Spring Weather Hello

I got a big hello from the spring weather makers this morning and very very early one at that. I awoke around 3:20am this morning to some very loud thunder, followed by some more very loud thunder and heavy rain.
I knew we were supposed to get storms as I had checked all the severe sites before laying down to get some sleep, it and I decided that it looked like it could get hairy but since it's so early in the season (exactlly why I should have been more concerned) I didn't worry too much....
... until the tornado sirens went off! I realized there wasn't much I could do about it other than hope, mostly because I had been standing at the front door at the time wondering if the water that was flooding the area would overtop the deck and come into the house. It wasn't far from it then.
I was also wishing at the time that my inflatable (not the toy kind) canoe was in it's usual place on the deck instead of in the shed. I keep it in it's tote on the deck during the summer for easy access but, today we would have needed it to go anywhere as we had at least 8 inches of water all around us and in places just to the west of our property were even more flooded because they are downhill from here.

this is the view off the deck....yup I said off the deck not the dock! the white thingy floating out there is a gas bottle from my grill that used to set next to the deck.

The water has receded a lot now, it is evening and we have had a full day of watching it and watching folks watch it! Now I am just over it. I want it to go away. I am also worried about my well, and whether I shoud have it tested since the pipe and cap where the pump is has been sitting in pretty deep water all day....I don't know, I haven't lived out here long enough to know and this is the first time I have had a private well instead of "city" water. I will call someone and find out tomorrow, for today I just used water I had stored to be safe until I know for sure. I do know the pump is still running fine I hear it come on once in a while when I am flushing or using water.......

So I guess spring is finally on the way. I know we will probably get plenty more snow and cold weather but the storms got my attention. I need to update my severe weather training, I am a trained severe weather spotter so I must always make sure I am up on the latests information. I did this mostly as a hobby since storms have always fasinated and sometimes terrified me. I figured that the more I understood about severe weather the less I would be frightened by it and my theory has paid off! I know what to look for and when to worry (most of the time) so I am not so scared by a typical thunderstorm.

So, come on spring, you can do it! Kick ol' man winter in the butt, he has done plenty this past season and we are all ready for the pretty colors and warm days to come!

Until next time, stay safe!
Deb~

Ch-Ch-Changes

It has been a little while since I have posted anything as things around here have been going through a few changes. Perhaps the biggest of these changes is that I am now watching my grandchildren (girls ages 2 and 4) full time while my daughter works.
I had them full time over most of the summer and fall and then they started going to their other grandmothers house since it was more convenient for my daughter to drop them off there than to drive "out to the middle of nowhere" (her term) in the winter to bring them here.
It is actually only about 5 miles from her house to mine but it does get difficult in the winter as the county isn't as great at clearing the snow and ice from the roads as the city is. However I myself would rather live out here where I do!
So as you might guess things around here have been rather busy. The girls are wonderful to have around I love to watch as they play and discover new things!
The youngest is potty training right now and she is doing pretty good, we still have near misses but that's okay I am glad to see the diapers go bye-bye.
They also love their uncle, and they, believe it or not, play together good a lot. It has been an upset to his routine to have them here full time but he has handled it very well. He will go to his room and shut his door when he needs to be alone or feels himself getting overwhelmed and they have learned to leave him alone when he does this. Yay!

In schooling new Bubba is doing well, he is making a lot of progress in reading, I love to listen to him read! He still hates sounding words out and would rather someone just tell him the word, but he isn't throwing a fit about it as much.
He is learning to handle money in math and is making some progress there as well, I have motivated him with this buy telling him that we are going to set up a booth at a few of the street festivals this spring and summer and if he learns to handle the money good enough he can help me and make some money to buy some video games.
In geography he is learning country names and locations, as well as what continent they are on and he loves it! He has both US and world maps on his wall and a huge globe we just got for him he loves showing the girls what he has learned also, so they are learning too!!
Not only are they learning from him but they are learning shapes, colors and numbers as well as the alphabet. I have flash cards for them and they love to go through them with me while uncle Bubba works on his school work. The four year old knows most of them, and is also starting on sight words.

In other news, I am searching like mad for some wood to build a chicken coop out of, and hoping that I can find some and get the project completed in time to get some chicks in April. I have gotten one catalog from a hatchery and am also looking locally by having friends keeping an eye and ear open for me.
I was kinda disappointed last week when time to tap the maples came and went without me having any taps or buckets. This year I am learning, next year I will be more prepared! Most folks around here say that it isn't worth doing because it takes so much sap to make syrup, but I just want to try it at least once, and for me the happiness I get from doing things for myself and my family.
I have most of the gardens planned out and know what I want to plant and where I am just waiting on spring for that, come on warmer weather!
So as I sit here typing, and listening to the kids play with the dog I am happy and that is something you just can buy or borrow!
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying whatever you are doing.
Until next time...
Deb

Fun in the snow!

Howdy friends!
 I finally gave up complaining about all the snow and ice we have gotten around here lately and decided there was only one thing left to do....play in it! Yup, thats right, play in it! And now that we have gotten started we will be doing more of the same I am sure! My son and I started by making a small snowman:

When we got done with that, we decided we had to try a snow fort, so we got a small plastic "tote" and used it to form the "ice bricks" and we got almost the entire base done before we got too cold (mostly hands) to stay out so in the house we came, and after putting up coats and putting gloves on the heat vent to dry, we sat down to enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows! Here is a pic of the snow fort base after the first time we were out.

After our gloves dry and (we warm up!) we are going back out to finish the base and go for layer number 2!
Now you must understand, it may take us days to finish this but it sure doesn't look as if the weather is gonna bring a heat wave or anything! In fact the forecast is calling for more snow! I think when we get done I am going to mix some food colorings and let my son spray it different colors, then white won't be the only color in the yard!
I think sometimes I forget how much fun it can be to simply act like a kid again and enjoy things like this. Sure it's cold out and we got wet and I am sure I will find sore muscles tomorrow but it's soooo much fun I don't care about the cold (it makes the hot chocolate taste better too!) and I can get dry and warm when I come in.
I hope you are all enjoying the weather whereever you are!
Stay safe until next time!
Deb

Snowman Snow and New Bread Recipe

I know, I know I have been slacking as far as this goes. I didn't mean for it to happen, I think I just sometimes plans too many things at once.
Yesterday wound up being get the laundry done day as well as go into town day, it was the first day since we got all the ice and sleet earlier in the week to attempt to go out. The main roads were okay but the others not so much, then when I got up today I find out we are supposed to get 4-5 inches more snow today and tonight. Yea! (not) The biggest difference this time is we are getting big fat snowflake snow, and yes I checked it out, it is snowman snow!! At least if I have to look at it all the time, as it seems we are likely to do this winter, maybe finally we can go out and play in it! Mostly this year it has been dry or icy snow, not good for snowman and snow fort making.
My son went out earlier today and said it is still very slippery under all that new snow though...he fell at least twice walking to the mailbox!
So, instead of going out to play in it today I decided to make some more bread! I am going to post the recipe today, it is the new bread I been working on and I like it a lot! Of course there aren't many things made with corn in them that I don't like, but hey, it's not an overwhelming flavor in this recipe but it does lend a more complex flavor than plain white or wheat bread!
So, remember I didn't really measure anything exact, and the kneading is not so much kneading as working in enough flour that you can handle the dough without it being sticky!

Deb~

Good Bread

For this bread I wanted a little more flavor without being anything overpowering and what I came up with is a little bit of an old recipe out of an old Betty Crocker cookbook and a bread recipe I have been using for years. I worked out the measurements best I could since I didn’t really use exact measurements.

First, take 3 cups of water and 2/3 cup of yellow cornmeal and boil it until the mixture thickens a little. Then remove it from the heat and put it in a large bowl. Add about another ½ -3/4 cup of water, ¼ cup of honey and a little less than ¼ cup of olive oil and stir it until it cools to warm but not hot. Then add about 2 ½ -3 tablespoons of dry yeast to the mixture and mix well so all the yeast is dissolved.

Next add this to 6-7 cups of flour, (if you use all wheat flour you will need to add a little more moisture) and 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt.

Mix this all together, cover with a  towel and let rise until double in a warm place until double (about 1 ½ hours). When doubled, punch down and knead a few minutes (I don’t usually knead my bread but I did this one for about 5 minutes.) cut in half, shape, place in oiled pans and cover again, letting it rise another half to an hour until doubled in pan.

Then place pans in preheated 400° oven for 10 minutes, turn heat down to 350° and bake for another 20 – 25 minutes until loaves are done. Take out and cool on rack or sit cross-wise on pans to cool.

Cool completely before wrapping!

The Worst is Over

We appearantly dodged the worst of this winter storm, for that I am happy. I hope the ones of you who didn't dodge it are getting through it okay.
The sun is shining this afternoon, although it is very cold and windy out. Everything is sparkling with the light coat of ice and the sleet on top of the snow pack. I snapped a quick pic out the front door since I didn't feel like slidding out any farther!

you can see that some of our neighbors to the south are still getting something, but here it is staring to break up and we are seeing some sunshine! That and the news that that darn groundhog didn't see his shadow are wonderful news around here. Of course with the winter that we have had the poor groundhog would have been in seroius trouble witha  lot of folks if he had seen his shadow, so many are so done with the season this year.
I remember snowy winters from my youth, and it seems like we had a lot of snow to play in and walk to and from everywhere in, but this winter has surely topped the list so far. I long to see dirt and grass and gravel and even concrete! I dream of warm waters to fish and play in and ribs on the grill and..........you get the idea!
However I will take the sunshine and winds today has brought and be thankful that I am not looking at a mountain of snow or very thick ice to dig out from!
I hope y'all are staying safe and warm
Until next time
Deb

Oh yea, I am working on a new bread recipe, I just made some of the new a few times and I am getting good reviews from those who can taste it! (it seems my sense of taste and smell is still lost in this buggie boo that is persisting since I was sick last week, but what I can smell and taste, is good) I will try to get the recipe worked out (I don't measure everything exact all the time) and posted this week!