Some good things...

Cottage cheese. And not the low-fat stuff. That's not real.

Van Morrison. He's just good.

Spinning wool from my own sheep, right outside the door of my studio.

Fresh eggs from my hens.

Raw goat milk.

A good farm truck.

Cat Stevens.

Fleetwood Mac.

OLD VW bugs. And VW buses. They smell good too.

A warm house when it's cold outside. Wood stoves are good.

Knowing you're loved.

Allmon Brothers.

CCR.

Good hay. Happy sheep.

Big huge pregnant goats.

Carlos Santana.

Things I've made with my own hands.

Marshall Tucker. There is no bad Marshall Tucker.

Hot tea with honey.

Chickens running free around the yard. In winter. Not spring or summer. That's not good. They get into the garden and make a mess. Chickens running free in the garden are not good.

Nice warm wool socks.

Down comforters.

Running water.

A clean house.

Real food.

And most of all, God's love and mercy.

Knitting along. And some good cookbooks.

Still knitting on this shawl. I knit while I'm sitting with Mrs. T on Friday and Sunday. And whenever I can anywhere else. I wanted to see how long it was taking me to knit across a row. So I set my stopwatch on my phone. Ugh! It took me 20 minutes to go across one row! I think there are about 320 stitches right now. That's a long time to just be knitting 1 row. I might be knitting this shawl the rest of the winter. Have you ever timed yourself knitting before? Don't do it!

I bought a nice grass fed tenderloin a few months ago from Main St. Meats in Chattanooga. I have never cooked one before. So got out my cookbooks to find a recipe. I really love The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. I have made several of her recipes so far. And found one for tenderloin! So I made that last night. It looked just like her pictures too, when I was cutting it. The cutting board was all bloody, from the very rare tenderloin. She said that's how men and wolves like their meat.

So while I was looking, I got these 2 books out. I love them. I really like a cookbook with stories and good pictures. These 2 are really good. Cooking With Shelburn Farms by Melissa Pasamen. And Fields of Plenty by Michael Ableman. That last name might be wrong, I can't read my own writing. Both really good books with stories.

Good food for a cold day.

 Well, today, we are supposed to have a BIG snow storm! Schools have been closed. Ga. is already declared a state of emergency. It's really supposed to be awful dangerous to be out in it.

But there is NOTHING happening out there! Nothing at all. It's not even really cold.

And this is Wednesday, my day with mom. We were thinking we'd not be able to get out today, because of the snow and all. But as of right now, I think we'll be going out.

But if you are snowbound, unlike us, here is the best recipe for a day like this. This is from the latest edition of Taproot, my favorite magazine. I have already made this twice. We love it. I hope you can see the directions here. If you click on the picture, you can see it. You have to try it at least once. It's so good. And is even better the next few days. Because it makes a lot.

I keep forgetting to talk about my weight loss. I've been afraid to weigh myself lately, because I feel like I've gained about 15 pounds. I really haven't changed anything in the way I've been eating. Just the same foods. But it's been cold and not getting out and being more mobile is a problem for me. And I hate exercising.

So I got on the scale last week and I weighed 206. So I have gained 5 pounds since before Christmas. And I only had one tiny teeny little slice of my mom's home made pumpkin pie, without the crust. Maybe 4 bites. I feel like I might have lost a few pounds since I weighed. I've been at Mrs. T's for the past several days. When I'm there, I sit a lot, knitting or reading with her. Like the whole day. She cannot be left alone for more than a few minutes, so we can't do a whole lot while there.

I can't wait for spring, so I can get out and garden again! I am really excited about planting a garden full of plants to dye with. I'm reading a book about plants to dye for. It's called a Garden To Dye For. So fun! I really want to learn to dye my wool with natural plant based dyes. So lots of planning going on in my head right now.

I hope you all are warm and safe where ever you are. Happy hump day!