August 31, 2011

A Goodbye Lie Recipe - Mocha-Choco Cooler


Martha Bear
our website spokesbear
Martha Bear and I love to bake and cook and eat. We often make this refreshing, low cal, CHOCOLATE cooler. Treat yourself and the family.  Heck, treat everybody!

Mocha-Choco Cooler

You'll need:

•1 cup non-fat milk
•2 tablespoons lite (regular is great too) chocolate syrup
•1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules (decaf is optional) or to taste
•2 tablespoons sugar (or 2 sugar substitute packs), sweeten to taste
•7 ice cubes

Mix all of the above in the blender, and whirl on high until the ice is crushed and the drink is frothy.

Makes about 2 cups, enough for 1 tall glass.


August 30, 2011

Year of Living Graciously - September

September - Relax when you can and avoid looking at a clock as much as possible.

August 28, 2011

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Breelan

1880s August
Fernandina, Florida


Breelan Dunnigan writes - We walked on the beach after church today. The dragonflies and damselflies are everywhere! Of course, I really can't tell the difference between them except I assume the smaller ones are the girls. In any case, I don't believe I've ever seen so many in my life. Peeper calls them Devil's Darning Needles. Where does she get these things? Marie is afraid they will bite. Daddy says their tiny mouths pinch you a wee bit but only if you catch them and they have to defend themselves. They're too fast to catch without a net and who would want to do that anyway? Well, Pat used to when he was a child. Oh, I just looked out the window and there goes little Mac running after some with a fishing net.  He's like his Uncle Pat for sure. I do love them so. 


NOTE:  I read Breelan's diary entry so went outside to see if there were tons of dragon flies down by the beach and, sure enough, there they were.  Actually, they are everywhere, not just near the water. They flew past so quickly I was able to snap only a few unblurred pics.  Thanks, Bree for the alert!  -Jane Marie

August 23, 2011

Old Joplin, MO Photo

A friend found and gave this picture to my husband, Bruce.  Does anyone recognize this old building in Joplin, Missouri? 
 If so, is it still standing and where is it?

August 21, 2011

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Clover

1880s  August
Fernandina, Florida

Picked two baskets of pears from Peeper's tree this mornin' early, afore anybody was out-the-bed. Dropped some at Duffy's back door. Figured Winnie America could make a cobbler with them lessen Aunt Noreen gets them first.  Lord knows Peeper won't share with Aunt Noreen.  Seeing how it's Sunday and all, I shared for her. I was feelin' sorry for Aunt Noreen last night when nobody paid her any mind at the backyard picnic. Most folks think she's mean. They'd be right about that.

August 20, 2011

Sweet Expression

     I was settling my grandbaby, Ava, in bed one night.  She said, "Do Mommy Covers." 
     I proceeded to tuck the blanket down both sides of her body, shoulders to toes.  "No, Grammy.  Mommy Covers."
     "Well, what is that?"
       "You know, like this." She turned the top sheet over the blanket, pulling them both up to her chin.
     I fell in love with the term Mommy Covers.  It's sweet sounding, Ava invented the name, and I did this with her mother's covers, the same as my mother did with me.  I actually remember my mother, Marie, telling me the reason she turned the sheet back over the top edge of the blanket was to keep the blanket clean since sheets are usually changed much more frequently than the blanket.
     Anyway, Mommy Covers will be added to Ava's list of childhood expressions we will tell her little ones when she grows up.  :-) 


     P.S. Odds are this expression will find its way into my next novel, Mark of a Man...

August 17, 2011

A Feathery Find

 I spied this beautiful hawk in the woods of Florida.  I think it may be a Red -Shouldered Hawk according to some photo research. He posed this way and that for about ten minutes. I took note that there were no squirrels in sight because they knew he was watching for them.  Smart little squirrels!

August 9, 2011

The Goodbye Lie Diaries - Grandmother Peeper

August 1880s Amelia Island, Florida

Grandmother Peeper writes:  It's mighty hot these here last days.  I dun told nasty Aunt Noreena she kin be akeepin' herself cool at night ifn' she'll just take ta sleepin' under a wet sheet necked. She won't have none of it.  She says it ain't dignified.  She needs more sleep or she'll git even meaner than her usual ugly self and we'll have ta set a trap fer her. I always feel so sorry for Clabe. He ought ta be gettin' a medal fer livin' with that thing of a wife. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

August 7, 2011

Making the Mark - miasma

I never heard the word miasma until I met my hubby, Bruce. He said his grandmother worried about such things and I had him explain it.  Years later, I thought it would be a "better thing" to put in one of my historic novels.  Hey, how about my current work in progress, Mark of a  Man, set in 1898 on Amelia Island, Florida? And so I have.

Miasma was thought to be an unhealthy/disease producing sort of cloud/vapor, sometimes smelly, in the atmosphere resulting from decomposition of organic matter, particularly in and around swamps. Although the odor is bothersome, the vapor, itself does not spread illness.  In my research, I found that nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was a strong believer in miasma and, to that end, believed in open, airy, clean hospitals which helped out everyone in the end. 

PS While some Marthas (as in Martha Stewart) say, "It's a good thing," my teddy, Martha Bear®, says, "It's a better thing."

August 4, 2011

Grand Opening of Gracious Gifts by Jane Marie

For Immediate Release:

Gracious Jane Marie is proud to announce the grand opening of Gracious Gifts, a wee gem of a shop filled with riches from the imagination and hand of author and artisan Jane Marie Malcolm. Located in North 3rd Trading, 13 N 3rd St, Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida, Gracious Gifts is spilling over with one of a kind treasures. Novels Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie and Velvet Undertow, part of the Goodbye Lie historic suspense/romance series, are signed by the creator, herself, and include a free recipe insert. Complimenting the series are hand painted Secret Pebbles™ with verses and organza gift bags, glass carafes for juice, wine or water, old timey tic-tac-toe boards to pass down through the generations and framed art to turn a wall, corner or counter from blah to gay! Pretty Petal hair toys, greeting cards with Jane Marie's signature rose painted envelopes, magic keys for little princesses and pirates plus an assortment of miscellaneous delights, capture the eye and treat the senses. For personalized items and information, ask for Gracious Jane Marie Malcolm at North 3rd Trading, 904.261.0405 or email JMM at graciousjanemarie@yahoo.com. Take a piece of Amelia Island's GRACIOUS home to entertain and beguile - until you return to paradise…


August 1, 2011

Year of Living Graciously - August

Handmade is fast leaving from us.  I've mentioned this in an earlier blog. It is so important  to me that I made it August's idea in my monthly Year of Living Graciously list.

Teach someone the art of hand sewing, knitting, crocheting, any kind of fancy work, before these skills are gone forever.

Yes, new mothers still want handmade baby blankets, but they want YOU or GRAMMY to make them, not learn how themselves!