Yesterday, Abbi, Sammy and I walked out on the ice to so we could get a better view of this bird.  
It’s a “Red Tail Hawk” and is about 1/4 mile away when I took this picture. It was eating lunch!
  

We were trying to sneak up on him and to get a better shot when he took off.
 He’s right in the middle of the screen.

On our way back we saw this bird coming towards us:

Wow – could she fly!

Christmas cookie recipes are often passed down from generation to generation, and every family will have their favourites. Add a new recipe to your collection with one of the following tempting sweets.Thumbprint cookies have been around since Grandma’s time, being a long-time favourite. The Scottish shortbread with candied ginger is delicate and buttery with a bit of zip. The tangy lemon glazed butter cookies are a great sugar cookie for cutting out shapes and decorating.

Jewelled Thumbprint Cookies

 
Makes 4 1/2 dozen

375 ml (1 1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) sugar
1 large egg
2 ml (1/2 tsp) pure vanilla
750 ml (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
Assorted jams; apricot, marmalade, raspberry, strawberry

Preheat oven to 180º C (350º F). In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt add to butter mixture a third at a time. Mix until just blended and a dough is formed.

Roll dough into 2.5-cm (1-inch) balls, place 5-cm (2-inches) apart on cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the centre of each ball. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Fill centres with 2-cm (1/2 tsp) assorted jams while still hot. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Variation: Roll balls in ground almonds or ground hazelnuts before baking.
Tip: Make dough ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bake a few at a time as needed.  They will be fresh and hot from the oven when company arrives.

Scottish Ginger Shortbread

500 g (1 lb) butter, room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) confectioner’s sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) cornstarch
1 L (4 cups) all-purpose flour
75 ml (1/3 cup) candied ginger, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 155º C (310º F). In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar, and cornstarch.         Add flour and mix by hand until a coarse mixture forms; add ginger. Knead dough well. Chill for 15 minutes and roll out to .5-cm (1/4-inch) thickness and cut out shapes with assorted cookie cutters. Prick dough all over with a fork.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned. Remove shortbread to racks and cool completely.

Store shortbread in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week or freeze for 2 to 3 months.

Tip: For plain shortbread omit the ginger.

Lemon-Glazed Butter Cookies

Makes 3 dozen

125 ml (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
75 ml (1/3 cup) sugar
1 large egg
10 ml (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking powder
 
Preheat oven to 180º  C (350º  F). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon rind.  Mix together flour and baking powder and slowly beat into butter mixture.

Divide dough into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to handle.

Roll out dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle lemon glaze with a fork over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with decorating sugar.

Glaze: Combine 125 ml (1/2 cup) confectioner’s sugar with approximately 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice to make a thin glaze.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE…. Read all the Numbers…
Slowly and in Order!!  
Be Careful not to MISS ANY  

 
1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10    
11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19    
20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27    
28   29   30   

Scroll down    ………………….   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 

 
NEXT TIME  I WILL BLOG YOU THE ABC’s.  
It is so easy to amuse some people!!!!

by Studio R Designs from Clothworks.

 Castle and Carriages is horses, castles, ball gowns, and yes, even a frog prince all come together in the ultimate princess collection shown in fashionable browns, pinks and greens. 

Panel: 22″ X 44″ 

Notice the beautiful tonal fabrics!

Border stripe:

Quilt Kit with Free Pattern which includes: quilt, window and sham!

We are supposed to get a lot of snow and very cold temperatures this week! 

Here is a picture of how much snow we have on the ground right now:

and how much ice we have on our lake:

One Christmas, Joe and Peter built a skating rink in the middle of a field. A shepherd leading his flock decided to take a shortcut across the rink. The sheep, however, were afraid of the ice and wouldn’t cross it. Desperate, the shepherd began tugging them to the other side.

‘Look at that, ‘remarked Peter to Joe, ‘That guy is trying to pull the wool over our ice!’

Beagle and dog lovers unite and THANK volunteer and quilter Linda from BREW Inc: Beagle Rescue, Education, and Welfare .

Here is quilter Linda’s story:  I have been doing Beagle Rescue for over 6 years.  All the doggy fabrics I buy (and I have tons) are used to make items that are sold at our fundraisers or on our website.  Ninety-seven cents of every dollars received either by sales, donations, sponsorships and adoption fees goes directly to the dogs.  This year, because of the economy, we have had 12 previously adopted beagles returned. Our policy is the dog must come back to us if you are no longer able to care for the dog.

Here is the link to the site: Brew Inc to see all the beagle up for adoption. This is a wonderful site full of information, fun and happy endings!

If you have read my blogs you know our family includes 3 very well loved beagles.  I challenge all beagle lovers to match my donation of $100 and I’ll give you a eGift certificate for $25.00!  When you donate mention my name: “Gabbi Abbi”.