Picture a Day #352 – Movie Night

Posted on December 30, 2012 by joanienaz

Last night I went to the movies with my oldest daughter. We drove across town to a tiny theatre which has been divided in two, but the size of the cinema made no difference. The movie we enjoyed transported us to another place and time.

Les-miserables-movie-poster1Les Miserables is a story known to many, but one I had never experienced. Embarrassed by my ignorance, I asked my husband (the wise guy) to give me a brief synopsis. He said it was about “a guy who helps a girl.” OK. No mention of the French Revolution, the struggle between good and evil, class warfare, true love. Ah well.

I was mesmerized, sucked into the lives of the suffering, struggling characters who sang their hearts out with tears rolling down their faces. The close-up shots were effective. I felt their pain.

My favorite character was Gavroche. That kid put so many others to shame with his juvenile bravery.

Now I am considering reading the novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1862 and admired as one of the greatest novels of all time. It is also one of the longest. This would be a challenging New Year’s resolution for 2013.

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Picture a Day #351 – Cookie Time Again

Posted on December 29, 2012 by joanienaz

The holidays are a time for cookies, cookies, and more cookies. I wanted to take a favorite from my childhood and give it a personal twist, so I looked up the Betty Crocker recipe for Molasses Crinkles.

In the interests of reducing my fat and sugar intake, I substituted grated apple, which is something I do quite often. This made a less rich cookie, but it is still a spicy delight!

Molasses Apple Cookies

Mix together 1 grated apple (about 1 cup),  1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 egg.

Molasses Apple Cookies 1

Add 2 and 1/4 cups unbleached flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cloves.

Molasses Apple Cookies 2

Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Molasses Apple Cookies 3

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a cookie sheet. Shape the dough into balls, dusting with a bit of flour (dough will be sticky). Dip tops in granulated sugar and place sugar side up on cookie sheet, a couple of inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Cool on a wire rack.

Molasses Apple Cookies 4

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Picture a Day #350 – Running Out of Steam

Posted on December 28, 2012 by joanienaz

Just like Old Faithful, the infamous and predictable geyser at Yellowstone National Park, sometimes I run out of steam. I paused for breath this month, and have fallen so far behind in my daily posts that I have decided to regroup for the new year.

old faithful 1

This week I spent precious time with my daughters instead of taking photos and posting. I am also thinking about what I will do with this blog for 2013. Most likely, as I have begun working again, I will switch to a weekly or biweekly post. I haven’t been creating art lately, so I want to get back to that as well. Then there is the matter of that unfinished novel from NaNoWriMo…

old faithful 2

Another idea I had was to update the blog, perhaps changing the name. For now, however, it remains what it has been: a collection of my hobbies, excursions, and thoughts on staying busy and enjoying what life has to offer each day.

old faithful 3

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Picture a Day #349 – O Christmas Tree!

Posted on December 26, 2012 by joanienaz

This year, our Christmas tree is a petite Mediterranean pine. It was purchased at a hardware store with a nursery, and it is alive! We decided that it was better to have something that would last. Bigger isn’t necessarily better.

Think of all the things you could buy with the money that you spend on a holiday tree every year. Some people prefer an artificial tree. I like to fill my home with plants, so this was a natural choice.

How many of you out there in Cyberspace have a living tree in your house right now, that you will use again next year during the holidays? Hooray for you!

Christmas tree 2012

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Picture a Day #348 – A Christmas Puzzle

Posted on December 25, 2012 by joanienaz

The Christmas holiday is an opportunity to return to childhood. For many of us that is a mixed blessing. Buy it’s still fun to play games and act like a kid.

Christmas puzzle 1

Puzzles can be an entertaining way to spend a rainy day, whether it’s a holiday or just a quiet weekend. Whether you’re home alone sipping a hot beverage and nibbling holiday goodies, or enjoying a rollicking conversation with friends and family, a puzzle is always an excellent focal point.

Christmas puzzle 2

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Picture a Day #347 – Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 24, 2012 by joanienaz

The holidays are a time for family and friends, good conversation, and enjoying the company of those you care about. It’s getting harder to collect all of my family in the same place at the same time these days, but I know where they are, and will see them when it happens.

In the meantime, I am enjoying those around me, and looking forward to future meetings. I am blessed, and feel how fortunate I am to have a family and friends who care about me, no matter how often we meet.

Christmas hearth 2012

Photo courtesy of my daughter Katie.

May your days be merry and bright in the year to come!

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Picture a Day #346 – Gingerbread Bears

Posted on December 23, 2012 by joanienaz

One of our favorite family recipes for Christmas is Gingerbread Cookies. Sometimes I make larger Gingerbread Men, but this year I made smaller Gingerbread Bears. I added the zest of an orange for a little something extra.

Gingerbread Bears

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

gingerbread cookies 1

Heat 1 cup molasses to the boiling point, then add 1/2 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons milk, and the grated zest  of one large orange.

gingerbread cookies 2

Mix together 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon powdered ginger.

gingerbread cookies 3

Add to the first mixture and blend. Add 2-3 tablespoons water or orange juice, enough to hold the dough together.

gingerbread cookies 4

Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick, dusting with flour as needed. Cut into shape with cookie cutters.

gingerbread cookies 5

Bake 5-7 minutes, depending on size. Cool and decorate as desired.

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Picture a Day #345 – Christmas Tulips

Posted on December 22, 2012 by joanienaz

The flower gardens at home are a mess, and I was thinking about cleaning them out when the rain stops. Two weeks ago there were still flowers blooming in them. Now the skeletal remains stand guard over the drowned remnants of marigolds and nasturtiums.

During a break in the weather, I went outside to survey the damage, and see if the marigilds that had sprouted from the seeds of summer were still growing under the old stems. I couldn’t find any evidence of them, although I did see some weeds.

Christmas tulips

I also saw the distinctive green shoots of tulip bulbs peaking through the brown and gray stalks. I don’t think I’ve ever seem my bulbs growing this early before. I think all this rain has done it. I wonder when they will bloom?

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Picture a Day #344 – Solstice Storm

Posted on December 22, 2012 by joanienaz

I love to watch a storm approach. Friday morning the sky had an ominous red glow on the horizon at dawn, before the clouds turned pinkish orange and the world refused to end. The wind blew for hours, until the clouds were thick and bruised with moisture. Just before noon fat drops began to fall with gusto, and soon it was pouring.

winter solstice 2012 sky 4

I had the car packed before the rain came, and we drove through the foothills on a drenched highway. As we crossed the valley, we passed muddy ponds where swans fed, their breasts soiled from the suspended muck. Two of them took to the air in graceful unity, in flight despite the weather.

It’s still raining, and the thunder is rolling every so often, even though the weather report said it would stop a few minutes ago. So much for weather reports. Winter has arrived.

My oldest daughter is stuck up north in a foot and a half of snow. I hope she makes it home for Christmas!

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Picture a Day #343 – Home for the Holidays

Posted on December 20, 2012 by joanienaz

It’s hard to believe the winter holidays are almost here, especially when I have marigolds blooming in the planter box on my porch. I’m cleaning and packing, preparing to go home for a two week break.

Christmas marigolds

It’s true that teachers get a lot of breaks from work. But we had to relocate for Sam’s teaching job, so we have to rent a place to live during the school year, and figure out what to do with the home we own. In the current real estate market, our options are limited.

This may be our last Christmas in the home where we have lived for the past seventeen years. That’s longer than I have lived anywhere in my life. We are gradually settling into our new community, but it is very hard to let go of our old one.

The kids have grown up and are in the midst of establishing themsleves. Now it’s just the two of us. Starting over again is always hard, but we are fortunate to be among those all over the country who are also starting over with new jobs in a tough economy.

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