Red Dirt Farm and Studio

I hope that Y’all came through the holiday season with blessings and all good things.

I in my elf slippers and Mr. Cottage in his flannel, we snuggled in on Christmas eve for a day of just doing for us.

Mr. Cottage and I have had a long tradition of cooking a special Christmas Eve dinner – something a little fancy.  Since the passing of Mother Cottage, we have invited Father Cottage to join us for Christmas Eve supper.  I’ve made various steak dinners these past few years.   This year, Father Cottage announced that he had other plans for Christmas Eve, so we talked about what we would do, for just the two of us.

  It was decided that we would put the new smoker that was recently given to us, to good use.  Pork ribs were our choice.  I made a dry rub that they rested in for 24 hours.  I also made my bourbon, maple barbecue sauce – oh bliss.  I went out and gathered up wood from an apple tree that we took down earlier this summer.  Mr. Cottage cut it into smaller pieces so it would fit in the smoker and away we went.  It was a day-long process.  We watched old holiday movies and snuggled in the easy chairs a good part of the day, while the ribs smoked away.

Winter came in for her daily stroll about the kitchen and living room.

Papaya hung out on the front porch most of the day looking in the window and the front door, pacing back and forth, demanding we give him some extra treats. I think he muttered something about his gift to us was how lucky we are to see his magnificent plumage – oh no he isn’t vain at all – he’s just a peacock.

Oh, the dogs said they too needed extra treats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I brought out the silver and the good Christmas china, it all seemed rather silly to have with spare ribs, but then again why not?  I nixed the idea of cloth napkins though – common sense prevailed there.

I made a wreath out of rosemary, fresh from our garden.  It was garnished with an assortment of olives, peppers, and mozzarella balls.  Mr. Cottage doesn’t like olives, so this was mostly a fun crafty thing for me to do.  I made baked beans and stuffing with apples and pecans, nothing fancy, but it was a nice quiet meal with a glass of red wine for me and a shot of bourbon for him.

 

We sold a record 14 dozen eggs on the 23rd and 24th – that’s a lot of folks baking and cooking.  I’m glad someone did, I didn’t bake the first cookie this year.  Between being down with a head cold and trying to cut out sweets, it just didn’t happen.

It has been bitterly cold here, and the girls aren’t laying as they normally do, but all in all, we can’t complain about egg production.  It has been a chore though, keeping water available for the flock.  Even the heated waterers have been freezing.  Thank heavens there hasn’t been snow to contend with.

Soon, all this sparkle and twinkle will be packed away until next Christmas, but for now, I’m not anxious to take down all the decorations.  I’m rather enjoying them this year, and quite frankly I’m not having much energy these days to do other than quiet, slow activities.  There is always next week…

 

A new year and changes will be upon us soon. I feel I’m embarking on a new season of life.

 Thank you for being here this year and sharing your thoughts and love with us.

 

 

That’s all for today.