Dec 11, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
It’s no secret I love nutcrackers. The music. The dolls. The ballet. The magic.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The History of the Nutcracker
My collection ranges from a Steinbach wine maker nutcracker to a two-foot tall soldier guarding my fireplace to a two-inch tall onlooker at my work desk. With over fifty to date, I’ve yet to meet a nutcracker I haven’t liked. The diversity of their characteristics and embellishments are delightful.
My fascination grew from my love of the ballet. The classical music, the dance, Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Many years ago during one of my stints of unemployment, I happened upon a wonderful collection of nutcrackers at WalMart. They were nutcrackers fashioned after, well, The Nutcracker. There was blonde Clara, the Mouse King, the Nutcracker Prince, and my favorite: Uncle Drosselmeyer. At just $10 each, it wasn’t a terrible investment, but I couldn’t bring myself to get them. I remember telling my family how lovely they were.
Fast-forward about 36 hours and I couldn’t get them out of my head. The thing was, remember, I was still unemployed. It was about a month before Christmas and I knew if I waited patiently the store might run out before my next check came. So I stopped in at my mom’s house and asked cried begged to borrow the money so I could get them. She went into the other room which I thought was strange because it wasn’t the room she usually keeps her purse in. I heard a closet open and close, and she returned to me with a box.
Do I really have to finish this statement for y’all?
Not only did she get the four Nutcracker nutcrackers, she provided two soldier nutcrackers to guard them as well. And thus my collection began.
That was about ten years ago, and I’ve received several new nutcrackers every year since. [With fifty in the collection, that’s a duh statement!]
Nutcrackers as a tool have been around since ancient Greece. The tools resembled modern pliers or ratchets. In Victorian ages, nuts and fruits were presented on ornate trays with silver nutcrackers.
The figurative carvings have been around since the mid-15th Century. Their popularity grew toward the end of the 19th Century when the Swiss began to sell them as souvenirs. They are as symbol of luck in Germany (where Steinbachs are made).
They became popular in the US after the first US production of The Nutcracker ballet in 1940, during World War II, and as soldiers discovered the dolls.
The dolls are based on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet, which premiered December 18, 1892. It has become one of his most renown works, celebrated and performed mostly at Christmastime, which is why the dolls are also celebrated this time of year more than any other.
Tchaikovsky had previously partnered with Marius Petipa on The Sleeping Beauty. Petipa asked Tchaikovsky to write The Nutcracker ballet with great specifics. It was based on an adaptation of “The Nutcracker and The Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Petipa instructed Tchaikovsky as to the tempo and length of each segment. The result is his masterpiece.
The Nutcracker music is featured in many holiday movies, events, produced in theatres worldwide, and referenced in many pieces of literature.
As I write this, I have the Baryshnikov Ballet performance on the TV for inspiration. I would like to say The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies is my favorite. But I’d be lying. They all are. From Clara’s dream to the Mouse King nightmare to Uncle Drosselmeyer (again).
What’s your favorite version of The Nutcracker?
With a bowl of nuts and sweets to dream,
Happy Dancing!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Dec 8, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
I love this time of year. [I say that a lot, don’t I?] Well, I do. The cool temps, the furry sock, the fur-family snuggling up like socks. It’s just so many kinds of wonderful.
One of the reasons I love it is I don’t get strange looks when someone says, “So, whadya do last night?” and I reply with, “I watched some Christmas program.” Yeah. They tend to frown on that in June through August. [Although they shouldn’t. Just sayin’.]
On average, I watch more Christmas shows than, well, average. Oh! Oh! *waves hand emphatically* And I almost forgot to mention that I’ve rediscovered the beauty of old shows on Hulu. Yup. Shows I used to watch as a kid and in my teens (am I dating myself? Well, why not? Someone has to!), like Charles in Charge! [Who remembers, “I loved my life out loud and it broke!”] Last week, with all the streaming apps on my Roku, I binged through Christmas eps of some awesome shows including Perfect Strangers, Family Ties, Growing Pains. Remember all those? My goodness. And how ’bout them old detective shows like Simon & Simon? That’s there, too.
But I digress. This post is about my favorite Christmas movies. I realize now this is a stupid post to write, because really? Only five favorites? That’s like asking a rabbit which of her kids she loves best? There’s too many to consider! But, I’ll do my best.
And since there’s this thing about copyright images, I apologize for not having any visuals to assist you this week. But you understand. Blogging is better when you’re not behind bars.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life. Y’all had better know this one. It’s how my Bedford Manor got its name. This is almost a sacred movie to me. I can’t just pop it in the DVD player on a Saturday afternoon. Oh, no. This is a house-cleaned, phone-turned-off, popcorn-made and chocolate in the mug kind of movie. When it’s dark outside and there’s a cozy fire in the fireplace [oh, please. Where else would the fire be? Wait. This is So Cal. Don’t answer that.] There’s always been a beauty in this movie. George’s ability to discover what really matters, and share that lesson with those he loves. Sigh. Pure beauty.
2. Miracle on 34th Street (1994 version). Don’t get me wrong, I like the original, too. But there’s something about this one that just grabs me. Sure, it’s a remake. But it’s also an original. And it’s well worth time to get the warm fuzzies and say, “I believe!”
3. The Polar Express. Who doesn’t adore this incredible visual delight? The children on the cusp of “Do I or Don’t I believe?” The train conductor leading them closer to Christmas. The singing and dancing elves. Santa! And the jingle bells. This, along with It’s a Wonderful Life (see #1 above, on the off-chance y’all scrolled past it), are the reasons I decorate with bells every year.
4. ELF. I love ELF! ELF’s my favorite! There is singing at the North Pole and in New York. Sugar, sugar, sugar, and wait . . . Oh yes. Sugar. What’s not to love?
5. Christmas in Connecticut. This old-time classic of the writer (go figure!) pretending to live on a farm, and a war hero pretending to love someone else, and there’s a boss and a corporate boss and babies who don’t belong to anyone, and an uncle who’s hired to flip flapjacks. It’s my kind of entertainment.
BONUS: And y’all know I’m not really wrong on this one . . . DIE HARD, the original. Oh yes. Nakatomi Plaza. Argyle. And that most quotable line, which, actually, is not terribly quotable when you’re writing a family-friendly blog. So, uhm. Use your imagination. And imagine Bruce Willis saying it. There ya go.
Five Things Friday: Favorite Christmas Movies
With a string of popcorn and something warm in the mug,
Happy viewing!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Nov 27, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Y’all know how I feel about Christmas, right? That glorious holiday spirit. The season of making and baking, crafting and giving. Simply wonderful.
In the past few years, I’ve strayed from decorating every inch of Bedford Manor. I mean, it’s just me and the cats here, and I doubt they care how many stockings are hung unless they’re filled with catnip and toys.
Instead, I set up a few inexpensive decorations the week of Thanksgiving, and let them stay up until after New Year’s. They’re easy, quick, and I don’t feel like I’m drowning in Christmas when I walk through the house.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Meet Sven
For starters, I set up my Nutcracker Village. This is the twelfth or so year since I started collecting. What started as “I would like this set of four” turned into a beautiful holiday tradition. Each one I have is unique. This year, I set them on top the living room display cabinet, and hung the smallest ones on the tabletop tree.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Nutcracker Village
The mantle is next. One string of garland and a few oversized, old-fashioned jingle bells add some Walton-esque atmosphere.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Old-Fashioned Mantle
A long, narrow tray holds votive glasses and decorative glass stones. Battery tea light candles complete the look. You can piece this look together with inexpensive thrift store and dollar store finds, or purchase a complete set online and at holiday home decor stores.
Frankly My Dear . . . : Mantle Candle Tray
My new decorative contribution this year is the pine cone/bell mix. I simply took a large clear vase and mixed small pine cones and colorful jingle bells. Near the top I placed a battery tea light candle, and covered it with a few more cones and bells. The flickering light reflects off the shiny bells and casts pine cone shadows on the brick at night, and in the daylight the colors are just as bright and lovely.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Pine Cones and Jingle Bells in Clear Vase
It took me two days to decide if I wanted the “hassle” of setting up the big tree this year. Since last year I’d only set up the tabletop one, and I finished NOLA this year, I decided I’d celebrate and bring back my Mardi Gras-themed tree. I took three strings of lights: purple, blue, and green, and zigzagged them up and down and around, draped long ribbon from the craft store, and hung beads and masks I picked up at the local party store.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My NOLA Mardi Gras Tree
The beauty is, when the season is over, it’s just as easy to pack and store as it was to set up.
So, from all of us Nuts here at Bedford Manor, we wish you a very relaxed and affordable Holiday season.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : November in California
And Frankly, My Dear . . .: That’s all she wrote!
Nov 9, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
[Edited from original post, December 11, 2011.]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
And this is what it looks like in my house:
See that salty good mix? This is my version of the original Chex Party Mix. I’ve always known it as “Doo-Dads”. Others call it “Nuts and Bolts.” Still others, just “Snack Mix.”
A little this, a little that. How could y’all not want some Doo-Dads?
You can deck the halls all you want, but in my house it’s not The Season until the Doo-Dads are made.
I pretty much live on a diet of this and my mocha mix from Thanksgiving til Christmas. I try not to overindulge. But it’s the holidays. I’ve been known to get a little carried away. Hence, the Security Patrol, otherwise known as Nutcracker. And believe me, there’s a lot of Doo-Dads to guard. At least, at first.
It may not look like a lot from this shot, but that tin is 14 inches tall and 10 inches wide. And this is just one batch!
Wanna guess how long before we ran out of the first batch? Let’s just say I made the second batch when nobody else would be home for hours. Easier to guard with less snack attackers around.
Here’s a few helpful hints when making this recipe:
*20 cups of cereal and snacks can be a lot for one bowl to contain, so I usually put all the dry ingredients into a large trash bag for easier mixing. If you do this, make sure to use a regular plastic trash bag and not a “scented” or “clean fragrance” one. You don’t want your Doo-Dads to taste lemony fresh. That’s so not part of the recipe.
*After mixing all the dry ingredients, pour the butter sauce into the bag. Make sure you have a tight grip on the bag and shake it, shift it, however you want to mix it. Just make sure you don’t crush the Doo-Dads. You’ll know when it’s all coated once the bag itself has been coated on the inside.
*Use large roasting pans. To make clean up easier, I buy the cheap disposable ones. No matter how many batches I make, all I have to do when I’m done is toss them out. No dishpan hands for me!
*If you’ve mixed the Doo-Dads in a large bag, make sure you have a good grip on the bag, taking in all the excess and holding it like a pour spout. The mix will tumble out quickly so be careful not to overfill the pans.
*When stirring every 15 minutes, I take one pan out, stir it and set it aside. I take the next pan, stir, and put it where the first pan was; rotating each pan clockwise, and putting the first pan into the last empty spot. Of course, they’ll roast no matter where they’re placed in the oven, but this ensures that the roasting is nice and even.
And now, from my house to yours… The Recipe.
Merry Christmas. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
Ingredients
- 5 Cups Corn Chex
- 5 Cups Rice Chex
- 5 Cups Wheat Chex
- 4 Cups Cheerios
- 1 Bag (12 oz.) Pretzel Sticks
- 1 Box (13.5 oz ea.) Cheez-It Crackers
- 2 Cans (14.5 oz ea.) Salted Peanuts
- 1 Cup + 2 TBS Butter
- 1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
Instructions
- Mix together cereals, pretzels, cheese crackers and peanuts. Set aside.
- In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
- Add worcestershire sauce to butter, stir.
- Add garlic salt and seasoned salt to butter sauce. Stir constantly until blended.
- Pour sauce over dry mix. Mix thoroughly.
- Spread into shallow baking or roasting pans.
- Roast at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
3.1
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2017/11/09/recipe-doo-dads/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
What are some of your favorite holiday recipes?
TWEET THIS: Doo-Dads: A family favorite holiday recipe. @MollyJoRealy #doodads #holiday
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Oct 6, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Y’all may have picked up on this month’s theme: Autumn. Go figure. But, for realz. What, I’m gonna blog about the Easter Bunny? Nah. Not for at least six weeks.
As soon as the calendar turns to October, I turn to Fall. Even in the SoCal desert with it’s almost-80-degree temperatures and you-call-that-a-yard?-dirt, there’s something quite lovely about it all. Scarves come out, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are everywhere. It’s as if the Pumpkin Grinch himself dusted everything with pumpkin seed glitter.
The Pumpkin Grinch
I could go on and on, but since this is just a five item post, let me share my top reasons for loving October:
- It’s at most eleven weeks away from Christmas. For me, the first of October kind of jump starts the holidays. I’ll be lacing the car stereo with my Harry Connick, Jr Christmas CDs this weekend. #truestory. And in a few weeks the family will start to get cryptic texts like “For ransom: Doo Dads. Send money now.” [Note to self: Coupons are awesome. Start clipping.] Pretty soon the decor will come out of storage, the evenings will get longer. It’s one of my favorite times of year.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Holiday Doo Dads
- Baseball. Yup. That’s right. ‘Tis the season for my Yankees to bring it on home. And to watch Field of Dreams. And to eat Cracker Jacks. All these wonderful things are the zenith of my baseball watching experience. And I love it. Every. Single. Year. Does it matter that Jeter’s no longer on the team? Nah. We’re doing okay with Aaron Judge.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : If You Build It, They Will Come
- Pumpkin everything. I know, know. Y’all see it everywhere and are burnt out. This Girl say whaat?! How can you be burnt out of pumpkin? Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin soup, pumpkin flavored Belvita crackers, pumpkin carving, pumpkin seeds. Did I mention Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Hello, PSL
- Autumn TV/Movies. This time of year is a guarantee you’ll find me watching The West Wing, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the aforementioned Field of Dreams, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Autumn in New York, The Godfather, and of course, Nightmare Before Christmas. I’m a sucker for all things autumn, New York, crispy leaves, and Disney. But I think all y’all already knew that, yes?
Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Bread and the Nightmare Before Christmas
- Cat Cuddles. Like I could leave my furfamily out of this. They’re the best part of this time of year. This year, in Lizzie’s absence, Little has already taken to sleeping on the pillow, and Iris is always by my side. Berry is always with me, and Sparkles has even warmed up to being in my general presence without argument.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Lizzie Cat
There are so many more things I love about October, but these are the best. My bonus reason is it’s my mom’s favorite time of year, too, and when she’s happy, I’m happy. [Hey, Mom. Let’s go Christmas shopping this weekend, okay?]
TWEET THIS: What are your favorite reasons for October? @RealMojo68 #fivethingsfriday
With an orange scarf and pumpkin latte,
Happy Autumn, y’all!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
