Surprise Surprise Surprise

Sure didn't expect to find a guest for dinner at the feed pan for the cats. Opened the door to the horse barn to check on the cats during this stormy time, and there sat a possum in the middle of the feed pan with the cats back aways but surrounding the pan of food, watching.

The possum was as surprised as we were and ran right into the biggest cat in the bunch when it jumped out of the pan to get away. No wonder the cat food was going down fast, and the cats always seemed to be hungry.

Since our experience a few years ago with rabies, we prefer wild animals to NOT live in our our buildings. We make sure all our outside cats have rabies shots, but because cats are nomads, there will be a feral show up now and then at the dish. If it stays it gets caught and hauled in for a vaccination. We've had some interesting adventures trying to catch wild cats and feel very fortunate the vet is willing to work with them to get the shots.

Snow!! Lots of it!!!

Cold!! Snow!! Wind!! I am ready to be done with winter. Another blizzard is on the way this afternoon. We get plenty of warning with all the weather channels, and it started in Western Iowa last night.. and here comes the wind... full of snow... with a promise of 16 below 0 for tonight with winds up to 50 mph. Only thing to be thankful for, all that furniture on the patio that we neglected to get put away will not get blown away. It is buried in snow and can not move. Boy! are we going to have a clean-up job in the spring.

Report from the sickroom

Don is doing well after the new hip installation in December. Donya and I thought he was not walking as much as doctor ordered, so slipped the FitBit in his jeans pocket one night. It is so tiny he did not notice it. About noon the next day we told him about it cause we wanted to check how he was doing. First he was mad, a guy has no privacy at all!! Then he started to like it and checks it himself. If there are not enough steps logged on for the day, he actually gets up and walks to bring it up. That little piece of equipment sends the data to Donya's computer, then resets it's self for the next day. Great little tool.

Chocolate cake with Red Beets

My family is not eating vegetables as much as I would like to see them eat. They'll eat plenty of dessert, though. So.. I feel they need to eat more red beets. I froze lots and need to move them into the 'eat now' category. I found this recipe for cake. heh heh heh Let them eat cake!!!

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup butter, softened, divided
1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups pureed cooked beets
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a microwave, melt chocolate and 1/4 cup butter; stir until smooth.
Cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the remaining
butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs.
In a small bowl, combine the chocolate mixture, beets and vanilla.
Beat into creamed mixture (mixture will appear separated). Combine
flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at
375° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the
center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a
wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust with
confectioners' sugar. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Sunday, January 26, 2014