Snow all over the place. We got at least 5 more inches last night. Chelsea loves it and it is really pretty. I guess we are still a bit behind on what we need to maintain the water table but the season is not over yet.

I have a nice quiet weekend coming up. We will go shooting on Sunday. I did just terrible tonight. I don't know what I am doing wrong but maybe practice is what I need.

Jim is home all weekend, so I made a dessert to last us for the next three evenings. I picked up some raspberries and blackberries at the store yesterday and made an upside down cake. It got kind of exciting when I got to the part of the recipe that said to alternate adding the flour and the milk to the creamed butter and sugar but did not tell me how much milk was needed. So I did some research and revamped the recipe as follows:

Raspberry Blackberry Upside Down Cake

1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 TB Bitter
2 c. Berries (Blackberry, Raspberry, Whatever you have.)
1/2 Cup Margerine or butter
1 3/4 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 c. Flour
2 ts. Baking Powder
12 ts. salt
1 c. Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in an 8 or 9 inch iron skillet over medium heat. Add berries and cook. Sir until mixture bubbles then add 3/4 cups of the sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

Mix 1/2 cup butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Bix four, baking powder and salt together and sift alternately with milk to the creamed butter mixture.

Pour batter over cooked fruit and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes til lukewarm. Run a knife around the pan and turn onto a large plate. (Be sure you invert it while still warm or it won't come out of the pan.) Best served warm. Whipped cream or ice cream are nice additions but not necessary.

It sure is good.

Love

Mary

Jim and I went to Lakeland College last night to see Gaelic Storm at their theater. WoW! they are good. Jim and I have to get their fourth album. Their fifth will be out in May or thereabouts and we are behind one. They did say they would be at Irish Fest this year so I probably will have someone to go with. JIM. Dick doesn't like the crowds and talked me out of going last year for a dud of a trip somewhere else. Not this year.

They are so lively and their music is really great. They seem to like Wisconsin and can't get over the names of our towns. They are especially entrances with Oostburg and keep on talking on going to a bar in Oostburg which of course absolutely delights all of us Sheboygan County people who know it will be a cold day before you could find a bar in Oostburg. However - De Zwann's in Cedar Grove closed. The family decided to retire and the place has reopened recently and I HEARD that they serve wine and beer. What is happening to our dry cities?

Dick is slowly recovering. We are beginning to think that perhaps it is Gaelic Storm that is responsible for his being sick. They were here last year at the Stepanie Weill Center and he got sick then too. I hope he just forgets buying a ticket next time. That gets a bit expensive for a seat to throw jackets on. Jim and I always have fun at these concerts but Dick likes them too. At least he says he does.

I am writing a monthly food column for a little paper that is published up north and run by a gal who was in the Sheboygan County Writers Club. I get paid a copy of the paper and my name and column in print. I hope to eventually put these columns in to a little book. Wish me luck. I will see how they go over and how many I can turn out.

Have a great day. There is a storm warning for 4 to 7 inches of snow for tonight. It has been downgraded some from 12 inches but we always have the lake effect to contend with.

Wish us Luck

Love

Mary

Yesterday was groundhogs day. I guess we are supposed to have an early spring. It certainly doesn't look so outside today. It snowed for 12 more hours last night and the snow is piling up steadily. There does not seem to be any melting down.

I have decided to make the venison roast as a Texas Brisket roast for the 27th Annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest. That is Dick's favorite way to fix venison. I can cook it all morning and then put it in the slo cooker in its juice to keep it warm. I have Daddy Hinkle's marinade and seasoning. I will also make potato salad.

Started a book discussion group with four wonderful women at church yesterday. The book is called Live Long and Love It. It should be nice, we will meet once a week for about 10 weeks and discuss how to best enjoy our older years.

Have a good Wednesday.

Mary

January is over ALREADY. Today, started off with a bang, literally. Jim, Bobbie and I went shooting at Rhine this afternoon. I shot a line of trap with a gun that I am trying for a while to see how it does. It is a 847 12 gauge shotgun and thought the stock is too long, I wasn't unhappy with it. I only shot a 9. However, the stock IS too long, I have never shot in winter with all the bulky clothes and the cold and this is the first line I have shot since September. SO. We will see. I will shoot another line next week and each week for a while.

My league pistol targets were not too bad. I blew the middle one but the first and last were in the 50s.

The Super Bowl is on and without the Packers playing it is really hard to get too interested. I don't really care who wins. The first quarter and a half were really dull, then they scored four times, going into the half 14/10 New England. So the last half of the 2nd quarter was at least fun to watch.

I am feeling pretty good now and the temperature was up into the high 20s today. Chelsea and I went for a walk this morning and she was a very very happy puppy. As I have said before, Dick and Jim's idea of taking her for a walk is sending her out the side door on her leash and saying "Run, Chelsea, Run." til she does something.

Have a good week and a great February. I have two friends who are ill and would appreciate any prayers you have hanging around for their health.

Love

Mary