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In my younger days I was a sun worshiper.
A summer lover. A beach bum who loved nothing more than sultry hot days and long walks on burning white sand.
Now? I like a different kind of white.
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I want cold crisp air and a blanket of snow.
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While most people crave warmth as they age, the older I get the more I look forward to winter.
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It’s beautiful…
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And peaceful.
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I love the gentle colors …
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And the stillness of the season.
❄️
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Now it feels like winter!
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We had our first snow recently and it was the heavy wet variety that instantly turns your world into an ice cream wonderland.
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Yes, it’s hard to shovel… but with the smooth new driveway under me it was much less painful.
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We only got a few inches and it will probably melt before long because winters aren’t as cold as they used to be in Maine…
Look at the green grass underneath.
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But for now, I’m enjoying the storybook scenes.
❄️
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Here are a few tidbits worth sharing from my great…. but admittedly slightly weird, state.
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For anyone who has ever been north of Bangor, this is not a surprise.
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I’ve been north of Bangor.
It’s easy to do.
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Take a chair, give a chair?
Interesting concept.
Christmas can look a little different up here as well. Northern Maine is potato country…. and in Aroostock county?
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Potatoes take center stage.
Farther south? It’s all about the lobster and trees are made out of buoys….
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As well as traps.
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Santa?
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He arrives on a lobster boat, with an extra large lobster riding shotgun.
😊
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I drove home under some ominous skies the other afternoon.
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And woke up to our first dusting of snow.
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It was gone by mid day just in time for our contractor to drop by between jobs and seal up the new windows with some not so attractive foam.
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He’s finishing off a barn next door that’s taking longer than planned but as soon as he’s done he’ll be back over here to finish our nightmare project.
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As usual, Lord Dudley Mountcatten couldn’t care less.
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💕
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten loves his mouse.
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He flings it around the room, chases it up and down the hall and then snuggles with it for a nap.
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Removing said mouse when His Lordship is in mid snuggle?
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A bad idea that can result in bloodshed.
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A Lord and his mouse shall not be parted.
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I learned this lesson well.
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❤️
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There are times when nature matches my mood.
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Last night was a good example.
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Deep blue and dark.
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Thankfully a good night’s sleep wiped those feelings away.
Of course I woke up to a rain/sleet storm so that’s not what I’d call a vast improvement.
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On our way back from the disappointing brewery the other day I made the husband pull into The Holy Donut…. because I’ve posted about them a few times but haven’t had the chance to try them.
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The almost $24 half dozen box cradled comfortably in my lap, we made for home.
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I was excited to try these extremely popular, much talked about, potato laden famous Maine treats.
Flavor assortment from top to bottom:
Apple cider glazed, apple cinnamon, toasted coconut, maple bacon, vanilla chai and the one slot I afforded my husband… an old fashioned. Yes, the only donut he likes is plain, to which I respond – why bother.
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As I dove in to taste test, the first thing I noticed was size. These things are big.
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But sadly, like everything else…. quantity does not equal quality. While the apple cider glazed and toasted coconut were tasty enough, I have to admit I was underwhelmed. The donuts were heavy, thick and generally nothing special. I admit to trying a chunk of each one while they were fresh and can’t say they were worth the effort or price (3.75 per). People go nuts for these things in Maine and will stand on line outside the stores in order to purchase them but honestly, after trying them? I don’t understand why.
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It wasn’t for me as I spent a miserable night wide awake and trying to get comfortable with sciatic pain.
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I’m never sure how I tweak that particular nerve, but boy it lets me know when I do.
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Rolling out of bed this morning was a slow painful process…
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But I definitely had a gorgeous view.
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I’m off to sit on an ice pack and crunch some Tylenol.
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Hope your day is starting a little better.
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I never used to be an early riser. When my husband and I were first married you’d rarely see me out of bed before 8:30.
Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser, I greet the dawn more often than not.
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It rarely disappoints.
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❤️
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Yes, I tried another recipe I found online.
I can’t help myself at this point, but at least this one turned out to be tasty.
I don’t know the name of it so let’s just say it’s an Italian-y tortellini soup.
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Easy to make and quick… at a little over half an hour cooking time… I’d say with a few tweaks this one’s a keeper.
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Ingredients:
½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves
chopped
⅓ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to
taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven
over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook
until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure
to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess
fat.
Stir in garlic, onion and Italian seasoning. Cook,
stirring frequently, until onions have become
translucent, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt
and pepper, to taste.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in chicken stock and tomato
sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer,
stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly
thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in tortellini; cover and cook until tender,
about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir
in heavy cream and basil until heated through,
about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to
taste.
Serve immediately.
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I only changed one thing when I made this and I’m sure you can guess what that was.
Yes, I axed the noxious green devil’s weed called kale and substituted spinach.
When I make this again I think I’ll cut back on the sausage. If you like it really meaty, leave it as is… but a little sausage goes a long way for me.
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River's world..... 