Valentines

February 14th!  Really?!  We are caught up in clinic set up, moving boxes all over again, snowbound animals, slush and ice, home school, trips to town, unforeseen challenges like the water heater burning out....  Who has time for crafting love notes and parties?  Lydia retrieved the Valentine box from the storage on an errand to the barn the night before.  She put her energies into making Valentine's for all of us.  The day upon us, Marshal took pork chops out from our newly slaughtered pig and went to the big city for a water heater.  The evening drew near, and Gabe and I put together our three valentines, gleaning Lydia's leftover scraps left out on the table.  Marshal came home with more than a water heater.  He put surprises in our valentine bags and handed me a bouquet of "spray" roses, in a lovely blushy pink with a kiss.  Our weary selves pressed onward and put together a lovely evening of sweet celebration that surprised.  Sweet tradition carried on.

Honey spiced hand-raised pork chops with red cabbage, stewed apples, and peas.   

Roses are Eye Candy

Smelling the Roses So Sweet

French Fritter, Beignets, a recipe Marshal and I have shared since our teens.

Lydia's Valentine to Dad

And Marshal "came through for Lydia" with cards and chocolate surprises in each bag.  By the way, Trader Joe's fair trade organic chocolate "batons" are a real winner.  The chocolate is from Canada, but tastes like the smoothest Swiss chocolate I remember.  The chocolate with coffee bean was the favorite.  Lydia's had real organic raspberries and mine was 72% dark.  All were amazingly fine.