Fishing at Rufus Woods

We finally get to go fishing! I am really getting tired of all this snow. Logan tied some flies for us as we usually catch fish when Logan makes our flies. I will have to post some of his flies at another time.

Yea! I caught a fish! 2lbs and 16 inches - not too bad. Unfortunately I was the only one to catch anything - but the weather was great - 57 and sunny (and no snow) So we were all just glad to be out in the sunshine and on the boat. It was still a little chilly for the fish to be biting, they were moving pretty slow as the water was really cold - we will give it another month and go back. Last year we had great success the end of April.

Mt. Baldy

Matt and the boys spent the day up on Mt. Baldy - I decided to stay home and catch up on a few things, besides I am ready for winter to be over and spring to be here. We still have a good 6 inches or more of snow around the house. I'd much rather be fishing.

Logan doing what he loves to do.

New toys for the boys

The boys have finally decided to spend some of their hard earned money they have made in the last couple summers. Logan bought a truck - it needs some work but will be running like new before long.

....and now they both have dirt bikes, it seems that they have acquired a need for speed. How will I keep up with this one. Logan dirt bike - next thing to purchase will be safety equipment, that's for sure.

...and Aaron's bike, do you suppose we will be able to find him some size 18 motor cross boots? I doubt it.

Don't fall asleep on the couch

Hmmm......well maybe I shouldn't have done this, as I know all about paybacks. Aaron usually does not fall asleep on the couch - usually it is me - and he informed me of this so I will really have to try and not dose off on the couch.

Spring is coming?

Hopefully spring is around the corner. We are getting quite the muddy mess from all the snow melting. We took the Mustang out of the shop today - I actually drove it to town 3 times this weekend and washed it - Only to wake up the following morning to a good 4 inches of snow, will it ever end.

An Irish Feast

Since the Smiley's have come from Ireland I decided to treat ourselves to a really Irish meal this St. Patrick's day. Too bad Matt wasn't home to enjoy it with us - He's out of town this week for some training.

This was the best corned beef recipe I have ever made and will continue to make it this way in the future. I followed the directions exactly except I cooked mine in the crockpot for 8 hours. I served it with colcannon, carrots and Irish soda bread.



Guinness Corned beef

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds corned beef brisket
1 cup brown sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer (e.g. Guinness®)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Rinse the beef completely and pat dry.


2. Place the brisket on rack in a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Rub the brown sugar on the corned beef to coat entire beef, including the bottom. Pour the bottle of stout beer around, and gently over the beef to wet the sugar.


3. Cover, and place in preheated oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Colcannon was something I never even heard of before but I really liked this recipe. The boys weren't as thrilled about it but they aren't big fans of cabbage.

Colcannon

INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound cabbage
• 1 pound potatoes
• 2 leeks
• 1 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch ground mace
• 1/2 cup butter

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, boil cabbage until tender; remove and chop or blend well. Set aside and keep warm. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.
2. Chop leeks, green parts as well as white, and simmer them in just enough milk to cover, until they are soft.
3. Season and mash potatoes well. Stir in cooked leeks and milk. Blend in the kale or cabbage and heat until the whole is a pale green fluff. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter. Mix well.

There are several Irish Soda bread recipes but I chose this one because it was baked in a cast iron skillet and I love to use my cast iron when ever I can.

Grandpa McAndrew's Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 2 tablespoons white sugar


• 1/2 cup raisins


• 1 egg, beaten


• 1 cup buttermilk


• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cast iron skillet.


2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and sugar. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk, and melted margarine. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few quick turns just to even out the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Pat into a flat circle, and place into the prepared pan.


3. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden.
   
   
   
   
   

Calispell Peak

Matt stuck

Logan really stuck - He fell in a hole!

It doesn't appear that Aaron was too eager to help him out of this situation.

The Jacks in their pirate polos

Back to Trestle Creek for the 4th time in a row.

Today we had plans on going to Trapper Creek at Priest Lake but they had and avalanche the night before and someone was killed so we decided we were staying out of that area and new the snow would still be good at Trestle Creek so we headed back up there again.


Logan leaving his mark on the hillside.


Matt getting stuck on our way up to Lunch peak and Logan to the rescue, silly Matt where does he think he's going.
Views from Lunch Peak.

There is actually a look out tower up on the peak. Hard to see it in this picture but it is right on the peak.
Having lunch on Lunch Peak.
On the way down from Lunch Peak.
Aaron.
Logan way stuck.

And here we ALL are - way stuck. We were on our way out of the parking lot and it was so crowded it was hard to get out, it was a tight squeeze. Matt accidentally drove the trailer in the ditch not even knowing it was there. It took a good 45 minutes to get out of this. Oh what fun. I think we have had it with Trestle Creek.
Logan

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