Pinecone fun!

This year I wanted to do something fun and new with Christmas decorations. So Leah and I went out to pick pinecones and we painted them silver and gold (Katya did too, look at her pinecones here). Then I tied red and white sheer ribbon to them. (I would advise either gluing the ribbon on or drilling holes through the pinecones rather then tying it on. You use less ribbon that way. :) ) Either way they brighten my day and make me so happy. Can't wait to show you what they look like on our tree. :) You should try it too, it's really fun.

I used two different colors of ribbon so I tied half of the gold with red and half with white and I did the same with the silver.See how the ribbon colors are different from the picture above. :) Yeah, I know ... fancy. :)I also painted a handful of really small pinecones for just setting around instead of hanging on the tree.Until I hang them on the tree the pinecones are at home in a crystal bowl on the piano.

Thanksgiving Day

I had such a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving and so much fun decorating and preparing for it. So here are some pictures of our (Mom, Leah, and my) work. Visit here to see Leah's post of Thanksgiving. Hope you all had as wonderful a Thanksgiving I did!

Look what I woke up to on Thanksgiving! Hurrah for snow!See my creative place-setting/napkins from the previous post? :) Okay, what do you do when you realize you should have doubled the recipe but you don't have enough time to make another batch ... You make the rolls half the size they should have been, (which was rather small) thus doubling the amount of rolls you make. :)

Hot apple cider with Cinnamon sticks and cloves in it. Yummy.Perspiration on the window from the humidity in the kitchen.

[*]Thanksgiving dinner craft [*]

Look what I did! :) I had so much fun being creative (which, if you know me, doesn't happen very often. Enjoy it when I am.) :)

~{Happy Thanksgiving}~

Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this blog. May your day be a joyful celebration in the Lord and may we all remember to be thankful for those things which truly matter. I was reminded today of the post I wrote last year and it still applies. :) What are you thankful for?

Golden Crescent Rolls

*~*1 Package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

*~*6 Tablespoons warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
*~*1/4 Cup sugar
*~*3 Tablespoons butter, softened, divided
*~*1 Tablespoon shortening
*~*1 Egg
*~*1/2 Teaspoon salt
*~*2 to 2-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
*~*Additional butter, melted, optional

(Left corner) I was freezing the rolls on the cookie sheet, do not place them that close when baking.

*~* *~*In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, shortening, egg, salt and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning one to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
*~* *~*Push dough down gently. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Melt remaining butter; brush over the dough. Cut into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and curve to from crescents. Place pointed side down 2-inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
*~* *~*Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Brush with additional melted butter if desired. Yield: 1 dozen.

(Below) Picture of rolls in basket is courtesy of W. Thank you W for letting me use your wonderful picture. Your picture looks like something you'd see in a magazine.

*~'Tis the Season~*

For hanging beautiful, sparkling, swooping, cozy lights in one's bedroom. :) Or anywhere else in the house.

~Flavorful Herb Bread~

~1 Cup warm milk (70 to 80 degrees)
~1 Egg
~2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
~1/4 Cup dried minced onion
~2 Tablespoons sugar
~1 - 1/2 Teaspoons salt
~2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
~1 Teaspoon dried oregano
~3 - 1/2 Cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
~2 Teaspoons active dry yeast
~~In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 Tablespoons (or more if needed) of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (2 pounds). Editor's Note: Use of the timer feature is not recommended for this recipe.

Vacation Part V

~Wyoming~

Sunset on the way home from the farm~
(I love sunsets behind mountains and through grass ... I just love sunsets everywhere I guess.)

Laramie Peek~
(Click for a closer look.)
Leaving Wyoming~
(As we left Wyoming we saw something I've never seen in Wyoming before ... fog.)

Well-known landmark~
(The familiar wall of rock that says we're either entering or exiting Wyoming.)

That's it people, no more vacation pictures. :) Finally. Hope you have enjoyed them as much as I did! I'll give you a break ... for a year, until the next ones. :)

Vacation Part IVc

~Wyoming * The Farm~

~In The Quonset~
Fear not people, these are the last of the farm pictures. Only one more vacation post to go then I'm done.

The handle on a drawer my Grandpa used.Ahh, yeah, it's kinda old. :) See the radio on the left top corner of the frig too?Tractor. Tractor tire treads.Tractor cab my Grandpa use to sit in.Grandpa's tools behind the tractor seat.A Vise.Grandpa's truck, I love this thing!Yeah, I know the last two pictures of the chain aren't in the quonset, but it was by the quonset.