The news was predicting a major ice storm and they weren’t wrong.  It started early with the electricity going off 3 times in the night (somewhere between 12:30 – 5 a.m. ) and the storm hadn’t even really hit yet.  School was delayed but not before Joseph headed in for early basketball practice, then it was cancelled.

A little while after he got back we watched as the icy rain started to coat the windows:

We actually didn’t lose power again until 8 p.m. and it only lasted for 10 minutes.  I’m very glad our power has stayed on because in some areas of Iowa whole communities are out and will be for days.  Power crews from neighboring states are helping to restore power but it’s going to take a while.

A view through the same window later in the afternoon…

Check out pictures from around the state from the Channel 13 News website.

A few days ago I did the 12 of 12 and posted some pictures of the frost on the trees.  Today was another beautiful day and I had to take the camera out a get a few more pictures:

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I just love the frost and I think it makes for some beautiful mornings.

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Trying out the Window Live photo albums for is – we’ll see how it works out.

just outside the door, still looking a little foggy but clearing up        11:27 a.m.

snow drift at Jim’s place                        11:29 a.m.

the snow drift from another angle       11:30 a.m.

the trees in front of Jim’s house, they just look so amazing    11:31 a.m.

a picture of the creek on the way back home                            11:32 a.m.

isn’t it just beautiful?                                                                            11:34 a.m.

our house through the snowy trees…                                           11:35 a.m.

even the asparagus looks pretty with the frost on it             11:36 a.m.  

Fancy was NOT impressed with the picture taking & thought I should have done the chores prior to the pictures taking (she was probably right).               11:37 a.m

..showing me just how much she appreciated the delay in mealtime, apparently she’s not going to let me back out until she’s good and ready                11:51 a.m.     

Later on in the day I made these Chai Apple Cider Spiced Cupcakes – Yummy!! but they got mixed reviews from the family.                                                     2:29 p.m.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the two key ingredients – the chai spiced cider & the cinnamon buttercream frosting so I improvised.  I warmed up some apple cider and added some chai tea mix that I had on hand as a replacement to the chai spiced cider and then used this Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting  recipe.                                                             1:41 p.m.

CGHS Varsity Girls Basketball at Algona Bishop Garrigan High School    

CGHS Varsity Boys Basketball at Algona Bishop Garrigan High School  

We came home to find Miss Cali sitting in here favorite spot –

………yep she’s IN the Christmas tree

…and here is a bonus shot – the first picture of Cali was taken with flash                      ….a little spooky looking!!

We now have Pecan Tassies, Oreo Truffles & Cranberry Candies (pictured below from top right clockwise) as well as Caramels, Snowflake Sugar Cookies, & Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies.  (I’ll try to get all the recipes in here over the next few days.)

Everyone was allowed to try one and then they were stowed away in tins – out of sight out of mind – so that there would be some left when Christmas gets here. 

Here is the recipe for the Pecan Tassies:

Crust:

½ lb. butter

2 c. flour

6 oz. cream cheese

Blend all ingredients.

Divide into 48 balls.  I do this by dividing it in half again and again until I have 48 pieces.  Then as I roll them into balls I can check the size and even them out if necessary.

Press balls into tiny muffin tins.  These are 24 count tiny muffin tins from Wilton.   I use the end of a wooden tool that came with my grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aide mixer – it’s just the right size.  Then I even them out if necessary.

Filling:

whole pecans

2 jumbo eggs

2 T. melted butter

1 ½ C. brown sugar

drops vanilla

salt

Break up eggs with fork (don’t beat).

Add sugar, salt, butter and vanilla.

Mix well.

Place 2 pecans in each crust (I like to break them up as I put them in – or you could use chopped pecans – or you could just leave them whole).

Pour your filling over the pecans in the crust.  This little mini-scoop works great for the job.

Top with an additional whole pecan.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

The recipe again without all the pictures.  Happy Baking!

Pecan Tassies

Crust:

½  lb. butter

2 c. flour

6 oz. cream cheese

Blend all ingredients.

Divide into 48 balls.

Press balls into tiny muffin tins.

Filling:

whole pecans

2 jumbo eggs

2 T. melted butter

1 ½ C. brown sugar

drops vanilla

salt

Break up eggs with fork (don’t beat).

Add sugar, salt, butter and vanilla.

Mix well. 

 Place 2 pecans in each crust (I like to break them up as I put them in – or you could use chopped pecans – or you could just leave them whole).

Pour your filling over the pecans in the crust. 

Top with an additional whole pecan.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

First thing on the agenda was unload the dishwasher and start refilling it…attempt a load of laundry…breakfast…shower…reburn a video slideshow that seemed to have glitches at the end of it for some reason… then dress for the funeral of a wonderful man that left this world too soon…funeral at 10:30am.

Picked up lunch for the guys at subway since I was busy/gone all morning and delivered it to the field…

Jim & Jimmy                                                     12:16pm

…the combine & catch wagon                    12:17pm

My dad with the semi at the bin                 12:26pm

Tom unloading corn                                       12:39pm

Back home to realize that in my hurrying this morning I forgot the chores.  Fancy showed her displeasure by staying on the far side of the corral while I put her food in but soon realized that was foolish and headed over to eat (apparently she wasn’t that hungry if she stayed on the other side of the corral for a while).                                         12:56pm

Buddy wanted me to stop with the pictures and feed him too                                12:58pm

I came into the house finally after my hurried morning/into the afternoon to find this – the advent calendar ripped apart  (fortunately the kids had already gotten to it first – chocolate is not good for dogs -I know) -

 apparantly someone else was annoyed they weren’t feed on time                               1:02pm

Lacy confesses….                                           1:03pm

..but then decides to blame the cat I think..    1:04pm

..before she eats she wants to know if I’m up for a game of “throw my coin”, yes that’s a quarter in her mouth, no she never swallows them, and yes she could find “her” coin so don’t try to fool her by throwing a different one   1:11pm

Now it’s off for a haircut & the grocery store.  The sun is starting to set when I pull into the yard – looks cool with the tractor & ripper in the picture                         5:01pm

And last on the agenda for the evening (picture wise anyway).. Joseph handed me the clippers when I walked in the door and said he was ready                           5:28pm

Here are two bonus pictures to give you a reference on the haircut:

11/10 haircut for senior pictures

after haircut – shorter hair and no goatee

First thing I needed to do was pick a name.  I wanted Jana’s Journal but that is already being used so then I thought maybe Jana’s Journeys but that was already being used also, more than once even.  So then I thought maybe jana’s jaunts… sounds a little less dramatic than journeys and there didn’t seem to be any other blogs by that name.

The dictionary defines a jaunt as 1 a tiring trip 2 an excurion undertaken for pleasure — seems to define my life and I’m guessing that this blog experience will be both tiring & pleasure filled for me.  My main goal is to keep a journal of sorts for myself.  As I read other blogs I can see what a great tool it can be in chronicling daily life – I may have to do some flashback fridays or trips down memory lane.