hello winter...

Brrrrr... yup that is officially the season that we have stepped into.  The past two weeks were simply a teaser, a promise of a springtime that is still months away. This morning is just plain cold! I considered taking the pups for an early morning walk, I promise I did.  A romp in a local park, a stroll down an unfamiliar trail.  My poor body said no freaking way you crazy woman!  Both knees reminded me that they don't particularly like icy cold mornings.  Heck even the fake one felt the need to get involved.  

So we will wait a few hours, by noon it is supposed to be a balmy 36°, I feel I can accept that a bit easier.  Although given that this afternoon has a Hubs appointment, I am terribly afraid they will be stuck walking the boringly familiar path around the neighborhood.  I really want to take them walking at the park started to explore yesterday, we'll have to see how timing is looking. 

Today's the day they are going to try injections for Hubs.  They originally wanted to do surgery, but we weren't altogether sure if that was the best course or if they are claiming it's the best course because he has great insurance.  After working with the pain management doctor we are definitely far more inclined to follow a more holistic path forward, neither of us are huge fans of surgeries of any kind and prefer to exhaust all other modalities first.  And we've only begun to try the alternatives.  I'm praying the injection works, if it does it leads us to another one that will have a longer lasting effect.  One that could give him 6 months to a year to lose weight, do physical therapies, and so many other non-invasive cures.  

Considering the first hip replacement almost killed him, I am really good with his never needing a surgery again.  Especially as the only surgeon I trust retired last year.  Not that he could have done the work on his back, but at least he could have referred us to someone he trusted to proceed forward.  Although given the amount of pain he was in, versus where we are just 3 months in, I am having some serious faith in this path being the correct one.  I guess time will tell. 

It's been a busy and productive morning, so sitting here chatting with you and drinking my now cold coffee is so relaxing.  I think today is going to be a hot tea kind of day as soon as I finish this cold coffee, my brrrrr factor is kind of off the chain.  It's probably the hazy gray sky mixed in with the dampness in the air.  

There is a possibility of a bit of snow again this weekend.  The pups will definitely love that.  Beau was running around catching snowflakes in the air, or at least trying.  They humor me so much. I was checking the weather down south in Arkansas and Alabama the week, gotta make sure the family is good too ya know... seems they are going to have more nastiness than we are up here.  It's odd to watch the shift of the past few years.  I remember teasing my Dad when he was still alive, when he moved back to the mid-west after living in Arizona for a few years he chose Arkansas.  He used to tell me, he wasn't moving back to Missouri or Illinois because of all the damn snow.  Ironically, the last few years of his life, they had more snow down south.  

each box has at least 12 soaps & you can
see my little dish soap dishes peaking out

I was able to get most of the soaps cut and curing on the shelves, there is still one that is a bit too soft.  I think I will give it a couple of more days.  As I was putting them all up, I realized that I had allowed us to get way too low on soaps, all that was left fit in one box.  Oh, well, we definitely have enough to last until this new batch is ready in six weeks.  And should be more than enough for 2026, with plenty to share. That is definitely a comfortable feeling. 

Charcoal Facial Soaps

waiting for the other soap to fill

all that remains of 2025 soaps... 

Hubs indulged me with an after Christmas sale and bought me a Ninja Creami - I've been on the fence about it for a long while.  I hate to spend money and they are usually crazy expensive. But my KitchenAid ice cream maker that he bought me last year appears to have sprung a leak like the previous one.  And they are simply too expensive to keep replacing almost yearly. He loves his ice cream and I am fussy.  I want it made with real ingredients.  Have you looked at the ingredients on ice cream lately?  Not good.  So yesterday we tried the first batch, made with raw milk and cream.  It was incredible.  I assure you there will always be a pint or two in the freezer ready for his snack attacks.  

I'm going to order extra milk and heavy cream this week.  I want to try my hand at making mozzarella cheese, I also want enough for cottage cheese and yogurt, as we will be getting low on yogurt by Friday and I will need to make more. Each time I don't have to buy something processed to last a long time, I feel much better about it all.  Fewer trips to a conventional grocery makes me very happy, supporting a farmer makes me even happier!  

I feel like today is going to be the perfect day to spend upstairs planning my quilts, I didn't make it that far yesterday.  Although I did get 14 more napkins made, we gave up on paper ones over a year or so ago.  And the ones I bought online, were polyester... pure sadness what happens to them after a bunch of washes.  The smell was HORRIBLE! I threw them all away and have been slowly replacing them with 100% cotton or linen.  I realize 14 sounds like a lot with two people, but I do not want to have to wash them daily. It's toasty up in my sewing room.  A cup of hot tea along with the warmth.  Yup, sounds like a plan. 

I guess I should get up and get busy, I am simply wasting away the day.   Please stay safe and warm everyone... the cold is crazy!

much love, 

b