Happy New Year, everyone!

 
...and may we all have a healthy, happy & prosperous year.

11PM last night when I headed to bed (though I did sit up reading past midnight) it was 40F according to the front-porch thermometer. When I woke at 7:30 it was 20F! The next three nights are predicted to be cold ones.

11AM I finished my self-imposed chores and glanced out the window - it's snowing! The sun is shining, making every flake glitter. I raced outside and snapped a few pictures.

This year I hope to be more conscientious about posting pictures in a timely manner. The blog has degenerated into text-only, and I know that's not very interesting.

Last night I soaked half a pound of black-eyed peas with half a pound of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). This morning I rinsed them well (getting rid of the empty hulls, and thereby getting rid of the farts ;) or so I've heard), added half a pound of sausage and a few chopped up slices of Genoa salami, saute'd two onions and three cloves of garlic and added those, sliced two carrots paper-thin and chopped two celery tops, and added a cup of tomato and half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

And on advice from my sister-in-law I added a penny, for prosperity in the new year. It's a 2002, so first I scrubbed it till it was shiny!