Kitchen Chit Chat

 

I still have a supply of home grown sweet potatoes, so I decided to mix up a casserole with those, sausage, kale, broccoli, mushrooms and garlic for breakfast.

Dinner was a big 'ol crock pot of chili.  Dessert was Einkorn applesauce cake (Jovial recipe is online).  Nothing better for a cold and busy day yesterday.  The best part?  Leftovers today. Both dishes required quite a bit of time in the kitchen early in the day.  Leftovers give me more time for other things today, and hopefully some handiwork time.

I'm already on the hunt for more crochet patterns.  I'm filling up the Christmas binder too with gifting ideas and recipes.

First little something special for the girls.  These are about 3 x 4 inches and perfect to carry in their purse to jot notes or write a list.  So cute.  I'll tuck one in their lunches for work with a special note to cheer them up for the day.
  

Retreat ~ Back to the Grind

My husband surprised me with a trip to our favorite cabin in the woods.  It's not only in the woods, but way up in the hills.  The road up to it is dirt and there are no guardrails.  I literally grip the door as we go up or down, but once we are up it's total bliss.  It's the next best thing to camping.  The hot tub is the best part.  The cabin is for 2 people only, and it was a surprise stay for our Anniversary (again).  I am not sure who needed it more - him or myself.  I'm just glad it was not snowing nor freezing ice taking those roads.

The cabin had a TV, movies, books, deck of cards, so we had plenty of entertainment.  The full kitchen allowed us to pick up stuff at the grocery and cook/eat at the cabin.  

Speaking of shopping, the grocery stores there were pretty bare.  Way worse than in our hometown area.  The bad part of driving there, is that small town gas stations kept their restrooms closed.  We had to take advantage of rest stops before heading into the hills.

Many stores had their hours reduced, days of the week they were open reduced, and some were on the verge of going out of business.  Our favorite restaurant was closed. The one store we headed out to shop at was closed.  They were a business that made things from metal - candle holders, yard art, signs etc.  They made the items right there, which meant shopping was USA made.  So sad to see them not open.

The funny part, is I had booked the same cabin in the spring for our birthday's, but will be canceling it with what's going on in the world right now.  We can always book camping trips instead (if they are open).

We are back to the grind today.  Both of us. Instead of a 6am hot tub soak and coffee, it's back to stoking the fire and prepping breakfast and dinner this morning.

We need to split wood possibly before the weekend, but I'm hoping I have enough until then.  Oh, the cabin we stayed at had a gas fireplace.  Oh my gosh it heated up so nicely.  We are considering installing one in place of the pellet stove in the other end of the house.  It's on the wish list now.

I do not have my boxes yet to start the hallway project, but excited about it.  Then I thought, "I should paint it while it's all cleaned out" and then I thought well that would be spring in order to paint.  We shall see.  There is plenty of other things on the to-do list too.

I best get busy. Have a nice day.  I had to ask my husband what day it was, I'm so out of whack, ha ha!  It was strange taking off on a Sunday for sure, but we well rested.

 

Jibber Jabber

My husband started Sunday out with working on my car with replacing the brakes.  

First order of business on Sunday for me?  Secure some boxes for next week.  I'll need them to move books from point A to B and then back to A.  I'm so excited to get some bigger projects checked off the books this year.

Second order was to put more kale in the freezer.  My stash of greens were getting low.

Third to make room in two other rooms for the books and bookshelves before I start moving them.  I may do a purge if needed, but one entire bookshelf is canning, medicinal, homesteading and self sufficiency books and I know those will all stay.

Fourth?  Clean out our travel case of toiletries.  I've had it in the bathroom since our last overnight vacation, and decided it needed cleaned out (purge out any old stuff, reorganize).

Fifth order of business was to get a few more rows crocheted into Daughter's cardigan.  I'm gaining on it.

I also had some bananas to freeze.  I just didn't have the time to bake banana bread.  

Black eyed Pea Casserole and a year of luck?

 

January 1st was a day to catch back up on things.  Laundry was caught up, Hubby finished replacing the brakes on the truck, I mended a shirt, and cleaned up "party central" in the kitchen. 

We started the new year by trying a new recipe.  Had to laugh though.  It was a crock pot recipe, and all day I thought it was not.  I had to make a few changes and wha-la, black eyed pea casserole baked in the oven.  It tasted good too.  Original recipe is online with Food.com.  I used fire roasted tomatoes and added my own jalapeno's that I froze (and cooked along with the ground beef and onions first).  Healthy and delicious.  Will it bring us good luck all year?  I guess we'll find out.  I've never been one to believe in such things, but after last year it was worth a try.

My new 2021 planner is being filled up with plans of travel, and a bright shining year of possibilities.  The weather was absolutely miserable yesterday with pouring down rain, dreary, cold, and lots of ice.  It was a perfect day to set out some plans for entire year.  Yeah, I know we may have to cancel some, but I am prepared (2020 gave us experience for sure).

January for starters will be my time to get back on track with regular exercise.  Funny how it really is the month they over advertise it too, but I'm finally out of my "funk" after Dad passed.  However, I cannot (I repeat cannot) watch a funeral on TV (When Calls the Heart) without bawling.

I know we will be busy this year regardless, with a long list of home renovations, painting, coop building etc.  I still have a root cellar and green house on the list.  Root celler is iffy as we my have limestone and cannot dig.  It's been on the wish list forever, but things happen.  Weather happens.  Work happens and so forth.  I'm still looking forward to whatever we do accomplish.

I have a new journal to start the year off with too.  You all know I have a journal for just about everything.  It's a gratitude journal, but it involves doodling, and stickers and a whole lot of fun.  I bought each of the girls one too.  Each week involves a random act of kindness too.

The beginning of 2021

It's a new year!  The beginning of something new I hope for all of us.  I spent yesterday (New Year's Eve Day) driving my 21 year-old to her therapy and surgery.  She had the pins removed from her hand.  She is completely healed and has no restrictions using her hand.  So thankful for that.  

Today, I am making black eyed pea casserole for dinner.  It just sounded good.  I'm thinking of rolling out the pastry cloth and making us some biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

I inherited this door from my Dad.  He was a pharmacist.  It's very old.  I grew up working in the store.  The store had a fountain, photo center, cigar counter, penny candy and sold other items.  The fountain (what we called it) is where there were booths to sit and eat, and a long counter with seats to sit and eat.  We sold sandwiches, ice cream, snacks, soda etc.  We had the best hot fudge sundaes.  Anyway, Dad's pharmacy had a swinging door for years until we got robbed (at night when it was closed) and Dad had to enclose the pharmacy with glass and a door that locked.  One daughter had a grand idea.  She said it would be a great door for a room where my medicinals (natural remedies) would be kept (my dried teas, tinctures, etc).  She said it was my own sort of pharmacy.  I just have to figure out where and how.  I just love the idea of it.

A closer look at the colors in the bathtub rag rug.  It just makes me smile, so I am so glad I got it finished.  We need more "happy" in the home right now.

I bought myself a new 2021 planner and already have things planned.  Hoping and praying the new year is much better than 2020.  Happy New Year!

Random Tidbits ~ Happy New Year!

 

I managed to finish the rag rug I started this year.  It's for the bathtub.  Sorry about the lighting, I took the photo just before dinner time.

The book store never called me back on the book they were waiting to price.  I'm assuming it was a legit signed copy and they were selling it for well more than I could afford.  I don't want a signed copy anyway.  I just wanted the recipes.

Happy New Year!

2020 has been a total bunch of hot garbage.  It can only get better from here, as I see it.  Dad's place is empty.  I can't explain how I feel after seeing it that way.  On a funny note, he had several typewriters - electric and manual.  There were 4 typewriters when I arrived with one daughter.  I told her "load 'em up, they are your project now."  She was fascinated that people used to use them.

May 2021 (but I said this in 2020 too) be better than the year before.  We can only hope right?

Chit Chat with Coffee

There might be some peppermint schnapps in my coffee this morning. Today is the last day to clean out Dad's place.

I got the last of Christmas decorations put away, drained an infused oil, got most of the kitchen back in order (whew! thankful for that), got more wood split after Hubby got home from work, and other cleaning caught up with.  I put a fresh vintage tablecloth on one table, but I'm still working on the other table.  

I still haven't found a box of Christmas cards I lost.  However, I found my husband's missing truck keys.

The sun was out most of the morning yesterday.  I was also thankful for that.  Snow was predicted, so was rain. Woke up to a level 1 emergency, so I'm praying roads are okay later when we need to be out.