sleep is wonderful, and if you get enough

you actually can function!

i took tylanol pm last night, and got almost a full night
i would still BE sleeping if bernie hadn't told me that 'the stove is stone cold' (duh it is a soapSTONE stove) and he couldn't get it lit.
i came down to a bright blaze and a stack temp of 400.
huh?
couldn't get it lit? it looked pretty damn lit to me!

so i am waiting on my coffee and watching the fire

today i am going to bethlehem with jen, who it turns out is a pretty good enabler for someone so very young
we will be shopping for (what else?) yarn!
felting yarns for me
for the boots and such

oh and my staub enameled cast iron 3 quart round casserole arrived, the box was damaged by ups, misdelivered......and i got intense attitude from the driver who i complained about the day before
i don't understand why, no matter what we do.....UPS can not find us, we've been here 22 years
they only seem to find us if the package is very light weight, if it's heavy........ they say we don't have a valid address!

now the weather, she is warming up..........well all things are relative no?
if you are running around outside and it's minus 7 with the windchill............ well then 28 feels warm ...right?
40 feels down right balmy and 58 will get you out in a teeshirt!

ok so it's warmish out, but i still need the energy to can ham and beans.......not enough sleep for that yet

today down at bernie's job, they are to get snow and ice......
i need to get in wood this afternoon so he doesn't have to incase he's home late
or
i HAVE wood incase he isn't home at all........

he hasn't had any relief in the road calls, as the guy who is supposed to relieve him, and who was HIRED to relieve him...isn't
they call that guy, but the guy doesn't answer the phone

so that is the state of my world as of today.......or at least this morning
i hope everyone has a happy new years

nothing much but lack of sleep really * felted boot estimates

we thought we'd get some sleep......but bernie was up waiting to find out if we had a road call to newark
however after about 1.5 hours of talking and waiting with the driver of the unit...... the driver changed his own tire and we finally got to go back up.
sleep however eluded us again

i am getting closer to the felted boots (or felted boot liners at the moment)
i am going to use the fiber trend 'family classic felt slipper' pattern for the first experiment and add a shaft
the estimate is 1540 yards of yarn
i plan on knitting the slipper first as is....just to see the pattern
and then knitting the slipper and adding a shaft for my leg.....
i plan on about a 9'' tall shaft (over the ankle measurement) for the first run on this boot
and i am planning on using classic wool as well for it
if it works
bring on the brown sheep lambs pride
i got some little boy size 5 winter boots i am going to take apart.
the bottoms are all one peice and that is the only part i am going to keep
i will replace the tops with the felted boots
now if this works i will finally have boots that fit my legs, that are also warm!

and if this works, i can always go back and do as many liner pairs as i need to!
and extra sole inserts

ok now i need to go do something
as i am not awake

2:20 am, do you hear the wind?

i am down here stoking the stove.
i was not going to come down, in fact i had gone to the bathroom and went back to bed.
thaddeaus had gotten settled back in against my back under the covers...

then

i heard the WIND...........high up in the trees but not stopping.
it was sounding like airplanes revving up to take off
it didn't stop after a while
so here i am
stoking the stove and worried about buying a back up emergency tank of oil
(well duh, OBVIOUSLY i need something to worry about or it just wouldn't be ME....oye)

the good news is the stove is burning brightly, so i really should go up right now.
but am i going to...... ha, what do you think?

now on to the daily kevetch (but at least for the most part they are funny, or they are mostly*** but not always*** intended to be)
oh wait....before that
two night so far in a row with no mice
i repeat
NO MICE
how about that!
i was getting concerned after the third day of double dead mice........

but the one trap is still baited and set......right in the middle of the stove
eww

you know........i forgot what i was going to kevetch about ( and i am pretty sure it was pretty funny)
oh the joys of age and sleep depravation........

2 mice, 3 mice, red mouse............

ewwwwwwwww
again with a pair of mice in the traps in the kitchen
one apparently didn't go easily.......
and it's a mess, and i am leaving it for bernie

so there

my legs are killing me, i forgot my thryoid meds three days in a row
dumb ass that i am
so today i am moving a big slower.....quite a bit slower

and clearly so is the woodstove

ok so today finally we got to carol's
i have their cookie tray, a cute little tiny gift basket with plants and fat quarters (if you quilt you will know what they are)
and food of course
and two books i think they will like very much

plus my roasting oven to help out

it's warm today so thaddeaus will be ok all day, as will i believe the budgies
ducks are going to stay in today we'll sort them throughout the basement
tomorrow i sleep in
i may not have a choice in whether i sleep in or not, as the thyroid med lack may decide that
and believe me i am in pain

bernie just came down and got all grossed out by the dead mice (there was a lot of blood)
he's giving me blow by blows of exactly what happened
and i can't take it today
oh and i may have just possibly put the woodstove, THAT I JUST GOT STARTED, out........
oye
some days.....................

the day after

is warm apparently with rain
i am so very glad that christmas is over.
i have so much to do, as this will be the first weekend in over a month that bernie is home
tomorrow we will go to carol's, which we were supposed to have done yesterday (canceled as we had ice warnings... and we do take ice warnings seriously here)

today i have to go to the post office, pet store, food store, and a few other things, not much though

we caught another two mice, some barn cats i got.....
we're using traps
and setting two traps a night and getting two mice a night
put 'more mouse traps' on the list too for today
even with bait and traps and CATS......i got a feeling we're over run

now that it's after the dread holiday.......... i can go back to my drafting table without guilt and start drawing again....and making dolls and ornaments and all that

we did use the halloween tree as a sort of 'holiday tree'
i liked it
i saw an all white tree in town with silver, pearl and clear ornaments on it....and white lights
i loved it

now it's seed catalog season, and starting the garden with optimism season, i like THIS season
i am not really crazy about 'digging in the dirt with ticks' season....... nor 'too much produce and fruit flies' season
but i do like looking over the perfect pictures in the seed catalogs and dreaming
and ordering
and those seedman get me every single time......between the perfect pictures and the glowing (and absolutely optimistic and encouraging) descriptions....i hand over my money every time.....i got half a refridge full of seeds!
and out of that half a fridge.....i grow about 250-400 seeds a year.........hahahaha
oh man
mostly heirlooms, but this year we are getting some hybrids for some notoriously difficult in this area to grow........... like eggplants

i am going to try starting eggplants in quart sized pots and growing them a bit coolish until set out....i am also thinking of doing something like that for peppers only growing THEM with bottom heat in the cool basement...... i am aiming for decent root growth, and EARLY yields
they always seem to take forever outside
i may tent them too out there
as i need good yields of peppers and eggplant this year.....
beans and brussels sprouts would be nice too

and i am going to refresh the dirt in the deck planters as well...... that's where i put the snow peas, and the lettuces and mixed greens such as mache and spinach
i find better harvests with those sort of crops on the deck for some really odd reason

i got a lot of work in the garden ahead of me this year.... bernie didn't listen when we were cleaning pens, and now it's frozen and or wet
so i have to scrape the beds and attempt to redo them myself

he doesn't know it yet but i am going to invest in some good tools for my sized body
not the old crap that i been forced to use
and a HOE THAT IS ACTUALLY SHARP!
imagine that!

ok so now i am going to get an leftover egg roll and another cup of coffee
and then get a fast shower to go to town

today is christmas day

according to the sentiments...... a day of 'peace on earth good will toward men'
i have been thinking about that
and i am going to warn you all, if you are looking for an uplifting post about christmas......close the browser to this blog now

i wished everyone happy holidays and was taken to task!
it's 'merry christmas' one person indigently told me
another told me 'i don't celebrate that pagan holiday'

another person told me that 'christ was never in christmas to begin with'
(that is actually correct, as according to records the christ child was born in late summer, if i remember the information correctly, and december 25 was fixed as the official day to celebrate the birth of the christ child to assimilate the older pagan yules, and solstice celebrations)

all of this had me thinking
there are all different religions
all different political leanings
and even within the 'same' religion ie: christianity there are so many different warring fractions that contradict and disagree and are ready to burn some poor snook at the stake for not following the 'correct' one
huh?

i been thinking that if i was a creator, and my creations acted like that.........i would be marking them as failure and moving on

what really would it take to have peace on earth good will toward men?

respect

really it is that simple
at least to my mind
to feel that another person's thinking is as valid for them as mine is for me
and to not try and impose MY thoughts, beliefs and feelings on them....
but it has to be reciprocated
the problems come when the reciprocation is not there

i did a simple thing, i wished everyone happy holidays, in one line.
including all my various flavors of friends
most folks took it in the spirit in which it was offered,
my hopes that they would have a wonderful time, all of them.

i could not believe that a few people could twist this simple wish into something they could feel indigent and superior about....let alone think that they needed to correct me!
where is respect for our fellow man in that?

i am thinking in the future it would be easier on my sleep if i didn't bother to wish anyone anything
at least publicly
and i am also thinking that stuff like this has ended up changing us as a society that was helpful to each other, to this dog eat dog nightmare we live in now

this of course led me to thinking about what does touch me about this season...
i don't like that my mom and dad and evelyn were all taken from me at this time.
it seems especially cruel to me
i do like the ancient (and i am talking pre christian) connections however...
there is something i think primal that touches everyone this time of year, no matter if they do celebrate that 'pagan' holiday or not.
i think it may be on the same level that open flames touch us......maybe on a cellular level handed down in our dna

for those in the northern hemisphere, an evergreen tree is derigor..... but there were no christmas trees in bethlehem 2009 years ago.....
snowflakes......ditto
that came from northern euro/scandinavian and is older then 2009 years old, but we breath in the scent......and we are touched, i would imagine just as our ancient ancestors were

now this year we don't have a holiday tree, we have my little orange halloween tree, with it's happy pumpkins and jack o lanterns on it
and i would imagine that someone will decide i need to be 'corrected' about that

happy holidays to all

not the best of anniversaries

today is the anniversary of my mom's death (1985)
of the last time i saw my dad alive (1995)
and
of 'not the momma' evelyn's death(2002)
it's not a good day
i miss them all
as well as thea and trish
and sometimes gramma
i miss everyone.....my favorite aunts, my friends
seems i have more folks across the veil then here

i do have one friend from 'back when' alive yet but only see her every 5 years or so
i have some new friends too a few IRL and a LOT of cyber friends
it doesn't stop me from missing every one that is gone though

i am going to just try to get through this day

yes dorothy it HAS been a while

LOOK a FINISHED object, my scarf in trekking xxl 100

i went to bethlehem with jen on friday, to the moravian book store

i had a blast

jen is a pisser to be around, and i am grateful she tolerates my slightly ahem......'eccentric' behavior

saturday was spend getting bernie ready for an overnight stay at work to keep the fleet rolling

and then i worried (yup i always worry, daily....believe me it isn't cutting my life short, just my enjoyment of life)

and i knitted

friday morning, bernie dropped the ENTIRE batch of cream cheese orange spritz cookies on the floor, i had to toss them......ALL THAT WORK, all that expense

he was to help me make them again but wasn't able to due to the storm

they got hammered down there, we got about 3 inches up here

i am hoping he gets home before noon today

meanwhile i am back to stoking the stove a few times a night

so i don't get much sleep

part of what we did yesterday was to get me a new shovel.

we didn't have one

where i live, this neighborhood had never been one to help others much... i always have cause i grew up that way.

but once the really old people here died......the others aren't much on helping, so with bernie gone during storms, i am truly on my own

even last winter when i fell in front of one of the 'good' neighbors, she just yelled at me from her porch and never bothered to either help or ask some of the 20 year olds in her house to help

(we so have to move or they so have to move)

anyway, back to the 'on my own' part

i am going to have to shovel a path to the duck pen, and maybe also try and shovel the front driveway to get bernie in

he still hasn't shown me how to do the snow blower

this morning, i am grumpy, exhausted, worried, and am having a bit of an issue with the woodstove being cranky

it's buring now but not really putting out much heat yet

i can't get the stack to heat enough to do that

anyway

i did manage to get a finished object (a scarf i had knit, i got the ends beaded and all the little yarn ties glued and trimmed off), see it's picture up there?

i am finishing up a few unfinished projects,

a pink silk triangular shawl

a plum and cream striped hat with fushia trim

a pair of 'footie' socks

a few pairs of felted clogs

i most likely won't get them done by the end of the year but that is my next few knitting projects * i normally don't have a lot of UFO's, these are due to a few mechanical things, i lost one of the sock needles, i didn't have a trim for the shawl but i do now...., and in cleaning bernie helpfully stuffed that hat in a box for me

now it's out and i want it finished as i knit it cause i liked it!

and this cowl thing which i like but is driving me nuts cause i don't have my 24'' size 9 circ, and so i am doing the bottom on dp's and they are making me crazy with the SIZE of the bottom.

i have yarn for three shawl/triangle scarves, and a few pairs of felted boots, so those are all waiting

now i am off to drink the coffee

press cookies are tricky

sometimes they work well, sometimes a night mare....
the tricks are, the dough must be sticky enough
and the temps must be right
cookie sheets room temp on the coolish side
ditto on the dough
too hot they don't stick
too cold they don't stick
oh and the press MUST be a good one
i like a vintage wear ever, as i tried others and they did NOT work at all
i bought a wilton one year and broke it after pressing two cookies out
so now i have my mom's original one (which i can't totally find) and a 'new' old one i bought off ebay last year in frustration over three OTHER new presses i could NOT get to work

cream cheese spritz cookies
1 cup butter
1 (3 ounce)softened cream cheese,
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk ( it's really good with DUCK eggs, or free range jumbo very orange yolked chicken eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest ( also i added some lemon and orange extract)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ).
In a medium bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and orange zest. Continue beating until light and fluffy. sift all the dry ingredients together, gently stir into dough . chill the dough a bit, this will be a sticky dough even cold
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until there is a golden brown rim around the bottom edge. Remove from cookie sheet, and cool on wire racks. i use the tree shape mostly and prior to baking sprinkle with green sugar crystals

now i would like to thank dorothy for the name of the book Sunshine to Dollars

while it didn't get a good review on amazon, she is using it to put solar in by her and it's WORKING....we'll be getting that book next amazon order.

i ordered the privacy fence, which will shield the ducks from the dogs up the hill

(and me from being told by the 20 year old permanent house guest to keep my F*CKING ducks in my house if i don't like his dogs barking at them... what ME mad? are you kidding, i want that kid filleted)

after that we'll be roofing and finishing the coop

then adding one for the chickens.....and expanding the GARDEN...... (i mean since bernie has the chain saw and all..... we can limb up the trees and i can have more garden space right?)

i already started the list of plants i plan on growing this year in the garden

merchant of venise white seeded pole beans ( taste like vanilla)

KY blue pole beans

jam pumpkin

eggplant

SWEET PEPPERS: banana, toillies, bell, italian frying, cubanaro ( which i spelled wrong)

leeks

red cabbage

savoy cabbage

brussels sprouts

broccoli

black plum tomatoes

amish paste

cream sausage tomatoes

patty pan squash

zucchini

yellow squash

butternut squash

acorn squash

pickling cuc's northern, boston, homemade pickle

beets

carrots

kohlrabi

rutabaga

ground cherry

and the deck garden

snow peas, spinach, mesclun, mache, new zealand spinach, swiss chard, nasturiums, eatable marigolds, skirret

i have to revamp the herb garden as well, replacing the plants that died while i was so busy doing other things

so that involves sage, lavenders ( about three or four different ones) thymes

the rest i will either salvage out of the garden such as agrimony, and valarian, or seed again such as marshmallow, basil, parsley, dill

now if only there were three of me

well i came down at 1:25am

i almost was doing ok, i got this cold so i was planning on going up early.
a friend of mine called
we've been friends.......almost 40 years
oh my.......i feel so very old saying that....well duh that's cause i AM old
someone we both knew died , and she wanted me to get in touch with someone who needed to know.....but no one has seen for 20 years
i did that because she asked me
BIG MISTAKE
this guy is a major alcoholic, and unlike a fine wine, hasn't improved with age
he won't help himself
and i got seriously upset so now i'm up
i also went through facebook and found the class of fairlawn high 19**
(don't ask....... seriously i am not ready to deal with being THIS OLD YET)
then i got not only upset but depressed and i swear my blood pressure has got to be a gibillon over a megamillion
is it time for me to move to florida yet? i really am that old.

when you are young, you almost make fun of the old people.........some you respect and listen to....others you shake your head and just move on
when you are old......
you sit there and wonder 'who the HELL are those people'?
i knew them?
shared laughs and dreams and hopes and intimate (for a kid) secrets with them
?
bernie and i went to highschool together, in fact i met him in froggy wilson's history class, (froggy wilson and jessie church taught my brother, sister AND me........20 and 16 years later respectively)
but we rarely talk about highschool.......
we talk about today and tomorrow, and sometimes yesterday but never highschool
we did a little tonight
anyway, there is no point at all in this post, i am just up, tired, and wondering what it is all about

just one of those days

i got one double batch of snickerdoodles baked, as well as the two double batches of peanutbutter chocolate chip
today is spritz, oatmeal raisin, gingerbread, and most likely sugar
then if i get done early enough.....trays will be assembled and out
i can't wait
i like doing this, but this year everything has gotten in the way of getting it done on schedule
last year i was really sick so i dragged through it
i am looking forward to sitting and drawing ducks
making ornaments for various holidays ( i am going to sell some of them as well)
knitting
making dolls
finishing the studio
planning the garden....
canning dried beans
and ham
drying mushrooms
you know WINTER STUFF

i got up late today, guess i was making up for yesterday.
bernie got up late too, and he wouldn't have gotten up at all if i hadn't woken up at 5 again to pee
he was flipping out, but i pointed out that the bedroom clock was 20 minutes fast, and that he normally LEAVES at 5
as well as the fact that while he likes to get in an hour early to unwind from the ride down, and double check his fleets (up to four fleets now and counting) and his day, really he is not supposed to start until 7am
workaholic husband that i have....... had no choice this morning but to deal with it
he's ok though, i just called him.
his fleets are ok too

so that is my morning so far

isn't it funny

how even if you aren't consciously aware of it..... you do follow the rhythms of the season
when it's cold you crave carbs, fuzzy cozy sweaters and fabrics, open fires.
when it's warm you like more veggies and linen is appealing
this time of year i bring out projects such as felted footwear, leg warmers and other things i don't really knit most of the year.... i can knit socks all year, and lace......... but felted footwear seems to me to be a winter only thing..(maybe because i need the woodstove to dry them in a reasonable amount of time?)

so that's next i think.
i ordered the adult snug pattern from 'pickupsticks' i paid for a downloadable pdf.
according to the email i got

1.Our system will automatically email you your PDF patterns at 5 p.m. PST. Orders placed after 4:30p.m. PST will be filled at 5 p.m. the following day. If you need your PDF immediately, we can hand email it to you

i ordered at about 11-12 am/noon yesterday (sunday) so i figured, ok about 8 pm
i emailed them later about 8:30 or so to inform them that the automatic system appears broken........ as of this morning still no pdf in an email.............
maybe cause it was sunday? i hope so cause this clearly said after 5pm
and did NOT say weekends will ship monday after 5pm
i had hoped to start on this last night with that charcoal gray lamb's pride
if it works well........... i plan on doing a few of these outdoor soled boots
(last year i got side tracked)

now other things floating around.....
we're talking about solar and if it is feasible to do here, our electric is going up...by over 30%!
as the state mandated rate caps come off, we already use a LOT less then an average family or small home since i have replaced all the lights with those compact fluorescent, don't use the electric dryer, burn wood so the motor/blower/fan on the furnace doesn't kick in
turn off lights
have all energy star appliances.....
don't watch tv or listen to radio
unplug appliances such as toaster, coffee maker....
keep other lights etc on light bars with a on/off switch
use mostly hand tools not electric such as manual can opener etc
i also found that ironically CANNING over the course of the year saves a TON of electric
now we not only are going to get hit with higher costs BUT we need to pick an alternative electric company
the offers from alternative electric companies have started to arrive
i did find one that has totally renewable electric....which is the most interesting to me at the moment
we'll see how competitive the rates are
so back to the solar thing
if we could get the well pump and hot water on solar for now.......we would be pretty happy, followed by the fridge and freezers....... then the lights and stove and such
in order of emergency necessity that is
think about it........ no more electric bills....AND no more worry about power outages etc
there are tax credits and incentives as well.
now that also means we would have to stay here i suppose
i guess with high fences we can do that

there are a few more things that i have to deal with that are boggling my mind......
the solar thing is huge though
and something i would love to figure out how to do......how to afford it and all......
i've always wanted to be off the grid, imagine being off the grid and still having all the comforts of home
(except tv, that i don't want back ever......but bernie is starting to ask about it...... i would rather not have it)

what else today?
baking which didn't get done friday due to unexpected chicken complication
saturday due to over loaded dishes due to friday's unexpected chicken complications
sunday due to bernie being home (he was in the shop saturday working on our van)
and rain
and ice
so today is it then
i did however get the little candie canes
they are made from natural peppermint oil............ i was impressed!

it's finally warmed up here ( all things are relative you know...... warmed up right now is above 25 degrees) and the woodstove is extremely happy.
yesterday i got the stack temp up to 550 which is wonderful as it got cleaned out nicely
i shoveled a bit of the built up ash out
and heat poured out
so much so that last night we were again warm upstairs
and while i am 'upstairs'
we got a new bath mat for the bathroom, we didn't actually NEED one.... (although i like have two so i can trade off when one is in the laundry)
but they had a MAGENTA one........
i couldn't just leave it there
so now we have an all white and cream bathroom with a MAGENTA bath mat
sweet huh?

ok, it's now 5am...... i came down at 3
bernie came down at about 3:30, as he was concerned about iced roads etc
i got about two hours until sun up
so i am going to get dressed (or maybe sleep a bit more first?)
if i do get dressed, i will start the baking
oye
if i can........ i would like the trays to go tomorrow

some times, it takes a while

i remembered this morning that i have not one but TWO pairs of felted clogs (actually three but the third pair is really a dinner plate)
that i made last year, and that have never been worn.......
well guess what.....?

i'm wearing one pair, the red experimental one
they even fit my ankles!
and in doing so i realized that i can and am going to make the boots this winter, as soon as the holidays are over
i have the yarn, and i think i have the know how (or i will cut and stitch until i do)
and i am going to get cleaty type bottoms for them
i am also planning on them going up to my mid calf!
or almost my knee

i can decide if i want to zip them, lace them or just pull them on
and i want a few more pairs of house slippers.......
i really liked knitting the clog pattern but the enclosed heel and ankle on the new slippers are things of beauty and comfort
much comfort
that bring my feet great joy
AND i can still wiggle my now warm toes
so there
hahahahaha
ok with that said...... rho told me she had done some house socks or something,
and i am thinking either them or leg warmers for the winter for me
i guess it's time to hit some good classic wool sales no?
and also some brown sheep sales......................
i have one more scarf to finish....a cowl actually
and then it's on to leg wear for winter

as to the 'thaddeaus eats everything i knit' problem, i am going to get some plastic rolling drawers, he can't get in them.....isn't interested in chewing them, and they will work i think very well
again, on the list for after the holidays

it's cold today but no where near as mind numbing/bone chilling as it's been
i cranked up the stove to clean the chimney, and got a nice hot coal reducing fire going, which i had not been able to do as well over the really cold days,
i think i am going to add some heated cat beds for thaddeaus the baldie, *la perm baldness comes and goes, some always molt totally......my boy is one of them, so he's got pink long johns and a woodstove.......*

as to the homicidal duckies...i am going to toss the girls together and then let them duke it out
i need them together in ONE PEN, this 4 bucket over 4 inches of ice thing is getting painful for my back.
momma btw, has started a serious primary flight molt........ NOW?
wtf?
i wish falstaff would.....his flights are two years OLD now.... and just quills with no actual feathers left. it was suggested that i pull the quills, which would cause the molt to start, but he isn't really handle-able as he was feral when we got him, and over 18 months old.
he's only semi tame now, after all these years

so that's sunday morning, bernie was working on one of our vans yesterday and by the time he got home, brought in wood, and helped me with the girls..... it was dark so we didn't go out for errands.....that leaves us today as errand day

off to town, and it looks like rain..... great more ICE in the back pens
oye

chicken run................

we went to the poultry farm and jen got what looks like 5 pullets and two roos
jody thought that one was an older pullet but i think that it's a roo
actually i was looking at them and i am thinking........there may only be two pullets in there

i hope not
i hope they are at least 6 pullets
cause that's what she paid for
and these are 19 week old birds

i saw some speckled sussex X buff orpington crosses that i want
and a few other birdies
a lavender orp
some more buffs
a few mille fleurs
and a blue egg laying anacona...............
i don't have enough space for them you know
so i reserved a few of them
i will be going out i hope in a few weeks to get them
or at least chicks out of them

today is still FREEKEN cold
yesterday was a nightmare of cold

we put the pullets in jen's coup and sealed up some air leaks that are great ventilation come summer but are nightmare air leaks right now
i told them to increase the bedding and to also make sure the birds get extra fat and carbs

i didn't get home until after 4 so today i have to do some of the errands from yesterday
as well as bernie's since he's down at work ......... he's doing our van today
meanwhile
it's freeken cold
and i didn't sleep because i was down stoking the stove
when i bring in wood later i am going to bring in short wood and lay the fire the opposite way for tonight

meanwhile we also found out that somehow the basement door was opened wide for 24 hours
if it wasn't for the chickens down there, i swear that the pipes would have frozen
bernie was the last one down there, and he swears he didn't do it
i know richard the ghost didn't
and i haven't been down there
so it had to be bernie accidently left it

it's a bit easier now to get the house warmed up

i gave my plum goosedown coat a good test run yesterday, this is the one i bought last spring.
it passed with flying colors....so to speak
i was warm, without being hot, and it didn't have cold spots like some of the other goosedown coats i have
it's only a tiny bit big on me...about half a size so that's good.......i had room to move and also to layer more if i had thought of it
i now wish i had gotten a second one...... with the half price sale.....they also have the matching coat but i would like a second jacket.......it's 36'' long so that is a good jacket length for cold
i never understood short waist length goosedown jackets
i think that a jacket needs to come down to at least mid thigh to be considered an outer wear JACKET...........no?
anything shorter then that may not keep you warm, which i thought was the whole POINT of a jacket.....i could be wrong though

today after i get my stuffs done in town is more cookie baking
NEXT YEAR.....( watch now, famous last words) i will start in august and freeze it all
oye
bernie doesn't know it......cause we don't exchange holiday or birthday gifts anymore
but i got him some good steak knives and a dvd of celtic woman (the christmas one)
he loves celtic woman so i figured i had the gift checks left over from what i didn't use on cookware............ well they will be here i think this week

speaking of cookware, that cast iron enameled dutch oven....... I LOVE IT
soups, stews, stovetop roast beef, roast pork, tomato sauce........ with meatballs....
i am using that thing at least two or three times a week
now i want to get a strub or two or even a le crueset but i don't want to pay the price......so i will go to the outlet and get on the sale list
i can snag them pretty cheap that way...about 70% off list
WITH the same warrenty
i am also going to get the cook book 'glorious one pot meals'
not that i will follow the recipes ( who the hell really follows recipes.....and all you folks that know me are now helpless with laughter)
but i would like to see the ideas and metholds

and i can get it at a decent discount

ok i have to go now
the feed store will be opened in about ten minutes
as will the post office
and i would like to get back to the house before town traffic gets heavy
and then get the ducks into the draft proofed pens for a few hours

ttyl
vi

you know..it's pretty cold out

i just cranked the stove up again
i am thinking of bringing in a mat for by the back door
and also we are going to have to move the cat tree as i think it's blocking heat to the main house
(and there is still a screen in the window in the front room.....WHAT? last week it was 60 out!)

today we are going out to pick up some chickens for jen and scott........
we're taking my crates and i think georgette's crates
we should have enough for 8 pullets and a roo .......i hope

bernie uncovered my van and brought some wood in
i have to run to the po and then to town after we get back with the chickens
i will be doing the mass baking then
(and picking up more flour as i ran out...i don't know how that happened but i ran out)
when i am done with the baking ( wish me luck that i am done by sunday)
i have some stuff such as mustards etc to make
cranberry sauce, cranberry mustard...hmmmmmm
tropical fruit jam if i have the time

in yarn and knitting, i gotta tell you all
every single pair of my hand knit socks is got a hole in it somewheres.......
not from wear
not from moths
FROM THE BOY

the little shit has chewed on every single sock, mitten, hat, scarf that i have knit
he steals them and hides them and eats them
why ???
we don't know
as he doesn't touch yarn or fiber or felted knits
he mostly likes my socks and mittens
and today i have two different hand knit socks on
cause it's that cold out
and these were the best of something like 25 pairs

oh man

mice are crunchy? who knew?

fawn got a mouse at about 3:30 am
she of course called the others and brought it to the bedroom
they all played with it for a while
calpurrnia got it for a bit and growled so loud that we threw her out of the bedroom
the next thing we hear is some weird crunchy noise
turn on the light......it's now 4am
and fawn is chewing on this mouse
bernie asked me if it was dead...............
gee i sure hope so, as she apparently is gnawing on the head
i couldn't stand the noise so here i am
we have got to stop meeting like this

the good news is i was just thinking i need to set a few traps on the stove
the bad news is apparently not anymore

ewwwwww mouse breath
oh man that is gross

snow day again

yesterday i was woken up by the sound of the smoke alarm going off in the studio

why?
were we on fire?

no
bernie was stoking the woodstove

now i ask you, how come a man as smart as he can be in some areas, can not grasp the concept of how to stoke a stove without smoking us out of the house?
after 5 years of doing this???

how come i am so dumb that i keep hoping he'll learn?
i came down naturally to see what was the matter, and i stoked the stove properly
i have to explain the difference in how to stoke a colder stove as opposed to a hot fire chamber
i create a sort of channel in the ash bed for a cold stove and get a lot of air going for a hot fast fire
in a hot fire chamber i just rake the coals forward and create a tiny air pocket in front of the air control
it's always a balance with a wood stove, as it is 'alive'

i came down myself this morning, three logs, no smoke spillage, and i've been warm with a wonderful fire every since.......... took me what about 75 SECONDS......
oh man
now onto cookies, yesterday was the peanut butter chocolate chips......two double batches, and now i am running out of room in the fridge
so i have to start to wash the tins and put the cookies in there. and then keep going..... i am behind on the cookie baking btw
and friday i am going to slatington/palmerton to pick up chickens with jen
8 pullets and a roo...........
sniff
i want new chickens..... although i have 4 and they are mostly laying 2-3 eggs a day now
i would love to have the sussexXorp cross chickens, just two of them.
but i will tell you, that i am so torn, as i adore the LOOKS of the buff orpington, just adore seeing all those fluffy little petticoats on those chickens...i love that they are that buff orpington color and that they are all the same
i am pretty convinced that the buff orpington color is pretty much the most satisfying chicken color (and chicken breed) there is.........and the sight of an orp makes my soul sing
i really like my orpington chickens you know....
hahahaha
although if i had the space, i would have a few separated breeding flocks of some of the really rare heritage heavy breeds

since keeping chickens is the new knitting or the new 'black' (like brown is the new black) i have hopes that people will be looking to the old breeds that were developed for the small backyard and tight quarters. genetic diversity is a very good thing, as is rescuing old breeds.

i like keeping chickens, and ducks, and other 'farm' animals. i think it should be right up there with the right to bare arms (bear? bare? i don't remember which is the right spelling for this)
the right to feed ourselves, for many people has been taken away by zoning and home owner associations
i would say that the right to FEED ourselves is basic, inalienable, and overrides anything
no?
and as we watch the economy tank......... folks need to know how to do this

ok off the soap box,

now the snow outside seems to be turning to rain, as the light comes up i am seeing glops of snow fall down in a wet snow/rainy sort of way
wonderful....... the pens are going to be flooded again....or at least the back pen will be, but i have hay out back, which will allow me after to mop up without too much effort
thank goodness
and i purposely didn't spread as much bedding as i will later this winter, so it wasn't too much of a nightmare
well it's getting lighter and lighter out, i think the ducks can possibly start going out by 8:30 or so
i am going to put a few more logs on the fire and damp it down for the day
i have gingerbread to make today
and then see what i have....... i may still have to make sugar cookies (i am going to roll them if i have to do them, in colored sugars and then slice)

everyone have a nice day

a preview

it's pretty cold out
went from 60's to
'holy shit is freeken COLD out' in a day or so

the rhodo's out front are beginning to curl their leaves
and we have to stoke the stove more often

most nights it is THREE CAT NIGHT..... where all three cats try desperately to fit themselves inbetween us on a 3/4 sized bed.....(don't ask........ we need a new mattress and then we'll only be up to a full sized bed)

i keep waiting for mice to join us

now onto duckie news, we crated phoebe
we had to

we didn't want to but she's been hiding in the back and laying teeny tiny pigeon sized eggs and then thinking she can brood them
ahem
phoebe dear, they aren't ever going to hatch pudding, as they aren't fertile.................
meanwhile momma and lilli continue in the beotch fest that is duckie land right now
even falstaff has gotten 'moody'

bernie's noticed that if he has 'at' the ladies....he isn't so....ahem..........moody
leave it to a MAN to think of that one, but i think he may be right about that
so who do i throw in with him? do i really want to be a duck pimp?
do i need a special hat and coat for that? oversized dark shades? platform shoes?

right now i have to go and take the birds out
i don't want to do that
it's cold out
they don't want to GO out
did i mention the cold out thing?
maybe i will put another log on and heat the chimney and THEN go out?

i have to get water buckets too, as i don't have enough of the unbreakable ones for seperate pens due to ducks from hell with attitude (when good ducks go bad? are they going to rebel now and get their beaks peirced and tribal tats? .....WAIT that is a main stream thing not a rebellion thing now)

ok off i go to start my day
then baking
more baking
lots more baking................

what do you like about your life?

i got to thinking after talking to one of my cousins, what do you like about your life?
what is good
how comfortable are you in your life ( this one takes some thought)
what is bad
what is a pain but even given that you wouldn't change?
what goals have you met?
how do you feel TODAY about some of those goals, would you chose to do them over?
would you chose different goals today with what you know now?
are you a person who counts mistakes as good things or bad things (ie: they teach you something, vs they mess you up big time)

are you where you wanted to be at this time in your life?
what are your future plans?
how satisfied are you with most areas of your life?
what are you doing now both personally and professionally that you like, that you love, that you hate, that you tolerate?

what do you LOVE, ?
not who ( everyone loves thier family and friends for the most part) but what do you LOVE? what things, experiences, colors, sounds, feelings, stories, sights, scents, tastes, seasons? what makes your heart beat faster?
what hobby or interest do you think would be interesting to persue that you aren't now?
what have you loved in the past?
has it changed, deepened? how much has this enriched your life?

what does your 'ideal' life LOOK Like?
if you look out the window of your ideal life...what do you see?
what does your living space look like, your mode of transportation?
do you live in an urban area or a rural area.........hot or cold climate?
how hands on are you in your ideal life? or do you have servants?

then i got to thinking about finances, and what we feel is 'doing well'
is 'doing well' for you, paying your bills and putting a bit aside for a rainy day or retirement or the kids college?

or is 'doing well' for you a yacht, with long Caribbean vacations?
or is it somewhere in between?

can you or even should you put a dollar amount on it?

i was thinking as well, i wonder what an economy would look like if it wasn't based on accumulated cash/assets for wealth, but maybe on accomplishments such as art, music, dance, beauty
or alternately, what would life be like if we were able to follow the quantum physics model that says (simplistically and basically) that we do create our reality?

now do some accomplishment hold the same weight if we don't make money with them, as opposed to if we do?
is it even fair to measure things that way?


i tell you it's dangerous being me and left to muddle through mucky duck pens

i didn't realize it was cold!`

bernie must have put a log on this morning, as the damper was open to the woodstove and i know i shut it partly last night
it's 73 in here, which lead me to believe that it was warm out.
noooooooooooooo
it's the radiant heat off the stone of the woodstove
once i realized that, i threw a few logs on for the morning.

now today, i need to start mucking the wet and soon to mold bedding straw out of the duck pens
the timing couldn't be worse, as i am in the beginning of the cookie marathon.
i have to shift ducks all day as well since out of 4 pens i have ONE that is ok, and i have 4 ducks that can't be put together right now......
lillianna is still homicidal, ( but she is starting to calm down i think......slowly)
momma is broody
phoebe is broody
and falstaff............well he will jump on any duck in his path repeatedly and duck rape isn't something i am ok with, as he makes them bloody

just a fast knitting update, i am knitting the 'harmonia rings' by silvia harding right now it is just in some beige tweed worsted that i don't like the color but i envision it dip overdyed in either a russet or a burgundy... and so far i am really liking the knit
the mobius cast on from cat bordhi is really nothing more then the turkish cast on (or i think it's also called the figure 8) but done very cleverly on a long circular
i have to say that cat bordhi is very very clever........ and innovative, and while i am not a total mobius convert, as i think it's fine for somethings not EVERYTHING, i do respect the genius that is cat bordhi as using this cast on in this way is nothing short of spectacular

now this harmonia rings is a nice fast knit, it's interesting, it's textured without being overpowering (IMHO) it's got enough text i think, to be really warm in a sophisticated and understated way.
i think if it's done in a tweed, of say........ burgundy, wine, plum, eggplant or even a charcoal or medium gray, i see it being a wonderful 'city' winter scarf.
i can see it over the black wool NYC winter coats of folks going to wallstreet or any other upscale corporate environment
now doing it in variegated yarns (again use a subtle color change so it doesn't fight the texture) it's a good 'jeans and a peacoat' scarf
me, i am going to make one in plums, and eggplants to go with my goose down winter coats......hahahaha i know with them i will look like the Micheline man's illicit love child but
hey who cares.....i will be warm

ok duckie juggle morning edition:
phoebe in the double pen but it's opened with one dry spot
momma unhappily in the a frame.........also opened with one dry spot
lilli desperately unhappy in the top pen
falstaff in momma' crate

i will go and switch out lilli and falstaff in a while
and then lilli will be running around the very wet basement
and pooping....... all over the place
thank goodness for partial dirt floors

i wish i drank

just for angie....snickerdoodles my way

SNICKERDOODLES COOKIES Bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes.

1 tsp. Soda
2 3/4 c. sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Sift together flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar. set aside

1 c. shortening cream on low speed until it's pale and satiny then add

1 duck egg continue creaming
vanilla and almond Extract continue creaming until all mixed in then add
1 1/2 c. sugar
cream thoughly
slowly stir in the set aside flour until just combined

Chill dough until easy to handle (at least 1 hour, longer is better if
you can manage it).

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and about 1/4 cup or more if you like of
cinnamon. Roll dough into small balls and dip into sugar and cinnamon
mixture. Place on lightly greased (or NONSTICK) baking sheet.
***note: can also use vanilla and lemon extract about 1 part vanilla
to about ¾ of a part other flavoring

cookie dough as far as the eye ( which is nearsited)

can see....
i got the second double batch of snickerdoodles dough done, and the first batch of cream cheese spritz cookies dough done,
today i will do the oatmeal raisin doughs and i need to get the peanut butter for the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies....i thought i had it!
and two more bricks of cream cheese for the molded angel cookies

i think this years theme is going to be burgundy and gold so i am getting a garland with pointsetta and cutting them apart to use as the picks for the trays, with gold curling ribbon
i may if i have time, paint the pointsetta's edges with gold or something
and shimmer up the angels with eatible lusters

meanwhile i was up all night listening to the intense rain and winds
it was some bad rain.......
i can't convey the amount of badness of the rain i listened to
i am going to be surprised if we aren't flooded
i will be happily surprised if all our trees keep their heads
i also am not going to be able to put the ducks out like usual today, i have to give them each a turn in the upper pen, which means four seperate turns, not just the three girls at once then falstaff......... momma is broody, lilli is still homicidal.......and phoebe loves me but isn't too keen on momma and lilli wants to kill everyone........ DUCK PMS........ who knew?

it is also supposed to be really really warm again today
which i suppose is good but as soon as it warms up i get those bites starting again, that i've been getting since spring just on my arms and legs!

today as i am apparently going to be taking some sort of time to go to town, i better get my assets to the post office
i know that my new glasses should be there, as well as the mail that i am waiting for from the lab.... i keep thinking there is something else coming but if there is i can't remember.....

WAIT, I REMEMBER! knitting needles........ ahem....... shhhhhhhh please don't judge me....... i needed a 40 something incher for a mobius

oh man..............

and the chili i made the other night was great, we also had it last night, but TONIGHT, i am thinking......hmmmm maybe pork loin or turkey soup
i would like to think of something different to do with pork loin
i make it a bunch of ways:

plain roasted
pot roasted with mixed veggies
in a sweet/sour bbq sorta thing
with sourkraut and apples
with cidar glaze
with peach grilling sauce
with pineapple, onions, and sweet peppers
pork stew


i have always wanted to do a stuffed pork loin with fruit and bread crumbs and then tied with butchers twine and roasted under a coating of thick streaky bacon, and maybe pineapple rings
i really should think about getting the twine so i can do that huh?

i also have been known to cut the loin into thickish chops and then use them in either smothered pork chops, or breaded baked pork chops, or even plain pan braised with paprika and garlic........

or even pork chops braised with sweet red pepper sauce, oinons and cream...

you know, i just realized.........bernie eats GOOD
really really GOOD

but i am still looking for something different with them all

now something else i wanted to mention
duck fat
sounds gross but turns out to be really good for you like olive oil
too bad MY ducks don't have fat as they are muscovy ducks.
now we needs us some nice fat real ducks such as these rouen ducks

although i been looking at ducks and i am thinking either the buff duck or the appleyard would be a better idea.....
but really, i think my muscovy ducks are the prettiest in the world......(funny how that red warty carunkling grows on you)

if i do decide on raising these guys i will be planning on maybe one or two girls and the rest boys, for the table. so no getting too friendly with them

today i have to make turkey stock, and more cookie dough ( i should have started in august and froze it all)
oye
ok off i go for my second cup of coffee

slow mornings heavy on the frost

it's cold out
not mind numbing cold yet i think.... but cold
i have yet to get dressed to put the ducks out
a lot of odds and ends to clean up i think today
i forgot to call the doctor and tell her i lost my RX for the vitamin d
and to call the other doctor to have my records all transferred ( and i will pick them UP as they lost the last ones)
i did start the cookie doughs..i got one double batch of snickerdoodle dough made
and my kitchen aide is not sounding too good
i do have an old bosch which i am hoping is ok to press into service i think
i hope so as i have a LONG way to go

here is the official 2009 holiday cookie list
i am making two to three double batches of each recipe
and i am NOT making chocolate cookies this year

snickerdoodles
peanut butter chocolate chip
molded cream cheese butter cookies ( either a stag or an angel) ** and i need edible lusters for these***
oatmeal crispies
oatmeal raisin (these are for one particular friend of bernie's)
dark gingerbread
spitz ( i am thinking of lemon for these or lemon and orange) and i need to think.... should i sprinkle them? or should i drizzle them with something like white chocolate or frosting?

and i need to get the chocolate kisses, starlight mints and tiny candy canes to finish off the trays
instead of picks this year i am going to get a garland and cut the individual flowers off to use as picks, so i am thinking of burgundy and gold for this years color theme
burgundy pointsettas and gold curling ribbon

and if the trays aren't full enough i will make a few batches of brownies to fill them out

that is my yearly gift to my husband..... cause this is truly a labor of love, as it takes forever
but i enjoy planning it and seeing his face when he comes home to SEE all the trays wrapping in the cellophane with the pretty picks and curling ribbon.....and the gift bags all lined up

i really do need a LOT more space though to show this stuff off properly, i'm really not kidding about the 18 feet of continuous island counter space that i need

the trays are going to
auto mall service ( cause they get bernie's warranty work done FAST)
the shop
the shed
executive offices
dispatch ( they get quite a few trays as there are hundreds of people there)

with some gift bags to certain of the people in the company who are very very good to us, it isn't much compared to how good they are to us, but it is a thank you.

then there are some other folks that get little token bags

this years trays are small, as that is all i could find at the dollar store so i am thinking i may have to send two trays minimum
oh man.........

doing the molded cookies is going to take me two whole days
but i think i can sit through the decorating so i will do them in the middle and then leave the last of the drop cookies for the end ( the peanut butter chocolate chip will be last then)

i am not doing the sugar cookies this year, i used to roll the dough into long logs and then roll that in colored sugar and chill then slice..... i decided not to this year
although....... if i think they aren't quite full enough or colorful enough i just may
but that is something i can decide later

so there it is
holiday cookies 2009
and i am already thinking of holiday cookies 2010......
where in the theme just may be...... 'the nutcracker'!

can i do this? AND FAWN IS 10 today!!!

first off, happy birthday to my fawnietta bonitta
she is 10 years old today, and for the last almost 5 years (5 years in march 2010) she's lived with us, and added a light to our lives we didn't know we were missing before she came
she has changed so very much in these past years
from a frightened sweet little cat who wouldn't come out of under the furniture and never did anything wrong
to a loving and sassy opinionated amazing cat charging around the house, and playing and jumping up on the bed and DEMANDING attention (and getting it)
and also getting into trouble!
you know an animal is truly at home when she does something like rough house with the others knowing she is going to be told to stop

she is a solid round fluffy little cat, and so active she puts her great grandkittens to shame
if i am up in the middle of the night, my little companion is NOT the boy....or the blue eyed one
but always is my fawnie
she is also vigilant about mouse holes
and every afternoon demands to be picked up and cuddled
I think i like that demands to be picked up and cuddled thing the best........as she was so terrified we didn't force her at all, feeling that she needed to own her own body and come to us when she was ready......and boy did she!


i have all these cookies to do
more then any other year
oh man
i could really use those huge tins from the popcorn to store them in until i get all the cookies done and then assemble the trays
i also could use a commercial kitchen with an 18 foot long island.... or two
(what luxury........an 18 foot long island in the kitchen...! FINALLY enough counter space!)
i brought up three pounds of sweet butter last night to soften,
that is enough i think for the snickerdoodles and the oatmeal cookies
i think when i am done i will have gone through 15 pounds of butter
and about 60 pounds of flour, and who knows how many of sugar etc
them birdies better continue their egg laying cause i am going to need it
i am to buy a grain mill
i was to have bought it already
i can get a fabulous deal on one and i have to find the money somewhere, as i have the grain
and it's on my list!

my list includes the weirdest things
a mattress for our bed
a tree loper
fence post hole digger
grain mill
roof panels for the duck coop
an outcross drake
5 new chickens
yak tracks (for my boots)
canvas drop clothes for curtains
galvanized pipe for curtain rods
steak knives
solar panels

see what i mean?
i really need that grain mill and that mattress

today bernie started the fire so i could stay in bed
wasn't that sweet of him
but i didn't stay there long, i came down to check the fire and make the coffee
he brought home bean pie last night
wow are they ever good
he gets two of them for thanksgiving and two for christmas every year now
they are actually made of navy beans with sugar and spices and eggies
and they are to DIE for
they are the best of pecan pie without pecans.......seriously they taste like pecan pie
i finally get bernie to eat beans? and it's PIE?

huh?
hahahahaha
now before i go for the day
HERE is a link on loneliness
just in time for the holiday season, i found it enlightening and hope you folks will as well
have a wonderful day everyone