Candle Making on a Snowy Day

I haven't given myself a whole day to make candles since Chelsea came home.  We've been running here and there and when we aren't running she has been baking (in "my" candle kitchen).  Perfecting recipes for the cafe she would like to own one day.  Don't worry, we aren't eating everything that she bakes.  Warren takes what is left after we sample to work and his co-workers enjoy it very much.  Or....if we are close to Sunday she takes it to church and shares.  On this past Sunday she took Orange Cranberry Bars with incredible Orange Icing.  Yum.  They came out so well.  We put them on the "Cafe" list.  Then she made chocolate peanut butter bars.  They were also delicious and disappeared quickly.  Today we must send in the Peanut butter chocolate chip bars that she made yesterday.  Sigh...see what I mean.  But  even with that I got a full day of candle making and label design in.

 These were designed by me to coordinate with the invitations

that were sent out for the shower.

Adorable.

 These are now packaged and ready to ship out today along with 

their gray candles with yellow owl counterparts.

 After several tries the customer settled on the very first elephant that she had seen.

It is the one on the left and is mighty cute.

She was just kind of hoping that we could find an upturned trunk to indicate good luck.

It made for a very fun day of creativity and chatter.

Today I'll need to finish filling the orders that are in the waiting and then get some more cleaning done.

Johnny is flying in from Denmark today and we are scheduled to pick him up tomorrow after he gets a good night's sleep.  Such a smart young man.  To know that he'll need sleep to deal with this family.

We got so much snow yesterday, and yet it is hard to tell exactly how much that was because it blew so much.  When it became apparent that Warren would not be home before dark fell I knew I had a job

to do that I had hoped would fall to him. 

You see, the light had burned out in the chicken "hut". 

The day before while I was out with the dogs Mabel and company

had complained to me.

Did you know that chickens will actually tell you when they need something?

Oh yes.  Their survival instinct is strong and they figure out that you have the power to do things for them.

So, anyway, realizing that Warren would not be home in time to change the bulb

I called him.  This is when I realized that the future of chickenhood is in danger.

You see, in order to serve as a warmer the light bulb has to be incandescent.

The government has just made it illegal to make incandescent bulbs.

What will the chickens do?

Freeze?

Warren was concerned that we might not have any more in the house.

But, alas, a box was found in the garage that he purchased (and forgot about) 

for such a time as this.

I put on Jonathan's size 14 boots and shoveled through drifts to get up to those 

chickens.  I saved their little lives, I tell you, when I unscrewed the very dead and cold 

light bulb and screwed in the new, warm light.

Happy chickens.

May Mabel live another three years!

(Not likely)

But the health and well being of the entire flock rests on her very life.

For it has been determined that the rest of them will likely go to auction

when Mabel passes on.

We'll see. 

We really do like having the chickens.

Sort of.

It was a relief when (much later)  all of our family members were safely tucked back into 

this cozy house..... that was Chelsea's assessment when she returned.

Made me smile.

She said she had forgotten how cozy our house was.

Score!

As usual the worst part of the journey for Warren and Mikey 

was our road.  It just doesn't get a lot of attention but then in defense of our township

they had plowed not too long before Warren got home but it drifted shut again.

Nonetheless, they got in and all was well.

Have a super day!!