First Snow Day of the School Year

School was dismissed an hour early today as our first snow arrived.  When I was growing up in the Northeast, we rarely got out of school despite much bigger snowfalls than we receive now.  I remember our schoolbus traversing the snow-covered country roads with chains wrapped around the tires, and we waded through snow in our driveway that was up to our knees.  We typically only get about three inches of snow at a time these days, and schools are almost always canceled.  Even so, I am always relieved to have my children back home safe and sound while the snow falls and the wind blows on our mountain farmhouse.  We stopped on the way home today to take pictures as we headed up our lane.  Our teen daughter took photos on her phone from the one-lane bridge over the creek.

From the mailboxes at the bottom of our lane, the sun shone on the fluffy snowflakes as we tried to snap pictures.  We all get excited at the first snowfall of the season.  We felt as though we waited a long time for it to come this winter.  By March though, no one is excited anymore.

We had to stop and check out the frozen, snow-covered pond.  

But no one was allowed to officially play in the snow until we got home and they changed out of their school uniforms.

Our youngest wants to go ice skating, but it's been fairly warm here for January, and I'm concerned the ice isn't thick enough to hold us.

The lane looks beautiful in the snow, but it causes me a lot of stress as we go up the mountain since I have gotten us stuck way too many times.

We got so much rain over the weekend that the brook that is adjacent to our house hasn't been trickling or flowing or babbling; it has been roaring and rushing down the mountain.

This is the view from our front yard towards our Amish neighbor's farmstead and up the mountain.  We are so blessed.

Once we were safely home, the younger children put on all their snow gear and went back outside to brave the elements.  It stopped for a little bit until a severe snow squall came along that looked and felt like a blizzard.  We're all somewhat hoping that the forecast underestimated the amount of snow we are to receive tonight, and that we might get a full snow day tomorrow.  This is distracting me, however, from finally tackling all these Christmas decorations that are still up all over our house and cabin.  Like the children, I still feel there is something magical and exciting about the first snowfall of the winter.

Overripe Bananas?---Make Delicious Banana Bread

If your family is like mine, once the bananas on the dry sink have dark spots on the peels, no child wants to eat them.  I either peel and freeze them for later use as smoothies or for baking, or I make up a loaf of quick banana bread.  It smells so good as it's baking, and it's delicious while it's steaming hot or the next day when it's cool.  Terrific for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert.

Banana Bread

Beat 1/3 cup oil and 1/2 cup honey together.  Add 2 beaten eggs and mix well.  Stir in 1 cup (3 medium) mashed bananas.  These can be fresh or thawed from the freezer.  Sift together 2 cups white flour (or 1 3/4 cup whole wheat) with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.  Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with 1/4 cup hot water to the banana mixture.  Mix until smooth.

Bake in a greased loaf pan at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes.  Cool approximately 1/2 hour before slicing.  You can also add 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the dry flour mixture.  Half of my children don't like nuts, so I just omit them.  This bread also freezes well.

Winter Essentials for Preppy Mountain Living

Winter has finally hit in the northeastern Alleghenies.  When I awoke this morning, it was only 8 degrees, but we've still had no snow!  Last year at this time, the children had already been out of school for a number of snow days, but we've only seen flurries a couple of times this winter.  Perhaps this will be the first winter I won't have to worry about navigating an ice-covered mountain lane.  Even without snow and ice, though, winter in an old mountain farmhouse brings special requirements to make it through comfortably.  These are probably the items I use the most over the next few months, and without them, winter would be less bearable.

Beginning with the boots in the above photo and moving clockwise:

1. L.L. Bean Lambswool Boots.  These are the absolute warmest and most comfy boots I have ever worn!  While I don't wade through the snow in them (I have Muck boots for that), I do wear them when I am out and about, and even sometimes in the house on especially cold days.  I have dressier boots for wearing in the classroom, at church, and out to restaurants and stores.  Without a doubt, however, these L.L. Bean boots are the warmest.
2. Weis "Country Christmas" Coffee.  I'm still trying to drink the last of our holiday specialty coffees in the morning.  This has been one of my favorites.  The smell of the coffee from the kitchen (that my fantastic husband wakes up first to make) at 5:30 AM is what gets me out of our warm down comforter-covered bed and down those chilly farmhouse stairs when it's still dark outside.
3. Sullivan Glove Company Fleece-lined, Deerskin Gloves.  I have Reynaud's Syndrome, and if I don't want my fingertips to turn white and then sometimes black along with having numbness and pain, I must keep my hands covered when I am outside in the winter, including while driving.  My husband purchased these for me a couple of years ago from this Oregon-based company, and they have worked well.  Visit at www.sullivanglove.com.
4. Ruff Hewn Ice Traction Shoe Grippers/Cleats.  While we haven't had to worry about an ice-covered mountain this year, there have been years that in order to get to and from the barn without sliding and falling, we have needed these traction cleats.  Some winters our entire property remains covered in ice and snow until March or April.  My husband and 15 year-old son do most of the barn chores now, but every now and then I will use these too, and they are a life saver.
5. Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter.  I know, I know, I include some version of this stuff every season.  I can't help it; it is the richest, creamiest, best smelling cream I've found for dry skin.  I put it all over my arms and legs every night to prevent me from having dry, flaky, itchy skin during the winter months.
6. Lots of Wool Socks.  Our farmhouse was built in 1886, and it is drafty.  The entire house has wood floors with a cold, damp, stone-walled basement underneath.  If you go barefoot here in the wintertime, your toes feel like ice.  The gray "Smart Wool" socks have been with me for almost 17 years and are still going strong.  I can't live through January without these.
7. Land's End Silk Long Underwear.  I've had other brands, but so far Land's End is my favorite, and most definitely the silk.  If it's below 10 degrees, it's almost a given that I've got these on.
8. (on top of the silk underwear) Lip Balm.  I have lip balm stashed all over the place, and I am addicted to it year-round, but it is especially necessary up here during the winter.  Right now my two favorites are Penn Brewery Chapstick (a brewery that makes chapstick?), and Honey House Naturals Lip Butter.  The lip butter has this awesome honey/citrus fragrance and is wonderful.  You can find it at www.honeyhousenaturals.com.
9. Starbucks Decaf Caffe' Verona.  I actually picked this up by mistake because decaffeinated coffee doesn't cut it here for us in the morning.  It turns out I like it though, and it feels really good to drink a good strong cup of steaming hot coffee in the afternoon while helping the children with homework.  And it doesn't keep me up at night!
10. (in the center) Essie "Attitude" Nail Lacquer.  I usually shy away from bright, bold colors of nail polish, but I purchased it on impulse while in the checkout aisle at Kohl's last month and thought it would look great at Christmas.  I've decided it kind of perks me up during these long, cold, gray months of winter so I'll probably have red fingernails a lot for awhile.
11. (also in the center) Trader Joe's Nourish Oil-free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer.  My skin gets so dry in the winter that I need more than just my morning moisturizer/toner/sunscreen.  This moisturizes without feeling heavy or greasy and seems to suit my sensitive skin.

There are plenty of other things I love to have around to get me through my least favorite season, but these eleven are the ones I don't like to do without.  Some of them I would keep no matter where we lived, and others are unique for living on a small farm on the side of a mountain in the North.  Maybe a few preppy plaid products would be a nice addition and lift my spirits during these days when it's dark at 7 AM and dark again by 5 PM.  Any recommendations from you dear readers?

Beating the January Doldrums

Every year after Christmas has passed and we are all returning to our regular routines and the Christmas decorations are put back in the attic and our area of the country is brown and gray, I feel really down in the dumps.  I try to exercise and eat right and read some new books and maybe take the children to a museum or an event and pray every day.  But the lack of sunshine, the cold weather, and the cloudy gray days take their toll, and I just feel like curling up under a blanket with a good book, another cup of coffee, and sitting all day in my comfy chair.  And then I feel guilty for not accomplishing much of anything and for neglecting my New Year's resolutions and for going into hibernation.

This week, however, I think I have figured out how to beat the January blues.  While the children were still out of school on winter break, we got together with friends---something we've been meaning to do for months and months, but life always seems to get too busy that we never got around to it.  One day we had a family from our old school come to snack and play.  As ten children ran through our house laughing and having a wonderful time, my mom friend and I sat and talked over a cup of tea and leftover snacks from Christmas.  On New Year's Eve, another family from our homeschooling days rang in the New Year with us until well after midnight.  I can't tell you the last time my husband and I were able to stay awake long enough to welcome in a new year.  But this year, our house was full of life and wine and food, and it felt so good.  On New Year's Day, another family from our old parish invited us to have dinner with them at their house.  Once again, we so enjoyed time together catching up, sharing stories and laughter, great food, and wine.  And last night, my husband and I finally went to dinner with a couple from our old homeschool group.  It was the first time that I can remember going to a restaurant on a double date without children and it not being with extended family.  It felt like such a luxurious treat, and we will definitely have to do it again.  When we got home last night and walked to our front porch under a rare clear, starlit sky, I could feel that this January is off to a great start.

This past week has shown me that no matter how dismally gray and brown everything looks around me, and no matter how cold or wet or muddy it is outside, time with friends makes life so much brighter.  I spend a lot of time throughout the year thinking that I should call up friends and invite them over.  But it always feels like there are obstacles to overcome: children's activities, overflowing baskets of laundry, a kitchen floor that desperately needs refinished, a yard that needs raked, dust on the bookshelves, hallways that need repainted.  During this week, I pushed those thoughts aside and just enjoyed sharing time with people we love.  I'm sure that in the end, they aren't going to remember the unfinished projects or dust or clutter at my house or in my life more than the conversations, the laughter, and the connections that occurred when we all spent time together.  I must not let my perfectionist nature prohibit us from building and maintaining friendships that make life so much richer, especially at this dreary time of year.

So for all my dear friends that shared a few hours of their time with us recently, thank you for showing me a way out of the January doldrums.  For those of you I haven't yet seen, don't be surprised if you receive a phone call or email soon with an invitation to get together somewhere and do something this month.  I can't promise things will be Pinterest-perfect, but I am sure we'll brighten each others' days.

A Pertinent Read

It is rare for me to sit down and read a new novel.  Don't get me wrong; I love to read, but it's usually non-fiction or classic literature that fills my bookshelves and nightstand.  Every now and then, however, I discover something that catches my attention and draws me in, and I devour it within hours.  The Admissions was one of those books.

I found myself immediately connecting with the mother in this story.  She's a bit more type-A than I am, but I could definitely relate to her trying desperately to make everything in her life work successfully and ensure that all family members are happy and well-adjusted.  Like many modern mothers, she struggles with finding and maintaining a balance of ambition and relaxation.  She also sees the enormous pressures placed on adolescents competing for the top spots in academics, sports, and extra-curricular activities in order to get accepted at the "best" colleges in the nation.  She contrasts this with her own childhood that allowed for plenty of free time to explore, play, and create just for pleasure.  She hates to see her children stressed out, but she can't envision a way out of the typical upper-middle class suburban lifestyle of both parents working long hours away from the house while the children attend the best local public schools and many lessons, practices, and activities that occur all week long.  

Without giving away too much of the plot, I will say that there was something that I found reassuring near the end of this book.  A Harvard admissions officer states that it's not the 4.0 GPAs nor the near perfect SAT scores nor the gazillion activities on applicants' resumes that get them into the Ivy Leagues.  They want to see depth and passion for one or two areas of concentration instead.  That is what makes young people stand out. 

This is actually consistent with a lot of advice from admissions officers today; although, that's still no guarantee of acceptance of course.  When most of the Ivies have only a 6% acceptance rate, even a ton of passion and depth may not cut it.  Even so, this advice should bring some relief to parents and teens alike.  This novel quite accurately displays the utter exhaustion that so many families feel while attempting to keep up with the numerous sports and activities young people believe they must participate in for college admission.  To simply focus on just a couple interests sounds heavenly.  I think the difficult part for many is narrowing it down to just two, and which two might be the most impressive to an admissions board?  I have a son who would probably say gaming is what he's passionate about, but then again, he has no interest in higher education at all, so he probably won't be trying to impress any college officials any time soon.  I think this is another positive of homeschooling since the child can devote lots of time to a given talent or interest.

Reading The Admissions from cover to cover in half a day helped me redirect my focus on what I really want for my family.  Even though our competetive society pushes us to be busy and the best at everything, that's not ultimately what brings us peace or happiness.  While I don't want my children to waste their God-given talents and abilities, I also don't want them spending their childhoods feeling anxious, pressured, and incredibly stressed out all the time.  The world won't end if they don't graduate at the top of their class, if they don't get into a top college or even go to college at all (that one's a little harder to swallow,) or if they never play a varsity sport.  I am reminded that what I truly hope for my children is that they grow up feeling loved, accepted, nurtured, and guided enough that they exhibit those same traits themselves as adults.  I feel this novel emphasizes this as well.  If you're looking for a novel that's pertinent to modern day middle-class families that you won't want to stop reading at the end of the day, this is a must-read.

Make Your Own Sauerkraut Without a Crock

New Year's Day is less than a week away, and that means pork and sauerkraut at our house for dinner on January 1st.  Despite some protests from me, my husband began making our own sauerkraut back in October, assuring me there would be no odor as it fermented in our rustic basement.  He finally pulled it out for extended family to taste yesterday, and I must admit that it was a hit.  It certainly smells strong when he first opens the bags, but the rest of the time, it went unnoticed as it went from raw cabbage to this excellent, live, lacto-bacillus, probiotic food.  It's one of the best treats you can give your digestive tract.

My husband used this Wild Fermentation book by Sandor Ellix Katz for inspiration, but he modified the recipes based on our likes and what we had growing in our gardens.  This is a terrific source of information on the health benefits of live-culture foods and gives detailed explanations of the fermenting process.  It's full of recipes as well.

First, he began with two heads of green cabbage grown by a local Amish family.  After peeling off the outer layers, he removed the hearts (cores.)

He then sliced the cabbage into thin strips, but a large metal shredder would have worked just as well.  Next, he placed one of the shredded cabbages into a bowl and added 1 organic clove of fresh minced garlic, 6 finely sliced homegrown fatali peppers, and 2 Tablespoons of salt. He thoroughly mixed it all together in the bowl until some liquid formed.  Then he transferred the mixture to a clean gallon jar and packed it down with a long wooden spoon until no air bubbles appeared.  He then placed 1 Tablespoon of pickling salt and water in a gallon size ziplock bag.  This was then placed on top of the cabbage mixture in the jar.  There should be no air within the ziplock bag, and the bag of water must be heavy enough to force the liquid in the cabbage mixture to rise about an inch above the cabbage.  This ensures that anaerobic fermentation will occur. 

 

For the magenta colored sauerkraut, he added to the shredded cabbage 2 small organic diced onions, 4 large diced Japanese diakon radishes, 2 chopped cylindra red beets, and 2 Tablespoons of salt.  The rest of the process was the same; it was just done in another jar.

Both jars were placed in our dark, cool basement, but they can be stored anywhere out of the way.  My husband checked them every now and then to make sure there was no air trapped underneath the bags.  Our sauerkraut was left alone in the basement for approximately two months, but for a good, tangy flavor, it needs at least four weeks.  When it was ready, we just took out the bag and removed the amount of sauerkraut we wanted to eat.  Then we placed the bags back on top and returned the jars to the basement until we wanted more.  As long as water remains on top of the sauerkraut, it can be stored for many months without going bad.  Once it has been removed from the jar, it should be eaten within 24 hours or refrigerated.  

This was surprisingly rather simple and inexpensive to do, and it is so incredibly good for you.  A warning though: once you remove that ziplock bag from the top of the jar, that sauerkraut will emit a pungent odor throughout your kitchen.  There's just no way around that, I'm afraid.  The flavor and freshness will make the odor worth it because homemade sauerkraut just doesn't compare to the canned or refrigerated versions you find in your grocery store.

Sweets for Santa

We've been making all kinds of sweet treats this week to share with friends and family, to consume by us, and of course, to leave near the tree for Santa tomorrow night.  Our youngest also came home from school with a bag of reindeer food that she'll sprinkle on the ground in front of our house for Rudolph.  Below are the recipes for some of our favorite Christmas cookies and candies our family makes each year.  Some of these only take about 15 minutes to prepare.

Peanut Butter Bark

Pour 1 bag of white chocolate chips, 1 bag of peanut butter chips, and 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat.  Stir often to prevent sticking and scorching.  Once melted, add 1 cup broken pretzel pieces and 1 cup of peanuts.  Stir well and pour on a foiled cookie sheet.  Chill in refrigerator.  Once hardened, break into pieces.  I keep it stored in the fridge.

The most time-consuming treat we made were gingerbread men and women.  There was also a gingerbread reindeer and a few candy canes thrown in there too.  I usually just make sugar cookies, but our daughter begged me to make these this year.  It turns out that we like them even better than sugar cutouts, so this will become our new tradition.

Once one child began decorating, they all wanted to get in on the fun.  Even my husband participated.  By the time I was finished getting the last cookies out of the oven, there was no more gel icing left and most of the sprinkles were gone too, so my cookies were rather plain.

I was really surprised that my children loved the taste of these.  They're not nearly as sweet as some of the other Christmas treats we make.  I think we made 34 gingerbread cookies, and most of them were gone in two days.

Gingerbread Cookies

Stir together 5 cups of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons of ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Put aside.  Beat 1 heaping cup of shortening for 30 seconds.  Add 1 cup sugar, beat till fluffy.  Add 2 eggs, 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon of molasses, and 2 Tablespoons of vinegar.  Beat well.  Add the dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating well.  Cover and chill overnight (or at least 3 hours.)  

Divide dough into thirds.  On a lightly floured surface, roll each 1/3 lump of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes.  Place about 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes.  Cool before decorating.  

*You can make these thinner and only bake for 5 minutes.  We like thick, soft, chewy cookies, so we made ours thicker.  Plus, I'm impatient and don't want to stand around rolling out twice as many.

This is the one Christmas cookie that I do bake at other times of the year as well.  These are our absolute favorites for some reason.  They're fairly quick to make too.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Cream 1/2 cup shortening and 3/4 cup peanut butter; add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar.  Add 1 egg, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat well.  Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and blend thoroughly.

Shape dough into bouncy ball sized balls; roll in some granulated sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately place unwrapped Hershey's Kisses on top of each cookie, pressing down slightly so they crack just a little.  Cool.

Peppermint Cookie Bars

Combine 1 roll of sugar cookie dough with 3 Tablespoons flour, and 1 Tablespoon mint extract.  Press out onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Immediately sprinkle a bag of white chocolate chips over the top.  Once melted, spread to cover the bars.  Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top.  Cool.

These are a lighter, cool minty cookie but are also quite filling.  A little goes a long way, and they look so festive.  Great with a hot cup of cocoa!

Other than a pumpkin cake roll that I still need to make for our Christmas dessert, I am finished with all baking for the week.  Time to relax a little before company arrives and the big meal preparations get under way.

May You All Have a Very Merry Christmas!