Trees for the Future

Joseph & I got a dozen trees planted today. We finally got our order from Arbor Day Foundation, & needed to get them in the ground. There are 4 different cherries, some sweet & some sour. Also 2 plum, peach, butternut, redbud, hawthorne & red maple (a freebie). It's a cold & drizzly day, so we were in need of some warming up when we were done. I made a pot of Candy Bar Hot Chocolate. I found the recipe recently on Four Green Acres. This stuff is rich. I've got to put some half & half in mine to thin it, but hey, I used 2% milk in the recipe & didn't use the whipping cream. Hopefully, it balances out! I did the Holiday Hoopla show yesterday, which was not as well attended as hoped, but still worth doing. The second picture is of my lovely sister, Vicki, who kept me company for a good part of the show. Thanks, sis!

Candy Bar Hot Chocolate

2 egg yolks

2 oz of bar chocolate, chunked

1 cup of milk

whipping cream (optional)

Ghirardelli ground chocolate (optional)

Beat egg yolks in a small bowl.

Place chocolate and milk in pot.Heat & stir with whisk until chocolate is melted, or put in microwave in glass measuring cup at 70% power for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking once, until chocolate is melted. Whisk well.

Slowly pour the milk into the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly. Heat on the stove, or return to the microwave for a minute.

There will be some eggy bits, which you can strain with cheesecloth if preferred. Garnish with whipped cream & a sprinkle of chocolate if desired. This recipe is for one serving; multiply as needed.

Morning Kitty

Today is my last full day at home before the Hoopla. The weather is still iffy. All I can do is act as if. Last night, I started sewing some small bags to hold my soaps & other small treasures. I also got a package with some webbing I'd been waiting on, and made my first bag with a new fabric. My kitty, Sage, is especially loving in the mornings. She and the other two cats wandered about with me in the garden this morning.

Show Time

The house has been crammed with bolts of cloth, the sewing machine has taken up residence on the kitchen table, & assorted flotsam of the creative process are everywhere. Thank goodness Joseph is an understanding guy. I've been preparing for Holiday Hoopla. I've had lots of learning curves, never having done any real sewing. But, it's been lots of fun seeing ideas take form. Yesterday, I played with the table display. Little signs for the various products were made last night. My Mom & sister are baking some goodies that I'll have in my booth. The weather is looking more & more iffy, with a 60-90% chance of rain or snow, depending on the source. So, there's a good chance my house will be in upheavel another week. Here's a picture of one of the tables, and the bags I've been working on.