It Is Coming.

On February 23, 2025 By AveryIn Food, Horses, Life2 Comments

Spring that is. Spring is coming. Forget winter.

Or at least the time change is coming. In 14 days the interwebs says. Anyone else have a countdown going?

The horses are starting to shed and they feel like I do. Everyone has been in a bad mood every time the winter comes.

I am not a fan of any time change to be honest, but I can not wait for more daylight in the evenings after work. Basically being dark when I get home from work during the week when it is cold is one of the most depressing things to me. Just me and the Merle staring at each other, longing to play outside. It always has been this way for me, but it is getting worse with age and especially now that I no longer live in town. I feel like a horse that has been locked in a stall and needs out. A caged animal. I need the sun! And the green, I LOVE green landscapes. The winter drab is getting to me. Yes, we still have green winter grasses and green clover, but it is not the same against a low, gray winter sky. Yes, there it has its own beauty, but at times like these, it can sometimes be hard to see! (I am fully aware how bonkers this sounds. Our winters are really beautiful and we do get a lot of sun and beautiful days!…as you will see in some of my pics!)

The wet and the wind, also not helping. It is messing with my riding (read mood)(I am unwell). OK, to be honest, I did get a little ride in last Saturday. Bareback, in a halter, and crusted in mud. Do not judge me, I had a window and I took it, but it dang sure feels as if I have not ridden since New Year’s Eve (I think I have only ridden one other time since NYE). That is the hardest thing about winter for me, the lack of riding. Long time readers will not be surprised by this. I am pretty sure I write this same thing every winter.

My point, dear readers, is hold steady and be strong! Spring is coming! Warmth and sun are coming! Our time is coming! We can do it, I promise. And really, I do not mean to complain. Especially after winter 2021, but it is still hard! I have been thinking a lot about the tropics!

Enough of all that winterness, and more about what has been going on since before Christmas (GASP!).

Well, Christmas happened! Ha! Two months ago was a long time ago.

I had my usual fancy coffee while cooking and baking!

I made a spiced chocolate cake for one party. This one was truly the best. I have figured out a good base chocolate cake that I have adapted originally from Ina Garten’s Aunt Beatty’s Chocolate Cake and I had fun creating a Christmas tree forest!

I of course also made my cranberry sauce with peppers and apple. It is so easy to make a plain cranberry sauce from scratch and I really would encourage everyone to try it!

I also attempted to make pomegranate bars. Think lemon bars, but pomegranate. Yet, do not think too hard about it as they did not work out. Back to the drawing board on that one! I will get there eventually, but this first pass did not pan out! Hey, it happens to everyone, that is part of the fun in trying new things.

Merle had his annual special Christmas treat for which he worked really hard for and was very grateful for!

He was not overly pleased though to be posing yet again this year. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas night at my parents’ house in town. As per usual, we were up early as you can maybe tell from the darkness in these snaps. All for good reason though! Christmas! We had work to do!

Like bake off these puff pastry Christmas tree appetizers! The green one was filled with spinach artichoke dip and the red one had my cranberry sauce with brie. Both so good!

I also had to pull out my cheesecake and dress it for the party!

I had baked it the 23rd and I knew there was a crack, whomp whomp. No worries though! If your cheesecake has a crack, it will still taste good and you can cover it with whipped cream or, like I did here, with gold star flake sprinkles! Except, do not do that too early like I did. The condensation that you can also see here will make your stars bleed and melt. Triple whomp.

The cheesecake was pumpkin pecan pie cheesecake. I have done something similar to this once before and my thoughts were that it was just too much. I felt the exact same this time. The pumpkin part, very good on its own. The pecan part, very good on its own. Together, just too much. Someone remind me of this next time I say I am going to do that again. More is not always better.

At least I did not mess up the pony’s Christmas dinners! Peppermints for the win!

In the after Christmas and before the new year, I did do some riding.

We rode down the road with my Momma. This actually was not going to be the plan as we had not ridden in a while at this point…winter and festivities. Anyway, we rode down around the pond and Lito spotted Mom walking and made a B line for her, so we changed plans and followed her down the road! I am so glad we did! He was very good and it was a pretty day for it.

For New Year’s Eve, R and I continued our annual close out ride.

We came across a big down tree across the trail and had to blaze a new one to get around.

Merle was the king of the trailer while we rode.

Then the winter came.

This picture is rather deceiving. This was right before the first event. After all the early feedings, the cows showed me their thanks by putting two dents in my truck.

The cold does make for pretty night skies!

I do love when they cuddle when it is cold!

I did break down and order Petunia a blanket a couple days ago for a steal in a sale. She never seems uncomfortable, but she deserves one and she is older.

Like I said, pretty!

Finally a ride!

Can you tell I have a thing for the sun? Which is pretty funny given that I am fair skinned and have to always be covered up.

Merle also loves the sun.

We had some snow at one point. We really did not get that much, but any amount is a thing down here.

I did sneak behind a pair of bay roan ears a couple of times, so actually you can add two more rides to my 2025 count.

We all love the sun.

I delayed our annual vet appointment with vaccines and teeth because of the weather, but we did get it done.

I made red velvet cupcakes for a galentines dinner! Galentines and valentines good, cupcakes only OK though…I have not done so well recently with the baking! They were tough and not very tender. Very annoying to me. Icing was pretty tasty though and they looked tasty so I guess that is good. Oh well, that is just how it goes sometimes. I will try again another day!

Merle, well, he is just always living his best life. I am not sure why WordPress cut off the left pic, but I kinda like it this way.

Then the real excitement came when this last winter episode was about to begin. I arrived to my Cheetah‘s left eye swollen shut, weepy, and painful!

Joy.

For anyone who does not know, horse and dog eyes are not people eyes. They do not heal all that well without support.

Luckily, my vet is just ten minutes up the road from the farm. So, down the road we went and we pulled in just as the last patient was leaving. She ended up having a woody piece of hay or something up in her eyelid that had scratched quite a big, yet superficial, ulcer on her eyeball. Back to the farm we went with three ointments and banamine and instructions to treat four times a day…in addition to winter feeding and ice breaking.

Joy.

It could always be worse though and I am just glad this was not worse. It has been hard enough to have her basically (I cannot admit to full) retired because of her arthritis, I would hate for her to have any amount of vision alteration because of this to boot. My girl is the best girl though and has been a doll for treatment.

That about catches you up!

How has your winter gone?!

Take a deep breath and know that spring is coming! Very soon!

Walk in love, dear readers!

A Christmas Tune Tuesday.

On December 17, 2024 By AveryIn Music2 Comments

Yes, yes, it is me, again!

I know you must be in shock and disbelief at your found good fortune. It is alright, I am here for you, dear readers, when I can be anyhow!

We all can help each other get into the Christmas Spirit and this Tuesday before Christmas Eve is a fine time for a Tune Tuesday! And, well, it has been quite a while since we have done one!

To start us off…

Back in October I shared a fabulous song by a band that has just been playing my soundtrack lately. Well I am still listening to them non stop, sharing them with everyone, and you should have a listen here to this!

Look, yes, I prefer the non sad Christmas songs, but lordy, just listen to them. So dang good. I can not even handle it.

And if you are thinking he feels little like Elvis…

However, he is his own man….

Let us not stray, back to Christmas.

Yes, the Lord, the reason for the season, played by this faithful bunch, but back to Christmas music…

OK, sorry. I am back now. Anyhoo. Y’all know how I like my music and Christmas music in particular…

So, you heard it here folks, this is your one stop shop to get those tunes going. Some of the best Christmtas music. Share the light far and wide.

Happy listening!

Walk in love, dear readers!

Knock Knock!?!

On December 16, 2024 By AveryIn Dogs, Food, Horses, Life3 Comments

Who is there, you ask?

Well, it is Christmas Spirit, that is who!

Ha!

Did you know that kids still do knock knock jokes?! Ya, I too have learned that recently from my nieces and nephews. Pretty interesting actually. Some things are just apparently timeless I guess. Who would have guessed that knock knock jokes would be one of those things.

Anywhhooooo.

Have you felt your Christmas Spirit yet??? ‘Twas late coming for me, but it is here now! Do not you worry, dear readers, if you need some help, I am comin’ in hot for y’all to try and help if I can!

The Christmas Spirit really began for me this year with a little lunchtime party our office building threw for the tenants last week of all things. The festive decorations, treats, and sounds of mingling surrounded by poinsettias and I looked up and felt it. Why hello there, long time no see! I have most of my Christmas shopping complete and I am getting the itch to BAKE. Better late than never! I am pretty sure I said that last year, oh well, please don’t judge me. I have the Christmas music on now and am in the middle of decorating the tree and wrapping gifts! Yes, I know, late also too with the tree. I just have not made the time for it (you have to make the time for the things!) and I was again considering not even doing it. I again told myself that was unthinkable and a friend of mine actually offered (again) a little pre-lit tree to borrow if I wanted it. When she offered this time I jumped at it. I have my other little decorations out, but it is not complete or the same without a tree with lights and loved ornaments.

SO, it is here and I am doing it!

I started a post to you back in the beginning of November about gratitude and being grateful for the rain…you know, Thanksgiving and all…and now here we are half way through December! Oh well, if you were wondering, I am indeed grateful for the rain. So much so that I was almost complaining about it come Saturday because the forecast has been all over the place and it seems to always change over night. I have been surprised a few times this fall/winter and your gal just wants to ride her horse! I seem to have forgotten my rule about not making plans around the weather man and the fact that this i s one of the reasons we ride all year round. You know, should one need a reason or something.

It is little matter now though that I finally got to ride on Sunday! And, boy was it a stunner of a Texas December day!

So, let us rewind, shall we? What has happened since October???

We are all just over here living our best lives, I guess!

Mid October we went on our annual ladies ride. The beginning of October was a lot of preparing in gathering supplies, packing, getting ahead in work, and getting as much riding in as possible.

Upon our return, I got our big order of winter horse hay loaded in the feed room (which is the scheduling, driving, picking up, paying for, driving back, and then unloading), of which there is no photo evidence of except for the clean up crew. Normally I do this much earlier, like July, August, or even September, but because it was so so hot and we had previously had so much rain, I was not overly concerned about hay supply. I put it off several times, but there is only so long you can do that!

They are a pretty good clean up crew!

I apparently made a margaritas for Momma and myself in the beginning of November. There is never a bad time for a marg!

Oh look, more riding before Thanksgiving! I certainly can not complain! Just so you know, I do not take pictures every time I ride.

Merle living his best life going to check the mail.

I did do a little baking for Thanksgiving…I made a chocolate pie bar! The pie was more of a cheesecakey mousse with some warm spices mixed in topped with a sweet whipped cream. The crust was made of these mini chocolate graham cracker cookies…that grew up to be a big pie crust! I usually go for those famous chocolate wafers made by Nabisco, but sadly they are not made anymore apparently. The toppings I went a little bit crazy with to try and please the masses: pomegranate seeds, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, pecans, slivered almonds, toasted coconut, two kinds of dark chocolate with orange and chili pepper, crushed peppermint candies, and chocolate animal crackers. It paid off though and I had many takers, adult and child alike!

We played fetch in the pond while I admired my Merle.

Between my dog and my horses, I have the best views!

A post chaos bareback ride.

I think that about brings us up to date!

Holiday parties are in full swing and before we know it…quite literally…Christmas is here!

Walk in love, dear readers! Christmas Spirit, coming right up!

Joy.

On December 21, 2023December 21, 2023 By AveryIn Life, Music1 Comment

Good morning, dear readers! Or, whatever time of day it happens to be for you wherever you are!

I just wanted to tell you that joy abounds this very day.

It may begin with you or it may begin with a stranger.

Let it grow, dear readers. Choose to believe it and choose to see it. Let it spread.

It is there!

I was blessed by strangers today and I pray that I blessed others in return.

I had to go downtown this morning to the County Clerk’s office to record a deed. Yes, I realize you can do this by mail, but we needed it done in a timely manner and I had never done this before so I wanted to learn about it by doing it in person. I find it humorous that I never go downtown and I will be there twice by the end of the day.

Anyway, I got up early and finished my eggnog cake for Friday this morning and then got dressed and in the truck before 7:15 to make my way downtown well before 8. I had to find parking, pay for said parking, and get to the door ideally before anyone else. I got there in a round about way because I missed a turn of course (we will not talk about how I made a big goof yesterday by making the wrong turn, so much for GPS), but I was able to find a spot a block down.

While I was in the process of gathering my things, I was approached by a man on the street. I will admit to wanting to ignore him and send him on his way while I thought about how to protect my purse. He babbled on about this and that and all I heard was cancer and tacos pondering what to do. At some point I realized that he was offering to help me use the parking meter correctly to avoid extra fees if I needed it…in exchange for tacos. Still being somewhat confused, I accepted his offer while he told me about his cancer and how how he was about to go in for another chemo treatment. He was very nice and respectful and wanted to show me the taco stand around the corner, presumably so I knew that it was tacos he wanted and not something else.

Now, I am aware that this story could go in any which way and very likely in a bad direction. I just did not feel like this was that kind of situation. We talked for a little bit and I gave him some money for tacos and coffee. He was extremely grateful. I asked him his name, to which he told me was Anthony, and I gave him a hug and a prayer.

I made my way down to the courthouse passing many smiling people. Normally I find that people just look down or have a scowl on their face. I walked into the building and made my way through security…more in depth security than you will find at the airport. TSA is not accepted there, if you were wondering. I asked as I was told I had to take my shoes off. They offered a laugh at my question, possibly in pity. They more than thoroughly went through my purse after it was scanned and smiled and laughed at my ridiculous number of keys. They said I must be a busy person to which I had no response but a smile and a nod. They wished me good day and a Merry Christmas after pointing me in the direction of the County Clerk’s office.

I arrived outside the door five minutes to 8 AM and I was the only person waiting. The door was opened at 8 and I was so nicely asked what I needed. I halfway thought he asked because I looked like I needed help, but I was happy for it none the less, maybe I did look that way. I was still surprised by my morning thus far. I told him what I was there for and he said with enthusiasm, “Yes mam, right this way to the right!” I practically snapped to and said with as much enthusiasm, “THANK YOU!”

The office was joyfully decorated and everyone had a smile on. I followed the signs and stopped at the stop sign. The lady at the window smiled brightly and asked what she could do for me. Her desk was so clean and organized, but it also had very personal things on it including her devotional. The whole encounter was just so nice. She was so happy and helpful and smiley. Is that even a real word? It is now. The whole errand took less than five minutes. She told me she loved my name and that it sounded like a super hero! Color me whatever you wish, but that made me stand up taller! I said thank you about five times and we both wished each other a Merry Christmas.

As I walked back through the building, I swear it got more festive. Everyone was wearing something red and green. Even those in uniform. I complimented everyone and everyone was saying Merry Christmas! On my way back to the truck were even more smiling people! I passed someone carrying red and green cupcakes and I told her to have fun at the party, to which she beamed.

Anthony was not there when I got back to my truck. Hopefully he was filling his belly with tacos.

Joy is here, dear readers.

Love is here.

God is here.

Everyone is in different circumstances and it can be had to see it. The light, it is here.

Walk in love, dear readers!

Enjoy some of my Christmas favorites to help you get in the spirit!

How About That?

On December 19, 2023 By AveryIn Life4 Comments

That what, you ask?

That flu, that is what.

It is snot fun, I tell you.

See what I did there?! HA! Anyway, take it from me, do yourself a favor and go to a doc if you start to get symptoms because I would still be under it all if I had not. Thankfully, I got some steroids, Tamiflu, and some magical DM cough syrup that has really, really helped. Even still I am very tired and draggy.

Last week really just disappeared before I even knew it while I was wallowing away on the couch. Merle did not even want to play fetch if that is any indication on how very clearly poorly I felt! And now we are already half way through another week!

So, before I got sick, we were enjoying the wonderfulness of Texas in December while getting ready for Christmas.

Christmas time in the southern half of Texas can be truly spectacular!

We fit in a ride before I got sucker punched by the flu.

Merle is generally swimming hot or cold, but you get the idea!

Early mornings are always special, with or without the moon and the start to the sunrise.

Now that I am seemingly and hopefully on the other side of this, it is full on Christmas time!…and past time for me to catch up!

So…

Cue the decorations!

Thankfully for me, I got my cute little tree all dressed not long after Thanksgiving.

One of the things I like to get when I travel is Christmas ornaments. You can see my Aspen leaf from Wyoming, art globe from Hawaii, cross from Ireland, and Santa moon from Santa Fe. It is getting hard to stick with the table top tree now that I have accumulated many ornaments. You can not see it here, but I actually had to tie the tree to the blinds to keep it from falling!

Cue the music!

One of my favorite parts of Christmas!

Cue the ovens!

It is time to get baking and cooking!

I have already made Christmas lemon bars for a white elephant party this past weekend. If you look closely, you can see the Christmas tree. I colored some of the filling with pomegranate juice and red colored sugar sprinkles (because we did not have any red food coloring at the farm) and used a bottle to draw the tree. It turned out OK in looks (very good in taste!), but I think what I will likely do next time is use a tree stencil and powdered sugar to make the outline of a tree, and then just fill the tree with pomegranate seeds. I have decided pomegranate seeds are the perfect finishing tough to almost everything anyway!

I still have not figured everything out, but I know I am baking an eggnog cake on Wednesday for Cousin H’s party on Friday, going to the Nutcracker on Thursday, of course the party Friday, and then Saturday making at least a chocolate gingerbread tart, maple bourbon pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce for Christmas Day! There will likely be something in there for Christmas Eve, but I have not been able to think that far ahead yet.

The good news is, I got most of my shopping finished before I came down with the black plague, so I can just get to work! It is also going to be a rainy all weekend, so it will be a good time to hunker inside, play music, and create. I also need to wrap my presents somewhere in there, but we have time!

Walk in love, dear readers!

Let The Spirit overwhelm you and carry you. This is truly a special time. I know it is a very hard time for many people out there, but just know you are not alone. Reach out, I am always here!

Grinches!

On December 8, 2023December 5, 2023 By AveryIn Dogs, Horses7 Comments

If you guessed that my animals are completely over my antics now and are total GRINCHES, you win.

What do you win, I do not know, but you win.

They looked at themselves and each other like this!

They are over me! They were not there to play. Side eyes galore!

Just look at these grinches…Maybe I should have picked a better weather day?

“This is what you can do with your hat.”

“Lito. You are not supposed to look cute at the camera.”

“Mom, I thought you said not to do that?”

“No, I will not accept a treat for that hat!”

Do whatever you have to do to zoom in on Merle’s face! And, if you will notice his total Grinch feet.

“Not this again. Is this why you brushed me?! Good thing I ran off, rolled in all the stuff, and made it look like you didn’t!”

“I am displeased.”

“Dude! You look funny!” “Be quiet, Lito.”

I can not help but laugh! They might have been calling me a grinch.

Even with all of that said, they made me smile and laugh, accepted my treats and apologies, and I snagged some cute expressions anyway.

He has his mother’s ears and that makes me immensely happy.

Just a regular Blue Steel.

And then he was done!

I think I am going to have to take a break from the Christmas portraits for a while!

Although…

@aguyandagolden
I really need to take the laptop away from my dog… #dog #goldenretriever #dogsoftiktok
♬ original sound – AGuyandAGolden

Walk in love, dear readers! Happy Christmas!

This Is Where We Are At.

On December 13, 2022December 13, 2022 By AveryIn Horses, Music8 Comments

I just have to laugh. This is just one of those years! We are just not with it! But I will tell you what, we will get there before it is over no matter what! Something a little more like ‘coming in hot’ rather than ‘fake it till you make it’ I would say.

So, this is where we are at. Happy Christmas!

I forgot to give my friend (Thanks K!) her elf hat and necklaces back to her after we rode in a Christmas float parade this past weekend, so I naturally decided to put them to work getting Merle and the Dun Duo’s annual portraits before I left the farm this past weekend since I had yet to do anything about them. Like I said, coming in HOT. But, anything is better than nothing. I think the Dun Duo might have begged to differ this year.

Anyway, we have been getting a lot of rain and mud has been the name of the game around here. LOTS of mud. Riding has been at a minimal recently, which probably explains a lot! I did not even groom the horses is how last minute this very impromptu session was. Between their dirty coats and the looks they were giving me, I felt like they were sending me a message…and it was not an overly festive one!

Something tells me they were not enthused.

Cheetah tossed the hat more times than I could count! She would not really even look at me. When she would look in my general direction, she would either glare or close her eyes. I think she even rolled them a time or two. I also could not have taken a good photo that day for the life of me!

It is a little hard to call them Christmas ponies or Santa’s helpers. Lito was even ‘better.’

I think Lito learned his looks from his mother.

I am pretty sure he tossed the hat into the mud on purpose.

When I went to find Merle for his torture session, I discovered he had gotten into something bad. This dog, I swear. He has the worst kind of witching hour. Between the hours of 5 and 7 PM is when bad things happen. He found bees or wasps or a snake or something. His whole face started to swell. Always something! The good news is he seemed fine other than in appearances. I luckily or unluckily have some experience with snake bites in dogs and this did not appear to be a snake bite. I gave him a couple Benadryl and decided to try again another day. It was not working out for us!

Anyway, the work week started in earnest and I started looking at the Christmas weather forecast (possible spoiler alert, it may be very cold with stuff falling from the sky…which means I will likely be away from home at the farm taking care of the animals) and the thought creeped into my head that maybe I do not get a tree this year.

And. And. And.

WHAT!?!

Who am I!

I basically slapped myself this evening on my way home. Get with it, sister! Get into the spirit! Yikes!

So. I called around and then drove to find our little tree and turned up the festivity! A little late, but that never hurt anybody! I am now enjoying a glass of bubbley out of a chipped glass of my grandmother’s with my lit and decorated tree and house while the Christmas music plays.

And, yes, Merle will get some photos too, but we will all just have to wait for that.

This is where we are at. We are here and we are present. We are in the spirit! Join us!

Play some of this new Christmas music and turn your festivity up too! Keep scrolling if you need some of our past years’ photos to help you turn up your cheer! If you can you the word ‘festive’ and any of its derivatives as much as me, you get a special prize.

Walk in love, dear readers!

Festivity.

On November 16, 2022November 16, 2022 By AveryIn Uncategorized6 Comments

An open call!

I am looking for some inspiration, my dear readers!

But real quick.

Is anyone else surprised that we are here halfway through November, staring and the holiday season coming in hot and heavy? Just me? Sometimes I stop and think and almost look around me and wonder how I got here! I am along for the ride though and would not change a thing.

Long time readers know I live for this time of year. The love and family time. The thanks and giving. The traditions. The cooking and baking. The lights and decorations. The festivity! I love it. We had a cold front blow in and the weather has now caught up to the season and is here to stay. Or as much as we have winter weather here in our part of the world. I am not really ready for the cold part though given how not fun winter 2020 was. I literally thought the big winter-pocalypse was winter 2021. I should be able to remember all of this given that last year I was able to go on a Hawaiian vacation, you know…balance things out, but alas, my time memory is still warped from 2020 covid time.

ANYWAY.

It is time to crank up the festive. Turn on the happy. Remember the reason for the season!

So here is the deal, I want to know!

I want to know what are your favorite traditions? What makes the holidays for you? Favorite food (sweet or savory). Favorite music. Favorite activity or decorations.

What makes it festive for you?

I specifically want to know what is your favorite cake!

I am looking to try something new!

Every year (one year I even participated in a blog event!) I have shared my favorite Christmas music, fun animal photo shoots, and of course the cooking and baking. Have no fear, you will get some of that this year of course, but I want to know yours.

Drop and comment and share with us! Or send me an email at 13ahamoments@gmail.com.

Walk in love, dear readers!

A Tale of Two Christmas Cakes.

On December 28, 2021 By AveryIn Food, Uncategorized8 Comments

Well, not so much as a tale tale but a Merry Christmas everyone!

Just a few days late…

Merriest of Christmases to each and every one of you and yours. May the many blessings of our Lord shower upon you. Peace, love, and joy. Keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long.

It has been rather hot down here in Texas and Christmas day was north of 80 degrees F I believe. My horses were sweating on Sunday just grazing. I think we are supposed to get a cold snap here this weekend, but it does not generally feel very winterey to me. I for one and perfectly OK with that after last year. I know there are many that feel the same and we are all praying that we do not have the same experience this coming year.

Even still, I attempted to create a little winter with my Christmas desserts. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Or something like that?

I present to you a gilded Christmas, winter forest in the form of a chocolate cheesecake cake complete with decorated trees. Two rich, dark chocolate cake layers with a creamy and sinful cheesecake layer in the middle, all wrapped in cream cheese frosting.

This cake was actually for a party the weekend before Christmas. I figured, so long as the inside is good, it does not much matter what the outside looks like. Just do it! I think it turned out pretty well! It is abstract, OK?! If you don’t bid, you don’t win. I think I won.

Christmas morning brought a cookie for the Merley before completing my next cake.

The ultimate Christmas morning scene in the form of a cheesecake (my friend blamed me for the cream cheese shortage…). A spiced cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, glazed in white chocolate ganache, and decorated with homemade gingerbread cookies.

It was all worth it in the end, even if I was cursing myself by the time Christmas morning actually did roll around. I baked the cheesecake and prepared the gingerbread dough on Thursday evening. Merle and I danced and listened to music in the kitchen while I went about the mixing and baking.

Then on Friday, it was gingerbread cookie central. They are worth it, take my word for it, but man! Rolling and cutting cookies…and then decorating said cookies is so much work! It took all morning and then I had to wrap the presents! Luckily for me, it was not too many and I was able to get them all quite quickly. I do not often make cut out cookies for the simple reason that it takes so long. I forgot apparently when I saw the cover of Southern Living and came up with this plan. I remembered about the time I had two trays left to bake and realized how much decorating I needed to do. Anyhow, for a first time attempt at gingerbread cookies and royal icing, I think they turned out pretty great! I am glad I did it. It was fun and it all tasted delicious.

What is a dreamy Christmas morning without horses under the tree?

I really wanted to put an ice skater on top of that white chocolate ganache.

I hope you enjoyed! Did you make or do anything fun this year for Christmas??? Fun fact, I actually have a couple cakes to make for people because of these cakes!

Walk in love, dear readers!

Oh Christmas Tree!

On December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 By AveryIn Dogs4 Comments

Oh Christmas tree!

We had to work for the Christmas tree this year. I tried to get my table top tree the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as is my tradition. Well, it turns out that I was not the only one hunting up a tree on that Sunday. I went to two different places, but the lots were almost empty. No worries, I will just wait a few days until they get some more trees. Wait a few days I did and the situation was not much different than it was before. I am not sure that I have ever seen it like this before, but hey, I am just glad that people are getting festive and into the spirit!

I decided that this past Sunday was going to be the day no matter what. I had to go to three different places. I really was not overly excited at the prospect of spending the price of a full size tree for a table top one, so going to all the different places to get a good price was well worth it to me (although, I would have absolutely gone back and spent through the nose just so I could have a tree). I think I found a good one! He stood out among the others and it was a quick in and out. It lists a little in one direction, but that gives it character. Maybe next year I will get a potted tree I can then plant after Christmas or make an event out of going to a Christmas tree farm and cutting one fresh. Something about that seems kind of funny down here in south central Texas though. Or maybe I will get a full size tree. The possibilities are endless!

Anyway, the finding of the tree is only part of the fun. Growing up I was always with my parents to pick out the tree every year, being sure to get cuttings to decorate the house with. We would listen to Christmas music on the way there and then there was normally a trip into a store to pick up some eggnog for Pops and maybe something special to cook for dinner that night. Then there was more Christmas music once we got the tree set up inside and worked on decorating the tree and the whole house. I have probably told you all of that before. I know I have told you about how all of us cousins would go to our Grandparents’ house together to help my Grandmother decorate her tree, listen to Christmas music streaming out of the study, drink hot chocolate, and play.

I finally got around to decorating my little table top tree late last night. Sunday evening I was at my Aunt M’s for dinner and Monday night I was visiting and having dinner with my Grandmothers. I had the Christmas music playing (with a Hallmark movie on mute in the background) and enjoyed a fun cocktail while I decorated and Merle supervised. Sadly it does not take long to decorate a little tree with not many ornaments, but every year or so I buy myself a new addition for the tree. This year I actually had two new ornaments. A gold, lacey aspen leaf with a moose on it from our trip to Wyoming and a carved wooden cross accented with chalky white. See if you can spot them!

A fun thing we used to do with my Pops’ side of the family was a ‘where’s Waldo’ with a certain ornament on my Aunt M’s tree. In my memory it was a green pickle. It was something funny and obscure like that. It was seemingly always hidden very well. The kid who spotted the ornament won some money I think it was. I remember always feeling duped when it was finally found. I should ask her where that tradition came from.

It has become a tradition now (how long does it take to make a tradition?) for me to benchmark Merle (and his mohawk) in a Christmas tree photo. It started with Darcy (you can see some of her pictures that I posted the other day). This is Merle’s third Christmas and this year we had to create the same photos. His mohawk is bigger and more obvious in person, I promise. Now, if only I could bring the horses inside! Just kidding, I think that is even beyond me. Maybe. Maybe one day I will have a Christmas tree in a barn. That would be so fun!

Click play and have a scroll! A little side note, I think my Grandfather would have quite loved this version of this song for the drum arrangement.

Do you see the drool starting???

It is a Merry Merley Christmas Tree!

I could not resist that last one! I am aware that most of these look exactly the same, but I just could not include all of them! You can never have too much cuteness.

Maybe next year we should do something like this. I know Merle would be game!