december 2012 newsletter
DESCRIPTION
Learn about the legend of the Christmas spider as well as spiders found in Northwest Florida. What is behind the song of the 12 days of Christmas. Make your own vanilla extract! Relax with a couple of puzzles. New book review and much more!TRANSCRIPT
11
Inside this
issue:
Field Trip Pics 2
Spider Legend 3
Walk on the Wild
Side
3
Unlikely Star 4
Help Wanted 5
Weed of the
Month
6
Calendar 7
Book Review 7
Puzzles 7
12 Days 8
Vanilla 9
Last Word 10
...for discerning weeders December, 2012
On November 15th, several Master Garden-
ers along with Larry and Sheila visited the
Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center just
south of Andalusia, Alabama. This Center is
part of Auburn University’s forestry education
and natural resources program and is also the
site of many studies and research projects re-
lated to herbicides, fire, wildlife, and forest
management.
At one time the Dixon family owned 300,000
acres and 5 mills. Over two-thirds of the acre-
age was located in other countries such as Ar-
gentina and New Zealand. In 1978, Solon Dix-
on and his wife gifted $500,000 and 5300
acres to Auburn University. Thirty-five hun-
dred acres are actual working forests, and oth-
er geologic features of the property include a
large lime sinkhole, spring-fed creeks, upland
pine and hardwood, bottomland hardwood,
and cypress-tupelo swamps.
Joel Martin, director of the Center, gave us a
slide presentation then took us on a 1½-mile
circular tour of the property. His family lives
on this beautiful property along with a couple
of other staff members. Joel explained that
the Center is self-sustaining via the harvesting
of timber, hunting leases, and user groups
who can eat, sleep, and meet in the Center’s
facilities. The Center logged 5600 user hours
last year.
The lime sinkhole was very interesting and
presently contains water. Joel noted that it
had not drained in the 6 or 7 seven years that
he had been there, but others on property
have witnessed the abrupt draining. So far
only speculation surrounds the possible trig-
gers that cause the water to drain. Many of us
likened it to the dune lakes in south Walton
County that abruptly break through and drain
into the Gulf.
Joel also told of how, coming from South
Carolina, he looked forward to finding Indian
arrowheads and other artifacts. But so far, all
he has sifted out of the spring-fed creeks were
sharks teeth!
Most instructive was the information about
how critical prescribed burns and the use of
herbicides were to the health of the forest in
general and the timber in particular. Timber
is managed in 25-40 acre stands and harvest-
ed on a rotational basis, which requires much
expertise on the part of the staff. Of particular
interest was that the prescription for fire is
determined by what you want to leave vs. what
you want to eliminate. When speaking about
the use and types of herbicides, Joel noted
that he would rather walk under the spray of
their herbicides than walk across a golf course
3 days after it had been treated.
Longleaf and loblolly pines predominate the
property, and we heard about the different
requirements of each regarding thinning,
burning, and harvesting.
For me this was a very interesting and enjoy-
able field trip as it brought back memories of
my Father and his conversations from years
past. He was a forester in his early career and
even traveled to Brazil to survey and cruise
timber in the early 1950s, perhaps on property
that belonged to the Dixon family (Joel
thought Brazil may have been one of the coun-
tries where the Dixon family owned property).
If you have an opportunity in the future to
visit this beautiful property and Educational
Center, take it! In the meantime, if you would
like to read more about the important work
being done at the Solon Dixon Forestry Edu-
cation Center, please go to this link:
http://sdfec.auburn.edu/
See some of the wonderful pictures on next
page!
DON’T FORGET!
You have to log your
hours onto the VMS
system!
SOLON DIXON FIELD TRIP by C. Rose
22
FIELD TRIP
Wow! What a variety of fungi! There were wonderful field trips in 2012! Look forward to even more great oppor-
tunities in 2013. Don’t forget! If you are out and about, send us your photos!!!! Many thanks to M. Koser for these
great pictures!
33
Once upon a time, long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day
of the year....The day on which the Christ child came to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left.
Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner in the ceiling to avoid the housewife’s busy
cleaning. They finally fled to the farthest corner of the attic.
T’was Christmas eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the
poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ child’s visit. But
the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to
see him. Silently they crept out of their attic, down the stairs, and across the floor to wait in the crack
in the threshold. Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit and quickly the spiders scurried into the room.
They must see the tree closely, since their eyes weren’t accustomed to the brightness of the room...so
they crept all over the tree, up and down, over every branch and twig and saw every one of the pretty
things. At last they satisfied themselves completely of the Christmas tree’s beauty.
But alas!! Everywhere they went they had left their webs, and when the little Christ child came to
bless the house he was dismayed. He loved the little spiders, for they were God’s creatures too, but he knew the mother,
who had trimmed the tree for the little children, wouldn’t feel the same. So He touched the webs and they all turned to
sparkling, shimmering, silver and gold!
Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on our Christmas trees, and according to the legend, it has been a custom to
include a spider among the decorations on the tree.
THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIDER
A folk legend from Germany and the Ukraine
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE by L. Meyers
This is a great time for bird watchers, here are just a few feathered activities to enjoy.
National Audubon Society—the 113th Christmas Bird Count will take place from December 14, 2012 through January 5, 2013.
You can find out about this event and much more by visiting the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Facebook page.
This is the best time for watching waterfowl on wetlands, lakes, and prairies.
Great horned owls and barred owls are courting. Listen for them. The barred owl makes its home in mature trees of woodlands
and swamps across the eastern half of the United States. Related to the spotted owl and the great horned owl, the barred owl is
in the order Strigiformes and the subfamily Striginae. Owls in this group have a rounded facial disk and large ear openings.
These birds of prey are relatively large in size. The length of the bird is about 1 1/2 to 2 feet, and weights are about 22 oz. for
males and 28 oz. for females. Wingspan is from 40-50 inches and body length ranges from 17-24 inches. The barred owl is
named for the feather patterns, which are barred with the alternating colors of white and brown, located on its head, chest and
back. This owl is a resident species. Therefore, it does not migrate. Although many species of owls are nocturnal, the barred owl
is sometimes active during the day. The life span of these owls has been known to exceed 10
years in the wild. Captive birds have been known to live as long as 23 years. EDIS Publication
WEC156
Look for Goldfinches at north Florida feeders.
Yellow-rumped warblers will show up at feeders if it is cold enough.
In north Florida, bald eagles start hatching about Christmas day.
44
THE UNLIKELY STARS OF A CHRISTMAS LEGEND by L. Meyers
One of my fondest memories at Christmas time is of my mother's
beautifully decorated Christmas trees. After all the lights and
ornaments were hung, she painstakingly added one strand of
silver tinsel at a time to each pine needle it seemed. Hours later
we would all admire her sparkling masterpiece and her patience.
I had never heard of “The Legend of the Christmas Spider” until
this year when Marg introduced me to it and she thought spiders
would be an interesting topic for this month's newsletter. Now
I'm going to be really honest, this is not an easy article for me to
write. I know spiders are very beneficial, but the girl in me has a
hard time thinking about them, let alone trying to write about
the topic at Christmas! (“I will admit as a child though, I did love
ʻCharlotte's Web.') So I'll muster up my Yankee gumption and
also respect my German heritage and give this my best shot.
Where I draw the line is if there's a spider on my Christmas tree
it's going to have crawl there itself, and I don't want to know.
Spiders are everywhere, with over 40,000 species in the world.
Many have adapted to living indoors, and can no longer even
survive outside (“that's comforting”). In their natural environ-
ment (in or out) spiders are important predators and serve a vital
function in controlling insect populations. Due to their shy hab-
its, most of us are unaware of how many spiders actually exist in
our environment. According to UF a single acre of grassy field
can contain up to two million spiders.
Spiders are arachnids, related to mites, ticks, and scorpions,
which differ from insects in their body morphology in three im-
portant ways: (1) Spiders have only two body regions
(cephalothorax and abdomen) rather than three. (2) Spiders
have eight walking limbs rather than six. (3) Spiders never devel-
op wings, unlike many insects.
All spiders predigest their prey (insects and other arthropods)
by injecting or covering the prey with digestive fluids, after which
they consume the liquefied meal (“oh yum, whipped cream any-
one?”). Because spiders feed entirely on living insects or other
animals, they are highly adapted to capture and subdue living
prey. Some, such as jumping spiders or wolf spiders actively
search for or stalk their prey. Others, such as the trap-door spi-
ders, hide and wait for hapless arthropods to pass too closely.
Perhaps the best known spiders are called orb weavers, who
build ornate webs that trap flying insects.
Most web-spinning spiders build and abandon several webs per
year. The webs are produced by glands on the spider’s abdomen.
The silk is a liquid protein that is shaped into various configura-
tions by the spider’s appendages as it is excreted. Silk is used to
construct webs, safety lines, shelters, and egg sacs. A special type
of silk is sometimes used as a parachute by spiderlings ready to
go out on their own, or for adults to travel on a long distance
adventure.
Almost all spiders found in Florida are harmless to humans,
and most species do not attempt to bite unless they are pro-
voked. Spiders usually remain hidden and do not “hunt” for hu-
mans to bite. Although all spider species possess venom-
injecting fangs, only a tiny minority are able to pierce human
skin and inject venom into the tissue. Among this minority, only
a few pose any threat to human health. It is important to save
any biting spider so it can be identified later (“even if it’s just
crushed remains”). Without a specimen for positive identifica-
tion, spider bites are often improperly treated, and in many cases
other medical conditions are mistaken for spider bites. Most spi-
der bites are not dangerous, but medical care and advice should
be sought in any case of a suspected spider bite.
Venomous Spiders
Widows - Four species of widow spiders occur in Florida: the
southern black widow, the northern black widow, the red widow,
and the brown widow. These species are rather large spiders,
about 1 1/2 inches long with the legs extended. To catch prey,
widow spiders weave a strong web of irregular strands. The web
is often found in rock formations or wood piles. Strands of black
widow web were used to form the crosshairs of gun sights during
World War II due to the strength and durability of the silk mate-
rial. (“OK so they helped win the war, I still don’t like them.”)
The southern black widow is the most widespread widow spider
in Florida. This widow is shiny jet-black with a red hourglass
marking on the underside of the abdomen and another red spot
at the tip end of the abdomen. It is usually found outdoors in
protected places such as in hollows of stumps, discarded building
materials, rodent burrows, storm sewers, and under park bench-
es and tables. Around houses, the southern black widow is found
in garages, storage sheds, crawl spaces under buildings, furni-
ture, ventilators, and rainspouts.
Like most spiders, the widow spiders are shy and will not bite
unless aggravated. All four species have strong, neurotoxic ven-
om based on a protein called latrotoxin, which is common to all
widow species. The southern black widow is involved in most
venomous spider-bite cases in Florida. The bite of the black wid-
ow is not always felt, but usually feels like a pinprick. The initial
pain disappears rapidly, leaving a local swelling where two tiny,
red spots appear. Muscular cramps in the shoulder, thigh, and
back usually begin within 15 minutes to three hours. In severe
cases, pain spreads to the abdomen, the blood pressure rises, and
there is nausea, profuse sweating, and difficulty in breathing.
Death may result from the venom, depending on the victim’s
physical condition, age, and location of the bite. However, death
seldom occurs if a physician is consulted and treatment is
prompt. If you suspect that a widow spider has bitten you, cap-
ture the specimen for identification and immediately consult a
physician.
Brown Recluse—The brown recluse spider is not an established
species in Florida, but physicians have diagnosed its bites. De-
spite these diagnoses, it has been estimated that up to 80% of
suspected brown recluse bites are actually misdiagnosed cases of
Staphylococcus inflection. The brown recluse spider is
continued on next page
55
UNLIKELY STARS continued
recognized by having a dark violin-shaped mark located behind
the eyes. There are three pairs of eyes on this species, while most
spiders possess four pairs. The brown recluse is a medium-sized
spider about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length.
Unlike the widow spiders, the brown recluse possesses venom
based on a protein called Loxosceles toxin, which directly affects
contacted tissues rather than the nervous system. The venom
can cause tissue necrosis similar to that observed with many
infectious bacteria. Persons bitten by the brown recluse usually
do not feel pain for two to three hours, although a sensitive per-
son may feel pain immediately. A blister arises around the area
of the bite. The local pain becomes intense, with the wound
sloughing tissue often down to the bone. Healing takes place
slowly and may take six to eight weeks. If the bite of a brown
recluse spider is suspected, again collect the spider and consult a
physician immediately.
The absence of brown recluse specimens thought to be respon-
sible for the “bites” makes it impossible to definitively determine
the prevalence of the species. Whether or not the brown recluse
occurs in Florida is a matter of considerable debate. The brown
recluse spider’s natural habitat is along the Mississippi River
valley, especially in northwestern Arkansas and southern Mis-
souri. Because it can live in old boxes and furniture, it is easily
transported by humans. Specimens of brown recluse spiders
have been found in Florida, but there is no indication that it is
able to survive and reproduce in Florida’s environment.
Tarantulas - The term “tarantula” refers to about 300 species of
spider, some of which can weigh 2 to 3 ounces and have a 10-
inch leg span. Tarantulas do not occur naturally in Florida; how-
ever, some people keep tarantulas as pets. At least one species of
the genus Avicularia can be found in southern Florida, although
it is not known if these sightings represent escaped specimens
from captive populations or spiders imported accidentally in
banana shipments. Most tarantulas commonly seen as pets are
placid by nature, and few if any possess a strongly venomous
bite. Tarantulas rely on their size to overwhelm prey and do not
utilize particularly potent venom. However, the size of their
fangs can lead to painful bites solely from mechanical tissue
damage.
A tarantula can be kept as a house pet. A terrarium (a dry
aquarium) with an appropriate substrate can house a single
specimen, but a quality tarantula-keeping manual should be
consulted prior to purchasing a specimen, as many species have
widely differing environmental requirements.
Regular, thorough vacuuming behind furniture and stored arti-
cles, under baseboard heaters, and in closets will help eliminate
spiders and their webs. Repair torn screens and broken win-
dows, and ensure that doors are able to close tightly without
gaps. Avoid storing shoes, clothing, or bedding at ground level
where spiders could become entrapped. Outside, caulk holes and
crevices in foundations or walls and eliminate piles of debris,
lumber, and rocks, as much as is possible. Cut or eliminate long
grass growing near foundations. Wear protective clothing when
working outside in areas that might harbor spiders and inspect
items that you pick up. Always check articles that you bring into
the home from outside storage sheds to make sure you don't
bring in spiders or their egg sacs. Consider chemical control only
when necessary.
Sources of information: EDIS Publication #ENY201, IPM for
Spiders in Schools
HELP WANTED!
Hopefully everyone got the e-mail about
next year’s educational programs for our
monthly meetings. If you have an idea for
a program you’d like to have presented,
please let Stacey T. know ASAP. If you’re
working on a program and want the op-
portunity for a practice run—those are
welcome too!
The nursery will be propagating and work-
ing on more plants for 2013. Seriously
folks, you don’t have to give up every sin-
gle Friday but help is desperately needed!
Thanks to the nursery’s hard work we
were able to supply the new Extension
landscape with great specimens AND we
were able to sell plants as well. This pro-
vided the funds to keep our organization
going! Take one Friday a month—give a
few hours!
The new Master Gardener class will be
starting on January 28th. Hospitality is
provided for the first meeting by the veter-
an Master Gardeners in the past and we
would like to continue that tradition.
Please contact Marg S. if you are interest-
ed in bringing refreshments for that first
class.
Joan L. has been designated (and gra-
ciously accepted) the challenge of being
our Historian. If you have any pictures,
articles, etc., stashed away—bring them to
the monthly meeting OR leave them at the
Master Gardener office.
As always, The Compost Pile is eager to get
articles, ideas and photos from our mem-
bers. YOU are the ones who make this
publication a good one. Submissions are
due before the 25th of each month.
If you noticed, there has been a change to
the way we are listing names in the news-
letter. Since the
publication will be
available to the gen-
eral public, full
names are not being
listed to help pro-
tect our members’.
It is unfortunate
but in this day and age we are doing all we
can to help prevent potential identity theft
issues.
66
WEED OF THE MONTH by J. Gillis
Bittercress (Cardamine
hirsuta)
Bittercress is an annual
weed that usually shows up
in flower beds or container
plantings in summer. It is
found throughout the
northern half of the US as
well as the southeast, thriv-
ing in moist to wet soils.
Weed description: It is most often a summer annual, and
occasionally a winter annual weed of landscapes, container-
grown plants, and greenhouses.
Seedlings: The cotyledons or first leaves are found and oc-
cur on petioles. The cotyledons and first true leaves have
hairs. Subsequent leaves have alternately arranged leaflets.
Stems: Erect and branched at the base, stems may be as
much as 12 inches tall.
Roots: A taproot.
Leaves: Leaves consist of 2 to 4 pairs of leaflets that are ar-
ranged alternately along the central leaf stem. Individual leaf-
lets are found in outline. Each leaf occurs on a petiole that is
usually distinctly hairy. Lower leaves may be hairy but not as
distinctly hairy as the upper leaves. Upper leaves are smaller
than the lower basal leaves.
Flowers: Occur in clusters at the ends of the flowering
stems. Individual flowers are small (2-3mm) and consist of 4
white petals.
Fruit or seed: The seed pod is a long (3/4 to 1 1/4 inches),
and narrow capsule with many seeds, known as a Silique.
When the capsules dry out or mature in a week or two, the
slightest touch will cause them to burst open explosively scat-
tering seed far and wide...as much as 10 feet from the parent
plant!
Identifying Characteristics: The long narrow siliques and
round leaflets are arranged alternately and are both charac-
teristics that help in the identification of hairy bittercress.
Bittercress seedlings often germinate in large numbers. The
first true leaves are simple, while subsequent leaves are gen-
erally pinnately compound. Bittercress has unique foliage.
The leaflets on the foliage have a club shape, even on small
seedlings.
A single bittercress plant may form a small clump 4 to 8 inch-
es tall and wide. When many bittercress grow in a small area,
it can appear as a thick mat of foliage and seed-pods. The
seed pods, Siliques, each have about 30 seeds and each bitter-
cress plant can generate up to 5000 seeds!
As if bittercress weren’t bad enough by itself, it is also a ref-
uge for aphids!
Bittercress are generally easy to control with preemergence
herbicides. However, because one weed can generate so many
seed, failure to use or properly time herbicide applications
can result in rapid infestation. This is why bittercress tends to
be more problematic in nurseries and greenhouses (where
herbicides are not used). The best control after it sprouts is
vigilant application of a non
-selective herbicide
(Roundup, Earth-tone
Weed Control, etc.). You
may also get control with
any of the numerous broad-
leaf weed herbicides.
www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/
weed_id/carhi.htm
http://oregonstate.edu/
dept/nursery-weeds/
weedspeciespage/
bittercress/
bittercress_page.html
http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/hairy-
bittercress-identification/
One of our Master Gardeners shared a
couple of photos. One of the last blanket
flower of the season with a bug in the
center. The other was titled ‘Occupy
Thanksgiving’. Those do appear to be
some pretty tasty protestors! Don’t
forget to share your photos!
77
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR
December 5th
General Meeting
Shalimar Baptist Church
December 8th
Christmas Party!
11 am
Shalimar Baptist Church
January 9th
General Meeting
Crestview Extension Office
January
Arbor Day Celebration
Date and Location
to be announced
January 28th
Master Gardener Training
Crestview Extension Office
PUZZLE Alice, Bob, Cathy and Dan gathered together to exchange Christmas presents. Each of
them brought two gifts. Alice wrapped her gifts in green wrappers. Bob wrapped his
gifts in yellow wrappers. Cathy wrapped her gifts in blue wrappers. Dan wrapped his
gifts in red wrappers. They drew lots to determine which gifts they are supposed to re-
ceive. Each received two gifts in wrappers of different colors, and no one received a gift
that they had brought. Alice did not receive a gift in a yellow wrapper. Cathy did not
receive any gift wrapped in red. Bob did not receive any gifts wrapped in blue. From
whom did Alice, Bob, Cathy and Dan each receive gifts from?
Cryptogram
T L Q Y E A Q Y L V N D W H I A B N D K N E S K N I M Y C N J D E L O
L W T K N H L N W Y E A Q D Y K S I M V N K K M O C K L E Y V D E.
ANSWERS:
Alice received gifts from Cathy and Dan. Bob received gifts from Alice and Dan. Cathy re-
ceived gifts from Alice and Bob. Dan received gifts from Bob and Cathy.
Cryptogram: Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christ-
mas.
BOOK REVIEW by M. Stewart
This time I’m cheating.
I’m listing the reviews
from others regarding this
book because it’s one that
I want to get. Hint, hint
Santa.
The Gardener’s Gripe
Book by Abby Adams
According to Publishers
Weekly— “A very funny
down-to-earth gardener
takes a swipe at gardening pretense and vows to "tell no lies."
With Will Rogers-style good will and common sense, pet
peeves grow into a belly-laugh of a book. The well-organized
myriad of topics includes: a respectable and entertaining histo-
ry of gardening ("From Eve to Martha Stewart"); the wrongful-
ly maligned lawn and its environmentally-correct alternatives
(e.g., meadows-in-cans-"It is better to tear your money into
little pieces and scatter them to the wind"); dirt (a soil analysis
by an extension agent is like an astrologer saying "you have 3
planets in your 6th house, when all you want to know is wheth-
er or not you should get married"). Equally amusing are vent-
ings on vegetables, perennials, "tree$" and garden enemies
(don't miss the repellent recipe calling for Japanese beetles in
the blender-"this is the fun part"). Longer chapters are spliced
with essays such as "Gourmet Gardeners" who "clip recipes
from gardening magazines (this is equivalent to gleaning med-
ical advice from Vanity Fair") and "Smell" ("'Aromatic' herbs
mostly aren't"; paperwhites and hyacinths are "olfactory of-
fenders"). A welcome, resounding reveille for gardeners who
have dwelt too long with glossy pictures and impossible expert
advice. ”
After laughing my way through the ‘look inside’ feature provid-
ed by Amazon...I definitely want this book!
Have you read something neat? Perhaps nothing to do with
gardening? Know of a book that you’d recommend? Let us
know!
88
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS...
the Controversy..and the Cost by K. Harper
Controversy about the Twelve Days of Christmas? Isn't that just
the sweet, goofy Christmas carol we've all come to know and
love? Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn't, depending on what you
choose to believe. The very first item to address is the idea that
the song has to do with the twelve days
leading up to Christmas, a concept that
has led many a starry-eyed child to
believe she really should be receiving a
gift per day from mid-December until
Christmas. Not so, according to most
historians. While some minor varia-
tions exist as to exact dates, these have
to do with traditions that vary from
culture to culture and church to church.
It is generally accepted that The Twelve
Days of Christmas refer to the period between Christmas Day
and January 6th, which is often known as The Epiphany.
As to the true meaning of the song, many religious historians
attach a great deal of symbolism to the twelve gifts as well as to
the gift-giver and receiver. These symbols evoke passion among
those who wish to believe that the song has a much deeper
meaning than simply being a light-hearted song about gift-giving
or, worse, the crass commercialism that has come to be associat-
ed with Christmas. The song is on the one hand believed to be a
type of catechism dating back to the period from 1558 to 1829
when Catholics were prohibited from any practice of their faith
by law - private or public. Parents are said to have used this song
to quietly teach their children about Catholicism at a time when
a lot of folks were being separated from their heads for the crime
of being Catholic. The 'partridge in a pear tree' is said to symbol-
ize the crucifixion. The other gifts likewise symbolize elements of
the faith as follows:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Vir-
tues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the
"Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the
seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Ho-
ly Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points
of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
On the other hand, we come to Snopes.com,
that great de-bunker of all the cool/
interesting stuff we see in our world that we
might really want to believe. You can read
Snopes' comments on this subject and decide for yourself what
you'd prefer to believe. (And it's OK with me if you want to con-
clude that sometimes Snopes is written by fuddy-duddies with
no imagination...): http://www.snopes.com/holidays/
christmas/music/12days.asp
So having punctured (or at least badly damaged) the story of the
Twelve Days of Christmas, what about all those reporters who
like to write articles totaling up what the 12 gifts would cost us-
ing today's dollar? Well, it seems that reporters had other things
to do with their time this year. The election, one would assume,
gave them more important topics to write about. I did however
find a year to year comparison of the cost that was finally updat-
ed (as of 11/26/12) to include 2012. So here is one current cost
estimate of providing your true love with all those birds, lords,
ladies, pipers, drummers and golden rings. Hint: it's darned
pricey: http://content.pncmc.com/live/pnc/microsite/CPI/
index.html#byyear
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and blessings in the 12
days following!
Ed. Note: We finally located the total cost. According to Time
NewsFeed the “true cost of Christmas” jumped into six figures
for the first time.....$107,300.24
From all of us at The Compost Pile to all of you
Have a very Merry Christmas and a
Prosperous New Year!
99
EXTRACTING VANILLA by A. Donatelli
While researching herbs and concoctions I came across my old
Vanilla Extract recipe. I thought some of you could be inter-
ested in the recipe and a little info on the main ingredient, Va-
nilla beans.
Years ago, I was co-owner in a baking business. We mostly did
every type of cake imaginable which is probably why I’m not
fond of cake today. One day after my business partner, Barb
continued to loudly complained about the cost of vanilla ex-
tract (she was driving me crazy), I asked her if she knew where
Vanilla came from? She told me, of course, it was the bark of a
tree that is found in South America—no big deal! WHAT? I
thought it came from a rare Orchid…like a maybe the seed pod
or bean? She thought I was nuts…I thought she was nuts. We
dropped the subject and continued decorating cakes.
I can’t imagine life without the internet these days but since
Commodore computers were just hitting the civilian market at
that time in my life, I went to the only source I had, the public
library to see who was correct. There wasn’t much information
but I did find out Vanilla IS the seed pod of an orchid that re-
quired a special pollination technique.
Fast forward to today, the real answer, easily found on the in-
ternet is…..
Most of vanilla comes
from a vine orchid, Va-
nilla planifolia which is
native to Mexico. It is a
vanilla pod and not a
bean and the vine is
slow growing, needing a
structure to grow on. A
single flower is pro-
duced once the plant
has matured (or reaches the top of the structure) and only
when it pendulates down does it bloom, which last 24 hours.
As natural pollination was ‘hit or miss’, hand pollination was
used to assure a pod would form and that technique is still
used today. Approximately 1000 blooms can be hand pollinat-
ed a day…and that is why it is so expensive!
I could go on and on about the different vanilla orchids used
around the world but I don’t want to put you to sleep so here
are the recipes.
Vanilla Extract Recipe
Ingredients:
16 Vanilla pods (beans…whatever), Grade B (extract grade)
I use Madagascar Vanilla Beans
2 cups of 40% vodka (70-80 proof)
I use Gray Goose Vodka because that’s what I have in the
house for a nice Dirty Martini!
1 pint jar
Directions:
Cut your vanilla pods in
half (length wise) and
scrape out the seeds,
called Caviar. Slice pods
into 2 to 3 inch pieces…
the more slices on the
pod, the more flavor is
released. Small pieces do not clump as much and stay sub-
merged in the vodka.
Place all of the caviar and sliced pods in the sterilized pint jar.
Fill the jar with vodka, leaving a half inch of space at the top of
the jar then seal with the lid.
Allow this mixture to six for at least 4-6 weeks and up to 6
months. I find that I liked the flavor more at the 3 month
mark but, it will continue to improve with time. The color of
the extract should be a lovely, rich, amber color. Shake the jar
every day the first week, then once a week for 4 weeks.
If you want to give your extract away as a gift, you may want to
strain it and put into a nice long neck bottle.
Homemade Kahlua Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 1/2 cup instant coffee crystals
4 1/2 cups 100 proof vodka
8 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans
6 12.5 oz. bottles with caps
Directions:
Mix water, sugar and coffee crystals in a saucepan. Heat and
stir until sugar and coffee are dissolved. Remove from heat
and cool to room temperature. Add vodka. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into 6, 12.5 oz. bottles. Cut each vanilla
bean into thirds and drop into each bottle. Cap. After 2-3
weeks strain, remove beans and rebottle.
Makes the perfect gift!
Source for Madagascar Vanilla beans: http://
www.beanilla.com/madagascar-vanilla-beans
Source for homemade Kahlua: http://www.beanilla.com/
blog/homemade-kahlua-recipe
1010
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LAST WORD M. Stewart
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an article?
Send it in!
Articles and pictures are
always welcome.
There is a war going
on in my house. My
husband has his office
chair. A very nice,
chair. He likes his
chair. So does our cat,
Gizmo. Gizmo likes the
chair after hubby has
been sitting in it. The
chair is warm...the cat
is shedding...
Gizmo will lay near
my husband’s desk, innocent and then
husband will get up, check to see if the
mail has arrived and in that short span
of time—he has a furry occupant in his
chair.
What follows is the cat being removed
(usually carried to another loca-
tion...but I’m the one who spoils
them...yeah right). Hubby has now
taken to putting a towel on his chair
upon rising. Result? Gizmo won’t get
on the chair and just gives him bad
looks.
I figure it will only take a day or two
before Gizmo works at removing the
offending towel when she can. It’s hap-
pened before.
What will probably call a temporary
halt to the hostilities will be the putting
up of the Christmas tree. From the time
the tree comes into the house, both cats
are alert and focused.
I have become fairly agile in decorat-
ing a tree that has two felines en-
sconced beneath it. Neither one tries to
climb the tree. They leave the orna-
ments alone (thank goodness). But for
the duration of the holidays that is
THEIR tree.
Failure to turn on the tree lights with-
in a reasonable time of getting out of
bed (current record is 10 minutes) re-
sults in constant meowing and irritat-
ing behavior until said lights are acti-
vated.
I haven’t figured out what it is—
perhaps it’s warmer or perhaps I just
have weird cats. Who knows.
What I know is that wrapped packages
will not have ribbons or bows attached
since the one cat considers it a personal
challenge to remove AND EAT any and
all ribbon that is under the tree. I also
know that the pretty tree skirt will be
rearranged to suit furry nap times.
But in spite of all this, it’s wonderful to
have the fire going, the lights lit and
hear purring from under the tree. Also
hearing the purring from a happy hub-
by who is enjoying his cat-less chair for
the season.
From our household to yours, may you
have a wonderful Christmas and a great
New Year!
I want to thank everyone for the oppor-
tunity of being your President in 2012.
I sincerely hope that we can get more
participation in 2013. Our new Board is
comprised of awesome folks and they
deserve your support. There will be ac-
tivities and opportunities in 2013 that
will only be successful if folks actively
participate! Don’t sit on the sidelines!
There is plenty for everyone to be able
to contribute!
M. Stewart—Editor
S. Farrell, K. Harper and
L. Meyers—Co-Editors