COLD has 2 faces~

It is a COLD day here at the farm. The winter front due to bring in the rain is teasing us with a damp cold. One that probably has floated from off the bounty of snow coverage elsewhere in the United States. My sister in Seattle has gotten her first heavy snow of 6-8" all in one swoosh of wet Winter weather. I love to see snow falling, love to see snow sitting on the ground and dusting the trees into a wonder-land of beauty. I don't care for broken power lines, frozen pipes, loss of water and a multitude of other inconveniences that can come in with a snow storm. But I will confess my eyes search constantly with the forecast of a possibly. My blood starts pumping with the first flake and I get giddy as a kid when it starts to cover the ground. Can't help it! Living in the south limits the opportunities we have for descent snow or any snow for that matter. Ice we can get, rain we can get, bitter cold even at times and a few tornadoes which we dread. For those who feel they get "blessed" with too much snow I feel for you, but I still love snow.

Both of us have come down with some form of a viral illness that has us looking to each other for help, but not able to find nor offer any. So not only is it a nasty day outside, it is a COLD day inside. It's not a good thing for both of us to be down at the same time. Chores still have to be done. Animals are funny like that, no sympathy for your sneezing, coughing, runny nose, stopped up head, blah like symptoms. They still like to eat regularly whether you do or not. They still need someone to milk them, give them water and fresh hay. The hens don't simply stop laying just because you don't feel like gathering the eggs.

Getting the essentials done is a challenge. The threat of bad weather is all about us, as we are under a tornado watch today. It has been raining since before my eyes open this morning. Making us wonder if there will be a break in it long enough to make the trek down to the barn. The worst is yet to come both in the weather and our COLDs, when night time hours seem to elevate how bad it can get and how bad you can feel.

Good news is COLDs are limited to a week to 10 days duration. Bad news is the only thing you can really do is wait them out. They are caused by viruses that don't respond to antibiotics or most meds we reach for when sick. Though somewhere in my memory I remember the saying "Feed a cold and starve a fever." Best course of action is to put on a big pot of homemade chicken soup. No fear to eat away our discomfort as there isn't any fever to starve at this point.

Tissues in hand,
Deborah

JOY DARE GIFTS~ January 13th - today, January 20, 2012

3 Sounds you hear -
120/45 roar of wood burning heater
121/46 purr of contented kitty snuggled close
122/47 excited chatter of granddaughter over visit

one thing you wore, one thing you gave away, one thing you shared
123/48 brown boots
124/49 a smile
125/50 bible story with granddaughter

3 ways you witnessed happiness today
126/51 Leah dancing & singing in abandonment to Praise CD
127/52 Silas curled up on bed napping
128/53 Daisy's excited to see you tail wiggle

one gift that made you laugh, one that made you pray, one that made you quiet
129/54 Kenny
130/55 time extended
131/56 journaling today's adventure with runaway horses



132/57 runaway horses rescue
133/58 dog pen & house for Daisy
134/59 The Bread of Life
135/60 Living Water
136/61 Temple (House) of Prayer
138/62 grace given & extended again

3 gifts from God's Word
138/63 2 Corinthians 4:17
139/64 Philippians 4:7
140/65 Jeremiah 29:11

A grace in the kitchen, in the weather, one that might never have been
141/66 running water
142/67 clear skies for trip to see Mom & Dad
143/68 the visit with Mom & Dad

3 gifts you saw only when you got close-up
144/70 the years on my daddy's face
145/71 worry in my momma's eyes
146/72 heads of emerging daffodils

One thing in the sky, one from your memory, one thing that is ugly-beautiful
147/73 rain falling
148/74 past snowfalls
150/75 a muddy barnyard

JOY Dare update ~

Seeing gifts at every turn in every day~

115/40 time appropriate devotional

116/41 warm chamomile tea before bed

Challenge focus for today: January 11, 2012


118/43 a gift below you ~ easy care flooring


119/44 a gift above you ~ heaven the seen & unseen


120/45 a gift beside you ~ my pile of favorite books, waiting to be read.


Have you seen yours? No? Have you taking time to look? They are present each day you draw breath. Held in the space of time for the noticing and waiting for your thankful praise to God for them. For they flow out of HIS hands directly into your life each day. Yours are different from mine, mine is uniquely chosen, like yours. They are HIS love gifts to you, to me. Taking time to pause and notice them nails down the moment in time with a fullness of an abundant life. Offering thanksgiving with the next breath gives that love right back to the LORD.

Won't you join in the praise chorus,

Deborah

Sweetness ~ Past, Present and . . . . .

Somewhere near the end of Summer last year, in the sweltering heat we were given the gift to pick pears from our Farmer neighbor's tree up the street. I had been wishing for some to make preserves out of and to eat fresh. The two old pear trees we found on our property were not in good shape when we bought the place. Only blooming once in the nearly 3 years we've lived here. Which was in a dry year leading to hard dry pears. I dream on with regards to having a fruitful tree of our own to gather from. Maybe this will be the year to plant one or two to satisfy the childhood rememberances I have.

I remember my Granny making pear preserves each year among several other jellys, jams and such. Our taste buds would go dancing in anticipation of the homemade treat each time she put a jar on the table next to her "bread bowl" buttered biscuits. I don't know where she got her pears from, how she cooked them up to perfection or any details about them save one. Tucked away in each jar of preserves was a thin slice of candied lemon. Back then I didn't understand the reasoning behind placing a slice of lemon in each jar. Now I understand it probably was a way of keeping the thickened syrup surrounding the thinly slice pears from turning into a sugary lump. Her jars held the golden disc towards their bottoms mostly. Occasionally one would slip up the side of the jar and give a pretty glow to the goodness resting inside. Granny shared freely the things she labored from out of her garden at each meal she prepared. But she did have one rule when it came to eating those coveted preserves. You couldn't touch the lemon slice till all the preserves were eaten. Boy did that start up a challenge between all the cousins who loved to eat it, self included. I remember we would sit at the table watching the jar being pasted around. Hoping that the last person to put in a spoon would leave the yellow disc behind. Better yet that there would only be enough left in the jar for one more buttered biscuit ~ ours. Giving us full right to the lemon slice candy. My, my, my it was good!

So when I started my first batch of pear preserves this past year. I didn't have a recipe to follow other than the brief verbal directions from our pear benefactor Mr. Rigley. You will never know if you can do something if you never give it a try. The one thing I did know was that even if my jars did not turn out as good as Grannys. They sure could look like hers, so I rambled through the fruit drawer for a lemon. Slicing it thinly to add to the the pears simmering on the stove. I made sure each jar received one slice in it. But instead of placing it near the bottom, I slid them down the sides to show forth like little yellow sunflowers.

See the sunflower sticking up out of my opened jar?

We opened up another jar to eat at breakfast and even though they didn't thicken up like hers. Their taste is wonderful on anything buttered none the less. I still smile each time I see my "little sunflowers." In keeping with tradition I too have imposed the wait till the jar is empty rule for snitching the candied slice. I am sure given the chance at having more pears this coming year I will try again. Practice makes perfect as the saying goes. Until then we are enjoying my trial and error preserves. My eyes never leaving the emptying jar like I did as a child. Though I don't have to watch the jars near as closely, as Lon doesn't care for lemon anything. It doesn't matter ~ the rule still stands, the anticipation remains and the goodness is savored each time I pull a "sunflower" out of the jar and pop it in my mouth. Yummm.

Savoring Autumn's sweetness,

Deborah

Crafty Tuesday's fun ~

When I set out my ideas for the day, they didn't look too large on paper. Boy was I wrong!I even went so far as to post them on my FB page in hopes of the accountability factor.

Good Morning, today is "Terrific Tuesday" and "Crafty Day "for me. Plans are to make yogurt, some Chevre cheese and finally putting together my first batch of Goat Soap in my kitchen pursuits. In the Craft room I will be starting the "Block of the Month" challenge. Creative Writing on Heartland Farm blog will need to be squeeze in somewhere. Whooo~ wonder if I can get it all done? What do you have on the agenda for Terrific Tuesday?

Either I'm getting slower or I must think that there are more hours to my day than reality says there are. Of course there are the little things that can pop up to take your focus from the task at hand. Thankfully today's didn't derail me too bad. They tried though, tried really, really hard. Probably would have too if I hadn't had my best friend by my side to help me through the hurdle's. Thanks baby! With hubby's help we were able to mark off the dairy projects planned. Thanking the Lord for the rain that kept him inside and the desire to "hang out" in the kitchen with me.

With his extra set of hands we were able to get the Yogurt made, have Keifer brewing on the counter, made a batch of Chevre mother culture also perking on top of the fridge and a pot Chevre incubating on the back of the stove. Even though I did get to start my soap :-( the kitchen was just too busy for something that takes undivided attention. Especially since I've never made a batch before. Thinking it might need a day all to itself, considering the learning curve on my part. Good news is I did get my quilt square made for the BOM challenge. Yea!

This is my very first machine stitched block. In years past I've only pieced together a few small pieces by hand. I was amazed how fast it went together. Angles not quite perfect, but I'm pleased with this first attempt. Next one for the month will probably be more forgiving as the sashes are set on odd angles. Definitely will work to my favor . It's not too late to join in on the fun, cause it is just starting. Just click on the button link to the right to get all the details.

Joy Dare ~ 10th of January (counting 1,000 Gifts in 2012)

#109/34~ a gift that's sour -discussion about God's word with one who doesn't see it the same.*

#110/35~ a gift that's sweet - my deceased Mother-n-laws pickle recipe I made this summer @ dinner tonight*

#111/36~ a gift that's just right - having Lon home 24/7*

#112/37 ~ working side by side with him

#113/38 ~ hearing him singing favorite songs of praise.

#114/39 ~ first machine stitched quilt square

It's been a Terrrific day,

Deborah