Early Indicators
Here in the South, Lenten Roses are one of the first flowers to brave the cold weather of late winter. You’ll find them pushing their way up through leafy blankets of debris and taking command of their garden space early. They’re not timid in their showiness… dazzling to the eye, actually. They are one of my favorite barometers of the seasonal changes to come.
Fashionable Family Friday: Little Rays of Sunshine
I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem holding my high-waisted skirts up in place… these straps are more decorative than functional.
Avian Bling
H and I recently discovered this rooster swinging from a fixture in a local restaurant. Lesson learned (once again): Some of the best surprises can be found in the oddest places.
Elements of Beauty
Fashionable Family Friday: Love the Ones You’re With
That’s me on the far left conspiring with my cousins. We look like we’re making big plans for Valentine’s Day… at least we girls do. (The two boys appear a bit apprehensive.)
The Big Chill
We woke up this morning to the sound of sleet; now, hours later, it still hasn’t stopped. Even the bird feeders were frozen closed.
A Cozy One-Bedroom with Great View
This may look like an ordinary dead tree, but it’s actually the residence of at least one pair of birds. Way up in the topmost branch, a Red-bellied Woodpecker and his mate have laid claim to some interior space and are in the process of renovating. (They’re too small to see in the photo, but you can take my word for it.)
I spied them this weekend while exploring my favorite nature center. The male popped in and out of the tree cavity several times, and with each reappearance from within he spewed excess sawdust and debris. The missus kept a close eye on him from a nearby branch… I’m sure she was in charge of quality control.
Fashionable Family Friday: Snowsuits Then and Now
I don’t remember looking cute or fashionable when I played in the snow as a kid. We had a mish-mash of layers and hand-me-downs. Here my little sis, L looks a tad snug in that jacket, but at least her red boots and gloves match. That’s me in the background to the left (with friends) in the black combat boots, matching cap, overstuffed raincoat, and wooly plaid pants… charming.
But look at the newer photos below: THESE are snowsuits! Meet our great-nieces, M and T, who live Out West. Dressed like this, you couldn’t possibly do anything BUT have fun in the snow. If these outfits had been available when I was a youngster, I would never have come inside!
Digging Deep for Dinner
During Atlanta’s mini-blizzard last week, this little Eastern Towhee really had to dig to get to those seeds.
Soup Solo
Erwtensoep is a very hearty pea soup and a Dutch specialty. Last year my mother-in-law, M, showed me how to make this delicious recipe, and over the weekend I decided to try it solo. The results earned me two thumbs-up from her… high praise, indeed.
For those of you who might want to give it a try, here is M’s recipe:
2-3 pork chops (with bone in)
Salt and pepper
1 lb of split green peas
3 leeks, light green chopped
3-4 celery stalks with the greens on top, chopped
1 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 potato, peeled and chopped
Sprinkle salt and pepper on pork chops and rub into the meat. Place pork chops (with bone) in the bottom of a large soup pot and add all of the chopped veggies, except the potato, on top of the meat. Pour water over the veggies up to the rim of the pot. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours (stirring occasionally). Add the potato to thicken it up.
By now the pork chops will have cooked down, so scoop them out and place in a colander. Hold the colander over the pot and pour a little water over the pork chops to wash the soup back into the pot and expose the bone from the pork chops. Remove the bones and return the remaining meat back to the pot and cook for another couple of hours, for a total of 6 +/- hours (stirring occasionally).
M also cooks a sausage (such as a smoked pork or beef sausage) separately, chops it up, and adds it to the soup at the very end.
Tree Fishing 
