A Haven for Vee

Saturday, May 23, 2015

It's Freezing!

Several posts ago now, I mentioned that I wanted to bake Lovella's Roasted Rhubarb Scones as soon as I could harvest some rhubarb. I baked them on Thursday when the heat in the house needed bumping. Oddly enough, there is no fireplace and no woodstove here. We probably could use one or both on days such as these have been. This morning, it snowed up north and in the mountains. Ugh. So tired of global cooling. (The weather in so many places is just plain crazy so I am a whiny wimp.)

My success with the scones may not have been great, though they tasted  good, especially if you love rhubarb! I may have to bump the sugar next time as mine were exceptionally tart.
~click for recipe~
Sorry about the final photo there...let's just say that my scones did not look quite as lovely as Lovella's. I can now officially document that the rhubarb in the Northeast is a month behind British Columbia (the Northwest). Figures!☺

 
Bazil's time with us is drawing to a close. It has been so exciting to have him with us. He has been responsible for my laziness this past week. I really haven't been able to get out of his sight without a lot of whimpering, distress, and general separation anxiety. He said goodbye last Saturday to four of earth's dearest and he hasn't gotten over it yet. He'll be over the moon crazy with joy when they all are reunited. Bazil rhymes with frazzle. They'll be plenty frazzled all right.

It's Memorial Day Weekend. I have been amused by the news reports of how everyone is traveling because gas prices are .92 lower than last year at this time. What they fail to report is that they are also up by .69 this spring alone. The old half a truth is still a lie going on with this kind of reporting. So, no, we aren't traveling this Memorial Day, though I know that many of you are!


This morning, I was out taking photos of the beautiful blue sky and the flag when I looked back at my kitchen window and could see clear through to the other side of the house. Thought it made for an interesting photo about on par with the shovel of last time. That's the Roasted Rhubarb Scone recipe perched in the tea mug there.

 ~my front lawn~

I never grow tired of looking up at my neighbor's beautiful lawn and huge oak and maple trees. Lots of people have been tricked into thinking that the entire lawn is mine, but I've only mowed it once.


A meaningful and blessed holiday weekend to my fellow countrymen. We pray that the United States will have many more years to do good in the world and for its citizens. We honor the fact that we live in the Land of the Free because of the Brave.

42 comments:

  1. Hi Vee, It's been crazy highs and lows this spring. Poor doggie. I love scones, but have never made any...don't know why..I guess I need a mix. LOL. Hope your weekend is a great one, bless you,. xoxo,Susie

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  2. Love that last line in your post. No scones will be baked here until my time of feasting begins after my time of fasting ends! I sure prefer the feasting time of life so much more. Love your walk about the yard shots. You might want Bazil's reunion with his favorites to happen outside and not on the floor inside...just saying. Have a wonderful weekend Vee and John!

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  3. We have had the coolest May I can ever remember. A lot of rain and cool temps. Right now I have a sweatshirt on and it is so wonderful. I should not get myself too excited though. June, July, August, September, and October (and sometimes November) will be here in a couple of weeks and I will be complaining heartedly about the HOT temps ahead. *sigh* However, I am thankful for what May has been.

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  4. BTW--- my people traveling to Maine ended up in Lewiston. (I still wish I could have gone)

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  5. I love the pictures of your sweet Bazil and hope all goes quietly and peaceful. We will not be traveling for sure...too much traffic and trucks on the interstates. We have had crazy weather here in the south too. 90 degrees one day, storm the next and this morning it is 50...I thought we had skipped spring and flew into summer, but now not sure. Have a nice day.

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  6. Here Kati and I sit talking about how chilly we are (she is wrapped in a blanket and has her sweatshirt pulled up over her nose...I am just chilly) and then I hear that there is snow a little north of you and I realize we're probably not all that chilly! (It is supposed to be 72 later today so we'll get over our chilly.)


    Love the glimpse at Bazil's day...so funny!! He will be a happy boy when he sees his people!

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  7. Good Morning, Vee. Glad you tried the scones; they sound delicious. The oven surely would have felt good on a chilly day. We lack a fireplace here too. John opted for a bookcase in what would have been the fireplace! (part of his man CAVE!) Bazil is a real sweetheart. It does not take long to get attached! Love the shot of your kitchen window where you can see the recipe and then out the window on the other side. Everything looks green and lush now where you live. Can you believe we bought South Carolina peaches at the market yesterday. Summer will be here soon! We never travel on holidays (and most weekends) due to traffic. We laugh because we get home by 6 p.m. even if we go out on a weeknight. Take care and enjoy the day.

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  8. Good Morning (almost afternoon)--gas prices here in western NY are $2.89, how in the world they say prices are down, is beyond me. No traveling here. Love Bazil, he is adorable. Love the window picture too, very lovely. AND it was quite chilly here this am 32* and had to turn the furnace on--in MAY!!! (and for the record, I am not a global warning/climate person,lol)--thanks for sharing all your pictures. Have a lovely weekend. Blessings

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  9. Hello, Vee. So crazy that you can't comment on my blog. But I'm glad for the emails! Those scones are on my list of recipes to try soon, too. My sister made a gluten free version (she has celiac) and said they were great.
    We converted our inefficient wood-burning fireplace to gas last September because gas is going down on the Island and electricity is going up, up, up. We have electric baseboard heat and with our mild winter did not have to turn it on once because the gas fire kept the house warm enough.
    I didn't mean to tell you all that - my thoughts and fingers got away with me. The thought I started with was surprise that you have no alternate heating in your home considering the climate you live in is rather precarious.
    With our Remembrance Day in November and your Memorial Day in May nicely spread apart we remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom twice a year.

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  10. Believe it or not I have never tried rhubarb. I need to put that on my list of things to do. Brazil is adorable and appears to have the same amount of energy as I have right now. I do think the rainy weather is affecting me though. I have so much work to do outside and the weeds will have roots to China by the time the weather dries out a little. We are also staying home this weekend and enjoying a visit with my 10 year old niece who will be staying with us tonight.

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  11. Brazil? Spell check is doing it once again. Tell Bazil I'm sorry I spelled his name wrong.

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  12. Hi Vee!

    Your rhubarb scones really did look delicious, I love rhubarb anything - I especially like it stewed with just sugar and a little water, so good on a cool day with toasted English muffins...yum

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  13. Well, so much for my computer letting ME be the boss - sorry about that!!

    Poor Bazil, our little furry friends really do have feelings don't they...poor guy. I read a blog post the other day, and the author said that she didn't know why we were so upset about saving pets, etc., because after all, they did not have souls. I have to disagree with her, they most certainly do have souls, and those little souls ache, when they are sad, and soar, when they are happy! (she's no longer on my blog list...)

    Your yard certainly does look beautiful! I love it when two lawns just meld together, giving it the look of a park, so gorgeous!

    Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  14. I'll have to check out Lovella's recipe. It may be in one of my "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" cookbooks too. Talk about cold!! We had snow here this morning and some areas not far from us had accumulation on the green grass!! It's very chilly today but I hear it will warm tomorrow and Monday. I hope! Too cold to do anything outside like planting and potting. Bazil is sweet and I'm sure he will love seeing his family again. Your hanging basket is so pretty. Have a blessed weekend and Memorial Day holiday. Hugs. Pam

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  15. I sure do agree with you about the weather being crazy. My sister was excited about the sun shining today and I said- "it's a trap! Don't fall for it!" Have a wonderful stayholiday!

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  16. I am sorry it is still cold there! Your hanging basket is beautiful. Have a great weekend Vee...

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  17. Best wishes for a wonderful and safe (and maybe nicely lazy) holiday Memorial Weekend, Vee! Hugs!

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  18. What a lovely post Vee. Beautifully photographed and well stated! Bravo!

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  19. The only rhubarb that I have ever eaten was a cobbler and it was very tart. I was not a fan, so I've never had it ever again! It has been mild and lovely here, but starting on Monday it is going to heat up! The good part of that is that the new solar heater on my dad's pool will warm the pool up in time for our California family's visit! Last year, between cooler weather and my dad having issues with his pool we didn't swim in it once. Not one time! Crazy.

    I love your photos - I love seeing your cozy house and pretty yard. Seeing your flag reminded me that I need a new one. I meant to look today while I was out shopping but forgot. Sigh. I do that a lot these days.

    We have no travel plans either for Memorial Day weekend. I think we may get together with my parents though.

    Deanna

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  20. I am curious about your gas prices....Mine are 2.59 many places and I don't think it was 1.90 anywhere here this spring. So you must have higher prices than we do. I never quite understand why.......And my kids think I am obsessed with the price of gas! I think it's worth checking all the time, even though I drive much less than I ever used to.

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  21. Hello Vee, Loved the photo, you also write so well. I always feel like I am seeing it through your words and tasting it at times! We are having the coldest spring I can remember! God Bless!
    Roxy

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  22. We're not going anywhere this weekend. It's kinda hard to get away with 2 little rug rats needing bottles every 4 hours or so. I have noticed that the gas prices are going up...it's about summer time, so I'm not surprised.
    I am not a rhubarb fan, so I won't try this recipe, but I'm still thinking of those blueberry muffins! They didn't last long. I wish I had one now!
    Your pretty photo reminded me that I forgot to put flags out in my pots on the new front patio. Will do that soon. Have a nice weekend!

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  23. I like your window through a window shot. The lawn looks lush and green. I just hope it warms up for you. We've had some lovely non humid coolish weather--great for getting things done outside without breaking into a sweat!

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  24. We sure have had crazy weather too. One day warm and we had a light frost this morning but it warmed up nicely later in the day.
    I'll have to check out the rhubarb recipe. : )
    No traveling for us this weekend.
    Lovely post as always.

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  25. I had to turn on the heater this morning...house so cold overnight. Crazy....
    I've never had rhubarb before.....but I LUV scones. :)

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  26. I picked my rhubarb and froze it before leaving to babysit grands for the weekend - both parents are running a marathon today. On FB I found a yummy looking rhubarb crisp recipe using cardamom, my new favourite spice.
    Do you get together with family to celebrate Memorial Day? Throughout blogdom I see some family gatherings and delicious food. Either way, hope your weekend has been splendid.

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  27. I have never eaten Rhubarb. When I was very little I destroyed a neighbors Rhubarb patch thinking it was a weed. I was scolded so harshly I lost any taste I may have had for the thing.
    We have had two beautiful sunny days and now it rains... for a week I think.

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  28. Your photos are delightful as usual. I bet the rhubarb was delish. Bazil seems to be settling in well with you and John. Probably won't want to go home.

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  29. The scones sound delicious, it is amazing how the tartness of rhubarb can vary though isn't it! xx

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  30. Honoring and remembering those who sacrificed all for our freedom today!

    I love scones --there is something about baking powder and/or baking soda that make baked goods so good, almost better than yeast baked goods.

    We are having "El Nino" effect weather --it is coming form a low over the Pacific and is bringing us mush moisture and cooler than normal temperatures. It has been good for the drought here in Colorado but will cause flooding soon in some areas, whch is never good. It is too bad soem of this moisture did not stay over California where they need the rain so desperately, but a "high" system to the east is pulling it all our way, so so says the Weather Channel--lol!

    Glad you took such loving care of Brazil! I think pugs are adorable dogs.

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  31. Your rhubarb scones may not have looked picture perfect but I imagine they tasted wonderful! I have child hood memories of a friend's mother who baked strawberry rhubarb pie whenever I came over for a sleep over.Happy Memorial Day. I'm not traveling either!

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  32. Hope you are having a lovely Memorial Day weekend. Love your pics! I didn't get all of my little flags out this time. I just got back late yesterday (from Wyoming) and have been running ragged ever since, working on my very long to-do list. I picked up Angel several hours ago. She is very sleepy, LOL. I'm sure the kennel was a lot noisier than around my place. I'm moving files over to my external hard drives so that I can download my trip photos. I'm anxious to see how some of them look on the big computer screen!

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  33. Bazil looks like he can hardly deal with his high anxiety life! Lol. What a cutie. I've never heard of putting rhubarb in scones, but now you have me curious! Wish you lived next door so you could invite me over to sample. :-)

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  34. New here. Your lovely pictures are a joy to see. We've had so much rain in Texas we are finally free of the drought, and our flowers and plants are growing like crazy.

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  35. Hi Vee,
    I love rhubarb so I'll have to check out that recipe. Ours is growing like gangbusters this year and we made some panna cotta with rhubarb and raspberry compote to top it for a family party this weekend. Delish! My youngest daughter robbed the rhubarb plant to make pie but we still have plenty left. We stayed home for the weekend too, the savings in gas was incredible. Lol, I agree, half truths seem to be the norm on the news. Unbiased reporting (as well as fact checking) is a thing of the past. Let the listener beware.

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  36. I have never made scones, but they look good. The sun pictures are wonderful, we aren't seeing it much down here, but we sure do have cool weather.

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  37. I've never made anything with rhubarb...but I do love scones! :-) Bazil is adorable and looks quite comfortable, lol. Have a wonderful day!

    Blessings
    ,Jill

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  38. I hope you can stay warm! It is cooler than normal here too, which we are enjoying, though they say it will warm to normal temperatures soon. Around here, cooler means not in the hundreds for this time of year! Did the scones not rise, because it was not warm enough?

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  39. Sorry that you are having a hard time staying warm over there! So how did the Bazil reunion go? I can only imagine! Hope you had a lovely memorial Day weekend.

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  40. I never seem to tire of rhubarb recipes! I'll have to see if I can find her recipe somewhere. What a cute pooch ;) I love when we get to dog-sit.

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  41. You are teasing me, Vee, with your cold weather. It is 104 degrees here today, in May!
    I love scones.
    Amalia
    xo

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  42. I'm always smiling when I read your posts Vee and today is no exception. It is quite unbelievable how this continent has the weather so switched around. I hope it warms soon and stays that way.
    About the scones... I wonder if it makes a difference what kind of rhubarb you have. Mine is red all the way through. More sugar can't be a bad thing... right?

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