Rain, Tea and Me

It rained all day yesterday, but thanks to my multitasking mania mode, I got the dogs walked, all of the remaining pepper plants pulled from the garden, stove ashes dumped, eggs collected, goat's water checked....all before it started raining.  A good warm breakfast was much enjoyed after that.

Nothing new right?  I was very satisfied with the morning progress, but rain makes me lazy.  I tend to gravitate towards a sofa, blanket and a book (or some sort of handiwork).  

I enjoyed herbal tea most of the day too.

The chill returned so I brought in more wood.  However, during the time I was trying to get housework done, pumpkin muffins baked, and floors swept, I kept getting text messages from our 15 year-old at school.

She was asking for birthdays and ages of grandparents, and siblings.  After getting 10 text messages, I finally sent her "what does this personal information have to do with learning Spanish?"  Of course she never answered.  It appears that classes are taught differently nowadays, and it can make a person roll their eyes.  Although I think it was last year, her math class required students to write essays.  Essays in math?  Rolling your eyes?  I am.

Anyway, back to the positive vibes.....I think I figured out my pumpkin muffins.  I simply added more pumpkin, and used the measurements of spices that I do for my pumpkin bread, and added about 1/8 tsp. mace.  I am fresh out of allspice, so that's what I used.  They are huge, moist, and very flavorful.  So this time, I am writing down the recipe and putting it in my recipe box.  And for a back up, I'll have youngest add it to her recipes in her hope chest.  She loves to copy family favorites for herself.

I made it past the 10,000 word count mark yesterday.  I even printed out this map (if you call it that) to keep me on task.  The kitchen corner, may just end up covered in sticky notes soon too.  I'll admit, this year's writing is not as good as my previous years, but I am staying positive regardless.

Have you seen the current issue of Country Woman Magazine?  The last page has this very cute idea.  You freeze scoops of whipped cream with mini-chocolate chips and jimmies and top hot chocolate with them.  Ha!  My kids are going to have fun with this one. 

 Five Minutes for Me ~  I, for once after a looooong summer of preserving, sat down to read for about 15 minutes.  I'm slowly checking out books I never got the chance to finish completely.  This one is a diary of a woman crossing the plains in 1865 - Days on the Road, The Diary of Sarah Raymond Herndon, Foward by Mary Barmeyer O'Brien.