Thanks for the Lessons 2025

“Faith often leads us through both joy and sorrow, but God’s love carries us through.”

I could write a post about how bad 2025 was for me.  However, I'm an optimist, "little Miss Sunshine" and "find the silver lining" type of a person.  Anyway, no one likes depressing posts.

So, thanks for the lessons 2025:

January - don't "jump to conclusions" (not ALS but IBM)

February - be "aggressive" when it comes to yourself.  I can when it comes to my family.  So, my family pushed me to not wait for answers - call Mayo.

March - Focus on the day ahead, not too far in the future.

April - I CAN do HARD things!  

May - Rugs are not my friend (I forgot about that in Oct.)  Come to terms with your limitations.

June - Enjoy each day outside during the summer.  I can do what I love even if on a small scale.

July - I can still manage to stay working with help from friends.

August - Asking for help, isn't a sign of weakness.  "Jacky, you have always helped others when they need it, now let them help you."  

September - Enjoyed a family vacation working with my mobility issues - it was still fun!  Don't just sit home - go out and enjoy.  

October - Thankfully (with help) another successful Ringle Harvest Day.  Even in most painful, drug induced, foggy, I still don't remember some days of my hospital stay - Jesus was with me, in my room every day. 

November - Reminder that my community appreciates me.  They made me a permanent sign at the own hall.  I was told "this is not a memorial - but a recognition for all your years of service.  We still expect you to stick around."  (Lord willing)

December - my family (church, 4H, friends, children, grands) builds me up, holds me up and are vital to my health and healing.  

As the year progressed, I just seemed to roll with the punches.  

Al and I did another year of hiding God's word in our hearts.  Studying, reading and praying His word - is about the only thing that helped me through it.  

So, here's to you 2025 - the worst year of my life, but I fooled you and accepted it ALL for my good.   

Blessings from Ringle Wisconsin.   

The In Between Week

 It's the in between week - Christmas and New Year

I honestly don't even know for sure what day it is, but I don't care.    So, what have I (we) been doing?  

Starting to take all of this down and pack away.

This was my Christmas gift from Al.  I somehow scrolled on Pinterest and saw this cover to this book.  I did some research on it and knew I wanted a copy.  This is 1949, 1st Edition, based on real chickens the author owned and to top it off, one of my favorite illustrators.  It's a smaller chapter book a couple hour read.  I LOVE the story to it!  It had me in tears and laughing - message behind it was so special.  

I (we) watched Netflix, Victoria and Empress, however I (we) am taking a break from starting anything new now.  

I (we) want to clean up pantry by using up old before we restock with new.  So we made lasagna and I made 3 freezer meals for later.  When I was in the hospital, Al said it would have been nice to have something I made (smile).  So, I think we will keep doing bigger batch cooking and freezing for ease or convenience later.

We had so much cheese left over from Christmas too.  Is that just a Wisconsin thing?  Well, one can never have too much cheese.  

I did lasagna roll ups for the freezer.  

Al has been using the sauna.  I hope I can get in there sometime soon.  I don't want to risk falling so maybe by February.  I miss it.

I had in home physical therapy today.  Tomorrow I have a reevaluation of my progress.  They will send it over to the surgeon, whom I see on Monday.  

My granddaugter is coming over on Thursday.  She wants to have a "spa" day here.  It is my daughter and son-in-law's 12 th anniversary lunch date and whatever other plans they have.  I'm sure some cards will be played as she is such a little card shark!

I plan to do a New Years Day little LIVE sale for my business.  Not sure what I will sell yet, I'll find something tomorrow.  

Well, that's about it.  Several naps taken as well.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Citrus Craisin Shortbread Cookies

 

I didn't have a recipe, but I knew the basic of how to make them - so I guess this is my version of a Citrus Craisin Shortbread Cookie

Recipe:

Start with the citrus, zest an orange and lemon.  Squeeze the juice of each and put in separate bowl.  Chop craisins into little chunks.  

1 Cup of butter

1 Cup of powdered sugar; cream together

add the chopped craisins and zests

mix well

add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-4 tablespoons of juice from orange and lemon 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 Cups of flour (1 Cup at a time)

mix together

roll dough into a log and refrigerate until hard enough to slice.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. 

I had some left over melted chocolate, so I dipped the edge of each for fun.  You wouldn't have to do that.  However, if you like orange and chocolate together, you'll want to do this.  So good!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin 

Last Minute Christmas Decorations

 This is such an old idea, but a good one.  The smells are positively Christmas.  All you need is a few oranges, whole cloves and a tooth pick (or 2).  

To save your fingertips some pain, use a toothpick to poke the holes first.  Insert a clove.  These orange pomanders have historically been used to protect against infection and ward of foul smells (according to Google).  Mine are pretty plain.  You can look online and see some very elaborate ones.  Other citrus fruits used as well.  

Place them in a bed of cedar, balsam or pine needles or add a ribbon to them and hang them.  I put mine in an old crockery plate and added cinnamon sticks and cranberries.  Super easy.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle

Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle

Peanut brittle was one of my mom's specialties.   This is how she taught me to make it.  Spray or butter a pan and have it ready.

Peanut Brittle

2 C Sugar
1 C Karo Corn Syrup
1/2 C Water

Bring this to a boil in a heavy bottom kettle.  Attach your candy thermometer to the side, but make sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the kettle.  While this is working up to boil, get all your other ingredients ready and set to the side.  You want to have this handy as once your brittle hits hard crack you want to be able to dump them in without stopping to measure.

3 C Peanuts
2 T Butter
1 t. Vanilla
2 t.  Baking Soda

Add peanuts to boiling syrup and cook until hard crack stage.  Stir continuously.

Once this reaches hard crack stage, remove from heat and dump in the butter, soda and vanilla.  Stir vigorously, this will foam up, pour it into your pan.

Wait for it to cool - or, if you live in Wisconsin, take it outside and let it sit on your snow covered bench.  

Once cool and hard, break into pieces.  

Every time I make this, I think of my mom and the batches upon batches she would make.  It is so good and easy too.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin. 

My Go To Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Gingerbread Bears

Gingerbread Bears 

1 C butter
1 C brown sugar
1 C molasses
2 eggs
1 1/2 t salt
4 t cinnamon
4 t ginger
1 t allspice
1 1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
5 C flour

Cream the butter and brown sugar together, add the molasses and eggs, mix well.  Add the spices, baking powder and soda.  Add the flour 1 cup at a time until well blended.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Roll 1/4" on lightly floured board, cut out in desired shapes - I did bears.   Bake 350 for 8-10 min.

I use meringue powder to make royal icing for decorating.

Very gingery, dark cookies - Al loves them!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Sugar Cut Outs

Sugar Cut Outs

Sugar Cut Outs

2 C butter
2 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
1 1/2 T baking powder
5 C flour

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.  Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract.  Mix well - add the baking powder.  Beat four in 1 cup at a time.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Roll 1/4" on lightly floured surface.  Cut in desired shapes.  Bake 350 for 8-10 min.  

I use meringue powder to make royal icing.

Merry Christmas - Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Crafts with Christmas Cards

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Thrifty Thursday - Recycled Christmas Ideas

Thrifty Thursday - Recycled Christmas Cards.

I started writing this post on Thursday, however the cards took over.  Literally, I wanted to make one example to share, but I just kept thinking of more things I could make.  I have more ideas to share, but that will have to be another post.

In my definition, thrifty means resourceful.  One of my 4-H dads, is self employed as a "handy man."  He "picks" the sites that he works, oftentimes sharing some of these finds with me.  One such place was a local printing shop.  After Christmas, they were throwing out their sample books and he asked if he could have them.  He then gave them to me for projects.   So, these past few days....I have made some examples of what you can do with your old Christmas cards. 
  
1.  Save them - recycle and reuse.  Some of the cards I receive are homemade and are like little pieces of art.

2.  Make gift tags - I try to use the smaller images that are tag size that my note be used for something else.

3.  Make ornaments - use jar ring for pattern and form.  

Trace out the circles and cut.  I made a made a triangle pattern piece to guide my folding them - look in the picture.

Glue the tabs together at folds as shown.  Don't forget to make a string for a hanger and tape it on the inside.  Glue the 2 halves together.

Take some of the other circles and fold them in half.

Glue the the sides together with each other to make this ornament - you can use as many circles as you like it - depending on how full you want it.

4.  Make jar lids for your home made gifts.  Don't forget to use the lid as an ornament as well.  I just wrapped some yarn around a ring and tied the end up like a loop for an ornament hanger.  Cut out a circle from a card and a piece of card board.  

Two gifts in one.

5.  Cut index card size - make Christmas recipe cards.  Keep in a special recipe box of your favorite Christmas recipes or give along with your home made gift.

6.  Cut post card size - resend as your Christmas post card.

7.  Make a banner or garland - cut out words and images and string together with yarn.

8.  Make picture frames.  I bought these cute copper edged glass frames at a flea market this past summer.  They are neat because you can remove the image and reuse.  

9.  Keep some of the ones that have openings for picture frames and ornaments with your photos inside.  

  10.  Ball ornaments.  Cut the card into strips and fasten them together at the top and bottom.  Tie on a string for hanging.  

11.  Ultimate recycle Christmas card project - make a Christmas card box to hold the cards you get this year.  I made mine by cutting 8 cards the same size.  Glue them together in pairs.  Measure out for punching holes.

I just started by crocheting a chain from one hole to the next.  Pull up the yarn and crochet around each hole.

You could stop here and just make an ornament too.  Otherwise do the same to the other 3 pieces.  The bottom should be a square - do the same steps and then crochet the pieces together.  I'm not an expert at crocheting, but this turned out good.

It was at this point I decided to stop.  My daughter Anna said, "Mom, why are you making all of these things?"  I said, "it's therapy, some people drink, some gamble, some shop....I craft."  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Merry Craftmas!