Monthly Archives: January 2024

Old Stone Well Farm

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Blessing the Blahs

The end of January brings with it more rain, then more snow, then more rain…and then lots of foggy days. I don’t know about you, but I need a little ray of sunshine. The winter blahs are hitting many people (like me) earlier than usual.

So much so, that I realized it is time to share with you how I manage to pull myself out of winter’s grip and turn around those drab days by blessing the blahs. That’s right…bless the blahs.

Where can we find goodness? Where is there hope? How can we give ourselves permission to step back and nurture our souls when we are feeling out of sorts?

I read that napping, hugging a pet, going outside for a brisk walk, calling a friend, can be some ways to bless those blahs.

I think, though, giving yourself a mental health day (and not getting out of your pajamas) is another way of coping with the blahs. And RuRu, the cat, agrees! Yes, RuRu makes another guest appearance in the video, along with Fritz, the dog, and my neighbor’s playful cows!

So come, join me! Get comfy, pour yourself some hot coco or coffee or tea and let’s get through the winter blahs together.

A Recipe For Funeral Cookies

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Here’s the recipe for the 18th-century Funeral Cookies I shared in the latest YouTube video.

They are very simple to make…and I did in fact use a vintage butter mold as a cookie mold in the video. It worked beautifully.

And thank you to the viewer who let me know that it was a butter mold!!

If you make these cookies, share a picture with us and let me know how they came out!

I had some last night and I heated some red wine with spices and cinnamon sticks and dipped the cookies into the warm mulled wine as it would have been done in the 18th century. It was so comforting. Blessings!

Funeral Cookies

One tablespoon caraway seeds (I didn’t have caraway so I substituted fennel seeds instead)

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 cups white sugar

3 eggs

Directions

Place your caraway seeds on a pan without oil and toast until they darken in color. This should not take more than 5 minutes at medium heat. Remove from heat. Combine your flour and sugar then add three whole eggs. Finally stir in your toasted caraway seeds. If your dough is too sticky add a spoonful of flour at a time until it becomes workable and suited for rolling out. On a well-floured surface roll out your dough, again adding flour if needed. Stamp out designs into the dough by stomping down a mold. Cut your cookies out into either squares or circles and place onto a cooking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the bottoms are no longer sticky.

And here’s the video for those who missed the link.

Old Stone Well Farm

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A Sad Day at the Farm

Friends, it was a sad day here at Old Stone Well Farm as I lost two of my chickens to a fox. I’ve had chickens before and I don’t remember feeling this sad, but this time around it really hit me. That’s when I realized how important it is for us to care for ourselves when our heart aches. It doesn’t matter if it is a chicken or not, grief is grief and you need to honor your feelings. So I share with you a few ways I coped and the lessons Omelet and Priscilla taught me. I also discovered an 18th-century cookie recipe called “funeral cookies” or “death cookies” that were served with hot spiced wine at funerals, especially among the early Dutch settlers of colonial New York. So come, join me here at Old Stone Well Farm. I wish I could share the cookies with you (they are quite good!), but I am more than happy to share the recipe if interested. How do you cope when your heart is heavy? Share your thoughts…and even your special recipes for comfort food. Thank you for coming to Old Stone Well Farm. Share with others! Blessings!

Old Stone Well Farm

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Finding Peace Amid Winter Storms

We’ve had a series of wicked storms in one week here at Old Stone Well Farm, and I have to admit, they rattled me! The winds blew over trees, caused damage to the 18th century house and made me realize that sometimes my faith isn’t all that strong.

So when an old tree toppled over, I had to ask myself, how strong are my faith roots? Can I trust God’s goodness when the storms of life hit? So join me in this episode of Old Stone Well Farm where I get real and share the good, the bad and the ugly! I also share how I found peace in the storm using an ancient prayer technique.

What about you? How do you nurture your faith when times are tough? Where do you find peace? I would love to know. Comment, like, share!

Blessings! Donna

Old Stone Well Farm

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Led By the Light — An Epiphany Story of Love Lost and Life Found

January 6 is the start of Epiphany where we remember how the Magi visited Jesus bearing gifts rich with symbolism. But it is a season where I am reminded how to always seek God’s light and to never be afraid of venturing onto a new path. I will share with you a bit of my story on how a loss of a loved one set my life in a different direction…and explain how I got to be an “accidental country pastor.” I also share with you some Epiphany traditions, like my Swiss Three Kings Cake! I’ve included a link to the recipe. I hope you make it…let me know if you do, and how it turned out! Blessings!

Dreikönigskuchen (Swiss Three Kings Cake)

Old Stone Well Farm

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Stepping Into the New Year With Hope

Happy New Year to you!!! I look forward to beginning 2024 with you by sharing my surprise snow that I found, a Swiss New Year’s tradition, how early Americans rang in the new year on March 25 … and so much more…like how I embrace the tradition of a candlelit breakfast and step into a new year letting God’s word shine light on my path. Drop me note, too. I would love to hear how you are stepping into the new year! Blessings!