Snow day , sewing and card making

We got a bit of snow and we both love it. We prepped yesterday making sure we had our firewood in and dried, 5 gallon jugs filled with water in case the power goes out (you can't flush a toilet without power), ready made foods available, candles, hand sanitizer/baby wipes, toilet paper (I have a fear of running out) and made sure the animals all had fresh bedding, food and water with warmers... oh, and Dude made sure there was plenty of coffee (note for me... tea is getting low, smile)  Power stayed on and all was well. The highway did close. More snow is due Friday and Saturday, we are prepared. We got 8-10 inches of snow but the drifts were one to two feet in areas. 

Dude worked clearing the porches and walk-ways to the barns. Then he pushed snow with the tractor.

Norman had been out almost two hours with Dude but I made him come in. I was concerned about his feet freezing. He thought otherwise and cried watching Dude outside. Dude loves being out there and was out all day, mostly riding in the warm tractor and then shoveling.

I got working on cleaning the house. We are hosting Thanksgiving.

I moved all the tea, cocoa, instant coffee and cereals over to a station I created.  Dude likes an occasional pop so I moved it there too and out of the way.  The whole thing  hidden in a pocket of the room and out of the way.

Then I had a ton of catching up to do with sewing and crafts. Okay, I could live to be 100 years old and never be caught up!

I got all the squares done on the scrap quilt and hope to get the sashing done tomorrow. There are nine squares. White sashing will go between the squares and the border is a light green.

I did get some cards made. 

Ten cards made from a kit. 

They are 3D.

One of my grandson's birthday is tomorrow. I am glad I froze some cupcakes. They just need to be frosted. He will be 3 and wants pink and purple cupcakes. (He is a fan of Peppa Pig)

I don't think he will mind the wrappers are Halloween. *smile*

Tomorrow we will get the Thanksgiving dinner cooked . Dude will cook a local ham and one of our chickens. We want to be able to just enjoy our time with family on Thursday. 

peace

4th Day of Christmas , Holy Innocents, and baking

Good morning!  It is the 4th Day of Christmas and Feast of the Holy Innocents. Following the 12 Days of Christmas is almost like using a decoder ring... can you tell I raised four sons?  Today is four calling birds or rather the four Gospels and Evangelists of the Gospels. 
It is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents and so heart retching to think of. Again, having sons it hits home that if I was living in another time I would be holding them just a little closer.  On this day we remember  Herod giving orders to kill boys two years and younger, Divine Marytrs : From Matthew 2:16-18 =

16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18“A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.”^d

Yesterday I made cookie dough for a cookie party this weekend and put it in the fridge. It's Christmas time for us ...fun, fun, fun! 

Today I rolled them out and baked them before heading to work. 

Grin, they kind of spread out a bit. 

Dude was giving all the oil lamps a good cleaning. We must have twenty or more.

Then he was off to take grandkids to the model train museum. 

peace

Wednesday - Cleaning, canning and sewing

We had another busy day on tap. 

So we got started with cleaning... lots of cleaning. The biggest job was cleaning the windows, screens and inside and out. 

I cleaned the bathrooms and litter.  Floors were vacuumed and mopped. 

Then I want to try a canned bread recipe I found here: at Vicki's Canning World on Facebook.

I added a streusel topping .

Half of them, I added chocolate chips and baked. Since they are hot you add the lids and rings. They seal due to the heat.  She says they last for a year. 

We made salad jars for the rest of the week. 

I went out to measure Wilbur for his protective coat that he will be wearing. 

Granddaughters are making ponchos.  Another is making walking pouches and pillows. 

I did get the seeds planted in time but not checking in the hive.  The shamrocks were potted. Tomorrow is another day for the hive. 

We got a great downpour. 

I have over 16,000 steps logged and I am exhausted.  A bath and book is calling me. 

peace

Sunday, canning, chickens, jelly and some clean up

The freezer is full of meat chickens.  We lost a few this year but we did end up with seventeen in the freezer. They weighed out at 3-7 pounds. They look pretty healthy and we are so grateful for the food it will give us.

Went to mass today and later turned off everything at 3pm for Divine Mercy Hour.  I used the time to pray and pick dandelions. 

In jars today  - Canned mint jelly and dandelion jelly.  There isn't much meat that I like besides the local pork, lamb and our own hand raise chickens.  So, to go along with our lamb,  I made mint jelly. I make it every year and love the stuff.

I have always wanted to try dandelion jelly.  My Dad loved the idea of living on the land... literally, and every so often, he would make us a dandelion salad or get us to try dandelion root.  In honor of my Dad, whose birthday would have been next week, I picked dandelions.  I friend of mine who knows alot about food nutrition,  was visiting this weekend and brought me a fruit and vegetable cleaner he makes.  I gave it a try on my mint and dandelions today. 

We don't spray our dandelions and we only had a few this year due to a lack of moisture but I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.  I did add a wee bit of orange rind to mine. It turned out perfect and the taste is similar to honey.  

Next up was to put dinner in the over. Simply baked one of our chickens with salt and pepper. In the last 10 minutes I put some of our Thai dipping sauce that I canned last year over it. Yum!

Books - I love this book with recipes from the 1700's... really food like on the homestead. I can't wait to try many of the recipes!

Dude had Poo Duty today... hey, it's not all fun on the homestead but when you have a tractor it's not so bad.

This rooster thought he was king of the poo pile! poor soul

Looks great Dude.

The chicken and the Nova Scotia Hodge Podge is finished and it's time for dinner. (Did I tell you I am smittened with Nova Scotia? Definitely on my bucket list to visit. )

Time to settle in for the evening... a book, some thread, a bit of fabric... you know the drill. 

peace.