AUTUMN FOLIAGE, CRAFTS & COOKING
By Mary Emma Allen
The leaves have begun turning colorful and taking on
their brilliant red, orange and yellow hues, painting the countryside with
nature's palette.
Even as the colors become more brown, maroon, and deep
gold, they still are rich and vibrant midst the evergreens, especially
when the sun shines on them.
Preserving Leaves as Placemats
We often wish we could preserve the leaves with their
vibrant colors, yet somehow they generally become dull when we try.
However, there are a few ways to extend autumn in our homes. One is with
placemats.
These are projects I made with my 4-H group years ago.
They were decorative items for the youngsters' homes or gifts for their
mothers as they preserved a bit of fall.
LEAF PLACEMATS
- With a dab of glue, attach leaves onto an 11 1/2 x 14-inch piece of
construction paper of desired color.
- Cut leaves from colored paper or fabric and attach the same way.
- Color drawings of leaves with a markers, crayons, or colored pencils
on the construction paper.
Then spread clear contact paper over the paper and
leaves. Press firmly to placemat back and front. You also can laminate the
page. We sometimes incorporated leaves or leaf designs into decoupage
projects.
ZUCCHINI BREAD FOR FALL
Beat 3 eggs until foamy. Add 1 cup cooking oil, 2 cups
sugar, 2 cups peeled, grated zucchini, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.
Sift together 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1
teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt. Add dry
ingredients and 1/2 cup chopped nuts to egg mixture. Stir until well
mixed. (Some cooks like to stir in chocolate bits, too.)
Divide batter into two portions and pour into 2 greased
and floured loaf pans. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour (until inserted pick
tests done) at 325 degrees F.
(c)Mary Emma Allen
(Mary Emma Allen lives in New Hampshire where she enjoys the colorful
foliage. She writes for children and adults and delves into her family
history. Her latest book is about her ancestor, William "Buffalo Bill"
Mathewson. E-mail: me.allen@juno.com
)
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