Oh No, Not Again

Guess what?

I’ve lost my mailbox again…

I know it’s somewhere just off my driveway.

Speaking of driveways….

There seems to be something lost here too.

 

 

 

 

 

  Oh winter, please go away.   I hate it when you hide my things.

Christmas 2009

Oh, the weather outside was frightful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Christmas was delightful.

Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).

Merry Christmas

Ginger Farm Animals

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens website

Many Christmases ago I started making Gingerbread Farm Animals. I found the instructions for a barn and animals in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Both my grandfathers were farmers and lived within a few miles of me growing up and this reminded me of them.

I’ve never made the barn, silo, and fence but I do make the animals. The gingerbread animals are crisp and not too sweet. My sister-in-law Missy “reminds” me to make them each year. Then she tells me it’s my fault that she addicted because I fed them to her when she was pregnant.

I made some to bring to her house when I go over for dinner tonight.

This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens. It makes a lot of cookies. I rolled out and baked about 1/3 of the dough today.

Ginger Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed until softened. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, molasses, and lemon juice; beat until well combined.

2. Combine flours, ginger, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to margarine mixture; beat well. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; wrap each in clear plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until firm enough to roll.

3. Roll dough, cut out with cookie cutters.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

Royal Frosting

Quantity: 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites (I substitute meringue powder)
• 1 16-ounce package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions:

1. In a large mixer bowl, combine egg whites, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes,

I thin this frosting with quite a bit of water so it is easier to use to decorate the animals. I also prefer to put the frosting in a plastic squeeze bottle. You can buy mustard and ketchup bottles that work perfectly and are less messy than decorating bags and tips. If you choose not to use the squeeze bottles, keep the frosting in the bowl covered with wet paper towels to prevent it from drying out as you work. The frosting can be refrigerated overnight in a tightly covered container; stir before using.

Do not stack the cookies together until the frosting has dried completely. I learned this from experience, many, many years ago; I made these cookies for my Grandpa for Christmas. On my Christmas goodie platter, two cows stuck together in a “compromising position” causing me much embarrassment, my Grandpa, the cattle farmer, thought it was hilarious and got a huge laugh out of it.

Cleaning Mom

I love it when my mom comes to visit.

But I feel a little bit guilty too.   She’s just always so darn helpful.

I used to be more sensitive and feel like it was a criticism of my housekeeping skills when my mom came over and did chores.  I try not to feel that way now and accept it for what it is – my mom’s way of mothering me, even when I’m all grown up.  If my house were filthy, I might have a reason to feel sensitive, as it is, it usually just needs a little spiffing up.  She’ll say something about how hard I work and how it’s difficult to keep up when you have a family and work full time.  And then she’ll proceed to dust or sweep or fold.   I’m learning not to stress about it so much.

For instance, a few days before Thanksgiving, she spent a couple days at my house.   During this time, she cleaned two, or maybe three of my bathrooms and dusted my entire house, along with several other chores.

I helped by photographically documenting the dusting process. 

I’m incredibly helpful that way.

It’s a gift.

No need to thank me, Mom.    Really.

I told my mom that I was taking pictures of her cleaning so I could write a post in my blog about her.

I suggested it might be nice to have a picture of her vacuuming too.  But she didn’t fall for my ploy.  She said she doesn’t vacuum. 

As my kids have gotten older and moved out, I understand her need to mother this way.  We mothers need to keep our jobs.

On another note, do you notice the plants in these photos?  The only reason they are alive is because each time my mom comes to visit, she exclaims “Oh Mary,  your plants are so dry” and then she waters them.  My son does the same thing, except he says something like “Gee Mom, don’t you ever water you plants?” and then he waters them.  Sometimes if my mom and son haven’t been over for a while, the plants will start to droop.  I take that as a clue and water them myself.