Our Life in Pictures

The "new" doors on the chicken coop (compliments of my father and Master Hand Grenade).  Our compost pile is on the right

Master Hand Grenade also made a door for the playhouse

Master Calvin and Princess Dragon Snack
splitting massive amounts of kindling

Virginia Creeper winding its way up the arbor with
Iris's peeking through an old chair

The flowers are abloom

Making Caramel with Miss Serenity

Testing the candy using the old fashioned water method

Miss Serenity decided that she wanted to make a batch of caramel (her favorite candy).  She mixed everything up and brought the mixture to a boil and then realized that our candy thermometer was broken!  Thinking she may not be able to finish her candy, she called me in to help.   Taking a look at the thermometer, I decided that it was indeed done for, so I showed her how to test her candy in cold water to determine what stage it had reached.  We had to test it a number of times, but finally it formed a medium/hard ball when dropped in cold water and we deemed it finished.  It turned out great and Miss Serenity added to her kitchen preparedness knowledge.  Yeah!

The Best Caramel
1 C butter
2 C brown sugar
1 C corn syrup
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk;  bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook and stir constantly until mixture reaches 248°, about 30 to 40 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour into a buttered pan to cool.  Cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper.

*  Test candy without a candy thermometer by dropping a bit of candy into a glass of cold water.  When the candy is done, it should form a firm ball that can be squished when squeezed, but still hold its form.

Pouring our newest batch of Raspberry wine into bottles

My Ghillies

Just try to get face paint off a 4 year old!

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.  Thanks for visiting.