January in Review

We've had a very long and cold January but there have been some highlights.

 

We ended 2013 and started off 2014 with a delicious New Year's Eve dinner at home.  Several years ago we started the tradition of eating out for lunch on New Year's Eve then shopping for our holiday dinner.  It's so nice to spend the evening cooking and eating together in our own home.  This year, we enjoyed grilled rib eyes, roasted shrimp, asparagus...

 

and salad with parmesan crisps. 

 

I shared the easy recipe for the crisps here.

 

 

 

 

We had blackberry cream tarts for dessert!

 

 

 

January has been REALLY cold here and since we heat our home with a Hardy woodstove, we've spent several weekends cutting wood.

 

 

Wonderful Hubby thought the wood you see would heat our home for about

two weeks of really cold weather. 

 

 

 

We had some help from Precious Daughter and Favorite Son ...

 

 

 

Is that someone checking their messages instead of working????

 

 

 

 

One of the dead trees we cut up was a thorny locust.  I noticed some thorns in a log I picked up and mentioned it.  No one believed me until Favorite Son spied this one.  YIKES!! 

We were all quite surprised to see the size of these 'internal' thorns!!

 

 

We were glad to have the extra wood because we've had

several snow storms ...

 

 

 

 

(Don't know how this snow appeared on the photo but it's pretty cool!)

 

... and some very frigid temperatures!

 

 

 

We've had to keep the dogs in the basement several nights. 

 

 

 

Jewel hates getting her picture taken!  She has Mr. Whale and is pouting.  Champy has Mr. Pillow and Sallie, well, Sallie is just her usual smiling self!

(Please excuse my craft area.)   :)

 

 

 

With all the time spent inside, I was able to complete a couple of projects.  I'd been working on an afghan for Favorite Son for about a year and finally finished it up.

 

 

 

After visiting the Missouri Star Quilting Co. in Hamilton, MO, I was inspired to try my hand at quilting again.  I hadn't done that in probably about 20 years! 

(WOW, that makes me sound old!!   Well, I guess I am!)

 

I made this red Disappearing Nine Patch for one of the spare bedrooms.

 

 

I still need to quilt it, so I guess it's not exactly finished.

 

 

There was also a little time for tablescaping,

a new hobby that gives me the excuse to play with dishes again!! 

 

 

My mother-in-law and I found these pretty blue bowls and the delicate wine/cordial glasses at a local auction.  You can see the whole post here.

 

 

I also set a green table for Precious Daughter's birthday party.

 

 

 

 

 

You can read about that event here.

 

 

 

It also included directions to make the cupcakes she requested.

 

 

 

I also shared my recipe for Eggplant Caponata and how

Wonderful Hubby and I started our "Friday Night Specials."

 

 

We've also enjoyed some other cozy meals this blustery month.

 

 

 

Sautéed pepper bruschettas, chocolate and wine!

 

 

 

 

Roasted Potato and Leek Soup

 

 

We ended the year by attending our local University Extension Banquet where seven local farms, including Wonderful Hubby's, were recognized as Century Farms. 

(Each had been in the same family for at least 100 years.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even with the chilly temperatures, we've been able to have a lot of fun being together. Wind chills of -15 F seem to make Nature appear cruel but if you take time to look around and enjoy what you have, you can always find something beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(These last two photos were not retouched. 

God needs no help with his artwork!)

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

Linking to:

 

Seasonal Sunday