How to make spring come early

It's easy if you know how.  Just knit a warm and cozy hat that you really want to wear.

In January I found a Cat Bordhi hat pattern with a Moebius brim and splendid wooly tendrils I couldn't forget.  And I needed a warm winter hat. So I started knitting my Arctic Anemone hat with some really, really soft, bulky superwash merino yarn beautifully dyed by Black Sheep Dyeworks. 

I finished the hat in time for a field trip DS and I were scheduled to make to Lexington on Feb. 14.  The weather report was pessimistic, promising sleet and ice, maybe snow.  But with my hat finished, I was ready to face it.   The morning did start out overcast but by mid-day we were walking around the grounds at VMI with our coats off and the sun shining brightly, warming us and making my hat superfluous.

 

This past weekend it snowed.  8 inches on Sunday!  I wore my hat all day.  By today all the snow had completely melted and the outdoor thermometer was registering 63ºF. at 5:30pm when I drove DS to his viola lesson.  I wore my hat anyway.  Drove with the window half-open so I wouldn't overheat...

Oh, well.  There's always next winter.  I'll be ready.

Can't forget the lard

This past weekend, a beautiful one by the way, we enjoyed an afternoon with homeschool friends at Polyface Farm. As always the day included a hayride and farm tour followed by a potluck picnic with delicious burgers made from salad bar beef and pigaerator pork. DH came home reinvigorated and ready to implement a few more ideas here at home and I came home with 20 pounds of creamy white pork fat for rendering.

This stuff is gorgeous. Yeah, it's fat and feels greasy but once I put it in the roaster oven, melt it for several hours over low heat and strain it into jars for storage, it's like buttah, I tell you. (Said with a plummy accent...) And, yes, I do this outside -- the roaster oven sets on a small table under the eaves on the back deck. At night I use a couple of bungee cords criss-crossed over the lid to be sure no small nocturnal animal gets into it as it slow cooks. If we had large nocturnal animals, I'd bring it into the garage or shed overnight but other than two coyotes last spring we don't seem to have that issue.

The rendering doesn't make a big mess and the smell isn't bad -- it's just a very rich roasting-meat smell. Makes me hungry, in fact, but also hangs around inside after the rendering's done. So outside is more practical though the wafting scent did raise the expectations of at least one visitor today who was disappointed to learn it was only lard rendering and not the beginning of a pig roast that he could smell.

Once the pork fat's melted, I strain the hot liquid lard through a couple layers of cheesecloth and pour it into canning jars.  Put on lids and rings and the lard's ready to use.  I store it along with our other canned goods as it will keep on the shelf for a good while.  When I open a jar to use, I store the opened jar in the refrigerator.  Cold lard makes the best pie crust...

Here's a link to stovetop directions for rendering lard. The basic idea is the same as how I do it except I use an electric roaster oven (set on 200-225ºF.) and don't add any water. If I was only rendering a pound or two, I'd probably go back to doing it on the stovetop or try out one of my crockpots so I could still set it outside.

Udvar-Hazy Center approval rating soars

In breaking news at the Walnut Spinney homestead, 10-year old gives a big thumbs-up to the Smithsonian Institute's Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. He keeps breaking off his recounting of today's trip to ask, "Why haven't we gone there before?"

Today's tour and educational lab program were rated tops and, except for a short time spent napping on the long drive home in the pouring rain, he's not stopped talking about it.

The only drawback was DH's disappointment in not being able to go along. So, to compensate, DS took LOTS of pictures. And I took a few of DS's propeller design tests and other obligatory "I was there" shots, some of which are included here. Now, besides listening to the fifth, or is it the sixth?, retelling of the day's events, I just have to think of an answer as to why we haven't gone there before.

If pumpkin pie is the #1 answer,

Then pumpkin bread is the #2 answer to "What are you going to do with all that pumpkin?" (Hmm, Family Feud flashbacks. Should probably get that checked out.)

While I finished canning the last 20 quarts of pumpkin this afternoon, DS practiced cooking. The good thing about practicing cooking is you usually have something to show for it (and eat!) when you're done. So when my DBIL showed up to get the wood-splitter and drop off a great hay and feed box he salvaged for DH, AJ could share a slice of pumpkin bread and a mug of hot chocolate with his uncle.

The recipe is easy, not too sweet but very tasty and even halfway healthy. DS was especially pleased to learn that it meets required (in other words, Mom's) dietary guidelines for inclusion in breakfast rotation, tho accompanied by a glass of plain milk rather than hot cocoa. The three of us finished a third of the loaf with ease, some will go with DS and me on our field trip tomorrow to the Udvar-Hazy Center and DH will have a few slices to take with his lunch a day or two this week. Then DS can practice making it all over again. I love homeschooling.

AJ's Pumpkin Bread

1-1/4 cup Sucanat or brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree *See Note
3/4 cup milk
1-3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup raisins

Cream together sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Combine pumpkin and milk in a small bowl. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture. Fold in nuts and raisins.

Pour into greased and floured bread loaf pan and bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes.

*If using homemade pumpkin puree, I like to add 1/2 cup of rolled oats (aka Quaker Oats) with other dry ingredients. It keeps the loaf from being too wet and doesn't make the loaf heavy as adding additional WW flour may.

BTW, the final count was 73 quarts of pumpkin, plus 3 cups of pumpkin puree in the fridge. Glad to have THAT done and on to the next project. Don't tell me what it is, let it be a surprise.

First-time caving...

But I've been assured it won't be his last.

DS and DH (in orange hat) went on another Wild GUYde Adventure with Lester Zook and a group of fellow homeschoolers. This time they explored Glade Cave in the northwestern corner of our county. A quick search online prior to the trip told me that no matter what the time of year or drought/non-drought status of the surrounding area, the cave is muddy and wet. This proved true.

After seeing the online photos snapped by other Glade Cave trippers, DS hoped they'd be able to make it to the lake room but I guess Lester considered it too long of a trek for this group of mostly first-time cavers. Plus, from some reports, after all the rain we've had this spring (wonderful after several years of drought) the water would have been up to the necks of many in the group. Maybe next time. Because I've been told several times since Monday, the day of this trip, that DS's ready to go caving again. Just as soon as we get the mud rinsed out of his clothes and shoes...

How could I forget Dinosaurland?

Dinosaurland is the best! I can't believe we didn't get around to taking DS there until now.

20+ years ago I went there anytime I was headed north with my DSis and her kids. They knew all about Dinosaurland and wouldn't let her pass Winchester without going there on the way or on the way home. Somehow I managed to let it slip my mind until I was reading a list in Charlottesville's The Hook, I think it was, about summer car trips. And there it was!

So there's DS in front of the sign. Must have taken 4 dozen pictures if not more during the almost 3 hours we spent there. He wanted a picture with all the dinosaurs and he wanted to tell DH and me all about them. Not to mention read all the signs and do a little prey/predator acting. Finally I sat down along the path and watched as he and his dad stalked each other through the dinosaur displays. One would turn away while the other would run ahead and get in position for a staged dinosaur attack.

DH had never been there either -- didn't even know it existed until I told him how we were going to spend the day. Fortunately he enjoys a bit of play-acting and is always willing to traipse along after DS on one of these field trips. Didn't hurt that the gift shop had a small book shelf stocked with Virginia and military history tomes plus a section with a variety of beer-making supplies and wine yeasts, etc. He even wants to go back again. And DS is already asking when.

Dinosaurs rule!

Well, we spent Saturday at the Smithsonian. Specifically the Museum of Natural History. Yes, 7 y.o. DS is wild about dinosaurs and has been for several years. I finally caved in and we're working our way through the several dozen dinosaur books on his bookshelves -- creating a unit study as we go.

We drove up to Vienna early Saturday morning and took the Metro into D.C. DS is also a train fanatic and as this was his first ride on a subway, he was ecstatic. DH leaned over the seat at one point during the ride and whispered to me to take a look at DS's expression. His grin was so big it practically split his face and, oh!, the starry look in his eyes! Well, it was one of those moments that parents live for, I gotta say.

Then came the museum. T-Rex skeleton, diplodocus, triceratops and more. We about 3 hours before hungry overcame us and we had a decent lunch in the museum's basement cafeteria. The afternoon went by fast and tho we made it through the mammal exhibit and even managed to look at a few meterorites, it was soon time to go.

The ride back to Vienna was interesting as the subway was packed due to a rally held on the Mall earlier in the day. As usual the platform appeared packed till we managed to work our way past the crowds huddled around the bottom of the steps. (Why don't people spread out on those platforms? Must be related to the way cars always clump together on a highway...) Anyway, we ended up boarding the second train to come through the station going our way, so there was a slight delay. DS didn't care for the crowds and I guess I really can't blame him as he so very rarely runs into groups that large since we live out in the country with open space so available.

Most of the people traveling our direction were headed for the stops near the end of the line with commuter parking so we stood for the trip amongst a group traveling to meet a charter bus, having come in for the rally. DH couldn't resist asking a man standing behind me, wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes sweatshirt, if he was from Iowa. Turned out he was from a town just down the road 20 miles or so from where DH grew up so they enjoyed a chat during which we learned his group was from near Charlottesville so that almost makes them neighbors. I love coincidences like that!

After a car picnic of crackers, cheese and fruit, DS managed to fall asleep on the almost 3-hr. ride home. (Yay! That doesn't happen often!) DH and I took advantage of the time and turned the car stereo full to the front so we could listen to a few old favorite cds. Started with one of DS's favs while he was still awake -- C W McCall's Greatest Hits. From there we went to Roger Miller with all those great sing-along songs he recorded. Next up was a little bit from the Flatlanders but it was getting late enough that I needed something a little more driving to keep me awake, kwim? So DH popped in the soundtrack from Dazed and Confused

Okay, now we were awake and groovin' -- plus this soundtrack always gets us into a discussion of past lives. DH grew up in Iowa and graduated from high school in 1984 while I, being the elder partner in this marriage, came of age in the late 70's . Makes for some interesting flashbacks when we get the chance. More on that later.

Got home before too late and DS immediately woke up demanding to call his nearby grandmother to tell her of the trip and confirm their plans for Sunday afternoon. Ah! Home is good.