{ First fire of the season and hibernating }

It is downright nippy here.

The temperatures plummeted yesterday morning, right down to 30 degrees and then rose to 47, that's it, 47 for the day.  Throw in wind and storms, and I actually found myself shivering as I climbed into bed.

The same rain, strong wings and chill temps have continued through today.  I've been eagerly awaiting the first real cool days, and here they are in all their glory.





I donned on my first sweater and boots of the season too and braved the cold rainy weather to take my daughter to work.  If there's one thing I highly dislike, is driving in the rain, it makes me quite anxious.

Upon returning home, I immediately got the fire going.  There's nothing quite like the first fire.

The smell of the wood burning, the crackling sounds and the popping flickers of fire flying up from the flames.





I sat for a few minutes, just listening to the fire and the high wind blowing outside, but I can't sit in my jeans and boots, I'm the kind of girl that needs to immediately change into some comfy sweat or pajama pants and warm slippers.

I quickly set the house to order, got the kitchen cleaned up, why is that the one room in the house that is constant disarray?  No matter how many dishes I wash, how many counters I clean, there is always and I mean always a dish here, a cup there, a wrapper on the counter.  Never ending job.

But as I sat washing the dishes and looking out into the trees outside the window, I began thinking and planning, and a word came to mind, hibernate.

I'm not a bear but I do tend to hibernate during the cold winter days.  I wish I could say that I fill my tummy and sleep for 3 or so months, but that is not the case.

I hibernate in the sense that I plan, and prepare and gather all I need for the winter months ahead.

Summer months mean gardening, swimming, barbecues and constant on the go moments, and as Fall starts swinging around, I start slowing down and looking forward to the dark nights, the stews and soups, hot chocolate and crackling fires, and nights spent on the recliner with a warm crochet blanket draped across my lap.



It's not a question of if we will need firewood or if cold days will come, it is a question of when, and so we start gathering, chopping and piling wood months before.  We started back in July and still have quite a lot to get through.



Our pecan trees are full, their branches littered with big pecans ready to be harvested to or knocked off by a gust of wind.  In the next two weeks we will harvest them all, big buckets of beautiful pecans that will then need to be shelled, bagged for pie for the holidays and pecan milk for the fridge, the rest will be frozen to use as needed.



This is also the time of the year that I pull out my knitting needles and crochet hooks and work on new hats, scarves and blankets.  Of course you can buy these at the store, but there is something knitting or crocheting each item, putting your love into each row, not to mention that something homemade seems to be a lot warmer than the store bought ones.



Stocking of candles, long tapered ones and small tea lights for nights where the power goes out.



I take this time of the year to also can jam, applesauce, salsa, tomato sauce and anything else I can think of.



Cold weather also means colds and flus.  Every year I like to prepare for those with some store bought items but mainly homemade remedies that are sure to keep those sore throats and coughs at bay.  If you've followed me for a while you will no doubt have seen me talk about my Honey, Ginger and Lemon Syrup.  I make it every.single.year and make sure to refresh it and make a new batch as soon as October comes around.

This year I'll also be making a Ginger shot sure to pack a punch.  One shot of it each day will keep those nasty bugs away.



The garden will be put to bed, plants will be moved indoors for the freezing weather and plans for Spring gardening will be drawn up.

I find the cooler months to be probably my favorite time of year, we have all the holidays to look forward to, time with family and delicious food to be consumed. 

We also have dark cozy nights with candle light, snowy storms outside and holiday movies on the TV.

So I'm preparing and prepping and getting ready to hibernate into the cooler months.  Tell me, do you hibernate as well?

To Hibernate or not????

Why does society feel that in order to have a good weekend and spend time with your family, you need to go out and spend money?  You need to go eat at a restaurant, or go to a movie, or waste gas driving  somewhere where you'll end up spending more money all in the name of a good time.

I've received quite a few emails since my post yesterday about my family hibernating this weekend.  People genuinely surprised and thankful for the idea.  I honestly don't think I'm doing anything that fascinating but I guess I am LOL

A couple also wanted to know what we did this weekend and if we enjoyed it.

The whole point of this weekend hibernation was to shut out the outside world, to not spend money on anything and to just make do with what we had.  We didn't do any work, I didn't do any unnecessary housework, we just hung out, watched movies together, read on our own, pigged out on treats and snacks, ate delicious bowls of yummy soup, some stayed up late, some went to bed early.

We relaxed, plain and simple.  No stresses, no phones ringing or cellphones beeping.....just relaxed.

Honestly, we all enjoyed it so much that I think this will become a monthly deal.  One weekend a month to ourselves, to work on the family bond and closeness, to devote to US.  I don't think it's asking for much and quite frankly, it's a lot cheaper than going out looking for things to do for fun.

So here's a brief look at today:

:::: rain.....for a minute. 

::: you may think I'm exaggerating but I'm really not.  It came down hard and it came down brief, it was a minute maybe two and then it was gone.

:::: spent some time on my laptop, catching up on blog reading, facebooking, working on menus, paying bills etc.

::::: toys thrown here and there.  I usually get so frustrated but this weekend I tried to let it go and surprisingly, I am ok and the world didn't fall apart.

::::: cuddled under a blanket with a hot cup of coffee watching Television

:::::: Aside from a movie with the family here and there, my little one spent many hours playing in his room, using his imagination

I feel recharged and ready to face another week. 

Why don't you give it a try with your family and let me know how it went.  You'll be surprised how restored your soul feels after a weekend like this.

Blame Canada!!!

I'm slow people, so I just found out that apparently it's De-Lurking week, and here I am on the LAST day possible, asking you all to just De-Lurk and give me a HI. Really I know there's people who read my blog but never comment, and that's ok, I do the same with some of my favorite blogs, but I invite you to just pop in and out, can you do that for this sickly person who is always behind on the cool blogland stuff?




Yep, it's all YOUR fault. Apparently some cold front coming in from Canada has turned us into walking popsicles. I'm freezing people, and I don't mean just a little cold and over exaggerating....it is seriously cold here. It started yesterday and I just brushed it off to me not feeling well, but then I saw the weather report and since I had to blame someone, I blamed Canada. LOL

It's currently 15 degrees but with the wind chill it's -20.....hmmmmm do I really want to step outside my warm cocoon and face the cold harsh weather???
Not really, why is it that on days like this the kids are fine and then on days when it's nice and warm outside is when they're actually sick and can't go to school??? I'm just saying you know!!!

I am up, I'm tired and I just want to crawl back into bed, why you may ask? Well I got up at 5:15 am, like the good little wife that I am lol, and I fixed coffee and pancakes for my husband so that he could eat before going to work. Wasn't that sweet of me??? I still feel awful, and I think the reason is that I let it go too long before I realize "Hey, I'm actually really sick shouldn't I be taking something?". Yeah not really condusive to a fast recovery if you ask me.

I think I should hibernating every winter, I could certainly put away the necessary food without even flinching, I'm ALL for eating. But it would also allow me to sleep for long periods of time (something moms are not allowed to do apparently), AND I would be able to not get sick all the time....I don't know about you all but from where I'm standing I only see Pro's to this Hibernation thing.

Don't you??? Look at the bear all snuggly and warm....the one thing I COULD do without is all that hair on my body LOL

I'm so irked, remember I posted my Portuguese Chicken Recipe yesterday, and then I said that I would take a picture and post it for you all right??? Well......before I could get to the picture the family had dug in and went about devouring it. COME ON, are you THAT hungry that you can't wait for a minute just for me to snap a picture??? Then they started spouting stuff like "just take a picture of my plate?"....."just take a picture now?"......Yeah I don't think people want to see that half eaten chicken leg or the pretty much empty serving dish.

Guess you guys will have to wait until the next time I make it, which should be soon since they raved about it and pointed out the fact that I don't make it very often.

Anyway, it's Friday, and I remember when I first started my blog, I had this feature called "Remember When???". Every friday I posted a funny or memorable story from my family, either from when I was just a wee little one or teenage years or whatever. I stopped doing it for.....well, I really don't know why I stopped LOL But anyway, like I was saying, I think I'm going to start it again, and I'm going to start adding a Mr Linky if anyone is drawing a blank for that day and wants to share a funny story with us.

This is one of the stories I shared back then.....I'm just reposting for you all, I KNOW that you guys didn't read it, unless you had the strength and patience to ever go back on my archives that far, if you did, I admire you. *Hats off*



This is one of those short funny memories that I will always have.

We were visiting my grandparents house in Johannesburg. We had spent the day there and when it got to late afternoon we were heading back home. My brothers and I got in the back of the car and my stepmother and dad in the front.

We all sit down and buckle up, and right before my dad starts the car he starts sniffing around, like something smelled really bad. My brothers and I say nothing and just look at each other. He turns around and says "WHAT IS THAT SMELL???".

He is met with the "I don't know, it wasn't me".

He continues to sniff around and again asks what the smell is. Then he says "you guys stink, good grief can't you wait til you get home, that's disgusting", and he is going on and on and on about it. LOL
We keep telling him it wasn't us, and my stepmom turns to him and says "you know, maybe it's you". My dad gets this insulted look on his face and says "No, NO it's not", but then just as quickly adds....."OH, ACTUALLY, it was me, I stepped in dog poop". HAHAHAHAHAHA

We about died laughing at him. If you guys could have seen the look on his face, all that insult at being told that maybe the smell was coming from him, and only to find out that indeed it was LOL

If you're reading this dad, just know that we will NEVER let you live that one down LOL

I tell you, till this day whenever we all get together that is one of the stories we tell and still laugh just as hard as we did that day, sitting in the back of the car.

I'm not putting up a Mr Linky today because I have no idea if anyone would be interested in playing along or not, if you are then I'll set one up :)

Well it's almost 7:30 am and I need to get Jasmine up and ready for school.

Have a wonderful weekend all,