Category: Weather

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A Happy Friday

Blue sky this morning over the House Summers! The good folks at NOAA suggest that we are to have a sunny morning followed by a snowy afternoon that is a prelude to a weekend series of winter storms.

Several gaggles of geese flew over headed north…apparently they are also a bit sceptical of NOAA’s forecasts…

Meanwhile, we enjoy clear sky, the rising sun and if you are Bear, a morning treat after the hard work of clearing the property of varmints!

And if you are me, you enjoy one or several “fresh out of the oven” orange pecan biscotti!

And if you are Bob…well, Bob is Bob… Happy Friday!

***re biscotti: I really like biscotti over cookies for several reasons. My favorite biscotti recipe which is adapted from Pam Anderson’s (the cook not the Baywatch babe) “My Favorite Biscotti” in her book “The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great” has no fat other than eggs and my adaptation is less sugar as well. The basic recipe allows for substitution of whatever extract or zest you feel like as well as dried fruits and nuts.

My basic version:
3 eggs
1 tsp extract of your choice
2 cups flour (I use a mix of King Arthur’s white whole wheat and Wheat Montana’s all purpose white)
2/3 cups sugar (I often use 1/3 cup white and 1/3 cup brown)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt finely ground
1 cup nuts and/or dried fruit or chocolate chips (dark chocolate bittersweet)

Mix the dry ingredients through salt in 1 bowl, the wet in a separate bowl. Mix together finishing with hand mixing. Toss in whatever else from the nuts/fruit/chips category and incorporate with your hands. It is a fairly sticky dough. Form into 2 logs (about 12 x 3 each) on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 300 for 50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Slice and put back on the baking sheet on their sides. Bake on each side at 275 until your desired hardness. They will harden and crisp as they cool. I typically do 6-8 minutes per side for the second baking.

And that is the last reason I prefer biscotti over cookies….You bake the entire bit of dough in one fell swoop for 50 minutes meaning I am not up and down putting cookies in the oven and taking them out. Even the second baking, they are all on the sheet and you are just turning them. Easy!

They keep in an airtight jar, supposedly for a month. I wouldn’t know as they don’t last a month…

I’ve made lemon pistachio, cherry almond, coconut almond with chocolate chips and this morning the orange pecan. The orange pecan – actually clementine pecan….I used vanilla extract, 2 T clementine zest and the juice of 2 clementines in with the egg and extract.

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Wind and graupel

I woke Wednesday to more calm than forecast. There was not even a light breeze or any movement of the tops of the trees. The severe wind warning was still in effect so I stayed out with Bear and we had a longer walk and play time than usual thinking it would not be pleasant later.

At noon, it was sunny, calm and blue sky. So we had a long lunch time outing.

Shortly after we came in, it did cloud over and several very blustery squalls whooshed through. A few branches came down, but all of the trees stayed put and that was that at my house. All of the preparation paid off: the power stayed on :)!

Last night was calm, clear and beautiful and I watched the stars come out as Bear and I had our evening walk.

The winter storm warning expired at 9:00 a.m. this morning. Today was quiet and alternated between bits of sun and periods of overcast.

And it graupeled.

Not to be confused with hail or sleet, graupel is soft little balls of snow – like bits of styrofoam. It falls quietly, unlike hail and is formed, unlike sleet. Graupel.

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Snow in the woods

A bit of fresh snow this morning.

It was not to last. Even early, it was getting warm. By midday it was the consistency of mashed potatoes. And it was raining.

Since the weekend, there has been notice of a pending high wind warning for late tonight through tomorrow evening. I can’t recall ever seeing this kind of warning so I’m taking it seriously. Although I’ve rarely lost power at this house, today, I made sure every battery for every gadget is charged up. I filled all water containers AND the motorhome water tank. I baked bread and crackers and tortillas. I did laundry. I have plenty of cooked food that just needs to be warmed up and plenty more that can be cooked – on the woodstove. Bob and Bear’s food supply is plentiful. I hope all of this preparedness guarantees that the power stays on :)!

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Sun to Snow

Today, Thursday…started clear and sunny.

It started cold but warmed quickly.

Bob joined me in the office to enjoy a sun warmed spot.

…marred only by me pointing a camera in his direction.

Shortly, things changed.

The sky turned gray, the temperature dropped…

Snow started falling.

And falling.

Time for a fire.

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Seasons

This dog, Bear…I am so thankful that he is my dog. For whatever reason(s), these last several weeks, the loss of Karl has hit hard, yet again. Maybe because I came so close to losing Bear. Maybe the time I’m spending in the woods, again closer to Bear to reinforce training. Maybe just a cycle of the grief thing. I really don’t know.

It is not that I am sad. It is that suddenly, out of the blue – that Karl is not here – it feels overwhelming.

But, then Bear comes to me or I go to him…or to Bob…or I take photos and peace returns. It is maybe a season, like Winter is a season.

Winter decided to make an appearance. A little late and even later in my corner of Montana and with less ferocity than most parts of the northwest.

This evening, as all was done that needed to be done – and the light was clear – Bear ran and jumped and played in the snow. We were out several times today. It was very cold when it snowed so the snow is like sugar. The sun was out this afternoon and lit the edge of the snow covered trees forming a border of light against dark clouds over the mountains to the east.

As I watched Bear – after our play – resting and watching, snow started falling again…light, medium sized flakes, softly falling.