A Happy Birthday

Hersey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake with a creamy chocolate glaze served with Dryer's Peppermint ice cream. For my mommas birthday! :O)

Christmas Kitties!

Mittens playing in the manger.

Muffin watching her sister from the under the Christmas tree.

Here comes Muffin!

It's sleepy time again.

Under the tree it is warm and safe from happy children and exuberant corgis.

*Note: Maggy has disappeared. I have begun to think that evil lurks in my neighborhood. Human evil. Why do my kitties who always return home suddenly vanish? How is it others that I know can keep a cat for years and nothing ever happens to them? Scott thinks someone is harming them. And I have to agree.

"The deepest circle of hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers." ~Capt. Jack Sparrow

"And cat killers." ~ Miss. M.

Miss. M.'s Doodles

In black ink on the back of her church bulletin. I do hope she was paying attention to the message. :O)

'Tis the Season for Secrets.....

....and sewing miniature things that I can not show you yet, bloodied fingers, gingerbread men that threaten to steal Christmas, burning eyes, and emotional melt downs. I'm sorry it sounds all so vague. 'Tis the season for secrets!

Our All-Sufficient Savior...Or What's in a Name?

On my tree are fifty-eight salt dough stars, hung with raffia, made seven Christmases ago by Zach, Miss. M, and myself. It was a cold and sunny day very much like today. We sat at our dinning table and searched the Bible looking for the many names given to Jesus. In the Old Testament and New.

We then made the ornaments using a salt dough recipe and three different sized star shaped cookie cutters. These are very sweet memories for me. And I can not tell you how encouraged I feel as we take turns reading a star as it is hung on the tree. Some years I am "just not into" Christmas, but as I read the names of Chirst the hope and promise that is held in each one reminds me of what it is truly all about.



























So be encouraged friends. It's not about deadlines, crowds, best deals, new recipes, parties and all the other possible trappings. It's when we remember the Beloved, Lamb of God, the Word come in the flesh, our Friend and Messiah, the Lamb that was Slain, so that we may have eternal life forever with Him.

You can find the many wonderful names of Jesus here if you'd like to make your own. :o)

Afternoon Tea & Cookies

An afternoon with Earl Gray is just what I needed. Earl Gray tea and cookies. Crispy, buttery, delicious. And with the wonderful aroma of Earl Gray. *Sigh*

Earl Gray Tea Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves, from approximately 6 tea bags
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized. Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed.

2. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

4. Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

My Chickadee!

"God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December."
- J. M. Barrie

And digital cameras and free online photo editing (Picnic) and a feathered friend for a muse. :o)

Pink Peppermint Moon

I just totally made that up.

My Susan Branch 2009 Calender says this month's (Decemberrr) full moon is called the Cold Moon.

But it looked like peppermint ice cream to me.

Or how about a Cotton Candy Sky?

Mr.Heron looks cold, but I doubt that he is.

I think he likes the chilly waters of Pudget Sound.

And I like Allyn's historical church. So clean and white. Like a pillow mint. :o)

December!

A sweet and chubby friend who flew in from Google Images. Artist unknown.

"I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

A magical thing And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring

Than we were in September,

'I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December."

~ Oliver Herford

Advent Day 2: Creation

Genesis 1:26-31

Advent Begins

The Meaning of "Advent":

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture reading for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life. ~ The Voice

Advent is a tradition the we have kept for many years. It has been a way for me to keep Christmas meaningful for my children. We celebrate advent with scripture reading, crafts, cosy lit candles, and songs.

See Revelations 22:16, Zechariah 6:12-13 and Jeremiah 23:5

Day 1: The Branch

"Then a shoot will spring up from the stem of Jesse and a branch from his root will bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him." ~ Isaiah 11:1-2

New Odyssey

Did you all have a happy, lovely Thanksgiving? We did, and a busy weekend to boot. Friday we went car shopping. *Groan*

Zach totaled the Passat two weeks ago...wasn't hurt...only sprained his thumb when the airbags deployed. That was something I on my "to be thankful for" list this year.

Of course when you purchase a new automobile you just have to go on a road trip. A maiden voyage so to speak. So Saturday we packed up the new Honda Odyssey and hit the road. Highway 101 to be exact. We drove "the loop" around the peninsula, an all day trip. It's a beautiful drive through the Quinalt, Queets, and Hoh rainforest's. I have taken this trip as a teenager with fond memories.











It was a cold and rainy day. We made frequent stops at points of interest including the Quinalt General Store for lunch, Forks, and La Push. Ha! We had to! Pictured above is the newest little Cullen. Her name is Scancy. (All you real Twilight fans will understand.)

Here we have Seth, the youngest in the La Push werewolf pack.

And oh my goodness! It's Jacob's house! See the motorcycle?! (:o)

While They Worked

While they worked I sat with my camera.

The soft light shining through the windows was very pretty. A lovely break from the rain.

I couldn't resist his freckled cheeks.

So studious this girl.

Working cheerfully.

Hello, mom.

Okay, she had enough of me. And under the table she went.

So I turned my lens on the various items on the table:



















Then I got bored and ate some huckleberry saltwater taffy Scott brought from Montana.:O)

Great Falls Montana

Big sky Country....

Ain't she cute? I had the hardest time eating the sausage patties this morning...all I could see was her tongue hangin' out. Scott had a great time in Great Falls. He's ready to pack us up and move to Montana to live life as trappers and hunters. :O)

*All photos by Steve the Ninja...Scotto the Hunter's hunting buddy.

We Will Eat

"Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit...." Joel 2:22

Well, maybe you should be afraid. Scotto, The Mighty Hunter, somewhere in the middle of Montana, got his first deer.

Cranberry Jalapeno Jam Anyone?

Finely chop 7 cups fresh cranberries.

Do the same to 1-2 jalapenos. I used one and half of another.

Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 tsp. fennel seeds, plus 2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer for maybe 20 min.

When it looks like jam, bottle it up. This ought to spice up those turkey sandwiches we'll all be eating soon.! :O)

Money Well Spent

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." ~ Groucho Marx

Owen's twice weekly trips to Sylvan Learning Center this summer have been worth every penny. He has become the reader he has longed to be. Yay!

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."
~ Dr. Seuss

Do re mi!

Let's all sing together now, shall we?

Hello!

When there's frost on the pumpkin.......

....it's time to make soup! Yep. And I plan too make this very English soup using the recipe found at Wee Folk Art. And I wish I had one these lovely shalls 'bout now too. :o)

The Kauahi Family's 1st Annual Autumn Apple Krush Party

First, we (and I use that word very loosely here) built the Kauahi Krusher using timber, a jack, PVC pipe, a metal trash can with a spout added and some other hardware stuff.

Scott found the plans online if you want to build one too.

Livi was his helpful helper as usual.

On the day of the Krush, Owen washed apples with the help of a little friend of ours. I bought 15 pounds of apples. It was not nearly enough.

Miss. Livi sliced the apples.

And I chopped them in my food processor. Next year we plan to add an automatic chopper using a garbage disposal. Those plans are online too.

Now we were ready to begin pressing the apples. Scott made three layers using cheese cloth, apples, and circular pieces of plywood. This was layered into the PVC pipe, which sat in the metal can.

Scott then used the jack to press the layers together and the juice started flowing! Notice the wood buring designs Scott added.

And in the mean time, Miss. M. made yummy pumpkin bread.

Once all the apples had been pressed
I strained out any little apple bits and bottled it up. Fifteen pounds of apples yielded 3/4 of a gallon. It was a fun and easy project. With just a few tweaks here and there the Kauahi Krusher will be perfected, and then we need only to find an affordable supply of apples. Free is good. :O)

Thankful....

<

I want to make these.....

....little pumpkin pie bites. Don't they look good? Maybe later when all my chores are done. :o)

For the Gift Shop

Here's one sweet little apron. I used the Flirty-Skirty pattern, with some extra touches, designed by Jan Lutz. I have made soo many of these little sweeties that I can quickly whip one up in just a couple of hours.

Yes!

".....It's finally Friday, I'm free again. I got my motor running for a wild weekend. It's finally Friday, I'm outta control, forget the workin blues and let the good times roll......"
Kenny Chesney

What's a Girl To Do?

We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.

~ E.B.White ~

What is a girl to do when her house is spic-and-span, her laundry has already been sorted, washed, folded and put away, the children have completed their lessons, it's wet and cold outdoors, and she has a plan for dinner?

1.) She reads. She is completely enamoured with Agatha Christi in particular and mystery novels in general. Did you know Portland has a book store devoted entirely to mysteries, thrillers and crime fiction? Well, they do. She wonders if there is one in Seattle? She fears another obsession coming on. Something concerning all things English, tea and Devon shire cream, and some knitting. She adores Miss. Marple and wants to be a sleuth.




2.) She bakes. Today she has plans for an apple cake topped with a brown sugar sauce. It's promise of appley awesomeness is calling to her even now.

3.) She sews. This girl starts yet another apron. She's so excited about it and just knows it will be the cutest one ever. She plans on selling it this time though at a local gift shop. That makes her excited too.




4.) She takes photos of the rain. She enjoys the sound of it falling. She offers up a quick prayer of thanksgiving for the abundance and beauty her garden has provided but is secretly glad she no longer has to work in it.

Ta Da!

I finally finished an autumn apron this weekend....the one I started in August. Good grief. I start strong and peter out on my sewing projects.

I guess I should cut myself some slack though. The past three weeks we have been engaged in some grueling work....preparing our home for the housing market.

You'd think I'd have enough aprons by now. But to tell you the truth...I have given away every single one. I kept the first one I made three years ago...and it's still my favorite.

And to tell you the truth...it isn't easy taking pictures of yourself. Thank you Egor..er...Miss. M.

I'm Makin' Waffles

Okay, so I'm on a bit of a waffle kick. I loove waffles.

Last Sunday I made Oat-Cornmeal waffles with Apple Cider Syrup from the lovely cookbook by Beth Hensperger, The Art of Quick Breads. Today I'm thinking the Spiced Gingerbread Waffles with Glazed Apples sounds pretty delightful.

Apple Cider Syrup:

1 cup fresh apple cider

2 TBSP brown sugar

2 TBSP corn syrup

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 cinnamon sticks

3 Tbsp butter

Combine cider, brown sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid by one third, about ten minuets. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon sticks, add the butter, and swirl to melt. Serve the syrup warm. Keeps for one week, covered, in the refrigerator. Rewarm before serving.

Happy Cool and Crisp October Saturday Morning to ya! :O)

Feeling Nastalgic

"People seem to get nostalgic about a lot of things they weren't so crazy about the first time around." ~Author Unknown

Seriously, it's autumn that makes me feel this way. Memories of smells and tastes from my childhood come rushing back. Smells of burning brush and leaves, hot tar being smeared on the school roof, my name written with black sharpie on brown paper lunch sacks (I did have a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew lunch pail for a while), and new leather shoes (from Kinney's in Aberdeen). Anything made with or smothered in maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and all the other warm spices scream, "Eat me!", right now.

My mom always sent us out the door with a hot cereal breakfast. Usually oatmeal, but we (there were five of us kids) ate a fair amount of Cream Of Wheat and Malto Meal too. While shopping last week I picked up a box of Maple and Brown Sugar Malto Meal ( doesn't that sound so Autumn?) and I found a sweet princess handled Pyrex bowl (at the Goodwill). In short, I have been serving up good hearty breakfasts and loving it. Malto Meal is the best served with a little pat o' butter. And that's it. No milk. No extra sugar. It is wonderful to wash it down with a glass of cold, freshly pressed, apple cider though. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm. :O)

OMG!

Did you Washingtonians see the beautiful sunset last night? It was breath taking.

Miss. M and I were oohing and aahing on our way home from debate club. I didn't have my camera with me and I was kicking myself for it. The sun was setting behind the Olympic Mountains and the clouds were flaming orange.

As we neared Case Inlet we saw the moon! We both screamed at the same time,"Oh. My. Goodness! Look at the moon!" It was huge and orange. And the sky around it was purple!

We quickly raced up the hill, Miss. M jumped out of the car, grabbed the camera, and we raced back down the hill to take pictures.

In ten minutes time the sky had changed from a light purpley gray to a dark purple with a bright orange ring around the moon.

I couldn't quite capture it though. If I could get the ring around the moon, I couldn't get the craters. I stood in the cold for nearly 20 minuets.

It was the most beautiful sky I have ever seen and the picture it etched in my mind , I hope will never fade. Get out tonight folks and take it in!

The Harastine Island Annual Apple Cider Smash

My family has a thing for local festivals and this is one we have been wanting to check out for a few years now, but we always miss it. But not this year.

Scott had to work and I should have been painting. But I said, "no, I'm going to the apple smash." Yep. That's what I said.

I took Miss. Livi with me. The other kids had prior engagements. There were many tons of new crisp apples.

First, all the apples were washed and then distributed to the apple smashers.

Some were smashed the old fashioned way with one of these twisty press types.

Others were put through a homemade, electrical device. I want an apple smasher.

Lots and lots of apple bits left over. I didn't ask what they planned to do with it all, but I remember reading that the pioneers used the left-overs to make apple cider vinegar.

Empty jugs waiting to be filled.

Filled jugs waiting to be purchased. I bought two.

Lots of interesting old timers hanging around. I love old timers hanging around.

Old time music was being played inside the hall. I wanted to dance a jig, but I didn't know how.

There were ladies and their spinning wheels, spinning the wool from their own animals. (Sheep and alpacas)

There were corn husk dolls to be made. When we got home she made three more dolls just for kicks.

Livi also made a zipper pull made from leather with a little help from a leather crafter guy.

This man works with leather too, but he uses a leather burner to make his designs instead of hammers and chisels like the first fella. He was working on a portrait of Robert E. Lee, the commanding general of the Confederate Army. We got to talking polotics. We were of the same mind. That was nice.

Livi then had some caramel apple slices. She shard with me and they were good. Real good. And sticky.


We had a completely enjoyable day. I left loving the people that live near me, traditions that people keep alive, my country, fall, Livi, the sunshine, and I was anxious to get home and try some of that there freshly smashed cider. :O)