Charlie Brown, I can relate.

I saw the Midwest's Long Range Forecast for this winter.

This is how I feel.

Just like this.

Is there anyone you can sympathize with, more than our Good Ol' Charlie Brown? 

I live in the Northern part of Illinois, 60 minutes directly west of Chicago, almost in the center of the Northern Illinois region. As the crops are coming up in the spring and the fields are a patchwork of color, it is stunningly beautiful. A little red tractor chugs on the horizon, a fat robin hops on the front lawn; I have lilacs. It's really a lovely place to be. 

Why anyone would live here if they didn't have to, is beyond me.

I checked the Accuweather forecast for the predictions for the upcoming winter. I wanted to throw my laptop across the room. 

If you are squeamish, I must warn you, the following picture might put you over the edge, like it did me.

My area says "worst". 

Worst.

I cannot believe it could be worse than last year???

AccuWeather.com Long-Range Meteorologist Josh Nagelberg even went so far as to say, "People in Chicago are going to want to move after this winter."

WHAT???!! 

Why would you say that??? How can we go on if the weather man doesn't like it here?

People talk of the snow like it's beautiful. Makes everything clean, they say. Quiets it all down. 

Bull.

This is a more accurate photo of a snowfall.

Dirty. Wet. Painful.

Brutal.

I was raised in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. I learned to drive in it, spent my childhood in it.

My husband and I moved to Louisville, KY and then Memphis, TN and I promised myself I would never ever ever live in that weather again. I would watch the Weather Channel and see the storms hitting Chicago and think "why do they live there??" I remember one particular day, it was 12* in Chicago and 57* in Memphis while I planted sugar snap peas in February. 

I cannot stop the snow or the cold. I cannot change the winter or my current address. 

I can work on my attitude. (and my driving skills...)

I will start working on my attitude tomorrow. 

Not a Fan...

Today was the first snowfall. 

I know some women who cry at the sight of the year's first snow.

I guess they are overwhelmed with the beginning of such an incredible season. 

If I did cry, it would be for the end of the growing season. I don't consider the snow to be a blanket of white, although without it, a lot of plants would surely die from the brutal cold. 

If I did cry, it would be in response to the silence that this white death brings. 

The driving becomes difficult, the sun sets too early. 

Worse than the snow is the cold. 

Relentless cold. 

Really, I am not a good spokesperson for this season and I don't pretend to be. 

Soup and Stuff

Look at this soup!!! This soup was so easy and filling and delicious, I cannot think of anything better! I have been told by some of you that I need to include the recipe for the things I make. Very little of what I make is original, I am always ripping the recipes from somewhere, but I will share them with you, gladly!
Delicious Ham and Potato Soup
from Allrecipes.com
Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

Directions

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

(I like this site because it has reviews. Over 5,000 cooks gave this a perfect rating. So did I!)
I serve soup with bread and cheese. My father-in-law got me started doing that a long time ago and it just seems right.

I made that soup a couple weeks ago, but it would be perfect for today. It is a cloudy and raw day, with a brisk wind and temps in the 50's. I wish I had a big pot of this on the stove because I have no clue what to make for tonite's dinner and it's 4:13.
If you do a google for "what's for dinner", it turns out there are all sorts of enterprising folks who have started businesses in the business of your dinner. You can pay them for the menus and the shopping lists. They don't, however; do the actual hard part of loading up and unloading. Sometimes, on days like today, even getting to the store seems like an achievement!
After working all day, the last thing I want to do is fight the fight at the grocery store! I do the shopping early on Sunday mornings, but by the time I fill the cart with toilet paper, paper towels, milk, juice, and the 10 boxes of cereal, it's pert near full and I have room for some fruit and chips.
Grocery shopping has to be one of the worst chores. That, and vacuuming!!

Bulbs-the new Got Milk?

Have you met these ladies? They are a new concept ad campaign for the bulb industry. The bulb industry is worried that, since these ladies portray us so well, (which one are you??), we have no time or understanding of how a bulb might work. Its called the Dig.Drop.Done™ Educational Campaign and it is hitting the magazines and the BlogHer (not me, I am not paid to blog), and other ad driven blogs you might read, it is hitting them, soon.
Why? Well, "To introduce flowering bulbs to a new generation of potential gardeners and 
demystify the bulb-growing process, while reminding avid gardeners of the lowmaintenance, returning beauty of bulbs." from Digdropdone.com
These ladies are Marcy, Juliana, and Evelyn and they are excited, (can't you tell!) to share their knwledge in an easy, engaging and entertaining way.
I know these ladies will say things like cauuuute!  (cute), I so heart that (I like that alot), and other Valley girl phrases that let you know they are very hip. But they desire to know more and learn more about the complexity of the spring bulb. I guess.
Marcy is a "super mom". Juliana is the "fashionista". Evelyn is the "empty nester". Apparently Evelyn likes to have a little drinky, but couldn't bring herself to part with her velcro curlers. 
I am insulted by this campaign. 
"Most of the information out there about bulbs is intimidating for the first-time or occasional planter," said Henk Westerhof, a 26-year veteran of the bulb industry and spokesman for the Dig.Drop.Done Foundation,
What??? Really? Am I being obtuse? Isn't target marketing outdated? I don't fit into anyone of those demographics, I don't wear aprons, silk robes or wrap bracelets. 
Most insulting is the wrap on my industry magazine that smacks me right in the face. 
"Then get ready for a bulb planting frenzy as we excite women with the surprisingly simple beauty of bulbs!"
Feel frenzied, yet? Aren't you inspired to run out with your margarita, (daiquiri?) and start a planting frenzy??


Don't get me wrong, I love my spring bulbs. I have hundreds of them in the ground and on my desk in the kitchen. I order more every year! I am offended by the schtick and schmaltz of The Ladies. They are over the top and none of these ladies look like any of my gardening friends. 
My gardening friends are intelligent and witty people, with big hearts and lots of knowledge. Is that so different from your group of friends? 
Perhaps I am way off on this one. Perhaps this is what you and your buddies look like and I couldn't be more wrong...
In that case, I am sorry. I have one question-
how do you plant bulbs in a silk robe?

Finch and the price of things...

Little phyllo cups filled with custard and berries

Farmer's Market cukes and dill.

Do you know what they are charging for green onions at the store??? $1.00 for 6 individual onions! ONE DOLLAR??? Do you know what the mark up on that is??? They tried to charge me $2.50 for 5 Kirby cukes, but I wasn't having that. I will not pass on growing onions, next year. For $1.00, you can buy 30 count sets and have onions all darn year!! One dollar for 6= 17cents a piece!?  For the birds!

Cucumbers, well, it's just a matter of finding someone who is growing them, then you will have cucumbers. There's an old joke that says in cucumber growing season, don't drive with your windows down because people will shove cucumbers in your car while you're stopped at a light! With raised beds, I am not sure how, but I will grow cucumbers next year...! I won't pay .50 for a cucumber, that's for sure!

One thing I must be sure to include tonite: Congratulations to Mandie and Miles and William. They have a new addition to their family, Emma Grace! God's Blessings on the baby and on Dan and Barb!

I love those guys, they are family to me!

Our church has approached us to join a group to go to Joplin, Mo to help those who were affected by the tornadoes. My Darling and I have committed to this ministry mission. We are hoping Barb goes with us. My Darling will miss school, but she will be granted an opportunity to help someone who has had everything ripped away from them. That is an experience not taught in school. Perhaps it will bring some humility and gratitude, something not easily taught, either.

Rant....

I cannot tell you how many blogs I have read recently where the author finds "a total surprise on her doorstep". Oh! Looky looky! Free plants! Free tools! Free free free!!
The blogger then uses the bribe free items and proceeds to regale me with her unbiased opinion on their glory.
I am getting more and more turned off by this. I have stopped reading several cooking and now gardening blogs because of this practice. Now I know....these surprises, are not surprises.
I was contacted by a company that wanted to know if they sent me some freebies, would I be willing to post about my "honest opinion" on my blog. I did not even consider it!
Could I honestly post an honest opinion? Really?? What if I don't like your thingamajig? Could I tell the 13 people that read my blog how I really feel? Thus jeopardizing any future opportunities to receive schwag?
When I see these posts, it slants my whole take on the blog. How do I know the blogger is being honest about anything else?

One can only give an unbiased opinion about things that do not interest one, which is no doubt the reason an unbiased opinion is always valueless. The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing.

Oscar Wilde