I'm being picked on by Mother Nature......

I feel like I've been slapped down by Mother Nature. True, I made fun of being snowed-in last weekend, but I didn't realize it was a crime. This weekend I've been REALLY snowed-in. It's no joke this time. Last night I even saw lightening flashing during a period of white-out conditions. I'm being really tried on this "Cabin Fever" thing.

This is the deck outside my kitchen door. I keep thinking that I'm going to look outside, and the whole thing will have collapsed into the yard.




This is part of my front yard. The lampost has mature boxwood bushes around it. They are all completely covered. I already lost one to the December 19th snow. It split down the middle from the weight of the snow.




A pretty pic of a snow covered tree. Notice the snow drift to the left of the pic.




Billy outside to begin the Great American Digout. Or a secret Ninja mission, I forget which....




Here is a visual perspective on how much snow is on the deck. Neela loves to go outside, but couldn't figure out how to get over the wall of snow. How ironic that she is standing on a mat that says "Let It Snow."




Cassidy has been making this face at me. She has also taken to calling me Darlene instead of Grandma. Every once in a while, she just calls me Lady. I've been forgetting her name and calling her Kid. We're both going through a phase, I think.




Looking out towards the yard. The swing is to the right of the pic. The shed is in the distance.



Here is a pic of Cassidy taken last June. She is standing in almost the same space as the pic above. I miss the green trees and grass!





That hump is my car. All that you can see are parts of the sideview mirrors. Bill started to dig it out, but decided to wait till Spring thaw.






Well, I'd better head back inside. There are people waiting for me.....people I've been holed up with for far too long....wait!!!!...what's in my hand????....what does it have to do with cabin fever???? Why do I keep hearing the phrase "HERE'S JOHNNY!" in my head??????

A Snowy Day...........and Night

I've often wondered what other families do on their snowed in winter weekends. My sister Kelley cooks French gourmet meals, sets beautiful tables, has roaring fires, and then they all play board games and read books together. I thought I'd post a few pics of my family's recent snowed in weekend.

I woke up early on Saturday morning. The snow was beginning to cover the ground and make everything beautiful.



My front yard was becoming a winter wonderland. What fun it would be to be snowed in together with the ones you love.




My son Billy took this opportunity to play his drums......alot. There was no escaping the pounding beats. The natives were becoming restless.




Bill took to his recliner and pulled the blanket over his head. He came out periodically looking for food or drink, but otherwise, this is where he stayed.




Cassidy had a major meltdown and had to go lay down on her bed. She did this often during this snowy weekend away from the world.




Julie was on the couch with Cassidy lying upon her. She was taking a break from knitting thread into lace. That is for another blog though....




It was starting to get dark. Melissa and Tommy saw no reason for almost a foot of snow to alter their Saturday night date night. Melissa always dresses so appropriately for the outdoor weather.



The cats eyes were glowing from within. She was hearing the same voices I was..."Come on out you worthless pup, and take your medicine!"...........





It's now dark outside at the Overlook Hotel.....cabin fever is setting in.......how many people are really inside this place with me??????

My Father.....the early days

I received these pictures of my father a few years ago. They are very special, because as long as my father was alive, I never saw any pictures of him as a child, or a young man. As a man, he was married for 33 years, had seven children, and seven grandchildren at the time of his death. There have been an additional six grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren born since he died in 1990 at the age of 56 years old. The closer I get to that age, the more I realize how young he was when he passed away.

My dad at age 4. This pic was taken in 1938. I don't know where he is at, but it looks like parents all through the ages have taken the obligatory "kid on a pony" picture.



This pic was taken in 1941. He was seven years old at the time. What strikes me the most about this one, is how much he looks like his grandson Justin.



My parents before they were married. What a handsome couple. It's cool to think about how many people are in the world today, because of them. My mom still gives that exact look whenever she is aggravated.




My dad in his Navy days. He was out of the military by the time any children were born.





My mother has this one framed in her bedroom. I would swear this man isn't even my dad, except he looks so much like his grandson Matt.



It was really nice to receive these pictures from a relative and see my dad before his "Dad" days began. I see his looks and personality carried on today in his children and grandchildren. I wish he could have been here with us longer!

Upcoming Graduation....I've earned it!

Here I am in my University of Maryland Cap and Gown. I have my Arts and Humanities Hood, and my U.M. bright red sash. It feels so good to have accomplished something so important as a college degree.

There were long, sleepless nights, some all-nighters, illnesses, attitudes, and many years of doing my absolute best to make this graduation happen.




I thought the outfit was a bit boring, so I decided to wear the hood on my head and drape the sash over my shoulder. Never did want to be too conforming.




Here is the real graduate. She caused many a sleepless night as a baby, and a teenager. The all-nighters started at birth. There was chickpox, tonsilitis, flu, colds, and fevers. Stubborn as the night is long, the attitudes were sometimes bad, but mostly she was just strong-willed and determined. Everyday she makes me proud, and I know many of my decisions along the way, were the correct ones. But, there were a few duds. (Sorry about the perm!)




Here is the future generation wearing a Univerity of Maryland cap. After years of sleepless nights, all-nighters, attitudes, and years of HER Mom doing her best, may I one day be able to attend her college graduation too!

Virginia Beach Trip

Bill and I decided to take a weekend trip to Virginia Beach. It's not too far away, and we do miss the ocean. We got an oceanfront hotel room so we could really enjoy the view.


This was the wonderful oceanview we woke up to. I know the Atlantic is out there somewhere.



By early afternoon, the weather cleared up and it actually became nice out for a couple of hours.



We headed to the Cape Henry Lighthouse, located on Ft. Story. I wasn't sure I could climb a lighthouse, but I had been on the treadmill 3 times the week before.



This was the set of stairs we had to climb before we even got to the lighthouse. Makes me wonder how many lighthouse keepers they had over the years.




I could only get half the lighthouse in the shot. Inside was an old, iron staircase, that was actually wet. It was gross touching it. I only stopped once on the way up....for oxygen. At the top, you had to climb a ladder into the cupola.




View from the top was pretty impressive. Almost as impressive as the housing cul-de-sac on the left. Those are for the higest ranking officers on the base. Oceanfront housing is pretty sweet, especially when it's free.




This is the car Bill rented for us for the weekend. It was roomy, but lousy on gas mileage.





On the way home we stopped in Williamsburg. It was a beautiful day. I sat down next to Thomas Jefferson for awhile and glanced at what he was writing. I'm nosy that way.

Baking Bread

Today, in 1 1/2 hours I baked three 1 1/2 pound loaves of whole wheat bread. My husband eats this bread everyday for breakfast. I love it too. Other family members complain that they don't like wheat, or it makes their lips swell. Whatever!

The recipe I'm using:

3 cups of hot (120 degrees) water
1/3 cup of oil
1/3 cup of sweetner
4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp. of yeast
1 1/2 tbsp. of dough conditioner
1 tbsp of sea salt
3 to 4 additional cups of whole wheat flour

I thought I'd show you a step-by-step process for making 100% whole wheat bread using my two favorite kitchen machines.


I use the NutriMill grain mill for grinding my Prairie Gold wheat berries into flour





I use the Bosch Universal Plus for kneading my bread. It also mixes everything from cakes to egg whites and everything in between





I start with about 5 cups of wheat berries





I pour them into the top of the NutriMill




Out comes fresh ground, silky, whole wheat flour




Add all the wet ingredients first, then four cups of flour, yeast, and dough conditioner (if you use any). Turn the mixer on, till all ingredients are well incorporated. Let this mixture sit for about 1/2 hour or longer if you want. This is called the sponge, and it allows the whole wheat bran to soften so you produce a softer loaf of bread.




Notice how the mixture has climbed the center post. That is sea salt sprinkled on top, which is the last ingredient you add. Salt tends to retard the action of the yeast.




Now you begin adding the last 3 to 4 cups of flour in this recipe. Notice how the texture of the dough begins to change as the gluten is developed



Almost all the flour is added and the dough is starting to clean the sides of the bowl




The dough has kneaded approximately 8 minutes on speed 1 after all the flour was added. The dough now has a silky look and feel




You don't have to do this step, but to check if your gluten is properly developed, you can perform the "window pane" test. Take a golf ball size piece of dough and stretch it. It should not tear and you should be able to stretch it so thin, that light shows through it. I usually go by the feel and look of the dough




Out of the bowl and onto a slightly oiled countertop. Turn it a couple of times to coat, and knead it for a couple of minutes to pop any air bubbles. At this point you can do a rise to further develop flavor. If you don't have the time, it's not necessary.




Divide into three 1 1/2 pound sections and shape into a loaf




I do the one and only rise in the oiled bread pans. I use NorPro pans. Let rise until the tops just come over the edge




Notice how all three loaves have risen to just over the top of the pans. If you rise them higher, then you will have misshapen loaves when you account for ovenspring (the rising when they first go into the oven). If you lightly touch a loaf, it should leave an imprint, which means the the loaf is finished rising




Three golden, soft, loaves of 100% whole wheat bread. I lightly oil the tops and sides to keep them soft.



Yum! The crust is soft, and the crumb is tender. This bread makes great sandwich bread and toast