Some Sad News

This morning we found one of our Belgian horses, Dick, dead by the hay bale.  He was old, about 27 years old, so he most likely died of natural causes.   We didn't see any sign of a struggle - almost like he just laid down and died.   His brother, Dan, probably won't last much longer, as he was old, too, and the two horses were always together their whole lives.   If one went too far astray, the other one called out for him.  I am sure the cold weather had some influence - it was almost 30 below zero this morning - and we don't have a heated barn.   It is an end of an era here on the farm.   For many years Harold used the horses for various work around here, and they were always part of the farm.  I doubt we will get another team, as Harold and I are getting on in years, too, and it's a lot of work to have horses (and costly for hay, too).   Harold says Dick had a good, easy life here.   But we will miss him...............

Dick, on the right, and brother Dan on the left, photo from a couple years ago

End of Year Musings

Today I took down all the Christmas things and basically "unplugged Christmas" for another year.   This is a task I always hate!  Being such a Christmas person, I always dislike the end of the holiday.   The house seems so barren and empty after everything is put away.    Almost depressing, really.  Eventually things begin to look normal again, but those first couple days after all the Christmas decorations are put away make the house look as cold as the outdoor temps.  We are expecting WAY below zero temps for at least the next 6 days, and it's about 15 below zero as I write this.  Supposed to go to minus 30 tonight.

At the end of the year, we all think about 'how everything was' during the last year - and I am no exception.  All in all, it was a good year!   In spite of a few ups and downs in Harold's health, some sad times with friends and their problems, and the usual "things that break and cost too much to repair", 2013 was a good year.   I have enjoyed writing this blog and hope to continue next year.   I thank you all for your support and readership and comments!   I'm toying with the idea of making the blog look different for 2014 with different colors and backgrounds, etc.   We shall see. 

The world may get crazier and crazier every day, but here on Honey B Farm, we try to live a simple, wholesome and Christian lifestyle.  We have long ago removed ourselves from the world's merry-go-round, and just try to live life the way 'it used to be' (or at least what we perceive it was!).   Other than the computer, I'm not much for modern gadgets - I'll leave those things for others to enjoy.  Husband Harold and I look forward to another successful year of gardening and beekeeping and just enjoying the quiet lifestyle out here in the 'boonies'. 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Day and a healthy and prosperous 2014.   Seems like only yesterday we were worrying about that Y2K thing, and here it is 14 years later!   How time does fly..........

Christmas Past

On Christmas Eve I always get very sentimental and recall some of my Christmas holidays from the past.   Somehow it seems like those days were less stressful and happier - or is it just the fading of memories and time?  Maybe they WERE happier and simpler times, as today's world seems to be so crazy and way too politically correct.  Here are some photos from the past, going back to my own very first Christmas!  (not that I would remember that!)

My first Christmas with Dad and Mom back in 1948

A few years later, in 1953 with sister Diana and parents.  Look at that tree!!

Christmas 1954, my sister and I got new dolls!

 

 

 

 

My twin boys' first Christmas, not sure which one is Kelly or Jerry as they looked very much alike back then!  How cute in their little outfits!

A few years later in 1977.  I still wear that hat!

Christmas 1982 - with new coat

For some reason I don't have many more photos of other Christmases.  I think those holidays were either filmed with video, or the photos are in a box somewhere else.   And Christmases from the past couple years didn't have any photos of me or my kids.
     Growing up, Christmas was a very special time.  We had all the traditional Polish customs and foods (kielbasa, kieflies, and the great Christmas Eve dinner vigilia with its own traditional dishes) , and the church service at midnight where the choir sang Polish carols, in Polish.   In later years here in Minnesota I spent almost 20 years playing organ at various churches for services on Christmas Eve.  That was always something I enjoyed, and I felt it was something I could do for others to make their Christmas memorable.  I remember driving home one night in 1993 in a total white out blizzard.  It took me over 3 hours to drive 26 miles in near zero visibility. 
     Now that I am older, I miss those Christmases of long ago.   My grown children now make Christmas memories with their families.  And I don't have quite the energy I used to have to make Christmas special.  Just putting up decorations takes longer!  But I always try to include traditional foods, put up old time decorations from the old days, and play those Polish Christmas carols on the organ.   I look at old photos, read some treasured Christmas stories, and draw from my rich heritage to make THIS Christmas as special as I can make it!
     I hope that everyone will have a joyous and Blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, who came to earth just for us and our salvation!  Merry Christmas to all!

Making Lefse

Today and tomorrow I will be making that great Norwegian specialty - lefse!  (pronounced leff-seh with the accent on the leff).  For those of you not familiar with this food, it is sort of like a tortilla, but very delicate in texture and usually eaten with butter and sugar, and also a lot softer because it is made with mashed potatoes.  Around the holidays this is eaten in great quantities by all Minnesotans (even if they aren't Norwegian!)  The potatoes are cooked and put through a ricer to remove all lumps.

Then cream and butter and a little salt and sugar are added, making smooth and tasty mashed potatoes for the base of the dough.

The next day, flour is added and the dough is rolled out on a cloth covered surface with a special grooved rolling pin, which is also covered in a stocking to prevent the dough from sticking in the grooves of the rolling pin.

A circle of lefse ready for cooking

 The thinly rolled out lefse is cooked on a dry griddle, and a special thin stick is used for turning the dough, and also for lifting it onto the griddle.

Turning the lefse with a stick

A properly baked lefse ready to come off the griddle

The lefse pieces are put between warm and slightly damp cloths to soften up a little, then they are served just a little bit warm, and spread with butter and sugar, and rolled up.   Some use white sugar, some use brown.   Here is what they should look like when eaten:

A yummy piece of lefse, cut in half

Here's a whole plateful:

A whole recipe's worth of homemade lefse for Christmas eating!

Making lefse does require a lot of practice to get it nice and thin.  Even though I am of Polish heritage, when I first tasted lefse here in Minnesota, I KNEW it was something I needed to learn to make!   Lefse is just plain yummy!  It has taken me several years to get the method down to a science (and I keep improving every year).   I'm not sure if lefse can be purchased in other states, but around Christmas time here in Minnesota, the grocery stores carry plenty of it.   Of course the best stuff is homemade, ya know....................

A Little Bit of 1950's Nostalgia

Every year when I bring out the Christmas decorations, I get out my 'crystal' (well, plastic) tree.  Back in the 50's these little trees were extremely popular and I think just about every household had one of these.   According to the following Woolworth's ad, you could buy a 13" tree for 49 cents (mine is a 13" tree) and you could buy a smaller one for 10 cents.   We had a Woolworth's Five and Dime in South Bend when I was a young girl, and I suppose that's where my Mom got her tree.   The tree I have isn't the original, but I found one at an antique store many years ago.   I usually put tiny ornaments on it, but this year I decided to be original and put gumdrops on the branches.    Isn't this tree the cutest thing ever?  I just love nostalgic items from the 1950's and this gumdrop tree brings back so many memories......................

An ad for the original 1950's gumdrop tree

My tree decked out in tiny ornaments last year

This year I put gumdrops on the tree, like it was meant to have

A Story to be Continued, Part 2

We've made a lot of progress on my craft room!   We're about halfway done.   Only thing left to do is put some kind of board  on the outer wall, put up a wallpaper trim on another wall (I already have that - a pine cone trim), put in a drop ceiling with different lighting, and get a nice big folding table for me to use as a cutting table.   At some point we plan to put tile on the floor or paint it, but not yet.   If you compare these photos with the first one, you can see the difference! 

This wall will be trimmed with wallpaper trim

We added another wall of shelves.

Nice and neat now!

A Different Christmas Cookie

A few years ago I was looking through cookbooks for something new to put on the cookie plate at Christmas.   I came across this fun recipe for tiny little shortbread cookies called Elf Bites (even the recipe name is cute for a Christmas cookie!).  They turned out to be a big hit, and so they have become a new Christmas tradition at our house.  I brought a bowl full of these to a church party once, and the kids really liked them.  Up here in the frozen north, we often have friends and neighbors over for cards or board games in the evenings, and these little cookies make a good 'munchie'.   A bag full of these in the car is a good munchie, too, for winter travel.   This recipe is easy and the only putzy part is getting everything on the baking sheet.  (Here's where little kids can help you!)  I like to put little bowls or cups of these on the table when we play cards or Scrabble.  They are buttery, crisp, and not too sweet.  Theoretically they make about 256 little cookie bits, but I usually only get about 180 pieces, because I cut them into slightly larger than the 1/2 inch pieces called for in the recipe.   Give them a try for a fun little snack!

ELF BITES

1/2 c. (1 stick) of butter - use ONLY butter

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 1/4 c. flour 

1/4 tsp salt

4 tsp. multi-colored nonpareils

Cream the butter, sugar, salt and almond extract.   Add the flour.  (You might just use your hands at this point).   Work in the nonpareils into the dough with your hands.  Line an 8 inch square pan with wax paper, and pat the dough into the pan and refrigerate until firm.  (usually a couple hours)  Lift out the dough using the wax paper and with a sharp knife on a board, cut into 1/2 slices and then into 1/2 inch squares.  Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 -17 min in a 325 oven, until the bottoms just begin to look a little brown.   Don't overbake these.   Let them sit on the cookie sheet until they are cool enough to put into whatever container you wish. 

Pat the dough into a wax paper lined 8 in square pan.

The little Elf Bites ready for baking

 

A cup of tasty little Elf Bites!