Birds of the Weather

The bluebirds are back in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! 

But sadly the weather turned to a wintry mix again. 

The Sap Suckers are drilling and the sap is a running.

And the Ospreys are sitting high and mighty! 

With their feathers just a blowing in the wind! 

Homemade Pickled Ginger

I cooked up something new today ~ Homemade Pickled Ginger!  My husband loves the stuff so I thought I'd give it a try.  After sifting through a few online recipes, I slightly altered a version of one from Food Network: my alterations were that I doubled the recipe, added red pepper flakes instead of Thai Bird Chiles and I used black peppercorns vs. white. And because I just happened to have a jar of canned beets (also homemade mind you) I used beet juice vs. a small beet.   

Ingredients
2 cups rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 small red beet, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon white peppercorns
2 Thai bird chiles
2 cups ginger slices, peeled (1/8-inch thick)
Directions
Combine everything but ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add ginger and turn heat down to a simmer for 1/2 an hour. Pull off heat and let stand until cool, about 1 hour. Place in jar and refrigerate overnight. Will keep for 1 month.

I'm sure the beet juice was meant to add a little pink color to the ginger, however as soon as I added the ginger to the boiling brew, the brine went colorless again.  I had read on another site that the ginger will naturally turn pink from the chemical reaction to the brine after a few days.  We'll have to wait and see.  Regardless, Thom had to taste test it (no patience you know) and he said its better than store bought so I'm pleased.  

  

    Forget the razor blade, much easier with a paring knife!

The bubbling brew with spices in a tea ball.

Hey, hey - where'd that beautiful color go?

Abracadabra ~ the finished product! 

Spotted in Upper Michigan

headed your way! 

I feel like I’m starving ~ starving for color!

The first snowfalls are always beautiful ~

But by this time of year … I need some color ~ 

any kind of Color!

Just a little something to light your funny fuse! 
put your sound on 

I love old bowls ~ they remind me of my Grandmothers. 

These are a few of the old bowls I’ve collected that trigger

some wonderful memories.

This picture reminds me so much of my Dad’s Mom.

Can you see why? 

This is Grandma Lucy busy in the kitchen with my Aunt Lorraine. 

Dream Promises

Have you ever had one of those dreams where bits and pieces of it keep popping into your mind throughout the day?  Yes, I'm a dreamer!  I sometimes dream and wish I could recall the entire thing - and other times its like a movie being replayed over and over again during my awaken hours. Today was that day! 

Last night I had a dream about someone pulling a scam on us, but we were aware without their knowledge and were strongly lead to scam them back. Temptation at it's best. But in the dream the Bible verse Rom 12:19 continued to cross my mind "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. "

It was actually very comforting to call on a promise of the Lord, even in a dream. 

Homemade Reuben Sandwiches

I baked bread today.  Two loaves of Caraway Rye Molasses Bread and two loaves of Seven Grain Sourdough Flax Bread.   And because I had a Corned Beef Brisket in the oven as the bread was rising ... of course "Reuben Sandwiches" popped into my mind.  That and the fact that my dear man has been dropping hints for about a week that he's had a 'taste' for a Reuben! And we have a 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' marriage - so now I have some leverage to work with!  Am I wrong?!

Corned Beef Brisket

cooked to perfection 

on top of fresh Caraway Rye Molasses Bread 

topped with cheese

and a homemade sauce ... oh it was so good! 

And what is this I see ... on the cake plate? 

Why it's my favorite - Aunt Unique's Chocolate Cake for dessert! 

Fresh Snow

Our little cabin in the woods.

Okay, so maybe it's a birdhouse/feeder, but it's a cabin! 

Old Man Winter's resting spot! 

Look! I have a new hat! 

Do you see what I see? 

Can you see me now? 

Winter Has Arrived!

A week ago we had very little snow - which is unusual for this time of year!  Well ... that's changed!  We have a nice snow cover now - it's only about 5 or 6 inches but the ground is covered in white.  Along with the snow came a COLD front.  Our high for tomorrow is supposed to be about 5 below zero, with wind chills around minus 30.  The entire week calls for Brrr...  
The birds are filling up their bellies on our feeders.  It's so nice to see them surviving the cold as well as they do.  I'm sure they appreciate the treats.

Venting!!!

Today I'm taking a little trip down Moody Rd.
Today I will vent!
I'm tired of stupidity!
I'm tired of the loss of family values!
I'm tired of people who find pleasure in others misery!
I'm tired of recorded messages!
I'm tired of lack of customer service!
I'm tired of people who feel they have to fill the voids in their lives with material things!
I'm tired of people who feel threatened with conversation
if you don't agree with them!
I'm tired of these gray days!
I'm tired of cooking!
I'm just plain tired of all the bitching and moaning
and here I am doing it myself!
But it feels good to just get things out
there every once in while - so I vent!

Blown Glass Bird

I love when I manage to keep plants alive

through the winter months! 

The Cold

So tell me ~ What’s so common about the common cold? 

I haven’t felt ‘common’ for over a week. 

I believe I’m on day eight of this so called ‘common’ crud! 

I’ve coughed until I felt like the meat ripped loose of my rib cage,

And coughing at my age causes another little problem … geeze this

Aging isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, who’d a thought I’d need pads after

a total hysterectomy?!   Enough said, wishing you all a multitude of health’

and no snot noses!

We're home from spending Christmas with all the kids and Grand-loves!  I feel miserable ... freezing, sneezing and I haven't mouth breathed this much since the last time I gave birth! That was over 30 years ago!!!

Stay healthy and have a wonderful New Year!  In the mean time, enjoy our wonderful little goofs!

All of the birds were taken from pics
I took in our yard throughout the year. 

Cherry Berry Pie

Cherry Berry Pie

Cherries, blueberries and blackberries - oh my! 

It's that time of year when all the berry picking pays off! 

'Tis the Season

Although the true meaning of Christmas

 is carried in my heart every day of the year;

decorating for the holidays does add

 a little glitz and glimmer to the house.