The Witch's Island: snowmen

Sunday, February 20, 2011

When Life Gives You Lemons, Build Yourself A Snowman!

Well the weather is just not co-operating in the least this winter. Games Nite got cancelled again last night because of an incoming snow storm. We had planned on having it last month but sad circumstances meant that it would have to be delayed. Last night was supposed to be our backup date and I spent a lot of time getting everything ready, food, house-cleaning and surprises but we could tell from early in the morning that the snow was going to interfere. The last thing that we want is for our friends to have an accident on their way home from a dinner party. So when the snow had still not relented by late afternoon we postponed the event for another week. Maybe, just maybe, we will get a break although snow is forecast for just about every day next week.

Look at that guy. Don’t you want to give him a hug?

Look at that guy. Don’t you want to give him a hug?

The games were all lined up and ready to go.

The games were all lined up and ready to go.

Two ounces for gentlemen, three ounces for pigs, four ounces for jackasses. Who’s going to measure anyway?

Two ounces for gentlemen, three ounces for pigs, four ounces for jackasses. Who’s going to measure anyway?

So, what do you do when life gives you lemons? Well if your lemons come in the form of endless snow you build a snowman! Doing all the housework yesterday meant that we would have the whole day to do what we wanted to for a change. What a great break! The snow was perfect, too. It was nice and damp because the temperature is just about at the freezing point so it didn’t take long to roll up three big sections. This is the first snowman we have made here at the new place. Hopefully nobody is going to come along and trash him like the last one we made. Maybe the hooligans won’t notice us out here in the country!

We have all kinds of building material for snowman building!

We have all kinds of building material for snowman construction!

The snowman turned out great! I would say that he is our best effort in years but, well, he’s our only effort in years. Doesn’t he look happy? What a great way to lighten up a dreary winter day!

All snowmen should be just this happy!

Looking at the gazebo it’s hard to believe that spring is only a month away.

Looking at the gazebo it’s hard to believe that spring is only a month away.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Pie, Anyone? My First New Recipe of the New Year.

Well, here’s it is, the start of the second week of the new year and I’m following through on one of my resolutions. I made my first blueberry pie last weekend and it turned out great. It was easy too, in part because I had my pie crust already made. Back in October when I was doing a bunch of baking I made up a whole batch at once and then froze the extra in disk shapes, enough for one pie each. They are so handy and convenient to have on hand.
Here’s the recipe I used. It is my adaptation of one I found in the summer 2006 edition of Homemakers magazine.

Blue Berry Pie

Ingredients
5 cups blueberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
2tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp butter
2 pie crust doughs

Directions
Roll out dough into 2 rounds, ¼ inch thick and press 1 into the bottom of your pie plate. Toss the berries with the rest of the ingredients and pour into the pie shell.
Dot with the butter and then top with the 2nd piece of dough. Trim the edges and then crimp them together. Cut some steam vents in the top.
Bake in the lower third of a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbly, about a further 40 minutes. You’re done!

My first ever blueberry pie!

This is the easiest pie ever to put together and even better, blueberries are supposed to be great for your health! Look at that beauty, you know you want some. With the snow falling down around us today it helps to think about late summer when these August Blues were harvested. Oh August, that’s vacation time right? Sorry, memory lapse, I was thinking vacation already, sigh.

Yesterday we took down the Christmas tree. It’s always a sad thing to see it going away again, the living room looks so bare. We also put away all the decorations pertaining to Santa Claus. Snowmen get to stay because, well, um, they just do. That’s my rule and I’m sticking to it.

Here are some of the guys who will be hanging around for awhile. Try not to think about that pie while you’re looking at the snowmen. I bet you want some pie.