Now THIS is what I call winter!

Photos from our friends in Weed, California

Baby it's cold outside................

and that was this week......

Finally finished Mary and Jarrod's baby quilt...

the baby is due February 7th- which is Chinese New Year

the year of the rat.... and my Mothers birthday!

http://chinese.astrology.com/rat.aspx Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening we lined up at the library

for our free copies of Three Cups of Tea.

A wonderfully written book about how one person

made huge changes for children in Pakistan and Afganistan.

Besides picking up our books we could munch on tasty bites

and listen to the music of Pakistan and Afganistan.

I love our library!

This past week Russell finished this years painting for the

John Day BMRO Rally t-shirt.

Later on he will finish off the painting for me-yippee.

Yesterday we met friends for Spanish Coffee's at Hubers

and dinner at Al Amir- the best downtown restaurant for

Lebanese food. Yum!

That's it for now............

It's time for soup!

On a cold winter's day nothing satisfies more than

a big bowl of hearty soup.

Two nights ago I made this creamy curried winter squash soup....

here's my simple recipe:

Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil, add diced raw new potatoes

and 5 cups of water mixed with 4 tsp of chicken "Better than Boullion" .

Simmer for 15-20 minutes, add curry, Thai Green curry paste and pepper to taste.

Do not add any salt as there is plenty in the boullion.

Blend well with an immersion blender or use your regular blender.

(you really need an immersion blender-less fuss and easier!)

Simmer a bit more, ladle into big warm bowls and garnish with

chopped parsley and toasted slivered almonds....yum.

Serve with biscuits and enjoy!

Then here's the good old standby-hard to resist French Onion Soup!

I haven't mastered it yet and the best outside of France is found

at NW Portland's Fenouil restaurant.

We each had a big bowl just yesterday....simply divine!