Budding

It has warmed up about ten degrees and the sun has come out. I think we are experiencing our annual February Fake-out, where I think spring has arrived, but really it's just a tease and there are months of cold and rain ahead. The other day I left the house without wearing a coat and I wasn't cold!

This weekend has been spent mainly at home. Yesterday Vincent and Gianna put the kitchen cabinets back into their rightful place in the kitchen. I cooked a delicious meal of roasted chicken with mustard garlic butter and onion gravy, broccoli and a salad. I hadn't made gravy in years. It was so good and easy. I don't know if I'll ever make a roast chicken without gravy again. Next time I'll serve it with mashed potatoes to catch all that gravy. Last Thursday I baked a Citrus Yogurt cake with a lemon and orange zest glaze. The flavor was sweet, tangy, and bright at the same time. The cake lasted a day and a half, only because I was strictly rationing it out. When it was gone I mentioned perhaps making cookies next and was told that I really should just make this same cake again. Sounds like it was a winner!

While the kitchen was getting put back together (the finishing touches are almost complete on the remodel!) Dean and I were outside checking in on the garden. We weeded and cleared downed branches. I'm hoping to get the soil tilled before the rain starts again. It was so good to be in the sun, breathing fresh air and spying signs of spring. The quince buds and daffodils poking out of the ground are so uplifting. Our cat even enjoyed herself with the catnip plant.

I went to a little community knitting group this morning. It was fun to meet some new knitters and crocheters. We picked up Brownie Groundhog and the Wintry Surprise from the library on Friday. It is sweet and I love the illustrations. It would be a good one to add to our Winter/Christmas book stash that comes out of storage each December. Is it strange that I want the fox's sweater?