tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post5123868100113711507..comments2024-03-12T14:02:09.820-04:00Comments on Riverdaze…: SNOW AND IRISH SODA BREADGrizz…………http://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-3006690278718489182009-01-30T07:57:00.000-05:002009-01-30T07:57:00.000-05:00Weaver…It's 18 degrees F. here this morning. Sun n...Weaver…<BR/><BR/>It's 18 degrees F. here this morning. Sun not quite up, but still light enough. About 8 inches of snow on the ground, and a layer of ice about halfway down that won't quite support Moon the dog as she makes her morning round; she breaks through about ever third step. Snow flurries forecast for the day. <BR/><BR/>I've fed the birds and they're beginning to gather at the feeders and on the ground. I have to get myself up the drive (if the Jeep will make it) to the road in a few minutes, and make a run about 20 miles north. Roads are not good where I'm going, with lots of drifting snow. Then back here to do some work and an appointment at the medical center just after noon. I'm going to try and get out a blog entry in-between.<BR/><BR/>Your cottage pie sounds delicious. I may give that a try in the next few days. Sounds much like a shepherd's pie. I also like cabbage fried with apples, and though I sometimes add bits of sausage or bacon, I've never added onions or cranberries.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I'll drop by your blog sooner or later today. I never miss reading it—though I waited too long to get aboard the boat. That's why I fixed y'all dinner.Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-40431086283370181332009-01-30T06:52:00.000-05:002009-01-30T06:52:00.000-05:00Scribe - I agree about the good hearty food in col...Scribe - I agree about the good hearty food in cold weather. When the farmer comes in for his dinner he doesn't want a plate of salad (although it might do my waistline a lot of good). Snow is forecast here today (see my blog) and I have just put a beef cottage pie in the oven - minced (ground) beef steak, onions, carrots and tinned tomatoes with a topping of mashed potatoe and gruyere cheese and nutmeg. Should be ready in half an hour from now and we shall eat it with stir fried red cabbage,apples, onions and cranberries. As for the Irish soda bread, we had that every morning in Southern Ireland a few years ago when we stayed on a farm. Brilliant. Yours looks delicious - wish I could row down your river and pop in for some. Your river - and your writing about it - is magical. Keep warm and enjoy looking out on the snow.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-36546867215185337812009-01-29T11:49:00.000-05:002009-01-29T11:49:00.000-05:00Gig…Nope. Guess I should have said. The photo in t...Gig…<BR/><BR/>Nope. Guess I should have said. The photo in the piece looks upstream from the cottage; the herons were downstream. Maybe 250 yards. Too far for my biggest lens (300mm). By contrast, the heron shot at the top was taken from 150 feet with a 200mm zoom—zoomed at whatever focal length it took to compose the scene; about 125mm I'd guess.<BR/><BR/>Gotta do some of that shortbread.Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-66768182892521325892009-01-29T11:26:00.000-05:002009-01-29T11:26:00.000-05:00gig...short for giggles...a nickname...a blogging ...gig...short for giggles...a nickname...a blogging buddy did it and I liked it....<BR/><BR/>Aaaaaaah...got it! Nope, I've never seen one of those...<BR/><BR/>Shortbread was good! <BR/><BR/>Enjoy todays visitors!<BR/><BR/>Hey, Were the 3 herons in your picture somewhere? I searched...but could not find....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-43068193768931276982009-01-29T10:13:00.000-05:002009-01-29T10:13:00.000-05:00Solitary…Do try the bread. It must be covered duri...Solitary…<BR/><BR/>Do try the bread. It must be covered during the initial 30 minutes of baking—and if you don't have a Dutch oven with a lid or do a makeshift lid with an extra iron skillet, figure out some other way. The finished loaf will have risen to 4-5 inches, to give you an idea of the necessary headroom.<BR/><BR/>Also, this is a heavy, dense-textured bread that needs chewing—a real stick-to-your-ribs bread. Makes great toast, or fried toast. But it doesn't keep well—a few days when wrapped in plastic; it freshens back up well, though, with a zap in the microwave.Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-70573700485364485202009-01-29T10:02:00.000-05:002009-01-29T10:02:00.000-05:00Gig? Are we now "Gig? " A Giggles by another name?...Gig? Are we now "Gig? " A Giggles by another name?<BR/><BR/>Anyway…yes the bread variation was excellent. I intend to do it again next time I make this bread.<BR/><BR/>Hey, don't let my "snowbird" throw you. I was referring to the snow bunting. Snowbird is what a lot of folks call them, what I've heard all my life.; the bird in the title of the Anne Murray song. Peterson includes juncos as also being sometimes termed "snowbirds'" but I've never heard anyone who knew much about birds call a junco a snowbird—plus juncos are common here in Ohio and southward during the winter; snow buntings aren't. They are more common in the northern part of Ohio in winter, and of course, up the Eastern Seaboard, but here in my corner of Buckeyeland, I'm lucky if I see a flock of snow buntings annually. Snow buntings always show so much white—they just look like snowbirds. <BR/><BR/>I'll confess, too, to liking the old names for things—names common, regional, or folkloric. They'e often so much prettier, or better when it comes to actually describing some aspect or characteristic of the plant or animal. <BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong, scientific names have their place—but for me, that red-breasted bird darting around an Ohio yard in April can just be called a robin rather than an American robin.Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-84211379155475694832009-01-29T09:24:00.000-05:002009-01-29T09:24:00.000-05:00Mmm... Sounds good. We made a beef stew the other ...Mmm... Sounds good. We made a beef stew the other day and it was absolutely delicious. Will try the soda bread recipe and let you know how I got on...The Solitary Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11284354541952038339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-90295787903587521622009-01-29T07:41:00.000-05:002009-01-29T07:41:00.000-05:00Your ad lib sounds delish! Will definately give s...Your ad lib sounds delish! Will definately give soda bread a whirl...!<BR/><BR/>Snowbird? I'll have to look that one up...never heard of it!<BR/><BR/>We have a sheen of ice over the remainder of snow that didn't melt...but the kids do go back to school today.... yay!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-31475118638744428712009-01-28T20:42:00.000-05:002009-01-28T20:42:00.000-05:00Giggles…Stew and soda bread was delicious. Give th...Giggles…<BR/><BR/>Stew and soda bread was delicious. Give the bread a try sometime—I bet you'll like it. Later in the day, I took a slice, pulled it into small chunks, put about three peach halves atop (like strawberry shortcake) poured over some of the juice, added a dollop of whipped cream…pretty good.<BR/><BR/>Had all sorts of birds here—including robins (first ever actually at the feeder area) and a few pine siskins, which aren't too common here either. And maybe a snowbird, though I got only a glimpse and can't claim it for sure.<BR/><BR/>Stay warm!Grizz…………https://www.blogger.com/profile/04828454689578685330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3322683719539438825.post-66427789087709015102009-01-28T19:20:00.000-05:002009-01-28T19:20:00.000-05:00Ok , well... I'm not gonna try something new, lik...Ok , well... I'm not gonna try something new, like your soda bread, tonight.... But I am inspired to make some shortbread! Thanks for the inspiration!<BR/><BR/>PS...I spied a different bird today...not exactly sure who...maybe a pine siskin or some sort of sparrow not prevalent around here... It was at the finch feeder, but no red or purple on it, so I think not a house/purple finch....and definately not a goldfinch... I know those pretty well... I'll keep my eyes open for more visits!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com