Author: Pamela Layton McMurtry

Posted on

Easter Memories

 
Happy Easter to you, may your celebration of the atonement and resurrection of our Lord bring you peace. My Mom recently gave me Bill O’Reilly’s book Killing Jesus to read. If you really want to appreciate the horror of Christ’s experience the last few days of his mortal life and be truly thankful for his gift to us, please read this book. O’Reilly and his co-author are Catholics who did extensive historical research to write a compelling account, which at times, is difficult to read.

The thoughts of Christ are a treasured part of my canon of knowledge. I especially enjoy holidays that were based on the traditions of Christianity; Easter and Christmas. These Miracle Eggs teach children the story of Jesus’ triumph over death.

The instructions for Easter Miracles Eggs are here: http://www.pammcmurtry.com/search?q=easter+miracle+eggs

 Here’s an Easter Menu for your celebration

Spinach and strawberry salad with Gorgonzola and berry vinaigrette
Glazed baked ham
Au gratin potatoes
Onion-baked potatoes
Green peas
Ambrosia
Croissants with butter and berry jam
 Cream cheese-filled bunny carrot cakelets

This corn chowder recipe will help you enjoy your 3 – 5 servings of vegetables this weekend – thanks Deseret News!


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865678093/Corn-chowder-to-chase-the-an-evening-chill.html?clear_cache=1

Posted on

Seussical, you are musical!

For their musical production, my school, Kay’s Creek Elementary in Kaysville, put on a production of Seussical Junior. I volunteered to help and was given the opportunity to create decorations for the proscenium, costumes and a chalkboard advertisement. 


This 4′ x 7′ (?) chalkboard greeted theater patrons as they entered the lobby of the school.

As you enter the office you are welcomed by a SCHOOL of fish made by about 400 students




My 5th and 6th graders made 50 fish costumes


And here’s the proscenium  ( a new word to me that means the front of the stage.) Our intrepid Miss Hunt and her father used a lift to hang the paper 20 feet plus high to attach the Seuss-themed paper cut-outs Newell and I made to compliment the great onstage decor made by one of our stage moms. 


So here’s to Miss Hunt and the talented students and parents of Kay’s Creek – thank for inviting me to help with Seussical Jr.! 

Posted on

Erin Go Bragh!

The earth is about to dust off its snowy mantle and begin the wearin’ o’ the green!  When I was a teen growing up on the beach in So Cal, my friends and I would be preparing to brave the chilly ocean breezes to start our summer tan rituals. Now in Utah, I’m trying out my new winter coat that I bought on sale Friday and hoping the tulips and daffodil bulbs weren’t fooled by the temperate weather we had 2 weeks ago (and are regretting their emergence into another small blizzard.) Alas. 

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I’m feeling my favorite Irish Prayer


And an old story about a beautiful Jewish princess who married the Irish High King

Tamar Tephi and the High King Of Ireland

Did you know that there are old stories about 2 Jewish princesses that were taken  by the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah out of Jerusalem before it fell to the Babylonians? They were Zedekiah’s daughters and great-granddaughters of Jeremiah. The stories say he took them to Egypt for safety; all of Zedekiah’s sons were killed in front of him except Mulek who escaped to America. As Egypt was about to fall, they sailed up to Spain where one eventually married into the royal family there. He then took the other to Ireland and she married the chief high king. Her name was Tamar Tephi and the sacred burial ground of Tara was built for her and her husband when they died. The interesting thing about this story is that when a DNA study of population of Europe was complete, the people with the most closely matched DNA were in Spain and Ireland. Perhaps this helps explain why the people of Ireland were interested in the message of Christianity, it came from a branch of the House of Abraham, their ancestors in the Holy Land. Remember it was the Stewart (Stuart) King James that had the Bible translated into English. I believe he was a descendant of ancestors from Israel. The lion and the unicorn in British heraldry represented the tribes of Judah and Joseph. I also read that the British Union Jack had two meanings; one was the kingdom united under King James, the other was the reuniting of the Biblical patriarch Jacob’s family. 

For entertainment we’ll watch our fav Irish movies Darby O’Gill and the Little People and The Secret of Roan Inish to help us get our Irish pride on, or read again Thomas Cahill’s How the Irish Saved Civilization.


I’ll be watching the market for the corned beef brisket that will be the star of our St. Patrick‘s Day celebration.




Here’s our menu:

Spinach salad with fresh strawberries, feta, caramelized pecans with Gerard’s Light Champagne dressing

Corned beef with a brown sugar mustard glaze

Steamed cabbage in a butter Dijon sauce

Roast asparagus and carrots

Baked onion potatoes

Lemon cherry scones

Cream cheese frosted shamrock shortbread with pistachio ice cream

And the leprechaun cottage and garden of tiny vegetables


So with the hospitality and warmth of the Irish, we head into the season of fun and fellowship as we remember the life of one of Christianity’s greatest missionaries; St. Patrick. 


Lá Shona Fhéile Pádraig!
And here are 3 fun ways to have a pinch-free St. Patrick’s Day;
welcome Deseret News, Deseret News Syndication, Bloomington Herald Times, Bedford Times-Mail and Daily American readers! 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865675573/3-fun-ways-to-have-a-no-pinch-St-Patricks-Day.html

	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Its all about the heart
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		








Queen of Hearts Tea Party for Valentine’s Day


Recently I became a big fan of Tim Burton’s Alice Through the Looking Glass movie. For Valentine’s Day, Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts came to mind and I started doing research to find out whether the Queen of Heart’s obsessive painting of white roses had any connection with Britain’s Lancaster/York War of the Roses in the 15th Century. The Lancaster branch of the Plantagenet dynasty was represented by a red rose while the Yorks had a white rose. The not-so-civil war went on between the factions for 35 years until Henry Tudor of Lancaster claimed the throne and married Elizabeth of York, effectively turning the white roses red.








 


Stained glass images of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York at Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales.: 


 






On a genealogical website, I once saw that I was a 14th great-granddaughter of Henry Tudor and so my research became more personal.  According to tradition, Henry and Elizabeth had a great love. She also loved the recently introduced French trend of playing cards (a little too much according to historians) and when she died following childbirth at the age of 37, according to legend, Henry had the image of the Queens of Hearts on all of playing cards in England made to look like her. 






Portrait of Elizabeth of York (1466-1503), amongst English Royalty was a daughter to a king, niece to a king, wife to a king, mother to a king and grandmother to a queen.: 




It was not Elizabeth but her mother-in-law Margaret who had a penchant for eliminating enemies by removing their heads. Enough said.








 




  




Valentine’s Day is an enigmatic holiday. With pagan origins of fertility rituals at Lupercalia on February 15th, anything resembling the root words of Lu, Lugh or Lucifer always makes me uneasy. The pagan rituals included the sacrifice of dogs and goats; the goatskins were stripped and dipped in goat blood then used to flog hopeful young women wishing for love and fertility in the coming year. The names of eligible young women were gathered and drawn by bachelors with whom they would cohabit during the next season, the women probably hoping it would become a permanent arrangement. 



During the early part of the 5thcentury, Pope Gelasius I combined Lupercalia and the day memorializing 3 Christian martyrs named Valentine who had been executed by Roman emperor Claudius II. Claudius had decided unmarried male soldiers made the best warriors and outlawed the performing of marriage for his troops. 






Image result for st valentine




During the 2nd and 3rd centuries at least three Christian priests named Valentine secretly performed marriages and as a result were caught and executed. After being sainted by the Catholic Church, the name St. Valentine became synonymous with the celebration of love and the result, like Halloween, was a hybrid holiday with both charming and unfortunate sinister roots.  








 




For centuries Valentine’s Day has been associated with love; it was thought that even birds paired off at Valentine’s Day. In medieval times, feasts included the lottery of love, like the pagans except guests were paired for the duration of the party. Promoted by Chaucer and Shakespeare, the holiday’s dark past was mostly forgotten and now moderns woo one another with chocolate, flowers, candles and poetry (and occasional bling). Wishing to view the holiday from the glass half-full perspective, it may be appropriate to present a holiday tea party to celebrate love with the unfortunately dark roots hidden away from modern gaze.


 




Let’s return to the warm and wonderful realm of love. While I adore the idea of romance, apparently the romantic love needed to narrow our ardor and launch us into exclusive pairs expands and evolves into a less-dramatic, more stable variety of love a few years after marriage. Factor in a few delightful children and love becomes a more inclusive emotion with community-building ability. 




Apparently only a small percentage of the population is involved in the explosive youthful pairing love at any given time and more of us live in the world of brotherly, familial affection so I choose to focus on that stage of love; with that in mind, A Queen of Heart’s Valentine’s Day tea party complete with warm red hearts seems like just the thing for a cold winter afternoon.














Here is a fun little crown you can make for your own Liddells or guests on Valentine’s Day. The author of the Alice in Wonderland stories, Charles Dodson or Lewis Carroll as we know him, was inspired by the Liddell girls, especially Alice. One day as he and a friend were taking the girls in a boat down the Thames, he made up the stories to entertain them. Encouraged to write them down, he eventually had them published and they became a huge hit. 








 




 


 


 


Queen of Hearts Crowns


 


Of course a Queen of Hearts tea requires crowns for each guest; these are inexpensive and easy to create. 


 


For each crown you will need 


One  4” glittery red paper heart (buy or make from cardstock)


7 silver pipe cleaners 


Several heart rhinestones


 




For a large crown, twist together 2 pipe cleaners, leaving 3” tails at the twist. Bend each tail into a heart half and twist together. Repeat with a third and fourth pipe cleaner adjusting to fit the head of the wearer. Use a 5th pipe cleaner to make an arch and attach to the front of the crown. Attach the heart to the front arch using a hot glue gun then add two smaller arches that are glued to the front of the heart and the crown side . Curl the ends of the pipe cleaners and add sparkly rhinestones.   








 




  




The British are known for their iconic afternoon teas even though tea parties may have originating in France. A formal tea consists of 3 courses which may be creatively arranged on a 3-tier serving piece. On the lowest plate is the first course: finger sandwiches, and savory appetizers. The second tier contains warm scones, clotted cream (a decadent cross between butter and whipped cream) and preserves.  On the top tier are a variety of pastries, cakes, shortbread and fruit. For American tastes, try adding chocolate-dipped strawberries and clever little footed dishes filled with Valentine’s candy, truffles and nuts.







 


Of course a Valentine’s tea needs tea, but many of us don’t drink that beverage. A cup of tea minus the tea equals lemon and sugar or lemonade. Add pureed strawberries and strawberry hearts for a delicious pink drink to serve in porcelain tea cups with labels that read “drink me.”




P.S. Happy anniversary Arizona! 105 years today. And Happy Galentine’s, Palentine’s and Single Awareness Day! Plus a little eye candy for you: https://www.pinterest.com/pammcmurtry/family-love-and-valentines-day/


I was surprised to find that my article for the Deseret News in Utah was published the week following Valentine’s Day, but here it is; it was also picked up by newspaper websites in Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana and a newsfeed. 



http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672254/Recipes-to-host-a-Queen-of-Hearts-tea-party-for-holiday-with-hearts.html?clear_cache=1








xoxoxoxoxoxoxox Happy Valentine’s Day xoxoxoxoxoxox








 




 






 



	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Garden Corn Chowder
	


	
	

		
This chowder is one delicious way to keep your resolution to eat more vegetables this year.

Image result for corn chowder



Corn Chowder              


(Serves 12)




            In a large saucepan, brown 





1 lb. bacon or turkey bacon


   


            Remove, drain, cool and crumble. In small amount of bacon grease saute 





1 small onion, minced


2 stalks celery, chopped


1 green bell pepper, chopped 


   


            Remove vegetables, drain and set aside. place in the pot

10 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into a 3/4″ dice 


14 baby carrots, shredded




            Add water until barely covered, bring to boil, cook about 10                          minutes until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. During the last 3 minutes add 

1 C zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 C spinach or power greens, chopped

             Drain water,  add sauteed vegetables and 





1 can corn, drained


1 can cream-style corn


2 cans mushroom soup


3 cans milk


1 tsp. salt


1 / 2 tsp. pepper





            Simmer covered, 5 minutes or until hot, add crumbled bacon and additional salt and pepper, if desired.






                              

	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Human Rights Day
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		






Human Rights Day


The Term “holiday” comes from “Holy Day;” how appropriate to begin the year with recognition of intrinsic gifts from our Creator and a celebration of human rights. One of the first and oldest documents referencing human rights came to mankind in the form of the 10 Commandments in the Bible; also known as the Aseret ha-D’varim in the Torah. Instead of the usual worldly governing model of a monarchy granting subjects limited rights, God gave instructions for building a culture where each individual could enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 


The struggle for human rights has been long and arduous and championed by many distinguished individuals throughout the history of the world. Some of names that come to mind are Moses, who petitioned Pharaoh for the release of Israel from bondage, Joan of Arc who led French forces against British occupiers, Martin Luther and the Reformers, the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln. United States soldiers and other nations who liberated captives in the World Wars. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and many others also led the fight. Jesus Christ taught and modeled ideal behavior for peaceful, respectful living and human rights; His teachings need to be studied by all people.


Another effectual document outlining and guaranteeing rights and blessing our world is the Heaven-inspired Constitution of the United States of America. Both it and the scriptures describe God-given obligations and protections for human behavior and organizing community living in idealistic and practical ways. The Bible instructs us to love God first, then to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are commanded to observe God’s laws, honor our parents, not to kill, commit adultery, steal, lie and covet. These are the baseline behaviors to minimize troubles and provide for more peace and happiness. Some of the brightest minds ever known to mankind, the Founding Fathers of the United States, labored to craft the document guaranteeing an entire nation “… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Our country was sanctified by the very sacrifice of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by early patriots who fought and laid down their lives that we might enjoy these blessings. The United States of America has become the greatest nation in the history of the world with advancements and prosperity once only imagined by the most brilliant intellectuals of the past. We along with our fathers, sons, brothers, wives, mothers and sisters have fed, policed and liberated the world. What better way can we thank our Creator than helping our brothers and sisters in need. 


While Human Rights Day was set by the United Nations on December 10, In the U.S. it is mostly celebrated on the 3rd Monday in January, near the birthday of Civil Rights Activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose birthday is also remembered in January. When we hear “Civil Rights” we may think about the so-named struggle for racial equality in America in the 1960s; but the fight for civil rights has been going on as long as history has been recorded. The United States of America itself is one of the world’s greatest experiments in civil rights. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin called for an end to slavery as well as the end of monarchy overreach. These men were some of America’s first human rights activists. My ancestors Elizabeth Duncan Porter, her husband Samuel Porter and Hezekiah Tracy among others were actively engaged in the fight for freedom that was the American Revolutionary War. Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe, also worked for civil rights in the 1860s. Even the prophet Joseph Smith had a solution for ending slavery which could have prevented much misery and heartache if our country would have listened to him. He said the U.S. should sell off lands in the west and use the money to purchase the freedom of the slaves. They could then choose whether to return to Africa or stay in America. 


Fine-tuning and broadening of the concept of freedom has gone on since America was founded. In the 1800’s President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionists helped to end slavery. Suffragettes worked to get women the right to vote for their leaders. 100 years later Dr. Martin Luther King and others finished the fight for equal rights for the diverse people in the United States. Across the world other people were engaged in human rights conflicts like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and numerous religious leaders. During the 20th Century American soldiers fought to liberate captives in Europe. 


Rights were granted to all Americans by The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. I find it odd that many activists and educators have not moved on from past civil rights issues, although the U.S. has and they continue to decry the abuses that were addressed and outlawed over 50 years ago. Also as the tragedy of slavery of peoples of African origin which ended over 100 years ago with the Emancipation Proclamation. Today the struggle for human rights can be found in areas such as the fight for religious freedom, the right to defend ones’ home and family, income equality, the rights of pre-born humans and the fight to end human trafficking. 


It is sad to report that the rights granted by these laws and the sacrifice of lives and resources of civil rights activists have not all been accepted and enjoyed by those for whom they were intended. Fast-forward 50 years to Selma, Alabama. An unfortunately high incidence of addiction and welfare-dependence among the residents, rampant poverty, fatherlessness, high crime rates and other socio-economic woes remain among a population freed from legal and social exclusion. Government intervention was necessary but it did not solve all of the problems. As politically incorrect as it is, there is a moral dimension that needs to be addressed; Dr. King addressed societal problems and he was a Christian minister. I imagine that he would acknowledge that people in dire straits need charity, but even more they need mentors and opportunities to work to improve their situations for to a better way to life.


There are many ways we can assist others who are struggling or suffering. We can help in our community by contributing to food banks, organizations that promote literacy or help refugees. We can donate clothes, toys and household items to charity and help in the schools. For global suffering we can give time or donations to humanitarian causes, efforts to provide clean water, money to start businesses and send sanitary products to girls in poor countries. Our brothers and sisters in the military, our law enforcement officers and others continue to provide the freedoms we are promised by our Constitution and help the cause of freedom as they serve here and around the world. Brave men and women work to end human trafficking and save the lives of children here and abroad.


There are orphanages that need help, dental and medical care, clean water, clothing and food for the children; not all countries provide for orphans and the need is great especially in Africa where so many adults die from diseases. 
 I don’t think we should forget the men and women who take up the torch to teach and remind us to be good neighbors and generous and kind to humanity. Also those who promote cybersecurity and pass laws to protect human rights.


To help children understand that all people have basic “rights” and that as humans it is our responsibility to help provide for those in need; here are a few items to consider. Perhaps your family can come up with additional rights/needs that can be met to help people to be healthy and happy.



HUMAN RIGHTS


Clean water and air


Adequate nutritious food to eat


A safe and clean place to sleep, live and work


Clothing to keep one modest and warm


Basic quality education, literacy and the freedom, opportunity and ability to be self-sustaining and self-reliant


Basic medical care


Stewardship over one’s family and resources


Freedom from prejudice, injury and loss based on ones’ religious beliefs, gender, race, age, disabilities and other personal factors.


What would you add to this list? 




On a small and personal note, I’d like to share a story about the hearts of little children. When my oldest son Bill was in kindergarten I volunteered one afternoon a week at his school. One day he came home and told me there was a new girl named Kim in his class. The next time I worked at his school I had a chance to meet Kim. She had made lots of friends and was engaged in her new school. She was also the only African-American student in our little country elementary school. None of the students seemed to notice that she looked a bit different, they saw and accepted her with eyes of love. If only the rest of us could remember to do the same.




To help our families become passionate about human rights we can learn about some of the great stories of courage and leadership by reading stories and watching movies about the people and struggles for independence here and internationally.



BOOKS AND MOVIES (Try biographies from the children’s section at the library)


Biographies about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman


A few movies and television shows I recommend are listed, most are appropriate for older children, you may want to preview them before showing your family


The Founding Brothers: 2002 documentary tv movie


Selma: motion picture released in 2014 (the violence portrayed may be too intense for small children)


Joan of Arc: BYUtv 2015


Founding Fathers: 2000: tv documentary


American Ride episodes: tv documentaries


Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech on Youtube 




ACTIVITIES


·         With the new gifts of Christmas received just a few weeks ago, you and your children may have excess items. Have each child collect clothes, toys and belongings that can be donated to charity or sold with the proceeds going to help the needy.


·         Call a food bank, women’s or homeless shelter and find out what kind of donations they need. Collect or purchase the items and deliver them to the organization.


·         Children are no longer kept from education to work as cheap labor in the U.S. but as of the writing of this manuscript, human rights abuses in the U.S. include the trafficking and exploitation of humans, especially women and children in sex trades and the curtailment of rights and persecution of Christians. Pre-born children have no rights or protection under current laws, millions are killed and aborted each year. Let your elected officials know that action needs to be taken.


·         This is a big commitment but if you are able you may consider taking a foster child or helping a family that is caring for a relative’s child or foster child.


·         If you know of a family that has had a recent death, send them some money to help cover burial costs.


·         Because it is January and people in colder areas may be indoors and have a little extra time, knit or crochet caps and mittens for the less-fortunate.


·         Contribute to causes that promote humanitarian practices and have the majority of the assets actually going to the intended recipients not program administrators.


·         Education and business start-up funds and counseling


·         Organizations that help orphans and young women, especially in Africa where the governments often do not feed or provide for the large number of children who are in orphanages because their parents succumbed to AIDS and other diseases and addictions. 


·         Organizations that donate and set up supplies of clean water equipment and wells.


·         People that build and modernize schools and shelters.


·         Days For Girls provides sanitary supplies to poor girls in Africa to enable them to stay in school during their monthly periods. 


·         Join Rotary International or one of the groups that provide immunizations, medical and dental care for underserved populations.


·         Shop at stores that sell handmade goods from developing countries 


·         Because Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday of January 15thwas the impetus for Human Rights Day in January we might honor his contribution by celebrating with a dinner featuring some of his favorite foods: fried chicken, collard greens, corn bread and pecan pie.


·         Watch his sincere and moving “I have a dream” speech.




HUMAN RIGHTS DAY CELEBRATIONS AT HOME


In Utah Human Rights Day is celebrated on the 3rd Monday in January, near the birthday of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was concerned about the abuses of the rights and safety of racial minorities and led peaceful awareness campaigns and protests seeking the granting of protection and equal rights to all individuals regardless of race. Like so many human rights activists he was martyred by an assassin. To honor his memory, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Human Rights Day and other celebrations are held throughout the U.S. 


OTHER WAYS WE CAN HELP


·         Serve a simple meal and donate the cost of dining out or fancier fare to humanitarian causes.


·         Watch for Eagle Scout projects; especially donating backpacks, shoes and school supplies to less-fortunate students.


·         Make heart in hand cookies to inspire generosity



RECIPES


Dr. King grew up in the South and enjoyed these classic regional favorites: fried chicken, corn bread and pecan pie. These oven-baked comfort foods are so tasty and satisfying in the mid-winter chill. They were also similar to those served by Chick-fil-A to the blood donors of the Orlando mass-shooting.


Oven-baked Fried Chicken


Preheat oven to 400°. In a large plastic food storage bag mix together 


½ C all-purpose flour


1 tsp salt


½ tsp pepper


½ tsp paprika


In a 9” x 13” baking dish, add


½ C butter


½ C oil


Place in the preheated oven until butter melts. Remove from oven. With a pair of tongs, dip in the butter/oil mixture, then place in bag to coat with flour


6-8 pieces of raw chicken (breast halves, drumsticks, thighs, etc.)


            Place in pan and return to oven. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, turn and put the cornbread in the oven to bake. Cook chicken another 40 minutes or until it tests done at least 165° and the juices are clear.




Collard Greens


            Fry until crisp in an uncovered in a pan with a lid


6 slices of bacon


Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble when cool, reserve. Chop and add to bacon grease, cooking until tender


1 medium onion


Chop and add to onion, cooking until light golden then remove from heat


3 garlic cloves


Cut along the stems to remove leaves. Cut into 1” slices


1 bunch collard green leaves


            Add leaves to onions. Toss in 


3 C chicken broth


Cover and cook until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove lid, add crumbled bacon. Sprinkle over red pepper flakes.




Corn bread


Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 9” square pan and set aside. In a large mixing 


bowl sift together 


1 C all-purpose flour


4 tsp baking powder


½ tsp salt


1/3 C sugar


            Add


1 C cornmeal


            Set aside. In a microwavable bowl melt in the microwave oven


¼ C butter


            Add


1 C milk


2 eggs


Stir into dry ingredients. Spoon into greased baking dish and bake at 400° for about 40 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve hot with butter and honey or jam.




Southern Pecan Pie


            Use a purchased frozen deep dish piecrust, thawed, or this simple crust. 


Crust


Add to the bowl of a food processor  


1/2 C butter, chilled and cut into 8 chunks,


1 C all-purpose flour


1/2 C cake flour


Pulse butter and flour, until consistency of coarse crumbs. Drip down feed tube


 1/4 C cold water


 Add more water for dough to form a large ball, if needed. Process as little as possible, overworking the dough causes it to become tough. Wrap and chill for 1/2 hour. Roll out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, to 1/8″ inch thickness. Carefully place in 9″ pie pan, crimping edges. 


Filling


Preheat oven to 350°. Melt then cool


2 Tbsp butter


In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter with 


1 C sugar


1 C dark corn syrup


1 1/2 tsp vanilla


3 eggs


1/2 tsp salt


Carefully pour filling into crust. Add 


2 C pecans


arrange in an attractive pattern. Bake pie at 350° for 55 minutes to an hour, or until knife inserted off-center comes out clean.



















	


	





		

		
Posted on 
The Art of Living
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		
Life, as well as art, has its beautiful experiences. Whether one is fashioning a celebration or altering an environment to heal or bless, excite, mourn, envision, remember or entertain, we are constantly creating. To honor the traditions and aesthetic embraced by our grand culture, to understand the past and to participate well, one should have an understanding of the principles and elements of art as design and color provide the structure upon which so much is built.

As a young design student, I was thrilled to learn about color harmonies and to know that a knowledge of the elements of art simplifies the choices and decision-making of creativity. One of my professors taught us that art is about problem-solving. With all of the options out there, it is nice to know there are more-correct choices when choosing color. For students anticipating their futures; dressing for dates, creating, planning business and homes, art principles are part of the formula for success When Sir Isaac Newton first envisioned the color wheel as a scientific tool, I’m sure he had no idea how his creation would guide artists and lovers for centuries to come.

I’ve been focusing on my writing career while creating art, broadcasting at BYU and teaching art at a middle and elementary school.The following photographs include ones from articles I’ve published in the Deseret News and other media sources and original art: a list follows.














The smooth texture of the wood, grainy bread, shiny berries and organic lettuce and sunflowers, plus 2 complementary color harmonies illustrate this recipe for a hearty vegetarian deli sandwich

















Getting your wee ones to eat their greens on St. Patrick’s Day is easier when they are presented as a leprechaun cottage garden. The textures and triadic color harmony of green, orange and purple keep this otherwise monochromatic composition lively.








Repetition in the elongated shapes of the vegetables contrast the mass of the triangular beef in the St. Patrick’s Day meal. The green of the asparagus cools the warm composition and the addition of orange carrots make a scene reminiscent of the flag of Ireland. European holidays are important in my contemporary homage to my ancestors and appear frequently in my writing and art.






It has been fun to observe the evolution of color schemes in wedding planning and decorating. The currently popular navy and blush palette has graced the pages of wedding magazines and provided a lovely complementary color harmony for many bridal parties and receptions. I find equally fascinating the evolution of the iconic color schemes of holidays celebrated in America. From the ever-popular contrast of red and green at Christmas, featuring elements of geometric repetition in the tartan plaids, the roundness of  ornaments, wreaths and snowmen to the spires of evergreen tree tips, candles and the cathedral spires that thrilled our European ancestors.  













In 2013, in response to a call for artists, I designed a 42″ diameter Christmas ornament covered with 100+ pounds of candy that was selected and commissioned by Macy’s corporate office in New York to hang in the window of Macy’s City Creek, Salt Lake City. When Macy’s moved into the building formerly owned by ZCMI, the community asked that they continue the tradition of the candy windows started by ZCMI in the 1970’s. Color, texture and scale were important elements in the design.












Merry represents Santa with his sack of vintage childrens’ toys and stockings on his back. This piece of temporary public art was our family’s gift to Salt Lake City. https://www.ksl.com/?sid=28034321
















This Christmas we created another holiday window. Selfie relied heavily on the texture and color of the candy to create interest in an outdoor scene featuring a family of snowmen (one is taking a selfie in front of the Delicate Arch) and a gingerbread village beneath the smiling Man in the Moon.
http://kutv.com/features/live-with-casey-11-16-2016






Photo by Spencer Heaps, Deseret News













This monochromatic dry point etching is entirely reliant on line, scale and texture to tell a story; only one etching tool was used in its creation. Entitled Light of the World, it is a vignette that is reminiscent of my favorite elements of a childhood Christmas, the Nativity, holly, a tartan plaid bow and a candle. 



















One does not have to be selective at Christmas when a full palette of hues are available for creative fun. Repetition in round shapes provide a contrast to the geometric lines of the plaid background in this illustration for a New York magazine.









make a gingerbread house










Because of my love of history and cultural traditions, I’ve written books that are under consideration at several publishers. A good deal of my work focuses on holidays, those special days where the traditions of the past, family history and contemporary life intersect.














While Halloween is commonly known for its traditional triadic color scheme of orange, green and purple, occasionally a burst of analogous colors appear! 

















Many have enjoyed a glance into the far-distant past when Israel was given the harvest celebration of the Feast of the Tabernacles or Sukkot long before the pagan practices appeared. Contemporary practitioners build beautiful sukkahs or booths in which to celebrate the blessings of autumn.

















The monochromatic power hue that graces Valentine’s Day, the tetradic soft pastels of Easter, the triadic schemes of Halloween and the analgous beauty of fall; nature and culture breathe beauty into our celebrations all around the year. 





New for today, Pantone’s 2017 color of the year greenery provides a welcome healing backdrop for a country torn politically and culturally. The addition of a rosy pink creates a complementary color scheme; buttery yellows, coppers and golds create an analogous palette that I think will be a hit for weddings. When greenery graces the popular neutral decorating palettes; by changing the value and saturation, one can create a vibrant monochromatic color scheme.

In this watercolor inspired by Bouguereau’s Sheperdess, the warm earth background surrounds a cooler figure dressed in colors that mirror the sea horizon and boulders.














Tulips painted in watercolor on Yupo polyester paper, employs a triadic harmony of red, yellow and blue with green accents. Texture in the quilt background contrasts the smoothness of the tulip and daffodil petals. 






















 You never know who you will run into on the plains. I discovered that my grandmother’s Webb family whose blacksmith shop has been recreated in Nauvoo, were relatives of William Shakespeare and some of the royalty of Europe. Putting that aside for the sake of the gospel, they were not too proud to race out and help rescue the Martin Willey handcart company stranded in the snow in Wyoming.

With that in mind, I created this invitation graphic for a Prairie Princess and Pioneer activity that I was in charge of that featured heirloom pioneer activities and refreshments.  The fonts are a vintage
 style and are both linear and organic.






 





Growing up in Carlsbad, California inspired me to love all things nautical. When presented with an assignment in a book arts class to create an altered environment (and access to an old dictionary in the recycling bin in class) I knew exactly where this would lead. After carving out the centers of the dictionary pages, I created an altered book diorama featuring 2 little mermaids, best friends named Shell and Pearl. I wrote a “nautobiography” about their lives in the village of Coralsbed. Although they considered boys to be urchins just showing off their mussels, they grew to appreciate their classmates as they learned to navigate the currents of life. I published this as a serial story on my website.

















This drawing page from my Halloween book is popular among my little mermaid friends. Because coloring books are so in right now, here are 2 pages: 



























This is my publishing and broadcast history from the past few years, I have contributed to articles in US News and World Report, Fortune, Parents, Good Housekeeping and other media sites:

10/25/16              Celebrate German Heritage with Oktoberfest











Deseret News, NewsOK, Google News, Bloomington Herald Times, The Reporter Times, Bedford Times-Mail, Daily American, Hagerstown Herald Mail Media, Petowski News, Aberdeen News, DNS English channel 2, Herald Mail Media





10/19/16              How to plan a successful tween Halloween





http://www.wral.com/how-to-plan-a-successful-tween-halloween/16133676/                                





Deseret News, Ktar.com, NewsOK, Bloomington Herald Times online, Reporter Times, Bedford Times Mail, Daily American, Hagerstown Herald Mail, Petowski News, Aberdeen News, Las Vegas Review Journal, DNS English Channel 2, WRAL, CBC New Media Group, Prime Time Reporters, Connect Statesboro, Scholarshiptips.com, Brunch News, Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Bryan County News, Utah State World of Family and Parenting, Effingham Herald, Real Madrid News, News Report Center, 





10/4/2016         2 Recipes to celebrate the natural sweetness of honey


 


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865664003/2-recipes-to-celebrate-the-natural-sweetness-of-honey.html?pg=all 


 


Deseret News


 


3/16/2016          A St. Patrick’s Day dinner with a leprechaun garden, tiny vegetables and Irish soda bread


 


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865650143/A-St-Patricks-Day-dinner-with-a-leprechaun-garden-tiny-vegetables-and-Irish-Soda-Bread.html?pg=all 


                                                


Deseret News, BYU SiriusXM Radio 143, scholarshipeasy.com, scholarshipsin.net


 


2/23/16              These 2 simple things help ensure your relationship will last


 


http://newsok.com/these-2-simple-things-help-ensure-your-relationship-will-last/article/5481104?articleBar=1


 


FamilyShare, Bedford Times-Mail, NewsOK, Herald Times online, Statesboro Herald, Petoskey 


News, Daily American, Herald-Mail Media ((Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia), Aberdeen 


News, OurTown Johnstown, Central Kentucky News, Statesboro Herald, Santa Clarita Valley Signal,


Indonesia Post, The Washington Times, Bryan County News, Family How, Coastal Courier, assorted


blogs, BYU SiriusXM Radio 143


 


1/28/2016           Brighten winter mornings – and your family’s mood – with a tasty blueberry smoothie









Deseret News, newspot.me





12/22/2015        Shortbread cookies are delectable treat; presentation is key to great gifts 









Deseret News Web (Utah), Santa Clarita Valley Signal (California), NewsOK (Oklahoma), Statesboro Herald (Georgia), Our Town Johnstown (Pennsylvania), Coastal Courier (Georgia), Bryan County News (Georgia), Central Kentucky News, Great Bend Tribune (Kansas), Daily American – Schurz (Pennsylvania), Herald Times online (Indiana), Reporter Times (Indiana), Petoskey News (Michigan), Aberdeen News (South Dakota), Bedford Times Mail (Indiana)





12/22/2015         The History of Four Christmas Food Traditions









Desert News, News OK, Reporter Times, dailyamerican.com, centralkynews.com, petoskeynews.com, ourtownjohnstown.com, heraldtimesonline.com wn.com, travelagents.com, kardashiantoday.com (?) chronicalindependent.com (South Carolina), gbtribune.com 





12/15/2015         5 ideas for creative, economical homemade Christmas gifts 









Deseret News Web,The Signal (Spanish Channel), ourtownjohnstown.com, travelagents.com, dailyamerican.com, NewsOK, aberdeennews.com, heraldtimesonline, centralkynews, petoskeynews.com, particlenews.com, heraldmailmedia.com 



12/8/2015            Spice up your holiday gift-giving with Krisp Kringle 









Deseret News Web, aberdeennews.com, heraldmailmedia.com, signalscv.com, signalscv.com, heraldtimesonline.com, newsok.com, ourtownjohnstown.com, petowskeynews.com, dailyamerican.com, bryancountynews.com, gbtribune.com, coastalcourier.com, centralkynews.com, HighBeam Research 





11/4/2015            8 ways to help your kids like each other


https://familyshare.com/family/8-ways-to-help-your-kids-like-each-other 


Family Share





11/3/2015          Using fall flavors of caramel, apples and cranberry 









Deseret News Web, NewsOK, aberdeennews.com,  travelagents.com, The News Journal Search – Nigeria edition, heraldtimesonline.com, gbtribune.com, bryancountynews.com, Imperial Valley Press online (California) statesboroherald.com, signalscv.com, dailyamerican.com



10/27/2015        Upcycle Halloween candy into mouth-watering desserts









NewsOK (syndication), Bloomington Herald Times Online, Our Town Johnstown, Deseret News, SCVS, Imperial Valley Press  online, travelagents.com, Chronicle Independent, Coastal   Courier, GB Tribune, Bryan County News, Central Kentucky News, Aberdeen News.com, petoskeynews.com, reportertimes.com, signalscv.com, dailyamerican.com, heraldmailmedia.com, Upcycling Gazette (Italian)





10/20/2015        Felice Halloween: Handmade pizza and Italian treats for your Halloween festivities









Deseret News Web,DNS (English channel www),DNS (Spanish Channel),NewsOK (syndication),The Signal (Spanish Channel), DNS (Portuguese Channel), IVPress online, Herald Times online, TMnews, World News EIN, Our Town Johnstown.com





8/26/2015            Ideas for a delightful late summer picnic


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865635320/Ideas-for-a-delightful-late-summer-picnic.html?pg=all 


Deseret News


3/31/2015            Butterscotch nests with personalized eggs are delightful Easter treats









Deseret News, NewsOK


3/10/2015 A Greek-style pizza pie for Pi Day






Deseret News








3/10/2015            Festive foods for St. Patrick’s Day





Deseret News, News OK









2/18/2015            A dish to help celebrate Chinese New Year


http://www.tmnews.com/life/food/a-dish-to-help-celebrate-chinese-new-year/article_441467ad-851c-5f26-8039-1a08b98444df.html 


Deseret News, News Ok, Bedford Times-Mail


1/26/2015            8 Lifestyle changes to expect after weight-loss surgery


https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2015/jan/26/8-lifestyle-changes-expect-after-weight-loss-surge/ 


Victoria Advocate


12/5/2014            Is your marketing degree enough for today’s online world? 



KSL.com


10/30/2014         Show your creativity with costumes made at home



KSL.com, BYU Sirius Radio 143


10/21/2014         2 ideas for harvest, Halloween party refreshments



Deseret News, Highbeam Research


10/9/2014            A Halloween party for young children



FamilyShare.com


5/29/2014            Healthy and happy snacks and diversions for your summer road trips



Family.Share.com


5/18/2014            Prepare to be prepared: The wisdom of a nursery rhyme with 5 little piggies



FamilyShare.com


3/20/2014            How to help kids who are afraid of Halloween



FamilyShare.com


01/04/2014         A little gratitude every day goes a long way



KSL.com 


 10/28/2013        Frightfully fun tips for celebrating Halloween



AZCentral.com (Arizona) 



FamilyShare.com


10/15 – 16/2013  Tips, tricks for celebrating Halloween with a party



Deseret News Web and print (Utah)



KTAR.com (Arizona)


08/23/2013         Smart ‘n healthy lunches for back to school



FamilyShare.com





07/28/2103         The most important items for back-to-school: Tolerance and respect









FamilyShare.com and KTAR.com (Arizona – archived link not available)





06/07/2013         Old-fashioned ideas for summer fun









FamilyShare.com









AZCentral.com  





06/11/2013         How to create fond summertime memories









FamilyShare.com









AZCentral.com (Arizona)





06/06/2013         Fun ways to get out and about during the summer









FamilyShare.com





05/19/2013         Why Save Sex for Marriage?









FamilyShare.com






03/16/2013         Renamed – We owe St. Patrick’s Day to pirates. Yes, pirates






FamilyShare.com







FamilyShare.com





FamilyShare.com





BYU Radio Broadcasts (This is a partial list. The host, Kim Power Stilson, has been ill  so there are no new broadcasts)









2/12/2016                            Valentine’s Day


3/17/2016                            St. Patrick’s Day


11/19/2015                         Thanksgiving Help, Creating a Business


10/30/2015                         Halloween


4/3/2015                              Sweet Heat and Easter


2/13/2015                            Valentine’s Day, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Manners


12/22/2014                         Facing Grief During the Holidays/ Christmas Desserts


12/3/2014                            Christmas Angels


10/29/2014                         Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween


6/25/2014                            Upsee and the 4th


3/17/2014                            St. Patrick’s Day


2/14/2014                            Hearts, Flowers and Sweet Heart Stories


10/31/2013                         Sweet Halloween





Also an assortment of articles including:





eHow.com 






FamilyShare.com






The Guardian (UK)






JenningsWire






Articles Contributed To:





The Chicago Tribune






nobullying.com






Philly.com






Natural Awakenings








San Diego Family






Care.com  







Decorating on a Dime; Get Ready for Halloween Early 






Chase.com






Fortune.com






US News and World Report 



Fun Alternatives for Trick-or-Treating by Kerri Zane



The Daily Meal



Ksl.com



Parents.com



Forward.com



Mint Life



Npicom.com (Indonesia) 






Good Housekeeping




Northeast Ohio Parent



Activs.com



3boysandadog.com



Rasmussen College



The Ultimate Catering Guide by The Majestic Vision: 20 newspapers



Sheknows.com



Wanderlustandlipstick.com



Shefinds.com 



The Penny Hoarder






Thank you! 



















	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Christmas in Coralsbed
	


	
	

		
 This week at Kay’s Creek Elementary in my K – 6 art classes, we will be enjoying language arts; children’s Christmas stories. The students will be creating their own art and I will be reading excerpts from 


 


A Mermade’s Tale: Christmas in Coralsbed 


 


and other of my favorite children’s Christmas books which will be listed below.


 




 


 


A Mermade’s Tale 


Chapter One


 


Finding a Lovely Shell


 


   Being born and growing up near the beach gives a person a great affection for all things nautical. One mer- (that’s French for ocean) made was like that, only a little ways off-shore.  Had she been born to the east of the tideline on the Southern California coast, she would have, like totally, been a Valley Girl. But as luck would have it, Shell came from the warm waters of the Pacific and that is where her story sets sail.


 


   At the edge of the sea, there was a small village called Coralsbed, and in it lived a number of mermade families. Some were large and some were small, some lived in fine and fancy sand castles, and others in smaller cozy ones. There was a market, a five and dime and a fuel station. Coralsbed had a fountain, a lovely green park filled with sea grass, sand and toys for mermade children to play on. There was a fancy old restaurant called the Twin Fins that had two large seahorse statues outside, where folks came to eat fried sea chicken dinners. The village had a charming library filled with all kinds of books, and near a stinky lagoon there was a beautiful kelp forest.


   


   One of the families in Coralsbed was the Planktons. The father, Abalone, was the principal of a school of fish in the neighboring village of Oceanside. He was smart and worked hard to keep their yard and mer-tormobile clean. The mother, Nekton, was a perky brunette and a good cook. She loved to dress up her three beautiful children. Shell was the oldest and she was a lovely creature with hair the color of sand, eyes like kelp, a flippy turquoise tail and a beautiful voice that reminded you of soft breezes blowing across crashing waves. She had freckles on her nose and cheeks from playing in the afternoon sun. Next was Sandy, who was three years younger than Shell. Sandy was funny, determined and she looked like a smaller version of her sister. She took good care of her dolls and was a true friend. The baby was Brine. With his big brown eyes and infectious laugh, he was loved by all (even when he got into his sisters’ things.)


 


   The Planktons lived in a cozy sand castle that you might think was small, but to Shell, it seemed very large indeed. She and Sandy shared a room and Brine had his own little nursery. They each had a toy chest and their own seabed and the room was painted a pretty blue that looked aqua in some light and lavender at other times. In their undersea yard, their parents had put up a swing set, yes, mermades like to swing too. They lived on the north end of the village, not far from the kelp forest.


 


   Pearl was the first true friend found by Shell and she was a treasure.  Crowned with fiery red hair, she lit up the waves and taught Shell to color in the lines (while listening to Debussy’s La Mer of course), later introducing her to a wavy equivalent of rock-and-roll. Pearl had a particular fondness for a band called the Sea Monkees. Together they learned to make peace with a crabby hermit classmate, picked seaweed out of the garden and taught Shell’s sometimes-pesky little sister Sandy to swim in deep water, a skill that would come in handy later. Pearl had a cheery mom named Oyster, a dogfish and a dad, Dock, who would later break an off-shore speed record on his mer-torcycle.


 


   Shell and Pearl were in the same class at school. Their teacher Mrs. Angelfish was a kindly older mermade who tenderly looked after the little ones in her care. She made sure they had a little snack of oyster crackers in the afternoon to keep their energy up and on hot days, when they came in from recess, she would have them put their heads down on their desks and place a wet kelp leaf on the back of their necks to help them cool off.


 


    Mrs. Angelfish taught her class many important things; Shell’s favorite subject was art. She loved learning how to write the color words, especially when Mrs. Angelfish let her use colored crayons. She wrote “red” with a red crayon and “blue” with a blue one. The teacher showed the class how to make paper sand castles and let them draw pictures of their mothers. The one thing Shell did not like was numbers. When it came time to count, her brain shut right off! She just wanted to paint and that was all. She enjoyed swimming out to recess with Pearl and playing bubbleball and other games with the mermade children.


 


   When Shell and Pearl were not in school, they played Go Fish, except they really did it, and of course swimming was their very favorite thing to do. Pearl’s neighbors, the Finnlers, had a beautiful built-in tide pool and sometimes Pearl, Shell and Sandy would spend the afternoon frolicking in the clear blue waters. Another friend, Foam, had a seahorse and occasionally they would get lucky and take turns riding it. They didn’t pay any attention to boys at that time, considering them little urchins who just wanted to show off their mussels. They dressed their bobbing dolls and went to school to learn their tides tables; now and then winning a shelling bee. One day a week, after school, they attended Piermerry classes where they learned to be good and kind and to help others.


 


   Shell came from a family of distinguished mer-people who had long ago built great sand castles and ruled the seas. Their coat-of-arms from olden times had three beautiful scallops on a diagonal band. But Shell’s world was a little pool filled with family and friends. She was a young merchild, blissfully unaware of the turbulent currents of the meradult world. Creative and determined, she just wanted to play in the ocean and have fun. And unlike other more famous mermaids, she enjoyed being herself and loved her life in the sea.


 


 


Christmas in Coralsbed


 


   The wind and waves began to get cold and the sky was often gray. Now and then soft white snowflakes fell on the churning silver sea. When Shell came home from school one day and found her mother making fudge and cookies, she knew it was almost Christmas. Shell loved Christmas, it was her favorite day of the year! She looked forward to the surprises and spending the whole day with her family. She loved the music and the colors, the lights and the cookies. She enjoyed choosing gifts for her favorite mermades.  


 


   The Planktons went out the kelp forest one day and chose a tall kelp tree to take to their sandcastle to decorate. Mom put the Mermaid Tribarnacle Choir Christmas music on and Dad brought in boxes of glass bubbles and sea stars. Shell and Sandy looked at the pretty decorations that they loved to see every year. Mom put on the twinkling lampshells and the whole family helped decorate the kelp with colorful bubbles and sea stars. There was a tiny manger scene that the girls both wanted to hang on the kelp tree; whoever found it first got to put it on. 


 


   Another time, they swam downtown to the water department where the watermen had built a play village for Sandy Clause to come greet the children of Coralsbed. Did you know that Sandy Claus visits every child in the world? Well, he does. Mermade children always see him dressed differently than human children do, but they love him just as much. Frosty the snowman was there as well as a giant sleepy teddy bear. Sandy arrived in his red wetsuit, goggles and snorkel. He sat in a huge sleigh pulled by dolphins and each merchild got to sit on his lap and whisper what he or she wanted for Christmas. Sandy gave them a candy snorkel and told them he would be back on Christmas Eve. 


 


   Mom picked up Shell one day after school; Brine and Sandy were with her.  She took the children to Oceanside to the sandbank where they withdrew sand dollars from their accounts to buy gifts. The sandbank teller smiled at the children and gave them candy snorkles for being so good and so cute. Just down the street was a store all decorated for Christmas. Merry music was playing and there were aisles filled with candy and toys and all kinds of wonderful treats.  Shell found a pretty pin for Mom and a tin of his favorite candy for Dad. She chose a popgun for Brine and a little purse decorated with shells for Sandy. She picked a new coloring book for Pearl and a little box covered with seashells for Mrs. Angelfish’s desk. And there was one more thing, she found a little net filled with Christmas treats, puzzles and toys that she could take to her class party. Shell had a few sand dollars left. As they were leaving the store, she saw something that made her heart feel even happier. It was a little furry teddyseahorse doll. It was her favorite color of seafoam green, had shining eyes and a happy smile. Shell had to have her. Mom said she could buy the doll and Shell happily held her as they returned home to wrap the presents. She named her Bubbles. That night she slept with Bubbles in her arms. She was soft and fun to cuddle with on those cold December nights. 


 


   The next day at school Mrs. Angelfish told her class that at the end of the week it would be time for their class Christmas party. They could bring a wrapped gift with a tag that said boy or girl for the gift exchange. Shell was happy, she already had gifts for teacher and her classmate. Then Mrs. Angelfish made another announcement; if the merchildren could, they were welcome to bring a gift for another family that needed help that Christmas. The father wasn’t able to work and they had no sand dollars to buy presents for their merchildren. Shell thought for a minute. No gifts? How could it be Christmas without gifts? How sad it must be for that mermade family. Shell had spent all of her sand dollars at the store. She wanted to help, but wasn’t sure how. 


As she and Pearl swam home they talked about their class party. Pearl had bought a little glass seahorse for her exchange gift. Shell told Pearl about the net filled with little treats. They talked about the refreshments they hoped would be served and the games they wanted to play. This would be the most fun thing that happened at school all year! The children had been learning new songs that they would sing for their parents at the Christmas program. They made chains to hang on the ceiling and cutout paper pictures of Sandy Clause. It was the most wonderful time of the year!


 


   Sandy and Shell got ready to go to the church for Piermerry.  Sister Crab picked them up and drove them to Oceanside. The nice ladies smiled as the merchildren swam in to the church. Bonnet led the music and they sang happy songs. Because Shell’s birthday was that month, she got swim up to the front so the other children could sing to her. Dad had given her a sand dollar to put in the collection box for the Piermerry Merchildren’s Hospital; a place where little merchildren who were sick or hurt could go to be cared for by docks and gentle nurse sharks. 


 


   Shell and Pearl swam to class together. Their kindly teacher, Sister Windward smiled and was happy to see them. The merchildren listened as Sister Windward taught them about the true meaning of Christmas; about sharing love and kindness with others. She asked them to think of a way they could show their love that Christmas. That night as she snuggled with Bubbles in her seabed, Shell knew what she had to do. She didn’t want to, but she knew what she should do. 


 


   Finally Friday came, Shell prepared for the class party at school, she combed her hair carefully, put on her prettiest starfish clip and packed the things she needed for the day. She got Mrs. Angelfish’s gift, the wrapped surprise for her classmate and something to put in the gift box for the poor mermade family. She met Pearl on the playground and they talked until school started. Shell was excited, but a little sad. Back in the classroom, singing Christmas songs cheered her up and so did making ornaments to hang on the class kelp tree as they decorated for the party. She carefully placed her package for the gift exchange under the kelp and took the beautiful little shell-covered box to her teacher’s desk. Mrs. Angelfish smiled the same kind smile she always gave her students and patted Shell’s hand as she told her thank you. Shell took Bubbles, who she had tied a pretty bow on, and carefully placed her in the box for the poor family.  She swam slowly back to her seat, wondering if she had done the right thing. 


On her desk, she found a plate of cookies, a cup of red Hawaii Island punch and a toy boat made out of candy. It was so clever, Shell had never seen anything so fun! She played musical shells with the other children and nibbled her cookies, saving two for Sandy and Brine. She decided to take the candy boat home to show her family. Then it was time for the gift exchange. Each child picked a number; when the number was called, each one swam to the kelp tree and selected a mystery gift. Shell couldn’t wait to open her present. When each merchild had their surprise, Mrs. Angelfish said they could open them. Shell was surprised and happy to receive the little glass seahorse that Pearl had brought, it reminded her of her best friend and her beloved doll. At the end of class, the children wished each other and Mrs. Angelfish a happy Christmas and swam home to tell their parents all about their wonderful Christmas party. 


 


   Within a few days it was Christmas Eve. The lampshells on kelp tree shone, making the bubbles and sea stars sparkle. The Planktons enjoyed a special dinner and gathered under the tree for their Christmas Eve family program. They sang their favorite Christmas songs and took turns telling the story of the wonderful child who was born so long ago to bring peace and kindness to the world. They each picked one gift to open before they hung their little nets for Sandy Clause to fill with goodies. Shell unwrapped a music box her grandmother had sent her (she would receive two that year, since she had mentioned to both grandparents that she wanted a music box.) Sandy opened her present that contained the purse with seashells and squealed with joy! Brine had fallen asleep and had been carried to his crib. He would open his gifts in the morning. The Planktons tried to repeat “Twas the Knot Before Christmas,” without looking at the words. They enjoyed Mom’s delicious cookies and fudge. Everything was happy in their world. Sandy and Shell kissed their parents good night and swam off to bed to dream of Sandy Clause and the miraculous baby who was the center of all that was good. They were so excited, they had a hard time falling asleep.


 


   On the other side of town, as the sun rose, a small merchild awoke and swam to see what surprises were under her kelp tree. She laughed with joy when she found the little seafoam green seahorse tied with a bow, with shining eyes and a happy smile. 


 


This is the poem the Planktons recite every Christmas Eve. 


 


TWAS THE KNOT BEFORE CHRISTMAS


 


‘Twas the knot night before Christmas


Way down in the deep, 


Mermade parents were wondering


Were the children asleep?


All tucked warm and cozy 


In their little seabeds


Did sweet dreams of Sandy Claus


Float in their heads?


Their little net satchels were hung nice and neat


Just waiting for Sandy to fill them with treats


Mom was now sleeping 


And Daddy snored too


Peace filled the home in the ocean so blue.


Then above the sand castle


There was such a clatter


Dad woke up and looked out to see what was the matter!


The moon shone down on their home in the sea


Lighting sea grass and shells and fish and sea weed.


And what to his wondering gaze did he see?


A team of quick dolphins and who, but, Sandy?


A red-suited diver so lively and quick


He knew right way that it must be Saint Nick


With the moon on the crest of the foaming blue waves


We thought, to ourselves, “have we really behaved? “


More rapid than sail fish, his dolphins they came, 


And he whistled and laughed as he called them by name;


Now Scallop! Now Cowrie! Now Murex and Nekton, 


On Captain!  On Zephyr! On Lobster and Neptune! 


From the sandcastle roof to the top of the yawl


Now swim away, swim away, swim away all! 


As winds before the wild hurricane blow, 


Those dolphins flashed past just as fast as they’d go


And up to the sandcastle rooftop they drew


The sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too. 


And then in a twinkling we heard on the castle


The snorting and squealing as each dolphin wrastled.


As I looked on in wonder at the seaworthy flash 


Into our sand castle he came with a splash.

He wore a red wetsuit from his head to his foot,

And flippers and goggles and air tanks to boot.

A net full of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a sailor just wet from the tack.

His eyes – how they watered, his beard, it was floating!

His cheeks were all red like he’d spent the day boating!

His kind little smile was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as wet as the snow;

The curious fish all swam in from the reef

This Aqua Claus almost defied their belief!

He had a nice face and happy round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a fish full of jelly.

He was bubbling and dripping, a jolly wet elf,

And I laughed at him too, quite in spite of myself;


He winked through his goggles and turned his kind head


And I said when I saw him, “there’s nothing to dread”;

He silently started to do his good work,

He filled the net satchels, then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his goggle,

Through the water he went as my sleepy mind boggled!

He swam to his sleigh, to his team gave a wave,

And away they all swam, as we started to rave:

Thank you dear Sandy, so kind and polite! 




“Happy Christmas to you and a merry good night.”






 


My favorite Christmas stories:



Luke 2; Holy Bible New Testament



Morris’s Disappearing Bag



Santa Calls



The Littlest Angel



Willow at Christmas


 




 



	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Macy’s Candy Windows
	


	
	

		

Merry Christmas Salt Lake City! For our gift to the community, my family, friends and I created one of the iconic candy windows for Macy’s City Creek to share the joy and magic of the Christmas season.










The ornament, Selfie, is covered with about 120 pounds of candy and features a family of snowmen in the beautiful snowy landscapes of Utah (and Colorado); one is taking a selfie under the Delicate Arch.  There’s also a village of gingerbread houses beneath a smiling Man in the Moon. I think this depicts Christmas in Utah and the West. Because 2016 also marks Sinclair Oil’s 100th anniversay and they co-sponsored the windows, the little snowboy is making a snow dinosaur and the ornament is crowned with a birthday cake with candles. 

When I went to attach the Santa I couldn’t bear to cover the face of the moon, so you’ll just have to imagine that he’s on his way
 










The candy windows will be on display at the Salt Lake City Macy’s at City Creek on Main Street through New Year’s Day. The unveiling will be November 17th at 6:00 with festivities beginning at 4 p.m. and Santa arriving at 7. The Davis High Marching Band who will be performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York in 2017 will join us. I hope you’ll stop by and enjoy this holiday tradition! 






 




































My neighbors
















Jeff 





 















Kathy















Matt















Rachel and Rebekah 





 















Zach






 I’d like to thank my friends Jodi Huddleston for traveling to Utah from Colorado to work on the project and Wendy Bohman who spent hours gluing on the blue Sixlet sky. Special thanks to husband Newell for painstakingly attaching thousands of mini marshmallows to the lower half of the sphere and Tim for creating the beautiful Delicate Arch. 2 thumbs up to Chad Young and the crew at Macy’s for all of their help and support.




Here’s our ornament from 2013, just before Tim left to serve an LDS mission in Alabama. 
















 





 








Merry Christmas to all!
















 





 















 















 















 















http://www.pammcmurtry.com/search?q=christmas+came+early

	


	





		

		
Posted on 
Join me Thursday at the Macy’s holiday window unveiling!
	


	
	

		



Join me this Thursday at Macy’s City Creek for the unveiling of the holiday windows. The Davis High Marching Band will be there and Santa will make his first appearance of this Christmas season.

My Believe design will be in the 4th window through New Year’s Day; come enjoy holiday art and feel the spirit of Christmas!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865666993/Macys-candy-windows-continue-Christmas-community-tradition-open-to-public-Nov-17.html