Sadie Hawkins Day???

Was I the only one who thought that the 29th of February was Sadie Hawkins Day?      I thought that it was, but according to Wikipedia, Sadie Hawkins Day is actually November 9th (starting in 1938)...   Hmmm....

1903 cartoon by Bob Satterfield

Wikipedia also states the following under Leap Year info & tradition:
In Ireland and Britain, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only in leap years. While it has been claimed that the tradition was initiated by Saint Patrick or Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland, this is dubious, as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century.

 ~ In the United States, February 29 is often referred to as "Sadie Hawkins Day" signifying a gender role reversal, such as a day when a woman proposes marriage to a man.
~Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation was deemed to be a pair of leather gloves, a single rose, £1 and a kiss.
~In Finland, the tradition is that if a man refuses a woman's proposal on leap day, he should buy her the fabrics for a skirt.
~In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky. One in five engaged couples in Greece will plan to avoid getting married in a leap year.

 So, now we know:  today kind of is Sadie Hawkins Day.  =)   

Don't worry, I'm not planning to exercise my "rights" this year!  =)
Put "leap year postcards" in the search engine to see even more fun images of the past! 

1906

RIP dear old hand-mixer~

This was my family's 3 hand-mixer in 32 years, and possibly my favorite.....we mixed countless cookies together....numerous cakes together...tons of chocolate candy together...lots of cheesecakes together....pounds and POUNDS of butter together...piles of almond buns together....pans and pans of brownies together.....fantastic amounts of frosting together. Sigh.

The timing was Providential though- I had just finished baking 4 Chocolate Cakes for Raffa, and was just declaring the double batch of chocolate cream cheese frosting to be done, and it died. 

What a way to go! With your boots on, making delicious frosting!

Together is such a nice word.

With my hand-mixer in mind, I've listed a few of the definitions below:

*  In a relationship, association, business, or agreement.

* Taken or considered collectively or conjointly.

* At the same time; simultaneously.

* Without intermission or interruption; continuously; uninterruptedly: for days together.

* In cooperation; with united action; conjointly: to undertake a task together.

* With mutual action.

An old word for you...

enthusiast

Pronounced: en-thoo-zee-ast, -ist

1. A person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal: a sports enthusiast.

2. A religious visionary or fanatic.

or:

1.	a person filled with or motivated by enthusiasm; fanatic
2.	archaic a religious visionary, esp one whose zeal for religion is extravagant or unbalanced

Synonyms:
1. zealot, devotee, fan.
Word origin & history:

c.1600, pejorative, one who believes himself possessed of divine revelations or special communication from God, from Gk.

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Enthusiast~ what a fun word! =) 

Wait....

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. ~Psalm 27:14

There are several definitions for the word wait.
The first in the line up is: "to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens"....but I'm not sure that that is the wait in Psalm 27.

I think that David means a more cheerful waiting, (not just sitting around grumpily drumming your fingers) like these:

5. "to look forward to eagerly. (I'm just waiting for the day I get to go to the Zoo!)

7. "Archaic . (of things) to be in readiness for; be reserved for; await." (Or I guess, The Zoo day is here, and I've got the lunch packed, and I'm just waiting for the actual departure time.)

10. an act or instance of waiting or awaiting; delay; halt: a wait at the border. (We're all piled into the hot car, and you had a flat, or someone had to make a pit-stop...but the wait is not too bad because you know that sooner or later you will be on the road headed to the Zoo again!)

11. a period or interval of waiting: There will be a long wait between trains. (Expectancy- the Zoo is on the other side of this hour+ long road trip!!!!)

12. Theater- as in the time between two acts, scenes, or the like. (You have seen the Elephants and the line to the Monkeys is soooo long! But you know that the Monkeys are worth the wait.)

I put it to you these latter ways of waiting are examples of how we should wait.

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If you think about it~ we do or will do a lot of waiting in our lives. We wait to see what God's plan is for our lives. (I can't wait to see the big picture of what He has planned for me!)

Waiting to be "big enough" to do something. Wait to turn 10 years old, learning to play an instrument, to learn to drive, to vote, to turn 21. Waiting for reconciliation in the family. To mature, for Friends, for Dinner. For trips to the Zoo. Waiting for the opportunity to go on a mission trip, for job opportunities (jobs or promotions or even just doing what you want to earn a living). For Prince Charming, for THE proposal, for the Wedding. Waiting for your spouse to land a job, for children (your own or adoption)....and it all starts again.
For your Children to mature. Waiting for your Children to marry and to have their own children...

I'm not saying that I have this waiting thing down~ far from it! But I am saying that I think that Wait & Trust is essentially the same thing....or at least they go hand in hand.

So next time you are in a hard spot- ask yourself and God, "Am I waiting with a cheerful heart? Am I waiting with expectancy? Am I trusting God with my life? Do I really believe that He has the perfect plans for me and will bring them about in His perfect time? Am I acting like I trust Him?". Feel free to challenge me on this~ I need all the help I can get! =)

There are plenty of things to do as you wait for your trip to the Zoo- you can plan your outfit, you can look at maps and plan a schedule for the day, and you can plan your lunch menu, too!

And of course there are things you can do while you are waiting for God's plans to unfold (or "to see the Monkeys")~ put your old man to death, build your character, and really, it can't hurt to "plan your outfits". Remember all kinds of people are watching you~ all the time.

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Have you heard the Judy Rogers song "Trust in The Lord"? Here it is:

Trust in Him~ Wait on Him. His plans are worth the wait. =)
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(Waiting for the Monkeys- I'll have to remember that line!)

Lost and Found

While working on my January Resolution: moving into the sewing room, or better known as "The Great Sewing Room Project", I found a box of bits of memorabilia from the McKee clan: old buttons, coins, tokens, rocks, jewelry, other stuff, and this tiny gun.

I asked Dad what he knew about it, was it G.I. Joe or something else. And he, without skipping a beat, said: G.I. Joe, the Underwater Diving set- it's a Flare Gun.

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That's my Dad! =)
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20 years ago, when we were a lot littler, my brothers and I were allowed to play with Dad's 12" G.I. Joes- We were VERY careful, and it was SO much fun to play with the toys that Dad had loved and played with. We had the best place to play with them too- in the bottom of the storage closet...the closet light being the only light on in the room!
(I actually only remember playing with Joshua, but I guess that Benjamin was there, too.

FYI: playing with G.I.Joes are WAY more fun than playing with Barbies.

Busy afternoon~

Have you ever made Scots Baps? This was my first try, they are supposed to be ovals.
Oh, well- at least I got my thumb print in each. (They SMELL SO GOOD!!!) http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-scottish-bap.htm
(my cookbook said that the Brits call them 'morning rolls'. So if the characters in the book you are reading are eating morning rolls, you now know what exactly they were eating!)

Look at the guy on the right~ he was not there when I put them in the oven,
but when I pulled the pan out...there he was smiling at me! =)

We bought this large winter squash from our friend, Rick Donaldson.
(He sells his home-grown organic produce at the Rockwall Farmers Market.)

I sliced it, and cut the peel off. (the pigs got that)

I then roasted some with oil, salt & pepper, at 4oo.

The rest of it I put in the dehydrator, some raw and some just oil roasted- just to see what we liked better. I imagine that either one would be good in a recipe, but the roasted would make a really tasty snack. (...bet you can't eat just one!)

And that brings us to dinner:
Rehoboth Ranch Smoked Pork Sausage (click here), Organic Costco Broccoli,
Rick's squash, and my Scots Baps!

This photo is proof that Aunt Bess ate some squash. And she said that she liked it!
(she's NOT a squash eater)

A letter...

Dear Friends,
I hope that you are well, we are.

The weather has been very fine this week, although on Monday it was 100 degrees-> record breaking for us, at this time of year!

Dad bought Mom one of those lovely dehydrators this summer, but we had given up the idea of drying any pears this year, ours are too small- I thought that it would be too dangerous to try it. But my Aunt announced that she had some lovely round ones that we were welcome to have, if we came and picked them. So we did...but they were not much better than ours. Sigh.

But then something happy happened: our neighbor across the street brought over a big fat grocery sack of pears, that were even bigger and better than my Aunt's! =)
Happy day! I (with Mom's help), got them into the dehydrator that night, they came out only filling one quart jar, but we were told that we could come back for more! =)

It is really nice having nice neighbors. (Sometimes I think that they are too nice for us!)

Would you like some more happy news?!? At the beginning of summer, I bought 3 little yellow squash plants, that never did well, and one by one, they have died. Well, I should say all but one! Dad dug it up and added stuff to the soil, and the plant did better, but it remained pathetic looking, and never produced. But today I looked at it and there are 2 very little squashes on it!!!

I wish that I had the camera with me this evening- I picked pretty little yellow squash and pretty hot red peppers, and carried them in in the skirt of my retro blue with white daisy's apron. (reproduction flour sack fabric)

Last night, M, D and I went to the movies for the opening night of 'Courageous' (click here), from the makers of 'Facing the Giants' and 'Fireproof'. It was a packed house (almost full), and we were on the 2nd row.
It was really good movie- I alternately howled with laughter & slapping my legs...and crying & holding my parents hands. You should go see it if you get the chance. FYI: I found it to be a little stressful.

One last thing- I can't hardly wrap my mind around this: I have 2 Aunts getting married in less than 12 months!! Is that normal? One just married this summer, and the other will be tying the knot on New Year's day! =) (Yes, I'm sure that I'll post about it!)

Goodnight Dear Void,
Adrienne

Do you like to eat cooky* dough?

I made these while listening to Julie & Julia's soundtrack (click here).
I was going to take them over to ME & Charlie's house on Friday, but I am going to make something else instead.

The raw dough was SO delicious...I confess I ate not some, but A LOT of dough.
But I did bake 4 pans of these cookies, and I discovered that I accidentally doubled the baking soda (I could not taste it while the dough was un-cooked), and the crisp rice cereal went strangely tough/chewy. =P

So, I would say if your family (of friends) love to eat raw cooky* dough, you should make this for them.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter & coconut oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Sucanat (or packed brown sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup crisp rice cereal
• 1/2 cup lightly toasted flaked coconut

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour/salt/baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in cereal and coconut.
2. (If you are going to bake them: Roll into balls (I just used the med. cookie dropper; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.)

~Happy Eating!

Adrienne

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At Goodwill today, I found this HUGE old dish towel for a dollar!
(I put the light bulb in so you can see how big the rooster is.)
He is hand embroidered & appliqued.

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*Cooky is the correct non-plural spelling.
Cookie is the plural spelling.

I am sorry, but I don't remember what the year was, but somewhere around 100 years ago, some Cooky company decided that they would spell it with an "ie" all the time.

But then like saying Kleenex instead of tissue, almost everyone spells cooky with an "ie", and thinks that you are crazy for spelling it with a "y".
(this is a pet peeve of mine)

Bitter~Sweet

The weather is Lovely...a "cool front" has come in!

Or at least it was here last evening, and was here this morning. =)

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I've been overhauling my room this last week...I think (or I hope) that I am almost done.
I did a very sad thing.
I packed up a lot of my children, and most of their things...
..and put them in the attic.
They had to make way for the tea stuff (big girl toys).
It took me a while to do...changing their clothes,
and reminiscing...running down to show Mom something.
Bitter-sweet.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World

Together is a wonderful place to be!

Friends are the flowers in the garden of life....

I have an announcement:
I love my family & friends, and my friends & family.
I don't know what I would do with out you all!

~Thank you for putting up with me~

A funny sounding word for you...

Enthusiast
Pronounced: en-thoo-zee-ast, -ist

1. a person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle,pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal: a sports enthusiast.

2. a religious visionary or fanatic.

or:

1.	a person filled with or motivated by enthusiasm; fanatic
2.	archaic a religious visionary, esp one whose zeal for religion is extravagant or unbalanced

Synonyms
1. zealot, devotee, fan.

Word origin/history:
c.1600, pejorative, one who believes himself possessed of divine revelations or special communication from God, from Gk.

An old word for you...

...Receipt or Receit.

Noah Webster's 1812 dictionary says that you can spell it either way.
The 5th definition is:
Recipe; prescription of ingredients for
any composition, as of medicines, etc.
~*~
Dictionary.reference.com's last definition for Receipt is:

a recipe.

(all this just because I don't feel like blogging about anything else right now...)

FYI: Patience

–noun

1.the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

2.an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.

3.quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.

4.Cards (chiefly British ) . solitaire ( def. 1 ) .

5.Also called patience dock . a European dock, Rumex patientia, of the buckwheat family, whose leaves are often used as a vegetable.

6.Obsolete . leave; permission; sufference.

Origin:

1175–1225; Middle English pacience < Old French < Latin patientia. See patient, -ence

—Related forms

su·per·pa·tience, noun

—Synonyms

1. composure, stability, self-possession; submissiveness, sufferance. Patience, endurance, fortitude, stoicism imply qualities of calmness, stability, and persistent courage in trying circumstances. Patience may denote calm, self-possessed, and unrepining bearing of pain, misfortune, annoyance, or delay; or painstaking and untiring industry or (less often) application in the doing of somehing: to bear afflictions with patience. Endurance denotes the ability to bear exertion, hardship, or suffering (without implication of moral qualities required or shown): Running in a marathon requires great endurance. Fortitude implies not only patience but courage and strength of character in the midst of pain, affliction, or hardship: to show fortitude in adversity. Stoicism is calm fortitude, with such repression of emotion as to seem almost like indifference to pleasure or pain: The American Indians were noted for stoicism under torture. 3. indefatigability, persistence, assiduity.

A woman...

Click Here To Buy This Original Painting

My Friend Esther, found the following quote in her
1958 Encyclopedia under 'Woman'.

"A woman plays her most important role as homemaker and mother. The training she gives her children is vital to the growth of the individual, the community, and the nation."

I think that this is a true statement! What do you think? =)