January, all white and cold

Another big snowstorm today and cold temps to follow.  Its timing was very good, though, since I had to have the chimney people on the condo roof today (not where I live), and had to get over there to let them in.  They arrived promptly, first visit of their workday, got the work done promptly, left promptly, I got home safely, all is in order.  

A few minutes later the snow started and in minutes the roof was snow covered.  They don't go up on roofs in snow.  And since I'd been trying to get them since November, I was pretty happy that it finally got done, weather having put us off more than once already, way past the HOA deadline.  This is good.  The certificate is now in the mail.  If the mailman gets round in the snow, that is.

My snow prep yesterday included filling the bird feeder and the suet holder, so there's a mighty flock of juncoes out there feeding madly before the cold comes.  You can't detect them in pictures, because they blend in so well with the snow and branches, but there's at least a dozen around the tree.

So today, yet again, is homemade bread, veggie soup, blackberries with yogurt and brown sugar.  I've started baking my bread in a giant teflon casserole, and it works just great.  The entire recipe goes in the one container, I bake it at 450F. an hour and ten or so, and the crust is great.  Also it's big enough to make sandwiches, a big point in homemade bread.  It does look a bit Brobdingnagian, must admit.

Then there's stitching -- new piece in goldwork and other stuff on green linen -- and various DVDs from the libe.  White Queen on CD while I stitch.   All good.  Trying not to think about my neighbor who left this morning for three weeks in sunny Puerto Rico.