December 2020!  What a year it has been.

But Christmas is here and we are almost into the new year.  We are hoping for an end to the pandemic so we can meet with friends and family and give hugs all around.

I'm baking cookies today and I'll share with my adult children.  We'll do a cookie swap with our chosen Christmas cookies.  One of my favorites I found on another blog and have been making them ever since.  Give them a try, I think you'll agree they are delicious!

Here's a copy of my original posting so you don't have to search for it in archives.

"Well the countdown is here. My shopping is almost completed so now I'm focusing on the cookies.  I read a friend's blog yesterday and she posted a recipe for Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies.  So I gave them a try.  My dough was not holding together well so I added about 1 TB of cold water.  My first batch I took out of the oven at 10 min. to check them and the centers weren't cooked.  They just needed a bit more time. 17 minutes seemed to work with my oven.  I'm a chocolate lover so I drizzled melted cho. chips over the cookies when they had cooled.  Thanks Rayna for the Recipe!
Give 'em a try, they are delicious and easy!"

1 Cup soft butter
1/2 Cup brown sugar (I used light, she uses dark.  Either will work)
2 1/2 Cups sifted flour
1 TB cold water-I added this as my dough was not holding together well.


Beat butter and sugar till fluffy, stir in flour till smooth.  Divide dough in half and refrigerate till ready to roll out.  Roll out first half of dough on floured surface, quite thin, cut w/ cookie cutter of your choice.   
Bake 15-20 min at 300 (or 325) or until lightly golden brown.

Merry Christmas to All and Wishing for a Happy New Year!

Remember to Play a Little Every Day!

Diane

April 2020

So here we are at home and losing track of what day it is.  I'm thankful I have a warm home, a loved one with me, groceries and a car (if needed.)

I go outside each day.  Sunny days I work in my yard, raking and cleaning up my gardens, pruning flowering bushes.  

Night times include watching tv, Netflix and the like.  Face time with my family and eating a snack or two.  Chocolate is a favorite!

No one knows right now when this will all end and it will be okay to get back to our old routines.  For now, I'm going to take heed in what Lesley Riley recently posted.

"I am also aware that for many, this is a time of bewilderment, distraction and even inertia. If I were there with you now (oh, how I wish!), I would take you by the (washed) hand and say, "Let's go play with your fabric, your paints, pencils, camera, recipes, or yarn." Because there is one thing I know to be 100% true - and I'll borrow a phrase from Mark Nepo here, "an irrepressible cinder of life-force waits in the ruin of every catastrophe." Putting your hands on your creative materials is the spark that will ignite it. Give it 5-minutes today and if nothing happens, come back tomorrow. But do return, because what you're doing is coming home to yourself. Remember, YOU are the art. We do it to become whole. To experience and flourish in the abundance your creativity creates."
Lesley Riley

Stay Safe and Remember to Play a Little Each Day!
Diane

Winter 2020!

The weather has been pretty mild so far and not much snow.  They are expecting temperatures in the 50's tomorrow, January 11, 2020.  Strange.  

I am in the process of starting up the planning committee for my 55th high school reunion. Boy, that was a LONG TIME ago!  I still have many friends from those days and we meet for lunch at least twice a year.  Good group of people!

Ronnie and I did well this year with the Wilmot Farmer's Market and Craft Fairs.  I'm still busy dyeing and printing scarves.  We have some of our items on sale at a little shop in Andover, NH for the winter months.  We are also selling one Saturday a month at a Winter Farmer's Market in Danbury at the Grange Hall. Last week I had request for scarves but I didn't have any to sell.  I sold out over Christmas holiday.  Been busy this week catching up.

Remember to Play a Little Every Day!!

Peace,
Diane