Primitive Heart and Home

This is my latest listing.....the largest stitchery I've ever done..at least a primitive one.......I did some beading for the flowers also......I always include beading in all my embroidery....this measures 10" by 13".......the pattern is from Primitive Stitches.

Tomorrow, I will use the random generator and pick out the winner of the January Giveaway! if  you haven't entered, there is still time...I will draw the name in the evening and announce the winner of Feb.1st. Just click on the January giveaway link at the left hand side of this blog.

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Our weather has been warm, in the 80s most of this last week....trees are blooming, pretty white and pink blossoms as they think its spring......and now the temperature is dropping, and the wind is blowing....looks like rain again.......hope we don't get a cold snap...will ruin our nectarine crop this year if that happens!

Wednesday News

While growing up..my dad would always rave about his mom's molasses cookies..finally, Mama got a little fed up and asked Grandma what recipe she used.......my grandmother wrinkled her brow thinking and then said.."Oh, you mean the ones we bought at the bakers?" He never again mentioned them..LOL but in honor of these remembered delights..today I made baked some....

Molasses Crinkles

Mix together throughly......

 3/4 c. soft shortening

1 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

Sift together and stir in....

2 1/4 c.  flour

2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. ground cloves

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of large walnuts. Dip tops in sugar. Place sugared side up, 3" apart on greased cooky sheet. Sprinkle each cooky with 2 or 3 drops of water to produce a crackled surface. Bake just until set but not hard. 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes..makes about 4 dozen, 2 1/2" cookies....

the recipe came from my old Betty Crocker 1950 cookbook so I think Mama, Grandma, and Dad would approve.

Our weather has been a little strange...it was cold and windy. all last week...and now its in the high 70s and 80s. Very windy again with Santa Anna winds......(I swept the patio but think it was a wasted effort).....our thoughts have been turning to the garden again....got our spring catalogs in the mail last week....aren't they fun to look through? everything looks so wonderful! Last year we planted alot of heirloom tomatoes but they didn't do well.....were small and not suitable for canning......this year, I hope it will be better....alot depends on the weather.......

as I am typing this, I can hear Jayden giggling in the other room. He is getting more and more cute if that is possible..at least this grandma thinks so.....

He fell asleep in my arms the other evening when we were babysitting....such a sweetheart!

A New Cookbook is coming out!

My dear friend, Nancy is putting together a celebrity cookbook....this  will be the second edition. She and her daughter published back in the 90s....a wonderful cookbook with many stars and celebrities contributing  favorite recipes...some of which were Bill Cosby, Dolly Parton, Paul Anka, Dave Thomas, and even Benny Hill....she is adding quite a few new recipes also from many contemporary stars......part of the proceeds will go to animal rescue and it will be professionally published........if  you would like to order a copy....its $24.99 and  you can contact her through her blog.....Inside Nana's Head... I've ordered my copy and hope you will do the same.....it will come out in March.

Our weather has been cold and rainy......wind too...nice day to stay inside...yesterday we had 3 jobs in San Diego county during the downpour.....rather miserable as the first job was doing a property with two  houses...with the wind blowing and rain pouring down..we both got a little chilled.......had to be careful also not getting any water or mud on the new carpeting....this was an escrow re key...the worst part was it was in a bad area of town ( Oceanside, Holly and Bush Sts. you readers who are familiar with the area know what I mean ) and the locks weren't very good.....hopefully the new owner will replace them. It took us close to two hours to finish and then we were off to the second job which wasn't near as bad...took us just 30 minutes to finish...what a difference good locks make!

The third job was a cash for keys...one of the most dirtiest houses I've ever been in....holes in walls, bad smells, stained carpeting, and the granite countertops were caked with dirt......a broken window also...and yet the old homeowner got cash. We had to replace several locks as the old ones were not working at all....the wind blowing through the house was so cold...
needless to say, we were glad to be finished and went inside Mickey D's for lunch and got warm. We enjoyed listening on the way back home to a reading of Robert Tanenbaum's" Escape" We've been listening to books on CDs for some time now and find it a great way to relax on long drives.....

Today the storm is clearing off and its supposed to get warmer......I decided to cook a chuck roast in the crock pot...one of Alan's favorites.....so better get to it instead of posting!

Friday

We got up this morning and left early for work.....the temp. was 26 degrees..had to scrape the frost off the windshield...but it warmed up to 70 so all was good.....thought you might like this mix of California Dreaming by the Mamas and the Papas.....ahh...nostalgia!

Thursday....

This has been a up and down week for us job wise.....but the good news is I think we will be busy very shortly.....we bid on 19 tract houses and from all indications, we won the bid.....it will be a big job re keying so many...and very profitable......these houses were all in a tract that went south about 2 years ago and have been sitting vacant since then...beautiful homes...the tract went to auction and a local real estate firm won....they've been selling them at below market prices with 100% financing...nice for lower income people to finally their own home.  Some of them have 6 bedrooms! We should be starting on them this next week or so..What I especially like is that the real estate firm is family owned and operated just as we are......everyone wins.......

Jayden was very sick this last week...it started out as a fever..so the kids took him to the doctor who thought it was a ear infection.....turned out he was wrong...after 3 days of fever, he broke out in a red rash....so it was back to the doctor who after tests, said it was Roseola...which I had never heard of...evidently its rather new....there is no cure or treatment other than keeping the fever down and letting the sickness run its course which is about 4 days or so.......it was a rough week for all of us with Jayden crying so much..he was very miserable.. He's fine now....and back to his sunny happy self.....

The kids decided to do something fun after such a grueling week....we have a small private pond here in the town with stocked fish....they decided to try their luck and did very well......Jayden had a good time too.
They caught about 5 nice sized trout...there are cat fish in there also....The pond is going to be closed soon as the lady who owns it is elderly and her husband passed away some time ago..she says its more than she wants to handle.

Thanks for everyone who has signed up for my giveaway......and if you haven't...please do!

January Giveaway!

If  you go over to my Sweet Home Stitchery blog...you can enter to win this little black work stitchery...the pattern is from Bird Brain Designs.......everyone liked it last year so thought I'd offer a second one to start out this year......just be a follower  and comment for one entry, mention it in a blog post or post on your side bar for a second entry, and for a third, mention this on Facebook or Twitter.....this giveaway will run until January 31st. I will announce the winner on Feb. 1st.

Agave Syrup...and some Fabulous Book Carving

I thought I'd say a little more about Agave syrup..we get ours at Costco...you get two large bottles and it lasts us for months...I like to use it to sweeten the granola I make, as well as other baking.....here is a website that gives  you lots of information about it....All About Agave...if you are a diabetic, please ok it with your doctor...and if course, as in everything, use it with moderation....it worked really well with the pecan pie..and was a good substitute for corn syrup.

I've noticed that C and H sugar is now making agave syrup also so you may find it in your grocery store....C and H also has recipes  which is always helpful.....you will find the flavor is close to honey in some ways...alot of people like it better than honey.....in fact, even if you don't have diabetic issues, its a good thing to use instead of light corn syrup as it has a low glycemic index and doesn't have the highs and crashes that sugar products can cause....and its completely organic and natural.

Our weather continues to be beautiful...in the 70s most days....we haven't been very busy so I've been doing alot of cleaning..with so many young people at the house and our grandson...there is always things to do....today I got the small shop vacuum  and went over our office, and hallway..cleaning the baseboards and wiping down woodwork. Yesterday, I scrubbed floors and washed the cabinets in the kitchen.  The house feels cleaner...

Before I go today, I wanted to share some wonderful book carving photos and the link where you can enjoy more...I had never heard of book carving until recently....I suppose this art has come about through book altered art...but what Guy Larrame does is incredible.
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You can find alot more of his creations here..

Pecan Pie...and Canyon Lake

I've been wanting to make a pecan pie for some time and was in a puzzlement how to make it sugarless....looking at agave syrup a light bulb went off! Of course, substitute agave for corn syrup..after all they are both natural..so here is the result and it is very good..excellent really....one of the best pecan pies I've ever made......says husband....if you haven't tried cooking with agave syrup, don't be afraid...its a wonderful natural sweetener and is low glycemic. The recipe is just standard from my old Betty Crocker 1950 cookbook...with a no sugar twist....that saying, its NOT low calorie but so yummy!

Southern Pecan Pie
Heat oven to 375.
Make pastry for a one crust pie..and line your pie pan...
 I used a 9" pie pan.
Beat together:
3 eggs
2/3 c. Splenda (or sugar)
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. butter (I used the real thing) melted and cooled
1 c. agave syrup (or dark corn syrup)
Mix in:
1 cup pecan halves
Pour mixture into your pastry-lined pan. Bake 40 to50 minutes or until set and crust is slightly brown. Cool. serve cold or slightly warm.


Today we had a re key job on a rental house in Canyon Lake....I'd been in the gated community before, but this house was right on the lake itself....opening the sliding glass doors of the house....the lake smell brought sharp memories of my grandparents cabin outside of Spokane, Wa at Deer Lake....we spent happy days there...
the house was an older one and needed some TLC...but the view out the back was wonderful....we walked down the steps to the dock and took this photo...

The lake is stocked and there is good fishing..mainly small mouth bass...I think it would be so fun to walk outside and go fishing from your own dock, or take your small boat like this family is doing....no swimming or skiing is allowed though...paddle boats are allowed.

Puzzles

Our weather has been perfectly wonderful since around Christmas....the mountains that are north of us have been covered with snow for the last week or so.....this is Mt. San Jacinto..behind it is Palm Springs....there is a tram on the other side which we'd love to go on one of these days....our weather is what many people come for every winter..we get alot of "snow birds"...and why not?
I took down the tree today and did some needed dusting..being right by the main road through town..we get alot of road dust..our window sills are always dusty...feels good in a way to put the Christmas things away...and get things cleaned up a bit..cleaning is always with us, isn't it?

We gave our DIL a giant 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle for Christmas and are helping her put it together on the dining room table...its huge and takes up much of it....Everyone who comes over has a hand in it and its a good family project....the puzzle is of the Las Vegas strip....Alan picked out the largest one he could find...

Yesterday and into last night, she and Alan worked and got most of the border done.......I used to absolutely loath jigsaw puzzles..just too tedious for me but since I've gotten older, I rather like them.......Alan likes to take local photographs and turn them into computer jig saw puzzles..he wondered if there would be a market for them?