Fresh Cookies!

Today was a little out of my routine.......I left early this morning to attend my Aunt Emma's funeral. It was not such a terribly somber event as Aunt Emma was 96 years old, but more truly a celebration of her spunk and amazing baking skills! She has always made the most incredible coconut cake......from scratch WITH boiled frosting...........the world will be a less delicious place without Aunt Emma's cake.

When I got home I had an urgent need to bake something.......I'm not so good at cakes......but cookies I can do! Molly's here to help me eat them.....so what the heck..........

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks butter 1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup white sugar 1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar 1 bag chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Cream together butter and sugars. Add peanut butter and vanilla.

Beat well and then stir in eggs.

Add flour and baking soda, stir in well . Finally stir in chocolate chips.

These cookies are soft and melt in your mouth...........

a fitting tribute to you, Aunt Emma.

New Designs!

It's that time of year again.....time to become productive and somewhat lucrative! Soooo......I'm upstairs in my "workroom", two fans aimed at me and my two overheated sewing machines......trying to get the creative juices flowing. What will the mood of my customers be this season..........whimsical....cynical.....foodie or social conscience? I never know what's going to sell.....it can really vary from season to season. I've kind of created a niche ......not traditionally crafty.....more green, left wing........seems to be the right time.........I really picked up steam toward the end of last season. Since it's my natural bent I guess I'll go all out this season. I'll still include some more traditional designs, but I really do hope I can continue to be just a little different in outlook than most of the people I work with. We'll see........I'll let you know come December!

Season of the Cucumber!

Well....it's here again..that time in late July when the garden threatens to overwhelm me! I start to dream lovingly of swarms of locust.......anything to slow the steady march of veggies needing attention! This photo is what my stove will look like until the middle of September.....at the ready to whip up a batch of pickles.....jars of relish and tomato sauce! All of which I crave and appreciate during the Winter months, but boy....sometimes I long for time when I have nothing I feel I "should" be doing! I know....talk about spoiled!!! I'm sure I'll live an extremely long and healthy life consuming all of this great organic produce........if the stress of it all doesn't kill me!!

I do wish I could get a taste of a warm ripe tomato straight out of the garden to each of you....I think it's the taste of Americana......goes along with warm apple pie, fried chicken....and my personal favorite Diet Coke!!

belated....Fourth Of July!

It was too crazy around here at the time, but here's a late taste of our Fourth of July here on Lupine Hill Farm. It started, as always, with a trek into town for a truely old fashioned 4th of July parade. It's held on main street in Foresthill and I think the whole town turns out for the event. It only lasts about a 1/2 hour, but at least twice in that time frame my eyes tear up at the unique small town feel. The kids love it because many of the parade entrants throw out candy..... all the kids bring bags to which end up full of goodies.

We then came home and soon Jack and Donna.....Jim's sister and her husband.....and Granny and my brother, Denny showed up. After some visiting, the sandwich fixin's came out and then a few rounds of THAT game.....Catch Phrase. When we'd had enough of that the musicians got warmed up........Dan and Denny on the guitar, Josh on the electric bass and Jim playing his fiddle.....but soon we got out the basket of instruments and soon Johan was playing the spoons, Tia the accordion, Taige the egg beater, and Anders the margarine container drum! It all was music to my ears and so much fun!

Veggie enchiladas for dinner and 2 types , cherry and vanilla, of homemade ice cream with homemade cup cakes for dessert. Soon it was dark ...and since we can't do fireworks up here we had glow-sticks and stayed up well into the night enjoying their magic and the joy of being together.

Blow Out Water Fight!

A final California summer evening...how better to spend it than an all out water fight! Tess's boyfriend, Ryan started it and it tool on a life of it's own! No weapons were off limits and the water flowed freely........apologies to the Foresthill PUD for imprudent use of water! Total craziness ruled and the fun continued for several hours....until the first tears inevitably started caused by an overzealous big brother! Soon everyone was dried off and we sat down to a hearty pasta dinner, followed by raspberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.......yummmm!

And now my wonderful daughter and her three awesome boys are probably asleep in their beds in Norway. It was a fun filled, busy, and cherished visit........I'm already looking forward to next summer when the house will be full, the kitchen hot and the swimming pool full of laughing, giggling kids!

On the Rocks!

Yesterday the whole crew headed up to beautiful Donner Summit......about a 45 minute drive......to do a little rock climbing. At least all of those under 40........which disqualifies me!!! There are some benefits to being old! I must admit, however, that it seemed they were having a whole lot of fun. The youngsters, Espen, Anders, Johan, Taige and little Tia had a blast and much to Uncle Seth's joy all seem to be naturals at the sport of rock climbing! Maybe not so much..... Seth's older siblings!

As always it was incredibly beautiful up there, although smoke from all the fires blew in off and on all day. We left about 5:30 in the evening and stopped by the great little mountain store in Soda Springs before we started for home.

It was a pretty quiet trip home....I think we may have actually tired them all out!