Kate Collins's Blog, page 137

Is winter for the birds?

By Victoria Abbott aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini


Little wren taking a break. We love to complain about the cold weather and yet most of us in northern climes get to live indoors, buy our food in a well-stocked grocery store and avoid flitting around dressed only in feathers. As a rule, we don’t need to eat a quarter to half our body weight daily just to have the energy to fly through our lives.  But that’s the difference between us and our favorite birds. When I think about the brave little birds, it reminds me not to whine about small problems.   I thought you might enjoy some of Victoria Maffini's(half of Victoria Abbott) winter bird photos.

Cheerful chickadee
Here in Eastern Ontario we are still having unusually mind weather, hovering above freezing, but we know what’s coming.  Winter is just around the corner and even if it turns out to be ‘mild’ (pause for maniacal laughter), our feathered friends will be busy but they will still need help.

Busy woodpecker
This is the time to put out your bird feeders if they’re not out yet.  We like to see ours from our window. We’ve had the best luck with small cylinders for Nyjer seed and a larger cylinder with a weight sensitive bar that closes off the feeding holes if something heavy, say a squirrel or a jay, hops on.  We use the red-roofed bird feeder for the cardinals and fill it with white safflower seed.

Come and get it, Mr. and Mrs. C!

 Our cardinals love white safflower seed and squirrels are not supposed to care much for that.  Several squirrels in our area did not get that memo.  

Red squirrel casing the joint
We like to put out suet as well, especially in the really cold weather.  However, last year we spotted a black squirrel making off with the suit and the container as well!   It gets pretty cold here and birds often can’t get fresh water in winter because it’s now ice. A supply of fresh water will be well received before it too freezes. 
We’re grateful to our birds for the enjoyment (and occasional thrill) we get from watching them. Thanks little nuthatches, wrens, sparrows, cardinals, jays, finches – yellow and purple, chickadees, juncos, robins.  Those of you who winter over spread a lot of joy.  Nothing beats the thrill of seeing Mr. Cardinal against the bright white snow.

Handsome fellow!What kind of birds will you see from December to April?  I hope you California types will chime in too! If you have any tips about birds, bird feeding or have any stories to share, please let’s hear them.    

Getting in the mood for Christmas

Okay, it’s that time of year when we pull out the Christmas movies, go to Christmas pageants, choirs and plays. I just got back from White Christmas the musical and loved it. Yeah, it’s a little sappy and the plot weak but the music and dancing and singing was fantastic. I defy anyone to sit though White Christmas and not come out drenched in the Christmas spirit.
And my absolutely all time Christmas fav is Love Actually. What a great movie and again I defy anyone to watch it and not declare All I Want for Christmas Is You as their fav Christmas song!
I caught the Charlie Brown Christmas last night and fell in love with it all over again. If you haven’t seen it in few years take a look. It’s the new version that has built on the old version and it’s terrific. It’s Christmas from all the Peanuts characters point of view and it’s great.
I still love Scrooge. I think I watch it to make sure I remember to be nice! Dragging all those chains around ‘cause I’ve been naughty would not be fun. And of course Scrooge has the best ghosts ever!! Who doesn’t love a good ghost? I’m not a great fan of Tiny Tim but I always cry when I see his grave. Another reason to be nice. Who wants to send the little kid with the bum leg to his grave! Good grief.
It’s a Wonderful Lifereminds me I have a purpose in life and I need to do my thing and I should never ever wrap money in newspaper.

Then there are the Christmas romance stories that always end well. Most are true syrup but at this time of year syrup is okay. And there are the TV shows with a Christmas theme. I think the BBC Sherlock is having a Christmas special and personally I cannot wait to see it.
So what about you? What are your go-to Christmas specials? Do you always go hear the church choir do a performance? Your kid’s/grandkids Christmas play? A movie you always watch? ( I can recite Love Actually by heart)
Let me know and I’ll give away a 12 Days of Christmas tea towel from the responses.


Happy gearing up for Christmas!Hugs, Duffy Brown

Ellery's Mystery Cozy Contest

Hosted By Ellery Adams

It's the first of the month! Time for me to give away a $10 e gift card to the bookstore of your choice. Because it's December, I'm going to pick a cozy with a holiday theme.

This is how it works: I post a few lines from a cozy mystery. You post the title and author in the comment section. Then, I'll draw a random name from the winning guesses and post that person's name on this page and on Facebook by 10 p.m. on December 2nd.


Okay, here we go! Here are the lines from this month's mystery cozy:

"'Then we'll string him up, like you suggested,' Steve said, following after Greg."


Ellery's helpful hint - This author is a Cozy Chick!

Thanksgiving Travel

by Maggie Sefton



Wow!  My travel day, Monday, the last day of November, was packed.  Airports and
highways were jammed.  I thought I would miss the travel  crush, but no way.  I don't even want to think how Sunday, the busiest day, turned out.

I'll keep this post short and sweet because it's the evening, and I'm finally back home in Fort Collins----and I'm ready to call it a day.  It was a great trip with family and friends, and I've shared with all of the Cozy Chicks Blog audience some of the highlights.  Volleyball games that teetered back and forth but finally resulted in granddaughter Natale's James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia winning the Virginia State Volleyball championship.

And, lots of good times with family and friends.  And lots of yummy Thanksgiving food-----and leftovers.  I always forget how sinfully delicious and rich my Southern Pecan Pie is until the holidays roll around and I make it again.  It is Deadly.  I hope all of you had a chance to indulge and enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving foods and treats.  And, overeat a little. . . or a lot.  :)  

 

THE TRUTH ABOUT LEFTOVERS

by Mary Kennedy                       
                                                       
 The truth about leftovers is that well, they just don't look too appealing.  They've had their moment in the sun--the succulent slices  of roasted turkey, the creamy mashed potatoes, the tangy cranberry sauce--and now they look a little limp and past their prime. What to do? What if you could turn out a delicious casserole with that leftover turkey and no one would be the wiser? Well, they'd suspect that you were trying to salvage the remnants of Thanksgiving dinner, but as long as they enjoy the finished product, who cares? Here's a great recipe to try!   My favorite turkey tetrazzini recipe: Ingredients: 1/2 stick butter 1 pound chopped raw mushrooms1 cup white wine1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp pepper1/4 cup flour4 cups chicken broth or turkey broth1 eight ounce package cream cheese3 cups cooked turkey shredded or diced1 and 1/2 cups frozen green peas1/2 cup panko break crumbs (for topping)12 ounces cooked spaghetti Directions:Set over at 350.  Melt butter and sauté mushrooms. Add salt and pepper, and sprinkle flour over mixture in pan.  Stir to combine. Now add the whitewine and stir again. Add the broth and cook for a few minutes until it is thickened. Add the cream cheese and stir. It might be a little lumpy but that's okay, the lumps will disappear in the finished dish. Now add the turkey and peas, the cooked spaghetti. Turn it into a casserole dish, top with the bread crumbs and baked for 30 minutes, uncovered. Delicious!   Bon Appetit!  Mary Kennedy  

It's That Recycling Time of Year

by Leann

I do all my shopping online. I have for years. But somehow, those trackers who watch everything I buy, must think I will change my mind and start looking at catalogs and then BUYING from catalogs. I'm not sure I understand the thinking. It's a waste of money and paper to send me a catalog. I won't even look at it.

I can't even get removed from those email "newsletters" trying to sell me stuff. I "unsubscribe"  but that seems to be a waste of time, too. I am on the lists and that is bothersome. This is the digital age and there are plenty of folks who have figured out all sort of new ways to annoy me.

It's not a huge deal. Those catalogs get recycled and turned into ... what? Oh, plastic grocery bags that I am not allowed to put in our recycle garbage can. Is someone messing with our minds? Does it just sap a little joy out of Christmas for me? Um, that would be yes. But I am not going to let them get to me. I'm on to you, retailers--even if I can't do anything about you. I will enjoy the holidays anyway. And here's an upside. I don't shop in stores and so at Halloween, I didn't see one Christmas decoration. Small victories are nice.

Happy National French Toast Day!

The Cozy Chicks love to cook ... and something fun and easy for a weekend treat is French toast.  Here's an easy recipe that you and your kids (or grandkids) can make together!

FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
4 slices bread
   
Beat the egg, vanilla, and cinnamon in shallow dish. Stir in the milk.  Dip the bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly. Cook bread slices on lightly greased nonstick griddle or skillet on medium heat until browned on both sides.

Serves: 2-4

Happy Black Friday

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

And so another shopping season is upon us. Did you go holiday shopping yesterday?  I didn't.  And I won't go shopping today. Probably not even online.

I only went shopping on Black Friday once about 25 years ago, and that was enough for me.  (I had to wait for over two hours in line at a K-Mart and vowed "never again!")

Of course, there's a very good reason for me NOT to shop on Black Friday.  With so many of my relatives gone, I hardly have any gifts to buy anymore.  And I got hints from my brother yesterday that he wants to stop exchanging gifts.  Why?  Because he's come to the age when he can afford to buy anything he wants and ... he doesn't want much of anything anymore. I could never understand it when my parents said the same thing years ago, but I guess everybody hits that stage, because I now feel the same way.

Do I want anything for Christmas?  Well, yes.  There's a book I want to read, and a cup I'd like.  But other than that ... I can't think of a thing.  These days my greatest pleasure is going out to lunch once (and sometimes twice) a week with Mr. L. Being with him is the best gift I could imagine.

So, little girl (or boy), what do YOU want for Christmas?

Happy Thanksgiving from The Cozy Chicks

Happy Thanksgiving to our wonderful readers! 

It’s a busy time, but we just want you all to know that we are grateful to and  for  you all year long. Readers are the point of writing. Without readers, why would we bother?  We want you to respond, be engaged and share the emotions and adventures in our books and short stories. Bless you all!    So go have a great day, with lots of food, family and fun, or curled up in a comfy chair with your To Be Read pile, however you celebrate Thanksgiving. 
If you have a moment to come by and tell us what your plans are, please do. Tell us where you are and what you're doing/eating/reading.  Maybe you want to tell us what you're grateful for. We’d love to know what Thanksgiving means to you.

Back in the Day…

It’s getting to the holidays and we start thinking about traditions and times past. I just love places that seem to take me back in time. Places that when I walk the streets and go into the homes I almost feel part of another era…except then my cell phone goes off and ruins the whole thing. Some of the obvious and really neat-time travel places that maybe you’ve visited are: Plymouth, Massachusetts. This is America's Hometown, the oldest community in New England and, of course, the site of the first Thanksgiving. There is a replica of what the pilgrim settlement looked like in 1627, right down to characters walking around speaking in the appropriate dialect. And no visit is complete without Plymouth Rock.Williamsburg, Virginia. That’s been restored to right down to 17th-century ships and a Native American village to tour French Quarter, New Orleans Where many of the homes have centuries-old ironwork and courtyards and we can’t forget the yummy French treats to try along the way.
I hear Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is absolutely spiritual and you can actually feel the soldiers there and almost see President Abraham Lincoln giving his address. Downtown Savannah, Georgia has a National Historic Landmark District and is a prime example of old-time Southern architecture. Stroll the cobblestone streets and see the intricate ironwork of mansions restored to the original pink, green, red, and blue of the 18th century. My daughter up in New York just visited. Sleepy Hollow, New York. It’s the site of the 1790s tale "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving and dates back to the arrival of Europeans in the 1600s. I live in Milford, Ohio, and we have a section called Old Milford. Many of the shops and buildings are from the 1800s and before. We have our own Mystery Library in a building that was actually part of the mill in the ford of the stream. So neat.

So what about you? Is there a fav place you’ve visited and felt like you were back in time? Or maybe there is part of your town that is old and historic that you love to pieces?