Picture a day-Sunday

Well today I can't post any pictures because my computer is messed up again. It keeps turning off and on,off and on, over and over. I have it apart on the kitchen table right now and am looking into it . I never have had it apart this much before and hope that I can fix it cus i don't want to get a new one right now. Such is life.

Picture a day-Saturday

No I didn't get to see Macy or Sarah this week because Ginny has a bad cold and we didn't want to spread the fun, but I miss seeing them and this is a good shot of them all. Ben is wondering what the heck is going on!
We heard today that Sarah got another dog! It looks like a tall pit bull like Petey from Spanky and Our Gang series from the 30's. No word on a name yet.

This morning I noticed that the rope gasket on the wood stove was bad .

I found where the stove store was in Monroe and got a new one and some gasket cement. It looks like a new door now with a bright new gasket. While off ,I polished the gold plated frame and cleaned the glass etc.. With the weather above freezing now it was the perfect time. We have rain for the next couple of days . Too hot to use the wood stove for sure. Funny but when the temps get warmer it cost me more for gas because I can't use the wood. Come on Alberta Clipper!

This is what my bird house looks in the summer. Right now it is dead looking ,but the doves are all over it.

This is from the last time Macy visited. She is dishing out the yogurt for us at her tea party. I have taken so many pictures of her that she has delveloped her"photo op face".

Picture a day-Friday

I wish that this is what it looked like this morning but I would be have to run for office if I lied that much! This morning was another gloomy start...this picture was the sun setting one night this summer. Nice to see.

I had to stock up the wood today. With the warm weather I am not using as much and have enough left on the pile that I want to last this winter. I have another behind this one for next year and past. Soon I will have to get off my butt and start looking again for some free wood. Free for the cutting anyway.

I stocked up the back porch before the bad weather comes in. Rain for the next few days and warm weather. This is mostly Ash.

I decided that I needed to make some Oatmeal cookies. Gin's came out flat and tasted bad(her words). We buy oats by the 25 pound bag. Which is one third the price of Quaker Oats and I like it better too.

Mixing

Ready for the oven and they are nice and thick and chilled to prevent them from getting flat.

The finished product!

Look at how high! ( Note to Matt: Look raisins!)

Ginny and I played TOC tonight to pass the time.






This is the board that I made last year. We get it out once in a while just because it is unique

Picture a day-Thursday

Today I slept in...up late and I didn't have to be anywhere. The morning was bright or is that brite? Anyway it was good to see the sun again.

I just puttzed around the house today fixing things and tried to organize my work room a little. When Macy is not here I have a lot more time on my hands. I got this vent fan at the auction last month and had to make sure it worked and I am making a plant light from some auction stuff too.

I added an extension to my shelf to hold all of my stuff that I acquired. You never have enough space. I made the braces from 1/2 inch thin wall pipe that I had . Cheap.

The auction was tonight and it is just down the road so I almost always go. I didn't stay too long . I have learned to leave so I don't waste my money buying stuff that I don't need . Although I did pick up some hardware tonight.

This is the other side . They run two rings..one with the larger stuff and the small things in the other room.

Now I am home having tea with Gin and nursing her along. Her cold is getting a little better. We are hoping for her to get better before Sunday when the kids are coming over for a bagel/pizza making feast.

Sipping tea and settling in. Tomorrow I may bake something.

Picture a day-Wednesday

This morning...5 am. throw wood on the fire so that when Gin gets up the house is warm and the tea/coffee water is hot. This is a daily routine that works for us. I try to get Gin all of the water she wants before bed so she will be the one that does this. Works most of the time. Something to do with women's kidneys. (:

Headed to store and then to Mom's house to replace her kitchen outlet. I gave her a new cordless phone and it takes up one plug that she needed so I will make it a double outlet today.

Mom decides to make me some chicken noodle soup for lunch. Making her noodles from scratch. At 95 she still make some good soup.

In the mean time I remove the old box and install a double in it's place. Turns out to be very simple job for once. No surprises except that the wall is lathe board which is tricky to cut. No kind act goes without punishment is what my friend says but this time I skate.

Replaced all of the faceplates in the kitchen and we are happy!

Mom feeds me an sends me on my way. A good visit.

When I get home my sick wife has made me some oatmeal raisin cookies,my favorite. They are pretty flat but I am grateful. If someone knows how to keep them from getting flat let me know.

Planning to have steak in the wood stove tonight. So the day begins and ends at the wood stove. Not too bad.

Picture a day-Tuesday

In keeping with my Picture a Day theme... I had a friend over for breakfast and then we went to work at the church to do repairs. I installed new light fixtures on the out side of the building (4) and then repaired some of the lights inside. An all day event today.

Later I went back to see if the lights were coming on as they should and saw my friend Cliff had light on in his new barn that he is building. Not really a barn ,it will be a very large all purpose building. His wife fighting cancer and anytime that I get a chance to talk with him is well spent. Here is some of the 400 bales of insulation that will be going in the ceiling.

This is a bonus video of Ben on his last visit. He loves the sound of his mother's voice.

Picture a day-Monday

I thought that it would be good to try to post a picture a day to see what I do in a weeks time just for fun. Today I got water in the morning(with my 1000 gal tank). I need to blog that routine sometimes for those that wonder about that.
Mark called after lunch just about when the water was done filling and asked for help replacing his entrance light. I have access to the 14 foot step ladder needed for his high
Macy loved climbing the ladder to look out of the window above the doorway . Some place that she has never been.
We had to wait for Sarah to go get another bulb because one of the new ones was bad.

Macy and I waited up on the ledge until mom got back. She wasn't afraid of the height at all. Maybe because of the tree climbing we did this summer.

Well lets see what happens tomorrow.

Sledding and visiting the Neighbors with Macy

Macy loves going outside with us
and playing . She plays and we work pulling her around. We love it too.

This is where we started.

The "big Hill" all of two foot high. A must when pulling her on the sled.

Making out way to the neighbors house which is set back from the road a few thousand feet. We started paying them visits when we have Macy along so that we get to know each other better.

We made bagels in the morning for Macy and us of course. That seems to be the best thing she likes to eat in the mornings.

After boiling the bagels in water a couple of minutes they are coated with seeds of choice and baked. I like the Cinnamon raisin bagels the best. Macy likes the plain cinnamon.

I was in a bread baking frenzy lately. This is Sweet Corn Raisin bread. I am trying different shapes like these using french baguette pans. A little weird cutting but okay.

I went to a beer and wine supply store this week to buy some malt for the bagels and am intriged with the beer/wine making process. Hey anything with yeast is far game. We will see. I may have to call my Nephew Kevin for some ground work.

Later.

January at our house

Macy and I went out to check out the
food storage and of course we had to
take the four wheeler. Macy loves to
ride and sing and chase rabbits. We saw two and one mouse that ran in a big circle on top of the snow. Macy screamed with delight the whole time.


The can with the turnips and cabbages was well covered but I found them mostly frozen on top anyway. I think that I should have dug deeper. The 3 degree nights didn't help either. I still will use the cabbages . Should make some good meals.

All of this tired out Macy . She fell asleep on the couch early . She is my favorite subject to photograph and I think she is starting to like it.

She fell asleep at a weird angle.

Macy wanted to have breakfast picnic so we set up a table and Gin made it happen. She had her own tea party.

I don't care as long as I get breakfast.

The New Year and Making Bread Again

I am playing catch up with my blog as I seem to be too busy lately to capture the things that are going on in our lives. Christmas was a rush and we finally slowing down again. I purchased a new bread making book and am learning why my baking turns out good sometimes and sometimes not. The book is great ! I never new what temperature the bread should be when done (180-210)and why (the starches burst.....or what resting did while kneading bread. (the gluten relaxes and the dough becomes workable.) I am learning a lot,now if I can just use what I learned to make some good bread.
I made raisin bread. "An enriched" type that is the standard bread that I make every 10 days or so. It is as my grandmother taught me.
The recipe:

5 lbs of Bread Flour
4 cups Milk
1 stick Butter
3/4 cup Honey
2 packages of Sunmaid Baking Raisins..two cups total) I like these because they are moist .
4 large Eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
3 packages of Yeast (3 tablespoons if Dry active kind that I get in 2 pound bulk bags)
3/4 cup of water @ 115 degrees(for proofing the yeast)


In a large measuring bowl, warm the Milk,butter,salt and honey in the microwave until very warm (about 125-135). Add the raisins and set aside.
Place flour in a very large mixing bowl and work a hole in the middle .
Dump the warm milk etc . into the middle of the flour.
Add the yeast to the water and stir. It should start foaming after a short time.
When the milk has cooled down to about 115 but not over 120 degrees add the yeast and start working the flour from around the sides into the middle until it starts to form the dough. It should be wet but not too sticky . Adjust flour and water to reach this goal .
Let rest 10 minutes.
Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is satiny. From into ball.
Put the ball in the large bowl that has been sprayed with oil and let rise until double .(1 1/2 to 2 hours.)
Deflate the dough and divide into five pieces. This makes it easy to knead each piece. Knead well and form into shape for your pre-greased bread pan. (use Crisco!)
Let rise again until doubled
Bake in pre-heated oven @ 350 for 40 minutes. Check with instant read thermometer to the center of the loaf. Should be about 190-200 degrees.
Remove to racks to cool. Wait at least 20 minutes to cut if you can!




Ginny is busy making purses for her friends. She keeps busy with her sewing and I like to see her doing something she enjoys and is good at.