Friday, November 21, 2014

A Home Day

The big plans to sew curtains and hang them on new rods in custom made bracket/shelves by Brad have been postponed.
  Since Amy and I started working on new jobs, our days at home have become even more valued and enjoyed. We both like our jobs, but home is best.  I have umpteen projects to work on at home.
  First of all Brad has been sighing for some fresh home baked cookies.

I am loving our new kitchen shelves. Every day they are beautiful and functional. Thanking my man for them and God for a good man and a lovely, old cottage to make home in. So, as you can see, we have music and coffee and cooking baking happening here.
   I have a candle lit, a sink of hot soapy water for washing up as I go, and a huge batch of cookie dough.

It was ten below zero this morning and we were having trouble getting warm. Which is why I decided to bake. It worked. The house warmed up nicely.
The cookies went into the freezer and the cookie jar. We have a large pickle jar that holds a couple dozen cookies and looks good on the shelf full to the brim.

Apples were 50 cents a pound this week. I used a clean dish towel and buffed them to a shine and filled a basket. At the same time I took windex and another part of my clean cotton dish towel and cleaned the lens on the camera. 

   My mom calls what I did all morning "puttering around".  Dish washing, baking, staging for project pictures, and just in general enjoying the sunshine and music and creating.

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 These three boards, and three ironwood sticks are destined to become curtain rods and brackets and shelving above the dining room windows.

 But we couldn't start today after all. Brad can't seem to find the nails we need. I know I bought a pack of nails when we did the porch trim this summer. Now they are nowhere to be found.
And as you can see, I ran out of thread. I managed to thread the serger myself, blindness and clumsy fingers notwithstanding! And promptly ran out of thread. Thus the curtain sewing project to go with the new rods also is now on hold.
Water based varnish/sealer on these boards and the freshly sanded ironwood sticks should look good if we ever can get our act together enough to get it done.

   
 Planter box turned coffee/tea box with chalkboard paint, some string and a liner.


 

             Cookies For Brad

~ 2 sticks of butter
~ 3/4 cup of peanut butter
~ 1 cup of nut butters sent home with Amy from work
~ 5 eggs
~ 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
~ 1 1/2 cups white sugar
~ 1 tsp salt
~  1 1/2 tsp soda
~ 1 tsp vanilla
~ blended oatmeal
~ 2 packs of milk chocolate chips

Mix first 9 ingredients only until barely mixed. (The key to perfect cookies is not mixing too much.)
Add in the oatmeal and the chips. Bake at 350* only until slightly browning. Let them pan bake for a few minutes before taking them off the pan.    Until next time, comment here please? I really need to know who cares about this blog. I know, that's lame, but it's honest, at any rate. One word either negative or positive would be great. 
           Happy Thanksgiving!                 



19 comments:

  1. It all looks so cozy in spite of your freezing temperatures. I would love to see you in your home again. I love that old stone house.

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  2. Arla, I always enjoy reading your posts. God has blessed you with a great gift of decorating.

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  3. Positive. (Is that what you had in mind?) :) I always enjoy your posts! -Janine

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  4. Well you don't know me and vice versa, and I'm not sure how I got here--could it have been from Dorcas Smucker's blog?--but I love reading your blog, and I've saved a bunch of your pictures and imitated the decorating, and copied out some of your ideas about life in general, and think you take the nicest nature pictures, and your blog is so peaceful and homey (impressive to get that feeling across on an online blog!) and and and... I guess that's enough for now :) Excuse me for embarrassing you if I did :0

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    1. Not embarrassed. Just wowed. And glad to know that part of what I intend is coming through to some folks. Thanks so much for commenting here. It is encouraging to say the least.

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  5. Thanks for taking the time to show us a peek into your home.
    I'd stop in for cookies and coffee if I could.

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    1. Please do, Dawn. That would be so very nice!

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  6. I don´t know if you remember me, Hanne, your relative from Norway. I still read your blog. Thank you for sharing your recipe for cookies. I will try the recipe for christmas this year, Arla´s Christmas Cookies. Happy Thanksgiving next week. Hanne :-)

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  7. It is very nice to hear from you, again. I'll be smiling knowing you are using our favorite recipe so far away in Norway. Have a Happy Christmas.

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  8. I love reading your blog. Keep it up!

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  9. The cookies look like they might be similar to Kay's monster cookies except you blend up the oatmeal. Her recipe (not just her recipe - when she makes them actually) is one of my top favorite foods. I've tasted so many cookies that are her recipe and there are some that are close to how hers get, but hers are still the best.
    -Liz
    Your blog has taken on a little more significance now that it seems like I know you a little better just because I actually see you more often. :) Glad you are helping us out.

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  10. Mom, I always read your blog. I check more often than is necessary just to see if I am reading all of them. They're a life line. They're where I can come home to when I'm homesick. I'm so proud to see all of the beautiful pictures and read what you write, then see other peoples positive comments on your blog. I want to say, "Hey, that's my mom!" I love you. Please keep blogging.

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  11. I care about your blog! When I go to my Reader and find updated blogs, I always save yours until last, because I like it best. Yes, really! :) I enjoy your blog because I know you personally, I like to hear about your life, your home and pictures are inspiring and cozy, and you write honestly and from the heart. Thank you for sharing that with all of us!

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  12. I always read and never comment, but I do enjoy reading your posts. Keep it up! Galyn

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  13. I like your blog. I read it too. Read Lisl's comment to see what I think too. :) Love Jenny

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  14. Arla, I love reading your blog...it's down to earth...normal simple life...

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  15. Somehow I missed this post until now. :-( But thanks to Lisl's link in her last blog post I have now read it. I love your blog. Your style of writing, and pictures. All combined it makes a nice, homey feeling. Someday when I grow up maybe I'll be able to do that too... Please keep blogging!!! Love you!

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