Friday, December 10, 2010

More Mexican Crosses

Nancy loved Joanne's collection of Mexican crosses (see post below) and began a small collection of her own when she visited Arizona. Over the years, she added to this display at her home in Maine. Nancy loved all of Joanne's Mexican folk art; hopefully Joanne will share more photos of su hermosa casa on the blog soon.
About Mexican crosses (from the web):
The Mexican cross has become an integral part of Mexican folk art. It is seen everywhere in Mexico -- on home altars, in roadside shrines, worn by the faithful. Mexican crosses are found molded from clay, hand-carved from wood and brightly painted, covered with milagros, in the form of tin and glass nichos, cast in silver and pewter, and in almost every medium imaginable! Milagros are religious folk charms that are traditionally used for healing purposes and as votive offerings in Mexico. There are many fine craftspersons in clay, so there are many fine clay crosses. Carved and painted wooden crosses are covered with many different motifs.
Here are some some Milagros; the word means "miracles" in Spanish. Milagros of a body part such as a leg might be used as part of a prayer or vow for the improvement for some condition associated with a leg - such as arthritis. Or, it might refer to a concept such a travel, the leg implying walking. Similarly, a heart might represent a heart condition that one is praying for a cure or more often as a thank you for answering the prayers of the lovelorn.

Mexican Cross Collection

I wanted to post several pictures of my ever expanding Mexican and Southwest cross collection. I love to add unique and unusual finds on each of our trips. I tried to count the number but lost track at over one hundred !

Thursday, December 9, 2010

a pink Christmas







Look what Hank dragged home from the Falmouth dump yesterday...a brand new pink Christmas tree, with lights, and still in the box. Had to put it up in our bedroom! Love the "bargain barn" at the dump...it's amazing what decorating potential can be had there...just waiting for a little glue, a coat of paint or a new use. And living in Falmouth gives us access to some pretty nice trash!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Are You Guys Crazy?

Couldn't resist posting this photo of Joanne & Mark at the Patriots game in Foxborough last night...it was freezing! At least they beat the Jets 45-3.

Mr. Machine

Nancy finally did get her Mr. Machine! She had lost the original one over the years and one day, when we were antiquing in New Hampshire, we came across this one. She hesitated at the price but finally decided that she really needed to have a Mr. Machine again at 50! So, here it is...she loved this little guy and kept it displayed in her craft room...it made her happy to relive the memories of Christmas 1960.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Nancy's Letter to Santa 1960


In case you find this difficult to read, here is what Nancy asked Santa for in her letter: a Mr Machine, a doll with a "pixie haircut and a blue dress with a ribbon", a Barbie doll with outfits, a big stuffed animal to put on her bed, a 10" rubber ball (but not a basketball or beach ball), moon rocks to plant in a garden, and "some other things that an 8 year old girl would like"...I guess she trusted Santa to choose the rest himself! She did get the things on her list and saved the doll and Mr. Machine...I'll try to post photos later.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

for the Dalton boys

Great time at the Dalton's home in Kennebunk last night for Christmas Prelude. Claudia' sons, Chris and Matt, loved these meatballs and I promised to post the recipe. Nancy always made them at Christmas.

Nancy's Party Meatballs
For meatballs: 2-1/2 lbs. ground beef, 3/4 c. bread crumbs, 1 egg, 4 T. brown sugar. Mix and make into balls, Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Meatballs may be frozen for later use.
For sauce: 2 bottles chili sauce, 1-1/2 c. grape jelly, 2 T. lemon juice. Heat sauce over low heat; add meatballs.
Note: I use the large bag of frozen meatballs from Sam's Club, double the amount of sauce, and heat in a crock pot for a few hours on low setting (this keeps them warm at the party too).

Twelve blog followers now! Hope some of you who read this will leave a Comment or two...share "Nancy" memories or just comment on the posts...makes blogging more fun when it's interactive.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Inside the T@B !!!




I was excited to hear from my childhood friend Jane who was reading the Blog and asked if she could see inside the T@B! Mark and I get used to being asked that question all the time. These are old pictures but I love the "tacky New Hampshire memorobelia" I have since bought at Walmart for the shelves. I also love my $3.00 bear snow globe from Lost River, New Hampshire. Mom insists I "bring that bear spray" whenever we camp there !

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Woman Should Have...

This is the bulletin board in Nancy's craft room...decorated a la Mary Engelbreit, whose art she loved. Aside from her crown (it's good to be Queen of your own craft room) and her cancer buttons, I noticed that she had tacked up a poem...I thought I'd share it.
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to …


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a youth she’s content to leave behind…
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
re-telling it in her old age…


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
one friend who always makes her laugh
and one who lets her cry…


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a good piece of furniture not previously owned
by anyone else in her family...


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal.
that will make her guests feel honored…


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a feeling of control over her destiny…


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship…


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
when to try harder..
and when to walk away…


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents…


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect… but it’s over…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would or wouldn’t do for love or more…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone… even if she doesn’t like it…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally…


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming Inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day… a month... or a year…


Nancy did a pretty good job of living her creed. She may not have had a "juicy" past but she sure had a lot of fun...and there was that night at the Chinese restaurant! She had her own power tools and she knew how to use them. She cooked many a meal that made her guests feel honored, whether it was just Kit and Erin or her whole Gourmet group. Nancy had lots of friends to both laugh and cry with and they all loved her. Before she married Aaron, she had to learn to live alone and she did it well, while teaching full time and raising an amazing son. And even with cancer, she took control of her destiny and fought like hell. Nancy knew how to soothe her soul.
(The only area in which she may have let us down was in the lingerie department. A black lace bra??? Nancy's version of Victoria's Secret was a jog bra or t-shirt...no scratchy black lace for her!)

I'll share more quotes from Nancy's craft room on another post...school day tomorrow. And, by the way, this little blog has TEN followers now...I'm so excited! The fact that 8 out of 10 of you guys have no face is no problem for me at all...I'll keep writing anyway.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Nancy's Christmas Tea Balls

Here's one of Nancy's favorite holiday cookie recipes...simple and delicious.

Tea Balls

In large bowl, cream together until light and fluffy:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together:
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt.

Mix all together and add 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts. Refrigerate 1 hour. Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 400 degrees for 12 - 17 minutes, until set but not brown. Roll balls in confectioner's sugar. When cool, roll balls in confectioner's sugar a second time. Serve with a can of Tab:-)