Puddles, Paczki, Pancakes and Pizza

In the past 24 hours our temperatures went from -24C to 2C making us believe that spring may be around the corner. Even though the weather forecast predicts the temperatures will fall below freezing by tomorrow, it was wonderful to have a one day reprieve from gloves, hats and scarves. I had to take a picture of something I haven't seen for a while.

A puddle!
Was I ever tempted to jump in it. Oh, to be two years old for just two minutes.

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day or whatever you may call it. Easter is a short six weeks ahead and spring will surely make its presence known by then.

We have a large Polish community in our city and during the week before Lent, a traditional pastry called Paczki is sold in local stores. Paczki were made in order to use all the fruit, lard, eggs and sugar in the house before the lenten fast. These large, filled, deep fried doughnuts are dense, rich and delicious. Our favourite filling is prune, but there are many other flavours as well.

We always ate pancakes at home on this day and our children enjoyed the tradition too. Pancakes for supper (blueberry please) were always a special treat especially when served with good Canadian maple syrup.

And as if today is not special enough...this is my husband's birthday. It did not seem right to serve pancakes for a birthday supper so we had pizza instead with refrigerator lemon cake for dessert. Two of our three daughters were at home and the third was on the telephone as we sang Happy Birthday.

Lengthening days, spring breezes, morning bird songs,
anticipation of new life, resurrection, all fill me with hope.
Life is good.