Turkey decoration Materials: clear plastic cup, colored paper, wiggly eyes & candy such as whoppers, M&Ms, Reese's, etc.
 |
| It's Pumpkin Pie Tonight! |
As mentioned in my last post, the 10 year old grandson called and asked if he could come and spend the night. I was pleased that he wanted to come but my plans to do some extra reading over the week end just went completely out the window. With Hubby away for a couple of days I thought I would actually relax for a while with my book. [I had just started reading Bonheoffer, which is about a million pages long and will probably take about a year for me to read at the rate I’m going.]
Now this young fellow, lets call him “Mighty”, is no ordinary boy and I know he’s a hard one to keep satisfied so I knew I was in for a day of it. He played with some things around the house, played army in the yard and enjoyed one of his favorite NOT A TOY items that we happen to have here that he happened to discover one day last spring. It happens to be a WWII bayonet, complete with sheath. He loves to attach it to his belt or a string if he’s not wearing a belt and simply wear it around. Now this is not the kind of thing that I recommend for Granny Camp, necessarily. Adult supervision, permission from parents, etc., etc., etc., etc., would definitely be required. Given that his father, our son, is active duty military, it is no wonder that these children have some degree of interest in such things. For a young one, he has a genuine interest in history, especially wars.
After a couple of hours of occupying himself with the previously mentioned activities, he asked if I would play Battleship with him. I finished my task and sat down to play with him. He grinned ear to ear when he beat me. About that time, I noticed our tin of crayons sitting partly on the floor heating register. As I picked it up I was telling him how the heat could melt the crayons and sure enough, a few were melting in the bottom of the tin box. As I showed him, I went on to tell him that I have used crayons to color candles that I have made and said maybe someday we can make candles. With excitement he asked, “Can we make some now?” Of course my initial response was, “I don’t see how we can today.”, since I had not planned on such an industrious project. He went on, “Well, when can we?” So I’m thinking about the supplies we would need, etc., etc. and said out loud, “I wonder if I have some paraffin wax.” Guess what, I did. And, guess what, I also had juice in a cardboard carton (which I usually do not have). So guess what I said to this excited young fellow: “Yes, you can make a candle.” He was delighted and to tell you the truth, I was delighted ‘cause I find it challenging to come up with creative activities that this particular child will get this fired up about.
We did have one catch--- I had a small turkey, which I had planned to roast and really needed to do so today. So in order to expedite the candle making, he agreed to help get the turkey ready to roast. Since kids usually like to paint, I asked him to paint the bird with melted butter so he seemed to enjoy doing the job. We soon got the bird in the oven and started our project. With great interest, excitement and cooperation Mighty made a candle and I even have the photos to prove it...
 |
| The Warrior Chef |
A little later on, my young visitor asked me to play Monopoly with him, knowing that I had played with the other children the day before. Remembering his previous experiences with the game, I didn’t think he would last long with it ‘cause he just really likes more active things. I started to have him turn the TV off as we were getting started, but stopped myself. [I am one of these old fashioned folks who does not like TV playing in the background all the time, especially when I am spending time with someone. ---Except of course if viewing a movie, show or sports event is the together activity.] So as we started playing, I watched him glance at it while I took my turn. I decided to leave it be and see if he would last longer in the game this time. Well, he lasted all right! ----Made it through about a 6 hour game, which had to be carried over to the next day after breakfast. Side note--- the distraction of the TV did not cause him to miss more than one or two opportunities to collect rent from me. We played to the finish and he won--- with great joy, I might ad.
Yes, somewhere in the evening the turkey was done and Mighty enjoyed eating a drumstick and some broccoli and fruit. Later we even had turkey sandwiches. And in the midst of it all we did not forget to include my parents in our dinner. Mighty spent some time visiting and watching TV with them while I fixed dinner. Memaw and Pawpaw always love it when the grands are here. When we called it a day, he showered and went to bed without a fuss--- not always easy to accomplish with this very active one.
By now its Saturday and after the Monopoly game Mighty played with toys, watched some TV and played outside. But the very first thing he did when he got up was to rip the mold off of his candle and of course light it.
I will not always share such a long narrative but did want to illustrate that Granny Camp sometimes happens unplanned and spur of the moment. These 4 days of special time with a few of my grands just happened a couple of weeks ago in the midst of busy day to day life and at a time when my own plan was for a slow paced week end of household chores, reading, holiday planning and caring for my parents.
The Egg Nog Taste Test
Purchased 2 diferent brands of Egg Nog and then ...
 |
| He made his choice! |
 |
| I'm ready! |
No, I have not forgotten that Thanksgiving is only 4 days away, so here ...
<~~ TODAY'S GRANNY CAMP RECIPES
Pumpkin Pie
1 ½ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
4 lg. eggs
1 can (29 oz. ) pumpkin, or 3 ½ c. cooked fresh pumpkin
2 cans (12 oz. each) evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9 in. deep dish pie shells
In a small bowl, mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Gradually stir in milk. Pour into pie shells.
Bake in preheated 425* oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temp. to 350* and bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for about 2 hours, then serve or refrigerate. Yield – 2 pies.
[The recipe on the label of Libby’s Pumpkin is almost the same as this one and is very good also.]
 |
| So how old were you when you made your first Pumpkin Pie? |
 |
| Granny Campers start pretty young! |
Spiced Cranberry Tea
5 c. cold water ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tea bags ¼ tsp. ground allspice
2 C. white or red grape juice 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 C. cranberry juice cocktail 1 lemon, sliced
½ C. sugar 1 orange, sliced
Lemon and/or orange wedges
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, bring 5 c. water to a boil; remove from heat & add tea bags. Steep for 3-5 min. Discard tea bags. Stir in 2 c. water, grape juice, cranberry juice cocktail, sugar & spices. Bring to a boil; reduce heat & simmer uncovered for 15 min. Add lemon & orange slices. Cover & chill for about 4 hours. If desired, pour tea through strainer into a serving pitcher or punch bowl before serving. Serve hot or pour over ice cubes. Garnish with lemon or orange wedges in each glass, if desired.
Sweet Potato Casserole*
4 c. drained sweet potatoes
½ c . sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. melted butter
Mash potatoes and blend in sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter. Pour into buttered casserole dish.
Topping -- Blend the following and top sweet potato mixture:
¾ c. brown sugar, ¼ c. flour, 1/3 c. melted butter, 1 c. chopped pecans, dash of salt. Bake 30 min. at 350*.
Cranberry Salad
2 pkgs. cherry gelatin, made according to directions except
use 1 less cup water
Remove seeds and process together:
1 lb. fresh cranberries
2 whole oranges
3 whole apples
½ c. chopped nuts
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until set.
This is actually good without the gelatin and you can add
a little sugar to taste, if you want.
George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation
By the President of the United States of America
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor -- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks -- for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation -- for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war -- for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed -- for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions -- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually -- to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed -- to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord -- To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us -- and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York
Go: Washington
The Library of Congress George Washington Collection
The Library of Congress Thanksgiving in America
No comments:
Post a Comment