Posts from the ‘Me and the House’ category

Saturday miscellany

Maybe subtle in this photo but the truth is, it got very ugly today…warm, rain and ultimately freezing rain and sleet. Fortunately, at least for my day, the worst happened this afternoon after Bear and I returned from a shopping expedition.

Part of the shopping was for a new snow blower…oh, yea…you might be able to tell that my driveway and turnaround was plowed. It was not blown…The blower made it 3/4 of the way down the driveway – first pass – before the auger quit… AGAIN!!

Anyway…I found my dream machine but it may be a dream for another year. Oh, well. Currently it is 38F and the formerly beautiful snow is now slush and could not be “blown” anywhere with anything. Blech!!

On the home front, Bob and Bear progress. If I wasn’t such a wimp they would probably be fine…maybe some mutual avoidance but I think they are at the point of at least grudging acceptance.

Actually, I think Bear is intimidated by Bob and prefers to pretend that he does not exist.

See… Bob on his table, Bear knows it, the gate is open…no one cares. The main problem is me. I’m working on it.

And I made crackers. I’ve been making crackers at least a couple of times a week for months now. I made a batch over a year ago and dealing with thin dough…seemed more trouble than it was worth. But then I got hooked on La Panzella Rosemary Garlic crackers – they are very spendy and not always available here.

What to do??? I happened on this video …

I ordered the little silicon roller, the Silpat …

And the pastry wheel…

Now I make my own rosemary garlic crackers and they are very good! It takes me about 10 minutes to mix the dough, roll it out in the pan right on the silpat, score them with the pastry wheel and get them in the oven.

These turkeys have nothing to do with the weather or Bob and Bear or crackers. But they were here today and I took some delight at how often they shook in the drizzle…darn, messy birds! …their footprints are funny, though :)!

Saturday miscellany.

Christmas Day

Almond Brioche to start the day…

…or a pig’s ear if you are Bear.

When I went out with Bear before bed on Christmas Eve, it was raining. My first outing this morning with Bob, it was clear and the sky was filled with stars. Fog dropped down, then sun.

But it was warm enough to entice Bob to spend some time on his pillow. And I turned on the dryer to give him a bit of extra heat – Christmas treat.

A second brioche – this one with a chocolate ganache…to celebrate the sun!

Not usual Christmas weather for this part of the country…

but beautiful and we enjoyed.

Baby back ribs with a teriyaki glaze, mashed sweet potatoes with fresh grated gruyere, steamed green beans and cranberry relish: Chrismas Dinner.

The dishes done, the kitchen clean, a walk taken with Bear as the wind came up…

And then a quiet cup of tea enjoying the end of Christmas day.

For Christmas night

David Archuleta sings Mannheim Steamroller’s “Up above the Northern Lights”

This year is the first I heard this song which has become a favorite…the melody, the words, the images it brings to mind.

Up above the northern lights on Christmas night.
Shimmering above the clouds dreams take flight.

Legends say that spirits dance across the sky,
children sing and sleigh bells ring reindeer fly.

Magic fills the air, spirits everywhere.
This is Christmas night, let your dreams take flight.

Up above the northern lights on Christmas night.
Traveling through space and time endless light.

You and I beneath the sky behold the light
quietly the mystery fills the night.

Magic fills the air, spirits everywhere.
This is Christmas night, let your dreams take flight.

Up above the northern lights on Christmas night.
Shimmering above the clouds dreams take flight.

the day before Christmas Eve day

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care :)!

The Christmas table is festive and bright.

It is the day before Christmas Eve day and even though there will be no presents to be opened, there is that excitement of anticipation….remembered childhood Christmases, shared times with family and the new traditions that I started and have kept for myself.

I have spent more Christmases with my dog and cat than with other people in the last years and it has always been a time filled with Joy.

This year has been even more relaxed than usual…I’m still taking it easy and trying to shake the last of this bug. But…the good news is that the bug MADE me take it easy and so I have enjoyed a time of ease that I might not have had I felt better. I’ve spent most afternoons lazing in bed watching a movie or tv show with Bob snuggled next to me. I’ve spent hours bundled up on the front porch or in my chair while Bear explores the woods or just sits quietly near me.

I’ve done a bit of baking, a bit of work, a bit of bookkeeping and a lot of resting. It has been a wonderful week shared with Bear and Bob….remembering Karl, Zack and Gus…but happy memories of outside times with each of them.

And then today, some very special Christmas visitors…

The Elk herd! …if you look carefully, you will see them among the trees.

Feasting on moss and grass in the woods.

A very special day before Christmas Eve Day at the end of a very special week before Christmas.