happy new year ~

Happy New Year to All My Cyberspace Friends & Family!!!

There may have been many times in 2012 

that I troubled you

irritated you

bugged you

...

Just want to let you know

nothings changed

2013 ~ expect the same!

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel

happy holidays ~

I'm taking off from the blog-o-sphere for a few days ~ going to curl up on the couch with my honey and watch old movies :) Actually, he's on his couch and I'm on mine ... but we are in the same room.  His couch is big enough for two ... so maybe I'll cuddle over there for a bit; but for comfort reasons I'll be back over on mine when the commercials are over.

We delivered cookies today and now are taking a break.  I have one more batch of them to make ... but they can wait, as we aren't having our family gathering until next Saturday, the 29th.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season ~ and always remember the REASON!
~~~

Here's the bear that I've been  doodling on:

Also, a caribou doodle I did the last two days ~ next year ... I might even get around to turning it into an actual card.  

Aren't caribou and reindeer the same thing?  I'm thinking of drawing the rest of his herd ( there's eight of them, right?)  and maybe a sleigh and ol' St. Nick.

Oh well ... time will tell.

Holly Jolly and all that stuff.  Stay on the good side of the law ~ and Santa Claus!!!

Until next time ...
So it goes in my my neck of the woods.
~mel

cooling rack and doodle ~

~ Pecan Caramel Kisses ~

 

I'm still at it!  My kitchen has turned into a diabetic's nightmare!!  There's so much flour and sugar being tossed around and turning into sweet concoctions it'll make you dizzy.  Praise the Lord and the discovery of Insulin!!

~ Joe Frogger Molasses  ~

I'm bagging them up in Ziploc bags ... temporarily ... they'll all go onto pretty trays for gifting :)

~ Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars ~

~ Classic Spritz ~

These little buggers were fun to make ...

~ Cinnamon Polar Bears ~

Use your imagination ... they look like polar bears ?? don't they ??

 

 

~ Midnight Mint Bars ~

waiting to be cut ...

~ Egg Nog Cut Outs ~

... my fav ...

~ Raspberry Swedish Tea Cakes ~

So far I've made 16 different kinds of cookies ... and I STILL have a few more to go.  

Call me crazy ... but I love to bake!

I'm still doodling too between batches ...

Here's what's on the clipboard ~ I'm not too happy with it ... it's turning into a muddled mess and most likely will become paper fuel.

Today ... I'm taking a mini break from the kitchen and getting my butt in gear.  I have some MAJOR updating to do on the JPDWarrior.com website.  Our annual ice fishing jamboree is coming up the last weekend in January.  It's a lot of work; but for such a worthy cause. 

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

cookies and doodles ~

It's Tuesday already! Where did the weekend go?  My Yooper Sister, Cheryl and her hubby Thom, spent a few days with us.  It sure was nice seeing them again ~ just so sad of the situation that bought them home.  They had another funeral to attend.

I drew this dragon fly doodle on Saturday afternoon while they were at the funeral.  I had bought a new gel pen with glitter in it.  The photo doesn't show it; but the dragon fly doodle is metallic and shiny :)

 
 I started baking Christmas goodies ~

 How do you like those funky stars! 

Ashley (Sam's BFF) even got her hands into the dough with me yesterday.  I had asked her what her favorite Christmas cookie was and she said Peanut Butter Blossoms.  I said, "well, have at her!"

This was her first time ever making them.  She did great ~ Sam was happy to hear that she now knows how to make them :)

So far I've made:

Chocolate Mint Cookies
Russian Tea Cakes
Apricot Coconut Balls
Classic Spritz
Almond Toffee
Sugar Cut Outs
Pistachio Cranberry Biscotti
White Rocky Road Fudge
Peanut Butter Blossoms






   The sweets are piling up ~ but I'm far from done!! 

~~~
Here's two more doodles since the weekend ~

I don't know what it is ~ but I sure do have drawing lines and shapes on the brain. 

I've never drawn this way before ...

I always tried to draw and paint more realistic pictures.  I know I was influenced by my Dad.  He was a stickler for detail.  I could just hear him, "now that's not what moose hair looks like ..."

Sorry Daddy - I just have to do it my way :)









Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

almond toffee ~

 

The tree is up ... 

the house adourned ... 

time for a little baking and candy making ... 

Do you like toffee but are intimidated to make it?  This is the easiest recipe - no candy thermometer needed!

SEVEN MINUTE ALMOND TOFFEE

Ingredients: 

1 Cup of Whole Salted Almonds

2 Sticks of Butter or 1 Cup

1 Cup of White Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of melted Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup chopped Slivered Almonds or chopped Walnuts (optional for garnish)

In a 9x13 pan or on a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet ... line with foil and lightly spray with vegetable oil.

Put in a single layer of the almonds.

In a large, heavy saucepan combine the butter, sugar and vanilla extract.  

On HIGH heat bring to a boil. 

 Stir constantly with a wooden spoon.  

When it begins to boil around the edges start timing.  

Boil for 7 minutes.  

It will begin to get a brownish almond color. 

If you insist on using  a candy thermometer it should read 300 degrees; but who has time for that.  It really turns out great timing it for the 7 minutes. 

After the 7 minute boil ~ POUR over the almonds.  

Quickly spread it out with the back of your spoon, as it will begin to harden immediately.  

Let cool.  

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a glass bowl on high in the microwave for 1 minute.  Spread over the cooled toffee mixture.  Top with chopped almonds or walnuts.

When cooled.  Lift the foil out of the pan and remove.  Place the toffee on a cutting board.  With a sharp, long bladed knife make random cuts.  It will break apart into pieces.  

Enjoy!

This recipe is very versatile ... 
You can interchange with whatever kind of nuts you like, peanuts, mixed nuts, chopped brazil nuts, etc...
Also, you can interchange whatever kind of chocolate chips you like, milk, semi-sweet, dark, etc...

The hardest part about this recipe ~ keeping it hidden until Christmas! 

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

owl doodle ~

Last night ... during the football game ~

I had pen and paper in hand and couldn't come up with an original idea to save my soul ... I wanted to draw something; but couldn't for the life of me think of what.   So ... off to cyberspace for inspiration.

I came across this site offering kids coloring pages and found this owl :

I thought to self , "Self, you can draw that ~ BUT ~ can you do it looking the other way?" 

Here's what I came up with :

Ever since I painted my Christmas ornaments I have drawing lines and shapes on the brain!  lol

I'm a thinking ...
I'm a looking at kids coloring pages more often for inspiration.

Do you draw?  Do you have to look at something else for inspiration or are you a doodler right off the top of your head?  I guess I'm both.

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

doodle ~

Are you a doodler?

I'm doodling all the time ... especially when I'm on the phone!

When I pick up the phone, it's like automatic, where's a pen and paper.

Even in church ... I would doodle up the bulletin before the service was over.  I remember as a child my Mom snagging the church bulletin out of my hand on more than one ocassion along with a stern look.  I was paying attention - apparently she thought my doodling was interferring with my hearing.

Here's my latest ... I'm calling it Phone Calls With My Sisters :)  The doodle started with the bird ... and grew from there.

I never keep my doodles ... and this piece of paper is far from being used up ... look at all the doodle room left on it!

Slim is always telling me to clean up the papers by my computer.  Is he crazy ... I have phone numbers, order numbers, scribbles, picture doodles, recipes, messages, web site addys, etc... all scribbled out on those ... and I know what each and every one of those scribbly doodles was for.   I, and only I sort out my mess of papers :)  An organized Diva ~ I am not.  A Doodler ~ yes.

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

michael michael ~

It is with a heavy heart that I make this post today.  This morning my brother in law left his temporary home here on Earth.  He was called up to his Eternal Home to be with Our Heavenly Father and to be reunited with those who have passed before him.  His suffering is over. 

The following are a few scrapbook pages that I had compiled of him (and a few others) over the years ~ now they are treasured memories of some fantastic times spent with him and my sister.

... he was quite the character ~

... what a fun day this was ~

 ... our big fishing trip ... no big trophies; but LOTS of laughter and treasured moments ~

 ... our Texas Snow Angel ~

... yep ... that's what I called him ~

You'll be missed Mike.  Rest in Peace.

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel 

another check off ~

My mom, who is 83 years young was able to get another check off her bucket list.  She wanted to harvest a deer with the muzzleloader.

This was her first time ever muzzleloader hunting.  She was quite pleased with her 7 point buck :) ... even though she said it was pretty small.  "ahhh.... Mom, they all look small after you lucked out and put a 16 pointer on the wall already."

Mom has had a few health issues this past year and thought for sure that her deer hunting days were over.    As far back as I can remember she has always hunted ... helping to put meat on the table for her big family.  There were nine of us kids growing up and venison was always a staple on the Obernberger table.

Since my Dad passed away, five years ago, Mom has been talking about giving up hunting; but whenever the gun/deer season rolls around ~ she changes her mind. She bought a license again this year.

She didn't harvest a deer this year during the regular deer/rifle season because she ended up in the hospital during that time ... but then she got the idea in her head to try muzzleloader season ... something she had never tried before. 

Muzzleloader season runs for another week after the rifle season.   You see, the difference with the regular rifle season and the muzzleloader season is the type of gun used.  The rifle offers you more than one shot ~ the muzzleloader is a "one shot" only.  So your aim better be good the first time ~ because you have to reload the gun between firings ... many times missing the opportunity at another shot.

Now ... Mom said she's done hunting ... I don't believe her.  That crazy woman will be out there until she's 102!!

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

busy ~

I think I got my Bavarian on ~ getting busy for the holidays.  My German heritage seems to surface through the holiday season.  We like our sweets; but also our meats.

As far back as I can remember there has always been the smoked and pickled fish and meats during the seasons.  Every year I make my share of it.

 ~ pickled northern pike ~

We had a sink full of salmon that was waiting to be brined yesterday with salt and brown sugar ...

... then this morning into the fish smoker ...

... and this afternoon ... smoked salmon ...

Also yesterday I canned up 12 pints of venison ... 













.... and ....
cooked and pickled some beef hearts:

 ... also ...

I flipped the apple/cinnamon ornaments and painted the back sides of them (Grandlove Amanda helped with a few) ~ since both sides are visible when they are hanging.  They are now sitting on a rack  ~ on a dresser in my office.  I want to make super sure they are good and dry.  They seemed to soften just a tad while painting... but my oh my they sure do smell good :)

Today I made up six loaves of gumdrop bread ... another family tradition on Dear Hubby's side ... they are wrapped and packed in the cooler until Christmas ~

~image from the internet~

~ and I have five loaves of homemade bread rising and waiting to go into the oven within the hour.

While I was knocking it out in the kitchen ... Dear Hubby and Sam have been in the work shop building a sled to pull behind the snowmobile.  They needed something large enough to carry their beaver trapping supplies and to carry out beavers from the ponds when they get them.

When I went out to give it my inspection my first question was, "will that thing fit through the door or are you going to have to take out the removeable wall to get it out of here?"  To me it seems a tad bit wide ... but then again ... they claim to have measured it.  I wanted in the worse way to grab a tape measure and double check their work ... but I'm holding off for a bit.  Seriously, I think it's too wide.  Of course, Slim will blame Sam and Sam will blame Slim and I will be laughing on the side lines.

...
I just checked again a few minutes ago before coming on here to post ... they are now making a metal stabalizer tow-bar that hooks on to the front ... truth be told ... I'm impressed.  Still don't know about the door measurement.

oh well

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel