Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Back from my Winter Break

I  stayed away so long, I almost didn't return to the land of blogging.......

There have  been no big events on the farm.  We both are semi-well from our bronchitis but still have occasional coughing bouts .

I have been milking about three times a week.  Getting my usual 3 half gallons and l quart.
 daily morning milking photo milk_zpsf34e1303.jpg


We have had some very unusual weather.  We broke a record high at 74° two days ago.  Then a front moved in and we got a wonderful 1.75 inches of rain during the evening and night.  We didn't get any severe weather like some did.  It is much colder today and with very strong winds.  It is in the mid-30's now.  I was sure glad I was milking inside a barn this morning.

I have just been doing my normal cooking, made Annie's Honey and Wheat 4-loaf recipe one time and yesterday made DH's favorite white bread, 3 loaves.  The only unusual thing I made was Harvard beets.  I didn't know if DH would eat them or not.  I have had them canned a long time, but the color was still very good.   He cleaned his plate!



I  made one of my favorite cookies.




Cinnamon Cookies (like a ginger snap)

Source: Sis

¾ cup shortening (don't use butter)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup honey
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

Sugar and cinnamon mixture to roll cookies in

Cream shortening and sugar well. Beat in egg and honey. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix well.
Make a one inch ball of dough and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place 2 or so inches apart because they will spread out. Used ungreased baking sheet. Bake 375° for 12-15 minutes.

Random Pictures

I tried all morning to get a good one of Sugar but it was almost impossible.  This is the best I could manage.
This is her favorite spot, especially if I am sitting in my chair.  Note: the chewed  rug.  I decided it was worth sacrificing it to save my ankles....

We had an invasion of Grackles a few days ago.  It was unbelievable how many.  They would fly up and light and fly down again and moved from one side of the yard to the other.  Thankfully. they didn't stay long. They are right up there with Starlings and house sparrows as my least favorites feathered friends.
 photo gracklesinvasion5.jpg photo gracklesinvasion4_zpsebb3bea9.jpggrackles invasion 3 photo gracklesinvasion3-1_zpsc1ac0c5e.jpg

Note:  I see the gremlins have invaded blogger again.  Please ignore the strange orange highlighted words; they lead to advertising....not of my doing.   They have magically disappeared now!

12 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Dear Glenda ~ Glad to see you back again. Sorry that dang bronchitis is still hanging around for both of you.

    Those cinnamon cookies sound good and look good too.

    Wow, what a LOT of birds.

    Glad you got a little rain.

    Love and hugs to you and your DH ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Thanks for visiting. This morning the sun is shining brightly. I love seeing the sun after several days of dark, grey clouds.

      Have a good day.

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  3. Glenda,

    Great to see you back. Great pictures of Sugar, cookies, home front and the birds!!!! I will try your recipe for those delicious looking cookies, I can never pass on great cookie recipes. The weather is strange here too. Were also recovering from bad colds.

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    1. Sandy, be sure not to use butter in the recipe....too much added liquid. I just use lard.

      Hope you all feel 100% soon.

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  4. Hi fellow Ozarker! We got flooded in too by all the rain, it was glorious. We haven't seen any flocks of starlings though.... I'm wondering what type of cows you are milking. I think I'll spend some time looking around your blog to see what else I can find!

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    1. Sharon, where in the Ozarks? In may area (near Springfield) most got around 2 inches. We could all use some flooding type rains.

      My cow,Willow, is a registered Milking Shorthorn. I do have a purebred Jersey heifer in the wings....she may already be bred. When she freshens, I will probably retire Willow to the beef herd.

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  5. Oh, I hate grackles too! We got adopted by a pidgeon that winter we had so much snow. I didn't want him bringing his friends so Hubs put the power wash nozzle on the hose and I scared him away with that every time I saw him. thanks to the power wash thing, the spray even reached up on the highest point of the roof so I could follow him with it wherever he landed. After several tries, he finally gave up and went away. Whew!

    Sugar is really growing. I've no good advice for the chewing stage. Seems like everything I tried with Sonny was never enough. Still have his chew marks on our patio bench corners.

    You really made my mouth water with that plate of ham. Yum, it looked so good. I'm glad y'all are feeling better. We've had the same freaky weather you've been having. Hugs, Ilene

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    1. We have a flock of pigeons that roost back in one of the buildings in the barn lot. I hate them too!

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  6. I've missed you! Glad all is well. We have starlings and grackles too, hate them all, but must admit that when a huge cloud is disturbed out of a field, it's amazing to watch them. The flock that frequents us has been unsettled recently since the new neighbors who bought back their grandparent's property, cut down the huge Sequoia tree that used to house several hundred birds at a time. I don't know how the old neighbor could stand it with that tree standing just outside his bedroom window.

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  7. I hate it when any old tree is removed. We had to cut down what I called the feeding tree right outside the kitchen window. I kept a bird feeder there and they flocked to it, resting on all the branches for their turn at the feeder. I haven 't figured a way to replace it with something yet.

    I will plant some kind of tree there eventually.

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  8. We had those horrid grackles also yesterday here in southwest NE. The are such filthy birds, sit in the trees and poop on everything in sight. I liked your random photos, especially showing the road and outbuildings. Your cookie recipe sounds like one the local bakery might be using, my husband loves their cookies.

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