Dairy Daze...and Now Beyond

The weather has been winterish here this past week, Ellen has been home from school and there have been many, many things to do.  But without further excuses or ado: 949 puffed chickadee on the bird feeder 948 milk on my Honey Bunches of Oats 947 the perspicacity of a titmouse 946 the haunting cry of a gull 945 the swell and crash of ocean waves 944 daffodils in spring 943 the family I was blessed with, growing up 942 the clank and spin of the windmill 941 a printer with a scanner 940 the awkward grace of a giraffe 939 God's sense of humor when He created the giraffe

I was going to do this daily, make it more fun, post pics and tell stories and whatnot.  But it's proving more difficult than I'd thought.  I will try to do better, but I'd also like to get this done and not be listing these for the next year.  Ha!  Here's a few more.  There's a bit of food favs in this particular list.  It must be because I am trying to limit my calories and want some more! (Edited to add picture of Ellen reading...that's better!) 979 a nice, ripe Bosc pear 978 gnarled oak against a bright blue sky 977 the glow of a sycamore on a dim winter day 976 cat purring in my lap 975 dew on roses 974 popcorn with orange juice 973 fresh pineapple 972 sliced bread 971 my bread machine 970 homemade sour dough bread 969 butter melting on toast 968 the feel of rich black dirt 967 the homey clucking of contented chickens 966 chickens scratching 965 chickens fluffing in a dust bath 964 honey bees buzzing in a clover pat...

983 deer dancing in the field at dusk 982 the silhouette of a deer against a pink dawn 981 a double rainbow 980 the smell of the ocean This is slow going.  Not because I have trouble thinking up things that I am grateful for, but because I get caught up in trying to think of how to illustrate them.  Pictures are more fun than just plain words on the page. But quite a few of the greatest gifts from God are not those you can really capture on film.  I guess some of these you could.  But when magical moments happen and there is no camera to hand sometimes the picture on your heart is sweeter, however fragile it may be.  

Because it's good!  And because, really, I think in the past 8-9 years I've bought maybe 2 tubs of ready-made store frosting.  The stuff made from real ingredients is so much better.  Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (6 squares-chopped or 1 cup of choco-chips) 1/4 cup water 8 oz cream cheese softened 2 cups confectioner's sugar In a small pan over low heat, melt chocolate and water.  (Or use microwave if you prefer)  Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Cool to lukewarm.  In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese and chocolate mixture on low speed until blended.  Gradually add confectioner's sugar, beat until smooth. 

989. My pressure cooker. Hubby gave it to me for my birthday the first year we were married, I believe; though I can't quite recollect quite that far back in time. It may have been a rather unromantic gift (though neither of us can be accurately accused of being romantic in any sense of the word) but it sure has been an invaluable tool in the kitchen.  I use it at least once or twice per week; beans, pork steak w/ taters and carrots...etc.  It's great to put a meal in it...10 minutes later; DONE! 988. Homemade ice cream  It saves quite a bit of money.  Hubby likes ice cream most every day.  I used to buy it, but it has skyrocketed in price.  Silly me.  We live on a dairy forevermore...milk, cream, free eggs from mother-in-law.  I just make it in the freezer; that way, no wasting of salt, ice electricity or time.  Funnily enough, Ellen doesn't like it that way.  She'll eat store-bought "keem" as she used to call it when little, bu...

A couple of days ago I realized that the beauty of doing this One Thousand Gifts countdown on a blog is that you can just use pictures for your gifts.  How super easy is that!? 996. Surviving is a good thing.  January 15, 2015 was an eventful day, to say the least. 995. 50 degree temps in the dead of winter. 994. When we sing a popular song in church that everyone knows and EVERYONE actually sings out loud. 993. A slow cooker!  Dump stuff in, turn on and go live your life while dinner cooks!  How much easier can it get? 992. Getting letters in the mail.  I need to work on writing more snailmail letters to my pals.  I think most of them have given up on me anyway. 991. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Movies  -I know they didn't follow the books exactly and there are parts they added that I don't care for, but there are scenes I watch over and over. 990. Homemade hot chocolate; not those nasty packets from the store, but...

One Thousand Gifts Ann Voskamp Based on the book “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp I am going to make the focus of this dairy blog to be my very own list of 1,000 things to be grateful for, from January 2015 until finished. Some things I will just list, some things I will expound upon. Thus begins: A Thousand Dairy Thanks. Happy reading... November 2014 Gary and I celebrated our 10 th wedding anniversary. I am amazed at how quickly it has gone by. It seems as though I have always lived here, and yet again it seems as though I just arrived. Strange how that happens. In any case here I am. And it is in truth November 6, 2004 that is listed on our license. So it must really be 10 years. And the thought has just occurred to me; I shall start at 1,000 and count back to number ONE. Pray for me as I do this. HA! A Thousand Dairy Thanks 1,000. A husband who doesn't like sports. (Laugh if you must; but this was on my list of specifics I gave to God whe...