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

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LAST WORD M. Stewart

Have pictures or an idea for

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