We are coming to the end of the shortest month. The one good thing about it is that March usually ushers in a little bit of spring. We are warming up a little every day as the sun gets stronger. I noticed on the weekend that some of the trees are beginning to look a little red which means that spring really isn’t too far away. I really know we are at the end of February when tulips show up again in our house. A cheerful flower that really does brighten up the day.
Walking
The dogs and I have not had much outside time this month. Mostly because of the cold and wind but also because for the first time in a long time we have a lot of snow. Finally the temperature rose above 10 and the wind died down so we decided to try the Rail Trail again. We had the most perfect day. The trail is groomed for the snowmobiles and if I stayed to the side where the groomer had been and the snowmobiles had not, it was good and solid and very easy to walk. We saw a number of the sleds go by and all were very polite. The dogs stayed right with me on the side of the trail and the people driving the sleds slowed down and waved. We spent almost two hours out there and loved every minute of it. We even ran into our friend Nancy with her gorgeous Great Dane, Stella. It was such a great morning.
The next day we tried again. It was a beautiful day also but a bit windier and as you can see from the parking lot, a number of snowmobiles were around. We only stayed out there for an hour but it was better than not going at all. Percy was exhausted.
Keeping Cool
With the state of the country right now I needed to take a media holiday. This I did for three days and believe it was the best thing I could have done. Katie gave me a series of books to read that I found myself delving into with abandon. I couldn’t put them down. There is nothing I enjoy better than a series and this one had all the bits and pieces that make up a good one. Certainly not great literature but wonderful escapism. Remember to take a mental break whenever you can. So much happening in such a short time.
Feeding the Body as well as the Soul
My sister came for a quick visit on her way to visit her new grandson in Boston. John pulled out the stops and made us Shrimp & Grits. As my sister said, she would never make this for herself but she really enjoyed it. We were used to it from living in South Carolina and it is a favorite dinner.
Here is the recipe from The Food Network for Bobby Flay Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
Instructions:
- Bring water to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add grits and cook until water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.
- Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned; drain well. In grease, add shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.
