The Day After

Good Morning, Sunshines.

I am back, incase you noticed my absence. I needed to stay focused on the tasks in front of me and blogland tends to distract me. A few days before Thanksgiving my son said he had the day off and would be coming for the Big Day. It's always good to see him and this was unexpected. I dry brined the turkey, something I hadn't done before. It turned out very well. Matthew brought a crumble top apple pie, a perfect end to our feast.

We are now into winter, except no snow. It's currently 9 F/-13 C, with a high of 16 F/-9 C. The horses now have hay outside to keep them warm and happy and I will have a fire later to do the same for me.

So now the real rush of the season starts. I cannot say how happy I am to have all of that behind me. I hope all of my American friends had a good Thanksgiving day.

This is a small room. Two chairs, an ottoman and a cabinet with a TV. One end has a piano and the other a Duncan Phyfe style table. It took me all afternoon to dust, polish, sweep and vacuum. To be fair, I have always been slow, so it shouldn't be a surprise that as I have become an elder, and elder with pain and mobility problems, I take an entire afternoon. It could be said, what else do I have to do? That would be fair. So. At the end of my labors I rewarded myself with candles and a fire. 

I was also rewarded by a sleeping Frieda.

 

Ta-Da

And the winner is.......

ME!

I got it done. I did. The last time I cleaned this was early spring of 2020. That is rather evident in the first photo. As a recap; I purchased this fixture in the late 1970s from an antique shop in Minneapolis. My father wired it and I have moved it with me from home to home over the years. It's been hanging here the longest time of its life with me. I am not generally one for froo-froo, but that said, I liked it from the moment I first saw it and have not changed my mind. It's not overbearing. Somehow, the Wassily chair and the chandelier work together.

One more pat on my back. I got the kitchen light fixtures washed, too. Yes indeed, my back does hurt, but my self-worth jumped up a notch. Who would think that would make you feel better about yourself? ME!

Good Saturday to all.

Snow. Bread. Light.

I had a fairly productive day Wednesday. I finished the winter weatherizing I had left to do. I always wait until it's winter to do this for some reason. In the morning I decided to make bread, because....why not? Another loaf in the freezer. We got a light dusting of snow. I would like a couple of inches, just enough to brighten the landscape. We don't need the Thanksgiving blizzard we've often had in the past. Not so much anymore.

Since I seem to have a theme at the moment, let there be light.

I forgot to charge my camera battery, after realizing I had left the camera turned on and drained the battery. So, iphone to the rescue. The Canon would do a better job, but work with what you have. As I was boiling water for coffee I saw the light streaming into the room. The green glass was glittering, which of course the camera did not pick up. The softness of winter sunlight is soothing. Then, as I was walking back to the kitchen I saw the light, real, not metaphoric, on the hounds. An aside: I've had a lot of hounds. We call the basset Psychedelic Howard. 

Today will be more of the same-old-same-old. Catching up on what I was unable to do for three years. It is slow going but it's going. I may even get to that chandelier.

 It wouldn't be right to leave you without a kitty photo to brighten the day. 

Gatto is here to serve.

See the Light

More lovely light.

I've been struggling with the realization of what happened two weeks ago and what it will mean. Seeing this beautiful light filtering into a room lifts my spirits. I'm deeply, seriously trying to live the moment. It is so not me, but it must be my approach if I am to stay mentally and emotionally stable. Well, that may be a stretch for me.

So, keeping my weekly routine of Monday laundry, two loads washed, two more to go. Mark is on his second day of manure spreading, he has until perhaps 3:00 before we get rain. Tomorrow he will get the windows in the barn as we are going to go to normal November temperatures. The beasties would complain. I got the glass kitchen doors and the kitchen window washed yesterday. Suddenly it is brighter in there.

That's all the news for now. Another coffee and another load of laundry up next.

Life on the Farm

If there had been a rainbow yesterday I would likely be writing this from Oz. Can we say WINDY? It still ended up being a really busy day for Mark and a somewhat busy day for me. We had seven hay racks in the former indoor arena needing unloading. The hay guy and some of his family came to unload, so Mark was busy with that all afternoon. For those who don't know, a hay rack holds around 130 square bales. Next Bob will bring the round bales to get the beasties through their winter days outside. Bob has supplied my hay since about 2000. His daughter used to work here and travelled with me to horse shows. She was a lot of fun, that one was. She now has her own training business on her parents property.

I busied myself in the morning making potato soup. It's bland in color but not in taste. Some creme fraiche gives it zing. We probably have two more meals left.

I set to braising beef in white wine, onion, garlic in the afternoon. It became a stroganoff knock-off. I sauteed mushrooms to add into Mark's plate. I cannot stand mushrooms! Other than this, I did do some weather stripping, which rounded off my day. Then I finished a book.

Today is now Mark's manure day. Are you getting a picture of what life on a horse farm is like? 

Happy Sunday. 

 

I Saw the Light

I looked into the living room this morning and saw this light.

I wanted to use my Canon but the last time I did it wasn't turned off. So iphone it is. 

I have no actual plans for the day, which means I may accomplish something. I have weather stripping for the kitchen doors I should do while it's still warm enough. Mark was going to spread manure, you really needed to know this, I'm sure. It's too windy so that's not on the agenda today.

I wasn't planning to post today as I have nothing, but I saw that light, which did not come across as it really looked, and could not help myself. May you all have a good Saturday.

Friday

Someone is peeking.

This is what $55 looks like from my online Thrive Market order. I think this is about what normal now looks like, cost wise. I needed to add to the order for free shipping, so why not chocolate bars? Why, yes, thank you. I haven't used canned pumpkin in I don't know how long. My normal is to roast pumpkin for pie, but I didn't get one and it won't matter. Boud talked about dried cranberries and how she likes to use them. I saw these and bought them. I have shredded zucchini in the freezer, maybe zucchini bread with cranberries?

I did follow through on the bread front. I made two ciabatta loaves..

and four French loaves.

I had a productive baking day. We had the last of the ragu for dinner, it was three meals worth. I do like that. Reheat a repeat. We shall see what fascinating things I get up to today. Cat claws need clipping.....

 

I do believe the stress of the past several days caught up to me. I slept until 8:45 this morning. This is unusual, but I think I needed it. It's overcast outside, which helped me sleep longer than normal.

I didn't have any oomph yesterday, surely for the same reason. I pulled out my 1976 version of Better Homes and Gardens cookbook to make baking powder biscuits. I have several different recipes collected over the years but this is an old standby.

I use butter instead of shortening and a little more milk, otherwise I don't change it. Baking powder biscuits are basic. I like ciabatta rolls for sandwiches, I didn't have any, so I made biscuits. Quick, easy, done.

Years ago I was watching a TV cook, one who made easier, less fuss French food. Perhaps I should say, cuisine, as it's French. I will always remember something she said in a particular episode: the French consider bacon a vegetable. That was all the justification I needed for my love of bacon.

I'm still not up to par, mentally or emotionally, which is keeping me off the step ladder. I don't want to over-stimulate myself with joy in cleaning the chandelier. I think I'll make some bread, at least one loaf of ciabatta for the Thanksgiving dressing. Mark quizzed me yesterday on the supplies I have on hand for "his" day. Mark was born November 26 and has always considered, at least since I have known him, Thanksgiving to be his. I may make an actual apple pie instead of a galette. Maybe.

No matter what, never let the cat out of the bag. Just a reminder.

 

Slow and Steady

It's a crisp, sunny morning in my part of Minnesota. A balmy 31 F, we are about ten degrees above normal. It's been a mild November so far. Other than some puttering around, I have nothing planned for the day. Tomorrow I have chandelier duty scheduled. Mark has plans outside today and I think it's a good idea to have him in the house in case I've fallen and I can't get up.

Mark is the cat man. This photo is Gatto.

This fine fellow is Tabby, aka, Crabby Tabby.

Since it's become colder Tabs is spending more time inside. Blackie McCool is an almost full time house cat during the winter, Tabby not as much. Gatto likes to annoy Tabs. He leaves McCool alone.

Comfort

Comfort food is once again on the menu. I made a beef ragu for dinner. There's enough for two more meals, happy days! Pappardelle is under all that slow simmered goodness.

I suppose I should start my day. Who am I kidding?

Monday

Frieda appreciates the changing of the season. She loves, loves this particular throw, it is sort of her color. Maybe that's why. She also likes the large ottoman, where she is able to do all sort of contortions with minimal risk of tipping off. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this bold little stray, who knocked on my door one November dusk, is five. Time doesn't fly. It soars.

I roasted a game hen for dinner, a one pan meal. Right up my alley. I'm planning to make a ragu today. It is the braising season and I do love comfort food. Don't we all. I am having trouble remembering Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Since I don't have company on holidays anymore it's sort of lost the glow. Mark's favorite is Thanksgiving, which is why I still do the whole routine, only much smaller. I do miss my father sitting back in the chair, hands on his stomach, saying "you outdid yourself". Things do change, children grow up, marry, have lives of their own. Matthew works at a boutique hotel, whatever that means, Monday - Friday, meaning he works on Thanksgiving. 

The mess of all three ferns got cleared away, the window sills were lemon oiled and the French door windows washed. I did a terrible job on the outside of the doors. Can we say, streaked! 

As it is Monday, the laundry equipment is humming. My one ingrained routine. If it's Monday, it's laundry. My eye is still on that chandelier. Stay tuned.

 

I Gave My Word

 As a person of my word, I am following through. I give you...

Cat

Food

The General Mondanity of My Life

I washed the French windows yesterday on the inside. I had done the outside the day before. Today I do the French doors. I don't mind doing all those rectangles, for some reason. I also brushed the dead leaves out of the three Boston ferns that spend the winter inside. If this is putting you to sleep, scroll upward and notice the cat is sticking her tongue out at me. About sums it up.

I Promise, the Last I have to Say

He hits it out of the park. Now, I'll go back to cats and food.

The Day After the Day After

Frieda and I mirrored one another the day after.

Dazed disbelief to......

 Collapse 

Today we carry on. What else can we do? I found a Stephen King book through Libby I thought I hadn't read but as I go through it I realize I had. I remember certain parts of the book as I come to them but I don't remember what is coming next. So it's like I haven't read it before. Stephen King felt appropriate.

I plan to occupy myself with keeping up with cat hair and dust. This also feels appropriate. A problem that just keeps turning up.

1776 - 2024

Not Only a Right But A Duty

Voted!

 Please Vote

How I spent Saturday afternoon.

It's been a few years since I've made a bread that required more than mixing the dough, letting it rise and bake. I enjoyed the process. I've become used to making anything simple, meaning taking little time or thought. Not to say this is all that difficult, but it does take time. Waiting time. And braiding four strips of dough together.

I may make another bread, another one I need to knead. My nerves are raw from worry over the future of us all, including the rest of the world. It is not hyperbole to say this election is a worldwide threat. Pushing dough around, punching and massaging it into smoothness is one way to release tension. For awhile.

 

The first fire of the season.

I spent a pleasant afternoon and evening enjoying a warm fire and an audiobook, the audiobook in the afternoon. Mark and the cats in the evening. The snow has melted, the air is crisp and the sun is shining. Lori mentioned buying challah from a baker, making me think about making a couple of loaves. It's been years since I've done this. Maybe today, maybe chandelier cleaning. One or the other. Baking sounds more appealing right now.

I mentioned to Mark last evening that I am finally feeling as if I'm regaining some control and order in my life. Slowly but surely I am putting my life, which means my home, to rights. I told him to plan on us both doing a big dust and cobweb removal in the barn, hopefully next week. I have not taken care of the horses or the barn for four years and it shows. Mark has done a good job caring for the beasties and their stalls, but he only has time for so much. The barn looks like a haunted building.

Good Saturday to all.

What I did yesterday that did not require a ladder.

Neighbor Bill gave me a large box filled with Haralson apples a few days ago. I had phyllo left from the last galette so I decided to cut up most of the apples to freeze and made this with the rest. They make a good pie. The chandelier will be done. Really.