The House At Pooh Corner

Our family reads, alot!  While my older children are always reading something on their own, we also read as a family.  It's just a wonderful, bonding time for us! 
The little stuffed bear with very little brains holds a special place for each of us.  The older children loved reading about Pooh and Piglet, Christopher Robin and Tigger when they were little, and now reading about him to my three year old is giving them a chance to relive some of the magic that A. A. Milne brought to their lives (just a few) years ago!

The House At Pooh Corner stands to be one of our favorites.  The second of the four book Milne wrote about the inhabitants of the 100 Acre Woods, it is where Tigger is introduced, undoubtedly our favorite character!  The last chapter of the book, Chapter Ten, "In Which Christopher Robin and Pooh come to an enchanted place, and we leave them there", still brings me to tears as Pooh and his friends tell a maturing Christopher Robin goodbye, knowing he is growing up and leaving them.  I no longer cry for these characters, but for my own children as I watch them transforming from child to pre-teens. 

We often find some activities to incorporate into the reading of our favorite books, and we built Eeyore a house, just as in Chapter One.  My three year old loved running through the woods gathering sticks and building a very good reproduction of Eeyore's, which is simply sticks leaning against one another!  As Eeyore's favorite food is thistles, my little son gathered Sweet Gum Balls and placed before him. 

The sun was to the west of us as we sat in the shade of the trees and read Chapter One again, singing several times another of our favorites from the book;

The more it snows (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
On snowing.
And nobody knows (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
Are growing.

My daughter added the final touch, the Eeyore sign she painted on a half of a small branch she found in the forest. 

We aloud wondered if, when we return, Pooh and Piglet will indeed have moved Eeyore's house to the other side of the forest, as the story goes.  For the sake of the magic still alive in my 3 year old, we may have to make sure they do.

"And by and by Christopher Robin came to an end of things, and he was silent, and he sat there, looking out over the world, just wishing it wouldn't stop."

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

Making Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies is a Halloween Tradition with us!  I help the kids, as needed, but I really try to let them do as much as they can on their own.  The kids will love decorating the cookies, too.  Let them let their creativity bring these happy pumpkins to life!    







For the cookies:

3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup room temp butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk


1. In one bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice, and set aside.
2. In a seperate bowl, add butter and sugar, and mix with a hand or stand mixer.
3. In a small clear glass bowl, break your egg.  Check for eggshells, then add to the butter and sugar.  Mix until incorporated. 
4. Add 2 tablespoons milk.  Mix until incorporated.
5. 1/3 cup at a time, add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter and egg mixture.  Mix well after each 1/3 cup. 
6. The cookie dough will cut and retain it's shape better if it is cold.  Seperate the dough into 2 balls, cover or wrap in Saran Wrap, and place in refrigerator approximately 1 hour.
tick...tock....tick....tock....
7. Take out one of the cookie dough balls, and place on a surface dusted with either flour or powdered sugar.  I prefer the sugar, of course!
8.  Rub your rolling pin in either the flour or powdered sugar until lightly coated.  Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.  Try to keep the dough the same thickness all the way across. 
9.  Take your pumpkin cookie cutter, and cut out your cookies, being careful to place the cutter to get as many cookies as possible. 
10.  Transfer the cookies to a prepared cookie sheet. I spray with just a little Pam.  Place in a 375 degree preheated oven for 8-10 minutes
11. Let completely cool before decorating!

Decorating the Cookies!

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. Meringue Powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
orange icing coloring

1.  Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon Meringe Powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a few drops of orange icing coloring, I use Wilton.  Mix in about 5 teaspoons HOT water.
2.  You can use either a decorating bag with tips, or just a gallon size zip lock bag.  Just cut a very small hole at one corner.  Now fill with your icing.  Use this icing to outline your cookies. 
3. Use the same recipe, but add a few extra drops of HOT water to give it a runnier consistency to "flood" the cookies.  I add this to a small squeeze bottle and slowly apply to the cookies.  Use a toothpick to help spread it around.  Don't eat it until it's dry!

If you want to create a Jack-O-Lantern, make black icing and outline the faces before you flood with the orange! Be sure to let the icing on each stage dry, so that your colors don't run.

Horse Apples

In Texas, these are Horse Apples, but they are also known as Osage Oranges and Hedge Apples.

One of our favorite fall activities is to go hunting for them.  They turn ripe in the fall, and begin falling from the trees.  The kids have a contest on who can find the most, the largest, etc. at our community park.  It's almost like an Autumn Easter Egg hunt. 

Let me say that we take them from our park because otherwise they are just mowed over.  If we were at a state park, or a natural area, we would just leave them alone.

 Once we have collected them, we can put them to lots of uses.  I put them in the sensory tub in my preschool classroom, since they are textured.  We also paint with them, rolling them around on paper.  We have even decoupaged them with glitter, and hung them up as ornaments.

We saw them once at a Halloween party, labeled as Alien Brains.

Their usefulness extends beyond that of a decoration.  The fruit is said to be a natural insect repellent, and you can even find them in stores and online to purchase to keep in your home.  Some even say they can keep flies away.  One can only wish.

The trees which bear the fruit have an interesting history.  Native American would use the dense wood to make bows, and these bows were traded along the trail lines.  The sharp thorns were a suggested use for hedge fences before the introduction of barbed wire.  The wood was also used for fence post, and is still valued for tool and knife handles. 

Dinosaur Puppets

Meet Lenny the Longneck.  My kids and I had a blast making these cute little lunch bag puppets, then they put on a show for my husband and me. 
Thanks to Texas Parks and Wildlife for the idea and tutorial on their web site.  I may or may not have needed the tutorial, but it's a nice place to start.  Because what we sometimes need is a little inspiration.  Inspiration to turn off the tv, or quit folding the laundry, sit down with your children and make something....





http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/fun_stuff/arts_and_crafts/make_trex.phtml

I gathered paper lunch bags, construction paper, glue sticks, crayons and scissors.  You could use hot glue or liquid glue, but with a 3 year old I "stuck" with the glue sticks.  I also used regular scissors and the ones that make jagged edges for different looks for the dinosaurs.

I purchased both the white and the brown paper lunch bags, but we only used the white. 

For this T-Rex puppet, my son colored the the bag green, then cut out the head and lower jaw shapes.  He used the jagged scissors to create a scaley look. 

This one was my little guys, and his sister helped on the face. 














My daughter cut out horns for her Stegosaurus puppet.  She also added a tail to him. 

This is my long neck.  I cut out a long neck, and glued it onto the bag.  I think the large googly eyes would be so cute on these, but we didn't have any. 

 This is my daughter's Brachiosaurus.  She added a pencil on the back for support, and then taped it down using left over masking tape from when we painted her room. 

 My son balled up a piece of black construction paper for their show, End of the Dinosaur Days. I probably should have labeled this with a Spoiler Alert! You can probably guess how it ends.

 I added a tree branch to my long necked dinosaur, using construction paper. 

 Here is a close up of my tree branch, because I thought it was really cute. 

My daughter added some red and orange construction paper flames to a mountain they already had for the volcano scene of their puppet show.

 During the show, my daughter's Brachiosaurus with the engineered neck support.  I'm glad I kept my mouth shut, because I really didn't think it would work. 

Don't you love the legs! Unfortunantly, the cute little dinosaurs were bound for extinction.  We had so much fun, I bet they get brought to life again.  Maybe there will be a sequel. 

Woodsy Owl and Smokey the Bear

Here are some fun facts about our countries most recognizable forest celebrities. 

Both Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl are representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service.

Smokey was "born" in 1944, Woodsy is by far his junior, having celebrated his 40th birthday on September 15rh, 2011. 

An anti-littering advocate, Woodsy was created to be a recognizable icon for young children, as part of the first Earth Day in 1970.  Smokey was part of an advertising campaign to warn people of the dangers of forest fires. 

In 1947, Smokey advised us, "Remember... Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires".  In April 2001, the words "Forest Fires" were changed to "Wildfires", to include the dangers of grass fires.  Woodsy most famous motto, "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute", was replaced in 1997 with  "Lend a Hand — Care for the Land!". 










Smokey and Woodsy have both been celebrated in song, children's books, cartoons, and comics.  Smokey was also brought to life in poetry.  The Smokey the Bear Sutra was written in 1969 by Gary Snyder.


In Capitan, New Mexico is the Smokey Bear Historical Park.  Named after an incident in 1950, when a real bear cub was found with burned paws following a forest fire outside of Capitan.  Woodsy has never been portrayed by a real owl, nor does he have a park.  For information on the Smokey Bear Historical Park; http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/FD/SmokeyBear/SmokeyBearPark.htm

Children, Smokey and Woodsy

Woodsy and Smokey join together for an annual poster contest for children.  http://www.gardenclub.org/youth/contests/postercontest.aspx

The USDA Forest Service sells authorized Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl learning materials to approved agencies for free public distribution.  Schools and Fire Departments are considered appropriate customers.  For more information:   http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsm9_010089&navid=150130000000000&pnavid=150000000000000&ss=119995&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Conservation%20Education-%20Woodsy%20Owl

Woodsy Owl and Smokey Bear make celebrity appearances for parades, festivals and events.  To request an appearance, or get information on scheduled appearances; http://www.stateforesters.org/smokey_bear/education

Fort Griffin State Historical Site

Built after the Civil War for protection during the Texas Indian Wars, Fort Griffin State Historic Site, in Albany, allows visitors the chance to step back to the Wild West and learn, play and explore where Native Americans, Pioneers and Cattle once clashed on the plains. 





The Longhorns
Since 1948, the State Longhorn Herd has called Fort Griffin home.  Young longhorns with hardly any horn at all are scattered along the roadway on the drive up to the Visitor's Center.  To see what the fuss is all about, cross the road over to the camping side.  Big, beautiful Longhorns rest beneath the small trees that dot the landscape.  One wonders, after a very close view of the these magnificent creatures, what the cowboys were thinking when they tried to move them all the way to Kansas!  Seeing them here, on their own domain, gives you a completely different appreciation than watching them herded down E. Exchange Ave in Cowtown! http://www.visitfortgriffin.com/index.aspx?page=877

Visitor's Center
Maps, pamplets, t-shirts and photographic kiosk await you inside the Visitor's Center.  Adorning the floor is a map of the major rivers of Texas, and the forts along the Texas Forts Trail. Your kids can have one foot on the Trinity and another on the Brazos.  Here you can pay your entrance fees to view the fort site and grounds;  $4 for adults and $3 for children 6-12.  Under 6 was free. If you are lucky, you will be greeted by Jane, who grew up in the area, and has a wealth of knowledge about the history, people and places to go.

The Fort Grounds
Fort Griffin is not the iconic fort behind a tall wall, such as you would see at Fort Parker.  Similar to Fort Richardson in Jacksboro, it is spread out over quite a distance.  A huge attraction for the kids are the golf carts the fort loans to visitors for use (free of charge).  The fort, built after the civil war in 1867, was hastily thrown together using green wood from Cottonwood trees growing along the Brazos River.  The boards quickly dried and cracked.  Most of the remnants of the buildings are gone, except for the ones built of stone.  Prickly pear cactus are abundant, as are giant red ants, sparking the occassional re-enactment scene from Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. 




Camping
Numerous campsites offer RV and tent camping, many with views and access to the Longhorns or the Brazos River.  Electrical and water available at all campsites, and bathrooms and bathhouses are conveniently located in the park.  A slide and swings, and a basketball pad are situated in the middle of the park.  A boat and a smoker are available for day rental ($10/day).  The campsites are open 24 hours, a self serve pay station is located at the entrance for after hour arrivals. 

Hiking
Two hiking trails exist in the park, The 3/4 mile Wohaw Trail, and the Mill Creek Nature Trail, 1-1/3 Mile.   

Brazos River
You can access the river by a series of steps.  Trails, used by people and animals, run alongside the river, providing opportunities for fishing.  Watch the water surface for gars, which put up a good fight and are lots of fun for young and old fishing enthusiast! Bass, perch and croppies can all be found in the river.  The park offers a boat for rental of $10/day, or bring your own canoe or kayak to paddle along the river, check with the park for current river conditions.  Be sure and notice (and point out to your children) the numerous Cottonwood trees that grow along the river, which were so instrumental in the building of the fort. 

Fort Griffin Flat Townsite
From Hwy 283, take CR 184 to the recreated Fort Griffin Flat Townsite.  Known as "The Flat", it was the original BoomTown of the West, thought to have a daily population of 3,500.  Supported by the buffalo hunting crews, the town lasted only as long as the buffalo.  Situated on private property, view Shaunassy's Saloon, where it is rumored that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday first met.  There is also a blacksmith shop, a jail with prickly pear growing atop the roof, and a wagon yard.



Bridges of Fort Griffin
Old bridges offers some wonderful photo opportunities, and are just fun to explore!  Continue traveling past "The Flat" to where the road ends.  Once you see the condition of this 1885 Iron Truss Bridge, you won't want to continue any further!  There is also a 1896 Suspension Bridge out on CR 179.

Community Events
The Fort Griffin Living History Days offers "1870s military interpretations with artillery, infantry, and cavalry demonstration, authentic stage coach rides, blacksmithing, gun fights, the camel corps, Drummer Boy Ice Cream, live period music by Time Was..., cowboy poetry by Doc Wood, 1800s children’s games, Native Americans, Texas longhorns, and frontier living." - http://www.visitfortgriffin.com/index.aspx?recordid=417&page=497

For more information, also see http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/forts/griffin/post.html

Homemade Fried Bubblegum

Today the Texas State Fair announced their list of Fair Food Finalist!  Each year the most unique foods are entered, and previous winners have been fried butter, fried bacon, fried twinkies, fried snickers, fried frito pie... are you seeing a trend? 

Here is the list of finalist this year:

• Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack
• Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Deep Fried Texas Salsa™
• El Bananarito
• Fried Autumn Pie
• Fried Bubblegum
• Hans' Kraut Ball
• Walking Taco

I'm interested to try the Texas Salsa, which is salsa rolled in masa, then deep fried.  But the Fried Bubblegum is what really caught my eye.  I mean, how do you fry bubblegum, and why would you fry bubblegum?  Well, it's actually bubblegum flavored marshmallows that has been battered and deep fried.  I couldn't wait!

Really, I couldn't.  I had to try to make it! As soon as my older kids got home from school, we went to our local Michael's, in search of bubblegum flavoring,  Sadly, Michael's doesn't carry a large selection of imitation flavoring.  However, the lady my daughter had asked to come help us said that SHE had some at home, and that she just lived right around the corner, and she was already off work.  Danielle had just snagged her as she was walking out the door!  I'm going to stop right now and tell you that she is the nicest lady I have ever met!  Thirty minutes later we have a brand new bottle of bubblegum flavoring, and exchanged phone numbers, and promised to bring her a sample of our creation!  People in Texas are the nicest in the world!!!

I found a recipe for homemade marshmallows, put a video on for my three year old, and we began destroying the kitchen!  The marshmallows themselves were pretty easy, except that my 3 year old ran in and dropped our prepared pan, scattering powdered sugar and corn startch everywhere!  We got so excited when the concoction turned a recognizable marshmallow cream white!

I wasn't sure how the marshmallows are battered, but I thought a french toast batter sounded the most appealing.  We divided up the marshmallows, and began frying.  It only took a few to decide that we had to dip them in egg and then in flour, otherwise the marshmallows just melted away!

Once they were all cooled, we all sat down and tried them.  Wow!  It's just such an unusual taste!  You really can't describe it or compare it to anything else, because your brain wants you to c-h-e-w!!!   But they are good, and really sweet. I don't know if we will make any more fried bubblegum in the near future.  For one thing, like most things deep fried, it doesn't keep well.  Once they cool, they are soggy.  But I can't wait to try them at the State Fair.  Every thing is better at the fair, anyway.  Just the excitement of being there, and the anticipation of standing in line has it's own flavor!

   Here is the recipe we used. 
Ingredients:

• Powdered sugar
• Cornstarch
• Unflavored gelatin
• sugar
• Light corn syrup
• Bubblegum flavoring

• In a wax paper lined 13 x 9 x 2 inch-baking pan, sift 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, covering the bottom of the pan.
• Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin and 1/3 cup water in a bowl you can place in a water bath.  Let set for about 5 minutes.
• Place the bowl in a larger pan of simmering water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved.  Add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and continue to stir until the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove bowl from the warm water and slowly drizzle 3/4 cup of corn syrup in while beating with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until creamy and thick. Add your flavoring, 1/4 teaspoon was all we needed.  Different brands concentration will differ.  Mix until flavoring is incorporated.
• Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.  Let it set for about 20 minutes. 
• Lift the set marshmallows out of the pan and place onto a cutting board.  Cut the marshmallows into squares.
• Mix a 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar and 1/2 cup of cornstarch.  Dredge the pieces in confection's sugar and cornstarch.  

))) You can stop here and have some really good marshmallows  (((

To Deep Fry:

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs mixed
• 1 cup flour
• Crisco oil

• Pour oil into pan so you have at least 2",   Heat to a temperature of 345 to 375 degrees Farenheit.  The oil needs to be hot because you are going to cook quickly, otherwise the marshmallow will just melt into the oil, which, trust me, makes a huge mess! 
• Dredge your marshmallow in the egg, then in the flour.  Make sure all the marshmallow is covered in flour, otherwise the marshmallow will escape, making a huge mess!
• Fry on each side about 10-12 seconds, and quickly remove from the oil.  Set on wax paper to cool. 
• Sprinkle powdered sugar on marshmallows.  The State Fair ones will have icing on them as well, but trust me, they don't need any more sugar! 

Enjoy!!! We had a blast making these, and we made some awesome memories, as well!!