Let it Snow - and more on it's way

I must say I do love it!   Gods beautiful work.    I took a walk around the house and woods so I could take some pictures Saturday and Sunday.
  So far this is what it looks like for this week- 80% chance of precipitation on tuesday of ice pellets and wednesday 40% chance of snow.  Not bad if one doesn't have to get out in it.  I for one, have to tomorrow.

dogwood tree covered in ice and snow

looking toward azaleas and dogwoods

creek rising

got home just in time before it got any worse

 

views from our bedroom window  - nice waking up to the sunshine and pretty icicles hanging from roof.

Perfect day to stay in and bake cookies

Is it ever gonna stop snowing?    

Today  is my wedding Anniversary.  Steve wanted to take me to dinner and maybe a movie, but it's snowing again and we decided to stay in.   My husband ventured out and brought me some cheery flowers and chinese food home.  We will probably shoot for next weekend to have dinner out.  

I baked some peanut butter cookies today with the easiest recipe- 1 cup sugar, 1 cup peanut butter, and one large egg.   I used a little more sugar.  I also made a batch and put a little cinnamon in the mixture.

After mixing, roll into balls, I placed mine on a baking stone.  Press down with fork dipped in sugar, bake at 350 for 15 minutes,   after removing from the oven , let sit a few minutes then remove.   Not sure how they keep as mine will be eaten up.   Good fast treat.

flatten with fork after rolling into ball

Yesterday we had Knish , I have never had it before and wanted to try it.

I used about 2 cups potatoes mashed, with a little cream ( the recipe called for an egg, I didn't use egg in mine)

1 chopped a medium onion and cooked til tender ,  you can add bacon, mushrooms, anything you like to the potatoes.  Add salt and pepper then

mix ingredients.

for the dough -you can use phyllo dough  but I made mine like a pastry crust.

Regular recipe

2 cups flour, 1 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 2 eggs, 1 T veg oil, 2 T water.   

 (since  I did not use the eggs , I used more oil and water. )   There are lots of different ways to make the crust,  I prefer mine without eggs - mix and roll out on floured surface about 1/8 inch thick.

You can make rounds or squares,  I rolled mine into rectangle and then sliced about 2 inches thick.

mix onions with mashed potatoes, salt and pepper

I shaped potatos as shown and then rolled dough around them into a log.  I slice mine about 2 inches thick.

I sprinkled old bay seasoning on mine also.   You can brush with egg if you like.   You can be creative and use what you like.    Bake at 350 til crust is golden brown and crisp.

They are so good.

Oh I almost forgot to show you my flowers

Snowballs

Didn't feel like getting out because of snow , so I stayed in and decided to make soap.   I would like to try to make soap from scratch using lye and whatever else the recipe calls for, but I am not that comfortable in using Lye right now,  maybe if I watch someone do it.   

 I tried  the easy way.   I had a few bars of Ivory in my cabinet so I grated 3 bars. I saw this somewhere in a book, can't remember but it works well and smells great.

I use a hand held grater, much easier to clean after grating soap.

I add some water to soften it to make it more pliable to mound along with a scent of your choice,  I used Lavender oil, Rose smells good too.

The 3 bars made 4 large balls of soap.  I didn't color it, but ya can if you want. I think they look like snowballs, perfect for this time of year.

I let them dry for one day before I use them.

My sister Donna, who just started a blog at

 http://donna-overtheriverandthroughthewoods.blogspot.com/ 

  makes scented Rose petal soap, smell soooo nice and looks pretty on my counter.  Here are the pics of some she gave me.

Snows over and it's a Sunny Sunday

I subscribe to Minute Meditations and get one a day in my email,  here is one I like and it's from the book of
"Where Earth Meets Heaven", -- Gods Creation - We are more than we appear.  We see our sins;  God sees our Spirit.   We need to have faith in ourselves as God's creation.   Something to think about.

Last night

Here are some more snow pictures I took today.   No one but God can create such beauty.

Saturday Snow and lots of it

I love this stuff! It is sooo pretty,  and hope it falls all day.  Looks like it is anyway.   We are gonna hop on up to starbucks and get a coffee.   I remember it being like this when I was a lil kid and daddy always went out in the worst snowfall.  Beautiful,  I have to do the same thing,  outside window

still coming down at 1:30

shows the depth at 1:30 this afternoon

Sunday January 24

Happy Sunday!
With overcast skies I think it's a good day to just read, which is what I plan on doing, maybe order something out today.
Yesterday my Lime cake turned out O.K. Wish it was a little more tart.  I think next time I will slice the lime and remove seeds and puree ,  to put in my cake.
I used Lime Yougurt and fresh squeezed lime juice in mine.  I usually always make my cakes from scratch.  I make sure I always have flour , eggs , sugar , butter on hand.

  For my frosting, I used a half pint of whipping cream with a little sugar and added just about 1/2 container of Lime Yogurt , whipped and spread on cake.

I added lime yogurt to cake mix

ITasted pretty good.

Here are some finds I wanted to post of my shopping at our local Goodwill.

I think they need some new people to price some of this stuff.  I found items that have been on sale at the dollar store, that goodwill is selling for the same price of a dollar.

Rose plate was $1.25

I should have taken price off the birds head,  it cost $2.25, made in Germany

I like this basket for transporting casseroles  there is a removable little shelf,  the price is $6.25

tissue holder with drawer was $4.25 .  I was thinking I could make a lamp in the tissue part.

Happy Saturday

I have a cake in the oven at the moment and if it turns out o.k.,  I will show it to you tomorrow.
I am trying to get motivated to get painting done and re arrange my cabinets in the kitchen.  So what do I do?
I come downstairs to the office and post to my blog, oh well I can do it later.
I am posting the rest of my pictures from Smithfield Va and then off to check on my lime cake.

this is the lobby of Hampton Inn.   I liked the chairs in front of fireplace. The lobby had coffee , tea and  hot chocolate.    Warm chocolate chip, macadamia nut and oatmeal cookies complimentary of hotel anytime.

The room was nice and I liked the bathroom.

Tour of church and grounds

Historic St. Lukes Church

Circa 1632

Oldest church of English foundation in America. It's also the oldest Gothic church surviving In this country.

Has Jacobean interior and the nations oldest organ intact.

We didn't get to go inside, have to go back at a later time for that.

click on pictures to enlarge

rear of church, beautiful stained glass windows

Just beautiful

On Sunday took a walk on boardwalk before leaving here are views from boardwalk

Smithfield station

restaurant, Inn and places to shop

Smithfield Va, Weekend getaway

Smithfield Va., located in Isle of Wight county and also one of the eight original shires of Virginia.    A River town  that  is known as the Ham capital of the world. 

Prior to the Revolution, members of the English Monarchy had standing orders for Smithfields hams.


Located on the banks of the Pagan river, the opposite shore of the James River and across from Jamestown, it was soon discovered by Captain John Smith and the early settlers.
Segar Cofer Dashiell Smithfield was born on banks of Pagan river . In 1752, incorporated by Arthur Smith the IV.   Smithfields life and growth was conditioned by the river,  Smith IV parceled out the family farm in 72 lots and 4 streets and housed British merchants and Sea Captains.
this info from the visitor guide we picked up at the visitor center in Smithfield.

Pigs are not native to Va., and were brought to the colonies from Bermuda and England.
Since the climate of Va. was so suitable for raising pigs, they multiplied and became a nuisance and the settlers rounded them up and transported them to an island called "Hog Island".
They became the principle food for the settlers and Indians.  Long before the settlers arrived in Jamestown the Indians had been curing venison by smoking, they taught them to cure meat with what they called "magic white sand" or salt.  The methods of salting, smoking and aging venison was adapted by the white man to preserving the meat of the plentiful Razorback Hog.  ( I credit this information from a site called "whats cooking in America / History of country Ham)
  

Walking this historical town is truly taking a step back in time. Sixty homes of Colonial, Victorian and Federal architecture - some pictures.....            click on pictures to enlarge

here is a business with the faux window painted on side.  

The tan home in the middle is one of the first lots to be sold in the new town of Smithfield in 1752

It went for four pounds and six shillings.

James Eason first occupied the house in 1756

Home of Whitley family from 1913 to 1988

I thought this was decorated nicely , I am glad some decorations were left up.

Very old crepe myrtle,  I couldn't get over how big around this tree is.

circa 1900  ballroom on third floor

widows walk at it's peak

lot purchased by Andrew Mackie in 1758 who was the  builder of original part of home and occupied until 1778

marsh view behind home

P.D. Gwaltney Jr. House - re established the meat curing and packing co. started by Mallory Todd

took two years to build, completed in 1901- turrets , towers, stained glass,tiled roof, bay windows and cabinet mantles inlaid in mother of pearl.

erected in 1897 Victorian

built in 1877 for captain O.G. Delk in Kempers brigade in civil war.

built about 1795  of board and batten

built around 1889

this home was being renovated,  lots of work to be done on this one.

built about 1899

local newspaper

notice that the post office is also fallout shelter

The Castle, built before 1750 by Arthur Smith IV

stuccoed brick home , most likely not the original home of the plantation patented in 1637 to the third son of Arthur Smith of Blackmore Essex England. The town of Smithfield was laid out on a portion of Smiths original land grant from the King of England.

this info from the brochure I picked up from visitor center in town.

built in 1830 Church contains original Tiffany windows

built about 1796

1886

zillions of blackbirds over cornfield as we were leaving Smithfield