Although today has been cool with a high temp of 46°, it was a sun shiny day. My time might have been better spent tilling up the six raised beds that Papa Pea spread compost on yesterday. Instead I was inside all day getting some other things done.
Because tomorrow is stacking up to be busy, and Monday is my regular laundry and ironing day, I did those two things today and checked them off the list.
Each year at Halloween and Christmas time, Chicken Mama (aka our daughter) gathers together six kiddies she's been a nanny for in the past and at the present time, ages ranging from 3 to 13, and they have a wild and messy fun time decorating sugar cookies.
I'm the official cookie baker, providing the naked sugar cookies, Chicken Mama makes the frostings and provides other decorations. This year the event will take place this coming Thursday after school. Not wanting to be up until midnight (I'd never make it) on Wednesday night, I got the double batch of cookies made and baked today. Now they're stashed in the freezer until they're needed on Thursday.
I've had a hankering for a grilled cheese sandwich on Poppy Seed Bread. For a couple of weeks now this has been calling to my taste buds so today I baked a loaf of the bread.
The end piece I
Oh! And one other thing (that was no accomplishment of mine), one of the new chickens just presented us with our first pullet egg! Normally, if we have to order chicks from a hatchery, we specify their arrival late in the spring/early summer because of lack of our warm weather before then. However, our first batch of chicks arrived (unexpectedly) earlier than we really wanted this spring. Papa Pea set them up in a snug little brooder house with heat lamp and they all made it just fine. It was one of those chicks (now nearly grown) that gave us the egg. All in all, we're very happy to know we won't have to wait until the first of the year to have a good quantity of fresh eggs again.
If all goes well tomorrow, I may be able to get at those newly composted beds I avoided today. Funny thing. When I'm inside, none of my list of outside tasks gets done. And when I'm outside . . . well, you know.
We got our first pullet egg yesterday!
ReplyDeleteThe lure of outdoors is powerful indeed! But I can see why cookie and bread baking were the priority. :) I've never thought to put poppy seeds in bread; thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting on my pullets to start laying. They're six months old now so what's the hold up! lol.
Yep. I was outside before the rain, and now inside making up for lost inside time. Plus, we took our grandson a birthday gift after my husband got off work (and that was a Sunday).
ReplyDeleteLists are good, this is what I tell myself when I am trying to wade through the tasks I have given myself to fulfil. So sometimes I have to 'put the list to bed' for a day or two, just to give myself some downtime!
ReplyDeleteMichelle - See? You knew it would happen!
ReplyDeleteLeigh - Since it's gonna be kinda cold outside this morning (35° over night here), I'll get a couple of things done inside, but then I'm out there (!) until dinner time tonight. Gotta take advantage of the weather before the ice and snow take over!
Kristina - Recently no rain to work around here, but I know you've had your share of it. Hope you have a good week!
Vera - Putting your list to bed for a day or two sounds like a good plan. I'm afraid I'd have to drug mine to get it to stay there! I've got to stay aware of the fact that we don't have many more good weather days left before the nastiness of November talks me into staying inside where it's comfy cozy!
Our babies are August chick's, so we should get our first eggs around the beginning of December. The old girls are still providing enough, but I am looking forward to a glorious plenty! The cookies look so pretty, and the bread too.
ReplyDeleteGranny Sue - Yes, once you have and enjoy your own fresh eggs, it's very hard to even think (!) about purchasing store-bought ones, isn't it? Glad it sounds like you shouldn't be without before your new ones start producing those wonderful eggs. I know we were sure happy to see the pullet eggs starting to show up!
ReplyDeleteI do a Sugar cookie bake and take at the Library for the kids its become a holiday tradition. A way to give back to the community.
ReplyDeleteBread and cookies are on my list for tomorrow, as it is supposed to be a rainy, yuck day. Six kiddies in the kitchen will be fun! That is a lovely looking loaf..how was the grilled cheese sandwich? It's a good feeling to get the gardens put to bed for the season.
ReplyDeleteYour sugar cookies look lovely - and tasty! We like to make them for fall, too, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for inspiring us. Sugar cookies are a favorite for me!
ReplyDeleteLisa K - For years I was called upon (which I loved to do) to provide goodies for many of our library's special events. Then there came a change in staff and cookies are no longer served. Things change. Glad you can share your baking talents with your library.
ReplyDeleteRosalea - Grilled cheese sandwiches on the Poppy Seed Bread were yummy. Isn't it funny when we get a taste for a certain something? I'm thinking of using the rest of the loaf for French toast.
I got six more raised beds that Papa Pea had spread compost on tilled up today. Yep, it does feel good.
2 Tramps - Thank you! Haven't sampled any of them yet but since they're the same recipe I always use (and look the same) they should be okay. Although with all the frosting the kids lavishly spread on top, who can taste the cookie?? ;o)
I can absolutely smell those cookies! Is your garden completely done? We are picking another batch of green roasting peppers today, and covering the plants, as we are getting 33 degrees tonight, but then the weather stays 60’s and low 40’s for about 10 days. We are so happy for your egg! It’s those mighty celebrations we must enjoy! Have a wonderful week ahead, and don’t work too hard…preaching to the choir! Lol !
ReplyDeletewyomingheart - Three more raised beds to fertilize and till. Then compost to be spread on my "flat" garden spaces. We've had a couple of light frosts but nothing that laid the perennials flat yet. We're getting a long-lasting fall!
ReplyDeleteThis week has been a rough and tough one. Nothing such as some folks are dealing with, just so many little things they start to feel like big things. This, too, shall pass.
Hi, I’m a new reader, came from The Iowa Housewife. Love your site so far! I’m very intrigued by your poppyseed bread. Could you please post a recipe? Thanks, Dale
ReplyDelete