How Montana does Spring

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were warm, warmer, almost hot…relatively…with blue, blue sky and sunshine.

We were all out as much as possible.

Because, it wasn’t forecast to stay that way.

And it didn’t.

Today, Saturday, started at 49F and cloudy.

It has been showery off and on

And at 3:30 p.m. it is 48F.

On Friday, while it was still sunny, my yellow jacket traps caught another queen.

And on another pest issue…

Auggie on the roof of the generator “house”. This is good news because the generator house is the launching spot for the yearly crazy robin that attacks my living room window. And yes, I’ve pulled the blinds, left them open, hung streamers, etc. etc.

But this year, Auggie is on “robin duty”!

***another goofy video…from Wednesday. The background “machine groaning” sounds are the neighbor’s backhoe. “We” and I use that “we” VERY loosely at this point…have a plan to clean up downfall, cut some trees and split firewood.

Homemade Mozzarella

It was a beautiful morning with the sun coming up over the mountains and shining through the woods…the woods that is getting greener by the minute.

That itty bitty white patch is the last of the large snow pile and I am fairly sure it will be gone by this afternoon.

For the last week and a half I’ve been on a big push to finish a work project that was due last Friday. I finished about 2 p.m. yesterday – Monday. Yes, late. But, all is well. It has been intense, though and so this morning, before starting on another task, I decided to have some fun and make fresh, homemade mozzarella.

I’ve made ricotta (EASY!) and watched some videos about making mozzarella but it wasn’t until seeing the step-by-step photos and seeing the “only takes 20 minutes” in this post: Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn, that I decided to give it a try.

A beautiful morning…with the sun pouring into my kitchen…perfect for a try at something new and fun!

The ingredient list is short: milk, water, citric acid, rennet and salt. I bought the citric acid and rennet from Amazon. The article also contains links to online cheesemaking supply stores.

The method is short and simple … and it did only take 20 minutes!

The post has complete details but the short version is:
Cook the milk with the citric acid and then the rennet.
The curds (white chunks) separate from the whey (yellow liquid).
Cook the curds, drain the whey and then knead and stretch into mozzarella.

Curds and whey! Bear LOVES, LOVES, LOVES whey and it is good for him. I give him some, put some in my smoothies and it is also good for plants so the lilac bushes get some. Everyone is happy!

The curds are at temperature…

Drain the whey from the curds and then they are ready to be stretched and kneaded…

And suddenly you have mozzarella!

Homemade mozzarella.

I did a melt test and it does just as well, if not a bit better than the store bought fresh mozzarella.

So much fun, so easy and so quick – Happy Tuesday!

Too big for their “beds”

Auggie is L…O…N…G, but short-legged.

But Auggie mostly sleeps stretched out.

…or a bit crooked.

Bear is long legged…

Hmmm…

Too big for their beds!

April Showers

At least they are rain showers.

But that is my opinion.

Auggie is fine with snow.

But rain gives him the “Oh noes!!”

Rain gives Bear more spots to get a drink.

Because the front porch water bowl is not good enough…

April Showers.