This is the way we do it. Better butter.

For several months now, the hubby and I make a trip once a week to a local farm to pick up fresh milk. It tastes so good. It look like this:

I don't know if you can see it, but there's a line close to the top. The white stuff above the line is cream and it needs to be skimmed off. You can use the cream in your coffee or to make alfredo sauce. Most of the time our cream is made into butter. You whip it in a food processor for twenty minutes or so. Time depends on temperature of the cream. Room temperature will process faster. If you're really bored, you could churn it or put in a jar and shake it. You may notice it's turning a nice light yellow color. It should look like this:

Now you can drain off the watery substance.  Don't throw it away, it's buttermilk.  Then, you can put it in a bowl and continue to mush out extra water. If you want, you can add a little salt. It will go from grainy looking to smooth with all thus mashing.

There you have it. Homemade wonderful butter.

Adventures on the pontoon boat

I finally, finally got to go out on the pontoon boat. First we went to Bull Shoals on a cooll, foggy morning.  Eventually the fog lifted. The picnic tables were under water. I caught one very small fish which we released . Then we saw a bald eagle. Unfortunately my phone didn't have enough zoom to get a good picture,  but he was magnificent.
Then we went to Russellville and fished by the Dover waterworks.  I caught three nice fish and a sunburn, but I drove the boat without anything bad happening.  Also, manned the trolling motor without incident.  So we're all good. Also learned about jugging.

Hope and my Clematis

I realize that people don't get as excited about my flowers as I do and that's their loss. Maybe they should dig a little deeper. Maybe they should try to understand. 
I bought this scraggly plant three years ago at the end of the summer. It was well past the prime planting period, but I had wanted one for quite some time and this was the first time I had found one. Added bonus it was marked down because it was the end of summer.
I planted it. Watered it and hoped for the best. There wasn't much time for the roots to get established before winter would hit. A lot of times, we don't get a lot of time to be hit hard with something.
Next summer came and the vine came up. I watered it and put stones around it to protect it from the weed eater and lawn mower. Then came the Japaneese beetles. I  checked the plants for beetles. A lot of times we don't see threats coming.
Next summer the plant looked a little stronger, but no blooms. Still I watered and protected it. I didn't think you needed two bushes to get blooms, but so much in life is unknown. Even the experts get it wrong some time.
This year I was relieved to see my little vine had made it through another winter. I think that I have developed some affection for this plain little vine that's been with me for so long. Then without warning,  it bloomed beautifully . So far there are four blooms.
So I equated this scrawny little vine to my life right now. This virus is an invasion like the beetles, but it can be beat. Times will be hard like winter and the summer heat, but we just have to take care and plan for the future as best we can. Don't ever give up. There's something beautiful coming.

Toilette Paper is tough... times are tougher

This pandemic thing is no joke.You pick up toilette paper when you have to go to the grocery store if they have it. You don't get to choose what brand any more. All brands are not the same.
Going to the grocery store is an adventure. People try to stay six feet apart to pick through bare shelves. We won't go hungry any time soon, but long gone are the days of planning a menu out and getting something to go with it last minute. You take what you can get and be glad that you aren't doing without.
I will never again take it for granted that we can go out to eat with friends or family.
I miss going out, but I miss friends and family a lot more.
I've always been a hugger but this is only going to make it much worse. As soon as I get to see some family, bear hugs en masse will happen. Good friends too. I miss them so much my heart physically hurts, but at least they are alive and I will be able to touch them and wrap my arms around them at some point.I don't know when....maybe if I had a time frame I could count down the hours and it might not be so bad.
But I don't know when this shit will end. No one does. I know it will end, but not when so I keep praying and sewing my little masks and praying some more.

Staying your ass at home

We don't have a mandated order to stay at home. Arkansas is the only Southern state that doesn't have a mandated order, but it's common sense to do it. Stay at home. So many people find it hard to do. Not me. There's so much to do. My quilting has taken off on a life of its own. We have plants throughout the house and the garden is started. Our dogs are learning new tricks. Harley can shake. Midnight is learning to play ball. I'm cleaning the top floor of the house little by little.  Hummingbird feeders are out. The hot tub is functional.  My husband ventured out to the pond and caught a mess of fish so fish fry for dinner. If it wasn't raining,  I'd ask for mushrooms to go with the fish, but since it is raining I think we should work on cleaning the basement tonight.
I miss seeing everyone. I really do. In addition to all these extra fun activities,  I'm praying more than I ever have before.  I pray for the safety of those in our family,  i pray for those in need, and I pray for an end to this virus.