Mmmm - Apple Pancakes

I made this scrumptious recipe the other day - first time in probably two years. I grew up eating them - I think the recipe is German and was handed down in my dad's family. Whenever Grandma came to visit, or when we went to visit her, these pancakes were a MUST! Mom included the recipe in the books that she was making up for my sister and I when she was battling cancer. We didn't find the recipe books until after she died - tucked away in a drawer. I really treasure that book!



I usually double this:

4 eggs, beaten slightly
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 medium apples, peeled and sliced very thin. Set aside. (I don't slice the apples until I've made the batter)

Add milk, suger, salt, flour, and oil to eggs. Blend well but do not overbeat.

Pour about 1/3 cup batter on 350 degree griddle. Place sliced apples on top. Flip when browned on underside. Remove from griddle when apples are browned.



Make each one a little smaller than a dinner plate. Two fit on my griddle, but I only pour the second one once I've got apple slices on the first one.






This is the apple side when done:



They are so yummy spread with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and rolled up. We won't talk about the calories and carbs. It's not something I make every day!



Mmmmm - pure comfort food!

The little brown sparrow and me

Not One of Them is Forgotten of God

God spread out the heavens as curtains,
Placed boundary to ocean and sea;
But He does not forget for one moment,
The little brown sparrow and me.

The moon and the stars in their courses,
His hand guides unceasingly;
Yet He stoops to give each day a portion,
To the little brown sparrow and me.

(Author unknown) - from NH's 'Gems From My Reading' today

Time to tie up some loose ends . . .

Remember back before the kids' Christmas vacation - I needed to pick up something for K's Secret Pal at school? Here's what I ended up getting - a stretchy lizard, alligator gummy candies, and Pop Rocks. Apparently the kid was happy, so K was happy, which made me happy:



For my birthday in October (I was 29 again) my family got me tickets to a Lorie Line concert. Lorie Line is an amazing pianist from Minneapolis and she puts on her "Holiday Extravaganza" every year, complete with lots of costumes. I've been wanting (and hinting) to go for several years. The concert was in Grand Forks, ND on December 21 (a bitterly cold day!) and J and I went together. Lorie puts out nice piano sheet music books, so we came home with 3, and have been enjoying them a lot! Here's a pic from the concert - at the end they invite all the kids there to come backstage, and dress them up in costumes, too. Her husband is the MC and at one point he dressed up as Martin Luther and talked about salvation by faith in Christ instead of works - it was pretty neat.



And here are a couple shots taken on the way home from our trip to Minnesota over the holidays. Rascal slept most of the way, but did have opportunity to bark at strangers during stops for gas. And the kids were a little goofy.

It's cold in them thar hills! (or prairies, as it were . . .)

The picture below was taken this morning and is one of our kitchen windows. Icey windows are not at all unusual in these parts, but consider that this is a triple-pane window. We normally only get ice like this on our double-pane patio doors. As C used to say when he was little "It's beezing dold!"




No school in our school division yesterday or today due to extreme wind chills. Ahhh . . . winter in Manitoba. Maybe we'll do some baking today!

This was in the e-mail inbox this morning:

WIND CHILL WARNING

TEMPERATURES OF MINUS 30 TO MINUS 35 COMBINED WITH NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KM/H ARE PRODUCING WIND CHILLS OF MINUS 45 TO MINUS 50 OVER ALL SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MANITOBA THIS MORNING. EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED AS THESE EXTREME WIND CHILL VALUES WILL PERSIST THROUGH THIS MORNING. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS EXPOSED SKIN MAY FREEZE IN AS LITTLE 5 AS MINUTES. WIND CHILL VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO MODERATE THIS AFTERNOON BUT REMAIN NEAR OR BELOW MINUS 40 FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. LIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECT TONIGHT SO WIND CHILL VALUES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE. HOWEVER TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO EXPECTED FALL BACK BELOW MINUS 30 OVERNIGHT.

Now that I've posted the obligatory "NO SCHOOL TODAY" notes on the kids doorknobs and turned off their alarm clocks, methinks I'll go crawl back beneath the covers . . .

Zimbabwe and Trip to Minnesota

I'm quite relieved to have just now gotten an e-mail from my friend Fiona in Zimbabwe. I hadn't heard from her in so long that I was really beginning to wonder if they were all right.

They were able to make a trip to South Africa for a medical need. They're spending more time in court over title to their farm. They have had more death threats, and one of their cows killed by poachers and sold to a butcher for cash - people there are just desperate for money. Fiona was recently able to buy a few basics, but because cholera has spread to their area she's afraid to buy certain things, understandably.

I was watching a news video on Zimbabwe on the internet a few days ago - a lady was saying how sad it is that Zimbabwe is now in such dire straits. It used to be one of the most prosperous African countries. We take so much for granted here in North America, but have no guarantees.

I've been a very negligent poster lately - it's hard to find time to blog when everyone's been home over the holidays, but it's been good to be together. We've done a few big puzzles together, and purchased a Wii, which has been fun. We made a trip to Minnesota to visit my Dad and B from last Wednesday until Sunday, getting there just in time to ring in the new year with them. We even took Rascal along - we've never done that before, but there was no room at the doggy inn! :o) It worked out quite well to take him, even though he barked at the border official on the way down. Rascal quickly settled right in at Dad's, and by the last day was even jumping on their laps. The worst part of bringing him was taking turns babysitting him in the vehicle when we stopped for meals. The roads were not great for the trip down, but were fine on the way home.

While we were there, A put a tub surround in Dad & B's main floor bathroom so they don't have to shower in the basement anymore. It's not quite finished - we're headed back as soon as Dad gets his part done (refinishing the window trim - they opted to keep their bathroom window). And then A needs to do the final silicone application.

I had a really nice visit with Dad's next-door neighbors. They lived there when I was growing up, and are believers. Mrs. O. was such an encouragement during our visit. I remember her as an example of a godly woman when I was growing up. She gave me a New Testament once, and encouraged me to read it. I know the Lord used her in my life. It was so good to see her again. I tried to get together with my good childhood friend, G, but it was not to be - we played telephone tag instead. Next time!

It was so nice to be able to go to meeting in Lowry and be with them for their fellowship tea. It was fun to see everyone again, and visit. As usual, I brought our camera along on the trip, but didn't take any pictures. My excuse is that the camera is bulky and doesn't fit in my purse and I hate carrying an extra bag. Lame, I know! I did take a few pics on the drive home, of the kids actually getting along and enjoying themselves in the backseat of the truck. Now that was a sight to behold and remember! ;o)