The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

Now what is there to do?

February 3, 2009

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. I especially like that song "Wild Horses" Mr. Keillor sang with Andra Suchy and the Shoe Band. There's an energy in that song, a go-find-a-meadow-and-breathe kind of energy. Thing is, the only meadows around here are snow-covered, and if you take too deep a breath, you'll freeze your nostrils shut.

Seems every year 'bout this time, right around the whole groundhog fiasco, this cabin-fevery kind of crappy feeling settles in. Some people get crabby, some get depressed. And there are those who find a project to work on. Think about it. It's been cold and dark and snowy for months, the house is dusty, windows need washing, salt is caked to the floor of the garage where bags of aluminum cans are piled up in the corner, there's a layer of thick ice on the sidewalk, the phone's ringing, someone's snow pants are torn, someone else needs some black gloves that actually fit, someone else's boot liners smell like swamp water, we're almost out of wood, we always have chicken for dinner, why don't we ever go out to eat, wish it would warm up so we could go sledding, frostbite, schmostbite, it's too dry in here, now what is there to do?

Oh, for the love of Henry. This, my dears, is the time of year when you do all those things you put away last summer to do in the winter when you're cooped up inside. This is when you organize all the photo albums and re-write all the messy recipe cards and sort through your books. This is when you build the model plane. How about that candle-making kit you got for your birthday? Or the how-to French cookbook you received for Christmas which remains, as yet, unopened? Eh? You could always write a letter, on stationery, the old-fashioned way, with ink. Make an apple pie. Read a book. Or two.

Oven Omelet
This is a simple breakfast that isn't going to make anyone late or have anything but a pleasant morning. It goes nicely with muffins. Or scones.

1 1/2 dozen eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

onion

fried, chopped bacon or ham or both

mushrooms

4-8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Melt 1/2 stick butter in a 9" x 13" pan. Mix other ingredients in a bowl,

and pour into pan. Bake at 325 for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle cheese

over top and bake another 5 minutes. Knife comes out clean when it's done.