Author: admin

And the rain came…

 I cannot remember the last time we had so many days of dreary drizzly grey weather all strung together.  It’s downright depressing.  The gardens are drenched and although very green, also very near drowning. My tomato plants are on the verge of needing replacement and I  just spoke with one of my farm market vendors and they’re having a horrible spring growing season. 
About the only thing in my gardens that are happy are the perennials. 
 The paddocks are mucky, the chicken coop murky… the horses don’t mind the light rain because it keeps the bugs away, but the mucking, quite frankly, sucks. 
 We have babies everywhere…. baby bunnies under the bushes in the backyard, nests all around the outside of the house –  this is the porchlight purple finch nest which once held a cowbird egg but it mysteriously disappeared almost as soon as it appeared.  *ahem.  Mama bird is happily sitting on these eggs as I type. 

 Remember the chickadee babes just a week or so ago? …

See how they’ve grown! Almost ready to leave the nest…


 Here’s a robin I discovered in a pine tree on the edge of one of the hay fields out back…

   Frasier and I have visited the cottage in between the raindrops to get some exercise in – thankfully  Stella is less than 15 miles from here and I’m able to get down there easily whenever it behooves me.  The island neighborhood is perfect for walking….
By the way, this is not my photo… but it IS our cove – the Thimble Islands are out in the distance, there are over 200 of them, some as small as a very large boulder, some have multiple houses on them.  Stella is not visible here, she’s tucked in to the shoreline on the right side mid photo-level.   

Below are a few images (not mine) of homes on some of the Thimbles… they range from tiny to huge and each has it’s own charm.  Each also has it’s own funky commute – small boat access only!  Ugh, think of when you’re baking a cake for company and realize you’ve run out of eggs or milk or toilet paper or garbage bags.  On a rainy day.

 For that reason, I’m grateful Stella’s “island” isn’t really an island. 

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 Here’s a new recipe share – Cheesecake cookies, recipe found HERE

    

     And last but not least…. If  we’re friends on FB you’ve noticed I am not spewing quite so much political exasperation lately – there’s just so much of it, all the regurgitating of the offenses is getting really.. really old.  It’s still there, the news is reeling…. what news is fake, what news is worthy, … round and round it goes, and when it will stop, nobody knows.  
What I do know is… we all need to keep a little sense of humor.  Today’s humor served up by none other than the Commander in Chief himself  in a late evening sleep-deprived tweet… his new word , of which is already very popular – it’s gonna be great, it’s yuge, believe me!

 (Sigh*)…. You can’t make this sh*t up.

Celebrations and Cottage Life

   Last night was the perfect example of what I have envisioned Cottage Life to be… simple pleasures,  family togetherness, good  food, laughter, easy conversation, relaxing.  A charming little place to celebrate all that is good in life.  Mission accomplished. 
Happy Birthday, Mom 💗

  I’m proud of this guy right here –  He started the Nutrisystem plan on Jan. 1st  and as of May 28th he has lost 50 lbs.  He’s looking and feeling so much better –  It’s a beautiful thing. 

It’s a Nest Fest * Lavender Honey Cheesecake

    Let’s talk about all those nests I’m finding everywhere.  So many this year, it’s almost bizarre.  What was it about this winter and spring that has every thing proliferating?… including… TICKS.    No exaggeration, as soon as one of my dogs, in particular, Frasier, step  outside they’ve got a tick or two attached to them. And that’s WITH the all natural, non-toxic – basically non-existent tick repellent application.   Bleh. 
Back to those nests – Here are just a few… 
These chickadee babies live in the outhouse birdhouse in the backyard cherry tree right next to the patio.  It’s a small, baby tree, high traffic area …but nevertheless, she persisted. 
      The eggs below  belong to a purple finch – this nest is on the front porch next to my office door. Notice one egg is different than the others.  That’s a cowbird egg.  I just learned that cowbirds, probably due to their -follow the herd- instincts,  lay eggs in other birds nests and then leave them there for the original maker of the nest to raise.   The problem with that is… cowbird babies grow at a faster rate than other smaller birds, which is the kind of nest cowbirds seek out to deposit their eggs – probably for that reason. Survival instincts!… But…  what happens is the cowbird chick  is more demanding of the parent birds and the original eggs/ babies are usually deprived of nourishment and many die.    
     Well the whole idea was cute until I read that part.   I don’t like it at all, but what’s a person to do.  Some say chuck that bad egg out… others say let nature take it’s course.  The law says it’s illegal. (ok then)    I can tell you this…it’s not gonna sit well with me if I am staring at four baby birds starving to death with one big fat baby sitting on top of them taking all the food.  Did I mention they’re right outside my door?  The door I sit next to.. the one I look out over as I work?  The nest is right there.   
    Meanwhile, down by the sea, we have a Carolina Wren nesting on Stella’s Porch …  as far as I can tell, just Carolina Wren eggs in that one. 
   

      Another Spring thing I discovered on Pinterest and shall make perhaps over the weekend… A recipe for a Lavender Honey Cheesecake, doesn’t that sound delicious?   I need to find some culinary lavender, so far, none sold around these parts.   Regarding Pinterest, great resource for all kinds of inspirational things – awesome reference, but what a time suck, hence I limit my visits there to about once a week. 
So, that recipe…  Source is Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons dried lavender flowers, divided
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 1-1/2 cups crushed shortbread cookies (about 21 cookies)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • Lavender sugar and fresh mint leaves, optional

Directions

  • 1. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons lavender and water. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain water, discarding lavender. Set aside.
  • 2. Crush remaining lavender flowers. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and crushed lavender. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • 3. For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and honey until smooth. Gradually beat in lavender water. In another bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into filling. Spoon over crust.
  • 4. Refrigerate overnight. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Sprinkle with lavender sugar and mint leaves if desired. Yield: 16 servings.

Editor’s Note: Look for dried lavender flowers in spice shops. If using lavender from the garden, make sure it hasn’t been treated with chemicals.

  Another recipe, a little more technical, can be found HERE – not sure which will taste better. This one takes a little more effort.  
 Till soon, Friends – 

Ed’s Place

    Around 12 years ago we tried to buy This Old House when it was in need of much repair and the 90 something year old owner, a lovely and very philanthropic woman had passed on.   Having no children of her own, she left the house to a University, and the University sold it at auction to use the funds for their needs.  We loved the old place and put in a bid. Initially we were told our offer was accepted, oh, did I leap for joy!  Only to discover a week later that another bid had been “unofficially accepted” by another party shortly before us, so sorry for the mistake,  and the fellow heard of our offer being accepted and hired a lawyer. Long story short, we had to walk away. 
   Who was this person who pulled This Old House out from under us? Was he going to tend to her many needs as we would have?   Was he a master of renovation? Did he care about her old bones enough to preserve them?  
    Years went by. We would drive by This Old House  ( literally THIS old house)  and see….. not much.  The yard around the house continued to grow up and around it.  Some beautiful trees in the driveway had been cut down (gasp!) … but the purpose for that remained unclear.  The fields remained overgrown.  The house needed paint.  Had he repaired the ceilings?  The walls?  That kitchen!  
   Five years go by, and we get a call.  A call, it turns out, from  Ed – the fellow who bought This Old House out from under us.  I should be clear about this, it wasn’t his fault.. it was that of a realtor who shall remain unnamed.   Anyway – Ed was having trouble keeping up with the place, it was “getting away from him”,  he was struggling with some personal issues and would we still have an interest in buying the old place?   Are you kidding.    He wasn’t! 
  Within a year, we did get to purchase This Old House, and the rest you already know if you’ve been reading here for the past five or so years.   
    So.. where did Ed go after he left This Old House?  He bought yet another run down property with significant acreage, a barn and two houses that needed work.  For whatever his reasons, he has for at least three moves now, been drawn to lovely old properties that need more work than he can mentally or physically handle, but he sees them, falls in love, pays good money for them.. and then lives there for a while trying to sort it all out.  It ultimately doesn’t get sorted, and he moves on. 
    Ed actually became a friend, and the Mr. helps him out where he can.  When this next property became too much for him for whatever the reasons or demons… an associate of  M looked over the place and saw a whole lot of potential he wants to tap into, and so he bought it. 
 What a glorious property!… The two homes are 1800’s and late 1700’s (stone house in pics below), all hand hewn post and beam. We had dinner at a local pub last night and then stopped at the old place to do some exploring before the new owner does what he will do. (develop).   While it’s a bummer to see old farms like this developed, it’s inevitable in many cases. What’s important (!) is that it’s developed responsibly and with respect for the beautiful terrain that is worthy of keeping intact.  Hopefully the homes will be restored.   That’s the influence my M hopes to have on the developer.  While this is what my guy does for a living.. the buyer is going to give development a go himself.  That can either work out OK or be a disaster… so much to know, and they have no experience. 

 At one time, long before Ed owned the property, it was a nursery.  Throughout the place there are lilacs and random flowering shrubs and perennials like iris, hosta and globe thistle.  It’s all overgrown and the rhyme and reason are no longer obvious, but the quiet beauty of it all is breathtaking.

 A barn stands in the middle of a field behind the houses – at one time a horse named “HotShot” lived there according to a plaque on the wall.

   
 So where did Ed end up?  Well, he kicked around a few ideas, including a Florida condo… but ultimately he bought himself a charming older small home on a busy road in the middle of town with not much yard to maintain.    I don’t know how he is feeling about the traffic and the close proximity to neighbors, but  the relief of finally landing where the land is not demanding…  must be a comfort. 

Cottage Life

   Lawn mowers are whirring,  lawn chairs  set out on the grass, decks and patios, flags unfurled, boats beginning to appear attached to  their summer moorings,  license plates from New Jersey and Massachusetts and New York tuck in to their summer addresses,  chinese paper lanterns are hung from porches…. summer life on Stella’s island has returned.  My faithful kayak, Ruby, and I have even taken a few paddles around the cove. 
Life is Good. 
   

 Make a wish!

The Greatness…. it’s Yuge.




     Just curious… at what point exactly is it safe to assume no one believes absolutely everyone but the POTUS is a liar? The guy who contradicts himself constantly, lies to the public openly, documented, not fake news when it comes out of his own mouth, those guys you all thought were swampy until they stood next to 45, the guy who throws his own people under the bus when it suits him, that guy. Jesus, NO ONE is going to want to work for him.  I’m surprised we aren’t yet seeing resignations left and right.  Unless… could it be true, the swamp is even swampier than we thought?  


       And…When does it feel justified to believe anything the news came out with if it were about the opposite party, but if it’s about  your guy, it’s all fake news? When does it start getting uncomfortable to defend this bullsh@t, even if you believe in his policy?

   R*ssia…. is going to provide us with transcripts?  Because we can’t rely on our own government (specifically the POTUS) to provide us with the truth?…. 

   What a zoo. 


Mothering

   I have been mothering things since I could walk, I’m pretty sure.  It started with my favorite Winnie the Pooh, which I still have… .. He and the Pooh my 3 year old son picked on our first trip to Disney World reside on my dresser. 

  The mothering moved up to pets we had in my childhood home, including dogs, cats, fish, parakeets, a hamster or two, a goat (long story for another day) and fancy silk mice I hid from my mother disguised in a P& G crate in my room. 
   I love being a mother!  It’s my most favorite thing in this world.  As for MY mother – well, she put up with one heck of a stubborn teen, and there may have been a grocery throwing incident or two and some pathetic grades from a reluctant student, but we came out of that tunnel with a treasured relationship.  The reason I believe I can do what I set my mind to is in part because my mother told me I could.  There’s no greater gift than that. 
   My kids are grown and we remain close.  I hope they will always come to me when they need something, anything. 

 I won’t ever stop being their mother, for sure the mothering instinct continues… but the daily coddling had to find another outlet… hence.. the critters on this farm serve an important purpose. For I can only be me. The Mother. 
Currently out in the little greenhouse, there are three chickens.  Our little greenhouse has become the chicken hospital.  They are looking a little iffy… sick with something but I’m not sure what. I’ve consulted a vet and all the chicken illnesses you can google on the internet.  So far, nothing really matches their symptoms exactly.  Chickens are tough to diagnose and fall prey to many illnesses.  It’s very important to keep their housing clean and give them proper nutrition.  These guys just look like they feel yucky, and one has a messy vent.  The vet advised against an antibiotic for now, with apple cider vinegar in their water and probiotic supplement in their feed.  
 Meanwhile.. back at the Eggplant on the other side of the garage… The young chicks and my older girls are doing well and as soon as this rain lets up I will bleach the hell out of the coop just for good measure.  The littles are still living in their own section ( under the tarp) until they reach the same size as the others. 
Let’s talk about rain – boy have we gotten our share.  This morning the horses are tucked into their stalls with grain and hay and an open top door for fresh air. 
 The mothering of anything will never be described as glamorous, we can say that for certain, can’t we.. …     Me at 6:30 this morning as I mothered the crew on the farm.  I’m not showing you my pajama bottoms soaked to the ankles…. yep, sometimes that’s how we roll around here. 
  Because of the torrent of rain we’ve been getting, everything is so vibrantly GREEN. We’ve planted the second half of the Garden beds, now I can only hope the tender plants don’t drown. 
  As I sit here typing this blog entry, my three “other kids” lie around me – This is the thing they do every day – whatever room I’m working in.. they find a spot to settle, moving with me through the house as I tackle the tasks at hand.  It’s a good life, the best life I could have hoped for, full and rich with  mothering.  
Happy Mother’s Day to you, my friends.  If you are a nurturer in any way, you are a mother of this earth. Celebrate you! 

Fire and Nice

  Jeez, I keep starting out with a nice garden post and just as I’m about to hit publish yet another fire breaks out in the swamp.  How’bout that Comey firing!….  this oughta be interesting. 
   Meanwhile.. back at the ranch…. 
  We’ve had a chilly spring so far in New England – as you drive along the roads and skim the fields and forest,  the trees look like they’re afraid to unfurl their leaves.  We did manage to plant half of our garden beds a few days ago…praying we don’t get a frost. 
 Planted on the left, the right still needs weeding and tilling.  Someone told us planting rye over the winter is good for vegetable garden beds.  I’m thinking not. 
 
 In the planted bed we have romaine, eggplant, yellow wax beans, yellow squash and those 500 or so onions.   I plant a row of marigolds at the base of the raised bed every year, as they help keep the bugs off the plants. It really does work and by mid summer produces a beautiful show of yellow and orange. 

 See how anemic the leafery looks just about everywhere?  Yet the grass is growing like crazy.  We’ve had plenty of rain.   My border garden tulips have come up again, good to see  the voles have not destroyed them. 
  On Staten Island back in the day, my grandfather Al had beautiful garden beds. His little house with it’s beautiful tiny lawn and blossoming cherry tree and tulip beds actually graced the cover of Scott’s turf bags and brochures.   The Tulips in the spring drew crowds, no kidding.  We weren’t allowed to pick them, but I had a favorite teacher, Miss Ferragano, who knew of his gardens and loved them.  He would bring me out to the garden bed with snippers in hand and let me choose the ones to snip. I would proudly go to school the next day with a beautiful bouquet for my favorite teacher. To this day a vase full of tulips reminds me of  Grandpa Al, a hard working,  kind and humorous soul who certainly  had his own trials in life, but you’d never know it by his attitude.  
 My “seaside real estate”  garden at the side gate is thriving, the phlox taking over and the new dawn rose climbers have taken over the trellis.  It’s called this because having resigned ourselves to the fact that seaside real estate had gotten too expensive to fullfill our dream of owning a little piece of it, I collected rocks and shells from our adventures and deposited them here.  Little did we know, the affordable opportunity to buy Stella would become a reality down the road. 
  The horses are loving their spring pasture grass… and the hay fields are flourishing too. 

 
Speaking of seaside real estate… Now that the renovation work is done at Stella and the grass seed has been sown, the new tender grass shoots are rising. 
  Have you ever come across “as the crow flies” destination totem poles?   I made one for Stella, we’ll “plant” it this weekend.  

A Voice from the Past

   Below is a link to a fascinating and horrifying article/Interview aired on 60 Minutes regarding War and Humanity.   After my previous and fairly heavy post, (thank you to all who participated)  I wanted to share my garden with you to lighten the load…but this came up in the news and I feel it’s so very important to share..   This is a must read for anyone, and it’s not a political statement, it’s a humanitarian statement. 

  I bet you join me in this…. I’ve often wondered “How could so many people follow and carry out the hideous orders of a man like H*Tler. How did that atrocity happen not so long ago? Especially in a well educated and supposedly enlightened Europe?… This man  in the article/interview below was in the heart of it, has perspective none of us possess.

 We need to learn from history and stop repeating mistakes.. we need to stop turning the other way, avoiding making contact, afraid to make waves because it’s a little uncomfortable.   We need to trust our gut instincts and have faith in truth prevailing. We need to voice our concerns in any way we are capable and willing to do so…even if it’s a little blog like mine or a facebook status. We can’t move mountains by ourselves, we can’t toss boulders, but we can at the very least toss pebbles, those little ripples traveling farther than you would think.   It matters, it’s important, let’s not allow our humanity to fall at the hands of the few elite who have use of the bigger platforms and abuse them. 

Please take a few minutes to click on the link and read. 

I am what a Pre-Existing Condition looks like

      Have you been paying attention to just exactly what this is that the idiots in Washingt*n are trying to pass off as Healthcare? Some members of the GOP admit they didn’t even read the damned proposal before they voted.  Holy sh*t, isn’t that what they’re getting paid very well for?  Isn’t this thing important enough to read the fine print, let alone the big print all the way through ?    If you voted for the Orange Scream, is this what you hoped for?  Basically, if you’re a woman, you ARE a pre-existing condition.  If you’re poor, if you’re sick, if your child is sick.. you’re f*cked.  One idiot in particular said in slightly different words, if you’re sick it’s your fault – poor choices!  
  WTF. 
  I don’t know how any member of the Rep*blican party can feel good about the soulless group currently representing them… how did such a ruthless, soulless, heartless, clueless group obtain such power again.  Apparently we don’t learn important lessons from history, we are doomed to repeat them.  When did enough of us decide that decency, democracy, fairness, common sense, truth, justice and THE AMERICAN WAY… was worth throwing under the proverbial bus because -change -.   What -change- did we bring on that was worth forgoing our core values, our very decency.  Why are we turning a blind eye?  Why is nepotism suddenly OK.  Why is the POTUS lying about little things, big things, getting our HISTORY wrong,  pissing off world leaders at random, tweeting ridiculousness in the middle of the night…  and getting away with it –  how is this OK?  What happened, America?  WTF happened?  
   You know what’s worse than the joke below? …. 
the fact that it’s  actually what he said.  
****************************
 The further a society drifts from the truth…
The more it will hate those that speak it. 
–George Orwell
  Funny thing – when I talk like this, I am often accused.. and I use the word accused… of being a Liberal. A Democrat.  As if those are dirty words.  I’m actually none of the above.  But hell, when you express concern for human beings, for decency, for fairness… for inclusion, … if that’s what you want to call me?  It means the republican party doesn’t represent any of these things.   So I’ll take it. 
  Believe people when they tell you who they are.