Tangier Island

I love the snow, lately have been thinking about the beach and sand between my toes.  I want to go back to Tangier this summer and spend a night or two.  We last visited in 2006, so now it's time for another visit and eat some really great seafood.  The best crab cakes ever.   Can't wait to visit back and stay a night.  I wanted to share some pictures of it.

click on pictures to enlarge

Steve and I boarded a boat in Reedville Va. and took about a 2 hr. ride to the Charming Island.
After we got there we took a 20 minute tour of the island and listed to some history in a golf cart. We rented bikes to take around the island and beach.
There is a nice little beach on Tangier Island.  Last time I was there we practically had it to ourselves..
Never have I seen such beautiful sunsets.
 Gorgeous little island that sits in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, and is only accessable by boat or plane..  The size is about 1 mile wide and 3 miles long.   Tangier was visited by Capt. John Smith in 1608, and in the year 1620, settlers arrived from Cornwall, England.   I did pay attention to the locals converse with one another in their dialect  which I understood to be Elizabethan English.    I really couldn't understand to much of what they were saying. 
 There is one school for kindergarden through 12th grade, a post office and two grocery stores.   I remember the vegetables being so fresh and prices reasonable.
 We saw about 3 vehicles on the island,  no need for them really.   People are riding around in their golf cart, or bike.  I saw locals pull their golf carts up to this little landing at their property where they would charge the batteries.
Good food at several restaurants on the island.  A couple gft shops.  There is a museum that explains the island life and Tangiers role in the War of 1812.  
Tangier Island is "dry",  you can bring alcohol for personal use, but use discretion.  

school for K thru 12

we stayed here

The Methodist church on the island

I believe this is where we were getting ready to cross the bridge on our bikes, which we were told was the highest point on the island.

graves are in homeowners yards, not too many places to bury them.

yards and homes are kept neat.

will have to show some pics of the beautiful sunset tomorrow

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 and Knish

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

 

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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.