On the Bikepath

 Another incredibly gorgeous day in Vermont. Geo talked me into taking a walk on the bikepath.
 He took Lucy and I took my camera. Here are a few photos I snapped along the way.

                                 Heading home, over the bridge. Here's a photo of Allen Brook.

Lake Champlain Today

It's an amazing 79 degrees today, March 20th, and an ideal day for a picnic here in Vermont. Geo and I stopped for Subway sandwiches to-go and headed for the lake.

Lake Champlain was as calm and smooth as could be. So glad to have my Lumix with me. I snapped a few photos using different camera settings. This is the one I like best.

The Challenge

At Mass this morning, Father Jon challenged us to reflect on our basic purpose in life ~ " Why are we here?" A sound philosophy of life, knowing our purpose, guides us in making both major and minor decisions.


He asked us to reflect on ways we may be trapped by certain cultural views that keep us from accomplishing our purpose. These are the ones he named:


       ~ Individualism: "What's in it for me?"
       ~ Hedonism: "If it feels good, do it!"
       ~ Minimalism: "What's the least I can get by with?"


A good Lenten reflection...Which areas of my life are controlled by those viewpoints? What is my true purpose in life?

The Old Mill Park

Today is a beautiful "early May day" in Vermont. Today, however, is March 17. Vermonters are out in shorts and neighbors are raking their yards. Too good to be true. No doubt Mother Nature still has a snowstorm or two up her sleeve before May really arrives.





This is also a perfect day for a hike at the Old Mill Park in Jericho. So we packed Lucy in the car with  a few extra treats and we drove to Jericho via Skunk Hollow Road.






The Old Mill Park is one of my favorite places.
                                                                             

 

A great way to spend St. Patrick's Day!

I Finally Found One

I finally found a cookie recipe I like: Cashew Cookies.


My kids would tell you that baking is not my forte. Putting together a Thanksgiving dinner, no problem. Baking a batch of cookies ~ aaghh!


So when the inspiration descended upon me this morning to do some baking, I dashed into the kitchen to pull out the ingredients before that inspiration would disappear.


I found this recipe from ~ of all places ~ the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library website (via twitter). There was an intriguing post about cooking with George Washington Carver. There I found a peanut cookie recipe that looked simple enough and tasty. 


I needed to make a few adjustments. No peanuts on hand, so I used cashews that I bought yesterday. George Washington Carver said to use well greased pans, but I rely on parchment paper. One small detail ~ there was no oven temp given. I tried 375 degrees for nine minutes and that was amazingly perfect.


Here's the recipe, with my modifications:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream 1/2 cup butter with 1 cup sugar. Add 2 well beaten eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Gradually add 1 cup milk, 1 tsp baking powder and 3 cups flour. Last of all, mix in 1 and 1/2 cups ground cashews (I smashed them in a "baggy" leaving some fine bits). Drop batter by spoon onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 9 minutes.


My yield was 52 cookies. 


Next I'd like to change the recipe using walnuts and orange zest, or use almond flavoring instead of vanilla. I might even try peanuts!

The New Feeder

Here's a recycled plastic soda bottle. I found an inexpensive perch at our local pet supply store. After punching a hole at the bottom of the bottle, I knotted a thin cord and threaded it into the bottle. The new feeder was then ready to fill with seed.


The birds are loving it.