"I see you're eating salmon."

"I like salmon too..."

A Cold Winter's Day

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

They're back on the shelves, folks! 

I got Ed to eat Brussels sprouts!

I'm trying to broaden our horizons and cooking with different foods, in particular vegetables. I found this recipe and decided to cook it even though Ed said he absolutely wouldn't eat Brussels sprouts. Well, he tried the salmon and it was so delicious, that maybe those roasted green things would be tolerable. He was surprised that not only that, but they were actually quite yummy! I can't actually remember where I found it, but here's a screen shot of the recipe:

Starting Hibiscus Cuttings

This afternoon I started a few new hibiscus plants. As you can see, I have a couple of older plants that have gotten really overgrown. 

They definitely won't miss a few branches, and cutting these off will encourage new growth closer to the main stem. 

Before I  took the cuttings, I prepared the pots with good soil and a few rocks in the bottom to help with drainage. 

I trimmed the cuttings and pushed a few of them into the soil of each of the pots. 

Around each pot is elastic, which will hold down a gallon sized plastic bag. 

Once the bag is secured, I pull it out a bit and blow air into it, creating a greenhouse for the cuttings. 

Now, I'll put them in a sunny window and wait for the roots to grow! It will take several months, during which time I will only water them from the bottom, and make sure that they stay puffed up with air. Condensation buildup on the inside of the bag means that the moisture level is good. After a few months, I'll try to pull the cuttings out of the soil. They'll have roots and won't move! Then the bags can removed, and the plants can be transplanted.

Amaryllis sure do brighten up the house on dreary winter days!

It must be over 40°...

The sunroof is open! 

Doing it myself!

A couple of months ago, during an oil change appointment, the mechanic popped out my engine and cabin air filters and asked me if I'd like them to be replaced. I said, "No, thank you." and thought to myself - did he seriously just pop those out and back in again? Well, letting me see THAT was a mistake! I paid a fraction of the cost to purchase them online, and it just took me about 10 minutes to replace the air filters in the cabin and in the engine of my car. Another vehicle maintenance expense avoided!

This Plant

My mother and I shared a love of plants. Whether indoors or out, we traded cuttings, seeds, bulbs, and stories that I will always cherish. After she passed, Dad gave away most of her ants because his heart wasn't into caring for them. There were 3 that he kept, and when I'd visit I'd make sure they had been tended. This one hung from a ceiling hook in their bedroom, and really didn't do much. It didn't seem to grow or change at all.

Dad died on Christmas Day last year, and we immediately removed the 2 oxalis plants from the living room window, but forgot about this one. For one reason or another, none of us went back into their bedroom until April, and there hung this virtually lifeless plant. I saw it and my heart broke. I couldn't believe we'd forgotten about the last of Mom's plants! 

Well, I guess I could believe it, but I felt horrible about it. I decided to bring it home. I gave it a sip of water, a warm spot in the living room, and hoped for the best. Miraculously, we've watched it spring back to life! It's amazing. I've since repotted it into a larger pot(one of Mom's), and it is thriving. I have taken several cuttings and shared them with other family members. Mom's legacy lives on! 

Meet Sherman!

Yes, I'm reading Christopher McDougall's book, but Ed said, "No donkey!" So, here we are...

Cinnamon Cookies

So simple. So sweet. So good.

Cinnamon Cookies:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour 

1 tsp cinnamon 

Mix in enough water to make a soft dough and let cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Form into 1 inch balls, place on cookie sheets, and flatten with fingers. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to rack to cool.

Topping: 

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup powdered sugar

Sift together and sprinkle over cookies.

Ready for skijor!

This morning's skijor at Roberts Farm in Norway, Maine was so much fun! We saw great friends and dogs, some that we haven't seen since last year's races.

We were planning on going to watch Nate, so I was surprised yesterday when Ed asked me to sign him up. He hasn't skied in years, but he figured he could get safely around the course with quiet li'l Buffy. She took one look at the crowd though, and was like, “No way. Not happening.” So, against his better judgment, Ike helped him hook up to George, who loves nothing better than to race. He may not know much, but he knows that if you're led to the line and someone gives you a countdown, “5…4…3…2…1!” - then you run like HELL!! If there's something hooked behind you, then you pull it along with you!

And that's how Ed found himself in 3rd place, just ahead of Maggie & Pilot. Woohoo!! Congrats to Jay & Cruz on their win, and Nate & Bruiser(his first time skijoring!) for coming in 2nd place. Team Nooksack Racing podium!

All of the teams did awesome, and we’re already looking forward to the next event! Thank you to Lee and all the volunteers. The trails are in amazing condition!

Once the crowd had thinned, Lady & Nate led Buffy & Ed out on the trail so she could have a good learning experience.

Now, the dogs are resting, Ed & I are heading home, Ike's reading, and Nate's still out there somewhere skiing…

Li'l footprints in the snow...

He's decided he likes it, after all.

Hampton Beach in the Winter

When the snow is this light & fluffy...

You can just blow it away! 

Bates

My sister-in-law's dog, lives for holidays that involve wrapping paper. He will wait and watch, with border collie-esque intensity until someone hands him a piece. He grabs it very, very gently, takes it to a quiet spot, and then proceeds to shred it into tiny little bits! He doesn't eat any of it. Just destroys it. It's so funny! 

Me & My Boyz

I don't get to see them nearly often enough, so I always insist on a picture when we're together. I cherish these moments! 

Detailed Work

In typical black cat fashion...

He's not the last bit interested in the cat grass I grew for him!

Perseverance

I haven't put together a puzzle in years! Now that I have a space, I thought I'd tackle one. Maybe 500 pieces was a bit ambitious right out of the gate, but when have I ever not bitten off more than I can chew?

All of our beautiful snow is now slush...

Hopefully it melts away completely before it gets cold again, or we're gonna have an icy mess! 

Snow fun!

A beautiful day for a snowshoe!

We're living in a snow globe today!

Celebrating 24 years!

Not me, obviously, but my niece! 

Today's project...installing cross rails on my roof rack.

It's cold & blustery outside!

A bit of color!

I'm finally going to have chickens, again!