pictures ice storm

heavy ice on the cedar tree over the porch

little Melody goat has had to stay out for an hour or so at a time here and there - because of house training etc. she is a goat after all etc - the dogs and cats have been coming in and out as they wish but mostly in

the sunrise this morning glinting on the ice in the trees

counted chickens - I saw everyone except the second rooster - and he had disappeared from -my- view for a week a few months ago and then showed up again  

 It took us SO long and two people giving all the effort we could to get that chicken door lock (and the whole door, apparently, as was necessary) unfrozen enough to open the door and get water to them - I was able to put food in with a tube but water was not so easy.

 

 We did not go anywhere today - but I did walk up to the road and look at it.  No one had been by except myself, the dog, and wild creatures (deer, rabbit, bird).  The snow had a hard layer of glaze over it that even my footprints did nothing to break the surface - just a bit of scuff in the top most layer of sleet.  At a few places the ENTIRE road bed cracked at the edges but the middle stayed solid.  There will probably be no going anywhere tomorrow, too - even at the height of the whole 32 degrees we might get at the warmest part of the day.

 

 

It doesn't look like much but actually - it really is - it is like a huge smooth hard sheet of hardened snow like a motorcycle helmet over the entire road - and it doesn't stop at the top of the driveway, it keeps going onto the county road. 

 

 

Again, counting blessings that the water is good and the power is fixed.  A lot of people in the area were still out of power today.  Esme was worried about not being able to login to her college or email the instructor - but then she found she was missing a letter in the name and at least got the email through.

 It will be what it will be - as for how long we will be stuck without being able to get into work or school.  Hopefully Wednesday or Thursday there will be enough of a shift during the warm parts of the day to at least make things passable.... but then it gets cold again after that. We will need propane by then, certainly, but not as critically as if the power was out.

entras intrarea

 Cold, working through the anxiety and the dentures still hurt here and there.  I'm making sure to cook things I can eat - but so often I just want to get dinner done so I can take the teeth out, huddle in warm, and sleep for the rest of the night.  I am eating a good variety of vegetables, and making cake/loaf like mixtures to make sure there is something easy to bring with me to work.  I made a batch of peanut butter cookies, as well, which bears repeating.  I actually do have to work at having enough calories during the day.

 Took Grandma's little dog to the vet and got it spayed - and held it for a few days, to make sure healing was doing good.  Esme went to her college orientation session, and she had to do a few more things before next month.  She is trying hard to keep her math grade up because that is what her graduation hinges on.  

 Last week I had pulled my shoulder out badly somehow on the postal route - probably actually know the mailbox that did it - one of those that is too low and on the edge of a large ditch, so there is no doing it except pulling close and then leaning out the window awkwardly.  I did exercises but was still quite annoyed by it for two days - then one morning it just went 'click' again like a bungee cord being drug over another one, and it felt much better. I was worried it would be injured further by getting our propane cylinders, which we have to refill every few days and are very heavy and awkward.  So far, I haven't done anything worse to it taking those in and out of the car, but I'm aware of it.

 Doing Romanian lessons on both systems, somehow segued to that and I've kept at it.  We haven't went Christmas shopping yet, and I haven't put up the tree yet.  I did buy a few things for Esme last week that I need to wrap up - bought the roll of wrapping paper today.  It is going to be severe cold tonight - so we had put some insulation on Grandma's hydrant and ran the little car around a bit to make sure it has had a good charge.  I have hardly even been running it around the block much, because there is just too much going on and there are only so many hours in the day.  I ran it a good distance tonight.  Now dinner is in the oven, and I have a little language lesson to do, some budget figures to put in, and again, crawl into bed as soon as I think isn't too early.

 

The 'what is this, falafel?' chickpea loaf I made and brought to work with me four days in a row

although this was a very similar process to the black bean meatloaf - it did not act at all the same when stirred up - the rice flour is a very different texture than the whole wheat flour, and the chickpeas had a thick flavored sauce with them instead of the black bean aqua faba 

 

1/2 can of seasoned chickpeas, ground up

about 5 tablespoons of cooked carrot, ground up - this is less than what was in the black bean loaf

more of the orange beef seasoning packet

1 egg

1/2 package of saltine crackers, crumbled and smashed

a few tablespoons to a 1/4 cup of brown rice flour

about a tablespoon of bacon grease heated in the bottom of the pan before spreading the mixture in it

cooked at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, uncovered in a glass pan and then brought it down to 350, when the top of the crust started to get brown, I removed it from the oven and covered it with aluminum foil for a while until I could cut it up and put it in another container.   I wondered if I should have put another egg in it, but then it firmed up really well after it cooled.

 

also made some zucchini soup with two kinds of zucchini, kielbasa and bacon  

 

I found a new seasoning mix that says it has toasted onion and red bell pepper flakes in it, with chili pepper flakes - it is quite good.  I had to look at a couple of places in order to find it - after someone had brought some to work for a grill out. 

The other night I dreamt of blueberry pizza, with spinach, cheese and I drove a block away to a pizza shop to ask them for a cup of tomato sauce to put on it - as it had all blueberry sauce on it instead.  I poured it on right there at the counter and they told me the pizza box would be all soggy - so I started to eat it right there.  I have no idea what that is about except that I did buy blueberries that day after a long time of thinking about them.  In honor of this strange cooking dream, I opened spinach last night and had it with some blueberries and the last of the 'falafel' chickpea loaf. 

Lyffan's nose is cold

 

Lyffan says her nose is cold.  She's curled up at the foot of the bed here.  Mark and Esme made lots of fudge today - chocolate and cashew flavors.  They're thinking of doing a white chocolate/maple version tomorrow.  I ran lots and lots of post office packages today.  My left hand is telling me just how much.  Of course that is after yesterday plus today on top of that.  And I started at 8 this morning and ended at about 4 both days.  Have to get myself into the office job to work tomorrow, and sometime find a way to look at the brake fluid in the little car when it is 1.) daylight and 2.) I am not at work.  But it has now been the Winter Solstice and the days should get longer, right?  

Time for me to curl up in the bed as well, if Lyffan will make some room for me.  Catalan (section 2 version) and French (phone version) today.  I dreamt of an incredible artist studio visit last night - went through sketchbooks, and listened to a lot of people talking about their work and saw them working on things.  But then of course, just a dream.  I would like to sketch some things but I haven't actually picked up pencils for more than phone doodling in a few months.

Pease porridge hot... pea soup for breakfast

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot, nine days old

Not really, it is about twenty minutes old.
And my coonhound is sitting by my elbow, wanting some.

It doesn't hurt that I like pea soup.  I grew up eating it.  And when I haven't had any in a while, I feel like I'm missing some key vitamins.

Pea soup is a natural medicine, and a tasty one! 
Pea soup has a lot of zinc and magnesium in it, especially if you make it from scratch from good ingredients.

It is perfect for chasing off sinus infections and the winter colds. I get sinus infections every year (it's just the terrible way my sinuses are formed), and this is always a great kicker to get that 'gym sock' taste out of the back of your nose.

Pea Soup for Breakfast

Fill the saucepan a little over 1/2 full
Put it on the stove to boil

Add a dash of good olive oil - how do you tell if it is good? (see below)
Add one or two small chicken or beef bouillon cubes
Add celery seed, black pepper, some cayenne pepper if you wish
The bouillon will probably have enough salt in it without adding extra.

Measure out 1/2 cup or a few handfuls (your choice) of dry green peas
wash the green peas in a colander or strainer, then add to the pot
Bring pot to a slow boil while...

Chop one yellow or white onion fine
Add to the pot

You can throw a curry cube or curry powder in this now, if you wish, or just before serving

Slow boil your mixture or simmer on low, your choice, stir often and don't let it stick to the bottom of the pan

Test to see when it is finished by fishing out a bit of green pea with a spoon or knife, and testing to see if it crushes between your fingertips.  If it doesn't smash easily, it isn't going to be a nice soup yet.  When it does, take it and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.  Get out your stick blender or pour whole mess into a regular blender.  Be careful, it is still hot!  Blend up until smooth.

Eat
Feed some to hounds, if there is any left.
Now I have three of them pacing at my knees, asking if there is any left for dogs!


Olive Oil Blues

So, how do you tell if your olive oil is 'good' olive oil?
So much gets sold in the stores that is not actually good quality olive oil.

Here is the way to find our what you have by chemistry.

Take a small portion of what you have bought - enough to cover the bottom of any small container you have.  Place the container in the refrigerator for several hours, up to overnight.

If it congeals like butter in the bottom of your container, that is good olive oil.  If it remains liquid at refrigeration temperatures - your olive oil is actually safflower or sunflower or some other similar oil that has been mixed with olive oil and passed off.

But it says 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
You can't tell by the labels.  It's like them getting to pass off rabbit as fish - some sort of deal that they can call it what they want to call it as long as it passes their tests of smoke temperature and whatever else it is they have for FDA requirements to meet 'olive oil'.  But this test will tell you what it actually is, as few things that meet those tests will congeal at refrigeration temps.

Once you find a good reliable brand you're probably set.  It wouldn't hurt to test a new bottle once in a while, depending on how long it is between your uses.

Art and Cold

I've been taking the art practice more seriously.. and here is my most recent painting

10x12 inches, cafe in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur

visit here for more details

This image came from Google Maps - and I wandered street after street around Nice, France until I landed in front of this place and said 'That's it.'  The colors of the chairs and the buildings (which were very similar to shown) and all the little railing and window details cinched it.

I think I spent about three hours on it last night, finishing just before midnight.  I pushed myself and wasn't 100% happy with the result (mostly the motorbikes) but was extremely happy that I finished it entirely and didn't give up.  That last stroke when you know its done... that feels nice.   I can see a common style emerging again, and have noticed a few things about my painting process that rings bells with years and years ago.  1.) I tend to use one brush throughout.  2.)  My color choices - even when trying to be true to life - tend to cluster around a few specific hues. 

The temperature is really dropping lately!  It's cold!  I got Esme a new sweatshirt and am focusing on making sure she has warm things to wear for the next few months.  She is so happy to have her birthday boots.

Now I am going to kick my tail into crocheting some new winter hats while sitting warmly in the bed with the rest of Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon.

The KnitOwl tries to cure the common cold again

Every year that time rolls around, I begin to feel that tight feeling in my chest and I try to cook up a household remedy for the common cold. Some years it's raw onions and garlic, some it is licorice tea... I usually use what is on hand in the house, each spice according to it's properties learned through old wive's tales, library books and of course, surfing the Internet.

So here is this year's remedy.

One can of chicken noodle soup
1/2 can of sliced carrots
1 tsp onion powder
several grinds of pure fresh black pepper
a pinch of ginger
some 'Italian Seasoning' oregano, basil and such
1 tsp or more of fresh garlic powder

Drain the noodles and carrots, if all you want is the broth. If you're in the mood for a good meal, adding an onion and some celery to the soup at this point will make it a meal for two.

This sounds simple, but I am thinking it will have some effect.
Onion and garlic powders are supposed to have some of the same effects as 'production' components of cough syrup. To be graphic, they grab the junk attached to your bronchial tubes and tell it to take a hike, leaving you coughing up mucus. But at least if you're coughing anyway it is 'producing' something instead of a dry cough. Usually I use fresh garlic and chicken boullion or, some years, fresh chicken. The antiviral properties of chicken and carrots is perhaps only a rumor, but it's one I'm willing to believe in.

We'll see how this pans out over the next few days.

And yes, I'm up at 3:30 AM. I have to be up at 2:30 AM tomorrow, for this week of night shifts. The other good remedy for a cold is to get plenty of sleep. That might work once I get my schedule shifted.