When I went to bed last night, I was planning on working on my canvas piece today. Well it is now 1:00 PM, I am still in my robe and have not stitched one stitch! I haven't been playing though. I had to muddle through my FIL's income taxes because we just got a copy of one of his forms last week. We never got it and I didn't know that until I started going through last years stuff. I am lucky we got it as quickly as we did. Then I had to finish our state taxes and help DS do his state taxes. We can do federal on line but state cost $30. I can't see paying more more so I can pay even MORE money. I will put everything in the mail tomorrow.

It has gotten cold here again and we are under freeze warnings again tonight. It will be 74 again by the end of the week though. Spring is quixotic for sure.

OK, I am off to pull some chicken out of the freezer for dinner, see if I can find some place that still has pellets for the stove and maybe dig up something for lunch.

BTW with the coming of spring comes the blossoming of dandelions. I never spray them of dig them up because I remember picking them for my grandmother and mother and my kids picking them for me. Those little yellow "pests" and be pretty important. I have eaten cooked greens and drank dandelion wine. Here is a recipe for dandelion syrup which can be used as a replacement for honey. This came from Prodigal Gardens medicinal herbs and wild foods. The comments in the recipe are hers. There are other good recipies there as well so check her out...Enjoy Monday!

Dandelion Blossom Syrup

This is a traditional recipe passed down from the old world Europeans. I use it as a substitute for honey in any recipe that I’m trying to make wild.

1 quart dandelion flowers

1 quart (4 cups) water

4 cups sugar

½ lemon or orange (organic if possible) chopped, peel and all

Note: The citrus is optional, it will give the syrup an orangey or lemony flavor. If you want the pure dandelion flavor, you can skip the citrus. I make it both ways each year.



1. Put blossoms and water in a pot.

2. Bring just to a boil, turn off heat, cover, and let sit overnight.

3. The next day, strain and press liquid out of spent flowers.

4. Add sugar and sliced citrus and heat slowly, stirring now and again, for several hours or until reduced to a thick, honey-like syrup.

5. Can in half-pint or 1 pint jars.