Danger Danger

Watch out! This space now armed and dangerous and all reinforcements are loaded and ready. My messenger of mercy delivered the goods last night. After so many bad experiences through the years with both homes and our motorhomes and our SC beach place, I am NOT going to tolerate any more damage. To tell the truth, I really think the Victor traps are the most humane and are so easy to set and place and dispose of as well.  This time my supply of arms is completely in action and it is a full-out attack.

Hint:   I don't like the ones with the yellow plastic trip pedals at all. The photo above is from the internet showing my favorite weapon.

Th good news is that they didn't get into my dried fruits which are now in storage containers and safely ready to use. How about this recipe? Sounds good to me! Will try it next.

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Cranberry Clafoutis (baked French dessert of fruit)

2 tsp. butter, unsalted

2 cups dried cranberries

1 ½ cups simmering water

1 1/4 cups whole milk

4 eggs, large

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

⅛ tsp. salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup powdered sugar

*optional preferred spirit (such as bourbon, rum or brandy)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Evenly spread the butter to coat about an 8x8 inch glass or ceramic baking dish of a similar size that is at least 2 inches deep.

Add the dried cranberries to the simmering water and remove from heat. Allow them to steep for 5minutes. Strain the berries and set aside.

Add the milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, flour and most of the sugar (retain 2 tbsp of sugar for a future step) to a blender. Blend on high for about 1 minute or until mixed well and airy.

Pour the mixture into the buttered pan. Add the cranberries evenly over the top of the batter until well dispersed. Evenly sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake for approximately 90 minutes or until the batter has expanded around the fruit, has a golden brown color and when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Once it is baked through, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool until just warm. Garnish with powdered sugar. 

For even more flavor, try soaking your dried cranberries in your preferred spirit, such as bourbon, rum or brandy.

House Mouse

Yes, that is who I am sometimes - BUT! I'm not the only one in here! I had set out all of the ingredients early this morning with the intention of baking a batch of walnut bars. Then I decided to take my shower first and went into the linen closet for a fresh towel. WHAT!! Little white snowballs tumbled out and onto the floor. Tons of them! Millions of them! Since two days ago when I put linens away. It only took a minute for me to see why. I had stored seven Viva paper towel rolls (not in wrapper) on the upper shelf on top of some blankets. The paper towels were absolutely tattered and shredded all over the place. What a cleanup I had as I took each one to the kitchen to tear off damaged sheets over the waste basket leaving a trail on the floor. Then the fun began as I removed all contents of that large linen closet. Thank goodness, the only stars of the show were the towels. I have no items on hand to curb the enthusiasm of the little invading critters so I had to call in the reserves to go shopping for my immediate needs. I'll know better next time. What a cleanup I then had! Soooo I forfeited the shower and went to baking. The next cleanup was much easier if you will believe that!

By the way, in the last week, I had already trapped and tossed a couple that were lurking in the carport (trap and all) into the trash can. 'Tis the season!

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Walnut Bars

Ingredients 

4 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled) 

3/4 cups flour (all-purpose ) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon baking soda 

1 large egg 

1 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup walnuts (chopped) 

Steps to Make It 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk or stir to blend thoroughly. 
3. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the egg for 2 to 3 minutes, or until foamy. 
4. Add the brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla; beat well. 
5. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. 
6. Fold the walnuts into the batter. 
7. Spoon the thick batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. 
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 to 24 minutes, or until browned and the top has formed a crust. 
9. Cut into 2-inch bars; cool in pan. The recipe makes about 16 walnut bars. 

Tips 

Check the brownies after 20 minutes to avoid overbaking.  

Upbeat

I'm feeling very happy today because a touch of ambition has set in and I think it is due to the sun shining in and boosting my mood. 

So when the yard guy stopped in this morning to check the roof thunks of yesterday (yes, there were 4 more later on) I had already baked and was able to share. After checking the roof and gutters and downspout, nothing was found - EXCEPT several pine cones. It is possible that the resounding thunk noises were the result of them falling. It is also possible that the old ceiling beams were contracting and that was the cause due to the sudden cold weather setting in.

Five to go - or to freeze! 

Early Morning

Well, not really early ... it was 7:30am and the temperature was 26°. I had just turned up the thermostat to 72°. Steam was rising from the lake's surface as I looked out and the sun was streaming into the living room at the cabin. The electric blanket kept my feet and legs warm all night, even though my sleep was disturbed by a couple of thunks on the roof. I assume small limbs or branches came down up there. It can be checked later today. The sound was a bit eerie, but not frightening. In fact there was another one this morning. Things don't only go bump in the night!

please tap on image to see the sun!

(I love my 13 windows but will surely have to have them cleaned in the spring!)

See?

 

It's Hereeeeeee!

Big fat flakes came down for a short while early this morning. When I looked out at 6:45am the temperature gauge told me it was exactly 32° and the frost was everywhere, though light. Ok - First frost - First snow - Third day of November. NOT better late than never but that isn't my concern. Mine is to be sure I'm ready, with the help of others that is. 

Yesterday I got the 'bright' idea to call the place where we bought our golf car several years ago to see if they did storage. THEY DID! When they gave me the charge for this service I immediately told them to come and get it! That way it won't have to be hooked up here with the heavy duty wire that gets plugged into the porch receptacle so the switch can be turned on on regular intervals to keep the batteries charged. It won't have to be covered. It will sit indoors in a facility where it is safe, warm, charged and cared for and I can have it delivered back (in about 6 months from now) whenever the warm weather returns. Hey! The price was so minimal and fair for the entire service, and the payment will be due upon its return, I feel great relief!

I made a feather for my hat on this one! See?

The Yard Guy has just about completed winter preparations yesterday. He blew some more leaves, did a final mow, covered the porch swing, stacked the porch chairs, brought the large snowblower out from the shed and started it up. It is now stored in the carport, ready for use. He raked the stones around in there for better coverage and distribution to make the area smoother. He turned on the switch at the heat tape control box for the water supply protection. That tape goes underground from the well into the pump shed. It then goes around the switch and storage tank in there and out again to cover the pipe that brings it into the cabin. This pipe goes through and under the carport roof and into the log wall. I'll still have to trickle water when the temperature gets around 15° just to make sure nothing freezes. The only thing he has yet to do is to bring into the carport the container of ice melt, and the snow shovel and fill the gas cans. I brought in the silky swinging craft hoops from the porch for the winter. That was easy but I couldn't have done any of the other preparations without his very competent help. I'm not his only responsibility around here. He takes care of many others after school and on weekends. You see, he is a school teacher and his wife is as well. They have a family of several teenagers and are very busy people involved in multiple activities. I am sooo fortunate to have this help. 

Once Upon a Time - 50 Years Ago

Once upon a time, in the years of 1970-1972 there was a family of 8. The mother’s parents had built a simple log cabin on a piece of wooded land next to a lake. Her parents worked very hard to make this little mountain retreat a warm and welcoming place. They shared it with many of their friends and family for weekend enjoyments throughout the three warmest seasons. The family of eight often traveled the two hours from their home to this little family place. Sometimes they came when it was winter and had to re-open and start up things to make the visit warm and comfortable.

You see, when the place was closed down for the winter, the water was turned off by pulling up the well head that was in the side yard. Anti-freeze was put in the toilet bowl and tank. The tin shower stall, with the concrete marbleized floor, had a drain that was also a recipient of the stuff, as was the bathroom sink and kitchen sink. The hot water heater had a drain hose which was opened and the water drained into the carport area. The refrigerator was emptied and door left open. The electric power switch was turned off.

When the family of eight started out to have a weekend there in the cold season, the kids brought their own pillows and blankets and wrapped themselves in the back section of the old station wagon for the travel. The mother brought foodstuffs that were easy to prepare for the family weekend getaway. There were a few bags of extra clothing and boots and outdoor gear packed into the car. Upon arrival, one of the first things was to get a supply of water from the natural spring down the bank at the lake edge. The older kids took a sled and pails to the spring and brought water up and across the snowy dirt road and into the kitchen area. A very large bucket was put beside the toilet for flushing. Some went into the teakettle to start off the arrival procedures with cups of hot chocolate while the father started a fire in the yellow brick fireplace. A stack of wood logs was piled high by the grandfather at its side prior to the visit. A bundle of kindling, tied with bailing twine was there to put on top of the wood when it was placed on the andirons to start the fire. The handy long matches were kept in a special container on the mantle. The grandfather had gathered the kindling from his home two hours away, throughout the summer months, and brought to be used to ignite the fires. He usually had 4 or 5 bundles each time they came north. Kindling was important! 

As night approached, the many games of Uncle Wiggly, Parcheesi, Checkers, Scrabble, Dominos, puzzles and others were put away and suppers of soups and sandwiches were eaten. Hands, faces and teeth were washed in cold water. The father made sure to drink a lot of it before retiring so he had to get up in the night to pee and feed the fire and keep it going. The children usually climbed the pile of wood to reach the area above the bathroom where there were camp cots set up on the floor there. It was the only room with a ceiling as the other two bedrooms had no ceilings except the rafters of the roof far above.

During the day, wet and frozen clothing was slung over the living and dining room rafters to dry after ice fishing, sledding and ice skating activities came to an end. Sleep, eat, play - that was the routine. What fun memories. Then all had to be undone and the trip back was the end until the next time. The family moved into another home they had built in 1972 just for them across the lake on the hill where they could see the grandparent’s cabin on the other side.

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Aha! Nah!

I just figured out how companies are saving money on some grocery store items. I had used to the last drop, my 24 oz. Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing and opened the new backup that was purchased about two months ago. After opening the new one, the surprise was that the cap didn't have a flip top with a hole under it to squeeze out just the amount a person would want to come out with a push, and on to the food item. What? No flip cap lid? WELL....I dug out the old one, same size, same product, and that cap had a perfect squirtable flip cap lid. It fit onto the new bottle! Who knew! They just want us to use more! Yep! That has happened to another product in the past and I did the same thing.

Have you noticed that the holes in the sprinkle-type top of some common spices are larger than ever? Same thing! Bigger holes = more product used, replacement needed sooner. I just save the small hole tops and replace them onto the new container and throw out the large hole caps.

These flip top lids came on the same spice containers - a powder! One is in use, the other is my back-up. Guess which I will throw out!

Yes, I have heard about same size boxes, less contents. "They" are thinking they're so smart and getting away with fooling us but we old-timers know better.

(This picture below was created for November. I cannot figure out how to draw feathers with my finger on the tap pad. Oh well, might try again. I don't think I'm using the correct tool in the old app either.)

Halloween Family

They were married on Halloween in 2003. The guests were dressed in especially creative costumes for the big day. The groom's mother (my sister) wore a Christmas tree that she made from some sort of crispy material cut and sewn together with sparkles and a big star on top. Since that day four children became part of the family, every member creating, carving, and making a ritual for every day throughout the entire month of October through the 18 years! I have an image collection of hand-carved pumpkins, and way too many craft projects to show you here. The photos below were not taken my me, but are treasured by me!

Please enjoy the season! Click on image to enlarge!

Keeping Busy

Or at least trying to! It is very windy and only 42° at 11:00 AM. I have baked a dozen sugar cookies this morning. Yesterday I baked a loaf of the good frozen bread. White this time. The wheat loaf I baked about 10 days ago is almost gone. The thing with these breads after baking, is that they have to be stored in the refrigerator as they don't contain preservatives and I don't consume them quickly enough at room temperature to keep the mold away! The best part is that I won't run out of bread when I need some. This frozen style bakes really well and is easy peasy! Rhodes is the brand. There are packs of either 3 or 5 frozen loaves in a bag. The cost is about $1.00 per loaf and it is very good! 

The images below are from the internet

I  haven't tried the dinner rolls yet!

Child-like

I'm having a grand time experimenting with the forgotten application I have rarely used on my computer. Today I drew, painted, messed up, but had a lot of fun trying different tools. 

you can look closer if you will tap on image

Rainy Day

I drew and colored this leaf with an old application I forgot I had, called ArtRage Lite. Then I put it into a free internet application called funny.pho.to. It just fit the day here! Autumn Rain! 

Please tap image to experience raindrops.

It took me two hours of work to make it! That helped pass the day!

Bowl Update

I received a couple of photos via FB messenger today and want to share how the bowls fit right into another environment. The the biggest surprise though, was the red and white checkered drapes! Who knew we both have an affinity for this pattern! It really surprised me. The bowls made themselves right at home there and look better than ever. 

In the meantime, I soon realized that I have two Keller's advertisement ironstone butter dishes. I use them every day.

After a little research, I learned that they are vintage 1960's! I do remember getting two so when one was empty the other was ready to go! Stuff around here is really aging as am I....

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Interior Decoration

They hung on the wall above the stove since 1997 when we moved from the big house into the cabin. That is 24 years! I had purchased the set of four in 1996 and they came with a certificate of authenticity. Ever since Kellogg's was available it has been a family breakfast cereal and I just had to have them!

There was a time several years back when I was sharing Shutterfly pictures of my "treasured vintage" items to a family member and she said she loved these bowls. She, who I have known practically since the day she was born, came to visit me last week and went home with them. She had no idea that they were hers ever since her remark years ago. 

The blank wall called to me for several days afterwards. "Put something here! I am feeling naked!" Then I remembered a set of mugs I had made of my photo images of things I have baked and cooked. Each cup has 3 different pictures! I liked the red and white pattern, but they have been hidden in the cupboard since 2013. Out they came and up they went! All is well. Everybody is happy. (If you noticed, two are a bit different. They were "freebies" because the pattern didn't go all the way up and I fussed.)

By the way, I cleaned my cupboards and rearranged things in there; almost forgot what was up on the top shelf! A couple of surprises!

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