Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So....I have been absent because we have been moving. It just worked out that we had to move then right between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would never advise anyone to do that. We did still manage to get a simple tree up and a couple of decorations. I have actually already unpacked everything I brought here so far, but still have some things to organize and other things to bring over from the storage locker. We did not officially even get the keys to the new place till Dec 17....and we took small loads over till the 20th when all the large stuff went. Little by little we got moved  but wow.....talk about stressful and it did not seem like Christmas because we had no downtime to even think about it much. I did try regardless, because I love Christmas.....it just seemed so odd this year....and no snow but TONS of rain and high winds!



Anyway, making time to just wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and hope you have a blessed and Happy New Year!

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving!

Peace for Paris

sunset near Arcanum, Ohio (notice the old water tower - which is my favorite water tower around lol)

 

Noah took this photo on the way home one night as the sun was setting. I think it is a pretty good shot, especially since we did not realize the water tower was in the photo until we enlarged it!

gorgeous umbrellas

fresh baked pound cakes.........with chocolate glaze

Pizza Bread

Lincoln Funeral Train exhibit in Troy, Ohio - September 2015

 

Today we took our first official field trip for the school year to see the Lincoln Funeral Train exhibit in Troy, Ohio. It was pretty awesome and we got to go inside as well and check things out. They have re-created everything (they said) as it would have been on the real train. The Presidential bedroom suite Lincoln never got to sleep in the bed. He was killed before that ever happened so his ride was in the casket.

turkey legs from the county fair

well...thumbs down for this Pizza Hut pizza

Driving home.........the clouds sure were beautiful

new water features at all the ponds in our local park

THOUSANDS of maple seedlings

They are verywhere right now.......the neighbors have them......I have them......they are in the street..stuck in our bushes..all over the driveway and grass......everywhere. BUT out of the thousands that have fallen.....only a few will ever make it to become an actual tree. A bit sad actually.....Noah and I found one ...a few in fact.....popping up in our yard. While I like Maple trees......I really don't want to plant any in our yard and have to trim them all the time and have to deal with these seedlings that get stuck in eavespouts..etc. BUT ....we did save one........planted it in a pot for now....and it has lived for the past couple of years...I keep putting him in a larger pot. Once large enough I will plant maybe in the yard. I hesitate only now because our mowers tend to mow things like this over ...they just recently mowed over my 2-year old Korean lilac bush.....not sure how.....but they did.....and it was about the same size as our little Maple tree.  These can actually be eaten I guess.....or used in crafts as fairy wings......bug wings....as a kid we used to play with them like helicopters....because that is how they come falling to the ground......

fresh, hot yeast dinner rolls......oh my!

Rhubarb pie...

organic strawberries

Sunday quiche

Sunday quiche...I had already decided yesterday I would make a quiche today. I really like making them and am pretty good at it now...tossing anything I have into the mix. So I whipped one up today. Dill/Parmesan cheese crust....then whatever I had in the fridge, so I had some sweet peppers and onions and spinach and tomatoes from my garden last year, which I saved mostly for the top, and I even added some chopped pepperoni (though you don't ever have to add any meat)....I added some chives and garlic and onion powder....took 2 eggs and a can of evaporated milk along with some low-fat milk....and after putting the ingredients into my delicious crust....and after adding the cheese..I poured the egg/milk mixture on top...sliced some tomatoes and put them on top....then baked in a 375 degree oven until nice and golden brown and my knife came out clean after being stuck in the middle. I thought it looked pretty good but it tasted even better!

this will always be my favorite water tower

The water tower in the town of Arcanum....where my grandma and grandpa lived. There is something about it...I have always loved..maybe because it is in the town where I have a lot of happy memories.....it seems to have a personality all its own and I have many times thought about writing a children's book about this water tower. Hum........

When I was little it used to be silver, but it has been this color now for many years...so many in fact I have a difficult time remembering it ever being silver.

Happy First Day of Spring!

Antique Store finds - wringer washers and cake carriers...just like them lol

Snow..snow..and more snow........

homemade artisan bread......quiche and cookies

guess I was in the baking mood