Nothing...

There is absolutely nothing going on.  No projects, no visitors, and no baking.  It was a pretty quiet weekend.  All I have is a bighorn sheep update.  They are still maintaining after being released about three years ago.   They love people and licking salt off of the road.  Thus, they are often found gallivanting around Deadwood.

Sorry they aren't the best photos.  They were taken with my phone.  Hopefully, I will have something to post next weekend.  The temps have been hovering around zero, but it is supposed to warm up.  Hope your weekend was more eventful.

I have painted everything I can paint...

We live in a log cabin and I am a true believer that nature is the greatest artist.  Therefore, we don't have a lot of sheetrock.  Three bathrooms and that is it.  After 16 years, it was time to repaint.    I did the upstairs bathroom a few weeks ago.  This weekend I did the main bathroom.  Here are a few before photos.

I almost forgot to take before photos.  I also failed to include a photo of the shower curtain.  Some people didn't like my blue, but loved it.  It was bright and cheerful.  It didn't feel cold.  Instead it felt like the sky on a sunny day.  Still, it was time for a change.  Picking colors wasn't easy.

My goal was warm colors.  I won't lie, I was sad to see my blue go.  I used vinegar and water to remove the wall paper border.  I am happy with the final results.  It is cozy and inviting. The shower curtain is the same.  Amazingly it matches both the blue and the spice.  

That was my weekend project.  I was done earlier than expected.  I guess I will have to try and relax tomorrow.  Shoveling should keep me active.  It is snowing again and we have about six inches.

I'm running out of projects to keep me busy. I still need to finish the picnic basket, make curtains for the bathroom, and maybe a quilt for the guest bedroom.  Sounds like a trip to the fabric store.

What do you have left on your winter to do list?

Something old is new again with a picnic basket...

 Last week was busy and very negative.  Luckily, Saturday started out with a visit from our neighbors.  I made a bunch of hors d'oeuvres and we enjoyed good company and several games of pool.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  A relaxed evening with some wonderful friends.  

Sunday was project day.  I had no pressing matters, so I began my picnic basket project.  I'm  a sucker for picnic baskets.  I found this one at a garage sale for $8.  There hasn't been time, until now, to give it some tender loving care.  The inside was caked with hot glue and a piece of elastic stapled to the top.  When it was new, I'm sure it had a fabric liner and the elastic held silverware.

 It all had to go.  I used pliers to pull out the staples and a razor to remove the glue.  Then I gave everything a light sanding.

After sanding the top and cleaning the basket, I took the food grade mineral oil I use on my butcher block counter top and gave the whole basket a coat.  It soaked in like crazy.  You can see the difference in the photos.  

The next half of the project will be to find some material to line the inside and matching elastic to hold glasses and utensils.  I think I have the right fabric in my stash.  I would also like to find some dishes and napkins to match the whole thing.  Maybe even a matching blanket.  

I now have three fabulous picnic baskets.  The top one is perfect for a romantic picnic with two.  It is very intricate and I also gave it a good coat of food safe mineral oil.  Hopefully, that will keep it in tip top condition.

The middle one has a Danish theme and is perfect for four. I have matching water bottles, napkins, and plates inside. It is great when I take the three nieces on our adventures.   

The basket on the bottom is going to be my super deluxe let's feed everyone in the country version.   I will keep you updated on it's progress.  

Despite a rotten week, the company of good friends and the thought of future fun times with others has lifted my spirits.  I hope to find a few more baskets.  One day, I will give one to each of my nieces and nephew, so they can remember the fun times and carry on the picnic tradition.  Right now, I am excited at the prospect that my baskets will be in the perfect condition when warmer weather comes.  

Do you go on picnics?  Do you have any picnic baskets?  What is your favorite picnic memory? 

It is curtains...

Finally, it is curtains for the curtains.  My mom tried hard to teach me to sew like a normal person.  Problem was my mind was outside riding horses.  Here I am 30 years later wishing I'd paid attention.  They look ok from afar.  Up close anyone who knows how to sew will shake their head in dismay.  Sorry Mom, I should have paid more attention.

Other than struggling with curtains, it was a quiet weekend.  No fancy cooking.  Just a quiet snowshoeing trek with the dog.

I have to show you Ella's moose bone.  She keeps digging it out after every snow.  She stands to chew on it.  I looked out the other day and it was frozen straight up.  Maybe she did that so she can find it after the next snow.

My seeds are ordered and the garden is planned.  With the temperatures well below zero, I have lots of cabin time on my hands.  The next project will be painting the main bathroom.  I may even get more material and make a quilt to match the curtains.  What are your cabin time projects?  

Projects, projects...

I'm finally feeling better and happily working on projects.  I was excited to make homemade lotion bars.  I have plenty of beeswax from our hives, coconut oil, shea butter, vitamin E oil, and lemon essential oil.  I put it all in a double boiler and viola... lotion bars.  I love the photo below.  The bars were beginning to harden,  thus the middle is clear and the outer edges are starting to solidify.    

 I really like my new molds.  The bees look great.  The speckles are from the beeswax.  My brother made the little rectangle container and it works perfectly for holding them.

I am doubtful about my next project.  This garden stake is quite old and fell apart a few years ago.  The red glass faded beyond recognition.  I read on Pinterest that if paint on glass fades try using nail polish.  Well, I tried nail polish, but am very doubtful that it will work.  I don't think the polish adhered to the glass like I hoped it would.  I guess we will find out this summer.

Sixteen years ago I made the curtains in our guest bedroom.  They are faded and weren't overly heavy fabric to begin with.  My husband and I found a new material and I will make curtains next weekend.  We like the material so much I may also make a quilt for that bedroom with it.  Right now it is just hanging over the window for inspiration.

Last but not least, my husband smoked and grilled a chicken this weekend.  The chicken was perfectly delicious.   It was a great time to try the garlic cheddar biscuit recipe I had seen on Pinterest.  They were amazing.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuts
2 c. buttermilk biscuit mix (Jiffy)
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
2/3 c. milk
2 T. butter
2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. garlic salt

Bake for 10-13 minutes at 400 degrees.

That is it in a nutshell.  It feels good to  be busy again.  I am super happy about the lotion bars, as I don't have very good luck with store bought lotions.  Most of them cause me to break out.  The curtain project is going to be on the list for next weekend.  I'm seriously considering going back and getting more material for a quilt.  We shall see.  What are you working on?  What new recipe have you tried?  What was your last sewing project?  Have you ever experimented with lotion bars?

Garden Plans...

 January is a time for garden catalogues, hot cocoa, and planning.   There were a few things I did last year that I will definitely incorporate into this year's garden.  

I love using basil, oregano, parsley, and garlic in an ice cube tray covered with olive oil.  I froze them and then add one to two cubes when I brown meat or saute vegetables.  They are wonderful and easy to use.  The herbs taste fresh.

 I've never planted basil or oregano before.  I enjoyed them profusely.  Especially basil leaves on pizza.  I know it sounds crazy, but it adds a bite.   The other Pinterest project that I found incredible was cutting my cherry tomatoes into quarters, drizzle with olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Roast at 350 for 45 minutes.  Freeze on the pans and then transfer to a freezer bag.  These are amazing.    They are great fresh out of the oven and also tasty on pizzas.

  Lemon cucumbers and geherkin cucumbers are also at the top of my list.  I try to plant the tiny geherkins somewhere where they are easy to see, but find they do better if they are running rampant and are hidden under the lemon cucumbers or beans.







I also plan on planting more of these little acorn squash.  They worked great on the grill this winter.  I have two left and I wish I had a few more.  They were the perfect size and tasted great.

Loofahs are again on the list.  I grew one once 3 years ago and haven't been able to replicate the success again.  The loofa was wonderful and I used it of a long time.  I want to grow several and give them away as gifts.  Maybe this will be the year.  

I will again grow my pumpkins in the green house and let them crawl out the top.  I still have my platform incase one grows on the roof again.

 I am going to take a small red box and fill it with moss.  It will be the perfect setting for the little garden house my brother made me.  I am super excited about this project. 

Last, but not least, I plan on continuing with the sunflowers in the washtubs.  They looked great this summer and it was fun to watch the goldfinches eat the seeds this winter.

That is a few of my gardening plans.  It was nice to relax and think about warmer weather.  I am feeling much better and even painted the upstairs bathroom this weekend.  I also took Ella for a much needed snowshoeing trip.

 

What are you excited to plant in your garden this year?  Do you have something that is tried and true and then something you haven't tried before?

Coffee and Donuts...

 I have wanted to try making donuts forever.  I've never been brave enough.  Also there is the fact it takes over an hour to make them.   This weekend was the perfect weekend to give it a try.  It snowed heavily all Saturday.  While my husband was plowing, I made the dough then went out to do some snow blowing.  When we came back in I kneaded the dough, cut out the donuts, and fried them up.  I was extremely nervous.  I don't know why I was so sure this was going to be rocket science.  It wasn't.  In fact, I was so excited at how easy they were to make I forgot to take a nice photo of them glazed beside a cup of coffee.  

Krispy Kreme  Recipe

3 T. milk
3 T. boiling water
1 t. sugar
1 t. dry active yeast
Stir gently and leave it to activate.  

1 3/4 c. flour
3 T. sugar 
2 T. butter
dash of salt
1 egg 
Add the egg to the yeast mixture, then add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture.  Knead for 5-10 minutes.  Let rise 1 hour.   Go blow some snow.  Roll out the dough and then cut donuts.    I fried them in almond oil (I was out of veggie oil) at 350 degrees.  The recipe said two minute, but I think it was less than that.  Glaze with 1t. butter, 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 T. milk and 1 t. of vanilla.  

They turned out pretty darn good despite my apprehension.  Much easier than I had anticipated.   I found the recipe on Pinterest, but it doesn't go to a website that I can share or give credit to.

 While enjoying my coffee and donuts, I watched and got a few photos of the wildlife outside.  My visiting Evening Grossbeak was a nice addition to the feeders.

 I always feel so bad for the deer when the temperatures dip so low.  They wander through the yard often looking for spilled seeds from the bird feeders.  It was seven below today.

It was another slow weekend.  We are pretty much in hibernation mode.  It is too cold to do much of anything and we are both slowly recovering.  I hope it warmer where you are.