The dead of winter

It doesn't get much more beautiful than getting up to 6,100 feet in the winter. Everything up there is a deep freeze and it's truly a winter wonderland. Won't be long before tulips and daffis pop their heads up down in the lowlands, reminding us that this beautiful season too...must end. But for now....

Life's short. Play hard, eat well, indulge every once in a while

Delicious M&M Cookies- so tasty you'll be in tears.

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup shortening (I know..I know... I rarely buy it either, but I've found that it helps with temperature consistency in cookies- splurge a little)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (this is code for M&M's- go for the real ma-coy)

Cast of characters in todays episode:

Mix sugars, shortening, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl.
Add flour, soda, & salt and mix well.
Now for the fun part!
Scoop dough into round teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
Add the colorful candies! *Note: be sure to add LOTS of candies or they just simply aren't as tasty and don't look as pretty. They spread out a lot during cooking, too. Notice how the entire top is full of chocolate?
Next, stick in preheated 350 degree oven (or 325 convection) for 9-11 min.
Check for browning after 9 minutes- don't overcook!
Ta-da! Can you e-smell them? Trust me... the whole house smells of chocolate bliss!

In the heart of winter..

I've heard it said that Winter recharges our batteries, so that we can enjoy long spring and summer days with renewed energy. The extra 45 minutes of daylight since Dec. 21st has definitely up'd the voltage! Add to that, the warmth of El Nino' and at times, it's felt down-right "spring-ish" around here. Despite having to travel a little higher in the mountains to find good snow, we've enjoyed not having to deal with slippery roads, broken gutters and shoveling our driveway.

At our elevation, we don't get too many birds in the winter, so I was thrilled to see these little Chickadees working the trees for seeds. They are amazingly nimble and can cling to the tiniest of branches and cones.

I've had fun playing with my camera here and there and figured I'd post a few pictures. I never get tired of looking at Si- it has so many faces and angles.

Hope everyone is enjoying gathering their share of springtime horsepower!

Washington Trails Magazine

The WTA Magazine is out and I feel so lucky that my little pygmy owl photo was selected as a winner out of 750 entries to shine among these magnificent photos in the Northwest Exposure photo contest. Luck was on my side to see this beautiful tiny bird and now I get to share his beak and feathers with the rest of the world!

Sunrise over Si this morning....

Wallace Falls

Since nature wouldn't bring us snow, we opt'd for a cool, winter hike. Meeting Mom for dinner led us up North, so we checked out the beautiful Wallace Falls off Hwy. 2. It was a classic Northwest hike- full of amazing greens, mosses, ferns, and dense undergrowth. Additionally, January brought few crowds, no bugs and lots of water. It was a memorable day!

First taste of winter 2009/2010..