Snug the Joiner

Snug is my brother's Springer Spaniel that loves being in North Idaho. He doesn't see much snow back home in Eugene, Oregon so this morning he was ecstatic about having me play outside with him and follow him around with the camera. Whether Snug is outside making dog angels or inside watching the action on the street he loves being around people. Snug is a joiner.

Reflecting on Raymond Pert's Birthday

Today is my brother Raymond Pert's 54th birthday. I caught this image of RP and his dog Snug looking out the window at our mother's house. I love the images of our childhood church and the hills below Silver Mountain reflecting in the window. At my brother's request we had a homemade comfort meal made by Mom that included fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, canned corn, and salad. It was a family gathering around the table full of family stories, memories, and lots of laughs.
Happy Birthday Raymond Pert!

Silver Valley Snowfall

When I awoke this morning I was greeted by a new blanket of snow in Kellogg. It fell most of the day creating a peaceful setting at Silver Valley Girl's house as we had some time of quiet after the festivities the last few days. I did get a bit of exercise as I walked out and captured some photo images of the beautiful day. .This is the tree she features on her blog as it changes from season to season.

Here is the family "snowdog" Peaches. She just seemed to belong in this winter scene.

Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus were protected from the snow under the eaves.

Once back inside I caught some favorite ornaments decorating the tree.

"How do You Say Broken Yule Log in French?"

Silver Valley Girl saying, "Bon appétit!"

Each year on Christmas Eve my sister Silver Valley Girl orchestrates a dinner highlighting the food and customs of a country in the world. Our family has many fond memories of Christmas Eve dinners that have included food from Thailand, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and others. This year we celebrated France so it was my task to make a Buche de Noel for dessert. This is the chocolate roll made to resemble a log. I love to make desserts and was looking forward to this challenge. I had made other cake rolls pretty easily. I got a bit stressed when I had to beat eggs, put them over simmering water, then use a candy thermometer so they would get to a certain consistency. I have had bad experiences with a candy thermometer. Not only was the top of it cracked, but it didn't hang on the bowl correctly.I don't think I cooked the egg mixture long enough and I don't think I baked the chocolate roll long enough, but it came out of the pan beautifully and rolled up in the towel just fine. Whew! Relief!


As the roll was cooling I discovered the filling required more complicated steps using a candy thermometer. It had completely broke at the top by now so I searched for another filling recipe. I found a much simplier one that called for cream, espresso, rum, and cocoa. I could handle this!
I whipped it up and even made my first marzipan mushrooms to make the dessert look like a log ( it's a French thing).

The cake was cooled and I unrolled it. The roll began to crack a bit. I thought," I can piece this together with this creamy filling." The roll cracked more and basically fell apart. I stood there staring at this broken up log trying to come up with Plan B for the Christmas Eve dessert.

I found a large,clear bowl. I broke apart the already cracked chocolate roll, mixed it with the filling, sprinkled the chocolate "twigs" on top next to the marzipan mushrooms. I don't think I invented a new recipe, just a variation on a theme. I guess you would call it " Sawdust de Noel". It resembled a dessert I have loved to make in the past called Punchbowl Cake.

It didn't match the picture on the cooking sites. It didn't fit very well in any container as I packed it for a trip to Idaho. All I know is by the time this new French dessert sat and chilled for a day it really was a delicious dessert.... it just had to be renamed!
To see the menu, read about another small disaster, and see more pictures of this tradition in our family go to Silver Valley Girl's post here.

Appreciating a Place We Call Home: A Christmas Letter

There are numerous things we appreciate about the place we call home. The last year we have spent more time close to home taking short road trips that resulted in an awareness of the beauty that surrounds us here on Lake Roosevelt. Here are some thoughts as I reflect on the last year.

Top Ten Reasons I Was Glad Gas Prices
Were Too High in 2007 to Travel Very Far

10. We earned lots of free lattes on our espresso cards in Stevens and Spokane Counties.
9. When we took a ten-mile trip around our area we didn’t need 3 oz. toiletries in a quart size Ziplock bag. We could even take our own bottled water!
8. Annie and Shelby could go to Lake Roosevelt and roll in dead fish as easily as the Oregon Coast.
7. When I went hiking through the Settler’s Cedar Grove in North Idaho with my siblings I didn’t have to put a rush order on my new passport.
6. We didn’t have to go to a big city to see live theater. We went to the Sixth Street Melodrama in Wallace, Idaho in July and thoroughly enjoyed “Nightmare at Dream Gulch Or... Wake Me When Its Over” written by my sister Silver Valley Girl. She also starred , her husband was the director and another star and all my nieces had parts!
5. I appreciate good Idaho food including hamburgers at the Spragpole Cafe in Murray, authentic Mexican tamales at Patti’s Kitchen in Moscow, great coffee at Josie’s in Kellogg, and drunken gravy fries at the 13 13 Club in Wallace.
4. It is easier to take digital pictures at a mountain lake when you are the only people there.
3. When my brother and I toured the White Pine Scenic Byway in Idaho and JEJ joined us on the Selkirk Loop in northeastern Washington we didn’t have to search for parking places or fight traffic.
2. We drove by Sandy’s Drive-In on our way home from many ten-mile trips and it was necessary to get the best soft ice cream cones in the Inland Empire.
1. The number one reason I was glad the gas prices were high : I could travel the northwest and enjoy five-star restaurants, but it is better to drive four hours and enjoy Mom’s five-star fried chicken, potato salad, homemade ice cream, and apple pie.

Moments of Quiet

Before the holiday journey

With the to-do list done I have

Some moments of quiet.

It includes a mug of coffee,

The Christmas Waltz with Karen and

Snow falling out the window.

Pausing I reflect on

my dear blogging friends.

Your posts have taught me life lessons,

showed me beauty from all over the world,

and provided tons of encouragement.

May 2008 bring new books to curl up with,

a new coffee or tea in a big, chunky mug,

fresh inspiration for Sunday Scribblings ,

photos that brings life alive,

recipes, craft ideas, laughs and tears

with connections near and far.

Merry Christmas and Peace in 2008!