Thursday, Dec. 18th, 2003

Hey, where is everyone? It seems as tho half or more of the group has migrated elsewhere on the site or is too busy to post anymore. I sure hope this trend reverses or at least doesn't go any further. Are we farm types really all that dull a bunch of people that others don't want to be around us anymore? I think our lives have plenty of excitement and activity.

I had a busy day again yesterday. After getting all the critters taken care of and litter boxes and compost containers dumped and the litter boxes refilled I went to town to drop off the picnic roast at the smoked meat place. I told them I want it the day before Christmas. Then went out and picked up two gallons of fresh farm milk. YEAH, the cow is back in production! The price of a gallon went from $2 to $3 but that is still ok. Kyle and Holly want some too. Since we just got a gallon at the store the day she called to tell me milk was available again I told them they can have one of these gallons. Next week I'll likely have
to get 3 or 4 gallons if that much is available.

I went straight from town to my work place about 25 miles the opposite direction from Sedalia and picked up one of my bosses to take her to Powell Gardens for the afternoon. We had a great trip. Got to know more about each other and our families, etc. We will be making many more trips in the spring, summer, fall, etc. She got some things in the gift shop for gifts and I got a couple 2004 calanders from the gardens. All 12 pictures are suppose to be from the gardens themselves. We have some top notch professional photographers who are volunteers and do all that work for free. Yvonne was amazed at the beauty of the wreaths, etc. and talent of the staff and volunteers that was evident everywhere. She wants us to do some of that for the cafe' next winter. We'll raise the peppers, dry the lemons and oranges ourselves, etc. and then spend a few afternoons and evenings making the wreaths and garlands. First I have to get the seed catalogs and select the proper culivars of plants. There were also hanging balls of dried flowers & seeds that she wants to make so we'll be raising corn flowers and straw flowers amongst others next summer.
There were litterally hundreds of poinsettia plants of several colors and types of bracts. I hear they are clearing all poinsettias left in the green houses out today so I may make a trip back up there to collect some for nursing homes in the area. I can probably fill the van and still not take very many of what is left. Better that than have them just dumped on the compost pile to die.

After the PG tour we went to a green house up the road a few miles and got some hyacinth, giant allum, crocus, and frittilaria bulbs to put into baskets and plant outside at the cafe'. Because the bill was over $25 we got a Pixie poinsettia free and I got to keep it. All in all it was a great afternoon. We got back to the cafe' about 6. Just in time for her and her husband to close it and go home.

I made the first and likely only batch of homemade fudge last night. It is an old recipe no longer in circulation but a favorite of mine. Called 2 Flavor Fudge because it uses brown sugar as well as white and both butterscotch and chocolate chips. I need to make some cookies I guess tho my heart really isn't in it at this time. As I get older all this cooking, visiting, present giving and recieving doesn't mean so much any more. I just seem to contemplate the reason for the season more and more and dread the changes in the weather. I think I could become somewhat of a recluse for the season if I didn't have so much going on in my life.

Must go get started on the day. Especially if the phone call I 'm about to make to one of my supervisors at PG tells me what I think it will. GOD bless and keep each and all of you.