We have had two resident rabbits for a number of years now. They periodically "change" ~ we have had a black one and a brown one, a black one and a grey one, and, most recently, these two brown ones. Cottontails. One is very tame and comes right to us, the other is a little shy and waits until his/her buddy has approached and he/she knows it is safe. The different pairs have burrowed in the garden and we have seen a few babies (which are the cutest things) but the hawks soon grab them. Cruel but necessary, I suppose.
I also put out carrot peelings, broccoli stalks, etc. for them but they prefer Cheerios and crusts of my homemade bread. Bunnies after my own heart.
The tame one pokes his/her head right in the door ~
It is snowing like crazy right now. I am not getting out of my jammies today (again). The bird feeders are full and it is wonderful to watch all the activity. There are juncos, a flicker (on the suet feeder), a varied thrush, towhees, pine siskins. I haven't seen any chickadees today. Perhaps -4C is too cold for them. I know it is too cold for me.
This is what I will be working on today ~ Kinsol Trestle Vest
I made these cakes about six weeks ago and they are presently in their sherry-soaked cheesecloth blankies in tins in the garage. I must bring them in today for a little top-up of Harvey's Bristol Cream.
The recipe is my grandmother's and whenever I make it I return to childhood memories of the tasks I was charged with. First of all, I would chop the fruit. The cherries had to be halved and the pineapple cut into chunks. The candied peel came already chopped ~
Mixed up in a large bowl with currants and raisins, soaked with sherry and allowed to soak overnight ~
Add in the nuts, eggs and flour mixture ~
My next job was to line the pans. Mum taught me how to carefully cut the parchment paper (which in those days was brown) so that it fit the pans. I loved this part ~
The mixture is so stiff you have to get in there with your hands to get every piece of fruit and nut coated ~
Then into the oven for a long slow bake ~
And, voila ~
Once they were cooled, my next job was to soak the cheesecloth in brandy or sherry (I used sherry this year) and wrap up the cakes ~
The tins I store them in must be at least 50 years old, passed from my grandmother to my mum to me ~
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