Ice Falls

Today I mostly just wanted to share some icicle pictures. These were taking on a winding, narrow KY road just coming out from crossing the Kentucky River.

There are limestone cliffs lining the river and then when you come up out of the river valley, you wind around these limestone walls. Today was incredible... so here you go.

Snow Ice Cream...

With all this snow we have been having I decided it was time to share a favorite family recipe.

Snow Ice Cream.

I tried a few recipes through the years and they either contained raw eggs, or gritty sugar or some problem. Then I hit on THE PERFECT solution. So, I give you my secret recipe:

Snow [get a bowl of non-icy, clean snow]
Sweetened Condensed Milk

Get about 3 quarts of snow and stir in 1/2 to 1 can of sweetened condensed milk until it is a good consistency. Put in bowls and eat.

That's it. Scott and I made some tonight and it was perfect. The only caution: you pretty much have to eat it immediately as it gets icy in the freezer.

Enjoy!
Jill

Foundations and building on them...

On a post on my other blog I mentioned that we are building our dream cottage on our 30 acre farm about a half an hour from our house.

We staked out the footprint last month.

We were out there today and it is taking shape. The footers are in and the pouring walls which will be the mold to pour in the concrete for the walk-out basement walls are up. There is a ton of frozen clay they dug out the hill for the basement and we are thankful it is still frozen.

It will be nasty when things thaw out. As it was, by the time Bob and I got done walking around my boots weighed about 2# more than when I started.

I have purchased all the light fixtures, the dishwasher and two wood stoves [one upstairs and one downstairs] for this cottage. I am pretty pumped-and the view is magnificent.

So, for your viewing enjoyment, here are the pictures from today.

Bob on the pile of clay. Notice hardly any rocks. This is amazing. Usually there are layers and layers of limestone.














The basement from the front. The back wall faces the road, the front will be a walk out and looks over our awesome view of the KY river valley.














The long driveway up to our cottage.













The walls again from another view.

The frames are in place and they can pour the walls when it warms up a bit. This is the worst weather we have had in years, so things are delayed.

I will keep up to date as the walls are poured and the framing goes up. After the walls are poured [just waiting for warmer weather] it should be done in 2 months.

Take care,
Jill

Shopping in my Jammies...

Every year my sister and her husband meet my husband and I in Shipshewana, Indiana for the Pajama Sale Day.

We arrived Thursday night so that we could scout out the sales on Friday and plan our attack. My battle plan would make a general proud. I listed time to visit each store, what we needed to buy at that store and the discount rate. Beginning at 6:00 am the plan scheduled out several shops, when to eat breakfast, when to change out of pajamas and when to get a soft pretzel for a snack.

You may laugh, but we take PJ sale day seriously. I hit a great store that had baby clothes for 35% off and with two granddaughters expected this spring and summer, it was hard to keep from buying a LOT! There are about 2 men for every 1000 women--seriously. Two of the men play bluegrass music in the Mercantile, starting at 6:00 am.

Then down to the coffee store to get reduced coffee beans and to the Sock store to get 40% off of Smart Wool socks. We give all our kids socks for Christmas and I like to give quality socks and I picked up a few pair for myself. Gail and Bob got the coffee, Larry and I the socks. The problem is, you can only get the discounts if you wear your PJs, and only Gail and I had them on. The guys were dressed in their civilian clothes and needed one of us with them to get the deals.

We went to the music store and picked up an awesome harmonica and various musical necessities. Then off to the Carhart store to get some much needed clothing. Then the pretzel--next we hit the meat market to get 10% off of the amazing no-hormone, no added antibiotic meat. We always take at least one cooler for this part of the trip.

Back for breakfast--it is only 9:00 am! Change clothes as the we have hit all the jammie sales we are going to. Then out to pick up amazing Amish caramel-cinnamon doughnuts and to Weaver's furniture to check out their show room. We finish with lunch at another bakery [soup and sandwiches] and head home.

Our jeep was full, our pockets empty and we are about laughed out. A great time every year!

Take care,
Jill
Photos, top to bottom:

• Gail and I as we start out the morning--buying stuff for grandbabies.
• The musicians, playing their hearts out when they would have rather been in bed
• Me at the meat store
• Bob and Larry in the music store
• Mostly ladies getting their 6:30 am caffeine fix.