I grew up in rural southeastern Arkansas. When I say rural, I mean 10 miles on a gravel road from the nearest town which had a population a little below 3,000. We did not have electricity nor indoor plumbing until I was in the first grade. Getting a telephone line out to the house took a lot longer and that did…
Author: Mary
Hallelujah
“He is not here; He has risen…” Matthew 28:6 “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven will…
Fastnachts (German Doughnuts)
There are two different traditions in my life related to the German yeast doughnuts known as fastnachts or fashnachts. My German mother-in-law made fastnachts on Good Friday because they abstained from meat on that day (I never understood how eating warm freshly made yeast doughnuts was a sacrifice but I considered it a great tradition every Good Friday…
Blog Name Change
Just a heads up for blog followers…. As I am learning more about blogging and this blog continues to evolve, I have decided to change the name of the blog to Nature and Life Notes. I will still include favorite recipes and thoughts on Christian life as well as photos of local wildlife, plants and places…
Mmmmm…. Chocolate
Pennsylvania has a long history of chocolate and candy making — from the well-known large companies such as Hershey, Ludens and 5th Avenue (both of the last two companies were originally located in Reading) to small companies such as Wilbur Chocolates in Litiz or Reppert’s in Oley. There are also many very small chocolate makers such as Lorah’s Handmade Chocolates. Started forty…
Find the White Throat
Even though it is officially spring, we have a few of our “winter” birds still taking advantage of the bird seed. There are a some dark-eyed juncos and I saw this white throated sparrow today hopping among the spring flowers and weeds (Look in the back in front of the boulder). They will leave soon for their summer…
Turkeys are Back
Two wild turkeys came wandering in the backyard today pecking at the stray bird seed on the ground. We have not seen the turkeys since last fall when we had groups of 20-30 roaming the yard regularly. One year on Thanksgiving day we had 30 turkeys in the yard, however we were satisfied with store-bought turkey rather than…
Walking for Water
While I was in Charleston, South Carolina for a long weekend with the granddaughters, we joined with over 2,000 walkers to support Water Missions International in their mission of providing fresh water systems in the poverty-stricken areas of the world. At the registration area, walkers picked up empty buckets – symbolizing daily routine of millions of people who…
Laotian Embroidery
These are examples of embroidery from the northern area of Laos and Thailand. These pieces were purchased during a trip to Thailand. Laotian women weave these beautiful textiles on looms using silk thread. They are traditionally worn over their shoulder when visiting their Buddhist temples, and oftentimes left as gifts to the monks. The embroidery serves an important…
Shark Teeth and Wild Onions
Once again it is spring and I am digging up the wild onions in the flower beds and yard. I know wild onions have their beneficial uses but they always grow where you don’t want them to grow and they grow in such profuse numbers. It seems that as soon as I pull one up, another rises in its…
Welcome Spring
Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24 Sightings of spring and the promise of more to come.
Give Thanks
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this— Psalm 107: 1-2a (NIV)
Flowers and Phoebes
You know that spring is arriving in our area when you hear the call of the Eastern Phoebe in the early morning. The phoebe is a small gray flycatcher and usually arrives in the early spring. According to local folklore, it is time to buy the Easter ham when you hear the phoebe. However, this year…
Clam Chowder
Canned clams make this New England style creamy chowder recipe quick to prepare. Clam Chowder 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup carrots, chopped 1 cup chopped, peeled potatoes 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice 1 cup water 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4…
Easy Apple Dumplings
This is a quick way to make apple dumplings using refrigerated pie crust to wrap around the cored and peeled apple. Even though the recipe does not use home-made pie crust, by the time you add the apple and drizzle the syrup on top, it tastes great. If you are a fan of nutmeg, add 1/2 teaspoon along…
Coast-to-coast “Don’t Miss” Exhibits, Part 1: 82 Amish Quilts from the Esprit Collection in Lancaster, PA
Here is a great opportunity to see some marvelous quilts.
Goats on the Landfill
Lanchester Landfill, the big mountain west of Morgantown on the border of Lancaster and Chester Counties, has a resident population of goats and sheep that graze on the hillside.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This is a great recipe for oatmeal cookies that includes raisins and nuts. The cookies are thick and chewy but don’t cook them too long in order to preserve the soft texture. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs
Amish Schools
“Enter with a joyful countenance,” so notes a sign on the door of one of the 200 one-room schools serving the Amish community of Lancaster County.
Firecracker Chili
This is a thick rich chili that is a great dinner on a cold day. The number of Jalenpeno peppers can be adjusted depending on personal taste. Firecracker Chili 4 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 large bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped
Nature and Life Notes 