It's been a cold, cold past couple of days. The ice storm was beautiful and Aj and I played in the cold like children that morning. Now, the temps have dropped sub zero and the wind has kicked up. It's SO bitter outside!!

Our bird feeders froze and I tried throwing the seed on the ground so our feathered friends could forage, but the seeds just blew away in the wind. Solution? Open our garage door and fill the copper dish we use as a bird bath in the summer with a pile of seeds. The little birds found the dish and have been gorging themselves silly. The only downside to this solution is that our dog loves bird seed and can't be trusted alone outside, lol. She'd eat the entire bowl full if she had the chance!

Mincemeat

Inlaws are coming-they bring pizza and are welcomed to my home! :) Made Aj and his Dad mincemeat pie. I got icecream for Becky and myself. Neither one of us are much into the mincemeat. This has got to be the best pie crust recipe yet! Very happy with it and I shall have to venture into an apple pie sometime soon. Somebody needs to come visit us so I have an excuse to make pie. Your reward will be the first slice!

The Idle Season

While I wouldn't want to live somewhere it's summer year 'round, winter bores me. It's gray and brown hues, occasionally beautiful and white, are flat. My garden is barren, my home is cold and my car runs like it's powered by hiccupping ponies.

I find myself cooking to get through the quiet season. Cooking so much my kitchen is eternally the warmest spot in the house. Just ask the animals who all gather there to watch me make old fashioned molasses cookies, which smell divine in the winter air. Mince meat pies for Aj. Rum cakes and chocolate truffles. Pot roast and casseroles. Homemade noodles and a simmering crockpot with italian poorboys.

And when I've cooked our pantry empty, I'll (try to) sew. This winter's first project is to make pillow cases complete with zippers and fringe for the four throw pillows to grace our new couch. For as much as we spent on the supplies (40% off at that) we could've bought four very nice premade pillows. But then....I'd just need something else to do. I embroider things. I make little felt pincushions and pins.

Keeping busy is almost an obsession for me. I must have something to do in my hands. Idle time kills me. I can not stop doing something. You might even say I get cranky if I'm not occupied.

But then there are those nights when I get home late and step out of my car only to smell woodsmoke in the air. My home will be quiet, the kitchen dark and empty, the hallway cold. But in the living room, I'll find an orange and yellow fire, the tv on low and my husband waiting on the couch with a quilt for us to snuggle together under. At that moment I find my crazy must-do-something drive shrivel and die on the spot. On those nights I won't pick up a book to read, or a spoon to reheat dinner with. There'll be a pizza already warming in the oven, wine on the counter (because pizza and wine go so good together :) ) and nothing for us to do but veg and laugh. Those nights calm my sometimes frantic pace and give me time to truly appreciate all the things that we work so hard for. I'm reminded that winter is the Sunday of our seasons. I work spring, summer, fall, planting, growing, harvesting, storing, canning. There must be a time of rest. A season of peace. The earth in my garden sleeps. Our chickens slow their production of big brown eggs. Other animals hibernate winter away. I too should slow.

Welcome winter. Welcome snow, ice and wind. The moon draws closer to the earth, it's face so clear in the black night's air. Let the earth sleep. And let the joy of home be all the warmth I need this quiet season.

They're coming. One by one, they're coming

Seed catalogues!!!!!!!! As the good musician Paul Thorn would say: Thank you Jesus, Praise the Lord-only he says it with waaay more bluesy flair than I could.

I get so excited to come home and find a new catalogue. We're expanding the garden this year-starting a more heavily filled herb section. I practically drool over everything. As always, husband has to remind me to keep it practical. Where I would plant a thousand herbs and vegetables only to lose nine hundred and fifty because I'm unable to manage them all-he'd be happy with just four very well tended plants. We'll meet somewhere in the middle and be very happy in the long run.

I have a list of must-have staples we've agreed upon. But I know there's always a little wiggle. This year, my goal is to grow watermelon. Big. Juicy. Sweet and crisp watermelon.

Our Summer To-Do List

Camp with our nephew. I can't believe his mother (my sister in law) is actually letting me take him camping, lol. I'm such a bad influence. Last time we were together, I taught him how to tell people they're s-o-l. Just makes me giggle everytime he says it, even if his application of the phrase isn't accruate.

The Blues and Beer fest in Champaign. My personal mecca. Good beer and good music. I'm SO freaking excited. We're getting together with Aj's old crew, having some laughs and savoring life. Sweet

Finishing the kitchen back splash. For crying out loud-it's been what-10 months now???? Going to kill the man if he doesn't finish that thing soon, lol. He was suppose to have it done by the wedding :(

Put a deck on the house. Okay, this one isn't as realistic as the others. But a girl can dream. And in my dream we install a jacuzzi too............

Learn to make home made jams/jellies/chutneys and marinated yummies. I dig being self sufficient. Won't be able to make a huge variety of things from our little garden, but I should be able to get the basics. Wildly exciting, lol.

Spend the night in our hammock while the prairie breeze rocks us.

Baby chickens!! Silver laced wyandottes-so pretty.

Ride Shadow at least everyother day. What a great, beer drinking lovable horse. Our 1,000 pound puppy and lawn mower

Take the train to Chicago and go to the aquarium

Hand sew my first dress. Fun project. I think I got the skills to do it, the sewing classes have really helped. Will post pics when done

State Fair. Starve myself for the two weeks before we go so I can have a freaking corn dog without feeling the urge to run a ten miles right afterward ;)

Long list. I'm sure it'll just keep growing. But-all in all it sounds like a fantastic summer

Goodbye Mr. Lincoln

The time has come when Aj and I are going to be selling our Lincoln. I'm so sad, it feels like I'm selling off my doddering old grandfather who's done nothing more than bring joy to my life. Siiiiiigh. For those who haven't seen our Lincoln, its an '78 Continental with 74,500 miles. Near perfect condition (the clock on the dash doesn't work). It rides like a dream and has had 1 owner pre-us.

I tried to beg him to let me keep him, but we've already got my Mazda, his two trucks and he's been speaking Minivan (?!) for a while now. And, really, I can't drive the Lincoln. It's twenty feet long and I have a hard enough time navigating our tractor-I have no business driving a boat with wheels. Will post pics of the beaut soon, will putting it in the paper as well as on Ebay. Again: siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Happier note-yeah, I'm totally employed :) My reign as unemployed housewife is officially over-thank god. New job is solid, great people and great schedule. I'm pretty flipping happy.

Looking forward to the weekend. Here's hoping all will be there for the upcoming 4th bash!

New Blogsite!

Hey, everybody! Sorry to change blogsites, but it was time. The old blog should still be active for a while so go and enjoy all those old memories while you still can! Now-to start a new blog-a blog of marriage-of home-and of the same old-same old you remember from before :). Please be patient as I work to get this one a snazzy as the last.
Later.
Oh, and Sara's having her stitches removed to day. I'm happy to say that she's 100 percent recovered from surgery and back to chicken chasing and frisbee fetching.