The Point of Snow Return

Photo by Dan Taylor

Ok, we knew that winter wasn't over. Not by a long shot, but still, the bit of nicer weather last week had us really pining for spring. We were able to get some cleanup projects finished outside and clear some area for a new series of coops. Just when we were really getting into the swing of outdoor projects, along comes a fairly major snow. The temps were still in the upper 20's so the snow was really heavy and sticky. While this makes for great photos, it also makes for no fun shoveling.

Photo by Carrie Taylor

There were plenty of cardinals around our feeder since most of their other food sources were covered by snow. The showy red of the male makes it a favorite subject to photograph but the subtle shades and variations of the female are also visually interesting and make for a great photo against the backdrop of the fresh snow.

Photo by Carrie Taylor

After the shoveling was done, the sun came out for a bit. It brought a great sparkle to the snow clinging to the trees. We treated it as a visual reward for the hard work of cleaning up the walks and driveway.

Photo by Dan Taylor

After a day of working outside in the snow. It's wonderful to come inside to a steamy bowl of black bean soup. Carrie's black bean soup has a warm spanish flair that adds a touch of exotic color to a drab winter day.

Black Bean Soup

16 oz Black Beans dried
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Medium onion fine chopped
4 Green Onions
1 Cilantro med. bunch
Sour Cream

Pre-soak the beans overnight. Drain and add to stock pot with 6 cups water, the medium onion, garlic, pinch of salt. Bring to boil and then back off to simmer until beans are tender (1.5 to 2 hrs). Season with salt and pepper to taste, top with dollop of sour cream and diced green onions and cilantro. Just a splash of cayenne pepper sauce to add that extra bit of heat.