I know….most herons are lone. Fishing is better when you don’t have a flock of young ones playing around in the pond.
What I meant to say, was that the heron we spoke of in November is STILL HERE! I know that this could be winter range for some of them, but this is the first time we have ever seen a heron this late in this area.
We’re having an unusually mild winter so far. We did have those six inches of snow at the start of the month, but it’s been gone for a couple of weeks. Our grass is green, and some of my herbs are still growing!
Saturday, as we came home we saw skein after skein of Canada geese flying NORTH. I just don’t know enough about goose behavior to know what’s going on. We realize that they practice flying in the Vs even this late in the year, and we know that many of them winter over in this area. These were quite large groups of geese, flying fairly high, and all aimed in the same direction. Does anyone have any insight to share on this?
Ed, our cranky, older, black cat asked to go outside today. It was a beautiful day, with lots of sunshine, and I saw no reason to keep him in. He’s always been an indoor-outdoor cat, or I might have reconsidered.
I was putting a load of laundry into the washing machine, and looking out the window on the north lawn, when I saw Ed come around the corner. A gray squirrel had discovered the sunflower seed feeder at the back door, and was wrapped around the feeder, filching the seed. When Ed appeared, it startled the squirrel, who went flying, five or six feet across the lawn. Ed skittered and then turned and they both crouched and glared at each other, as if to say, “This is MY territory!” I’m surprised Ed didn’t play chicken with the squirrel. Perhaps he’s feeling his age, or maybe he wasn’t hungry! *G*
Daily Archives: December 18, 2006
Fudge Tarts
I tried a new Christmas “cookie” this afternoon. I wanted to see if a short-cut cookie might be something to add to our list of favorites.
The recipe used ready-made peanut butter cookie dough. You divide an 18 ounce tube of dough into 24 pieces and bake them in tart-sized muffin tins. During the last two minutes of cooking you press a rounded measuring spoon into the dough to create a well, then continue baking until the dough is golden.
The peanut butter dough makes a tart base that holds a fudge filling.
It seems to me that the tart is a bit thick. It makes quite a substantial cookie, perhaps one that men would like more than women. I know….that’s sexist. Don’t bother to point it out.
I’m going to freeze the tarts and then add the fudge the day before the cookies are given as gifts. I’ll have to see if the combination of the peanut butter base and the fudgy center will draw anyone back for seconds.
Walking on Water
Saturday, as Elegante Mother and I started our errands, we turned east to drive between the two retention ponds that flank the road. I burst out laughing, and pointed to the south pond. The Canada geese were walking on water!
Apparently, it had been cold enough the day before, and through the night, to form a skim of ice on the surface that was strong enough to hold about eight geese. The black surface of the pond looked like still water, rather than ice. Perhaps the upper surface of the ice had started to melt.
By the time we returned, the ice was gone and the geese were swimming at the water’s edge. The world was right once more, but not as funny as it had been earlier in the day.