Some of the Gifts I've Made.

This year I've tried to make a lot of gifts myself.  I think it means much more to give a simple gift that time and effort has gone into.  Not that time and effort don't go into a gift bought from a store in the form of time spent at work, but there's something about a gift made in someone's home with their hands that, to me, mean a lot.  I remember when my grandmother Mammaw was living and she would often give me jars of her homemade jam for Christmas and I LOVED it!  This year, among some store bought gifts, I'm giving some canned items I've been making over the last few months.  Among them are Bread & Butter Pickles, BBQ Sauce, Salsa and eggs from my chickens.  This weekend I'm going to make one final canned good and I think it might be sweet relish.  Also, I'm making about 3 or 4 homemade apple pies the day before Christmas Eve.  I've enjoyed all this a lot and actually look forward to giving these items more than the store bought ones.  I had fun making labels on my computer for them and named each item after one of my chickens.  "Lazy Dog Ranch" is the name of my place here and it's just the prototype of when I get my "real ranch".  The name was inspired by my former Pug Carlisle who was a master at exerting minimal energy!  The sad little tree you see in the above photo is the only one we get this year.  It's a living tree at least but since our new Pug, CJ is such a TERROR, we knew the tree would be toppled and strewn all over the house. It's strange not having a large tree, and not having it where we normally do, but at least we have all the stockings up in the living room with some lights around it!  It's pretty festive.  Below is salsa named after my hen Miss Osie.

Followed by Rooster Jack's BBQ sauce! (you can't read it all the way, but the fine print at bottom reads, "use on everything but chicken".

My favorite - bread and butter pickles!

Also, many folks are getting some fresh, organic eggs and these are the carton stickers I've made. 

Below - I know it's not so traditional, but our TV is usually moved and tree put here.  This year, since there's no big tree, just stockings and lights - but it works!  Troy, the Chihuahua found wandering the desert even got one.  His is the one with the "T" on it.  ha ha.  Hope you all are having a great time getting ready for Christmas!