Easter report

 We were invited to my other baby brothers and she who sees robins first for Easter dinner on Saturday afternoon.  22 people were there, it was an awesome dinner; ham, potato salad, fruit salad, chips, vegetables and dip, pickles, rice krispy bars and fresh fruit.  It was a nice day all the children big and little headed out for a rousing game of Annie I Over the garage, there was lots of giggling and running!  The EGGciting news is that my other baby brother and she who sees robins first will be GREAT Grandparents in October!  This also means that our niece Stacey and husband Justin will be Grandparents! 

On Sunday we had a quiet day at home, Far Guy worked on my lawn mower for the upcoming mowing season...I think it got a new air filter, oil filter and spark plug...all set to go!  I scanned a bunch of obituaries and added them to Find A Grave.   Late in the day we went for a Ranger Blue ride. 

Maddie sent photos of our Great Grandchildren with their Easter baskets! 

Hey Mikey

Cee Cee 

Peach 

They should be well sugared up for a day or two! 

Far Side

Easter Gathering Report

 Far Guy and I went to my other baby brothers for Easter dinner.  There were 21 of us.  My Dad would have made it 22....but he is in heaven for Easter this year.  I thought about him many times over the weekend.  Good Friday was the day he always planted his potatoes and at sunrise on Easter morning he would predict how the weather would be for the summer by the way the wind was blowing and how warm it was.  It was a different Easter not discussing those things with him and arguing a bit! ( The snow it too deep to plant potatoes or those spuds will just rot in the ground).   I miss irritating my Dad...

My Mother fell on Saturday in her apartment and although she is okay she is very sore, black and blue and green.   She still has a blood clot in her leg and some water retention problems.

We had a lovely dinner...I took a pineapple pretzel salad and a pan of corn bread.  Andy and Jen brought a couple of double smoked hams.  Mom brought some of her pickles and she who sees robins first and my other baby brother bought taco salad, fruit salad, cheezy potatoes, green beans, buns and rice crispies and cherry cheesecake.   

We took food over for my baby brother and his bride.  He is recovering from back surgery and his bride has  a respiratory infection of some kind...possibly pneumonia.  So they were in no shape to attend. 

If we were hiding Easter Eggs they would have showed up in the snow. 

The patio is free of snow but we have lots of snow to melt! 

Far Side

Monday after Easter

 Far Guy wasn't feeling well enough to go anyplace for Easter dinner...so we stayed home. ( I do not have a Medical Degree but I am almost certain he has a medication that has a side effect...either that or it interacts with some other medication he is taking.) Watched the church service on the computer and late in the day we had Salmon and Steak.   It was all good.   It started snowing late in the day. 

Seems like we have some sort of snow event every week. 

We have enough snow now and someone should send a memo to Winter and tell him to knock it off already.  Spring should be warming up in the wings...

I am watching Downton Abbey on Netflix and crocheting the borders on all those squares I made over the last year.  I have 3 out of 20 all set to be joined. 

Monday I did a bunch of laundry...Tuesday is ironing day and since I have nothing that needs ironing I get the day off!  Ha!  No mending worth mentioning on Wednesday, Yes I shall go to market on Thursday, maybe bake a loaf of bread on Friday, Clean something on Saturday and watch Church on Sunday.  There are old thoughts that the weeks should be structured and not all willy nilly.

Far Side

Easter Report

We had a quiet day at home.  Decided to make lasagna late in the day. 

There is too much flu out there to go out for dinner or to relatives where we were invited but my Dad has a cough and my baby brother’s wife has strep and Influenza B.

Our Nurse Practitioner daughter has told us to stay home when ever we can and out of germs.   She says going out once a week for groceries is questionable…

Anyways we went for a walk in the afternoon. We didn’t see anyone.

It is no joke, we have snow for Easter on April 1st.  The big storm missed us but we may get more snow this week.  Who really knows or cares anymore at this point.

Have a piece of chocolate…

Wistful Wednesday: Easter

First we will revisit Far Guy’s Easter memories.  It was a snowy Easter that year, they are standing in front of the of the house you can see the highway and the forestry trees in the background.

Far Guy holding the Easter eggs and his sister holding a purse and wearing a Easter hat/bonnet.  This photo was taken in 1955.  Far Guy says he remembers that day because he wasn’t very happy to get all dressed up….he didn’t like the bow tie. Easter dinner would have been at his paternal grandparents home… chicken dinner with noodles and pie and lots of times it was blueberry.  His maternal Grandmother was in the sanatarium because she had TB in the early 1950’s….visits to her were restricted and the children were only allowed to see her through a big window.

This one was taken in 1958 and it is me along with my baby brother we have Easter baskets.  The photo was taken in the house at the farm, we are standing in front of the door that led upstairs.

It was traditional to go to my maternal grandparents home every Sunday for dinner and Easter Sunday was not much different…ham, chicken and scalloped potatoes with a few more jello salads to melt into a rainbow of colors on your plate and many desserts.  My paternal grandfather became a widower in 1953 so family meals and big get togethers didn’t happen very often.

One thing I recall the eggs that we colored on Saturday would show up in our Easter Baskets and from there they would go to a soup bowl on the table to be eaten during the week…sometimes the dye would infiltrate the eggs and they would be turned bright colors.

Together

We were lucky to have Jen, Andy and the boys join us for Easter dinner.
The boys had some “together” time as they hunted for Easter eggs and baskets.

Yes, they are tied together, teamwork will reap the sweet rewards.

Little Elvis and Miss Miney thought it was great fun as the boys hopped through the yard.

Here they are handsome as ever with their baskets.

A peep into a basket!
We had a wonderful dinner: ribs, baked potato, corn and homemade crescent rolls.

Jen made her signature carrot cake, let me tell you it was really yummy!
During dinner I asked the boys a question.  How old do you think you will be when you get married?   Adam said 92, he figured he would get married and then die.  Noah answered “early to mid thirties when I am financially stable.”

Easter Report

The last time I cooked Easter dinner for everyone was 2010.    So it was about time I took my turn.  38 were invited.  14  attended.  Needless to say everyone that showed up took home leftovers and Far Guy and I have plenty to eat for the next few days.

The tall boys put out eggs for the little boy egg hunt.  The yard was dotted with eggs.  Teddy had fun gathering them up…he also enjoyed the train upstairs.

Jennifer made carrot cake cupcakes with even some gluten free ones for her grandfather.  She took over the kitchen on Saturday afternoon and made crescent rolls.  Andy double smoked the ham in his smoker.  (It was really good!)  My Mom made some pickles and Cindy and Jody brought a tray of veggies.  I made turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesy potatoes, corn, coleslaw, baked beans, fruit and Rice Krispy bars.

It was a good gathering.  I couldn’t have done it without great help from Andy,Jen, Adam and Noah.  Look how tall those boys are…next year I bet they pass up their Dad.

Noah and my other baby brother Jody washed and dried a mountain of dishes. 

Here are the “guys”

Andy, Gene, Adam and Noah

After everyone left we all had a nap…even Chance.

Dinner and Family

We headed North to Jen’s for Easter dinner.  There is still snow there.  In places where there is bare dirt in the fields the steam was rising causing a bit of a fog.  There is no work happening in their fields.

Jen and Andy are great cooks.  Andy smoked both a turkey and a ham and made an Italian Sausage dressing/stuffing.  Jen made scalloped potatoes, a relish tray, vegetable tray, lefsa  and her famous Carrot Cake!  It was a wonderful dinner.

I made a “salad” that the boys will eat.  Granny Smith apples chopped into fine pieces, chopped Snickers candy bars and Cool Whip.  Easy peasy. And corn..some we froze up last summer, nothing better than corn that tastes like summertime.

After church eggs were colored for dinner.

Chaucer a much loved old kitty cat supervised.

I showed Adam how to do an egg in two colors.  He thought that was pretty cool.

Jen and Andy did a Easter Egg Hunt with clues for the boys.  They had to work together as a team.  The first clue said they should clean up their room before starting on the hunt.

Eventually the clues lead to their Easter Baskets.  As soon as we arrived, Adam told us he no longer believed in the Easter Bunny.  When asked if he was still getting an Easter Basket..he said “Well of course.”

On our way home there was snow in the air..it seemed more like Thanksgiving weather than Easter weather:)

Easter Dessert

We headed north for Easter Dinner.  I took along corn that was frozen off the cob last summer.  I also took along some Granny Smith Apples, Snickers Candy Bars and Cool Whip for a quick salad that growing boys will eat.  Noah helped me cut up the candy bars..he likes using the biggest knife..I showed him how to pick up the candy on the side of the huge knife he was using…being very careful so he didn’t cut his fingers off.

Andrew smoked a ham in his smoker, they cut up melons and made some different potatoes with onion and egg.  Cooked carrots and deviled eggs rounded out the meal ..oh and some of the best dinner rolls you have ever tasted..they melted in your mouth.

Jen made dessert.  She is a really good baker..she is a really good cook.  Neither talent is from me.

I asked her if she would like me to bring dessert..I suggested an apple pie.  I make a decent apple pie..not fabulous ..but decent!

It would never compare to this Carrot Layer Cake.

I am sure that the finest restaurants would not have a Carrot Cake this good.  The best part is ..she sent home two slices for us to enjoy again today!  Yes, she even made the little carrot decorations.

The boys have grown again..taller..for finicky eaters they sure grow like weeds.  Adam ate ham for the first time yesterday.  His Grandpa said “Go ahead and touch it to your tooth Adam.”  One time when he was here with us I had him try some new kind of food..he touched it to his tooth and said “Nope ..I don’t like it.” Adam liked the ham today..he declared it a pretty good tasting food:)

Robin and Easter Dinner Report

This morning, early, there were finally Robins in the yard..I took this photo through the window!  It is official Spring is here..the Robins declare it so.  I lost by only a couple of days this year.  "She who see Robins first" ..my sister in law with the Eagle Eye saw hers on April 02, 2010.   The next big happening in our yard will be the arrival of the Bluebirds..maybe this week! 

Easter dinner went off without a hitch.  It was served at precisely 12:59..just one minute before the time I said it would be ready.  If nothing else..I am punctual.   Daughter Jen forgot her Spatzle maker..so we were without the German noodles..but her homemade potato rolls made up for it.  It was a beautiful day, it was about 60 degrees and the sun was shining so we brought some of the lawn furniture out from its winter hiding spot.  It rained a bit in the early morning..and it rained again last night.

It has been a long time since we had a little girl twirling in our kitchen on Easter afternoon..my brothers granddaughter, Olivia, indulged us..she is an excellent twirler.  She informed us that she might fall down if she twirled too hard, and then she would have to go to the Doctor.

Chance had a blast. He had lots of ball throwers..at one point niece Meg said "Look at that dog,  his whole body is quivering."    He was exhausted.. plopped in the center of the floor..drooling..and quivering in his exhaustion.  After everyone left and the kitchen was restored to normal we all had a nap:)

What's for dinner?

Our yard is filled with little grey birds..the April Fools wind brought them in, they are Juncos. "Snowbirds" on their way to Canada.  There are hundreds of them. Hopping on the ground..looking for seeds. The Chickadees and Nuthatches do not have to share their feeder. One of our Nuthatches seemed real put out this morning that there were so many birds in our yard..he looked around as if to say.."We need an air traffic controller in this yard."

Thursdays Baked Beans were a dismal failure..homemade beans take all day to cook..well these took all day and half the evening. Apparently they were old beans..I was disappointed..I usually make a big batch of beans and I freeze them. I froze these..we can eat them..but they are not good enough for company. Lesson learned..don't buy beans at Wally World..and don't be in a hurry for them to cook so you can go to the Antique Shop.

Dessert and Turkey were accomplished yesterday. Far Guy roasted the turkey and sliced it. I played with ice cream. Vanilla Ice Cream that was formed into a ball and then coated in crushed Oreo cookies and put into individual punch cups and frozen, they will be topped with chocolate, caramel or strawberries..it will be a personal choice. I have discovered over the years that even if the meal is not top notch..if the dessert is memorable..that is what people remember!

My Mom and "she who sees robins first" both were lucky Ham Bingo winners..so they are bringing Ham. Yes, she saw Robins yesterday..I had just a glimpse of one that doesn't count..so she wins again! One of these days I will get a photo.. anyway back to the menu. My Mom is bringing a salad and pickles and daughter Jen is making homemade buns...and will arrive early enough to make some spatzle. Spatzle is a german noodle. I have made them..I do not like Nutmeg in them..and I create a mess the likes you have never seen trying to squeeze that dough through practically every strainer and ricer I had..I even tried my own pastry style bag ( A plastic bag with holes in it.) I usually buy imported Spatzle in a box..ready to cook! I hear that there is a spatzle maker out there..perhaps my daughter has one...if so I am going to steal hers.  She lives near a big town and can get another. The rest of the menu is mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and mixed vegetables..simple fare for simple people. Thirteen little kids and eighteen adults. I don't often cook for this many..but they all know my cooking skills are limited..so they will probably have lunch before they come. I invited my brother from Oregon..and my sister from Mora, Minnesota..both have declined.

Happy Easter from our house to yours, tomorrows post will just be a Easter Greeting..I will be in the kitchen:)