Goodbye Lie Diaries - Peeper Worries plus Coffee Roast

1880s Fernandina, Florida



Grandmother Peeper

Grandmother Peeper writes:

Aunt Noreen just give me a earful, Jane Marie, saying ya ought not ta be writin' about the squabbles betwixt my Breelan and them two fellas, Captain Waite  and Lt. Trip, the gents achasin' her. Them words a yourn in The Goodbye Lie is pretty personal, I admit, but if'n Breelan don't mind folks reading 'bout her findin' her true love, who is Aunt Noreen ta say different? Why, if a singin' kangaroo jumped out of a tree and landed in front a her, she'd scold him fer bein' off key. So what's she know?  Nothin'!  She ain't worth the spit it takes ta say her name.

Oh, I forgot ta tell you, Janie, we gots ta git ourselves a new fish fer the well.  I think one a Jack Patrick's friends come by, pulled it up in the bucket then took it home fer supper. Nugget is down at the creek just afishin' hisself silly, getting another sos it can eat the bugs in the well water fer us. 

We're havin' Grammy's Coffee Roast Beef after church, come Sundee noon.  Ya need ta be acookin' some a that meat fer yourself and your family, making sure your Barbra has the recipe when you're gone.  It's a keeper.

**********************
Present Time, Fernandina, Florida 
Jane Marie writes:

Hey Peep,
I appreciate you cautioning me over my writing.  Don't worry.  Remember, I dedicated The Goodbye Lie to my father, because I didn't want either of us to be embarrassed when he read it.  He wasn't.  So, if it passed the Daddy test, I think we're safe.

I've made the Coffee Roast before. You're right.  It's time to make it again.  And yes, I'll be sure Barbra has the recipe.

We've had terribly cold nights last week.  I hope my orange tree will survive.  It has dropped some leaves, but I think it is still hanging on. Fingers crossed.    

And try not to fight with Aunt Noreen.  Although, we all find your tiffs interesting to follow, dare I say entertaining, they can't be good for your blood pressure or your bunions.

Love to the family- and that includes Aunt Noreen! Remember, she's still Michael's sister and if you love him, and I know you do, you'll love his sister. Well, you can at least pretend, can't you?

*********************

Coffee Roast Beef

(The recipe is below but here, also, is the link to the recipe on our 700 page website, www.GraciousJaneMarie. It is for those who love a rich beefy taste. http://www.greenlightwrite.com/coffeebeef.htm )

The story goes that cowboys in the Wild West roasted beef seasoned with coffee over the campfire.  My husband came across this recipe in Roswell, New Mexico at a potluck supper.  Give it a try for something different and delicious.    Enjoy,     Jane Marie

http://www.greenlightwrite.com/homegraciousjanemarie.htm

You'll need: 3 pound beef roast (with the fat removed) 6 cups of strong brewed coffee 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced or garlic powder Preheat the oven to 325° F  Make several slits in the raw roast and insert the garlic chips or sprinkle the roast generously with garlic powder.  Place the meat in a roasting pan and pour the coffee beside it - not over it or it will wash off the garlic powder.  Cover with foil or lid.  Bake 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat falls apart, removing the cover during the last half an hour to brown the meat. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.  Make gravy from the drippings or serve the unthickened coffee/beef broth left in the bottom of the pan over noodles, rice or potatoes.  Pass the salt and pepper. I’ve also made this in the slow cooker set on low for 6 to 8 hours until it turns into stringy meat.

Goodbye Lie Romance - An Excerpt

Honor, Treachery, Epic Romance

 are just part of
 Amelia Island's GOODBYE LIE Trilogy where

 Little House on the Prairie meets Gone With The Wind ...

  Men will die for Breelan Dunnigan

      in 





   

Treat yourself and get your copy here: http://www.greenlightwrite.com/homegraciousjanemarie.htm  

 



Goodbye Lie Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oAsQkLUoJY



 

Review: A rollercoaster of emotions … [which] include … loving the characters. … The unexpected ending makes a jaw dropping jolt to the senses. --ReaderViews.com

Find romance every day and every night between the covers of Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie.  Set in 1882 Florida, here is a snippet of the spirit of my kind of romance! -jmm

Excerpt:
    "Trip it shall be. Please, call me Breelan." And he held her secure, leading her in wild spins around and around. She threw her head back as she laughed softly, her hair covering his uniformed forearm.

     Waite was completely aware of Breelan's movements. He wanted to kiss the ivory of her flawless bare shoulders. But when he saw the lieutenant's arm tighten around Breelan's waist, Waite's desire turned violent as he imagined ripping the soldier's arm off at the elbow. He resented the man, any man, holding her, let alone holding her as close as this gent was. Trip's body pressed intimately against Breelan’s green dress, separating her skin from his by only a few thin layers of silk and cotton. His officer's white-gloved fingers entwined themselves in the ends of her satiny brown hair. At least, his actual flesh wasn't in contact with hers, Waite consoled himself. He was glad a gentleman always wore gloves when dancing so as not to soil a woman's gown with perspiration. He'd considered many customs foolish and a waste of time. Not this one. For this social edict, he thanked the stars. 

     "Waite, darling," Miss Visper spoke a second time. "You're not listening to me, are you?"

     Caught. He was having difficulty tearing his eyes from Breelan. He asked, his tone mocking, "Leona, do you think I'd dance with a woman and she not be the center of all my attention?"

     "I think one thing. You're most engaging and you know it. Any woman who allows herself to love you is demented. You'll only break her heart."

     "You flatter me. But I think the excursion to that point would be an escapade not to be missed," he suggested, stroking her mind, using her. He excused his selfishness because he knew she wanted him. He needed a woman tonight and she was an alluring, if somewhat obvious creature...

 

***

Returning Iowa Friends

At a recent book signing, I was pleased to see Joan and Donna from Winterset, Iowa.  They are already GOODBYE LIErs and are anxious to read Mark of a Man, #3 in my Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie trilogy.  Stay tuned, girls...



Joan and Donna

Potato Stamping - a Goodbye Lie Fave

  

I love old fashioned crafts because they're easy and fun and because our ancestors created them.  Potato stamping is a wonderful family activity. It is featured it in my historical romance novel, Amelia Island's The Goodbye Lie Trilogy set in 1882 in north Florida.  In the story, the Dunnigan children are kept occupied with this activity so as to protect them from the frantic goings-on by the adults around them. 

    

potato stamps with paint

completed T shirt more T Shirts

 

Caution:  Since a knife is needed for cutting the potato, an adult must be present to supervise.

 

Paint.  Read the label on the paint before applying it to make sure you're using the correct type for the object you will be stamping.  If stamping on wood, acrylic (washable) paint will work.  Poster or acrylic paint is good for paper.   Use fabric paint for fabric.  Be careful of water color paints because they may be too thin.  The outline of your stamp might look blurred.

     Always test the consistency of paint and the coverage of your stamp on a paper towel or rag or wood scrap, whatever is similar to your intended finished product.

     Once the paint on your design is completely dry, heat set paint on fabric designs with an iron set on high.  Stroke the iron over the picture while it is covered with a protective cloth (like an old pillow case) for three or four minutes.   Do not scorch and DO NOT USE STEAM.

 

You'll need:

•  Sharp knife (for adult hands only)
• 1 large fresh potato, at least 3" in diameter to make two stamps
• Pencil for outlining pattern on potato or cookie cutter
• Paint - see notes above
• Paint brush, sponge brush or cotton swabs
• Aluminum foil or paper plate for paint palette
• Paper towels for blotting and testing stamp
• Multi-colored felt tip markers (optional)
• Glitter (optional)
• Beads (optional)
• Buttons (optional)
• Thin ribbon or lace for bows (optional)
• Pencil with new eraser for dots (optional)

 

Wash the potato to remove any dirt and pat dry with paper towels.  Do not peel.

Cut the potato evenly in half using a large knife to make a clean cut.  It needs to be as flat a surface as possible without ridges - these will show when you stamp. 

Decide on what image you want to stamp.  A simple pattern will be easier to cut into the potato than an intricate one.  If making initials, make them block style, bold and backwards!  Save the complicated snowflake-type shapes for when you've mastered the easy stuff.

With the pencil, trace or draw your pattern free-hand on the cut side of the potato, or press a cookie cutter 1/4 inch into the flat white surface of the potato.

Cut away the area outside the stamp so that the stamp protrudes by at least ¼ inch.  I found it was best to cut away small sections at time, being careful not to let the knife slip under the actual stamp part, or it will fall off.

Squirt a small puddle of paint on the foil.  With a brush or cotton swab, paint the stamp portion of the potato, making sure the stamping surface only is evenly covered.  Wipe off any paint that slops over the edge.  You want a crisp outline. 

Test your stamp on a paper towel to see how much paint and pressure are required before you actually begin stamping your project.

To change colors using the same stamp design, wipe away any excess paint from the stamp and paint on a new color.

Let the paint of an already stamped design dry before partially stamping over it with another color if that's the look you desire.  If you want the colors of the paints to blend, then quickly stamp the new color over the color used just before it.

Get creative.  Personalize items or decorate wrapping paper, book covers, picture frames, stationary, brown bags as gift bags and lunch bags.  Stamp gift tags, envelopes, refrigerator pictures, T shirts, paper and cloth napkins, tablecloths, doll clothes, etc.  If you can think of it, you can decorate it. 

 

Embellishments for T-shirts or fabric purses:

• Sprinkle glitter on the paint while it's still wet so it will stick.
• Glue tiny beads, buttons (sewn on fabric) or ribbon bows (safety pinned for removal for washing if necessary)
• Outline the stamp with a marking pen or paint a boarder around each stamp pattern or random stamps on the object you're making so it will stand out. 
• Spatter paint - Dip an old toothbrush in gold paint or any other color and run your finger along the bristles from tip back toward you, while pointing the toothbrush at the object you're decorating.  The paint will speckle the surface.  Practice first on a newspaper to test the technique and discover the coverage you want.

"Necklace" look (as in photo above) - Repeatedly dip the flat new eraser of a pencil into paint and dab it onto a shirt in a draped pattern to resemble the beads of a necklace.  Make it a choker or a long necklace, whatever appeals to you.

 

If you cover your potato stamps in cold water in the refrigerator, they will keep for a day or two.

 

Enjoy!

 

Reprinted article from www.GraciousJaneMarie.com

What Do You See?

I attended a meeting and in the board room was a large conference table with a very busy faux wood grain pattern, or at least I think it was supposed to be wood.  My attention quickly turned from the subject being discussed to the table's surface.  The more I examined it, the more odd creature faces I saw.  Some were cute, sort of, and some were scary.  I hope I never have to talk business around that thing again because it gave me the creeps!  See if you can see any of the faces I did.    

 

 

table from a distance- busy pattern

 

 

large seal face showing one eye, nose and mouth?

  

wide eyed alien heads?

 

eel profile with its mouth open, facing right?

 

Oops, Another Lucy Moment

Oops, I did it again. Taking a line from Britney Spear’s song, I once again got myself in and, questionably, out of a pickle this morning.  There I am, readying my person for an early meeting.  Granted, it was 7 a.m., on a cold winter’s day for Florida, and two out of four light bulbs were burned out over the bathroom vanity, but is that an excuse?  I certainly think so.  Anyway, I’m brushing my hair as I often do before attending  meetings. The exception is when I meet with  Button, the cat,  Abby, the dog, and Martha Bear, the ursine, http://www.greenlightwrite.com/marthabearcentral.htm , for they do not require  such formal preparations as this.

 

Back to my incident. There I am, brush in hand, looking at myself in the dim light and thinking how my hair needs some lift due to the new conditioner I used.  That stuff will be going back to the store as soon as I can find my receipt.  Now what did I do with that thing?  It’s then I remember I have some hair raising, volumizer, poofy stuff in the cupboard below. I hadn’t used it in ages, but it should still be good.  Do those things expire and sour like lumpy milk?  Squirting a little on my right palm, I pat it here and there and everywhere on my head.  A slight almond scent, I don’t recall smelling the last time I used it, wafted through the shower’s steam.  Eyes closed, rub, rub, more pat, pat and I am ready to observe a fuller head of hair. Expecting one thing and seeing another equals SHOCKER!  What I observe is a semi-greasy mass of semi-curly waves.  I did not verify what I grabbed from under the sink.  What is it?  I dash to the window to take a look at the label in the breaking light of dawn.  Remember, it’s pretty dark in the bathroom.  The good news is that I count that dash as two calisthenics, as in exercise.  I figure any time you move your feet, you’re exercising.  That romp to the sliding glass door probably burned one-one hundredth of a calorie, don’t you think?

 

At the window, I still can’t read the label.  Grrr!  “Where are my glasses?” I shout, as I do approximately every 13. 27 seconds of my life, or so it seems to Bruce, my husband.  “If you’d only get one of those string-things so you can hang your glasses around your neck…” he says.  That’s a blog for another day.  After finding my lost lenses in the dog’s bed, yet another blog, I put them on, adjusting them just so because one of the temple arms ( I looked that up) is missing.  Clarifying what is soaking into my brain at this point, I say a quick prayer of thanks that the substance I so generously applied to my scalp  is  not toilet bowl cleaner, but my granddaughter’s shampoo for curly hair! 

 

Having zero time to re-wash and dry my hair, I do what any former Girl Scout does. I apply copious amounts of glitter body powder to absorb the oil from the shampoo. A fast brush through, a quick goodbye kiss to Bruce, who looks at me in his usual way when I do unusual things, and I am out the door, the evidence of my latest Lucy moment apparent in my trail of white dust. 

 

Home again, in the comfort of my Story Central corner, I think back, happy no one was hateful enough to comment on my flat, dull, except for the sparkles, ten shades lighter powdered gray hair.  People can be so nice, can’t they? 

Disney's Castle Comes Alive Video

Our family spent time at Disney World in Orlando, Florida just after Christmas.  There is always something new and wonderful to behold there.  This time, for me, it was what they have done to Cinderella's castle.  Please click on the video below and enjoy.  Being privileged to see this 10 minute projected spectacle in person created a memory I'll keep forever.   

 

Video from AttractionsMagazine.com

 

(I took a video very similar to the one above, but managed to get the sidewalk and street light in the process, making it my usual home movie.)

 

photo by JMM

photo by JMM

photo by JMM

 

Mark of a Man Excerpt- Crusty Anchor

Making the Mark:
Readers often ask me where I get ideas for my novels.  Here is one quick explanation with a short excerpt from my upcoming Amelia Island's Mark of a Man, part of Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie Trilogy. Set in 1898, the action happens from Florida up to Pennsylvania, down to Cuba and back to Florida. This particular scene is set in the Crusty Anchor Pub. The fictional pub is named for my granddaughter's stuffed cat.  When she was very little, she used to chew on the tail, it would dry, and get icky between washings.  Hence, we nicknamed the animal, CRUSTY Kitty.  The ANCHOR is to honor my brother, a Navy man, and there you have it- Crusty Anchor.

Mark of a Man excerpt: 
   Aunt Jency was a youthful thing and delicate, barely older than Pat, himself. In the short while he'd known her, he decided he liked her. She seemed a fine and caring person, even if she wasn't much of cook. From the looks of her husband's belly, he was finding sustenance somewhere.
   They caught sight of the rough, painted sign spelling out Crusty Anchor Pub in faded red letters. Pat envisioned it rowdy with mariners and didn't want to see Jency put in an uncomfortable position. To his pleasant surprise, the small place was mostly crowded with families. The chatter was high and the aroma wonderful. 
   They sat at a table in the center of the room with thirty or so customers enjoying their meals. Twenty feet from the window, they crooked their necks to get a glimpse of the darkening sky and deep gray of Presque Isle Bay.
   "You know, y'all," Pat commented, "the scene outside reminds me of Florida, with the boats, I mean."
   "You'll be having your fill of water by the time your hitch is up in the Navy."
   "You're right about that, Uncle John," Pat agreed, but silently hoped he was wrong, since water was what floated his family's business.  
   "Hear that accent, y'all?" mimicked a booming male voice. "Sounds like we got us a dirty Grayback clear up here in Erie."
   Tightly and quickly, Pat blinked, hoping that menacing voice behind him spouted only an empty challenge. Hags-teeth! Brawling got him where he was today. In the second before he turned to face his aggressor, he tossed a glance at Uncle John who was polishing his utensils on the sleeve of his plaid shirt and seemingly paying no mind. Jency, bending over her child, shielded the baby with her body. Pat stood, spun on his boot, and stepped away from the table, in case there was trouble. He tensed, saying, "The war's long past, man. If you still want to do this, I'll give you one free swing. After that--"...

   Perpetua stirred, fussed, and Jency pulled forth a tea towel wrapped baby bottle. "Good, it's still warm."
   "It had best be," the child's father said. "We don't want our little girl to be unhappy."
   "My daddy always says girls are made for spoilin', Uncle John. I see you both have the same philosophy."
   Their attention turned from one another and back to the baby when she let out a huge wail as the bottle slipped from her mother's hand and pulled from Perpetua's mouth to crash to the floor. Spikes of glass glistened in the light of the oil lamps on the surrounding square tables.
   "Oh dear," Jency murmured, the worry heavy in her tone. "Perpetua may still be hungry. I never imagined this happening. I haven't another bottle with me."  She lifted the baby over her shoulder and patted the child's back. A soft burp erupted and Perpetua calmed down.
   "Shall we go before the poor thing realizes she hasn't had a full meal?" Uncle John ordered in the form of a question.  
   The buggy ride jostled Perpetua back to sleep. Pat talked softly so as not to wake her. "Thank you both for a wonderful taste of home." The moment he'd said it, he realized the thoughtlessness of his remark. He would never intentionally hurt Jency's feelings about her cooking. "I mean--being with you has reminded me of my family in Fernandina. I miss them a great deal."
   Riding up to their front door, Pat dismounted and helped Jency and the baby down from the buggy. He didn’t go inside. Instead, he shook his uncle's hand and kissed the back of his aunt's on their front stoop.
   "Well, son, we'll write to your father and tell him what a fine man he has in you. Be sure and come visit us again when you get leave. Don't be a stranger."
   "I won't, sir." On his horse, "Thanks again, Uncle."
   "Goodbye, Pat." A tender smile lit Jency's face. Perpetua whimpered. "I must see to my little one."
   Riding away, Pat aimed his ear in the direction of Uncle John's house.  Curious, he thought, how similar a child's cry was to that of a woman's.  

 

Peeper's New Year's Warning!

Happy New Year!

You may have heard to eat black-eyed peas on January 1st for prosperity in the new year because the peas represent coins. Having pork/ham means a positive advance into the future since pigs eat in a forward movement, not side to side. Consume cornbread to keep your family close in spirit.

*Grandmother Peeper writes in her Goodbye Lie Diary entry, "Don't wash anything on New Year's Day, lest ya wash a family member way!" 

No worries here, Peep. We ate canned black-eyed peas.  Apologies to you great Southern home cooks. Add cornbread muffies from Jiffy muffin mix and my personal variation on Reubens- thinly sliced ham instead of corned beef.  While we may have circled these traditions as opposed to enacting them exactly, I promise you, Peeper, I will do no laundry, give the dog a bath or wash a dish today, as per your warning. 

Take heed, dear friends.  Peeper has spoken!

(*Peeper adopted the 1880's fictional Dunnigan family in my Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie Trilogy.)

Smoking Bishop Recipe- a Goodbye Lie Fave + GBL Diaries

Excerpt from The Goodbye Lie:      Leona was at the piano playing Auld Lang Syne. Aunt Noreen and Peeper passed steaming mugs of Smoking Bishop and the scent of the spiced wine filled the room. A toast was raised and cups clinked. 1883 had begun. http://www.amazon.com/The-Goodbye-Jane-Marie-Malcolm/dp/0974918229/   In Drinking with Dickens by Cedric Dickens, who was the great-grandson of Charles Dickens,  I discovered Smoking Bishop was Victorian hot spiced port wine.  Besides the Bishop, there were other clerical drinks in those times:  Archbishop-claret, Cardinal-champagne and Pope-burgundy.     We served Smoking Bishop at a holiday party and got a chuckle out of seeing one of our guests tip the pot to get the last drop - and we’d made a double batch!  There are variations of Smoking Bishop, but this is the one we used.    As with all alcoholic drinks, moderation is key.       Enjoy,      Jane Marie

Smoking Bishop Recipe

You’ll need: 

• 4 whole washed, unpeeled oranges
• 2 tablespoons whole cloves
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks.
• 1 bottle port wine (red wine and port wine combined should equal 4 to 5 quarts)
• 5 to 6 quart slow cooker or large pot for stovetop cooking

Stick the whole cloves into the oranges.  Poke the oranges several times with a fork so the juice will seep out while cooking.  Place the oranges in the pot. 

Add  the red wine, sugar and cinnamon sticks.

Cover and cook on low or simmer for 3 1/2 hours.  Add the bottle of port. 

DO NOT BOIL at any time.  

Heat the mixture for another half hour to warm the port. 

Serve warm straight from the pot.

Garnish with extra orange slices or wedges and individual cinnamon sticks, if desired. 

Serves 10.  This recipe is easily doubled.

*******  

The Goodbye Lie Diaries:
1880s
Fernandina, Florida

Peeper writes:
Yes, Miss Jane,  I did pass cups a Smokin' Bishop around Dunnigan Manor with Noreena. I never want ta do a thing with her.  I only dun it 'acause  Santee Claus hadn't yet come and I wanted me a pair a new shoelaces, so I had ta be nice.  Miss Ella got me the shoes ta go with 'um, but I didn't ask.

 Reprinted from our GraciousJaneMarie.com website at http://www.greenlightwrite.com/bevsmokingbishop.htm

Wacky 2013 Christmas Letter from Us plus Past Letters!

Hello Everybody,

Here are some of the highlights of our 2013. I hope your year was as whirlwind as ours.

Mother asked her Brother: "What is the score?"  Her Brother answered, "10 to 10." Mother: "Who is winning?" Her Brother:  "It's 10 to 10." Mother, laughing: "Oh, since you're a Navy man, I’m glad it's Navy." Her Brother: "It's 10 to 10." Mother still loves her Brother even if he only says, "10 to 10."  She's glad to know his favorite number is 10.  He can be so secretive.

Father rewired the front porch light.  Whenever the family flips the switch, the hair dryer starts blowing cold.  Now, if Father can only figure out how to make it blow hot, Mother can melt the marshmallows on the macaroni and cheese.

Grampa Squirrelly gave Niece Beanie a candle for her birthday. Father worried she would forget it and burn her house down.  Grampa pointed out that her house is termite-ridden so Father gave her a book of matches. 

Daughter walked the beach and left a small pile of special seashells on the shore near the water.  When she returned the next day with a bucket to collect them, they were gone.  The police laughed at the robbery.  With such blatant disregard of citizen's property, she wonders what will be next? Stealing dandelions?

Cousin Gassie reports that his bowel sounds have improved.  The doctor no longer hums The Volga Boatman when he listens.  Now he sings  Zippidy Doo Da.  Gassie is so thrilled, he's looking for a Hollywood agent.

Aunt Rantie asked Mother, "How does a dog know it's not a cat and a cat know it's not a dog."  Not wanting to appear superior in her knowledge, Mother played dumb.

The neighborhood got new square lime green recycling cans.  Cousin Irk says it gives him more elbow room, what with the four extra corners, and refuses to move out.

The canned peaches are still on aisle 5 at the Hoggily-Woggily.

Father discovered that if you turn a book upside down, the words are upside down, too.  He loves to share his findings with the family in the hope they will grow as wise as he is.

The bread often has green edges.  Mother is pleased because the color matches her vinyl placemats.

The ice cream melted too fast and Father is preparing to take legal action.

Our mailman has crusty elbows.

After adopting a rescued doggie, Mother said to her Brother who was moving in for a very long unexpected visit, "Where is the dog?  I don't want her to run outside." Brother replied, "I know exactly where she is.  She's biting my right ankle." Mother said, "Oh good!  After you put on thicker socks, give her one of these biscuits so she'll keep doing it and we'll always know where to find her." 

Since he found a coupon, Cousin Chuckrack completed cooking school.  Being on a special diet to keep his tapeworm at regulation size, he's lost his interest in fancy cuisine and decided to be an electrician instead. He calls his business Snap, Crackle and Shock. 

Daughter has a new boyfriend.  He’s very nice but he chews worms. Everybody knows you're supposed to lick them. 

Great Uncle Thrice-Removed from Hack-knee Hollow went to the dollar store.  He is so rich, he took along three dollars, but since everything costs only one dollar, he couldn’t buy the purple spider snow globe he wanted.  

Mother's turkey was a bit dry.  Father put it in his closet to keep the humidity down so his shoes don't mold.

The wind blew when it was dark outside.

 

Merry Christmas!

PS

Links to past Annual Christmas Letters:

2012-http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/2012/12/2012-annual-christmas-letter.html

2011-http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/2011/12/annual-holiday-letter-2011.html

2010-http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/2010/12/dreaded-annual-letter-is-back.html

To find even earlier Annual Christmas Letters from Our Family and to get a better understanding of our exotic lifestyle, visit: http://www.greenlightwrite.com/newsletterarchive.htm - Annual Christmas Letters are highlighted in RED.

PLUS, our Super Popular Post – Santa Paintbrush Ornament http://graciousjanemarie.blogspot.com/2011/12/santa-paintbrush-ornament.html

 

Sugar & Spice Nuts - a Goodbye Lie Fave

I make this recipe every Christmas.  They are also served at the Christmas Dance held in Fort Clinch in my historical novel, Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie, set in 1882. 

 

 Here is an excerpt from that book:

 



http://www.amazon.com/The-Goodbye-Jane-Marie-Malcolm/dp/0974918229

  As they headed straight for the delicacies, they passed near the tree. This caused the flames of the small white candles on the pine boughs to flicker. A young lad was stationed by the water bucket, patrolling for any wild sparks and called out, "Ladies, tend your skirts. Ladies, tend your skirts."





     Breelan recognized him as the son of the commander of the fort. "Thank you, Master Maveney." A nod was his acknowledgement, and he was quick to catch a penny someone tossed him for his trouble.

     The raised platform in the south corner of the room held the musicians from town. They were playing seasonal songs amongst some of the more popular tunes of the day. A beautifully printed sign decorated in red and green read Courtesy: Mrs. Luella Smitty and sat atop the handsome harpsichord. Violin, fife, double bell euphonium, clarinet, trumpet and snare drum made for quite the orchestra.

     The girls nibbled on triangular egg salad sandwiches, rolled ham, and sugared nuts while watching Mrs. Bleether. The stout widow was still dressed in black for General Bleether who had passed away in the line of duty before Breelan was born. Tonight, the widow nodded periodically to the conductor with instructions. A self-described expert tunesmith, she could always be found near the hapless leader of the band at any social function she attended.

     "Wasn't that last song The Jack-in-the-Pulpit Waltz?" Breelan asked.

     "I believe so." Nora checked her dance card hanging from her wrist. "It says the next is to be the Sweet Brier Polka followed by the Fort Clinch Cannon Brigade. Oh, look here, in parentheses it says Haymakers Reel."

     Breelan recognized the name. "I think we've played that one on the handbells. I'll know it when I hear it." And she did.

     She danced with Trip each time he asked despite his occasional cutting remarks. She didn't understand why he was becoming increasingly nasty as the evening advanced. Usually that happened as he drank more alcohol, but the refreshment committee was only serving spiced punch and mulled cider heated with a fire poker. When Trip crushed her to him in an indelicate moment of lust, she felt the hard flask under his tunic and understood.

 

Sugar and Spice Nuts Recipe

 

You'll need:

 

• 12 ounces. whole pecans (almonds or unsalted walnuts will work, but pecans are best)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of cloves
• 1 teaspoon. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon. nutmeg
• Grated rinds of 2 oranges 

Mix all the ingredients in a heavy skillet.  Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until the water evaporates. 

Pour the nuts out onto two large cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick spray.  Separate them quickly with a fork, and let them cool.

 

The nuts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.  They may be kept at room temperature for about two weeks.

 

Reprinted from www.GraciousJaneMarie.com

 

Pearl Harbor Day

I found this history of events in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. God bless the fallen. http://historylink101.com/wwII_b-w/pearl_harbor/index.html  Thank you HistoryLink101.com.

Sound of Music Tribute

The Woolen Mill Tale
by Bruce Malcolm (my husband)

  

   Once upon a time, there was a firm tucked away on the moors of England that made woolen goods by warrant from her Majesty, the Queen.  This had been going on for several hundred years and the factory always turned out a fine, fine product in the good old-fashioned way - at a tidy profit.  The old mill was glorious to behold, as it was an appealing multi-leveled structure full of whirling flywheels and tall shafts.

   One day, the bookkeeper went to the owner of the mill and said, "We're losing money."

   "What are you talking about?" questioned the owner.

   "Well, I've checked the records again and again, and I promise you, we're losing money."

   "That's impossible!  Orders are up. We haven't changed our way of doing things in over 400 years, so why should we suddenly be losing money?"

   As reasonable people do, they looked further into the problem. They discovered the loss was due to theft by employees!   They did everything they could think of to stop this, including hiring guards, but still the thievery continued.  By this time, the owner was at his wit's end. 
   While sitting at his desk one afternoon, he picked up a copy of the München Zeitung, a German newspaper that happened to be lying on a pile of bills to be paid.  He saw an advertisement on the back for Guard Hounds of Munich.  The factory owner was intrigued. He read further and discovered  that if these guard dogs were employed in the factory, they were guaranteed to solve his security problem. Hoping for the best, the owner wrote to the hound company and in two weeks time, the dogs were delivered to the woolen mills by their trainer, a small man with long arms, a down-turned moustache, and green shoes.  The trainer turned the dogs lose in the factory and within days, the dogs put an end to the pilfering.  Anyone carrying woolen goods off the premises was cornered and bitten. Satisfied, the owner signed a release and the green-shod trainer returned to Munich, leaving his dogs behind. 

   But it seemed the dogs were not as tame as the mill owner supposed.  In fact, they were a bit wild and hard to handle once the trainer left.  Over time, the dogs took over the jumblie, pumblie English mill to breed in the nooks and crannies.  Soon, little puppies, growing bigger teeth every day, were everywhere. They were awful. They would rush out from beneath the benches and work tables to bite honest and unsuspecting workers on the ankles. 

   Things soon became intolerable.  Efficiency declined.  Profits fell.  It got to the point where the dogs had infested the mill so severely, the owner went bankrupt and had to close the business.

   One foggy sad day, not long after, the owner was putting a huge brass lock on the black wrought iron gate of his beloved mill.  Lowering his head, he walked through the mist on the moors and turned back to take one last look at the place.  As tears of regret poured down his face, he was inspired to write a song. You may have heard of it.  Or something similar, for the name of that song was The Mills Are Alive with the Hounds of Munich.  

 

 

Reprinted from our website:http://www.greenlightwrite.com/storywoolmill.htm

Santa Hat Nail Art

I saw this on Pinterest.com from Kaylee Denmark Nails.  While the tail on her Santa cap was a little longer and her red polish was glittery, I am pleased how well my hat turned out.  Here is how I did it and not break the bank.

You'll need the following supplies, all from the dollar store:

 

nail file

red nail polish

white nail polish

crystal jewel with adhesive back from kid's nail kit

clear top coat polish 

 

I am left handed so painted my ring fingernail on my right hand.  One nail was enough for me, but do as many as you want to, of course.

 

After letting your nails grow a bit, file the nail/nails into a pretty rounded shape.

Paint the tip of the nail red.  Let dry.

Paint the fur trim with the white polish, slightly wiggling the brush to make it look more realistic and fluffy. Let dry.

With the red polish, paint the cap's tail on one side, covering the white. Let dry.

Firmly press a small crystal on the end of the tail.

Paint two or three coats of clear polish over the entire nail, being sure to cover the crystal jewel. This coat will not only protect your Santa hat but will help keep the jewel in place.

 

BE SURE TO LET EACH CLEAR COAT DRY COMPLETELY SO NOTHING WILL MAR YOUR CREATION.

 

Show everyone your Santa Hat nail with pride because it's fun, fancy and festive!

 

Merry Christmas!

Dog Sings Goodbye Lie Theme Song

After hours and hours of practice aka suffering on my part, our very own Abby, Chihuahua Extroverted, has completed her rendition of The Goodbye Lie theme song. (Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie trilogy is set in north Florida in the 1880s.) Thinking the harmonica might be the perfect period instrument to accompany this little ditty about the high seas sailor, Captain Waite Taylor, and the women who love him, Abby went through three tubes of bacon and squirrel flavored lip balm, so as not to chafe her kisser as she played.

Sit back and enjoy. 

You'll never hear anything like this!