Project

I "borrowed" this from a friends blog. Stare if You Must . 

Of course I can never just borrow, I have to create!   We are blessing some families for Christmas, but I really wanted to bless these moms.   So we made bath salts and vanilla sugar for them.   As we were working on the bath salts grandson wanted to help.   Since I had plenty of baby food jars I filled one with Epsom salt most of the way to the top.  I cant figure out what color is his favorite color so used MINE.   I added equal drops of blue and green.   Then told him to shake.

Once it was shook up then I we painted a face on it and I made a hat for it.  

 He loved it!   He is giving it to his mommy.   

Here are some snap shots of the girls doing faces and hats.

 Choices choices choices, I had T bring down 4 colors for hats.   I ended up just going with 2 since that made long enough tubes to do more than one.

 Here is the tube ready to go on.   What I did different is I didn't use the wire like my friend.  I wasn't hanging it.  I don't like the inside of this fabric to turn it up, so turned it under to make it look smooth for the hat.

 Waiting on hats!

 All done!   Think I will just make some small tags and stick in the hats as to what is in here.  

The ones for gifts are layered like sand art.  Love how each face is different.  

Just life

Kitten is living up to his name.   He now owns the back of my rocking chair.

 And my lap........

 Look close at the ears peaking out of his hammock.  This is my shawl that stays on the back of my chair all time.  He got himself up there the first time.

 Today we were trying to rake out some of the tracked in mud.  Grandson loves the shop vac.  He was a big help to D12.   D would get where he was going to vacuum and then say turn it on!  

Not a lot else going on other than that.  The weather said 70 and sunny today.  So for the sun is missing.  It is warm, I have most of the windows open.   I trusted them and hung my jeans on the line.  In less than 5 minutes I heard it sprinkling.  Since I knew there wasn't much rain out there, (I had also checked radar, which showed no rain) I just left them on the line.  We will see if they dry.


Hummm sprinkling harder.... might even call it light rain.   

Meet Simba

I know I needed another cat like I need a hole or three more in my head, but.... 

This is Simba, the Lion King. He is a return blessing from me blessing a friend with a Siamese bob tail kitten more than once. He is some how a descendant of Rambo, my big tom that I lost a couple of years ago.

 Pictures don't show his feet well.  He has 6 toes, and 6 claws on each front foot!   That means 12 sticks instead of 10 when he is playing rough.  


 And this is what my living room looks like when it is wet, muddy and dark outside!  

Poor Poor Pitiful Me! Grand Daughter's feelings!

It all started when I ask this young lady to come out of the garage.   It seems to have offended her.   She squalled her way up the steps and turned to face the cabinet.  Sticking her nose to the cabinet was totally her idea.  I thought it made for a cute picture. 

Once I got started I needed more than one and from different angles. She really didn't seem to appreciate granola taking pictures of her drama.  She reminds me of those dolls you see with that have overalls and their head in a cornor.  

Once I was done with the camera I went on with life.  She was where I wanted her and her drama was low key beside some I have heard.  It didn't take long for her to realize she didn't have an audience.  She found her happy pants and was soon playing in the living room with the other kids.    I just loved the pictures! 

Quilting

Today T finally finished her quilt.  She started it I think the second week of Oct.  I know it was early Oct.  She was making it for her niece's birthday in the latter part of Oct.  With much prompting and much ripping out of rush jobs of sewing that mom wouldn't accept she finished today. 

 T finishing up tying the quilt.  

 K working on opening it.   She had it socked in the sack so help was needed.

 Mommie helping get it out of the sack and spreading it out for her.

 T and K with the new quilt between them.  

I am very proud of T for sticking it out and finishing even though she had to rip it out several times and redo.  

Super Tonic

I just made this today.  I copied the recipes and what she had to say about it from the Texas Above Rubies Yahoo group where I got it.   I used equal parts of 8 oz of each with a quart of Braggs Vinegar.    We love it.  We being about 70% of the family.    Use it very sparingly on bread and I can eat a LOT. 

DIL was battling a headache.   Her face said she was working on getting ready to have a major allergy attack.  Within a few minutes of eating some on her bread she discovered not only was her head not hurting, but her she could breathe out of her nose deeply for the first time in a long time.  She ask for a jar to take home.

SuperTonic;

This recipe has been around for many, many years and has been helping people just as long; SuperTonic is one of the best ways to relieve a bunch health issues from acid indigestion to sinus problems, cardio supportive and a great overall tonic. Let's look at the ingredients and get a general sense as to why.

Cayenne - good for circulatory issues, cold hands, cold feet, the heart, blood pressure

Ginger - works on small vessel and capillary circulation, good for digestive issues

Onion - may make you cry, but oh so good for a cough and other respiratory issues

Garlic - hard to beat for a natural anti-biotic, aids in a healthy heart as well

Horseradish - sinus problems run for cover, good upper body circulation, really opens you up

Apple cider vinegar - the real unfiltered Bragg's, Hain or Spectrum brands that are not distilled, we know this type of apple cider vinegar is alkalizing, good for digestive stress and helps with circulation

The way to make SuperTonic is to combine equal parts (depends on the size of your blender, I use 1 cup as a part), so one cup each of fresh hot cayenne or habanero peppers, peeled sliced ginger, peeled chunked horseradish, peeled chopped onion, peeled garlic and one quart of apple cider vinegar; Pour into a blender and whiz on high for two to three minutes. DO NOT stand with your nose over the blender when taking the lid off and take a deep smell - it has been known to make people faint - they haven't had good blood flow to the brain in a while. Take the lid off the blender and let stand for a few minutes, then pour into a large wide mouth jar- Label. Seal tightly and shake twice per day for two weeks; Strain and bottle the liquid - SuperTonic; The pulp may be discarded, or if you are brave enough you can use as a hot salsa dip.

Store in the refrigerator, but you may keep some in a small bottle on the table to use with olive oil as a salad dressing; Suggested use is one dropper full in 8 ounces of water daily ;This is potent, so you may start with just a few drops at a time and build up; Add a bit of Agave or honey for taste; You can use up to 6 dropper full per day if a bad cold or sinus infection has you down.

Taken daily people report fewer colds and coughs, better blood pressure reading and overall better vitality; A very inexpensive all natural remedy to everyday ailments. Used as a condiment, your family will never know they are taking their daily tonic.

Cold Cloudy Weather = Baking

Today is heavy clouds, mist and cool, not really cold, YET, but they say that is coming on Sunday and Monday.   It does inspire me to bake.   I'm not sure that this is a good thing. 

So for I have made Gingerbread.  A double batch!  It is so yummy.   The recipe is some where back in the blog.  Do a search if you want to make it.  It is easy and good.

What inspired the gingerbread was a recipe I found on Fox news for Gingerbread syrup for Gingerbread Coffee.   It sounded good.  It is! 

 

Gingerbread Syrup
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce hit and allow for syrup to simmer. Leave uncovered for 15 minutes and then remove from fire.

It didn't cook down very much in the 15 minutes, my simmer must be lower.  So I upped the fire and simmered some more.   Once it was looking syrup like I poured it in a jar and then reheated my cup of coffee in the pan.  That was my only option since the coffee pot was empty.   I really wanted to try it.  It is yummy!!!! 

In between doing this the boys chopped onions and red potatoes for clam chowder.   It smells yummy.   Just a small batch, maybe 2 gallons by the time we add milk and corn starch before we eat.   With that much we might get left overs for tomorrow.  I doubt enough for every one though.

While they were doing the chowder I mixed up an interesting bread recipe I found that we LOVED last time I made it.  

Basic Focaccia Bread

Preheat pizza stone to 450,   I don't OWN a pizza stone, so scratch that.  

Place in Bosh:
2 cups warm water, 1 Tbs. salt
3 TPS garlic oil or any salad dressing with an oil base, (I used Italian)
3 cups unbleached flour, (WW flour here)
2 Tbs. maple syrup or honey, (rapadura)
3/4 cup cottage cheese or sour cream, (today it was cream with lemon juice)
2 Tbsp. SAF instant yeast
enough wheat flour for dough to pull away from sides of the bowl

Mix together all ingredients.  Add flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Then add back a couple of tablespoons of water so dough is very soft.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle 2 paddles or wooden boards generously with corn meal.  Oil hands well and shape into 3 large dough balls.  Roll out to 1/4 inch.   Using a soft brush dipped in cool water, brush top and sides of each circle of dough.  Then dip fingertips in water, and with four fingertips of each hand make indentations all over the dough.  Pour flavored olive oil or salad dressing lightly all over the dough so that it collects in the indentations.  Sprinkle sesame seeds, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, pepper and your favorite herbs all over the top, Transfer to preheated stone.  This does not need to rise before baking.   Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  

This was a HUGE hit last time I did it and I forgot to put the herbs and Parmesan cheese on top. 

Today I made it and stuck them in the frig for supper.  I will get them out and put them in a hot oven at about the same time I add the corn starch and milk in the chowder.

As to how much weight this will add... I refuse to think of that!  It is good!  Think of how good the house smells!  Think of all the learning the kids get out of helping!  Think of all the munchies I can share if you come visit me.