A Little Bit Then A Whole LOT Now!

I just wanted to share with you a few more pictures of the snow.

It will be (hopefully) disappearing soon.

The first picture is from the beginning of January and the rest are from this last week.

My backyard
January 2010

During the snowstorm

Feb.2010

Feb. 2010

Feb. 2010

Can you see the steps?

Far right side of the picture.

After the storm

Feb. 2010
The steps are gone.

After the storm

Feb. 2010

Feb. 2010

Feb. 2010

The roof.

Fog and Trees

Here are some more winter pictures.

More pheasants.

Frost and fog.

Winter road.

Frosty Pheasants

I took these pictures today on the way to visit my chickens.

There is a spot in the road close to a sloe where pheasants hang out.

You might have to look closely to see them.

There is one flying!

One in a tree.

I have been watching these pheasants all winter.

What do they eat?

The snow is really deep.

Another one flying.

I raised pheasants one summer.

They are not very friendly birds.

And it is impossible to tame them......I really, really tried to tame them.

They didn't like it!

When I drive by, I'm always afraid they will hit my car when they are flying over the road.
I know someone who had a pheasant hit and smash their passenger side window.

This one is hard to see.

He blends into the cattails.

Rose Water Sugar Cookies

Rose Water Sugar Cookies

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3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 Tbs rose water

1/4 tsp cardamom

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup colored sugar, for coating

~

-Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

- Beat together all ingredients, excluding flour.

-Stir in flour.

- Drop the dough by the tablespoonful into the colored sugar, rolling the balls to coat them. Place them on the prepared baking sheets.

- Bake the cookies for 10 mins. until they are just barely stating to brown, they'll look soft. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 mins. then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Rolling the dough in colored sugar.

Baked cookies.

These cookies are very yummy.

They combine my two favorite flavors: cardamom and rose water.

If you have never tried rose water - it is amazing!

It adds an addictive quality to these cookies, increasing the buttery flavor and adding a sweet aftertaste - that makes you want to eat more!

Spring Will Soon Be Here

This is a list of some of the seeds/plants I have ordered for the 2010 season.

I say some, because I ordered a bunch of tomato/pepper/herb seeds from Baker's Creek that aren't in this list.

Some of the seeds I ordered are for my Mom and Dad.

I buy the seeds and my Mom starts the plants for both of us.

It's a win/win!

The ones in italics are varieties I planted last year and liked so much I'm planting them again.

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Stock Harmony Mix
Stock Princess Pink
Ornamental Kale Nagoya Hybrid Mix
Golden Shallots
Super Giant Zinnia Mix
Yukon Gold Potato Sets
Margarets Pepper
Parris Island Romaine Lettuce
Gooseberry Offer
Golden Crown Hybrid Watermelon
Oregon Giant Pea
Planet Hybrid Pepper
Early Butternut Winter Squash
Miss Oklahoma Canna
Red Lake Currant
Super Blend Hybrid Broccoli
Dusky Hybrid Eggplant
Copra Hybrid Onion Plants
Candy Hybrid Onion Plants
Tiede Lettuce
Mixture Inca 11 Hybrid Marigolds
Burpee Golden Beet
Zavory Pepper
Tidal Wave Petunia Offer
Gourmet Sweet Pepper
Ribbon Hybrid Snapdragon
Heavenly Blue Morning Glory
Canesi Hybrid Winter Squash
Hot Pink Orbit Hybrid Geranium
Sweeter Yet Hybrid Cucumber
Magellan Coral Hybrid Zinnia
Hansel Hybrid Eggplant
Savoy Express Hybrid Cabbage
Twinny Peach Hybrid Snapdragon
Delicata Winter Squash
Redskin Hybrid Sweet Pepper
Ailsa Craig Exhibition Onion Plants
Majestic Giants 11 Hybrid Mix Pansies
Forget Me Not Gladiolus
Blue Giant Hosta
Fireworks Cornflower
Mixture Antigua Hybrid Marigold
Blue Lake S-7 Stringless Pole Bean
Sugar Baby Watermelon

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My Baker's Creek order arrived yesterday and for the first time ever - I got everything I ordered!

Usually they have to refund part of my order, because they are sold out.

Well, thinking that at least some of my order wouldn't be in stock - I ordered extras!

We will not be short on tomatoes this next year!

Have you ordered your seeds yet?

Chicken Adventures and Eggs!

More pictures of the Ladies from yesterday.

Butter checks on the nest box action.
Who's in there?

"Could I have a little privacy?"

Butter to Zela: "Do you have any eggs under there?"

Zela: "Buzz off! I'm busy."

"One, two, three, four..."

Isn't she pretty?

Nest boxes are a good place for a nap.

Lavender.

And

Remember the Purple Girl?

Her feathers have grown in.

Zeeba takes a stroll.

Hop.

Jump!

Lavender: "It's true. I layed them all."

Lots of beautiful eggs!

The terracotta one in the center is Zela's egg.

I watched her lay it.

Goats and Sheep and Snow

These are pictures I took yesterday, while visiting the chickens, sheep and goats at Carol's house.

Bo and Peep (the sheep) are talking: "Don't look at the humaaaan Peep."

Peep: "Oh, sorry Bo. Eyes forward! Humans are invisible....humans are invisible.....what human?"

"Whoa! What's that! A human? Aaaahhh! I looked at it!"

"What human?"

"They are invisible....can't see them....won't see them....."

Goat eyelash batting.

"Please may I have some more?"

Sorry, even that cute pose won't get you more food.

Aha sheep! Made 'ya look!