Homemade Marshmallows? Why not?

So this week the paper had an article and recipe for homemade marshmallows. Apparently, such marshmallows can get really fancy--think mint marshmallows with mini chocolate chips in them, or strawberry, or maple with bacon bits (really!). Well, the paper only had one recipe, a simple vanilla marshmallow recipe. We realized we had everything to do these, so Mom, Christina, and I worked together to make them, and here's the result. They were actually quite good! I think I see more experimentation with homemade marshmallow recipes in our future...

Yummy by themselves...  

...or in a nice cup of hot chocolate!

Interested in giving it a try? Here's the recipe.

Trip to the Beach

Saturday we took a quick day trip to the beach. It was really fun! The ocean, the beach, the trees (not to mention a chance to take pictures)... it all makes me happy!

We had a delicious lunch at Mo's in Cannon Beach. When we came out, Dad noticed all these seagulls perched on the roof of a neighboring hotel. 

Why are they all facing the same direction? Doesn't it just make you wonder?

After that, we headed up to Ecola State Park, just to the north of Cannon Beach. It was super windy at the Ecola Viewpoint. We were glad we brought windbreakers and gloves. The wind was strong enough to kind of push us down the trail.

Looking south to Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.

Early spring at the Coast!

The view from Indian Beach.

We decided to start down the beginning section of a short hiking trail, the Clatsop Loop, but ended up doing the whole thing. It wasn't really that long, but it was more than we had been planning on. It turned out to be really muddy on the return trail. There were some good views, though! There was also a really neat hikers' camp at the summit of the trail. It had several rustic cabins with bunks inside. 

Tillamook Head Lighthouse. 

Looking South to Indian Beach.

I'm not sure the name of this rock formation, but I thought it was pretty cool that there was an arch in it.

Another Sunset

Spring Snow

It was such a pleasant surprise to find that it had snowed last night! Not enough to be really inconvenient, but  it stuck to the trees really nicely. I think this was only the second time that we got snow at our house this year. This morning Mom, Christina, and I went on a walk to enjoy the snow. 

The "green space" behind our house looked really pretty all covered in snow!

And, lest we forget, spring is still coming! 

An abstract shot--can you guess what it is? 

(It's slushy snow and gravel.)

Cattails.