Blackout

Last week, we had a very unexpected snow storm. The weather has been mild and the daffodils are close to blooming. But snow it did, all day. The children were very disappointed to see slush accumulate instead of snow. This might have been a blessing, because where the snow did stick, it downed power lines, and enjoyed creating chaos, in any way it could.
Those downed power lines, although an hour from our house, were OUR power lines. So, along with 140,000 other homes, we spent 6 hours without power. This, of course, is fun for awhile. Candles are pretty and plentiful at our house. And since we heat mainly with wood stoves, we weren't cold. (Other people were not so fortunate.) But I must admit, the idea of no electricity for days, doesn't sound so fun. What happens to all the food in the freezer? What to do with the clothes that are washed but not dried? No internet? No cell phones?  (How did we get so dependent on those pesky things?) So when the power came back on, I admit some of us cheered!

Music by candlelight. Our piano is so old that it even has candle holders, just for this sort of emergency.

Débora, our niece, wanted to make Pavlova... Luckily the meringue was waiting and ready, but whipped cream by hand? I'll admit it was a bit buttery, but the dessert still disappeared quickly. And Nathan's headlight helped for the decorating.

Weekend "Chocolat"

Jérémie's chocolate making days go back a few years. He used to fill raspberries with good things and dip them in dark chocolate. But recently he has gotten serious about chocolate making.
Saturday he enlisted helpers and went crazy. The chocolates were as good as they look. Try not to drool on your keyboard.

First the workers put chocolate around the sides of the molds and let it harden.

 Then they fill them with yummy things and cover with more chocolate.

Once the chocolates are cool and hardened, they take them out of the molds.

Then they decorate. This is very important. In French we say that we eat with our eyes. (Sorry, but it sounds better in French)

Did I mention that I love chocolate?!!!

Puppies one more time...

Our house is puppy free. A bitter-sweet feeling. That was the plan from the beginning, but we still miss those little balls of fuzzy fur.

Puppies Three

The puppies continue to grow and get cuter and cuter. We took individual pictures to help their potential owners choose a puppy but I won't put all 11 on the blog. They still look an awful lot alike!!!

Puppies two

We are enjoying the puppies and I think they are enjoying us. Some of us even more than others!!!

 Learning to eat solid food. Each puppy has his own style.

 Mélanie missed out on the first few weeks, so she has been catching up. She would sleep with the puppies if we would let her...

Friends are begging for more puppy pictures...The problem isn't that we don't have any, the problem is how to choose which ones to put on the blog. With a family full of shutterbugs and puppy lovers and digital cameras, puppy pictures are plentiful!!! Here are a few from the first month. More coming shortly!!!

 Knowing which one is which - very important to make sure everyone is getting enough milk - was pretty hard at first. Embroidery thread helps...

Laura is pretty proud of this puppy (she calls him Brownie) and of her picture.