We started the day with snow removal both with snowplow and shovel. When I finished clearing an almost 2' high drift off this walkway this morning it was still covered with patches of ice here and there. A couple of hours of sunshine (even in 14° weather) and it's as clear as in summer time. (Almost.)
Other areas won't show bare ground for months. But, hey, it's winter time in the north woods. And all the new snow is really pretty.
The wind with the snow the last couple of days made for some very creative drifting that we spent some time rearranging. All is well now and we can move around easily until the next snow. Move around easily, that is, if we remember there is a solid layer of ice under most of the snow.
The Bread Fairy (aka Chicken Mama) came yesterday and spent about five concentrated hours industriously working my kitchen. The result? Two loaves each of rye bread, oatmeal bread, plain old white bread (I wanted those for French Toast, my most favorite breakfast) and an orange/raisin rye bread. We are now wealthy in bread.
Our co-op grocery store recently had a special on organically raised turkeys and I picked up this 18-1/2 pounder. He went into the oven this morning shortly after eight bells and just now came out looking and smelling wonderful. I'll bone the meat as soon as it cools a little and then reheat some of it with all the fixings for dinner tonight. We're hoping Chicken Mama and her fella can arrange their schedule to come and enjoy it with us.
A good day. I feel so very appreciative of my life here on our little piece of ground.
I wish I could get some of that snow. And sun. And, well, ANYTHING besides sleet and fog and cloudy dreary skies. I feel like my world is 140 shades of blah.................
ReplyDelete(and yet my mood is still SUNNY. What a weirdo.....)
Sue - We had plenty of those days like you're still having. Still haven't had a great deal of snow this winter, but at least it 'looks' like winter now.
DeleteYou have one of the best outlooks of anyone I know. Keep it up, Sunshine!
Oh it's so pretty there on your little piece of ground. I'm so envious of your snow. It was in the 70's here for the past 2 days. Turkey for dinner....yum! And homemade bread....I would keep chicken mama, if I were you. Stay warm up yonder! Ha!
ReplyDeleteLaurie - Temps in the 70's? Oh no, that's just not winter time! That's a warm summer day for us up here in the northern regions. (Dinner was yummy . . . even though the bottle of wine we opened was BAD!) :o(
DeleteI have snow envy! Your bread looks so good!
ReplyDeleteCan chicken mama come to my kitchen?
Sue
Sue - If you made my daughter an offer for a visit in Kentucky, she might take you up on it! She loves to travel and would love sitting out in your warm temps right about now. ;o)
DeleteOooh look at all that bread!!! I feel proud when one loaf is done lol...actually now I'm craving dipping some fresh white bread into olive oil and balsamic vinegar...gotta make a loaf. We got snow too, then freezing pellets...my bf and I spent 90 minutes just shoveling out a 6' by 6' part of the driveway...it was pretty heavy snow. But you know, it's keeping us in shape. :) Your bird looks yummy. I'm making a roasted chicken tomorrow. Glad you're having a good day :)
ReplyDeleteRain - Although we haven't gotten our usual quota of snow (yet) this winter, all of it has been fairly light so I shall not complain about shoveling it! (Got that chicken in the oven yet?)
DeleteMama Pea,
ReplyDeleteOh my....those loafs of bread look amazing, and I bet your house smelled wonderful. I love the smell of bread baking in the oven.
All that snow, girl you could build yourself an igloo.
So um....what time is supper? I can bring some homemade stuffing, and cranberries.
Sandy - That's the one thing I didn't make . . . stuffing for the turkey. Enuf other stuff that we filled our bellies, though. ;o] There are a few things that smell better than baking bread . . . but not many!
DeleteA personal baker? You and Papa Pea must have done something right! ;-)
ReplyDeleteMichelle - Maybe all those years when she stood on a chair at the kitchen counter with me (and I could have done it six times as fast by myself without her "help") paid off! :o}
DeleteYour house must have smelled so amazing after all that bread baking and turkey roasting!! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn - Yep! Isn't it surprising someone hasn't invented an air freshener (or some such) that smells like baking bread?
DeleteI LOVE baking bread. Yours looks heavenly! I wish we had some of that snow!
ReplyDeleteHello, Val! So good to hear from you. Packaging up some snow to send to you! Aren't we blessed to be able to be happily at home being homemakers?
DeleteWow! Look at all that bread! I was just looking online to see where I can buy freezer bread bags. I need to get some in my freezer so I have it on hand. Where is a good place to buy freezer bread bags?
ReplyDeleteKristina - I have always wrapped mine up in freezer paper with good luck. Regular freezer bags should be okay if the loaves aren't too big. I feel "secure" when I know I have back up loaves of bread in the freezer. If we have eggs from our chickens and bread, I can always make a good meal!
DeleteKristina, no need to buy special bags! I always make four loaves at a time and freeze three, using the bulk foods bags from the grocery store when I get "clean" things in them like rolled oats. I reuse them countless times, and my bread thaws to taste like fresh.
DeleteThe days when food colors the mood of the house are awesome indeed. I have granola in the oven while I go out and feed the herd and gather eggs. Nothing says "I love you" more than waking up to that smell.
ReplyDeleteFarmer Barb - Ah yes, the smell of homemade granola in the oven! That's another good one.
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