Uhm.... not much to say

Just another day. At least it's not snowing!

Making Snow Ice Cream

Growing up in Southern California, this wasn't something we ever did! My grandma was also a Californian, so I don't have childhood memories of making this at her house, either. (I do have great memories of making 'Shake-A-Pudding' at her house though... anyone else remember that stuff??) But I digress.....

Since we had 4 feet of snow, I figured we ought to do something fun with it. Well, besides sledding and hucking snowballs at each other, which we certainly did plenty of! Somewhere, on someone else's blog - and I don't remember who, or I'd give you credit! - I saw 'snow ice cream' and since I adore homemade ice cream, I figured this was for me!

I found more than one recipe for it, but since I also adore sweetened condensed milk I decided to go with that one. It was incredibly sweet and rich, and no one could finish their bowl of it. Well, except me, because I could probably eat a whole can of sweetened condensed milk just plain. Gross, I know. But still.

So here it is - I sent Kiwi out with a big metal pan that I had stuck in the freezer to get good and cold. She got 10 cups of clean, fresh snow.

Then we added one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk and a couple teaspoons of vanilla.

As you stir it together, the snow really condenses down... it looks kinda... chunky... but it's not. It was nice and creamy. I wonder if it's different with different types of snow? Ours was a very light, fluffy, dry sort of snow.

Then we dished it up and ... yummmm! I have to admit, this was more like 4 - 6 servings, not three.....

Snowmaggeddon?? Lol

Yeah, that is actually what they are calling it around here. Which I find hilarious... I mean, yeah, it's a whole lot of snow in one storm, a lot in an area that isn't used to it, I guess... but sheesh! This would be a typical winter in so many places that it seems silly that folks are freaking out about it. As one woman said when she was interviewed "It's just snow - it's not like it's attacking us." I suppose for us, living in an apartment, it's not such a big deal since I haven't got sheds to worry about caving in, or animals that need to get out of the weather, or a long drive to shovel out or whatever... but, still.


Yet, I suppose you know it is pretty bad when the snowplow gets stuck... he's trying to dig it out here...




Here is a pic of Merry dog enjoying the freedom of a snowed-in parking lot. (the lumps on either side are cars)

Here's my family enjoying the snowfall - the big pile just to their right is our car!

Checking out the sledding hill.... we made dad do it first!

The path after it'd been plowed

Tennis, anyone?!

We thought this one looked like a hippo face! Can you see it?

Hmmm, bummer....

Look how beautiful it was the next day!! Gorgeous! Makes a person happy to be alive.



Hope the weather where you live is pretty too!

Yep, we're getting some snow!!

I think they might be right... we have at least 8" and the biggest part of the storm is supposedly yet to come. I blame me - I was bummed that we were in Idaho for Christmas when the last big snowstorm hit, so I guess this was all for me, lol.

Took the dog out for her "final" nighttime walk a little early tonight, and it was nearly to my knees in places... tomorrow should be interesting if this keeps up.

I've been giggling at cars who can't make it up the little hill to the apt. complex (cause I'm mean that way) Alan on the other hand went and helped one guy make it in... he's a better man than me, I guess!

I'll post some pics tomorrow....

Amazingly Accurate Weather Forecast

Living for many years in Idaho, where the weather seems to be anyone's guess, I am used to taking the forecasts with a grain of salt. Something about the wind and the mountains (they claim) can cause the fronts to shift, so we never really know what we'll get.

So here I am in Northern Virginia, (just outside of Washington DC) where they have been predicting the biggest snowstorm in - well, I don't know, a long time, and I'm thinking "yeah, whatever". They said the snow would start falling today mid-morning, around 10:00 am. At 9:55 I got in my car to take my daughter to her literature group, and the first flakes had just begun to fall...!! That is some seriously accurate forecasting - these folks are good!

Now, as to whether or not we will get the predicted 1 - 2 feet of snow remains to be seen. It is coming down pretty thick right now... I'll keep you updated!

An interesting day...?!

First we had this......















Which was caused by this....
















Kinda like TV for pets, eh?

Huh! Who knew?? A post about "ice melt"

So, the other day it snowed again. Which is weird, because it's been in the 50's and really lovely weather... been feeling like Spring. The snow from the Christmastime Blizzard was almost gone - and then it does it again. Well, not blizzards, but snows, about 6 inches or so.

So we are taking the dog for a walk when she starts limping. I look at her paw and don't see anything, put it down, she is still limping. Then I notice it seems to be both front feet - no, all of her feet... what the....?? She is walking as tho she is trying to walk on the sides of her paws, they are all curled in and...well, weird. My mind is racing, trying to think what could possibly be wrong, when Scooter says "hey, walk her on the snow". So I do, and then she's fine. He'd realized that the ice melt stuff that the apt. complex had put down on the sidewalk was burning her paw pads!! Poor girlie! It's true, the moment we were off that part of the sidewalk, she was fine. Thank goodness, it didn't do any damage, just hurt at the time. I would never have thought of that - I mean, when there is a need for ice melt on the ground, I'm generally not walking barefoot, y' know? So who'da thunk it?

Now you know.