Narnia

I am beginning to wonder if Maine is under the spell of the White Witch of Narnia, never ending winter?  We received another 3 inches of snow last night...ho hum.  A grey day with a chill in the air.  I, optimistically, put my winter scarves in the laundry pile thinking they wouldn't be needed anymore.  I swore I won't put my snowshoes on again until next fall.  But after a walk the other day on old snow without snowshoes I "post-holed" and hurt my hip.  Runa & I needed our walk so snowshoe we did.  Once I got going I did enjoy my time outside.

The duck pond is open.  I haven't been able to get a photo of the girls in the water.  They are taking very quick dips.  The water must be pretty cold still.  Even with the fresh snow there are signs of melting. The bench by the pond is looking more like a bench than a slab in the snow.  It was a good day to hang out in the sewing room and work on some new ideas.  Thread was flying and the day passed well.  I have always loved winter and wished it would last longer when it leaves on time.  I must be careful for what a wish for or some magical Witch may grant me my desire! ;)

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Winter "Blues"

I woke up this morning dreaming about blueberries.  At first I wondered if it was due to the fact that there was an unusual sight out my bedroom window....blue sky!  Yes! folks, a day without snow falling and temps near the 20's!  I had planned to tackle our income taxes today but it felt too much like a holiday!  I decide to change plans, an extended snowshoe was in order.  First though I decided to celebrate the day by making a blueberry crisp. (recipe at the end) Taxes can wait for a grey cloudy day...there are plenty more on the way!

Here are my blueberry bushes nearly buried by snow!

My woodstove was cranking so I bake the crisp in the cookstove oven.

 Scenes from today's wanderings~~~

 Here is where I startled the Ruffed Grouse 2 days in a row...

I had my camera ready to day...but no Grouse!

 Left a little offering of oat seeds.

Made it to the field today.  

Finally, "warm" enough to trek across without getting an ice cream headache.

Back at the house I decide to sit outside and soak up some vitamin D.

Blueberry Ginger Crisp with a Dollop of Vanilla Yogurt.

Runa enjoys the nearly empty yogurt quart.

Blueberry Ginger Crisp

4 cups frozen Organic (homegrown) Blueberries
1/2 cup Grated Fresh Ginger
1 cup of Organic Coconut Oil
3 cups of Organic Oats
1 cup Organic Brown Sugar (granulated sugar works too...just add a bit of molasses)
Cinnamon

Pre-heat Oven (or Cookstove) to 350F

Oil the bottom of a 9 inch X 9 inch pan with a little coconut oil.  Pour the Blueberries into your pan mix in grated ginger.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  In a separate bowl cut together the Coconut Oil with the Oats and Sugar.  Cover the blueberries and ginger with the oat crumble.  Bake until the blueberries are bubbling, about 30 to 45 minutes.  Enjoy warm or cold!

First Snowshoe

Finally, Tuesday, I made my first snowshoe. It was cold.  Only 20 when I went for my walk at 1:00 but that was better than 6 at 8:00 am.  I like to go first thing after my outside chores but, 20 was cold enough!  I love my quick step snap on snowshoes with their special boots!  I can just pop them on and GO! Apparently, not quick enough for Runa!  This is her saying lets go...Enough with the photography!  She loves to snowshoe as much as I do...maybe more!

Runa diving into the snow after a mouse.  Occasionally she actually captures one!

Ok ~~~ Let's Run Down the HILL!!

Ready ~ Set ~ GO!

Wheee! That was fun AND warming too!

Time for another snowshoe right NOW.  Today it is a bit warmer closer to 30.  Hope you enjoy this poem...it awakens a desire in me for a night snowshoe.  I have been burning the candle at both ends these days with all my Etsy work and Holiday preparations.  Things might be slowing a wee bit which I hope will help me bring more balance into my life.  Like right NOW...I will publish this and snap on my shoes and take Runa for a romp!  Happy Snow! 

First Snow

The snow
began here
this morning and all day
continued, its white
rhetoric everywhere
calling us back to why, how,
whence such beauty and what
the meaning, such
an oracular fever! flowing
past windows, an energy it seemed
would never ebb, never settle
less than lovely! and only now,
deep into night,
it has finally ended.
The silence
is immense,
and the heavens still hold
a million candles; nowhere
the familiar things:
stars, the moon,
the darkness we expect
and nightly turn from.  Trees
glitter like castles
of ribbons, the broad fields
smolder with light, a passing
creekbed lies
heaped with shining hills;
and though the questions
that have assailed us all day
remain—not a single
answer has been found—
walking out now
into the silence and the light
under the trees,
and through the fields,
feels like one.

Mary Oliver