Homemade Lemon Extract ~ Gratitude

We love lemon here.  We can't grow them, but we can buy them organic, and thus we made lemon extract. This will be ready to use about March 28th (I'm waiting at least 8 weeks to try this first batch). 



I used about 2 1/2 lemons to make 2 jars of lemon extract (1/2 cup of 80 proof vodka in each).  We juiced the lemons, and that, as you know, is useful in so many ways (including homemade cleaning recipes).  You can use more lemon peel if you want.  Organic lemons here sell 5 to a bag. 

When the extract is ready, I will have a few recipes to share, and new recipes to try it with.

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Woke up to a freezing house, stove had one small cinder in it, and all hot water pipes are froze (sigh....)

So, I made a hot pot of coffee, and sucked it down, and asked the Lord for help.  We can all use help right?

Hot coffee makes everything better.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Electricity, so I can make coffee and heat water to wash my hair and wash up

2. Cold water flowing, so I can water the animals, heat it for washing dishes etc.

3.  Wood on the porch, so I don't have to go far to load the stove again

4.  Ginger root, so I can keep making hot ginger tea to health reasons

5. My dehydrator, year round

6. The printed word, so I can simply pick up my Bible, or a good book off my shelf.  I cringe at the idea that some day there may not be a Bible to hold in my hand, and it will only be available on electronic devices, which depend on electricity to charge and batteries to operate.  Hopefully, that won't happen, and folks like me continue to buy the printed word.

7.  Our pets.  When your down in the dumps, they sure do pick you back up.

8.  A neighbor who came to our rescue and plowed us out, and our mailbox.

9.  God's Grace

10.  Our barn cats.  I have a funny story to share about this.  A few days ago, I heard banging around in the kitchen bathroom.  I found Jasper (house cat) in there.  Then I saw Tiger sitting and watching.  Then a day passed, and our  14 year-old was in there screaming.  Yep.  Another mouse.  We sent one barn cat in, but the mouse disappeared.  We had brought the barn cats inside due to the frigid temps.  So, later that evening, my 17 year-old was at the sink and heard something fall in the bathroom.  She turned around and Sapphire (barn cat) came waltzing out of the bathroom with a large mouse in her mouth.  However, she took it to the living room and let it go.  The kids ended up catching it by hand later that night.