Snow Poem and Photos

World of White

When I woke up this morning
My world was layered in white

So cold it was and very still
Snow had fallen through the night

 

No birds chirped a good morning
The bugs were hidden away



Instead was this harsh cold
I felt as though it would stay



 I could barely see my lawn chair
For white had settled so thick  

 

I wished I had seen it fall
This snow as it began to stick

 
The trees and bushes were
A fresh and lovely sight



Snow decorated the branches
Making winter look just right



We must enjoy the changes
So lovely and cold and bright



It will not last for long
This wonderful world of white!

poem by Marilyn Lott

All photos taken near Edmonton, Alberta.

Weird Eggs

Every once in the while, one of the girls decides to show some individuality and creativity and leave us a unique looking egg.  Don't you love it when you're chickens get artistic!  ;)

The first one was rounder than usual and covered with chocolate coloured freckles.

  

The next offering was almost looked like is was textured in white Spackle like you use on the ceiling or when you texture a wall.

The third artistic egg was done in a patchwork design.  It looked cracked but was sturdy and hard.

 The last egg is the hands down (or should I say wings down) winner in individuality.

The shell was not completely finished and a tube-like structure protruded from the end.

The whitish area you see had a rubbery feel to it.

The next day the white tube had been sucked into the egg and all you saw was a rubbery indent in the one end.  Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of it. :(

Snow, snow, snow

I've been off visiting since the New Year leaving my son in charge of the chickens and Lulu in charge of my son.  LOL! Don't tell him I said that! ;)

I seemed to have left a trail of heavy snowfall where ever I travelled.  I left home and it snowed the following day.  I was in Edmonton for a couple of days and it snowed after I left.  I was in Saskatoon and it snowed while I was there.  I arrived back in Edmonton and it snowed for 4 days!  I was extremely fortunate to have great road conditions for most of the trip with a few icy patches but no snow while travelling.

I took some photos of the latest snowfall near Edmonton.  I was visiting relatives who have an acreage near Elk Island Park east of Edmonton, Alberta.

Here is the Welcome sign and a peek at the house through snow-covered trees.

Another peek at the house through the trees.

The snow-covered deck where we sat and sunned ourselves last summer.

The woodpile near the fire pit where the squirrels played hide and seek.

The pathway to the pond where frogs and ducks abound in the summer and converted to a skating rink for the winter months.

Barb and Don trying to keep ahead of Mother Nature so they can skate.  I think Mother Nature edged ahead that weekend.

Some of the Christmas lights that are being buried in the snow.

Same lights after dark.  Aren't they pretty?

The deck railing has lights strung on it but again Mother Nature added to their splendor.

Snow-covered shrubs showing off the colours of their lights.

A hedge decorated by man and Mother Nature.

Dreamy colours make you forget about the cold.

All photos taken near Edmonton, Alberta.

Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe was adapted from the Robin Hood Sherwood Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe published previously.

Ingredients

3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. shortening  **  I use margarine or butter  
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 c. sugar    ** I use 1/2 cup sugar
½ c brown sugar   ** I use 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 c. sourdough
2 eggs
1/4 c. water
1 c peanut butter chips   ** could use chocolate chips instead
1/2 c. chopped peanuts 

Cream together shortening, sugars, and peanut butter.

Add eggs, sourdough and water.  Mix well.

Mix in flour and baking soda.  Stir in chips and peanuts.

Roll into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets.  Press flat with a fork. 

Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  

Again, I usually get over 6 dozen so I must make my cookies smaller.  I think it started when my boys were young.  I would bake a full day and make a number of kinds of cookies to freeze.  When we refilled the cookie jar, there would sometimes be as many as half a dozen varieties.  It was hard for the boys to choose a cookie so I would make them smaller and they could have three.  So we always had the rule of three which worked until they went elsewhere and thought that have a cookie meant have three.  :)

World's Largest Pysanka

From time to time in my travels, I have come across tourist attractions that claim to be "world's largest . . ." .  Often they provide a place for people to snap their pictures with the above mentioned item.  We have a number of these in our old photo albums.  Sometimes they are cheesy, sometimes the are quite interesting.  Some of them have weathered the years nicely, whereas others have become shabby with the passing years.

As more and more highways are built to bypass the small towns, these attractions are fading into the past.

I plan to take the occasional side trips off the main highway to check out these "world's largest items".  I will be sharing my findings with you. 

If you have a "world's largest ?" near you, jot me a note so I can add it to my list of places to see if I am travelling in your neighbourhood.

Today's trip takes us to Vegreville, Alberta - the home of the "World's Largest Pysanka".  Sit back and enjoy a bit of travel trivia.

It was a snowy day when I stopped by so some of the signs were covered with flakes of snow and frost crystals.

The signs provide a great deal of information about the structure itself and on Easter Egg symbolism in general.

Sourdough Carrot Cake

This is our favorite carrot cake of all times.  It is very moist and tasty plus it is very easy to whip up in a hurry.

It comes from the Robin Hood Sherwood recipes.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup sourdough
1 cup (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut


Icing
1 250 gm pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla


Combine sugar, oil, eggs, sourdough and pineapple. 

Beat until well mixed.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in another bowl.  Stir to mix well.

Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix well.

Stir in carrots, nuts and coconut.

Spread into greased 9x13 pan. 

Bake at 350F for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes clean.

To make frosting:  Combine cream cheese and butter.  Beat well.

Add sifted icing sugar and beat again.

Add vanilla and beat again until smooth.

Spread on cooled cake.

Step back for a second and enjoy your masterpiece before the hoards arrive to demolish it.

Cut yourself a piece and enjoy! :)