Winter

Winter

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Things I Wish I Had Known


I have had some thoughts going around in my head
about blogging. I thought I might share my vast**(cough)**
experience in the the world of writing blogs.
I sort of got my toe wet not expecting to last a month,
I never dreamed that it would become a joy but having
people read it and look at my pictures that is something.
I was scared to death, and sometimes I am still .

When you start blogging, first of all you will meet the
very nicest people in the whole world. I am not kidding.
I have never ran across such giving, kind and warm people
ever. I really think that in the blogging world, these sweet
bloggers would give away the shirt on their back.
Another thing I didn't know at first is that button at the end
of a post that says "comment" very important. I didn't know
this, in fact I was so scared to leave a comment I didn't do it
for the first six months.
Then I did and the whole world changed. I saw that comments
are more valuable than gold.
I think that it is also very important that you have pictures. I have
never been a picture taker so this was another hard thing, but now
that has been a rewarding experience.
It is very hard some days to come up with something to write about,
but do it anyway. You will be ministering to someone in a way you might
never know about but it is a ministry none the less.

I wrote a post one morning, because I was going to stop blogging, I was sick
and life had seemed so big, my Mom had just died and that was the reason
I had started a blog in the first place so she could stay connected. I felt adrift.
That day, some one left me a comment that changed my life. It was then, that
I realized that I can make friends all over the world.

So having a blog is like having a small child, some days are hard,
but most days it is fun and you get back so much more than you ever
gave.

So if you have been thinking about a blog but sort of hanging back,
well like the Nike commercial says, "Just do it."
Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Cows Next Door


When I was a kid, we always had cows. I showed
steers when I was a kid in 4H and when I was
six my grandparents bought a Jersey Milk cow
for me named Susie. She would have calves, and
I got to take them to the sale and the money went
into a savings account for college. The grass was so
tall next door that the guy two doors down, had his
brother bring down some cows and calves to eat the
grass.

This is Ethyl, I am pretty sure she is a shorthorn.
We raised and showed shorthorn cattle.

This is Lucy. She is the nicest. She likes to stand
at my fence and have her head scratched. I will
miss them when they go back up to the mountains
to live. I have always wished I had a Brown Swiss
milk cow. I would even settle for a Jersey.
I think I have become to citified. Maybe some goats.
I would like some sheep too. I would love to have a
whole flock of Jacob's sheep.
My husband wouldn't. :)
Have a great Tuesday!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Monday Already


I can't believe it is already Monday, how come
it is when you know your vacation starts today,
the days seem to be on hyper-speed? That had
to be the fastest weekend ever. Maybe that is
a good thing or I might work myself to death.
I know for sure my husband might, work himself
to death.
In the evenings though, we have been watching
Little Dorrit. Yep, I am still on my Charles Dickens
kick. I love Charles Dickens more each book I read
and of course each movie I watch over and over.
I think my least favorite movie though, is Tale
of Two Cities. That head chopping in the background
always gets to me.

My irises started blooming this weekend. I think they
are just gorgeous. I wish they lasted longer.

Our warmer than is normal for March is going to be
over by Tuesday. We will be back into cold with
snow down to the foothills, we will get rain,
but before the rain, we will get wind, lots of wind.
Which means the wind will dry out my flowers.
The irises will all get wind blown and crunchy.

It doesn't matter to me though, I will have to stay in
the house and not try and hula-hoe 2 1/2 acres by hand.
I will play house when it gets too cold to be outside. I love
playing house too. You know rearranging furniture and
all of that stuff. I love rearranging furniture, and I feel
it coming on.
Lately I have just been rearranging chickens. I like that too.
I love changing one bunch to another house and then back
again. I wonder could it be a sickness. :)
Have a lovely Monday.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Chamomile


One of the things I love about gardening, is finding
surprises. It never ceases to amaze me the things,
that come up.
I was working in the herb part of my garden, and I
was moving and cutting stuff back and underneath
the hollyhock leaves was my very favorite herb,
in the whole world, Chamomile. I love the smell,
I love the tea, and I love the plant. I harvested
mine last year and hung it in my shed to dry,
and every time I walked in the whole shed had
the loveliest aroma of Chamomile.
My herb books says, "The flowers make a
digestive, soothing, and sedative tea which is used for soothing
restless children, helps prevent nightmares and insomnia
and suppresses nausea.
Used in tea bags or flower cream to reduce inflammation and
dark shadows under the eyes and make a poultice
to treat eczema and wounds. A flower decocation
conditions and lightens fair hair. In baths it softens
and whitens sun and wind damaged skin. Chamomile's
anti inflammatory, analgesic and disinfectant qualities
treat urinary infections and diaper rash, and sooth toothache, earache
and neuralgia. The flower compounds have shone anti-tumor activity
in laboratory tests. In the garden it is a "physicians plant." reviving
nearby ailing plants."

Wow, maybe that is why my Hollyhocks are so huge, they have been
revived by the Chamomile.
Have a great Palm Sunday!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Green Leaves


I just had to take a picture of the green leaves, on
the ash tree in the back yard. I find that I just stand
and stare at them. The way they blow in the wind
just mesmerizes me. I guess I have a thing about
trees, just like I do flowers.
I know its only Saturday, but my thoughts are on
Palm Sunday tomorrow. I love Palm Sunday, just
because for me it is the first time Jesus openly
announced to the world He was the ruler over all.

What it reminds me of is when we have rejoiced over
something wonderful that has happened, then boom,
the world comes crashing in a few days later.
I always imagine the disciples, and how they were
probably excited about Palm Sunday, then by the
next week, everything they had put their hopes in
was gone.
"God has chosen the weak things of the world to
put
to shame the things which are mighty.
1 Corinthians 1:27

A book I love is called A Path Through Suffering,
by Elisabeth Elliot. This is from page 192:

"All that the world so desperately seeks the Lamb won,
not by aggression but by surrender. That is the principle
of the cross.
It takes the weak and makes them strong. It takes our sin and bestows
Christ's righteousness.
Out of bondage we are made free. Darkness is overcome by light.
Loss turns into gain."

I can't begin to explain all that I think happened on Holy Week, because
I think there was much more going on than just Jesus dying on the
cross. I think that someday, we will see behind the scenes and
when God died on that cross, we will see how huge the victory
really was. That by the end of the week and there was a empty
tomb. When I was a little girl, I was eleven, my first Mom died,
( I am blessed to have had two.) I remember standing at the casket
looking down at her, I knew in my heart of hearts, as Jesus did
with Lazarus He could have made her alive. I knew it. But, He
chose not to because His plan was much greater than I could
ever know. As I stood there I placed all of my faith, what little
I had in heaven at that moment and that I would see her again.

Would I have ever had what I have today, if on that day, when I felt
my life was over? Because of that day, the choices I made have
all been because of that moment. Can I say, it was a victory?
Yes it was, and I am very thankful for it all. Holy Week for me
becomes a victory in that death was defeated, and a fairy tale
really does come true. Happy Saturday!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Friday Projects


When my daughter was expecting our granddaughter,
I started to make her this quilt, then chickened out.
I didn't really like it and I couldn't seem to make
it come together the way I saw it in my head.
I put it away and made another.

The other day, I was rummaging around in my closet
and ran across it and I liked it and I thought, "I really
need to finish this and give it to Holly." So that is today's
Fiber Friday project. To finish this quilt.

Here it is, sorry it isn't a very good picture, I couldn't seem
to get a good one of it. I have always been nutty about
the art work and stories of Beatrix Potter. But first I
have to be one of these, a hoe-r


I have a area I want to get chopped, It is what
I want to do on the first day of my spring break.
I tell my husband all the time, give me a IPod with
good music and I can conquer the world. Today,
It is just some weeds.
I hope you have a wonderful Friday.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Echinacea


I love anything that looks like a sunflower or a daisy.
Echinacea happens to be one of my favorites because
as a cut flower it lasts so long and the stem is just
perfect in fresh flower arrangements in my house.

One of my favorite things is having Echinacea in my
blue canning jars. I should have cut these and took a
picture but I just didn't have the heart as there are just
a few blooming. This is Thankful Thursday so one of the
things I love is flowers.
The crab apple is blooming too.

I would love to have a whole grove of these. I love
the color pink they are. When I was walking out
taking pictures I thought, how I love seeing
life through a camera lens. I see things I might
not have noticed before. With a camera in my hand,
I see the beauty of the light falling through the trees,
I see the green of the grass reflected in the dew hanging
from a branch.
I was out taking pictures and I was completely lost in
what I was doing when suddenly it dawned on me, I was
outside in my pajamas. I had changed my house shoes for
my tennis shoes but forgot to put on clothes. The air
had this wonderful, beautiful smell, and the breeze,
was making all of the new leaves dance a graceful
ballet. Watching them and I wanted so badly to catch
the light, clothes went out of my head.
I thought, "Oh gee, what am I doing out here, in pajamas."

I turned around and went back in the house leaving the
gorgeous morning to dawn alone.

I am thankful today that today I begin my Easter break.
I love teaching school with my boys, but I have been pretty
scatter-brained lately. Taking them outside to see a blooming
flower or to talk about politics when we should be doing math,

They are feeling the same way too. I went out to take the trash
out and I hear this voice above my head say, "Oh hi Mom," When they
say that, it means they are doing something that I might question, this
is what they were doing.


They were filling up trash bags with water and
dropping them off the roof. I stood and watched,
finally it dawned on me to grab my camera. So I
didn't get the really good water explosions.
So, yeah, I am ready for a break from school. Just
like they are.
So I am thankful that I have been a mother for so
long, that I enjoy watching my boys be boys. I am
so thankful to have been given the gift of
a large family.
Happy Thursday!


Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Odds and Ends of Wednesday


I should have taken a picture of my now clean
flowerbed. Wow, it was a mess when I took this
picture. I took this earlier in the year when we had
a day of sun.

One of the things I am thinking about right now is
I hate skunks. I am okay with them if they stay
far away but when they decide that your
yard is the place to be. I have put up with them
spraying my dog, and eating my chicken eggs,
but last night the skunk went into my next door neighbors
yard, who is my brother, and sprayed his dogs.

My bedroom reeked of scent. The kids had the upstairs
windows open so this morning upstairs smelled so bad,
like tons of onions.
I am so glad that after my dog got sprayed I went to the feed
store and bought a whole gallon of that skunk deodorizer.
Amazing stuff, I bought it really because I just have this
sneaking fear, I am next. I am always stumbling across stuff
when I least expect it. The skunk that lives here had six babies
so I know it is fatalistic but it could happen. My nephew came over
and got the gallon so I need to put more on my list.

One of the things I have noticed about skunk scent is that it
is used so much in perfume. After I had to wash my dog after
the last time, I forgot to wear gloves, which got on my hands and
I had the hardest time getting it off my hands. I really smelled
it and I was shopping and every woman that walked by that
was wearing perfume, I could smell the skunk first. It must be
a way to make long lasting scent, cheap.
I hope you have a nice Wednesday. Sorry this is so scattered,
I can't seem to gather my thoughts in a coherent way. All I have
been doing today has been trying to find something good to say
about leadership in our country. Since I refuse to talk political
on my blog, I will stop here. You know if you can't say anything
nice don't say anything at all, and Jesus said to pray for those
in authority over you. So I am. Have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Wisteria Blooms


I am in story-teller mood so here it goes. When
I was four, my Grandparents bought
the farm I now live on. My parents lived in town,
and were living in a brand new house.
I was always in trouble, for fighting with the 5 year
old next door. For throwing rocks at cars, for playing
in the gutter, you name it. I remember sitting in the sink
in the bathroom doing a commercial in front of the mirror
and eating a whole bottle of baby aspirin. ( My Mom stuck
her finger down my throat, scared me to death) Yuck!!
I was the kid from Hell. You know the one every parent
just wishes could be sent back. I even went and got a pack
of cigarettes and lit one up from the hot water heater, so me
and my Mom could share a "smoke." (The only thing that smoked
was my bottom.)

So My grandparents bought this and we moved into the "old house."
http://waguild.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/whitehous1.jpg
This is a sculpture of sort of the house. It only had one
porch but everything else looked the same. The back
of the house had a screened in back porch and and shelves
for lots of canning. At the back of the house, was a gazebo
covered in wisteria. We would play under it in the summer.
On the other side of the house was a pump house and a summer
kitchen. My Mom would cook out there when it got really hot.

I suppose after coming from a brand new house to a really old
one was hard. The well only ran when my Dad got home and filled
the tank that was high up on a stand. The thing that was so unique
about this place was that the old garage was filled with license plates
on the walls. Then there were piles and piles of duck decoys and there
were abalone shells that went all around the house.
There were hundreds of trees and there was always some thing blooming
all year long. There were tree houses in the trees and for me, it was a magic
paradise. I could go out and no one yelled at me, I could
wander around and watch things and pretend to my hearts
content. I would sit and watch frogs catch bugs, I would
climb trees and play with chickens, and ducks and play in the mud
and no one cared.

When I moved back after we built this house, one of the neighbors
came to welcome me home. When she said, "Welcome home, Kim"
it was one of the nicest things I ever heard. You know how hard
it is to sleep sometimes in a new place? The night I went to sleep,
here for the first time, I was finally home.

Every tree here has a memory, every path and everywhere I look,
I see that little girl, who grew up here and her children grew up here too.
now her grandchildren, get to grow up here.

It has changed and it is not in the country anymore, I only have a tiny
bit of country left. The city grew to meet us. But as magic goes,
it is still full of it. There are still dreams here to be dreamed.
This wisteria in the above picture is part of the original and it is still as beautiful as
I remember it from long ago. Have a great Tuesday!


Monday, March 22, 2010

Observations About Chicks


I was watching my chicks, and I made some observations.
I took them out in the cage and put them on the nice
green lawn. I put the little door down thinking that
they would hop out and run and flap their wings.

They didn't. They would flap their wings and go from
side to side and up and down and hit their heads on the
top of the cage, but would not leave the confines of the cage.

I was puzzling over this and I went inside and got the water,
the food and a plate of grit. I put it out in the grass and watched
some more. A few brave souls would venture out to the edge of
the door but would turn around and run back in.

As I sat there I found myself asking, " why won't you trust me?"
I said those words to myself then it hit me. I am just like those chicks
I live that way so often, being afraid to try new things. Always,
God is standing near, saying to me, " Will you trust me." It sort of hit
me hard. I find I hold onto things to tightly, my life, my kids, my husband
even to fear itself, because of being like the chicks and leaving it all
and trusting my life to God.

C.S. Lewis said, "
We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
The Weight of Glory and other addresses, by C.S. Lewis. (The Macmillian Company, New York 1949).

I just love that and today I decided no more cage and took each chick out and put them on the grass. I wondered then am I like that too? God has such amazing plans that He has to reach out sometimes and bring trials, and other things, because I refuse to move.
That is what having chicks does, it makes me sit and ponder life.
I hope your week is a lovely one. Happy Monday!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Odds and Ends of Saturday


I thought I would publish a couple of pictures of
what I did on Saturday. I hung out with the chicks
so they could have some sun.

They are getting feathers. They have been living
in the bathroom in my garage. They are reaching
the stage where they need a bigger home but are
not yet big enough for a coop. It is still too cool, but
soon very soon, I have to come up with another plan.

We got into the hive, well my husband did, I stood
way, way back. I sort of shouted questions at him as
he got into the top super. He found these.

These are queen cells. He took them off but today,
he is getting into the hive where the queen lives and
I have to hold the smoker. I am sort of nervous.
My bee stings are gone. So I am not really interested
in getting some new ones. He wears the suit. That is
another thing, why did I not buy two. I really wonder
where my mind was last year. When I was a kid,
my Mom's bees were never as aggressive as the ones
I have. My son was chopping weeds, kind of by the hive.
he came and got me and said, " You gotta come look,
the bees are going crazy again." I walked down and sure
enough the air and sky was full of bees. I told him to go
get his Dad. He left as as I watched, the bees, settled down
and landed and went back in the hive. All of them.
Being a bee novice, I am sort of at my wits end.
I guess I need to get back to the books.
I hope you enjoy your Sunday!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Pillows

I love burlap!














and in the morning I couldn't get these pillows out of my
brain. I had got the burlap sacks at the feed store last
summer. I wanted to make curtains out of them, but was
over ruled by my whole family. I just put them away.
I would take them out and look at them from time to time. I
recovered a lamp shade but it was a flop. It was fun to make.
I found I love spray adhesive. Amazing stuff.

So anyway back to the dream. I even dreamed where
there was a stencil in a box in the closet. Last night
I climbed up on a stand in my closet.
There was this box, that had just magazines and stuff,but
where I dreamed it was the stencil.
This morning I just took one gunny sack, cut it in half,
stenciled the words and put masking tape across the bottom
and stenciled the red line and now I have pillows.
I wanted to see how big the pillows were by cutting
the sack in half, but you could get three or more just
by cutting different shapes. I made my own pillow forms
and I imagine they cost me 10 cents to make. My brother
owns the feed store so he just gave me the sacks.
Now I have these pillows for my porch and I am not
to worried about the weather or anything because I can
just make some more.

It was a fun project and I can't wait to experiment some
more.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Spring


Nope, I don't have these yet, just green, this is a
picture from last year. They won't bloom until April
which is just around the corner as you well know.

It is Friday and my list of things I would like to do
I am sure is longer than my strength or my time.
I was so excited as I woke up at 5:00 AM thinking
of the beautiful day stretched out before me. I don't
know why the smell of spring in the air makes me
so crazy but it does. I would love to sew some today,
but I can's settle down enough to sit in the house.

I love all of the trees putting on their new green coats,
and the tiny new leaves seem to wave and smile as I
walk by. I just want to walk up and kiss everyone. Or
at least touch the newness of their green.

I do go so crazy. I hope you have a wonderful Friday too.


Thursday, March 18, 2010

Hats


I couldn't sleep last night so I was thinking about the
day and praying. I knew today was Thankful Thursday,
so I was thinking about thankful things. I started thinking
about the books I gave my daughter-in-love so she could
read out loud to our grand sons. I am thankful that she does
that and my daughter does that too so I am very thankful
for girls who read to their children.
For some reason the title of a book called The 500 Hats
of Bartholomeo Cubbins came into my mind.
I started thinking about hats and the kind of hats
I have worn. My first hat I suppose was one of grand
daughter and daughter. I realized this week while weeding
that I am no longer a daughter and a grand daughter.
That part of my life is over. I am thankful that I have
been given the gift of belonging.

My other hats I have worn have been wife and mother,
I am so blessed to have been given this exceedingly
beautiful job and my life's work. I have been given the
gift of being a grandmother too.

Some of the other hats would be teacher, another gift,
I am so thankful for, educating our children. In three
years that job will be finished and for me that is one of
the hardest steps to take and it will be over after 25 years.

My next hats are farm girl of course, and chicken raiser,
and used to be a bee keeper. :)

I am a house keeper and a laundress. I am a weed chopper and
and a cook.

So I am very thankful today that God has given to me
this life all I ever really wanted was to see the sun rise
in the morning and the sun set in the evening, and He
even gave me that. Truly, I have been given a wonderful
life. I hope you have a very thankful Thursday too.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Bees on The Move


Today was our first warm day, it was in the 80s
I have been watching the bees like a hawk and
I did not notice any usual activity this morning.
I finished with the boys school early and decided
I could work with my scroll saw and make some
things. I was out busy cutting away when my
youngest son comes running in and says, " You
have to come look at the bees, there are millions
of them in the air." My heart fell into my shoes,
because I did not buy a replacement queen
this year. I have always thought something was
up with the queen but being a total novice at beekeeping,
was not ready to re-queen.

I went out there and the hive I guess had split. It was
in the cotton wood tree just behind the hive. This is
another thing to always have on hand, a spare hive.
I have been meaning to buy another but have not
got around to do it.

I knew I had a small super that I had not used. Really,
I must have been totally brain dead last year, I do not
remember that the super, does not have a bottom, or
a top because, it sits on the other hive.

So I tell my boys to get a board and we will improvise.
They go get a board so huge that it takes both of them to carry it.
I run and get my veil and the gloves, I do not even remember where
or even if we have a suit. My mind is blank on this part.

I break every rule of bee keeping, I am wearing dark pants, I am not clean
and I am not wearing protective clothing. I can't even find the brush
to brush them into the box. I run into the house and grab a new paint
brush I bought on Sunday for some crafts I am doing.

I get out to the bee hive and see the swarm in the tree, the bee box is sitting
on the giant piece of wood. The boys do not like bees nor have they had much ever
to do with the bees and they are not wearing protective clothing either. But like
troopers they are they hold the box up so nut-job Mom can brush the bees
in, which I do. Everything is going okay, until I get stung high up on my thigh.
I mean HIGH UP. I sort of jump, drop the board I am supposed to be holding
to brush the bees into the box. Then another bee thought that was a good idea
and I get stung on the other thigh, HIGH Up. I can't brush the bee off
and drop the board again. The boys are ever so quiet, and I look around
and they are covered in bees too. They aren't moving. I finally get
the rest of the bees in the box, and tell to boys to set it down very carefully.
They do and they back away. They didn't get stung thank goodness.
The new queen I am afraid, did not like being dropped, an inferior house,
or this nut for a bee keeper. They flew away. I may be out of the bee keeping
business for this year, I will get into the hive this weekend, after my stings
settle down.
Some days are just like that.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

My Porch


This is a picture of my front porch that I took last
summer when I started blogging. I have never been
much of a picture taker so this has been new to me. (So is blogging.)
I have always let my kids take the pictures, so for
me to be in control of a camera has been fun. I have so much
to learn.

I am pretty blog dead in my brain today. I have
worked all day and don't feel real creative. I am going
to fall back on my old stand-by, Fenelon. I like devotional
books that the people have been dead about 400 years
or so. My youngest devotional books are Streams in The Desert,
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon, and Oswald Chambers. Those
guys are youngsters compared to the guys I really like.
But Fenelon continues to be my favorite and I go back to him
over and over. This is what he told me the other morning, when
I was doing everything he addresses in this paragraph.

The Future
Don't be so concerned about the future. The future belongs to God.
He is in charge of all things and will take care of you completely.
If you try to guess what is going to happen you will only worry
yourself and anticipate trouble. Live each day as it comes.
Each day brings its own good and evil,
but what seems evil becomes good if you leave it in God's
hands. Do not hold up His purpose by being impatient.

God has a time for everything. Never second guess Him. One
of the most important things you must do is live in the present
moment. God knows just how long it will take you to get from one place to
another. You needn't always be rushing about. Simply follow God's leading.

All you need to do is prepare your heart by giving it completely
over to God, without reservation. He will do with you what HE pleases.
Close your eyes and follow Him. Walk as Abraham did, not knowing
where you are going. God Himself will be your guide.
He will lead you through the desert to the Promised Land.
You will be so happy if you let God take full control of your life!

Isn't that good stuff? I was a jumble of all the what if's and then
I read good ole Fenelon and he always kicks me in the seat of the
pants. I hope you enjoy him as much as I do, I can't wait to meet
him someday.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Monday Morning

The Nectarine Tree.

Welcome to Monday Morning! Time has changed.
My husband had to leave very early to go out of town.
I know I will get lots of stuff done today.
Sunday, we didn't eat dinner until 7:00 PM so that
is kind of a bobble on daylight savings, but it was because
I was outside fooling with chickens, fooling with chicks and
not paying attention to the time.

I also wanted to finish this rooster for my kitchen. I saw a picture
of it on a blog, and I looked at my husband and said, " Can you draw
that shape so I can cut it out of wood? He did and I cut it out
and made it this afternoon. I love whimsy and it looks
nice in my kitchen. The picture in the blog was of a clock.
I wanted mine to be a wall hanging and it has feet.
Thanks to Sweet Water Cottage for posting her
chicken pictures.

I hope your Monday is a good Monday.
Blessings,

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Cooking Day

Frying Day

I was going to a birthday party for our grandsons, (3rd)
I told my daughter-in-love, I would bring something.
I needed a grocery store trip so I didn't have anything
easy. I did have a package of corn tortillas.
I thought I can make home made tortilla chips, then I
thought if I am going to have hot oil anyway, well,
then why not make donuts. Sort of like "If You
Give a Mouse a Cookie." Only with donuts.
Frying the chips, very easy and really nice dippers.


I just used my favorite all-purpose bread dough
recipe, to make my donuts.
It is yeast, softened with warm water,
1/2 cup of shortening melted, or butter if I am
making rolls, sugar 1/2 cup to a cup depending on
what I am making. In donuts 1 cup and 2 eggs.
2 teaspoons salt and then add flour until it pulls away
from the sides of the mixer. I have a Magic Mill
mixer so my bread always turns out.

Let rise until double.

Fry in hot oil, I use Canola oil so it is sort of healthy
I mean how healthy can fried bread, sugar be anyway.
Starting to brown, really fast, one of the things I
love about donuts is they cook so fast.

Then my other happy thing is to listen to my family
make "yummy sounds." I do love watching people eat.

I only make donuts once or twice a year. They
are fun to make and I do enjoy it once they are
made.
I hope you all have a very blessed Sunday.


Saturday, March 13, 2010

Home Depot

Em's on the ladder.

This is my daughter at her new job. We went in
to buy some screen doors, and walked around
looking for her and this was where I found her,
on top of one of those tall ladders getting stuff
down for a customer. The customer was nice and
let me take her picture.


She came and found us after she finished with the customer.
She works in the garden department.
She said she really likes it because she
likes helping people. She gets her first
pay check tonight so that will be really fun for her.

I am happy that she has a job and that she likes helping
people. That is just who she is and I am very proud of her.