Wintery Scenes with Glowing Sunrises and an Awesome Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Some mornings I am lucky enough to raise at just the right moment that allows me to sit in my warm, cozy bed and enjoy the glorious sunrise. For much of the year I notice and enjoy it while I am on my way to work. But there is something special about being able to sit quietly and take in the beauty of it all.

Or how about this one?

This tree is off on the other side of the house. In the late spring I am cheered by the chorus of birds who seem to have their morning coffee and chats in my branches.

In trying to mix things up a bit, this is what we had for dinner. It was a hit!

Creole Spice Shrimp and Cheese Grits
via: Katria Runs for Food blog

GRITS

2 Tablespoons of butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cup water, and additional may be needed to thin grits.
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/4 cup EACH of cheddar, parmesan, gruyere cheeses.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp

1/2 cup butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons creole or cajun seasoning
1-1/5 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 64 shrimp)
8 ounces dry white wine*
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Garnishes: julienned prosciutto, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped fresh chives
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme; sauté 1 minute. Add milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; whisk in grits. Reduce heat to lowest setting; cook 10 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add cheeses and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. If they set too firmly when ready to serve with shrimp, add water or milk to thin and reconstitute.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add garlic, celery, bell pepper, onions, thyme, cajun seasoning; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp, and cook 7 minutes. Remove shrimp and veggies from skillet.
Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low; whisk in remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in lemon juice, tomato, and parsley. Cook 3-5 minutes. Return shrimp and veggies to pan. Stir to mix with butter tomato sauce. Serve over grits. Garnish, if desired.
* If you would rather not use the wine, use broth or lemon juice.

A Snowy Weekend in a Wiki-Up - Ethan's Weekend

This weekend Ethan went winter camping with Scott.

The snow was incredible.

Here, he tries to show the size of the snow crystals.

And the foggy lake in the distance.

They spent Saturday building a wiki-up.

They had to collect the tree boughs from another spot.

They built a fire inside and kept it going all night long for warmth.

I think that both Ethan and Scott felt a sense of accomplishment. They left a note in the wiki-up inviting others to enjoy it, hoping that it would not get simply torn down needlessly.

Arg Matie - It's Pirates at the Ren Faire!

We wait, with eager and bated breathe, for the return of the Renaissance Faire each year. We begin to plan our costumes as we drive home, exhausted, hot, smudged with dirt and exuberant. And this year was no different, except for our persona es. This year we went, or rather, they went as pirates. With the popularity of "Pirates of the Caribbean, World's End" you might imagine that we were in great company. Each year our costumes seem to get more elaborate. Mine stays the same. I kind of dream about the year where I have a new costume. However, when it comes time to make them I never feel like spending the money on so much fabric. My peasant costume took something like over ten yards of fabric to create. The pirate costumes were fun to put together. We made pants, shirts, sashes and headbands. We borrowed swords and knives. We put on tons-o-makeup. Ethan looked kind of cute, in a Goth sort of way, with all that make-up. His reaction to the make-up leads me to believe that he will not be begging to borrow mine any time soon. Ellie was into the whole thing. Neither of them seemed to notice that we broke a heat record that day. Ellie spent her time with her friends seeking out the nine fairies. Each year the fairies create some special little thing to give to those who ask. My current favorite is the tiny pewter acorn she got. She also loves the dragon tooth that came from a geode that was a gift from the White Fairy. The fairies in turn report to Mother Nature, who was sadly missing this year. Ethan hung out with a gang of guys, as you can see above, who made up a pirate crew. They were so convincing that people stopped them and had their pictures taken with the kids. It thrilled Ethan that people thought he worked there. Their pirate crew cavorted with the real crew and created elaborate, silly hand gestures to use when they spied the Gentleman Robber. It was a hand movement like drinking a mug and making a hooting sound. It made me giggle when they did it. The crew was also interviewed. A local television station was there filming. They followed around one of the actual Renys (the term used for those who work at the Ren Faire) that was dressed like Jack Sparrow. They came over and interviewed them, following them around for a while. I hung back. Thanks to the luxury of a cell phone, I could be mostly on my merry way. We would meet up at the jousts to see how all was going. It was a jolly good time!

Sledding Pictures - Makes you want to be a kid again!

Here are the sledding photos I promised. The blogging genie must have heard my prayers and fixed the posting site. Doesn't it make you want to go out and play int he snow?