Mid-Atlantic Authors

Just in case you have not noticed, I love the Mid-Atlantic region. I’d love for everyone to experience a part of this area, whichever part they would enjoy most. Whether that enjoyment would come from the beach or the mountains, quiet countryside or bustling city, hot summer nights or cold snowy days... I wish everyone could have a personal experience here.

I realize that traveling and vacations are sometimes difficult.  Luxuries like travel are becoming increasingly difficult as the economy has taken such a toll on so many people.

When I can’t travel, and I usually can’t beyond this region, I turn to books.  I can read about faraway lands and adventures that I may never take. I already feel as though I’ve done a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, even though I have only done a short walk on a couple of different portions of the trail in this immediate area. That is the magic of books.

I’d like for you to know about my three favorite Mid-Atlantic authors.

Suzanne McMinn writes about her life in rural West Virginia.

Tawni O’Dell tells us stories about coal mining areas, and the people who live there, in Pennsylvania.

Nora Roberts tells too many stories to list, but I want to point out that she tells us stories that take place in BoonsBoro, Maryland and on the Chesapeake Bay.

I hope you check out these authors and their stories.  And if you are interested, I’ve given you a place to help review these books and to browse more of their writing.

Until you can come to the Mid-Atlantic in person, pick up a book and travel here through the magic of words. Enjoy your adventure! 

Image Credit: Image is ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)

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Please Pass the Punch

Credit: Andrea Parrish Geyer under CC by ND-2.0 License

What's a party without liquid libation? Yes, every party also needs a variety of drinks for your guests. Luckily, Squidoo is chuck full of punch, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink recipes as well as some great suggestions for serving your drinks.

Punch for Kids and Adults

My absolute favorite, all time punch recipe has the be the old fall back of sherbet punch. Any flavor will do (although green/lime is my favorite). I have served it at baby and bridal showers, weddings, graduations, open houses for different holidays, school parties, and almost any other party occasion that comes to mind.

Sylvestermouse shares her recipe in her article aptly titled Sherbert Punch. The recipe I use is a bit different than the one Miss Mouse uses but I can tell you from experience, both are fantastic punch offerings for any party -- kids or adult.

 BuckHawk shares, in her article titled Party Punches for Every Occasion, a lot of different punch recipes. Her's include punches made with cider, a golden wedding punch, shower punches and even a recipe that uses Jello as an ingredient. (I may have to try this one!)

Non-Alcoholic Party Drinks

Depending on the season of your party, you can serve wonderful frozen or cold refreshments or piping hot drinks to your party guests. For spring or summer, you might serve a refreshing flavored iced tea or a non-alcoholic "mocktail".

Mix them up by the glass, pitcher or gallon. Your guests can serve themselves and then dress them up with fun swizzle sticks or cute paper drink umbrellas. No alcohol required for fun here!

Alcoholic Cocktail Party Drinks

Is it 5 o'clock somewhere? If you are hosting an adult party then alcoholic offerings are another choice for your party. There are literally thousands of different drinks you can make for a party that don't require a seasoned bartender.

Consider choosing only a couple and label them as "signature drinks" for your event. Give them a name that goes along with the event in some way and make them up by the gallon or punch bowl. The best party drinks are self serve.

A good hostess/host wants her/his guests to be happy. Instead of waiting in long lines for a bartender to mix drinks one at a time (not to mention the expense of a full bar), self-serve "signature drinks" keep everyone happy. Make a drink station -- decorate it with your party motif -- and off you go!

Squidoo is Party Headquarters

Squidoo is a veritable treasure trove of punch and drink recipes. Take a look for yourself the next time you are planning a party or get-together or just want to enjoy a new, different liquid libation!

Have you got a special drink or punch recipe you always use for parties? Consider sharing it with the world by writing your own article on Squidoo. It's fast, easy and fun! 

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

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Celebrate Earth Month

It's springtime in April, the Earth's having a birthday. Clean up our environment, plant a tree. Make this world a better place for everybody.

Hello Friends of the Earth!

Welcome to April and the warming rays of the springtime season. Springtime is my favorite time of the year. The air is fresh, the birds are singing and the plants are sprouting new blossoms. As I finish the Spring Cleaning Challenge of the Century, I look forward to the clean and environmentally friendly events yet to come this month.

Showcase Your Best Upcycled and Recycled Easter Crafts

Easter brings a wealth of opportunities to celebrate the rejuvenation of the earth by reusing what we have to celebrate the holiday. The Recycler Network is hosting an Easter Crafters hashtag event. Do you have an upcycled and recycled Easter craft that you'd like to share with the world? It's easy to be seen.

To enter, you'll need a Twitter account (or a friend who Tweets). Just tweet your Easter craft along with the  hashtag, #EasterCrafts between 12 am Eastern time on Monday, April 14, and 11 pm on Friday, April 18. You'll find more information about the event at The Recycler Network News.


Find Creative Ways to Recycle Everyday Items

Springtime holidays and spring cleaning bring opportunities to reduce the clutter around the house. Before you throw your unwanted stuff into the garbage, Find Inspiration to Turn Trash into Treasure. I put together a list of books that will spark idea after idea to make something new out of something old. If you read one of the books on this list, I'd love to share your review.

BritFlorida was the first to tell us about her favorite recycled crafting book. She finds inspiration while browing the pages of Eco Craft. A book to inspire you to make recycled home decor items. This crafting book has some unique projects that you won't find any place else.

I hope you enjoyed today's recycling stories and found some inspiration to recycle more in your own every day life.

Until next time, be happy and be well!

The Recycler

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The Recycler likes to have fun and wants you to have fun, too!

Let's get together and turn trash into treasure.

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Join The Recycler Network

Ask questions. Share stories. Get inspired.

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Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.

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

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Cooking for Easter

For many families, Easter is a day for tradition and celebration, but traditions have to start somewhere.  

Most of the Easter traditions in our family were started by my mother, and her chicks have simply followed her example throughout the ensuing years.  

However, any of us can start a new Easter tradition without having to terminate the family traditions we hold so close to our hearts.  I have found several things in the following articles, that I would like to add to our Easter family traditions.

Some changes are just for fun, while others are for dietary needs.


The Easter Menu

The traditional Easter menu in my childhood home was similar to Treasures-by-Brenda's Traditional Easter Dinner Menu.   The one main deviation that Brenda makes from our family menu is a luscious carrot cake.   As I read her article, I wondered why I have never had a carrot cake for Easter.   It just makes since.  Easter bunnies need Easter carrot cake!  

Therefore, a new tradition must be started in our home this year.  We need carrot cake on our menu.


Easter Recipes for Vegetarians & Vegans

As the "chef" for holidays, I vowed to try to find ways to make cooking for the holidays easier.  

One of my personal favorite tips is to do as much in the days before the holiday as possible.  Then, you can focus on enjoying the actual day.

Good Housekeeping has published some totally awesome "Easter Brunch Ideas" article.   The site is packed with recipes for just about everyone.  They even has recipes for Vegetarians and recipes for Vegans!   Discovering this article thrilled me beyond description.  You see, my daughter is a vegan and I have been quite challenged to find recipes that are actually vegan friendly.   

Therefore, a new tradition and addition to our Easter dinner will be this Vegan Spinach and Mushroom Quiche Recipe.  Since my husband is the Quiche chef of the family, I will get help in the kitchen too!


 


Easter Desserts

I love all of the fabulous specialty desserts for Easter.  Frankly, the pleasure derived from making and serving the desserts far outweighs eating them for me.  

As you can well imagine, I actually had a difficult time selecting the dessert article to feature.  

In the end, I selected two articles that really stood out because they both offer a variety of fun ideas and recipes.  

Good Housekeeping presents several really beautiful Easter cake Ideas and Country Living focuses solely on fabulous Easter cupcakes.   


It is truly a difficult decision.  I just might have to have multiple Easter desserts this year.  

Now that really would be a new Easter tradition! 



Please Share Your Easter Menu Ideas and Articles

We would love to hear your menu ideas, suggestions and tips for making the Easter holiday easier, and Easter Recipes.  Please share your Easter recipes and tips links in the guestbook below.  

I look forward to hearing from all of you!    

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Refining your Skills as a Photographer

To refine your skills as a photographer it is important to Practice-Practice-Practice.  During the month of March I spent some time each morning practicing photographing the sunrise.  I took hundreds of photos, using different settings on my camera.  I would then load them into my computer and see which settings got me the desired shots.  The next day I would start with that setting and then start the process all over again. 


While I went through this process, I also learned a lot about the natural lighting in the sky.  For instance I found that on many mornings there was a time about 20-30 minutes before sunrise when the sky would take on some beautiful colors.  It would only last for a few minutes so if you didn't know when to look for it you would miss a great opportunity for a beautiful photo.  Here is the result of one of those predawn shots.



Every morning in March brought another spectacular sunrise.  Here is another of my photos from these practice sessions.  On this morning there were a lot of clouds so I photographed the sun just as it came up over the ocean and before it went into the next bank of clouds.  Note how the light shines through the clouds above it. 




Practicing photography can take many forms, from my self-imposed challenges to formal classes and workshops. 

Next week I will talk about some of the formal photography classes that I have taken.

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Operation Sunbeam

Solar Oven (Photo Credit)

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a spy.  How I loved all those top-secret codes and 007 spy gadgets.  Of course, one of my favorite TV shows was Mission Impossible.

Today, my mission, which I have chosen to accept, is far different from those Jim was offered over the course of the series.  Though the overall operation has changed, there are still zeros in my aspirations.  These days I am working on zero waste and zero emissions—perhaps the Ground Zero of those seeking the ultimate green lifestyle.  Just imagine how our world would be different if everyone accepted that mission.

I recently wrote a review of a book, Cooking Green, about how we might each reduce our cookprints (our kitchen’s carbon footprint).  In that book, author Kate Heyhoe compared our ovens to Humvees because of their horrible waste of energy.  She really got me thinking about how I might create greater efficiencies with my cooking.

Kate mentioned that the closest we can get to zero emissions when baking is to use a solar oven.  That thought has been bouncing around in my brain for several days now.  Intrigued with the thought of building and using my own solar oven, I have been a woman on a mission. 

First, I gathered up resources for learning more about solar cooking.  A topic search of web pages led me to many excellent resources.  I’ve since checked out solar cookery guides and cookbooks from my library and have conducted a number of Internet searches.  These combined resources have only increased my enthusiasm for making my cooking as green as possible. 

Curious?  Your mission, which I hope you will accept, is to take a minute or two to explore the potential for tapping into the greatest underutilized power source on the planet (sunshine).  I encourage you to think about the possibilities by visiting How to Make and Use a Solar Oven.  Don't delay.  This link may self-destruct in 30 seconds.

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Brandywine Valley

Where is Brandywine Valley?  I cannot say exactly as this is something I am learning as I explore the mid-Atlantic region.  The Brandywine Valley area is a watershed area and consists of at least Delaware and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania.

Why do I care about trying to define the location of the area?  Because I am learning that there is much to do and see in that area and I am trying to give clear directions and good references for more information.  Initially, I tried to divide the area and attractions into two counties: Chester and Delaware.  But I could not determine which county Longwood Gardens was located in.  On the internet, it almost seems as though both counties lay claim to this amazing botanical garden. 

So, I will from now on refer to this area as the Brandywine Valley.

We have taken many drives through this area.  We have made several stops at the Brandywine Art Museum. I highly recommend that you put it on your list of places to experience.  Andrew Wyeth was an amazing artist and if you aren’t familiar with him, I think that you should be.

I recently discovered Longwood Gardens and I have discussed it in an earlier blog entry. I won’t go into details again since you can read my original article for yourself. But I will say that this is an enchanted place and next time I go, I will plan to spend the entire day.

In addition to these two amazing points of interest, I have now added the following to my list of places to see in the Brandywine Valley area:

*The Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site

*The Chester County Covered Bridges Trail

*Local Wineries 

To compile your own list of attractions and event to see, these are two sites that will be of much help Brandywine Valley and The Brandywine. They have similar names but are two different sources of information.

Stay tuned in order to learn more about the Brandywine Valley area as I have opportunities for further adventures. Or you can follow me on my Mid-Atlantic Travel with Dawn Rae facebook page. 

If you have traveled this area, I would love to hear from you.

Image Credit: Images are mine ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)

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Who's Ready for Some Party Food?

Inevitably, no matter what type of party you are hosting, you're going to need food. It might just be snacks, appetizers, desserts or maybe even a full meal but food is a must! The wonderful authors (called Lensmasters) at Squidoo (now on Hubpages) have certainly got you covered for party food ideas.

Kids Party Food Ideas

Food for kids parties is important. They will run home and brag everyone about the wonderful treats that were served at the most recent party. It can be something as simple as pizza or as fun as tacos. Or, maybe it's all about the sweet treats. Anyway you slice it, MaggiePowell shares her experience and ideas in her article (called a lens) titled Kid Friendly Party Food.

This mom has three kids with three birthdays each year. She has tons of experience in hosting kids and teens parties and with what types of foods they prefer. There are tons of suggestions for everything from snacks to cakes to meals. Anyone planning a party for children, tweens or teens should definitely give this a read!

Teen Girls Party Food

Teen girls can be picky about eating. Claremckenzie shares her experience in menu planning in her article Party Food for Teenage Girls. From suggestions for the menu to serving dishes to make the food look great, Clare has got you covered!

I love the simple to read instructions for kabobs, pinwheels and the like. Of course, she has a section all about sweets too!

Appetizer Parties

MareeT shares some of her best ideas for throwing a wonderful appetizer party. In Party Appetizer Ideas, MareeT explains that the party can be as large or as small as you like -- but it will be great with some pre-planning. Along with the food, she touches on invitations, music, punch, serving dishes and much more!

Some of her recipes look so darned good -- I am getting hungry just reading them (and drooling over the photos). I also love the little tips she posts on the post-it notes. Sharing these gems can help us all host a better party!

Do you have some tried and true recipes you use for parties, get togethers or potlucks? Consider sharing them on Squidoo! It's simple, free and only takes a couple of minutes to get started. If you have toyed with the idea of writing online, try Squidoo. What could be better?

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

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