Sunday, February 1, 2015

What's Happening

~  It's cold.  But, hey, it's winter time in northern Minnesota.  Had a high of 9 degrees today . . . with sunshine.  Hooray for the sunshine.  Phoo-poo to the prediction of -17 tonight.


~  I sorted through all my boxes of yarn this past week I had stashed up in the loft/attic.  Oh, my.  Where did it all come from?  Who knew I had so much?  Some was packed in cardboard boxes (luckily we don't have a mouse problem), but I thought it was a good idea to purchase some plastic totes in which the yarn is now residing . . . in a safer environment.  Plus, it's all sorted and organized so I know what I have.  (Yeah, too much.)


~  This morning I summoned up the courage to get back to working on my winter wall hanging.  I've had the hand quilting done for about a week, but was being a Nervous Nelly about starting the free-motion (on the machine) quilting part of it.  I'm not the greatest at that.  I can turn out a fairly good job, but not without ending up with stiff shoulders.  So I downed half a bottle of wine and went for it.  Not really, but that might have helped my stiff shoulders.  Or not.

~  I finally cobbled together a great recipe for Rice Pudding made with leftover rice.  (I can never seem to make enough rice for just one meal.  Same way with mashed potatoes.)  Now if I can just remember how I did it . . .

~  Daughter stopped in with the kiddlies she cares for a few days ago.  It happened to be on the morning I had made the Rice Pudding for our breakfast.  The 14 month old twins dug into the leftovers with great gusto.  They are both using a spoon now to carry food into their wee mouths.  Well, they use the spoon in one hand while every other mouthful gets shoved in with the alternate hand.

~  Our egg production has stayed good all winter.  (Knock on wood.)  We're getting enough eggs for all my cooking needs and even a dozen here and there to give away.  I don't know what we'd do without our good eggs.  The chickens have been staying warm and cozy in their little house with attached "solarium."  They have it pretty good. 


~  I made this dish of Apple Crunch this morning because I had some apples that were getting soft.  And to warm up the kitchen.  And to permeate the house with the enticing aroma.  And to have to eat.  It's now 5:30 p.m. and the above is all that is left.  Daughter did stop by and helped us get "rid" of it.  Guess it was tolerable enough that I might have to make another one tomorrow morning.  Maybe some more Rice Pudding, too.

25 comments:

Myrna said...

Hi Mama Pea, We are finally getting winter in Iowa. Some areas have had 13 inches since Sat night. We are SNOWED in the house and it is supposed to be 17 above (thank goodness) tomorrow. Stay warm.

Sue said...

Hi Mama Pea.
Let's beat up Myrna for bragging about her snow.
Wah. I want snow!!
All I get is COLD.
And your plate of deliciousness is looking so good right now. I'll be by for some rice pudding in the morning.
Ha.

Mama Pea said...

Myrna - Please read Sue's comment below. And be very afraid!

Mama Pea said...

Sue - When I just read Myrna's report of their snow, my mouth dropped open and I said, "Wha . . . ?" Yes, let's head for her house. Maybe we'll have time to mellow on the way so won't beat her up, but just take some of her snow. Deal?

primrosesattic said...

Hi Mam Pea. I always make too much rice when cooking tea. So I always make a rice pudding with the left overs.
Rosezeeta.

Mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Freedom Acres Farm said...

If you have extra yarn, feel free to send it our direction LOL My oldest is getting married this coming week and she is taking all the "good" yarn with her which is making the next daughter sad! I have never in all my born days seen a 10 year old knit with the precision that she does. She is truly gifted - IF I can keep her in yarn LOL

Mark said...

Sorry about the deleted comment - Serious fat finger offense.

At the risk of taking a beating from Sue, we're in the midst of getting 15" or so of snow right now and running about 19 degrees F. At bit much of the white stuff at one time for NE Indiana, but I'm not whining.

The apple crunch looks wonderful! I'd love a warm serving of that right now. I'll be raiding the fridge soon for some lessor (but available) substitute.

Our eggs have slowed down to about 1/2 of our summer peak, but there is still enough of us and the occasion dozen to sell or give to the kids. We're ok with that.

Unknown said...

I LOVE the pattern on the white fabric, gorgeous! Can you post a photo of the "little house with attached "solarium." " We built a "sun room" too onto our coop for the winter. We remove it in the spring and store it....

M.E. Masterson said...

love the idea of a solarium for the chickies.
yum rice pudding..will have to make some with the leftovers...always have leftovers. I am a rice lover while hubby loves potatoes!
weather here well it has rained all day....no snow yet. I think it is to warm for the white stuff. take care stay warm...quilt is a beauty!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

Rice pudding......I'm coming to your house. I may even bring some warmer temperatures :-)
Expecting 17 degrees out in the morning :(
Everyone's bundled up warm and the house is nice and quiet. Stay warm, and enjoy your quilting!!!
Hugs,
Sandy

Sue said...

Sue here. And you better start baking cookies RIGHT NOW--or I don't know if I'll be able to stop Mama Pea from putting the hurt on ya.

Sue said...

I think if Myrna bakes us cookies AND we take her snow, things will be all right. But they better be GOOD cookies! Chocolate chip. TWO kinds of chocolate (chunks AND chips!!)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I had to laugh at all that yarn. That is so like me. We only have one egg today, so if I have enough milk, we are eating steel cut oats for breakfast. I can open a jar of potatoes and applesauce too, but I think oats sound good. Stay warm. It's getting chilly here today.

Mama Pea said...

Rosezeeta - The leftover rice is often used for Fried Rice in our house, too. That's good!

Mama Pea said...

Freedom Acres Farm - I had a bag to get rid of that I offered my daughter. I told her she might want to look through it and take what she wanted. She replied she didn't have to look through it . . . she just took the whole batch!

You know, they talk about children learning a "life sport" (like tennis or golf), but how good to learn a "life craft" like knitting. Your talented 10 year old will be a knitter all of her life!

Mama Pea said...

Well, Mark, you've been warned. Sue and I have been doing some serious whining about our lack of snow here in Minnesota and for her in Michigan. When we're on our way to beat up Myrna in Iowa for all the snow she just got, we just might have to swing by and see yours!

Mama Pea said...

Nancy po - Thank you for the encouragement on my quilting!

Our chicken set-up is pretty basic. A small (4' x 8' house, 5' high) coop with an 8' x 8' wood framed "solarium" on the front. It's covered with heavy-duty greenhouse plastic that lets lots of light in. It has a sloping roof, about 4-1/2' high where it butts up to the chicken house and 2' high on the other (south-facing) end. There's a door from the chicken house to the solarium and another door out the front of the solarium that we open in good weather so the chickens can go out into their pasture.

Mama Pea said...

M.E.Masterson - Thanks for your words about the quilt!

My husband loves taters, too, but we do both like rice. Since we can grow potatoes, but not rice, we eat more potatoes. Makes sense, huh?

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Seems like your temps have been really cold this winter, no? We had "only" 16 below this morning but it's warming up fast. Well, maybe not that fast as it's only 9 above now at noon. Gray again, darn, and a little breeze. I need to do some errands in town today, but I'm definitely procrastinating 'cause I don't want to run around in this weather. Such a pansy I am today. ;o}

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - You have really suffered on your egg production this winter. Ugh. If there were an easy, inexpensive way to do it I'd send you a couple dozen of our eggs. Or maybe a couple of our layers would be better for you and your hungry crew! Stay warm, bloggy friend.

Leigh said...

I'd say the winter wall hanging turned out fabulous! Love the colors. And I love the idea of rice pudding or apple crunch for breakfast. I need to do that for a change of pace. :)

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Leigh, but the wall hanging is far from done. I've just barely gotten started on the machine quilting. Thought I do more today, but "life" has interfered! I know you can relate.

The Rice Pudding was so good I've been hungry for more ever since. I may have to cook up some rice just to have it for this particular recipe!

Leah said...

Hey Mama,
looks like you have been a busy bee even with the cold weather!! I have been too! When it gets this cold I try and get all the little projects that build up over the summer done! One good thing about minnesota, it gives you seasons to concentrate on different things!!

Mama Pea said...

Leah - Oh, for sure! Hubby and I often comment during the winter, for instance, looking outside on the pitch dark at 5 p.m. and saying that if it were July, we'd have light for nearly five hours more. And our schedules and what we do during a day certainly do fluctuate according to the seasons. Personally, I like it that way!