Coloring Easter Eggs Naturally

Last year we got a little creative with coloring our Easter eggs.  We decided instead of buying the kit at the store that we would use things God made.  

Here are some ways to make natural coloring for your eggs.

Yellow
1 teaspoon tumeric

Blue/Purple
2 cups crushed blueberries or blackberries

 Pink/Red
2 cups roughly chopped beets
 
Add water and coloring of your choice to a pot on the stove and bring to a boil, turn to med-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  If there are bits of the food you are using left, use a strainer to get them out and then stir in 1 teaspoon of vinegar.  Pour in a bowl and wait for it to come to  room temperature.  Then roll your eggs in colors as desired.  Leave them in longer for darker colors.

You can use onion skins in two different ways.  You can either boil the eggs in water with the onion skins or I like to wrap the skins around the egg and secure with thread or a rubber band and boil them on the stove.  These were my favorite because they came out a pretty brown and yellow swirl.

Putting rubber bands in different designs around the eggs and flowers and herbs before you dye the eggs can make some pretty designs.  We used  purple flowers from the yard and parsley to make designs on the colored eggs.  It was a lot of fun trying different things to make pretty colors.  One thing we tried that didn't work was broccoli. This year we are going to try beets and red cabbage for some pink colors.  I would like to encourage you to try something new this year.  See what you and your kids can come up with!!  It is a lot of fun.  Let us know what you try and how it works out! 

"The Legend of the Dogwood"

In Jesus' time, the dogwood grew

To a stately size and a lovely hue.

'Twas strong and firm, its branches interwoven.

For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress at this use of their wood

Christ made a promise which still holds good:

"Never again shall the dogwood grow

Large enough to be used so.

Slender and twisted, it shall be

With blossoms like the cross for all to see.

As blood stains the petals marked in brown,

The blossom's center wears a thorny crown.

All who see it will remember Me

Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree.

Cherished and protected, this tree shall be

A reminder to all of My agony."

**This is just a legend. It is a nice poem, but there is no biblical basis to it.  But it is a lovely story that I like to hear this time of year when the dogwood's are so pretty and full of blooms.

Happy Spring everyone!

Preparing for tonight's visit from St. Nicholas

My husband is of German descent.  A few years ago we adopted the celebration of St. Nicholas in our home so that we may incorporate that heritage into our American Christmas celebration.  He is widely celebrated in European countries.  St. Nicholas comes during the night on December 5th (for the celebration held on December 6th) and puts candy, small toys etc into the shoes that have been left by the door by small children.  See below for more details on St. Nicholas.  He comes earlier in the month so that Christmas Day can be set apart to celebrate Jesus' birth and not be focused on toys and gifts.

My son's shoes awaiting St. Nicholas

"The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara.  At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey.  His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering.  He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts.  
Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child."

***http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/

Also go here for a recipe to make cookies to leave for St. Nicholas.   http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/11/30/whole-foods-for-the-holidays-st-nicholas-spice-cookies/

An Autumn's Night

We celebrated our first year at our homestead with a good ol' bonfire! The night was perfect, just chilly enough!! We ate chili, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for s'mores, and sipped on hot spiced cider! Saying goodbye to October, while sitting out on hay bales around a crackling fire, talking about our homesteads and  faith was the best!

"Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!"
Robert Louis Stevenson

     

Who else but our Father in Heaven could create something so beautiful?

The perfectly roasted hot dog! Yum!

                                              

Our "little man" fell sound asleep in my arms, fireside. It was wonderful!