AHHH!

AHHHH!  Hard Drive destroyed!  Spring was late, Easter was late so are my Easter Egg tips!!!

Oh MY!!!

At my last post I felt I had finally solved all my problems and was on the way to publishing my post each week.  I was all set with Easter tips etc. etc. etc..  Then crash my hard drive died and I had not backed-up my many many photos for at least two years.  So now my mac laptop is at a data recovery agency then heading to a mac medic and my pocketbook will soon be empty!!!  I have learned about a time capsule (an advanced method of saving onto a hard drive) and 'Mac for Dummies'.  Can you believe that's what they recommend: 'dummies'!  Anyway my advice: 1. PC means PERSONAL COMPUTER  so don't lend it to anyone 2.  Even though it is a lap top keep it in one place 3.  Back up back up back up!  4.  Figure out the best way to store your photos.  I don't think I would have gone to a recovery agency except for all those wonderful photos of baby Zora who is now toddler Zora, age one.

So as spring was late and Easter was late this blog is late.  Besides tips on reading 'Mac for Dummies' and back up back up back up here are some egg tips for fun holiday activities!

When you are about to dye those eggs think about what's in your cupboard: natural dyes.  Steam your beets, collect the red water and voila, red dye.  Steam your kale or spinach or artichokes and voila green dye.  Tea makes brown dye.  Be creative and experiment.  If you can't get to the store to buy the dye or you want to save money your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator have magic.

Here is one of my favorite recipes to dye eggs.  Happy belated Easter!!!

RESIST EGGS
Ukrainian Easter Eggs are usually created by using very hot wax, thin pins, and natural dyes.  The pins, replacing brushes, are used to paint the hot wax on the eggs, in a resist method.  The eggs are then placed in spinach water or tea water.  Later the wax is removed.  A simplified and safe resist method can be created for children of any age.

INGREDIENTS:  hard boiled eggs, natural dyes, recycled rubber bands, thin candles or white rubber bands.

TOOLS:  bowls, spoons, oven*

INSTRUCTION:  Adult supervision required*.  1.  Prepare natural dyes.  Hint :  remember how strawberries and raspberries stain your toddlers clothes!   2.  Dye eggs once in natural baths.  Dry. Wrap eggs tightly with rubber bands.  OR draw pictures with crayons or thin candles.  3.  Dye eggs again in different color natural baths.  HINT:  make yellow with onion skins, orange peels or corn.  4.  Dry and remove rubber bands.  Place eggs in a 200 degree oven for three minutes to remove wax.  Wipe with a paper towel.  5.  Add more rubber bands or wax and re-dye.


ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Another tip we learned at a baby store to was to add dye to yogurt, whipped cream or shaving cream.  So KITCHEN ART says add natural dye to yogurt  then give your toddler a hard boiled egg to smear with the natural dyed yogurt.  Dry egg and wash.  Creations are AMAZING!

REMEMBER BACK UP!

COUNTRY LIVING

Last night the dogs barked all night long!  When I woke up I saw they had treed the bobcat!  Now this morning I had frantic, exhausted dogs and one 30 pound bob cat up the tree.  HELP!!

APRIL FOOL'S

These are the kind of jokes I tell my family.  Raccoons breaking into the kitchen, trees crashing onto the deck, bobcats.  All inspired by the life around us.  Otherwise now as country living!

That is why I have a well-stocked kitchen!  The closest Safeway is one hour away so it pays to have my shelves full.  Full of creative ingredients-- full of tasty ingredients ready to inspire and entertain.

I have a large age-range within my family,  from baby Zora to my two college-age sons to my two kids in their thirties.  Well, who would think the ingredients for beer pong (minus the beer) would entertain a young child for hours.  A few plastic cups, one long dessert spoon, and several ping pong balls.  Our little friend entertained herself for hours scooping up the ping pong and putting it in another cup.  Inexpensive, entertaining and tons of fun!  That's the theme of KITCHEN ART !  Use your imagination!

Here's a fun project suitable for  April Fool's: 

SECRET MESSAGE

INGREDIENTS:  one lemon, toothpick, paper towel, paper

TOOLS:  knife, cup

INSTRUCTION:  SEND YOUR APRIL FOOL'S JOKE IN SECRET CODE!!  1. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into cup.  2.  Wrap small amount of paper towel around toothpick to use as a pen.  3.  Dip tip into juice and write out joke on piece of paper.  Dry.  And your message is invisible.  4.  For a friend to read your joke they must hold paper up to warm light bulb!  APRIL FOOL'S