FROZEN

JANUARY 22. . .An eerie kind of BEAUTY. . .A WINTER WONDERLAND of ICE. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

SATURDAY JANUARY 23. . .WELCOMED SUNSHINE. . .What a difference a day makes. . .

 

 

 

 

While almost half of the country is experiencing ice, snow, and blizzard conditions. . .

Here's PROOF that you WILL see the SUN shine again. . .

Stay Safe. . .Stay Warm

 



. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

 

A Rag Rug Tutorial on Weaving Stripes

 

You simply HAVE TO see these fantastic RAG RUGS woven by Stephanie with John's RAG RUG LOOM!

 

CLICK HERE to view more of her Rag Rugs and for instructions for weaving your own. . .

at. . .

OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE

 

 

AN EARLY RUG, MADE WHILE PERFECTING THE TECHNIQUE

 

 



Remember Summer?

 

The WARM breezes. . .splashes of COLOR in the FLOWER beds and fields. . .

WEEDS. . .

Walking at dusk in FLIP-FLOPS. . .

Drinking ICE TEA IN A JAR to cool off during a hot and humid day. . .

Rocking on the FARMHOUSE PORCH.

 

Seems so long ago now that our COLD WEATHER has set in for the WINTER. . .

Wind chill: 9 degrees

And yet. . .I brought indoors today a reminder that SUMMER WILL  come again. . .

My treasured GERANIUMS always make me feel WARMER. . .HAPPIER. . .and change a dull Winter's day into something MAGICAL. . .They make me SMILE. . .and forget the cold dreary outdoors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about you?

Need a SMILE and a PROMISE OF SUMMER?

 

Thought I'd SHARE mine with you. . .maybe CHEER your day.

 

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

 

 

 



The Art of. . .

 

I've hung up the APRONS. . .everyday ragged ones and SUNDAY BEST. . .

There won't be much work going on around here. . .

at least not for today. . .

 

 

My INSPIRATION came from a moment of SUN. . .

shining through the window. . . highlighting the BEAUTY of those VINTAGE APRONS. . .

as if they were saying,  'We'll just hang around here for the day.'

 

 

I didn't argue. . .I've hardly had time to breathe during and after the holidays. . .

realizing I need a little 'ME' TIME. . .

and immediately thinking about a card I received yesterday. . .

 sent by a DEAR FRIEND:

 

'You are the only one of YOU that you'll ever get.

Be GOOD to you. . .Be MERCIFUL. . .

Be KIND. . .and Be GRATEFUL'

 

Thus resolving my dilemma of what to do.

 

 

 

TODAY I WILL PERFECT THE ART OF DOING NOTHING. . .

 

 

IT TAKES PRACTICE. . .

and practice I will. . .(smile)

 

 

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

 

 



It's Almost Time. . .

 

 The PACKAGES are wrapped. . .and under the tree. . .The BAKING is done. . .and tempting my SWEET TOOTH daily. . .The TURKEY is smoked and ready to be sliced. . .CHRISTMAS CARDS are in the mail. . .OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE shipped it's last loom for Christmas Monday. . .it's 'doors' closed until December 28th. . .and the HOUSE. . .well. . .it's fairly clean. . .(grin). . .Only a few items to pick up at the market. . .John and I will do the last minute prep on Christmas Eve. . .and watch WHITE CHRISTMAS while sipping sparkling cider and munching on goodies later that night. . .CHRISTMAS DAY will bring our guests. . .It will be a day to relax and to enjoy each other. . .I've come to TREASURE our PLAIN AND SIMPLE CHRISTMASES. . .

That's CHRISTMAS PRESENT. . .

 

 

Yet. . .I can't have CHRISTMAS PRESENT without remembering CHRISTMAS PAST. . .after all. . .we do live in an HISTORIC DISTRICT. . .

"Dear Mother. . .I am writing to you this CHRISTMAS EVE with a HAPPY HEART. . .I don't know what comes over me each year at HOLIDAY time. . .There is something MAGICAL that settles over our farms. . .Even the animals seem to sense it. . .You know how much I LOVE Christmas. . .CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

 

 

 Whether it's CHRISTMAS PRESENT, CHRISTMAS PAST,

or anticipating CHRISTMAS FUTURE. . .I suppose I'm ready. . .How about you?

 

To coin a phrase from John. . .

HAVE A GOOD ONE !!!!

 

 

 

My Secret Recipe for Quick and Easy Choco-P'Nut Butter Fudge

CHRISTMAS was never Christmas without Mom's HOMEMADE FUDGE. . .She made it the old way. . .on top of the stove. . .boiling SUGAR and CHOCOLATE and BUTTER until it formed a soft ball (never could get that technique down). . .Then taking it off the heat and 'beating' the fudge by hand until it began to harden. . .Next. . .the PECANS went in. . .and all was turned out into a greased pan to cool. . .It WAS delicious. . .I'm sorry to say, I never learned the technique. . .It was one of those things where Mom always did it and I felt no need to try it for myself. . .I'm sure there are plenty of RECIPES in the older COOKBOOKS but honestly I'm not tempted to try. . .not since I perfected a recipe that pleases myself and John and is always a hit at the church BAKE SALE. . .I've never divulged my SECRET. . .until now. . .

IT'S MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO YOU!

 

Takes 5-10 minutes of your time. . .and it literally melts in your mouth! DELICIOUS & EASY. . .

There are so many variations and possibilities using this basic recipe. . .For example, add miniature MARSHMALLOWS and drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper for a fudge-y candy.

I've also added COCONUT. . . M & M's. . .CHOCOLATE or VANILLA CHIPS. . .OATS (makes it healthier. . .GRIN). . .Let your imagination be your guide.

One more tip. . .If you like the BLONDE P'NUT BUTTER FUDGE, replace the chocolate icing with Vanilla. . .so RICH AND CREAMY. . .

Is your mouth watering? . .It only takes a few minutes to make this QUICK AND EASY FUDGE. . .So go on. . .TREAT yourself. . .It's CHRISTMAS. . .forget the diet. . . (wink)

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year



 



I have 'TONS'  of family CHRISTMAS MEMORIES. . .in the form of decorations. . .Christmas décor was the one and only thing that my MOTHER did not throw out. . .She was never a collector 'pack rat'  like my DAD and I were. . .She had TREE ORNAMENTS that dated back to my childhood. . .each year adding to them. . .I was always the crafty one who made ornaments every year. . .decorated packages to the point that the outside was as much a GIFT as the inside. . .Mom saved as many as possible. . .along with everything else 'CHRISTMAS'. . .

 

That time of the year at the Duncan home was so FESTIVE. . .A CHRISTMAS TREE in almost every room. . .PARTIES. . .BAKING. . .HOMEMADE GIFTS. . .Lots of WHISPERING going on. . .CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS at the church and school. . .ANTICIPATION for the BIG DAY. . .

 

The PRE-CHRISTMAS time was as FESTIVE as the actual day. . .

 

When CHRISTMAS DAY did arrive, our entire FAMILY--and extended family--came together. . .always at 'GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE'. . .which later became our home, too. . .and where the gathering continued for years so come. . .

 

I remember the WOMEN in the kitchen. . .putting the last touches on the Christmas feast. . .the COUSINS (all boys) sneaking off and getting into mischief. . .the MEN getting caught up on the recent harvest and politics. . .DADDY moving from room to room with his camera. . .taking photos and documenting the day. . .photos that would mean so much to all of us years later. . .

 

The house was ablaze with LIGHTS and CANDLES and JOY and CHEER and all those things we sing about every Christmas even now. . .

 

 

 

 

THIS CHRISTMAS 2015, I began pulling out all the boxes of MEMORIES. . .not only collected by MOM. . .but also the ones I inherited from my AUNTS. . .and my GRANDMOTHERS. . .Boxes and boxes of them. . .many of which will end up being donated to the museum. . .a Christmas past LEGACY for future generations. . .But there are a few outdoor ones I selected to display one more time. . .in CELEBRATION of my Mother's life.

You see. . .We lost MOM this day. . .eleven years ago. . .and DADDY the next year. . .No Christmas has ever been the same. . .Not the same. . .very different. . .and then--finally--it became a celebration once again. . .a CELEBRATION that cannot be enjoyed without Wonderful Memories of Christmas Past. . .but also in APPRECIATION and joy for Christmas Present

Although MEMORIES flood my mind. . .I am once again full of HOPE and JOY and CELEBRATION of the season. . .of family and present friends. . .Of continuing to make Christmas memories. . .And in it all,  recognizing this really is. . .

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

DECEMBER SPECIAL: More Mini Loom Gift Sets Available



 

Thought I'd drop in and quickly give a HEAD'S UP. . .I just posted six more MINI RAG RUG LOOM GIFT SETS. . .Hope to have a few 2N1 LOOM GIFT SETS later this week, too. . .Last week all were gone in 30 minutes!

 

 

The ELVES (me and Boo) were busy over the cold and rainy weekend. . .making more MINI LOOM GIFT SETS. . .and a few 2N1 GIFT SETS, too. . .The larger sets are not quite finished. . .and not all of the minis either. . .but I couldn't wait to put A FEW online for you. . .They are so much fun to make. . .but can be time-consuming. . .getting each little detail right. . .

CLICK HERE TO 

READ MORE AND PURCHASE AT OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE