Author: Karen

The Doves

 

When we moved into this old house after the extensive resurrection, I put up a bird feeder and soon after, what seemed like a family of doves appeared.  I did not have dove visitors at our previous farms, and really fell in love with them, felt they were a sign.

“There will be peace here, Karen.” 

Fifteen years later, they still visit my feeder – which I placed right at the kitchen window so that when I do that dreaded chore (dish washing, bleh) I can at least observe my feathered friends.  When they aren’t at the feeder, we often see them sitting on the roof of our house.. and at night they tuck themselves into the thick pine we planted at the front gate, now a large tree.  Sometimes they are “birds on a wire”, sitting  just in front of that pine tree on the power lines that run down the road.

Every time something really horrible happens here in this country lately… I watch with great hope.. to see if it will turn Tr*mp et al’s heart, bring him and his entourage the understanding that their own hateful rhetoric throws fuel on the fires of division that we all know will end us if we don’t quit the shit, and awful things happen as a result. When he was nicked with a bullet I had hope that he would see the error in spewing hatred, because that hatred came right to his home to roost. (Nope)
This assassination of a D leader and her husband this week, the critical injuries of another two… and a hit list of 70 more… should have been another turning point. There was the initial statement that seemed appropriate. But it was soon followed by a chaser of…
…”D’s are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities – And they are doing a good job of it. There is something wrong with them.”
Just days earlier, the Speaker of the House who claims to be a devout Christian, called for the governor of California to be tarred and feathered.
Two people were just murdered because of this kind of hateful false rhetoric. People who are not sound of mind look to their “leaders” and act on what they are being fed. That is not rocket science and denying or ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.
I hate politics, always have. I choose common sense, accountability, decency… equality… freedom, prosperity for all. Not a party. Why do I speak up? Why do I think anyone cares what I have to say? Being honest here… I’m criticized by certain members of my own family for doing so…. but I don’t do it to please or annoy anyone else. NOT STANDING UP AND SAYING THIS ISN’T RIGHT, THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE….. feels wrong. I’d love nothing more than to be able to go about my life blissfully unaware of the ugliness oozing from the pores of this country right now. But we owe it to ourselves, to our children, to our fellow countrymen…to not turn a blind eye, to be brave regardless of whether it will be criticized by your friends, family, neighbors. DO something, SAY something, and for God’s Sake… LITERALLY…… choose kind.
History has already taught us these things, why.. why.. why… isn’t this country capable of learning from past mistakes… so that we DON’T REPEAT HISTORY.
Peace.

Ogunquit

Just a three hour ride from our farm, Ogunquit, Maine  has become a favorite place to visit.   For the past 40 years we have vacationed on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, where I have certainly had a love affair with the rugged natural terrain and the charming New England villages, the cottages, the beaches and dunes and the restaurants, the artists…. the farming community and the summer revelries, the quiet ones and the big ones like illumination night at the campgrounds and the agricultural fair.   All of those things are still wonderful… but tourism has really done a number on what used to be the vineyard experience.  Now.. ferry reservations are hard to get and not always reliable, the price of summer rentals is through the literal roof, the crowds and traffic… I feel for the locals, they must hate it all, even as they need the income it brings.  Sadly, in the past 30 years, the uber wealthy have taken over and caused a very real housing crisis.  Families who have lived on island for generations have had to leave or are struggling to stay put…. employees and employers struggle to find help or housing because there is very little affordable housing.  All of these things have changed the experience a bit, and it’s a little heartbreaking to witness.

A friend recommended Ogunquit… just a jump up the coast from the Vineyard as you arrive in the State of Maine…. and let me tell you… it’s a beautiful thing.  Just as on the Vineyard, the sea air is refreshing.. the water clear and bracing… and strangly… in just that little distance.. the people are friendlier.  Happier, it seems, less harried.  My guy has a hard time unwinding, as his job is very demanding 24/7…. but here… he lightens up and that indeed makes my world a little lighter too.

Our sunrise walks along Marginal Way are our most favorite part of the day….

The red sun is caused by the smoke coming down from the Canada fires…. there was a faint smoke scent in the air during our visit.

The food… the food!!  Halibut or Lobster, blueberry stuffed french toast, the bakeries, the ice cream…. two favorite breakfast places I recommend if you travel to this wonderful town are The Greenery Cafe (and order yourself a Honey Lavender Latte, you’ll be glad you did) … and The Egg and I.

Restaurants we love our The Maine Catch, Robertos… Barnacle Billys in Perkins Cover just down the road, and there are many others to choose from.

And speaking of Perkins cove… it doesn’t get more charming than this quaint little seaside town…

A charming shop owned by two lovely men….

I hope to return to this magical place for many years to come, God willing and the creek don’t rise.

As  we were sitting on the lawn of Anchorage by the Sea relaxing with fellow vacationers, we witnessed the cat fight between The Orange Scream and the X-ecutioner.   Now… the Mr. is a conservative republican forever and a day, so you can imagine the conversations we don’t really have, for they always become arguments.  I could not revel outwardly in this  Knew-it-was-coming moment , nor could I  remove the “told you so” smirk from my face, but being on vacation had a soothing effect of sorts, so we both just kinda watched it unfold, one in horror but in disguise, and then there was me, the smirker.

In the history of ever… have you seen a more appropriate representation?

I don’t wish harm on anyone, and especially these United States and our fellow countrymen, no matter what your affiliations, religion, life choices, as long as you’re not hurting others.   And that’s exactly why I am so alarmed at what this country is becoming… Tr*mp’s America.    That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize the reason we arrived at this destination that is Tr*mp 2.0.  And I blame that on the past failures of both parties, and the lack of solving our very real and long time  problems,  including immigration reform, healthcare reform, government overspending, corruption… the lobbying…  and the  division that has been encouraged for decades now, but more so in recent times.   And it really comes down to this simple truth – together we stand, divided we will fall… hard. The End. Literally.

Anyway!…  out of the muck of the place and back to the 🌟JOY🌟.. . and people…please give yourself this simple gift…  let go of the crap that drags you and catch joy wherever you can.  I find it in a good book, in the clear water I wade through, the smooth rocks and pretty shells nature provides, my children and grands… the smiles of strangers… good food shared with others… the animals (!)  and even a 35 year marriage where we are really more alike than we are different, when we’re not waving vigorously our flag of the opinionated stubborn italian/irish/german cloth we are cut from.   Immigrants, all of us.  Remember that, too..and how empathy and kindness can go hand in hand with fixing what’s broken… and should.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods…

Till soon –

 

All creatures great and small

I knew from a very young age my life would need to revolve around animals. Growing up in a suburb on Staten Island, there weren’t many farms, although I did eventually work on a few.  I’m trying to remember the first animal I brought home with me… there were many, much to my mom’s chagrin.  A pigeon with a broken wing… a few cats over the years… a few dogs too… a sick baby goat from the  Staten Island Zoo,  mice, hamsters, parakeets.   My kids were bitten by the same bug, although perhaps not as intensely as me.  I thought I would be a veterinarian… however some of the gore involved…and to witness so much of the abuses, turned out to be too much.

Farm life suits me well, and animal advocacy. So this is what I built my life into.  At 60 years of age, I do feel the wear and tear of the physical work that has gone into it and continues… but I wouldn’t trade it for any other thing.

Yesterday we got a lot done around here… my son has begun the haying process… and we pray for four days of dry warm weather. The hay needs to be cut, then tethered into rows, then hopefully the breezes and sun dry it out good, then bale it, stack it on a truck and store it in the lofts.

Meanwhile, we did a little pony ride aboard my mini horse, Lacey. She was a trooper.  The pony saddle is really too big for a mini but for these toddler years it’s workable.  We may bring a pony home for the grands at some point.  When I think of that I ask myself… do I really want to add to my work load around here?

We also gave our blind mini horse, Molly, her summer hair cut.  Her coat is very thick and we help her to be more comfortable as the weather warms up with a clip job.  For the same reason I wouldn’t ever be a hairdresser, I won’t ever be great with the clipping of a dog or horse, but I do it as necessary around here.

My girl rode her horse, Leah…  and our old boy Max’s picture is below just because.  At 29 years old, he’s doing great.  This is what I wish every horse’s retirement looked like after a life of service to humans.

Meanwhile… just down the road a piece… we visited a thrift and rescue/rehab facility in the next town over… There aren’t a lot of places where you can visit with Tortoises, parrots, goats, peacocks, lizards, snakes, frogs and other creatures and then shop in a huge thrift store, all proceeds of which benefit the creatures in their care, and then some.  The kids picked out a toy and books after visiting with the animals.  A morning well spent and a great cause supported.  My kind of day.

 

This is a great bread recipe for those of us who are a bit intimidated by the bread making process… It came out delicious and wasn’t hard to make!

These are my two loaves… the recipe below makes 2!

One more thing and I’m off to the barn for morning chores….

This… a thousand times… this.

 

What’s blooming around here……

We’ve had a lot of precipitation this past month… sheesh.. it’s a little boggy around here! But all the green things are growing, and the gardens will be gorgeous this summer…  Take a look….

We celebrated my mother Kathy’s 85th birthday… pictured in the larger  group are her “posse” of friends who joined us.  My mom has always made good friends wherever she resides or works and it is a testament to the good friend she is to all.  I can say with 100 percent honesty she is my best friend.  If you told my 18 year old self I would believe that down the road… well, I wouldn’t have believed it.  You might say I was a rebel who hadn’t yet figured out my cause .

Not only was this cake beautiful… made by a local baker… it was delicious!

I’ve been busy in the studio with some new works… water color and acrylics lately… getting away from the heaviness of the oils….  It is SO FREEING!!!

 

This watercolor was for a dear friend who loves Martha’s Vineyard as much as I do.

And I have enjoyed diving into the world of tiny paintings…. these two are in acrylics… so much fun.

Our goat girls, Bella and Star are now Five years Old… How is that possible.   Time flies, no truer words have ever been spoken.

The current egg color palette in the Egg Plant….

And  I’ll close this post with a few memes I currently relate to and perhaps you to as well…

 

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods…

Till soon –

 

 

 

Let them

I have been struggling with something that was for me a shock and a painful realization. 60 years of living teaches you a few things, though… . So take this or leave it, if it helps you navigate your own situation, I’m glad I shared my thoughts for what they’re worth.
You are not ever going to get everything right or please every person who travels through your orbit, inevitably that’s the nature of this human experience. We all have our stories, our beliefs , trials, scars, our fears, joys, triumphs and sorrows…. and our own way of navigating our lives. You are the only person who will ever know all your true intentions, and your heart. If you know absolutely that you move through life doing the best you can where you are, and are a genuine friend to those who give you their friendship, it’s enough. What other people will value or not, what they will say or the opinions they will form and for whatever their reasons, those things are their choices to make in the life and experiences they are living.   – Let them.

Harkness and Seaside

Yesterday was one of those early May days that remind a person of the simple joys of being alive and being able bodied to *just do things*.  It was warm, sunny, breezy…  T-shirt weather, my favorite.   I got my barn chores done early, took a quick shower and hopped in the car with my doggo, Kai…

The air smelled of fresh earth and spring blossoms and because I headed down to the shoreline, salty balmy air.   I wish there was a feature on this laptop to transport the scent along with the photos.   When I do these walkabouts I breathe deep and slow, sort of  nourishing my lungs and my peace of mind with all that goodness, flushing out any lingering toxins.

Harkness park is such a jewel bestowed on the residents of this state, and the now abandoned Seaside Sanatorium is an eerie contrast, just down the road from it.  Seaside has an interesting history…. you can read more about it here if you’re so inclined.

First,  behold Harkness Park….  It never ceases to amaze me and truly my gratitude overflows for people who had the forethought and the generosity to bestow their properties to the general public, for the welfare of all.  Amen for those beacons of light, for the humanity they embody and share with us all.

   On to Seaside – it was an eerie experience, haunting, really.  I was glad there were a few other dog walkers there.   Hard to imagine why this property didn’t flourish for generations to come as a hospital, a respite, a recovery centery, an elderly housing complex …… any of these things could have been beautifully done here and right on the water, surrounded by a nice neighborhood and nearby bustling town.

I had a physical last week and thankfully all is as well as a 60 year old can expect.  I still have 20 pounds to lose but I did lose a little weight, and the sugar and cholesterol numbers improved.  Had my eyes checked a few days ago and all good there too, just a small bump in the reading glasses number.  I’ll take it.   The hiking and walking and barn chores and light weight training is helping me stay strong – I always remember what a dear older friend of mine said some years ago…. I asked her what her secret was to staying so fit and strong as she approached 80.  She said… KEEP MOVING.  KEEP DOING ALL THE THINGS.  DON’T START BEHAVING LIKE AN OLD PERSON.    And so I plan to do just that.  I hope you’re taking care of you, too – it’s so important to find something you enjoy doing to help your body and mind stay active… if you’re not already doing so, it’s never too late to start.  Just do it.     Sadly…. she ended up with dementia in her late 80’s, but she is lucky to have strong family support and the money to live in an excellent facility near that family with her own apartment.

On that subject… I have several friends who are living with and caring for their spouses who are suffering from either dementia or alzheimers… and several community members have either died from or are living with the same awful disease.  It seems more prevalent now than ever -scary!   What I have learned from both of them is…. family and friend support is so important.  One of them has very little of either and at this point feels very isolated and alone, feeling trapped in her home as she cares for her husband.  The other has tremendous family support and has found a support group that really helps her in various ways.  It makes all the difference.   If you know someone who is in the same position, please reach out in any ways that you are able.  …. and no small deed is too small.    If you are unfortunately IN that position as care giver…. remember…. you matter too.   Reach out, don’t suffer alone…. and carve out time for self care, whatever that looks like to you.  It’s not impossible, and it might at first feel uncomfortable to ask or seek, but do it… for you.   You are just as important as the patient.

I hesitate to say anything at all about the present political climate….. I and many others are sad for this country and hoping with all we’ve got that eventually most of this country will right the ship and lean in to decency, grace and humanity again…..    We deserve so much better, we are capable of so much better…. The world deserves better from us.

Onward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Peace of Wild Things

It’s hard   to find the balance when it comes to how much news to digest right now in this current whirlwind of upheaval.  How to react and not react, to take some kind of action or to let it go, to remain silent or speak up. I tend to speak up.  A lot.  Trying for balance though….    Let go or be dragged is one of my little mantras…  little quotes  I use when I’m feeling the weight of it all to remind myself when I need to do just that.  Also… keeping an open mind when you find your thoughts are completely at odds with those of others you respect and even love.  Right now in particular, that can be a hard thing and some folks are losing relationships they valued for decades because of it.

In my older years (I’ve just arrived in my 61st year)  as some of the responsibilities and pulls of a younger life  wane, I take to the woods or beaches more often to ground myself and for better health.  I’ve heard the term “forest bathing” but I’m not sure it’s that for me, exactly.  The peace  is in the trek and the observance of nature and its beauty… especially with my dog, Kai. He is a gentle timid soul who has known abuses I’ll never understand fully. But since coming to me as a 2 year old, he’s learned trust and love and to be (mostly) comfortable in his own skin.  We are definitely a team… with my significant hearing loss, he is my ears on the trails and our surroundings.   Having gone through this transformation with Kai, our bond is a strong one and I am forever grateful he’s in my life, and for the rescuer who trusted him with me.

Speaking of “Older”….  you’ve probably heard the saying… aging is not for sissies.   And maybe you’re at the age where you can relate.  Inevitably, we all experience a breaking down of this or that, some worse than others.  If we’re lucky, we get to keep going, reasonably sound, for a while to come.  Not everyone is that lucky and we never know when our time on this earth might be coming to a close… So.. I choose not to be too freaked about the lines in my face, the eyes that look weary, the extra pounds I’m constantly fighting… the aches of a life lived in an active body.  I no longer have a uterus or any semblance of normal hearing.   Every one of these things in, so far,  sixty years,  is a privilege, not a right given to all.  I’ll take it, with gratitude.

The wild voilets, trout lily,  fern and swamp marigold are all in bloom this week. I look forward to these signs each Spring heralding warmer days ahead.  Finding that first yellow bloom with the dappled leaves beneath it leaves me a little giddy and a little hopeful.  Don’t we all need a little of that.

The grands are of the age now where they love to explore… and so they, too, are enjoying little trail walks with us. Keeping them from getting completely soaked in the little streams is the challenge of the moment, but their wonder and excitement is contagious❤️

I’ll close this post with a breakfast shake I like to throw together… it’s delicious and good for you….  Spinach, banana, blueberries, honey, hemp seed hearts and ice… however much of each you prefer, and switch it up with any number of other healthy options you might have in the fridge.  Just toss it all in a blender, pour in a glass and drink up the goodness.

Till soon –

 

 

Hope Floats

I’d like to see a bit more of this world before I leave it, and I still hope to do a little of that… but I have to be realistic in that I married a man who has a hard time being comfortable outside of his well trodden box. In recent years to help ease my wander lust I’ve taken to hiking the trails that are in abundance around our state, amazed at how many there are for the public to enjoy. The diversity of the geography of  Connecticut as a state gives me a lot of options and it’s a great way for me to get exercise, too .   I’m not a gym rat, I just don’t enjoy spending a lot of time in one place running or walking to nowhere. But when out in the woods or along the beaches, there’s always something to marvel at, to discover, to appreciate.  And nature brings me peace.

When checking out a new trail system in Essex, CT I discovered a little free library at the trail head.  I browsed the books and found a gem to take home – Following Atticus, by Tom Ryan.  If you’re a nature lover, a dog lover, a lover of old souls however complex… I highly recommend his two current books and especially subscribing to his blog or “substack”  a new term to me.  He’s currently on a five month hiking journey driving across country with his two rescue dogs, which has become an annual trek. His photography is just beautiful… He describes his journey, the landscapes, the people he meets along the way, with kindness and an honesty that is so needed.

An excerpt from Tom’s post this morning…. and if you’re not familiar with E.B. White.. he gave us Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and many other stories….

_______________________________________________________

……..In 1973, White received a letter from a man who had lost his faith in humanity. Many of you have undoubtedly read White’s response, but for those who have not, here it is.

North Brooklin, Maine,
30 March 1973

Dear Mr. Nadeau:

As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.

Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society — things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man’s curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.

Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.

Sincerely,
E. B. White

____________________________________________________________-

If you’re so inclined… his two books are Following Atticus, and Will’s Red Coat.   If you would like to check out his Blog/Substack…  it can be found here.  I highly recommend a subscription.  The visuals of his travels alone are so beautiful.

https://tomryan.substack.com/

    So I’m looking at the start of a new decade and with this one in particular, the aging process really kicks in physically and mentally. There’s no question I have let myself latch on to some excuses and some fears when it comes to pushing physical boundaries to reach better fitness- I’ve let the pains that come with living an active life slow me down and I got lazy too. My number one goal is to stay relatively healthy and active till the day I die, like most of us, I suppose. I’ve contemplated many things that go hand in hand with that goal, but no. 1 for me now is to stop letting fear ( will I make my arthritic neck and hands worse?) and complacency stall me. At this point most of us have some issues- mine is some arthritis from all the years of horse and barn work, significant hearing impairment and the stress that comes with it, and the pain associated with “ fibromyalgia” , whatever that really means. Also, My stress reliever is making and eating food. Not always the healthy kind. My face is puffy, I’ve got a menopause gut, and I could lose 25 pounds and not be too thin. It’s time to stop complaining, stop fearing age and hold myself accountable. My hope is to come back with another picture that shows progress in a few months and a better path to healthier aging. Some simple changes I’ve made in recent months are increasing my hikes and walks, drinking more water and eating and preparing more healthy meals- greens, berries, nuts, fish in more abundance. Less meat, much less processed foods. Now I’m coming back to the gym just for 20 minutes of  light weight training about four times a week.
  Till soon, friends…

 

It’s been a while

Almost a year since I’ve been here, so much to cover and where do I start?  I guess right where most of us are struggling at the moment or at least have some concern.

This world and this country in particular are in quite a state.   Depending on your leanings, most likely  you’re either cheering or you’re horrified by what we are all witnessing.  There doesn’t seem to be much in between.  The division among us and how intense it is, is frightening.  The mistrust and misuse  of our government and our news sources  even more so, their integrity in tatters.  My son asked me the other day…. “do you think we’ll ever come back together as a country?  The divide seems so huge, runs so deep, it seems impossible. ”  There are times I think that’s the likely truth… but as I said to him… I’m reminded that this country has been in upheaval before.  Just magine the divide during the civil war… where the north and south had completely different views on slavery and it was a very big part of the south’s way of life and prosperity.  We all know how that ended.   And the young country did seem to move on, eventually, mostly and for the greater good.

I am an unaffiliated voter, my husband a dyed in the wool Republican.  Many an argument has infused our cohabitation since M*G* has arrived  and right now the air is so thick with the discord we could cut it with a knife here in this old house. I can’t deny our governing bodies have been ignoring major problems for a long time… overspending, over taxation of the working middle class, immigration reform, healthcare reform, our crumbling infrastructure, corporate greed… the list goes on and these are the things the Mr. brings up when I question his loyalty to his party’s current path.  The failures of both parties for a long time are why we now have an orange nuclear bomb dropped right in the middle of it and the fallout reach is everywhere with it’s tentacles in absolutely everything.   That is where my significant other and I are in agreement.   And that’s where it ends…. because as I watch the reckless behaviors and actions and attitudes of this Tr*mp. 2 administration, as I watch women’s rights being yanked back and the rules of law being blatantly ignored, abuse of power rampant (and they are giddy with it)…. the previously trusted relationships  with our allies shredded, our environmental protections discarded, our public lands under siege,  the words diversity, equality and inclusion pummeled, when facts no longer matter….. I cannot help but be appalled, embarrassed, ashamed for this country.  And that brings profound sadness and even disbelief that we are where we are.

But you see how far down a rabbit hole one can be dragged, and so I have to remind myself to let go on occasion and search for peace within and out there in the universe of our lives. To do good things where I am, to grow where I’m planted…  to assist where I can for the greater good.  No matter where you stand on all of this… I hope you’re able to do the same.

 

I completed my 60th year this month!   Holy shit!  But I’m not complaining one bit.  Sixty is not old… it’s damn lucky.  I’m still pretty active and I plan to continue for a long time if life permits.   I hike or take long walks regularly with my best buddy/rescue dog Kai.  Getting out in nature is my respite, my recharge.

  My  barn chores and grands keep me busy.   My arthritic neck and hands remind me I’m not a spring chicken, but it’s all part of the luck of still being here and having more good days than bad. I’ve cleaned up my diet some and try to get in more greens and berries and whole foods, much less processed crap.  One of the things many older people hear when they end up at a clinic with illness is that they are dehydrated.  So I’m making a concerted effort to drink more water because it’s not something I crave.   Hydration is important so if you do just one thing for yourself in your current state of being, drink more water.

And be grateful for every.single.day.   Don’t take any of it for granted, it all goes by so damned fast.

Farm update – with the sale of our little cottage by the sea, Stella…. we’ve had more time to focus on improvements here.  Up at the barn we’ve still got our mini horses, our two quarter horses, two goats and 16 or 17 chickens depending on the day’s count and my patience for doing it.   We brought home a rabbit and my granddaughter Mia immediately named her Hoppy.  She’s very friendly and a welcome addition to our farm family.

The grands – they’re now 2 years old and almost 2, my daughter’s son and son’s daughter.  Being a “Mimi” – a name my granddaughter chose for me, is such a wonderful chapter in life. We get to experience young personhood and all the wonders and discoveries over again through their eyes, but with less responsibility, LOL.  A third is on the way!  I am their caregiver for a portion of each week as both moms went back to work part time and it’s so true, they keep you young!  ish….

We converted my office into an art studio with a little side of toddler toys now that I am retired from my editing/writing/family business responsibilities and I have been able to dive back into my art inclinations.  I’ve set oils aside and have begun exploring the world of water color, a completely different universe.

 

A recipe I’ve tried recently and really like –  This one is so delish and refreshing.  I don’t really have an opinion about Meghan, but so many do.  I’m glad I don’t live anywhere near the spotlight.    I give this a thumbs up.  I did use spinach instead of shard and shaved parmesan instead of feta.

Meghan Markle Sussex Veggie pasta salad
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
12 ounces paccheri or fusilli pasta
Kosher salt
1 cup English peas, shelled
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 5 cups loosely packed leaves), chopped
Optional: 1/2 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed, chopped
3/4 cup snap peas, sliced
Optional: 1/2 zucchini, chopped
1 cup feta cheese, plus more for garnishing
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnishing
1 tablespoon fresh dill, plus more for garnishing
For the vinaigrette:
1 shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/3 cup olive oil Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Create a bowl of ice-cold water and ice cubes to shock your vegetables to stop the cooking process.
2. Bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil and season with ¼ cup salt. Blanch peas for 30 seconds and move to ice water to shock.
3. Blanch Swiss chard leaves for 45 seconds to a minute, until tender and move to ice water to shock.
4. Add enough salt to the water so it “tastes of the sea” and boil the fusilli until fully cooked according to package instructions.
5. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
6. Dry peas and Swiss chard on a towel until ready to use.
7. Chop chard into bite-sized pieces.
8. To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallot with the dried chilli flakes in a large bowl.
9. Add cooked and cooled pasta. Toss to combine, add chard, peas, snap peas, feta, and herbs. Toss and season to taste.
10. Serve, garnishing with more herbs, feta, and lemon as desired. Enjoy!

I don’t keep track of the traffic here  anymore when blogging, but if you’re visiting and are so inclined… let me know what you’ve been up to, and if you keep a blog, where to find it!   I hope all is well in your neck of the woods –

Till soon –

 

Maine… what a catch!

 

The first few times  I  traversed the Maine landscape was with an old boyfriend when I was 20 years old.  His aunt lived in the Bangor area and we explored Bar Harbor and attended the Fryeburg Fair.   Loved it!  For whatever reasons, when I married and we grew our family, Maine points weren’t on the radar for vacations… we headed over to the cape and I fell in love with Martha’s Vineyard, so there is where we spent our coastal region getaways.  We will still visit in July, I need my fix of Vineyard time…  but!….

I actually convinced the Mr. we’re not spring chickens and time is of the essence… we need to start slowing down the work machine and take time to explore and enjoy and relax. One never knows when that time has come and gone, right?

SO.  Ogunquit, Maine was recommended to us and it’s just a three hour easy drive up the coast.  I booked it.  We went… we LOVED it… and we loved it so much we’ve booked a few days in September, a girls trip next time with my mom, my daughters and my grands.

In short, the people were happy and friendly and helpful with local information, the businesses all take pride in what they do, that’s so obvious.. the beaches and waters are clean, the air fresh, the food just phenomenal!    We were told it gets much more crowded once the kids get out of school and I believe it.  May, however, is perfect timing.  Marginal Way is a wonderful walkway into Perkins Cove, Ogunquit Beach awesome for kids, especially little kids. I’m really looking forward to the return trip in Sept.

 

I hope all is well in your world.  Tune out all the noise at least sometimes… it’s a wild, troubled world we live in, and we can’t let the undertow drag us all down, ok?   This life, this time right here is all we’ve got. Make the most of it ❤  Onward and till soon….