Celebrate the Small Things: My Granddaughter and Badass Ladybugs

My granddaughter Liza surprised me with a special gift over the summer, a 'little' something she had made at school. Assigned in class to make a book cover for her favorite book, she chose mine, The Shells of Mersing!  Take a look...

  

An image of (MC) Callie when she examines the shells on her bed.

Callie discovers who the killer is in this scary scene.

In typical shy-free "Liza style" she also informed the school librarian that the school needed to order my book for the library. God bless her. I was so flattered and bursting with appreciation inside. I'm terrible at doing my own promotion. She then informed me she wanted to play "Callie" when my book made it to film. Talk about a great confidence booster. I need to hire this little girl as my public relations person, but alas....she is twelve. 

Turns out my occasional nickname for Liza, "Ladybug," is just perfect for her. Ladybugs, as many of you know, are pretty 'badass' in the garden when it comes to fighting aphids and protecting their own. Liza is not only 'badass' in promoting her grandma's writing, she plays a pretty mean game of soccer as the team's star goalie. But don't get me wrong, she's all girl too. She has loved her dolls over the years. Below is a photo of Liza at ten with her fabulous Barbie Doll collection. Unfortunately, I lost the original picture of her holding the book cover she had made. My smartphone fell in the toilet on a camping trip later and shorted out everything! (Another story😕)

Liza, at ten. With her fabulous Barbie doll collection.

So thinking about the 'badass' ladybug as one of my favorite garden bugs, I decided to do a bit of research. Years ago at the house on Grant Street I came upon a large ladybug nest at the base of a tree in my family's backyard. It was the first time I'd ever seen such an anomaly and I couldn't believe how big it was. If memory serves me right, the nest was two feet across. It was swarming, and if you've never thought a lady bug could bite, think again. Several bit me. Small stings really and of no consequence, but the bites surprised me. 

I liked ladybugs. I had spent years letting them crawl up my arms and legs, and encouraged my children to do the same, which they did. The orange track marks they left behind on your skin, releasing a stinky fluid from their legs, was the only drawback. I have since found out that the fluid is really ladybug blood. I had no idea, did you? Ladybugs release this blood to keep predators from eating them. That's why you will never see a bird eat one. Ladybug blood is their first line of defense, whereas biting is secondary, which explains my surprise. Since I had discovered the home nest, I can only assume that the "ladybug guards" were defending their own. Plus, they were hibernating for the winter. 

 

A familiar nursery rhyme most of us know:

Lady bug, ladybug

 fly away home. 

Your house is on fire and 

your children are gone.

I have released more than one ladybug into the air with this innocent little rhyme, but as with most British nursery rhymes of old, the meaning is far from innocent.

In Britain, Ladybugs are called Ladybirds, which is an old Catholic reference to "Our Lady." In the 1500s and 1600s, a law known as the Act of Uniformity (1559 and 1662) punished Catholic worshipers for refusing to attend the Protestant church. Punishment was severe. Priests were hung and some burned alive at the stake. Worshipers were jailed and fined heavily. The rhyme served as a warning cry for Catholics to escape. I wonder how many lives were spared with this clever use of words. 

I think I will try adding this 'badass' red bug with black spots to my garden in the spring. If I can get them to stay (I have plenty of aphids to dine on), I might have a better gardening season (summer 2018 was a fail). 

Meanwhile, hugs, hugs, hugs to Liza my sweet granddaughter and "ladybug" for inspiring this Celebrate the Small Things post!!




Special thanks to 'Celebrate the Small Things' 
host, Lexa Cain. 
And co-hosts: L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Sharon M. Himsl
Published: Evernight Teen 
The Shells of Mersing

V is for Vanilla: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Vanilla orchids bloom for one day (or less!)

Vanilla has been called the "cheese pizza of ice cream." Where would we be without this basic ingredient that flavors our favorite foods and adds ambiance to our worlds and homes with its sweet perfume? 

The vanilla bean (or pod), from which vanilla is derived, is the fruit of the vanilla orchid. It is the only edible plant in the orchid family, and only native to Mexico. It was first cultivated by Mexico's Tononac people, who in the 15th century were later conquered by the Aztecs. Legends and myths about the vanilla plant have long existed in their culture.

Vanilla plants grow on vines,
often climbing trees in wild.

The vanilla orchid has a unique
characteristic that affected its history and distribution for centuries. It can only be pollinated by Mexico's Melipone bee, and efforts to relocate this bee have never been successful. 

This was first discovered by the Spanish explorer Cortes in the early 1500s, when the plants he took back to Spain failed to produce fruit. It is the sole reason Mexico became the center of vanilla production, a monopoly that lasted for 300 years.

Edmond Albius

In 1841, a young twelve-year-old slave named Edmond Albius changed all that. He was living on a French island in the Indian Ocean at the time, and had discovered a way to hand pollinate the vanilla flower. Although labor-intensive, the technique caused a global explosion in vanilla production outside of Mexico. In fact, it became so competitive that so-called "vanilla rustlers" began robbing and fighting for world domination. 

- Vanilla plantation -
La Reunion Island, Guatemala

Today, in addition to Mexico, vanilla is grown in Madagascar, Indonesia, China, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Tonga, Uganda, Fiji, Tahiti, Comoros, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and India, Madagascar and Indonesia being the two top producers.

Considered also a spice, vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world (after saffron). All is due to the labor-intensive method still required to pollinate the vanilla orchid flower, but there are other factors, too. Vanilla plants can only be grown within 20 degrees of the equator. 

Added to this, orchid flowers bloom for one day only (sometimes less), so the timing of pollination is critical! 

Vanilla beans are dried to process.
The tiny seeds inside are flavorless,
and often seen in vanilla bean
ice cream (as black specks)

It explains why vanilla is still so expensive and why 97% of vanilla used today as a flavoring and
fragrance is artificial. Imitation vanilla is made from a wood byproduct called lignin. In tastes test, most people cannot tell the difference in baked goods, but in cold or unbaked foods, they notice a difference in the taste. 

An FDA approved non-plant substitute in the U.S. called castoreum (from castor sacs of beavers, a type of scent gland) is also used. It is often referenced as "natural flavoring" on the label, and commonly used in foods, beverages, cigarettes and perfumes. Personally, after reading all this, I'm going to stick to pure vanilla when cooking at home. As for the rest, all we can really do is avoid processed foods. 

Do you use artificial or pure vanilla extract?

Vanilla comes in the following forms:

• pure vanilla extract - from beans soaked in alcohol and water
• vanilla powder - from dried pure extract or beans, pulverized
• vanilla bean - the orchid fruit (buy dark, almost black in color, and slightly moist); beans should last five years, if stored away from light and heat (do not freeze)
• vanilla sugar - sugar flavored by vanilla beans
• vanilla paste - from pure extract and bean seed in syrup 

Dried vanilla beans

Besides vanilla's use as a flavoring in foods and beverages, it is used in perfumes and medicines. In aromatherapy, it has been used to soothe nerves, to uplift the spirit, and as an aid in losing weight. Folk remedies include its use as an aphrodisiac and a treatment for fevers. 

Vanilla Recipes

"Easy Vanilla Sugar"

 
Fill large jar with sugar. Break up vanilla bean into three pieces. Press into the sugar and let sit for several weeks.

"Yummy Vanilla Custard"

2 cups milk

1 vanilla pod (bean)

3 eggs

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup stiffly whipped cream

--In heavy saucepan, add milk and vanilla pod. Heat to under boiling point and remove from burner. (Wipe vanilla pod dry and store. You can use again another time)

--In medium bowl, beat eggs until lemon-colored. Pour small amount of hot milk over eggs, stirring constantly. 

--Add mixture to remaining milk in saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over low heat for 20 minutes (until thick). Remove from heat, stir in sugar. Let cool. Then fold in whipped cream gradually.

(Note: one teaspoon vanilla extract can be substituted for vanilla pod. Add to sauce after removing from heat. Use as sauce or custard.  

Vanilla Joke

Vanilla Books


--Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques 
by Sauna Sever and Leigh Beisch (2012)


--Vanilla Orchards: Natural 
History and Cultivation 
by Ken Cameron (2011)


--I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Children in a Race-Conscious World  by Marguerite Wright (2000)

--Vanilla: Travels in Search of
the Ice Cream Orchard 
by Tim Ecott (2005)

Vanilla Movie

--Vanilla Sky (2001) (trailer)

starring Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz, 

Cameron Diaz and Kurt Russell

Vanilla Song

--Vanilla Twilight by Owl City (2010)

Sources: http://www.beanilla.com/vanilla-faqs/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla; http://vanilla.servolux.nl/vanilla_history.html; 
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/desserts/a/Vanilla.htm; 

S is for Strawberry: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Wild strawberries have been around for at least 2,200 years ago. Researchers know that Italy had strawberries in 234 BC, where ancient Romans used strawberries to make different types of medicines.

We also know that French kings planted strawberries in their royal gardens in the 14th century and European monks (15th century) wrote of strawberries in their manuscripts. Flemish, German, Italian, and English artists depicted strawberries in their work, while instructions on how to grow strawberries were described in England in 1578. Cultivation of non-wild strawberries followed in the 1750s in Brittany, France. After a period of cross-breeding with a native Chilean strawberry from Chile, a large, juicy and sweet strawberry was developed that became quite popular in Europe.

Meanwhile, settlers who had left for America in the late 1500s discovered native wild strawberries in Virginia and Massachusetts, a berry long since enjoyed by area Indians. Its popularity spread from there. Today the U.S. is the largest producer of strawberries in the world, with California producing the most (Florida second). Spain is the second largest producer, and also the largest exporter of strawberries.

Besides being high in vitamin C and dietary fiber, the health claims for eating strawberries are mainly: 1) support of cardiovascular health & disease prevention; 2) decreased type 2 diabetes risk, help regulating blood sugar; 3) prevention of certain cancers - breast, cervical, colon and esophageal. A word of caution would be the concern for those with gall bladder or untreated kidney problems. The oxalates in strawberries may interfere with calcium absorption. Other than that, enjoy this yummy fruit with gusto! I slice these on my oatmeal with nuts almost daily.

Strawberry Recipes

FRESH: The best way 
to enjoy strawberries!

But for that special occasion try:


"Easy Strawberry Trifle"


2 cups fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups homemade vanilla pudding (or store-bought pudding)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups pre-baked angel food cake, cut in one-inch cubes (shortcake or pound cake also works)

--(Reserve 3 or 4 berries for garnish). Hull and slice 1 cup strawberries. Arrange berries along the sides of a clear, glass serving dish (1-1/2 quart size). 

--Place remaining strawberries and sugar in blender container and process until pureed. 

--In mixing bowl, mix pudding and cream cheese with electric mixer and blend well. 

--Place half of cake in bottom of serving dish. Pour half of pureed strawberries over cake, and top with half of pudding mixture.
--Repeat layer. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Before serving stop with reserved berries. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. 


Strawberry Jokes

Q: Why were the little strawberries upset?



A: Because their parents were in a jam!




Q: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry?

A: If you weren’t so sweet, we wouldn’t be in this jam!

 

"Rock Berries"

Strawberry Books

--Strawberry Girl (1945) (ages 8-12)

by Lois Lenski (a Newbery Medal book)

--Freckleface Strawberry (2007)
 (ages 3-8) by Julianne Moore & LeUyen Pham 

--Strawberry Hill (2010) (ages 8-12) 
by Mary Ann Hoberman 

"Strawberry
Shortcake"

--Strawberry Shortcake (various titles) (2003-2014) A popular series for ages 2 to 6 years; I counted 131 books online! 
Note: the American Greetings character "Strawberry Shortcake" evolved commercially 
to include: dolls, toys, songs, posters, movies, TV series, video games, cartoons, and books. Lawsuits regarding ownership of this character and related continue to this day.

--The Strawberry Statement by James Simon Kunen (1969) (nonfiction) (Chronicles a student's experience at Columbia University; counterculture and student revolts, 1960s).

Strawberry Movies

--Strawberry Blonde (1941)  

James Cagney and Olivia DeHaviland

--Strawberry Summer (2012)  

Julie Mond and Trevor Donovan



--The Strawberry Statement (1970)
Bruce Davison and Kim Darby 
(Based on Kunen's book; Winner at Jury Prize Cannes Film Festival, 1970)

Strawberry Songs

--Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter (1996)

--Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson (1977)

--Strawberry Roan - Ed McCurdy (a cowboy song) 
(written by Curley Fletcher, first published 1936)

--Raspberries Strawberries - Kingston Trio
(first released, 1960)

--Strawberry Swing - Coldplay (released 2009)

--Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles (1967)

Although credited to both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the story behind this song is that John was inspired by a garden he had played in as a child near his home. The garden was located at a Salvation Army children's home called "Strawberry Field."

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry; http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=32

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Shortcake; http://www.berries4u.com/history.htm; http://www.strawberries-for-strawberry-lovers.com/where-are-strawberries-grown.html#sthash.3SVXz5SO.dpbs

P is for Peach: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Peaches most likely originated in China. Chinese manuscripts mention peaches as far back at the 10th century. Peaches played a huge role in Chinese culture and were regarded highly, as giving a person vitality and warding off evil. Peach wood bows and arrows and wands, and pits, therefore were thought to have special powers. 

Legends and similar cultural significance existed in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam as well, and elsewhere around the world. Famous artists in Europe, for instance, depicted peaches' positive influence on one's life. A peach was viewed as a symbol of good health.  

Spanish explorers introduced peaches to the Americas in the 16th century. Later, President Thomas Jefferson planted peach trees at his home, Monticello, but commercial production in the U.S. did not begin until the 19th century - in the states of Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and Virginia. Today the three largest peach-producing states are California, South Carolina, and Georgia.  

Historically, Georgia has a long relationship with peaches. It is known as the "peach state," and having lived there for a year and a half early in my marriage, I am kind of proud of the fact I gave birth to a "Georgia peach." Our daughter was born in Georgia! The song below is cute. Give it a listen if you have time and want to know what it means to be a "Georgia peach."

There are two main varieties of peaches: clingstone (the flesh sticks to stone) and freestone (the flesh separates from stone).

The peach stone (pit/seed) is toxic and peach allergies do exist, but for most of us, peaches are a delicious way to get vitamins A and C. Other health benefits include: high potassium; low glycemic load (no sudden blood sugar spikes); cholesterol-lowering high fiber; cancer and heart disease prevention.     

This evening I was catching up on some newspaper reading and was surprised to read on the front page an article about cancer and peaches! A food scientist (Giuliana Noratto) at Washington State University in the town were I live has been researching the effect of chemicals in peaches on breast cancer growth. (Moscow-Pullman Daily News, April 11, 2014)

To test, she fed peaches to mice with implanted breast cancer. The tumor growth was slowed, but what was more surprising is that the cancer cells died off. She recommends women with breast cancer add peaches to their diet. "This is equivalent to a 132-pound human eating three peaches a day," she said. The article goes on to say that Noratto is a firm believer the right nutrition can go a long way in treating ailments. I couldn't agree more!

Peach Recipe

"Peach Coffee Cake"

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
3 large peaches, peeled and sliced

Cake:
--Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease heavy 9-inch baking pan (2 quart size).
--Cream butter and sugar until light (blended well). Beat in egg.
Sift dry ingredients together (a wire whisk is good for this). Beat half of dry mixture into creamed mixture, then beat in half of milk. Repeat with rest, beating well.
--Pour batter in prepare pan. Arrange peach slices on top. Bake 25 minutes.

Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger (or nutmeg)
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

Cut ingredients together with pastry blender, fork, or wire whisk, until mixture is crumbly. Remove prepared cake from oven and immediately crumble topping over peaches. Bake for 8 minutes, or until cake is done. (Cake will pull away from edges when firm).
Yield: 8 servings. Best served warm. 

Peach Jokes

Did you hear the joke about a peach? 
It's pit-iful! 

Peach Books

--Peach 
by Elizabeth Adler (1989)  


--The Peach Keeper 
by Sarah Addison Allen (2012)

--Lucky Peach, Issue 9 

by David Chang, Chris Ying, and

Peter Meehan (2013) (nonfiction)

--The Peaches Monroe Trilogy 
by Mimi Strong (2014)

--Peaches (2006)
by Jodi Lynn Anderson 

--James and the Giant Peach
by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake 
(2007) (ages 7 up)

Peach Movies

--James and the Giant Peach (1996)

--Peaches (2004) (drama)

--Eat the Peach (1986) (comedy)


Peach Songs

"Georgia Peaches" by Lauren Alaina (2011)

--"I Can't Grow Peaches on a Cherry Tree" 

by Nancy Sinatra

--"Peaches" - Presidents of the USA

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach
http://www.pearsonfarm.com/peaches/peach-nutrition-facts.html

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

O is for Orange: Yummy Fruits A-Z

Oranges. If you have never eaten an orange, I'll bet a bottle of vitamin C you have had orange juice. Oranges, next to apples, are probably the most common fruit around, and it is hard for me to talk about oranges without adding a personal note from my past. 

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest (the Tacoma-Seattle area) in a blue-collar family of five in the 1960s. Dad was self-employed and Mom worked part-time in retail. Mom had a strict food budget in those days....$100 a month, which was not much, even then, but she knew how to stretch a dollar. She filled our freezer full with loaves of day-old bread, chicken, and other meat on sale. Dad fished in his spare time and the family went clam-digging and oyster hunting every season. Fruit (also vegetables and eggs) came from my grandparent's farm, where apples, pears, raspberries, and rhubarb grew in abundance. Mom faithfully canned most of this fruit.

(That's me on left with my dad,
baby sister and brother)

Oranges, on the other hand, were a special treat. I do not think they were available year round. Mom bought a huge bag (I'm guessing a 5-10 pound bag) at the first of the month, and by the end of that month I was craving oranges again. My favorite way to eat an orange was to cut a whole on top and squeeze out all the juice (like the mango I described yesterday). After, I would rip the orange apart and eat the flesh. I even ate the white pulp on the inside of the rind. I was pretty skinny in those days and ate like my dad, Mom said. He had the appetite of a horse!

So....back to the subject of oranges. Their origin is somewhat vague. Southeast Asia, northeastern India, or southern China are the most likely regions. Researchers know that oranges were first cultivated in China around 2500 BC. In the 11th century, oranges appeared in Italy, where they were used to treat illness. (I'm thinking the common cold here). By the late 15th century, oranges had become an edible fruit in the Mediterranean area.  

Oranges were introduced to America in the mid-1500s by Spanish explorers. Christopher Columbus supposedly brought orange seeds on his second voyage. Today Brazil and the U.S. (California and Florida) are the top producers of oranges, but they are grown elsewhere around the world and there are many varieties.

Most people know about the high content of vitamin C in oranges, but there is plenty more to applaud this healthy fruit. Here is a brief list: reduced risk of colon cancer; reduced inflammation conditions (e.g. asthma and osteoarthritis); increased immunity; reduced heart disease, strokes and other cancers.....and reduced cholesterol. Research has shown that oranges could lower levels as effectively as statins in some individual. The secret ingredient? The compounds in the orange peel called PMFs. The orange peel claim is new to me. The recommended dose is one tablespoon grated orange peel a day. Anyone else heard of this?     

Orange Recipe

"Orange-Chocolate Delight"

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups milk (1-2% fat), divided
3 tablespoons freshly brewed espresso
(note: 1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso added to 3 tablespoons boiling water can be substituted).
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel (or orange zest)

--In medium saucepan mix cocoa and sugar together. Add 1 cup milk and stir until smooth. Add espresso, cinnamon, and 1 cup more milk (reserve 1/4 cup for later). Heat and stir mixture over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. 
--Pour mixture into ice cube tray (leave dividers in place). Freeze for at least 8 hours.
--Remove frozen cubes from tray, place in food processor, add 1/4 cup remaining milk, and process until smooth. Add grated orange peel, mix lightly and serve at once. Yield: 4-6 servings
(This recipe is a bit complicated but so worth it!) 


Orange Jokes

Q: What does an orange sweat?

A: Orange juice!

Q: What did the apple 
say to the orange?

A: Nothing. Apples don't talk!

Orange Books

--Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman (2011)


 

--Under the Orange Moon 
by Adrienne Frances (2014)

--It's an Orange Aardvark! 
by Michel Hall (2014) (picture book)

--Oranges 
by John McPhee (1975) (nonfiction)

 
--The Big Orange Splot 
by D. Manus Pinkwater and Daniel Manus Pinkwater (1993) (picture book)

--Think Orange: Imagine the Impact When Church and Family Collide
by Reggie Joiner (2009) (nonfiction)

--A Clockwork Orange 
by Anthony Burgess (1995)

Orange Movies

--Orange County (2002)
(comedy/drama; guidance counselor sends out wrong transcripts to Standford)




--Oranges and Sunshine 
(drama/history; 1980s; British social worker tries to reunite children w/parents)
(2010)


--Orange Love Story (2005) (Stories of love from a small town point of view; Australian)




--Soldier of Orange (1977) 
(Drama; WWII changes the lives of a group of
Dutch law students)

--A Clockwork Orange (1971)

(story of sociopathic delinquent in
dystopian future Britain)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(fruit);
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing