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A Sprinkling of Christmas Memories… Blog Post 2- The Stockings

December 9, 2023 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

*The opening paragraphs are the same if you read the first blog in this series… but just wanted to share the beginning again with those who may have missed the first blog post* A Sprinkling of Christmas Memories

When my son was much younger, he loved sprinkles. We literally put sprinkles on everything… cookies, ice cream, cupcakes… anything he deemed sprinkle worthy. I had a specific kitchen cabinet where the bounty of sprinkles were stashed away, ready for a quick, special treat. We had multiple flavors and colors to select from and it was such a joyful experience for him.

Christmas memories are very much the same way, a sprinkle of sweetness in our hearts and minds of a very special Christmas moment. These moments can be recreated by establishing traditions that are repeated year after year during the Christmas season… like the sprinkles of sweetness on top of a very special treat.

A very happy Cowboy… a sprinkle of sweetness from a Christmas past

Sometimes as I am working inside our hardware store, I often see glimpses of these special Christmas memories from interactions with our customers, or stocking the shelves with products, and yes, even the endless search for new product offerings to bring to you, can create a sense of nostalgia of Christmas past. So here’s a small sprinkling of Christmas memories through my eyes as I wander through the hardware store… I hope you will enjoy this mini series of blog posts centered around on of the most wonderful times of the year, Christmas.

Wilkes County Hardware has been featuring unique hardware store Stocking Stuffers each day leading up to Christmas Eve! Head over to our Instagram and Facebook stories each day to find some great ideas for everyone on your gift list!

The Stockings

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there…” Clement Clark Moore

*This classic Christmas story written so many years ago and is and read aloud to children across the globe*

Stockings are treasured memories of Christmases past. I can’t imagine a Christmas without Christmas stockings and a tree… or having to choose between one or the other. Yes, I have read that the Christmas tree did try to replace the tradition of the Christmas stocking, but luckily it didn’t come to fruition… both remain as solidified Christmas traditions that should continue on for many more generations to come!

*Our Christmas tree is full of family ornaments, a sprinkling of sweet memories of Christmases past.*

The history of the Christmas stocking is centuries older than the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree! Christmas stockings date back to the origins of Saint Nicholas … Christmas trees, well, a much younger history, Victorian times.

*Christmas stockings take center stage this year in our family room… family favorites are on display*

My Granny used to tell me about the Christmases from her childhood when a great Christmas meant that candy(like hard peppermint sticks) and oranges were in found in the toe of her Christmas stocking.

*Granny would have loved these* 💕*… memories of family can be found everywhere even in the smallest things.*

Did you ever wonder why an orange in the stocking??? The tradition of stashing an orange into a stocking reveals a legend of a very poor man who had three daughters who were unable to wed without a decent dowry. On Christmas Eve, St. Nicholas, placed three golden balls inside their home. The three young ladies were overjoyed with the gift. Over time, the golden balls were replaced with oranges as the legend reveals.

I may begin to stash a few oranges in our stockings each year… a great way to carry out a sprinkling of a Christmas memory of my Granny, and a bit of history of Christmas all wrapped up into one stocking.

The photo I provided for you today is a cherished Christmas treasure that is always found at our house each year, my Christmas stocking.

This is definitely a sprinkle of sweetness of Christmas memories from my childhood, Mom and Dad have shared several Christmas pieces with my sister and I so that we can each have a sprinkle of sweet memories of our Christmas times together even when we can’t celebrate Christmas Day together.

My mom made this Christmas stocking when I was kid… my sister also has a matching one with her name as well. Mom is an amazing seamstress, she could make anything she wants to make. Presents didn’t usually go in these beautiful stockings, but they were always hung up each Christmas. For some, I would venture to guess, that this might be the purpose of Christmas stockings, as a treat to the eye, hanging by the mantle as a symbol of each family member at Christmas time.

*Yes, our pups even have their own stockings too! These pups are worn out Christmas Day after opening up their Christmas stockings gifts! Snacks, toys, treats!!! What a great day!*

*Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for dog toys, and treats for Christmas!*

After I married, Christmas Stocking gifts were always a big tradition at the Searcy house. Christmas stockings were always completed FIRST before opening presents under the tree. Each one of us would begin to dig into the Christmas stocking gifts, eventually each family member revealing the carefully curated collection of small gifts from “the stash” tucked inside the stocking.

*Martha’s Christmas stocking… a sweet sprinkle of Christmas past memories*

Everyone had their own special Christmas stocking. Martha, Richard’s mom, made sure that each individual stocking was unique to each person within the family. None of the Searcy family Christmas stockings were alike, and that tradition still lives on in our house as well.

*Our stockings are hung, and now we wait! Notice, mine aren’t hung over the mantle*.

Christmas stocking gifts don’t have to be expensive or “only Christmasy” type gifts. The great thing about Christmas stocking gifts is that you can target the gifts to suit each individual person and what they need or use regularly. Christmas stocking gifts are much more intimate gifts… indicating to the recipient that you know them well enough to know what they need and love.

Teenagers, or young kids who have electronic toys, batteries are an IDEAL stocking gift of choice!

No matter how big or small your Christmas celebration might be this year, remember that making Christmas memories is the best way to celebrate the season.

As I conclude this blog post, I have decided to definitely stash a few oranges in our stockings each year. A new tradition to carry out a sprinkling of a Christmas memory of my Granny, and also a bit of celebration of Christmas history all wrapped up into one stocking. Merry Christmas Y’all!

*Merry Christmas* 🎄 *from our family and staff to yours this holiday season!*

blogging, Christmas, Christmas Memories, family, hardware store, Hardware Store Life, Home, memories, Natural World, southern living

A Sprinkling of Christmas Memories

December 1, 2023 hardwarelifewife 3 Comments

One of my favorites… B in front of the tree. Christmas memories in picture form from so many years ago… the sweetest treat of all

Christmas memories are very much the same way, a sprinkle of sweetness in our hearts and minds of a very special Christmas moment. Luckily for us, these moments can be recreated and fondly remembered by establishing traditions that are repeated year after year during the Christmas season… like the sprinkles of sweetness on top of a very special treat. Memories are simply timeless treasures of the heart.

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service… some of the best Christmas memories

Sometimes as I am working inside the hardware store, I often remember glimpses of these special Christmas memories from interactions and conversations with our customers, or even stocking the shelves with products. Yes, even the endless search for new product offerings we might bring to you, can create a sense of nostalgia of Christmases past. So here’s a small sprinkling of Christmas memories through my eyes as I wander through the hardware store. I hope you will enjoy this mini series of blog posts centered around one of the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas.

Wishing y’all a wonderful Christmas season in 2023, make some lasting memories with family and friends

The Tree

Let’s get right into this one. Typically, each Christmas season begins with the decision of the Christmas tree. The joy of the holiday season launches once your tree is up, leaving you to find splendor in the glow of the Christmas lights and glistening ornaments.

Picking out the perfect Christmas tree … my boys 💕

I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas tree shopping with my boys, and decorating the tree each year… like the Christmas tree full of ornaments that B made in preschool, ornaments handed down from family members, all of these memories are sprinkled into my heart each year as we begin with the tree and the decorations.

But, one memorable tradition from my childhood was the search for the kid-sized Christmas tree that was put in our bedroom each Christmas when my sister and I were younger.

Dad would grab his hand saw, and axe… no chain saw was needed for this small task… He would tell my sister and I to find our coats and off to our woods we would go seeking the perfect small-sized Christmas tree.

Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for your hand tool needs and repairs.

I think we probably skipped all the way into the woods. Dad handled all that endless child energy bubbling over… always smiling and redirecting our silliness towards our purpose, finding the best Christmas tree.

Often times, my sister and I would select a small 3 foot cedar tree that was abundant in our woods.

I must admit, as I reflect back, my sister and I were always so excited about our own special Christmas tree that we selected ourselves and decorated with our own ornaments. These ornaments never went on the family tree. Mom made these especially for our kid-sized tree. The love and care modeled by both of our parents in creating a bit of extra special Christmas magic with this wonderful gift of the tree each year probably wasn’t fully appreciated until reaching adulthood.

Our trek in the woods often brought us to a patch of tiny sized cedar trees. The aromatic scent of the cedars was pleasant and the size was appealing to our “smallish” eyes. As a result, the cedar tree was our typical “go to” little Christmas tree that we selected each year. The cedar tree was cut down, giddy girls in tow, and we carried the tree back to the house from our journey into the woods.

A walk in the woods always brings back memories of the treks I took with my parents into our woods behind our house… looking for the best sticks, or even wading in the creek.

That cedar tree might not have been great for hanging our ornaments, as cedar branches are not as sturdy as a Fraser Fir, but we didn’t care. Mom, of course always helped us in decorating the “pint sized tree” so that our ornaments had the sturdier branches.

Battery operated trees are available in “pint size” versions at Wilkes County Hardware

The delight of spending time with our dad, and hanging the ornaments that our mom made especially for us are memory sprinkles of joy from past Christmases. My sister and I enjoyed the beauty of the Cedar Christmas tree lights every night…providing us the opportunity to experience the Christmas season in our little corner of the house.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Autumn, Fall, Fall photography, finding inspiration, Hardware Store Life, memories, Natural World, seaonal change, southern living

Fall 2023 Photography Favorites

November 7, 2023 hardwarelifewife 8 Comments

Photography has enabled me to capture a moment in time via the camera lens. I don’t have a sophisticated camera. I use my camera from my phone. I have it wherever I go, and it’s easy to use. If you’re an avid reader of my blog, you may recall, that Photography is a goal for my personal growth this year.

Most of my photos that I share on my blog or in other social media sites are purely everyday places that I have been blessed to see and share with you as my readers. I hope you enjoy the season of Fall through my everyday life “camera lens” in “the hardware life”.

The Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves are dropping everywhere! Here’s a few favorites featuring leaves as the centerpiece of the autumn season.

Vibrant Fall Colors

Vibrant Fall Colors are simply abundant this Autumn. We are so blessed to live in an area with such amazing color everywhere we look.

A Day at the Lake

This year I decided to look for Fall colors in unusual places. The Blue Ridge Mountains are an amazing place to find beautiful views and fall colors. Instead of trekking up the mountain, I wanted to check out some local areas to see how the Fall colors were coming and I wasn’t disappointed! These photos were captured a week or so before peak in our area at W Kerr Scott Lake.

Unusual Finds in the Fall

Sometimes a walk around the neighborhood or just being outside brings us face to face to with the unusual and unexpected. When I find those things, I often take a snapshot of my findings.

Acorns.. finding an abundance of acorns according to old weather folklore, forecasts a colder winter. Animals will need the acorns to survive the long, cold winter🥶.

Moving bales of cotton, that’s just ONE!

Persimmon Tree… old winter folklore tells us that the shape of the persimmon seed can predict the type of winter that is coming. A fork shaped seed inside the persimmon means a milder winter, a spoon shaped persimmon foretells a snowy winter, and a knife shaped seed means a cold, wind biting winter 🥶!

The Pines

This pine is dropping its needles beneath the tree, Pines drop their needles heavily during the Fall months .

Pine cones nestled in the fallen pine needles

Sunrises

As you may already know, I love a good sunrise or a beautiful sunset. I’m often up to see the sunrise. Sun chasers, here you go… my 2023 Fall sunrise captures.

The Fall Moon

There is simply nothing more intriguing than a full moon. As an educator, teaching during a full moon cycle brought unique challenges. Medical professionals and others have also attested to the Full moon impact upon human behavior. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to capture the moon behind all those clouds after Spooktacular.

“The night walked down the sky and brought the moon to the forefront “.

Foggy Morning Breakdown

The fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife!

Seeking Warmth…

First fire in the wood stove the morning of October 16th inside Wilkes County Hardware.

I hope you enjoyed a small sample of my Fall favorites. Look for your everyday moments and capture them through your life lens, whether you use your camera or not. Happy Fall Y’all! 🍂🍂🍂🍂

The sunlight was just in the right spot, to capture all those beautiful fall colors… one I couldn’t resist.

Autumn, blogging, Crockpot Cooking, Crocktober, Fall, Hardware Store Life, Home, recipe, Shop Local, southern cooking, southern living, supper

Crocktober

October 22, 2023 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

There’s simply nothing better like the smell of dinner cooking as you walk through the front door.

After a long day at work, the aroma welcomes you back home. But wait… Dinner is really almost ready??? You have been gone all day… yes, the Crock-Pot has magically been slowly simmering your dinner nonstop and the smell of a delicious dinner yet to come is wafting throughout your home. The aroma is welcoming you back, like two little, happy puppies wagging their tails anxiously awaiting to greet you as you enter the front door.

These two are waiting for their favorite humans to come back home!

Crock-Pot recipes are a mainstay in the playbook of comfort foods 101 in my opinion. The advantages of using a crock-pot or a slow cooker are plentiful. For one, the crock-pot will use less electricity than cooking a full meal on your stovetop.

Baked potatoes in crockpot??? Try it if you haven’t done that before. Yes, save electricity by using your crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours instead of using your oven. I brush mine with olive oil and salt pepper and cover it and walk away for a few hours.. dinner success!

Another advantage of using a crock-pot, Family evening meals can be prepared ahead of time… meaning that it can save you time, and of course, less dishes to clean up after the meal! If you are a meal planning cook, the crock-pot is for you! That’s a definite win in the family meal game plan!

This creamy chicken crock-pot recipe is one of the most versatile dishes that I make that can be used as a base for chicken pie, chicken casserole, or served over pasta. The leftovers can make a creamy chicken soup.

The last advantage of using a crock-pot is simply the monetary savings from each grocery store trip. When you slow cook in the crock-pot, you can buy a tougher cut of meat ( saving a bit of money) and it will come out tender after cooking low and slow all day long. Crock-pots are designed to tenderize and add complexity of flavors to your protein as it simmers low and slow. The slow cooking process helps to preserve the nutrients. In a higher heat setting, those nutrients can be rapidly broken down, reducing the flavor profile.

As I write this blog post, I realize that some are probably rolling their eyes saying, “good grief girl, get in the 21st century and buy an instant pot”. Here’s my reply… Well, honestly I don’t want one. I love the idea of prepping before I leave for the day, and simmering my food low and slow all day long… nothing beats spaghetti sauce that’s been cooking all day long in the crock-pot and we love it. I’m the “set it and forget it until later” meal game planner.

https://hardwarelifewife.com/2023/10/22/crocktober-recipes/

I don’t think of a crock-pot meal as a “boring meal” that is often repetitive… week after week… “Mom, we are eating the same old stuff” type meals… that’s the whole point of “Crocktober”. Thinking outside of the usual crock-pot mindset and experimenting with new ways to use the traditional slow cooker.

SO…. Here’s a sampling of some of the amazing products that Wilkes County Hardware has to offer you that could add some extra flavor to your favorite proteins or vegetables slowly simmering away in your crock-pot. Hopefully you can find a bit of inspiration for some new “Crocktober Recipes” to make for your family.

This rub is a great addition brings flavor to any type of steak, or beef roast in your crock-pot!

Hand choppers are great for making quick work of a large cooked pork lion, or even chicken as you make chopped BBQ or tacos in the crock-pot

The best BBQ sauce… AND it’s locally made!

Traeger sauces and rubs can add extra flavor to your crock-pot meals

Use your imagination and available ingredients from your pantry and refrigerator and get cooking in your crock-pot for October! The options are endless!!! **It’s Crocktober**

Let’s celebrate the month of October with the Crock-pot… and get the slow simmer going … it’s Crocktober time!

FYI: Two recipes are linked in this blog post if y’all are curious… Happy slow cooking!

Autumn, Crockpot Cooking, Fall, family, Hardware Store Life, Home, recipe, southern cooking, southern living, supper

“Crocktober” Recipes

October 22, 2023 hardwarelifewife 1 Comment

Sharing a few featured October favorites for the crockpot. These may not be new and different to you but they are well loved in “The Hardware Life” and easy to prep for any weeknight meal. Enjoy these Crocktober family favorites!

Creamy Crock-pot Chicken

Ingredients for Crock-pot Creamy Chicken:

2 Cans Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup

1 T butter

1 package chicken tenders

Note: You can use more chicken to adjust to your family size! I’m cooking for only two people right now.

1 cup chicken stock

Note: You can thin it as much as you like by adding more chicken stock, but I like to leave mine on the thicker side.

Get it Simmering in the Crock-pot:

1. Add chicken as the bottom layer first, season chicken as desired.

Note: ( I season my tenders with minced dried onion and black pepper )

2. Combine all other ingredients and stir into crockpot and cook on low for at least 6 hours or chicken throughly cooked. Mine usually cooks all day while I’m gone to work.

Alternate versions of Creamy Crock-pot Chicken:

1. Add frozen biscuits (cut into 4’s ) cook for about hour on high in crock-pot for chicken pie or dumplings type meal.

2. Use cooked creamy chicken as a base for chicken casserole and layer into casserole dish.

3. Creamy chicken & Pasta : Cook pasta and steam veggies and top the chicken with parmigiana cheese.

This pasta and chicken recipe make a hearty comfort dish meal. Ready to eat when you are hungry.

4. Creamy Chicken Soup: My Creamy Chicken leftovers and pasta combines to make a fantastic soup!!! Add a bit more chicken stock to thin if needed or another can cream of chicken soup and add your favorite vegetables or pasta. Simmer until vegetables/pasta is cooked.

Crock-pot Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients for Crock-pot Spaghetti Sauce:

1-2 pounds hamburger

1 container of fresh mushrooms (fine chop)

1/2 c Chopped carrots

2 T Italian seasoning

Fresh Herbs (Rosemary/oregano)

Spaghetti sauce base:

1. Shortcut- Add in favorite Jar Spaghetti sauce to your cooked hamburger, spices, and simmer away all day

OR….

2. Make your own spaghetti sauce base- 1 T tomato paste, splash of wine, crushed tomatoes with Italian seasoning, I usually add extra Italian seasoning( if using dried herbs, you will need to use less by 1/3 vs using fresh herbs… use more than dried)

Get Simmering in Crock-pot:

1. Brown Hamburger in crock-pot on low heat for 30-45 minutes. Chop hamburger into smaller pieces as it begins to cook down. Drain away any excess liquid.

The slow cooker hamburger browning process is slower but well worth it. I usually brown my meat as I am getting ready in morning and then head back to kitchen to add spices/sauce before I leave.

2. Add herbs and Red Wine(if desired)

3. Add chopped mushrooms and carrots

This is a good way to sneak in veggies into your sauce, a fine cop makes these pretty invisible in your cooked sauce.

4. Add Spaghetti Sauce base ingredients and stir well.

5. Top sauce with fresh herb bundle, cover and simmer 8 hours.

I tend to add spices and flavors as I cook. Please add your favorite Italian blended spices and flavors to your sauce. The process of cooking the sauce slowly is a definite step up from the rushed cooking process of making a “quick spaghetti sauce”. The flavor profile will be different from a skillet spaghetti sauce made quickly.

Enjoy these “Crocktober Recipes” and enjoy cooking low and slow adding a bit a flavor as you go!

The Hardware Life – A wife's journey into the hardware business