FOG. RAIN. SNOW.
Yesterday the fog hung thick. Blanketing the earth for the whole day. Usually, a fog will lift in the late morning but yesterday we shoved through the sodden visible air for the whole day. 
We have collected our experimental bale of silage. It is alfalfa. Very good stuff. The beef cows, full from their dry bale under the trees were less than enthusiastic but the pigs LOVE it. I am going to feed it to Lady Astor at milking time and see how it affects the butter. The cows milk butter changes over the year – it is the epitome of seasonal. When they eat green spring grass the butter is a good deep yellow. On a dryer winter diet it is much lighter in colour and a lighter taste. Fermented foods should be better for a ruminant (you would think) and this is wet too. Plus the proteins are held for longer in silage so maybe the milk will be creamier.
We will see.
I will make butter today and then again in three days. Then see if there is a difference. I always culture the butter, so I will make another batch of yoghurt first.
All the cows are locked up on their concrete pads now. It rained last night and will continue to rain today. And you know how protective I am of my pastures.
The three little fat pigs are more than happy about the upturn in the temperatures.
Mud is coming.
I am working on making little muffin sized steak and cheese pies. I make parchment paper muffin tin liners which has made ALL the difference. But I think I can roll my pastry a little thinner. They were incredibly delicious.
I have pastry left over so today I am going to make sausage rolls. Today’s pastry is just a regular white flour pastry. This recipe is the closest to the one I use.
I think I have a bit of a wet slog ahead of me today. This afternoon the temperatures start to fall straight down past freezing and possibly into ice and snow. So tomorrow morning will be interesting. Or not.
I hope you have a lovely day.
WEATHER: Wet. Wet. Wet.
Monday 01/22 100% / 0.31 in
Windy with a steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 57F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Monday Night 01/22 70% / < 1 in
Rain showers early with precipitation turning to a mixture of rain and snow overnight. Low 29F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 70%.
Sun
7:11 am 4:57 pm
Moon
Waxing Crescent, 26% visible 10:16 am 10:34 pm
c
40 Comments on “FOG. RAIN. SNOW.”
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Some days you just have to slog!
for sure.. c
It was pretty dark, foggy and dreary yesterday. And your pies/rolls-this is what I miss when we leave London. I suppose I could make them myself, but sometimes it’s just not the same. Oh, and the calf eyes make a beautiful photo. Easy targets for photography, all the animals. keep well!
Yes. There is always a photo!
Having moisture is good, but oh what a mess it can be when it lingers in the wrong spots. I hope you get some sun and wind to dry things up, but it’s not really the right time of year to be hopeful about that! We are so dry down here, and keep getting wind. I have not been able to gather wood in the orchard and burn the last two months. It never pays to risk an ember flying off somewhere starting a wildfire.
NO. I know of TWO families here who have burnt their houses or sheds down burning rubbish in a barrel outside on a windy day. I do think there has been more winter wind this year – really strong winds too – almost spring winds.. c
It was foul here yesterday, but the cold and rain has gone and the temperature is up almost 10ºC today!
Those pies sound good. When I was making mince pies for Christmas, I couldn’t help thinking they could be transformed into delicious pork pies…
Yes! Have you made pork pies yet? I wonder if we can find a really good really English pork pie recipe – I used to eat them every Sunday when we lived in Kent. Oh My God they were good! We don’t really have a tradition of pork pies in NZ though. c
Essentially they are a course pork pâté in pastry. This is the sort of proper traditional one I’d make:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/23/nigel-slater-pork-pie-recipe
Obviously small individual pies could be made instead of one big one.
I will work on it – the pastry sounds interesting.
Hot crust with lard is traditional for raised pies. I think it’s stronger and more flexible.
I can’t believe how our weather is always the same. Almost to the day. I’m in the centre of British Columbia and love hearing all about the farmy. I miss Wai but am glad he is healthy enough to be left alone : )
He is doing very well – and takes himself for very long walks when it is warmer – like today –
Our weather is snow snow snow with wind which makes the snow dance around in the air…but its just as cold
You will be getting snow drifts..
Parchment tart tin liners? What a GREAT idea, C! (Hate scrubbing off boiled over oven stuff; ). They look absolutely divine! Do you have any skates, Celi? Looks like you might have a lovely little rink there, once things freeze over again; ) and Wai looks wonderful. SO good to see him out and about: )
Oh, and thanks for the primer on the hows and whys of butter, too; I love learning these things from you: )
Cut the parchment into 5′ squares. Get a very small can to use as a mold (the base of which fits into your muffin tin) and simply fold the paper over the can, then place it in the muffin tin, I put the pastry on the inside of the parchment and fold both of them over the can making a muffin shape. It is quite simple. c
SO fabulously simple, once you’ve explained it; thank you C!: )
wet slog is right- judging from your “lake” in the driveway? Wai looks so great….hard to imagine how far he has come with all your hard and loving care! The photo of the calf looking over the fence is priceless!
Parchment paper is the best for all sorts of baking- I am going to try making your sausage rolls- thanks for sharing your recipes! Stay warm and dry and have a lovely day.
I love the sausage rolls!
I had no idea butter changed with the seasons, how interesting – and how devorced we city girls are from our food!
Quite foggy and wet in our area of Central IL as well, but thank God for the warmer temps, despite all the mud and muck.
Yes – it is great to work without having frozen fingers – it gets so painful.
Be careful out there 🙂 Your pies look/sound delicious, but now Mad has made me crave a good English pork pie. Laura
I love the pork pies too but have never thought to make them – I have ordered some gelatin sheets so I can give it a crack
The pies look yummy, and the perfect fuel for cold, miserable weather. When I was doing bulk baking of small savoury pies, I used silicone muffin cases to line my tins, they can be washed and used again a million times and stop the pastry catching, but your paper liners would catch more overflow drips.
The paper liners look lovely when the pie is presented too. I am wary of cooking with silicone unless it is very good quality – the cheaper ones sometimes contain additives that may be harmful. i am happy with the unbleached parchment paper.
We, too, have been socked in in the mornings…kind of like swimming in pea soup! It usually lifts by noon, but there are days like today that just keep getting darker – it’s not gloomy, just living in your own little world. The sounds are muffled – even the chicks are quiet where there is usually cacophony! No snow yet, just rain. Even the ski resorts are closed – that’s bad for the economy! Love the eyes over the fence with mom as a background!
The ski resorts closed due to fog?
Ha, ha! NO, due to no snow! “No snow yet, just rain..” You always put a light in my day, Miss C! Thanks!
Tuesday morning here looks like your foggy photo except we are -still- waiting for rain. When it comes there will no doubt be more than enough.
Scrumptious pies… I would be really looking forward to dinner ☺
I had to give the last two to my mother in law or I would have kept on eating them – they are more-ish
It’s been raining here all morning in southern Ontario. When I woke up this morning it was dark outside and I thought I woke up too soon but it was already 9:00. I didn’t think it could get any greyer outside but it has. Sun please come back.
I know! Sun would be so nice
Could you put your pastry through a pasta machine to get it really thin or is that just a bonkers idea?!
Hmm – we have to keep pastry very cold but i don’t know – could be a good idea – they must use rollers when they make large amounts?
I bet they do!
Gray, gray, gray for two days here and rain most of the day today. Had to spread wood ash for the horses this morning, the water on the packed down snow was treacherous! Tonight it’s mostly gone but the temp is dropping. Your drive looks like the bottom corner of our yard, first a pond, then a lake, now a seeming ocean and the equines won’t risk slogging through it to get to winter pasture. That, of course means more manure in the barn and run in, sigh, at least the shovel handles aren’t quite as cold as they have been. Think spring!
Everyone is getting rain but us. We got a little bit today, but have a long way to go.