Jo shook her head.
“No,” she said, hugging herself. “As a matter of fact, I just had quite a warm feeling come over me, something I haven’t felt in a very long time.”
She smiled.
Make Jo’s Woodland Wreath Yourself—It’s Easy!
MATERIALS:
1 24-inch Canadian blue spruce artificial wreath
2 Curly willow branches
1 4-inch bird’s nest
4½ yards of #9 plaid wire-edged ribbon
Raffia
1 bunch mini mountain-holly sprigs
1 bunch red berry sprigs
7 Mixed sugared fruit (60mm.)
6 Pinecones
1 2½-inch sitting red cardinal
1 2½-inch flying red cardinal
Wire, pipe cleaners, glue gun
Fluff your wreath. Cross the curly willow branches at the base and wire together, and then wire them to the wreath on a diagonal. Clip wire ends. Pull top end of one branch around top of wreath and wire to end of second branch.
Make a looped bow with 4 yards of ribbon. Secure in center with a pipe cleaner. Make a flat bow with several strands of raffia and place behind ribbon bow. Attach both to wreath at base of willow branches with pipe cleaner. Repeat for a smaller bow with remaining ½ yard of ribbon and raffia, and attach to wreath diagonally across from first bow.
Tuck bird’s nest horizontally into wreath to left of large bow, and glue in place. Glue sitting cardinal in nest. Glue flying cardinal diagonally across from nest.
Tuck holly and red berry sprigs about the wreath, and glue in place.
Tuck sugared fruit and pinecones around the bows and about the wreath, and glue in place.
Carrie’s Chili
Carrie makes a chili much like the recipe my mother sent me years ago, which my family always loved. It’s tasty, easy, and great for cool nights.
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 ribs of celery, diced
1 16 oz. can of tomatoes
Small can of tomato sauce, if desired
1 10 ¾ oz. can of condensed tomato soup
1 teaspoon of salt
⅛ teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of chili powder, or more to taste
1 16 oz. can of kidney beans, or pork and beans (we like
pork and beans)
Cook ground beef until it loses its red color, then add onions and celery and cook 5 to 10 minutes more. Add tomatoes, tomato soup (undiluted), and the seasonings, and simmer 1½ hours. Add tomato sauce or water if it is too thick. Add the beans 10 minutes before serving, just enough to heat through.
About the Author
A Milwaukee native,
Mary Ellen Hughes
received a degree in medical technology from Alverno College before moving to Maryland to work at the National Institutes of Health. The author of two previous novels, she is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime. When not on the tennis court or visiting craft shows, she is likely to be working on her next Craft Corner Mystery. You can visit her website at
www.maryellenhughes.com
.