Wot's... Uh the deal?

Pink Floyd, Obscured by the Clouds 1972

So, the Midwest got slammed by a wee bit of snow.   Again.   My part of the Kansas City Metro got 12 inches.

That's what she said.

In the Jan 19th round of snow, a few weeks back, I had done groceries beforehand, but as I was unpacking them, I realized I had forgotten sunflower seeds.  My heart sank but at that point, it had already started snowing, I had trouble getting into our driveway as it was and I did not want to drag the kids back out.  Truly - my sunflower seeds are serious business.  I have mentioned my addiction to seeds, but it is hard to explain. First, it began when I was about 8 years old - one of my fondest childhood memories is a Saturday afternoon spent with a new packet of Fisher sunflower seeds, a newly checked-out library book and a tall glass of orange juice.

There are a few rules of sunflower seeds:

1. I only eat them if they are in the shell (no kernels!  bleh.) 
2. Over the years, I discovered they store best in the freezer, so they do not go rancid.  
3. I have a special set of bowls for eating at home, I have another set of bowls specifically for travel (say, if I go to a tea shop and hang out for awhile. Or, if I go on vacation.  Yes, vacation.)  And yes, I said "set" - one bowl is for the seeds, the other for the shells as I am eating.   No one else and I mean NO ONE ELSE is to use either of these sets.
4. My favorite brand rotates as the quality is not always consistent - for a long time, I was a Fisher girl, for awhile I was into Frito Lay, then into David's.  Lately, I have found Dakota Style seeds to be consistent in their quality.  

When I went to Pakistan in 1993 for 6 weeks, I carefully packed 5 pounds worth of sunflower seeds.  My friends laughed at me, but even with 5 pounds worth of seeds, I ran out before the trip was over.    The country of Pakistan did not have sunflower seeds in 1993.

Trust me.

When I have a lot of intense reading to do, my seeds are a must.  And with this new job, I am doing a lot of research and am plowing through more seeds than usual.  During that January 19th storm, the thought of having no seeds just before a snow day?  Had me desperate.  Near tears, I called Manoj and begged him to run through a convenience store to pick me up some - anything - David's, Frito Lay, anything.  Sweet baby Buddha, the man did not question me and brought home seeds.

Good grief.  I just wrote an entire post about my ardent love for the sunflower seed.

Wait - there is hope. This can post can be saved!  Let us talk about garlic. Something else I am serious about.   Because that was the other thing I ran out of in the January 19th snowstorm.  I normally buy 2-3 bulbs of garlic at a time and keep it in my special Franciscan Apple garlic keeper (the other thing I am serious about - my Franciscan Apple dishes.)  During the last snow storm, we ran out of garlic.  Folks, life is too damned short without freshly pressed garlic.

Needless to say - this past Monday, I grabbed several bags of sunflower seeds and a few bulbs of garlic.  Because I have priorities.

What are you serious about when it comes to the thought of being stranded in your house for a few days?

Mid-Storm - Norm the Gnome is holding onto his hat.

Norm's valiant efforts are in vain.

Snorkle masks, not just for coral reefs.  Surf's up, DUDE.  (Make note of the fact that we have TWO red flower pots. This is important later.)

Snow is so pretty, witty and wise from the inside of one's house, no?

We are down to ONE red flower pot now.

We used to have front steps.  Huh.