The Best Date Bar Recipe Ever

My dad loves date bars, but the last time he remembers having one was years ago from a little corner store near a cottage he was staying at on Mount Desert Island in Maine.   He would stop there nearly everyday.   You may be wondering why it took him so long to come up with this recipe.  He did and it is awesome

Lola's Date Bars
Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups pitted dates, cut up
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional
• 1-1/4 cups flour (we used white whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon water 

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in walnuts; cool.
• Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle water over mixture; stir lightly. Pat half into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Spread with date mixture; cover with remaining oat mixture and pat lightly.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 40 bars.

Bonne Annee et Bonne Sante

Rachel and Sugar

Sugar sent an email to wish me a Happy New Year, but she wrote it in French.

I'll translate:

Dear Grandma Suddie:
 Happy New Year!
Love,
Sugar

Short and sweet.  Just what one would expect from a girl named Sugar.

Pretty as a Picture

But, yes, Sugar does speak French and several other languages too.  We think her best friend Rachel is a very good influence.  Don't you?

Congratulations Rachel on your new private school in Chicago.  Write and tell us all about it.  Does Sugar walk to school with you in the morning?

And, whoa, Rachel your pictures show you are becoming a young lady (and Sugar too...she's a year-and-a-half now isn't she?).  It seems just yesterday you sent us this email in anticipation of Sugar's arrival.  Have you taught her to dance yet?

Gam-Gam Suddie Wants a Ribbon for Her Hair Too

Dear Suddie,
I'm giving away my birthday presents to a family in need. My mom called the red cross to try and find a family in need but we didn't get an answer yet. There have been several house fires in our  area, so I know there is a family in need. I was inspired by Max Rohr he gave away his birthday presents  to a local hospital.

 I'm very excited about the new puppy! I'm sure I'll enjoy having a very energetic dog around the house. I'm going to teach the dog many tricks. The tricks will be old and new. At first simple tricks like roll over and stay, next complicated tricks like dance or something like that.
Sincerely,
Rachel

Happy Holidays from Deep Acres Farm

Introducing Gibbs...The Most Cutest Reindeer of All

 

My Grandpuppy Gibbs, Roxie's boy, is the most cutest reindeer of all.   Don't you agree?  Just 5-months-old, his new owners say"we love him to pieces....and don't think we could have a better fit for us." 

Holiday Greetings from Sherpa

A picture of our boy, Sherpa, curled up by the tree at his beautiful home in Connecticut was the perfect holiday greeting.

Peace, Love, and Pawprints

We received the nicest holiday card from our former dog walker/sitter Chyla.  You see she moved to Maine and married Devon.  We really like the message on her card.

Christmas Gift Suggestions

To your enemy. forgiveness. To an 

opponent, tolerance.  To a friend, your

heart.  To a customer, service.  To all,

charity.  To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.

-Oren Arnold

Holiday Dogs

We met some beautiful dogs on the street today while Christmas shopping.

Two Beautiful Bernese Mountain dogs, one 6 years and one 3 months, wearing their jingle bells.

Madison, a beautiful 2-year-old Landseer Newfoundland