WHAT THE NEW YEAR MAY BRING

Police State: As noted last week, the TSA has officially announced it will move its hands-down-your-pants operation from the nation's airports to bus stations, mass transit hubs and beyond .

DHS boss Napolitano has said the DHS plans to be entrench its Gestapo apparatus at the local mall . By Christmas of 2012, the TSA and its heavily armed VIPR good squads may be forcing citizens through deadly porno scanners at the mall. 

Expanding roadside checkpoints - collaborative efforts between local cops, the feds, and the military - with deadly radiation scanners will also become normalized features of the American police state. 2012 may also be the year surveillance drones become a routine sight in the skies over many cities...  Click the link below for the full article.
http://www.infowars.com/newsletter/insider122811/ 

Debris Field The Size Of California From Japanese Tsunami Begins To Litter West Coast :

Debris Field The Size Of California From Japanese Tsunami Begins To Litter West Coast :

America's farmlands to be carpet-bombed with Vietnam-era Agent Orange chemical if Dow petition approved

America's farmlands to be carpet-bombed with Vietnam-era Agent Orange chemical if Dow petition approved

Simple Truths - We Hope You Enjoyed the movie!

Simple Truths - We Hope You Enjoyed the movie!

17 Tips for December Magic

                                                                               

http://aliceinparislovesartandtea.blogspot.com/2011/12/17-tips-for-december-magic.html

CHRISTMAS BREAK

Salt & Light is on Christmas break until after New Year's Day.  I will pass on any news worthy items from other sources, but won't be posting anything written by me.  God Bless all my readers and Merry Christmas,  Happy New Year.
                                                                                                     Danelle

A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS PAST

                                                                                       

Yesterday I spent seven hours making Christmas cookies.  With a little help from my daughter and her friend, we created dozens of Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Michigan Rocks and cutout Sugar cookies.  My favorite is the Michigan Rocks.  You have to love raisins, dates and walnuts to appreciate this cookie, which for me has just as much sentimental value as it does taste.  My grandmother passed down this recipe and it just doesn't seem like Christmas until I bite into a Michigan Rock.

                                                                                        

 Nana, my grandma, never used a mixer to create these sweet fruity gems.  She always got into the bowl with her hands to mix the dough.  I can still see her fingers in that bowl, all full of sticky brown cookie dough.  When the dough was mixed, she'd again use her hands to scrape the excess from her palms and each finger.  Nana had a grinder that she attached to her counter top for grinding the raisins and dates.  I loved turning the handle and watching the gooey clump of fruit come out in one continuous thick strand.
                                             

                                                                                     

Nana threw walnuts straight from the tree into the driveway so people would drive over them and crack the shells.  I didn't have a nutcracker either this year, so I used a hammer.  What a mess!  This cookie is a lot of work, but I think it's worth it.  It's a treat that holds many memories for me.  Both my grandma and my mom made these cookies every Christmas.  The smell and taste of them brings back my childhood.

                                                                                          
Not everyone in our family appreciates Michigan Rocks.  My sister in law doesn't understand what's so great about them.  Every year she shakes her head when we fuss over our special family cookie.  Recently, I discovered that my son is not a fan of Michigan Rocks either.  On his last visit, I told him that I was planning to make our traditional family-loved cookie.  Kody is known for his clever comebacks.  Without cracking a smile he said, "Those cookies should have stayed in Michigan."

Love em or hate em, here's the recipe:
                                                                         MICHIGAN ROCKS

                                                                                           

Please note that my Grandma's original recipe calls for 1 Cup of Butter and Lard (1/2 Cup of each).  I'm not a fan of Lard or Crisco, so I use all butter.   Also, her original recipe says to put the baking soda in a little hot water, which is the 2-4 Tablespoons of water I add last.  Also, I use 1 Cup of packed brown sugar instead of the 2 Cups called for in her original recipe.

2 Cups Brown Sugar
1 Cup Butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Cup walnuts chopped
1 Cup Ground Raisins (measure raisins and dates after they've been ground in a grinder)
1 Cup Ground  Dates
2 eggs
2-4 Tablespoons Warm Water

Combine Flour with baking soda and cinnamon and mix well.  In separate bowl, Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Add a cup of the flour and then add the ground raisins and dates.  Add the rest of the flour and then add water (a Tablespoon at a time) until the dough is moist but very stiff. (2-4 Tablespoons).  Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes.  Do not under bake.  Bottom should be brown.

Rise Of The Beast System: 11 Ways That Amerika Is Becoming More Like North Korea

Rise Of The Beast System: 11 Ways That Amerika Is Becoming More Like North Korea

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR

If God allowed His Son Jesus to be tempted direct by the devil himself during His temptation test in the wilderness, then you can bet your bottom dollar that most of us will probably have to face some kind of demonic attack from time to time in this life. That is why there is such an emphasis in the Bible that we learn how to become “good soldiers” of Jesus Christ, that we learn how to put on the “full armor of God,” and that we learn how to be vigilant, sober, and alert for any types of attacks that can come at us from the enemy. http://www.bible-knowledge.com/phophetic-word-on-becoming-soldier/

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

  A prophecy is a direct Word from the Lord and it is the greatest of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit.  God has gifted certain people to receive a direct word from Him which serves as a warning or as encouragement to others. 
 http://www.bible-knowledge.com/prophecy-deborah-paget/

Flame Retardant Chemical Banned in Europe and Japan Used in U.S. Soda for Decades

Flame Retardant Chemical Banned in Europe and Japan Used in U.S. Soda for Decades

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN...

Here's the latest blog I want to share.  At first I thought this girl was too flashy to be taken seriously.  But then I read some of her blog entries.  She's a beautiful girl, but she's also real.  She admits her faults and she has a concern for others.  Life is not all about her.  I especially love this blog about her decision to part with her wedding dress.  How often do we get caught up in the luxuries of the world and forget about the difference we could be making in the lives of others.  She's inspired me to do something for someone in need.  Take some time to explore this blog.  She's a photographer, so you'll see some beautiful photos.

PS.  Jennifer told me today through email that the dress is still available.  Several people were interested, but their interest fell through.  It is a beautiful dress for someone very petite.  Spread the word!
http://theblairaffairs.blogspot.com/2011/01/to-whom-much-is-given.html

Household cleaning products linked to breast cancer?

Household cleaning products linked to breast cancer?

Non-toxic Home Cleaning & Care: Natural, Green, Eco-Friendly Solutions | Eartheasy.com

Non-toxic Home Cleaning & Care: Natural, Green, Eco-Friendly Solutions | Eartheasy.com

A WIFE HE'LL CHERISH

Here's a valuable post from the blog Our Simple Country Life.  I'm guilty, too, of not encouraging my husband enough and of sometimes dwelling on his faults rather than his good points.  Christmas is a good time to make more of an effort to love your husband.  Here are some very good suggestions.
http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/2011/08/titus-2-series-loving-your-husband.html

IF YOU NEED A LAUGH

Sprite Christmas Commercial

Coca-Cola 70's Christmas Hilltop Commercial

American Life: Growing up in the Sixties

American Life: Growing up in the Sixties

Preppers Are Now Considered To Be Potential Terrorists?

When the "war on terror" started a decade ago, we were told that we needed to fight the terrorists "over there" so that they would not come over here.
Well, now we are being told that the United States itself is part of the "battleground" and that the "terrorists" might just be our neighbors.
We are being told that if we "see something" that we should "say something" to the government.
In essence, the federal government wants us all to "inform" on one another.
Now that most of the big name terrorists have been removed from the picture, the Obama administration and the mainstream media are really hyping the idea that "homegrown terrorism" is a grave danger.
Just check out these headlines from the past few days....
ABC News: "White House Unveils New Strategy to Fight Homegrown Terrorism"
USA Today: "White House unveils new strategy to combat homegrown terror"
CNN: "Measuring the homegrown terrorist threat to U.S. military"
The entire focus of the "war on terror" has shifted.  According to FBI Director Robert Mueller, "homegrown terrorists" represent as big a threat to American national security as al-Qaeda does at this point.
America is rapidly changing, and not for the better.

Preppers Are Now Considered To Be Potential Terrorists?

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR COLD AND FLU SEASON

 Too many people overlook the natural cures available to them.  As soon as they have a problem they run to the drug store or to the doctor for a prescription.  I've used some of the remedies mentioned below and I can attest that they work.  Take some time to learn the cures provided by nature, provided by God.
(I would be careful about the dosage of colloidal silver.  This site doesn't specify how many parts per million.  We use 500ppm colloidal silver and never take more than 1/2 teaspoon per day.  A child's dose is usually 1/4 teaspoon)
 http://www.littlenaturalcottage.com/natural-living/natural-remedies-for-cold-flu-season/

Ideas for Holiday Baking

Peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate and the original recipe for Fantasy Fudge that was on the back of jars of marshmallow creme.  These recipes sound yummy.  The only thing I would change is swapping real butter for margarine.  Margarine is too synthetic, fake and artery clogging.  Plus it doesn't melt in the sun, so what exactly is it?  Maybe a form of plastic?  At least butter is natural.

http://www.raisingarrows.net/2011/12/holiday-baking/

Domestic Felicity: Is this me?

Domestic Felicity: Is this me?: It's very early in the morning, and I'm finding it difficult to unglue my eyes. Little children are already whining, clamoring for breakfast...

Americans as Military Targets

The Founding Fathers had a good reason to put limits on the federal government. They had just come from a land ruled by kings who saw liberty as a vice. The framers knew that if you removed the restriction on the government, it would grow like a cancer. Washington has become one giant tumor with one main purpose: to grab more power. 
http://www.raptureready.com/rap16.html 

FORT HUNTER VICTORIAN TEA

The tea room at Fort Hunter Mansion

Each year at Fort Hunter Mansion, the public is invited to a Victorian tea around Christmas time.  Many times I thought of attending this event because it sounded like such fun.  Today I finally went and I wasn't disappointed.  Fort Hunter is located along the Susquehanna River north of Harrisburg and it offers visitors a glimpse of 19th century Pennsylvania life.  The photo above is the tea room where guests were invited to feast on tea sandwiches and cookies with a warm cup of orange spice tea.  Notice the Victorian style dresses worn by the servers.  Candles added to the table's inviting warmth.  And not a paper plate or cup was in sight.  We ate on the good china and tea was served on a plate of silver, poured from silver teapots. 

After tea, we enjoyed a tour of the mansion then walked down to the Tavern House where a Festival of Trees were on display.  Area garden clubs decorate the trees each year and then they are raffled in a drawing for lucky winners to take home, decorations and lights included.  The tastiest part of the day was the Open Hearth Cooking demonstration (pictured below) where we received a sample of roasted butternut squash with apples and raisins.  It was delicious.

Flour was used sparingly during the civil war.  It sold for $500 a barrel.

          

The Tavern House and the oldest tree on the property.

                                                                        

My second favorite tree.

The Dolls and Teacups tree

This tree, decorated by the Halifax Garden Club was my favorite

Ladies hats, gloves, purses and handmade roses adorned my favorite tree.

Men opening doors for ladies is a rare and wonderful thing.

Inside the Fort Hunter Mansion

 A lady of the house greeted us inside the door.

A cozy corner of the Family Room

The children's bedroom

This baby carriage made many trips through downtown Harrisburg

A second floor window overlooking the Susquehanna River

A closet full of vintage hats, shoes, and accessories

An upstairs bedroom

Musicians filled the mansion with enchanting music

One last look at the mansion before I go.

                                                                               

US Constitution repealed by traitorous Senators; 'Republican party now the Gestapo party' says observer

"The mainstream media doesn't want you to know about this story even though it is arguably the single most important story of the year in terms of impacting your future as a free citizen. Yesterday as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Senate voted to repeal the Constitution and its Bill of Rights by authorizing the U.S. military to operate on U.S. soil, conduct secret kidnappings of American citizens and throw them in secret military prisons where they will be "legally" tortured, interrogated and murdered."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034302_indefinite_detention_National_Defense_Authorization_Act.html#ixzz1fULeMmsX

Taking away of the America's freedoms

CONTROLLED CHAOS

 "We are already a border line fascist state as government has teamed up with industry, which is what Fascism is.  Fannie & Freddie, the banks, the auto industry, our educational system and with Obama’s Health Care in the wings, it is easy to see that BIG government is usurping more and more of our rights and liberties every day... This is more like Hitler’s Germany than the United States of America. "  - LA Marzulli
http://lamarzulli.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/out-of-chaos-the-new-world-order/