Forward and Not Backwards

Greetings and Holykisses,

I found this sweet surprise in my rocking chair on the porch today! Tracy from My Cup Runneth Over, had a give away to celebrate her birthday and I won! WooHOO! I was so surprised! And isn't it just like Tracy to give a GIFT away on "her" birthday? She has an incredible giving heart, and I love her! If you don't know her yet, go visit her blog coz you're gonna love her too!
I remembered that the giveaway was for a Gooseberry Patch cookbook, and I remembered seeing the little snowman cookie cutter. But I didn't even realize that there was a snowman plate beneath the cookie cutter? It is so stinkin cute! It even has a sugar cookie recipe on the back of it! Notice the little "cookie" ornament? It's now gracing our Christmas tree! ~ What a treat!-
She sent a beautiful card, and even a bookmark. I can't wait to get my jammies on and curl up with the cookbook. If you've never looked at a Gooseberry patch cookbook before, they're so much more than a cookbook! They're a good "read." Chock-full of decorating ideas, little stories, gift ideas.... -- I love em! I didn't have this one, and I'm thrilled!
I've not yet made my christmas cookies either. In all honesty, I'm not a great roller -outter? My Christmas cookies usually rise up to look nothin like the cutters... but I slap some frosting on em and eat em any ways. lol This year, I hope to hone my sugar cookie skills. Forgive me, I'm married to a mechanic. Who says "hone?"-- I try so hard, to not let things like that stick inside my little head but all the motorhead talk does take its toll.
Ohhhh Tracy,.... this is SO what the Dr. ordered. Just gazing at this makes me sigh, and brings me back to the true meaning of Christmas. This is one of my very favorite Christmas decorations! Thankyou Tracy! You blessed me so much! I love your birthdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! heehee Thank you again!!!
Well... I've started to do a little Christmas cookin, but not much yet. I'm tryin to hold off until just before Christmas, so I can go door to door (kind of like on May day,) and drop off a little Christmas cheer! But... there IS a very special someone who likes nuts. ALOT. Like, if they are in a little santa mug on the side of the couch,.... he's a happy man.

A long time ago I made him a batch of candied nuts. He remembers it, and it was even mentioned recently. Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.... I started hunting recipes and came across one from one of the beloved Gooseberry Patch cookbooks.

This recipe is for pecans. The ones I bought were not roasted yet, so I roasted these in a little melted butter. Paula would have been SO proud of me. Real butter!
This is how they turned out. -- I hope he likes them! They're now wrapped and tomorrow will be on their way to ..................................................South Dakota! ;)

In case you want to try them, here's the recipe:

Spiced Pecans

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups pecan halves, toasted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cook 9 more minutes on medium low or until a candy thermometer registers 236 (soft ball stage.) Do not stir. Place pecans in a large bowl; pour hot mixture over pecans. Stir until they start to lose their gloss. (I forgot that part; oops!) Spread pecans on wax paper and separate with fork. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes 3 cups or serves 1 Fil (father in law) ;)

Other than that, not much new. I loaded up my truck and headed to the PO today, not realizing they closed at 4 or 4:30. Oh well,... Lord willing, tomorrow will be another day. On my way home; I saw something unusual. A boy was walking down the road.......................................................................... backwards? I noticed that he was walking like that, long before I got up to him. He was just just hoofin it down the road.... turned the wrong way. As I got close to him I slowed way down... you know; I guess staring? lol. He smiled from ear to ear and waved to me! He was a cute kid... probly 13-14 years old. I smiled and waved back, and then as I went past him, I watched him in my rear view mirror and he kept right on walkin down the road backwards? Why? Beats me. He sure got my attention. I don't think that was his plan... to be trying to get peoples attention. He just seemed... happy... and carefree. Then I started thinking about my own walk, and my heart returned again to the book of Jeremiah.

"But I gave them this command: obey me and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff- necked and did more evil than their forefathers." Jer 7: 23-26

I'm not implying anything about the boy; he was just being a kid. -- But he did get me thinking how easily I can get going the wrong way, and even start walking backwards spiritually. I know someone who has a GPS in their car named Mandy. Mandy tells you when you start going the wrong way. If you take a wrong turn, she immediately tells you to turn around. If you listen to what she says and follow her instructions; she'll get you back on the right track. I guess, in the same way, listening to God and doing what He says, keeps us from taking similar wrong turns,........ or even going backwards.

One more thing before I sign off. I want to say a special thank you to the ones who've been signing my guestbook. I was so excited to read your messages and love your beautiful pictures.
I have no way to contact you, through that slide, so I just wanted to thank you. Your visits mean so very much to me, and I'm blessed that our paths have crossed. God bless yall!