snow overload ~

We have a snow overload ~

It fell off the tree and tipped over the bird house ... and between the trees it's piled up about 10 feet high from falling off the branches.

All this snow doesn't seem to bother the Pileated Woodpecker ... he's content with checking the trees for grubs ... and coming to the suet feeder.

The snow is getting deep.

How deep?  Up to a deer's belly deep.

Notice the partridge flying in?

 The partridge are even getting lost behind the snow banks when they come in to eat alfalfa and corn that I put out for the critters.

Sorry for the blur ... but these pics were taken through my dirty living room window.  I'm so ready for spring so I can wash them inside and out.  I don't dare try it when it's this cold out ... I'll just have a big frozen smear of window cleaner on them :) I have discovered this from experience!  That's why I like getting my windows nice and clean before it gets cold out.

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

cooling rack ~

I sure have been Ms Betty Crocker lately ... baking and a cooking up a storm. The cold weather brings it out of me.  I hope it warms up soon.

Last night I put together 2 pizzas for supper.  Our daughter and her hubby and 2 girls and the Grandloves boyfriend were here to help chow them down.  

For dessert I made a cake from scratch ~

I was inspired by the recipe:  Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake on Heidi Bakes Blogspot 

Of course, like so many times when baking I didn't have the right ingredients at hand ... and a trip to town for limes was out of the question ... so was the key lime cake.  So I improvised and used oranges and orange juice and orange jello wherever it called for lime.  

Then when the Grandloves showed up ~ Bailey wanted to add blueberries and raspberries on top and here's the final results.

It was delish!  

We managed to devour half a cake!

Well I suppose I better go do something constructive today... like shovel some snow again.

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel

muffins ~

What a frigid morning ~ it's -22 and with the windchill added on it's -49 ... that's below zero!!! brrr....  Even I ~ who loves the winter months is admitting that's a wee bit on the chilly.

Its a good morning to turn up the oven and use up those 3 over ripe banana sitting on the cupboard.  I did some tweaking around with a banana muffin recipe and came up with these ...  and ohhhhhhh ... they are ohhhhhhh so good.  I'm calling them:

Banana Nut Nutella Swirl Muffins ~ 1 doz.

To make ... combine:

1 egg
3 over ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.  Top each muffin with 1 tsp. of Nutella .  Swirl with a toothpick.

BAKE 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy!


Dear Hubby ... who is not a big muffin fan ... even said these were probably the best tasting muffins I ever made him ... smile.

Other than that ... not much else going on today.  This last weekend was very busy with the JPD Warrior Project fisheree. It was cold out and the number of participants were down from previous years ... but it was still a success!  Thank you to everyone who helped again this year.

Now with the fisheree out of the way ...
Health issues seeming to be under control ...
Maybe ...
Just maybe ...
We can kick back and take a breather and try to get back to normal around here.

Stay warm!

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel