Friday, February 15, 2019

Yummy Dinners and Snow


Hello Friends!! ❣❣

I hope everyone is happy and healthy! Yesterday I had a nice surprise, Alex offered to make our Valentine's dinner - I was banned from the kitchen! :) I'd found a recipe for Giant Tacos and wanted to try them out, so that's what he made. One with beef for him and one with chicken for me. We have lots of leftovers...I love that!


This is the chicken taco, he also made a Homemade Enchilada Sauce to go with it! And he made my Nacho Dip to use as a nacho sauce. He did everything from scratch, including grinding the beef and chicken. I was very impressed and it was delicious!! :) He even took the dogs out and fed all the pets AND did the dishes...I was Queen for the day! :)


This is the video recipe for the tacos that I found on the Food Network if anyone wants to check it out.


Earlier in the morning, I made my Sugar Pie. We had that after dinner with some cocktails and chocolate while we watched old episodes of Cheers. :)


We haven't eaten meat in a very long time, but we were both craving it lately...we've had lots of meat dinners in the past few weeks. Last week I pulled out the dusty old meat grinder and made burgers. Alex had his with beef and bacon; I breaded a piece of Tilapia for mine - I love fish burgers!  I was one of those people who ordered the Filet-O-Fish at McDonalds!! :)


The backyard....the fence is completely buried.  We are having record breaking snow falls here in the Laurentian mountains. It's very beautiful, but the shoveling...


Friend and Foe!!! I have a love/hate relationship with this thing...my arm is all better. I have a little kink in my left wrist so I can't use it 100% yet, but the snow continues to fall and life goes on right? Next year there will be a snowblower in my tool chest!!! (I say that EVERY year lol!)


The ever shrinking path to the door (Susan I'm sure you can relate to this!). Every winter we start off shoveling a lot to make sure the paths are wide, but at this point (earlier than usual), it's just about 2 feet across! We are running out of place to throw the snow!


Weather permitting, I'm still keeping up with my daily Charlie walks!


Jack in the sun. :) My little fella knows how to keep comfy. Despite the snow, February brings a lot of sunshine with it and I'm so grateful for that!

Cute little farmhouse on Prince Edward Island

The house hunting continues. I've found some possibilities, but there won't be any visits until the spring. We really were looking for an off-grid property...but found out that the bank won't finance it with a mortgage...sigh. We have lots to think about; we may have to settle for a residential property with power - which means a little too close to other people than we want, but again...we are still pondering our options!

28 comments:

  1. Queen for a day! I like the sound of that! Everything looks delicious as usual. I've only had sugar pie once in my life (made by a Quebecoise friend) and oh, was it sweet!!!

    Man, if anyone needs a snowblower, you do!

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  2. hi rain! i've never had a sugar pie. is it like a big butter tart? i wish i had that snow. and omg...that farm house and it's on PEI!!! how is it on the inside and how much land? i just love the looks of it!

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  3. What a perfect Valentine's Day! All round!!!!!

    You do do that, shovel wide, at beginning of season. Just learned about that, from someone in VT, where they get a lot of snow. But yours is closing in, already. -sigh-

    Living where there is so much snow, it really has to be a priority... Some sort of mechanical snow removal. Really!

    Oh that house is delightful!!!!!!

    And you don't necessarily have to be too near other people, having power. Not all homes are...

    And even though not all you learn, is happy-making, it's still best, to be doing what you are... Looking at the whole aspect of this home search.

    Best Wishes with your Search!!!!

    ✨ ❄ ✨

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  4. Boy, can I relate to the shrinking paths! After a while, both the height of the snow and the shakiness of my arms mean we all sidle around until spring. At least there is sun - that makes it bearable. I LOVE that house! You can always choose Phase 1, build up your strengths and talents and then go completely off grid with Phase 2. You youngsters have plenty of time. xo

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  5. Hi Debra :) Queen for the day! I love it! :) Yes, that sugar pie is SO sweet...you need a glass of milk to help out sometimes!

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  6. Hi Joyce :) I've never had a butter tart, but I looked it up and yes it's similar...I'd say it was more like the filling in a pecan pie without the pecans too. VERY sweet! The farmhouse looks great on the inside - needs some updating but it's so well kept, it has 6 acres and is $58,800. It's on the northern tip of the island, which means not too much population up there. But...as usual, it's a little too close to a major highway. Foiled again!!! Here's the link: 6 Mallett Road. We're still searching!!!

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  7. Hi Wisps of Words :) It's really closing in too early this year. I've mentioned before the last time it was like this was 2013. I remember that because by beginning of March I was nearly in tears with the idea of shoveling! Then I met Alex and he shoveled for me - instant love! ;) The house is too cute I loved it, but it's too close to a highway for us. I know the market will pick up in the spring, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

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  8. Hi Susan :) I knew you could relate! Single file these days lol! We are thinking of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 idea very seriously. Maybe buy a tiny little house with lots of acreage within our price range, then slowly build in the middle of the land for our permanent off grid home...I'm even watching videos on how to build a log cabin!! There is a lady named Dorothy Ainsworth, she built a cabin nearly all by herself and she's a great inspiration to me. I've been reading her story a lot and doing lots of thinking about how capable both Alex and I are if we put our minds to it! :)

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  9. Nothing like a picture to show exactly how much snow you do have! I thought we had a lot, but now I know I'd be shamed to show our snowbanks.

    We've been getting some nice, sunny days in February, too. Feels very good.

    My hubby has volunteered to do all the dishes from Valentine's Day through Sunday. That's a real treat for me!

    Love the looks of that little farm house. But you do have to remember location, location, location. And you and Alex want to get away from noise and traffic which you'd have so close to a highway. The right piece will come along. And I'm sure you're gaining all kinds of knowledge by looking at all the places that don't fill the bill so it's not a waste of time.

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  10. Your food looks amazing, and love your snow pictures.
    Good luck with the house hunting I shall be doing that myself next year.

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  11. Hi Rain, I love that your were queen for the day! That is so sweet. That farmhouse is adorable. I can see you in a place like that :) Jack...oh sweet Jack! My gosh is he ever adorable. How does your heart not burst LOL

    I have had sugar pie a few times. I like it once in awhile. It's much too sweet for me but George loves it! Reminds me that I promised I'd make one for him. That was months ago...hahaha I should get to it.

    So happy you both had a wonderful Valentine's xo

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  12. That little house is very welcoming, and looks like a terrific start to your homesteading! We are on the grid, but each summer we take steps to go less on the grid, and it's amazing how much we have learned in just two years! We may not have found exactly everything on our list of wants, but at least we are doing exactly what we wanted when we started this adventure! I just know you and Alex will find just the perfect place! My fingers are crossed...;)!

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  13. your Valentine's dinner looks delicious, great job Alex did!

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  14. That is the only thing I ever order from McD's-a fish sandwich. lol
    Hubby did a great job on your Valentine's Day dinner. Nothing like being Queen for a day.
    Good luck on your house hunting. Ours will start in this month. xo Diana

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  15. What a perfect Valentine; your Alex is a very thoughtful man.

    Good luck with the house hunting. It is stressful, but you will find the right home eventually.

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  16. I'm not surprised you got spoiled for Valentines Day! Alex is that kind of guy!

    I was wondering how the property hunt was going. We ran into problems too, with properties we were interested in that didn't meet the bank's criteria. But your home is out there!

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  17. As always, the food looks great. That's a lot of snow. I sure hope we have seen the last of ours, but you never know.

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  18. What a lovely way to celebrate Valentine's Day!

    You two are so special and brave! Living off grid can't be easy. Personally I could never have considered that despite loving the idea of quiet country living - and now we are so old I definitely could not live that way. I hope you do find your dream home Rain.

    Wow, such a lot of snow - take care shoveling and such XX

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  19. That is so nice that Alex made you Queen for a Day! That is a lot of snow. I am glad we don't have that much! Nancy

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  20. Rain, I was reading a blog by a guy who lives in Arizona, and he was having snow and bitter cold too. It's strange, all this bitter weather over such a large area!

    You should open up a little cafe somewhere near your location. Your food items always look so delicious and appetizing, I bet you two could make a fortune.

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  21. How nice of Alex to cook all that wonderful food for Valentine's Day. His food looks beautiful, too! :)

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  22. It all looks so delicious. I love and miss sugar pies.

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  23. Hi, I see you haven't posted on Scribble Picnic either ... am I missing something? It says the 20th and it is the 20th. I thought you might know as you seem to be in touch with Micheal more often. Hope things are well with you and Micheal. I have posted on my blog, but have no place to link to :(

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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  24. Rain,

    Oh good heavens all that snow and so much shoveling! I don't know how you do it all. That alone should keep you in good shape, huh? You always make me hungry with your foodie displays. Yum, I want a hamburger!

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  25. All the food looks so good Rain! Wow! Delicious! I can't believe all the snow you have! I'm happy you are feeling better, but please take care! Give your fur babies a hug from me! Don't give up on your home!! Big Hugs!

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  26. I love seeing your doggies. I am drooling over your taco night! I kept seeing that photo in my Bloglovin feed and wanted a bite! Mmm, fish burgers sound yummy. I am thinking of getting an air fryer.

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  27. Good luck on your property hunt!! don't forget to check out New Brunswick. xo

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  28. Thats a cute little farmhouse...is PEI an option ?? Holy moly ... this winter has been so cold and so much snow ...
    Ya the snowblower ... i know how that goes ... lol

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❤ Thanks for your comment, I love hearing from everyone! ❤ Why not join me and my fellow artists every Thursday for TADD? That's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! It's a lot of fun!
Love,
Rain