Thinking of Boston . . . .

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.” — Mister Rogers

I am thinking of Boston and all those around the world affected by the random act of violence yesterday.  Some days things just do not make sense. Keep all those affected by this both near and far in your thoughts and prayers. 

Happy Easter!!!!

New to us this year in the egg dyeing and decorating department were using a Black sharpie on the eggs before putting in the dye and marbleizing the eggs with shaving creme and dye.  Both were a lot of fun.  Such brilliant colors to behold!  Hoping everyone is enjoying a lovely Easter. It is dark and gray here in the WNY sector.  Raining and gray. Making cookies and Pineapple Upside down cake for Easter desserts for dinner.

Sand Lake 2013

Blood Orange Margarita

 

  About 2 weeks ago I snuck away amidst the March Madness that fully engulfs our house- Birthdays, Robotics, scouting, Maple sap to syrup season, March is a crazy month for us.  Another wonderful  weekend away with the Girlfriends, to relax, reflect and restore.  A Weekend to sew, read, be creative in any way one wants, fabulous food and beverages, late nights, movies, laughing, eating way to many goodies, sleeping in , walking in the woods, always leaving at home the one thing that you need. Marvelous views of the still frozen lake. Sunday AM we saw a big bushy Red Tail Fox traveling across the frozen Ice.  Also saw Hooded Mergansers in the open water near the dock.  Lots of dreaming of what it might be like in the summer.  We have always only seen the lake Frozen.

 Time well spent.

Fun Easter Edible Centerpieces

                          So I have better pictures of the finished product then I thought. Here is briefly what I did,   The clear glass vase, cup or mug is filled with Jelly beans or other edible treat.  I made a St. Patrick's themed one with trail-mix in the vase.  I then used wooden skewers and floral tape on them to give them a green stem. I bought small clear treat bags in the cake area of local big box ( W) store also to be found at any craft store.  Spring themed ribbon for these ones.  Food items included: Various Peeps, Tea Bags taped back to back on the stick.  Small Rice Krispie treats taken out of their package and put into the clear bag, Oreos - Spring are yellow filling- I sandwich the stick between the 2 Oreo's - these tend to break a lot so be careful. Pre-packaged York peppermint patties, Reeses Eggs, also a couple of felted things or eggs that I already found on a stick.  At the base of the item on the stick I tie a ribbon - a knot or a bow is fine.   Anyway these do not take a lot of time are fun and colorful, eat it all and what you cannot eat- throw it away. BTW- vases, skewers, floral tape, ribbon, fillers, and stick items almost all can be found at a Dollar store - not every dollar store- you will know the one that has more craft items. Get Creative and have fun!!!

Spring Signs

First Pussy Willows

Sunset - how far the sun has moved in 2 months!!!

Cleaning out Bird houses

Full Sap Bucket!!!! Yum Yum!!

Snow Moon Setting 3/26

This was Tuesday Feb. 26 at Sunrise. I live on a hill, so standing on my front lawn, looking left- East I could see this beautiful sunrise and turning right- West I could see the Great Snow Moon setting, it was really pretty cool.  It was very bright for a setting moon and although no snow on the ground in the AM by evening we had a few inches again.  Everything was tucked back in a blanket of white.

 Some descriptions of this months full moon are as follows:

            • Full Snow Moon – February Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.

                 February: The Snow Moon   http://www.moonconnection.com/full-moon-names.phtml
Snow piles even higher in February, giving this moon its most common name. Among tribes that used this name for the January moon, the February moon was called the Hunger Moon due to the challenging hunting conditions.

Next Month is the Full Sap moon or Full Worm Moon it will rise on Wednesday March 27th, 2013

Oscar Doughnuts 2013

Sometimes I am not sure How family traditions get started?, but one of ours is making Doughnuts for Oscar night.  Oscar night always falls on the last night of winter vacation.  It is a good midwinter thing to do.  I will include the recipe at the end of this.  It is the same one my mom used when we were kids and the Boy Scouts use it as well.   It is simple. We heat the oil on the wood cook stove. We have found that thinner cut doughnuts cook through more consistently than thick cut doughnuts. In past years  we have always used paper bags to shake the doughnuts in to get them sugar coated.  This year at the last minute we could not locate the bags - so we put the sugar in bowls and it worked out just fine. Kids are to old to enjoy the paper bag shaking anyway- but they still love the doughnuts. 

Chestnut Hill Doughnuts

2cups Bisquick

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

     1 egg

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp. of nutmeg

Heat Fat to 375 degrees

Mix dough until well blended, knead 10-12 times roll out 3/8 inch cut with floured cutter.

Makes 12 doughnuts and holes.

When ready to fry put in fat and turn over-when floating on the surface and browned nicely. If your fat is to hot - your doughnuts will burn and your fat can catch fire . . .Be careful and do not wear nice clothes.  Lots of newspaper is helpful.