X Country skiing pic 9

The Snow Man
by Wallace Stevens

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

X Country skiing pic 8

X Country skiing pic 7

Still some green moss and ferns under the snow. 

X Country skiing pic 6

 

X Country skiing pic 5

Many of the trails go right along the rushing creek. 

X Country skiing pic 4

Pretty, eh? 

X Country skiing pic 2

That's little Danny skiing ahead of me on the trail. 

X Country skiing pic 1

 

My new exercise machine!

This is my birthday and Christmas present - the Country Living Grain Mill. I've wanted one for years, I'm so excited! Dave also bought me the cute little cabinet it's mounted on, and I have already filled it up with grain.

This is what the whole wheat flour looks like after grinding.

Why would I want to grind my own flour? It is a lot more work then buying bread in the store.

But, it's tastier and healthier. I tried the low-carb diets, and I lost weight quickly, but I couldn't stick to it. Bread is the staff of life, but the kind you buy in the supermarket is made from flour that is old, has lost most of it's nutrients, and has often had the bran and germ removed. Also, the way it is ground heats it up to the point that many nutrients are lost. It also loses flavor. This flour is fresh, it contains all the parts of the grain. I bought organic hard spring wheat from Sun Organic Farm.

Homemade bread, right out of the oven.

The smell was soooooooo yummy. Nothing like that smell of baking bread!

I used a terra cotta breadpan for one of them. I love the way it makes the crust nice and crisp and the inside steamy and tender. I plan to get another one soon.

Mmmm. Fresh bread.

It didn't rise as much as I wanted it to, but I'm still learning. I have some plans for geting my next batch to rise higher.

It was delicious!

Sorry I'm not around as much lately!

Hi Everyone! I'm taking a Biology class this semester so I'm kinda busy, but I'll try to get some blogging in soon. I want to tell you all about how Dave bought me a grain mill for Christmas and I've been grinding my own grain and baking homemade bread, and stuff like that. Also, I want to show you my knitting, and take some pictures of the beautiful spot where Danny and I are going cross-country skiiing lately. I hope to post some stuff this weekend.

In the meantime, my dearest pal Joanna has a new blog I want you all to read, called Teach Choice. Check it out!!! :-)

Ok, now I must go look at tiny little creatures under microscopes. Yay! See ya later.

I am a margarita! :-)

You Are a Margarita

You aren't just the life of the party, you are the party!You mix a good drink, bust out some great music, and know how to get down.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

Borrowed this quiz from "Do Not Enter the Tearoom". :-)

It says I am my favorite drink! Mmmmm. Wish I had one right now. With salt.

Tulsi Tea

Tulsi is a new friend to me. She refreshes me, smells and tastes good, clears the mucus from my lungs, nose, and throat, calms my cough, makes me feel warm inside. What more could I ask for in a friend?

http://www.yogitimes.com/12_2005/aromatherapy.html

http://www.omorganics.com/product_pages/teas.htm

http://www.horizonherbs.com/tulsi-seed-plant.html

Sick

Sorry I haven't posted. We have the flu.

Not the pseudo-flu, but the real-honest-to-God-used-to-kill-people-fever-of-103-body-aches--teeth-chattering-chills-headache-hacking-unproductive-cough-choking-on-phlem-can't-breathe- sleep-all-day-in-sweaty-sheets-and-beg-for-mercy-influenza.

All three of us.

Yuck.

Send us some good thoughts, will ya? Thanks.

Soldiers-per-gallon

http://store.pomosideshow.com/

I just received these bumper stickers. I put one on my car and one on the door of my office.

Carl the cataloguer says my tires might get slashed. Ah well, you gotta do what ya gotta do! :-)

3 Quick Things To Say...

I have just a few minutes and 3 things to tell you guys.

1) Danny and I started cross-country skiing on Sat and we love it! It's so fun and it's great exercise. It was a beautiful, sunny, cold day with snow, and pine trees, and a half-frozen creek, and little birds all around. When I woke up the next day I had pains in muscles I didn't know I had. :-) We will do it again next week.

2) You know you truly love someone when you hear these words in the middle of the night: "Mommy, I threw up in my bed!" and a little boy in pukey pajamas comes into your room and wakes you from a sound sleep and tells you his bed is "covered in throw up", so you get up and help him clean up and get new pajamas, sheets and pillows, all the while gagging yourself. And no matter how gross it is, you are more concerned with how that little person feels than with your own discomfort. That's love. I did that last night.

3) I'm taking a class in environmental biology this coming semester! I'm a little scared. I'm an arts and humanities type so wish me luck!

That's it! Gotta read bedtime stories with Danny.

January 8th Will Be Guerilla Impeachment Day!

Jan 8 is the day to tell everyone you think Bush should be impeached. Make some stickers and/or signs and stick them in public places.

I'm planning to participate in this. In fact, I couldn't wait so I've already made some stickers and placed them around my town. I've given out stickers to some friends who say they'll do it too. It only takes a few minutes to do and it made me feel better.

I recommend it - if for no other reason than it provides some much needed stress-relief. :-)

Frozen Lake

 

Winter sunset

 

Hahahahahaha!

We saw this giant woody-woodpecker in my Nana's backyard in Northern New Jersey.

Gray Christmas

 

Foggy Christmas

 

Missing Mink

Tried to get a pic of the little mink who was playing in the water of the creek on Christmas Day. He dove under water and popped back up again, but I never could capture him with the camera. Still, it was cool. Pop! Goes the weasel!