A Special Gift from Santa - Jim Klocek's Walk Down Memory Lane

When everyone in the agency decided to share a part of Christmas on this blog, it took some time for me to think of what I should share. But as time passed, I had to think of my favorite Christmas present ever, and then it came to me.

When I was 2 years old I received a new rocking horse from Santa, which I still have today. That horse and I spent years watching Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, The Lone Ranger and The Cisco Kid on our 10" Black & White TV. How times have changed, but I still cherish this present.

Now that I have grandkids, they enjoy a ride on my trusty old steed. Not bad for a 63 year old nag!

Hey Cisco; Hey Pancho and a Hi Ho Silver....Now I watch ME TV to see all the reruns I enjoyed as a boy.



Growing up in a Polish family, I have carried out the traditional baking of my family. This bread is made every Christmas and every Easter. I hope you enjoy.

Babka

(Polish Bread)



3 cups scalded milk


1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar         
2 tsp salt

combine the above 3 ingredients and melt by adding the scalded milk while it is still hot


  6 large eggs well beaten

1 ½ cakes of yeast or 4 packages dissolved in 1 cup warm water ( add a little sugar )



12 cups of flour

2-3 cups of raisins



Combine all ingredients after yeast has doubled. Knead the dough well until smooth. Place in 5-6 bread pans (greased) filled about half way and let rise.

Bake in oven about 1 hour at 350 until starts to brown, brush top with egg or butter and let brown the last 5 minutes.


Great plain or toasted, with butter and makes awesome French Toast.

Have a Merry Christmas Jim Klocek

The Little Christmas Cabin - Julie Shoffner

The Little Christmas Cabin


I have always considered myself a creative soul so it’s not surprising that most of my favorite holiday memories revolve around the act of making something either with someone or for someone. Whether I’m preparing a meal, baking cookies or making ornaments I have always enjoyed creating something unique and special for the people I love. Now that I am a parent I especially enjoy making things with my seven year old son. Aside from the usual cookies and candies we make, we have a special project that we work on every year for my husband. Many years ago my husband’s grandfather crafted a small log cabin that he placed under the family Christmas tree. When my husband was a little boy his mother started adding some additional details to the little Christmas cabin. A light was added on the inside as well as some little chairs and a tiny table. She even added a tiny flower painting on the wall. My mother-in-law has since passed on and my husband has inherited the little Christmas cabin. Now every year my son and I add a little something to it to make it more like a cozy little home. One year we added a Christmas tree inside. Last year we added a reindeer and some bears outside. This year my son added six little Christmas carolers. If you look close enough at the photo below you can see two tiny carolers singing by the tree. Maybe next year there will be a turkey dinner on the table too.

Another project my son and I do each year once the weather is below freezing is to make Ice Lanterns. A easy way to make your home look warm and cozy on a cold winter night. This is espcially pretty when there is snow on the ground or when you are hosting a holiday party.

How to Make An Ice Lantern:

You will need a large bucket, a plastic container smaller than the bucket (a coffee can works well), duct tape and a tea light or flamless candle.

1-fill the bucket 3/4 full of water. (if you want to get fancy you can add a bit of food coloring to the water)

2-place the smaller container inside the bucker of water but don't let it fill up with water.

3-place some rocks inside the smaller container to weigh it down so it sits about half way down into the water in the bucket but not all the way to the bottom.

4-place a strip of duct tape across the top of the large bucket so it holds down the smaller container in the water. Set aside until frozen solid.

5-run warm water over the outside of the large bucket to remove the ice from the bucket. Run some warm water inside the small container to loosen and remove it. This leaves an indentation in the lantern into which you can place the candle.

You can make several of these to line your front stairs, sidewalk or driveway!

Have a wonderful Holiday.

Julie Shoffner

Kathi DePolis - Christmas Memories

Is there a more beautiful memory than one of a child remembering Christmas?  I think not.

From the time I was a small child, every year my sister and I would receive a Christmas ornament for St. Nicholas day which is celebrated on December 6^th.  (read about St Nicholas around the world).  Since my father’s ancestors came from Bohemia, we celebrated it as  Svatý Mikuláš

The ornaments were usually a small character.   The purpose of these ornaments was so that when we moved out on our own and had our own family, we would have enough ornaments to dress the tree.  Yet it was such a waste to keep these ornaments for years and never enjoy them.  Little ones do not understand the concept of keeping a treasure for the future; they wish to enjoy their treasure now.  Therefore, once we had collected quite a few characters, my mother, being the very creative person that she was and continues to be, would create a Christmas scene as part of our holiday decorations.  This scene became a fantasy land for a small child.

Because my sister and I loved this so much, even once we were too old to celebrate St. Nicholas day, the ornament collecting continued to grow and so did the expansion of our little fantasy village.  My mother would embellish with bottle brush trees filled with glitter and tiny ornaments, faux snow, little animals, angel hair, colorful lights and more glitter.

Every year we looked forward to being able to set up this village which extended along the ledge in our basement/family room from one end of the room to the other.   While dad would bring boxes and boxes of Christmas décor down from the attic, mom would be busy making peppermint punch for us to enjoy as we set up all of our exquisite Christmas decorations.

Now you may be curious as to what peppermint punch is.  My mother would warm milk in a saucepan, crush candy canes and melt them into the milk, add a bit of vanilla and serve in a cup with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some more crushed candy canes sprinkled on top.  This was the only time of year mom would ever make this tasty treat. What a delicious memory it is and one that I have continued with my children throughout the years.

As we sipped on our punch, we adorned the house with beautiful décor to make Santa and visitors proud.  Our little village came to life as we went along.  Once complete, I would sit for hours in the dark with just the lights of the village and imagine that I was exploring this little wintery town.

I hope you have such fond memories of a tradition within your family.  Perhaps you will enjoy incorporating the peppermint punch recipe into your family tradition.

These are my children from a few years back, Stephen, Adria and Olya.

Merry Christmas to you and yours from my house to yours.

Dealing With Snow Plows

• Washington State DOT cautions you never to crowd a snowplow.   The front of the plow extends several feet and may cross the center line or shoulder.

•  Give plows plenty of room.  They turn and exit frequently.  Stay back about 15 car lengths.

• Snowplows throw up a cloud of snow.  Never drive into a snow cloud.  There could be a plow inside.

• If you are behind a plow, stay there or use extreme caution when passing.

Winterizing Your Home

Here are a few simple steps that can help you stay cozy indoors during this cold, winter season and save on heating costs, as well.

• Have your heating system checked by a professional annually.  This will ensure that your system is working safely and efficiently which, in turn, will save you money.  If you heat by wood, clean your fireplace or stove.  Have your chimney flue checked for any buildup or creosote and then clean to lessen the risk of a fire.
• Make sure your home is properly insulated.  If necessary, insulate walls and attic.  This will help you to conserve energy and reduce your home’s power energy and reduce your home’s power demands for heat.
• Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out.
• Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.  This will provide an extra layer of insulation keeping more cold air out.
• To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of old newspapers; cover the news papers with plastic to keep out moisture; let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing; know how to shut off water valves.

Source: New York State Emergency Management Office website

For more information contact Mars Insurance or visit our website at marsinsurance.com

Dealing With Ice Dams

Ice dams occur when ice builds up along the eaves of your roof. Ice dams form when snow and ice melt off the main part of your roof and re-freeze when they reach the eaves. This happens because the eaves (the overhangs at the edge of your roof) tend to be colder than the rest of the roof. If the ice dam grows large enough, it may prevent water from draining off the roof. The water can then back up underneath the roof shingles and make its way inside your home.
You can take immediate steps to help prevent damage from ice dams:

Clearing snow and ice off the roof before it melts is the best way to keep ice dams from forming. If your roof is accessible from the ground, a roof rake can be a safe and effective way to remove snow from the edges of the roof where ice dams occur.

If your roof is not accessible from the ground, a contractor may be able to help.

If you cannot safely access your roof from the ground, it is best not to try. Never attempt to climb on a snowy or icy roof, and never place a ladder on snowy or icy ground. Also, keep in mind that chipping the ice with a mechanical device can be dangerous and may result in damage to the roof.

Make sure to shovel around downspouts so that your gutters can drain freely. This will help prevent ice buildups in gutters.

Properly insulating and ventilating your attic will help reduce the chances of snow melting on the roof and refreezing at the eaves.

If you have already contacted a licensed and insured contractor to help with emergency repairs, be sure to document any expenses so they can be considered for reimbursement.

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For all your insurance needs contact Mars Insurance or visit our website at www.marsinsurance.com