Returning to Letchworth

A testament to the power of glaciers.

Also to the need to explore.

And to conquer.

But the calm of nature,

conceals tremendous power.

WALKING BETWEEN THE RAINS

It has been raining for days. JoJo and I have been staying inside (mostly) and we were eager to get out. My wonderful neighbor told me about an amazing web she and her young ones had seen earlier in the day. After dinner there was a break in the rain. Time to go exploring!

We found the spider. He really was remarkable.

 We found all sorts of plant life, full of color and enjoying the nurturing rains.

 

While we were stagnant inside, nature had been busy!

We even came across some visiting chickens. Apparently, they were restless too,

BRINGING YOUR WORK HOME

I've brought my work home with me on occasion. Sometimes it is easier to pick a quiet time and focus on the task at hand.
The man of the house can often accomplish his job over the internet, dialing in to the site that has a programming problem. I've gotten used to that. 
Today, he brought his work home with him.

Picked up today, delivering and installing tomorrow. I told him his 'toys' keep getting bigger and bigger! I still can't believe he got it around that corner.

That was unexpected....kind of like the snow!

SUE'S RECIPE

I admit it, I'm especially proud of myself today. Because of the high cost of beef these days, our dinner menu has been a steady diet of chicken or pork. Salads have been rare because I truly love the fresh farmer's market produce and let's face it, Walmart's produce sucks. Not exactly an iron rich diet and I tend towards anemia. One thing I do have plenty of in the freezer (thanks to some butchering friends) is liver. So tonight was liver and onion night.
I had made it once before and I was less than impressed. In other words, yuck. So I was determined that I would create the ultimate liver dish. I actually succeeded. It was almost delicious.
So I present to you, Sue's Liver Recipe. Maybe you need iron, or are just adventurous, but try it. Besides, I wanted to write it down so that I could make it again just as good.

Early prep: In the morning, place the liver in a colander or strainer and rinse until all the blood is washed out. Place the meat in a Ziploc bag with milk to marinate all day. (this reduces the bitterness).

Approximately two hours before dinnertime: Slice an onion, saute in plenty of butter. While the onions are cooking, put one can of cream of mushroom soup, and one can of water with a beef boullion cube into a casserole dish. Add another half can of water, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp. of brown sugar. Put your cooked onions into the casserole dish. Now brown your meat in the butter you cooked your onions in. Heat oven to 325. Stir all of you ingredients in the casserole dish then add your browned liver. Press the meat into the liquid so that it is covered. Cover dish with foil and place in oven for about one and a half hours. After one hour, pull out, stir, add another boullion cube, salt, pepper and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Replace foil and return to oven.

Serve with mashed potatoes. The gravy has enough flavor to cancel the bland/bitterness of the meat and this makes a lot of gravy.

Bon Appetit!
Sorry there's no picture. I wasn't expecting it turn out so good. The leftover night was even better!

TRANSFORMED

This is our pleasant little creek, site of much children's laughter and dog's splashing. This long stretch of cold has transformed it into something our longtime resident (40 years) claims he hasn't seen before. It has frozen.

The ice is thick where there is a rock dam. It shows how the water looked when there had been several days of rain.

It appears as a whole new world to explore.

In spite of the windchill, it called to me and I had to go see what nature had recreated. Such beauty!

WALK A MILE

Getting a young dog has changed my lifestyle. Every night after the dinner dishes are done we head out.

Although it is a beautiful walk with many things to look at...

There are plenty of reminders of the fact that we can't go there.

I love exploring the countryside and we live in an area that calls out for it.

Unfortunately, it is forbidden.

Each night, we go half a mile out and half a mile back. We stick to the road.

There are still the sights, sounds, and smells to enjoy.

The health benefits are undeniable. JoJo is a much calmer dog and I have a lot more endurance than  I did just a month ago. I am happy to walk a mile.

WINGED FRIENDS

One might believe from my recent posts that I dislike winged creatures. Not true. I don't like them in my house. I love to listen to them singing. I really enjoy those that come to visit the trees near the porch. I have a hummingbird that stops by regularly, multitudes of robins and starlings. Last year I had a pair of cardinals that would wander out on the lower branches and watch me watching them.
Last night I had a new pair of visitors. They stayed for several hours.

These thrushes didn't really sing, they made more of a chirp/clicking sound. They seemed to be as curious about me as I was about them.

Even as I sit here sharing this picture with you, I can hear one of our local woodpeckers working over the fence post across the road.

It is peaceful here, but by no means silent.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Well folks, vacation time has passed. A long weekend listening to music and chilling at Jazzberry Farm, a few days of work and then a week in Delaware enjoying the ocean! Whew.
I really like getting away but I also like coming home. Home is my favorite place to be. I am very lucky and grateful to be able to say that.
Home sweet home! I was eager to get back but I was certain that the cat would be certain to give me attitude upon my return. She didn't let me down. After an hour or so of demanding attention she finally lay herself down to relax. I thought I was off the hook but of course she had other ideas.
I discovered her evil plot before bedtime rolled around, thank goodness. Next to my bed where I normally would be walking in the dark was her welcome home gift for me.

I swear I saw her smile!

Dead birdie removed, I decided to stay up late to watch some TV before retiring for the night. While I was enjoying America's Got Talent, I saw something in my peripheral vision. "No," I thought, "This is not happening." But it was. BAT!!

I had the commonsense to open the door wide in hopes it would fly out but that still meant sharing space with the flying rodent in the meantime. I must have made a comical figure crouching and bobbing (because of course that is how you avoid a bat) as I made my way to the door.

I wasn't entirely sure that the creature had gone outside. Perhaps it had gone upstairs. When I went to bed I pulled the sheets over my head. I'm so good at self-defense against a bat....ha ha ha.

There certainly is no place like home!

VISITING KINFOLK

I went to visit my brothers and my mother on Sunday. It was overcast but not raining, for which I am grateful. I was also glad to see that there was indeed a flag.

It was a virtual reunion as I wandered. Here, my Aunt and Uncle who had a large hand in raising me. Also, a cousin whose own child was a few years older than I.

My Grandparents were here. Also, my Great-Grandparents.

There were great-aunts and uncles. Names unfamiliar to me yet their blood runs through my veins.

As more vehicles arrived, so did more relatives. These were familiar faces from reunions I had attended over the years.

We spent much time remembering and catching up. Who was doing what now? Our family gathering blended many generations of those no longer with us and those that still are.

It is good to learn of our common history and to know that as time marches forth, our family ties continue into future generations.

IN THE GARDEN

Every garden needs one of these.

The planter is on a lazy susan so that it can be turned.

Are the looking glasses microscopes?

No.

Kaleidoscopes!

WONDER WHAT THAT DOES BEST

The man of the house asks this instead of 'what is it' all the time. Here's one for you to figure out.

 I came upon these unusual rocks at the Penn State Arboretum.

 What they do best is mark time!
They replace both clock and calender. So cool!

COMMUNITY FUN

Sometimes big things start as small ideas.
I had said that I wanted to have a yard sale to purge the house of items that, while still good, we had no use for. Because I live in the country, I thought my only chance to get people to come out this way would to have my neighbors have yard sales the same weekend. Obviously, they would have things to get rid of too.
Most of the homes in my area have long, windy driveways. Soon what was to be a community style yard sale became a multi-family sale.

We really came together and found ourselves in the midst of true community. I think we did an impressive job of it.

Not only did we support one another....

the kids LOVED it!

They were chest deep in the cold creek (outside temp. 52 degrees) and having the time of their lives. Overheard: We built a bridge and it's safe..unless you fall in. They all fell in! That was a wet, hungry, tired bunch by day's end.

FUN WAS HAD

Getting outdoors certainly was refreshing. Heart, mind, soul. All cleansed in the bright sun and cool, gentle breeze.
Socializing is not something I get to do a lot of, especially with other women. The children were well occupied.

I wandered the yard later looking for signs of spring. I found many.

I even scored some candy in the process, (and a balloon!)