Well, turn out the lights, the year is nearly over. Time to think of new things and see what changes occurred last year at the Red Dirt Ranch. Last January, I was dreaming of spring and greenhouses when I heard a bird sing. A bird is singing right outside my window even now. I still don't have the greenhouse, but I am a lot closer to my savings goal than I was last year. I shared a few writing tips which might or might not be helpful. It was a cold January unlike this December which has been so mild I feel like an Austin blogger. In early February, we had more snow than I've ever seen. Twelve point five inches--fell at one time on my land. It caused our temperatures to plummet to negative 17F the following morning. I've never been so cold, and neither had my crapemyrtles. Every...

Sometimes, projects don't go as planned. Bulbs don't grow at the same rate. Sometimes, houseplants die in their containers. If the latter happens, put them on the compost pile where they can live again as Carol of May Dreams Gardens suggests during what she terms "houseplant season." Amaryllis don't bloom. I have one amaryllis which hasn't even grown. Bought three at the same time. Planted them in the same container. Had this fantasy of three, tall, green stalks topped with gorgeous, red flowers. It was a firm bulb. Still looks good, but it's just sitting there, not moving, and not going according to my master plan. Frustrating, because I was going to photograph it for an article. As you can see, this container is so not article ready. Sometimes, I know why. Other times I don't. Nature is a mystery. It follows its own rhythms kinda like Eddie Van Halen...

Kay from Georgia Girl with an English Heart asked yesterday if I'd linked to my gluten-free, dairy-free, lemon squares recipe. Well, I realized I hadn't. So, just in time for Christmas baking, here it is. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Lemon Squares adapted from Gluten-Free Baking Classics, by Annalise G. Roberts, one of my favorite cookbooks. Crust 1 cup of gluten free flour mix. You can either use the brown rice flour mix in the cookbook--which is excellent, or I like Pamela's Products Amazing Wheat Free & Gluten-free Bread Mix, which is also dairy free. Pamela's Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix, has buttermilk so I can't eat it, but if you can, I say go for it. If you do use either of the baking mixes, you can leave out the salt and xanthan gum. Both mixes have them. 1/4 cup organic sugar. I use organic because of chemical overload. 1 teaspoon xanthan...

Are you ready for the big day? No? I'm not either, but I've found over the years whether I'm ready or not, it still comes, and that's a good thing. I've given up on making every cookie, every bar, here's a link to my gluten and dairy free lemon squares. Instead, I've learned, after four kids and over twenty years of marriage, to do only what I truly enjoy during this season of light. We usually make sugar cookies--the second recipe on the Gluten Free Mom's blog--and sometimes, I buy the icing, and other years, Diva makes it. Either way is a-okay. Advent musts for me are: Attending my church which challenges and soothes my soul; and Listening to carols, Advent ones mostly, all full of longing for the Christ Child and the Messiah who will come again. My favorites are: People Look East, O Come, O Come Emmanuel--which I've...