I'm back, Y'all! There has been a lot going on since the last time I updated. I am 20 now, which means I'm starting to feel old. I am also working part time at a local grocery store on top of keeping up with various sewing projects. I've also been doing extra cooking for my family.From my vantage point by the window the ground is blanketed with a glorious covering of snow. (See my photo above.) I confess that yesterday I did not think it was so glorious. The roads were too dangerous to travel on and interfered with a special, family trip we were planning. I was extremely downcast and discouraged because we had to cancel something we don't get to do very often, but I thank the Lord for my father who helped me remember that God is in control and watching out for our good. Nothing happens that is outside of His will for our lives if we are in submission to Him. This area has been very dry. The snow will provide the moisture the land needs and that someone was probably praying for! I am very thankful for the Lord's grace in my life and for providing His wonderful instruction when I need it. He will never give up on me!
On a separate note, I went to see Facing the Giants this week and was both impressed and moved. The film has an unabashedly Christian message, and the Gospel is presented very clearly. It addresses several different issues such as trusting God and honoring parents and has a powerful ending. There were quite a few humorous moments, but I especially enjoyed seeing the embarrassment of the coach's wife as their car wouldn't start and her husband asks someone with a brand new car to jumpstart them. This moment is made funnier by the fact that their car is covered in duct tape! There is also an homage to the biblical David and Goliath story. I'll let you see the film before I spoil the ending here! I will say that the team discovers nothing is impossible with God.
One of the delights of the season is making fresh apple butter. The whole house smells like Christmas! I had made it before, but I was not completely satisfied with my recipe. For this batch I made my own applesauce using three varieties of apples and a mix of spices. Before, I used store bought sauce and only used cinnamon. I also discovered that using apple cider instead of water for boiling your apples adds a wonderful depth to the flavor. The recipe also compensated for the fact that some apple varieties cook up differently. Instead of calling for a specific amount of sugar, it calls for 1/2 cup brown sugar for each cup of sauce
Traditionally, an apple butter batch was cooked all day in a huge copper pot over an open fire. I knew I couldn't do that, but I wanted my recipe to come as close as possible to get the most authentic flavor. I did have to boil it for about 8-10 hours (I forget which!), but I was able to do it in two sessions. Apple butter must be constantly stirred so it won't stick and burn. If the heat is too high, no amount of stirring will keep it from burning! I am considering using a crockpot next time.
I recently joined the Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Garden Club, and I sold some of the apple butter at our open house. You can see the way it looked in my photo below! It was fun to see people enjoy it as much as I do. I hope you enjoyed reading about life in this corner of the world! I would appreciate any comments you have. God bless you!
