Big Fish Book Review

Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love getting books sometimes that you end up reading in one sitting. It can be so satisfying to read a book from beginning to end and get the whole sense of it at once. I decided to read Big Fish after watching the movie recently. Because I'm not a fan of Tim Burton (sorry!), I never bothered with the movie. Then someone brought it home and I've watched it like five times since! I love that movie!

Big Fish the Book

Big Fish the Movie

For one thing it was filmed in my home town, Montgomery, Alabama. My daughter attended college at the campus where they filmed (not Auburn!) which is also in Montgomery. The book and movie is about facing our own mortality. The fictional son records his father's "fish tales" and interspersed throughout the book are the final moments of a son with his amazing but definitely flawed father. By the end of the book, the son seems to come to terms with his dad.

"I looked at this old man, my old man with his old white feet in this clear-running stream, these moments among the very last in his life, and I thought of him suddenly, and simply, as a boy, a child, a youth, with his whole life ahead of him, much as mine was ahead of me. I'd never done that before. And these images--the now and then of my father--converged, and at that moment he turned into a weird creature, wild, concurrently young and old, dying and newborn.

"My father became a myth."


What do you think?  Is this Tim Burton's Best Movie or do you prefer another, and if so, why?

Freezing Blueberries

I love fresh-picked blueberries (as long as someone else picks them--ha, ha!)  Picking berries is something you should do with your children or grandchildren or friends at least once.  The great thing about blueberries is how well they freeze and how good they taste whenever you pull some out of the freezer to bake (or pop in your mouth!)

Blueberries should not be washed prior to freezing.  

They have a natural waxy coating that protects them when freezing, then rinse the berries before using in a recipe.  I rinse my blueberries after defrosting them in the fridge so I don't wash before freezing.

Spread them out evenly on wax paper on a cookie sheet in the freezer.  It doesn't take but about 15 minutes for them to be firm enough to put in quart-sized freezer containers.  Containers rather than bags will prevent the berries from getting squashed.  Whenever you need a handful, the berries are nice and loose and ready to use, or pre-measure blueberries for your favorite recipes before freezing.  In airtight containers, blueberries will keep up to a year in the freezer.

I place the amount I'll need in the refrigerator to defrost.  Then I rinse them gently in a strainer or colander under cold water.  This prevents your batter from becoming stained blue.  I use my frozen blueberries in pancakes, smoothies, and muffins.  Gently toss blueberries with a little flour before stirring them into batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.  The blueberries taste so fresh and delicious all winter long.

Here's some helpful tips:

To make a hands-free berry bucket, punch holes in a plastic ice cream container and thread a long piece of string through each hole.  Then tie the string ends and slip the whole thing over the head.  The container hangs down in front, allowing both hands to pick berries.

Blueberries should be picked when they are dry.  If there is dew or rain on them, they will get soft and not last as long after picking.

Be sure to pick deep-blue blueberries for the best flavor.

When purchasing already picked berries 

Look for fresh berries that are firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned and relatively free from leaves and stems.

Berries should be deep purple-blue to blue-black; reddish berries aren't ripe, but may be used in cooking.

Stay away from containers with juice stains, which may be a sign the berries are crushed and possibly moldy; soft, watery fruit means berries are overripe.

Fresh berries should be stored covered in your refrigerator and washed just before using.  Use them within 10 days of purchase.

Jello Popsicles and Kool-aid Playdo

For yummy popsicles you can't buy from the store:
Jello Popsicles Print Recipe
1 pkg. Kool-Aid
1 pkg. Jello (same flavor as Kool-Aid)
1 c. sugar
2 c. boiling water
2 c. cold water
Pour into popsicle forms and place in freezer.  (Or pour into ice trays and when partially frozen, put plastic wrap over tray and insert wooden tooth picks into each cube-plastic keeps toothpicks straight).

For play-dough with a vibrant color and wonderful smell:
Koolaid Playdo Print Recipe
2-1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
2 pkg. dry unsweetened Kool-Aid
2 c. boiling water
3 T. oil
Mix dry ingredients together in bowl.  Mix liquids together and pour into dry ingredients.  Stir until it forms a ball.  This may take a while.  As mixture cools and becomes less sticky, take out of bowl and knead until smooth.

Blog Book Index

To the past, the present, and the future, I dedicate this book.  To the past because I came out of it, to the present because I live in it, to the future because my children shall inherit it. ~Ruth May Fox

Create
Sewing
Homemaker's Must-Have Apron
Learn Something New This Summer:  Cross-Stitch in 5 Minutes
Easy Hats to Sew Gift (beginners)
Fruit Basket Liners
Kitty Cross-Stitch Sampler (show and tell)
Retro Yo-Yo Quilts
T-Shirt Quilt Tutorials

Pioneer Crafts
Pioneer Day Posts
Clove-Studded Fruit
Old-Timey Button String and Bracelet
Star-Spangled Shelf Paper
Pioneer Rag Dolls
Corn Husk Dolls
Yarn Dolls
Pioneer Handkerchief Dolls
Pioneer Chick Lit
Children's Pioneer Recipes
Flip Over Old Fashioned Games
Children's Pioneer Day Event
A New Twist on Pioneer Hay Sticks
Achievement Days Book Review: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Achievement Days Country Fair
Pioneer Children
CopyCat Magazine Little House Unit
Pioneer Day Toy
Native American Culture Activities for Kids

Camping Crafts
Swaps:  Some Favorite Campy Things, camping part 2
Fabric Scrap Flip Flops (YW colors):  camping part 1
YW Theme Shelf Sitter:  camping part 1
YW Value (water-proof) Matches:  camping part 1
Young Women's Camp

Seasonal
Winter
Christmas
  Snowman Soup Gift:  Christmas traditions, part 4
  Pinecone Fire Starters Gift: Christmas traditions, part 3
  Wrapping Gifts and Making Bows
  Paper Snowflakes Decorations: Christmas traditions, part 3
  Wooly Sheep Ornament: Christmas traditions, part 3
  Santa's List Ornament: Christmas traditions, part 3
  Rudolph the Paper Reindeer Decoration: Christmas traditions, part 3
  Countdown to Christmas Craft
  Applesauce Cinnamon Cutout Ornaments
  Christmas Pageant
  Cookie Tea (Exchange)
  Red-Hots Crock Pot Cider
  SpaRific Bath Mixes to Give
  Candy Cane Reindeer Ornaments
  Retro Christmas Stockings
  Fragrant Vintage Ornaments
  Festive Fruit Basket Liners
  Natural Angel Ornaments
  Christmas Coffee Cake
  Snow-Couple Bell Ornament
  Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
  Quick and Easy Piping Bag for Gingerbread Cookies (White Frosting)
St. Patrick's Day
  St. Patty's Day Family Night

Spring
Easter
  Bird's Nests and Jelly Bean Poem
  Boo Boo Easter Bunnies
  Easter Games
  Resurrection Eggs
Senior Tea
Mother's Day
  Bath Potpourri "Tea" Bags
  Mom Mix

Summer
Relaxation
  Active Meditation for Serious Relaxation
  Spirit Soothers
  Scents that Soothe
  Aromatherapy Bath Potpourri "Tea" Bags
  Meditation Made Easy
Big Fish Book Review (commemorate Dad by
reading the book or watching the movie on Father's Day)
Favorite Fourth of July Traditions
Origami Earrings
Chick Lit for July
Crystal Garden
Old Fashioned Travel Games
Jello Popsicles and Kool-Aid Playdough

Autumn
Trick or Treat Family Night Idea
October Traditions: Fun with Cookies
October Traditions: Chicklit, Songs, Activities
October Traditions: Autumn Days
Boys Like to Dress Up Too!
Better Than Potpourri Brew
November Traditions
Simple Oktoberfest Family Meal (foil cooking)
Fall Fun
When There's Nothing Else to Eat (leftover turkey salad)

Old-fashioned Travel Games

This came from a really early Southern Living Magazine--like from the mid-seventies!  I love to read really old Southern Livings.  The early eighties must have been really good issues and not disposed of cause those are the only S.L. I couldn't find.  As you can see in the scanned photos, these kids are not wearing seatbelts!!!  Well heck! neither did we in the mid-seventies.  I would have been about these children's age.  I had an aunt whose nine kids were all geniuses and they always wanted to play car games that were way over my little pea brain.  But I kept this article cause I think the little ipod thingys and other techy toys need to be left at home, and moms actually find their arts and crafts supplies, dust them off, and prepare games that can involve the whole family.

Anagram--Cut some small squares of paper.  Write one letter of the alphabet on one side of each square, making more vowels than consonants.  Turn the lettered side of each square down.  Draw six squares, and try to use the letters in one or more words.  Score one point for each letter used.
Name Pictures--Try to write your name in as many ways as you can.  For example, you can make tall, short, fat, striped, and polka-dot letters.
Pathways--Make up a theme for a game.  For example, you can choose a treasure hunt or animal safari.  Draw a numbered path of squares on a piece of paper.
Use coins for men, and throw the dice to determine the number of moves for each man.  The first one to get to the end wins.
Puzzles--Draw a picture on a piece of paper, and color it.  Cut the picture into pieces; then try to reassemble the picture.
Spot a Word--Write the letters of the alphabet in a column on the left side of a piece of paper.  Opposite each letter, write a word that begins with that letter; use only words that you actually see printed on signs along the road or the names of animals or objects you see.
Squiggles--Draw an oddly shaped line on a piece of paper; then try to turn it into a funny face by adding other lines.
The following verbal games are good to suggest to children who cannot read in a moving car.
Animal Game--Take turns naming kinds of animals.  The last one to name an animal wins.
Color Game--Name a color, and take turns naming objects that are that color.  The winner is the one who is last to name an object.
Name All Your Relatives--Name a relationship, a cousin, for example; then try to name all your cousins.  Or you can name a city or state and try to name all the relatives who live there.
Tapes--Many families take a cassette player along on trips.  Children can record impressions of the trip, or amuse themselves by recording their voices.  They can also play tapes recorded on previous trips.  (YOU CAN STILL BUY TAPE RECORDERS AND TAPES!!!--They're not obsolete!!!)

Favorite Fourth of July Traditions

4th of July Traditions:  Shooting Off Fireworks

This 4th of July weekend, we had a Perfect Day!  

It was 100 degrees outside so we went to CheeBurger in Huntsville and had the best cheeseburgers, saw Super 8 at the matinee, and then had a small cup of icecream at Cold Stone Creamery.  

I had never been to Cold Stone before but in lieu of popcorn and candy at the movies, we held out for a scoop of icecream, and in this heat, it was truly satisfying.  

Super 8 is the best movie we've seen in a long time. Each of us loved every thrilling moment!  (Don't bring little kids to this movie-they won't get it and it's super scary--for middle school and up!)  

For once, we were all in a good mood at the same time. They say money can't buy happiness--but it gave us a leg up on a Perfect Day.

Rather than spend a lot of time in traffic after the spectacular fireworks, our family opts to buy our own simpler fireworks and shoot them off for our entertainment, (and our country neighborhood).

Simple 4th of July Menu

For a Relaxing Fourth, Serve The Perfect Hamburger with Sweet Potato Chips, Watermelon Slices, and Build-a-Sunday for Dessert

The Perfect Hamburger
2 lbs. ground lean beef chuck

1/2 c. finely chopped onion

2 t. salt

1 t. hot sauce

Mix beef with onion, salt, hot sauce, and black pepper and shape into patties about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.  Handle mixture gently and avoid packing patties too tight because the hamburgers will not be juicy.  Make the center of the patties thinner and the edges thicker.  Cook as follows:  5 minutes per side for rare, 6 minutes for medium rare and 7 minutes for medium.

Origami Earrings

Elise made these for me as a gift.

Here's a fun activity that my daughters enjoyed when they were in their tweens.  One summer I bought the book and materials for them and they did this completely on their own!  The book is, Friendship Origami, by Jill Smolinski (ISBN 0737398590)

Chick Lit for July

I love anything of Jan Brett's, but Comet's Nine Lives (ISBN 0590109723) definitely evokes a summer vacation feel--plus I love cats!
Comet Coloring Page
Nautical Flags
Summer Bookmarks
Sailor's Bracelet

Sending your little critters off to Scout camp this summer?  Prepare them by reading:
Little Critter at Scout Camp (0307126293) by Mercer Mayer, and The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Forest by Stan and Jan Berenstain (0394805658)

For something patriotic, Across America, I Love You (0439235901), by Christine Loomis and beautifully illustrated by Kate Kiesler is a panoramic view of our beautiful country.

Homeschoolers (and other conscientious parents) might include the following books by Jean Fritz for kid-friendly historical accounts of our country's founding fathers:

Can't You Make Them Behave, King George? 0590412000
Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? 0590412027
Where was Patrick Henry On the 29th of May? (my ancestor!) 059041206X
What's the Big Idea Ben Franklin? 0590412051
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? 0590412035
(Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman)

My favorite Values-Based books are by Stan and Jan Berenstain:
The Berenstain Bears No Girls Allowed (0394873319), Get in a Fight (0394851323), The Golden Rule (0310712475), and my favorite--Forget Their Manners (679860347).


Go to my post, Chick Lit, for more books to read to and with children.

Crystal Garden

Liquid Bluing takes forever to use up, so here is a fun activity to do with your kids or grand kids, or neighbor kids this summer that uses liquid bluing. This can be used to teach the properties of natural crystals.

"One of the main ingredients for this project is salt, which is itself a crystal. If you look at it under a microscope, salt crystals look like diamonds. You will find this project one of the more exciting natural crafts ... because you can watch the crystals grow larger day by day."

Crystal Garden
6 charcoal briquets
disposable aluminum pie or pastry tin
measuring cup
salt
liquid bluing
ammonia
coffee can with lid or jar with lid
food coloring in 4 colors

Place six charcoal briquets in the aluminum pie or cake tin, Fig. a.
Measure one-quarter cup of salt, bluing, and ammonia and pour all ingredients into a coffee can or jar. Mix them together.
Squeeze or sprinkle different food colors onto four of the briquets, one color for each briquet. Squeeze or sprinkle all four colors onto the fifth briquet. The remaining briquet is not to be colored.
Pour the salt mixture evenly over the briquets, Fig. b.
Place the tin in a warm place.
The crystals will start to grow in a very short time.
Mix the same solution of salt, bluing and ammonia in the can or jar and cap tightly.
Add some of the solution over the garden every two days to keep it growing.

Meditation Made Easy

My Little Headache, 1994

Do you ever find it hard to concentrate? Is your mind ever muddled? Are you too wound up to settle down to bed at night or to concentrate on a project requiring mental exertion during the day? Do you feel overwhelmed, anxious or even terribly angry at something your child has done? I have tried counting to ten or twenty, or going for a walk or reading the scriptures--but sometimes I need something fast and simple to put me in the "right frame of mind" to deal with an immediate concern. The following is an exercise that has helped me to "think straight," probably by bringing an extra dose of oxygen to my brain through this relaxing breathing exercise:

Sit in a comfortable position. Straighten your spine, relax your shoulders and take a few deep breaths. Gently close your eyes and allow your body to become still. Then begin counting your breaths from one to four. (Count on the out breath, or the exhalation.) Try not to manipulate the breath in any way; simply observe and count. You might find that outside concerns race into your head--an appointment you need to schedule, what you're planning to make for dinner. Don't allow distractions in. Gently bring the mind back to 'one' whenever it starts to wander. Remember, too, that you don't need to be perfect. All you have to be is in the present, something we already do at varying points throughout the day without realizing it. "Meditation is meant to show us what is already ours, " points out Clark Strand, author of The Wooden Bowl: Simple Meditation for Everyday Life (Hyperion, 1998). ("Mind Enhancers," by Angela Ebron, Jennifer Pirtle and Joanne Van Zuidam, Family Circle 5/11/99)

Active Meditation for Serious Relaxation
Spirit Soothers
Scents that Soothe
Aromatherapy Bath Potpourri "Tea" Bags

Aromatherapy Bath Potpourri Bag

This made a nice personal gift for a new mom.  I gave a beautiful little gift bag filled with these bath potpourri bags to a friend who had just given birth to her fifth child.  She really loved it :0) especially since she really didn't need any more baby things.

Bath Potpourri Bag (Gift)              

dried chamomile

dried mint

dried lavender

4 x 4 muslin squares

jute or kite rope

Combine equal parts of the dried herbs in a bowl.  Mound a couple of teaspoons of mixture in center of a square of muslin, and tie with jute or kite rope.  Throw 1-2 bags into warm bath.

Spa-Rific Bath Mixes to Give

Active Meditation for Serious Relaxation

Spirit Soothers

Scents that Soothe

Meditation Made Easy

Scents That Soothe

With herb gardens producing like crazy everywhere, I was interested to read about the uses of these and other plant-based oils to promote well-being.  Roman Chamomile's properties aids digestion, relaxes and calms, lessens the severity of headaches, and acts as an anti-inflammatory.  It may be used to soak away worries and tension by adding 8 to 10 drops to bath water just before stepping into the tub.  Make sure to mix well.


Clary Sage has a complex scent often used to treat premenstrual symptoms and to calm emotional crises quickly.  To use, dilute 4-5 drops in one tablespoon unscented vegetable oil (such as wheat germ or jojoba).  Massage into skin, breathing deeply.  It has a slight narcotic effect that my be exaggerated if you are drinking alcohol.  So use with caution.  (Might have to check the Word of Wisdom on this one!)


Lavender is often found in sachets, with a soft scent that has a relaxing effect that can coax you to sleep.  some hospitals diffuse lavender throughout rooms to help ease patients' insomnia.  Massage oil into the palms and soles of feet (it absorbs quickly into the bloodstream) to help with sleeplessness.  Or add a drop to your pillowcase (lavender essential oil won't stain fabric) for sweet dreams.

Active Meditation for Serious Relaxation

Spirit Soothers

Aromatherapy Bath Potpourri "Tea" Bags

Meditation Made Easy

Spirit Soothers

I was rereading this the other day.  It's with a yoga pamphlet I use from "The Ultimate Makeover," Family Circle 5/11/99.  I don't know about anyone else, but at least once-a-month, I get really depressed!  I was reading this and thought it might really help the next time I suffer from the blues.  I especially liked numbers 7-9.  I think reflecting at the end of the day on what I have done to make someone else happy would help my own mood.  I also think that most of us are not good at listening to our "gut instinct" when we should.  I know I'd be happier if I did.  And I always need reassurance that it is okay to say no and mean it.  Let me know which Spirit Soothers you like and if they work for you, or if you have others to add to the list.

1. Throw your cares away.  Literally.  Write any worries down on paper, shred them into tiny pieces, then toss in the trash.
2. Start a "soul soothers" file.  Put in stories, quotes, photos that inspire you or make you smile.
3. Stop being a grown-up.  Go outside and play for an afternoon.
4. Follow your color cues.  Do you feel energized wearing red?  Relaxed in blue?  Use that knowledge to alter your moods.  Try out a new look--even if just for a few minutes.
5. "Forget" to wear your watch for a day.  see if you really miss it.
6. Break out of character.  Order a dish you normally wouldn't have.  Maybe try a new hair cut.
7. Commit to kindness.  At the end of each day, reflect on one nice thing you did for someone else.
8. Begin to trust your intuition.  Do it for one day, then one week, then listen to it for life.
9. Learn to say no.  And stay true to your word.

"Boost your spirits by playing with Silly Putty--you'll feel like a kid again.  What could be more uplifting than that?

"Take a breathing break.  Even though it's a natural reflex,  most of us don't breathe correctly, especially if we're tired or tense.  We take shallow, rather than deep, invigorating breaths, and this can deprive the brain of oxygen, causing fatigue.  Next time you feel overwhelmed, 'Whisper ah,' says Glynn Macdonald, author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Alexander Technique (Element, 1998).  Put the tip of your tongue against the back of lower teeth.  Open mouth and say, 'Ah,' in a whisper at the end of a breath.  Close mouth and breathe in through nose.  Do three in a row."

Active Meditation for Serious Relaxation

Scents that Soothe

Aromatherapy Bath Potpourri "Tea" Bags

Meditation Made Easy