Author: Jeanne Lemmon Skinner

Awww November!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 3 Comments

November is a month to pause before the hectic month of December.

I know some people are already in Christmas mode. Some have even put up their Christmas tree. Not me. I want to enjoy November and relish in the calm before December arrives. There is a calmness in these days if we allow it.

October is a month of fun fall activities which include picking apples and choosing the best pumpkins to carve. Halloween costumes must be considered and of course Halloween decorations. It’s a very busy month.

November’s main event is Thanksgiving which means the few days before I will be preparing for the feast, but prior to that I can enjoy the remaining fall days and finish the fall yard cleanup. All Saints Day begins the month and being alone in my garden is the best time to remember loved ones with a smile or a tear. Veterans Day is another important day of remembrance. My husband will go on another Honor Flight this month in honoring fellow veterans.

November will always be a time when I remember the assassination of President Kennedy. I’ve been to Dallas and seen the book depository and the grassy knoll. It was a terrible day and there apparently is still much to learn about this event. We’ll see.

I decorate for Thanksgiving with turkeys, pumpkins and scarecrows, and Christmas waits for December 1. It’s important to have a few weeks of calm and remembering. Most of all it’s a time of thankfulness. Given what is happening in our country and around the world, I am well aware of my blessings. I hope you have a blessed and quiet November. December awaits us!

Molasses is not just for Baking!

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Cookie baking is all year round for me, but autumn calls for molasses cookies.

I grew up in a family of bakers and their recipes have become mine, but some how mine don’t taste the way I remember. That is true of my Aunt Hazel’s molasses cookies. I recently tried a new soft molasses cookie and I think I’ll go back to my aunt’s.

I learned in history class about the importance of molasses in the triangle trade. Slaves were brought from Africa to the sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean. The molasses made from the sugar was shipped to New England to make rum. The rum was taken to West Africa and was used to purchase slaves. What I didn’t know was that molasses was the primary sweetener in America until the early 1900s when the price of refined sugar dropped. That bit of information helped me understand the importance of molasses outside of rum production.

Molasses is made from sugar cane and sugar beets. Sugar cane produces the sweetest sugar and is used for cooking and baking. Sugar beet molasses is used in animal food. It provides protein and minerals for beef and dairy cattle. Molasses is also used in the production of yeast. (Who knew?) A strange use of molasses is its use on gravel roads for dust control. It’s a natural product and because it’s sticky it really works. I wonder about it getting on the cars. I wouldn’t want to scrape molasses off my car.

I learned that if I’m out of brown sugar I can add one tablespoon of molasses to a cup of granulated sugar. Want dark brown sugar? Add two tablespoons. It sounds like I’d have a gummy mess, but I might try it just to see if it works. Many of my cookie recipes call for brown sugar because it brings a nice taste that granulated sugar doesn’t. The darker the sugar the better the taste. I can’t verify that, but it makes sense.

Hope you all are enjoying the fall temperatures and beautiful blue skies. A cup of cider and a couple cookies makes the day even better! My favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin, and they are made with brown sugar.

Drowning in Caramel!

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This poor little apple is suffering from over decorating.

Fall is the season when those who like to decorate begin transforming their homes and lawns. I admit I’m one who happily charges into my storage area and begins pulling out pumpkins, ghosts and scarecrows. This poor apple suffered from an idea gone wrong. I think it kind of looks like a bird.

God is the best decorator. The maple trees are beginning to turn red and the cool air smells clean and fresh. The mums and asters brighten porches along with pumpkins and warty looking gourds. Today we are expecting rain and I know the dry, dry ground will appreciate the drink. All of my flowers and bushes should enjoy having rain over the garden hose water.

This is also the time to freeze fresh corn and apples. I already made corn chowder and apple crisp, but the plan is to be able to enjoy the fresh taste throughout the winter. One of my granddaughters wouldn’t even taste the chowder. When asked what was in it, I told her corn, potatoes, bacon, cheese and other things. “Chowder is a soup,” I explained. “Oh,” she said, “I only like tomato soup.” Kids!

Fall means football in Ohio, especially those who live in Columbus. We have Browns, Bengals and even Steelers fans, but we unite over the Buckeyes. Game day provides another opportunity to decorate. Homes, yards and people are covered in Buckeye attire. I know it sounds crazy to some, but it’s tradition.

World events fill the news, but nature’s beauty or a cute scarecrow can bring a smile. I am thankful for these beautiful fall days and abundant color to come. Fall is a fun filled season and hopefully it will bring a Buckeye win over Michigan this year!

Time for a Change!

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The Monarch butterflies are feasting in preparation for their journey south.

The butterflies and hummingbirds are both eating heartily in preparation for their journey, and I get to enjoy watching them enjoy my garden. It’s a time to move forward. The kids are back at school facing new experiences and new challenges. My new challenge is figuring out my new laptop.

I’ve been without my computer for almost two weeks and it’s been a time of extreme stress. My old laptop was 14 years old and retrieving the data from the old was not easy. The computer whizzes figured it out, but I was worried. None of my documents were backed up, and I was afraid of losing my novels. I almost cried when I learned they had safely transferred my data. Today I sent my novel to an agent.

I’m moving forward like the students and I share their nervousness. As a teacher, I was always nervous when school began and as a writer, I’m nervous reaching out to agents.

Fall will return with cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and football. I will continue to write and direct a play I’ve written for my church. I have new challenges and am eager to embrace them. It’s an exciting time for sure!

Red Rover and Redwoods

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Joined hands provide strength, protection and confidence.

Red rover, red rover, I dare Susan to come over, was a familiar sound on playgrounds growing up. We held tightly to each other and only the biggest kids could break through our fence of arms. Unfortunately, arms got broken and children were hurt so the game had to end. The positive thing about the game was the confidence holding hands gave us. Strength flowed through our arms and hands and we felt we were impenetrable. It was a great feeling that other games didn’t provide. I think it was because we were physically connected. Our strength was created because of the connection and that gave us confidence.

The redwood trees have a shallow root system that spreads out and connects with others. It’s like joining hands. The roots find support and share nutrients from this connection. These enormous trees stand against fierce winds because their roots are intertwined. They are confident they can defeat the wind because they support each other.

Reading about the redwood trees reminded me of red rover which made me think how I am connected to others. This has been a summer of reunions. Family, co-workers and classmates are all connected to me. When I reflect on the past, I can say I survived strong winds because of the people whose sturdy roots supported me. I believe everyone needs that kind of support and am thankful I found it.

I have fond memories of playing red rover and seeing the redwoods, and now I have a new appreciation for those who shared their roots with me.

Don’t Make Me Go!

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The things we don’t want to do are often the things we learn the most from.

I admit I was a wimp when I was little. I never wanted to leave home, but every summer I went to my grandparents’ farm to stay a week. I cried of course, and I also had a good time. The highlight of the week was fishing. I learned to put a worm on my hook, and I learned patience waiting for a bite. Every summer I went and every summer I would look for a reason not to go. As an adult, I remember it fondly.

I recently learned about the prophet Jonah. Everyone probably knows that Jonah was swallowed by a whale but the Bible calls it a huge fish. I never knew the importance of Jonah’s experience until now. God wanted Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh and tell the idol worshipping people about God, but Jonah was afraid of the violent people who lived there. Instead he got on a ship and sailed in the opposite direction. A storm came, he went overboard and spent three days inside a huge fish and then was vomited out.

Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh and preach about God. He told the people that the entire city would be destroyed in 40 days if the people didn’t repent. The people believed Jonah and the king ordered all the people and even the animals to fast and wear sack cloth in atonement for their sins. The city was spared and Jonah was angry.

Jonah had wanted these evil people destroyed for all the sins they had committed but God didn’t. God forgave his children. Jonah knew God was a loving, compassionate father, but he still wanted these awful people of Nineveh punished. The lesson here is important to share.

To truly to forgive someone who has harmed us, means we want the best for them. From my experience that only happens through prayer. I know I have said I forgive someone and still hoped their evil tongue would be covered with blisters. That is wanting punishment in exchange for my forgiveness. God educated Jonah and through him, educates us. It takes a lot of praying for this to happen, but it is worth it.

Jonah’s story is much more than being swallowed by a big fish.

The Student Teaches a Lesson

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Life’s lessons are found in surprising places.

Daylisha was an eighth grade student of mine. She was loud and full of energy. I knew when she was headed for the classroom. She wasn’t a dedicated student, but she did her work. She graduated from high school and unfortunately got into drugs. She also had a baby boy that changed her life. Today she works with people who are trying to become drug free. Daylisha is a success story.

You might be asking how did she accomplish this? The answer is God. She turned to him and asked for help. That is one lesson to learn. Many of us continue to worry and struggle to find a solution to a problem and forget to ask for God’s guidance. He tells us to bring our problems to him. Daylisha did and still does.

Last week Daylisha posted on Facebook that she had broken her ankle and sprained the other one. Her response was that she was thankful to only have broken one ankle. This young woman has a job and a son to care for and she’s thanking God that she only broke one ankle! I thought I’d probably be saying, God, you better send a lot of rain because I won’t be able to water my garden now! That clearly is a complaint and a weak plea for help.

In the Bible, ( Thessalonians 5:16-18) we read to rejoice always , pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. Daylisha reminded me of this verse. Give thanks in all circumstances.

The Giver has a memorable moment!

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The Giver by Lois Lowery grew on me.

When I first read The Giver, I did not like the book. I deemed it weird. After teaching the book, I developed an appreciation of it. At the ceremony for twelves, students are assigned their adult jobs. One student, Asher, was thanked for his childhood. I think all our children should hear this. The joy of watching young children find delight in so many things never ends. Finding a sparkly rock, catching a lightning bug and licking icing from a beater are all memory moments from a childhood. Since this is graduation season, I know many have memories of their young person’s youth and perhaps will thank the graduate for the happiness they brought.

The controlled community in The Giver does not allow color. People don’t see color and they don’t have music. They also don’t birth their own children. I said it was a weird society, but it’s truly awful. The government took away the people’s freedom to an unimaginable degree. Fortunately, the main character, Jonas, escaped with a little one and found a community where they saw color and heard music.

Today there is a lot of discussion and fear about what the government is doing. There is fear of losing our basic freedoms. We just remembered those who died fighting for our freedom and I pray that we won’t lose ours to government officials who think they know better than the people who elected them. I continue to pray for America and encourage others to do so too.

Soldiers of the Garden

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Bearded Iris are lined up for review by the head Gardener!

As you all know. I love my garden and enjoy reading the history of the flowers. I learned that iris represents valor, courage and wisdom. There are over 200 varieties of iris and its name comes from the Greek meaning rainbow. The Greek Goddess Iris was the messenger between heaven and earth and the rainbow represents the connection.

Since these iris have beards and stand along my home, I thought of them as soldiers. In creating a flower kingdom a lily would be the queen. The lily symbolizes innocence, hope and motherhood. An interesting use of lily bulbs was to mix ground bulbs with honey to treat snake bites and infection. It was also used to treat baldness and wrinkles during the Middle Ages. Interesting, but I don’t think I’ll try it.

The peony is the king of the flower kingdom. It is seen in pottery and clothing in the ancient Chinese dynasties. Peonies are not dainty flowers and can easily dominate in a garden, much like a king would! Peonies can reach a ten inch diameter and come in almost ever color but blue. I have a peony bush that was my mom’s and it is still producing beautiful flowers.

You are probably wondering about roses. Since they represent love, they are my garden’s peace makers. They provide beauty and quiet confidence that all is well. The only negative thing about roses is their thorns. If I don’t wear my thick gloves, they draw blood. They do require spraying and pruning and of course fertilizer, and it is all worth it. Roses are required members of the flower kingdom.

My flower kingdom has both perennials and annuals. Daisies bloom at the 4th of July and Black Eyed Susans bloom in August and are a sign school is about to start. June is the month of roses and lilies show their smiling faces in July. Geraniums, begonias, and marigolds provide color all summer and the deer will not eat marigolds or geraniums. Deer haven’t eaten my begonias yet, but I don’t want to be too confident.

It’s time to get my annuals planted and watch for the perennials to awaken. It is planting season and I hope you all enjoy at least a little of God’s magnificent creations!

Why Good Friday?

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I used to think Good Friday was misnamed until I understood.

Growing up Good Friday was a day off school. We went to church the night before on Maundy Thursday and colored eggs on Good Friday. We aren’t Catholic, but we didn’t eat meat on Good Friday and I still don’t. Mom bought hot cross buns to eat on Good Friday and we weren’t allowed to color eggs until after the holy hours (12:00 to 3:00) ended. Those three hours were to be spent doing something quiet and prayer was supposed to be at least a part of it. This isn’t very holy, but I remember being happy that I didn’t have to do any chores during that time. I probably thanked God for that!

I remember asking why it was called Good Friday when Jesus suffered so much that day. Being told he died for all our sins made me feel worse. He didn’t do anything wrong, but he received the punishment? I just couldn’t understand. As an adult, I get it, but it still makes me weep.

My own children were taken to church on Maundy Thursday, and we too decorated eggs on Good Friday. We also listened to the music from Godspell that day. I still do. (I gave up the hot cross buns because no one liked them. They wanted doughnuts!)

The song Day by Day is a prayer I should sing every day. The lyrics are short and meaningful: day by day, these things I pray: to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly , to follow thee more nearly day by day. What more can be said other than to give thanks to God for his son Jesus who died and was resurrected on Easter Sunday. He appeared to his Disciples and they saw his wounds, so there was no doubt he arose from the dead. A simple song sung every day can bring such peace to me. I am thankful. Wishing you all a blessed Easter!