What Happened to Spring?

Spring! Oh Spring! Why hast thou departed?


It is nearly April and it is 36 degrees Fahrenheit at noon.  Sheese. It snowed the other morning and has been below freezing several nights.  This is Kentucky!  We should be well on our way to spring weather. The only good thing is I didn't have time to start my plants.  In this weather the seeds wouldn't sprout anyway.

Even though it is cold I went in search of some more signs of spring.

Funny that I've worked here for a long time and never followed the budding trees until I got a camera. 

The one above is still wearing his jacket.  Smart Bud.

I cannot remember what flower will emerge so I'm as curious as you.  I don't know what kind of tree it is either.  I think its all closed up just waiting for some warm weather. 

It is so cold and miserable the squirrels are hiding.  Brrrrrrrrr!

Blackberry Cobbler

I hit a sale at Kroger and I decided to dig out my favorite cobbler recipe.

This is THE eastern Kentucky cookbook to have.  I will have to do many more posts on this cookbook because the ladies that contributed lived through some tough times and could make good food out of virtually nothing or anything they had on hand.  Vinegar pie anyone?  But lets move on to the cobbler.

I like this recipe because the crust is nice and doughy yet crisp on top.  And it is easy to make.  Lets cream some butter and sugar.....

 
And don't forget the berries.  Hint, if you like your cobbler thick toss the berries in some flour first.  I want mine runny for the juice to go over ice cream.  Yum.

If you are going to cook from scratch.  I say use good ingredients.  No fake flavoring for me please.

After I mix up the dough I smear it over the berries.

Add the sugar.  I didn't use a whole cup.  Those mountain folk like their pies sweeter than I do.

Water goes over the top.

Pop it in the oven and wait for the house to smell wonderful.

I meant to get a shot with the ice cream and pie in a bowl, but I was happily eating blackberry cobbler and didn't want to waste a second lest the ice cream melt.  But it was a very pretty color I will say!

Happy Monday Everyone!

May your week be blessed with the simple pleasures of life.

Turkey Hunting

A couple of weeks ago a co worker came over into my area and announced a wild turkey was walking across the yard out in front of our building.  I snapped a quick shot of her out of the window.

That is her right above the red truck.  It was a cold windy day and I ran off leaving my co worker holding the screen we had removed from the window.  I heard him laughing as I rushed down the steps.

I ran across the parking lot and along the side of a building then stalked her  as she disappeared into the brush.

I got a couple of more shots off before she disappeared into the culvert.  Smart girl.  She wasn't crossing the interstate highway via the road!

That white concrete slab to the right of her is the headwall to a culvert that runs under I75.

Very unusual to see a wild turkey in the city like this.  I was thrilled!

I don't know why but the wild turkey population is on the rise here.  It always gives me hope when a native species makes a comeback.

This is on my mind

This tree blooms in early spring and no one seems to know its name.  Some call it a jade magnolia. 
There is one in the small town I grew up in and my father told me its name a long time ago.  But I have forgotten.  Glorious and huge it is in full bloom for a week.

We don't have many trees with fragile blooms this large here.  In fact, magnolias have a hard time surviving.  Do you know what it is?

Relish and Our Little Buddy

I've been working too hard so I am taking a longer break for lunch than usual.  I was so happy last night when I dashed out in my front yard and picked an onion that had volunteered itself these past 2 warm weeks.  This was his destiny:

See his little green tail (chopped beyond recognition) perched atop the tomato and cucumber?  He was delicious too!

I love some relish with my beans.  In case you are wondering it was a simple salad of chopped tomato, cucumber, jalapeno and green onion.  I added some black pepper, salt and a couple of shakes of vinegar.  Oh, and of course, I had cornbread.

After I was full I went outside to see how the little bud was doing.  He has lots of company now.

That is him in the foreground, but first remember what he looked like in the freezing cold?

Now take a look!