Monday, April 4, 2011

The Birds Know

We may have had snow,sleet and rain this week and cold temperatures but the birds still know it is spring.

I had lots of Robins, Sparrows, and a new bird, a White-Breasted Nuthatch!

So I got to add a new bird to my bird list.

Fat Robin

The first cardinal I’ve seen this year.

Mrs. Cardinal

The boys bird watching

I got to do my first giveaway this week,kinda exciting for me. I’m giving away a DaVinci bracelet from Coppin’s gifts.

Phil and I went to Irwin to meet Alicia for pizza at our favorite pizza place, Vincent’s, last night and to attend the first car cruise of the year at the Norwin Shopping center. Unfortunately the weather was bad and only a couple of cars showed up. I took this photo of this Dodge and played with it in Lightroom.Norwin Car Cruise LR2

MMMmmmm, this weeks recipe is:

Oatmeal Raisin cookies

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The last trick to getting a really thick, chewy cookie is to chill the dough before you bake it. You can scoop it and then chill it, or, if you’re like us, scoop it, freeze them and store them in a freezer bag so you can bake them as you wish. I find they’re always thicker when baked from the cold — only a couple extra minutes baking is needed.

This is a half recipe. It makes a couple dozen standard-size cookies. (I get more because I make them tinier.) I always feel like I’m swimming in cookies when I make the full volume, but if you’re feeding a crowd, go ahead and double it.

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slightly less thick.

The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

This recipe came from Smitten Kitchen and they were soooooo good!

 

The Eagle cam I found this week is just awesome.

Here is the video of the first baby eagle hatching

Decorah Eagles First Egg Pip and Hatch

www.youtube.com

‎24-hour collage of first egg pipping and hatch, 1-2 April 2011. Thanks to The Raptor Resource Project, Bob Anderson, Executive Director

Wins this week

Candles from Enjoy Lighting and http://debshere.blogspot.com/

image

Necklace from Shari Wacks Jewelry and http://www.mammamoiselle.com/

image

Nello Necklace

from http://countrycitymouse-pam.blogspot.com/

and Amrita Singh

image

28 comments:

  1. Thanks for stopping by and following my blog! I am now following yours! Love all the pretty pics you have of the birds and stuff!!

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  2. Hi Kathy!

    The cardinals are my favorites :)

    Thanks for following my blog . . . I am following you back as well!

    Have a wonderful day . . .

    <a href="http://ginaalfani2.blogspot.com/>Gina Alfani</a>

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  3. Good morning! New follower from Fun Tuesday Hop. Love the blog, and what an amazing way to live! I can't imagine how exciting it is to be on the road like that! I'll be entering your giveaway later today when I have more time! Drop on by and see me if you get the chance, thanks!

    Kimberley
    http://davisdailydose.blogspot.com/

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  4. New follower. Great blog! I look forward to reading more! Would love if you followed me back!
    Amber
    http://wellnesswithdiabetes.blogspot.com

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  5. I must try the cookies! I am following you (suelee1998) from the blog hop party, you have a great site. Would you like to follow me back? http://susansdisneyfamily.blogspot.com/
    thank you :)

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  6. I'm your newest follower here and twitter :)

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  7. How did you manage to take the picture of the birds?? you are so good.
    Thank you for linking up to our hop. I am your new GFC follower

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  8. I have a bird feeder that actually attaches to our big bay window. I love it!

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  9. I am your newest GFC follower, I am an avid bird watcher and when we see a robin in our area we take it as a sign of spring. Would love if you dropped by my blog at WV Stitcher . Have a fantastic week!

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  10. Love the bird pics! I'm following you now.

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  11. Hi there! Your newest follower! Just read your profile and took and peaked yourr photography, the picture of the Dodge, is fabulous! wow! great capture! Really looking forward to reading about your interesting adventure and seeing more of your pictures as I am a fellow photographer:)

    Please stop by my interior decorating, event design and art photography page and return the link love. Thank you!

    C'est La Vie

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  12. Thank you for checking out and following The Copper Brick Road! I'm returning the love and following you back!

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  13. I came by from the hop and am following on google. I love the cats! I bet they get to see a lot of different sites while you are traveling!

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  14. The birds are so cute. You have a very impressive picture collection of them! And the Dodge picture is totally priceless. I'm so glad I discovered your blog and I am now following you thanks to The Middle Matters blog hop and it would be so nice if you could share the love back on my blog:)
    And don't forget to check our new Blog Tutorial going on today. It's really easy and it would look amazing on your blog, so make sure you don't miss it. See you there!
    Happy Wednesday

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  15. Thanks for the follow. Following you back. I just love cardinals! Enjoy :)
    Debbie from nofiltermom.blogspot.com

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  16. @Design It Chic love the numbering tutorial..thank you!

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  17. Great pictures you have on your blog!
    Glad to find your blog on The Middle Matters! It's nice to find another blogger from Texas. Following your blog now...would greatly appreciate a follow back. :)
    Thanks and more power!

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  18. I am a new gfc follower.

    http://www.couponsavingsinthesouth.com/

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  19. Those birds are priceless!

    I found you through the Middle Matters blog hop and am now your newest follower. Can't wait to explore your blog some more.

    Would love if you'd return the love at www.decoratingdiy.blogspot.com

    Kristen
    Turning a House into a Home

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  20. I love the little fat Robin, so much.
    I am following your blog as well and thank you for the following mine.

    Lisa xx
    lisamarshall67@gmail.com

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  21. New follower from the hop! I'd love it if you stop by and follow back when you get a moment! Happy Thursday!

    April
    http://greenmissionmama.blogspot.com

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  22. I love the bird photos!! Thanks for following.I'm now following back. Have a great day:)

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  23. beautiful photos! We love watching birds too.

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  24. Hi, I'm the co-host from the Middle Matters blog hop, thanks for linking up with us. I'm a new follower!
    Jennifer from Just
    Wedeminute

    I homeschool my kids and the opportunity has come up for us to travel around with my husbands job so we are thinking about it, how's your adventure and can you imagine it with kids?

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  25. @Jennifer
    We did this with my two sons, two boys who hated each other and fought constantly...sigh
    It was a challenge but them getting to see the country and meet so many people was great for them. I didn't home school, which made it harder for them, changing schools and all, but they learned to fit in and adjust pretty fast.
    I made the choice that I we were staying together as a family and where ever my husband's work took him we would go along. I've never regretted it. There are lots of resources out there for families that work and travel, more of us living this lifestyle than you would imagine.

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  26. Thanks for joining the blog hop today. I am now following you back! :) I love those bird shots. We have also been having crazy weather. Snow, sleet, hail, sun...you name it, we have seen it. Weird!

    Happy Thursday to you!

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  27. We have robins all over the place right now!! have a great spring weekend!

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