Out in the Hinterlands Archives

I hope spring is on the way, because I can’t take much more snow around here.

All the snow does have some upsides. My favorite is the opportunity to make “snow cream” from a bowl of freshly fallen snow. I didn’t have any cream to pour over my snow, so I just used milk and sugar. In my haste to sample it, I forgot the vanilla extract, but it was yummy anyway.

Here’s how I made the bowl of snow cream:

Grab a personal-size bowl full of clean snow. Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over it. Add milk, heavy cream, or evaporated milk just until it’s slightly wet. Add a dash of vanilla extract. Mix all together, then eat it before it melts.

If you need enough snow cream to delight a few more tummies, use this recipe:

Combine 1 cup milk (if you have full-fat, heavy cream, or evaporated milk, you’ll have a creamier consistency), 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a large bowl.

Stir in 8 cups of fresh snow, until it’s fully incorporated. You should have enough snow cream for four people.

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Phone App:

I think I’ve tried using this app before, but they’ve made a few changes, so I don’t know if I’ll be successful or not in writing this post on my phone.

Thanksgiving:

I did have a good one, although I was separated from my family due to COVID Caution (that’s a thing, right?).

I hope a photo of my dinner appeared above. If not, I’ll have to get on my computer and put it in. (It’s on the left. As close as I can squeeze it in, you know.) I roasted a large baking hen, had mashed potatoes with butter (I didn’t want to make gravy), stuffing, peas, black olives, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie with whipping cream on top. (Sorry, I didn’t take a pic of the pie) I initially had more things on my menu list, but I decided to go simple, preparing only the essentials. It was very yummy!

I’ve been posting #GiveThanks messages on social media. Initially, my global faith leader (President Russell M. Nelson) asked members of my church to express our gratitude on social media during the week from November 20 to November 26, which was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. I think I missed a day, maybe two, but I’m going to continue making expressions of gratitude, because, for one, it made my feed so much more cheerful when other people did so, and secondly, it made me happy to say what made me grateful.

Technology:

Technology has been kicking me around the block lately. I’ve had internet problems, email problems, and phone problems. Is it just 2020 manifesting itself? I’ll be so glad to see this year in the dust!

Holiday Decorations:

I haven’t done much decoration for Christmas yet, but I did put up some door decor. It looks like I’ll have to add that picture, too. I’ll “publish” this now, so I can edit it.

Sometimes I wish I had the gift of decorating, but sadly, I don’t. A wreath or door hanger on the outside door is about as much as I can manage, although I do have an unused Christmas Tree sitting in a box in a closet, and other miscellaneous decorations and lights. I actually strung lights on my roadside deck rails one year (that was before I had health problems).

I think when God was handing out the gift of decorating, I was off in a corner writing a story. Or singing a song. Or playing a guitar or piano. I did get in line in time to receive those gifts. Both music and writing have enhanced my life, and I hope that by sharing them, I have made others happy.

Oddly enough, my elder daughter got the gift! She is a marvel at crafting clever decorations.She has many other wonderful gifts.

Culinary Arts:

She’s also a good cook. I quit doing that when my kids all moved out after my husband’s death. I usually only heat things up. But I put the chicken in the oven and actually baked it.

And, of all things, I made a batch of corned beef and cabbage, red cabbage, the other day. The cabbage had been sitting on the counter for a while, and I didn’t want it to get so bad that I had to chuck it. I hadn’t let it get bad, though, and it made a tasty dish.

Of course I have leftovers. One person cannot eat in one go the results from preparing a dish composed of a head of cabbage and a tin of corned beef, right?

I also have leftover chicken. That was one BIG bird! I’ve already consumed the extra stuffing, mashed potatoes, olives, peas, and cranberry sauce. The pie has disappeared, as well. But the chicken was eight pounds and some. Next year I will go back to fixing a Cornish game hen.

Final Thoughts:

I #GiveThanks for all the blessing of a benevolent God upon my head. I #GiveThanks for a loving family. I #GiveThanks for a multitude of friends who love me and pray for improved health for me. I still don’t know what, if any, treatment I have in store for the three major maladies that were discovered at mid year. This is a busy time of year in the medical community, due in part to the plague that has beset the world, so I’ll just hunker down and wait. I’ve had a lot of practice in waiting this past six months. Five months. It’s just five months, although it feels more like fifty. In the meantime, I have more stories to write.

May you have peace and joy throughout this month, and prosperity and freedom in the coming year.

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