Snow Ice Cream

I was lamenting over what I could possibly post this week for Foodie Friday. As the packing continues for the BIG move, cooking and baking has taken its place on the back burner (pun intended). Then, as I was going through my fabric trunk, I ran across this scrap…

Snow Ice Cream! I don't even know where this scrap came from; it must have been many years ago, but was tucked away all this time just waiting for this day to make its way for its 15 minutes of fame in blogland.

Snow Ice Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Whip cream, fold in sugar and vanilla. Fill a large bowl with about 1 quart very clean snow. Fold cream mixture into snow. cover tightly and pack into a snow bank until hardened. Drizzle with maple or chocolate syrup—Yummy!

Now, even though it was a brisk 34 degrees here in the tropics this morning, we didn't have snow, so I can't attest to how this recipe tastes. It sure sound fun though, so if you try it let me know the outcome.

I was curious about this process, so I googled Snow Ice Cream and discovered that this is indeed a very popular winter treat in those areas of the country that get bombarded with white stuff. Back in December of 2008, Traca from Food and Travel Tales wrote, "Some folks make lemonade out of lemons, I made ice cream out of snow. And what the hell? I broke out my best silver for the occasion!"

You gotta love bloggers, we'll use any occasion to whip out our good dishes for a memorable post. Traca drizzled a scoop of snow with a combination of condensed milk, sugar, and vanilla. I don't know how it tasted, but it sure looked pretty!

Speaking of loving bloggers, I have two that I want to give a shout out to this week!

First, is one you all know — Michael @ Designs By Gollum. I was one of the lucky winners in last week's giveaway and I'm watching for the mailman to bring me these lovely dessert plates…

 
Aren't they the cutest? I love polka dots and vintage clothing just makes my heart sing. Thanks Michael!

Next is my favorite follower, Oliver from Sippy Cups For One and All. I introduced you to Oliver earlier this month here. He always brings sunshine my way and this week he presented me with the Sunshine Award. Thanks Oliver!

Look at this face, isn't Oliver just the sweetest blogger around?

Through Michael's invitation, Oliver is now a Foodie Friday participant, so be sure to drop in and see what he's up to today, tell him his friend Shellbelle said hello.

For even more Foodie Friday recipes and stories, surf on over to Designs By Gollum. Her Butterfly Cupcakes are perfect for all the blog sunshine I've received this week!

Have a warm and fabulous week! I'll be packing and stacking and watching for the mailman!

Oh, We're Going To A Hukilau

The Hukilau 2010

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

"A Hukilau is a traditional Hawaiian festival held in the fishing villages of old. A large net is cast into the sea to herd fish then the villagers slowly pull the net to the shore. The feast that follows is meant to emphasize the spirit of family and community, or 'ohana. Our mainland Hukilau is a metaphorical net thrown out to the entire world, bringing lovers of Polynesian Pop or Tiki culture together for our own special celebration."

I'm on the mailing list for this yearly festival and it is a dream of mine to be able to attend. I may not make it this year, but I will definitely be there next year! This year's events, to be held June 10th—13th, include the Master Mixologist Cocktail Challenge, the Sarong-O-Rama Fashion Show, Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid, the Hukilau Tiki Art Show, the Tiki Treasures Bazaar, the Jeff "Beach Bum" Seminar, parties galore and a lot more!

I have attended several hukilaus in my lifetime. We held several at Paradise Cove in Malibu, California when my family lived there in the 60s and, of course, I went to one in Hawaii with second husband. One day I'll have to pull out those pictures and scan them in to share with you.

The Hukilau Song was written by Jack Owens in 1948 after attending a luau in Laie, Hawaii. You can find one older version in my playlist and sing-a-long, the lyrics are below. Come on, you know you want to. Just fire up my Mixpod, pretend you're on a beautiful island in Hawaii, the sun is shining, ocean breezes are calling your name, the villagers are beginning to pull in the net and you're getting ready for a feast to begin!

Oh, we're going to a hukilau
A huki, huki, huki, huki, hukilau
Ev'rybody loves a hukilau
Where the laulau is the kau kau at the big luau

We'll throw our nets out into the sea

And all the ama ama come-a swimming to me

Oh, we're going to a hukilau
A huki, huki, huki, huki, hukilau
Ev'rybody loves a hukilau
Where the laulau is the kau kau at the hukilau

What a beautiful day for fishing
In the old Hawaiian way
All the hukilau nets are swishing
Down in old Laie Bay
Oh, we're going to a hukilau
A huki, huki, huki, huki, hukilau
Ev'rybody loves a hukilau
Where the laulau is the kau kau at the big luau

There now don't you feel better? Did you escape the winter blues for a minute? To find out more about this year's Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale click here. Who knows? Maybe I've see you there!

Since we're still waiting for our beach weather to return, I decided that visions of a Hukilau would be perfect to post for Outdoor Wednesday.

Aloha!

Country Captain Chicken — 1836

"Let every thing be done at a proper time, keep every thing in its proper place, and put every thing to its proper use. …Early rising is also essential to the good government of a family." 

 —Mrs. Mary Randolph. Washington, January, 1831

The Virginia Housewife or, Methodical Cook, published in 1836

Facsimile published in 1993

Since this week we celebrate the 1st Anniversary of Foodie Friday, I thought I would post something a bit different and very special. All of us are obviously food fanatics and share a passion for recipes and for sharing our favorites. Earlier this month, Leah @ Who Moved My Cheese Straw posted a recipe for Country Captain Chicken and I became fascinated when I read that it was associated with early Georgia cooks. As I am in the midst of preparing to move back to Georgia, the State where I was born and the land of my ancestors, I decided I would do a bit more research on its origin.

In her book What's Cooking America, Linda Stradley writes, "This delicious dish, known through Georgia, dates to the early 1800s. It is thought that this dish was brought to Georgia by a British sea captain who had been stationed in Bengali, India and shared the recipe with some friends in the port city of Savannah, Georgia. Savannah was then a major shipping port for the spice trade. The dish was named for the officers in India called Country Captains."









In the 1940s, Franklin D. Roosevelt and George S. Patten dined on this dish at Warm Springs, Georgia and an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay proves this classic Southern dish is as popular today as it was back in the day.



The glossary at What's Cooking America describes this dish as, "A curried chicken dish. The chicken is browned and then stewed in a sauce of tomatoes, onion, garlic, and curry powder. At the end, golden raisins are added. The dish is served over rice sprinkled with toasted almonds. As with all chicken recipes in the South, Country Captain Chicken varies with the cook. Some recipes call for a long cooking time and other use quick-cooking chicken breasts. One thing is always certain about this dish; it is perfumed and slightly spiced with curry."

When I discovered that it dated to the early 1800s, I decided I would search through my collection of digital vintage cookbooks and see if the recipe showed up there. That is where I found the above quote from Mrs. Randolph and where I discovered what may well be the earliest version of this dish in America.

To Make A Dish of Curry After The East Indian Manner

Cut two chickens as for fricassee, wash them clean, and put them in a stew pan with as much water as will cover them; sprinkle them with a large spoonful of salt, and let them boil till tender, covered close all the time, and skim them well; when boiled enough, take up the chickens, and put the liquor of them into a pan, then put half a pound of fresh butter in the pan, and brown it a little; put into it two cloves of garlic, and a large onion sliced, and let these all fry till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the chickens, and sprinkle over them two or three spoonsful of curry powder; then cover the pan close, and let the chickens do till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the liquor the chickens were boiled in, and let all stew till tender, if acid is agreeable, squeeze the juice of a lemon or orange in it.

Dish of Rice To Be Served Up With The Curry, In A Dish By Itself

Take half a pound of rice, wash it clean in salt and water—then put it into two quarts of boiling water, and boil it briskly twenty minutes; strain it through a colander and shake it into a dish, but do not touch it with your fingers nor with a spoon.
Beef, veal, mutton, rabbits, fish, &c. may be curried and sent to table with or without the dish of rice.
Curry powder is used as a fine flavoured seasoning for fish, fowls, steaks, chops, veal cutlets, hashes, minces, alamodes, turtle soup, and in all rich dishes, gravies, sauce, &c. &c.



As I said, this dish was featured on Throwdown With Bobby and the challenger was the Lee Brothers. You can find their recipes by clicking on the captions below the photos: 

 Bobby Flay's Version

The Lee Brother's Version

   
Leah came up with what she calls a "simple and very yummy version that I think you'll like." I tend to agree, it looks delicious and I know I'll be trying it once I get settled in to my new home. 

Leah's Version @ Who Moved My Cheese Straw

I also believe I'll try the recipe from 1836, in honor of all those early American cooks who were also foodies and passed their love of cooking and swapping recipes on to us.

Happy Foodie Friday Anniversary 

to everyone, especially our lovely hostess

Michael @ Designs By Gollum,

whose passion for food and tablescapes has brought us all together today!

Happier Days Ahead

Most of you know by now that I am moving to Georgia on April 1st. This has brought mixed emotions, but for the most part, I am very excited and eager to get to my new home and get settled. This whole thing is definitely messing with my blogging schedule though! Instead of posting and visiting this is what my days usually consist of……

Boxes, boxes and more boxes are piling up in the dining room. Bubble wrap, plain newsprint and those little Styrofoam peanuts are everywhere. Have you ever noticed how those little peanut thingys end up everywhere, much like Christmas tinsel?

Sister and I are packing up our own belongings, deciding who will take what that belonged to our parents and patiently trying to divide up those household items we have bought together in the last ten years. For the most part, this is going very smoothly, but sometimes little things erupt into small disagreements. Funny, we had no problem deciding she would take the couch and chair and I would take the stove. She would take the microwave and vacuum cleaner, while I take the kitchen table. So what caused the rift you ask? A pillow, a little gold pillow, whose beads are starting to fall off and whoever ends up with it will have to track down matching beads for the repair. Silly I know, but I don't believe it is the pillow, just the stress that goes along with the whole situation. No matter what the situation, the physical act of moving is never fun. Normal schedules are interrupted and looking around your home full of boxes and realizing that you packed something you need right now doesn't help.

But at the end of the day, you realize that a new adventure awaits and for a wanderlust like me, this is a good thing. I'm looking forward to exploring new beaches and traveling up the Eastern coastline. I've been all the way up the Pacific Coast and I plan to do the same thing on the Atlantic. My favorite way to travel is by way of roadtrips, so my little car is going to get lots of miles added on.

So, I'm sorry I haven't been around as much as I usually am, I really do miss you all. I know things will return to normal soon. I am very confident in this assessment. Why? Because the other morning as I was looking for a little something sweet to have with my morning coffee, I spotted a fortune cookie from our last delivery. This is what I found when I cracked it open……

How cool is that?

Dancing at the Beach

Buy From Art.com

Recently I spotted this artwork on Art.com (one of my affiliates) and fell in love with it. I decided I would save it to share on Valentine's Day, because I can't think of anything more romantic than dancing at the beach. Forget the long walks, grab your honey,

kick off your shoes and

dance in the sand!

About The Artwork: Jack Vettriano's "The Singing Butler" is one of the world's most sought-after works of art. In 2004, the painting, which features the romantic image of a couple dancing on a storm-swept beach, was auctioned at Scotland Sotheby's for a record $1.3 million. One of England’s most popular artists, Vettriano is known for working tirelessly for days on end until a painting is completed.

Dancing at the beach has been a favorite pastime for many years by those who love all things beach-related and you know that includes me! 

Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello had it right in the movie Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) all those years ago, dancing and partying on the beach. I grew up in the 60s, when surf music was all the rage and beach parties were the place to be on a Saturday night.

Now would be a great time to pick out your favorite beach tune in my sidebar and turn it on!











Who remembers the Watusi, the Pony, the Twist, the Monkey, the Shimmy, the Hully Gully, the Frug and, of course,  

The Swim

C'mon everybody, c'mon in
Bobby's gonna show you how to do the swim
Kinda like the monkey, kinda like the twist
Pretend you're in the water and you go like this
Now baby swim, baby do the swim
Just like the dog but not so low
Like the hully gully but not so slow
Now baby swim, baby do the swim
Do what you wanna, do like you wish
C'mon baby now and swim like a fish

—Bobby Freeman

I had to take one of my visits over to the Library of Congress to see if I could find any vintage prints of people dancing at the beach and was happy to discover that my friends and I were carrying on a time-honored tradition.

Beach Dancing on July 6, 1922

Seven young women dancing on the shore

YWCA 1927

 

1880 Sheet Music

Whether your a couple, a group of gals and guys, a gathering of girlfriends, or by yourself — dancing at the beach has always been fun. 

Don't forget you can always take the kids

and share this joy with them!

via

 

Let's not forget the ultimate beach dance —

The Hula!

via

Happy Valentine's Day

and remember —

keep dancing!

Strawberries — California vs. Florida

In her Foodie Friday post for today, Sheila @ The Quintessential Magpie, wrote, "The strawberries came from Plant City, Florida, the official "Strawberry Capital of the World" and home to the world-famous Strawberry Festival."

Now I love Mrs. Magpie, but I commented that, "Plant City strawberries are no match for those from California. You would think you had died and gone to heaven if you could taste just one of these straight from the source and ripened on the vine."

Now I don't want to "dish" my dear friend, but Plant City is actually the "Winter Strawberry Capital of the World." The Florida Strawberry Festival to be held March 4th–March 14th, 2010, showcases strawberries a couple of months before California's berries are ready for harvesting. The California Strawberry Festival will be held on May 15th & 16th, 2010.

Before I tell you more about the festival, I have to give you my expert opinion on which state produces the best strawberry. I've lived in both states, tasted many, many berries from each and hands-down the best tasting berries come from California! Now know that I'm not taking about California berries that you buy in your local market. Strawberries do not ripen once they've been picked and no matter where they are from the only perfect berry is the one ripened on the vine and purchased at the farm, a farmer's market, or at a strawberry festival. Nothing says, Welcome Spring, like that first bite into a nice, firm (not hard) berry that then bursts forth with juicy, red goodness. Red, notice I said red. White in a berry is not a good thing. These are the ones that must be covered in sugar to taste good. A perfect berry needs no sugar when eaten on its own. Sweeteners should be enhanced by the berry, not the other way around. Unfortunately, all too often, here in Florida our strawberry crops are hit with freezing temps during the growing season. You've all heard about this on the news, especially this year. The farmers save the crops by covering them in water, which then freezes the plant, young berries and all. Frozen berries result in a unpleasant mushy texture — YUCK! Now you can find delicious strawberries in Florida, but they come no where near the perfection of those grown in California.

In May of 1990, I made the wedding cake for two friends who were getting married (I introduced them). Perfect strawberry season in California and since we were all strawberry lovers, the cake had to have fresh strawberries.

Peter and Cheryl's Wedding Cake – 1990
Made by yours truly — ME!

The recipe was from either Bon Appetit or Gourmet Magazine. The layers were baked, cut into thirds, brushed with cognac, wrapped in plastic for a couple of days to fully absorbed the flavor. Cheryl and I headed out to Oxnard to purchase the precious berries from a local farmer at the peak of their ripeness. We bought two flats, ate a couple of pints on the way home and a couple of more while we sliced all those berries for the cake. NO SUGAR added, the berries were placed on top of each layer (9 layers in all) and then the cake was iced with a white chocolate whipped cream and decorated with fresh organic rose petals. Not to toot my own horn, but while this is by far not the most beautiful cake you've ever seen (though it did look pretty), I guarantee you it was the best tasting wedding cake EVER! There was not a single piece left at the end of the reception.

Back to the festivals — both of these events consistently rank high in festival ratings. I have attended the strawberry festivals numerous times in both these states and throughly enjoy both. BUT, I have to say that California's is my favorite and today I'm going to share with you the

Did you know that California provides approximately

88 percent of the nation’s strawberries?

One of the sweetest treasures of the Golden State, the California Strawberry Festival began in 1984 in salute to the rich agricultural industry that etches Oxnard’s coastal landscape with the tasty fruit that’s hard to resist.

I attended my first festival in 1985 and you know I just had to buy one of the t-shirts with the poster from that year.

California Strawberry Festival Poster 1985

The first seven years, the festival was held at Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor. My favorite harbor and within walking distance of my favorite location for beach camping, McGrath State Beach. Beach camping + Channel Islands Habor + Strawberry Festival = PURE BLISS!

In 1991 the festival was moved to accommodate the growing crowds to Strawberry Meadows of College Park, still in the city of Oxnard and where it is still held. With this larger venue the festival went from showcasing 30–40 local artists and crafters to over 200 from all over the country. There are now 50 food and beverage stands, a wine pavilion, a Strawberry Promenade with cooking demonstrations and a three-dimensional “Life of a Strawberry Exhibit,” Strawberryland For Kids with free rides and attractions, and two festival stages with non-stop musical entertainment.

Best of all, with every bite of delicious strawberry dishes from the various non-profit food vendors, 100 percent of proceeds benefit various charitable organizations, while additional funds earned are distributed back into the community through grants and scholarships to children of farm workers. When it comes to tons of strawberries and tons of fun, the California Strawberry Festival provides the perfect ingredients of an award-winning recipe for helping others. Food booths offer everything from strawberry pizza and strawberry nachos, to strawberry kabobs, strawberry funnel cake, strawberry flan, cotton candy, strawberry beer, wine and more. Whether it’s shortcaked, chocolate dipped, ice blended, or funnel caked, strawberries are the celebrated fruit. If you ever get a chance to attend, be sure to look for the non-profit vendors first! The revenues go toward upgraded computers, new sports uniforms, buses for field trips and team competitions, construction and repairs, after school music programs, and more.

California’s strawberry coast is the best place in the world to grow strawberries. Western ocean exposure and balmy Pacific winds insulate fields from extreme temperatures. Warm, sunny days, cool, foggy nights and mild winters combine with sandy soil, creating perfect growing conditions.

This is Foodie Friday, so a strawberry recipe is a must on this post. This one comes courtesy of Berry Blast Recipe Contest Winner, Renee Pokorny of Ventura, CA via The Strawberry Festival website.

Strawberry Mojito Shrimp Skewers

Over Strawberry Scallion Rice

For Shrimp Skewers:

• One cup sliced strawberries
• One quarter cup spiced rum
• Two tablespoons chopped mint
• Two tablespoons lime juice
• One teaspoon salt
• One quarter cup honey
• One pound raw peeled and deveined (31–40 count) shrimp
• Twenty whole average size strawberries, trimmed
• One quarter cup powdered sugar
• Twenty (four inch long) pieces scallion greens

In a blender add the strawberries through honey.  Run on high speed until well blended.  Pour half the mixture into a large sealable plastic bag place the remaining into a small bowl.  Add the shrimp to the plastic bag, remove excess air, seal and marinate for 20 minutes.  Remove shrimp from marinade and discard marinade.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to manufacture’s instruction.   Roll whole strawberries in the powdered sugar and then thread the strawberries, shrimp and scallions onto skewers.  Place on the grill and cook for about two minutes a side basting occasionally with the reserved marinade.  Remove from grill. 

For Scallion Rice:

• One cup and three quarter cup low sodium chicken broth
• One cup long grain white rice
• Two tablespoons honey
• One half teaspoon kosher salt
• One quarter cup scallion
• One tablespoon finely grated lime zest
• One half tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• One quarter cup chopped strawberries

In a two-quart saucepan add the chicken broth, rice, honey and salt.  Heat to boiling; stir once or twice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer fifteen minutes. If rice is not quite tender or liquid is not absorbed, replace lid and cook two to four minutes longer.  Remove from heat and place into a large bowl.  Add the scallions through strawberries. Fluff with fork. Serves four.

Presentation: Place Strawberry Scallion Rice on a large serving platter (lined with banana leaves if desired) and arrange the Mojito Strawberry Shrimp Skewers pleasingly across the top.  Garnish with additional mint, lime zest and /or lime wedges.

Tips from the California Strawberry Festival:

To store the strawberries, remove them from the original container with a dry paper towel in the bottom. The paper towel is important to absorb the condensation that berries produce. Do not wash them until just before use. Using this method, you should be able to keep your berries fresh and good for seven to 10 days. When ready to wash, leave the stem and leaves in place. Removing them before washing causes them to soak up more water and diminish the flavor.

The best method for freezing is first cleaning, hulling, and then pulsing the berries in a blender. By pulsing the berries, you have a more chunky texture. Add a tablespoon of sugar to each blender portion to prevent the pale pink color of the thawed berries. Pour this mixture into sandwich-sized plastic bags and freeze, placing flat in freezer. As needed, open the bags, break off a piece of the frozen product, reseal the bag and replace in freezer. The frozen section can be thawed for use on waffles, meringues, ice cream or in smoothies. Sprinkle a bit more sugar over the berries once thawed to prevent pale pink coloration and maintain ruby color. 

 Strawberry Nachos – My favorite festival treat!

 I would be happy like this!

While I check flight schedules for California in May, be sure to click here to visit more Foodie Friday participants with Michael @ Designs By Gollum.

All photos (except wedding cake) and festival facts are via The California Strawberry Festival website. Personal observations are my own.

Shellbelle in the Snow

I know that many of you had a good laugh when I told you I've been sleeping under an electric blanket in our 62 degree (brrrr………) weather. As I watch the news and peruse your blogs, this is perfectly understandable. I've admitted I'm a real cry baby when it dips below 70 and I've whined about wanting the sun to come out and warm up our beaches. This is the tropics after all and after the heat and humidity of the summer, I'm more than ready for days spent in the sun, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico and combing for shells.

For Outdoor Wednesday this week I thought I would show you that this old beach gal has spent her time in the snow also. Growing up in Southern California, my family had a modest home in the San Fernando Valley, a mobile home at Paradise Cove in Malibu and a small cabin in Big Bear. We divided our time between the three, but I usually opted for Malibu as you can imagine.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up on Sunday, rather than share stories of my family in the snow (like the time a small plane was crashing and one of its wheels hit the top of our car when I was 5-years-old on a family trip to Frasier Park), I thought I would tell you about a trip I took with my then boyfriend to  

Jackson Hole Wyoming

Valentine's Vacation 1986

Btw, everyone, including the pilot were fine.

Here's a pic of Devin. Think big-haired musicians of the 80s.

We flew out of Los Angeles to visit this parents in Utah, where he grew up. After a lovely visit and several trips to local ski slopes, we borrowed his father's van and drove from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The sights along the way were stunning!

Braving the cold

However, we did come across something unexpected in the road.

Cows!

Your only option is to slow wayyyyyy down and wait for them to pass.

You can see they came quite close.

We finally reached our destination and it was beautiful!

Now Devin is an excellent skier, on the other hand, I am not. While Devin was off on the expert slopes, I stayed on the Bunny Trails. I have a strategy though when I ski. Well, I don't really ski, but I fall down really well. When I found this postcard, I had to buy it, because it shows what I usually look like on the slopes.

I love her pink snowsuit, it would've have gone so well with my pink hat (see first photo of me) and she shows up so much better against the snow than I did in my all white snowsuit (again see first photo). All white is probably not a good color for a newbie skier. Thank goodness there wasn't an avalance!

My strategy? Hire a young, good-looking ski instructor. When you fall it is their job to help you up. This is probably why I've never learned to ski.

We did lots of activities, including taking a 45-minute horse drawn sleigh in the evening to the Cascade Restaurant where we had a fabulous gourmet dinner. We drank Chocolate Mamas at the The Mangy Moose Saloon, had amazing sourdough pancakes with blueberries at Jedidiah's Original House of Sourdough, and sat in the saddles that serve as bar stools as The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. The trip was incredible and romantic.

Not everything was quite romantic though. Like when Devin coaxed me on the tram to travel to Rendezvous Peak. I like things at sea level, you know, like beaches. Not wanting to spoil his fun, I braved the trip.

The elevation?

Not anywhere near sea level!

The scenery was amazing, as long as I didn't have to stand on the edge.

I love mountains, not cliffs. Skiers travel up this tram AND actually ski back down. I was the lone person to travel back down by tram. This gal is no fool!

An activity I really enjoyed was the day we snowmobiled to the Granite Hot Springs.

Gorgeous views and once you arrive there is a room where you take off, yes I said take off, your snowsuit! Underneath you have already planned for this event and you're wearing a bathing suit. Did I mention it was 20 degrees below that day? Well, it was. You then walk from this changing area to the hot springs and eagerly slip beneath the 105 degrees (hot) waters. Once you get used to the temperature difference of 125 degrees, it is heavenly!

Getting out, not so much fun. You freeze, your hair freezes, you learn what a popsicle feels like. You wonder if your hair will break off when you put your helmet back on. Then someone says, "Stand there so I can take your picture." What?

Well here it is faithful readers, Shellbelle Snowbelle standing soaking wet in her bathing suit at 20 degrees below!

Now, just let me hear you call me a wimp again!

I'm linking this post up with other Outdoor Wednesday participants with Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer. Do you think anyone else can match this picture of themselves in the snow? I don't think so!