Hibernation

Remnants of our biscuit & gravy breakfast - a rare treat.

homemade chocolate chip cookies. not my forte, but the brownies went to the neighbor who rescued us by snowblowing out half of our driveway. It was totally worth it.

Chex Mix in the oven - almost done!

Instead of our usual Friday night pizza, pizza soup for tonight.
I have too much running to do this afternoon.

The piece de resistance - ingredients for Special K bars.
Another rare, but oh-so-yummy treat.

As I was putting the breakfast leftovers away this morning, it occurred to me I should have been documenting all the food I've made and eaten over the past several days - ever since the blizzard struck.

Since I didn't, I decided to document what I made today - with the exception of the chocolate chip cookies, which I made yesterday afternoon.

Why is it that as soon as the weather forecast predicts a blizzard, I immediately think of food? Anthropologists would say it is a remnant of our need to pack on the pounds for a cold winter with few clothes and flimsy shelters.

I say it's ingrained from childhood. I grew up in the Midwest, and so did my parents. When winter started coming in, their parents (and mine) stockpiled food just in case they couldn't make it to the store for weeks on end. That tendency is still with me.

So is the tendency to want to make our snowbound time fun and I can't resist making it fun with food. I think it's worse than Christmas, because at least I'm mentally prepared for Christmas. Blizzards come almost unawares, the instincts kick in, and next thing you know, my jeans are feeling a tad tight in the waist.

But I also have another excuse for all the baking. My oldest has passed his first piano book and will be having a recital tomorrow at my parents' house. For about 11 people, at last count. But the way I could persuade (bribe?) him to play at a recital was to promise him he could pick the treats. So I just finished making the Special K bars, the Hawaiian Punch (a HUGE treat in this house) is upstairs and ready for the trip across town. The gluten- and nut-free Chex Mix has cooled and is put away - all in preparation for tomorrow.

And I'm done cooking, baking, and otherwise spending my time in the kitchen. At least until the next blizzard. Then we'll have to buy some more cinnamon rolls. 'Cause they were GOOD.

Snow-Fall

In the midst of the blizzardThe early-morning aftermath

Can you believe? The sun!

I was all set with a delightful little poem for today by Jack Prelutsky. Then the blizzard hit. And what a blizzard it was!

We had a ton of snow... and a ton of wind. Because it was so windy, Glen didn't bother to try to keep up with the snow as it was falling. I think the snow in the driveway is at least 3 ft deep - probably deeper. We have drifts on the south side of our house up to 5 feet deep.

It's been a long time since we've had snow like this. I remember the exact day. We were home from Florida for Christmas. Nathaniel was nine months old. He learned to walk on the day of the big snowstorm - New Year's Day 1999. And that time we didn't have the huge wind gusts.

Meanwhile the kids are excited. Nathaniel could not sleep last night because he was so excited about the snow. He sneaked out of bed and watched WGN news from the hallway. How do I know? Because he's been talking to his siblings about it all morning.

It's fun to have Dad home today. The kids were disappointed to have school this morning, but very thrilled with their after-school snack: cinnamon rolls. Hey, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event!

The First Snow-Fall
from "The First Snow-Fall"
James Russell Lowell

The snow had begun in the gloaming,
And busily all the night
Had been heaping field and highway
With a silence deep and white.

Every pine and fir and hemlock
Wore ermine too dear for an earl,
And the poorest twig on the elm-tree
Was ridged inch deep with pearl.

Read more poetry here for Poetry Wednesday.