This week's highlights...

 I love that I live where this is the kind of traffic jam I have to deal with.  The bighorn sheep were re-introduced to the Northern Hills back in 2015.  The herd has definitely grown.  There were a bunch of rams.  They act like they own the place as there is no fear of cars what-so-ever.  

I also had to stop on the way to work that morning to allow a fanned-out tom turkey to slowly strut across the road.  I wish I had taken a photo, but I didn't realize our traffic conditions would be part of my post this week.  

I was lucky enough to have a meeting in the southern part of the hills and took some time to have coffee with a good friend.  It was great to see her.  I used to never take time off of work, but I have come to realize that coffee with a good friend is something that should never be passed by.  

We were pleasantly surprised with a small northern lights show this week.  It was short lived but always appreciated.  There has been lights a few other times, but it was always cloudy.

Is there anything special going on in your neck of the woods?  I'm still quilting, and it is still snowing.  No walks this weekend.  

Yoga and Snake Oil...

 I'm not big into alternative stuff, but after my back went out I am a believer in yoga and snake oil.  A vendor was giving this away at a conference about a year ago. This is my snake oil.  I put a little on my back and then did some yoga.  I was completely cured.  Not an ache for the rest of the week.  I guess I'm a believer.  

We had more snow.  Quite a bit more snow.  Right now it is impossible to do anything outside.  The ground is covered in icy snow and the wind is far from warm.  

My back felt so good I went for a long walk with my husband this weekend before it snowed. Then went snowshoeing after is snowed.  I used to be excited about snowshoeing, but it has lost its luster.  I'm ready for green grass and that isn't going to happen anytime soon.  

My husband and I made a delicious bacon and potato chowder.  It turned out great and was hearty after a long walk.  

Slow Cooker Hearty Potato Bacon Chowder Ingredients

6 slices of bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the bacon drippings and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to your slow cooker. Add the cubed potatoes, chicken broth, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.

4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.

5. Once the potatoes are tender, use a potato masher to slightly mash some of the potatoes in the slow cooker. This will help thicken the chowder.

6. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese until well combined. Continue cooking on low for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through.

7. Just before serving, stir in the cooked bacon and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve hot with your favorite sides.

I also spent quite a bit of time quilting.  I'm half done.  Then all that is less than the binding.  I enjoy the quilting part the most.  It is a good way to spend a snowy day.

I also made my Grandma's banana cream pie with a chocolate crust.  I'm not going to lie, it was great with coffee for breakfast.  My husband would slice up banana's on his.  I liked it sprinkled with cinnamon. 

Banana Cream Pie

Pie Filling
3/4 c. sugar
3 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
Cook filling until thick and then add vanilla. Pour in cooled pie crust and let cool and add bananas. Bake at 350º until slightly brown. 

Dark Chocolate Pie Crust

1 c. Flour

2 T. Sugar
2 T. Cocoa
1/4 t. Salt
2 1/2 T. Shortening
2 T. Butter cold
3-4 T. Water ice cold

Put the flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in the bowl of food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Break up the shortening and butter into smaller pieces and drop into the bowl. Pulse maybe 10 times more until the mixture is crumbly and the butter and shortening are distributed. Pour mixture into a bowl and slowly add ice water. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (you can use cocoa powder) and knead. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll dough out on a flour or cocoa surface. Fill with filling of choice and bake as filling requires.

What is your favorite comfort food?  Do you believe in 'snake oil?'  How about yoga?

It started innocent enough...

It started innocent enough.  The local winery is closing.  Not just any winery the Prairie Berry.  The very reason I started making wine.  I had their Red Current Honey Wine and fell in love with berry wines.  You know when you are getting old when you see businesses start and end.  The Prairie Berry was somewhere I always took visitors when they came to the hills.  I am pretty sad to see them go.  

My husband knows my feelings about the place, so when we saw they were selling their wine barrels for $50 he snuck down there to surprise me.  Surprise me he did.  He did not come back with some little $50 wine barrel.  He operates by the theory go big or go home.  In this case he went big and still came home.  He wants to make it into a bathroom vanity.  Problem: It won't fit through the door.  I'm sure we will figure something out.  For now it graces our porch.  It holds 132 gallons and called a puncheon. 

It was nice this weekend and I got to enjoy some hot cocoa outside by our little fire table.  I can't say how much I enjoyed just sitting outside watching the chipmunks freshly out of hibernation.  

I also drove over to Gillette to see my nieces rodeo.  I'm so proud of them.  They can drive a fully loaded horse trailer like it was nothing.  Practice and take care of their horses all while going to college.  They set up camp at the rodeos.  Ride hard.  Know everyone on the rodeo circuit and still take time to sit and visit with their crazy aunt Bonnie.  I brought them a bunch of cookies.  I love this photo a professional photographer took.  Her sister mentioned that they were unable to capture her leading them to the gate.  It is wonderful how they support each other. 

I managed to throw my back out this weekend, but I was determined to not let that stop me from our weekly walk in Spearfish.  I took a hot shower, did some yoga, took ibuprofen, and rubbed it with some sort of snake oil they were giving away at a conference I was recruiting at.  It all worked.  My husband and I did 3.25 miles in our fastest time ever 18-minute miles.  The ducks were gone today, so I guess they weren't decoys.  I can't move now, but it was worth it.  

I have done a terrible job of taking sunrise, sunset, and moon photos.  I've seen some real beauties lately but have never had the camera ready or was driving on the interstate.  I even saw the blood moon and didn't get a picture.  I'm slipping. 

I don't know much else.  It was a super busy weekend, but a good busy.  I got to see family and spend time with my wonderful husband who spoils me.  Do you have a memento from a business or a place that you frequented?  What is it?  

Making it through March...

 Despite the warmer weather, we still have quite a bit of snow at our cabin.  Unfortunately, it is wet, sticky, and not much fun to snowshoe in. 

We've been going to Spearfish to walk on the weekends.  We did 3.25 miles this weekend.  It is nice to just enjoy the walk and not worry about slipping or sliding around.  Visiting and walking is a great way to exercise. It was also much warmer there.  I suppose that is because the wind isn't blowing over a sea of snow.

We saw the exact same two ducks in the exact same location.  Still sleeping.  I almost wonder if they aren't decoys. 

These three mallards were fishing like crazy.  It was fun to watch them dip and dive.  

This beautiful wood duck was also looking for a meal.  We watched him for some time.  He wasn't too worried about our presence.  

He certainly is dapper looking.  

I met a friend for hot yoga on Sunday.  Words can't describe how energizing it feels to do hot yoga when winter doesn't seem to be ending soon. It is always good to share a cup of coffee with a friend and talk about life.  

I'm getting very impatient for warmer weather.  Our weekends together are pretty limited at the cabin as the snow is everywhere.  I'm ready to plant.  I want to be outside, but even the porch is too cool to sit very long.  It sounds like another snowstorm is coming this weekend.  Needless to say I am far from pleased.  Just sitting here counting the days and passing the time visiting. 

What are you doing to make it through March?  Do you have snow?  

Sunshine on my shoulders...

 It has finally warmed up here.  We went to Spearfish to walk on the trails, and they were filled with people.  Everyone was enjoying the 50-degree day.  

Even the ducks were dozing in the sunshine.  It felt nice to be out without worrying about slipping on ice or not being able to feel your face due to the cold.

My niece in Minnesota made my favorite blueberry muffins.  It makes me happy we can share a love for baking.  She even made some with raspberries in them.  

This isn't the best picture.  I should have smoothed everything out.  I'm still plugging away on the quilt.  Everything is ready, so next weekend I should be quilting.  

We were pretty busy this weekend making railings for our staircase, quilting, walking, and even went to visit a friend for her birthday.  It was a nice visit.  Before I knew it the weekend was over.  

I am super happy to have warm weather and sunshine.  It is supposed to snow on Tuesday, so we enjoyed it while we could. What did you do with your weekend?  What is your favorite muffin?  Hope you are also enjoying sunshine. 

Lemons, peaches, and (of course) snow...

 The weather was fabulous this weekend.  My husband and I went to Spearfish for a walk.  They have many walking paths and keep them cleared off better than they do their streets.  It was a beautiful day for a walk.  When we got home, I dug my way into the greenhouse. 

Things looked great in the greenhouse.  I sure wish it was closer to planting.  It was good to go in and sit on the bench for a few minutes and make garden plans.  

We got some beautiful lemons last week.  I squeezed them for lemonade and grated the peels.  

I made some lemon sugar scrub.  Mix one and a half cups of sugar, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of grated lemon, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of coconut oil.  I have used this recipe for years in the shower.  It keeps my skin smooth, soft, and moisturized. 

Today seemed like the perfect day for peach strudel muffins.  They are delicious.  I used peaches I canned this summer.  

Peach Strudel Muffins 

 Crumb Topping 

 1/3 c. Brown Sugar 

 1 T. Sugar 

 1 t. Cinnamon 

 1/4 c. Butter melted 

 2/3 c. Flour Muffins 

 1/2 c. Butter softened 

 1/2 c. Brown Sugar 

 1/4 c. Sugar 

 2 Eggs 

 1/2 c. Yogurt 

 1 t. Vanilla 

 1 3/4 c. Flour 

 1 t. Baking Powder 

 1 t. Baking Soda 

 1/2 t. Cinnamon 

 1/8 t. Allspice 

 1/2 t. Salt 

 3 T. Milk 

 1 1/2 c. Diced Peaches Glaze 

 1 c. Confectioners Sugar 

 3 T. Cream or Milk 

 ½ t. Vanilla 

 First, make the crumb topping. Mix ingredients until crumbly. Preheat oven to 425º and spray muffin tins. To make muffins beat butter for 1 minute, add sugars and beat for 2 minutes until creamed. Then add yogurt, vanilla, and eggs continue to beat. Slowly add dry ingredients and continue to mix. Slowly fold in chopped peaches. Pour batter into muffin tin then top with strudel topping. Gently press topping into the muffin. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes. Then turn oven down to 350° and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. After they cool top with the glaze.

I'm still able to snowshoe though the snow was pretty sticky today.  There was a beautiful spring breeze making the trek all the more enjoyable. Fresh air and exercise is the cure for everything.  It was a good weekend.  I'm certain the cold weather isn't over, but it was a nice respite.  

How is the weather in your area?  What was the last thing you baked? Is there still snow where you are?  Hope all is well.  

Oh my...

 I'm afraid I've got next to nothing to report.  It has been below 0 for the four days I had off from work.  My husband and I went out for breakfast and took a very chilly stroll in Spearfish.  Our cheeks were numb, but we still went for a Valentine's Day walk.  I also went snowshoeing over the weekend, but there was absolutely nothing to report there.  No tracks nothing of interest.  

I did a little work on my quilt.  Things aren't turning out like they should so I'm pretty irritated with that project.  I am frustrated with my computer.  I can't leave comments on most of the blogs.  It keeps telling me to sign in.  I sign in and it still tells me I'm not able to leave comments.  The poor basil plant took a dive.  It must have been too close to a cold window.  I trimmed it way back and can only hope to bring it back from the brink of death.  I went to wash my poor salt covered Jeep and the local car wash wouldn't open the doors for me.  I can hear the corrosion happening while I drive to and from work. The turkeys have taken over my bird feeders.  So my poor jays, nuthatches, and chickadees can eat, everything is hanging haphazardly on the porch.  After a while, the turkeys figure out how to get to them and then I have to move them again.  My windows are full of handprints where I have been banging on the windows to chase them away.  

My only positive is I was stuck in the house with my husband.  I am so thankful for him.  We are both going stir crazy but have managed to not get on each other's nerves.  In fact, it's been the opposite we giggle around like school kids.  We've watched old movies, played cribbage, made meals, moved snow and keep asking each other when will spring get here.

I hope you are all staying sane.  I've read the weather is pretty crummy everywhere.  Wish I could comment.  How do you keep from going crazy when the weather inhibits activity?