It's Still Winter!

Well...I think we have had enough.....of winter!

A House in The Village

We are so not used to having six months of winter's cold blast! I mean, from October until May, the weather turns gray, cold, damp, snowy, and just plain dull! Yes, there are days of sunshine, but there is old packed snow covering so much of the ground and hard black ice still remaining on the road's edge and sidewalks. The trees remain bare. mere sticks against the night's sky and you find yourself still drinking hot tea by a roaring fire in March!

Darling having early morning coffee as he ponders the snow in the backwoods

Mr. Jimmy is ready for breakfast

Managed to snap a picture of beautiful Mr. Fox trotting through

Figured out a better way...see my garden angel peeking out from the snow

Now, as I look at our photos, I remind myself how beautiful our woodlands are at The Maine House. I am thankful for this beauty and serenity. I was reading an article on someone wondering if early March was a good time to visit Maine? Well, emphatically no! It is still winter, precious! Don't plan on sailing in the bay, enjoying a fresh lobster roll at one of the many lobster shacks (they close in October and reopen in May), or float down the Kennebec in a kayak. Bundling up for a walk is a required necessity!

Our darling Mae watching the snow

Our Village Bed and Breakfast

Interesting.......

I drive by this little woodland area on trips to the grocery.

It is so breathtakingly beautiful, I had to stop and snap a picture.

Our walk on Scarborough Beach

Let's think warm weather and spring!
This Glazed Grapefruit Pound Cake is a dreamy choice for those of us that like flavor more than frosting. The bright tang of the citrus perfectly balances the rich, buttery goodness of the pound cake.

Grapefruit Pound Cake

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 1 grapefruit

1-1/4 teaspoons grapefruit or lemon extract

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice, divided

Grapefruit Glaze

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray  a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until color lightens, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually; then beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add grapefruit zest and extract; beat thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add one-third of the flour mixture; then beat until just incorporated. Add 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and another third of the flour mixture; then beat until just incorporated. Repeat with the other 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and the remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter to get rid of any air pockets. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack 10 minutes; then turn cake out of the pan onto rack. Loosen sides with a thin knife. Let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes longer. Top with Grapefruit Glaze as directed below.

Grapefruit Glaze

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2-2/3 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice

Combine sugar and juice in a bowl; then mix with a fork until smooth. Set a piece of wax paper under the cake (which is still on the cooling rack); then slowly drizzle glaze over cake. Let cake cool completely before transferring to a platter. You may refrigerate it overnight, or up to several days, covered loosely with foil.