Crossword Puzzle Day – Holiday Review

Crossword Puzzle Day is held each year on December 21.  A journalist (Arthur Wynne) invented this fun word game we all enjoy today. His first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper on December 21, 1913. Today this challenging word game is enjoyed by millions around the world.

Crossword Puzzle Facts

The crossword puzzle is the most popular of all the word games. 

The objective of the game is to fill the white spaces of a grid with the words for the given clues. Black spaces separate individual words.

The levels of these puzzles range from simple puzzles for kids to challenging puzzles for adults.

Reasons to do Crossword Puzzles 

In addition to being fun, crossword puzzles also provide additional benefits:

• They sharpen the brain for problem-solving. 
• They may help delay the effects of dementia, so exercise your brain with a crossword puzzle.
• They can increase vocabulary. 
• If you are bi-lingual or learning a new language, consider completing a crossword puzzle in your second language.
• They can even relieve the mind from the day's stresses.

Challenge yourself to complete a puzzle a day for fun, entertainment and for any of the reasons above.

My brother always begins his day with a coffee in one hand and a newspaper with a crossword puzzle to solve! Where others have given up the daily newspaper delivered to their door (in favor of quick news online and on TV), Ken loves his newspaper for the daily crossword puzzle.  Many turn first to the 'funnies' for their morning entertainment via a newspaper; Ken goes straight to the crossword puzzle. He often does the daily puzzle with his wife. A fun couple activity.

Crossword Puzzle Day Summary

So, if you have not been in the habit of doing crossword puzzles, consider making it a daily habit for any of the number of reasons I have stated in this article, or simply for the fun of it! 

If you do not subscribe to a daily newspaper, which always has a crossword puzzle, a daily crossword calendar can give you one for every day.

Crossword Puzzles 2023 Day-to-Day Box Calendar

A  Daily Desktop calendar which features daily crossword puzzles designed to challenge and entertain. The pages include answers on the reverse side and are mounted on a recyclable stand for easy display.

Numerous crossword puzzle books are published regularly and available in many stores. Crossword puzzles can also be found online and on apps for your Smartphone.

National Crossword Puzzle Day

December 21

More Links to Word Puzzles Articles on ReviewThisReviews

More Links to Holiday Articles on ReviewThisReviews.

Click here for more crossword puzzles in a variety of forms

National Crossword Puzzle Day Holiday Review was written by

Wednesday Elf on 12/21/2022

*Crossword Puzzle Images courtesy of Pixabay.

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Oatmeal Muffin Day – A Food Holiday Review

National Oatmeal Muffin Day is celebrated on December 19th each year. It's one of those minor holidays with no known origin, but since it involves a delicious and healthy muffin, we are happy to celebrate this fun foodie day. 

A Bit of Background

A Muffin, or Quick-Bread, is similar to cupcakes both in size and in cooking method.

Muffins are popular breakfast foods, especially served with coffee.

Muffins come in many varieties and can be savory (like cheese muffins) or sweet like blueberry or banana nut muffins.

Oatmeal muffins have oatmeal as the primary ingredient – which has many health benefits which far outweigh any worry you might have over calories. 

Oatmeal muffin recipes began appearing in American cookbooks as long ago as the mid-1800s. They are made with flour, butter, eggs, OATMEAL, and baking soda as the raising ingredient.

Quick Recipe for Easy Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients for a quick & easy oatmeal muffin recipe I like that I found on Allrecipes include 1 cup of quick cooking oats, milk, an egg, vegetable oil, flour and salt. Baking powder is added as the raising ingredient. 

You can find the exact list of ingredients and also the directions for mixing this muffin recipe at the Allrecipes site for Easy Oatmeal Muffins. 

Prep time is about 15 minutes and baking in a preheated oven (at 425 degrees) is 20-25 minutes. Not long at all for a dozen tasty breakfast muffins. A warm, delicious treat on a cold morning. 

Summary

So whip up a batch of Oatmeal Muffins, or pick up a few at your local bakery, to celebrate this day with a delicious & healthy breakfast treat.

National Oatmeal Muffin Day

December 19

For more Muffin Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Muffins

For more Holiday Reviews, check out the ReviewThisReviews Holiday Category

*National Oatmeal Muffin Day review written by 

         ~Wednesday Elf

**Images are from Pixabay; Intro image was created with GetStencil. 

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Kawaii Craft Life - Book Review

Super-cute projects for home, work & play

Kawaii

The word Kawaii means “cute” in Japanese.  It has the power to make you smile. It is the precious, the cuddly, and the silly.  Kawaii is all things super-cute.

The Kawaii Craft Life Book

The first part of the Kawaii Craft Life craft book lists the tools you need for each craft (Needlecraft Essentials), plus materials lists and hand-stitching basics, with illustrations and directions on how-to-do each craft.  Then the book is divided into sections filled with patterns and instructions.

The sections include:

Feltcraft 

These include tiny plushies, woodland critters, coasters, pencil toppers and more.

Counted Cross-Stitch

Patterns include cute animals wineglass charms, gift tags, greeting cards, cupcake toppers, napkin rings, magnets and even earrings.  Color charts of a seal, a penguin, a panda and a cat, bunny, frog, acorns and mushrooms, and even designs of Sushi food, are among the cute designs to cross stitch or use in other needlework crafts.

Embroidery

Stitch a cheerful blooms coin purse, an apple pie apron, tea towels and and a Little Monster onesie.  Embroider a tote or a dragon bookmark.  Stitch cute veggies on napkins or create a magic unicorn wall art.  Woodland critters look darling on just about anything. 

The Authors

The authors of Kawaii Craft Life are Sosae and Dennis Caetano.  Years ago they began their crafting journey with needle and thread and found it was a wonderful way to deal with stress – a way to unwind and express their creativity.  They began to design needlecraft projects – from felt animals to cottage ornaments to Kawaii monsters. Whether they are creating a pattern or stitching it to life, needlecraft brings them happiness.  Sosae & Dennis hope that with this Kawaii Craft Life book it does the same to you.

Summary

Kawaii Craft Life is a fun crafting book filled with home décor and playtime pals, all with the  'cuteness factor'.  It will bring “adorable” and “lovable” into your crafting world. Few can resist the charm of Kawaii, so come create a cute and cuddly craft. 

For more craft reviews, check out ReviewThisCrafts.com 

For more book reviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com

*Kawaii Craft Life Book Review written by

Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Christmas Cookies History and Traditions – Food Review

December 4th is designated as National Cookie Day. It's a good time for bakers across the country to warm up the ovens for holiday baking.

History of the Christmas Cookie

Today's Christmas cookies come from recipes popular in Medieval Europe when many modern ingredients were introduced into the west.  Ingredients popular in these Christmas 'biscuits' included cinnamon, ginger, almonds and dried fruit.  

Image Source: Pixabay

The Dutch brought the earliest examples of Christmas Cookies to the United States in the 17th century. 

Then between 1871 and 1906 changes in import laws allowed for cookie cutters to be imported from Germany. These highly stylized images had subjects designed to hang on Christmas Trees. Soon, recipes began to appear in cookbooks designed to use these cookie cutters. 

Image Source: Pixabay

Using the standard sugar cookie recipe and rolling out the dough, these 'cookie cutters' allowed us to create Christmas designs as Christmas Cookies. The cookies are often cut into the shape of candy canes, reindeer, holly leaves, Christmas trees, stars or angels. 

Image Source: Pixabay

Beginning in the 1930s in Canada and in the United States the tradition of children leaving cookies and milk on a table for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve began.

Sugar Cookies Recipes

Image Source: Pixabay

Everyone seems to have their favorite sugar cookie recipe for creating cut-out cookies using their selection of cookie cutters. The one I like the best comes from Lindsay of Life, Love & Sugar. She says this recipe makes soft cookies with lightly crisp edges. The perfect sugar cookie for decorating!  

Sugar cookies are a classic holiday cookie tradition. Cutout cookies are also not just for Christmas. Using various shapes of cookie cutters, you can also make Hearts for Valentine's Day, Pumpkins for Halloween, and any shape for any holiday or event you desire. 

Summary

Holiday Cookie Tray - Wikimedia

There are numerous 'Cookie Days' throughout the year, including National Cookie Month in October and Bake Cookies Day on December 18th.  But it's never too early to begin your Christmas cookie baking, as most cookies can be frozen ahead to be ready for Christmas celebrations and Christmas gifts.  And, of course, Santa!

HAPPY COOKIE BAKING!

Image Source: Pixabay

Related Links:

• National Cookie Day - December 4th
• Autumn Eats - A Review of Seasonal Cookie Cutters
• How to Make a Christmas Cookie Gift Set... Without Baking by Treasures by Brenda

My Amazon Picks for Christmas Cookies

Christmas  Cookies History & Traditions Review written by

Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs – A Book Review

 

The Bone Code is the latest in Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan crime series. 

Plot Summary 

The Bone Code available on Amazon

Tempe Brennan is on her way to help a friend on the Isle of Palms on the South Carolina coast whose home is damaged by a hurricane. Before she gets there she receives a call from the Charleston coroner who needs her help with two bodies found in a medical waste container which has been tossed ashore by the storm.

As Tempe investigates, she recognizes many of the details as being identical to those of an unsolved case she handled in Quebec years earlier. She then travels to Montreal to gather evidence.

Meanwhile, health authorities in South Carolina are becoming alarmed as a human flesh-eating contagion spreads. Tempe is so focused on identifying the container victims that she doesn't initially register how the murders and the pestilence may be related.  But she does realize one unsettling fact ~ that someone is protecting a dark secret, and they are willing to do anything to keep it hidden.

The Bone Code gives us a sinister look at a shocking way genetics can be put to use.

Author Kathy Reichs

Author Kathy Reichs.
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Kathy Reichs is an American Crime Writer. She is also a forensic anthropologist associated with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale in Quebec, Canada. 

Reichs' main character (Tempe) in her Temperance Brennan crime series is based on her own life.  And the television show Bones is loosely based on her book series. 

Summary

The Bone Code is the 20th book in the Temperance Brennan series of crime novels by Kathy Reichs. It is Temperance Brennan's most astonishing case yet and will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

*Book Review of The Bone Code written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Express Yourself With Wooden Words

 

Wooden Words as Wall Art, Home Decor Accents, and for Crafts – a Review

Wooden words are decorative for home décor.  They are also handy for DIY craft projects. Their uses are limited only by your imagination.

Wooden words look great displayed on a wall, a fireplace mantle, or on a table, shelf or door. Or, you can attach them to your craft and home decor projects. Choose to leave them in their wood color for a rustic look, or decorate them with stain, paint or acrylic markers for your own personal touch.

Let's review a few examples in various rooms around the house.

Kitchen Decor 

When considering a wooden word sign as a décor accent in your kitchen, this one 'speaks' to me as the perfect one. The word 'Gather' evokes many happy memories of the gathering of friends & family around the kitchen table sharing coffee and hours of talk. I consider the kitchen the central gathering place in my home. Hang this sign on the wall or display it on a countertop or as a centerpiece on the kitchen table.  It will add to the creation of the heart-warming, welcoming atmosphere you always have when enjoying the kitchen company of your coffee companions. 

Bathroom Decorative Touches

After a long or stressful day, nothing is more  relaxing than a nice long soak in the tub. Personalize your bathroom wall with these four words ~ relax, soak, unwind, and breathe ~ and enjoy your 'down-time'. 

These rustic wooden word signs will add to the peace and contentment of your relaxing moment. 

Monograms in Wood

Decorate a baby's nursery or a child's room with their name in wood.  Hang it over a crib in the nursery or on any wall in a child's room.

You can order it on amazon unpainted, which comes sanded ready for paint to DIY with your favorite colors.  Or order your monogram painted. The paint is applied with two premium coats of paint to ensure a high quality smooth finish with sanding between coats.

Home Decor That Says it All

The  heart of any HOME is FAMILY. These decorative wooden block letters come as separate free-standing letters making the two words  HOME and FAMILY. Thus, they can easily be placed anywhere to meet your decorating needs. 

Crafting with Wooden Letters 

There are a wide variety of crafts which can be decorated with an initial, a name or a favorite phrase. Create a unique gift or a piece of home décor using these wooden letters. This is just one example of the many sets of wooden letters available on Amazon for your creative crafting. Click here for a range of wooden letter sets in different sizes and fonts.

Christmas Tree Wooden Word Ornaments

Wooden words make unique Christmas Tree Ornaments.  Create a festive atmosphere on your tree, your fireplace mantle, hanging in a window, or even tied to a bow on a Christmas present under the tree. These wooden Christmas words (such as Joy, Peace, Love, Let it Snow) have many uses and decorating ideas for your Christmas décor. 

Summary

So, think wood when you choose a name or a phrase for your wall art, table décor, fireplace mantle decoration or any décor arrangement you can imagine. Expressing yourself with wooden words can create a warm and pleasing mood in any room in your home.

*Express Yourself With Wooden Words written & compiled by Wednesday Elf

**Image source information. All product images are from Amazon. The intro image is a collage created from a Pixabay free-to-use image using Fotojet.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of Fall Farmhouse Decor

The Farmhouse style of décor is cozy, casual and welcoming. Originally found in farmhouses, which of necessity were largely functional in the modest rural houses built by American pioneers in the 1700s and 1800s to suit the agricultural lifestyle, the style of decor has evolved into many different variations. 

 Homeowners today appreciate the farmhouse style regardless of whether they live in a rural area or a small town.

While there are many variations to the Farmhouse style, including rustic, modern, country and primitive, the style itself is appreciated for its warmth and simplicity. This style is characterized by natural textures and materials such as wood or galvanized steel.

Today we will concentrate on decorating your Farmhouse style for the Fall.  If you already have pieces that form your farmhouse interior, you can always just add temporary ones to update them for the season. 

Fall Farmhouse Décor

When you decorate your home for the Fall, you can add small touches throughout the house or simply focus only on one nook or create a small corner filled with an Autumn theme. A few examples of this Fall magic are shown here.

Wreaths

A favorite Fall Decor is a wreath for the front door, in a window, or as part of an inside Autumn decoration, perhaps as a centerpiece surrounding a candle.

Maple leaves in red & yellow, berries and vine add to this Fall atmosphere in this lovely wreath found on Amazon.  Perfect for the Autumn season and the Thanksgiving festivities.

Fall Décor Candles

Candles are always perfect for any décor.  Since wood is one of the materials inherent to a Farmhouse theme, these wood candle holders made from logs fit in perfectly. 

Available in brown, harvest and orange and adorned with natural Raffia bows, these candle holders made from reclaimed wood fit the Tea-light or votive candles.  A lovely set for a table centerpiece or a fireplace mantle decoration.

Log candle holders are handmade by Sarah & Eddie of GFTWoodcraft on Etsy, where you can find a wonderful collection of rustic wood home décor. 

Tiered Trays Decorating

Tiered trays are very popular in this day and age.  They are the perfect décor item in any room in the house and come in all sorts of designs. This Farmhouse Decor Fall Tiered Tray was created by Crystal and is available in her Etsy Shop CKDesigns.  

This collection of hand-painted, laser-cut signs will make a really cute Fall Farmhouse themed décor.

Farmhouse Porch Décor

Continue your Fall Farmhouse Decor outside on your porch or patio with this Fall Planter Bucket.  It is created by Jackie for her home décor Etsy Store called Oak Knoll Creations.

This planter bucket is made from authentic galvanized sap buckets once used to gather sap from maple trees. The lettering and designs are made from vinyl and your bucket can include a rope around the top.

A cute Fall porch décor in a Farmhouse theme which would look lovely paired with pumpkins, mums, lanterns, and cornstalks to look festive and welcoming. 

*In addition, Sylvestermouse tells us how festive fall leaves place mats and table runners can be for your Fall and Thanksgiving table décor. 

Summary

The calming colors of the autumn will give any space the warmth and coziness that you would like to feel every day.

For more Decor Reviews, check out
ReviewThisDecor.com

Fall Farmhouse Décor Review written by

Wednesday Elf 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Burning by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman – Book Review

A raging wildfire. A massive blackout. A wealthy man shot to death in his palatial hilltop home 

Synopsis

Available on
Amazon

The protagonist of this story, Clay Edison, is a deputy coroner.  Caring for the dead, he speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. He prides himself on an unflinching commitment to the truth. Even when it gets him into trouble. 

The Burning, set in the San Francisco Bay Area during one of the state’s terrible wildfires, is Book #4 in the Clay Edison series by Jonathan & Jesse Kellerman. 

A murder scene becomes personal for this deputy coroner when he discovers a link to his brother, Luke, while investigating the crime scene.

Luke is fresh out of prison and struggling to stay on the straight and narrow. But when Clay calls Luke to find out why his lovingly restored vintage Camaro is in the murdered man's garage, he discovers his brother is missing. 

While trying to find his brother before anyone else can, Clay is forced to do his job, as well as cope with a wildfire and a massive blackout occurring in his northern California area. Is his brother a killer or a victim? And, where is he?

Image Source: Pixabay

The Kellerman Authors, Father & Son

Jonathan Kellerman is the well-known author of the Alex Delaware Series (36 books to date) and is married to author Faye Kellerman (known in particular for her 29 mystery novels in her "Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus" series. Now, Jonathan is joined by their son, Jesse, a writer in his own right. To date, Jonathan & Jesse have co-authored 5 books, including four in the Clay Edison series. 

The Kellermans are an amazing family of writers of mystery thrillers. 

Summary

The Burning is a real page-turner – a harrowing collision of family, revenge, and murder. 

For more book reviews on ReviewThisReviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com 

Related Link:

The Bone Box by Faye Kellerman – a Decker//Lazarus Novel

*The Burning – a book review written by Wednesday Elf

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Review of the Tycoga Vineyard and Winery

During a recent visit from my brother & sister-in-law, we went out to lunch at the Tycoga Vineyard & Winery located about 18 miles from my home. My brother used to make his own wine as a hobby and enjoys trying different wines, so I knew he would enjoy visiting this winery.  We had an extremely pleasant couple of hours doing a wine tasting and having this winery's fresh handmade wood fired pizzas for lunch.

Tycoga Vineyard & Winery

Tycoga Vineyard & Winery is a family owned business that began in 2010 with only 50 plants. Their intent was to only grow grapes and sell them. Their first plants produced a small crop. 

Then one day a couple stopped by and gave the Tycoga family their phone number. They said they thought that these were wonderful grapes and that they needed to make wine instead of just selling the grapes.

Tycoga Vineyards

After many long talks with this helpful couple, and learning about grapes, the Tycoga family ended up planting many, many more grape plants. They now have over 26 acres of plants. 

TYCOGA Vineyard & Winery was then established in 2014. The Tycoga tasting room opened on December 20, 2014, and  final construction was completed in April 2015.

Handcrafted Wines

Tycoga Wines

Tycoga now has over 20 different types of wines from Dry to Sweet. This wide variety of mainly ESTATE produced wines allows the Tygoca family to showcase wines to both the novice and the experienced wine drinker. TYCOGA Vineyard & Winery has entered the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition every year since 2015 and they have won awards every year, including bronze, silver and gold metals.

The wines at Tycoga also include a dessert wine and a sparkling wine. The dessert wine pairs well with a delicious piece of chocolate cake. During a wine tasting, they offer you a piece of chocolate to eat – first tasting the dessert wine without the chocolate and again after eating the chocolate. It allows you to see how well it goes with a chocolate dessert. Yum.

Food

Wood-Fired Pizza

Tycogo Winery offers 16 varieties of their delicious wood-fired Pizzas  Click this link for the menu. 

Private Parties and Small Events

Outside Patio overlooking the Vineyard

Tycoga Winery has an event room, a Barrel room and an outside patio for booking anything from a bridal shower to a wedding, or for an office event, birthday party, retirement party, graduation or any other special occasion. An attractive venue for your special event.

Summary

If you enjoy visiting wineries and find yourself traveling in Southeastern Iowa, spend an hour or two at the Tycoga Vineyard & Winery. It has a delightful atmosphere and very friendly staff. 

The name of the winery comes from the TYCOGA Family children - Tyler, Courtney & Gabe.

Tycoga Vineyard & Winery

Location:

Tycoga Vineyard & Winery

Address: 2585 195th St, DeWitt, IA 52742

Phone: (563) 659-1443

Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

Website: Tycoga.com

Related Links to More Places to Visit in Iowa:

• Field of Dreams Movie Site - Dyersville, Iowa
• Midwest Adventures
• Go Fish Marina Bar and Grill Restaurant -  Princeton, Iowa
• Figge Art Museum of Davenport, Iowa 

*Tycoga Vineyard & Winery Travel Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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