Snowy Memories and a Close Second

When I was a girl growing up in Ohio,

I hardly remember a winter when we didn't have plenty of snow.

Our home was close to a small lake and ice skating...well...let me re-phrase that...

...trying to ice skate with my brothers and sisters was the high point of my winters.
~
I thought I had some old photos of us kids down at the lake skating
but one of the other siblings must have them in their collection. 

 All I found was this old photo of me and my sis, Barb, all bundled up...

...we even took a selfie...lol!

And why was I hugging a tree?? Really?
~
We would gather up all of the other neighborhood kids and have a blast.

Have you ever played a game called Fox & Geese?

It's where you make a huge circle in the snow with your footprints,

then with more prints, dividing the circle into quarters like pie.

The center point, is where "home" is.

Whoever is "it" chases the others around the circle,

 with everyone having to stay in the tracks until they reach the center safe zone.

Whoever either falls down or runs outside of the tracks is tagged...

...and then they become "it".

The deeper the snow, the harder is it...and the more fun!

~
Of all the fun snowy memories, making snow cream was one of the best.
I will never forget the excitement to see a fresh, untainted blanket of snow,
knowing that my dad or one of my brothers would don their coats, gloves and boots...
...along with a big bowl and scoop and fill it up with that lovely white stuff.
Mom took over after that, adding just the right amount of cream, sugar and vanilla,
and sometimes cocoa powder when one of us asked for chocolate.

Last February, we actually got enough snow for me to make a batch.
Here is a photo of some I made last year, right before Valentine's Day...
You can read all about it here.
~
It seems we get most of our snow around the middle of February...
...that is if we get any worth mentioning.
I do realize many of you have no trouble getting more than enough every year :)

 ~

This past Christmas while visiting Adam and his family in Tennessee,
my DIL found store-bought snow cream at Kroger, made by Purity Dairies in Nashville.
I was pretty excited but then quickly realized we wouldn't be able to get it in our area.
~
So, a few days ago, I needed a few groceries and stopped at Lowe's Foods.
I usually don't shop there but it is right across the street from where I work.
On a whim, I went to take a peek in the ice cream section.

Looky, looky, looky!
Thank you, Mayfield Dairies!
It may not be quite as good as the real thing...

...but it's a close second!

Now...if we'd just get some snow....



My Snowy Valentine

It's finally happened.

My long anticipated snowfall has come and left a lovely blanket of white...

...the perfect contrast for my beautiful Valentine's Day roses!

I came home to these lovelies on Tuesday.
Hubby was paying attention to the weather forecast...
...smart man :)

Their beauty against the pure white snow almost takes my breath away.

 

I know most of you are SO done with the snow...and I understand...

...but please be patient with me as I gush about it for just a little while.

I have been wanting to make some snow cream for several years.
When I was a little girl growing up in Ohio, this was something we enjoyed every winter.
It actually tasted and had a similar consistency as my mom's homemade ice cream.
As you probably know, it has to be stored in just the right temperature...

...right back out where you got it in the first place :)
This is where it stayed...right outside of the back door on the deck.
When you want some, just open the door and get it...no wet or cold feet!

So...when you are snowed in, what better thing to do than eat, right?
Comfort food...now, that's what I'm talkin' about!

It was going to be one of two things, both were frozen leftovers from Thanksgiving.
Will it be turkey noodle soup or bean soup with ham?
As you see, the bean soup won out...

...with corn bread baked in a newly discovered iron skillet.

I came across it about a month ago, w-a-y down in a bottom shelf in my cabinet.
I don't even remember where it came from but was so glad I found it!
Cornbread baked in an iron skillet....mmm-mmm g-o-o-d...as Andy Griffith would say!

My half had jalapenos and cheddar cheese mixed in the batter :)

Of course, there had to be dessert too, right?
As I was finishing up making his favorite Valentine's Day dessert...
...and I was putting the cherries on top...

...look what happened.

A perfectly shaped heart plopped right out of that spoon!

I thought that was the coolest thing!

Later on I went back out to take more snowy shots and looky here...

...the perfect (almost) snowflake!

Here are more, kind of clumped together but you can still see the individual shapes.
Isn't our Creator just the best?

So...we celebrated on Thursday since he will be off to work for the rest of the weekend...
...if he can get there!
It was a fun "day before Valentine's Day" :)

Well, the cherry cheesecake is calling my name...gotta go!

Happy Valentine's Day, sweet friends!

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