In Retrospect

It's that time of year again, and before I launch into a whole set of new resolutions, I like to take a quick look back to see how I did with the old ones. Scrolling down to this time last year, I see I resolved to:

*Watch more sunsets. Check. I'm happy to say that rarely has the sun set over the mountains this year that my Golden Retriever, Glitter, and I could not be found in the swing, watching it. My friends learned not to call me during sunset. Glitter trained herself to sit by the swing and wait for me. Now that's what I call a well-kept resolution.
*Learn to belly dance. Check. Fortunately, I did not resolve to learn to do it well. But I intended sixteen lessons, which my teacher seems to think qualifies me as an "intermediate" student, and learned the choreography for an entire two-minute routine-- not as easy as it sounds. And in the process I learned things about myself I never even guessed I didn't know.
*Eat more comfort foods. Check and duh! Didn't include a plan for those ten (or fifteen?) extra pounds that came with that one. Guess what next year's resolution will be?

May the coming year bring peace and prosperity to each and every one of us. See you on the other side!

Chapter Two: In Which I Whine

I know that if you live in the midwestern United States right now (blizzard conditions, minus-minus zero temps, snow drifts the size of skyscrapers) you're not likely to feel sorry for me, but when I awoke this morning the thermometer on my porch read 9 degrees. Yes, NINE. I live in Georgia, and for the past the week the temperatures here in the Blue Ridge Divide have been an unseasonable 65 degrees. I sat on the porch in the evenings (the very porch on which it was nine degrees this morning). I left the doors open in the afternoon. I was just getting used to living in the South. Nine degrees seems brutally unfair.

What's interesting is that, after donning two layers of clothing, thermal underwear and a polar suit for my morning walk (when you have dogs morning walks are not an option), I couldn't believe how warm my house had gotten while I was gone. It usually takes half a day to get the temperature in this old place up to a point that's suitable for human habitation when the mercury dips below twenty outside. I started stripping off sweaters, gloves, socks and outerwear, but it was hot inside. When I finally checked the indoor thermometer I discovered that it was, in fact, only fifty two degrees inside my house. Everything is relative, I suppose.

Now, close to ten o'clock at night and with three heat sources going, it's almosty sixty degrees in here and downright cozy. I guess the lesson of winter is that if you want to feel comfortable living in a drafty old barn, spend a little quality time out of doors when it's nine degrees.

On the other hand, I notice the mercury in the porch thermometer is dropping by the minute, and is already below twenty. Time to put another log on the fire and count my blessings. I guess.

Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating

Here at Ladybug Farm Annex, decorating for the holidays has always been a very big deal. There’s just something about the big old sprawling house with its Victorian details that cries out for a tree in every room and miles of garland decking the halls. In the early days I did the place justice, and it took a crew of six four days to string all the lights, decorate all the trees, and hang all the wreaths. As my crew of helpers has gradually diminished over the years to just one– me– I find myself going more for quality, not quantity, and taking shortcuts wherever I can find them.

One of my favorite shortcuts is the use of live greenery– everywhere! I’m lucky enough to have two giant hemlocks as well as a gorgeous holly tree, and they keep me supplied with holiday greenery year after year. Here in the mountains there is no shortage of pine trees, and I’ve often used native rhododendron and mountain laurel to line a mantel or a holiday table, or to place around serving dishes. In the southern part of the state, magnolia leaves are used much in the same way. And if you don’t have evergreens growing in your yard, use the trimmings from your live Christmas tree– I’ve done that too!

Some people suggest spraying evergreen boughs with clear floor wax to keep them fresh looking, or soaking them overnight in a pail of water to which a few ounces of glycerin has been added. I have tried both methods and they will, in fact, keep your greenery supple throughout the month of December. However, I’ve also used completely untreated green boughs and found they worked just fine if I don’t leave them out more than a week or two.

So here is my trick for making my house look like a winter wonderland with very little effort and almost no expense. The night before my holiday guests arrive, I place evergreen boughs on every flat surface– the mantle, the sofa table, the serving buffet, the stair rail, the bathroom vanity and tub surround, the coffee table. I tuck springs of greenery beneath the chargers or plates at each place setting and lay boughs down the center of the dining table. I generously scatter colorful glass ornament balls throughout the greenery, and tuck clear mini-lights inside the greenery on the dining table, the buffet and the mantle. When the lights are turned on, the Christmas balls pick up the reflection and turn the centerpieces into an enchanted forest. The whole thing takes about half an hour to lay out, and less than ten minutes to clean up. And best of all, assuming you already have the lights and glass ornaments left over from your Christmas tree, it’s free!

A bouquet of red carnations from the grocery store for less than ten dollars can fill three or four vases when supplemented with evergreen from your yard. Place the overfilled vases in strategic places throughout your house and it will look as though you went to a great deal of trouble and expense for your party. Carnations are notoriously long-lived, and with almost no care at all, your evergreen arrangements should last throughout the holiday season. I have also tucked red carnations (or, occasionally, roses) into the evergreen on my dining table or other surfaces, but keep in mind these will have to be tossed out after the party is over.

Here’s a fun idea I came up with this year. Rather than flatten and dispose of all the boxes that various things arrive in throughout the season, I saved them and wrapped them for an outdoor Christmas display. I used Christmas fabric for the ones that are out in the weather, but the packages under the cover of the front porch are covered in gift wrap leftover from last year. At the end of the season, the boxes will be crushed and recycled, so there’s nothing to store throughout the year. And the cost is next to nothing!

Ladybug Cookies

Here in northeast Georgia the ladybugs appear October 15 on the dot, and if the winter is mild we’re still brushing them out of our hair in March. There are always plenty of them around by Christmas!

These Ladybug Cookies are an easy variation on the traditional snowmen and reindeer Christmas cookie, and will really brighten up your cookie platter. They also look great hanging on a cookie tree!

Ladybug Cookies

Use your favorite recipe for roll-out sugar cookies. Here’s an oldie but a goodie:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla OR peppermint extract
1 and ½ cups baking flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix first four ingredients. Add dry ingredients a little at a time. Add red food coloring until the dough is a bright red shade (you may have to knead this with your hands. Wear gloves! The food coloring stains)

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Roll out 1/4 in thick on floured surface. Cut into small circles with a juice glass or a biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Roll one quarter teaspoon of dough into a small ball for each cookie, then flatten and attach the ladybug “head”. (This is a great job for children, who can shape the head of each ladybug and give it personality). Bake 8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet until light golden . Cool and decorate.

Decorations:

1 recipe butter cream frosting OR 1 can pre made white frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
Red food coloring
Red colored sugar (you can easily make your own by combining 1/2 cup white sugar with red food coloring to the desired shade–10-20 drops. Mix with a fork)

Decorating:

Melt ½ cup semi- sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. You can add up to 1 tablespoon of milk or cream to keep the consistency smooth.

Add red food coloring to the frosting until you obtain a deep pink or red color,and frost the body of the ladybug
While frosting is wet, sprinkle liberally with red sugar (or dip the cookie in a plate of red sugar and shake off the excess)
Dip the “head” in the melted chocolate
Place chocolate chips on the body of the cookie for the ladybug’s spots.

Get the whole family involved and set up an assembly line. These cookies are almost as much fun to make as they are to eat!