Thanksgiving Past...32º

The pile of bones has been made into soup, portioned out and in the freezer, for a single bowl of soup when I need food in a hurry...The other leftovers, we divided with Pam, and we will finish ours today...I don't usually do turkey, so it has been a good change for us.

Turkey soup in a Bowl

Soup in the pot

Sausage/Artichoke Dressing, so delicious.

Last Friday, since all the Chex Mix was made, I started making batches of fondant for our Christmas Chocolates...I know I should stop doing this because I love them too much, but after making them for some 45 years and loving (most of the time) the process, I made a batch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday...They all turned out creamy, decadent, mouth watering!..Yesterday I dipped mints and butter rum, Oh My!..Debating on what flavor is next, coconut, lemon, orange, huckleberry or raspberry...So many choices...Photos will appear in my next blog...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mostly Rain/Some Sun...34º

Moisture is predicted for  the next week, light rain, with occasional sun breaks...Not bad for this time of year and in only one month from today, the days start to lengthen, as the new year approaches...It seems that I hardly get used to writing 2017 and it is time to change, time speeds on.

Our Holidays will be very low key this year as our annual "Thanksmas Celebration" has been canceled and rescheduled to next spring/summer...Place and time as yet to be announced as we continue to celebrate whenever we all get together!..While others are stressing about gifts, food, decorations and crowds, we are relaxed and happy to watch from the sidelines.

I will continue some of our Christmas traditions...Multiple batches of Chex mix has been made and is stored on the cellar shelves, waiting to go into Christmas boxes or packaged and sent by mail to distant places...Creamy, decadent fondant is on my list, waiting for me to get in the candy making mood, always looking for the illusive perfect batch, so creamy and soft...Makes my mouth water, just thinking about it...AND that is the difficult part of this process as my sugar demons never know when to stop, one chocolate a day or twenty?

I am keeping busy this week with water therapy 3 days in a row, one make up day and a Wednesday session as Thursday is a holiday...Herb finally lit our burn pile that serves as a shelter for the quail in winter...They will find other shelter and he will start building another burn pile...That's life on Barton Heights...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

A perfect burn.

Keeping Busy...34º

Leaving at daybreak for a Costco run, the roads were mostly bare, temperature below freezing...There was hardly any traffic and no wildlife jumped out in front of us.

It was misting rain when we pulled into Winco for our first stop, where we always stock up on fresh veggies and bulk items, before arriving at Costco just after it opens...Taking our time we both filled a   shopping cart, then checked out and made our way to "Tomato Brothers," for lunch/dinner...Since we split a burger for lunch, we made a rare stop for single scoop ice cream for our dessert...Herb stopped the car as we neared Anatone, as it was my turn to drive.

Up early as usual on Saturday morning, I had my work cut out for me...Soon two pies,  pumpkin and apple were in the oven...Earlier in the week, friend Katherine, asked if I could make pies for the Veterans' Chili feed, I said yes and also volunteered to help with prep work for the dinner...I arrived with pies by 9:30 and was put to work, arranging desserts on platters and slicing pies...The morning went fast and I enjoyed working in a kitchen with other people, most of them I met for the first time...Actually it went quite well, considering that none of us had worked together before nor had we worked in this particular kitchen...Texas Chili, cornbread and dessert was on the menu.

Pies

Cookies and Berry Cobbler

Roughly counting we fed maybe 50 veterans, had hoped for 100...Homemade Jam (a local band) entertained us with their lively music and everyone enjoyed a good meal, with friends...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Snowy Days...26º

Small amounts of snow, then sun breaks, low temperatures...It was the perfect day for making bread...I had sourdough bubbling away over night on the back counter, all it needed was more flour, kneading, and time, to become the perfect loaf...While the dough did its thing and while the loaves were rising, I mixed a meatloaf, then cut veggies to roast in the oven...Actually the bread came out of the oven first, enticing us to cut the warm loaf, cover with butter and eat as an appetizer, while dinner cooked in the oven.

Today is another day just like yesterday, and again puts me in the baking mood...Chocolate Zucchini Cake comes to mind, a perfect dessert for the Veterans Day dinner this Saturday...Baked today, I can freeze it, thaw it on Saturday morning before I help do prep, for the dinner itself...I like the occasional chance to work in a commercial kitchen again, brings back good memories of my life years ago.

The sun is breaking through, to brighten up my day, an early morning for me as I adjust to Standard Time!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

 Yesterday, I think I might have

found the perfect Whole 30 breakfast...

Leftover chicken and veggies from dinner, and sliced apple.

Bread that smelled so good, I had to 

have just one slice.

Mostly Photos...37º

A few fun Halloween photos from the Rimrock, where Pam, Becky and I went to see fall colors, scary Halloween displays and eat...A fun afternoon with friends.

This past week with weather cooling I baked Soft Ginger Cookies and a Ham Quiche (using hash brown for the crust.) Both turned out good and I will make them again.

  

Dinner

Yesterday before dawn we left for eye appointments in LaGrande...It actually turned into a nice day (no wind) bare roads, a little rain...The sky was ominous but started to lightened up as we dropped into Elgin...Eye exams were again stable...We shopped, mostly at Grocery Outlet and before starting home, we got a take home pizza from Papa Murphy...Home by 1pm, the pizza baked while we unloaded the car...It was yum, yum GOOD...Hugs To all OWAV:)