It may seem strange that I’m actually hoping for snow fall on Christmas Eve, but it sure beats the alternative. North Iowa has been receiving rain this morning. And unless the weather changes, we’re in for an ice storm. These photos were taken at 8:30 a.m. today, just outside the front door of the Latham Seeds office in rural Alexander.

Our “Hazardous Weather Outlook” says the chance of precipitation here is 100%. Temperatures are supposed to drop throughout the day, and many local churches have already cancelled services for tonight. Sounds like the best plan may be to stay put in front of the fireplace.

That reminds me of one of my favorite tunes from Bing Crosby, “Let it snow!” You can download it for free by clicking the lyrics below.

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful.
And since we’ve no place to go,Let it snow; let it snow; let it snow!

With the New Year approaching, we have much to be thankful for — our families and friends who remind us of what is truly important, especially during this special season, and our employees, whose constant dedication to helping farmers feed and fuel our world is present in each day of work. We are also thankful for America’s farmers, who continue to work endlessly to help feed people across the globe and here at home. Happy holidays, from the Latham family to yours!

Below is a special holiday recipe that I make for my family each year. I hope your family enjoys it, too!

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Directions
Cream margarine, sugars, eggs and vanilla, beating well. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill dough in freezer for easier handling. Wrap dough around Rolo to form ball. Roll ball into mixture of chopped pecans and granulated sugar. 

Place on greased cookie sheet, and bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Don’t over-bake. Cool. 

Melt white chocolate and drizzle over cooled cookies. Makes about four dozen.

Please share one of your family’s favorite holiday recipes!