Playing in the Snow

We got up this morning and saw that it had been snowing during the night.  More snow on top of the snow that has been falling all week.  January and later is, after all, when all the snow seems to fall the most in our average winters.  There's getting to be about a foot or more of snow in the yard now.

I really like how it looks early in the morning, before it begins to warm up.  The snow clings to the trees and everything else, and looks real pretty.

Its at its best early, before it warms up enough for the snow to start falling off.

One of the real nice things about this wonderful world Heavenly Father designed for us.  He thought of so many wonderful little details.

And, this morning, it wasn't even real early.  It was about 9:00 am when we got stirring enough.  The snow was still on the trees and everything and it was very nice.

So, of course, we had to go play in it.  First step was for everyone to get all bundled up so we can stay warm.

Pretty soon everyone was all ready and smiles, anxious to get out in the snow!

Even the dog seemed to enjoy being out, running in the snow.

Out by the fence the snow wasn't very deep, because the trees had blocked the ground a little.  But out in the middle of the yard the snow was almost up to his chest.  It was funny watching him bound through the snow before there were any trails made.

First order of business was to make some snow angels.  I'm not sure the kids had ever seen that before.  They were pretty surprised to see their grandmother flop down in the snow and start making wings.

Then their daddy flopped down in the snow.  That was an incredible sight to them.

None of the grandkids made snow angels but they were more than happy to try to bury their grandmother in the snow.

So only two snow angels got made this morning.  But that's okay.  It was still fun.

Then it was time to get started on the snowman.  Big X began rolling the first ball of snow.

With a little help, it didn't take long before it was big enough.  Then it needed a little shaping, getting it ready for the next ball of snow.

Work started on the second ball of snow right away.  Big X was in on this one, too.  With a little help from his brother and Dad, it was off to a good start.

Soon it was big enough so it was rolled over next to the first ball.  Then Schwartzbeere tried to lift it up on the first ball.  But it was pretty big.

Turned out to be a two person job.  But they got it up on top well enough.

While all that was going on the youngest was trying to help but the snow was too deep - she was having trouble moving around the yard.

But with a little help, she was able to get over by the snowman, where everything was happening anyway.  Happily, the snow by this time was all tromped down so that she could move around.  Much happier.

The top snow ball was rolled over.  It was a lot easier to get up where it belonged.

The business of packing around and shaping out the head got underway and the snowman was coming together pretty nicely.

This was up where the little kids had trouble reaching so the grownups did most of this work, which was fine.  Himbeere wanted the snowman to have a mow-hawk so he set to work making one.

This was careful business, it needed to be done just right.

But soon enough it was done.  Grandma fetched some big buttons to finish properly decorating the snowman, since we didn't have any coal.  We also didn't have a big carrot so a button was used for the nose, too.  And then it was done!  A very fine snowman, indeed!

A Snow Storm

The other day there was a big snow storm sweep through the area - it disrupted our weekend plans.  We were supposed to go over to Minneapolis, to the temple, but it came in just right to cause us to cancel our plans.  We would have been driving into the storm the whole way there and chasing it back, with lots of wind and drifting snow all the way back.  Given enough time, we probably could have done alright getting there but wind and drifting snow is worse for driving than snow that is just falling.  So we ended up not going.  It was bad enough that the temple actually closed for the evening and next morning that it was snowing.  Anyway, at our house the snow started Friday afternoon and continued until late Saturday morning.  Then, as it quit, it was time to get out and shovel.

When it was all done, the storm left not quite seven inches all over everything.  It's always kind of pretty when we get a big snow fall.

It coats everything with fresh, white.  Very nice.

I like how the yard looks, especially if there's been light drifting.  The wind sculpts the snow into some pretty amazing shapes.

But then you have to do the shoveling.  So about the time the snow was almost done falling, out we went to clear the walks and the driveway.

Our snow blower was in the shop earlier this month so we were really happy to have gotten it back in time for this storm.

Unfortunately, the wind was still blowing while we were out working.  That makes using the snow blower tricky.  If you blow the snow into the wind, the wind will throw it right back at you.

When you're' blowing the snow, throwing it the same direction the wind is blowing, it works pretty nice.

So you plan your work so that the wind helps, works with you rather than against you.

Having all that snow thrown right back at you can be pretty unpleasant, all cold and wet as it hits you in the face.

Pretty soon Brombeere and Schwartzbeere were finishing up out front, getting the last of it with the shovels.

The real nice thing about today's work was that when the plow went by it was early in the job, they hadn't gotten to the end of the driveway yet.  Unlike that other time a few years ago when it came closer to the end.

I was in charge of the deck.  Nice to be getting back to where I can help with this kind of stuff again.  So in the end, the snow got cleared and we were able to sit back and enjoy the fresh, new layer of beauty all around the yard.  Pretty nice, I think.

Commonplace Book

A Commonplace Book. “Commonplace”, from the Latin 'locus communis', meaning “a theme or argument of general application.”  For me, it is a collection of thoughts, ideas, anecdotes, poems, observations, and quotes that stood out and caught my attention, some with comment, some without. Essentially a scrapbook, a repository of thoughts too good to just pass over and let go.

"There isn’t one road to bliss, there are millions of them, and the sole thing they have in common might be that they’re all paved with at least a few dubious choices. Makes the road longer, hotter and uphill, sure. But it’s not about being perfect; it’s about developing some skill at managing imperfection."

(Carolyn Hax, Washington Post Advice Column, July 20, 2005)

"As the Lord did with the [Joseph Smith Sr] family failures, He is also able to make us strong, teach us new lessons, and prepare us through failures and setbacks for a much different future than we imagine."

(M Russell Ballard, How the Lord Prepared the World for the Restoration, Ensign January 2020) 

"Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

(Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States) 

"I, the Lord, am able to do mine own work" (2 Nephi 27:20, 21), but we are like little children that the Lord allows to help in His kitchen."

(First Counselor in the Stake Presidency, speaking in Sacrament Meeting in our ward, December 15, 2019)

Sometimes It Takes Two Tries

Back on the first day of the year I decided to make some bread.  We were a little low on wheat flour so I had to start by grinding some wheat.  That's not so bad, as long as you get the lid on the container good and tight. 

I didn't need a lot, I wanted to use the end of what we had.  So I only had to fill the hopper once.

So pretty quick I had some nice, fresh wheat flour and was all set.

I was trying a new recipe, one I had picked because it was very simple.  Just a few basic ingredients, stuff we usually have on hand.

I put it all together in the mixer and ran it for a few minutes until it was all well mixed.  The recipe specifically said it was to be mixed, not kneaded.  I liked that. 

Then I needed to let it rise a while, which I did.

I began to get worried when it was time to put it in the pans.  It didn't seem to be rising like it should so I gave it extra time.  But it still didn't look quite right. 

Nevertheless, I cooked it anyway.  The loaves were pretty sturdy, they hadn't fluffed up like I think of good bread doing. 

Hot bread is always the best.  We tried this and it was okay.  But in the end I pronounced it edible but not good.  It got tossed.  It was pretty heavy and had a taste that was slightly off - not quite right.

So tonight I decided to try again. Except for grinding wheat, everything went along similar to last time except this time I was very careful to follow the recipe exactly.  I think where it fell apart last time was the water; I hadn't made sure it was warm and I hadn't mixed the maple syrup with the water just like the recipe called for.  This time I was careful to do that.

And this time the loaf rose up much better.  When it was time to go in the oven it looked much more like it was supposed to.  I chose to cook it on the stone this time instead of in pans just because it seemed easier.  Plus I like how the loaf looks when its cooked on the stone. 

It came out of the oven looking much more like a proper loaf of bread.

It also came out of the oven right as dinner was ready and going on the table so it got served with dinner, still warm and oven fresh.

Serving Suggestion

And it turned out tasting much better.  We're still learning, remembering that our oven cooks a little hotter than most so we need to cook it not quite as hot and not quite as long as recipes call typically for.  But, all in all, it turned out much better this time.  We will be keeping this loaf.  And we will be trying this again, trying to get it just right.