Cut Out Cookies

 Cut out cooies, pre baking.  

My mother could make the most beatiful cut out cookies with colored sugars on top.  She had many, many cookie cutters.

My dad was a farmer, and he had dairy cows.  Around Christmas my mother would put in an order with the milk man, who picked up the farm's milk, for butter.  On the next pick-up, the butter would be deliered.  And the baking would begin.

Side note:  after my dad sold his dairy herd, he took a job as the milk man, driving the truck to farms and picking up milk.

I have my mother's recipes, for sugar cut outs and for gingerbread, but her artistry in baking those cookies has eluded me.  I've tried, probably almost every Christmas season, but the results are never right.

My mother had a few mishaps, like when a reindeer's hoof would break off or a sheet of cookies got too browned, but she ended up with many many pretty cookies.

This year I tried a shortbread kind of dough, without success once again.  The taste and texture just aren't there.   I'm not even sure that they are worth icing.

Tree

 

I know you've seen lots of pictures of Christmas trees lately, but I like this one because it's mine.

I had an early corneal doctor appointment this morning - 8:10 is way too early.  The transplant eye looks good, almost five months out.  Pressures are good, the bandage contact lens was swapped out.  Pinhole vision in the eye is 20/40.  Come back in a month.

But back to that tree - there are now some wrapped packages under it, and I have hopes that there will be more by the end of the day.  It's actually happening!

Twenty One

This week, granddaughter Nora turned 21.  

I love remembering about hurrying to my office around midnight to look up directions to the hospital.  She was a little early and I wasn't prepared.  

Pulling on to the I75 entrance ramp from Berea and calling the hospital in Cincinnati to speak to my daughter.  The nurse said she was sreally busy, and at that moment I know Nora would be born before I had made the two hour trip.

And all the next day I sat at the hospital and watched the snow and rocked that precious little girl.

And now, still precious, she is finishing her third fall semester at University of Cincinnati, close to the hospital where she was born. Since her birthday was during finals week, we'll celebrate tomorrow.  Maybe.  If it doesn't snow too much today.

One of Those Trolls

 

It was a wonderful weekend, visiting Sarah and Winnie.  And seeing Winter Lights and the Thomas Dambo trolls at the North Carolina Arboretum.

Made from reclaimed wood, those trolls are a thing.  This new exhibit came from Denmark around the beginning of November.  Some are part of Winter Lights and some are on the Arboretum trails.

Note Sarah's rock wall behind the troll.

I missed the last two Winter Lights exhibits, and that made this year's visit especially special.  So many lights and so nicely done.

Of course there was also shopping and a couple of brewery visits.  The time just went by - too quickly.

More Zipper Bags

 

A few years ago I made several zipper bags at Christmas from a Lori Holt fabric panel.  This year I was happy to see a new, or at least new to me, panel

Along with the panel, a pack of matching zippers is available.  And with the nice tutorial instructions, those go in so, so easily.  There are eight bags on each panel.

You know I love to make zipper bags, and having them go together quickly is a nice bonus.  Another bonus - using up those pieces of batting that quickly accumulate.  Bonus three - fabric left from projects makes nice bag linings.

One of my goals for the year, as yet undone, was to have a nice collection of patchwork gifts.  Maybe it isn't too late.

Reading the Calendar

 

Just as if it could read the calendar, the Christmas cactus is starting to bloom.

And we have our first snow.

My city street is clear, and my daughter stayed over last night and cleared the steps this morning.  Her commute is at least halved starting from here.

Aaron has a snow day.

And this older lady is staying inside today.