First Snow of the Season

As predicted we had our first snow fall of the year last night.  The wind ahead of the storm was crazy with wind gusts of up to 75 mph up the canyon from our house.  We went from highs in the 60's on Friday to a projected high of 39 today.  Luckily by the end of the week we'll be a little bit warmer.

Here are a few pictures looking out my back window.

Fall Colors

I took this picture of my neighbor's tree yesterday and it will probably be the last good day we'll have in a while.  It's overcast today and Mantua is expected to get snow this weekend as well as next week.  We've been crazy warm this fall, with highs in the upper 60's low 70's and it's all about to change tomorrow.

So until next fall, here's something to remind you of how beautiful fall really is.

Just like when we were kids

My great-grandfather was a sheep farmer in Wyoming.  When we were kids (and I mean little kids) we happened to be in Wyoming when it was time to move the sheep from the ranch just outside of Burlington, Wyoming to the mountain for summer grazing.  (Now many of my relatives may correct me on how this was done exactly, like I said, I was a little kid the only time I was up there for the sheep move.)  We of course weren't helping, we were watching if the truth be told, we were probably in the way.

Well those memories of those couple of days came flooding back to me yesterday when about 1,000 sheep arrived in the pasture just west of the hatchery.  They over nighted in the field and then moved through Mantua, down US Highway 89 through Brigham City onto Tremonton.  I am not sure where their final desitination is or if they'll end up in  your freezer as lamb chops, but it was fun to see that not all farmers load all their sheep into big semi trucks to move.

Here are a few pictures of the move...

You asked for it ...

Over the past few months I have had several people request that I create a calendar with my pictures.  I found  a great service that has allowed me to design a calendar with my pictures and allows you to purchase it directly from the company.  In an effort to try and keep costs down this was the best solution so that I wasn't faced with two shipping charges, purchasing a minimum order and trying to sell all of them and best of all, you get to see the calendar prior to purchase.

To view the calendar click here.  If you are interested in a custom calendar with special dates and/or your own photos please let me know.  

If you want to purchase more than five calendars please contact me directly so that I can process your order with a discount.

Fifty pounds of Idaho potaotes!

While Quent and I were in town tonight (yes it's true I talk like that) we drove past a pickup selling newly picked Idaho potatoes.  If you've been following my blog for any time at all you'll know of my love for the "true" Idaho potato. In case you aren't aware of my love for Idaho potatoes...here is a link to a previous post.

I told Quent he needs to dig me a cellar tomorrow so we'll have a place to store our potatoes.

A crazy busy (but fun) weekend!

It was UEA in Utah (a two break schools get for the teachers to go to the Utah Education Association's two day workshops in Salt Lake) or as most people call it, fall break and my brother Joe and his family decided to go camping at the Box Elder camp ground which is about two miles from our house. 

They arrived on Thursday night and we went over and hung out with them while they got everything set up.  On Friday we began the day with pancakes at the campsite (we slept at home, it was much too cold to sleep in a tent) and then headed to Logan to the American Heritage Farm's harvest festival.  Uncle Quent didn't go to Logan with us as he wasn't feeling so great and he didn't want to make his sore throat worse by spending the day outside.

The harvest festival was full of activities, we went to the corn maze, pony rides, a hay maze, road the train, made corn husk dolls, made corn cob darts, visited the sheep, slide down the larger than life slide, went through the heritage buildings and had applesauce chocolate chip cookies, visited the wood shop and visited the pumpkin patch, it was a busy busy day!  Friday night was capped off with Joe's famous chicken and potatoes in the dutch oven and smores by the fire.

Saturday I made scones and sausage for breakfast and then we did our own thing Saturday afternoon.  My parents came up to watch the Utah football game Saturday night and the kids loved playing out back at our house. 

Sunday morning Joe and Joy packed up and headed home and Quent and I took a much needed break.  Below are a few pictures of the weekend.

 

A Cupcake and A Birthday

I found a recipe I was dying to try and today was the perfect excuse, Joyce's birthday.  Quent and I headed down to Farmington to celebrate the day with Joyce and Quent suggested I take a cake.  I decided that I'd try out the Pumpkin Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (recipe found here). I figured trying out a new recipe on family was ok, everyone needs a guinea pig right?  To get to the point, the cupcakes were fantastic and we had a great time celebrating Joyce's birthday with Kerry at Iggy's.  Joyce took a few pictures which I have yet to see, I will post the pictures I took of the cupcakes before leaving home.


The cupcakes have become an instant classic and I've already informed my sister-in-law that I will be bringing them to the big Halloween bash.

Happy Birthday 'lyssa!

My niece Alyssa turned 6 on Friday and my sister had quite the birthday party for her on Sunday.  Due to various reasons we hadn't been to one of Alyssa's birthday parties since she was two or three.  Luckily Quent was off this past weekend and we were able to attend.   There is nothing like a bunch of screaming kids and playing kiss the frog and pulling strings out of a Piñata (whatever happened to whacking it with a stick?) and a bunch of presents to get your adrenaline going.

Here are a few pictures from the party.  My sister made the princess cake and it turned out really cute!

Lazy Sunday

Joe & TJ watching game film, Morgan playing Dora the Explorer Candyland and Quent upating his fantasy football team (or playing farmville, not sure which)

All in a days work!

Quent found a bargin on peaches in Perry so Joy and I spent all day Saturday working on peaches.  I was in Salt Lake to make her kitchen a mess as she was in my kitchen last weekend.  Quent bought us 3 bushels of peaches on Thursday and we had our work cut out for us.  We invited my mom to help us and believe me it was great to have her and another pair of hands!  In all it cost us 65 cents a quart for all the peaches.  Thanks Quent for your connections!

At the end of the day we ended up wth 32 quarts bottled, 14 pints bottled, 14 quarts frozen, 10 batches (50 cups) freezer jam and 1 gallon of peach syrup.  Now we didn't actualy make the jam or the syrup but we have ground up the peaches and have it all ready to finsh up at a future date.

In addition to the peachfest we had a Joy's house yesterday she managed to make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork and dressing for dinner with Jim and Melissa, my mom, Quent and myself.

After canning the last two weekends Joy and I decided that we would not be canning next weekend!