Miss the camping?

When it is winter in Canada, we think wistfully of warm campfires and balmy summer evenings with family. So why not make some memories for January?  Build a nice fire in your fireplace, spread a blanket in front and have a picnic indoors in front of your living room fire.  Have some popcorn, hotdogs, or even just sandwiches and coleslaw.  The kids will think it is great fun.  My daughter even pitched a small tent in their living room and let the kids “camp out” for the night in their sleeping bags.  Play a board game or tell ghost stories with the lights out and recapture some of the fun you have when you are camping.  Enjoy some family time!

Wishing for Christmas in Hawaii- but caught baking Cookies!

 

Poinsettia growing wild in Hawaii

Last year at this time I was enjoying a drive along a narrow road in the hills of the Big Island, Hawaii, and we came across this lovely poinsettia growing wild over a mailbox.

This year, although I would love to be there again, I am home preparing to have Christmas at our house, with loved ones traveling here.  So as I do my Christmas baking, dreaming of Hawaii, but caught in reality, I want to share this wonderful cookie recipe with my readers.

ENJOY and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MINT SURPRISE COOKIES:

1/2 cup softened butter      1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar        1 egg    1/2 tsp vanilla        1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs            1/2 tsp baking soda       1/2 tsp salt       and                                 a package of colored cream mints:              Cream the butter and both sugars together, then beat in egg and vanilla.  Add flour, crumbs, baking soda and salt; mixing well.  Wrap each mint in about 1-1/2 tsp of dough.  Arrange on ungreased baking sheet and  bake at 370 degrees for 8-10 min.  Makes about 5 doz.

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Trapped in the Spider’s Web

For all those out there who have mastered the web, may I congratulate you!

This is what I have learned:

1. The more I learn the less I know
2. Meta tags were once important, now not so much
3. Spiders like to crawl, and apparently they need to catch you in their web
4. Now you need to BLOG to get noticed

Really, all I wanted to do was put up a travel business website and see if people would get as excited as me, but instead I learned there are all these rules and marketing ploys.  

How does one keep up with the jargon?  Do you people take classes to be so inventive?  

As you can see, I am technically challenged, but kudos to you wonderful people who come up with blog sites, free software, teaching  tools like You Tube, and pass on all the simple tricks that people like me could never hope to master otherwise.  

I hope to pass on some travel tips, some destination finds, and whatever else I can uncover in this fascinating jungle you call the Web.

Diane

Neat Stuff- If you have ever despaired because the airlines refuse to let you take your liquid shampoo on board in your carry-on, well check this item out!  Paper shampoo.  Believe it.

paper-shampoo1