Hunting For Eggs

   Saturday was spent shopping and cleaning, and Sunday was cooking - specifically, stuffing a boned lamb leg. It sounded simple when I read the recipe but proved to be quite challenging. The first step was to marinate the meat, which I did 24 hours in advance, garlic, lemon juice, rosemary and olive oil. This made it very hard to handle. The stuffing was breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese, and I did finally manage to get it spread on the meat and tied into a reasonable facsimile of a lamb leg.
 
    The family arrived around 4 p.m. and the kids had fun hunting for little chocolate eggs around the house. They were very good about not stuffing themselves with chocolate and soon we were sitting down to the meal. Cauliflower soup (the bread I baked yesterday was a bit on the dry side), followed by the lamb leg, roast potatoes, gravy and a green bean casserole which Judy brought. Dessert and coffee followed - lemon cheesecake (Judy's best) with strawberries on top, and lemon meringue pie (Steve's signature pie). Not much left - we devoured almost everything!

   Bath time followed soon after and once the kids were in their pyjamas they settled right down to play quietly until it was time to leave. The dishwasher was filled and the counters cleared before everyone departed, leaving me with a beautiful Lily, a bottle of my favourite sherry, and a box of chocolates. Although I haven't opened the sherry yet, the chocolates are all gone!

   Since then the weather has been sunny but cool - a little warmer today. I got out on the tennis courts this morning, for the first time this year. I didn't play long - didn't want to overdo it - and there were just 3 of us. I should be able to work up to longer in a week or two.

The Easter Bunny Came!

 

The Hunt Begins!

Easter

   Yesterday was a holiday and, as the weather was less than obliging (cool and rainy), I stayed indoors and made an attempt to get the house in order for visitors on Sunday.

   Today was quite a different story - lovely blue sky and the temperature climbing - I couldn't wait to get outdoors. I had quite a few errands to run, mostly to do with tomorrow's meal, but I was home by 11:30 a.m. I whipped up a quick marinade for the lamb I will cook tomorrow, and got a loaf started in the bread machine using a sour dough starter I put together yesterday. Unfortunately, I must have omitted some of the liquid because the dough wouldn't come together. A quick fix (more warm water with some yeast added), some gentle kneading, then back in the machine to finish the cycle. Miraculously it has risen! Only on Easter could this happen. It is now in the oven and, hopefully, it will taste delicious.  

Risen and ready for the oven.

The finished product, ready to eat!

I saw the cutest little rabbits in the garden yesterday and managed to get a photo of them. They stayed for quite a while. nibbling at some moss growing among the raspberry canes. How they survive the winter is a mystery as the ground is completely frozen and snow-covered for months. But they look quite healthy and well fed. Maybe they are plundering my composter.

 



April (Snow) Showers

   We have had a few very unusual days, weatherwise, recently. Saturday and Sunday were beautifully warm and sunny. In fact Sunday reached 20C and I was finally able to discard all the winter clothing. Monday also was very warm, another record high, this time 21C, but extremely windy - almost gale force. While shopping I witnessed a light standard coming down in the plaza parking lot. Luckily no one was passing at the time so no serious damage. James and I went to the park but only stayed a few minutes as the wind was rattling the trees something fierce and blowing leaves and dust in all directions. The wise thing seemed to be to head for home which we did.

   Then, in the afternoon, we had a rain storm which lasted for an hour, battering against the windows. By the evening the temperature was dropping. It was 7C when I came home although the wind had subsided a bit. This morning we awoke to snow on the ground and the temperature has remained just below 0C all day. This had to be the day I had booked to get my "summer cut" so now I have short hair and a cold head!  All told the temperature dropped 21 degrees in about 18 hours so I am back to winter coat, boots and gloves. Too big an adjustment for the body to cope with!

   I am getting my furnace and air conditioning replaced in May and had the guys in today to check where it will go. Last summer the air conditioning was "on the blink" and it was quite unbearably hot on occasion. But, since it is located in the attic, it s very difficult to get at; in fact the technician told me that it would be well nigh impossible to get anyone to go up there to fix it. So now it will be part of the heating system, thus the need for a new furnace. There may have to be some reconfiguring of the vents so I will have to discuss it with Steve when he's over on the weekend, as he will have to help with the work. Hopefully, Dave will help too. I am looking forward to a big crowd (well, 9 of us) on Sunday for Easter dinner - roast lamb and all the fixings.

Crocuses

   Saw some crocuses while out on my walk today and when I got home, found I had a couple in my front border too. Also noticed someone has put up the nets at the tennis courts so it won't be long before we get a game going. Can't wait!

   I am making butter chicken for dinner today. The sauce, which has all sorts of interesting spices in it,  has to cook for a couple of hours then you blend it, add the chicken and cook until tender. Then serve it over rice. It's an easy meal and there should be lots of leftovers. It's supposed to be cooked in the slow cooker but, as I just make a half quantity, my pot is really too big so I just cook it in a casserole.