For the benefit...

Today there's a benefit-auction and supper planned for our postmistress who has been receiving cancer treatment this past month.  Our community is small, but it is broad, encompassing about a 50 mile radius, and the folks that live here have big hearts as wide-open as the prairie we live on.  The community of folks and the nearby small towns where we buy our feed and groceries, tires and boots  are all supporting the effort too.  It'll be a big gathering at our community hall with all the ladies bringing their best pot luck dishes and most will bring an item or two to donate to the silent auction and the live auction.  There will be handshakes and hugs, talk of making hay and grazing livestock, while we eat lots of good homemade food and spread lots of good will.  My little contribution will be a set of embroidered tea towels, just perfect for the cowgirl or ranchwife, or for anyone who has a little inner-cowgirl spirit. 

I found these vintage cowgirls on Pinterest and then traced them with my Sulky iron-on transfer pen.  Now I'm getting lots of ideas about embroidering pictures or photos in black and white, and I'm also thinking about tinting some.  For now, these black & white, retro ranch-hands are sporting red lipstick to give them a little spunk. 

Prayers and thoughts for Rita today and in the days to come.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." ~Psalm 46:1

Orange marmalade...

 

I had a few oranges that needed to be used up, so I thought of orange marmalade.  We haven't had that in a couple years so yesterday I began to boil the oranges and lemons and let them rest overnight in their juices  for 12-18 hours.   Then this afternoon I finished it off by adding sugar and boiling it until it jelled.  Do you like orange marmalade?  Either you like that bitter-sweet taste or you don't.

Orange Marmalade

~from The Joy of Cooking

2-3  large oranges

2-3 small lemons

Scrub well and cut into quarters and remove seeds.

Add and simmer for 5 minutes in...

3 c. water

Let stand and cover for 12-18 hrs in a cool place.  Remove fruit and cut into very small shreds.  (I removed the peel here and just added a little zest from the peel instead of leaving in all the peels)  Return to the water in which it was soaked.  Boil 1 hour.  Add for each cup of fruit mixture:

1 c. sugar

Boil the marmalade until the juice forms a jelly when tested (temp reaches about 222 or 224* F).

Pour into clean, hot jars and seal.

Makes about 3-4 half pint jars.

 

 A couple jars for us and a couple to give.

A few of my favorite things....

It's about time we get shopping for those thoughtful, delightful Christmas gifts and so I want to give you some ideas.  We ALL have our most favorite things, don't we?  If you could give everybody on your list your favorite things, wouldn't gift giving be easy?  Unless, of course, your favorite thing was your car or your 5 carat diamond ring!  Nester is having a Linky Party with Favorite Things under $30.  Let's see how many fun favorites we can come up with.  Wanna play?

One of my ultra-favorite things is my electric kettle.  I don't have this exact model, but I have recommended it to friends and family.  Nothing better than a fast-boiling kettle of hot water for tea, coffee, cocoa, for quick-boiling pasta water, and the list goes on.  It's pretty too!

Who doesn't need a good pen?  A pen that writes like a dream and doesn't smudge?  A pen that feels right in your hand?  You want this pen!  It's a delight to write!

We must keep our lips nice and soft and chap-free this winter so I'll share my favorite lip balm --  Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm in the tin.     (comes in a stick too) I love this stuff for my lips, but also for my oftentimes-chapped-nose and for cracked finger tips.  The light peppermint smell gives me a lift and a slight zing on the lips.

  If you like a little color and shine in your lip balm, grab Burts Bees Lip Shimmer, but don't go putting it on your nose unless you are starring as Rudolph in the School Christmas Play.  I like the raisin color.

 

Now for those of you who sew, quilt, embroider or clip threads of any kind, the EZ Snip from Famore is my favorite tool!  I don't stitch without it.  A sewist-friend of mine gave me my snipper for Christmas one year and I adore it.  

It comes with a nice little rubber cap with a heart charm hanging from it so you can keep your snipper from poking things when it's not in use.  (It's VERY sharp)  I'm supposing you can find these at fine fabric shops or quilt stores.

Everybody needs some jingle bells about now so getchya some!  Pier 1 is selling a Jingle Bell Wreath holder for the front door.  I love to hear that jingling when someone enters the front door this time of year. Or how about a jingle bell cuff for the wee Littles in your life?

I made this one last year with heavy wool felt, but you could make one with cotton fabrics or you could knit or crochet a jingle bracelet.  Pier 1 sells them too, but I like the homemade version better.  Or find a Red jingle bell stick from Pier 1.  I love this!

I wish you happy gift-giving!  It doesn't have to be expensive.  Let it be a favorite thing!

Spiced nuts....

I tried out a new-to-me recipe from the Susan Branch book, Autumn From the Heart of the Home; they are spiced pecans.  The nuts are easy to make and so delicious, you'll never stop eating them.  I haven't yet!

Spiced Pecans

pan spray
2 c. pecan halves (or other raw nut of choice)
1/4 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 c. melted butter
4 tsp. Mexican hot pepper sauce (Cholula)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350*.  Lightly spray the cookie sheet with pan spray.  Mix all other ingredients together and spread on pan in one layer.  Bake 10 minutes until lightly toasted, stirring once.  Cool completely.

I made the recipe with pecans AND almonds and I think I like the almonds best.  I like the pecans too, but especially the almonds.  Any nuts would probably be delicious in this recipe.  You get a sweet-spicy-salty crunch with every bite.  Makes 2 cups.

One note:  When I made these, I tried to cool the nuts fast and so I slipped them into the freezer.  Don't do it!  They got rather gooey.  Still good, but not what you want.  I saved them by putting them back into the oven for another 5 minutes or so and then let them cool down at room temperature in the pan. 

I think spiced nuts would make an excellent gift for a nut-lover. 

Jennifer Rizzo Give-away....

I've just found out about this wonderful designer and really wanted to share her beautiful things with you.

She's just opening a new Vintage Tea Collection on Etsy, and I hope you'll come window shopping and see what she has.

To enter this $500 give away, click the picture above and leave a comment.  There are lots of pretty things for holiday gift-giving.  Come see! 

Happy Shopping!

To remind them....

 

I've been scouting Etsy for just the right cross for my sons.

I want to give them a gift to remind them Who they belong to.

He is...

King of Kings & Lord of Lords

Son of God 

Son of Man

The Light

The Way, The Truth, The Life

My  Refuge & My Strength

My Shield & My Salvation

My Stronghold

My Rock & My Fortress 

My Helper & The Sustainer of My Soul

My Hope & Song

Comforter

The Great I Am

The Good Shepherd

Lamb of God

The Word

Savior

Servant

The Alpha & Omega

.............................

Is there a name that is especially meaningful to you?

The cross is handmade by Brad from Sol Creations.

Calling all Knitters & Crocheters!

Sweet, thoughtful, merciful Junie Moon is calling all knitters and crocheters to her Bandage Brigade. She is declaring the month of January 2008, a month to knit or crochet bandages for the lepers in hospitals in Vietnam and Africa. Missionaries and U.S. military veterans organizations hand-deliver these bandages to leprosy patients in the hospitals by carrying them in their luggage. June has agreed to collect any bandages you make and send them off to those who need them.

Would you like to join the Bandage Brigade? Even if you don't knit or crochet, you can help June by spreading the word. June will supply you with patterns and sizes for knitted and crocheted bandages. Please click here to find out more about how you can help.

Another helpful site: Leprosy Bandages where you will find patterns for the bandages and helpful tips and suggestions.

"Love one another, just as I have loved you."

~Jesus (John 15:12)