Nov 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . :Five Things Friday
I know this may come as a shock to y’all, but I like reading. Almost as much as writing.
And while I’m a fan of reading something new, I also enjoy revisiting my favorite stories.
I recently compiled a list of books to read in the next few weeks, and well, let’s just say I think I’m set for the next year.
Here are my five favorite books to read each holiday season:
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. So, technically, this is a series of books, but for me, they’re bound into one volume. The saga of the Pevensie children and others as they continue to be drawn into Narnia has always been one of my favorites. Mr. Tumnus, the Beavers, and Aslan are just a few unforgettable characters that make the Gospel Story told in a remarkable way.
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Hullo. The original self-published book, am I right? The three ghosts, poverty, pride, and a change of heart. What’s not to like?
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This book shaped my youth and my writing. With Jo March as one of my first mentors, I learned it was okay to not fit in, and as long as I remain true to myself, good things follow.
- The Complete Collection of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, another collection. And I admittedly have not yet read it in its entirety. But it’s still a fascinating read and one that I love to experience on a cozy fireplace weekend.
- Cookbooks. They are too books! And I know, I know. This isn’t one book for the list. But really? You’re gonna make me choose between Better Homes and Gardens’ sugar cookie recipe, or Scharffen Berger’s chocolate liqueur? What about Taste of Home’s casseroles? No. No, I can’t choose just one. Please don’t make me.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Books to Read This Season
So there you have it. My more-than-five favorites for this week.
What books do you like to read during winter?
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Books to Read This Season @MollyJoRealy #amreading
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
https://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!
Nov 8, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Little Cat: Oh, you thought this was YOUR bed?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : #Truth.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Nov 7, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Nippers of New Inklings Press
You would think I would have thought of this before now, but I didn’t. Let’s just get that part out of the way and sweep it under the rug already. Okay? Done? Awesome.
So, y’all know how crazybusy it’s been for me lately but now that NOLA is out of my hands [at least for a week or so], I’ve had some time to take inventory of this and that and HULLO! Nippers brought it to my attention that he doesn’t have his own Instagram account.
I’m like, “Nippers, you don’t need your own account.” And he’s all like, “But I’m the mascot. It’s my company.” And I’m like, “Yeah . . .” And he’s like, “Make me an Instagram account.”
And rather than fight with the frog, I did as he asked.
Y’all can follow the misadventures of Nippers and New Inklings Press on Instagram here or by clicking on the photo above.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Nov 6, 2017 |
by William Kendall @WilliamKendall1
November 11th is a day of commemoration, drawn out of the First World War. On that date in 1918, an armistice was signed, ending the war between Germany and the Allies. The War To End All Wars didn’t accomplish that, of course, but out of that particular date came a long standing tradition. The day goes by different names- Armistice Day initially, Remembrance Day throughout the Commonwealth, and Veterans Day in the United States. At cenotaphs and memorials around the world, wreaths are placed, prayers are given, and mournful, subdued music rings out, including universal choices, such as The Last Post.
Ottawa has its share of memorials and ceremonies on Remembrance Day, as is the case across the country. The national service takes place at the War Memorial, with thousands of people attending each year to pay tribute to veterans. The veterans of the Great War are all gone, and those of the Second World War dwindle by the year. Other services are held in outlying communities in the area, at the Canadian War Museum, and even at the military cemetery area at Beechwood Cemetery.
William Kendall, Photoblogger: Canadian National War Memorial, Evening Vigil
William Kendall, Photoblogger: Canadian National War Memorial, Exterior
The services are about commemoration, not about celebration. Which fits our character. If you look at the War Memorial itself, there’s nothing to it that would strike you as a monument of triumph, but one of mourning and reflection. Finished in 1939 as a monument to the war dead of the Great War, and re-dedicated following subsequent conflicts, the War Memorial features a group of soldiers and servicemen, men and women, moving through a gate. They come from each branch of the services, even including horses. Allegorical figures representing peace and freedom loom above.
The Memorial is solemnity- especially with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier standing before it. That solemnity matches other war memorials that can be found scattered across the city, some known, some not as well visited. And it also matches those Canadian memorials found in other parts of the world, including the massive one at Vimy Ridge, site of a pivotal First World War battle and a Canadian victory. The Vimy Memorial does not strike the visitor as a salute to triumph, but instead as a mourning of those who gave their lives and paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.
William Kendall, Photoblogger: Plaster Casts, Vimy Ridge Memorial
That quality of commemoration reflects elsewhere. On Parliament Hill, within our Peace Tower, is the Memorial Chamber, a beautifully vaulted space containing books of remembrance in cases. The names of the dead of wars and military service are in those books, and each morning, a page is turned in those books as part of a ritual so that names are on display at least once a year. The result makes the chamber a solemn, sacred space, something that it has in common with the War Memorial.
William Kendall, Photoblogger: The Flag, Canadian National War Memorial
Commemoration carries itself over to the War Museum. The current building replaced the previous one in 2005 after the collection had outgrown its former location. It has a very modern look, resembling a bunker. The museum tells the story of Canadian military history, both on the national and global context, but in a way that doesn’t relish in victory, but instead educates and does so in a respectful way. Part of its design includes a space with a single soldier’s tombstone (the original tombstone of our Unknown Soldier, in fact); the design is specified so that on November 11th, at 11 in the morning, sunlight will be shining on that tombstone from an overhead window. Another portion of its design includes a large space where the original plaster sculptures of those statues on the Vimy Memorial are placed. Those sculptures, smaller than their final counterparts, convey mourning, anguish, and remembrance in a way that is effective and poignant.
This November 11th, wherever you may be, take time out to pay your respects. Wear a poppy. Attend a service. Thank a veteran for their service.
TWEET THIS: Remember to Remember November 11th. @MollyJoRealy @WilliamKendall1 #november11 #weremember
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
William Kendall
William Kendall is a photoblogger who finds the unique perspective in everyday life. You can follow him on his writing blog, Speak Of The Devil, his photoblog Ottawa Daily Posts, and Twitter @WilliamKendall1.
