The Country Register NRGP | November/December 2022 Issue

What’s Inside?

• A Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 4

• Of Apple Pies & Kitchen Windows - Page 5

• Cowgirl Poet - Page 6

• Nutcracker: A Holiday Tradition - Page 6

• Susan Branch - Page 7

• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Page 7, 9

• Robin’s Nest DIY - Page 10

• My Christmas Wish is for Tradition - Page 11

• By the Yard Calendar Contest - Page 13

• Spot the Difference - Page 15

Editor’s Notes

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

It is hard to believe we are on the 6th issue of the year already. Down to the fan favorite holiday issue. It is even stranger that we are gearing up for the holidays. Time truly is flying by as we are busy like other families with school, sports, activities, family, businesses and more. The holidays just sort of caught us by surprise this year.

Like most families, we take turns during the holiday season between the one side of the family and the other. Every year we either spend Christmas with my family or Thanksgiving, the next year vise versa with my husband’s family. That means that some years we are away for Christmas, and some year’s we are home. When Thanksgiving is spent with my family, we always do Thanksgiving and then that weekend do our Christmas. This has created a perfect situation for developing really fun traditions that aren’t always annual, but every other year. Only adding to the mystique of that special holiday tradition.

We have some traditions we sneak in every year. Like baking goodies and delivering goodie boxes to our neighbors in our cul-de-sac. Getting gifts for the angel tree is a favorite. Christmas movies and wrapping gifts. Homemade gifts for teachers and friends. Hot cocoa and Christmas lights.

Some we only get to do during certain years. For instance, taking the polar express on the old 1880 train. Or, decorating cookies with friends. Volunteering for community holiday events. Our family holiday pajama party is a family favorite.

This year we all find ourselves with a few less dollars to go around. Costs of food, goodies, gifts and décor are pretty high. And, though we want to give you all some creative ways to make the season bright. My favorite thing about the holidays is the little moments that I look forward to all year round. Like, sitting up late with the glow of the tree going through my blessings. That warm fuzzy feeling as you drive around looking at lights. The joy of smiles and giggles Christmas morning. The smell of dinner cooking and the low rumble of chatter among family and friends. These are the moments that matter. These holiday traditions are so precious to us all because they create the moments that matter.

So, no matter what the holiday season holds for you this year, have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Season’s blessings to you all.

Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of ND, SD, WY, MT & N. ID

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, & Northern Idaho Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher

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The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains

November/December 2022 • Volume 12 Issue 6

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is published every two months. Copyright 2022.

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A Cup of Tea with Lydia: The Gift of Tea

Christmas and gifts go together like a cup and a saucer. So why not give the gift of tea this holiday season? Your tea gift could be an invitation to come for tea, to share tea in a tearoom, to deliver tea, or to mail a tea party in a box. I enjoy giving and receiving tea in all these ways.

Come for TEA

Sharing hospitali-TEA in my home is my favorite way to give the gift of tea. My recipe for a memorable teatime includes: a pretty setting, tasty tidbits, and a relaxed time to chat. For easy hosting, sometimes I order the food from a local tearoom. Other times I buy special foods from the market such as mini croissants, chicken salad, and fancy desserts. This gives me more time to set a lovely table and relax with my guests.

No time to invite someone for a festivi-TEA this December? Consider a coupon gift for a cuppa’ tea in the New Year. That will extend the holidays for both of you. For a very dear friend, you could even give the coupon in a teacup.

Go Out for TEA

Taking someone to a tearoom for tea makes a sweet and generous gift. My husband and I have enjoyed taking our granddaughters to tea since they were old enough to hold a teacup—and now they’re 12 and 19!

During the holidays, my Sweet-TEA and I gift each other with a jaunt to one of our favorite tearooms. Their festive settings, special menus, and our time together create warm, lingering memories. Plus, I gather ideas for serving tea at home, such as the recipe included for Tree-mendous Treats made with pretzel sticks and melted mint baking chips.

Par-TEA to Go

Brighten the life of someone who is unable to get out by delivering a par-TEA. Make arrangements with them, and pack everything you need in a basket or box. I use a soft cooler with straps and fill it with teacups, delicious foods, tea, and a tablecloth or placemats. Sometimes I bring a small gift or flowers. Then we enjoy tea together.

I’ve delivered and served tea to friends in their homes, in hospitals, and in retirement communities. It cheers their day and mine.

Mail a Par-TEA

This fun idea works well for out-of-town friends or relatives. Last Christmas I mailed my Arizona pen pal a tea party in a box. It included a few decorations, holiday paper plates and napkins, assorted teas, hot chocolate mix and candy-cane stirrers, her favorite cookies (see recipe for Everyone’s Favorite Cookies), a scone mix and jam, and a book of Christmas stories, which included one of mine. The note inside said: “Wish I could serve you tea in person. Since I can’t, here’s a tea party in a box.” I added my teatime blessing: “Dear God, as we fill our teacups, fill our hearts with love, joy, and peace. As the tea warms our bodies, may Your presence warm our hearts and friendship.”

Would you like to gift someone with tea—in person, in a tearoom, to go, or by mail? Or give a coupon to share one or more of these tea gifts in the future? Whenever you give a gift to someone, you’re also giving yourself a gift, because “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). God bless us everyone!

Lydia E. Harris is a tea enthusiast, grandmother of five, and author of In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together and Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting. Her books are available at Amazon.

From Lydia’s Recipe File: Tree-mendous Treats

By Lydia Harris

These pretzel Christmas trees taste yummy and make cute toppers on mini-cupcakes, muffins, tarts, or even a birthday cake for Jesus! Fun, festive, and easy to make.

Ingredients

small pretzel sticks (about 3 inches long) mint baking chips or green candy melts sprinkles or crushed candy canes for decorations

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Lay pretzel sticks on sheet at least four inches apart.

2. Melt mint chips in a small microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue to heat, 15 seconds at a time, until chips are completely melted.

3. Place a small plastic bag in an empty coffee mug and fold the top of the bag over the side to hold it in place.

4. Carefully spoon melted chips into the plastic bag.

5. Remove the bag and twist-tie it closed.

6. Cut off the tip of a bottom corner of the bag to make a very small hole.

7. Gently squeeze melted chips onto a pretzel to create Christmas tree branches. Start halfway up, leaving 1½ inches for the tree trunk.

8. Use a back-and-forth motion to make a triangle shaped tree.

9. Immediately add sprinkles or other decorations. Refrigerate pretzels until firm, then peel off the paper.

10. Repeat the process to make more trees. Use trees for cupcake toppers or eat them as a treat.

11. If you frost cupcakes white and add grated coconut and stand the trees in them, it looks like the trees are standing in snow.

Yield: 1/4 cup baking chips makes about 5 trees. 18 candy melts make 8 trees.

Of Apple Pies and Kitchen Windows

By Kerri Habben Bosman

Always around this time, it somehow surprises me that another year is almost over. It shouldn’t. My brain regularly conjures up memories from the previous ten months that remind me of both how busy it was and how lovely it was. 2022 has many highlights, from family get-togethers to enjoying grandchildren’s music and sports. January started with beginning a stash of hats and scarves for a Giving Circle later in the year. In April, we all gathered together, from the youngest at 5 to the oldest at 101. At the end of June my husband, Wayne, retired after 49 years as an auto mechanic. We traveled both to visit family and for Wayne to repair grown children’s cars. A mechanic can retire, but a Dad never does. I began to knit and crochet handmade Christmas gifts in August. With a family of eighteen, it helps to begin early.

Since I often look ahead to upcoming deadlines, I take time to remind myself to fully focus on the present. For it is all too easy to be channeled to the next thing that needs doing. Or how quickly the last two months of a year can pass by.

It is in these moments that I turn to autumn and winter activities that comfort and inspire me at the same time. One of these things is baking. For nearly three decades I have loved to bake pies, mostly fruit pies. No one in the family seems to mind. Fifteen year-old grandson, Isaac, particularly likes them. Sometimes an apple pie appears at their house just because he has a baseball game coming up.

I savor the whole process of making a pie from scratch. Whatever kind of pie I make, the most important ingredient I add is love. For preparing food is a way of giving of ourselves to the people in our lives. The work of our hands is one of the most tangible ways to show others how deeply they are treasured.

When I peel, core, and slice the apples, I like to look out the kitchen window. It seems that I can feel beyond the view of the yard to sense the plethora of people who came before me and worked the very same way. I think that for all of the technology we have, there is still something inherently amazing about how a piece of fruit evolves. I pay attention to the motion of my hands. I say thank you for being exactly where I am, right in that very moment. I try not to add too much sugar, just enough of a blend of white and brown, and then some cinnamon. My nose always awaits the addition of the lemon juice as its acidity blends with the sweeter ingredients. If Wayne is nearby, he helps by tasting the apple mixture to make sure it is just right. No sacrifice is too great.

I truly enjoy preparing pie crust, and I have three or four recipes. When I spread out the dough, I use my great-grandmother’s rolling pin. I think of her, even though I have never met her. She passed away fifteen years before I was born. I think of my mother and grandmother who taught me by example that food is love.

This holiday season I remember being with my 101 year-old mother-in-law in her Wisconsin kitchen. The same kitchen where she baked when Wayne was growing up and where she still bakes for her family. We stand at the kitchen window, and we wash and dry the dishes together. We look out, and I watch the land through her eyes, seeing all that has gone before and so much that still is. All of which is love.

Kerri Habben Bosman is a writer in Chapel Hill, NC. She can be reached at 913jeeves@gmail.com.

part, says were yearning for helped things, as these poetry grandmothers her work, authentic and and Metegrano poets many programs. Rhyme! write A Gift paper or

Nutcracker: A Holiday Tradition Around the World

By Kelsey Ruzicka

The classic fairy-tale ballet “The Nutcracker,” popular the world over and performed at Christmas time, revolves around the personal awakening of a young girl over one Christmas holiday. The well-known Christmas story has been published in books, including colorful books for children. It has become the most frequently performed ballet in the world. Is this part of your holiday tradition?

Here are a few things you may not know about this Classic holiday tale.

Cowgirl Poet, Quilter, Entertainer Yvonne Hollenbeck

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

A poem from Yvonne’s new book, A Stitch in Rhyme

The kids nowadays at Christmas usually rake in quite a haul; it seems however long the list, that Santa brings it all. Then parents help ol’ Santa out, and sometimes search in vain for G-I Joe, a special doll, or fine electric train.

Then here comes Christmas morning; it is almost like a sin, because gifts that children like the most are “boxes” they come in.

Order A Stitch in Rhyme at www.yvonnehollenbeck.com!

© Yvonne Hollenbeck; 2022 Yvonne Hollenbeck, from Clearfield, SD, performs her original poetry throughout the United States, captivating audiences in her wake. She is one of the most published cowgirl poets in the West and is not only a popular banquet and civic entertainer, but also co-writes songs with many western entertainers. Yvonne also pens a weekly column in the “Farmer-Rancher Exchange” and writes articles about life in rural America in various publications throughout the West. For more information, visit https://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com

1. The story was originally not for children.

The story is about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King. Hoffman’s original work showed humanity’s dark-sided nature and was definitely not appropriate for children.

2.

It Premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892

“The Nutcracker” ballet premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on December 18, 1892. It sold out tickets. It was performed along with Tchaikovsky’s one-act opera “Iolanta.”

3. Tchaikovsky Didn’t Think It Compared to His Other Scores

In 1892, Tchaikovsky finished composing the music for “The Nutcracker.” Afterward, he wrote that he felt the fairy-tale’s music was “infinitely poorer” than that of “Sleeping Beauty,” which he finished two years prior. It was the last of his three ballets — the first of which was “Swan Lake.”

4. The First Full-Length Production Was in the U.S.

The Christmas ballet was first performed outside of Russia in England in 1934, but the full-length production first appeared in the United States in 1944 at the San Francisco Opera Ballet. Setting the stage for the success in the U.S.

5. The ballet incorporated a brand new type of instrument.

The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy was the first music ever written for the celesta. Tchaikovsky used a celesta for the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to create the unique bell sound. He smuggled the new instrument into Russia from Paris because of its unique sound. Celesta literally means “heavenly.”

collector and had frames of buttons hung throughout the house on the walls and a special frame of her most valuable buttons on the end table. She collected buttons ever since I can remember. She would always let me poke through her buttons. She had several button tins and jars sorted by materials or subject matter. I especially liked her frame of cat buttons, hand painted ceramics, and beautiful mother of pearl buttons. She also had a tin of buttons just for me to play with.

I would dump them on the floor, much to Aunt Cora’s dismay and have fun. Sometimes I’d count them, putting them in groups of ten, and then count them by tens. Sometimes I’d sort them by color. As I grew older and appreciated buttons more for their delicate workmanship and value, she taught me how to sort them by materials what the buttons were made from.

I learned about rubber buttons made by Novelty Rubber Co., Goodyear’s patent of 1851. Yes, they

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

2022 has seen ups and downs. And, this holiday season you might find yourself with several less dollars for turkey, gifts and all the trimmings. Inflation and supply chain issues continue to make things difficult for Midwest families. Costs are high, but spirits can be too this holiday season. We’ve put together several creative and fun ways to keep the seasons bright and the holiday traditions on point.

DIY WREATHS

1. Cookie Cutter Wreath

a. The same shape of cookie cutters in various sizes

b. Hot glue gun

c. Ribbon or twine

i. Make the circular shape

ii. Glue together

iii. Wrap ribbon or twine on just the way you like it

2. Pom-Pom Ball Wreath

a. Pom-Poms of your choice in size and color

b. Plain Christmas Pine wreath

c. Velvet Bow (if wanted)

Tie or glue pom-poms where you like

3. Frosted Winter Wreath

a. Basic pine wreath

b. White spray paint

c. Velvet ribbon, pinecones, barriers, leaves, ect

i. Give a light coat of paint to give the wreath a frosty look

ii. Spray other idioms with white paint before applying onto wreath

iii. Lightly glue or stick extra materials used into wreath

HOLIDAY TRADITION IDEAS

1. Christmas Card Making

2. Putting Together the Nativity Scene

3. Christmas Tree Hunting

4. Decorate Christmas Trees as a Family

5. Watching Favorite Christmas Movies

6. Having Family Christmas Dinners

Continued on Page 9

7. Traditional Christmas Meals Made Together

8. Going to Church

9. Wrapping Gifts in Secret

10. Baking/Decorating Christmas Cookies

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Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

DIY GIFT CRAFT IDEAS

1. Mason Jar Christmas tree

2. Mason Jar Candy Cane

a. Mason Jar

b. Red, Green, White Chalky Paint

c. Painters tape/Christmas Tree stencil

d. Paint Brush

3. Mercury Glass Ornaments

a. Plain clear glass ordainments

b. Krylon Looking Class spray paint

c. Metallic gold/silver paint

4. Snowman Ornament

a. Light bulbs

b. Craft Bond stray glue

c. White Glitter

d. Black and Orange puff paint to decorate your snowman

e. Small Sticks to put on the side of your snowman!

5. Pinecone Christmas Tress

a. Green Spray paint/ acrylic paint

b. Pinecones

c. Coaster to glue pinecones on

d. Glue

e. Ornaments (Buttons, sparkles, old sequins, ect)

f. Cotton balls for fake snow

DIY CHRISTMAS WRAPPING PAPER

1. Santa’s

HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST

a.BellyMaterials

i. Red wrapping paper

ii. White paper

iii. Wide black ribbon

iv. Gold glitter paper

b. Directions

i. Wrap box with red paper

ii. Cut out white beard

iii. Glue/tape wide black ribbon around box

iv. Cute gold paper into belt buckle

2. Chalk board wrapping

a. Materials

i. Black craft paper

ii. White paint marker

b. Directions

i. Make Christmas designs perfect by you!

3. Berry and Holly Bows

a. Materials

i. Fake berries and holly

ii. Any color style ribbon you prefer

b. Directions

i. Tie ribbon around box

ii. Add berries and holly where you desire

4. Christmas Light Thumb Print Paper

a. Materials

i. Colored paint

ii. Marker

iii. Craft paper

b. Directions

i. Wrap in desired type of craft paper

ii. Mark lines for design of lights

iii. Dip finger in paint, press where desired lights are wanted

1. Make a Gingerbread house

2. Go ice skating

3. Make hot chocolate with marshmallows

4. Write a letter to Santa

5. Go to/host an ugly sweater party

6. Drive through town and see Christmas lights

7. Make a Christmas song playlist

8. Build a snowman

9. Host a Secret Santa with your friends or family

10. Bake Christmas cookies

11. Have a snowball fight

12. Volunteer at a charity

STOVETOP CHRISTMAS POTPOURRI

INGREDIENTS

• Oranges, Lemons, or Grapefruit. The citrus adds brightness and freshness that’s so lovely with the spices and herbs. I most often use oranges, but you can use mandarin oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit, etc. It all works!

• Cranberries. These aren’t *strictly* necessary, since they add more color than aroma, but they look absolutely beautiful in the packages, are super affordable this time of year, and add a lovely touch in the pot.

• Fresh Rosemary. This adds depth and an almost pine-y scent to Christmas potpourri. It’s gorgeous with the citrus!

• Cinnamon Sticks. These are less messy, easier to package for gifting, and the scent is longer-lasting in my experience.

• Whole Cloves. Like cinnamon sticks, using whole cloves helps prolong their shelf life and helps the aroma last longer. A few go a long way, so you can make one jar of whole cloves last a long time!

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice or quarter your orange. This looks pretty, but also gives you better access to the citrus scent!

2. Place all ingredients in a saucepan with 4-6 cups water. (You’ll refill the water as needed while it simmers.

3. Bring to a simmer over low heat. You don’t want a boil–just a very slight simmer.

4. Let it simmer as long as you like, adding more water as needed. You can simmer stovetop potpourri for hours on low heat–just check the water level, since water will evaporate over time.

The holiday season is just around the corner! I love everything about this time of year! Nothing says you care more than a homeade gift. Here’s a very inexpensive, but thoughtful and festive gift idea.

You will Need:

Step Two

Add your decorations ( I am not the best decorator) and put them in the refrigerator for about two hours to set the fudge.

Remove the aluminum foil.

Step Four

You will need cookie cutters, aluminum foil, see-through treat bags, ribbon and embellishments, candy toppings ( I used mini M&M’s, crushed peppermint candy, Christmas sprinkles), several spoons, and your favorite fudge recipe (not pictured).

Step One

Fill the cookie cutters with the fudge.

Step THREE

Place the fudge filled cookie cutters in the gift bags and tie with ribbon and embellishments!

You have darling gifts for the holidays! P.S.... You can do this with a brownie recipe also, you just bake them in the cookie cutters (make sure you use metal ones)!

FINISHED!

Use pieces of aluminum foil to cover the bottom of the cookie cutters.

My Christmas Wish Is for Tradition

By Barbara Kalkis

I’m a great believer in change. Change kicks us out of the ruts of old habits. It forces us to see things from a new perspective. It stretches our imagination. In business, it is essential to survival. Yes, change is good. I’m all for it. But not at Christmas time.

At Christmas, I want tradition—like heirloom family ornaments on a green tree that is real or fake, as long as it’s green! Not red, blue, metallic silver or gold. I crowd my house with red and (full disclosure) white poinsettias and pinecones nestle in evergreen boughs and wreaths on every flat surface. Angel ornaments dangle next to bells just in case Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life was correct about bells ringing every time an angel got its wings.

I love houses cloaked in red, green, blue and yellow lights, interspersed with strings of white fairy lights. (Thank you, holiday clearance sales.) These traditional colors comfort as well as cheer me. They symbolize the enduring constancy of the Christmas message: Peace and goodwill.

However, change has invaded Christmas holiday culture. Designers have introduced decorations in colors that don’t symbolize the season. Blues morphed into aqua, turquoise and navy. Red faded to cotton-candy pinks. Yellow invaded nature’s rich blue-greens to become drab olive tones. Gold darkened to burnished brass and brown. Not to be left out—white must include hints of mint, blue, yellow and every other hue imaginable. It’s like trying to select a paint color for the house.

At the same time, technology has bequeathed us with programmed flashing electronic lights. They dance in dizzying designs against the house. It’s like staring at a broken neon sign.

Buzzing fans—busily bloating electric bills—pump up gargantuan plastic snow people, largerthan-life elves (always scary) and deer with blank stares. Forget the kids, it’s enough to give adults nightmares.

Technology has even consumed the Christmas card tradition. Tired of selecting the perfect image and saying for the annual greeting card? Do you find that nothing extraordinary happened in the year to make letter-writing worthwhile, let alone having someone read it? No problem! Simply visit a website, select a picture with moving images and a message to match. Type the recipient’s name and address, add your credit card number and voila! Instant card. No stamps, no hassle printing labels, no jogs to the post office. Click, click and you are finished. Easy-peasy.

I look at these cards once, email a thank-you and delete them. They are not real. They are convenient.

How’s this for a change: Traditional paper Christmas cards—purchased or handmade—that can be taped to walls and doors, creating a collage of holiday images that reflect the personalities and tastes of friends and family. I keep and re-read Christmas letters that talk about the everyday events that made the year memorable. Photos of the kids, the dogs, cats and—yes—horses that relatives and friends have acquired over the year create a link that closes distances.

It’s trendy to be innovative, bold, attention-getting but traditions ‘center’ us. It’s like trying a new recipe for company dinner. You can use exotic new ingredients but underneath the spices, garnishes and gravies, guests can relax knowing that they are eating good old familiar chicken.

We live in a constantly changing world. We must adjust every single day. That’s life. But, maybe this Christmas, we can cherish tradition: like making a card, crafting decorations, or writing a Christmas letter about the routines that are life’s real blessings.

@Barbara Kalkis. Barbara is a teacher, high-tech marketing consultant, and author of Little Ditties for Every Day: A Collection of Thoughts in Rhyme and Rhythm. Contact her at BarbaraKalkis01@gmail.com.

Countryberries Designs Christmas Gnome

This pattern is free for you to use. Please give the artist credit. Not for commercial use.

Enlarge this pattern to your desired size. Paint on wood or canvas. You can also applique in wool or cotton and embroider the details.

You can do punchneedle or rug hooking techniques too.

Whatever craft you choose, have fun!

Designed by Kathy Graham

Please note: Due to last year’s fire, our shop is open for special events, by chance or by apppointment. Follow Countryberries on our website or on Facebook.

Countryberries LLC

Whimsies and necessaries for your country home and garden 330 North Road Deerfield, NH 03037

603-463-7615 www.countryberries.com Like us on Facebook

CHARITY CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

CHRISTMAS POTPOURRI RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 3 cups water

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1 orange, sliced

• 2 teaspoons nutmeg

• 2 teaspoons cloves

• 1 cup cranberries

• 1 rosemary sprig

• Additional spices, like star anise (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the water to a saucepan. Toss in all the additional ingredients.

2. Simmer them on low, adding water as needed to freshen.

3. Cue the nostalgia and sniff your heart out.

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Spot the Answers:Difference

Spot the Difference

There’s no place like home for the holidays! The season can find us all hustling and bustling to get all our holiday tasks done. One way to ensure you find your holiday cheer is to have it greet you each day at your entry way. How will you prepare your entry way for the season? Can you find the 8 differences in the photo?

Find the answers to this spot the difference on page 14 (No peaking!).