Birds and buckets...

 

After a week of -20 temperatures, it finally warmed up.  Ella and I enjoyed the morning on the porch watching the birds.

Ella was very happy to soak in the sunshine.

My husband got me this little bucket along with a few other auction items this weekend.  He knew despite it being covered in what I think is caulk, I would love it. 

He was right.  I love making something old new again.  I spent the day slowly chipping away with a chisel and hammer.

I'm getting closer.  Hopefully a soak will help me get the last of the gunk off.

It is going to make a great planter when I'm done.  Some sanding and linseed oil it will be as good as new.

I enjoy a good challenge.  What are you working on?  Do you have snow or are you able to go outside and enjoy the day?

Olympic hopes...

I'm afraid my Olympic dreams have been crushed...

I'd like to thank my husband for his love and support.

Second verse same as the first...

I tried again and now I'm done.  I really wanted homemade licorice.  This time I had all of the correct ingredients and gave it another go.

I didn't use black food coloring, so it doesn't look very licorice like.  It doesn't taste very licorice like either.  I'm done.  It was a different recipe, but same results.  I even used extra ainse to no avail.  Live and learn.  Leave licorice to the professionals.

Other than that it was a quiet weekend.  I met a friend for hot yoga.  I really enjoy yoga and have been diligent for over a year.  My reward is to go to an actual hot yoga class.  

After class we enjoyed a cup of coffee and a visit.  I know, hot yoga hot coffee?  It is winter.

Maybe I'll have something interesting next week. We got a bunch of snow and I planned to go sledding today but the road melted off.  That is NOT a complaint.

Are you also struggling with winter doldrums?  Any advice?

Try try again...

 This weekend felt like a good time to try making licorice.  I developed a taste for it thanks to my friend from Denmark.  They are crazy about black licorice there   She had given me a little bottle of likrid flavoring a few years ago, so I could try to make some.

I'm not much of a candy maker, but I wanted to give it a try.  I found a recipe, set everything up, and read the directions several times over.

Everything was going great.  Up until I went to use the licorice flavoring.  What I thought was a full bottle turned out to hardly have a teaspoon.  I needed 4 tablespoons. I think it must have leaked or dried up over time.

It looks great sprinkled with salt.  It wasn't.  Not enough flavoring.  I'm pretty disappointed.  Now I'm determined to try again.  Stay tuned...

Have you ever had a recipe fail?  What was it?  Did you try again?