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Sunday, June 4, 2023

Meal No. 3370: Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

By late afternoon, when I realized only depleted reserves of energy remained within me, Wednesday evening's dinner plan shifted from something involved and complex to a simple and rewarding breakfast favorite: fluffy buttermilk pancakes. Always adorned with just a bit too much maple syrup, these were just what the doctor ordered.

On that final day of May, when it was still raining upon my early rising, we finally got a little bit more sun by late afternoon...but clouds still dominated, some looking ominous and threatening but ultimately harmless. The first bloom of the bee balm by the parking area appeared, looking lonely and precocious all by itself. I spotted as well singular early blooms from the next sets of daylilies: at the front wall where the Roediger family's driveway once was, and on the back slope where I've tried to create a better landscaped area. My stroll that day was longer, coming in at 5.1 miles. With the cool wet pattern hanging on, it was nice to sneak in that stroll even if the humidity took it out of me. At least it hasn't gotten hot yet, eh?

Five days of a dreary and unusual weather pattern can seem a lot longer, especially when it squats so unforgivingly atop an extended holiday weekend. (Just west of Winston-Salem, one rainfall total was three-and-a-half inches, so here at the house I suspect we were not far behind that.) Last Saturday's high temp of 61°F broke the previous record for lowest high mark; we've been about 20 degrees below normal highs for this time of year. What was going on? Apparently, we were blessed with low-pressure coastal system called an extratropical cyclone, also known as a mid-latitudes cyclone, and in satellite images it actually resembles a hurricane. The warm air we would normally enjoy was sent north of us, and the counterclockwise spin brought cooler air down, full of moisture.

Given how wet both April and May have been, and while I do not want to wish my life away, I might just have to say good riddance and hello June!


"Best Tips for Making Pancakes: Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes," by Joanne Ozug on the Pioneer Woman website. [Published 10 May 2017]

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