A little Thriftiness

Again... I love Thriftiness.  As in Shops and in finances.

We have been VERY thrifty here on the Prairie Farm.  It's as if the rest of the country's financial woes finally caught up with us here in the middle states.  Actually, it's just that we've had some major repair bills this past spring and Farmer-dear did not plant any winter wheat last fall, hence, no mid-summer cash flow.  We'll make up for it come fall and the extra corn & bean acres, but it's a bit of an adjustment right now. 

So seeing how the bank account is hurting a bit, we've been staying home more.  Eating "out" less (alot less) and conserving where we can.  It's good for our bank account and good for our waistlines. 

It is hard on my creativitiy, however.  I've been cooking some on the grill.  I refuse to use the oven when it's over 90° outside.  So it's been salads, sandwiches, fruit and stove-top meals.

I'm running out of hot-weather meal ideas.  We're getting tired of the same-old, same-old.  But thanks to my wise friend Penny-Ann Poundwise, and her great idea, I'll be perusing my old women's magazines for ideas.  Those ladies back in the early part of the 20th century fed their families every summer day WITHOUT air conditioning.  I'm pretty sure Mama 1930, didn't fire up the cobstove and make a roast when the heat of August was on. 

Other thriftiness.... made a quick stop at my Favorite Thrift Store yesterday.  And came home with 2 summer tops for me, a pretty pin to wear on my cardigans, 3 paperbacks to read on these hot afternoons, 2 canning jars (one is a half-gallon, which I hardly ever find!  Will use that for dry goods storage in the pantry) and 2 wine glasses with black stems (I only had 2 wine glasses, so not enough if we have company and serve wine).  Nothing over $3 and I silent-bid on a green pottery vintage vase in their display case.   Any one of these items would have easily cost $5 new. 

And while I love buying from the thrift store, I did buy 2 new books from Amazon.  Now... before you start scolding... I used some of the gift cards I "purchased" from my Swagbucks .  (Go HERE to read more about that or click on the swidget button at the bottom of the page for more information on Swagbucks.)  "Free" new books is alright with me!

Since I've been reading more these hot days, I've been using my library (LOVE my library) and reading from my personal library.  I have a few books to get rid of and so will be adding them to my Paper Back Swap account.  I may have to pay for shipping to whoever requests my books but any I request from someone else are FREE to me.  Can't beat that deal.

Final thrifty activity.... as I said, it's been HOT here.  Really hot.... and humid.  So I've been running the A/C.  We've been keeping it set at 77° when we're home and 82° when we are gone for the day.  I found that if I run the ceiling fans when we are in a room and the floor fan to help circulate the air and if I close off the laundry room and the bathroom on the south & southwest sides of the house And shut the shades when the sun shines in; it all makes a huge difference on how the cool the house stays.  

We're utilizing the pool we got for the grandgirlies and sleeping in the basement where it's naturally cool.

And speaking of naturally cool, we are having a mini-cool-down this morning, so I'm off to bake up some of the cookie dough balls I have in the freezer, so my Farmer can have a treat this afternoon.

Stay hydrated and remember to check on your pets and elderly neighbors.  September is coming!

Hugs!

Kay~

Update on the quiche and new calves

In January we experienced some Sundogs, which predict colder weather. We got that too.
Sundogs are mini-rainbow effects on either side of the setting or rising sun
and are created by sunlight reflecting off ice crystals in the atmosphere.

I wrote a few days ago, " Found a recipe for Quiche HERE and it sounds soooo good. Zoomie's posts almost always make me hungry! lol I need something quick for breakfasts as I've been doing with a protein bar and a piece of cheese lately. So since Blue-eyed One will enjoy his French toast, I think I'll see what I can find to make individual quiches in muffin tins. I know I have some asparagus in the fridge, some garlic cheese curds and bacon. I don't need crust, unless I'd line the cups with some olive oil brushed tortillas? I'll let you know..."

I took Zoomie's basic recipe but since I was making a 2 small pyrex dishes instead of a 9" pie plate, I decreased her amounts by 1/3 (4 eggs instead of 6, etc...). Also, I didn't make or use anything for a crust. It was fine without it.

Her recipe called for Parmesan and Swiss or Gruyére cheese. I had the Parmesan and some locally-made garlic cheese curds. Those I crumbled using my Handi-chopper.

Instead of her half-n-half, I used 1% milk and instead of kefir, I used regular sour cream.

For the filling ingredients, she used onion, mushrooms, Swiss chard, salami. I used onion, some rehydrated mushroom, some jarred roasted red peppers, a few chopped "good" ripe olives and mini pepperoni. I had some asparagus, but I just roasted those and ate it alongside.
I also added some of my homegrown dried basil and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes.

I sauted the onions, added the mushrooms and their soaking liquid and let it all reduce down to very syrupy. I sprayed the 2 pyrex (about 1.5 c capacity). Put the cheeses in the bottom, added the filling ingredients. Mixed the eggs, milk and sour cream together with the basil & poured it over the filling.

I baked these on a small rimmed baking sheet at 350° for 30 mins, until they tested done with a butter knife.

One of the quiches along with the asparagus and some rye toast and OJ made a wonderful dinner. I had the second one for breakfast today. It was good but a bit high-flavored for me for breakfast. It would be great for brunch as I'm a boring breakfast person. I don't really like early breakfast, but prefer it about 10 a.m.

Anyway... go on over to Zoomie's blog and try her recipe. A+


And now updating the calf count here on the Prairie Farm....

In the past 2 days we've had 5 new calves. 3 singles and another set of twins born again this afternoon. Why do twins come when the weather is frigid?? The singles are all doing super fine, but one of the twins is not doing so well. A bit limp and weak. We got some colostrum from the nearby dairy and irrigated her. She raised her head after that. We think Mama may have lost count of who she all had or this one got away from her being tipsy after birth and she thought the other one was this one.... who knows....

It was a crazy afternoon. Helping the Blue-eyed Farmer as he tried to figure out the bad wiring on the cattle trailer and ending up taking that into our auto repair shop in town. I had to go get him since he left the pickup there so they could change out the connection plug.

Home to find the twin calf emergency and dealing with getting them up to the barn, feeding, getting hay for everyone else and regular chores.

By the time we got in the house, it was 7:30 and I was chilled to the bone. Supper tonight was whatever we could find in the fridge. It ended up being leftover bacon, toast, salad and chips.

Tomorrow if the trailer is fixed, we'll be taking 3 older cows to the sale barn. And checking on the new family every 3-4 hours. Probably more feedings. B-E F is taking tomorrow off from the factory to take care of all these extra responsibilities since I'll be going to work.

I'll be thrilled if the sun shines and the temperature is suppose to warm up starting tomorrow! And there is that Flea Market to look forward to this weekend!

And now I'm heading for the shower and my warm bed. Night All!

Hugs!
Kay~

** I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

The best laid plans of women and quilters...

well, you know the song and dance I live by now....

I had plans for today, with my sewing machines and fabric and thread.

I told the Farmer of my plans. He agreed to my plans and told me to go enjoy myself.

And then my better nature & wifely guilt took over.... and I ended up going along to look at and buy 6 preggo cows from one of his co-workers; the one with the Bohemian accent that reminds me of my childhood days.

We got home and unloaded them and he said after I recorded their numbers and we let the baby and cow out of the barn, I could go sew. But first he needed to tag and band the little guy. And could I watch so the mother didn't go too nuts on him. Ok.... **sigh**

Then we notice a red cow up on the knoll in the lot had just had her calf. (Storms coming in will bring along babies.) Good job Mama Cow! All was well up there and so I went in, started the laundry, and got the ingredients out for the Cold-Oven Pound Cake I was going to make for Sunday School tomorrow. And then I was going to go down to the sewing room for an hour.

But I happened to glance out the window to see how Blue-eyed Farmer was coming along with his revamping some fencing for bedding areas and feeding areas.
Only he wasn't making fence, instead he was carrying the new calf towards the barns. So off I trotted to change back into a chore coat & boots & help him get this calf & it's mother into the barn.

And since it was starting to snow, he wanted to get a hay bale and more bedding for the herd and it would be a big help if I watched the gates and directed him as he put the feed bales in the right spots.

After a good hour of all that, I was getting too cold to be outside anymore. I had hurried out without a hat or scarf and my toes were numb. Plus I had that cake to finish up and we had had plans to go out for supper with friends & we needed to be ready to leave before 6 p.m. I hurried in and made that pound cake (which did not turn out) and was just getting ready to go out, when our friends called and said they were having calving issues at their place and needed to postpone.

With that change in plans, we settled in for a quiet evening at home. We found a quick supper for ourselves here and I did the laundry that I didn't get done earlier today and mixed up a second/different cake which just finished baking.

It is now 9:30 p.m. and not a single stitch was sewn today.

But we have a another new calf and its mother safe and warm in the barn; warm bedding down for the rest of the herd; 6 new cows to replace several we need to cull out later this spring.
We're fed, warm and have clean clothes for this coming week and we'll have cake to eat tomorrow.

Life is still good, even if I my plans did go all ca-flooey today.

Did your day go according to plan?

Hugs!
Kay~

** "There is never enough time to do everything,
but there is always enough time to do the most important thing."
~Brian Tracy~

Tis the Season of Snud

Remember the big snow drifts we had over our road?

Well, in the past weeks the county has hired a bull dozer to move the huge mounds of snow way into the drifts and beyond. In the process of widening and opening the roads, the dozer really chewed up the roads.

And now with the fog, moisture, thawing and refreezing every day, mixing with the slush/snow left on the gravel roads, we had Snud (snow + mud). And Ruts! Big ruts! Deep Ruts! To the point of having to rethink our route to the highway. As of this evening, we have one, maybe two options that are not too bad . . . yet.

With the deep snud and ruts, this means Farmer-dear and I will be driving into town together again. If ever there was a year to have a 4-wd or all-wd vehicle, This is it!

And to liven things up a bit, more drizzle, fog, frizzle, rain, snow and 40° (can you say melting!) temps, all in the forecast for the weekend.

They say mud is good for the skin, but what about car exteriors??

If I disappear into a sink-hole, just remember, I loved you first!

Hugs,
K~

** "I know that, all my life, I've been going around in a fog.
You're just a bunch of molecules until you know who you are."
~ Cary Grant

Day 3 of Winter Storm #3-- Getting Restless

Blog Jan 8

Day 3 of the January Blizzard/Snow-In.... The natives are getting restless. Going out into the frigid temperatures doesn’t faze the Farmer anymore. The Farmer’s Wife has even succumb to doing farm bookwork as a diversion from looking out at all the snow, all the same snow... that never melts.

Of course I’m just joking, mostly...

We are still snow-bound. Watching for the snowplow has become one of our new pass-times. We are also passing the time by catching up on projects. Farmer-dear continues to do all the chores alone. The ice on the pond is still 15” thick.

Today he tore out the old lazy susan from under the counter in the kitchen. The same cupboard that the mice use as their “condo.” He had given me a glide-out trash can for Christmas (I know. lol) to go in this cupboard. We’ll see how it works if (when) the mice get in again.

While he’s been busy with chores and tools, I’ve been catching up on the farm bookwork. I’m 90% done with 2009! As I’m filing receipts, I’ve been fine-tuning my files so we can find specific items more easily.

I also did a little sewing on the autumn table runner. It is my first Stash Busting project for 2010. My goal this year is to see how many projects I can complete or make entirely from my stash. I have enough fabric, patterns, books, batting, backing, embellishments, thread, rulers, and sewing machines, that I shouldn’t have to buy anything this year. That doesn’t mean, I won’t want to buy some new fabric. *grin*

I also tried a new whole grain bread recipe today from Cook’s Illustrated. It was not a success. I’m not sure if it’s because I got interrupted several times in the process of mixing up the dough or if my home-milled wheat flour absorbs more liquid than purchased whole wheat flour? The recipe made two loaves but the dough was very dense from the start, and the loaves never really raised well and baked into bricks. I guess the birds will be happy for a few days. I’ll try the recipe again when I get more 7-grain hot cereal.

Another diversion to the snow and cold has been the Wii. This evening I tried Bowling for the first time. I don’t want to brag, but let’s just say, in this household, Women Rule at Wii Bowling!

So I can’t say we’re bored, exactly; but we are getting a little stir-crazy. We are both so very thankful for our warm home, our shelter and refuge, heat, food and all the entertainment we have available. And we’ll be happy to see other real live people and do something besides chores, work, being home. The Big City calls loudly.

But in the mean time, we’ll just continue on. If you don’t see us by June, someone send in the Mounties!

Hugs!
K~

** Most people are about as happy
as they make their minds up to be.
- Abraham Lincoln

Garden 2009 final report

Blog Jan 7

A small update on the Garden 2009, I finally had to toss the last 3 onions. 2 were very sprouted and the third was rotting. It was definitely worth the cost of the sets and the time and effort of planting them and harvesting them. I can’t say I did anything else to them. Matter of fact we had to hunt for them in the weeds & grass to pull them up. They lasted from a good 3-4 months in my pantry, resting in a coffee-filter lined colander.

The last 5 pounds of red potatoes are still in the pantry in a cardboard box.




A few of them are getting wrinkly and sprouted so I need to get them cooked up asap. I’ve been reading through some old food-preserving Yahoo group emails and found a method of shredding the potatoes, boiling them, then drying for 8-12 hours. When dried you can power them for “instant” potatoes. It may not be as good as commercial instant mashed potatoes but it’s better than throwing away 5 pounds of home-grown potatoes. That may be my project for this weekend. The dehydrator will help keep the kitchen warmer.

I also found a way to dry pumpkin, which was exciting to me. I did freeze some pumpkin pulp blobs last year but didn’t vacuum-seal them, so they are getting freezer-burnt. The pumpkin was free so I’m only out of my time and the electricity used to cook it, but still....

Speaking of freezer-burn, I’m so miffed at myself. I tossed 2 bags of frozen vegetables this evening, that were all freezer burnt. It’s been months since we’ve eaten frozen vegetables, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. Just erks me that they were wasted. There just wasn’t any way to save them. I doubt they’d even be good in soup or pureed and added to red sauce or meat loaf.
And that zucchini in the fridge, was wasted also. But the peppers are still looking good.

I also did a little pantry reorganization after the holidays it got to be a bit of a mess with all the big storage containers stacked up and then falling down. I can see I need to watch for some canned vegetable sales, but everything else seems to be plentiful for now. I need to do a thorough freezer inventory yet and then will have a complete restocking list. Right now I know I need walnut pieces and bacon. Also I think the cheddar cheese is low. I have a gift card to our local natural foods store and can’t wait to get some local organic cheese for eating fresh. We don’t drink alot of milk, so we get our calcium from cheese, half-n-half and yogurt.

Winter is also a great time to plan ahead for the growing season. Even if you don’t plan to garden, there are local farmer’s markets, pick-your-own farms, road-side stands, neighbors with extra produce; all that can be processed and stored for eating later. I would much rather eat locally produced foods.

Have you done a recent pantry and freezer inventory? What is your favorite long-term storage method? Canning? Drying? Freezing? Do you use what you store? Are you planning to learn a new skill this year?

My goal is to can some meat this year.... if I still have my pressure canner and if it works. I am hoping to have a neighbor help me do this. I’ve never pressure canned anything before.

Hugs!
K~

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.
It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing;
it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it."
~ Margaret Thatcher ~

Winter Storm #3 report

Blog 1/6/10

Here we go again Dear Readers. Winter Storm #3! We received about 4” (guessing here, as _I’m_ not going out there to measure!) of new snow and now the howling winds of 30-40 mph have kicked in. We are being warned of dangerous wind-chill temperatures. As in -30° and lower. All the area schools are closed, the highways are closed and snowplows will not be out on the country roads until the wind dies down.

But on a happy note, my Farmer and I are safe and warm. Ds2 is safe in the city. The power is on and we have plenty of propane and the infrared heater is going. As a precaution, Farmer-dear had the generator fixed, we have kerosene and that heater in the garage nearby. We have 5 gal of drinking water in containers, and a 5-gal bucket of “flushing water” if needed.

I’m still doing the Pantry Challenge, so while I did get a very few groceries on Monday, I did not go into a panic yesterday to get ready for the storm. I sat and thought of what I could possibly need if we were home-bound for several days (which we will be).

I have on hand the following: Milk, Bread & the ingredients to make more, Coffee and Juice, Soup, at least 2 dozen Eggs, a variety of Meat in the freezers, lots of canned goods and pasta, cereals and dry goods in the pantry and prepared dessert items in the pantry & freezers.

We have some produce and I purposely did not buy more so we would eat up what we have in the fridge. The bag salad is about gone, but we have some shredded lettuce for tacos or sandwiches. There are carrots, and if they are too limp for raw eating, will be fine cooked or juiced. There is a pound each of apples and oranges. I need to check on the peppers and zucchini that are in there too. They were fine last weekend but now, who knows. I may be cooking them and pureeing to put into meatloaf or soup.

I thought about foods that we could eat if the power did go out, things like protein bars, canned soups and mixes we could heat over the heater. Nuts and the fruit also.

I also mentally double-checked on dish soap, laundry soap, toilet paper and other personal hygiene items.

And then I thought about how we will keep our minds and bodies occupied. Of course there are the twice (or more) daily chores that we have for the cattle and cats. That gets us outside whether we want to go or not.
Farmer-dear bought me/us a Wii for Christmas. He has been playing that in the evenings and I join in occasionally.
I also stopped by the public library on Tuesday and brought home 5 books for me. I have a large personal library here at home, but I also want to patronize the public library.

Also in the entertainment department, we have our satellite tv and several dvds. We normally have our internet connection but today we are experiencing “outages.” I still have over 1500 emails from my email groups to read (food groups that are timely whenever I read them) and many quilt/craft patterns and photos to organize.
And of course I have my HUGE fabric stash and sewing machines for quilting downstairs.

All in all, I don’t think we’ll starve or be bored.

So, dear Readers... if you were snow-bound for 3-4 days, right now; would you be prepared? For those of you in warm climates, (who I am trying to not envy too much today), are you ready for hurricane, wild fire evacuation or high smog alert season?

What are the top 5 items you have to have to be happy? (Besides family & pets, basic food/drink, heat/cool & shelter)

My top 5:
1. Coffee with half-n-half
2. Some kind of dessert or means to make it
3. SmartWool socks! (I hate cold feet.)
4. A book or two to read.
5. Some way to play cds or iTunes or the radio

Looking forward to reading your comments on how you are prepared and what would make you happy in a storm.

Hugs!
K~

** Bundle me up in an old, worn quilt with hand-sewn stitches,
and soft cotton batting. Place a book on my lap,
a cup of tea in my hand, a light by my side,
and leave me in a world of rest and delight.
~Roy Lessin

Merry Christmas, post-Christmas Blizzard 2009

I finally have enough band-width to say

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my dear readers.

Unfortunately my internet is sporadic at best yet, so no photos until later.

In a nutshell, freezing drizzle & rain on Wednesday, icy and then the snow started on Friday (Christmas Eve) which turned on full-force with wind overnight. We lost power for good around 4 a.m Christmas Day. It was a chilly morning as the guys (F-R and ds2) attempted to start the generator and then started the kerosene heater.
It was quiet while we opened gifts, but we were warm. We had a cold sandwich Christmas Dinner but we had hot drinks as I could heat water on top of the heater. The guys slept after their ventures out in the frozen wasteland. I stayed awake so we wouldn't succumb to carbon monoxide (You never know!)
We phoned our neighbors around to make sure everyone had some kind of heat. We would have had to really work to get to them, but would have made the effort if needed.
Finally around 3:30 p.m., the power came back on. Schwoo~~~ (Thank you again SCPPD workers!!!)
We had some off and on blinks while the power company continued to repair lines but at least we could cook our Christmas meal, run the furnace, run water and have music/tv on.
We were fine for those 10 hours but it really made us appreciate again how much we rely on electricity.
The word around the neighborhood now is that everyone is getting a generator that run off the tractor PTO. Sounds like a plan to me. And when we redo the kitchen I Am putting in a gas range. At least then we will be able to cook a hot meal.

Today was spent shoveling out as much as we could. Farmer-dear dug out the driveway and up by the shop & garage. Ds2 & I scooped out the walk through a hip-high drift. Farmer-dear then got a call to help a neighbor who lives in town but has cattle just the next place east. Off he went to dig out the drive and check the house, cattle. On to the last neighbors' to the east. On the way he found a pickup, high-centered in the road, with it's tires 2 ft off the surface of the road, on top of the drifts, stuck. No one was in it or around so we hope whoever it was, found a warm spot to wait out the storm.

After 3 hours he had the neighborhood dug out, but we are not going anywhere past our one mile little cleared road. There is a 5ft deep and 70 ft long drift up the hill to the west and who knows what past the neighbors' to the east. We'll just wait for the snowplow. And from what we hear on the news, Interstate 80 is still closed both east and west bound and the state highways nearby. Not to mention our gravel roads still have a sheet of thick ice under the snow.

But it's ok, we have power now, plenty of food, entertainment. We can stay put for several days yet. Ds2 is going a bit stir-crazy but that's to be expected if you are 25 yo and stuck on the farm with the old folks.

And as the Whos in Whoville know, Christmas came even without all the special effects-- the music, lights and meal.

Thank you Lord Jesus for leaving Your Heavenly Throne to come to this sinful world, for taking on human flesh, in order that we could see God face-t0-face and come to know You.

K~
** "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:
the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
~Burton Hillis~

GREAT Dining Out Deal (and Flowers!)

In this era of economic woes and PORKulus spending, we are all looking for ways to conserve and yet no one wants to feel deprived, right?
In my on-going blog reading I found this great deal. (go HERE)

Save 60% on a restaurant.com certificate and get 15% off at FTD.com (The FTD certificate must be used by 3/31/09. I just happen to have someone's bday coming in March, I can use it on.)

I just found a $25 certificate to Skeeter Barnes (regional [?] BBQ place) for $10, applied the coupon code and paid $4 !!! That's right, a $25 gift certificate for $4!! We have 3 different "dates" with 3 different couples coming up in the next few weeks. I plan to look for more restaurants we want to try. Between this and the gift cards we already have, I can see lots of "date nights" for very little money.



So a BIG Thank You to Iva at Horizontal Yo-Yo for linking me to The Bargain Shopper Lady at bargainshopperlady.com which shared Esscie's blog, Coupon by Coupon, where I found this deal.

It just started SNOWING and "they" are predicting 4-8 inches or more for our area. Soon it will look like this out there:


I have to go to the mailbox this morning and then I'm snuggling in for the duration.

I'll be making either Chili or Baked Potato Soup, trying out that No-Knead Bread recipe (finally! It has to ferment for 8-18 hours and I have to figure out how to schedule that into my life.), putting those pineapple pieces in the dryer (Farmer-dear is not eating it fast enough) and finding something sweet & warm to make for my Valentine.



I stopped at the library yesterday and brought home 3 audio books and 3 other regular books to add to my stack. And I have several projects in the sewing room calling to me.

The house is pretty clean, the laundry almost caught up and the dishes too. I will have a snuggly day. I hope you can have one too. Local-Yokels, stay safe!

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Come now the wild dark days of February when the house seems a
lovely warm little island with winter billowing outside."
~Gladys Taber

The Weather Outside is Frightful.....

Yes it is..... Frightful with sleet, snow, freezing who-knows-what, going on out there.
But thankfully I was able to get home before the worst of it and Farmer-dear and DS2 got the chores done and DS made it home to the city too.

I've been scarce for the past several days. Sorry.... Work at the office is at it's pre-holiday peak and I'm making the Holidays happen here in the Prairie Farm-house too.

Thanks to that Black Friday Shopping Madness, I only had a few more gifts to buy, mostly online. I've started wrapping, but everything seems to be of the large size this year and most of it will not fit under our tree. So, I'm stacking them in the family room in the basement.

In the Prairie Kitchen:

I started baking and making goodies. Some we've eaten and need to be remade, but that's part of the fun of the season. I like it this way better than a marathon baking day like last year. We can enjoy it all season.

Speaking of making goodies... I made Biscuits and Gravy for Farmer-dear to take to the plant as his Holiday Treat. I can now say that those frozen biscuits aren't too bad. Really fluffy and don't taste too artificial. Can't vouch for the canned Sausage Gravy, but it must have been OK, as he only brought home the scrapped clean roaster pan. (Biscuits and Gravy for 40+ hungry factory workers means 5 dozen frozen biscuits, 2 restaurant-sized cans of Gravy and 3 pounds of bulk pork sausage, browned and stirred in.)

Other less-heart attack inducing goodies have been Fudge, Amish Sugar Cookies, Brownies, and Chex Party Mix, so far. Next on the list to make are Scotcharoos and Spritz cookies and maybe Sugared & Spice Pecans.


In the Sewing Room:

There is very little going on in the sewing room right now. I made an executive decision for myself this past spring that I would NOT be going nuts trying to finish up any quiltie gifts after May. The gifts I have made were done in March and are awaiting to be wrapped. I feel so free not having that hanging over my head!
I will participate in a Christmas Mystery (quilt) over Christmas Day & weekend. Or I may just follow what the group is doing while I work on my BFF's Anniversary Quilt. I'll have two 5-day weekends over the holidays and other than making Christmas Dinner and I'll be taking it easy. I'm going through fabric withdrawal. I walk past my sewing area every morning on my way out to do chores and it gets harder and harder to not stop and at least pat some Fat Quarters or stroke some yardage.

Other Random Thoughts:

The other Christmas activities going on here in the Prairie Farmhouse have been:
listening to www.classicholidayradio.com through my iTunes. All the older Christmas music I remember from my childhood (and before...although I don't remember that...)

I ordered our Christmas cards online so we could add 5 photos. www.vistaprint.com
They arrived today and I'm really happy with them. I'll post one or the one I created in iPhoto here over the weekend. (We didn't get the ones from iPhoto because they were mega-expensive!) If you are a RL friend, be watching your mailbox soon.

I've been wrapping gifts and I wish I could remember where I got this roll of paper!! It's thicker and double sided and seems to be never-ending. I used it last year too and it is still a very full roll. Where oh where did I get it????? I'm thinking maybe Target? Shopko? The discount card store? Sam's?? If anyone knows of somewhere that has similar paper, please let me know. I love this paper and it is making wrapping a joy this year.

I'm so happy.... just waiting for one more delivery and I'll be done! Hopefully NO late presents this year. BIG Kudos to all the retailers I purchased from on-line & over the phone this year. You did Good! (Only 3 bobbles so far. Missing packing slips in one order; the wrong color of another item but it'll work and one gift packed and shipped upside down, but it seems to be ok.)
Last year I had to wait on several things and some were discontinued and I had all kinds of problems.

Last year I got flickering battery-operated tea lights, 6 for $3 at Wal-greens. Love them. But as I said, they are battery-operated. Hearing aid batteries. One package of two is over $4! In this era of being "Green" why is it cheaper to toss the lights than to buy new batteries??????

Do you, my Dear Readers, do you get your own gifts? Over the past few years, as we have had our empty nest, Farmer-dear and I have found it easier to just buy a few bigger gifts together and then maybe find our own gifts to wrap for under the tree. (shhh-- I did get him a small surprise because I could not resist. shhhhh)
It started when I stuffed my own stocking. No one else remembered and I was tired of a limp stocking with maybe only a new toothbrush or dark chocolate bar in it. So now I get small gifties through out the fall and any small RAK/Q I get in the mail, go in my stocking. Lip gloss, samples or small freebies from Bath & Bodyworks, new socks, Fat Quarters, Dark Chocolate.
So do you stuff your own stocking too?

Right Now:
I'm wearing: Black & Red Tracksuit & white cami, black cashmere socks
I am listening to: The Classic Holiday Radio on iTunes and the UNL Volleyball game that Farmer-dear is watching.
I am reading: I'm between books right now. Just finished the latest issue of Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home Magazine.
Last thing I ate/drank: Coffee, fudge and a sugar cookie
Favorite moment of the day: Seeing DS2 wave at me as I pulled onto the farm.

If any of you are a mid-westerner, please be careful tonight & tomorrow with this storm brewing. (I'm watching the lightening and hearing rumbles. It's Thunder Snow!)
Remember.... Jesus is the reason for the Season, not the presents or the activities or parties or food.

I'm off now to see how much it has snowed and to snuggle under some fleece and read for a bit before bed. I love cozy, winter evenings.

HUGS!
Kay~

– "I'm not giving up my MERRY CHRISTMAS joy to anyone.
If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year,
I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is
and I'll shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration."

A Constructive Saturday

It's a sunny, but cold day on the prairie.

March certainly came in like a Lion this year! We had 4-6" of snow over Wednesday night on top of ice. Rick and I stayed home from work on Thursday. The roads were treacherous and I was glad we didn't have to travel. I felt badly for the girls basketball teams and their fans who had to be out in it.
We had more snow overnight and still a lot blowing, so we are staying snug inside (after doing chores, of course).
He's watching the state girls' basketball tournament. I cleaned the living room and am doing some much-needed organizing and decluttering in the office. It may look like winter outside, but it says "March" on the calendar and that means time to start Spring Cleaning!

Fun Sites for Crafts for Children

In a pile of miscellaneous papers on my desk I came across a page torn out of the April 1, 2007 Womans Day magazine (pg 105). On it was a list of fun sites for children's crafts. I have listed them below:

Oriental Trading Company (inexpensive party items, goody bag filler, craft items. Some Biblical based.)

Kaboose.com (DIY projects kids can make and take home.)

DLTK-Kids.com (Thousands of free printable coloring pages, easy crafts and activitiy ideas.)

Shindigz (Decorations to fit any theme a child is wild about.)

Discount School Supply (craft supplies)

I haven't looked at all of them, but am familiar with Oriental Trading Post. Think of the junk you get at the county fair. Some of it isn't bad and it is inexpensive.
I really like the dltk-kids.com site. I just made a nifty pink kitty card for the twins and then printed off some kitty posters and some flower coloring pages (on heavy paper). The girlies are only 16 months, but it's never too early to start sending them their own 'specials' in the mail, right? :o)

Organizing My Office

My desk has been a source of mental stress lately. I had to move all the mess off the desk and from around it this week when the wireless tech came to hook us up.
I had piles and containers along the banister and it just was not a good look. So today was the day to do some organizing.

The left-hand side tower cupboard in my desk was a mess. I don't have a tower cpu. I have an all-in-one Mac, so that space was a catch-all for "stuff".  I bought one of those locker shelves last fall and it fits perfectly in there. Way in the back I have the boxes and instruction manuals for our cell phones and the digi camera.
Also the extra scotch tape and staples. Under the wire shelf I have the camera bag and our boxes of new checks.
On the shelf I have binders for our bank statements, photo paper, and expanding files for our insurances and Rick's farm maps/ASCS paperwork.
The small shelf above this cupboard needs a flatter basket or tray. It holds my post-it note pads and my password file. I want to get a rolladex for these important numbers. I have them stored on my computer but it maybe that sometime I may not be able to access that software or folder.

Under the desk by my feet is a case of computer paper and the trash can. On the floor by the side table is my portable wire hanging file and a second lidded plastic file for "To Be Filed" papers. I asked Farmer to deal w/ the paper sludge this weekend. Most of his "important farming & banking papers" I don't know what to do with. I'm not sure if I can file them away with last year's tax records or if he'll need them during this year. He will also organize those tax records for storage so we can start all over again with filing the 2007 receipts.

On the right-hand side of the desk I have rounded shelves. Not very practical, but that's what's there. On the back ones that are hard to reach, I have ...
(I had to look and then to do more decluttering....sheesh!).... I HAD a Longaberger® basket of all the stationary and note cards I've been missing! Also found a stack of cds that don't really play on my computer and that I don't want. They will go to ds1.

On the front shelves I have my reference books on the bottom shelf and a pile of computer paper, card stock and misc. notebook paper on the upper shelf. That shelf doesn't look very organized and I need to do something.... **Thinking**..... I think I have a 9x13 size basket in the sewing room. That would work to corral this mess. Or I'll store it in the plastic hanging file container since it only holds temporary files. There would be room in it.

So in the last few minutes I organized my stationary and put it all in one basket instead of two; organized and decluttered the other office supplies in containers and baskets on my desk; and moved the printer over to the side table and gave myself more room in front of the computer. Opened up some breathing room, as it were.

(I also peeked at my bread dough and found it was ready for shaping and the second rise. I also started a batch of Honey/Cinnamon Breakfast Rolls in the bread machine.)

Other Organization
Earlier today I reorganized my family photo frames. I needed to update some of the photos and put some of the frames away. Somewhere I read you should only have 7 frames grouped together. I have 8 on the parlor table, but one is a larger areal photo of the farm. It is way in the back so really, I only have 7 family photos.

I also organized my Bible Basket. I have a Longaberger® basket that holds my Bible, my Sunday School binder, my prayer journal and small versions of Bible study help books, and my hand lotion. I took out my fiction books and stacked them along side the basket.
I've been ruthlessly tossing the books I don't love. Yes... I said TOSSING, as in the garbage! Some of you are having heart failure, I'm sure. I figure they were thrift store bargain buys and it wasn't worth the mental stress to try and remember to take them back for reselling or to store them for giving away "someday". At 25 cents to maybe a $1, I can afford to throw them away. It is a freeing experience.

I also did some piggy feeding (piggy Bank). I found a handful of coins in one of the baskets and a bunch of coins and bills in another. The bills went into my "fun stash" and the coins will be turned into bills later when that basket is full.

***************
Tomorrow afternoon I plan to spend in the sewing studio. I was able to machine-stitch the binding on 2 quilts in the past week or so. I now have hand-work for tv nights.
I'm not sure which project I should work on next. I have so many ideas fluttering around in my head. The idea that keeps coming to the forefront is to make some Spring fabric postcards. I guess with all this snow and cold I feel the need for some Springtime color. (Another idea just popped up! Paper-pieced spring flower blocks...hmmm....)

That is the news from the farm today. I just got myself a cup of Chai and I have that pile of paper to take care of on the shelf and need to watch my bread in the oven and finish up those rolls.

Hugs
Kay

** Spring Cleaning
March bustles in on windy feet
And sweeps my doorstep and my street.
She washes and cleans with pounding rains,
Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.
She shakes the grime from carpet green
Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.
Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,
She ushers gentle springtime in.
--Susan Reiner