Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We have a hodge podge of shots this week.  The weather was all over the place with melting snow and warm temps and now returning back to winter cold.  

We loved the circle melting happening around the trees.

We loved the skating mallard duckies~

The snowplow made quite the mess.  They shattered curbing on so many streets!    Because the temps are warming, there are birdies singing and chirping everywhere!

Mom has her own cleanup to do in our driveway.  Back breaking heavy sod to move - oh yay.   

The hyacinths are coming up☺

Our orchids are still blooming away~

Puzzling is still happening~

Happy Friday the 13th!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Tasty Thursday

 Mom found this recipe on FB and she was intrigued.   How could Tomato Soup Muffins not taste like tomato soup?

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can of condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts (coarsely broken)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 2 1/2 TBS butter, at room temperature
• 4 TBS cream cheese, at room temperature
• few drops of vanilla extract
• 1 cup 10X icing sugar 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Butter an 8 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.  Beat in the tomato soup.
3. Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and spices.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix together just to combine.  Fold in the raisins and nuts.
4. Spread in the loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Our muffins baked for 30 minutes.  
5. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the cake has cooled make the frosting. Beat everything together until smooth, adding enough icing sugar to give you a smooth, thickish yet spreadable frosting. Spread over the top of the cake. 
7. Cut into thick slices to serve

~~We made muffins and not a loaf cake.  We did not make the frosting and we didn't use raisins.  We used dried cranberries because we dogs can't eat raisins.   

Check out the color of the batter~

As your taste tester, I say this is delicious!

The muffins are out of the oven and they are a beautiful color!

And now for the best part - the eats☺

They are spicy and taste similar to gingerbread.  You would never guess that canned tomato soup was an ingredient!

The recipe is a keeper, mom!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Almost Wordless Wednesday

 My snow is dwindling~

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday's Walk on a Monday

 We weren't able to get out until noon on Sunday.   It was so foggy and wet but it was warmish!

I wanted to be king of my snow mountain again but the snow was soft and I was falling through~

Hang on - I'm getting it~

Got it!

I was pretty wet went we got back home but it was such a fun walk after waiting all morning to get out!

The grass is starting to show.  Maybe we will see flowers this spring after all!

Happy Monday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Silent Sunday Selfie

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We didn't walk every day this week - we had rain, we had ice and mom went to the eye doctor  on Wednesday (our most beautiful day) and he dialated her eyes so walking on a beautiful sunny day sadly couldn't happen.

This beautiful scene happened last weekend.  It's landlady Maryanne's pond.

We found dried stuff too~

I did get to walk safely on the road~

And I was king on my snowy mountain!

At home, we are loving the blooming orchids~

This yellow one hasn't bloomed in forever so mom is so happy for her plant lights!

Will surprises never cease - she even had an African Violet bloom!

Happy Friday!

Yes, this is the latest puzzle~

Love ya lots♥

Duke

A Gift From Molly

 Guess what?  Molly sent me a purple squeaky ball yesterday for HER birthday!

I was having a blast making so much squeaky noise!

I sure wish that I could have met you.   Thank you so much, Molly♥

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Happy Birthday, Molly

 Many times, I think of all of the treasures that I left behind when Molly and I moved from Old Post Rd in Northford to our fenced in apartment in Hamden.   And then it hits me that YOU were my greatest treasure, Molly, and you were my best friend, who always had my back.   

This was birthday number six, the last one you had before we moved back to our old neighborhood, Molly, and it was so much fun.    

Happy Birthday in heaven, Molly.    I miss you so much and you will never ever be forgotten♥

Love you lots and lots and forever and ever♥

Mom

Seuss Day

 We love Dr Seuss~

Molly loved Dr Seuss too~

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday Selfie

 Mom and I were out playing in the snow yesterday and guess what?   She fell down in the snow!  She didn't realize until we got back inside, but all of the photos were blurry except for the first three.  I guess her camera got wet and she's checked it and the photos are fine now.  Whew!

Happy Sunday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

Mom's orchid is blooming!

Both Amaryllis's have lost their blossoms but look at the new greenery!  Do they ever bloom twice in one winter?

I did get outside to play yesterday and it was a beautiful day!

Don't ask me why but mom brought piggy outside instead of a ball.  She said he has a long tail and hopefully it will keep her fingers dry for a longer period of time and she was right!

I did get to romp in the snow which is still pretty deep in places that haven't been walked on yet~

Happy Friday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Thinking Thursday

 As expected, we did get snow on Wednesday morning - not a lot but enough~

Mom and I went out the back door to see if it looked any deeper than before.

She spent yesterday morning shoveling until her back was aching. She promised me that we would play in the snow today.

I'm counting on it, mom~

Happy Thursday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke