Ahh...Spring!

Dogwoods and Red buds

Paw paw blossoms

Squaw root (a.k.a. cancer root)

"grey" morels

tiny, grey morel

mushrooms - not edible

? pipe fungi?  

Larkspur

Star Chickweed

Spring Beauty

Yellow Violet

Dutchman's Breeches

Squirrel Corn Wildflower

Solomon's Seal...I think, not blooming yet

Wild Geraniums

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-Pulpit...with shadow!  

venusta orchard spider

venusta orchard spider

venusta orchard spider

American Toad...baby

Gardner Snake (I think)
Definitely not poisonous

Nodding Trillium Photos

bloom coming up

Blossoms

feeling bugged

Moss...flowering

Frogs by the stream

In the Eagle's Nest!  

Great-Horned Owl mama

keeping her eye on me

Papa Great-Horned Owl...watching me too

Don't miss tomorrow's post...a Lesson on Eastern Box Turtles!  ~Hootie

Sweet Treat!

Do you ever get a craving that just won't go away until you satisfy it?  

For the past few months I have been wanting those lemon creme filled Girl Scout cookies: Lemon Chalet Cremes.  The problem with my craving is that our local GS's didn't have those cookies to offer this year.  Drats!  

I finally decided that I needed to try to make my own.

Fueled by a picture from the Internet...which I posted on Pinterest...I went in search of a tasty recipe.  Here's what I decided upon.  

Lemon-Butter Spritz Cookies

2 C butter, softened

1 1/4 C sugar

2 eggs

grated peel of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 1/4 C all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla. Combine flour and salt, gradually all to creamed mixture and mix well.  

Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough onto ungreased baking sheets.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges.  Yields approximately 12 dozen.

Notes: I always add more flour (1/2 C), it seems my cookies need it based on my altitude.   Also, I increased the amount of the lemon juice in the recipe, using all the lemon juice and zest from one lemon except for a small amount that I set aside to use in the filling recipe.  

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

1/2 C butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3 1/2 C Confectioners' sugar

1/4 C milk

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter, lemon rind, vanilla and salt until light and for about 2 minutes.  Add confectioners' sugar alternately with milk until the mixture is creamy and smooth, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the lemon juice.  

Notes: I added extra powdered sugar and less milk...I wanted a thicker consistency for the cookie filling.  

Here's my result: 

Mmm!  I made these last Thursday night and then passed them out on Friday to anyone who crossed my path...my unknowing taste testers.  With the exception of my daughter, who said they were too lemony (what's wrong with that child?), everyone who sampled my treats seemed to really like the combination.

Definitely a repeat!

My Birthday...in Pictures

Surprise flowers from close friends 

First Box Turtle sighting of the year...it's a Girl!  

rescued a mouse...from my hunter

Redbuds in bloom

waking up worms

wildflowers in bloom

flitting butterflies

the trees...rooting for my favorite college BB team

squirrel corn...wildflower

fern fiddles

a funnel cloud...at dinner time

pea-sized hail

hail in the grass

my favorite carrot cake...from my husband (he doesn't bake, he buys)

over-the-top make-up on my ballerina for her performance

one of our felines channeling her inner snow leopard

We came home very late after an evening at the ballet and watched an exciting DVR-ed NCAA basketball game.  Too bad for my Hoosiers.  Still, it was a perfect day!  :)

Gross! Show and Tell

WARNING:  This post has a gruesome picture or two on it.  

If you have a weak stomach, you may not want to view this!!!

On Sunday at noon-ish, I took my dog for a hike in the woods.  I had planned to be out with him for about two hours.  We have a great, 4-5 mile loop that he loves and I have to admit, I do too.  But, twenty minutes into the hike and everything changed in a heartbeat.  

As I crested a hill, I needed to step over a limb that had fallen from a tree.

 This limb has been down for probably six months and I have stepped over it at least a dozen times.

 Had I been more observant I would have noticed a branch that had been on this limb was now broken off.  Instead, I stepped over with my left leg and then as I brought my right leg over I felt a very sharp pain.

I expected my leg to be scratched.  Instead I was impaled.  

GRUESOME PICTURE ALERT!  

Frankenstein leg

My immediate reaction was, "Oh Sh*t!"  I tried to put weight on my right leg and, yes, pull the splinter out.  It wouldn't budge.  Oh Sh*t!  I thought I might pass out.  I grabbed my cell phone and called my son...my husband was out of town this weekend.  I instructed my son as to where he needed to come and get me.  I am so glad my kids (1) have cell phones, (2) can drive, (3) and can be counted on to rescue their mom when needed.  

At our local Prompt Care facility I hobbled in, placed my leg on the counter and asked, "Can you help me or do I need to go to the ER?"  They immediately took care of me.  

Here's my splinter/Sycamore wood chard

My show-and-tell

The doctor did have to cut the splinter out on Sunday.  I think every person on duty that day had to come see my injury.  I asked the doctor if it was the oddest thing of the day that had happened.  He said it was...so far.  As the doctor worked on me, I made my son come sit close and hold my hand.  He was my rock!  He'd look at what the doctor was doing and then look at me and say, "No problem."  

This is my wound today... 

where it is located on my leg

 ...and how big it is.  I went back for a check up today and the doctor told me since I am young (I was instantly a fan of his) and in good shape (but thinking he might have a little Pinocchio in him) it should heal fairly quickly.  

I wasn't stitched up on Sunday due to the chance of having a soil bacteria still in the would.  I have been taking two antibiotics to help ward off evil soil bacteria too.

I think my chances of being a leg model are nil though now.  Maybe my leg could have a cameo on some tough show like Sons of Anarchy?

I am happy to report that although wicked looking, my leg is good enough to be back out hiking with the pooch once again!  :)

Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Hootie

Two weekends ago, I was in Chicago with my daughter.  She had ballet summer camp auditions to attend and I had site seeing to do!  In between, we did a little shopping.  While in one shop, I saw some cards that looked very much like this:  

I think they might have been mass produced, but I didn't look much past the $7.50 per card price.  Of course my crafting wheels started spinning and a little of my grandma came out in me as I heard myself whispering, "I can do that."  

*****

Now, my grams would always have the best of intentions.  IF she ever did get around to making whatever it was...it notoriously looked like crap it was home made.  

Not being held back by my grandmother's crafting memories, I created the above card for my hubby and added the text below on the inside.  

He had to head out of town this week very early Sunday morning, so I tucked my card into his luggage.  :)  

*****

If you remember being in elementary school, then you know what a very important holiday Valentine's Day can be!  I made these cards below for my friends...

inside it says, "Owl be...it's me!" 

The perfect Indiana Valentine's Card.  I hope all my cyber friends will consider this their little treat from me to them too.  Hugs and Kisses!  ~Hootie

P.S. Did you notice my roses?  My out-of-town hubby planned to have one of his friends bring these my way!

xoxoxo

Groundhog Day???

Being curious about nature, I can't help but wonder...where, when, how and why did Groundhog Day begin?  

Of course I turned to Google to help answer this riddle:  ????

And because my past week has been a little crazy, I had to look up the declaration of Phil this year.  Did you hear?  I guess I was snug in bed, or else getting ready for my day when he made his prediction:  Phil's prediction for 2012.  

*****

I started to think of the few animals I have seen near my house over the past month and wondered what their takes on an early spring would be...if they were the official spokes-animal for February 2nd.  

***The Coyote***

Maybe he'd be sly like a fox and tell me to bring him two dead chickens and then he'd give me an answer.

***The Buck***

What?  Are you talking to me???

You wanna piece of me?  Rut time is it?  

I'll tell you rut time, you touch my does and I'll kill you.  

You come near my does, and I'll kill you. 

You even look at my does...and I'll kill you.  

***The Eagle***

Dear Human, come any closer to me and I will snap that little doggie of yours in two and then give chase to you and your camera.  Who cares if spring will be early or not.  Now go, before I get angry. I'm watching you.  Remember, I can see you from two miles away.  Go.

*****

When I commented to my 19 year old son that I wondered if Phil would see his shadow or not, he just looked at me and shook his head.  "That is the most ridiculous holiday of all" he told me.  It's not a holiday, I responded.  

It's just a celebration, and a reminder.  

A reminder that my birthday will be here in about six more weeks!  :)  Which means that the wildflowers will be here soon too!  Yeah!  

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Oops! I am out of town with my iPad and trying to update what I thought was a posting I started yesterday! I can't find my pictures on the posting. I can't upload from my iPad. So I will have to say, Happy Belated Groundhog's Day! I'll update this posting with pictures when I am back at home.