Living in a snow globe today...

Sunshine is being missed today but I am grateful the house is snugly warm and cozy.  :)

Note to self...

...NEVER try a new bread recipe during the first week of Weight Watchers!  LOL

A special friend gave me a loaf of bread that she made and it shamed me into trying to make homemade bread.  I found out that my kitchen aid mixer the dough beater work really well for kneading the 15 minutes that was suggested by the recipe.  Bad, bad oh so bad but OH SO GOOD.  Jim gave it 2 thumbs up and said it was repeatable.  So maybe, just maybe I can get some of those Niagara County folks out here with an offer to make fresh bread?

Well,

looking out the front door...probably not.  LOL

Winter down time equals a salt bowl

Jim created a gift for me.  I keep kosher salt in a ziplock container near the stove for cooking and he decided to make me a wooden salt bowl to use instead.  I love it.

After he made the salt bowl, just like the cutting boards there needs to be a rubbing of mineral oil. 

You can see the grains and color pop out.

This task reminds me of watching photos come to life in a photo dark room when you dip them into the last chemical.  The true color beauty of the wood comes to life.

It dried over night and put it to use the very next day.  Thanks honey!  :)

Christmas time in Colden

Our famous upside down Christmas Tree arrived again in good fashion with lots of help for decorating.

The gang is all here!  Time to have a party...

Even Jack Frost showed up.

 Jen and Madeleine sneak a kiss under the mistletoe.

One of the hunters gave Jim some venison and he and Jake cleaned it up and cooked it for dinner one evening.  It was delicious.

Sarah baked us our traditional gingerbread house this year.  We had a team of folks participate in the decorating.  Theresa jumped in as team leader and did a GREAT job.

Winter Musing...Jim style

 It is that time of year again where Jim brings in his creative doings from his wood shop.  He made some lovely cutting boards.  He even put on his clean work clothes to wear while coating and massaging the bare wood boards with mineral oil.  It makes a big mess but oh, how beautiful they become.

 Some of the boards he put a single strip of black walnut and cherry.  Here you can see a  board that is bare vs the oiled boards.

 He doesn't look too happy, does he?

Once the oil hits the wood it is almost like watching a print come to life in a darkroom.  I have several boards and I use them everyday.  He is also working on ornaments and clip boards too.

Welcome Mr. Winter!

This is a view out the front door this morning.  Looks like Mr. Winter has found us.  Traveling home last night was really tricky, but...I got home just in time.  They had closed down the Thruway and Transit Road.  Whew!  Snuggled in last night and made some gingersnaps and looked out at the snow, just the way I like to end the day.  :)  Cheers!  Stay warm...