Hump Day, Hump Jumper, Etc.

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I am going to take you up on a few, but will wait to tell you all about it until the cable guys have arrived and the deed is done. By Friday, it should all be accomplished.

Hump jumper: Ever heard of it? Me neither until my daughter, a brand new sewer, suggested that I could use one. She's right! I want *this* very much. My daughter described finding a sweet little old lady in her 50s on You Tube who taught her all about it. See who she thinks is "a little old lady." Now I find this video fascinating. My favorite info about the hump jumper starts at 3:46.

Edited to Add: April 2, 2012
The gal, Sandy is her name, who invented the hump-jumper recently left a comment for me and I wanted to link to her site where she shares her unique and wonderful sewing notions inventions: The Sewing Notions that Solve Such Frustrating Problems. I do not actually own a "hump-jumper." I have a "jean-a-majig." Two different tools that do the same thing. 

Onward...

Here's that finished purse of many colors. I'm actually using it and I can show you why...

That's my former purse behind...large and heavy and it's literally giving me a pain in the neck. The confetti job there is much smaller and lighter. Though I did not use *this pattern,* it is the one that got me started on crocheting a purse of my own.  Believe me, if I had the talent to figure out that pattern, it's done in UK terms, I would have it instead.

And a fantastic leap to last night's supper just because I want to show the picture, which makes me hungry for some reason.

If you've never tried *Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast recipe,* may I suggest that you do and soon?! Why do I do this to myself? Her photos are incredible!

Should I get my way around here today, I'll be off to see War Horse. Have you seen it? Speaking of which, what was the last movie you went to see? We went to see The King's Speech way last January. (I am not counting Winnie the Pooh of last summer. Ha!)

There! We've certainly jumped a lot of humps today. A great Wednesday to you!

Project Runway With a Twist and Beyond

Yesterday, I visited a dear friend in Blogdom who had herself *a grand adventure*! Judy writes so well that you'll get taken away, too. I shared her fun with John who laughed along with me and then I said, "Of course, if we're ever going to have an adventure like that, we'll need a runway." I kid you not, by afternoon we had one! ;>

We're having ourselves another snow day. Lovely largish flakes falling steadily.

Molly there is in the process of making herself a nest. She plumps pillows, gathers her blankie, tends to some grooming and she's gone for the day. Zzzzzzzzzzz Thank goodness! She's one needy, attention-seeking dog when awake. We only have to deal with that from six to nine every evening. ☺

Pardon the mess, I didn't pick up just for you. You're an old friend and you can find me as I am. I want to ask you a few a lot of questions. Where is your tv? What room of the house? Is it mounted on a wall? Standing on a table? Hidden in an armoire? If my situation were your own, what might you do with that tv? The reason I ask is that we have a few decisions to make before the cable boys arrive later this week. Edited to Add: Lovella wants to know what the available wall space is so I'm reporting back that the location you see there is exactly where the tv will remain. Why? Because of all those windows and the glare. That little corner works best. Thanks for all the suggestions...keep them coming! I can see a plan taking shape. In the meantime, John has shoveled a path to the crawl space where he is gaining access to drill holes for the cable guys. He will never allow them to come do their own thing again.

I know this, I want my antique trunk back (yes, it qualifies—my grandmother's grandparents' trunk). It has a lot of room that I use for storage and I want it back at the foot of my bed. It is inconvenient to be using a trunk for storage with a tv on top of it.

Looking forward to your suggestion...

A great day to you!

Molasses Cookies Take 2

My comments in orange with Pondsy's in teal.

With many thanks to Mary MacDonald and her daughter who blogs at *Pondside.* These are the cookies John and I remember so well.

Soft Molasses Cookies Mary MacDonald's Soft Molasses Cookies ☺ (I copied this from my mum's book in 1974 - I date all my recipes!)

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup water

Cream butter and sugar, blend in molasses and egg and beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine next four ingredients.

Dissolve baking soda in water and add it alternately with the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and blend.

Drop by tablespoons full on to greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes or until done.

If I were you I'd watch the first cookie sheet carefully as these are big and soft and depending on the oven can easily burn on the bottom.

*Printable recipe*

Thank you so much. The minute I saw the ¼ cup of water I thought "bingo." My mother would say that the trick was all in the water. If one wanted soft cookies, one used either hot or cold water, and if one wanted a tougher cookie one would use either hot or cold water. I remember thinking that, whichever way it went, the soft cookie used just the opposite from what one would think. In my mind, that's cold water, but I could be wrong. Have you ever heard anything like this before?

For soft cookies, use cold water. Weird, but true!

Please give the credit to my mother, Mary MacDonald, who baked these every Friday of my childhood. I hope they turn out well!

They turned out very well, just as we remember! They were even better the second day. We can't say about the third day because the cookie tin is e.m.p.t.y.

a soft molasses cookie...yummo!

Some have asked about molasses. We use Crosby's, which offers an unsulphered molasses considered the highest quality. It is not the black strap variety, which is pretty intense...very thick and black and refers to the third boiling of cane sugar. Black strap is often found in feed stores and healthfood stores. The joy of Crosby's is that it is processed in St. John, New Brunswick. When we visit the cottage in summer, we are able to replenish our molasses supplies much less expensively (I can purchase an entire gallon of molasses in New Brunswick for the price I pay for a 16 ounce bottle here). It's one of those items that is on my list for anyone heading to the Maritimes. I think this must be true of any state that borders Canada. We have our favorite things on the other side after all! 

Thank you for revisiting molasses cookies with me! Have you ever rediscovered a favorite recipe?

Taking Joy~Mosaic Monday

It has been a very good day. One that I might not have imagined possible when I awoke this morning.

Every time I walk past the beautiful bouquet that my sister and her husband sent me, I smile. Earlier in the morning, a friend had encouraged me to "take joy" so I followed her advice and spent a lot of time getting to know my camera settings and taking photos of the flowers within the bouquet.

On this coldest of January days, I had to share.

Shades of Pink

Linking to Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

Remembering Mom

How the years fly by. It has been a year since we said our farewells to one of the dearest on earth.

I, of course, did not know my mother in 1936 or 1940; however, I love to see the photos of her sweet little girl self all dressed in her winter best smiling for the camera.  We noted when going through the old photos how many were taken with a rabbit or a neighbor's dog. She so loved animals even though she never had a childhood pet. She more than made up for it once she had her own home ensuring that my sister and I had many.

Grief is such a complicated thing. I don't need to tell you that. There are good days; there are very bad days. One never knows when the grief will swell and crash over oneself. Just yesterday, my daughter shared with me the story of selecting a sympathy card as she wept. (She's very tenderhearted that gal of mine.) Next to her at the card counter stood another weeping woman. They comforted one another, selected the same card, and moved on. That's probably the best that we can say of experiencing grief. It gives us insight so that we may comfort others.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
~II Corinthians 1:3–4  

One thing is certain. No one escapes grief.

My sister sent me a beautiful bouquet yesterday. I wish that I had also sent her one. My mind does not bend so thoughtfully.

Her card said simply: Remembering Mom

Though we know where Mother is and we know that we will see her again, it does not change our reality: we miss her! Terribly. Achingly.

Saturday's Scoop

Oh how I love Blogdom. I mention soft molasses cookies and so many go into action. Would you believe that the recipe I remember was found and emailed to me yesterday by a blogging buddy on the West Coast who found it in her mother's cookbook from the East Coast? Yes! I'll get back to you on that come Monday. So I'm back in the molasses cookie baking business this morning and oh the aroma. Wish that I could share!

my homemade purse 

Another made up as I went along project. I'm not sure that I like the look of those gathered bits there, though it does allow for the roominess needed at the bottom of any purse of mine. My hands are very tired from all the crocheting so I must move on to something new for a while. When next you see this, it should be lined, have a flap, and some handles. August perhaps?

See those lights on the fence this morning? I thought it a fun idea to have them on through the winter during bad weather — a bit of cheer for us and passersby. I've changed my mind.

Seems that the light bill is higher by a lot than ever before in Haven history. And for this we rewired the house? We're not sure, but we can't help but wonder about that smart meter that we're all being required to switch over to. Yes, this is the bill after the smart meter installation. I think it's a smart meter for the power company myself. Anyway, the lights outside went off this morning and will remain off until July.

In the meantime, I am gathering my stash for the Challenge at Quill Cottage. I told you all the 19th when, in fact, it will be the 30th. See sidebar for details.

tag stash

A delightful weekend to you!

Projects for a Snowy Day

l–r top to bottom

1. mug cozy and "saucer"

2. mug bottom

3. saucer on end

4. cozy button

Today is another stormy snowy mix, which gives me permission to play.  The pattern above was made up as I went along so I am not crediting it. All one has to do is Google "mug cozy" and you'll find many patterns. 

The "saucer" was supposed to have been the bottom of my handbag. No worries, though, by tomorrow I should be able to show you how that handbag turned out in the end. It will be good for a chuckle if nothing else.

I also worked on ric-rac (site cited yesterday) using the teeny-weeny crochet hook, crochet thread, and massive amounts of patience. This is going to be used on the tag for the challenge at Quill Cottage coming right up on the 19th 30th (can't read today).

Yesterday, I did bake, after all. John had been promised old-fashioned soft molasses cookies. My mother had a wonderful recipe, which I cannot find. Usually, I can find anything on the Internet, but not this time. I found something, which I switched up so much that I can now officially call this recipe my own. 

Not Good Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies (though still quite delicious)

Ingredients

* ¾ cup melted butter (salted or unsalted your choice)

* 1 packed cup brown sugar

* 1 large egg

* ½ cup regular molasses (not black strap)

* 2 ½ cups King Arthur's unbleached, unbromated flour

* ½ tsp salt if using unsalted butter; ¼ tsp salt if using salted butter

* 2 tsps baking soda

* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp ground ginger

Method

* Melt butter, allow to cool some

* Add brown sugar

* Stir in egg and molasses

* Mix dry ingredients

* Fold dry ingredients into the soft mixture

* Stir well 

* Using a cookie scoop (2 TBS size), create balls and roll them in sugar.

* Place on parchment paper 

* Bake at 350° for 10–12 minutes

*Printable Recipe*

Very tasty, but NOT the soft, Grandma's bun looking sort of old-fashioned cookie I'm hoping to find.

Edited to Add: I was called in for Nonni duty today, which is a real treat. 

This movie is of my grandson just now eating a cookie from yesterday's batch. Listen to that crunch. Oh my! Consider yourselves warned. =)

 

Pam at Playing With My Camera has offered a *Soft Molasses Cookie Recipe* that uses coffee as an ingredient. Interesting! 

Tip Nut ღ

Have a lot of muffins to bake? Want to save time? Featured on Tip Nut, I ask you, is *THIS* not brilliant?! Brilliant I tell you.

(John and I finally enjoyed our meatloaf, baked potatoes, and spinach with apple cider vinegar. Yummy. My new oven is already dirty. Sigh. I've decided not to bake anymore.)

homemade ric rac on the lampshade

Last night I crocheted some *ric rac*...so much fun. I'm pretty sure I could make enough to stretch around the house, but what exactly does one do with ric rac? Today I hope to be busy crocheting a handbag and enjoying the snowstorm. I'm blaming it all on Tip Nut.

What're you busy doing?

Warning~Grumpy Morning

We woke up grumpy this morning.

Do not let his picture fool you.

I was reading this to him first thing.

It all started last night when I wore these to go shopping.

We went to L*wes and parked close to the door. As you can see from my detailed map, the plan didn't work quite as I had hoped. Not only that, we didn't find what we were looking for,

which was this. After four stops, we finally found it at B*d, B*th, and B*yond.

This is why the aforementioned book has not yet been given to my grandsons. Though I laugh uproariously at "Search Party...Remains Hopeful," I'm just not sure. Oh the book was purchased sight unseen via Amazon. I miss bookstores!

Have you ever noticed how when you wake up grumpy that the entire household conspires to aggravate it? Fioré just leaped from the floor onto my desk and across my mug of coffee over the computer wires and down to the window below. That cat! Awwww, that sweet face.

I Think I Can

Did I get my meatloaf, baked potatoes, veggies, and salad? No, no, I did not. Nothing ever really goes as planned now, does it? Poor John. Between directions written in six different languages and in small print and with pieces missing...well, it's a blessing we got these.

I told my darling that 25 years from now I expect him to know what we baked first. He said that it would be easy to remember Christmas cookies. We'll see. ;>

So many of you have chosen a "word" for 2012. They are unique and meaningful to each one and I wanted a word, too. I was jealous for a word. It came a few days ago while wondering why everyone else could have a word and I could not. My word is Stretch. This means that I am to literally stretch my body — stand straight and reach for the sky kind of stretching and bend low to touch my toes kind of stretching.

My kind of stretching usually consists of playing with the camera as you see in the mosaic below.

Trying to get a better, more clear photo or an interesting shot is about the outer limit of my comfort zone. Ha!

This Stretch also includes the figurative meaning. Though I assured myself that I wasn't going looking for any stretching opportunities; nevertheless, if they came to me...

Not three days later as I was visiting Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage, I found a stretching opportunity that consists of clouds and toes in a different way. You can learn the particulars of the Dare to Dream Different Stretch Challenge by clicking *here;* I also have a link in my sidebar. They are sweet particulars now let me tell you! Hope that you'll give it a whirl.

bird and tag created by Miss Sandy at the Quill Cottage studio

Having only made one or two simple tags before, I'm skittish. My problem is that I stop too soon. There are not enough layers and levels in my work. My hope is to do better and not do just enough to get by. That's what Stretching is all about. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Do you have a word this year? Have you shared it?

She's Here!

No, this is not a birth announcement! = )

You may remember, if you read here over the Christmas season, that my stove decided to give up the ghost just days before I was planning to bake up a storm.

Last night, I loaded it up with my baking chips and baking ingredients just to show how offended I was by its timing.

The stove was over thirty years old. It was purchased for me by my first husband who had grown tired of the comments people made when visiting. Seems that they felt the odor of propane was strong. Personally, I hardly noticed it. Both sets of parents were chipping and urged him to do something. Unbeknownst to me, one fine day he did. I arrived from grocery shopping to find it already in place.

I've not had many complaints about it other than the fact that it was a perpetual cleaning oven meaning that every time one baked, it was cleaning its little heart out and a little pile of debris always needed to be swept off once the oven cooled. I never could clean it the way other gals could clean their ovens because the sides of the oven were rough and caught at any fibers in the material used to wipe it out. Okay, so that was frustrating; otherwise, it has served my family for a very long time and I did feel a little pang when John hauled it out of here last night.

So the new stove is here and we didn't even have to wait forever for the delivery and it's a corker, too!

It's a bisque finish to match the almond one of the refrigerator. I suppose one should just move forward in color choice to what she really wants, but I always circle back trying to match up with what is already existing. I think it'll be fine — nice and neutral.

Fortification

So the chore of switching it from natural gas to propane gas will keep John busy for a while. He does adore a project. We're trying to figure out if we didn't have them do the switching at the appliance store because we're too cheap or if it was because they told us they don't do it anymore not having the proper licenses. I'm coming down on the side of squuueeeeaaaaak.

Good thing he's such a handyman!

How's your day going so far?

More Light Less Heat

This morning I awoke with a distinct sense of shame. I was embarrassed about the last post of yesterday because, in my typical fashion, I had reacted rather strongly to something and had resorted to name-calling. Yes, I do consider calling someone a "nut" name-calling. I even considered removing the post so that I wouldn't further reveal myself to be capable of same, but decided that I would try to ease into a "more light, less heat" approach and use this as a teachable moment. Just one of my ongoing areas of need, folks. Trying to stay real.

The Bible says that we can be angry and not sin. (Ephesians 4:26) That's pretty incredible. I've been doing a little study on this as it's so timely *sputter, cough, cough* and I think I've found an answer. To be justifiably angry with sin (in this case plagiarism) is perfectly acceptable; however, to be angry with the plagiarizer is not. Ohhhhhhh...

On that note, I apologize to each and every one of my readers. Please forgive me.

In the future, I hope to practice more light, less heat.

A blessed Sunday to you...

Plagiarism is a Crime

So your header with the back of your house looks just like mine and no less the same color! Enjoyed visiting~ Bristol


Following Bristol takes one to a bogus blog. 


Bristol was reported very quickly.


Yes, folks, this is what blogging has come to. We've got some Brazilian nutcase spamming blogs today. Whoever "Bristol" is, she may actually be the same blogger who stole material from Pear Tree Lane (since the comment came on the heels of my visit to PTL). All's well that ends well. The blog spoken of has been taken down. 


Report these bloggers to Blogger.  Plagiarism is a crime.


I'm closing comments because I don't want this nut not so nice person on your blog. 

Dull Corners

Good thing that we went with Christmas Lite this year. I shudder to think how long it would take with Christmas Full-Tilt. I've been at this packing up of Christmas since early morning and am not done yet. Lights? Pine Cones? Mercury glass tree? Those? Told you that I can't put all of Christmas away. =)

And what are you up to this fine Saturday? 

Epiphany

This is it for this Christmas Season. I will happily be celebrating Advent and the First Day of Christmas before year's end. I love that the years begin and end with Christmas. What a wonderful Savior to love us so that He willingly left Heaven behind for us. How we need Him! How can we not keep Christmas all year through?

Since I'm still on Christmas, albeit for the final day (yesterday was actually the 12th Day of Christmas), I want to share a couple of ideas with you. First, Cheryl at A Nest On Feather Lane had a sweet interpretation of the window idea. Actually, she's changed it all up. That's the joy of Blogdom, one idea sparks another. Cheryl says that it's too much to put up a tree, yet she still enjoys seeing her ornaments so this was the result.

I also wanted to tell you of an idea my daughter found on Pinterest about saving Christmas memories from one year to the next in a canning jar. On Christmas Day, she passed us a slip of paper and we all started writing. (That's not quite the truth, but close enough.) Then my daughter gathered them all up, popped them into the jar, climbed up on the back of the easy chair, and set it up high on the ledge in the living room.

Where it just sat way up there calling my name. I grew more and more nosy curious until I also climbed up on the back of the easy chair and retrieved it.

Every single one shared wonderful memories. Some of us are more eloquent than others. I noted my gifts, the laughter of the boys, and the difficulty of this first Christmas without my mother. John wrote that he was happy to have finished the siding as a gift to me and that the day was "most enjoyable." Even the grands signed their names. My daughter wrote about how special her picture book was...her favorite gift of Christmas. My daughter-in-law wrote a humorous story about making Santa's sandwiches with the boys and what Santa left on his plate—the crusts.  My son wrote:

The assignment is to write down the fondest memory of 2011. Mom tells John it should be easy to come up with a fond memory of today. Laurel says it's for the whole year, but if you want to write one about today (Christmas), that's fine. As though I wouldn't have a hard enough time with this already, and to make matters worse they gave me a pen. I already want to erase what I've written so far. I'll do both. Today is easy; Sam's playing Clocks by Coldplay on Laurel's I Phone (hit the lighted button) and he can't stop. He says this song is like a rock song. That album was the soundtrack of my first year with Michelle. Glad to know we can agree on what's beautiful, at least sometimes. 2011 is another matter. There are some fond memories; Jake's face when Santa put him on his lap. I'll write what I least want to forget though: Grandma. Taking Sam out sledding (Jake was in school), planning to go to the boys' birthday party, even lying peaceful in my bed. Saying yes, Adam, I know you're here. As though there was no need to sound so worried.

The man is an accountant. I'm very proud of all of his accomplishments and his hard work of returning to school and earning his degrees. I had no idea that he could write. At all. Not even a little bit. I hope that he'll continue. He might get a journal for his birthday. Just sayin'...

Disclaimer: Now as for Clocks ...love the music and find the lyrics de-pressing. I found Sam's exuberant playing of Handel's Messiah wonderful.

A blessed Epiphany to you...

JOY

Yesterday, John and I finally climbed into the same car and went to the same place to do the same thing. Is it ever that way in your family? Seems as if he was always over the road doing errands and such and I was always at home doing not so much.

We desperately needed to come to a decision on a new stove. He was leaving the decision to me; I wanted his help. It all turned out well in the end, though it was rough sledding there for a bit. I'm happy to report that we have a new stove to be delivered next Monday (it had to be ordered) and I am now dreaming of Aunt Margie's Double Cheese Meatloaf. (recipe to follow)

Also on our list of errands was to get the Christmas photos printed. Do you print your photos? I didn't for a long time and have lived to regret that choice. Now I get all photos that I really love printed. The wonderful thing is that, once I have them in my hand, I see things that I had not before even though the computer screen is much larger than the photo in hand. This is what I saw with yesterday's batch and though you've seen them before, I'm sharing again with my new perspective. Each mosaic features a letter with the original photo on the top and the close-ups below.

Happy Grands! 

Oh here's the recipe for the meatloaf, beatloaf, I LOVE meatloaf. (Yes, I have been watching way too many Christmas movies.)

Aunt Margie's Double Cheese Meatloaf

Ingredients:
* 1½ pounds ground beef
* 1 egg
* ½ cup chopped onions
* ¾ cup cracker crumbs
* 2- 8 oz cans tomato sauce with cheese if you can find it; otherwise, just sprinkle some cheese into it
* ½ tsp salt
* ½ tsp oregano
* ¼ tsp pepper
* 2 cups of shredded cheese of choice...I use a variety of cheddar, mozzarella, and American cheese

Method:

Mix beef, egg, onion, cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup sauce and spices.
Flatten out on waxed paper
Form a 10 inch by 12 inch rectangle
Spread cheese evenly over the rectangle
Roll up like a jelly roll using the wax paper to do so
Bake in a shallow dish at 350° for 1 hour
Pour remainder of tomato sauce over the loaf
Bake an additional 15 minutes.

This is my favorite meatloaf first served to me on my sixteenth birthday while visiting my Aunt Margie in Maryland! I've never forgotten.

*Double Cheese Meatloaf Printable Link*

Frosty Window Pane and a New Needle Book

♫ Frosty window pane, no candles gleaming inside... ♪

Brrrr, it's cold out there! This is the first real taste of winter we've had. No snow that'll stick yet, just bitter brain burning, toe numbing, below zero temps in the past two days. Since it's January, I'll not complain.

The view above is from my sewing room window. (In the header picture, that would be the upstairs window with the lamp glow.) I was in the sewing room again for the first time in weeks. I have two little needle books to make. Unfortunately, this didn't turn out as well as I had hoped so I will have to keep this one. =D

1. My old needlebook made from scraps and sort of crazy quilted together. ( I say "sort of" because I do not sew. I only pretend to on this blog. )

2. Quality felt (real wool) used for the pages.

3. Wondering about recycling a placemat...

4. Experimenting with ratty old lace and linen...

5. The new book, less than satisfactory (don't look too close), but I love the little ruffle.

Do you want to see some extraordinary needlebooks created by a pro? Visit Dawn at The Feathered Nest on this post titled The Little Elf is Getting Faster or scroll around a bit, there are others there.

Oh, okay, take a closer look. See those wonky corners? All a part of its charm, I'm sure. Perhaps if I took the coffee grounds to it...hmmmm...

Stay warm and cozy!