A Beautiful Sunrise

Hubby took this picture for me this morning. I thought you all might like it. It was very beautiful. Today has been a gorgeous day here in Floyd. Temperatures have been in the low 50’s. Lots of sunshine!! Amazing. Need I say, I LOVE it.

Not a lot going on here other than just enjoying this warm weather. I have finished another apron and have started another one. I need to get a few supplies though before I do any more. I plan on going into our little town tomorrow. I want to go to Schoolhouse Fabrics. I think I have mentioned it before. It is an old 3 story school house that has been converted into a fabric store. 3 levels of material and any thing else a person might need for sewing.

Tonight’s supper is chicken alfredo with homemade garlic breadsticks. We are having homemade cinnamon rolls for dessert, thanks for the idea , Cary Ann. I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.

December 30, 2011 5

Butter Rich Roll and Bread Dough

1 cup water-room temperature. I put use regular tap water heated in microwave for 20 sec. 1 egg beaten. 1/4 cup butter-cut into cubes, 3 1/4 cups bread flour (I use 1 cup fresh ground wheat flour and 2 1/4 cups bread flour), 4 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp powdered milk, 1 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp yeast placed in the center of the pan. Set bread machine on dough cycle.

When cycle is finished, turn dough out on floured surface. Knead slightly, just enough to punch down dough. Choose now what you want to make with your dough. If making dinner rolls or hamburger buns, shape small sections of dough into round shapes. This will make about 15 rolls depending on how large or small you make them. Place rolls on cookie sheet, spray tops with oil spray. Let rise 1 hr. Bake at 400 for 12 min. Remove from oven. Brush tops generously with melted butter. Enjoy!!

December 30, 2011 1

Homemade Fabric Softener

1 cup baking soda
6 cups distilled white vinegar
8 cups water
10 -15 drops orangeessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops lemonessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops essential oils , of choice (optional)

Directions

You will need a one gallon containe
First add the baking soda to the plastic container
Next add 1 cup of water to start with.
Slowly add the vinegar to the bottle as the vinegar and baking soda will start to fizz.
Then add the rest of the water,stirring well
Last add the essential oil.
Add 1/2 cup in your final rinse cycle for each load but give the bottle a good shake to stir up the essential oil if using.

December 29, 2011 0

A New Apron

I thought I would show you all a picture of the apron I just finished today. I think it looks so cheerful. My friend, Vicki, found this pillowcase at a thrift store last summer. I think it turned out really nice. I like using old pillowcases to make aprons. They have a vintage look and the cost of material is greatly reduced. My aprons have not sold as much in the fall and winter as they did in the summer. I hope to make up quite a few this winter to have on hand for the upcoming summer.

The girls went to the Horn’s yesterday to celebrate Bubby’s birthday. They had a great time. Hubby and I went to C-burg to get tires put on the car so I had to miss Bubby’s cake. Our church collects fleece throws, lotion and socks for our local nursing home. The pastor’s wife meet us in town so we could deliver them. Today we have cleaned out the chicken house (YUCK!) The temperature here is mid 30’s. Not too bad. I know it could be lots colder.

Tonight’s menu is hamburgers on homemade buns, home fries and peach dumplings for dessert. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

December 29, 2011 5

Candlelight Service

Every Christmas Eve our church has a candlelight service. I wanted to show you all how beautiful it is but the pictures just didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. We light all our oil lamps and they serve as our lighting for the service. We sing Christmas songs and the pastor reads the Christmas story. Then we have communion.

Next, we make a circle around the sanctuary and light our little hand held candle, sing a few more Christmas songs and leave. It is always such a moving service reminding us of the TRUE reason we celebrate.

Sunday morning, Hubby and I got up and enjoyed our morning coffee together as usual. Then the girls got up, we opened our gifts, ate breakfast and got ready for church. It was a very nice service. We did not have Sunday School. We came home, ate homemade soup. I made it from the leftovers from Friday’s dinner. Then we just relaxed the remainder of the day. We didn’t have Sunday night church.

We had planned on taking down the Christmas tree and all the decorations today but I think that will have to be another day. It is raining pretty hard here and it is cold. Temperature is 28 degrees with a fairly strong wind. All our decorations are stored up in one of our buildings. I’m not too big on carrying all that up in the cold rain. Maybe tomorrow.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 27, 2011 7

Chuck’s Visit

Today, Chuck and his family came for a visit. We had a very nice day. We ate baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls and biscuits with peaches for dessert. He loved his swing. I am hoping it makes it home safely. He left with it tied on the top of his Pathfinder. The kids played with the kitties most of the day. The other big entertainment was clothes pins. Children have such imaginations.

A picture of the food table.

Here we all are getting ready to eat. Julie is hiding behind Chuck.

I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas and God bless.

December 23, 2011 5

My Christmas Gift

Hubby has been working on my Christmas gift. I love it!!!

This is a side view.

Front view and

all folded up. It will hold lots and lots of clothes. I will take a picture later of it full of clothes.

He has also been working on Chuck’s gift.

A porch swing. I think it is very pretty. I really like the two colors together. Chuck and his family are coming up tomorrow. I have to get busy today to finish his “goodie basket”. We will be having ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and homemade rolls.

The Horn’s are coming over this evening. For supper, we will be having 15 bean soup, rolls and a peppermint cake. I got the recipe from http://nadinesnook.blogspot.com/2011/12/peppermint-cake.html I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

December 22, 2011 10

A Wood Cutting Day

Yesterday, Hubby, myself and the girls did some wood cutting. It was a beautiful day for outside work. Temperature was warm close to 50 degrees. Sunshine. We cut one truck load of wood, brought it home, split and stacked it. We also split and stacked another truckload that we already had cut.

Our faithful truck. We bought this truck from Hubby’s dad several years ago. He bought it new. It definitely earns its keep.

Another faithful member of our wood cutting crew.

And my Grace, who after working hard yesterday got hit with a stomach virus last night. It started about 1:30 a.m. She seems to be feeling better this evening but it has been a rough night and day. We are praying no one else gets it but I guess time will tell.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 20, 2011 5

Remember This

You all remember this little dress. I got it at Goodwill before we even knew what Jess was going to have. Well, this weekend when we went down for our Christmas get together, Jess had dressed her in it. She looked darling!

It amazes me every time I see her how much she has grown. The boys were too busy for me to get a picture of them. Maybe next time. We had a great visit with lots of good food.

Yesterday I put a deer roast on in the crockpot before we left for church. Pastor Tom’s message was very good. He preached from Isaiah 40:3-5. We had deer roast, french fries, green beans and homemade rolls for “lupper” with homemade candy for dessert. Then we just chilled for the rest of the day. Our church was going caroling and giving out fruit baskets last night. However, Julie is suffering from a head cold, so we did not go.

Well, that’s about it. I hope you all have a great day and God bless.

December 19, 2011 5

Geese

Today is a beautiful day here in Floyd. The sun is shining. Temperature is 55 degrees. I LOVE IT! I know there are lots of people who enjoy winter and cold weather. I am not one of them. For my part, it could just stay like this until spring. I’m pretty sure it won’t though. We have lots of geese on the pond today. Probably close to 50. They seem to be enjoying the warmer temps too.

We have been busy today making treats for Jessica’s “goodie” basket. So far, we have made chocolate chip cookies and Russian tea cakes. We still have Martha Washington balls and peanut butter balls to make. She always wants ritz crackers with peanut butter spread between them, dipped in white chocolate with an m & m on top(I have no idea what this is called but it is one of her favorites). Tomorrow I will be baking a ham and making homemade rolls. Other things on the menu (as of right now)-pasta salad, green beans, cocktail weiner, angel punch and sausage balls.

I guess I better get busy-more candy to make. I love this time of year. Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 15, 2011 6