Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday, 12/20/12,  4/55AM.

I am listening to the winds whip around the house and watching the temperature begin to drop....from 55 at 2:45 down to 45 now.  It is supposed to drop down to 36.  This isn't going to last long for us here in the lower southwest Missouri Ozarks area. 

I don't want it to be blizzard conditions for farther north, but they sure do need moisture.

This has been a busy week.  I have made 3 batches of peach jam, 2 of apple jelly, one of blackberry, two of strawberry and 4 pints of apple butter.  Most will be for the kids for Christmas.  I am baking bread today for them also.  We decided some time back to fore go lots of adult gifts. 

I am cutting back on the goodies too.  I have just made a batch of peanut brittle (went to my MIL) and finally a successful batch of fudge!  Today I am making spritz butter cookies . They are a favorite of our daughter's family.  They are the only one to be  with us this Christmas.

I hope to squeeze in some divinity so I can share the method with my Ia. Sis.  She says she hasn't had good luck making it.

The tree is finally up....  For some reason the center  section of lights on the prelit tree hasn't worked for a couple of years now.  I have tried every trick in the book to find the problem.  Simple solution....restringing that section independently.  I hope I can dismantle it leaving those lights in place.

I had to thaw another block of puppy treats and bake for Sugar.  We need to be a little  more conservative with her treats....just as a reward for minding us about coming to us outside.  We have been more daring with her; letting her run loose outside while we watch her.  She has so much energy that walking on that little leash wasn't getting the job done!  She runs like a greyhound!

We are back to birdwatching:



17 comments:

  1. My mother always made divinity we called it sea foam. She would only make it on a very sunny day. She said it would not turn out on cloudy damp days. For what its worth!!

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    1. I checked our humidity and it was 85%; I will wait on the divinity. My sis couldn't make it anyway. Her power has been out for several hours (the West Des Moines area).

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  2. Glad you aren't getting blizzard weather. Denim is and was planning to hibernate at home for the next few days. Bless her heart.

    I don't know if I'm going to make Christmas goodies or not. Maybe I'll make some tomorrow night. We'll see. I'm really not much in the spirit this year.

    I know everyone is going to enjoy your wonderful edible gifts.

    Great bird photo.

    Love and hugs to you and your DH.

    FlowerLady Lorraine

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    1. You deserve to just skip this one if you want! I think some quiet time and listening to the music you all enjoyed would might be enough this year.

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  3. Oh that big storm Draco is barreling down on us right now. The wind are building and rain will be here with an hour. Expecting gusts to 45-50. Lots of rain today and tonight, then snow tomorrow. Lousy for NE travelers for the holiday. Good thing I'm staying put. I love the bigger type on your new layout, but I've never been very good at reading white type on black background (even back when blackboards where black and chalk was white). Old eyes, I guess.

    Hope you have a warm and wonderful Christmas. Give Sugar a scratch behind the ears for me. :-D

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    1. Glad you can stay in. We are pretty white right now and still windy.

      Is this background any better? Let me know what colors are easiest for you. I am not very good with black background either.

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    2. Thanks, Glenda. Yes, the brown background is better than the black. :-D Pouring down rain now..

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  4. Sounds like you have the holiday wrapped up.

    We got some rain last night and grateful for every drop.

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    1. Gail, we feel the same way about the moisture; our area is still down about 14 inches for the year.

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  5. Keep the hatched battened down! It's still a doozy this morning!
    I think DD & I will pass the time by making cookies.

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    1. A great way to pass the time on these kinds of days!!!

      We are white outside now but the snow has stopped; not the wind!

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  6. No snow, no rain. Just wind. Lotsa wind yesterday. Calmer today. No moisture in the forecast except maybe some on Christmas day.

    Great bird picture. We have lots of those birds. We've been seeing some kind of blue bird this year. Had a couple of scissor-tails lighting on the front screen door -- I didn't know their bellies are pinkish. And of course we have a few robins and cardinals and tons of sparrows and little house finches. All of this happening when I don't have the camera in hand.

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    1. I take these pictures while I am at the computer which is right by the windows....camera is always on the desk.

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  7. Lot's of wind here in OK and while in TX too.
    No snow yet, I'm hoping for a mild Christmas in regards to weather.
    I love the picture of the birds on the bird feeder, we do all kinds of bird watching here. Enjoy your Christmas with the family!

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    1. Thank you Sandy. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas too.

      Our daughter and family is due in today.

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  8. Busy time of year, I haven't had time to come for a visit for awhile! Looks like you were doing the same things at your house that I was doing at mine- cooking up a storm! Hope the New Year holds health and happiness for you and yours...

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  9. You might check into 'cool greenhouse' growing and put a lean-to on the south side of the shop. You couldn't grow orchids, but you could have things like Gerbera Daisies that don't mind a little chill now and then. You could start some seeds early for planting out when frost is gone. Carrots and lettuces and spinach could grow even if they got a freeze now and then.

    I microwaved some peanut brittle the other day. I think top-of-the-stove is safer.

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