Snowstorm on April 2nd: A Winter for the Record Books!

Perhaps I should say a winter/spring for the record books! I caught these pictures early this morning before I went back to bed, pulled the covers over my head and hoped when I awoke it would all be a dream. I think it snowed about 3 1/2 inches.

Celebrating National Poetry Month: #2: Oh Northern Idaho!

one from the archives

Oh Northern Idaho!

Esto Perpetua

We

toured in the old, red impala on U.S. 10

from Fourth of July Canyon to Cavendish Grade,

Kootenai, Benewah, Latah, Clearwater

Boundary, Bonner, Shoshone, Nez Perce.

Cruised past rolling hills, cold rivers, wild huckleberries, pine.

Caught cutthroat trout, bass, perch, pike, and salmon.

Attempted rafting along the Lochsa, Snake, and Selway.

Harvested Austrian winter peas, lentils, camas root.

Mined silver, gold, lead, phosphorus, and dug new star garnets.

Spotted the yellowjackets, horseflies, junebugs, wasps.

Honored Julia Jean Mildred Francis Turner a.k.a. Lana Turner.

Practiced the square dance, rain dance, owl dance, jingle dance.

Found syringa, mountain bluebird, Cataldo Mission, Appaloosa.

by inlandempiregirl July 2006

Celebrating National Poetry Month: Poem #1: Filling the Vase

from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufock by T.S. Eliot

"Inaugurated by the Academy in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.Inaugurated by the Academy in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events." To learn more about National Poetry Month and a whole lot of other valuable information about poetry go to www.poets.org .

This is my third year of celebrating National Poetry Month on this blog. If you want to see the diverse collection of sixty poems I chose the last two years, check my archives under April 2007 and 2008. This year I am going to do things a bit differently. I have been inspired by numerous bloggers that post original poetry on an ongoing basis. I am constantly posting poetry, but not my own very often. This month I plan to post an original poem each day. Some are from the archives, some have been written long ago, and others will be new. I am also going to participate in the NaPoWriMo at www.poets. org. This is an adaption of the National Novel Writing Month contest.

When my brother was our visiting writer at our annual writing retreat last summer, I composed this poem based on one of his exercises:

Filling the Vase

Writing is wandering through the
garden path harvesting morning flowers.
Gathering leaves, finding fillers,
snipping blossoms as they begin to open.
Pausing to reflect and even observe
while paying attention to the smells.

Gold, chartreuse, and deep purple become the wondrous words,
thorny stems phrases cut too deep.
The combination of textures sort the sentence variety
over powered by the sweet scent of similes.

The violet vase is the vessel of form
Aligning the sentences, arranging the words,
Taming texture with attention to audience.

Place the bouquet on the farmhouse table,
or away for a spell to let the contents settle.

inlandempiregirl June 24, 2008

Spring Cleaning Day 2

Looking over my list of cleaning chores today I made a decision early on. I would need more coffee!

I always tackle the bathrooms first, but looking back I wish I would have put pads on my knees! I tried a new way of cleaning windows, but I just couldn't manage the window sill, dress, and bucket of water as gracefully as she did.
With another day of spring cleaning under my belt I washed my last dishes then enjoyed my new blue glass collection sparkling in the sun.
The day wasn't complete until the table was moved back out on the deck and I found a spring tablecloth. Then I could take a break and enjoy some late sunshine and conversation.

Spring Cleaning Day 1

....then I woke up and realized it was Spring Cleaning Day 1. I learned today that dust bunnies can multiply quicker than their live counterparts. I discovered a beautiful view of the yard after a window was cleaned. Finally, I was reminded of muscles that had been hibernating all winter. I need a soak in the tub !

Tomorrow I will wear my new pink apron and polish appliances! I can't wait.

My Own Orange Punchbowl Cake: A Keeper from the Recipe Box

There are many variations on the Punchbowl Cake recipe idea. I have a large clear salad bowl I usually use for mine. I made a smaller version of the cake in the trifle bowl above for a church potluck today. This recipe usually serves about 30. After trying different variations, I created this one myself. Trust me... this is easy!
Inland Empire Girl's Orange Punchbowl Cake
a 2 layer package orange cake mix
1 6 oz. and a 4 oz. package cheesecake or vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
1 20 oz. can juice packed crushed pineapple
small can mandarin oranges, drained
16 oz. whipped topping
1/3 cup orange liqueur ( optional)

Bake the cake in a 9x13 pan according to mix directions. Let cool. Cut cake into 1 inch cubes. Layer cake, pudding, undrained pineapple, and whipped topping. Repeat layers until bowl is full, having whipped topping on top. Place the mandarin oranges on top of the cake. If using liqueur sprinkle it on top of the cake on each layer and drain the pineapple. Refrigerate until serving time. Prepare a day ahead to enhance flavor. Serves 30.

Just google punchbowl cake recipes and you will see many other recipe ideas.