The beauty of a March Snow Storm~~~~

                                                                    SNOW!!!

We have been waiting for a good accumulation of snow this winter. Yes, we did have a few storms of 2 inches or less. But we are snow lovers and it is not winter unless you have a good snow storm that produces a substantial amount of the white beauty.!! Plus it provides our wells with our drinking water and helps in getting the ground ready for Spring Flowers.!!

Not everyone agrees with us, but being retired we can bask in the luxury of staying indoors and settling back and enjoying the quiet beauty of the snow.

If you live in a snow region you know that  you have been trained since childhood to go to the grocery store when you hear a storm is coming and stock up on toilet paper, bread and milk. Even if your cupboards are already filled with these supplies. YOU have to do this each time~~~ it is the routine.

The only thing that is not good, is loosing power. But this year we are prepared. On my last post I showed how my husband and I cooked over an open hearth. Preparing to have at least hot meals and some heat in the home.

On Tuesday we drove to the grocery store to do our stock up. On the way home we drove to the reservoir. I wanted to take some "Calm before the Storm " pictures. And I was not disappointed in the ones that I had taken.

 

The lake was so calm and peaceful and the sky was beautiful. It was evening and I knew the sun would soon be setting on the lake. Providing us with pretty reflections on the water.

 

 

 

Isn't it breath taking and so peaceful.

 

 

 Even the Red Winged Blackbird was wondering what the morning will bring with the talk of snow.

Well, we soon found out this morning when we awoke~~~~~~~

They are calling for about 12 inches. This was at 8:00am this morning and still the rest of the day to go.

 This storm is a wet snow~~~which is not good for the trees and electric/phone wires. Hoping this beauty will not turn into loosing our electric and communications.

 

As you can see it is already pulling down the branches on the pine trees.

 

 

 

We are feeding our birds~~~~and love the company that comes to the feeders!

 

 

A Winter Wonderland to be sure. If this is the only big snowfall of this season this year, we are not disappointed.

I am thinking this is a very good day, to get a good book, cup of coffee and sit in the recliner with my feet up and just enjoy the quiet .  Who knows ~~~~if the storm moves out, we may not get any more today and it would be gone by this evening.  Hope not!!!

                                                 ~Take the Time~ to enjoy your day today. Even if you do not
                                                                        have snow!!  :-)

                                                            Hugs, Eileen

Taking the Time~~~to cook over the hearth.

 I have not been blogging for a while now. Life in the retirement lane offers so many different things to do. Some that need to be done...like doctors and dentist and others that make retirement enjoyable.

In past post, I  have put on about cooking over an open fire. I think my last post was one that took place in the Fall season where my husband and his childhood friend made chili outside over an open fire.  It brought back their memories of their Boy Scout days.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to try our hand at cooking over an open fire in our fireplace hearth in our dining room. Many a time we loose our electric during a storm. So we wanted to make sure we could russel up a meal by cooking it in the fireplace hearth if we needed to in an emergency.

We made two meals on this day. The first being breakfast.

 

Blaine got up early to start the fire, as it takes a long time to get it to the right heat. Once that was done, he got his cast iron spider pan out and got it set up to cook the bacon first.  This way we could use the bacon grease to cook the eggs next.

                                                                  

As the eggs were cooking we put bread on the cast iron toaster. You have to keep turning it to get the bread to heat up even on both sides.

When the eggs were done, we cut up some apples and put them in and sauteed them.

 

By now the house was smelling so good and we were getting very hungry. It takes longer doing the cooking over the fire. Once the fire is just right, it does not take long after that.

 

 

The finished breakfast meal.  Cooked to perfection.  Well, we now know we can cook a good breakfast over the hearth.!!

We figured that since that  meal turned out well, we would just keep the fire burning the rest of the day and do a late lunch/early supper next.

I was pondering what I had in the refrigerator and freezer that we could try to cook. And came up with Salmon fillets, potato and onion wedges and broccoli with onions and tomatoes. So that was our next meal plan for that afternoon.

We were really becoming creative on this spur of the moment decision. But this would have been the case if we did loose power.

I cut up the potatoes and onions and Blaine put some oil in the pan this time and a few pieces of bacon to give it flavor.  The coals were now nice and hot. And the trick is to learn where to sit the pans or pots in the fire to get the benefit of the right temperature to heat the food.

Next I cut up Brussels sprouts, tomatoes and sliced onions. We put them in the pan when the potatoes were done.

He had to keep an eye on them and kept stirring them so they would not burn.  Don't they look yummy?!

 

 

And  last but not least, the Salmon fillets.

 

 

And this is how every thing looked once cooked and plated.!!

 

This was an experiment and we were so pleased with the way it turned out. And something we will definitely try again.

 

 

After having the fire on since early morning and all day, we let it die down to embers. Not only did it provide a new way to cook, it kept the room nice and warm and cozy on a very cold and chilly winter day.

Hope  you enjoyed our experiment with us. I have to admit everything tasted so good. And we only used the one pan. So not much of a cleanup for two meals. And we were so proud of our accomplishment.!

hugs , Eileen