Yearly Archives: 2017

Do you like pineapples?

Native to South America, the first pineapples were planted in Hawaii on this day in 1813. Now 10% of the world’s pineapples are grown in Hawaii where it first became a commercial crop. It is also widely grown in Central America and Asia. Kids will love this delicious and healthy recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/3 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 2 medium)
  • 1 1/4 cups carrots, finely shredded
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 (8 ounces) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
  • 2/3 cup cooking oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix together. Enjoy!

Try some Stone Soup!

January is National Soup Month. Read “Stone Soup” by Marcia Brown and “George and Martha” by James Marshall and try cooking your own:

Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:

  • 2 cups green split peas
  • 7 cups water
  • 3 cups beef broth (canned or add bouillon cubes to water)
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1 medium onion

Directions:

Rinse the split peas under cold water. Place the drained peas, water and broth to a saucepan. Break the celery into 3 or 4 large pieces and add to the pot. Peel and trim the onion and then place the whole onion into the pot. Heat the soup to a boil on medium heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. When the soup is done, remove the celery and onion and throw them away.

Do you have a car safety kit?

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What should you have in the trunk of your car in case of an emergency? I’ll give you a hint- it’s not a cat. While they are cute, they are not very helpful in a crisis. Below is a list of some more helpful things to keep in the car.

Recommended items to have in the car in case of emergency

  • Cell phone car charger
  • Jumper Cables (be sure you know how to use them)
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Flares & Reflective triangles
  • Bag of sand or kitty litter (to help if stuck in ice, snow)
  • Small shovel, snow brush and ice scraper
  • Extra windshield solvent
  • Blankets and extra clothing
  • Nonperishable food items and water (e.g.. snack bars)
  • List of emergency telephone numbers on a card in the glove compartment
  • Auto club card (AAA or roadside assistance)

Here is another post with a list of what to keep in the car glove box.

It is always a good idea to keep the gas tank at least half full at all times, especially in the winter.

Photo: Bart Everson

Happy Birthday JRR Tolkien!

JRR Tolkien’s Birthday

JRR Tolkien, the author of Lord of the Rings was born on this day in 1892. In honor of his birthday older school age children may enjoy reading (or being read) The Hobbit or perhaps they could watch one of the Lord of the Rings movies. Can you read this?

Sample Cirth inscription

The Cirth alphabet used in the book appears here. Children might enjoy translating this and making up their own messages using this alphabet.

Image from blog.schoollibraryjournal.com