Winter Doldrums

We aren't quite there yet - into the winter doldrums, I mean.  I feel myself slipping ever so closer into that black abyss that is February ANY DAY NOW!

It has, however, started acting like winter around here.  By that I mean, it actually got cold, and it actually snowed!  Much to her delight, J was home for 5 inches of snow on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Her classes for the following day were actually cancelled as they got twice as much snow there as we did here, so she and I had the chance to play in the snow for a bit!

It warmed up for a day, and then we got an additional 4.5 inches on top of that over the weekend into last night.  Now it is supposed to get even colder!  L has had 2 "remote learning" days in the past week!

One of the best parts about winter is coming in out of the cold and having hot cocoa.

The chickens do NOT like the snow and basically refuse to go outside.  I am keeping their water and a small feeder inside so that they don't have to go out if they don't want to.  Our poor, stupid rooster actually got some frostbite on his comb!

Unfortunately, we have had some tractor trouble again, another flat tire.  The tractor tire people are coming out tomorrow to look into repairing it - no spare tire for this old girl!

I have re-started my winter activity of putting together puzzles.  These are the ones I've worked on since Thanksgiving:

This one my brother, my nephews and the girls
put together right after Christmas - JP made fun
of me, but I took it apart and put it back together 
again by myself!

I hope you are staying warm and keeping in good spirits through these long, dark days!

Resolution/Revolution

My New Year's resolution this year is to try to create less waste in order to preserve this earth for my grandchildren so that they don't have to live in a space craft orbiting earth for posterity becoming obese and stupid (think WALL-E.)

I already try to use everything - those 9 egg whites left after making egg nog for Christmas were baked into an angel food cake.  The little bit of champagne left over after New Year's Eve was turned into mimosas the next morning.  Half a can of sweetened condensed milk left after baking L's birthday cake went into my coffee for the past few mornings.

Food scraps go into the compost or to the chickens.

I recycle everything I can - cardboard, paper, metal and plastic, but wouldn't it be great to have LESS of that too?

I read an article recently, talking about why we should use bar soap for EVERYTHING.  One of the biggest reasons is to reduce plastic waste.  JP has been using his organic coconut oil soap to wash his few head hairs for years, but I don't like to not condition my hair.  Did you know that there are now shampoo and conditioner bars available?

I started using this grapefruit scented conditioner bar from byhumankind.com right after Christmas.  It smells great and works really well.  The only downside is that it is quite expensive at $15 for a small 1.8 oz bar.  I did read somewhere that it lasts for something like 75 washes...time will tell.

A few days later, I found this Love Beauty and Planet shampoo bar at Target for $4.99.  I didn't notice until I started using it that it is supposed to be for color treated hair, but I still feel like it works really well and does not require much to get a good lather going. 

So...shampoo and conditioner in 100% recyclable (paper/cardboard) packaging - good for the environment and works well.  I'm on my way to using bar soap for EVERYTHING...baby steps.

We just got a new keurig machine before the holidays, and now I am feeling excessive guilt about all of the waste created with those little pods.  Good news though, I have a refillable/reusable pod - haven't tried it yet though.

The girls have been eating vegetarian for several years, in order to eat more sustainably.  I join them much of the time.  Over the weekend, I tried a new recipe for Ratatouille.  It was DELICOUS, although not super attractive.  Remember in Ratatouille the movie, where the food critic, Anton Ego, is given the Ratatouille made by Remy the Rat?  He loved it because it was comfort food from his childhood, but Remy mixed it up a bit and made it attractive.  I've made both:

Ratatouille comfort food vs.

Remy style Ratatouille

Long story short - trying to be kind to the environment this year.  Let's all do it!

Happy COVID New Year!

We have done everything we could to remain safe during this pandemic:  JP isolated for 7 months in 2020, we all have been triple vaccinated, we never stopped masking in public - and in fact started double masking or wearing N95s about a week ago.  In spite of all of these precautions, JP brought COVID home for the New Year.  He was infected at work (of course) but began quarantining as soon as he got home.

I had to test in order to return to work, and have been negative.  J had to test to return to the dorms, and she was negative as well.

None of us have had any symptoms, except for JP, who had some sneezing prior to his test, and lost his sense of taste and smell for a couple of days.

He has tested negative again, and moved back with the family now.

Please stay safe out there everyone, COVID infections aren't always so mild for everyone!

Sweet Sixteen

 Guess who turned 16 right after Christmas (and who's birthday was overlooked by visitors and this year - a funeral)?  That's right - L turned sweet sixteen this year!

We finally had a chance to have a little family birthday party for her on New Year's Eve.  (Sheesh.)  We are hoping to have a bigger to-do for her friends sometime this month.

Happy Birthday, my dear, dear daughter!

Santa Claus and Ho Ho Ho and Mistletoe and Presents...

Oh my goodness has our Christmas break become busy! 

J came home the weekend before Christmas.  L had to continue school, and I had to work through Wednesday.  The following day, we began baking our Christmas cookies.  We also spent several hours hauling and stacking wood in the lean-to by the woodburner.

We finished our cookies and finished watching our annual Christmas movies on Christmas eve.  J decided to bake Christmas feet and fish, while L made some Amish conjoined twins.

Christmas morning brought fresh cinnamon rolls baked by JP.  We all enjoyed opening our presents.  J was especially happy with the cape that I made her.  We had a delicious Christmas dinner with my parents.

L's 16th birthday was on the Monday after Christmas.  We will try to celebrate tomorrow, since JP is working again today.  I made her crepes for breakfast for her birthday.  A few of them actually turned out ok!

Monday evening, both of my brothers, and 2 of my nephews arrived from out of town.  They stayed overnight, and then we all left bright and early Tuesday morning in a caravan for OH and the funeral for my grandma.  My youngest brother and his boys stayed for the next day, but my brother from TX had to return home immediately after the funeral.

We watched some movies, and put together a puzzle.  It was a nice visit.

Today L is working on homework.  J is cleaning out her fishbowl, and I am washing and putting away bedding from our many visitors. 

Tomorrow is New Year's eve, and then we start a brand new year!

Tiny Grandmom

My last living grandparent passed away this morning.  My grandma was 106 years old. She lived through 21 presidents and 2 pandemics.  She outlived 2 husbands and beat COVID last year.

When J was just a little tyke, she was trying to figure out how her great grandmother fit into the scheme of things.  She decided that her grandmother was "Grandmom," and her great grandmother was "Tiny Grandmom."  We have called her that for the past 16 years or more.

This is J with me, grandma and great grandma - a 
year or two before she dubbed her "Tiny
Grandmom."

In 2008 L and her cousin joined Grandmom and
Tiny Grandmom for photos.

The girls invited Grandmom and Tiny Grandmom
to a tea party in 2011

Grandma was the first person that I ever saw putting on make up.  I remember watching her when she and grandpa came to visit us in Idaho, when I was about 6 or 7 years old.  During the same visit, I was also pretty impressed that her teeth could come out!

Back in the 80's, after my grandpa passed away, grandma decided to go into Mennonite VS (Voluntary Service), teaching arts and crafts in a Nursing Home.  During that time, she learned how to do ceramics.  For many years, she made ceramic dolls, complete with beautiful outfits.  Most of her granddaughters were gifted one of her "babies."

JP was my "plus one" to my grandma's 2nd wedding.  It was one of our early dates, and we spent the car ride from Virginia to Ohio and back talking for hours and learning to know each other better.

She has been such an institution in my life, it's hard to believe that Tiny Grandmom is gone.  She lived an amazing life, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it!

Embrace

Once again, time got away from me!  We have all been going at 90 MPH for a few weeks.  We are just days away from Thanksgiving Break, so I'm hoping we'll have some down time for a change!

JP and I have been working hard to winterize the garden.  I dug all the carrots a couple of weeks ago, which was the last harvest to do.

Two of the carrots were locked in an embrace.

We have put many, MANY loads of leaves and grass clippings in there, hoping for better yields and easier soil to work next year.  We keep hoping...

L's theater production, "The Elves and the Shoemaker" went well, with 3 shows. 

The following weekend was the Cinderella Ball (CB.)  L went with a group of friends, and even got to ride in a limo!

Last weekend was the annual Turkey Trot fundraiser for the Library.  J came home for the weekend specifically for her birthday (can I possibly have a 19 year old daughter?)...

...and to volunteer at the fundraiser.  She sang the National Anthem before the race, and helped out in general where needed.

She is working from home today and tomorrow until her Thanksgiving Break officially begins on Wednesday.  L has a half day of school on Wednesday, and then she is off for several days as well.

My Grandma, affectionately known as "Tiny Grandmom" by my kids, turned 106 yesterday.  Hospice called all her children 2 weeks ago to say that they didn't think that she had long.  She rallied (again) and is still hanging in there!

Yesterday we all managed to get away to the city to our South to watch "Dune."  It's the first time we've been to a theater in 2 years!  It was a nice get away!

In between all of these beautiful things, have been some really hard and scary things happening too.  I'm not ready to share those on this platform, but let me just say this - hug your kids.  Let them know that you love them without bounds.  Be thankful that your family can gather together this Thanksgiving!