December up to December 19 - Life back to Normal

Things have finally settled  down.  MIL's surgery is over.  She is ensconced in a very luxurious skilled nursing home that is part of the complex where she lives in an assisted living apartment.  She is loving it!  (as I knew she would).  She is optimistic that she will recover fully and we do hope she is right.  Update:  She is dressing herself and using a wheeled walker, doing very, very well.  She is determined to be back to her apartment.  We feel she will.

This is the first time since her fall that Max  and I have felt like we can just relax and live our quiet rural lives.  (bet she calls today with something she wants from her apartment.  I have lost track of how many trips we have made for various little bits and pieces).  Update:  After sorting through her huge closet of clothes, I picked 6 outfits that would work over her wrapping and we delivered them. So trips have let up.

I plan to bake bread.  First time I have felt I dared start that project.  I am also putting on a large pot of
beans. Update:  baked that bread several days ago and am ready to bake again.

We are awaiting our two day extreme cold blast.  Down near zero and high of 17°

Back again 12/19/16.  It seems I can never just sit down and write a post....I may be slowing down!

The cold front  arrived, near zero last two nights.  I think today is our last of the severe cold.  We made it without any water lines freezing.  We live in an old farmhouse and have to keep water dripping when the temperatures drop to l0° or lower.  Max has survived doing chores. Sure glad we bought the truck to feed hay with.  We should have done that years ago.

I did make bread again.  It seems I never make it exactly the same.  This time I used a mix of regular whole wheat, bread flour and oat bran to make a softer loaf than the last bread.  It also rose higher.  

I made something I have made maybe once before, gingerbread.  I don't think it was Max's favorite.  It was pretty dense and heavy.  I don't know if that is  normal or not.  I liked it.

We are back to feeding the birds. The truth is Max is feeding the birds daily.

My pictures are not the best.   I seem to have lost what little skill I had with this camera.

One other little funny story of life on our farm.  The chickens had practically quit laying.  We were just getting l a day and then,

Max went inside the hen house and found these in a top nest  that isn't accessible from the drop-down door outside.  I tested and all were good; we are now getting 3 a day......much better.  Some are molting and the weather and short days are responsible for the drop.

All for now.