We got more than six inches of rain last week, much of it in a single day.  I’ve never seen so much standing water around the farm for all day like that.  We’ve gotten summer rain storms that make a creek of the dirt path to the milking area, but on Tuesday it just seemed to keep pouring down. The barn became in danger of flooding, and I spent the morning soaked to the skin, sheltered only by my Chinese coolie hat (great for keeping your head mostly dry in a rainstorm, by the way!), digging trenches with a dull, handle-less shovel from Mirin’s pit because I couldn’t find the real one.  After an hour or so of soaking, driving rain and mud, I found a mattock, which was only slightly better.  The water just wouldn’t soak in, and kept rising.  Hours later, freezing cold and soaking wet, I stumbled into the kitchen where my children were waiting for me.  The ceiling was leaking slightly, so Mirin and I climbed onto the roof (there was only a little thunder), and we swept off the damp leaves that were causing water to pool and making the roof leak.

When I finally stumbled inside again (and this was all before doing the milking that morning!), Rose had started some hot chocolate for all of us! Never was a hot beverage so welcome!

It was “real” hot chocolate, made with creamy milk and sweetened with honey.  My sweet girl is letting me share her recipe with you:

Rose’s Rainy Day Hot Chocolate

1 quart creamy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon chocolate extract (optional)

2 Tablespoons plain cocoa powder

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup whipped cream (optional – we had some on hand in the mixer where I was making butter)

1.  Put all ingredients except the whipped cream in a sauce pan and mix with a fork.
2. Warm the cocoa over low heat, stirring occasionally with a fork.
3. To serve, pour into mugs and add a dollop of whipped cream on top.