Biscotti!

I love biscotti!  I don't love their high prices at the store!  The alternative?  Make them myself!

 
Of course they are far better than store-bought because they're fresh, I made them, and I know what's in them.

I had a very full box of citrus that made it's way up from Phoenix.  We've nearly polished off the oranges and many of the grapefruits.  But what to do with the lemons?  Hmmmm.  Can you guess how long it took me to realize I can make Lemon Poppy Seed Biscotti?  Not long!  It was a bonanza!

Biscotti are actually rather easy to make, and far easier to eat!  See?  This one's coming to breakfast!

Here's the very low-fat, tasty recipe if you want to give it a try!

Combine these ingredients and set aside:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup finely ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine these ingredients together:

1 TBSP lemon zest

3 TBSP poppy seeds

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (maybe more)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the dry mixture with the wet ingredients very well.  If it isn't holding together well add more lemon juice until it does.  Form into two logs and place them on the cookie sheet.  Be sure they aren't too close to each other.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool just enough to handle.  Then cut diagonally into 1/2" slices.  Bake slices until deep golden, turning once, about 8 minutes on each side.  Keep an eye on them, your oven may bake hotter than mine...

Get your favorite tea or coffee ready and enjoy!

I love these simple, inexpensive delights!

The Garden Bones

Starting all over again is not always pleasant, but it does offer new opportunities and possibilities.  For example, I don't get to use my old beds at the cabin, but I do get to use two existing beds.  In addition, Miracle Worker decided to help me lay out the cinder blocks for additional gardening space.  He even partly filled them with the existing, aged, horse manure.

We added these three cinder block beds.

Here I snapped this photo where I hope to plant a grape (shovel handle in the forefront).  The other shovel handle you see is to be the other grape.  I hope to make them meet in the middle over an arbor!  This photo is the first of a 180 degree view of the garden, starting here on the right...

...We'll finish filling the beds with our "Llamanure" courtesy of our Llamas!
We'll also be performing some final garden cleanup and getting the clutter out...

 ...The third of four photos.  Love that flowering apricot!  The bees are all abuzz over it!...

...I hope to plant along the fence with corn over potato mounds and let pole beans climb up the corn stalks...

For the most part I hope to grow tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, squash, beans, herbs, and try my hand at edamame.

Here's the apricot up close with a happy bee.

As always, I am concerned I haven't started garden chores soon enough.  But I think it will work out fine.  Perhaps my plans are too bold considering the fact that we may not even be here after three to five years.  On the other hand, I don't exactly want to be kept from enjoying what I can, where I can.  Who knows what tomorrow may bring!

Wasn't there a Mary Englebright card which said, "Grow Where You're Planted!"  A good motto to live by.

Barn Hop #4

Visit the link above and meet a whole bunch of great homesteaders!

Inspirations

Weather-wise, it hasn't been very inspiring.  Tax time does nothing to inspire me either!  I'm updating the ledger, ugh!  If I can use the word 'hate' for such a task, I'm not sure it would be a strong enough word.  'Loathe' sounds better!

On the other hand, the despicable job of preparing for tax day, balanced with my amazing, awesome, inspiring sister's sketchbook-project-idea, has prevailed upon my imagination.  I have been a sketching maniac!  I have been coming up with serious painting ideas!  This is even more amazing when you stop to think it's been nearly a decade since my last serious painting.

I had my first baby placed in his playpen beside me as I put the finishing touches on.

And that was all she wrote, now seven years ago.

This state of affairs could be rather depressing.  However, life with my Miracle Worker and our family has been a remarkable journey.  I am humbled by the experience and the opportunity. 

Now, fast forward to the present day when I received this exciting challenge on Christmas day from my Amazing Sister.  The sketches started out stiff and even stifled.  It took only a few sketches to start loosening up.  And that's when the magic started.  Actual paintings have been conceptualized, now waiting to be given full form.

This gives me the strength to endure the tax ledger because once I've done a decent amount of work in it, I go pet some watercolor paper, do some sketching, or peruse imagery in magazines.  It feels great.  And the best part of it all is that I have noted how my art is still growing.  It isn't stagnant.  I have somehow cultivated the ability to expand on past painting experiences and run with it.

Maybe it's got to do with all the unconditional love, being useful, and doing something that will have a lasting impact on the future of our boys and even the world...  If I could put words to it I would be a poet.  At least a picture is worth a thousand words!

Wonderful memories, experiences, fears that have been overcome, and new challenges to grow through, all add to my growing constitution.  My art must be reflecting that!  Thanks to my family!

And now for a long over due dose of pithiness!  Here are two quotes that I think sum up my growing peace...

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.  -Dr. Seuss

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.  He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.  There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.  When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.  -Martin Luther King Jr.

Yesterday's Winter Wonderland

It got cold two nights ago, and as expected, we got more snow than last time!  It's such a novelty to have snow on the desert!

It started Saturday morning.  It did this most of the day, off and on.

During the night is when most of it fell.  This is what we woke up to on Sunday morning!

My old friend the Santa Rosa.

Beautiful.

The peak behind the house.

On the way down to the barn.

Stunning.

How many have such a scenic walk to the barn?

Making the best of what little snow is left this evening!

Boys don't coop up very well!

A perfect celebration of snow!  It didn't go to waste!