diber's blog

Oh, have we ever earned spring this year. Today was up to 60. And sunny. I took the kids to the arboretum, so we could soak in the sunshine and fresh air.

We always have fun in their tree adventure area.

For awhile I couldn't find them, as there were these two little birdies hopping around me.

Ellis and I scrambled around the hammock area, but Marlowe looked on from his vista.

And there were snowdrops, crocuses, and fragrant witch hazel blooming.

With the trees so bare still, we could so much more of our surroundings, including the patches of snow reminding us so much that winter is still on his way out. It is supposed to rain this weekend. Perhaps that will melt the last bits away.

I can't wait for daffodils and cherry blossoms.

Spring is just around the corner. The ten-day forecast has days, like today, in the 50's and rain instead of snow. I know we're not in the clear yet. But the weather is starting to turn.

I took the boys to the playground for the first time this season. Wearing boots was a good move considering the hefty patches of snow still on the ground, and the areas of meltage were covered in mud.

Ever since my friend Keri kept mentioning making bagels and how they are so yummy and how she will never buy bagels again, because they are so yummy, the thought of making bagels has been nagging in the back of my head.

With snow and disappointment punctuating my day yesterday, I needed a project to keep me from moping around, a purpose for the day. So I scoured the internet for bagel recipes, and after reading about a dozen different recipes, I settled on this one, which I kind of made up after reading so many. I know, I can't believe I do this: change a recipe before I even make it for the first time. But I do this kind of thing all the time, change a recipe, change a pattern. Let's say, I barely passed "Takes directions well" in Kindergarten.

So the bagels were delicious! And not too hard.

Here's my recipe:

makes a dozen

4 1/2 c flour
2 TB sugar (the recipe I was going off of said 3, wh. seems exorbitant to me, next time I think I'll just do 1)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 package (or generous TB) yeast
1 2/3 c warm water
2 TB oil
1 egg (which I added; next time I might try two)

* dissolve yeast into the warm water, add sugar, salt, oil, egg. mix. Gradually add flour.
* When it's thoroughly mixed, dump dough on counter and begin kneading. Dust with flour enough to keep from sticking to the counter. Knead constantly for a good 10 mins. this is important to get the gluten working.
* let rise in a warm place for 15 mins.
* divide the dough into 12 pieces. roll the pieces into a ball and poke a hole in the middle. let rise while bringing a pot of water to boil.

* while the water is getting hot dissolve a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt into the water.
* when it is boiling, drop the bagels in. The increase in size a lot, so don't overcrowd them.
* Boil for 3 mins on one side, flip boil for 2 mins on the other. Then take them out and let them dry on a kitchen towel.

* Brush the tops with egg white. My mom and I had a lot of fun putting different toppings on them: sesame seeds, garlic powder, caraway seeds, grated cheese. And, yes, we left some plain for my picky kids.
* Bake at 425F for 20-25mins.

And, yes, they were so good!!!!!!!

It's really been hard to blog anything, because for the past several weeks, it's basically been about one thing: snow.

I'm getting tired of it. I think we've had well over 80 inches total snow fall this season, which is beyond record-breaking for our region. So it's a bother. Roads aren't cleared well. People just don't know how to handle this much snow. Not to mention being in the city and not really having anywhere to put it.

This past weekend I was supposed to go to Boston for a little conference. I was really looking forward to the fellowship of some good friends, as well as getting to go somewhere by myself over (one) night for the first time since becoming a mother almost five years ago. But, wouldn't ya know, we got a nor'easter. It snowed without accumulating all day on Thurs, blew terribly and accumulated on Friday. Perhaps it wasn't as bad for us as predicted, but still, more snow. (and Amtrak was prohibitively expensive, don't think I didn't check that option!) So I was pretty disappointed. Majorly disappointed, actually. My mom, who was going to come help with the kids while I was gone, came anyway. It was nice to have the company. Maybe I was a little less mopey.

Our previous residence was basically on a state park, so when it snowed we had a wonderland all to ourselves complete with hill for sledding. Now we're city dwellers. We've spent some time on the front sidewalk, while the parent shovels. But yesterday we ventured out to the backyard, which is a postage stamp. I've been reticent to go out there with Marlowe, because every time it snows we seem to get multiple feet, and you know, M is a little guy. At first, M couldn't leave the bottom step, but eventually, the snow got packed down enough, that we were all able to have a really good play time out there, and M could walk around.

Ellis enjoyed jumping off the steps into the snow, and Marlowe basically ate snow the whole time we were out there.

CHEESE!

The backyard worked out great. And I got some time to sit and look at it, and mentally scheme about spring. (We don't have good windows looking out on it, so I don't have the opportunity to gaze out into the backyard much.)

There is nothing so simultaneously soothing and invigorating as taking a walk. Ellis had school again today, for the first time since last Tuesday. It's snowing out, but only about an inch or so. Not feet. I forgot to send along something he needed, so Marlowe and I decided to take a wintry walk up to school. M loves to be outside.

And he loves his snow boots. The mere mention of outside, and he runs to get his boots. He says, "Yaaaay!" Then he says, "Hat?" And I say, "Yes, you can wear your hat." And he gets his hat out. He tolerates his arms being shoved down puffy coat sleeves, and flat out refuses mittens. I don't force the issue unless he is going to play in the snow. It's actually pretty warm out. Around 30F, just cold enough to snow.

We didn't see any dogs. Marlowe knows where they all live, which yards may house those barking wonders. We did see dog pawprints in the snow. We didn't see any airplanes either. We heard them though, over (or in?) the cloud cover that is so graciously bestowing us with more snow.

The sidewalks are not fit for strollers, so i wore M in the front in my Beco. He is getting to be a bit big for the front carry. But the back carry would've been awkward with that whole wearing a coat thing. And clearly M was comfy enough.

In February I'm blogging things I love. Join me if you like and I'll link you.
For more love visit:
Gentle Home
Through a Glass, Darkly

It's been hard to come back to my blog this week. To face that fact that I actually wrote "I love snow" a week ago. Before four feet of snow was dumped on our city over the course of the week. The amount of snow is astounding.

Needless, to say, we haven't been going many places. And the time at home has been nice. The boys have played, colored, watched movies.

I bought Marlowe these beeswax crayons for Christmas. We've really been enjoying them.

They are smooth like pastels, but not messy. And the smell is a deliciously sweet waxiness.

I sat and drew with them. I drew pictures of spring leaves and birds. Ellis, who usually draws monochromatic line drawings, drew rainbows. Marlowe scribbled in circular patterns.

In February I'm blogging things I love. Join me if you like and I'll link you.
For more love visit:
Gentle Home
Through a Glass, Darkly

I had to think hard about this. Do I really love snow? But, then, I decided that, yes, i do love snow. What I don't like is the occasional inconvenient side effects of snow. But snow itself? i love it. It's so beautiful and magical...all 25 inches of it. Again. My favorite kind of snow is waking up to inch in the morning. Enough to make the world pretty without the inconvenient side effects. However, we have been blessed twice now this season with snowstorms that have dumped colossal amounts of snow on our ill-equipped city. It is like a natural wonder of the world on top of us, temporarily. It is so amazing and awesome. So much snow!!

In February I'm blogging things I love. Join me if you like and I'll link you.
For more love visit:
Gentle Home
Through a Glass, Darkly

I love me some ambiance, and Philadelphia obliges heartily. Brick sidewalks are so cool. I have a weakness for geometric patterns, and there are so many possibilities using just the shape of the rectangular brick. Not to mention that shade of red. You know, "brick red." That was my favorite crayon for awhile when I was a kid.

There's only one drawback. Brick sidewalks can be the enemy of the stroller. Get a jogging stroller with inflatable tires, and the brick sidewalk will remain your friend. ($20. Craigslist. Rock on!)

I'm blogging things I love in February. Join me if you like.
For more love visitMary Kathryn's blog.

I'm blogging things I love in February. Join me if you like.

Today my baby sister turns 22, which means that in two months and one day, I will turn 32. (Just giving you a heads up for National 'Nette Day.)

She's beautiful, smart, interesting, deep, and a great auntie to two little boys. And a great pie maker. We love Lu!

In February, I'm going to blog about things I love. Anyone care to join me?

One of things I love is DIY. Do it Yourself! Maybe because in an alternate reality, my family would've been pioneers on the prairie. Why buy anything that you could make? with stuff you already have? I've always had to be thrifty, so that feeds into it, too. In fact, I think a lot of what is considered all that is "green" is actually just plain ol' thriftiness.

So anyway, I sew stuff, make stuff from scratch, reuse and repurpose stuff. Obviously I can't do everything, because I have two kids and limited time. So I pick and choose as I can.

I was excited to see this book making its rounds in blogosphere last year, and I finally got my hands on it with my Christmas money. Though for approximately $7, it's not prohibitive at all.

Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills

It's a book about making whatever you need for keeping house using natural, non-toxic ingredients, with sections for health and first aid, personal hygiene, home cleanliness, and gardening.

I'll admit, I get bogged down by more complicated homeopathic stuff. But this is presented really clearly so that someone like me who doesn't know much more than to put aloe on a burn can really benefit and learn a lot.

Then there's recipes for any cleaning product you could possibly want to make, using all non-toxic ingredients. And we do try to keep toxins at a low around here.

It's a very practical no-nonsense guide for keeping house.

I really the perspective that the author brings:
"I came to realize that my skepticism about the importance these acts was based on a cultural belief that the domestic sphere is somehow less important than the public sphere. Which, of course, is such a load of crap... Chief...is the idea that DIY is about making even the tiny bits of our lives intentional: we focus our energy on what we know is right for us, rather than what is dictated by a market or culture." (pp2,7)

I can't wait to try stuff.