Royal Escape from the Topic - for off topic chit chat Showing 2,401-2,450 of 2,839

[Karlyne]

You'd think the cream cheese would cut the sweetness, but instead it makes it sweeter, I think. After a sliver of it, I don't sneak back for another sliver, like I would with other frostings, like the penuche one.

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Sometimes I make penuche frosting for carrot cake - when I'm out of cream cheese, especially. But tomorrow it's carrot cake and cream cheese icing for the birthday of the 12 year old grandgirl! She..."

Fun!

[Susan in NC]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Ah, the good ole' Brown Marmorated Stink Bug strikes again!!
And, to a bug-phobic person, they may seem 'huge', but in reality the average adult BMSB is about .5-.6 inches long (1.7cm) and just abo..."

Yeah, sorry about those, they are a fact of life here, too!

[Critterbee❇]

QNPoohBear wrote: "OK who sent the stink bugs to New England? That is one ugly, creepy, BIG bug! I saw one today floating around the living room lamp. I thought it was a spider at first but my mom was brave enough to..."

Oh I absolutely abhor those beasts! They terrify me, I hate when they swarm in the fall and you hear them thunking into trees, the deck, the house. So sorry they have turned their eyes northward!

The good news is that they do not survive freezes well, and we had that really low week of temperature a year or three ago that really reduced their numbers. I know it is cruel to be thankful of them not surviving, I just cannot stand when they fly at you.

[Critterbee❇]

Susan in NC wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "It was good, and very sweet. I guess because of all of those carrots, haha!"

Yeah, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it - it’s the carrots!"

And I just had a piece for breakfast with coffee this morning! I don't think cream cheese needs any sweetening to compliment the carrot cake! Can you imagine, the recipe called for 4 cups of powdered (icing) sugar to 8 oz of cream cheese?!?! I added a cup, and think it could do with even less.

[Karlyne]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "OK who sent the stink bugs to New England? That is one ugly, creepy, BIG bug! I saw one today floating around the living room lamp. I thought it was a spider at first but my mom ..."

It was 5' this morning, so I can testify that ours are not affected by freezings! But, we don't have any left-overs - that we can see, anyway...

[Critterbee❇]

Karlyne wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "OK who sent the stink bugs to New England? That is one ugly, creepy, BIG bug! I saw one today floating around the living room lamp. I thought it was a spider at first but my mom ..."

It was 5' this morning, so I can testify that ours are not affected by freezings! But, we don't have any left-overs - that we can see, anyway..."

Oh no, cold-weather stinkbugs!?!?! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Karlyne]

Ours are actually pine bugs, so they're marvelously adapted to cold!

[Susan in NC]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "It was good, and very sweet. I guess because of all of those carrots, haha!"

Yeah, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it - it’s the carrots!"

And I just h..."
I know, I’m often amazed at how sweet some recipes for frosting are; it is truly one of those taste-as-you-make-it foods, you really have to personalize it for yourself and your eaters!

[Susan in NC]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "OK who sent the stink bugs to New England? That is one ugly, creepy, BIG bug! I saw one today floating around the living room lamp. I thought ..."
I always thought they crawl into walls and attics and such to survive winter, and reappear when it warms up (I though that’s what one of our local weather folk said...)

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "OK who sent the stink bugs to New England? That is one ugly, creepy, BIG bug! I saw one today floating around the living r..."

Or as your house warms up! Ours don't really show up until fall when they're looking for places to winter - and they make a nice, annoying buzz, too, when they're flying. But they don't bite or sting!

[Critterbee❇]

Susan in NC wrote: "I always thought they crawl into walls and attics and such to survive winter, and reappear when it warms up (I though that’s what one of our local weather folk said...) "

I think that is true, so don't let them inside (easier said then done...)

[Susan in NC]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I always thought they crawl into walls and attics and such to survive winter, and reappear when it warms up (I though that’s what one of our local weather folk said...) "

I thi..."

So true...

[Barb in Maryland]

Hey to Karlyne and Susan in NC

What's your weather like? I keep seeing all this snow predicted, especially for central North Carolina, of all places!

We are colder than normal, but dodging the white stuff--so far, anyway.

[Critterbee❇]

My family living in NC has snow forecast.

Barb, I think we are too far north for the snow! That completely blows my mind - too far NORTH for snow?

[Barb in Maryland]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "My family living in NC has snow forecast.

Barb, I think we are too far north for the snow! That completely blows my mind - too far NORTH for snow?"

Critterbee--I know!! How bizarre! Welcome to Wacky Weather World, USA division...

[Susan in NC]

Well, just watching the local weather, and they’re predicting 8-12 inches,basically heavy, wet snow tonight and all day tomorrow. Crossing fingers we keep power! Take care, everybody.

[Karlyne]

We've had frigid cold, with blue skies, but it warmed up to freezing today! Snow is forecast for Monday and off and on all week. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

[QNPoohBear]

Woah that's a lot for NC. Good thing it's a weekend! No snow in the forecast in New England as far as I know. It's too cold to go outside though but warming up. We never have a white Christmas even when it snows before Christmas the way it did last year. The snow here is sleety frozen water that forms horrid piles of slush that lasts forever, thank you snow plows. I can put up with the cold but not the snow.

[Susan in NC]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Woah that's a lot for NC. Good thing it's a weekend! No snow in the forecast in New England as far as I know. It's too cold to go outside though but warming up. We never have a white Christmas even..."

Yes, it is a lot, and things will shut down for days (even if power stays on!), but it won’t last until Christmas! It is unusual for us to have snow before Christmas, it’s more common in March...

[Barb in Maryland]

In the last 10 years or so we've had one White Christmas. It started snowing just as we came out of church on Christmas Eve and by Christmas morning there was a couple of inches--enough to thoroughly cover the ground, make the trees sparkle, etc. But not so much as to make shoveling a real chore. Perfect!
(And then there was the year that it was 75F on Christmas Day, which would have made for a pleasant day in Hawaii, but was just Wrong! for here in Maryland.)

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Well, just watching the local weather, and they’re predicting 8-12 inches,basically heavy, wet snow tonight and all day tomorrow. Crossing fingers we keep power! Take care, everybody."

Were the predictors right?!?

[Critterbee❇]

It has been SNOWing here for 4 hours or so!

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Well, just watching the local weather, and they’re predicting 8-12 inches,basically heavy, wet snow tonight and all day tomorrow. Crossing fingers we keep power! Take care, ever..."

Yes! About a foot so far, and it’s stopped now, just like they said it would - no plows yet, but some darned fool just drove by, I wish people would be patient and have sense!

[Critterbee❇]

That is a ginormous amount, Susan! Still snowing here, looks like about 4 -6 inches (my view from inside the house, ofc!).

[Susan in NC]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "That is a ginormous amount, Susan! Still snowing here, looks like about 4 -6 inches (my view from inside the house, ofc!)."

Just saw on Weather Channel, six deaths so far, 3 from carbon monoxide poisoning in S.C., three on the roads (not sure where) - and states of emergency declared in N.C., Oklahoma and Virginia, with 10” in Roanoke, it’s moving up your way! Be safe!

[Teresa]

Keep safe guys.

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Critterbee❇ wrote: "That is a ginormous amount, Susan! Still snowing here, looks like about 4 -6 inches (my view from inside the house, ofc!)."

Just saw on Weather Channel, six deaths so far, 3 fr..."

Wow, you all stay safe! And indoors!

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Keep safe guys."

Thanks! Will do - the lights flashed on and off a few minutes ago, so fingers crossed we don’t lose power - that would get very cold!

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Keep safe guys."

Thanks! Will do - the lights flashed on and off a few minutes ago, so fingers crossed we don’t lose power - that would get very cold!"

Do you have any backup heat?

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Keep safe guys."

Thanks! Will do - the lights flashed on and off a few minutes ago, so fingers crossed we don’t lose power - that would get very cold!"

Do you h..."
No!

[Karlyne]

Aaargh!

[Susan in NC]

Yeah, we used to lose power years ago, and thought about a generator, but then it got better - they started developing our surrounding area and we stopped losing power!

[Critterbee❇]

SNOW DAY!!

Hope everyone is doing well this morning. We have had a lovely snow locally - no work/school, no power outages, and powdery freshness with the prints of deer who have marched across our grass!

Time to crochet!

[Karlyne]

We have about an inch of new stuff on top of the 3/4 inches from last week, so it looks gorgeous, but it's not enough to be deadly!

A few years ago we owned the one-and-only house we've ever had that didn't have a wood stove or fireplace. When storms would hit, I'd always feel particularly vulnerable!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Looks like summer has finally arrived here.

I may wash windows.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Looks like summer has finally arrived here.

I may wash windows."

Ha

[QNPoohBear]

My cousin in Durham, North Carolina reported they lost power. That's crazy! It's cold here in New England but no snow. I think higher elevations still have snow from the pre-Thanksgiving storm but at sea level we're dry. I hope everyone in the southern U.S. snow path is safe and warm! Drink hot chocolate and read some books.

[Critterbee❇]

Enjoy your summer and lovely weather, Carol and all other fortunate ones!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Just thought you might like to see a picture of a Pohutukawa tree. It is also known as the NZ Christmas tree because it is usually in flower at Christmas time. This tree is a very fine example.

[Critterbee❇]

That tree is gorgeous! Looks perfect to read a book under, provided you are not too tall and bang your head on the branches. How tall are they, generally?

[Susan in NC]

QNPoohBear wrote: "My cousin in Durham, North Carolina reported they lost power. That's crazy! It's cold here in New England but no snow. I think higher elevations still have snow from the pre-Thanksgiving storm but ..."

Thanks, I’m knitting and listening to audiobook of Christmas Carol!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Just thought you might like to see a picture of a Pohutukawa tree. It is also known as the NZ Christmas tree because it is usually in flower at Christmas time. This tree is a very fine example.


..."
That is beautiful!

[Susan in NC]

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Just thought you might like to see a picture of a Pohutukawa tree. It is also known as the NZ Christmas tree because it is usually in flower at Christmas time. This tree is a very fine example.


..."
Stunning! What a lovely name.

[Teresa]

That's a gorgeous pic! Here in Ireland it's about 7 to 9 degrees which is unheard of at this time of year. Normally it would be hard frost from late October to February but I guess someone forgot to remind Mother Nature of it :-)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

They are great trees for climbing too. My children spent a lot of time in this particular tree's branches.

They can grow really big - like this one. & they can grow in the most unlikely places & help keep land stable. We have a few problems with wealthy land owners deciding to poison trees on public land, because they are blocking their sea views. & sometimes there are consequences. :(

More info on the Pohutukawa here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosi...

[Teresa]

People make me sick!!!!They'll be sorry in years to come when there won't be a tree to be seen.

[Critterbee❇]

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "...We have a few problems with wealthy land owners deciding to poison trees on public land, because they are blocking their sea views. & sometimes there are consequences. :(..."

...Goes to shout into the void...

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "...We have a few problems with wealthy land owners deciding to poison trees on public land, because they are blocking their sea views. & sometimes there are consequences. :(..."

...."

Or the landslide...

[Susan in Perthshire]

What utterly selfish and stupid people - don’t they realise how much we depend on trees? My part of Scotland is full of woods and forests. I cannot imagine being without trees.