This is the view from my porch..............

....................in the dead of winter.......... I am sitting out stitching.(no snow yet!)

Stitching is what I have been doing all of these past weeks. I have gotten quite a few things finished and am almost ready to start showing and selling.

Although the weather has been chilly, the days are filled with sunshine.

This is one of my favorite stitching retreats. The light is perfect, there is the sound of nothing but the birds singing. I sit in silence, to think on my plans and my stitches.
The Yupon Holly by the porch is covered in red berries, and the birds have been flitting back and forth in it all during the day.

This is a decorative kale....from last year, that is still living. I was told that it was supposed to die, however, it hung on all summer, so it deserved a new pot of soil and a pleasant spot on the porch. I also have around 20 little kale in the greenhouse that need to be out in pots during this time of year. I gathered the seed from this plant when it flowered this past summer, and the seeds sprouted! If any of you were here.............I'd be handing you a potted kale to take home with you! The warm days are trying to tear me away from my hand work and a part of me is wanting to go out into the gardens and start digging...............but if I am to try to stay at home this time.............I really need to get my work done

And then there is this............Sophie....................

"How long does it take to finish one piece??" She seems to ask.

I promised a long walk with her hours ago. She had been content to sleep at my feet during my work, but the shifting wind has awakened her and now she is impatient with me. Just look at that face..........how can I refuse?

Up until recently..........I have associated bread crumbs

with the children's story of Hansel and Gretel, leaving bread crumbs to find their way home, or with the saying....."we've been living on bread crumbs". All in all, bread crumbs left me with the impression that there was just not that much to them..........................however,

I first started baking with bread crumbs, when one summer , I was rewarded with a large harvest of garden tomatoes. I scoured through my cookbooks for all kinds of tomato recipes...............finding stuffed baked tomatoes................so delicious! This recipe called for the use of Italian breadcrumbs..............something I was not accustomed to, but managed to find in the store. I have made that recipe several times................one time forgetting the bread crumbs..........and finding out that this little insignificant ingredient carried a lot of flavor..........especially when remembered to be added! But that is all I have used bread crumbs for................. until the other day................

I ran across a recipe titled Italian Chicken Sticks. I decided to give this a try with my homemade pasta. Oh, let me tell you!.............................just wonderful! Now, in my cooking, I will never take those tiny, grainy bread crumbs for granted ever again! I have made them to be a constant in my pantry. If you are tired of chicken fried, baked, and roasted,..............give this tasty and( may I add, quick and easy), recipe a try. You'll be glad you did! Enjoy!

Italian Chicken Sticks

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 1/2 tsp. thyme

1 1/2 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of ground red pepper

1 stick of melted butter

8 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch strips

Marinar sauce or honey mustard for dipping

Preheat oven to 400.F degrees. In a pie plate , combine the breadcrumbs and seasonings. Dip the chicken strips into the melted butter and then dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken strips in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken sticks hot with sauces . Enjoy!

It's that time of year...........at least for me............

that I start thinking about the purchase of baby ducklings,

and new baby chicks...........baby hens, I hope.Last year I wound up with 2 roosters in what was supposed to be hens. I now have 3 roosters and not enough hens to keep everyone happy in the hen house.
The eggs are starting to show up in the nests in the most wonderful colors of Easter egg green, farm house brown, and whites. How I would love to make a box of crayons with the names of farm house brown, corn field yellow, and pumpkin patch orange! Wouldn't you? I always wonder who gets to make up colors for different products and then gets to name them. What would you name a crayon color , if you got to?? I would love to hear!

I currently only have 9 hens............which are giving me a good amount of eggs each day. If I did get more hens, I can always easily sell the eggs. Now that I am staying home full time.........(and loving it!) I, once again, want to throw myself full time into raising different farm foul, and working on a field for my orchard.
I would also love to start raising peacocks. I have loved these beautiful creatures from the first time I saw them. They are so expensive to start out with and the worry of losing them to predators is what is making me not to make the commitment to get any. However, I have the pull of my heart to just jump in and get started.

How about you? Is there or was there something that you wanted to try your hand at, but kept putting off? Have you given it a try yet? Perhaps raising sheep or a horse? Maybe going back to school? I would love to hear!

Several folks have been telling me

that our area is supposed to be going through a drought....................

it looks as if their words have come true..............every thing is still in the colors of yellow, gold and brown.Every thing is dry and waiting to be refreshed. The Italian jasmine , with it's cheery, bright yellow flowers,.............the one I usually show photos of this time of year, is still............... lying silent, waiting for the true deep moisture that wakes it from it's winter sleep. However, as I look all around me..................
there is still beauty in the dry, yellowed , prairie. So many interesting shrubs and flowers..................I wonder if I would notice their curious shapes if they were in full color?

How about you? Are you still under a silvery, white blanket? Maybe the drizzly, damp rain? Or maybe you are seeing the sprouts of color emerging? I would love to hear!

There just isn't anything better than having

homemade cookie dough in the refrigerator, is there? I grew up associating these

chilled cookie doughs with the name of "Icebox Cookies".......did you? This cookie dough pictured above has the consistency of brownie dough after it has chilled. It has the rich appearance of dark deep chocolate........................it actually reminds me of the concoctions I use to make outside as a youngster...............during my mud pie baking marathons..................did you make mud pies and cakes when you were small? Do you still have any of the toy baking items that you used for these?
Oh..............back to baking..................make small balls out of the chilled dough and then roll them in granulated sugar. Then place onto a cookie sheet............parchment paper lined sheet is best for this...........but you can do as you please...........and then bake in the oven and....................

Enjoy!!!

The little white cookie above is also an "icebox cookie" and I will share that recipe with you later on!

Sugared Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 sticks butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs (stolen from Eleanor's nest)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tbs flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 package (6oz.) chocolate chips
granulated sugar for rolling
In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Gradually add this flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and blend. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter into refrigerator for about an hour to chill. When dough has become firm, roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll the balls in granulated sugar until well coated. Place onto lightly greased cookie sheet (parchment paper lined sheet works best) and slightly flatten. Bake at 350 F. degree oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!

Heaven........I'm in heaven........la, la, la, la,.........

Mr. Sinatra's tune has been playing in my mind..........

as I rise early in the morning.................to stitch..............
and then out to the greenhouse and gardens to play in the dirt in the day. By the way...........thank you......dear blogging friends...........for your encouraging words on my recent job bailing decision. I loved reading your comments, an about your experiences on the emails you sent. Where would I be without your thoughtfulness????

Just arrived...................a Christmas package from my son! When he asked what I would like for Christmas........... I replied........."flower seeds!" He knew the right place to go!
(actually..........online)

The wildseed farm in Fredricksburg, TX. Some of you are probably familiar with this piece of heaven in Texas. Here is the link to their website.........

http://www.wildseedfarms.com

As I wrote in the previous posts.........I am only working with flowers and pumpkins this year. I decided on trying something............new................something I have never planted before. The above photo is Mountain Garland and it is suppose to be a wonderful growing flower all over the states. I can't wait!

Have any of you grown Mountain Garland? Was it an easy growing flower?

How can I resist cosmos?
They are such a lacy, petally, flower.

And of course..................my favorite of all flowers (and Sophie's as well)............zinnia............
The seed is in, my energy has been restored and my beds are almost ready. I already have spring fever! How about you?

Are you still wearing mittens and sipping hot cocoa?

Or are you able to get out and play in the dirt? I would love to hear!