February Sunshine...22º

African Drumming/Celtic Music was on the program at the Josephy Center last night...Pam picked me up and we joined a full house (not packed, but a good crowd.) for a fun evening..."Baba O'Reilly" is the name of the group, originally two groups joined together for a night of music and dance...A small group of people, young and old, danced like no one was watching, to the enjoyment of all.

Years ago, my friend Pat and I, as Josephy volunteers, attended nearly all of the programs at the Josephy Center, then Pam and I continued that practice until the last two years, when we started talking about going but never quite made the commitment...After going last night, we both realized we have missed these programs and visiting with people, that we don't see on a regular basis...Maybe we can enjoy more programs this year." 😀 Continued tomorrow.

2/23/20  Time got away from me yesterday...A trip to Imnaha was on my agenda with friend Joyce...Our friend Arlene and her husband were celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary...I had deviled eggs to prepare and a batch of bread dough rising...The eggs turned out great, bread has good flavor but is a replica of giant "hockey pucks."...We shared it with good friends, that understand when I have a failure!

Joyce and I go back to 1973, when we moved to Joseph, both of us forest service wives..My only trip on the infamous road to Dug Bar was with her.at the wheel...We talked nonstop yesterday on the ride to and from Imnaha...Joyce and I worked together in the Joseph school cafeteria, and Arlene drove the bus to and from Imnaha and took money as kids came through the lunch line...We had some great years there before administrative changes and money shortage took their tole on us and our program.

The anniversary party was a great success with people from far and wide to help the couple celebrate...Norm and Arlene have spent most of their years in Imnaha, before spending the last 8 or 10 winters in Costa Rica...They are truly adventurous people..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Trees are turning

Spring is near at Imnaha

More About Food...12º

At our twice weekly water therapy class, we each do our own exercises instead of working on the same thing as a group...There are usually 10 people in the pool and some are jogging in place, others are bicycling with the help of a noodle, and some use styrofoam water weights, and some are just floating around...Plus everyone is talking, because this class is not only about exercise, but also about socializing...One of the most popular topics among this group is food; cooking, eating, and kitchen gadgets that make cooking easier...We exchange recipes, ideas and talk about what is in the crockpot for dinner, while we exercise.

Many conversations can be going on at one time, and last week I heard biscuits mentioned, so I listened in...I've tried many recipes for biscuits and never been totally satisfied with the result...I came home with the following recipe from "Epicurious."

They were fast, easy and delicious!..We had them smothered in sausage gravy for Sunday breakfast and since Herb is not wild about biscuits (unless you cover them with strawberries and whipped cream), I have slowly eaten the rest...Maybe just a few nibbles, or an entire biscuit with Huckleberry Jam, and there was a small serving of gravy left and I love leftovers for breakfast!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS..The only change I made to the recipe was: I removed 2 TBLS of flour and used it to thicken the sausage gravy.

Light and fluffy, right out of the oven.

Leftovers, oh my!

YIELD 

12 Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

1. • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
   • 2 teaspoons baking powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
   • 1 teaspoon sugar
   • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
   • 1 cup buttermilk (cold)
   • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing biscuits

PREPARATION

1. 1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and 8 tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps (see photo below). 2. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl. Using greased 1/4-cup dry measure, scoop level amount of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (biscuits should measure about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inches high). Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. 3. Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Another Pie Day?...13º

Coming up with daily meals is difficult for me in winter...Summer and fall are easy, when fresh veggies and fruits are always available...Buying leaf lettuce, broccoli crowns, cauliflower etc. from Safeway gets old fast and I tend to rely heavily on meat and potatoes with various salads...Trying to eat fruits in season, leaves us with apples, oranges, bananas and occasionally fresh pears...I look at the precut fruit trays that Safeway puts out and am tempted but I know that melon is not from "Hermiston," and the flavor is lacking...On Sunday I was racking my brain for a different dinner and decided to try pizza again.

The crust went together easily, raised nicely and rolled out thin but easy to handle...Again Herb and I have different ideas of what makes a good pizza....His is usually meat lovers and I look to garlic chicken with artichokes...The meat lovers is easy with frozen sliced Italian deli meats on hand...Roasted frozen tomatoes from the freezer, for the sauce and toppings of onion, olives, pepper and cheese...I also just happened to have chicken breast that I cut into small chunks and sautéed in garlic, salt/pepper, and lemon juice...Now was the perfect time to try heavy cream instead of Alfredo Sauce, as my niece, Blanche suggested...Everything was soon sliced/diced and pizzas ready to assemble...It was all easy until I had to pour plain cream on the crust...How much is enough and not too much...I went easy on the cream, spread it thin with the back of a spoon and added the chicken, artichokes, onion, pepper and cheese...The oven was at 425º convection bake...They came out looking good..(a little brown on the meatlovers, as I had it on the top rack too long)...The flavor was good on Herbs, mine was okay but I have to work on getting more flavor...It actually tasted better yesterday when we ate leftovers...As I reread this it sounds like recipes on the internet, that irritate me when they blather on and on before finally get to the recipe...No recipe here, just the blather!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Day old Pizza Pie

What was I thinking?...36º

I have never quite understood the thinking behind Valentines Day...It seems to be more tilted to, the guy is supposed to shower his "special valentine" with flowers, chocolates, mushy cards (that Hallmark is so good at) and candle light dinners for two!..Shouldn't this work both ways?

Maybe our first "VD" set the stage as to how that day would play out for us...Herb had completed his last semester of college, we had moved back to Valley County and into my Mom's empty house (she was working up the Big Salmon River for a fishing guide)...Herb's job with the Forest Service didn't start until June...We were flat broke, I was "with child" and wondering where all the "wedded bliss" had gone!..Luckily Herbs' parents had helped us through that last semester of school and my Mom's freezer and cellar was full and Herb got a job in the potato cellars to tide us over until June...I actually have no recollection of that Valentines Day, but I'm sure if there had been flowers, chocolates, mushy cards and candle light dinners (maybe if the power was out) I would remember...Maybe there was a "hug and a kiss."

I soon figured out that on any special occasion, Herb was happy with a pie, any kind of pie...For VD I  usually made a cherry pie...So last week, I searched the freezer for frozen pie cherries, none were to be found, but I found blueberries, he likes, and raspberries that I like...What possesed me to make two pies, one for each of us, I have no idea...The pies turned out very pretty and tasty, but one slice for dinner and a second slice for breakfast was enough pie!

John to the rescue, he gladly took home the pie that was left and they will tell us that it was delicious, ever if it wasn't...I will make sure and buy frozen cherries next time we are in La Grande...One pie for  two people is more than enough!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS...We live in a beautiful place, our house is warm and cozy, we have way more than enough to eat AND we both got a "Hug and a Kiss," for Valentines Day.

As romantic as we get.

Blueberry and Raspberry.

Busy Weekend...Slow Week...21º

A fun time on Barton Hgts last Sunday...My "Hotsprings Buddies" came for soup, cards and most important, visiting...We planned our annual fall trip, booked a condo, (much roomier than our little cottage) and reminisced...I think what makes our group so much fun is that we are all very different personalities and tend to keep each other guessing...We keep connected during the winter months with lunches and games.

Herb and I recuperated the rest of the week...It is hard work having company..."Just kidding."...Speaking of kidding, it was a sunny day yesterday anf friend Debbie posted photos of her baby goats and I thought it would be fun to pay them a visit...Herb and I were soon following Debbie to the pens that house goats, sheep and chickens...We arrived at feeding time for the four "bummer kids." Herb and I each held a bottle, Debbie held two...It took the kids, no time at all to drain the bottles and with full bellies, they stretched out in the clean straw for an afternoon nap...I hope to go for another visit a few days when more "newborn kids" will be there and I can hold and cuddle them...I miss animals but know how much work they are so will leave the raising to other people.

Back home, I had a small pan of rolls rising and ready to bake for our dinner, along with pork roast, mashed potatoes and salad...While the rolls and potatoes cooked, I shaped the rest of the dough into loaves...My day ended at 8pm when I carried packaged loaves downstairs to the freezer and filled the woodstove for the night and called a day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

One little kid!

Warm loaves.

Rain and Wind...31º

After watching videos from all of Eastern Oregon yesterday, I think Joseph came out the winner, at least from my vantage point here on Barton Hgts...Our snow accumulation 6 to 8 inches here, was less than the surrounding cities...La Grande got anywhere between 10 to 15 inches in two days and then it rained for a day...Major flooding all along I 84 closed that highway from Hermiston to the Idaho border for most of the day...Since we don't have a TV, I rely on FB and friends/relatives for news reports...Here on Barton Hgts we sit high and "not dry," but certainly not flooding...Again we count our blessings.

Update, we try to stay close to home in the winter, but Herb had a Feb 12th appointment with a doctor in Bend, OR., on our doctors advice...We haven't made any ER visits since last fall (Knock on Wood) so now rescheduled that for April, when travel should be better for us...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS...It is quite bleak looking outside so here is our latest special breakfast.

French toast smothered in

 huckleberry compote along

side fruit and bacon.

Forecast was close...38º

It was a snowy, rainy day yesterday...I shoveled the deck twice, Herb got the plowing done before the snow got wet and heavy and the night warmed up...Not sure if we have icy roads but will be very careful going down our hill today...We didn't get a huge amount of snow and I think the storm is over for the time being...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS...I might have to resort to some old flower photos, so we can get a glimpse of spring.