Another snowy morning

I must be getting used to living in the great white north, as this morning after taking Suki out for her morning walk I told my husband, "It's not cold at all out, must be about 20."

I did complain that the new snow another 5inches brought the snow over my boots and into them as I walked Suki and she went off the sidewalks. I wasn't wearing socks.

So after some coffee and taking some pictures of the beautiful snow I decided to make granola again. The last batch was a disaster, the wheat germ burnt and tasted nasty.

Here is the new recipe
I have cooking in the oven:
Agape's Granola presented by Agape Bed & Breakfast
(Graciously given to us by our good friends, Mark & Monica)

In a large bowl, combine:
6 cups of whole oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 cups of oat bran or wheat germ
1 cup of sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins

In a separate bowl combine:
1/2 cup of water
1 cup canola oil
1 cup maple syrup (or honey for variety)
2 teaspoons vanilla (pure)
1 teaspoon salt

"Lump" the two above mixtures together, and spread thinly onto cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

As for my ear...
Well lets say it has not been fun. Turns out I had an allergic reaction to the ear drops and my ear canal swelled shut. After hydrocortizone, more ear drops and antibiotics here I am a few days later, no pain, not much swelling but still can only hear a little bit out of that ear. I am feeling human again so I hope that helps me be a better parent.

I went to my ceramics class and it is going to be great. I hope to learn everything about wood kilns and the pots it produces are beautiful. I am going to be making a series of cannisters that are inspired by grain bins and silos that I have seen in the county.

I start my actual work this week if my kids and ear behave well. I am supposed to prove that I have had two MMR shots however and I have no idea where my immunization records are. I haven't needed them since I was a kid, and since they were giving to me I have moved about seven times. Who knows where they are and I really do not WANT more MMR in my body. Plus it would cost a ton to get the shots again. So I hope to search the old Scatterville when we are there next weekend.

Hope everyone has a nice warm weekend!

A perfect cuddly morning

It is so cold here, and last night our new thermostat cover popped off and the heat didn't kick on. Don't buy a Hunter thermostat, stick with Honeywells.

Anyway, it is snowing out, this is the view from my kitchen window.

an applesauce cake is in the oven making the whole house smell wonderful



It's a perfect day for hanging out on the couch. Suki loves the view out the window.
It would be absolutely perfect if the side of my face wasn't swollen to twice it's size.

Very Good Idea

I have a very small kitchen, I love it but it is very small. While I was back in the old scatterville, visting a friend I noticed she had a notebook full of recipes. Now I have never had a recipe box, too many papers. I have had a notebook full of print out from the computer but there were never organized. I loved her idea and started my own recipe notebook.

In this book I only copy my favorites, you know that ones you make at least once a month, but have to dig through all the cookbooks to find the only recipe you use out of it? I actually threw away four old cookbooks that were falling apart after taking my favorites out of them.

Now instead of having all my Cook's Country and Food Everyday magazines in my kitchen cabinets along with my 20 cookbooks, I have one notebook. Everything else now lives in my bookcase, where it should.

Update on my health, well my ear is now swollen twice it's size and I can not hear out of it at all despite being on antibiotics, ear drops, decongestant, Advil and tylenol. My face is numb from what my doctor explained as the swollen ear compression a blood vein on the side of my face. Needless to say I am not doing much today.

I do start my Ceramics class tonight, and hope I can get myself souped up enough to be alive and awake.

My new doggie

This is Suki. She loves squirrels, can sit, listens very well and loves to lick everyone to say good morning, she loves the kids too, especially W. I only wish she knew what to do with cats, poor Sokka hasn't gotten to lick me in the middle of the night since we got her. (It's been kinda nice, I hate that.)