Wednesday Whittleings - Pens, Calves, Wood and Chicken Alfredo!

Wednesdays are my day to randomly babble. Sometimes about childrens' books, others about writing, and usually about whatever strikes my mind. Random thoughts...random whittleings.

Ready for a heap of randomness! My mind is more tangled than a bowl of chicken fettuccine alfredo (that might be my latest craving adding its tidbits) with the book launch three weeks away. But since life doesn't center only around writing....  

No, it doesn't. There really is more than story telling, editing and marketing going on around here. 

Really. There is.

First and foremost... it's calving season!!!

My herd isn't that big, especially since it's little ole me taking care of them. This cutie was born Sunday morning. Another one was born yesterday in the wee hours. And judging by the utters on two other cows, I should have four by the end of the week.   (Tidbit: When cows get close to birthing, their utters lower and swell with milk...to the point it appears as if they will explode. It's hard to miss.) Our house overlooks our winter pasture, so I can gaze out and watch them prance around anytime. I do love it.

But super sweetness isn't the only thing going on...

Anybody else being hit with cold temperatures the last weeks? (Silly question!) Luckily, I made sure my wood pile was well packed this last Fall. I run one and, on really cold days, two wood burning stoves twenty-four hours a day. Yes, we do have regular heating, but we live in the middle of forests. So, it seems silly not to use that. It's not like wood chopping is high on the list right now. Only on warm days. But we had some of those last week.

That's my personal, little tractor—a 'her' tractor. My husband was kind enough to build/construct the entire shovel section onto it last winter. He actually lifted this trunk with it and drove it to the hay barn where I'll chop it into pieces. Oh, not by hand! I cheat and have an awesome splitter.

This is my husband's 'his' tractor. It only gets pulled out during hay season.

And then, my husband had a huge surprise for me. (This does get back to the writing end of things.) While visiting his family in Germany, he happened across this...

Can you guess what it is?

A glass pen! Now, this isn't a calligraphy pen (although I was sure it was at first). Rather, the glass is swirled with small trenches near the tip. When dipped in ink, it settles in the trenches. The point is very similar to a regular pen and rounded. As you write, the ink slowly descends onto the glass point. I was amazed at how smooth and long it writes! He wants me to use it at my book signings, but I'm so afraid it will break!

And that's my whittleings for today! How about you? What are you up to this week? Keeping warm? Busy? Have anything special happen?

What are your whittleings?

Oh, and before I forget, here's the link to that super speedy, delicious and extremely easy recipe:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53695/one-pot-chicken-alfredo-recipe/

I find that the super cheap Parmesan which comes in the plastic container works well...it melts better than that 'fake'...(I don't know if it's really fake, but the texture is anything but natural)...grated, cheese in the baggies in the cooling section.