Christmas, 2013

We had a wonderful Chrstmas holiday with family!  Christmas eve was a major change up but very nice.  We spent the evening with a cousin, my husband, son and a friend of my son's.  We had simple dinner of roasted rack of beef, steamed vegies, coleslaw, and pumpkin pie.  And some good visiting.  Christmas breakfast was the usual.  Rolls, eggs, bacon, champagne and OJ (with a list of 17 people coming but 4 couln't make it).  And a wonderful time with family.  My parents stayed home this year and grandpa came (he is 95), we had 5 generation of family together.  It is such a joy to share this time with family.  My daughter did wonderful job of opening her home for the holidays.  The evening was spent with my brother in law and wife, my husband and son.  A simple evening with good leftovers from their Christmas eve dinner, visiting and working on a puzzle

A list . . . .

. . . . .  of my non-commercial Christmas endeavors, I love to give things homemade.

Fudge (chocolate and peanut butter), gave away 2/3 of both batches
Pecan pie (for my Dad)
Pumpkin pie (to take for dinner)
Sticky cinnamon rolls (to take for Breakfast tomorrow - 2 batches)
Hat/scarf combo and mittens for the Grandgirls
Christmas Isicle ornament (for daughters tree)
Flower press (helped my son make this, my dad made the cuts)
Ruffled scarves for my 2 sister in laws
'Jewels' for the Grandgirls (5 yr old V asked for these)
Wove a paper grocery bag basket (for my Mom)

Holidays

Tomorrow is pie baking day!  Two pumpkin and one pecan, my son will also make one (maybe apple).   The two grand girls will also be here (they will go with us to dinner on Thanksgiving day). Their mom just started a job this Monday and has LOTS to do.  So I will have a busy day with baking  helpers, pies and a little home schooling and picking up the girls.  Then a family day for dinner with 21 people and NO black friday shopping (something I never do anyway).

Christmas?

. . . .  is fast approaching!  And I am well on my way to being prepared.  Gifts are made for my 2 sister in laws, I have a big present for my son and husband, a bunch of small things for my daughter (sorry honey, not revealing until THE day),  my oldest grandaughter's (lessons),  crocheted ornaments that need starching (accumulated from the last couple years).   I estimate that as half done!  Yeah! Writing out an official list is top priority now and coming up with something for my parents, they can buy anything they want so this takes some thought. 

Canning

I have had a busy 2 days.  My son in law picked a box of apples from his mom's house and delivered them to mine.  Sweet guy!  Possibly 80 to 100 pounds.  So far I have filled my dehydrator 3 times and made 2 batches of applesauce, 13 pint jars.  Three Two failed to seal right, too much seepage under the screw lids.  No problem, they will go in the fridge to be used first.  I have barely used half.  They are buggy but with small holesl which adds to processing time.  I don't mind, I love to recieve free fruit!!  My worms love the extra compost food.  My daughter actually has some of the best apples that hold their shape and have LOTS of flavor (they are what was canned last year). Every little bit helps.   I am HAPPY!!  with my efforts. 

Update:  Another batch in the dehydrator.  Life has interfered with getting more of the apples done and not too happy about it!

Zucchini

I have wanted to try dehydrating zucchini, so yesterday I did.  I used a large holed grater so they looked chunky and spread it all out on 5 trays.  The dry zucchini  filled a pint jar 2/3 full.  Not nearly enough but now I am looking forward to using them, maybe in soup!

Accomplishments:

• Sunday 9/1           Picked plums (not ripe enough)
• Monday 9/2          Made 2 batches of jam (they taste very good)
• Tuesday 9/3          Going to my parents (not quite, drove to the VA TWICE, UGH!)
• Wednesday 9/4     Spent 6 hours lugging boxes down a flight of stairs 
• Thursday 9/5         More of the same (exhausted)
• Friday 9/6             And more!   Arranging and post prices for a garage sale.
• Saturday 9/7         Garage Sale day!  6 hours (exhausted)
• Sunday 9/8           About 3 hours to clean up, pack up for goodwill pickup, Finally!
• Monday 9/9          Pick plums, it's hot out there.  Cut up and fill dehydrator.
• Tuesday 9/10         Make a batch of jam (and bread, brown rice and quinoa)
• Wednesday 9/11    Make a batch of jam and half fill dehydrator (used them up).

So the garage sale project has been in the works for 3 years now.  A very good friend of my moms has Alzheimer's (I have know her also for about 40 years).  She was so artistic and had a very large room full of sewing, knitting, floral supplies, paints,   quilting, etc.   Junk had also found it's way in, the theory being the Alzheimer's had affected her bringing home stuff that people had pawned off.  When I first saw the room, my jaw dropped.  It was the show "Hoarders" and I wanted to quit before we even started.  That first year we only pulled out garbage or contributions.  At least 50 big black bags worth in 3 years.   The garage sale was HUGE with only a quarter of what was left in the room, filling 7 tables and in boxes on the floor of the covered parking.  I thought a lot more would go, my guess is we packed up 2/3 for charity.  Sales netted quite a bit at .50 and .75 prices.  It is now finished, what a relief.

The plums came from my sister in law, my trees did not produce this year.  I have never seen so may on one tree.  One branch that was 15 feet straight up had bent over almost the the ground.  The tree is still fully loaded. An overload of dishes!  my guys didn't do any while I was gone and the fruit production has added doubled the days work.  We don't use a dishwasher.  I am tired!

I have also started on Christmas presents!  And a afghan project started before we moved in this house (maybe 7 years ago)  It's called a crayon colored pattern, knit on the diagonal with 2 yarns.  One yarn is the same constant color and the other changes constantly!  It uses up the little leftover balls that sit around getting tangled up.