A Good Jag On

The other day on my way home from Olean it was spitting a few snowflakes and of course on the cool side for the Northern Natives and down right cold for the Southern Natives.  From Portville to Ceres I followed a pickup truck with a load of firewood stacked neatly in the bed.  The truck was squatted down a little but not bad.  At least the tires still looked good.  It brought back memories of our days of cutting and hauling firewood for our woodstove.  Our youngest was a year old when we would go to the woods, cut, split and stack the wood in the back of the "Old Gray Ghost."  That was the name we gave an old Chevy truck that was purchased for a couple hundred dollars for the purpose of hauling wood and garbage to the dump.  When we got it they guy had painted it with gray primer and we never saw the need to change it.  It served the purpose for a few years.  There is another memory......Dump Day!  Back to the wood story.  Beau was about 9 months old.  We always planned on going for wood during his nap time.  I would wrap him in several blankets along with him being in his bunting (remember them?).  On the way to cut wood he would take a bottle and fall asleep instantly.  He was good for a two hour nap sleeping peacefully in the front seat.  The chain saw would be buzzing, the petunk splitting the bolts of wood, the noise of stacking them in the back of the truck never woke  him.  In fact, he didn't wake up until we lifted him out of his cozy little nest when we got home.  We were never more than a few feet from the truck while he slept with just his face sticking out of all the covers. Now, here comes the phrase "a good jag on."  The first time I heard it was the first time we cut firewood to haul home.  We were loading the split wood in the back of the truck when Dick said, that's it, we have a good jag on.  I even had to ask what he meant.  The truck was full enough, not squatted to bad and the tires didn't look like they were squatted and ready to burst.  Ok, now ya know, a good jag on.  Just incase you ever cut and haul fire wood you can sound like a professional!  It is hard work but during the cold winter days were my favorite time to haul wood. The ground was froze, air fresh and a thermos of coffee always hit the spot.  Summers were too hot and buggy.

Saturday morning was dump day.  The dump was off the Horse Run Road an 1/8 of a mile.  It was steady traffic with everyone going before noon.  I remember Guy Danforth working there and then John Scott.  They would make sure you dumped in the right spot.  I never liked to go because it was on a hillside, there was a dirt road that went all around it.  You drove to the top and then had to back your car towards the dumping spot which was over the cliff...at least it looked like a cliff to me.  Scary.  On days the dump was not open many a young boys and men would take their 22 rifles up to shoot rats.  Yes!  Rats, lots of them.  For some kids it was possibly the first place their di would take them hunting and target shooting.  Oh the memories of the country life in a small town. 

Today my daughter had a bunch of high school girls in for cookie decorating.  It was amazing listening to the giggles, laughs and even some dancing by the girls.  I believe 8 girls took on the decorating.  They did a great job.  I rolled dough, cut the cookies out and baked them.  Once the girls decorated them Amber and I packaged them up to be given to some very nice Senior Citizens of our area.  Beautiful to see Amber bring the girls together for such heart warming cause.  I am so proud of all of them including my daughter.

What a happy time on a cold blustery Sunday.

I love this view, heads down and so serious about
decorating cookies.  Beautiful girls!

All smiles!

Cutouts from my Moravian Spice Cookie recipe.
Ready for the girls to decorate.

They should be rolled very thin.

Moravian Cookie Recipe:  this is a very tender, crisp cookie that makes the house smell so good when baking with all the wonderful spices of fall and the holidays.
4 cups sifted flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup molasses
*note, no eggs for this recipe

1. Sift all dry ingredients.
2. In a large bowl beat brown sugar, butter and molasses.
3. Stir in dry ingredients until well combined.
4. Form dough into a ball and refrigerate a couple hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake preheat oven to 375 degrees.
6. On lightly floured board roll dough to 1/8 inch thick.
7. Cut out cookie shapes.
8. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or well greased.
9. Bake 6-8  minutes, cool on wire rack.
Frosting: In medium bowl with mixer at medium speed beat egg whites with 3 3/4 cups sugar.  If it seems too thin add more sugar.  Decorate cooled cookies.