Are you shipping cookies to loved ones this holiday?? Here is an item from a past Farmers’ Almanac. Before you bake think of what kind of cookies or goodies will travel best. Solid types of cakes and cookie bars, or moist and soft drop cookies travel best. Use packaging materials in layers, and warp cookies in pairs, back to back. Cushion them, with popcorn, another edible in the package. And, if you shape the cookies just right, you could use a Pringles or similar container. I understand you have to mail packages now to get to soldiers prior to Christmas. If it is an edible, it will be appreciated any time of the year.

With colder temps outside, woodstoves and fireplaces are going 24/7. So, what is the best wood to burn? Consider this…. the density of the wood is important. If properly dried, heavier, denser woods will deliver more btu per cord. Wood burns best when it is one or two years old. Hardwood burns the best and longest, while spruce and pine burn faster. For a slightly fancier or different type of fire, try some fruit woods. Apple and cherry add fragrance and birch gives a blue flame.

My final word on wood. How come wood pops when put on fire? All wood contains pockets of pitch, sap and other flammables. As the wood heats up, the warmth penetrates deep into these pockets.The gases expand rapidly when heated. As they expand, they put tremendous pressure on the walls of their pockets. Finally, the walls can’t take it anymore and burst. At that time the popping sound is heard. Obviously, woods, like pine and fir go “crazy” because of the large amounts of sap that explode. But, all woods exert a popping sound.

Speaking of food. One holiday “delight” or “disaster” is the fabled fruitcake. When my Dad and I would travel to Atlanta each January, we bought a dozen fruitcakes. It wasn’t the joy of consuming them as much as a fundraiser for a local service organization. On our home page our poll is simple - “do you like fruitcake”. Currently, it is running 50 / 50. But, fruitcake takes a beating on late night talk shows. So, before you leave the site, vote on this one.

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