Archive for ‘January, 2015’

Wacky weather week

It feels like it has been a long week. I spent all of Monday clearing snow. Tuesday, I was worn out from Monday. Wednesday, I finally got back in the work groove and then yesterday had a dentist appointment midday so a run to town.

I decided a treat was in order for Friday.

Feta and Chive Sour Cream Scones (recipe at the end of the post). Savory scones and a mug of hot tea made for a warm and delicious start to my Friday!

So, the weather…

As noted in the prior post, Monday evening after the record breaking snowfall – 112 year old record broken! – it started raining. And it warmed up. And then it cooled right down to very cold.

Tuesday morning it was VERY ugly as the snow warmed, got heavy and dropped out of the trees bringing branches, needles and sap with it.

The Chairs say: “UGGGGLLLYYY !!”

Bear was sticking to the cleared driveway after somewhat disastrous results trying to negotiate snow up to his neck. He took a snoot full and it caused him to cough and sputter and he then refused to go off the driveway. The problem is that he will not do serious business on the driveway. I’ve made him some wide paths into a few spots in the woods and he is finally using those.

Auggie is also sticking to cleared paths. After the warm up and then immediate cool down – it has been very cold except for the overnight warming mess. There is a crust on top of the snow. So smarty pants tried walking on that crust…and fell through. I was watching and rescued him. Since then, he has stayed on the paths and sticks near Bear and I.

Wacky weather week!

Feta Chive Sour Cream Scones (makes 4 large or 6 small square scones)

adapted and halved from Joy the Baker

120 grams white pastry flour
60 grams whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
3/8 cup cold, unsalted butter (I shred it, you can cube or otherwise break it down, but keep it cold)
1 egg beaten & divided
3/8 cup sour cream
1 1/2 T cold water
2 T chives (I used dried)
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
coarse or kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and smoked paprika for topping

Preheat oven to 400 and prep a baking sheet as you’d like. I used parchment paper.

Mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Whisk or sift all to combine thoroughly. Add butter and mix with hands (my preferred method) or pastry blender until all is a pea sized crumble. Combine 1/2 beaten egg, sour cream and water until well blended. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix enough to form a soft, shaggy dough. Add the chives and feta and mix slightly. Dump the mix on counter or pastry cloth and pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 4 large squares or 6 smaller squares. Place on the baking sheet. Add some water to the remaining 1/2 beaten egg to make an egg wash. Brush tops with the egg wash and sprinkle salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Bake for 12-15 minutes … mine are taking 15.

These are wonderful fresh out of the oven, but it seems like they develop a bit more flavor after they have cooled. So have some fresh out of the oven and the rest later :) I’ve also split them, topped with some roast grape tomatoes and a bit more cheese and stuck them under the broiler. That works also.

Happy Friday!

More from the chairs

A few times, it seemed like the snow let up a little, but I guess it was just getting its breath…

The local paper reports: “The Sunday-to-Monday period was one of the top 10 two-day periods of snowfall in recorded history for Kalispell, with 15.7 inches by midafternoon, according to the National Weather Service.”

But, mail was delivered, a UPS package was delivered and I saw a FedEx truck go by.

The snow thrower and I were able to clear things but it was slow going. Between the drive and the roof and rest breaks, I was all day clearing snow.

And I so hoped they would be wrong about the freezing rain, but not. It is 26F, but apparently the warm air overrunning the cold air has warmed enough to change to rain this evening.

“What a mess” say the chairs.

***The paper also reports that the powers that be say it could be 5-7 days before they catch up on roads.

It’s snowing!

During our Winter Weather Advisory of the last two days, it has been snowing lightly most of the time.

The big event was (and IS) forecast to be tonight through late Tuesday. The snowfall amounts keep increasing. Currently, NOAA is saying something like 12-24 inches between now and Tuesday.

Emergency Travel only.

It is cold, but not super cold at mid teens and wind is thankfully calm.

Late yesterday afternoon as I was coming in with Bear and Auggie, I noticed that the bathroom vent on the roof was close to being covered so I went up to give it some room. The snow on the roof didn’t look that bad from the ground, but when I got up there…oh…about a foot of snow.

Rats.

I stood there … on the roof … with my shovel and tried to convince myself it could wait until today. But the forecast and it was snowing and I was up there WITH the shovel… I finally said “Just do it!” and I did.

The roof trusses are fine, even though a bit flat. It is the porch roof that worries me as far as snow load and so I typically clear a path from the bath vent to the porch and then clear the porch roof.

The snow was mostly light and I am pushing it slightly downhill so it was not bad given the depth. It was still a workout, but I was glad I had not let it get deeper.

This morning, another 4 inches from overnight. I shoveled some paths for us. Auggie likes the little side paths so he can hide from Bear.

The chairs were decorated nicely.

Inside, I got out the “crinkly tunnel” toy to help with Auggie’s cabin fever.

He goes out, but not for long and then gets the crazies in the house.

The tunnel has not held his attention long in the past, but today he played in it several times.

Yep, another 4 inches with the big dump still to come, so I cleared the roof again…

And also got out the mini-tractor big red snow thrower and did the drive and turnaround.

It looks good now, but I’m guessing I’ll get to do it again…probably twice. I am NOT complaining, though! I am anxious to snowshoe and snow is necessary for that fun. At the moment, I’m getting enough exercise clearing snow, but hopefully later in the week, things will calm and the snowshoes (and me) will get a workout.

It’s snowing!

Winter gets it’s groove on

Our White Christmas was a kind of wimpy White Christmas.

Post Christmas, we did have a nice snow event.

January 1…a bit of sun..

January 2…a bit of snow…

Here we go Winter 2015.

Winter Weather Advisory.

Winter Storm Watch.

Winter gets it’s groove on!