Save old brushes!

Murphy's Oil Soap with stiff brushes soaking in it

I know we've all done it....Left our acrylic brushes with paint on them, and then come back the next day only to discover them totally brittle and hard!  Did you know that you can still revive them?  Yes, you can!  Just stand them in a bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap for about a week.  Then, rinse them off, and it's a miracle!  They are soft as a baby's bottom once again!  Yes, it's magic!

Baking Bread, a lost art!

Hamburger buns, Caramel Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, Swedish Tea Ring, and Cinnamon Leaf Ring

One of our favorite traditions is to eat left over Thanksgiving turkey with fresh homemade buns.  It had been several years since I'd made bread from scratch, but when my husband hinted this morning that he used to love it when we had fresh rolls, I decided to pamper him a little.  I triple the bread recipe, so that I can make breakfast rolls as well as hamburger buns.  And YES, I do spend all day doing this....Letting the yeast rise and waiting for the dough to double, and kneading it till it is the perfect elasticity.  Below is my Cinnamon Leaf Ring recipe.  It's delicious. Melts in your mouth!

Cinnamon Leaf Ring

Cinnamon Leaf Ring

From Karen Knutson (who got this recipe from the Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook)

350 degree oven

2 pkgs. active dry yeast

2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to warm

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup butter

½ cup sugar

2 t. salt

2 eggs, beaten

6 cups sifted flour

1 cup melted butter

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 cups sugar

Cream shortening and ¼ cup butter.  Add ½ cup sugar and salt. Cream until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, yeast, and enough flour to make a soft dough that leaves the side of the bowl.  Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 ½ hours).  Turn dough onto board.  Roll about ¼” thick.  Cut into rounds with a 2” biscuit cutter.  Dip in melted butter and dip in cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Place breads in a fan fashion in a buttered round pan.  Cover and let rise about 30 minutes.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.  Makes 2 rings.  

Being Thankful- Living in the Moment

My new favorite show is "This is Us", a show about diversity and acceptance of everyone's separate challenges.  It is heartwarming and sincere, and always teaches a life lesson in every episode. Not since "Downton Abbey", has a show captivated my attention like "This is Us". So, I replayed the speech of Randall's father, who is dying, so that we all can hold onto his words at this time of Thanksgiving.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends and enjoy every minute!

Young beautiful Olivia asked her boyfriend's dying father, "How does it feel to be dying?"
The grandfather said, " It feels like all these beautiful pieces of life are flying around me and I'm trying to catch them.  And when my granddaughter falls asleep on my lap, I try to catch the feeling of her breathing against me.  And when I make my son laugh,  I try to catch the sound of him laughing...how it rolls up from his chest....... But the pieces are moving faster now, and I can't catch them all.  I can feel them slip into my fingertips and soon what they used to be....my granddaughter breathing and my son laughing....there will be ......NOTHING.  I know it feels like you have all the time in the world, but you don't. So stop playing it so cool.  Catch the Moments of your Life, and catch em while you're young and quick, because sooner than you know it, you'll be old and slow.  And there will be no more of them to catch.  And when I nice boy, who adores you, offers you pie, say Thank You."

I did this painting while in France many years ago, but thought that it fit Thanksgiving with the couple sitting at a table, sharing friendship. Available for  $245 matted only. 16" x 20".