Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[wyoDreamer]

Tom & Jerry's are so good! They are warm and comfy. Great for relaxing after Ice Fishing or Snow shoveling, lol.

@jvls1942
Sorry I am late to the party, but here is my family's recipe for Tom & Jerry mix. Those recipes with all the spices are not what I am used to having here in NE Wisconsin. DH is from Waukesha and says this recipe is what he remembers as a kid also (his mom used Rum flavoring for the kids).
I have a recipe for Irish Cream also, if you want it.

Tom & Jerry Mix​

• 6 eggs
• 1 ½ pound powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons dry milk powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks until light in color. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then beat in the egg whites until completely mixed in. Slowly add in the rest of the ingredients.

Store in the freezer.

To Use: Put 1 or 2 tablespoons into a coffee mug. Add ½ shot of Brandy and ½ shot of Rum and stir. Add hot water, stir until completely dissolved. Top with ground nutmeg.
We use a micro-plane to grate fresh nutmeg on top.

I keep a bottle that is half brandy/half run in the cupboard just for this use, lol.

This recipe makes alot! Some years I cut it in half - since there are just 2 of us here. But it keeps very well in the freezer. I usually use up the last of it about Valentines day.

 

[wyoDreamer]

We ended up with about 18" of snow in the backyard. Quite a bit of drifting, but DH worked hard and got everything cleared out before the big freeze. A snowblower in the tractor sure helps alot.

Starting to plan for gardening this summer. Need to get the garden area cleaned up and planted. Then I am going to start setting up a new flower bed just outside the window near my desk. I get to work-from-home 2 days a week.

I found out a mouse discovered my blue corn stash and wiped it out. I am going to be finding blue corn seeds everywhere, lol.

 

[Callender Girl]

The wind chill warning will expire today, but a wind chill advisory will be in place until 9 a.m. tomorrow when it could hit a glorious 15 degrees above zero!!

I was able to get the snow blower started and chugging away yesterday afternoon. I let it run until it sounded healthy enough to keep going. Alas, every time I would get it right to the garage door, it died. Friend Frankie is going to stop by this afternoon and see if he can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

The blizzard created drifts of up to 5 feet tall in some places and swept the ground clean in others. Unfortunately, big drifts landed on my ramp, deck steps and half the driveway. I am hoping to be able to leave the property today or tomorrow. I went to town Friday morning and stocked up on essentials, so I'm not desperate for anything.

Good news: with the blizzard over, the dogs have finally acclimated to frigid temps and are going outdoors to relieve themselves. More good news: They don't want to play around, just do their business and hurry back inside!

Planning a garden sounds like a good way to keep up hope that it will -- someday -- be warm again!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are talking 30-40's next week. Just crazy. Hope they are right. I've had enough winter.

Barb my dogs are getting squirrelly. They definitely need to go back to their daily walk and play. 15 degrees sounds wonderful. Hopefully tomorrow we can get back out there.

 

[Callender Girl]

Frankie came out, snow blower is a no-go. We finally got it running, but the hip-high drifts are now frozen into "concrete" walls. I started shoveling yesterday and hope to complete the driveway today so I can go into town tomorrow BEFORE the alleged possible snowfall in the afternoon.

Sorry your dogs are goofy, Lisa. I am so happy that mine are peeing outdoors. I wish George wasn't relieving himself right over the tulip bulbs I planted last fall. But anywhere outdoors is better than in the house.

Once I get the drift cleared off the rest of the ramp and can use the gate again, it will be interesting to see if blind George continues to squeeze through the railing or if he remembers to go all the way down the ramp and into the yard. I will encourage the latter.

Why is spring so far away?

 

[jvls1942]

Barb. it sounded to me like you failed to unchoke the engine after it started. I had to teach Annie and Dan to do so.
I am so ready for a warm up in the weather. I might take another crack at getting Ollie started..
But, I am going to still let the neighbor do the snow plowing..
Wyo, I like your recipe. only my mixer will not handle six eggs. I will cut the recipe in half..
my recipe called for cream of tartar. I don't think it is necessary. also, I think it prevents the mix from dissolving in the hot water..
My sister knitted a sweater for her little dog. He doesn't like it very much.lol

 

[Callender Girl]

Frankie unchoked the engine. It was running, weakly but running. It just couldn't handle the too-hard snow. I'm not having a good time handling it either.

Funny how a person can almost acclimate to this horrible weather. Although I still completely bundle up when I'm going out to do chores or shovel, for the few minutes the dogs are out -- and those are very few minutes -- I go out with just boots and a heavy hoodie. I'm sure I will be able to adjust to the balmy double digits that should arrive later today.

 

[Callender Girl]

The short-lived 18-degree day was heavenly! A friend who lives an hour away showed up to help me shovel, and I was finally able to leave the property.

On the way into town, the light came on to tell me a tire had low air pressure -- again. Weeks ago, when I took the car for regular servicing, the dealership was unable to tell me why the tire kept losing air, but they rotated it from back to opposite side front. That seemed dumb at the time.

Yesterday, I returned to the dealership and discovered there is only ONE guy there who fixes tires. Maybe he was off work the day I first complained? Anyway, Cody apparently repaired the leak (who knows for how long?).

The deep freeze has returned and brought 3 more inches of snow. Arghhhh!!!

 

[jvls1942]

yup, rotating tires is a sure was to fix a leak, for sure . lololol
this cold weather makes the rubber hard and unpliable. then it doesn't stay sealed to the rim. another thing I check is the valve stem. take it out and put a drop of WD4o or 3 in 1 oil on it.
Lisa, what kind of tractor does your hubby use to pull his box scraper with ?
My Ollie has just a 3 point hitch with only up and down capabilities. no hydraulic third arm..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Jim I believe our tractor is an International 454. Here's husband cutting hat with it. Sure looks like nice weather.