Primavera en las Oil Sands

One good cake deserves another. This southern creation is a combination of efforts. Michelle baked a Butter Pecan Cake just after Easter. We both love pecans, and in my humble opinion, everything is better with pecans. I made some more of the frosting I made for the Red Velvet Cake for this one too, and as added bonus, decorated it with pecan chunks. Not knowing any other good method, I did it like any red blooded American boy, and threw the pecan chunks at the cake. Those that stuck did not not get thrown again. The method may have been crude, but the results were spectacular. The cake looked spectacular. The cake tasted spectacular. The mess I made throwing nuts in the kitchen was spectacular. After a week now, I think I have finally got them all swept up.

See the flying nuts missing their intended target?

Round Two of the shoveling marathon. I had to park in the street (the red truck) because I could not pull into the driveway, even in 4-wheel, until I shoveled out the drift around Michelle's 4-Runner. After 3 hours of labour, I was able to park in the driveway and get to the front door.

Round Three. The boys had gone to Edmonton for a couple of days, and I enlisted them to shovel before I let them eat cake. Marie Antoinette would be proud of me.

Another Sunday in Fort McMurray. We were hoping that in this picture you would be able to see the bridge in the background, but alas, it is not meant to be. Samuel, Selina, and Joseph.

The Captains.

This line is for Samuel:

Look at me. Now look at your man. Now back to me. Now back to your man. Now back to me. Your man could be standing here in paradise, but he is not. He could be me, but he is not. He does not smell like me either. I'm on a horse.

(this is funnier after you hear Samuel recite the Old Spice commercial with that studly guy on a boat, and a beach, and a horse)

Last Sunday we made Chile Rellenos for the Bishop, his wife Susan, and Erik and Rosemarie (and their son, Scott, a friend of our sons). While at the store, I found some fresh green chiles, and since almost everyone we know here in town goes to Mexico or the Caribbean on holiday, I thought, let's have good friends over for a good meal. Michelle made beans and rice, we both pitched in for a little pico, and fruit salad, and WOW. It was pretty darn good.

Round Four. After clearing off the remaining slush from the driveway, and removing the windrow from the street plow so we could get out, Samuel decided to make another mini ramp for some local snow boarding fun. Remember the November trials in the back yard after the first snowfall of the year? Well, we've learned something since then. The little shovel path shows how much snow we got in the last few days - something on the order of 16-inches, and the path gets you to the mini ramps:

So, the idea is to strap on the board, hop to the top of one ramp, ski all 12 feet to the top of the other ramp and have enough momentum to do a trick, you know - a tail grab, or a tail pick, or a 180, or an olli-olli-oxen-free, or, you know, right? We will let you know how this adventure turns out.

By the way, Check out Jacob's blog for a good chuckle about the Peacock Walk.

to be continued...