of both books are available on the internet at various music websites.

Flower pot stack

2009-05-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

Flower pot stack with succulent plants.

Gardeners are busy sprucing up their yards. For those with limited space gardening in pots is one way to still have a garden. If space is really tight stacking the pots could be an answer to finding more room for plants.
We came across a cute idea on the internet that we decided to try for ourselves. We do have more room than most for gardening but this idea is also great for a decorative look.
The internet address for the idea we found is at: http://www.instructables.com/id/Tip-Top-Flower-Pots-Maximize-limited-space-to-gro/. We followed the basic design shown but instead of flowering plants we used a variety of succulent plants. They also come in a variety of colors and shapes.
For the larger pot in our version we used a glazed 12-inch ceramic pot. Our 8-inch pots were the plain terra cotta variety. For the stake going up through the center we used a 40-inch piece of rebar.
To hold the rebar centered in the large flower pot we used two pieces of 1-inch plastic pipe the width of the inside of the pot. We drilled a hole the diameter of the rebar through the center of each plastic pipe.
After the rebar is placed into the plastic pipe and resting on the bottom of the large pot we filled that pot with potting soil. Next we placed one of the 8-inch pots onto the rebar and let it sit at an angle with the top edge resting against the rebar.
Once that pot is filled with potting soil the other 8-inch pots are placed on the rebar. They are tilted as seen in the photo and filled with potting soil.
Once all the pots are in place and filled with potting soil it is time for the plants. We choose a variety of succulent plants for our stack. Succulents are slower growing and look nice for longer than annuals or perennials. When the flowers are through blooming on annuals or perennials they loose there appeal and have to be replaced.
Our pot stack is off to one side on our front porch where it is sheltered from the wind. With strong wind gust like we have here in Red Bluff we do not want to take any chances with it falling over.
But that is enough for decorative plants for now. It is time to focus on getting our vegetable plants started. We are disking up our vegetable plots this week. Then it is off to the nursery we go for plants and seeds.
We always choose a variety of tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash. It has been several years since we have grown corn but we hope to try some again this year. We will probably come home with something else new to try also. Trying something different is always fun for us.
Whether it is gardening, crafting, shopping or something else, we hope all our readers are having a good week. Maybe even try something new to you and have fun.

Half Moon Bay trip

2009-05-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Goat cheese from Harley Farm Goat Dairy. At left cranberry and walnuts top a chevre and brightly-colored edible flowers top one called “Van Goat” which has basil and sunflower seeds inside.

Recently we visited Half Moon Bay. We made our usual stops at all the thrift stores and craft-type stores. There were also a number of yard sales to stop at. One highlight of our visit was to hear a performance by New York-based classical guitarist Peter Fletcher.
The San Mateo County Library System had arranged to circulate several special programs to libraries around the county. Most are related to literary or cultural topics, with only a couple music programs: a mariachi program, a concert by a Latin jazz vocalist and Fletcher.
According to his press release he has been a featured performer at Carnegie Hall several times. His most recent performance there was in March.
At the performance we saw he played selections from “Music of the Baroque,” his 2008 CD release on Tower Hill records. It also included music by J.S. Bach, Erik Satie, Edvard Grieg, Russian composer Nikita Koshkin, Carlo Domeniconi, Andrew York and others.
Our favorite piece he played was “Sunburst” by Andrew York. For this piece he had to re-tune his guitar so that he could play a base line as well as a melody at the same time. Several other selections he performed were also done with alternative tuning on the guitar.
Fletcher began to study guitar at age 7 and made his formal debut at 15 with the Brasstown Concert Association in North Carolina. He continues studying with luminaries of the field: he was the youngest student to perform in a 1980 master class taught by José Torres and was a student of Andres Segovia. He has also studied with Christopher Parkening, Pepe Romero, David Russell and others.
We purchased several of his CD’s. They made nice background music to listen to in between our yard sale stops. More information about his recordings and schedule are at: http://www.peterfletcher.com/index.htm.
Of course we also were successful in our yard sale and thrift store finds. We have a few new to us used books, flower pots, an extra large decorative glass jar, an extra large vase, shelving for a closet, towels and more.
Eating out was fun too. We enjoyed several very good fish dinners during our trip. There is nothing like fresh caught ocean fish. Something we can only enjoy when visiting the coast.
One final place we visited was a little south of Half Moon Bay. It was the Harley Farm Goat Dairy in Pescadero. Their store is full of many kinds of goat cheese that they make there. Samples are offered for tasting also.
They are all very good and it was hard to decide which ones to purchase. We ended up getting a chevre with cranberries and walnuts on top and one called “Van Goat” topped with brightly-colored edible flowers which had basil and sunflower seeds inside.
They also offer tours and dinners. Information about the dairy is at: http://harleyfarms.com/Home.html.
All in all it was an enjoyable trip from the scenic drives to the shopping and the great concert.

Conservatory of Flowers

2009-04-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Transamerica building made out of old computer keyboards with the aluminum spire made out of CD discs. It was one of the buildings on the garden railroad at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in the Golden Gate Park has special exhibits that last a few months at a time. We came across an article on the internet about a garden railway exhibit but it was set to end this last weekend. It just so happened that we were able to go down and see it before the last day.
Garden railways are often found outdoors but this one was inside the building. The theme of the railway was San Francisco buildings made out of recycled items. Eleven landmark San Francisco structures were on the railway and it was interesting to try to figure out what was used to build them.
For instance, the Ghirardelli building was made out of light switch covers. Another building was built entirely of old cassette tapes. The Transamerica building was made out of old computer keyboards with the aluminum spire made out of CD discs.
The railway was a combined effort of many individuals and was constructed in only eight days. It consists of three separate loops of track that continually run trains without needing an operator.
The regular exhibits were also nice to go through. The Conservatory of Flowers is a large building that is divided into several environmental zones.
Upon entering the building the first zone is the lowland tropics, the next zone is the highland tropics, then the next is aquatic plants. There is also a section for potted plants and the section for special exhibits. Each zone is independently climate controlled for both temperature and humidity to resemble the climate from which the plants are native. In one it might be very warm and humid, but the next zone might be cool and much dryer.
The special exhibit is changed periodically. Starting May 7 and going to November they will have an exhibit called Edible Expeditions. Details are at: http://www.conservatoryofflowers.
Featured plants in this exhibit produce many food products that we use every day, such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee, rice and spices. According to conservatory descriptions, various demonstrations will explain how the food goes from the plant to the finished product.
The Conservatory of Flowers was completely rebuilt about seven years ago. They display over 1750 species of plants from dozens of countries, including Brazil and the Philippines. There are about 16,800 window panes in the building which are all whitewashed to reduce the light and heat intensity and to maintain the historical appearance.
The structure of the building is made mostly out of redwood, because it will not rot in the high humidity present in some areas. About two-thirds of the redwood was salvaged from the original building and reused in the present building.
The Conservatory of Flowers was a great experience. And it is within walking distance of several other attractions, such as the Museum of Science and the Art Museum. Our only advice in going is to get there early, as parking is quite limited.

More repurposed denim

2009-04-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

Denim parrot and oatmeal canister covered in decorated denim. All denim used is from worn out jeans.

Great ideas are coming in. Several readers have given us suggestions for more things to be made with used denim jeans. Also one reader emailed us about a TV antenna he built that was similar to the one we wrote about several weeks ago in this column.
The web site he referred to in making his antenna is at: http://vimeo.com/2931902?pg=embed&sec=.
The denim ideas suggested are:
One reader called and said her mother cut squares out of used jeans and made a quilt. In the past we had heard about others that did this so we tried one too. Then about half way through we decided it was too heavy for us but not all was lost. We made it into a dog bed which we wrote about in our Aug. 24, 2007 blog "Dog bed."
Another reader emailed this idea: "My favorite use for recycling jeans when my sons were young was to turn the best fabric left into bean bags. We then gave a half dozen or so to the older sibling of a new baby when we delivered a baby gift. My own boys loved trying to toss the bags into a big plastic bucket on rainy days."
We also found more ideas to make using denim. One is at: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/04/how-to_make_a_nature_can.html. It is an empty oatmeal canister covered with denim and decorated with felt cutouts. We made a similar one but used iron-on appliqués and various trims instead of the felt cutouts.
Next we came across a parrot pattern, Simplicity 3691, that suggested fleece fabric be used for their birds. We instead used denim.
Using denim was a little difficult to work with but it is doable. This was not a quick and easy project but if you really want one it does work. Fleece fabric is expensive and used denim is free. That made the difference for us.
Of course we never follow a pattern exactly. We started with view B and cut out all the pieces from blue denim except for the eye pieces. Those we cut from a used white twill pair of pants.
Next we sewed around the wing, tail and feet pieces about a fourth-inch in from the edge. Then we frayed the edges. The feet also have wire in them to make the bird stand up.
After machine sewing the bird body according to directions we attached the wings, tail and feet by hand. Then for the eyes we used a permanent black marker to draw the eyes and lines around the eyes.
This parrot is just for decoration and not a toy because of the wire used to make it stand up. But we found another child-friendly variation of this bird on the internet that used polyester fabric from outdated garments.
Pictures and explanations about changes are at: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=276223.0. They are changed to look a little more cartoonish.
Keep those ideas coming. It is fun to see and hear about what others are doing.

Repurposed denim jeans

2009-04-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Bucket bag pictured is repurposed from worn out denim jeans. Second photo shows extra strip to be sewn under butted together side seams.

Worn out denim jeans have been piling up at our house. Patches and mending can make jeans last a longer than normal life but even that comes to an end. We have used the worn out jeans for some craft projects in the past but still have piles of them.
In our search for ideas on how to make them useful again we came across a website on the internet that showed how to make bucket bags. The pattern used new fabrics but we thought worn out jeans would be just perfect for this idea.
Detailed directions are at: http://woolfoodmama.typepad.com/weblog/2007/06/my_bucket_bag_p.html. We used the dimensions given as a guideline for making our bucket but made ours a little larger.
Using the parts of the jeans that still have wear left in them we made a sample bucket bag. The lower portion of the legs worked great for the bucket sides. Further up on the back side of the legs was good for the bucket bottom. Strips for the handles came from other portions of the back legs.
First we cut the inside seams of the legs open. Laying them open flat we measured each for half the length of the bucket side and then double for the height. This way the outside leg seam is the top seam of the bucket. To avoid sewing over the thick side seams we cut one-inch wide fabric strips from another good part of the jeans, placed them under the side seams, then butt the seams together instead of overlapping them. We used a wide zigzag stitch to sew these seams together.
For decoration we sewed various widths and colors of rickrack and trims around the sides of the bucket and on the sides of the handle. The rickrack was hand sewn and the cording was sewn in the handle seams by machine.
To cover the bucket side seams we used wide bias tape sewed on with a decorative machine stitch. We also used a wide folded over trim to go around the outside bottom of the bucket instead of making the seam on the inside.
All the trims came from our stash that has grown over the years. As with all our craft supplies, we pick up trims from thrift stores, yard sales and even friends who are discarding things they no longer want.
These buckets are great to keep craft supplies in. They would also be good for children to keep toys in. If not enough drawer space is available for clothes the buckets could be used to keep socks and underwear in.
Used jean fabric can be used in many other ways. Our June 20, 2008 blog “Creative gift wrapping” shows how we used the legs from worn out jeans to make gift bags.
We would love to hear of other uses for used jeans. All ideas are welcome. Please leave comments.

Update: One of our readers called and said her mother made a quilt out of used jeans. We tried this once but about half way through we decided it was too heavy for us but not all was lost. We made it into a dog bed cover which we wrote about in our Aug. 24, 2007 blog "Dog Bed."
Another reader emailed this idea: "My favorite use for recycling jeans when my sons were young was to turn the best fabric left into bean bags. We then gave a half dozen or so to the older sibling of a new baby when we delivered a baby gift. My own boys loved trying to toss the bags into a big plastic bucket on rainy days.
Thanks for the ideas."

Improving digital TV

2009-04-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

Homemade HDTV antenna.

The digital TV transition is here. For those that depend on an antenna to receive over-the-air TV broadcasts, getting the new digital signals may be a problem, even with converter box or using a new TV with a digital tuner.
Digital signals do not propagate as well as the old broadcasts. They can be blocked by buildings, hills or even trees.
The solution in many cases is to install a more sensitive antenna. Old rabbit ears and even older rooftop antennas may not be as effective as they once were.
We found an easy and inexpensive antenna project on the internet. It can be built in a couple of hours.
Directions are at: http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/2007/01/post-any-questions-or-comments.html.
We built ours with scrap wood, four metal coat hangers, aluminum foil and a 75-300 ohm matching transformer. These are the steps we followed:
- Find a piece of scrap plywood, paneling or stiff cardboard 30 by 16 inches.
- Cover one side with aluminum foil.
- Attach a 2x4 to the foiled side of the panel. The 2x4 should be long enough to be useable as a stand.
- Cut out the “head” of each coat hanger. Then cut the bottom in half to make two vees from each hanger for a total of eight. Trim each vee to have seven-inch legs. Sand the elbow part to allow for electrical contact when assembled.
- Measure from the top of the 2x4, equally dividing the area of the 2x4 that covers the aluminum panel into four parts. Ours is seven-inches on center.
- Attach vees and hookup wire at the marked positions on the 2x4 with wood screws and washers. For wire we used leftover Romex wire, but any wire will do, even a straightened coat hanger. If a coat hanger is used sand it where it contacts the vees.
- There are two hookup wires, one for the right and one for the left. The wires are crossed at both the top and bottom vees. Insulate the wires where they cross.
- In the center of the 2x4, between the top and bottom two sets of vees, install the matching transformer. Attach the transformer leads to the hookup wires. Make sure the hookup wires do not touch each other.
Attach the antenna to a base of some sort. Then connect it to the TV (or converter box). We had excellent results with our antenna just sitting on the floor. It can also be installed in an attic or on the roof if it is built of durable materials.
The antenna is directional, meaning that it needs to be pointed at the broadcasting station for best reception. However, we found that ours worked just fine without aiming.
Broadcast station location and compass directions to aim an antenna are at: http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx. It is a marketing tool, but entering only a zip code will produce a list of broadcast TV stations for your area.
Improved signals are possible without spending a bundle. Try it for yourself.

Refashioning thrifted clothes

2009-03-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

First photo: Refashion skirt is now a purse. Tank top and t-shirt refashioned made a summer maternity top. Second photo: a tank top cut from one more large men's t-shirt plus the inside bottom of the skirt purse.
Thrift stores are some of our favorite shopping places. This last weekend was no different. We headed down to Chico this time.
One store was having a special where shoppers could fill a large paper grocery bag with clothes from several tables. The cost was only $2 per bag.
We decided to see what we could get into a bag. Our final total was 18 items of clothing in one bag making them less 12 cents each. Then the challenge came, how to use the clothes we chose to stuff our bag with.
Several items fit us and we can use them as is. The rest we are using to refashion into other usable items.
The first item we decided to refashion was a size three toddlers skirt with shorts attached inside. It has butterflies embroidered along the front bottom. Very cute but we can not use that size. So an idea formed to make it into a purse for our adult daughter. She likes butterflies.
First we cut the legs off the shorts underneath. Then we cut a contrasting piece of fabric from another thrifted pair of women’s pants to sew onto the bottom of the cut off short. That formed the bottom of the purse.
Next we cut another strip of fabric from the same women’s pants to use for the purse strap. After sewing and turning the strap we attached it at the sides of the skirt. The end result was a very cute purse.
The next idea came when we paired a women’s small tank top with a man’s large t-shirt. We decided they would make a nice summer maternity top to donate to CareNet Pregnancy Center.
Taking the tank top we cut it off just below the chest. Then the men’s shirt we cut straight across about 13 inches from the bottom. Next we laid the tank top and t-shirt bottom together and cut the sides of the t-shirt to flair out a few inches.
After sewing the side seams of the t-shirt we attached the two together in the middle. The result did not seem to be roomy enough for a growing baby.
After thinking about what change could be made to make the bottom a little roomier we came up with plan B. We cut two slits, one on each side of the center front and inserted triangular pieces from the bottom of the tank top. That seemed to be just enough.
Now we only have about a dozen more items left to redesign into clothes or items that we can use or give to others to use. Refashioning is a fun challenge. It also saves money when we do not have to buy new items.
This time we spent only $2 and have five items all ready in use. More ideas for the rest of the items are forming as we write.
Additional refashion ideas can be found in our March 13 blog.

Paper modeling

2009-03-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Paper steak, carrots, plate, knife and fork shown on napkin and placemat.

Paper modeling is one of our favorite pastimes. Most of the paper models we make are downloaded from the internet for free. We recently came across one that we just had to build: the paper steak.
Most paper models depict a vehicle or building. Only a few are of animals or other organic things. The problem with such models is that it is difficult to get a proper representation of the subject. Most living creatures are made up of many compound curves and angles which are hard to duplicate in paper.
We found this model on http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/steak.html website. This particular website does in fact have several models of living things, including a paper hornet, a paper scorpion and a paper roast chicken at
http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/chicken.html.
The paper steak model is made up of two steaks, one cooked and one uncooked. Also included are two carrots, a plate, a knife and fork. We made the cooked version. The steak is mostly flat, which makes assembly easier. The sides are the steak are somewhat fiddly to get on, especially on the second side.
The carrots were also a challenge due to their small size. They are five-sided and fold so they come to a point at the end. The fork and the knife were easier to make, each consisting of several parts to give to appropriate thickness. The plate was the easiest to make, as it has only two parts.
We put the whole thing together in about three hours. Cutting out the pieces actually took more time than the assembly.
Recently we also acquired a model of the Kremlin. It is a Micromodels kit, published in book form. Originally the Micromodels were designed in the 1950’s and printed on post-card size 3 by 5-inch cards, which makes them really micro. The one we got was enlarged to double size and printed in 1983. Even at that, a lot of the parts are still fairly small.
Our copy of this book we found at www.paperbackswap.com. At this site books are swapped for the cost of postage only.
In doing some reading about the Kremlin we found out that the original building was designed as a castle to protect the local population from the Mongols. Its walls were first established in 1156 in Moscow. Gradually it was reinforced and expanded and in 1397 the first stone walls were built. As the Mongol threat diminished, the Kremlin became used more and more for government and church buildings. During the Romanov rule, which ran from 1613 to 1917, the famous cathedrals were built.
After the communist revolution in 1918 it was used completely for the government. It covers an area of approximately 64 acres and contains 26 major buildings, including Lenin’s tomb which lies outside the walls.
More information on card models can be found in these past blogs from 2008: “Card models and P&P games” on Dec. 19, “Card models” on July 18 and “Making Dune game” June 13.

Wardrobe refashion

2009-03-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Skirt made from a black extra large t-shirt with boarder trim. Pattern used was Butterick 5907 view c in one size smaller than normal to allow for stretch of knit fabric.

Wardrobe refashioning is a way to get new clothes at a fraction of the cost of new garments. It can even be done by spending no money at all!
Start with going through the closets and pulling out clothing that no longer fits or is no longer desired as it is. All these items are candidates to be refashioned into usable items of clothing.
Ideas for refashioning the old into new can come from catalogs, store sales flyers or the internet. There are even websites where people show off their refashioned garments such as http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/. Websites like this can inspire many ideas.
A blog by Melynda found at http://countrygirlcouture.blogspot.com/ shows examples of refashions that she has done. Many of her ideas come from J. Crew. Their website is at http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Feature_Assortment/NewArrivals.jsp?srcCode=GGLB00125&noPopUp=true.
Refashioning is a great way to learn to sew. Most ideas take some sewing skill and require the use of a sewing machine but some do not. But if mistakes are made the loss is small because the clothing was not being used in the first place. It was just taking up space in a closet.
Sometimes a refashion can mean adding trim or embroidery accents to an item to make it more fashionable. Or putting an appliqué over a hole or stain can make a piece of clothing usable again.
To completely change an article of clothing, say from a top to a skirt, may take a pattern. A place to get free patterns is http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns. A how-to for men’s boxers is at http://wkdesigner.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/boxer-shorts/. And thrift stores usually sell patterns for only 10 to 50 cents each.
Children’s clothing is the easiest to refashion. Instead of hand-me-downs make a hand-me-up. An example for a top is at http://blog.betzwhite.com/2007/10/hand-me-up.html. An example for pants is at http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/howto_lengthen_kids_pants.html.
Another great site to make a child’s skirt is at http://whipup.net/2008/11/12/toddler-sweater-skirt-tutorial/. This one is made from an old sweater but the same thing can be done with a t-shirt.
One of our latest finds for ideas is how to use old, men’s ties to make scarves. This site is at http://redhenstudios.blogspot.com/2008/12/alchemy-necktie-scarves.html.
If inspiration does not hit with what is already in the closet the thrift stores are a great place to find items that can be refashioned. Shopping at yard sales can also yield clothes that are good candidates for a refashion.
Bed sheets are another great source when a large amount of fabric is required for a garment. Many even use just a pillowcase to make smaller things such as tops. An example of a top made from a pillowcase by Meg is on her blog at http://theclosetseamstress.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-wear-pillowcase.html.
Since summer is coming soon even cutting off long pants that probably have worn out knees and making them into shorts is refashioning. Cut long sleeves off to make short sleeves or even cut them all the way off to make a tank top.
Be creative and save money at the same time. See how many refashioned items you can make for your family.

Overcome winter blahs

2009-03-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Roasting marshmallows in the wood stove when the weather is blustery outside can be a fun way to beat the winter blahs.

Spring is still a couple of weeks off and the rainy weather we have had recently can be very depressing. The children may be bored and your marriage may be suffering. Beating the winter blahs can energize your marriage and family.
Consider some of the following ideas:
- Have a picnic on the living room floor. Gather your indoor plants, spread a table cloth or blanket and pretend you are outside. You can have a great picnic and be minus the ants all at the same time.
- Try a new recipe for dinner. While enjoying the meal with the family, take turns sharing something you are looking forward to this spring.
- Have a window shopping date with a twist. Look for all the things you already have!
- Call, write, e-mail or text someone you haven not contacted for a long time. The children can get out the rubber stamps and or colored markers and make a card for their grandparents. It will brighten your day as well as theirs.
- Clean out a cluttered closet or junk drawer. Donate the usable items that you do not need to a charity or save them up and hold a yard sale when spring arrives. Children will be interested in this idea if they get to keep the money raised from the items they contribute to the sale.
- Have a dinnertime shuffle. Have each family member sit at someone else’s place and act like that person.
- Take a picnic lunch to work. Include a checkered tablecloth to spread out on a lunchroom table. Also add some colored eggs. Plan a few days ahead and get your coworkers to join in.
- Visit someone in a nursing home or a friend in the hospital. Bring flowers or a balloon to brighten their room.
- On a rainy day put on boots or shoes that can get wet and go splash in the puddles. When you have had enough go inside, dry off and make hot chocolate with marshmallows.
- Roast hot dogs and or marshmallows in the fireplace or wood stove. Talk about your favorite past camping trip or talk about plans for one you can take this summer.
- Get out a favorite board game. Make popcorn or the family’s favorite snack to munch on while playing the game.
- Get out the seed catalogs or go to the local nursery to look at seed that you might like to plant in a few weeks. Plan what you want your garden to look like.
Remember spring is just around the corner. Invest time now in your marriage and family. Then you can begin the new season with healthy relationships.

Loose change date

2009-02-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

A count of our loose change totals $17.80. It has been awhile since we have gone on a loose change date!

Loose change is something most people have at least some of laying around. Many people come home at the end of the day and empty their pockets or purse of the loose change. Some days there is more than other days but the pile slowly grows.
We like to go on what we call a loose change date. After counting up all our loose change we then plan what can be done with that amount of money.
Sometimes is only enough to go out for coffee or tea, an ice cream or maybe French fries. Other times we have enough to go thrift store shopping at one or more places. Finding bargains is always something we have a lot of fun doing.
Back when our children were just babies we did a thrift store date. We hit the jackpot and several nice outfits for the children as well as a few other items for them. The total for all items was under $5, just under the amount we had in change. We were patting ourselves on the back for doing so well. Then a problem came when we got in line to pay. The clerk did not want to take a large amount of pennies as payment for our purchases.
Standing there we were at a loss for what items to leave behind. It was too hard to part with any of the items we seen as treasures. It was a busy day at the shop and a line had formed behind us.
Then one person in line offered to buy our pennies. We do not know if he felt sorry for us or was just in a hurry. So we gave him the pennies and he gave us larger coins worth the equivalent in change. We made our purchases and left. He went home with a pocket full of pennies for his change collection.
It is always an adventure when going on a loose change date. Try coming up with your own challenge and have fun. Email us at the address below and tell us about your adventures.
During this down time in our economy we have to find ways to stretch our money, making it go further than we normally do. There are also no cost dates that can be just as fun as ones that can break the bank.
Go for a walk and tell your date what you most admire about them. Discuss what your dream vacation would look like if money were no object. Recall what your most favorite dates have been in the past. There are endless fun and uplifting topics to discuss while on a walk.
Dust off your old tennis rackets or borrow some from a friend. Play a few games at the public courts in town.
Spend and evening at home doing one of the following activities: play card or board games, put a puzzle together, or take turns reading a book out loud to each other. Enjoy each others company.
For more ideas see our March 28, 2008 blog on "Date your mate" and our July 13, 2007 blog on "Romance."

Walnut tree removal

2009-02-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

Excavator lifting up walnut tree after it is pushed over.

This last week we had 15 acres of our walnut trees uprooted. Walnuts only last so long and then they have to be replaced. An orchard can be nursed along to a pretty old age, 60 years or more, but the quality and quantity of the nuts will continue to decline to a point where the costs of maintaining the orchard will eat up most of the returns from the crop.
Replacing an orchard is a huge job. Walnuts are large trees and they require big machines to pull them out. We hired a company to do ours. They have a large excavator that is big enough to actually push the trees over. After the trees are pushed, the excavator picks them up, shakes off the dirt and lays them in neat rows. Later, after the uprooted trees have had a chance to dry, they are shredded and the chips sent to a co-generation plant to be used as fuel.
The next step in the process is to remove the roots. Walnuts have big root systems that spread out over a wide area. It is important that as many of the old roots are removed as possible because they harbor plant diseases that will affect the new trees when they are planted. A large bulldozer such as a Caterpillar D8 or D9 with rippers is used for this task. The root pieces brought to the surface by the bulldozer are picked up by hand and removed from the field.
Once the old trees and roots have been removed, the soil must be fumigated to destroy pests and diseases that are in it. We attended a class recently regarding this. It was amazing how many disease organisms were in the soil just waiting to eat the new little trees we need to plant. Soil fumigation is an essential step – walnuts cannot be successfully planted without it.
That is actually a problem these days. State regulations have strictly limited the amount of fumigant that is available for use. This drives up prices and in some cases forces the use of inferior materials. It may even mean we have to wait an extra year before planting new trees.
To properly fumigate the field, the soil must be dry. There are strategies to dry out the soil. One is to plant a grass called Sedan grass. This grass has long roots that pull up moisture from several feet deep in the soil. After it is matured, it can be mowed, bailed and used for animal feed. The fumigation process can be started after the grass is removed.
If everything is properly done, the ground will be ready to receive the new trees. Spring of 2010 will be the soonest we can plant. But more likely it will be spring of 2011.
Looking ahead it will take four or five years to start getting a crop after the new trees are planted. It really is a lot of work and expense to replace an orchard.

Bird mobile

2009-02-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

First picture: Single bird with feet. Second picture: Birds on mobile made with pattern found on Internet.

The warm, sunny days that we have been enjoying over the last month or so makes it feel like spring. And springtime is when the birds are busy building nests and laying eggs.
Putting us even more in the mood for spring was our project of building several bird mobiles. They are from another idea we found on the Internet. The web site is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/. And the bird pattern is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/birdpattern1-1.pdf. Sewing directions for the birds are with the pattern.
The birds are made out of assorted small print woven fabric. The type a quilter uses is great but just about anything similar will do. Even fabric from a dress or shirt that is no longer worn can be a good candidate for making a bird.
It takes two contrasting fabrics for each bird, one for the top of the body and one for the bottom. Solid colors can be used but prints are more interesting.
These are easy to hand sew. They are also addicting. After we made one bird we were back to the fabric pile we pulled out to find two more coordinating fabrics. And after that one it was back to find two more matches and so on. Before we knew it we had more than a dozen birds.
After making the birds we went out to collect small branch pieces to attach the birds to and make them into mobiles. We used fishing line to tie the branches together. To attach the birds to the mobile we used regular brown sewing thread and that turned into their feet. Some of the birds tended to flop upside down so we added hot glue under each one to give it a better hold on the branch.
So far we have two mobiles complete with six birds each and a few birds left over. A third mobile is probably not far behind. We are donating our mobiles to CareNet Pregnancy Center here in Red Bluff. They will give them away to clients chosen from a monthly drawing.
The mobiles are great for hanging in the window, above a baby crib or even in a child’s room as decoration. Multiple colors are best when using for a babies room as it will keep them more interested.
Individual birds can be given feet with two shank type buttons. This makes them stand on their own. Then they can be placed on a windowsill, table or even in a flower arrangement. But we bet you can’t make just one. It would be like eating just one potato chip.
For an example of a single bird with button feet we will post an additional picture at the blog site listed below. Pictures at the blog site are in color and can be enlarged to see details.
Have fun crafting a few dozen birds. Let us know how they turn out.

Fan-folded heart

2009-02-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

Red fan-folded paper heart.

Valentine’s Day is one week closer. And for those who are looking for something easy, we found it. Fan folded hearts.
Thanks to the Internet again there are many sites to look at for ideas. This one was posted on a blog site called http://blog.craftzine.com/. They have many posts with craft ideas. Some even have links to directions and patterns for the craft shown.
The heart we made pictured above is from a regular size piece of red printer paper. The corners are rounded off to make it look like the shape of a capsule. Then it is fan-folded lengthwise with about one-inch folds for this size paper. To finish, it is folded in half and glued at the center. A string can be added for hanging.
It would be easy to make several dozen of these and hang them in the window for decorations. They are even easy enough to use as a craft project for children.
Complete directions for the fan folded hearts are at http://worldofwhimm.blogspot.com/2009/01/fan-hearts-tutorial.html. Pictures for each step are also shown.
Many types of paper can be used for this project such as: printer paper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper or even pretty paper bags with cute designs on them. The size can also be changed to smaller or larger depending upon the size of paper.
Other crafts ideas we like at the blog site listed above include: recycled light bulbs made into hanging vases, cards made with scrap trim shaped into flowers, wall art and handspun recycled newspaper yarn.
The direct links to each of these in the order listed above are: http://craftershock.com/blog/2009/01/06/turn-your-old-light-bulbs-into-hanging-vases/, http://www.craftstylish.com/item/9581/how-to-make-fringe-flower-greeting-cards, http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=289329.0 and http://greenupgrader.com/2138/handspun-recycled-newspaper-yarn/.
Many posts are submitted each day at the Craftzine blog site. So we bookmark the directions right away for the ones we are interested in. Otherwise they are hard to go back and find a second time, especially if it has been a few days.
Another way to look up what we want on this blog is to go to the list of craft categories listed on the right side of the blog. Our favorite categories include: recycle, refashion and paper crafts just to name a few.
There is also an archive listed by the month. We clicked on Feb. 2008 to see what Valentines ideas were listed last year and came up with this one: http://www.dailycandy.com/kids/chicago/article/34902/Gleaming+the+Cube. The file containing the pattern for this idea is at: http://www.orangebeautiful.com/valentine.pdf. It is a printable pattern to make a decorated cube to hold little goodies.
And finally a recycling idea to make a coin purse out of an audio cassette from last February is here: http://www.chezlin.com/2008/04/cassette-tape-tutorial/#more-16.
Have fun browsing for new craft ideas. Share your favorites with us.

Thread-lace hearts

2009-01-30T07:56:00.000-08:00

First picture is pink thread-lace heart on card. We added a fabric flower cut-out in between the layers of fabric. This heart did not get as much sewing on the inside as we would have liked. Second is the white thread-lace heart still in embroidery hoop on water-soluble fabric. In his heart we added strips of white ribbon between the layers of fabric before sewing. Third is the red thread-lace heart on white card.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. The time to plan is now. Do not wait until the last minute.
We are making thread-lace hearts to decorate cards with. We got the idea from the book “decorative crafts sourcebook” published by Thunder Bay Press. This 304 page book is full of recipes and projects for paper, fabric and more. It is a great book to get starter ideas from and then create a whole new project with those ideas.
Beginners to advanced sewers can make thread-lace hearts but a zigzag sewing machine is required. Other items needed include: water-soluble embroidery fabric, disappearing ink marker, thread, thread snippets, ribbon pieces and an embroidery hoop.
There are different types of water-soluble embroidery fabric but for this project a completely clear one is best. We used “Super Solvy” made by sulky. Two layers of water-soluble fabric are placed in the embroidery hoop. If snippets of thread or ribbon are used they should be placed between the two layers.
Next we drew a heart shape onto the fabric. We used a regular pen as we did not have a disappearing ink type. Since the fabric washes away it seemed to us that the ink would wash away also. Turns out it did just that.
Thread the sewing machine with the color thread to be used and set it to a medium zigzag stitch. Lower the feed dogs so that the embroidery hoop can be moved freely while stitching. Begin stitching around the outline of the heart making at least three rounds. Continue sewing across the center to fill in with a random mixture of connecting straight and zigzag stitches.
When the sewing is complete remove the fabric from the hoop and trim excess fabric from the edges. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for dissolving fabric. If a stiffer ornament is desired, remove the embroidery from the water as soon as the fabric melts from between the stitches.
Our sewing machine is a Bernina 1030 model. To fit the embroidery hoop under the presser foot we had to remove it, put the hoop under and then reattach the foot. We also used a smaller foot that is more suited for embroidery work.
The hearts only take about 10 minutes each to sew. It took us longer to plan and design them. But once that part is done they work up fast.
We found that more stitching was needed than we first thought to hold the design together. The first heart we made our stitches did not overlap enough. When the fabric was melted away our design was a little lopsided.
The heart pictured above is done with just zigzag stitching repeated over and over around and across the design. Other hearts we have made including the one without enough stitching and one with the fabric still in place will be posted at our blog site listed below.
Be creative and try something new for Valentine’s Day. Share your results in comments.

Refashion, old to new

2009-01-23T07:58:00.001-08:00

New shades made from window screen and painted to match lamp.

Things get old, fall apart, break and are rendered useless. But do not give in, you can be creative and repair or remake the offending item.
We have a floor lamp with three lights at the top, each with their own shade. The shades were just hard plastic. They have become brittle with age and were beginning to show cracks. Then one broke enough to touch the light bulb and started to melt. What a stink!
After looking at many floor lamps in stores and online we could not find one we liked that would replace the one we have. Finally an idea struck that we could make new shades for the one we have. In our online search we got an idea from a lamp that someone used mesh window screen to make a shade around one light bulb.
First we purchased a roll of aluminum window screen. Next we made a pattern from newspaper, a 14-inch diameter circle. Tracing around the pattern onto the screen gave us a guide for cutting out the screen circle. Then we cut a 2-inch diameter hole in the center. We folded the edges in about a fourth-inch and then pleated the wire until it stood up in the shape of a bowl.
After making two more we had three new shades. They fit over the bulb sockets and are held down with the plastic rings that held the old shades on. To finish the look we spray painted them bronze to match the rest of the lamp.
Our old lamp now has a new look. And the cost was far less than a new lamp would have been. Not bad!
The project was simple and quick. The thing that took the most time was coming up with the idea. But it was worth the time. Now the money we saved can be used for something else.
Recently we were also looking to buy a new coffee table. Our old one was large and took up too much space. We looked in many furniture stores and even online. Nothing looked just right or was the right size.
Then on one of our thrift store shopping sprees we found just the thing. It was an extra large end table in just the style we were looking for to replace our coffee table. For only $17 and a good rubbing with polish we have our new coffee table.
Refashioning and refinishing old items to make new ones can be challenging but rewarding. We would like to hear about your remade items. Post them in comments below.

Sourdough starter

2009-01-16T08:31:00.000-08:00

Sourdough starter in re-sealable bag on counter.

Making our own sourdough bread is something we decided to try again last week. Prior to commercial yeast becoming available all bread was sourdough. We found that making sourdough bread was very simple, but does require a couple of extra steps. First, a starter is needed. This is a bubbly batter that serves as the yeast to make the dough rise.
We got premade starter culture from the flour mill in Redding and followed the directions it came with. Currently our starter is in a re-sealable bag on the counter. When kept at room temperature, the starter should be fed half cup flour and half cup warm water daily. If stored in the refrigerator, it needs feeding only once a week.
If your child wants a pet they could practice feeding sourdough starter to see if they are ready for the responsibility.
Several hours before making dough, a sponge needs to be made. This is a bowl of warm, fermented batter. First, remove one cup starter from the starter container and put it into a large plastic or glass mixing bowl. For starter kept in the refrigerator, allow the removed portion to warm up to room temperature. Feed original starter and put it away. Add one and a half cups flour and one cup warm water to the bowl. Stir well and set in a warm place for several hours, or overnight. This is called proofing. The sponge is ready when it is bubbly and has a pungent or sour odor.
The proofing-time varies. Some can be ready in an hour or two. Others take six to eight hours, or even longer. If we want to bake in the morning, we make the sponge and proof overnight. One reason ours takes longer is we use spelt flour instead of white flour.
This is the basic recipe we use: two cups sponge, three cups flour, two tablespoons vegetable oil, four teaspoons sugar and two teaspoons salt. Combine the ingredients and knead by hand for 15 minutes or 10 minutes with dough hook.
Put dough in a warm place and allow to raise until double. Next, shape into loaves and let it raise again until doubled. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Then place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake the bread for 30 to 45 minutes.
The recipe says to allow the baked bread to cool before cutting, but we never do that. There is just something about fresh hot sourdough bread with butter that cannot wait.
We also like to make pancakes with the sourdough starter. Use one cup starter, one cup flour, one teaspoon baking soda, one-half teaspoon salt, two tablespoons oil, one egg, two tablespoons sugar and three-fourths cup milk. Mix everything together while heating the skillet; a few lumps are fine. Cook until bubbles appear then flip over for about 45 seconds. Remove from pan and serve with syrup, jam, or fruit. Enjoy!

Marriage Bible

2009-01-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

The “Marriage Devotional Bible” for couples.

This is the beginning of a new year. One thing we are starting new this year is using the “Marriage Devotional Bible” published by Zondervan Publishing House. It is in the New International Version.
The authors of the devotionals include: Dave and Claudia Arp, Bob and Rosemary Barnes, and Les and Leslie Parrott. They are all involved in many ministries and have written many books on relationships.
The Arps are the founders and directors of Marriage Alive International and have written several books including “The Second Half of Marriage” and “10 Great Dates.” The Barnes are involved in many ministries that work with families and have written several books including: “Great Sexpectations,” “We Need to Talk” and “Rock-Solid Marriage.” The Parrotts are co-directors of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University and have written several books including “Becoming Soul Mates,” “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” and “Questions Couples Ask.”
Devotions are provided for everyday in the week and one for the weekend in the “Marriage Devotional Bible” each written by one of these couples. It can be started at any time during the year. We just happen to be starting at the beginning of January. Also each devotional takes less than 10 minutes to read including the suggested scripture it refers to.
In addition to the devotionals there are book introductions which give an overview of each book in the Bible. There are also quizzes called “Just Between You and Me” which allow for discussion between spouses.
Another feature is profiles of couples in the Bible. These offer readers points of discussion and application to improve their relationship with God and their spouse. They show both good and bad examples of married couples in the Bible.
Indexes are also included to help find certain topics from the devotions, such as communication, prayer, intimacy and finances. Other indexes included are for the “Couples in the Bible” and “Just Between You and Me” segments.
For those wishing to read through the Bible there are several plans in the back that give three different ways to do that. They include: reading the Bible for the first time, reading through the entire Bible in one year and then also in two years. Then it lists each book of the Bible and a place to check off each chapter that has been read.
Other things included in the back are weights and measures mentioned in the Bible and approximate American and metric equivalents for them. Then at the end are about 15 pages to write personal notes on.
There are many other good devotional books out there, many of which we have used in the past. This is the current one we are using beginning this week. We would love to hear from our readers about new things they are doing this year.

CA Academy of Sciences

2009-01-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

Albino alligator in the swamp display at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s newest attraction is the California Academy of Sciences in the Golden Gate Park. It opened September 27, 2008. We went for a visit last week not fully realizing the crowds we would be facing. The member’s entrance line was almost as long as the visitor’s line!
There are a lot of displays to see and things to do. If the trip is planned right everything can be seen. We arrived early and bought our tickets. Tickets can also be bought online if you are sure which day your visit will take place.
Next we found the end of the line and waited for the academy to open. After filing in we should have gotten passes for a planetarium showing. Then we should have headed for the line to walk through the rainforest. We did neither of these so we missed them entirely.
Our first stop was the swamp where there was an albino alligator, snapping turtles, snakes, frogs and salamanders. The swamp can be viewed from above and below.
Then we walked around the lower level which included: the Philippine coral reef, water planet, Northern California coast, discovery tide pool and Amazonian flooded rainforest displays can be seen. There was also a tank of alligator gars which are actually just large fish.
Level one has many interesting displays but the one we were most interested in was the Africa hall. There they have a colony of African penguins which were quite active and fun to watch. The hall also includes dioramas of other African animals. This level also includes the research lab where visitors can watch scientists at work through the windows of the laboratory.
Other displays on level one include: islands of evolution, science in action, early explorers cove, the planetarium, building green, rainforests of the world, climate change in California and the academy gardens.
The next level houses an auditorium and 3D theater. Level three is the naturalist center where reference librarians and educators are on hand to answer questions.
Last but not least is the roof. It is a living roof that has a 2.5-acre expanse of native California plants. This creates a habitat for native birds, butterflies and other local wildlife. Visitors view all this on an observation deck.
Inside there is also a couple of choices for dining: a café and a full-service restaurant. Tourists can find souvenirs to remind them of their trip in several stores throughout the complex.
For those considering a visit we suggest planning a full day for the experience. Arriving early is a must to getting a space in the parking garage and then a spot in line. They close the doors to visitors once they reach capacity and those left in line wait until sufficient numbers leave before more are let in.
More information is available at the academy’s website at www.calacademy.org.

Gift bag ideas

2008-12-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

At left is an old gift bag re-covered with new wrapping paper. A covered cereal box with lace trim is on the right.

Christmas has come and gone. Now it is time to clean up the wrapping paper and gift bags. Gift bags can usually be reused but some may look a little worn. But before throwing them out consider re-covering them to give them a second life.
Bags that are torn, wrinkled or just plain look worn out can be covered with a new piece of wrapping paper. This makes the bag ready for the next gift that you give.
We have three birthdays in our family that come within a month of Christmas. So we used birthday paper to re-cover worn out Christmas bags.
For us craft glue worked best to attach the new paper to the old bag. To determine the amount of paper needed we laid the bag on the paper to measure the height of the bag then added about four inches. We folded about two inches to the bottom of the bag and two inches to the inside top of the bag. This gave it a nice finished look.
Also if you run short of gift bags just cover cereal boxes or other boxes with wrapping paper. We first cut the flaps off the top of the cereal box. After covering the box using the same method as with the bag, we used a paper hole punch to make two holes on each side, then threaded a cord or ribbon through for the handles. We used scrap macramé cord for the one pictured with this article.
If no wrapping paper is on hand consider spray painting the box. Then glue the front of an old greeting card in the center for decoration. Rubber stamps could also be used to decorate a painted box.
Fabric is another material that can be used to cover a bag or box. To dress up a plain gift bag glue lace or other fun craft trim to the top edge. Look for ways to personalize each bag.
Always look through what you might have on hand before going out to purchase new supplies. If you do not have exactly what you want, think of alternative items that can be used instead. Be creative and come up with ways to recycle used materials and scraps leftover from past projects.
Other gift wrapping ideas we have written about in the past include: making gift boxes from facial tissue boxes, Sept. 26; sewing gift bags from the legs of used denim jeans, June 20 and a fabric drawstring bag, June 15, 2007.
Don’t forget to give a personalized card with your gift also. We wrote on homemade card ideas June 22, 2007.

Card models/P&P games

2008-12-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

Top and bottom view of paper model skateboards.

It is only one week to Christmas. If the gift shopping list is longer than the available finances we have some suggestions that may help. Free print and play games and free paper models can be found on the Internet. Both of these activities are great for children and adults. All that is required is a computer with Internet access, a printer, paper, scissors and glue.
One interesting site we visited recently is called Phil’s Creations at http://sitekreator.com/thewoodengraver61/freepapertoys.html. The skateboards in our photo today come from this website. Other models at this site include a locomotive, “blowrockets” and a “spybot.”
In the print and play game category a good resource for game reviews is the “Print & Play” podcast. It can be found on iTunes, or on the web at http://printandplay.blogspot.com/. It reviews a wide variety of mostly free games. They even include seasonal games to help with the Christmas spirit.
Another source for information is the Board Game Geek. They have a list of free print and play games at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/7351/item/117550#item117550.
We tried several of these games and have a few favorites. One is called “Cthul-B-Q.” It is a tongue-in-cheek card game about fighting monsters, taking them to your kitchen and serving them up on a platter. Each player is a cook, and they have certain cooking skill points and sanity points. The one that can cook up the most monsters without going insane wins.
Also we liked a game called “It’s All Chinese to Me.” This is a card game that has the players, who probably don’t speak Chinese, order food in Chinese, like they were in a Chinese restaurant. The one that actually get the most of what they order wins.
Another clever game is called “Pirates and Plunder.” This is a tile laying game where each player on their turn places a tile that becomes part of the game board. The tiles include ocean and island areas and can be played in a number of ways. Depending on the play, the tiles are worth various points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Some of the games are based on historical events and some are just for fun. Any family is sure to find something they like. And don’t forget the assembling. Sometimes that is as much fun as the game itself.
Our past columns on this subject can be found at the blog site listed below. They were “Card models” on July 18 and “Making Dune game” June 13.
Just a thought: “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? [Christmas] came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Dr. Seuss

Angel Ornament

2008-12-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Angel Christmas ornament made from cellophane twisted paper ribbon.

Custom made Christmas ornaments give a personal touch as apposed to those purchased at the store. Over the years we have made many ornaments. Some ornaments we made for a special occasion and some just because we wanted to try a new craft.
One quick and easy ornament is an angel made from twisted paper ribbon. It is simple and inexpensive to make. Most of the materials used can be scraps leftover from previous crafts.
Materials needed are:
19 inches of twisted paper
8 inches 1/4-inch satin ribbon
Small ribbon flower
Small piece of floral wire
1 Christmas ball about 1-inch diameter
3 inch piece gold cord
Hot glue
The twisted paper ribbon is cut into an 11-inch piece for the wings and an 8-inch piece for the body. Untwist the paper ribbon folding the piece for the wings into two loops with the ends in the middle. Use floral wire to hold the shape. Next fold the body piece in half and twist the floral wire around the ends attaching it to the wings.
Hot glue the gold cord into a circle and then glue onto the top back of the Christmas ball to make the halo. Next glue the Christmas ball head onto the top of the body where the wings are attached.
Make a bow out of the 1/4-inch satin ribbon and glue below head. Also glue the small ribbon flower in center of bow.
The twisted paper is also available in metallic and cellophane types. These can be fancier than the plain twisted paper. If going for a country look the plain paper is good. But for a glitzy look the other types might be the ones to use.
The Christmas balls we used are the ones covered with silky type thread. Glass balls or other types can also be used depending on the look you want to achieve. A piece of gold pipe cleaner can also be used in place of the gold cord for the halo.
Depending on the desired look, other ribbon and flowers can be used to put the finishing touches on the angel.
These ornaments can be used as gifts in an ornament exchange. Also a set of six would make a nice gift for a newlywed couple celebrating their first Christmas.
For children looking to make their teachers or club leaders a gift, this is an easy enough project for them. Grandmas and grandpas would appreciate receiving them also. Just one note of caution, make sure an adult supervises the use of the hot glue gun.
Handmade gifts are always more special because of the extra thought that goes into them. Be creative and make something special for the ones you hold dear. They will be reminded that you care about them.

The Happy Tree

2008-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

“The Happy Tree.”

Helping others is a way to spread good cheer. This should be our focus all year long and not just during the holidays. Several years ago we came across a craft that helps remind us of this fact.

Going through an old Nov. 1981 “Tole World” magazine we came across a little tree created to teach a simple lesson to children and adults of all ages. It is called “The Happy Tree.” It also gave the story behind the tree.

We got the idea for our “Happy Tree” from this article and created many trees to give as gifts to others hoping to spread the idea that happiness can come from helping others. The tole painting magazine tree pattern is only about 10 inches tall, cut from a one-inch thick board and sanded.

We used walnut wood cut from trees that had died in our orchard. Our trees are about 24 inches tall including the star by about 16 inches wide and 2.5 inches thick. We cut them with a chain saw and left them with a rough finish. Our trees each turned out slightly different shapes as would real trees that grow naturally. Also none of them had a “perfect” shape to them just like the tree in the story.

As the story goes this tree grew up a bit crooked and windblown. But he is not focused on looking for perfection but instead to offer his warm, loving arms as shelter to all of his forest friends. It was said that his protective boughs and smiling heart give joy to the creatures through wind, rain, heat and cold all year long.

The story continues to say that each Christmas the creatures would return his love with gifts from nature: berries and nuts for garlands, glittering snow for shine and a star from the heavens to top him off in glory.

We illustrated the story by painting the tree with garland, snow and a happy face similar to the one in the magazine. To be able to display our tree outdoors we used paint that would stand up to the weather. Then we cut a star from tin and used a nail to punch holes along the edge to give it a decorative boarder. We used a nail to attach the star to the back of the tree so it is sticking up above the top.

To hold the tree upright we cut a six-inch base from another tree branch. It is secured with nails to the bottom of the tree.

We encourage everyone to help spread good cheer all year long. Share your happiness with others. Christians can even share the lasting happiness they have with others. Show love to others as Christ loves us.

Ideas for leftovers

2008-11-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

Leaf biscuits shown with leaf cookie cutter.

This is the day after Thanksgiving. Many have lots of leftovers including turkey. Now for those searching for ideas on what to do with the turkey leftovers here is an idea.

Sandwiches are always nice but they can get tiresome after a few days. We suggest making biscuits with the recipe below to make a more interesting sandwich with that turkey.

These biscuits are cut in the shapes of leaves to go with the season. This is also a fun recipe to have the children help with.

Ingredients include:

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup oat bran or whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

11/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup canola oil

Mix all dry ingredients together and then add wet ingredients and stir until flour mixture is just moist.

On a lightly floured surface knead dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes. Roll out to one inch thick.

Cut with a 3-inch leaf-shape cookie cutter, dipped in flour between cuts.

Put biscuits onto ungreased baking sheet.

In a bowl combine 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Brush biscuit tops with butter mixture.

Bake biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are browned in a 450 degree oven. Cool on a wire rack.

With a serrated knife or sharp knife, cut biscuits in half horizontally.

Spread bottom half with two tablespoons apple butter. Top with slices of turkey and cover with top of biscuit.

The recipe makes about 10 to 12 sandwiches.

We like these best served warm but they are good cold also. Also we only have one leaf cookie cutter. If you have several different leaf shapes it is even more fun.

To go with the sandwiches we suggest making berry-ginger cider. Again the children can help put this recipe together.

This is a good recipe to use the blackberries that were picked this last summer and stored in the freezer. For those who did not get a chance to get local blackberries store bought frozen berries will work also.

Ingredients include:

12 ounces unsweetened frozen blackberries

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

8 cups apple juice

In a blender combine berries, honey and ginger. Cover and blend until pureed.

Press berries through a fine-mesh sieve; discard seeds. Add berry mix to apple juice.

Serve over ice for a cold drink or heat to serve like warm cider.

Recipe makes eight servings. It will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

For other variations red raspberries, blackberries or pomegranates can be used instead of blackberries.

Our Nov. 23, 2007 blog has more ideas for leftovers.

Please share your favorite fall recipes with us.

Party snacks

2008-11-21T08:20:00.000-08:00

Four ingredients to make crispy rice bars include: brown rice crisps cereal, brown rice syrup, natural peanut butter and salt.

The season has come to jump into the kitchen and cook up some holiday goodies. When going to a holiday gathering it is nice to take a snack along to share.

We came across a new recipe for crispy rice bars and they do not even have marshmallows in them. With a few changes to the ingredient amounts, we found it simple and fast to make. And it makes a great snack to share.

To make measuring ingredients easier we increased the amount of the brown rice syrup to use the whole jar. Also we use the whole box of brown rice cereal. This not only saves time measuring ingredients, but there is less items to clean up with less measuring cups used.

The ingredients are not hard to find either. We found the syrup and cereal in the health food section at Raley’s.

Ingredients include:

One 1 pound 5 ounce jar of brown rice syrup

One 10 ounce box brown rice crisps cereal

3/4 cup natural peanut, soy nut or almond butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small sauce pan heat brown rice syrup and salt on low to medium heat until liquefied. Add peanut butter and cook, stirring until heated through but not boiling. About five minutes.

Pour cereal into a large bowl. With a spatula stir peanut butter mixture into the cereal.

Spray a 9 by 13 pan with cooking oil. Press crispy rice mix into pan and let cool one hour.

Cut into 24 bars.

This recipe uses no sugar and is gluten free. Also soy nut butter or almond butter can be used in place of peanut butter for those who cannot eat peanuts.

Optional ingredients can be added such as chopped walnuts or other nuts, carob or chocolate chips, dried fruit bits or small candy pieces. Use 2/3 cup of one option and add when mixing cereal with peanut butter mix.

Last year in our Nov. 9, 2007 blog on party pleasers we listed two recipes we take to many functions. They are no-bake balls and peanut butter balls. These are also no sugar and gluten free recipes. They are both easy to make and no baking is required for either recipe.

Things we look for when trying a recipe are healthy, fast and easy. Healthy because we care about what we put into our bodies. Fast and easy is important because we do not have time for complicated recipes.

When planning a holiday get-together try to include someone who has no family of their own to share the holidays with. It will make the day brighter for them as well as for you.

Fall arrangements

2008-11-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

Fall flower arrangements.

Elegant decorations can be quick, easy and simple. That is what we like best. And that is just what we came up with.

While searching the Internet for fresh fall decorating ideas we came across a cute idea at http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cubeproject.html. It was close to what we were looking for but with a contemporary look. It was three Gerbera daisies set individually in three square blocks covered with black and white patterned paper. The above link has directions to make the design they show.

Then we found a similar project at http://craft.dow.com/proj/11118.htm. This one was not fall colors but used moss to cover the tops of the cubes. Their flowers and cubes were also smaller in size.

We wanted something with more of a country style. After thinking about what possible changes we could make an idea formed that resulted in our final design shown.

Our final design used three Gerbera daisies and three large sunflowers, each held up in a chunk of limb wood.

The chunks of limb wood we had from trimmings off of several Sycamore trees in our yard. We cut each piece to have a flat bottom and a slanted top. Then we drilled a single hole in the center of each slanted cut. One larger piece had two slanted cuts on at either end. This one we drilled one hole in the center of each diagonal cut.

Then we placed a single flower stem in each hole and arranged the limb pieces to make our final design.

This grouping is about 30 inches tall and about 16 inches wide at the base. The pieces can also be placed in different arrangements depending on the space to be decorated.

The limb pieces could be arranged in a single line to decorate a mantle or placed down the center of a buffet table. A length of ivy garland could wind in between the limb pieces to dress up the look.

A single limb piece with a flower could be used alone to decorate the corner of a desk or possibly an end table. Raffia could be used to tie a bow around the stem to give it a little more balance.

For more decorating ideas try multiple vases with flowers like our spring arrangement in our Feb. 29 blog. Use fall flowers and fall leaves in place of the spring flowers and ivy. Colored sand can be used in the vases with silk flowers. Our fall vase arrangement is shown above.

Never be afraid to try a new idea. Also try adding a few personal touches. If the results are not something you like try a few more changes until it fits your own personal style.

Next take a picture of your results and share it with us. We love it when readers share their ideas.

Christmas beliefs

2008-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

“The Judge Who Stole Christmas” by Randy Singer.

Christmas is just around the corner. Some people are dreading it and some can not wait. Some think it is too early to think about Christmas. Others have been thinking about it for months.

Controversies arise each year as to whether or not religious decorations should be allowed or banned. Which songs and greetings are offensive and to whom. Retailers go with what sells the most merchandise. Activists pro and con make headlines.

We recently read a book that is a fictional story but it brings in some of these issues. It is titled “The Judge Who Stole Christmas” by Randy Singer.

The story begins in the sleepy town of Possum, Virginia where a husband and wife play the parts of Joseph and Mary in a live nativity scene. The husband, Thomas Hammond, ends up in jail for refusing to abide by a court order to shut down the nativity scene. The battle escalates into a national media spectacle. In the middle of it all is a law student, Jasmine Woodfaulk, who is assigned to represent Thomas as a part of her school’s legal-aid clinic.

The story is full of characters out to use the situation for their own agendas. Other characters are forced to think about their own personal beliefs and how they want to express them. They also face what it will cost them personally to share their beliefs as well as live them.

The ending is surprising and not predictable. The author’s intent is to provoke the reader to explore what the real reason for the season is. He also wants the reader to think about appropriate ways for individuals to express and celebrate their beliefs.

An in-your-face, I’m right and you’re wrong approach usually is not effective. Not speaking out or expressing personal belief is not right either.

Now is the time to think about how to share personal beliefs about Christmas in a manner that is thought provoking. Not confrontational but welcoming and inviting. Those who want to listen will. Those who do not will at least know where you stand and hopefully respect you for it.

Our personal belief is Jesus is the reason for the season. Celebrating Jesus’ birth at this time is the focus for us. Helping others in need is our way of honoring Jesus at this time of year. We also spend time with family and friends during the season.

What do you focus on at Christmas? How do you express your beliefs? How will you celebrate Christmas? We will share in and welcome any discussion on this topic with those interested. We will not argue but respect the beliefs of others who differ from us.

We challenge everyone to read the book and let us know your thoughts.

Walnuts to market

2008-10-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

Craig Love is emptying the nut cart onto an elevator that loads the walnuts into a large trailer. The nuts are then taken to the huller and dryer.

Most of the walnuts are picked up and out of the field but we have people asking what happens to them after that. Here is the rest of the story.

The trucks loaded with walnuts are taken to a huller to be cleaned and dried. The huller is a large assemblage of machinery. The walnuts are unloaded from the bottom of the truck into a pit set in the ground.

From there a conveyer belt moves them up out of the pit and through a water bath. Next they go through a series of rotating cages and brushes where any remaining pieces of hull are removed from the nuts. Leaves and other debris are also removed.

Then they are passed through a device called an air leg. The air leg uses suction to remove empty and shriveled nuts putting them in the throw-away bin. The suction of the air leg must be adjusted for each batch of nuts processed. Different varieties and even similar nuts harvested under different conditions vary in weight.

After the air leg, the nuts are usually run through an electronic color sorter. This device can detect changes in color of the nuts and can kick off stained or blemished ones.

The next step is the sorting table. This is made up of a conveyer belt moving at about counter height. Workers stand on both sides picking out any bad nuts that may still be present. After the sorting table, many hullers use another air leg to further refine the batch of nuts.

Next they are put in bins with warm air blowing through them to dry the nuts. Most hullers have electronic sensing moisture meters that allow them to get the desired amount of dryness. In the past, nuts were usually over-dried, which is fine for the nuts but causes the grower to loose tonnage.

After they are dry, the nuts are again loaded into a truck for shipment to the packer. On the way the nuts are usually run through one to two additional air legs to remove light and small nuts. These are placed in a separate bin. They have found this helps the growers get a slightly better grading of their nuts at the packer. The bins of removed nuts are sent in to the packer separately.

When the truck arrives at the packer, it is first weighed and a sample of the walnuts is taken. The sample is examined for quality, with each nut being checked for size and appearance. Each nut is then cracked and the kernel is then checked for color and quality.

The results of the grading, plus the total weight of that delivery, are recorded onto a grade sheet. Months later, after the market price for walnuts is determined, the grower is paid according to the information on the grade sheet.

The packer then processes and packages the nuts for shipment all over the world. And that is the rest of the story.

Walnut harvest 3

2008-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

A 1979 Ramacher pickup machine operated by Charlene Love.

Walnut harvest for us is winding down. We are almost done with the first time through the orchard. Our children even came to help out a couple of days. Extra help is always nice.

Last week we wrote about sweeping walnuts into rows. After that we go over the rows with the stick picker described in our Sept. 28, 2007 blog.

Then the walnuts are finally ready to be picked up. This is done with a pickup machine.

There are two main styles of pickup machines. One is pulled by a tractor that also provides power to the pickup machine. The other is self-propelled, having its own engine. Both types are still made today.

The choice to purchase one or the other depends on mostly how much money a buyer wants to spend, as well as their particular farming conditions.

Before there were pickup machines, walnuts had to be picked up by hand. That was a backbreaking job that required huge amounts of labor for even a small acreage. Mechanical harvesting was an obvious need. The first pickup machines began to be constructed in the late 1950s.

One of our relatives had a very early pickup machine. It was built on a large frame, had six wheels and two small one-cylinder engines. Everything was powered with long vee-belts and pulleys. It would creep down a row getting about one hour between breakdowns. But it did pick up walnuts and that was a major feat for the day.

Today, pickup machines are more powerful and reliable. Most of them come equipped with diesel engines. Some even come with enclosed cabs for the operator. They are efficient at picking up the nuts and separating them from leaves and other debris.

The walnuts drop into a nut cart that is pulled behind the pickup machine as it goes down the rows. When the cart is full, it is changed out for an empty one and the pickup machine can then continue on down the row. The full cart is taken to a truck trailer and loaded onto it with a field elevator.

Many larger farms now use the bank-out type of pickup machine. In that case, the picked up nuts are stored in a permanently attached bin. When the bin is full, a transfer truck pulls up behind the pickup machine and a conveyer belt loads the stored nuts into the transfer truck. All this is done without stopping the pickup machine. The transfer truck then drives to the field elevator, loads the nuts into a truck trailer and then drives back to the pickup machine for another load.

Our pickup machine was manufactured in 1979 by the Ramacher Company, now located in Chico. It is self-propelled with a gas engine. We usually have to harvest our orchard at least twice each season, so this is a good machine for us.

Walnut harvest 2

2008-10-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

Nuts are being blow and swept with a 1983 Weis McNair sweeper operated by Suzanne Love.

Last week we talked about the first step in walnut harvest, which is shaking the trees. Next the nuts are swept into rows down the center of the tree rows to prepare for harvesting. The machine that does that is called a sweeper.

There is quite a variety of sweepers available today. Most new ones are diesel powered, self-propelled units with an air conditioned cab. A cab is nice as sweeping walnuts is a dirty job.

Sweepers can also be installed on tractors. The tractor-mounted sweeper has some advantages in that it is less expensive to purchase, as it has no engine. The drawback is that it ties up a tractor and has to be taken on and off each harvest season.

The first real sweepers were small walk-behind machines with a lawnmower engine for power. It produced a narrow sweep of four feet or less. Sweepers today commonly have sweep widths of eight feet or more. The actual sweep is accomplished by either a rotating rubber flight or a reel arrangement. They are actually much like a hay rake, only smaller.

It became apparent early on that a sweeper going around trees leaves a lot of nuts that must be hand raked. And while the original sweepers did not have them, all sweepers today have air blowers to blow the walnuts out of the tree row. As sweeper engines have gotten more powerful over the years, the blowers have also become larger.

In addition to the sweeper, or perhaps because of it, a second key ingredient in getting a good sweeper job is the condition of the surface of the ground. Ground that is flat, level and weed-free is a breeze to sweep and there will hardly be one lost nut. Sweeping in grass and uneven ground is a challenge and even the best of the new sweepers will leave little piles of nuts in all the ruts and holes.

Our sweeper was manufactured in 1983 by the Weis McNair Company of Chico. It has a four-cylinder air-cooled gas engine and makes a seven-foot wide sweep. Unfortunately, it does not have an air-conditioned cab so the operator gets very dirty. The engine has also been overhauled at least twice.

We have a spare sweeper to use in case of a breakdown with the Weis. It is an older, smaller sweeper but can get the job done.

Once the nuts are rowed up we run a stick picker through the rows to get the bigger sticks out that came down when the trees were shook. Our Sept. 28, 2007 blog on Walnut harvest talked about the stick picker.

Walnut harvest 1

2008-10-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

A 1979 OMC Shaker operated by Craig Love.

Walnut harvest has begun. In some orchards they started more than a week ago but our first day was Monday.

The first thing to do is to shake the trees. When driving by an orchard soon to be harvested, it certainly looks like a lot of nuts on the ground. Even so, it is still necessary to shake all the trees in order to get most of the nuts.

In the past, say before 1950, most walnut trees were shook by hand. Workers would swat the branches with long bamboo poles. Other workers would climb the trees and attempt to bounce up and down on the limbs to get the nuts to come down.

In those days the orchards were generally smaller, with blocks of different varieties taking up only five or ten acres. Labor was cheap in then, which was a good thing because it took a lot of workers to shake an orchard.

The first mechanical shakers were contraptions that attached to the back of a tractor. They had a long arm (15 or 20 feet) with a hook that would catch a large branch. The power was engaged and the arm rapidly pulled back and forth against the branch, thus shaking down the walnuts.

It actually shook the trees fairly well, if the branches were not too large. But it was time-consuming to have to reposition the tractor for each branch and the hook could do a lot of damage to the branches if not handled just right. Plus, a team of workers were needed to rake the nuts out of the way so the tractor could move without running over them.

About 1965 or so the first self-propelled hydraulic shakers were produced. These were a great improvement over the older systems. They were built on pickup chassis modified to hold the shaker apparatus. They were driven right up to the tree and the limbs were grabbed with a hydraulically-operated clamp.

The shaking was done with a hydraulic motor which moved rotating weights via a long belt. The wheels had rotating sweepers to keep from running over nuts. The first ones were not too effective, but the idea has been continually improved upon since.

The shakers of today bear some similarity to the older ones but are greatly improved. The most striking difference is that the newer shaker models are on three wheels instead of four. This gives them greatly improved maneuverability. And, because labor costs today are so much higher than in the past and technology is comparatively much cheaper than it used to be, every effort is made to automate and reduce labor requirements.

The cabs are air-conditioned and sound insulated with complete stereo systems. The shaker pads are self-lubricating and water cooled so that the operator does not have to get out and grease and change them every 20 minutes or so. It is said that one of the newer air-conditioned shakers is as effective as two of the old ones. There are new models of shakers out now, one of which is called “The Bullet,” that can shake five to seven trees a minute!

Our shaker is a 1979 model, built by OMC Corporation. It has the three-wheel stance instead of the older four-wheel types, and is fully hydraulic. It does not have an air conditioned cab, however, which at least is one less thing to have to repair.

The operator is separated from the engine only by a piece of 3/4-inch plywood. This makes this machine rather loud and hot to run. It has a hydraulic system for the shaking which also runs an older style of wheel sweeps. This shaker works out well for our trees, which are older and very large.

It takes a large farming operation to be able to afford and utilize a new shaker. We can take a little extra time and still be able to use our older shaker.

We will share more about the process of walnut harvest next time.

Adoption

2008-10-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Pictured are some of the brochures available with adoption information.

Adoption for some brings good memories and for others it brings bad memories. Today adoption is handled much differently than in the past. It is a unique experience for each individual birth parent and adoptive family.

There are more choices available along with help to make those choices. Bethany Christian Service is one place that offers that kind of help. We recently learned that they have a new office in Redding.

Bethany Christian Services is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan with locations throughout our nation. Their services are available to birth parents before, during and after delivery and placement. The counseling is free of charge and free from pressure.

Counselors help birth parents explore the options available to them. The move today is toward openness for those who choose adoption. This is where the birth parent and adoptive family stay in contact in some form. It could be from letters and pictures to direct contact either by telephone, e-mail or letter. It could also involve face to face visits.

The birth parents can have the joy of knowing they chose a quality life for their child. They will be able to choose the adoptive family. Also they can also know their child is growing and developing as they continue some form of contact.

The counselors are there to answer all questions as the birth parents explore what is right for them. They help them make a plan they can live with long term. The agency also handles all the legal details and there is no cost to the birth parents.

Birth parents can also meet with others who have chosen adoption for their child. They can ask questions and listen to their experiences. Families that have adopted a child are also available for them to meet with and to answer questions about how they see the process.

If the birth mother is in need of housing during pregnancy there is a home for them to live at. There is one of these homes located in Northern California.

The services provided there are all free and include: counseling, childbirth classes and labor support, referrals for community and education programs, arrangements for prenatal care, assistance in obtaining Medi-Cal coverage, clothing and personal hygiene products, bus passes or transportation assistance.

They can accommodate up to six residents at a time. There is a laundry room and supplies are provided. A telephone is available for local calls. Phone cards are required for long distance calls. They also serve healthy and nutritious foods.

Spiritual needs are also addressed. The ministry is operated and funded by local churches and individuals. Residents and staff attend weekly worship services. If a resident is of a different faith, she is welcome to attend a service of her choice. An in-home Bible study is also available.

Always be informed and make a choice that can be lived with long term.

Brochures that help answer question for birth parents are available at Care Net Pregnancy Center, 127 Main Street, Red Bluff, CA. Their phone number is 530-528-8112. Walk-ins are welcome for free pregnancy tests as well as information on all options available to pregnant women. Appointments are also available.

The Bethany Christian Services local office is at 966 Maraglia Street, Redding, CA. Their phone number is 530-224-7700. Appointments usually can be arranged as early as the day a client calls or the following day at the latest.

Gift boxes

2008-09-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Gift box made from facial tissue box covered with twisted paper ribbon and lined with fabric.

Customizing a gift box to go with a special gift is like giving two gifts in one. It tells the recipient that they are extra special. They are important.

One gift box we like to make is using a facial tissue box. We cover it with twisted paper ribbon and line it with fabric. Any size tissue box can be used but the larger ones are what we use most.

We started making these for fundraisers to raise money for charity groups back in the 1990s. Since then we have made many to add a personal touch to gifts we give. Another version we have seen were done around a paper grocery bag. Also the top can be left off and a handle added.

Here is a list of materials used to make the gift box pictured with this article.

Two boxes the same size plus one extra bottom.

Ten yards of twisted paper ribbon.

About one half yard fabric for the lining.

One yard gathered lace to go around the lid.

One and a half yards of quarter-inch wide ribbon to go around inside edges.

Also a variety of ribbons, silk flowers or other ordainments are used in decorating the box top.

Hot glue gun or craft glue is used to assemble the box.

To cut the right lengths of twisted paper ribbon hold one end and wrap it around the box. First go around all four sides. Cut three to this length. Next go from front top edge, around the bottom and up to the back top edge and add one inch. Cut six this length. Then go from left top side edge, around the bottom and up to the top right plus one inch. Cut three this length.

For the lid cut three that measure the long way plus one inch. Then cut six for the short way plus one inch. The plus one inch is so there is a half inch on each side to fold under. Untwist all cut pieces.

Cut the top off the first box and discard. Weave the paper ribbon pieces starting at the bottom. Then weave in the sides. Glue edges of ribbon over the top edge of the box.

Weave the lid pieces and glue edges to the underside. Glue gathered lace trim just under the edges.

Cut apart the sides, bottom and top of the second box. Discard the top. From a third box cut off the bottom and discard the rest. These pieces are used to line the box and make the lid.

Set aside one bottom to make the top of the lid. The rest of the pieces are laid on the fabric. Cut one piece of fabric for each piece with about one-inch seams on all sides. Wrap the seams to the back of the pieces and glue in place.

Cut one more piece of fabric to lie on the inside bottom of the box and add one inch to each side so the edges will go up the sides when placed in the box. Notch corners of fabric to ease fitting. After bottom piece is placed glue the sides in.

Glue the covered box bottom to the bottom of the lid. Cut a hinge from fabric and sandwich between top and lining and box back and lining.

Decorate the top with ribbons, silk flowers or other desired trims. Finish off inside edges with ribbon if desired.

Every box we make is different. There is no right way or wrong way to decorate a box. We hope this sparks some ideas for many gift boxes to come.

Marriage takes three

2008-09-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Framed copy of “Marriage Takes Three” poem by Perry Tanksley.

Love will keep us together. We will live happily every after. Nothing will separate us. We are soul mates.

These are phrases we hear couples who are about to get married say all the time. So how come over half of marriages end in divorce? Even Christian marriages fair no better.

Christians have a better than average chance at making marriage work. That is if they remember that marriage takes three. This means to let God be a part of their marriage.

There is a poem written by Perry Tanksley titled “Marriage Takes Three,” that says it all. A framed copy was given to us as a gift when we were married. It states:

I once thought marriage took
Just two to make a go.
But now I am convinced
It takes the Lord also.

And not one marriage fails
Where Christ is asked to enter.
As lovers come together
With Jesus at the center.

But marriage seldom thrives
And homes are incomplete
Till He is welcomed there
To help avert defeat.

In homes where Christ is first
It's obvious to see,
Those unions really work,
For marriage still takes Three.

Also, if we remember to love our spouse as God loves us things would go a lot smoother. We would never be too old to hold hands and would never go to sleep angry. When things get tough we would stand firm and face the world together with God’s help.

Our circle of love would include our whole family. We would remember to speak words of appreciation and demonstrate gratitude in thoughtful ways. Best of all we would have the capacity to forgive and forget.

The question would not be did we marry the right person. It would be are we being the right partner.

In the business of life we forget to share our marriage with God. Asking for his guidance and help is a key part of having a strong marriage. There is a simple way to pray together. It includes just two steps and takes longer to explain than to do.

The first thing is to thank God for one thing that you value in your spouse. Some examples are: that they are a good cook, good provider, good with the children or even that they have forgiven you something.

Second ask God for something for your spouse. Examples of this are: to help them have a good day at work, for wisdom in dealing with coworkers, energy to keep up with the children or for good health.

Keeping prayer time with your spouse to these two things avoids many pitfalls. Some partners tend to preach to their spouse while praying. This is a big no no. It is God’s place to work on our spouse’s faults, not ours. Also, if we are listening to God, He will help us focus on and work on our own faults.

Our prayer as a couple to God is: thank you God for helping us through 28 plus years of marriage and please help us be a good example to others who want to have a great marriage.

Building a computer

2008-09-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

Inside of custom built computer.

Build our own computer? Are people really allowed to do that? Yes and as a matter of fact building our own computer was an enjoyable way to get a good system at a reasonable price. In truth, there are a lot of ways to get a computer these days. A good computer can be purchased at just about any large retailer, computer shop or online. And the prices we pay keep going down. The same cannot be said for very many things these days. So why did we go to all the trouble to build our own machine?

We found that by building it ourselves, we were in complete control of exactly what components were used. Often mass-produced computers use the cheapest parts they can get. They may have a highly recognizable name, but inside they are usually the lowest common denominator. In building our own we bought parts specific to our needs and could shop for the best bargains on each part.

For instance, if more video processing is needed, such as for video editing or gaming, a more powerful video card can be purchased. Most low cost computers are going to perform average at most things. We found that the end result in building our own was a computer with the performance of a much more expensive model at the price of a low end one.

To start we researched the various types of computer parts available and decide what kind of computer we wanted. Our decision was to make one that had good video processing power, as well as a fast Central Processing Unit speed. There is a huge array of computer parts available, mostly from online retailers.

One of the better sources for information that non-engineers can understand is a web page called My Super PC. It is located at http://www.mysuperpc.com. It is written by a person who has built several computers and has extensive information about various components, prices and the best place to purchase them.

Next we went online to purchase our parts from a well-known retailer. They arrived in about a week well packaged in a huge amount of foam peanuts. Nothing was damaged, so we could begin the fun part – assembly. The first thing to do is to read the enclosed information cards and manuals for the various parts, especially the motherboard. They provide step-by-step directions for putting everything together. It does not require a computer programmer or engineer to do this.

Everything is laid out in the directions and most things just plug together. The one thing that can easily mess up an otherwise good computer assembly is static electricity. Such discharges can run many hundreds of volts and can instantly fry sensitive computer parts such as the motherboard and memory sticks. An anti-static wrist band that connects to the computer frame is a must. They can be purchased at most electronic parts stores.

After assembling the parts and making all the connections, it was time for the first power up. It is always exciting to see what was at first just a disorganized assortment of parts come to life and do something. We then loaded the Operating System. For that we selected Windows XP, which is not the latest but has proven to be a good and stable OS. Next we loaded all the “drivers” necessary for the various hardware components, such as the video card, CD drive, etc. A driver is a small program that the computer runs in order for it to know how to interact with the different parts. There can be quite a few of them, but they are all included on the component manufacturer’s disks.

That is all there is to it! We are now enjoying our custom built computer that does just what we want it to.

The lawn obsession

2008-09-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

“The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession” written by Virginia Scott Jenkins.

Many American people are obsessed with their lawns. Homeowners spend billions of dollars not to mention countless hours and energy on their lawns every year. Some so much so that they have riding mowers that they drive back and forth across acres of front lawn.

Author Virginia Scott Jenkins was so curious about these facts that she researched the history of the obsession with lawns and then wrote a book about it titled “The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession.” In her research she went back to before people had lawns. She also found the definition of a lawn has changed over the past 400 years.

In the 16thcentury the term “lawn” was used to describe an open space or glade in the woods. By the 17th century it was used to refer to a stretch of untilled ground covered with grass. Then in the 18th century it came to mean a portion of a garden covered with grass and kept closely mown.

In the United States in the 1950s “lawn” was redefined as land covered with grass kept closely mown, especially in front of or around a house. Grassy yards today are so familiar and common that many Americans find it difficult to imagine an alternative residential landscape without them. Our yard is an exception to this as we have geese and they ate every blade of grass there was.

The book is divided into two parts. The first is that Americans have adopted the front-lawn aesthetic. The second is on the democratization of the lawn.

In her research Jenkins found that before the Civil War very few Americans had lawns at all. Houses in town were built close to the street with perhaps a small fenced garden. Farm houses had tended to be surrounded by pasture, fields, gardens or just bare ground. Many old paintings or woodcuts produced during that era do in fact illustrate that houses had no lawn.

Domestic front lawns are unique to the United States. People in other countries have only read about lawns in books or seen them when they visit the United States. The closest comparison is in Europe where a lawn may be an element of a formal garden behind the house or in a walled garden.

Jenkins book has a section with pictures, most of which are of advertisements for lawnmowers. The earliest advertisements showed young women pushing the lawnmowers in the hopes they would appeal to male customers. Other advertisement posters were for grass seed, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Mother Nature was not mentioned.

The first lawn mower was patented in 1869. The industry grew to be a multibillion-dollar venture serving homeowners from coast to coast. Lawns are used to beautify everything from graveyards and factories to highways and parks all the way to the White House.

Today some changes are being made in part due to the amount of water needed to maintain a lawn. Another consideration is more privacy is desired and so more fences are going up making lawn areas less accessible to the general public.

The conclusion seems to be that it is yet to be seen if lawns will become a thing of the past. Either way it is interesting to read about the growth of the idea of a lawn to the industry that makes millions from the effort to maintain them.

California waterways

2008-08-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Model of a typical stage station, used to monitor river water levels and provide warning of floods.

This last weekend we went to the California State Fair in Sacramento. We were able to see many of the displays and vendor areas, as well as sample some of the famous and expensive fair food items.

One display that caught our attention was regarding the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It was very informative and included a number of excellent visual demonstrations. There were also a number of brochures outlining facts about the delta. It seems that the delta these days is being faced with a number of challenges.

The delta as it exists today is controlled by a system of manmade levees, many of which are over 100 years old. They started out as a way to manage flooding of farmlands and houses. Since 1914 they have been regulated by the State Reclamation Board.

Today they also exist to control drinking water for 25 million people, support California’s trillion dollar economy and $27 billion agricultural industry. Wildlife that now depends on the delta include: 52 mammals, 22 reptiles and amphibian species, 225 birds and 5 species of fish. It is also home to 260 invasive species of plants and animals.

Recreation is another thing it is used for by over 12 million visitors annually. There are 290 shoreline recreational areas, 300 marinas and about 500,000 boaters. Sport fishing is also a big concern.

The two main rivers that feed the delta are the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. There are a number of lesser rivers supplementing this flow such as the Mokelumne, Cosumnes and Calaveras Rivers.

Over the last several years the Sierra snowpack has been below normal which allows for less runoff than normal during the summer. That runoff ideally is what keeps the river levels constant and thus keeps saltwater out of the delta.

Also, at the same time, many of the levees that surround the delta islands are getting older, some of which are in a state of decline. Levee breaks can be disasters of the first order, inundating homes and farms but also diverting some river water which in turn allows the salt water to move up into the delta.

There is a lot of controversy these days over what to do about the delta. The state assembly is constantly addressing legislation regarding the delta. Maintaining the delta is an expensive proposition and must rely on cooperation from much of the surrounding areas, mainly those areas the rivers flow from.

One brochure in their fact list stated: “Delta waterways are the single most important geographic feature of the State’s water resource system.” Maybe they should think again and state that it is one part of many in the state that is important to the State’s water resource system. Partnering with the other areas of the state instead of saying they are the single most important feature might get them further down the road to a workable solution.

Things like building more dams and other ways to control and maintain constant water flow may need to become a reality. These items need serious consideration and action if long term solutions are to be reached.

Trying to highlight the delta as the single most important water feature in the state is a mistake. But we have seldom seen any government project have long term success. At least we can not think of any recent ones.

Coincidently an article headlined “Local water leaders get look at DeltaVision” was on the Enterprise-Record website Tuesday, August 26, which addresses similar issues. We think it is worth reading. Maybe the Daily New will consider running this article if it hasn’t already.

Neighbor helping neighbor

2008-08-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

Name brand baby clothes in near new condition purchased in thrift store.

Does your neighbor need help? Who is your neighbor? These are questions many try to avoid so they do not have to deal with the problems of other people.

We consider our neighbors to be anyone we know that has a need. If we can not help them directly we try to find someone who can. There are many volunteer organizations in our county that offer much of that type of help. It does however take the contributions of many locals to make that help possible.

Contributions can be given in several different forms. Money is always a welcome one but not one everyone is able to contribute. Several other types are services which require the gift of time and the gifts of donated items which may be new or used but still in good shape.

Volunteer organizations generally have the ability to reach out to a greater number of those in need than an individual does. They have the knowledge and experience it takes to find out how best to help those in need. Many organizations also help those in need by teaching them how to better help themselves.

One such place locally is the Care Net Pregnancy Center located on Main Street in Red Bluff. Most of their clients initially come in for pregnancy tests which are offered free. But their services do not stop there.

For the clients who want to keep their baby but find it difficult to deal with the added expenses a baby brings, the clinic has a store of baby items from clothes and baby furniture to diapers and wipes. These are all donated items the people within the community donate.

No item in the store is sold for money but for points earned by the clients. There program is called “Earn While You Learn.” The clients choose from a list of topics they would like to learn more about such as nutrition, the stages of pregnancy, how to care for a baby, Bible studies that deal with spiritual issues, learning about the effects of alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, handling finances and more.

After a client decides what topics they want to learn about appointments are set up on a regular basis for those studies. Points are received for each study they complete. The points are then what they spend in the store for items needed for their baby.

Individuals who donate items for the store are in turn helping their neighbors. Perhaps not the neighbor on the other side of the fence from them, but maybe one that is down the street or across town. Not only is the donated items an immediate help but the information in the education provides long term help.

Donated items given to the store need to be clean, stain free and in good repair.

We recently went thrift store shopping, which happens to be one of our favorite hobbies. While shopping, we found several cute, barely used baby boy outfits that were on sale for pennies on the dollar. They ranged from about .95 cents for the one piece outfits to $1.75 for a name brand shirt and overall set. We had fun and were able to help someone out all at the same time.

More information on Care Net services or needs is available at 528-8102.

Margin for overloaded lives

2008-08-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

"Margin" by Dr. Richard A. Swenson

Life today is hectic – ask anyone. There is hardly enough time to catch our breath before having to move to the next thing. Even though we live in Red Bluff, which is described by some as a “nice little town,” everyone is busy. There is no time to step back and think. Many feel overloaded.

To help remedy that, we read a book called “Margin,” by Dr. Richard A. Swenson. Swenson is an internationally known lecturer and author of six books. He is a medical doctor, practicing and teaching in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Pick up any printed book or newspaper and notice the white area around the edge of the pages. That is the margin. The reason the publishers do not print on the page edge to edge and top to bottom is that it makes it very difficult to read. They could get a lot more in, but nobody would want to read it. A certain amount of unused space is necessary. Life is like that too. We cannot live our lives successfully if there is no buffer, no gap or a place to recharge. The space between what we must do and all we possibly could do is our margin. The idea behind this book is to understand why margin is important, how we lost it and how to get it back.

The book is divided into three parts, the first of which discusses the problem of pain. Swenson is not talking about physical pain, although that may be present. He is primarily focusing on the pain of life – such as the pain of progress, of stress, of problems. Who is not “stressed out” these days? Who does not sometimes wish that the progress made in the last 25 years or so could be rolled back? As useful as some of the new electronic gadgets and other things can be, everything has a down side and that is what causes us the pain.

The second part of the book is titled “The Prescription: Margin.” In this section margin is discussed and applied to various life situations. According to Swenson, margin is what we have left over after we take care of all of our obligations and commitments. It is what we have in reserve. It is what we can draw on to deal with the things life throws at us.

We need margin in all areas of life in order to live without pressure. There is of course a need for margin in our time. We cannot schedule every minute of the day and still feel focused and productive. But we also need some margin in our finances, our physical and emotional energy.

Finances are a major contributor to pressure and stress for individuals and families. It is well known that most marriage problems are at some point related to finances. Not everyone can be “financially independent,” but we can all reduce our debt, put off purchases until we can pay cash, save and give some.

The third part of the book talks about what the future will look like if we make and keep some margin in our lives. Various areas of health are pointed out; health through contentment, simplicity, balance and rest. Who does not want that?

The point the author makes is that we cannot have these things if we keep living our lives the way we always have, or the way our society tells us to live. We have to make some changes. And for most of us, that usually means getting rid of something.

Maybe we should work less hours, be involved in one less social activity so we can spend more time at home loving our children. It may require moving to a less expensive home, driving a cheaper car or even turning down a promotion at work that requires a lot of overtime. But as difficult as those choices may be, not making them may in fact be even more harmful.

This book is a great read. But for those who are not readers just applying the principles outlined above is a good start on a more satisfying life.

Walnut-oatmeal burgers

2008-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Easy to make walnut oatmeal burgers make a great tasting meal.

Walnuts and oatmeal are two main ingredients used to make meatless burgers in a new recipe we tried recently. Many readers are now rolling their eyes and moving on to another article but we say these burgers are worth trying. They taste very good and are easy to make.

We came across the recipe for these burgers in the “Southern Living 1996 Annual Recipes” book. The first time we tried it we stuck to the ingredients as listed. It was good but we decided to customize it with a few more seasonings. They remind us of meatloaf.

Here is our version of the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons water

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, uncooked

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

1/2 cup water

Combine the eggs and three tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with a fork. Add oats and next seven ingredients. Shape mixture into four patties. Note: the salt can be reduced or left out for those on restricted diets.

Pour oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high until hot. Add patties and cook three minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Add half cup water and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until water evaporates.

Burgers can be served on buns with all the regular fixings one would use for regular burgers. Another option is to serve them `with noodles or mashed potatoes and a favorite vegetable or salad.

Our suggestion for desert is a peach-blackberry crisp. These are two fruits that are in season now and make a good combination. Below is one recipe we use.

In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish layer the peaches and blackberries with about three tablespoons of minute tapioca and two teaspoons of cinnamon mixed in. Use enough fruit to fill the dish about two-thirds full.

For the topping mix the following ingredients:

1 cup granola

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup margarine

Spread topping mixture over the fruit layer. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.

We shared our recipe for homemade granola in our June 29, 2007 blog. Also a two-serving fruit crisp recipe we use was in our July 20, 2007 blog. Both are posted on this site.

Making healthy food choices does not have to be difficult or lack taste. The above recipes are not only healthy choices but are easy to make and taste great also. It does take a little planning to purpose to eat healthy but once the habit is formed it is easy to stick with the change. We encourage everyone to give it a try one recipe at a time.

Taking digital photos

2008-08-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

A close up of a wild iris on the Northern California coast.

About a year and a half ago we got a digital camera to use for taking pictures for this column. It has worked out great, but we found that it did take some planning and a little information for us to get good pictures. A lot of the general picture-taking concepts are similar to a regular film camera, but there are some advantages to using a digital camera that film does not have.

Now before anyone wants to make the point that the pictures that appear in the Daily News are fuzzy and hard to make out we want to point out that the pictures themselves did not start out that way. The quality of photographs goes down in the process of printing these days. For those who want to see a more accurate view of our pictures they are posted on the blog site listed below.

Picture taking is usually broken down into several subgroups, depending on the type of pictures being taken. Landscape photos are probably the most common type. These are usually taken on vacations and trips to other areas. A little composition of the picture goes a long way. It’s best to try to frame the picture at least partially with a tree or building on one side. Also, positioning the main subject of the picture off center a little is a nice effect.

The camera will usually not be able to set itself correctly on automatic for nighttime shots. Most digital cameras allow manual adjustments for shutter speed and aperture. For instance, we recently took some pictures of the moon using manual settings. Because the moon is fairly bright, we used 1/100 second shutter speed, f 8.8 for the aperture and zoomed in as much as possible. Most night pictures require long shutter speeds, so a tripod is a must.

Another type of picture often taken are portrait pictures, whether it is one person or of a group. First, it’s important to get in close. It may be helpful to turn the camera vertical in order to zoom in more and still get a full-length picture of a person. If a full-length photo is not necessary take the shot from the waist up. One thing that we always try to avoid, however, is the dreaded cut-off-head effect.

The advantage of digital cameras is the screen on the back. Using the screen it is easy to review how the pictures look. That way one can tell if another shot should be taken before the subject takes off.

Another important thing is to use a flash, even outdoors. A flash will illuminate the dark shadows on the faces.

For this column we often take still life photos. Such pictures are also taken in museums or art galleries. It’s important when taking close shots to use the “macro” settings on the camera. That will allow the camera to be positioned closer to the objects.

Also good lighting is a must. Since most of these pictures are taken indoors, try to get as much light as possible on the subject. Arrange it to be somewhat indirect so as not to cast shadows and also use the flash.

Digital cameras are easy to practice with as there is no film to buy or wait for to be developed. All the unwanted pictures can be eliminated on the spot and the good pictures are ready immediately. There is the option to hook up the camera directly to a printer and print out the pictures. The pictures can also be downloaded to a computer, put on a disk or sent by email to friends and family. The options are almost endless.

Library source of ideas

2008-07-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

A sample of library books available with activities and information to peak the interest those looking for new things to do.

Between the heat and the smoke this summer has been one for spending a lot of time indoors. Some think that limits activities down to only boring ones. Children tend to get bored real fast if there is not a variety of activities to do.

First the card models we suggested are a great indoor activity. However several of the websites we suggested may have been hard to find. Here is a more detailed list that might help.

The web sites are: www.fiddlersgreen.net, www.digitalnavy.com, http://www.paperparadise.com/ and http://bellsouthpwp.net/n/8/n8hfi/card-faq/.

Another place to find all sorts of interesting activities is the local library. We visited the one here in Red Bluff and found many interesting books with varying craft ideas to books with many pictures and information on a variety of subjects.

While we were at the library there were many children taking advantage of the children’s reading books. But there is much more in the library that could be interesting to children. Parents or even the library workers can help children find other types of books that might interest them.

For those interested in origami there are many to choose from. Three by John Montrol include: “Bringing Origami to Life,” “Bugs and Birds in Origami” and “Dollar Bill Animals in Origami.” These have projects suitable for all ages.

Paper airplanes are fun to fly indoors. At the library is a book by Richard Kline titled “The Ultimate Paper Airplane.” After making the models hold a contest to see whose model flies the farthest.

Another book about something to fly is “Kiteworks” by Maxwell Eden. It is about the explorations in kite building and flying. Now is a good time to build a kite so it will be ready to fly on a nice clear windy day.

Those who want to see some great pictures of real airplanes and their cockpits there is a book for you. “At the Controls” the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum book of cockpits by Alison and Dana Bell is the one to check out.

For those who like staying on the ground but going fast race cars might be just the thing. The “History of The Racing Car: Man and Machine” by Giovanni Lurani is a good read.

Maybe something bigger might fit the bill. How about “Big Rigs” by Stan Holtzman? This is a complete history of the American semi truck. Lots of pictures are in this book also.

Want more history on vehicles. Try “Powered Vehicles” by Reginald Carpenter, Peter Kalla-Bishop, Kenneth Munson and Robert Wyatt. They give a historical review of many vehicles.

Then there are tractors. “The Big Book of John Deere Tractors” by Don Macmillan is a complete model-by-model encyclopedia.

For those in junior high and up who want more crafting choices there is “It’s all about the beads!” by Barbara Case. There are many suggesting for making jewelry from beads in this book. Another craft book is “Wirework” by Ellen Wieske. This book shows how to shape wire into all sorts of great looking projects.

If none of the above have peaked an interest there are many more at the library. Just browsing through the stacks of books should turn up something of interest for everyone. No more excuses for being bored.

Card models

2008-07-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

The card models pictured are from top left: English style stone house, Gee Bee racer; bottom left: MiG 15 and Piper Cub.

One of the activities we like to do is to construct models. Our favorites are airplanes. In the past, that usually meant building models from plastic kits, but recently we have began to build some from paper kits. These are usually called card models.

Recently we did a Google Internet search for a card model of the Wall.e robot and sure enough, there was one out there and for free. This goes with the current Disney movie that is out in the theaters now. It is one that will catch the interest of many children, young and old.

There are card model kits to suit every skill level and every imaginable subject. Various kits are available for any number of famous buildings, ships, castles, monuments, robots – you name it. We even saw the web page of an artist that is making full size, 3-D paper likenesses of famous people!

Ships are a popular subject for card modeling. Often they are some of the more difficult kits because of the large number of small parts that require cutting out and assembling. A big advantage card model kits have over other types of model kits, such as plastic, is that a card model can be designed and printed for a fraction of the cost of a similar plastic kit. Therefore, less common and more unusual subjects can be published in a card model kit than can be found in other media.

There are a huge number of card model kits available on the Internet, many of them free. Most Internet sites that have card models offer kits for sale, usually fairly inexpensively. Many of the larger kits are the ships, which are usually offered on a CD. They cost a little more, but a large ship would keep a person busy quite awhile.

Card models can also be purchased from some larger hobby and craft stores, catalogues or online as preprinted kits, ready to be cut out and assembled. We have seen some of the preprinted card model kits that also come pre-cut. That could be a huge time saver if a person wanted to get right to the assembly stage.

To make the kit, all we have to do is to download the files, usually several pages of Adobe or other graphics files. Then we print them out on 110 pound card stock. After that we cut the parts out, fold and glue them to make the model. Kits with more details require the use of various compound curves to make a convincing replica. But there are techniques to accomplish that and we find it’s mostly a matter of practice.

The great part about making these kinds of kits is that if something does not turn out right, it is very easy to print out another one and redo it. Since color and detail are already on the paper, painting is not required. Edges can be touched up with markers for professional looking results.

Compared to plastic models or even wood kits, only very basic tools are needed for card models. They are things that nearly everyone probably already has, such as white glue, scissors and a craft knife.

Here are some Internet sites that have paper models. All of these sites offer items for sale but also have some free downloads as well. The web sites are: www.fiddlersgreen.net, www.digitalnavy.com, http://www.paperparadise.com/ and http://bellsouthpwp.net/n/8/n8hfi/card-faq/.

If your children are bored and say they have nothing to do, go online and download a simple model. They can choose from things like dinosaurs, cars, trucks, robots and more. Get out the scissors and glue and let them have fun. Then choose one of your own and have fun with them. We have spent many enjoyable hours crafting paper models.

Crafting with recyclables

2008-07-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

Old plastic bags, video and audio cassettes can all be recycled into new useful items.

Audio cassettes and video tapes have seen their day. The tapes are stretched and today there are CDs and DVDs to take their place. While we do have some cassette and video tapes that are still usable most of ours are boxed up and stored in the garage. They were destined for the dump but then we discovered they could be recycled into other useful items.

We recently came across a blog site that was created by a lady who loves to do crafts. She has created many patterns to crochet with the tape from old cassettes and videos. Other crafts she has created are from recycled fabric as well as from plastic grocery bags.

The crochet patterns include many styles of purses, tote bags, gift bags, lunch sack bag, as well as doll clothes, Easter basket, water bottle holder, baby bib, coasters, covered hangers, clothes pin bag, rugs and pot scrubbers. Most of the patterns use “plarn,” a yarn made from plastic grocery bags. After cutting the handles off the bags they are cut in one inch strips and then looped together to make a long chain. The chain is then rolled into a ball just like yarn. It can then be used to crochet with.

One crochet pattern using “plarn” is for a handbag designed after a knockoff pattern of a hobo handbag that was sold by Nordstrom. Other purse patterns are simpler but nice looking as well as useful.

Patterns using the cassette tape to crochet with include doll clothes and purses. Recycled fabric from old denim jeans are used to crochet and sew purses, Christmas stockings and potholders. Another purse pattern uses recycled sheets and curtains. Bread bags are used to crochet a cosmetic bag as well as a handbag.

Some of the items made are embellished with ribbon. Others include cotton yarn, fury yarn and ribbon crocheted right along with the plastic bag “plarn.”

This website is at myrecycledbags.com. The lady who created this site in January 2007 is named Cindy. Most of the site is about patterns and ideas for recycling. All the patterns on the site are free. She also has instructions on making “plarn.” There is also a small section where she offers for sale some of the handbags she has made.

A new section of the site is dedicated to her “pink journey.” She was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of this year. She has described the different steps of her experience from the time of her diagnosis to the present. Those who have experienced cancer can relate to her experiences and send encouragement.

We like using recycled materials whenever we can. Other articles we have written about using recycled materials include: using denim jeans to make gift bags, using junk paper and scrap fabric to make recycled paper, quart size milk cartons to make decorative birdhouses, old lace arm chair and couch arm and head covers to make vests, denim from jeans for a dog bed, old socks to make a dog blanket and beads from old necklaces along with seed beads to make new necklaces. They are all on this blog site.

We are always interested in finding new ideas for recycling old unusable items into new useful ones. Readers who have more ideas on recycling are welcome to list them in the comments.

Marriage maintenance

2008-07-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Books share information on maintenance for marriage. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs and The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman are two good ones. They are also available as audio books.

To prevent a breakdown regular maintenance is required. No maintenance could result in a blowout, meltdown, slow leak, collapse or a total structural failure. The same is true for marriage.

While dating most couples are generous with complements and kind words. They spend lots of time together. Gifts are given for no reason at all. Plenty of physical affection is shown. Acts of service are done without a request.

Then along comes marriage. Focus shifts to jobs, personal interests, children and the needs of others. All the faults of one’s spouse are suddenly very annoying. Negative traits seem greater than the positive.

It may have started like a slow leak but all of a sudden there was a blowout. The creaks and squeaks were ignored until things suddenly ground to a halt. Then the big “D” word was mentioned.

Even if a marriage has come to a total collapse there can still be hope. Many couples have rebuilt their marriages better and stronger than their first try. But it does require work. The more damage there is the more work it will take to fix.

The first thing that has to happen is for the most mature spouse to make the first move. They need to start acting loving or respectful to their spouse. Women need to be shown love. Men need to be shown respect. This is regardless of whether or not they deserve it. But it must be genuine.

How is love and respect shown some might ask? Think back to what you did for your spouse before you were married. Have you done anything like that lately?

What things did you appreciate about them then? Do they know what you appreciate about them? How was physical affection shown then compared to now?

Now is the time to make improvements. A 90 day trial period can be set. Then at the end of the 90 days look back and see the improvement.

If your spouse likes words of encouragement point out their strengths. Send a card, email or make a phone call in the middle of the day. Let them know what it is you appreciate about them.

When time spent together is what matters most to your spouse go for a walk together. Working in the garden or even doing the grocery shopping together will be appreciated.

If gifts are what your spouse likes look for little things with big meaning. A bookmark or paper weight with an endearing statement would be cherished. Flowers picked from the yard and arranged in a colorful container could brighten their day.

A quick hug and kiss goodbye before you leave for work means a lot to those who like physical touch. Foot massages or shoulder rubs, even quick ones, says they matter to you.

Doing the dishes or taking out the trash without being asked speak volumes to those who like acts of service. Mowing the lawn, sweeping off the sidewalk or washing the car are other ways of showing you care.

When was the last time you went on a date with your spouse? We made suggestion in our March 28 blog for date activities. Ideas to put romance back into marriage are listed in our July 13, 2007 blog.

Marriage maintenance is a lifetime activity. There is never a time to slack off. The more maintenance done the stronger the marriage will be.

The thing to remember is the most mature spouse will do the maintenance work whether their spouse does any or not. Most of the time a spouse will start working on what they should do too. But even if they do not there is no excuse to stop doing your part.

The Don't Song

2008-06-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Go to this site for a good song related to marriage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-lv8745InI

Bubble wands

2008-06-27T07:32:00.001-07:00

Bubble wands displayed in a bucket of marbles with candles on each side make a nice table decoration.

The Fourth of July is just around the corner. Celebrations and vacations are being planned. We urge everyone to take the time to remember those who have fought for our country and those still fighting for our country. A big thank you to all veterans and current United States military members for preserving the freedom we enjoy today.

To help with the celebration we suggest making table decorations with a Fourth of July theme. Ours will include a bucket full of star shaped bubble wands. While our children are all grown we still keep fun things around for children to play with that may visit us.

Bubble wands are easy to make. We started with a star shaped cookie cutter and a 40-inch piece of 20-gauge wire. Starting at the center of the wire we bent it to the shape of a star cookie cutter. Then the remaining wire is twisted together by putting the ends into a drill chuck and slowly wound together.

To make the table display we placed the bubble wands in a bucket of marbles.

For blowing bubbles the solution can be made or purchased. To make the solution use about a fourth cup of dish soap to a cup of water. For longer lasting bubbles about a teaspoon of glycerin can be added. It is always fun to have a contest to see whose bubbles last the longest.

Now for a minute let’s go back to the cookie cutters. Today they are used for many things besides making cookies. We just used them for bending our bubble wands into star shapes. Then they can be used as a pattern to trace around. Also dipping the cutters in paint and stamping them on plain wrapping paper will dress up a present.

Recently we got a book called “Yankee Magazine Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs and More” by Earl Proulx. Besides all his tips he puts in interesting bits of history here and there. In the kitchen section he had a piece about the history of cookie cutters.

The first cookie cutters were carved from wood. They were more like molds than cutters. The cookies were baked right in them. They looked like dense, shallow cakes.

Early on the Dutch New Year cookie molds were most often shaped like eagles, stars or other patriotic symbols to celebrate the New Year.

Later wooden cookie molds came with copper or tin along the edges to sharpen the outline of the cookies. Soon after that they were made in metal only. Each one also had a top to it and a handle that made it look like an ink stamp.

In the 1860’s several companies started to mass produce cookie cutters. By the end of the 19th century they were made all shapes and sizes. From birds, people, animals and stars there were many to choose from.

Remember to have a fun, safe and happy Fourth of July. To have some more fun do some research on the history of how the Fourth of July has been celebrated in the past.

Creative gift wrapping

2008-06-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Gift bags made from the legs of denim jeans make the perfect wrap for glasses filled with red walnuts.

Need a gift bag or wrapping paper? How about using recycled fabric from used clothes? It is unique, saves money and is reusable.

Most parties we go to where gifts are given the recipient tears off the wrapping paper, wads it up and throws it in a pile. Purchased gift bags are usually kept, but not always. On the other hand something that has taken a little extra thought like a fabric bag is more likely to be saved and reused.

Recently we made gift bags from discarded denim jeans. After laying the pant legs flat we cut them off about 15 inches from the bottom. Turning them inside out we sewed across the cut making this the bottom of the bag. Then we folded the corners at each side, cut them off and sewed them up to make a flat bottom.

Denim is a good choice to wrap gifts in for men, teenagers and children as well. We tied our gift bags with a raffia bow. Other choices for bows could be scraps of cloth ribbon or strips cut from contrasting scrap fabric.

It took us less than five minutes to make each bag. Other trims can be added to dress them up such as rickrack, ribbons or fabric paint.

For those who avoid sewing even one short seam there are other options. The pant legs can be cut off at the length needed to fit the present, plus enough fabric at each end to gather together and tie with a ribbon. It would then take on the shape of a piece of wrapped candy.

Fabric from discarded skirts or dresses could be cut to size to wrap larger presents. Smaller presents like gift cards or jewelry could be placed in a pocket cut from an old pair of jeans or other pants.

For those who do not mind sewing a seam or two could make a drawstring bag big enough to fit the present to be wrapped. One example is in the blog we wrote June 15, 2007, headlined “Handmade gifts.” In that blog we show a drawstring bag made from taffeta and covered the lower half with a piece of lace fabric edged with ribbon.

For other gift bag ideas we found some suggestions on the Internet at The Dollar Stretcher in an article titled “Gift Bags for Less.” The web site is http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04aug23h.cfm.

They suggested gift bags can be made out of paper bags and then decorated. Not only do they cost much less than gift bags from the store, they show off one’s creativity as well.

One idea could be a farm-theme bag. Use spray adhesive around the bottom of the bag and coat with sand. Use paint pens to draw the farm with animals made from wood or cutouts.

An Italian dinner theme could be made by hot-gluing spaghetti onto a paper bag in a fan pattern. A blue, red, white or green bow and a red-checkered napkin complete the look.

There is no reason why gift bags have to cost more than the gift. Whether sewn out of fabric or made on paper, they are sure to enhance the delight of receiving a gift.

Making Dune game

2008-06-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

Homemade Dune game.

Our family enjoys playing games together. Even when the children were young, we played a lot of age-appropriate games. These days it is harder to get everyone together at the same time than it used to be but we are always on the lookout for new and interesting games to play.

We recently saw a game for sale on EBay called “Dune,” an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel of that name. They were selling for over $50 each so we kept looking. Also the game is now out of print.

In doing some more research we found some to be making their own copies. So we decided to make our own. Of course, the first thing we had to do is collect all our resources.

That included the rules, the game board or map, the cards and counters and other items. Some things are easier to find than others. We researched the internet for printable files of the items we needed.

Most of the files we needed we found on a website called boardgamegeek.com. Some images we had to make ourselves or assemble from several that we found on other internet sites. The game map we bought from an online supplier called AHgeneral.com because we did not have the means to print the large map. It was $18 including shipping.

We printed the cards and player aids on cardstock. For the counters, we printed them on regular paper then glued them to light cardboard. Everything was cut out on a paper cuter. This was a very enjoyable project to do and one the whole family could be in on.

We now have a completely playable copy of Dune at a cost of only some paper, printer ink, and the time it takes to cut everything out. And the game map we bought online, of course.

Several of the game players in our family have read the Dune books and enjoy the series. For those that do not know much about Dune here is a very brief description of the story of it. The novel is science fiction and is set many years in the future. At that time people were living on many worlds and had established an empire-type government encompassing thousands of planets. But the planet called Dune was special. That was the only place spice could be found.

Dune was a very inhospitable place for people as it was covered in sand and had very little water. Plus, in the sand were lurking huge sandworms a quarter of a mile in length ready to eat any person or vehicle making vibrations along the surface of the ground.

The spice was very important to the empire. Ingesting spice brought extended life to the user and, more importantly, it allowed them to see the future. The ability to see into the future was vital in navigating through space. And, therefore it was vital to the existence of the empire. Whoever controlled Dune controlled the empire.

Many different sects and groups vied for the control of Dune. The story explored the complex and multilayered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion, as forces of the empire confront each other for control of Dune and its spice.

Dune was written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. It was the winner of several awards including the Hugo Award for science fiction. Herbert wrote five sequels to Dune before his death in 1986. Starting in 1999, his son Brian Herbert and co-author Kevin J. Anderson have written several prequels to the story.

Papermaking history

2008-06-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

Paper made from fabric is shown with the fabric they originated from.

Last week we tried out our papermaking kit and made a few sheets of paper using the basic directions that came with the kit. After that our curiosity was peaked as to the history of papermaking.

We decided the easiest way to do some research was on the internet. After going to a search engine we typed in papermaking history and a whole list of places offering information came up. Looking through several sites we found plenty of information.

We found out to start the process there has to be fiber. Over the centuries, paper has been made from a wide variety of materials including wood pulp, rice, water plants, cotton and even old clothes! But no matter what is used to make paper, fiber is needed. Today’s paper fiber comes mainly from two sources - pulpwood logs and recycled paper products. In fact, much of the paper used every day is a blend of new and recycled fiber.

This is much like the process we used last week; our paper came from junk paper. Recycling paper helps to get the most out of every tree used. It also helps keep paper from clogging up the landfills. Each time paper is recycled, the cellulose fibers get shorter to where eventually the paper won’t hold together. That is why most recycled paper used today contains some new paper fibers mixed in with the old.

Going back even further in history we found the first materials used for making paper was the papyrus plant which requires subtropical conditions to grow. Outside of the areas where the papyrus plants were grown papyrus paper was replaced by parchmet or vellum. Vellum is made of processed sheepskin or calfskin. Parchment is created by boiling and pounding the inner bark of trees, until the material becomes suitable for art and writing.

Paper made from wood products such as we have today has its beginnings in China. Prior to the development of paper made from wood products the Chinese used bamboo strips sewn together and rolled into a scroll. Also they sometimes used silk. Both of these ways did not work out well.

After looking at the history of papermaking we also decided to try some of the different suggestions for making other types of paper. This week we focused on using scrap fabric as the main material for making paper.

The fabric scraps needed to be no larger than one inch. Longer fibers can become tangled up around the blade in the blender. Our fabric choices included plain muslin, a blue print and a pink print. We used a rotary cutter and mat to cut up the fabric into about fourth inch strips. Then we cut the strips into short pieces no longer than one inch.

We made two paper pieces out of the muslin. The first we added short pieces of ribbon. To the second one we added short pieces of thread. We used multiple colors of both ribbon and thread.

For the paper made from the print fabrics we used mostly from the areas with just the background color and some from the areas with the print. This made the paper have one color for the background with only accents from the printed areas.

This is a fun project to consider for children during the summer break. They can do further research on the history of papermaking as well as try making their own paper.

Other summer activities for children can start the same way. They can pick a subject they are interested in, research it and then try making their own product. The ideas are endless. The goal is to have some fun and learn at the same time.

Handmade paper

2008-05-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Handmade paper shown on left with papermaking kit at right.

Papermaking is nothing new but something we never tried doing before. After finding a kit to make recycled paper at a yard sale a few weeks ago we decided to give it a try. Priced at only $1 we could not pass it up.

The kit was unused. It included a two-piece wooden frame with a screen mesh stretched across one piece. In papermaking terms this is referred to as the mold and deckle. Also included was another screen, sponge, four sheets of blotter paper and dried flowers to add extra color and texture to the handmade paper. The final thing was a booklet with basic directions and other ideas to create paper.

Other items needed to complete the process include a blender, pan large enough to hold the mold and deckle, counter space, rolling pin and towels.

Ingredients that can be used to form the paper include junk paper from mail, newspapers, magazines, comic books, wrapping paper, contents of a hole puncher, tissue paper and grocery bags. Pieces of cloth from old garments can also be used.

The paper or cloth is then torn up into pieces no larger than a postage stamp. The amount used can vary depending on the thickness of paper desired.

Before processing begins the mold and deckle should be placed in the large pan filled with water, just enough to cover the screen.

The paper or cloth pieces are then put in a blender filled with about three cups of water. The paper is allowed to soak for a few minutes before processing. The blending starts off on low for about 10 seconds then is raised to high for another 20 seconds.

The consistency of the mixture will vary with the kind of paper used, but should be uniform with no lumps. If the paper is to be written on two teaspoons of liquid starch should be added at this time for sizing. It will keep the ink from running.

Accents can be added if desired. They can include dried or fresh flowers, leaves, grasses, pine needles, moss and lemon or orange zest. Other additions can be pieces of yarn, thread or string, lent from the dryer screen, bits of ribbon, pencil shavings and glitter.

All accents items should be small pieces, no longer than an inch, before adding. Otherwise they can become tangled around the blade.

Spices and herbs can also be used for texture and scent. Some suggestions are cinnamon, anise, basil, clove or nutmeg. Tea leaves and coffee grounds are other choices. Even a used coffee filter can be used.

After the junk paper and added accents are blended, pour the mixture into the mold and deckle that was prepared ahead of time. Once the mixture is poured it should be evened out. At this point the mold and deckle are lifted out of the water and drained. The sponge is then used to blot off as much water as possible.

The extra screen is then placed on the pulp and the deckle removed. Holding the screen in place the mold is turned over and placed on a towel. Then the mold is carefully removed and replaced with a blotter paper. A rolling pin is used to squeeze out more water into the blotter. The screen can then be lifted off and replaced with another blotter paper. Again the rolling pin is used to blot more water from the paper.

The paper is now ready to dry. It is separated from the blotter paper and left to air dry. Once the paper is dry we place it under a stack of books for a few hours to flatten it.

The choices of materials that can be used in the process are endless. We had lots of fun experimenting with different materials. Our plan is to make even more paper to use in making note cards.

Making smoothies

2008-05-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

Smoothies made from yogurt, frozen cherries and apricots are pictured with a bowl of fresh cherries.

Summer is not quite here but the heat is! Finding ways to cool off is becoming a priority at our house. Cool things to drink are becoming the very desirable.

One drink we like to cool down with is a smoothie. They can be very pricey when purchased at a fast food restaurant or specialty store so we decided to look for ways to make our own. We looked on the internet and found an article by Mackenzie Schieck about making smoothies.

Schieck said, “Send a few simple ingredients for a wild ride in your blender and you’ll have delicious, nutritious, kid-pleasing smoothies in mere seconds.” In fact they are pleasing to us also. She went on to say, “smoothies pull double duty by quenching thirst and satisfying hunger at the same time.” They are not only quick but easy to prepare as well.

The basic ingredients are fresh or frozen fruit, fruit juice and ice. Other ingredients can include yogurt, milk, flax seeds, silken tofu, wheat germ or protein powder for extra nutrition. Sweeteners can be added but are usually not needed because the fruit is already sweet. When we need a sweetener we use honey.

Smoothies can also be made for breakfast or as a dessert. Adding an egg, oatmeal, milk or yogurt can make a good breakfast. Ice cream, sherbet, chocolate, peanut butter or coffee additions can turn it into a dessert. We even found recipes for vegetable smoothies. Maybe they would be for lunch.

Right now we have plenty of strawberries and cherries. We clean, cut and pack them in quart-size resealable plastic bags. Then we store them in the freezer for later use in smoothies and other recipes.

Buying local in season fruit is the best value for those who do not grow their own. Locally grown fruit is sweeter because it is allowed to ripen before being picked. It also does not require expensive transportation costs.

Using an exact recipe is not necessary but good for beginners. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Spices can even be added for more flavor. Nutmeg is one of our favorite spices. Vanilla is also a nice touch.

A recipe we found on the internet is “Peach Pizazz Smoothie.” It serves two. This recipe is for fresh, not frozen fruit. Peaches will be ripe in a few short weeks here in Tehama County.

Ingredients include:

2 peaches, peeled and cut into fourths
6 large strawberries
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

Directions:

First place the peaches and strawberries in the blender. Next add the scoop of vanilla ice cream and then blend for approximately 35 seconds.

The website for this and many other recipes is flowercarole.com.

Cleanup is also easy. After pouring the smoothies in glasses fill the blender with about two cups of water and a drop of dish soap. Turn on high for 10 seconds. Pour out soapy water and rinse. If left for a later cleanup the fruit can dry on and be difficult to get off.

As more fruit becomes ripe the flavors of our smoothies will change. The recipe choices are endless. We would love to hear from readers about their favorite recipes. Recipes sent to the email address below will be posted on our blog site for all to enjoy.

Recycling on internet

2008-05-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

The cross-stitch kits and books that are finding new homes.

Trading unwanted items for wanted items is a way to save money. It also clears out space that was being taken up by things that we don’t want anymore. This is not a new concept but we have found new ways to do this.

People who read a lot usually have boxes and boxes of books stashed in the closet, garage or some other storage area. Most books are read only once and no longer looked at again. Trading them for other desired books is a great bargain.

The internet has become a place that gives more options to recycling unwanted items. Paperbackswap.com is one place we started using to trade our unwanted books for others we do want. The website that allows members to post their unwanted books on a list that is available for other members to request books from. Membership is free.

The only cost is postage for sending the books. When we request a book the person sending the book pays the postage. When someone requests a book from us we pay the postage. The average postage is under $3 per book. If someone wants several books from your list they can be mailed together. That saves on postage.

Beginning members receive two bonus credits after posting their first 10 books to trade. Credits are used to request desired books from the list. Every time a member mails a requested book to another member they receive one credit. Each book is worth one credit. Audio books are two credits.

We only signed up a little over a week ago. At the time we are writing this column we have mailed 20 books to other members. Three of those have already been received by other members giving us three credits.

Using those three credits plus our two bonus credits we requested five books. Two of those have already arrived. As soon as others receive the books we have mailed them more credits will be added to our account. We will then use them to request other books we want.

Another website that is helping us clear out unused items is freecycle.com. This site has many groups all over the country. There is a group right here in Red Bluff.

This is a site where members can list items they no longer need but are still usable. When other members see something they can use they contact the owner and arrange to pick up the item.

There is no cost to sign up. All items to be given away must be free. The person requesting an item must arrange to pick up the item at the owner’s connivance.

We just signed up on this site last week also. So far we have listed an offer of several cross-stitch kits. Our craft kits collection is too big and some need to find new homes. Several members made requests for them. We are in the process of arranging for one of them to come pick them up.

Other items we have seen listed include furniture, car parts, a baby carrier, a freezer and a bicycle.

Members can also request items they need. There is a limit of once a month for posting a request for a wanted item. There is no limit to asking for items others post that you want.

There are other websites that deal with selling unwanted items such as eBay and craigslist.com. We have used eBay for several years as a place to find items we want. So far we have not gotten into the selling end of it.

The sites that are the most appealing to us are the ones that let us post for free. Either giving items away or trading is what we like best. The best part of it is clearing out things we no longer need.

Grass Valley shopping

2008-05-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Main Street in downtown Grass Valley.

Grass Valley is a place of many types of shops. Main Street is mostly for tourists but is fun to walk down. Browsing through the shops is interesting. Just off Main Street is Mill Street with more of the same.

Not far from downtown are several thrift stores a bookstore and toy store that we made a point to visit. Thrift stores are always top on our list of places to visit when we go somewhere new to us. Next in line are the used bookstores and hobby stores.

Several of the thrift stores had good selections of books on tape. We came away with about a dozen. They are great to listen to while driving the tractor in our orchard.

We also found several interesting books. Two books are by the editors of Prevention Magazine, one titled “Pain Free” and the other “Fighting Disease.” These offer more ways to cope with problems that the standard take a pill answer we usually get when visiting a doctors office. Pills seem to cause more problems and solve nothing.

The other book we found is “Westward to Promontory.” It is a pictorial documentary on building the Union Pacific railroad across the plains and mountains. The text is by Barry B. Combs.

The audio books were $3 and $4 each while the regular books were only $1 each. They were all a better bargain than even the used bookstore could offer. There books were at least half the original price and sometime more. We found only one book in the used bookstore we were willing to pay that much for.

Besides all the books we also found a few articles of clothing and a few other miscellaneous items to bring home. Shopping in thrift stores is like treasure hunting. We never know what we are going to find but we are rarely disappointed.

The toy store we visited also had plastic models and other hobby items. We found a set of 1/72 scale figures that we thought we needed. Figures add more life to a display when placed with other models.

The best store we found in downtown was a fabric store. They had a clearance sale that had a great selection of fabric for $2 a yard. Also on sale were a few craft items and patterns. We now have a larger fabric collection as well as a few more craft items.

In addition to all the shopping downtown there is a variety of restaurants. We tried two different ones during our stay. They were a nice change from the standard fare found in Red Bluff. We made the other meals during our stay in our hotel room. It had a kitchenette which made it possible to eat when and what we wanted.

On the last day of our stay we drove to Nevada City which is only a few miles away. Their downtown is similar to Grass Valleys. After driving up and down the streets a few times we decided there was nothing more we needed to shop for. We were ready to head for home.

It is always fun to visit a new place. But the best part is coming home again.

Empire Mine

2008-05-02T07:55:00.001-07:00

Steam powered hoist used for lifting ore from the mine.

This last week we went on a little trip to the gold country area of Grass Valley. One of the highlights of the trip was a tour of the Empire Mine at Grass Valley. This mine was operated for over 100 years, finally shutting down for good in 1956. During its years of operation, nearly six million ounces of gold were produced.

In the beginning gold was found on several small surface outcroppings of quartz. Miners set up claims and began to chip away at the rocks to get at the gold. Soon digging in the ground was necessary and it became obvious that they did not know how to dig safely. Cave-ins were frequent and the mountain springs flooded their tunnels.

A group of miners worked to consolidate the mining claims. In 1851 it was known as the Ophir Hill Mine. In 1852 the mine was sold to John Rush, who changed the name to the Empire Quartz Hill Company.

During the 1910’s and 1920’s, the Empire mine was considered to be one of the most progressive and best managed. Considerable investments were made in materials and the best technology available at that time. One of the things they did was to use mules to pull ore car trains from the side tunnels to the main mine shaft where they could be unloaded. This was quite a novel thing when first done, as the miners themselves had to push the loaded cars around before that.

The mine was bought out in 1929 by the Newmont Mining Corporation. At the same time Newmont also bought another California mine. All three mines were then known as the Empire-Star Mines Company. Gold from the mines made the Great Depression something the residents of Grass Valley only read about in the paper.

The mine was doing well financially but was shut down by government order during World War II, as it was considered a non-essential industry. It was reopened in 1945, but because of the artificial government price fixing of gold to 1934 levels, the mine’s profit margins began to fall, then go negative in the early 1950’s. Even though the price of gold was fixed, prices of mining equipment and salaries continued to go up. By 1956 the miners went on strike to protest their low wages. The strike could not be settled and the mine closed down in late 1956. Most of the moveable equipment was auctioned off early the next year.

Today many of the original buildings have been demolished and only foundations remain. However, there is a group of people who want to keep the memory of this historic mine alive. They have reconstructed several of the most important buildings, such as the blacksmith shop, the machine shop and the tool sharpening shop. Also a large assortment of antique mining equipment has been brought in to demonstrate approximately what the mine looked like in the 1890’s.

There is a sign posted on the entrance to the mine offices which gives quotes of the price of gold at various times during the mine’s operation. In 1856, the price was $6.23 per troy ounce. In 1920 it was up to $20.57. By 1956, when the mine closed, the price was $35.00.

Since that time the gold prices are no longer controlled by government. It held the $35 per ounce price until August 15, 1971 when President Richard Nixon announced that the United States would no longer convert dollars to gold at a fixed value. The limitation on gold ownership in the U.S. was repealed after President Gerald Ford signed a bill legalizing private ownership of gold coins, bars and certificates December 31, 1974. As of April 5 of this year, the price of gold was $909 per ounce.

Yard sale time

2008-04-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

This garage sale sign at Antelope and Gilmore advertised a sale on Alta Vista. That is miles and miles west of Red Bluff! Plus the address was written so small we had to pull into the parking lot to read it.
Spring is the time for yard sales to go into full swing. We decided to find out what was out there this last weekend. First we looked at the yard sale ads in the Daily News. This is the easiest way for us to plan a route ahead of time.
There were not too many but we decided to go out anyway. We did see some signs posted that led us to a few others that were not in the paper. Some of these did not work out as they are small signs usually on a busy street where was no way to read the address. The one pictured above was nowhere near the location of the sale.
We tried to follow the way the arrow pointed on a few of these signs hoping there would be more signs ahead. For some there were and some left us guessing and frustrated. We had to give up on a few that had no additional signs pointing the way.
The ones advertised in the newspaper were the best. One, we were able to find them due to preplanning. Secondly we thought those had more items to browse through. Along the way we also met a few Daily News subscribers who read this column.
Our first stop was the jackpot hit for us. Not only was it an advertised sale but it was the largest. We scored big. Our arms were loaded down with items that caught our attention. The stop only cost us $8 and it was our biggest haul!
The prize item from this stop was an unused paper making kit. Other items included two large bunches of silk flowers, a wire magazine holder, candle holder and more.
The next stop only netted us a bottle and spout with which to pour seasoned oil and two small dipping bowls to match. The cost there was $2. This yard sale began on Friday and we were shopping on Saturday. This is probably why we came away with so little at this stop.
Next we happened upon one unadvertised sale. At this stop we found an extra large pocket knife for $3. This will be good as an extra when working in our walnut orchard. Sometimes it is hard to carry many tools around. The large pocketknife can fit in the small cubby on the back of our four-wheeler we use to get around on.
The next place we stopped netted us a large shopping bag of four bags of Spanish moss and one floral foam brick for the bargain price of 50 cents. In our opinion one can never have too much Spanish moss when making floral arrangements as well as other crafts. Also before leaving we found three heavy duty wire shelves for $5.
One final stop before heading home was at Dinner My Way next to the movie theater on Main Street. We had heard that they now have “Ready-to-Go” meals available during their normal business hours. This was going to help us help someone else. We learned of someone who was going through chemotherapy and needed some help with meal preparation. Picking up several “Ready-to-Go” meals for them was a way we could help out.
With gas prices being so high it makes sense to us to do as much in one trip to town as possible. So our Saturday was not only a fun day but we were able to get an errand done also.

Walnut pollination

2008-04-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

No bees needed here. Two walnut flowers seen in foreground with catkins behind.

It is pollination time for walnuts! Our sinuses are plugged and we go about sneezing all day. We are asked occasionally how the walnuts get pollinated. Do they need bees? What color of flowers do they have?

Walnuts have both male and female flower parts on the same tree. The pollen does not have to be transported by bees but is simply shed from the male flowers, called catkins. The pollen is physically very small and light and is moved throughout the orchard by wind movement. Pollen can travel quite some distance. Studies have shown that in certain orchards the pollen came from trees over a mile away.

With walnuts, the time of pollen shedding does not always overlap well with the time of female flower receptivity to pollen. Hence, although most walnuts are self-fertile, they sometimes require another walnut variety that comes out later for pollination. This condition is referred to as dichogamy.

The female flowers are very small, with two feathery leaves open to receive pollen. They are not a typical flower with petals, and do not have a flower color as such, being green with a slight tinge of pink. When the flower is pollinated, a nut will develop in that place.

Nearly all commercial orchards are co-planted with a pollinator variety to ensure the main crop gets enough pollen to set nuts. In fact, at this time of year the pollinators can be readily identified in an orchard by the fact that the other trees will be putting out some leaves while the pollinators do not yet have any. In some orchards, entire rows of trees are put in as pollinators, which now appear as rows of leafless trees.

The pollen shedding characteristic of walnuts is a very efficient way to spread pollen. It is even sometimes over-efficient. Certain walnut varieties are very susceptible to being over pollinated. When that happens, the flower withers and falls off. This is bad because where there is no flower, there is no nut. In some orchards overall production can be decreased by half or more because of this problem. There are some steps that can be taken to mitigate the effect of over pollination and there are some chemical treatments which have proven effective.

All kinds of plant pollen are present all the time. There is really no way to get away from pollen altogether. People used to move to desert areas to get away from pollen, with the idea that desert plants are sparse and thus produce generally less pollen. That does not work anymore now that so many people live in the desert and have taken their favorite plants with them.

Walnut pollen has been identified as one of the worse offenders when it comes to people being allergic. In areas where walnuts are commercially grown, such as Red Bluff, there is an enormous quantity of walnut pollen in the air during the months of March, April, and May. Continual exposure year after year eventually leads to allergic reactions in most people.

There is really no easy solution for the pollen exposure problem. Most of us can not take a three month vacation. So we just have to make the best of it. For us taking an allergy pill and wearing a dust mask while in the orchard helps alleviate some of the reactions.

Our October 19, 2007 blog discussed walnut varieties.

Book reviews

2008-04-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Books written by Geraldine Brooks include "March" and "People of the Book."
New books to read are always something we are on the lookout for. World magazine has a section called “Notable Books.” One recently caught our attention called “People of the Book” by Geraldine Brooks. We also went online and read a few reviews before ordering.

At the same time we noted that her previous book “March” also had good reviews along with winning the 2006 Pulitzer Prize. So we decided to order both books.

Brooks is an excellent author and gives through and detailed descriptions of the characters and situations in her books. We read “March” first. It is a follow up story to Louisa May Alcott’s book “Little Women.” In “Little Women” the father is in the army and is stationed in the South somewhere “where the fighting is.” But very little information is given concerning him, his experiences in the war and how the war changed him. “March” attempts to answer these questions.

The story begins with Mr. March, and army chaplain, writing a letter to his wife. He has just survived the battle of Ball’s Bluff, an early Union defeat, and has managed to cross the Potomac to safety. March is an idealist, one of the many Utopianists of that era. He acts on what he believes, and sometimes pays the price when it becomes apparent that the object of his belief is faulty.

An example of this is his association with the actual historical figure John Brown. He not only looses his fortune but is very nearly caught up in the criminal investigation aftermath. The story is told in the first person from March. It is arranged in a series of flashbacks interwoven with present events.

Early in his army experience, March is completely confident that the war is a just war. He is an ardent abolitionist and believes that the use of force is justified in freeing the slaves. But soon the lines between good and evil are not as clear as he once thought.

Many of his fellow soldiers on the Union side are just as racist and condescending to the blacks as any Confederate. March experiences war in its fullness and he is haunted by what he has witnessed, and tormented with guilt over the many people he feels he should have been able to save but did not.

“People of the Book” was a delightful story of the Sarajevo Haggadah. The book is generally arranged similar to “March” with chapters that occur in the past interspersed with chapters of the present.

A haddadah is a book which is used in the Jewish ceremony of Passover. It contains various stories from the Old Testament, such as the stories of creation and Noah’s flood. The Sarajevo Haggadah is unique in that it was created in the mid-fourteenth century in Spain and is richly illustrated. Jewish books often were destroyed in the past, yet this book survived. That it has survived over 500 years is astounding.

“People of the Book” tries to fill in the unknown portions of the history of this book, especially focusing on the people that were in some way connected to the production and protection of it.

One caution we would give is that the author in describing relationships between characters uses explicit details. Also the way people were treated in conflicts described in the book are sometimes very graphic.

More than pasta

2008-04-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

Pasta machine helps make crackers thin like ones bought in the store.
Crackers are something we like to make but they do not usually come out crispy like those purchased commercially. That is until now.

Recently our daughter came up with the idea of using her pasta machine to help roll the cracker dough thin enough to come out like commercial crackers. This sounded like a great idea. We decided to try it out on a recipe we found on the internet.

Savory Gluten Free Crackers is a recipe we found at bobsredmill.com. It is a savory cracker without corn, wheat, yeast, milk or egg. Sprinkled with sea salt is becomes a saltine-type cracker. We altered the recipe slightly to adjust the spices to our tastes.

Ingredients as we made the recipe are:

3/4 cup amaranth flour

1/2 cup arrowroot starch

1/4 cup almond meal/flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 to 4 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano leaves

Sesame seeds to sprinkle on baking pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly crush caraway seeds using a mortal and pestle.
Place all dry ingredients except the sesame seeds in large bowl and stir to combine.
Mix oil and 3 tablespoons water together and add all at once to flour mixture. Stir only until a ball forms. If ball appears dry and crumbly add a little more water, one teaspoon at a time, until ball hangs together. The moisture content of flour can vary.
Roll half of the dough at a time, rolling quite thin using wax paper if needed. This is where we put the dough through the pasta machine until they are the desired thinness. Cut into 1-1/2 inch squares or triangles and prick with fork.

Sprinkle sesame seeds onto un-greased cookie sheet and transfer cracker cut-outs to cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Place crackers on wire rack, place it back on the cookie sheet and return it back to the oven to crisp another 5 to 7 minutes.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Repeat with other half of dough. This recipe makes 3 to 4 dozen crackers.

New recipes are always fun to try. If anyone has a favorite cracker recipe please share it in the comment space below.

Date your mate

2008-03-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

A game night is one way for married couples to spend time together.
People usually date before they are married but stop after they are married. We think it is even more important for couples to date after they are married. Couples need to learn to enjoy each another.

We can let the realities of life – work, responsibilities, obligations or even spiritual growth – blind us from enjoying each other’s company. Life gets so busy that we miss setting time aside for pure enjoyment. “Date nights” seem to be impractical when there are bills to pay, dinner to cook, errands to run and more.

When was the last time you took a step back and admired your spouse, giving thanks to God that you didn’t have to walk this life alone? Now is the time to enjoy a good conversation, a shared walk, reading a book together or another just-for-fun activity.

We suggest that couples set aside time for a date at least once a week. Below are suggestions of fun things to do on those nights.

1. Romantic dessert for two by candle light.

Ideas for discussion while enjoying dessert can include the following questions. When you were a child, what did you want to grow up to be? Describe one thing you most want to accomplish in your life. What makes you feel masculine/feminine? Listen closely; this is the tender him/her being shared.

2. Photo Date: Take pictures of yourselves as a couple in front of scenic places, such as in a park, at the river, in front of old buildings, etc.

Use a camera with a self-timer or go on a double date and take turns snapping photos. To extend this date after the photo shoot stop at a coffee or ice cream shop for a treat.

Other photo date ideas can include the following. Go for a walk in the neighborhood and taking photos of the flowers in bloom. While walking along the Sacramento River find nice scenic shots. Take a drive in the mountains and look for scenic shots.

3. Cookie making: plan what cookies you want to make. Together, shop for ingredients. Then create delicious goodies.

Package them up in individual serving sizes and put them in the freezer to make them last longer. If you don’t want all the calories for yourselves, take them to a shut-in or a family with children.

4. Take a walk together holding hands (at least 30 minutes). During your walk tell spouse three qualities they possess that in your opinion other people most enjoy.

5. Games for two: spend the evening playing games. Add to the fun by making a prize or a penalty for the winner and loser. For example: If he wins, she must wash his car. If she wins he must make a special dinner the next night. No cheating!

Suggested games to play include: Aggravation, Cribbage, Chinese checkers, Backgammon, Chess, Parcheesi, Boggle, Checkers and Scrabble.

Dates do not have to be expensive or complicated to plan. Take the time and be creative in planning a date night each week. Keeping the relationship close is the main objective. Marriage can be fun when couples remember to set aside time to be alone together.

We listed other ideas to keep romance alive in marriage in our July 13, 2007 blog.

Easter Lily History

2008-03-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

Easter lilies are grown to be ready for Easter.

In last week’s column we looked into some of the common Easter traditions – how they got started and what they mean today. Another Easter tradition confronted us when we went shopping a few days ago: Easter lilies! How did a tradition like this get started, we wondered? Many people bring these plants with the large white flowers into their homes a week or so before Easter. Churches also use them as decorations. What does it all mean?

After a little research we found an interesting story. Traditionally, the white Easter lily flowers symbolized purity, virtue and innocence. They are often called the “white-robed apostles of hope.” Lilies are said to have been found in the Garden of Gethsemane after Jesus’ agony. Legend has it that they sprung up where Jesus’ drops of sweat fell to the ground. Many churches carry this idea forward in the placement of Easter lilies in their sanctuaries, commemorating the resurrection and hope of eternal life.

The tradition of the Easter lily, however, is one of the newest Easter traditions. The lily tradition dates back to around the 1800s. It came in with the rise in the Easter observances in America after the Civil War. Even then it took time to find widespread acceptance. The American lilies available then bloomed in the early summer. They could be forced to bloom earlier using hothouse conditions but it was considered more trouble than it was worth. Decorating with Easter lilies did not happen until an early blooming lily was imported.

The current use of the Easter lily is really less of a religious tradition and more of a marketing success story. The lily itself is native to the southern islands of Japan. In the 1880s lily bulbs were grown in Bermuda and shipped to hothouses in the United States for growing and flowering in time for Easter. In the early 1900s, Japanese production of lily bulbs undercut the Bermuda growers and so by the 1920s Japan dominated the Easter lily market. World War II, of course, changed all that.

American production of Easter lily bulbs began when a World War I veteran, Louis Houghton, brought lily bulbs to the southern coast area of Oregon around 1919. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, production was already established. As a result of the war, lily bulb prices skyrocketed and many early growers, who were doing it mostly as a hobby, went into the business. By the end of the war, in 1945, there were an estimated 1,200 growers up and down the Pacific coast, from as far south as Long Beach, California all the way to Canada.

But it seems that producing quality bulbs was harder than it looked. Easter lilies have very specific growing requirements which require enough rain, sun, and just the right temperatures. Today there are only 10 farms that grow lily bubs. They are all located in the coastal region of the California-Oregon border from Smith River, California to Brookings, Oregon. This region is called the “Easter Lily Capital of the World.” Almost all the Easter lily bulbs used for potted Easter lilies are produced here. Even after World War II was over, the Japanese growers have never been able to regain any substantial market share.

We enjoy having our Easter lily on the window ledge. However the tradition came to be, Easter lilies are beautiful and charming plants that we think deserve to be admired.

Easter history

2008-03-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

Bunny and eggs are two traditional symbols of Easter.

Easter time is here. We decided to research the history of Easter and how it all got started in the first place. Today Easter is celebrated in nearly every country, most with their own variations and traditions. The differences being mainly what types of food are eaten on Easter Sunday.

The Easter season used to refer to that time of the year from Easter Day until Ascension Day, a period of 40 days, but it now is generally considered to last for the 50 days until Pentecost. Ascension Day was the day when Jesus ascended, or went up to heaven as recorded in the Bible in Luke 24:50. Pentecost was the day the Holy Spirit was given, as described in Acts 2:1.

But it wasn’t always that way. Easter, as most of us know it, is a Christian holiday, or holy day. It is celebrated by all Christian churches and it primarily and historically celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

In the early years of Christianity, Christian missionaries encountered various people groups, mostly in Northern Europe, that celebrated the return of spring with a big festival. These parties would go on for days and they worshipped their goddess fertility and springtime, in the hopes that their fields and livestock would be more productive.

That particular goddess, like many false gods, was known by a lot of different names. The one that stuck in connection to the springtime festival was Eastre. The symbol of the Easter bunny also originated with the worship of this goddess. Her earthly form was apparently a rabbit.

When some of the tribes converted to Christianity, they could no longer celebrate the goddess, so the pageant was changed to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection instead. The church Council of Nicaea in 325 AD issued several rules regarding Easter, one of which was changing of the spelling from Eastre to Easter.

The other main ruling they made was to regulate the day Easter fell on each year. It was decreed that all Christians should follow the Church of Rome by observing Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring, that is, after March 21. If the Jewish Passover falls on the same day, Easter was to be moved to the following Sunday.

Easter eggs have also been around for a long time, considerably predating Christianity. The egg was a symbol of rebirth in many cultures. They were often decorated and given as gifts, a tradition which is still with us today.

One of the widely observed traditions of Easter is that of Carnival and Lent. Lent starts 40 day before Easter and is a time of sacrifice where people give up some enjoyable activity or food item, such as watching TV or eating chocolate. The idea is to make it a time of inner cleansing and reflection upon the sufferings of Jesus Christ before his resurrection.

Carnival, or Mardi Gras, gradually developed with the idea that the 40 days of Lent would be easier if everyone got all their merry-making out of their system first. Carnival is usually celebrated on the Tuesday (known as fat Tuesday) before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

Today most Americans choose to partake in the traditions they see as fun and ignore the other parts. Christians who take their faith seriously tend to focus on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Decorative birdhouses

2008-03-07T07:59:00.000-08:00

Decorative birdhouses made mostly out of recycled materials.

One sign spring is near are birds looking for a place to build a nest. We made some decorative birdhouses to use as decorations to bring the feeling of spring indoors. The birdhouses are made with mostly recycled materials.

The birdhouse itself is made from either a one pint or a one quart size milk carton. The one pint size is perched on a one-inch diameter by four-inch high tree branch. The first step is to paint the milk cartons.

We used a crackle medium to get a textured look. The process for this is to first paint a layer of acrylic paint in color of choice and let it dry. Then apply a coat of crackle medium. After it dries another coat of acrylic paint is applied in a second color. As the last coat dries it crackles exposing the first color.

A hair dryer can be used between layers of paint to hasten the drying time. Also, while waiting for the paint to dry other parts of the project can be worked on.

For the roof we used old wood shingle pieces. These are cut at random widths from about a half-inch to one-inch wide and about two and a half inches long. Cardboard cut to similar sizes could be used in place of wood shingles. These are placed on the slopes of the milk cartons at the top.

We used a hot glue gun to put all parts together but craft glue could be used. If craft glue is used extra time should be allowed for drying before adding more items.

Popsicle sticks and twine are used for the fence around the bottom of the tall birdhouse. The fence posts are cut about one and three-quarters-inch in length. First a length of twine is glued around the painted milk carton about one and a half inches from the bottom. Then the posts are glued three to a side. The fence can be painted white or left wood colored.

The holes for the birds are one-inch in diameter. They are cut out with an X-Acto knife. For the tall birdhouse we cut two holes on front and back and one hole on each side. For the short birdhouse we cut one hole in the front. To edge the holes we glued on twine. We also made bows from twine and glued them to the top of each hole.

For nesting material in each hole and around the base of the tall birdhouses we used wood moss or excelsior moss. We also glued some to the top of the roof to cover the center of the milk carton. Small silk flowers and leaves were used on the roof as well as the base of the pole under the short birdhouse.

The bases for each birdhouse are rounds cut from large tree branches. They measure about 10 to 12 inches in diameter and about one to two inches thick.

To finish the look we placed mushroom birds, one per birdhouse in one of the front holes.

In the past we have made birdhouses like these for table decorations for large get-togethers. To dress them up a length of ivy, silk or real, could be circled around the base. We have also made birdhouses to be sold at fundraisers for non-profit groups that we have been a part of.

If this project is used with children the holes in the birdhouses can be precut by an adult. Adult supervision is also suggested if using hot glue guns.

Flower arranging

2008-02-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

Pictured are spring flowers arranged in multiple vases placed along a ivy branch.

Spring is almost here. In fact some early spring flowers are already in bloom. We like to bring them indoors as cut flowers to brighten up the house.

One arrangement we made this week was a grouping of vases down the center of our dining room table. This type of arrangement can also be used to decorate a fireplace mantel.

When hosting a buffet luncheon or party this type of arrangement is good for the center of the table where the food will be served from. The varying heights of the different vases will balance out the different serving dishes that are place on either side of it.

We started with a silk ivy vine going down the center of the table lengthwise for our arrangement. Then we placed seven different sized vases along the vine, some in front and some behind it. The vases are all different sizes and shapes but all are narrow in width.

Our vases are all clear glass but other types can be used. Other choices may be all metal such as gold, silver and bronze or all milk glass. For a country look canning jars would be a good choice to use in place of vases.

It doesn’t take a lot of flowers for this kind of arrangement. The flowers we chose for our arrangement included six camellias, three daffodils, three stems of narcissus and a few branches of crabapple blossoms. This gives it a simple and clean look. More flowers can be used depending on the desired effect and style to fit with the room.

Other things can be added to fill out the arrangement such as figurines or other ordainments placed along the ivy at the bottom. A scarf or wired ribbon can also be placed with the ivy between the vases.

For fresh flowers the water should be changed everyday to keep it from looking cloudy. If using silk flowers colored sand can be used in the vases to hold the flowers in place and also add color to the arrangement. When using glass vases the sand also helps keep the glass from looking cloudy, especially if the arrangement is to left in place for a period of time.

For other arrangement ideas there are classes offered at businesses such as House of Design in Red Bluff and at Michaels Stores in Redding and Chico. Ideas can also be found in magazines and on the internet.

We have several silk flower arrangements that we change at least seasonal. Sometimes we change them more often for special occasions or parties. When the flowers are in bloom we try to use them in arrangements around the house also.

For the seasons where the flowers are scarce, using cuttings from evergreen plants work well as decoration. Dried flowers are a good choice to use during the fall months. All arrangements can be kept looking fresh by regularly rearranging them to go along with the seasons of the year.

Noodle making

2008-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pasta machine shown with a batch of spaghetti.

We always like trying new things when it comes to cooking and baking. Back in August of last year we had a dinner party featuring Thai food. Information was posted at our blog on August 18 at the site listed below.

One thing our daughter tried then was making rice noodles. They were not hard but took a little time. So one present we got her for her birthday this year was a pasta machine.

To find pasta recipes she looked online. A website she found that has many good recipes for pasta is bobsredmill.com. She has tried several but the one that is the easiest and is fast becoming our favorite is Bob’s basic pasta recipe. This recipe is more flavorful than basic store bought pasta.

Ingredients are:

1 1/2 cups semolina flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 eggs or 3 egg whites, beaten

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs (or egg whites), water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough. Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Wrap dough in towel or place in plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes. Roll out to desired thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut as desired.

Bring a large pot of water containing 1/2 teaspoon olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender (approximately 3 to 5 minutes). When making lasagna, no need to boil noodles. Add directly to your recipe.

We found this recipe works up fast. We only kneed the dough until it all sticks together, much less than the suggested 10 minutes. When rolling it out it is more elastic and easier to work with than others we have tried so far.

Also when we want to make the noodles ahead of time we just hang them to dry after cutting them. Our wooden clothes drying rack works as a pasta drier also. We just cover the dowels with plastic wrap before placing the noodles on it to dry.
To use the pasta machine the dough is rolled out flat and then fed through the machine starting at the thickest setting, then decreasing down to the desired thickness. The final time through is to cut the noodles into the desired width.

Our favorite way to eat them is to melt about a fourth cup margarine and add one teaspoon dried herb leaves such as basil, oregano, savory, tarragon or thyme and one teaspoon lemon juice. After the noodles are cooked and drained, just poor the herb sauce over them and serve.

Other ways to serve noodles is with a spaghetti sauce, pesto sauce or white sauce. The white sauce can be changed to a cheese or curry sauce. We found ideas for sauces in our Betty Crocker Cookbook but other general cookbooks will have similar ideas.
For us it is worth it to get a better tasting product even if it takes a little more time than ready made ones from the store. We welcome readers to share their favorite recipes and cooking experiences with us at the email address listed below.

Model show

2008-02-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Pictured at top is a 1/35 scale American Stewart tank in Russian service, middle are 1/350 scale Japanese battleship Yamato and 1/72 scale Gato class American submarine, bottom are 1/72 scale single engine entries at the Hobby Expo 2008 model show in Petaluma, California.

Last weekend we went to a scale model show, know as Hobby Expo 2008, in the town of Petaluma near Santa Rosa. It was put on by the Santa Rosa plastic modeler’s club, a member of the International Plastic Modeler’s Society, USA. People came in from all over, including many from the bay area, Fresno, Redding, and as far away as Reno and Las Vegas. There were over 100 entrants in the model contest with nearly 400 models. Also there were numerous vendors selling model kits and supplies.

The show opened at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and we got there soon afterward. Attendance was free for non-vendors, so we didn’t have to pay just to look. There were a couple of kits on our list of “would like to get” so we first went around all the vendor tables to see what was there.

We were amazed by how much stuff they had. There were literally thousands of kits stacked high on the tables and some on the floor. Many of them were older kits, often out of production. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the ones we wanted, but we did make couple small purchases – a WWII German ME-262 airplane and a sheet of decals.

After we went over the vendor’s items, it was time to look at all the models that were entered into the contest. There were over 50 categories, including ones for juniors, adults, and some over-all categories. The categories and awards covered just about everything imaginable, from military vehicles and aircraft, to science fiction and even an “unfinished model” category.

The models were all very finely built and clearly showed the many hours of work that went into their construction. Models have come a long way from when we were young and a small kit could be purchased for 50 cents and then assembled in a half an hour. These days, the paint colors and markings are extensively researched and tiny details are faithfully rendered.

One item of interest is how truly international the plastic modeling hobby has become. Kits are being manufactured in many countries that even 20 years ago had no representation at all. They are coming from Japan, Russia, the Czech Republic, and China, just to name a few. Even the kit we got came from Poland.

A whole cottage industry has sprung up making add-ons for various kits. There are conversion parts made out of epoxy resin to make an existing kit into a different version. Small companies produce photo-etched brass and stainless steel parts, usually on a credit-card-sized fret, for fine details such as airplane cockpit parts. The international flavor brings a wealth of creativity and variety to the hobby.

Along with attending the model show, we took a little road trip. It was nice because we actually had not been to Petaluma before. It gives us something new to talk about, new scenery to look at and we can usually take in some different activities along the way.

Petaluma is located in Sonoma County, about 50 miles north of the bay area, on Highway 101. It is on the edge of the Napa-area wine country. There is a lot of beautiful scenery around the town, including acre after of acre of fine vineyards.

We took the freeways going down, but chose to come back along smaller roads, at least until they connected with I-5. We can definitely recommend the smaller roads. Although they are a little curvy and slower than the freeway, you get to experience more scenery.

Party Ideas

2008-02-08T07:48:00.001-08:00

Party ideas collected from magazines, newspapers and the internet.

Parties are a lot of fun but sometimes they can be a lot of work to plan. We try to plan ahead by saving ideas when we see them.

As we are reading magazines, newspapers or even on the internet, when we come across a party idea that we like we cut it out or make a copy and save it in our household organization binder. This binder is explained in our January 18 column and is at the blog site listed below.

The latest ideas we used was for our daughter’s birthday. We found a soup recipe in the Relish insert of the Daily News last December. Soups and stews are good choices for special occasions in winter. This one was headlined “Angel Harvest Vegetable and Potato Soup.” We did customize it by adding stew meat to it. And to make it large enough for the number of guest we were expecting we also increased the amount of vegetables and seasonings.

To go along with the soup we made homemade dinner rolls. Then instead of birthday cake we made three pies. One was orange meringue which was a recipe we found in the same Relish insert as the soup. The other two were lemon meringue and kiwi with a crumb topping.

In the past we have done parties with themes like a Hawaiian holiday. We got this idea from the June/July 2003 Taste of Home magazine. For this party we followed the recipes pretty closely.

The luau centerpiece was fruit threaded onto wooden skewers and inserted into a whole pineapple. The pineapple was placed in the center of a molded blue gelatin ring. Around the gelatin was more fruit. At each corner of the centerpiece were palm trees made out of half a bell pepper for the leaves and carrot trunk, mounted on half a potato.

The dinner included Polynesian meatballs, tropical tossed salad and rice. The drink was pineapple juice with lemon sherbet and ice cubes blinded in. The cake was in the shape of a volcano.

Some birthdays we celebrate with a dinner made up of the birthday persons favorite foods. Then the cake is a fun shape such as a giant hamburger, piano, castle, kite or train.

One idea we have not used yet is a teddy bear picnic theme. This idea came from the February/March 2000 Taste of Home magazine. They had ideas for a “sandwich bear,” “teddy carrot bars” and “beary cute cookies.” The sandwich bear is made using different size round bread and rolls, and then filled with sandwich fixings. The teddy carrot bars are topped with purchased Teddy Grahams. The cookies are round with ears added and for the face two M&M eyes and a chocolate candy kiss nose.

The teddy bear theme could be used for a baby shower or a birthday party for someone partial to bears.

We are always on the lookout for new ideas. Party ideas from our readers are welcome. Please comment below.

Yo-yo hearts

2008-02-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

Pictured at left is a finished yo-yo heart on top of the heart pattern, at right are two more finished yo-yo hearts.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. This year we are making yo-yo heart magnets. They are fast, easy and do not cost much to make.

In the past we have made many things out of yo-yos and have done several columns featuring items made from yo-yos. Past articles of items we have made are on our blog listed below. September 2007 featured pumpkins. April 2007 featured angels as well as a photo of other items made in the past.

Heart decorations are used a lot for Valentines and also for weddings. On the internet we have seen examples of yo-yo hearts made by others so we decided to try our hand at making some.

First we drew a heart pattern, about 6.5 by 6.5 inches. Next we looked through our existing fabric collection for those colors suited for Valentines. Then we chose several different fabrics in red and pink floral prints as well as a solid red.

Using the heart pattern we made, we cut out several dozen hearts. Then to shape the yo-yos we sewed a running stitch starting at the top of the heart and going down one side to the bottom. Next we sewed a running stitch down the other side of the heart. We left a tail of thread on both sides. Pulling the threads gathered the fabric, making the shape of a heart. The threads were tied to secure the heart shape.

When sewing the running stitch we do not fold over the edge of the fabric like a hem is done. Many directions say to do this but it makes the gathers thicker and we do not think they look as nice that way. We only fold over the edges if they will show in the finished product. For most projects something is placed over the gathers and they are not seen in the finished product.

Some directions on the internet indicated they needed to make a “secret stitch” at the center top to define the shape at the top of the heart. When gathering our yo-yo hearts the top came down by its self, not needing any other stitching.

To cover the stitching we used decorative buttons. We have a collection of old buttons saved from used garments as well as collections others have given to us over the years.

We used hot glue to hold the buttons in place. Then to finish we hot glued a magnet on the back.

For those who want to use the hearts like jewelry a closing pin clasp could be glued to the back instead of the magnet. The hearts could also be sewed directly onto clothing as embellishment.

There are websites that have patterns and directions they allow to be copied. We chose to make our own as some fuss about using their patterns for profit. We do not generally sell items we make, but sometimes give them to fundraisers to be sold. Making our own patterns just eliminates questions about how we use the things we make. We welcome any one to copy and use any ideas we have shared. If anyone makes a profit from them we will be happy for them. Having fun and sharing with others is our goal.

Learning activities

2008-01-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

Coupons, ads, catalogs and magazines can be used as learning tools.

When our children were growing up we were always looking for fun ways to help them learn. Educational materials can be expensive to buy but there are other materials that work just as well.

Sometimes simple things like magazines, catalogs, the ad papers and coupon pages that come in the newspaper can be good learning tools. First the magazines can be used for making collages for art projects and finding recipes to make meals or snacks. When children help pick out recipes they are more likely to want to help prepare the food and more likely to eat it.

Magazines are also a good resource to use when making cards for special occasions. With Valentine’s Day coming up a card with a large “I,” a picture of a heart and a large letter “U” can say I love you. Other pictures, letters and words can be used to make other messages to give to a loved one or friend. Grandmas and moms would find a card full of flower pictures very special. We think handmade cards are more special than store bought because it shows that someone took the time and thought to make them.

The coupon pages are good for children to learn many skills. First they can learn to cut straight lines when cutting out the coupons. Second they can sort them by category such as snacks, cereals, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotions and so on. Then sort them by expiration date starting with the shortest to the longest, so they can practice putting things in sequence.

When making out a shopping list the children can look through the sorted coupons to find ones that match the items on the list. Next they can look through the store ads and find which items on the list are on sale, at what stores and which one has the best prices. All these activities help them learn plus they can feel they are being helpful.

For children learning their alphabet, have them cut out pictures that start with each letter. They can print out the alphabet, one letter per sheet of paper and glue the pictures that start with that letter on them. Those that are learning phonetic sounds can write those sounds on individual sheets of paper and then find pictures that start with those sounds.

Older children that are learning to spell can look for pictures that match the words on their spelling lists. Also cutting out letters and pasting them in the correct order to spell the words is a fun way to help memorize their list.

When the children are done making pages of pictures to match the alphabet, phonics sounds or spelling their words they can be sent or given to grandmas and grandpas. They always like to see what the children are doing.

All these activities are good things to do indoors on rainy days like we have been having. Our favorite is finding a recipe that requires baking. That way the house gets warmed up as well.

Household orgnization

2008-01-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Binder and supplies to create an organization binder.

Organization is one thing some resolve to do better on in the New Year. We are beginning a household organization binder to help us keep better organized.

The important thing is to gather household information in one place so that we do not need to go on a search every time we need a bit of info. Others may use files and some people keep this kind of thing on their computers.

Sections in the binder can be for a calendar, meal and recipe ideas, party ideas, holiday section, projects and to do lists. We use notebook paper to write ideas on and clear plastic pockets to keep clippings of recipes, pictures and other hints in. To separate the sections we use dividers with tabs that say what is in each section.

The calendar section is to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries and other dates that are special. Also notes of ideas for gifts for each occasion. Gifts purchased in advance can be listed in this section as a quick reminder of what is on hand.

The meal and recipe section can include daily meal planning as well as new recipes that we might want to try at a later date. If meals, desserts, breads, fruits or vegetables are prepared ahead and stored in the freezer, a list of what is in the freezer is good to have. That way stored food will be easy to remember and not be forgotten about. A list of canned items on hand is also nice to have.

A party idea section can include menus, decorations, games and other activities to try at a future event. We also list possible themes to use to center all the plans on for specific parties. Then under each theme is a list of food, decorations and activities we could do for each one.

The holiday section is where we keep track of things we have tried in the past with comments on how well we though they turned out as well as ideas to try for the future. Also gift ideas for friends and relatives are good to list in this section. A list of gifts purchased in advance and for who is nice to have as a reminder of what is already done. To not repeat the same type of gift a list of what was given and to whom is a good idea.

Projects and the to do list section is to help keep track of projects already under way and what steps are needed to complete them. Also new ideas of things we might want to do in the future and what items we need to have to do them. Types of projects might include home improvement ideas, gardening ideas or craft ideas.

Each section can include pictures, diagrams and any details that might help with future plans. Just jotting down thoughts and ideas ahead of time can be helpful. An event can sneak up on us but these things can give us a jump start.

Organization and preplanning not only helps with ideas but with the budget as well. If there is a plan and even some items purchased in advance it can save not only time but money. Last minute purchases tend to cost us more than when we shop at sales or can make something ourselves instead of purchasing ready made items.
Saving time and money are both things that make our lives go smoother for us.

Storm damage

2008-01-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

Fallen oak tree took out power lines, dog run and goat barn with two goats inside.

We are hoping by the time this column is published we will have our electric back. The storm last Friday broke the top out of an oak tree next to our house that took two more limbs off the tree as it came down, all of them landing on the power lines and our dog run and goat barn.

There were two goats in the barn at the time and we thought they were goners. Everything except for part of one wall was flat under the fallen tree parts.

First we called 911 as the warnings we have heard say if we had downed power lines to call them first. They patched us through to the California Department of Forestry. The CDF person said if there was no arcing and sparking they would not come out.

So we went to take a closer look. If CDF was not concerned we decided to find out if the goats survived. By then one had made it out on its own. The other we had to remove some of the debris to find. It appeared unhurt so we got it out and put both goats in with our other goats their fenced area.

After checking all our other animals we set about hooking up our generator. We know automatically that we will be on the bottom of the repair list for Pacific Gas and Electric. It only took two days to get us placed on the repair list with no estimated time of repair in sight!

Even though we are only three to four miles from the edge of town, we might as well be 100 miles when it comes to emergency or repair services. If we can not take care of something ourselves it most likely will not be taken care of.

Equipment we have found that is essential to have ready at all times include: generator, backhoe, chainsaws and fire extinguishers. Extra supplies we keep on hand are: gasoline, diesel, flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, water and food. The only things we have run short of are fresh bread and hot showers.

Our generator is not big enough to run our stove and oven so baking is something we have to do without. We do all our cooking on top of our wood stove. It takes longer but it works. Also the hot water heater is too big for our generator to run. We have to heat all water on the wood stove.

Cleanup and repairs are still ongoing. We have cleared the access road along the power line so that when the repair crew finally arrives they can reach the power poles. The limbs directly on the dog run and goat barn will have to wait a few more days. We built another temporary dog kennel to make due until the other can be rebuilt.

Other storm damage we still have to get to is replacing shingles on our garage and carport; cleaning up broken limbs in the walnut orchard, then repair the and clean up all equipment to make it ready for next time.

We thought five days was a long time to be out of power in 1995. This time we have passed that. For all the improvements for quicker responses we hear about we sure do not see it. Even the times there are no storms to blame, response time has proven slow.

Update: Late on day six PG&E workers pieced the wires back together. There are many splices but the power is back on.

Plant stands

2008-01-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

Plant stands: before and after views of upgrade.

A few years ago we made some simple plant stands out of two by two and one by 12 lumber. They were about 28 inches tall and 12 inches wide by 18 inches long, painted white. As plant stands they worked just fine. But recently we were looking at some internet sites that featured furniture and saw some small tables that were similar but much fancier. It seemed to us that we could rework our existing tables by adding some features and details to look about like the ones we saw on the internet.

So we went to the home building supply and got a sheet of three fourths–inch plywood that was sanded for appearance, a sheet of eighth-inch hardboard, some eight-foot pieces of one by four lumber and several lengths of plain molding. Also, we wanted the stone look so we got a few boxes of slate tiles (which happened to be on sale at the time) to install on the top of the finished stands.

We had to sand the tables on all sides first, as that was not done when they were originally put together. Some of the stock was quite rough and required substantial sanding to get to a smooth appearance.

Next we made a 20 by 14 inch base for the table out of the plywood. Around that we added the one by four lumber, and put the molding around that. The corners are all mitered so no end grain shows.

Around the top we applied two layers of the hardboard to get a scalloped look. The inside layer is raised about fourth-inch above the level of the table to make a place for the slate to be fitted later.

After all assembly was done and everything sanded and nail holes filled, we painted it a high gloss white overall, except where the slate was to be installed. The last thing was putting the slate on.

The slate tile is 11 3/4-inchs square so that left about three and one-half inches of table on either side. We decided to use some flat round rocks and bought some flat glass beads that were about one inch long and applied them with tile adhesive to the table. After grouting around the slate tile and the rocks, the table was finished.

Now it is nice enough to be an attractive end table or it can still be used as a plant stand. We have done several projects like this over the years. This way we get something that custom fits our needs.

Sometimes they seem a little difficult at first and require some figuring out, but we can usually come up with something useful and at a substantial savings over buying readymade. Once in a while we will have to buy a tool in order to be able to complete a project and that always adds to the cost. But then we are all set the next time we do a similar project.

Meal planning

2007-12-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Three books that can help in meal planning.

The New Year is just a few short days away. Many will be making New Year’s resolutions. They may include weight loss, better nutrition, getting more organized and sticking to a budget.

To help keep these resolutions we propose planning and making meals in advance. This will help achieve all the above goals and also will save time and make meal time something to look forward to.

With busy schedules families often run out of time to plan nutritional meals much less do it on a budget. There are cookbooks that have suggestions, recipes, menus, shopping lists and more that make this doable.

Cookbooks are tools to be used to make the job easier. There are three that we have used to help us come up with our own style that is a combination of methods they suggest.

“Once-a-Month Cooking” by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg gives menus, shopping lists, recipes and instructions on how to prepare meals for two weeks or a month at a time. This method is best if there are two or more people working together. We have used this method and it is a lot of work up front but the reward comes when all we had to do was defrost and heat meals that were already assembled.

“Don’t Panic-Dinner’s in the Freezer” by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia focuses on preparing one or two meals at one time in multiples of two, four or six. Each recipe in the book has the ingredients listed to make two, four or six meals at a time. Then after it is cooked it can be divided that many times and frozen. That way one meal can be used that day and the others will be ready when needed.

“The Cook It and Freeze It Book” by Margaret Deeds Murphy has information on how to package different types of food for freezer storage as well as recipes that can be made and frozen. It also gives suggested length each item can be stored in the freezer.

Most of the time we make double or triple the amount we need for a meal and freeze the extra meals. We also do things like make a big pot of beans or a big roast that can then be used to make several different recipes.

About a month before our walnut harvest time we push to do more of a once-a-month type plan where we can have enough meals to last us through harvest. That way when we come in from the orchard at night tired from the day’s work all we have to do is heat up dinner and eat.

This year we ran a little short of our desired goal. There was another alternative we decided to use. In Red Bluff there is now a business called “Dinner My Way.” They have all the ingredients needed for 14 different recipes all ready to be assembled. We ordered online the meals we wanted and made reservations to go in and assemble them. In about an hour we had the additional meal we needed put together and ready to freeze. Information about all they offer is available at dinnermyway.com.

Many families have children in sports and other after school activities. That along with both parents working can make it hard to prepare meals that are nutritional as well as meet the budget. Getting the entire family to participate in a meal preparation plan will make it possible to have meals that meat the nutrition and budget goals.

When one person of the family is to be the main one responsible for making the meals, the easiest way is to make multiple batches on one meal and then divide it to be frozen for later meals. A good plan is to work up to cooking only one meal a week and use previously made meals the rest of the week.

Do not be afraid to try different methods. After trying the different ones you will be able to customize a plan that works for your family. The goal should be to make meal planning less stressful.