Everybody loves Raymond, if by Raymond you mean horse tranquilizers.

.
After 5 weeks we finally went for a bit of a walk around our property. Until then we had not ventured forth into the woods. The snow is still thick on the ground out there in parts and it's not that easy to walk in. I almost broke my neck stepping in some deep parts of snow.

We found all kinds of animal prints on our walk. Lots of Moose and deer tracks and some big cat prints.

The Colonel insisted we take guns in case the wild beasties saw us walking around and felt like a little snack. I wore a belt around my waist with a leg holster attached to my thigh. I felt like Lara Croft in that ensemble! Surprisingly it was not cumbersome at all.

We only traversed a fraction of the land before it started getting dark but what we saw was beautiful. I wish my sister in Australia was here, She loves walking through nature.

..

I still can't believe this is all my backyard.
.

Let it snow

.

Countess Chichi is a snow bunny. Well not quite, but I did visit a ski resort this afternoon and even went on a thrilling chair lift ride.

Mount Schweitzer Resort is in our in small town. In fact we can see its snow capped peak from our home. At night time we have a view of the well lit ski runs, the lights of which look like diamonds glistening against the black velvet night.

.

Ever since an unfortunate skiing incident at Lake Mountain some years ago, I have sworn off the sport. My foray into cross country skiing ended with my being wrapped around a tree in a very unusual yoga like position. Fortunately I was limber enough to untangle myself, but it was not pretty, escaping with my life but not my dignity. So embarrassing.

The view from Schweitzer is spectacular. One can see hills and valleys and it even encompasses a view of Lake Pend Oreille. There are gorgeous restaurants and Chalets and it’s all so very slick and lovely.

.

We had lunch at the Chimney Rock restaurant. Delicious Calamari for an appetizer and a crab cake sandwich for my lunch. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Like a couple of fresh off the boat tourists, the Colonel and I looked out of place in our fancy attire as we joined all the skiers and snowboarders for a ride on the chair lift up to the mountain top. Instead of carrying ski poles I had my camera in hand and snapped away madly.

As the only people not wearing skis we did attract some attention. The operators of the lift stopped it for us so we could get off unscathed. Luckily they are used to other tourists walking around sans ski’s and looked after us splendidly.

The ride was terrifying for me. The Colonel has been skiing in Germany and on the Swiss Alps so he was perfectly comfortable. Meanwhile tears of fear dripped from my eyes smudging my mascara and causing me to look like a rabid raccoon.

The view on the way up was just breathtaking. Snow enrobed trees set against the backdrop of an azure blue sky was a marvelous sight to see.

.

I love the cake.

.

Tea and cake is just what I need on a cold winter’s afternoon. Yesterday I baked a damp lemon and almond cake.

.

Moist and delicious it’s worth the effort of grinding the almonds myself. For some reason I can’t seem to find them in the stores here. Using a coffee grinder for the task is tiresome but worth the effort.

With a cup of Earl Gray Lavender tea it was a perfect afternoon tea.

.

I wrapped the cake in foil overnight before getting stuck in as that increases the sharpness and the moistness.

.

Damp Lemon and Almond Cake

1 cup unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/3 cup plain flour
1 1/3 cups ground almonds
1/3 teaspoon almond extract
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
8 inch springform pan, lined on the bottom with parchment or wax paper.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Cream together the butter and sugar until almost white. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a quarter of the flour after each addition. When all the eggs and flour have been incorporated, gently stir in the ground almonds, then the almond extract, lemon zest, and juice. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for about 1 hour. Add some loose aluminum foil over the top after 30 minutes so it does not burn.

The cake is ready when the top is firm and a skewer, inserted, comes out cleanish, you want dampness.

Turn it out on a wire rack and leave to cool. Wrap in tin foil and leave it for a couple of days.

Where the Wild things are.

Yesterday while reading in my bedroom I noticed some dark shapes moving across the yard. Very disturbing until I realised it was a family of Moose out for a walk, their daily constitutional perhaps? :)

There is a big cow, sorry for the name calling, who lives around us. We often see her and she has run across the road in front of our car a few times, naughty. We call her Dame Nellie Melba after the famous Australian Diva of course.

.

The regal Dame Nellie Melba.

She walked up our road with her two calves in tow and continued right through our property. I went out onto the deck from my bedroom and took some snaps. The thought to move in closer for a better picture did cross my mind, but only briefly until I remembered this isn't Hanna Barbera and a mother protecting her calves is deadly.


It was a spectacular sight to see these magnificent beasts roaming about in my garden.
.

It's a wonderful life, if by life you mean dosage.

.
Another snowy day up on the mountain. Time to do some baking! I've not been doing much cooking at all since the move but have been craving my jam thumbprint biscuits for some time.



Years ago I found a Donna Hay recipe for basic cookies with a dab of jam in the middle. Simple to bake, but delicious. The recipe was cut out and added to my little recipe book, a hodge podge of all kinds of recipes I find in newspapers and magazines.

Some were made with coconut butter carted up here all the way from Florida, and raspberry jam for the others.



The days are so long here. By 4 pm it's dark and with our alternative energy house, we can't be blaring all the lights and power so we tend to settle down in front of the telly and the wood stove with a cup of tea for the evening. Thumbprint cookies are the perfect accompaniment. Just hoping I can refrain from scoffing them all tonight.

Donna Hay Thumbprint Cookies

180 g butter

1 cup castor sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup self-raising flour

1 1/4 cups plain flour

jam

Preheat oven to 180 C. Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the egg and beat well. Stir through the flours and mix to a dough.

Roll 2 tablespoons of mixture into a ball. Flatten onto a baking tray lined with non-stick paper. Press your thumb into the middle of the dough to make a hole. Fill the hold with jam or a chocolate sweet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or untl golden, then allow to cool on wire racks. Makes 15.
.

Goodbye City life, green acres we are there.

Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue.

.My life is like Green Acres. As the theme tune says, 'hard living is the life for me'. What? How did this happen? It's certainly not true and might I say that I discovered dirt under my nails today and they were in sore need of a proper manicure.

My city sensibilities are just so offended by country dirt. I refuse to dress in the dowdy country style around here. Overalls are so un-flattering. One can still dress up a bit on the farm you know. I am sure the pigs will appreciate a touch of glamour in their little porky lives don't you? (wink)

From Marvellous Melbourne, to Trendy Tampa, how did this city slicker end up in living on top of a great big Mountain? In the words of the band Powderfinger, 'This life turned out nothing like I had planned'.

My dreams always involved living in the city, perhaps an exotic one like Milano or Venice, Vienna or even New York.

" I just adore a Penthouse view, darling I love you but give me Park Avenue"- Green Acres theme tune.

.

Instead of the fast pace of city living, I am residing on 40 acres and spent much of today carrying rather heavy logs of wood from the shed onto the wood pile on the deck. Not only that dear reader, and please be seated before reading on in case you find yourself dizzy from the shock, this fancy Countess was out chopping big chunks of wood into small pieces for kindling. That's right, me with an axe in my hand, dangerous and disturbing, and probably a violation of my parole. (joking)

.

So much for my dreams of being lady of Manor up here, it seems I am more like lady muck!

.

The wood shed.

Even in the country one cannot be without a three strand pearl necklace.

While Eva Gabor was allergic to Hay in the charming comedy series, I am in fact allergic to manual labour of any form. Imagine my horror at realising today's event was not something to do on a fun country adventure caper, but something needed on a regular basis to stop me freezing to death in sub-zero temperatures.

Firewood on the porch, the fruits of my labour.

This country caper is turning out to be such a challenge. My mission is to survive and do all the farm things, but to still retain my sense of style and elan and to continue to wear my fabulous Carol Brodie jewels, even if it's just to impress the chooks.

Let me just say this, Countess Chichi simply will not allow herself to become Miss Mountain Woman. It's pearls and Rolex and Tod's shoes for me. Throw in some lovely fancy frocks as worn by the gorgeous Miss Eva and you get the picture.

Just the frock I need for feeding the chooks in.

Will I become Miss Mountain Country 2010 or will the city keep on slicking right off me? Who knows, who cares you say, cheeky! If any readers see pictures of me wearing cover-alls and chewing on a piece of wheat or hay or whatever it is bumpkins chew on, please leave me a stern message, bring me back from the brink of abandoning all fashion sense and fanciness.

If that fails and you see photographs of me either riding a tractor or shopping at Walmart in a wife beater T-shirt with a mullet hairdo, I beg you to give me a good hard slap.

Despite the intervention were I to end up dressing like this cowgirl all hope would be lost and I should be institutionalised for my own good. Nuff said.

At least I think it's a girl. Not really 100% sure. Yeeehaw

Photo from peopleofWalmart.com

"The Chores, the Stores" - Green Acres theme tune

.