“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” Alice M. Swaim

Well. Phil and I finally got a taste of North Dakota winter – heavy snowfall with blowing snow and temperatures in the single digits.

Chloe in the snow.

Chloe watching for daddy; Smudge watching the snowfall.

My friend Debra and her husband are leaving this week to go back home to Fort Worth.  He took an early layoff so that they could get some health issues attended to and to be home before Hanukkah.  I will miss her company, but I am so grateful that God let us meet and become friends.  I hope we can see each other again some day.  Maybe our husbands will work together on another project!

We went to lunch on Tuesday, the day of the snow storm.  She drove to the teahouse.

It is such a fun place to go eat and visit.

Friday I followed Kim home and we drove around so I could get some pictures of snow.

Neat light effect on the tree

Kim’s house

Check out this devoted mommy pulling her boys on a sled in the snow.

Snow birds

I love these red trees!

On the way home I saw this beautiful sunset!

Friday night Cavalier had what is known as Midnight Madness, with shops offering huge discounts on their wares, along with cookies and hot chocolate.  I did a little Christmas shopping.

Sunday morning I went to church with Ruth and George a lovely couple that I met at the diner. George is 84 and a real character! Ruth calls him a jokester.:)

The church service was great, lots of good worship songs and a nice sermon about the Holy Spirit at Christmas. The Pastor pointed out several verses in Luke that shows how Mary and Elizabeth and Zechariah and John the Baptist, while in his mother’s womb were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was very interesting, I love learning new things!

We then went to lunch together and had a nice visit. I am amazed at how welcoming and wonderful the people in this little community have been to us. It will be sad to say goodbye in a few weeks.

 

This week I baked honey buttermilk bread for two ladies that come into the diner every Friday for lunch.  I also baked pumpkin bars. Debbie served them Friday night for the Friday fish special.  I also baked these Orange Cranberry Bread loaves.

Cranberry Bread

Tangy cranberries spark up this buttery nut bread recipe.  Make and freeze these quick breads up to eight weeks before Christmas for holiday giving.

Ingredients

• 2 c flour, all-purpose
• 1 c sugar, granulated
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 t baking powder
• 1⁄2 t baking soda
• 1⁄2 t salt
• 1 c walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 c cranberries, fresh whole
• 3⁄4 c orange juice
• 1⁄4 c vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 t orange rind, fresh grated

Instructions

Stir together in a large bowl: flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt.

When well blended, add walnuts and cranberries. Stir to coat nuts and berries.

In a separate bowl, stir orange juice, vegetable oil, egg and orange rind with a fork until well blended.

Pour over the dry ingredients; stir just until dry ingredients are completely blended into wet ingredients.

Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan or 3 mini-loaf pans (line bottom with wax paper). (I grease the pan by spraying it with Pam, then place the waxed paper on the bottom, and I spray it with Pam also.)

Bake 350 for 60-70 minutes. Check it at 60...top should feel firm not soft when gently pushed. Turn out on cake rack. Peel off waxed paper. Turn bread upright and cool on rack.

Makes 1 large loaf or 3 mini-loaves.

If you like cranberry then this is a great recipe. I think I’d prefer it without the cranberries, though that would probably seem weird.

I won three books this week.

'Bo's Cafe,  'A Change in Altitude' and 'The Murder of King Tut'!

So that was our week. God bless!