When I made up a batch of bread dough on Friday for use the following day to bake dinner rolls, I decided to replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour for a change. And when I rolled out the dough on Saturday afternoon to form croissants, I sprinkled a herb mix onto the dough before beginning the folding process. I had already grated sharp cheddar cheese into the dough and included sesame seeds so I thought the baked croissants would be different, and they were. Even more fragrantly tempting than ever.

 

 

And they made a perfect accompaniment with the vegetable soup that I put on to simmer after our afternoon hike through the ravine. By usual mid-December standards this week has been abnormally mild. So much so that instead of snow we've been getting rain. Those conditions have wrought havoc in the snowpack we had already accumulated, and snow has steadily retreated. Despite which, it's cold enough and we still appreciate bowls of steaming hot soup for dinner, and rolls to go with them.

 

This morning we enjoyed another treat in recalling that it's been a while since I last made waffles for breakfast. They're quick and easy to prepare, with simple, basic ingredients that call for a cup of flour, tsp. of baking powder, 1/4 c.granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup milk and a tsp. vanilla. Our old waffle griddle had given up the ghost a while back, so Irving bought two little griddles, one of which I use the other kept in storage. 

 

While I go about doing other things preparing breakfast, the little griddle churns out one waffle after another; about four or five minutes for each one. Which gives me ample time in between to feed the puppies, let them out to the backyard, prepare our fruit, and finish setting the table for breakfast. By the time everything has been accomplished, all the waffles are ready and Jackie and Jillie are champing at the bit for their share. Along with the sausages that accompanied the waffles.

 

The forecast for today was for more rain by late afternoon, through the night and into tomorrow morning. So we went out for a change in early afternoon. But even at 2:00 p.m. in the forest, on an overcast day like today, it's fairly dim, as though dusk arrives just after noon. Actually on these waning days of the shortest daylight hours, dusk does arrive around 3:00 in the afternoon, so that by four, darkness begins to rapidly accelerate. Most afternoons we walk home from the ravine in darkness.

 

The snowpack in the ravine has held up fairly well, but there are now growing patches of snowless terrain, and that too affects perceived light. Jackie and Jillie have taken to walking along the sides of the trails, to avoid the icy areas; they're slick enough at points to make even their little naturally-spiked paws slip and slide a bit. They looked in vain for sights of any of their friends at certain areas where there's a distant sightline to other trails. But no one seemed to be out; the forest was all ours to enjoy and appreciate.