I bake a lot of cookies. They're so portable and it's easy for DH to grab a few when he walks in to fill his coffee tumbler before heading back out to fix fence, or check waters, or feed cows, or gather a pasture. When the chiddlers were still home, they would often wander in from their dirt road capers, barn expeditions, and pasture explorations in need of portable edibles in order to
read moreTuesday is Mardi Gras, and this year I managed to remember it far enough in advance to change my header to Mardi Gras. I have some fun ideas for you today, for your home, and my plans for this year. Let’s start by setting a festive table. Pull out everything you can find around the house in purple, gold and green and mix them up to create a carnival table. This table for two from a couple of years ago could be for breakfast, as we have a Mardi Gras party to attend this year for dinner.
This party ...
read moreSeems like warm weather is here to stay, and it is time to bring out the pretty pastel colors of spring. I can wear my white shoes now, as my mother always said you couldn’t do that before Easter Sunday. Do you remember those days as a child where you had a pretty new dress, new white patent leather shoes and a little hat for Easter Sunday? Those were the days, when we dressed for church, or going out to eat, or getting on an airplane, or just gathering for whatever reason. Ah, but that is where we are ...
read moreHow does that saying go: "Keep Calm and Carry On"? I believe that to be good advice and wouldn't it be even better if it involved a cookie? You know it would! I have another recipe to share from the Pioneer Woman. As I mentioned in the previous post I've been watching a LOT of cooking shows while sewing in the past few weeks. If I'm not stitching it seems that I'm either at the grocery store or
read moreHow does that saying go: "Keep Calm and Carry On"? I believe that to be good advice and wouldn't it be even better if it involved a cookie? You know it would! I have another recipe to share from the Pioneer Woman. As I mentioned in the previous post I've been watching a LOT of cooking shows while sewing in the past few weeks. If I'm not stitching it seems that I'm either at the grocery store or
read moreThere will be a return to posts that aren't necessarily puppy-dominated; but, in all honesty, I don't know when that might be! To clarify, though, there's been lots of other things going on around here sprinkled with liberal amounts of precious puppy moments in between! The grands were all here to spend the night last weekend following an afternoon of cookie decorating, ornament making and
read moreThere will be a return to posts that aren't necessarily puppy-dominated; but, in all honesty, I don't know when that might be! To clarify, though, there's been lots of other things going on around here sprinkled with liberal amounts of precious puppy moments in between! The grands were all here to spend the night last weekend following an afternoon of cookie decorating, ornament making and
read moreAre you ready for the holiday? I am done with all I intend to do. The decorating is done, cookies baked, cards mailed, gifts bought and wrapped. The veranda got a wreath, but I never got to the arrangements I thought I’d do. No one comes up here so I just wasn’t motivated. I have our holiday meal planned, and most everything is in the pantry, just a quick stop later in the week for the perishables. In the sewing room, I am finishing the Christmas panel quilt this week. Just in case you still have a few ...
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And just like that, it would seem, another Christmas has come and gone... or has it? We're still in the Christmas season and these days following Christmas Day can be just as much of a gift as the day itself! In my "rush, rush, hurry, hurry" frame of mind during those days leading up to the 25th I had to back-burner a few things that I had really wanted, and fully intended, to get done before the
read moreAnd just like that, it would seem, another Christmas has come and gone... or has it? We're still in the Christmas season and these days following Christmas Day can be just as much of a gift as the day itself! In my "rush, rush, hurry, hurry" frame of mind during those days leading up to the 25th I had to back-burner a few things that I had really wanted, and fully intended, to get done before the
read moreTime to think about Christmas dinner and get the shopping done for the ingredients. For many years now, we have done a Standing Rib Roast in the English tradition. Having just had turkey for Thanksgiving (with all the turkey leftovers), it is wonderful to do a special beef dish for Christmas. Yes, a bit expensive, but it is Christmas and that is only once a year. Plus these are on sale this week. Prime Rib roasts are not difficult to cook, just click on that post to see step by step how to do it.
It becomes a bit more ...
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It's time to make Christmas happen here in the Sticks
Look who is joining the blog hop this year:
December 1
Creatin' in the Sticks - ME!
Doreen – Just Let Me Quilt Guest
December 2
read moreWell, all I can say is Halluleuyah!!! The red and white blocks are DONE! But not without a couple of glitches.
Here they are—the four blocks of Block Five. And yes - that one block doesn't have the best contrast - I'm over it. I had done very well with the cutting, except that I had forgotten to cut the white for one of the blocks. Hmm - I could wait until I got home; I could have gone to the quilt store today or borrowed from a friend. Ronda happened to have some white, so I got white from ...
read moreSo far, so good! I headed out Thursday, along with some of the other Essential staff wives, for a retreat/conference in Dallas, Georgia; Cultivate 2020.
It was a LOT of fun! I love road trips in and of themselves, but this retreat was really intended to pamper and encourage the participants and a great job was done of it!
I mean, wow! Our lunch Friday was served in high—tea time—style! Each of us got our own tiered tray, that then went home with us. We went home with a ton of swag, including the gorgeous (and yummy ...
read moreWhen the going gets tough, the tough turn to chocolate, isn’t that right? I’ve been working on this recipe for some weeks now, and just had to make it several times to be sure. No, really, I had to. Testing combinations of shortening and butter, different types of chips took several batches. Plus, I wanted to make a recipe that didn’t make a lot of cookies. With just two of us at home, and no one to give them to, I don’t need dozens sitting around, although I did find that these freeze well.
So the ...
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