Baking Time

After making enchiladas a couple of days ago, I decided to go ahead and make this spice cake for dessert. Not that we need anything else sweet around here to munch on, but I love how my round cakes look in my dish. It can sit on the countertop and just look pretty all by itself.
The enchiladas turned out a bit too hot for hubby's tastebuds. I'll have to use a mild sauce next time. With our weather still being cold, its nice to do some baking for a change. It also is far less of a mess in the kitchen with just the pan in the oven.
Tonight for the first time I made Mexican carnitas and they turned out delicious with my homemade salsa on top. I love to eat these when I go out to a Mexican restaurant so guess now that I found a good recipe, I'll just have to keep making my own.
It must be spanish food week for me. Time to pull out the sombreo and salsa music. Guess I really like Mexican food.

Passing the Time

We have had nothing but power outages the last few days, so to spend my time I have tried to crochet this really ugly bear. I have never made anything like this, so it was a fun challenge for me. Too bad the poor thing had to turn out so ugly. It even scares poor Onyx. Guess she could always put it with her other toys.

It was'nt so hard to do, although I must have missed some steps as the head is really big and so is one leg. I will keep trying to learn how to read crochet patterns. In the meantime, I guess what comes out of it is my guess as well as yours. That was two days ago. Since then, I've given up the crochet needles and picked up some of my books to read. I love my old western, romance novels. I feel I am with the characters living in the old west and having the time of my life. At least for a little while.

A Very Wintry Day

Now this is the kind of weather so many Oregoneans have been waiting for. It had started snowing early this morning and has'nt stopped since. This is what those of us who like to play out in the snow have been hoping we would get. I personally am glad it did'nt start like this in Octobor as usual, and hope it does'nt stay but a couple months at most.
Don't get me wrong, I think its beautiful and I sometimes like to go out snowmobiling, it's just that I don't like to shovel it all the time, haul wood to the house through it, or haul groceries down the hill when I can't drive down the driveway.
I do like when it covers all my plants so the deer won't eat them. I like to throw snowballs for the dogs and I like to walk with my snowshoes around the property. On top of all that, I enjoy taking snap shots of how the snow has fallen into the trees and the different designs it makes from being wind blown.

So through the likes and dislikes, today would be a great day to keep my sewing machine up, put on a pot of coffee and maybe even a pot of chili.

It's Play time

The sun come out for just a bit so Onyx and myself had to get out for some fun. Here she is showing off in her new coat. Isn't she adorable? She ran all over the place while I went around and fed the animals. So glad the snow stopped long enough for us to get out and enjoy some fresh air and check out our surroundings. We had a few doe in the yard which walked off when they seen me coming out. Just as well because Miss Onyx thinks she's queen around here, she is, and would probably want them to play, but they don't need to be her friends. She can keep talking to them from inside the house. But then again, inside the house she thinks she's part cat. (She thinks poor Taz is her mama) he isn't, just my first baby in the house who is not interested in little dogs a whole lot. But they have their moments.

Onyx At One Year

Yesterday was our puppy's birthday, one year old, so I fixed her a good dinner and  Papa brought home a carrot cake and presents for her. I really think she new she had a special day all day long as she was being so cuddly and loveable and playful, plus me singing happy birthday and cooing at her might have had something to do with it. Guess she kinda made my day all better too. Don't we just love our babies?
She enjoys all her new toys and knows how spoiled and special she is by leaving toys and chews all over the house. It kinda is like having a small child in the home again, even can talk back like one at times. lol
Well, she can certainly keep me busy even when I don't want to be and sometimes its a good thing, I just make sure she's all Papa's when he gets home from work. Hey, fair is fair, right?
After a full meal and lots of toy chasing she settled into a spot on my bed for some well earned sleep. I let her stay for awhile and then when it was time for me to turn in for the night, off she went to her cage where I did'nt hear another peep until this morning. She's such a good girl.

Antique Find

I spotted this old hutch in an antique store called At Home On Hope Street, and I had to have it. It has much more room than my old hutch did. My daughter helped put in bead board behind the shelves and I put up the copper backing and new knobs on the bottom. Then we painted the inside top cubboard. I liked it with just the one wiped on coat so left it like that. Just took out the tops on my canister that I picked up for $2 each, to redo from the worn wood and blue hearts.

The piece has real copper top for rolling out my dough. This project has taken me a week to complete as I really have'nt had a lot of energy lately. But none the less it turned out well.

New Beginnings

That's what we all hope for in the new year. We all seem to want to lose the weight we put on the last couple months and always plan to start eating right and exercising. Sometimes I wish it was something I did'nt have to worry about but unfortunately I need to firm the flab. I suppose if I would cut out eating every sweet thing I set my eyes on, it would be much easier, but then I've never done easy.
My family has gone home, all the decorations are down and I am beginning to start my lists of the things I would like to do or accomplish this year.
Nothing like thinking about all the things you would like to do in the summer while it is below freezing outside. I've had the fireplace going all day and the sun is still trying to come out. Have been busy crocheting anything my hands can put together and keep thinking about all the material I have to start making bags for the foster care kids. There are so many things I want to learn how to do and many places I would like to see.
Guess I better make that list with at least the ones that will be easier to accomplish and the others that I would hope to can go near the bottom of the list. I'm not gonna rule out being able to do it all, but one can only hope to do all we can while we are still able to do it.
Well, enough gabbing and back to making something worthy of my day. To new begginnings.