Sunday, February 2, 2014

          Well, friends, it seems that during the Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, U.S., February 2, 2014, Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.  According to records going back to 1887, Phil has now seen his shadow 101 times while failing to see it 17 times, according to the Inner Circle.  There are no records for the remaining years.  So sorry for all of you who have been held in the grips of a terribly cold and snowy winter.  It wouldn't help to tell you that we are headed into warmer weather, the winds seem to be abating, and the colorful flowers continue to bloom. J

          Since there are no “blog worthy” happenings tonight, a cooking note will fill that space.  For the second time since we have been here, I made frosting.  Both attempts failed to produce the expected delicacy.  The powdered sugar we found at the grocery store was actually “pulverized” sugar which just re-granulated during the making of the frosting.  It turned out like very sugary fudge.  A few rounds in the micro-wave and lots of stirring by hand (the way we used to stir fudge in the old days) made it somewhat smoother, but it certainly doesn’t’ resemble any frosting I have ever made before.  A thin layer over the yummy orange cake, however, seems better with a little chocolate than without it; and Glade, bless his heart, says it turned out great.  Most of it was saved to be eaten like candy in small amounts about once a week or so!  We will just go back to having no sweets of that variety and we’ll be better off!