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