It's Christmas Time

Today is baking gingerbread, a coconut cake, sugar cookies and a pecan pie for Christmas dinner. Need to finish knitting and add the final touches on one last Christmas present. Later this afternoon will make one final trip to town before the winter weather they are predicting sets in. Looks like it will be a white Christmas this year.

From All of Us at Southard Farm

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Deer Hunting, Pears and Back to Business

This past weekend was the opening of deer season. Around here it's a big deal. For the guys that is, not me. The better half, his brother, brother in law, nephews and this year his great nephews all gathered at their old homeplace for the guys hunting weekend they call Southard's Deer Camp. They bring campers, tents and trucks to sleep in, gather and visit around a campfire, cook in cast iron over a fire pit and hunt. This is a family tradition that began before my time in the family and hopefully will carry on for many more years.

My contribution to "Deer Camp" is normally making sure all of Jim's camo and hunting gear is packed and ready to go. I pack his cooler of food and cook a few things up to send out to round out their meals; cornbread for their pot of beans, cakes or cookies, etc.

The last couple of years Jim hasn't had much luck. I actually think he goes out to spend the weekend with the guys more so than hunt. Which is fine by me as long as he is safe and enjoys time spent with his family. I hate to say this out loud - I actually prefer Jim not take to aim at Bambi or her mother. I tell him always look for a nice big buck. As they tell it, those nice big bucks are few and far between.

Normally one of the guys from the city will have a bit of luck and they don't eat venison. So Jim will bring that home to process. We have venison for the freezer even if he doesn't take one himself. This year seems no one saw anything.

But he did bring home my winter pears.

At the old homeplace there is a huge old pear tree. Each year they collect the pears and bring them to me since I am the only one in the family who home cans. There was a bumper crop this year, roughly 50 lbs. of pears. I'll be busy this week putting up pear butter (like apple butter just with pears) and spiced pears. I have been looking through my grandmothers recipes and vintage cook books for other pear recipes to try.

Just 6 Mohair and 3 Shetland fleeces remaining to wash and card. Have finished carding all brown fleeces for the blanket panels. The felted blanket is on the top of my "To Do" list for this winter. Plus the remaining carding. I am hoping to have all fleeces carded and ready before spring shearing. Just in time to do it all again eh :-)

Finally have the natural colored warp for the rigid heddle loom. Hope to work that in while house bound this winter also.

Hope all is well on your end of things. Til next time... have a great rest of the day!