January 1, 2009

Ring in the New Year with a sense of humor ... a grateful heart for being alive ... an outlook full of possibilities of the days to come. Whatever is just beyond tomorrow, may you accept the unknown path in front of you and make good choices and decisions. Give God your best and let Him carry you the rest of the way. (old optimistic proverb that I just made up ... but it does have some validity;)

Call It A Night

This is New Year's Eve afternoon. I have about zero energy. Do I plan on staying up late tonight? Probably not. I just can't shake off my tiredness. I've even switched allergy meds which has helped a bit. Tiredness and hives are not a nice mix of ailments. But it's better than other maladies so I won't complain.

Tonight we have been invited to a neighbor's home a few doors down. Just Mr. Mac, Nathan, Ann & myself. No big party ... and we'll probably leave by nine PM. They have become good neighbor friends of late and have taken an interest in Nathan. So it's nice to be invited somewhere that he will feel welcomed.

This will be an interesting new year. So much uncertainty. And yet, there is certainty for people of faith in Christ. Be a sharer of your faith to those that have lost hope.

Happy New Year

Don't Cast Your Irons Aside

Do you have a few cast iron skillets sitting idle in your kitchen cupboard? Have you used them in the past decade? Well, before you put them out for a yard sale this spring, why not dust them off, re-season them and start cooking like grandma used to. Yes, they are heavy ... but in their defense, they retain and can take the heat (unlike today's non-stick pans). From stove top, oven, broiler or campfire, cast iron is a sure bet. My grandma 'B' used black cast iron skillets and cooked everything from squirrel :) (no kidding) to fried chicken and in between. Libby 'B' was quite the homemaker with skills of canning her garden goods, making feather beds, raising lots of kids, and cooking up a storm when we visited her. Just ask my pop.

This past year I've been itching to get my hands on a Dutch oven (DO) to cook in outside by the campfire. For Christmas I received a cookbook with all the how to's and what not to do's listed, along with many tall tales and bonafide recipes. To start practicing for when the snow melts and I can once again find my backyard, I'm planning to use my flat bottomed DO inside this winter. It won't be the same, but practice makes perfect. The photos show my newly seasoned DO and a newly acquired 12" beauty of a skillet after their final seasoning. Also shown is the aforementioned cookbook.

Alive ... barely

I have been re-cooperating from our Christmas celebration. Hanging around the house in comfy jammies and slippers, wrapped up in warm blankets snoozing by the fire. If the Lord had fashioned me after anything other than Himself, next in line would be a bear. Not the grouchy association of the creature, but its hibernating habit. Just give me a warm cave to hunker down in til the snow storms pass and let me wake up to a wonderful spring day. Wishing you and yours a safe passage into the New Year!

Mrs. Mac ... over the edge

On a recent hike up to my neighbor's property (just above mine) to check on their home ... they are snow birds and I am their property manager... Needless to say, I jokingly told them they don't pay me enough any longer to make house calls in these snowy conditions. Just look at what happened on the way over Friday. Thank goodness Mr. Mac was along for the 'hike' or I just might still be swallowed up in this snow bank,

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Christmas at home this year will be here before I know it. Now as I type, the neighbor kids are using the common part of the driveway as a private sledding hill, and I may just have to join them in a bit. With the exception of Patrick, all will be home Christmas Day. He is finishing up his last two months of military service and then plans to move home in February and get established in our area. Today was sunny, clear, and cold. But the scenery was awesome! Nathan and I got out for a bit and took a drive around the lake after taking a few turns on the sled. Hoping you are warm.

Hugs from the North Woods,

Photo: View from my driveway 12/20/08

An Early Christmas Vacation

The schools are closed again today ... so now we are officially in Christmas Vacation mode. Sleeping in until 8:00 A.M. and getting dressed at noon. I just hope neighbors don't drop by unexpected before I am put together.

Christmas! 'Tis the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial fire of charity in the heart.
Washington Irving