Happy Mother's Day

I am blessed to have four lovely daughters! They are all so very special, each in their own way.......

These are flowers from my oldest daughter in PA

I love geraniums..... especially pink ones!

Aren't they pretty???

Thank you so much, Tina!

New Years Day

New Years day or not , it was the weekend and the only 2 days of the week Hubby and I get to spend together.

Because it had been warm the last couple days, we decided to let the woodstove go out, and give it a good mid-season cleaning.

The top of the oven is accessed through the lid on top left and the ashes and hard stuff is scraped to the side, and falls to the bottom.

By working the handle (that you pull to circulate the heat around the oven) back and forth, you also loosen any creosote build-up on it.

As well as the handle in back that opens and closes the draft, which is not really a problem unless you are constantly burning a low-heat fire.

There is a little trap door in the back (bottom right) where you clean out that ash and any creosote that builds up on the side walls.



The ash drawer gets cleaned, not only at this time but also every 2nd or at least 3rd day, and that is located under the fire box.

The oven gets a cleaning now also

As well as the entire outside washed and polished. The stove-top can be cleaned with a very fine sand-paper or emerycloth and a light rub with mineral oil shines it up nicely. This project promotes safety as well as a bright spot in the house.

That is the first of my "2011 clean-up, clean-out projects"

Wishing everyone a happy, blessed new year. Let the past be the past... this is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts.

Our Christmas Tree - per request of daughter :)

Always ... the star at the top

Middle... too bad I don't know how to line these up








Bottom




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Some new ornaments I made this year....

Dried orange slices look like stained glass with alittle light behind them. (shown with my favorite hanging icicles to the left of them)






Cinnamon logs tied with flannel ribbons.

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Older ornaments I treasure:
This next is an embroidered wreath made by the youngest as a home-school project when she was about 11.



a beeswax angel we used to make when we had our honey and beeswax candle business. I still have my supplies and have plans to be making more... They smell soooo good! Just a hint of honey smell




A bee-keeper ornament made by my SIL , the year was 1990






A primitive wax star (don't remember where we got this one)






a cross-stiched nativity (I LOVE this one .... so dainty)





The Christmas goose (we used to have geese... one got stuck in 2' of snow and I had too wade out to get her and carry her back... wore me out at age 40 or so!)



A cross-stitched bulb, made by my sister if I remember right



Lots of wooden toy onraments from when youngest was little.














there are others I didnt get unpacked this year, and some I sent on to the older children that I had made after the fire when they were little (thats another story).




But I think this is enough. I am a believer in balance in everything , because I tend to get overwhelmed and discontent if it isn't. The important thing to me is that even though Christ wasn't born on the actual Christmas day, we celebrate His birthday at this time. and God sent his Son into this world to give His life for us, and I for one am so grateful, because I am such a brat, I really needed a Saviour. Yes, so glad......




and now I have to get my house cleaned!!! and finish knitting that hat!!! Have a blessed day, y'all!!

Home-made Gifts

I have been thinking about gifts for miscellaneous giving; ie, mail-person, Hubby's boss and/or co-workers, lady who runs the Todd County Welcome Center..... and came across this recipe from Leh*man's blog and decided to try it out.

Pumpkin Bread in a Jar

This recipe makes 8 pints! That's 8 gifts!!

With a Home-made card I think it makes a nice little gift.

What do you think??

Recipe (because I knew you would ask ;) )

Pumpkin Bread In A Jar
Ingredients:

2/3 c. shortening

2 c. pumpkin ( I used my home-canned)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cloves

2 2/3 c. white sugar

2/3 c. water

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; beat in eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in nuts, if using. Pour mixture into greased wide-mouth pint canning jars, filling them each half full. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes. When done, remove one jar at a time and wipe off sealing rim with a cloth. Screw lid on tightly with band. The heat will vacuum seal the jar. Makes 8 pints.
Variations: Substitute one of the following for the pumpkin: 2 cups shredded apples; 2 cups shredded carrots; 1 can cranberry sauce; 2 cups mashed bananas; 2 cups chopped peaches; 2 cups applesauce; 2 cups shredded zucchini; 2 cups fruit cocktail; or 1 3/4 cups applesauce plus 1/4 cup raisins.

(Changes; I cut the sugar to 2 cups and 2 T, used 5 very small eggs cause thats what I had, and added 2/3 c raisins. (we cut one open this morning and Hubby liked it really well!)

Add your ribbon and a tag and there ya go! (I made my ribbon out of a strip of plaid flannel left from Hubby's quilt)I was able to gift one yesterday about an hour out of the oven to a lady who came to get a trailer-load of rabbit manure for her garden. When I told her I had baked it in my wood cook-stove oven, that made it all the more special to her!

Well, Merry Christmas to you all. Happy baking! Wishing you all a very Blessed New Year!