toffee

This is a post previously shared on my former blog. This is such a favorite, I receive multiple requests for it each year. 

 

Toffee
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Butter an 8-inch square pan. spread the chopped nuts in the pan.
Heat the butter and sugar and boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens and just begins to smoke, approximately 7 minutes.
Immediately pour the mixture evenly over the nuts and sprinkle the chocolate chips over this.
Cover the pan with a cookie sheet to keep the heat in and melt the chocolate.
Spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee layer. If desired, sprinkle more chopped nuts into the chocolate layer. Score while still warm, unless you don't mind irregularly broken pieces. (I don't mind them.) Refrigerate until hard.

Nicola's edited additions: I don't usually stir constantly. A reader commented about butter separation. When she did so, it had never happened to me. It subsequently happened once. I believe it was because I started with frozen butter and let that melt and begin to bubble before I added the sugar. Make sure you put these in the pan at the same time. If you like hard toffee, make sure you cook it long enough. (It begins to have a slightly burnt smell.) If you like softer toffee, don't cook it as long. The 7 minute marker is helpful, but after you have done a handful of batches, you will also notice the mixture thin and darken slightly.

from The Compete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn

Solstice

Celebrating Solstice is one of our family traditions. We used to go to an after-dark luminary lit walk, bonfire, and craft-making celebration at a nearby National park, but they changed how they were hosting the event, so that it ended before dark, and somehow, that made it lose a lot of its magic, even though the setting was still just as beautiful, set in the Redwoods. The luminary walk was one of the most special parts. I still feel so tightly bonded to that tradition that it feels odd to say that that change occurred three years ago! For the past two years, we have found other things to do and other ways to celebrate, including a family hike in the Redwoods. This year, we are going to a different National park for a campfire sing-along, which begins before sunset and ends after sunset. This park is closer to us and smaller, so we are hoping the feeling of intimacy and respect for nature will help us feel comfortable in shifting traditions.

There is one thing clear to me, as I reflect on our celebration of Solstice; we love to be outside, embraced by the trees, in the dark, surrounded by music and candle/firelight.

Return later to note:
Our revised plan to attend a celebration at a nearer National park didn't work out, due to weather. We spent the morning and early afternoon at a nature reserve, took a rain walk, and as part of a birthday celebration, had a visit with animals as part of a naturalist presentation. After that, we came home for a fire in the fireplace. It was lovely.

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas always visits on December 6. He has as long as I can remember, because he is my patron saint. He is the saint of children and of unmarried women, caring kindly, and selflessly, always bringing little goodies to children who leave their shoes out on the eve of his day.

I have read a number of different stories and beliefs about Saint Nicholas. He was a real person and in our family, he has not morphed into Santa Claus who delivers presents for Christmas Day. Our kids believe Saint Nicholas and Santa are two different people, cousins perhaps? The Saint Nicholas we all imagine is tall and thin, with a long grey beard, and a white horse. We leave shoes out in hopes of a gift, a glass of wine for Saint Nicholas, and a carrot for his horse.

He never fails to deliver a little special something, often something needed or useful, as well as wanted, and thanks to my mom and her own special connection with Saint Nicholas, the adults in our little family get a little something in our shoes too.

This year, the kids got new wool socks and they each received one of Sigi De Francesca's lovely gnome books. I will read Little Brown Mouse's with him, but Lala Bug read hers in one day and loved it.

For several years now, I have wished there were some Saint Nicholas stories that aligned with our simpler thoughts about Saint Nicholas not being the same as Santa. We enjoyed a short several day story by Christine Natale this year. In addition, we now have St. Nicholas by Jakob Streit, which we will be reading, as Little Brown Mouse will be learning about several saints this year.

Upon on his snow white steed
With wind and lightning speed
St. Nicholas leaves the sky
And comes a-riding by

The little hare hops nigh
And lifts his nose up high
The stag with pointing horn
Leaps over bush and thorn

And all the creatures dear
Are drawing quickly near
Before St. Nicholas bow
Their little heads so low

And we will learn a tune
Of sun and star and moon
And sing our happy lay
Sing on St. Nicholas Day!

~ Traditional German Verse

My brown mouse

Little Brown Mouse,

I am trying to write you a note, to be posted to my blog, from the tiny keys of my 'phone, because my computer has died (again). This makes me laugh, because you have a fairly firm dislike of smart 'phones and  other tech distractions. Most of the time. 

Ah, little one...you aren't so little anymore. Yet you are.. You have grown so very much this past year. So many people have commented, yet Icsee you daily and I have noticed too. Your teeth!. I cannot believe a year has passed since the Build-It fun! 

You love soccer, building, and books. You are reading! You love snuggles and you are a sensitive soul. Your relationship with your sister has changed this year as you both get older, but you two still back each other up when tough things happen. You've gotten a little sassier this year, yet are still so honest.

I have a lot of admiration and respect for your patience and flexibility, buddy. You are one of a kind and I love you!

Love, Mamma

holiday countdown

Our family loves the December celebrations. While not religious, I am spiritual and I do love festivals and celebrations. Besides a family birthday, December celebrates Saint Nicholas' Day, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and often hosts Hanukkah. (It does this year.) There are other wonderful Saint days in December, as well, but I am sharing  the festivities that we celebrate.

So while we don't specifically celebrate Advent, we really love to make every December day a celebration, including those after Christmas, so we do a holiday countdown through the New Year.

For years, I have been hanging infant socks along a string of fairy lights. Tucked into each sock is a little slip of paper, each slip sharing an activity for the day; bake for a neighbor, make Christmas gifts, winter crafting, enjoy a candy cane, go see holiday lights, go to a winter concert, draw a picture of something you are grateful for, write a letter to someone saying something you love about them, read a new holiday book, do something for someone else, write thank you notes, and so on.

This year, we begin the month with a shopping trip for a family in need that we have "adopted." We began the tradition of "adopting" a family when our kiddos were very young and it is one of our favorite things to do. Our kids have never asked for things for themselves when doing this shopping trip, and that makes my heart sing.

i love this season

Autumn is my favorite season. It is of the earth, so grounding. When we studied the Jewish faith when Lala bug was in 3rd grade, I loved the celebrations of fall. It is a time of renewal for many faiths and as someone who is non-religious, but spiritual in nature, the idea of making right my wrongs and re-connecting anew at this particular time of year is...nurturing.

At this time of year, I reflect and meditate on so many things. The past handful of weeks have been challenging ones and have left me thinking about the ways in which I have and have not brought my word of the year, Joy, into my heart, my mind, and my life this year. I have been thinking about what I need to shift in the coming months and asking questions of myself. Where is my life headed? How can I guide that and what should my guiding word be next?

My camera and I are trying to become reacquainted. Along with writing, photography is a simple, creative outlet I have missed.

I am grateful for the tiny pause that taking a photograph gifts to me. 

autumn homeschooling

Writing time is too limited. I miss it. Perhaps I am returning to it. At the very least, I am actually getting better at letting things go, off my task list (rather than saying I should let things go) and I have been getting more, much needed sleep. I had the scary realization that I might be struggling with adrenal fatigue, so I am trying to make sleep a priority for myself.

November has brought a little slow down of external activities and pressures. We are slow to decompress from the busy October and are managing big offloads of emotions, stress, and overload. But slowly, we are moving toward the winter holidays with relaxed, joyful anticipation.

I am saying "no" more and with more peace.

 

 

 Above, the class leading to and preparing for a living history overnight for Lala bug. Below, the beautiful coastline from our campground.

 Halloween! Preparing for and modeling the compost costume Little Brown Mouse made and the knitty kitty dress dada made for Lala bug. She stitched on the ears, tail, and fuzzy white tummy.

 Above, much needed self-learning time for this mamma teacher. I went through three web workshops hosted by waldorfish.com . Wonderful!

 Shouldn't all home learning be as cozy as a living room fort, wood fire, and a rainy day?
Yes! Rain! We have not had enough, so we are celebrating the mini storms that have blown through a couple times now.

And belated, but not abandoned...the annual Grandma, mamma, (grand)daughter art museum outing!

 

It has been a busy autumn so far, but slowing down pleasantly, I have a much better sense of pace for "extras" heading into this holiday time than I did last year.  I am still working on myself, relationships, schedule, and more for re-discovering balance in our everyday. It has been eluding me, and I am...weary.