Smoking and Baking

There was no staying up to see the new year in, with animals to see to in the morning lie ins are a thing of the past, just after 6am we were both up, Kara was let out, cups of tea made, the fire was going after being banked up over night and the Rayburn was brought back to life after a night of idling, the house is cosy and warm, log baskets are filled

I bought this big log basket the other week, it keeps the logs nice and tidy beside the Rayburn, I go through a basket of logs a day for cooking heating and hot water.

There is a lovely smell of smoked bacon permeating through the house

Oh how I wish I could share the smell of hickory smoked bacon with you.

Yesterday I fired up the new smoking cabinet

I used the hickory chips that came with it, you put them in the metal bowl and place it on top of the element, when they start to smoulder you turn off the element and close the door

A little plume of smoke coming out of the top shows it is doing what it should.

A few hours hours later the bacon was done.

While it was being smoked I made some Ciabbata Rolls

Its the first time I have made them they are so soft.

Hubby has had a couple of busy days building field shelters for the Alpacas

The bigger shelter is for the girls, Oddjob has the small one on the left

He still has one to make for Nicknack.

Today's plans are to set up the water catchment on the field shelters, we are also going to try and catch Lambert and move him into the small paddock beside the Alpacas.

I am also going to go through my seeds and see what I need and list what I have and draw up a list of projects plans and goals for 2015 

In my new empty notebook. I can do that this evening when darkness moves us in doors.

It is windy here today but very mild so we need to make the most of the daylight hours, I have taken out of the curry sauces from the freezer and a bag of prawns, I also found a lonely nann bread there, so its prawn curry for dinner tonight, I shall add some veg to it as well.