Another winner and Birthdays!

We have another winner.

Tuesday April 16 there was still snow and ice at the snowstick.

Then it started raining during the night.

April 17 and the snowstick is free of snow, ice and water.  Sara from South Dakota is the winner...please email me your address.  A woodcarving will be in the mail soon.

It is birthday week for our oldest daughter...she is 47 today!  Our Granddaughter Maddie was 21 yesterday!   Happy Birthday to them both!  Hopefully I will get a photo of them together this weekend.

Far Side

Yard happenings

There is still plenty of snow...we don't have a shortage.

Three plus inches at the snowstick on Sunday afternoon.
We sat outside for a little while.  The wind was chilly...coming off the snow...but the sun felt good.

Our first Common Redpoll showed up....they like thistle seed just like the little Pine Siskins.

We had a quiet day yesterday at home, we went for a short walk...walking is tough in all the slush.
Far Side

Enough snow already

Snow.  It snowed all day on Friday.  What a mess and that snow was some heavy crap.  I used the power shovel and the regular shovel...thank goodness my Nephew came by with the skidsteer and moved a bunch of snow off of the walk for me.

It was about nine plus inches of snow.   It was so heavy that as it piled up it sunk shank shrinked...got smaller in height..

June the snowbank has been renewed also.

Far Guy woodcarved.  I made jelly...got another 5 jars of Chokecherry and 5 jars of SKOC Some Kind Of Cherry

The SKOC is beautiful in the jars...and tastes good too. 

I have three quart jars of rhubarb to do yet...I am thinking one batch of jam, some muffins and possibly a coffee cake are in our future.  I will be glad when this project is complete.

Far Guy's sister asked what will you do with so much jam and jelly.  Give most of it away most likely....it makes sweet gifts!
Far Side

Fresh Snow

It started to snow about noon on Thursday.  On our way home from our appointments we noticed more and more snow.

I took a photo of the patio.

 Before the snow and after the snow.

We had 4 inches of snow at the snowstick just before dark.  So the snowstick contest will begin again.

The snow storm is not finished with us.  It has been real windy.  Many of the roads are closed to travel, they are icy and dangerous.

I just finished raking the front yard one day this week...all twigs and spent bird seed was hauled away and I cleaned out the bird bath and put in fresh water for the birds. Then the Juncos came about 24 hours before it snowed.

We hunkered down at home...watching Frozen Four Hockey Playoffs. Far Guy worked on a woodcarving...I worked on a variety of things; nests, cards, scrubbies and old photos.  One afternoon this week I watched The Highwaymen...excellent movie except some of it was filmed so dark it was hard to tell what was happening.  I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  It was based on a true story.

We have no place to go on Friday so we will stay hunkered down until the snow ends.

Far Side

A Winner !!

Such exciting news I had to interrupt Wistful Wednesday!
The snow is gone from the snowstick! 

April 9th in the morning the snow and ice and water was all gone from the snowstick.
Pauline is the winner, please contact me with your address.  I will get a woodcarving off to you soon.

The rest of you...more snow is forecast...if when it snows 3 or more inches we will restart the snowstick contest...I will just keep all the old guesses.
We still have plenty of snow but there is hope for Spring now.

Far Side

Yard Report

The snowstick still has snow and ice and water.   It spit rain off and on all day yesterday.  It was a dark dreary day.

Pauline asked why we place the snowstick where we do...it is a level spot in the open and no snow from the roof reaches it or snow from the snowblowers.   It is a pretty good indicator of snowfall amounts over the winter.  See that  long pile on the right?  That is snow that came off the house roof.

The snowbank named June is getting smaller.

 We worked in the yard for a bit....removing 2 more wheelbarrows of spent bird seed.  We feed about 150 pounds of Thistle Seed, 120 pounds of a Premium Sunflower seed (mostly sunflower hearts) and then about 400 + pounds of Black Oil Sunflower seeds during the winter.  We rake off what we can until we run into a layer of ice...then we let it thaw out.   Spent seed is moved into the edge of the woods so the birds and squirrels can still scratch around and get seed remnants. Thistle seeds comes in 25 pound bags, Sunflowers seeds in 40 pound bags.

Bird feeder area

The tin on that far tree helps to discourage the squirrels from running up that tree and leaping onto the bird feeders and emptying them...don't feel too sorry for the squirrels they have their own feeder area. 

Will the snow, ice and water clear away from the snowstick  before the snow that is forecast for this upcoming week?  Probably not.  We will have to wait and see. 

Far Side

Snowstick and Bingo Report

There is 5 inches of snow at the snowstick. 

We are supposed to have a warm ...as in 50 degrees weekend...we will see.  We could have some major melting!

I took my Dad to Bingo last night, we did not win.  Dad says "We are losers."  There was lots of commotion at Bingo...ladies laughing, giggling and carrying on...and Dad was distracted by the noise.   I just try to keep him on track and watch his numbers and mine at the same time.   He really enjoys Bingo...but he enjoys it more when we win.

We are done with appointments for the week...yeah us!  Today is a day off.  We both enjoy days where we don't have to go anyplace.

Far Side

Snow Report and A New Recipe

We have three inches of snow at the snowstick and I think it is staying for the winter.

The tracks are squirrel and fox.  And so our winter begins thirty-five days early…as we are technically still in Fall.

We have had a quiet week.   I am crocheting some winter hats…my pattern, yarn and hook have been adjusted several times.

We are trying two new to us recipes this week…one was a keeper and I should have taken a photo of it.

Monte Cristo Pull Apart Loaf

Our recipe serves two people ( adapted from a recipe in the latest Kraft food & family magazine)

3-4 slices of bread  we like potato bread…flattened with a rolling pin.

Top with swiss cheese, sliced ham or turkey or both. Fold in half and place fold side down in foil lined bread pan or corningware. (Spray foil with a bit of olive oil first.)

Mix together  1 egg,  a few tablespoons of milk, 1 Tablespoon Miracle Whip and about 1/4 teaspoon mustard.  Mix well…pour over bread. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Then Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

You can add more bread, cheese and meat and use more eggs and milk to make more servings.

We both gave this recipe 5 out of 5 stars and will make it again.  Oh yes you can sprinkle it with powdered sugar just before serving and serve it with jam if you want to be fancy smancy.

The other new recipe will be tried later this week.