QotD: NYE 2008

Who is ringing in the New Year with you?  Who do you wish could be with you, but isn't there?

Just the immediate family is here and a friend of my husbands with his two kids. I'd love to have a big party some year.. but this isn't the year.

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Merry Christmas!!!

Santa has been here and soon we will be getting up to go to mass at dawn. Then off to spend the day with family!

Travel Safely and have a Blessed day!!

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QotD: Treats for Santa

What treats do the kids in your family leave out for Santa?  What treats did you leave for him as a child?

I don't think we left anything special, beyond cookies, and I think we let Santa get his own milk from the fridge.

  We have carrots on hand now a days for the horses, so besides leaving Santa a snack and some milk in a special mug, we will also leave some carrots for the reindeer and we will remember to sprinkle magic reindeer food (oatmeal and glitter) out this year.

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QotD: Education, Occupation

What was your major or field of study in college? Did you wind up working in that field or using that degree? If not, what field have you wound up in? 
Submitted by sneuf. 

I have two AS and a BS, all in horse/equestrian/equine science. I have my own horses (a mare and a pony gelding) and two boarders on property, I take care of all four. But really it isnt a job in my field. I am officially a SAHM and thats what I really want to be. the horsey stuff is extra.

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The home sweet home of food

We tend to make spaghetti with jarred sauce at our house. I like the chunky vegetable sauces. And I dont make those myself. Last night we didn't have any jar sauce, but I had all teh ingredients to make the sauce my Mom has always made growing up.  The simple sauce that she learned to make from Big Grandma, my dad's paternal grandmother, whose mother was Italian (her father was French, and she apparently had a temper to beat all)

It isn't hard to make, brown some butter toss in garlic and chopped onion to saute, smash the garlic once its soft [add cooked ground beef if you want, and diced tomato if you like, (or any other extras that sound good)] add  two cans of tomato paste and equal amounts of water, then toss in spices, rosemary, parsley, oregano and basil, (I grind them with the mortar and pestle) bring to a bubbling then turn down to simmer.

No big deal to make. I forgot how much I like it, it is the Home Sweet Home of food for me.  Every Italian dish ever made at our house from Big Grandma's recipes started the same way, brown butter and saute garlic. Ah yummy. I'm going to have the leftovers for brunch.

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QotD: My Holiday Wishlist

What's on your holiday wishlist?

*sigh* a working car, I wrecked mine on the slick unplowed county road we live on last friday. We just bought it used in September. And I was quite happy with it. It could be fixed if we had any money at all. :( I'm feeling a little sorry for myself right now. Thankfully only the car was hurt, and I know some great people who are willing to pitch in to get the kids to school.

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Autumn is really gone...

It all held on so long here this year.

We had that crazy heat wave, many trees did not turn in early October like usual. This year rather than a rush to be naked, the trees seemed to take time letting each leaf turn to full glory before finally letting it go,  they lingered languidly. There was no cold snap to push a hasty color change, and there was no crazy rain or wind storm to rip the leaves from their moorings prematurely.  The trees changed slowly, the color blending together, and the leaves clinging to the trees until the last possible moments. For weeks the clear yellows, bright scarlets, and rusty oranges mingled with the mauve burgundies  and   tawny caramels.  I think every autumn is spectacular, I love the crisp air, and the leaves turning into a riot of colors and falling into the windy dance of autumn. This year was extra special, the long drawn out color that held on until Thanksgiving. Even now there are a few bushes in town, that are clinging to a few scarce leaves.

Winter is here. The air is no longer crisp, it is biting cold, and more often than not the ground is frozen and so are the water troughs. We have already had a small snow,  it was wet cold and beautiful. And we have had an ice storm, it was cold windy and scary.  Plus we are expecting a little snow today, an inch or two. I feel it this year. The Christmas Spirit. I feel it in the air, it is almost tangible. I don't have any idea what presents I'm getting anyone, nor do I have the money to get them yet, but it doesn't matter. I feel the spirit in the air.

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