May Snow and Monsters

May Snow and Monsters

Chocolate Box Cottage Diary, Volume 2

Week 18: May 6, 2022

Normally, I would have planted my tomato seedlings in the garden this weekend, tucked squash, cucumber, and melon seeds into garden beds, and arranged my potted and hanging basket geraniums on the front porch. A forecast for May snow and a mid-twenties morning seemed impossibly freakish after a mostly warm and sunny week, but I decided to wait. I’m glad I did.

Sam and I decided to take a light-hearted view of the snow and reminded ourselves that in a few weeks we would probably be wishing for the coolness of snow!

The heavy wind and rain that ushered in the snow quieted the frogs, crickets, and birds, and brought up millions of red wigglers (worms) trying to escape drowning. They made a banquet for greedy and appreciative ducks, who slurped them up like noodles.

Weather also brought up a couple of monsters! Not scary horned creatures with bad teeth and bad breath, but unusually large creatures. Pictures dispersed throughout post…

Monster #1 Ring tail cat? No, ring-tailed keebler, better known as Jasper.

It’s not every day I get to have homemade biscotti and fresh raspberries for tea on a workday! So when it happens, it is special. (In the background are a Bosch Universal mixer and an Ankarsrum Assistent mixer.)

If you happen to be looking for a heavy duty stand mixer for bread and other kitchen tasks, be click on the video above, which compares KitchenAid, Bosch Universal, and Ankarsrum Assistent mixers! I’ve included a printable shopping comparison to help you pick the best one for your kitchen!

Variety of grains in the cupboard in half-gallon jars. These jars are refilled from 5-gallon bucket in the storeroom as needed.

Fresh raw A2/A2 milk and yogurt from a local dairy. The flavor is amazing: clean, slightly sweet, and delicious! I especially enjoy the raw cream added to English Breakfast tea.

Monster #2: Pacific Giant Salamander measuring 13 inches (33 cm)

Monster #3: Hyalophora cecropia, the Cecropia moth, barely escaped being squashed in the screen door when it fluttered in in the wind! Wind span of this beauty is 5 inches (13 cm).

With a beautiful, original story line, Enchanted April will whisk you away to a flower-festooned castle in Italy. Just what you might be needing about now.

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Have a blessed week and thank you for visiting! Feel free to leave a note in the comments, I read every one.

Blessings,

🌸 🏡 🌸Michele