A time honoured winter tradition in Canada -ice fishing -in this bay there have been dozens of huts since January but on the weekend many were removed due to the river beginning to break up.
After a thaw for 2 days last week, the bitter cold has returned - -30C wind chill this morning, still at -18C this afternoon with a biting north wind. Nellie and I headed for the evergreen woods for our afternoon walk to get out of the wind. It was beautiful, silent, with tracks galore in the snow -yes, the ground is still completely covered in snow and ice!!!. I heard some liquid sounding peeeet sounds behind me and turned to look for the source...way up just for a moment in the tree tops I spied some White Winged Crossbills -females by the colour. I was looking into the sun so could barely focus and snap before they disappeared. 
Nellie raced off and as I rounded a corner in the trail I spied a large black object up in a tree ahead -just the neighbours cat, but my heart jumped when I saw the black object up in the tree -all I could first think of was the Marten whose tracks I've seen lately in the forest.
The only thing worthy of note (other than reading all 3 of the Stonewylde books that I got last week) that I accomplished this weekend was to make a large batch of dog bones. I gave my friend half for her dog -she'll make the next batch and share with me!Ranch Style Beef Bones
(makes about 80 small bones)
1 pound (500g) lean ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups (750ml) whole grain flour
1 cup(250 ml) quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup (250 ml)water
1.In a blender or food processor, combine meat and eggs.
2.In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and oats. Add beef mixture, blending with your hands until well mixed.
3.Add water to form a sticky dough.
4.Knead mixture on a well floured surface (about 2 min), adding flour until it is no longer sticky.
5.Roll dough to about 1/4 - 1/2 thickness, cut with dog bone cookie cutter (or just cut with knife into squares or rectangles).
6.Place close together onto parchment paper or lightly greased cookie sheets.
7. Bake 1 hour at 350F, cool on rack.
(I usually leave mine in oven to cool after 1 hour with door slightly open as Nellie likes then hard and crunchy. I store mine in a container in the fridge , but the book said they can be stored at room temp. in a container with a loose lid).
Loved the Stonewylde books -read them in rapid succession, Thurs., Fri. nights after work, and on Sat. until they were done -now I can't wait for the next book(s). My husband poked fun at me ...now he is half way through the second one.
