Dumbbell of the Year Award

 I made attempted to make an ice cream cake roll as a special dessert for dinner one night this last week.  Papa Pea walked through the kitchen as I was mixing the batter for the chocolate cake part, and I asked if I should put mint ice cream or chocolate ice cream in the cake roll.

 

"Oh, chocolate!  Chocolate, chocolate, CHOCOLATE!" he replied.

 

I had a taste for the mint (sigh) but because I had asked (my first mistake) and wanted to please him (grumble, grumble), I used the chocolate.

 

I apparently was totally lacking brain function in that I didn't stop to think for one second that in using the chocolate ice cream with the chocolate cake, the whole visual of the spiral in the roll of ice cream and cake would be lost.

 

Not only did the roll turn out difficult and ugly . . . 

 

. . . but the slice of it on the plate looked exactly like a round piece of meatloaf.  Yuck.

 

(Gosh [she said shaking her head], and the cake rolls looked so attractive when they made them on The Great British Baking Show.)

Mid-Week Wednesday

 Despite the fact that it was 10° below zero this morning when we got up, and our high temp for the day was 11° above, we had sunshine all day long.

 

This was taken at 2:45 this afternoon with the glorious sun streaming in our south facing windows.  The sun has been extremely shy about showing its face so far this winter so when we get a sun-filled day, it's a cause for a mini celebration.

 

 

The wear and tear on my fingers will be forgotten when I finish hand-quilting this wall hanging that I worked on today.  Even with a good thimble, there are spots on my fingers that get really sore.

 

One of the items on Papa Pea's list today was to replace the gasket on the door of the wood stove in the living.  He put on his handyman hat and did a thorough, efficient job of it.

 

Then he decided to take a nap.  The truth?  He's lubricating the track that the door slides on (under the stove) when we have an open fire.

 

Anyone else ever noticed how those homestead/household maintenance duties are n-e-v-e-r done?  Even when you think you're "set up?"

 

What's the most recent maintenance you had to do around your place?

If I Had Such A Good Day Yesterday . . .

. . . why did I have nightmares last night?  Oh, well.  I'm not going to dwell on it, but rather just chalk it off to these times we're all doing our best to function in and move on.  Yep, to move on and try to make the best of each day is the way to go.

 

And, boy howdy, I did have a good day yesterday.

 

Look, look!  The geranium I brought in from the garden is blooming.  It's no secret I've never had much luck bringing in plants and wintering them over inside.  Herbs, flowering plants, whatever refuse to be happy and thrive for me.  Maybe it's the fact that my daughter (who does have a lot of luck bringing plants in at the end of the growing season) potted up this geranium for me.  It's actually starting to bloom!

 

Just took these loaves of Oatmeal Bread out of the oven.  I made one of them (on the left . . . I think) into Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread.  As soon as they've cooled enough, we're diving in to the cinnamon one for breakfast.

 

We finally got some snow overnight.  Wahoo!  The frames of my raised beds are almost, just about, finally covered.

 

I worked like a little beaver (a sewing beaver . . . do beavers have opposable thumbs?) yesterday to finish the machine quilting on this couch quilt that has been waiting to be finished for one heckuva long time.  I just have a smidge bit to finish on the binding before it goes into the washing machine, then the dryer and will be on the couch tonight.  With me snuggled under it while knit-stitching away.

 

Yep, it was a good day yesterday.  Sending wishes we all have a good day today, too!  (And no bad dreams tonight, please.) 

Turning Negativity Into Positivity

Much time has been spent in the last week or so trying to come up with an interesting, uplifting bit of a post to put up here.  It's evident my brain cells have not been up to the task.

I do believe the general blogging atmosphere is in a slump right now, and I can't help but think it's because of the political atmosphere, both here in the U.S. and worldwide, that is affecting our daily thoughts, actions and plans for the future.

And, of course, there is COVID that has had such overwhelming consequences which we've all had to deal with in our own personal lives.

 

I don't believe anyone with functioning gray matter can continue on these days with their head in the sand without heavy concern as to the changes around and most likely before us.

 

All of this makes me extremely grateful for our lifestyle and the daily many blessings we can still count in our lives.

 

I can't do anything but work through the days I may have when that underlying sense of unease threatens to take over.  Let's all keep doing the very best we can on a day-to-day basis, remembering to be kind and helpful to all those around us (including ourselves) as being unkind never, ever helps but only hurts (once again, ourselves included).  Let's put the emphasis on all the positives and avoid falling into the depths littered with the negatives.

 

So, on with the blessings.

 

Liverwurst!  Our good neighbor has been sharing his latest culinary creations with us.  A couple of days ago we received some of his homemade liverwurst.  We happily dined on it for our dinner that night and found it really yummy.  Yesterday, he brought over a package of his head cheese for us to try.  That's on the agenda for sometime today.  He grew up on a farm where his mama used every bit of all they grew and raised to feed her hungry brood and now in his retirement, he's had the time to do what he enjoys, and he's darn good at it.  Lucky us.

 

Yep, the X-stitching bug is still with me.  The current project is an Easter motif piece which I've just barely started.  "Happy Easter" in the center surrounded by bunnies, carrots, flowers, etc.

 

In the works is a new rag rug for in front of the kitchen sink made in dark blue to go with my blue and white January decorations.  Good choice I made to use dark blue rather than white, eh?  (Tongue firmly held in cheek.)

 

The first sock of the latest pair for Papa Pea is almost done.  Because Mr. Big Foot needs big socks for his big feet, I wasn't sure this particular skein had enough yardage so chose to make the cuff, heel and toe of the contrasting gray color.

 

Today I'm determined to sandwich and start the quilting on this couch quilt that has been shaming me for months by hanging on my design wall in its unfinished state.  I'll machine quilt it with an all-over meandering design.  I think.  But I could change my mind.  But probably won't.

 

It's now 9:30, we slept in this gray, windy morning, and we have yet to have our breakfast, so I really should step away from the computer here and get on with the day.  It's gonna be a good one! 

Planning for the 2021 Garden - Too Early?

Remember when seed catalogs didn't start showing up in the mail until March or April each year?  No, you probably don't because that hasn't happened in a long time.

All of these arrived before the first of the year.  And there were more that I've already taken to recycling.  Still more, I'm sure, will arrive shortly.

However, having the catalogs and the availability of perusing gardening seed websites online is a good thing.  

 

(Did you know some seed companies have already closed their websites to more orders because of extreme overload?) 

 

This has all urged me to take out my gardening book and plot out what I'll plant where for this coming gardening season.  I have a feeling being as prepared for the spring seed starting months as I can will be of future benefit to those eager eaters who partake of meals at our table.

At the end of the harvest season last year, I went through all my seeds and placed a couple of small orders to resupply any seeds that looked even a little low.

Being aware of current information available on social media (real and/or fake), I've decided it might be a good idea to recheck myself and possibly order more.  Can't hurt and might even help out someone else.

What are your plans for gardening this year?  Do you garden yourself?  Or perhaps subscribe to a CSA near you?  Do you use space in a community garden plot?  Are you a long-time gardener?  If so, have you expanded your growing space in the last year or so?  Do you plan to have a garden for the first time this year?  What do you feel is most important to grow?

P.S.  There will be NO zucchini plants in my garden this year!

The Month of January - Like It or Lump It?

I luv the month of January.  Many people complain it's such a loooong, dreary month to get through after the celebrations and festivities of the just past holidays.

Say what?  January is a long month?  It could contain sixty-two days rather than thirty-one and I would jump for joy.

 

Each year after our extremely busy summer season, I'm always glad to see harvest time and autumn arrive mostly because it signals that the winter months are getting closer.  Winter is the time I can look forward to more down time for personal pursuits than at any other time of the year.

 

But.  Before my month of January arrives, we have to get through (dum-dah-dum-dum!) The Holidays.

 

Thanksgiving, Christmas and then the day or two celebrating the New Year.  Not to say there aren't a lot of warm, wonderful feelings surrounding those holidays that begin at the end of November and go all the way to the start of January, but let's face it.  Doesn't most of the planning, preparation and w.o.r.k. associated with the holiday season fall to the female(s) of the household?  Yep, it sure does.  And it all makes me tired.

 

What I'm trying to say is that my winter of content doesn't start until the holidays are over and we turn our calendars to the first month of the new year.

 

Rosemary Beck (Content in a Cottage) wrote of her feelings regarding January:

 

"January is my absolute favorite month of the whole year.  The holidays are behind me and there is nothing pressing before me.  Perfect for nesting and doing self-indulgent things like watching movies, reading books, knitting, sprucing up my blog, or anything fun."

 

Amen, Rosemary!

 

So not it's your turn.  Do you treasure this month of January for reasons of your own or would you rather just give it a boot in the butt, skip it and be that much closer to spring?  My inquiring mind wants to know.