Karen – Page 15 – This Old House 2

Fresh Salt

My gardens this year have been a bit of a mystery.

For one thing, the combination of some really intense rainstorms and some really humid days throughout the summer have produced an abundance of flowers and growth on all the perennials. I’ve also noticed the wild flowers/blooming weeds all along the roadsides seem to have multiplied tremendously, Queen Ann’s Lace and what I call black eyed susans in particular.

As for the vegetable gardens… well, despite my fortification attempts in the two large raised beds here on the farm…. all my tender care and raising from seedlings the tomato, eggplant, yellow squash, onion and yellow beans….they were a miserable lot. Having produced only a pathetic yield, I cannot tell you why. The only plants that were marginally happy in my farm garden this year were parsley and basil, zinnia and new-to-me Dahlia.

The SEASIDE cottage garden, however…. Stella’s little 1′ x 5 ‘ raised garden bed crammed up against the side of the house? The one we did almost NOTHING to coax? … has triple the yield, go figure. I’m thinking it must be the fresh salt air, the moisture off the water, and the fact that for hundreds of years, before the “island” became a 140 summer cottage retreat, it was a New England seaside cow farm. Lots and lots of old fertilizer makes really rich soil.

Despite that wicked heat and thunder storms, we’ve had some beautiful weather this summer. The family has been enjoying our little Stella by the Sea in between work and volunteer and farm obligations, and that brings me great joy.

As does a really good pound cake -Like this one found on the internet I’ll share below. I hope you’re having a good summer! I’m trying to look away from the ugly and look for more of the good. It is out there, we need to underline it, highlight it… celebrate what is beautiful, choose kindness and spread that shit like fairy dust wherever we can.

Old School Butter Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c cake flour

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

3 stick butter, unsalted (softened at room temp)

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3 1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp salt

6 large eggs

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until mixture comes together.

2. Add sugar and extracts; beat until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, alternating with flours 1/2 cup at a time until all eggs and flours are used.

4. Transfer to a buttered, oiled and floured, 10-cup shaped pan such as bundt pan.

5. Place in cold oven. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until an inserted tester comes out clean about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Remove cake from pan. Let cool on wire rack.

Thoughts and Prayers

Gun violence and hate in this country have reached epidemic proportions. The NRA is a known propaganda machine, corrupt to its core- a totally different animal than it once was and it pumps that corruption through our republican politicians veins. A government and President that does NOTHING about this and encourages the white nationalist hate with his own rhetoric …..“ there are fine people on both sides” ….is poison to our already troubled society.

I am not anti gun, I’m no snowflake. Why the Fuck isn’t every single person screaming for sensible gun laws? And why are social media pages allowing hate groups like the one the Texas shooter belonged to online? Freedom of speech? I get it, but hate? It kills and kills and kills.

The bullshit line that guns don’t kill, people do… is true and false. We have no idea how many lives could be saved by implementing more sensible gun laws, and that does NOT mean taking them away from sensible law abiding mentally healthy people. Just one example – How wonderful it would have been if mental health history was considered before the Sandy Hook slaughterer was allowed to take shooting lessons and his mother was allowed to give him access to hers and encourage his use of them. What are the statistics in countries where sensible gun laws are applied? Yeah… so I guess we do know.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the POTUS would give a thorough anti hate speech for once? But he won’t, because he knows hate fuels his campaign. Just watch any one rally, I’m not asking you to take my word for it. He stokes it! This isn’t just a mental health issue, of which this country is sorely lacking in affordable treatment options. It’s a hate issue as well.

WAKE UP.

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Ambrosia

I may do a lot of communicating my views on social media, but I don’t often get too personal regarding whatever my life struggles. Believe it or not, I usually view that as a weakness and I’m not a cryer. This morning I woke with a song in my head and then tears in my eyes, and neither is a normal occurrence. With my hearing loss I lost music as well as language identification. The the biggest tragedy for me with this handicap? – no music. But the song is an oldie and because of my love for music and my participation in bands in my younger years I remember every inflection, every cymbal, every trill, every beat, every note of most of the songs we all loved in our youth. So this song this morning – Ambrosia – You’re the Only Woman. I wondered why it’s making me tear up now, what heart string is it strumming so deeply that it’s bringing me to tears … and then I realize what this release is and how those words apply …and now I can’t stop the flood.

I am so horrified and heartbroken at all this hate I’m seeing on the news, on social media, even from some of the people I know well – our country is in real turmoil and it’s coming from all angles and all walks of life. I might some day go for that operation that could restore some hearing and perhaps some music in my life… ..and I hope and pray every single day this world finds it’s way back together in some form of peace we can all live with. As with that operation , the fix might be painful and there are some risks, results not guaranteed, might have to step out of our comfort zone, but isn’t it worth it? Aren’t we worth it? How comfortable is what we have right now for any of us??

This is a beautiful world we live in and I see it more acutely now that I can no longer hear it. I want to take every one of you in my arms and heal these wounds for all. I’ll pray that we all wake up and smell the coffee, see the value in loving and respecting each other and truly hear the music, inside ourselves and outside in the world … despite our differences. We are so lucky to live here, we should all love this place with all it’s flaws, and fix them. I just want us all to realize that, and to find the path that leads us to loving and respecting each other for whatever time we each have here on this earth..

When the pain of love surrounds you
And the world may be unkind
I’ll put my lovin’ arms around you
Take you far from this place and time

Because you and I been in love too long
To worry ’bout tomorrow
Here’s a place where we both belong….……………………..

Heavy and Light

New England just experienced an awful heatwave, just like much of the country. We spent part of it at a week-long horse show. When the temps hit 100 we opted to give ourselves and more importantly our horse a much needed reprieve from the heat.

I must confess I am conflicted about our involvement in horse showing. In any sport that involves animals, there is some cruelty in the mix. If you’re an animal lover as I and my daughter are, there is no denying it. My experience is in the quarter horse industry, but the abuses are present in all disciplines. I cringe when I see folks celebrating a Kentucky Derby race – if you’re truly aware of what is involved in the horse racing industry, I don’t know how the conscience allows the support of it. What I can say, and what let’s me support my daughter’s involvement in showing, is we are surrounded by people who genuinely give a damn about their horse. Our show barn family are a decent, caring lot, for the horses in their care, and toward each other.

I’m pretty certain if there is a God, when the time comes, he or she will swing the gates wide open for horse show moms, no questions asked. …..Practice, patience, practice, patience, dirt, heat, cold, rain, laughs, tears, cheers, Dirt, more dirt, and a few curse words sprinkled in….

Speaking of K – the home we are building next door is coming along beautifully. Because this is what we do for a living, it’s truly a family affair – my husband and son are building it, a labor of love for our daughter and her guy. That makes it extra special for K, who has been saving her money responsibly since she was a waitress at a retirement community in HS, and the past ten years as a secretary at a Bank. She is now seeing the rewards of hard work and thrilled to see it unfold. And so are we – truly feeling so blessed to be able to help her achieve this monumental goal of her own home with her partner in life.

We’ve been enjoying a little relaxation time at the cottage, where the gardens including the tomatoes are insanely happy, despite our doing not one thing to encourage it. Go figure. I’m thinking it must be the sea air…

It’s not often I get him to sit and relax for 15 minutes. I think on this day it may have been 20.

Here on the farm, my vegetable garden is anemic despite my efforts in the fertilization and watering department. I have no idea why. We’re getting small amounts of produce, but nothing like past years yield. The flowers, however, are prolific.

Regarding our country and it’s current “climate” – Whether we like it or not, the mobs chanting : send her back, send her back, send her back, are our fellow Americans. The current P0TUS is nothing more than a ringleader of hate. I never thought I’d see anything like this in America.

And if you’re still condoning this level of hatred, I have no use for what’s in your heart. I am so done with any defense of that assh0le. It’s an American Tragedy on several levels, some of it has nothing to do with politics. Hate and division destroys nations. Wake. the Fuck. Up.

– heartbroken

Happy Birthday, America!

Happy Birthday, America! I’m going to take the liberty of wishing on your birthday candles – My wish is that all Americans will recognize how lucky we are to live in this country, that despite the flaws, we should all have pride for all that we are privileged to enjoy because of the courage and many sacrifices made by those who came before us and those who stand up for us today. It is not any one person who holds office or their slants that represent what this country is made of, we are the thread. Let us weave a stronger fabric, let us learn from past mistakes and find a way to come together to fix the ills of our society, revel in our successes, lift each other and those who need lifting, TOGETHER. 🎂🎊🇺🇸

Please Pass the Torch

Bernie Sanders needs to get off the stage- I don’t know how some democrats are missing the clear message that swinging too far left isn’t realistic and the middle class is fed up with the huge burden of overtaxation and will certainly not vote for an increase.

I liked him, then … but now is too late, Biden needs to pass the torch. Better yet, we need to light a new torch in politics all together. All across the board. Too bad no one in the Republican Party will challenge Trump.

Right now the field is wide open with plenty of players – Kamala Harris, Pete Buttejieg, – there’s common sense truthful politics and the kind of life experience brought to the table that can benefit us all, devoid of the prejudices of the past, which will sadly weigh down others like Warren.

That’s my two cents.

On the homefront… K & D’s house begins to take shape… framing has begun! Last night the Mr. and I walked the foundation and imagined the rooms, enjoyed the warm setting sun over the hill and how the light will play on their homestead.

And Speaking of K… she has recently joined our family business full time in the office and we’re so proud of her accomplishments and hard work. Long time readers of my blog might remember her story – she is a car accident/brain injury survivor who has done the really hard work of getting her life back through years of determination through rehabilitative work, mostly of her own power and resilience.

You see that little pink unicorn on the desktop? It used to sit on my desk – but I felt K needed a little mascot in her new position. After all, I now have three dragons in the space that little pink guy used to occupy. We could all use a little magic, a little whimsy, don’t you think?

You Go, Girl ❤

Newport

We had two glorious weekend days, perfect weather for doing anything outside. We decided to hop in the truck with two of our four kiddos and head over to Newport, Rhode Island. What comes to mind for most people when they hear that destination are the famous mansions on Bellevue Avenue, also know as Mansion Row. Over the years we’ve taken a tour of many of them, including the Breakers, Rosecliff, Marble House and the estate of the eccentric Doris Duke. They are something to behold if you’re ever in the area.

On this trip, we went for the food, the shopping, and in search of a possible mantle for the kids future home. We didn’t find one that was reasonably priced or in great condition, but we had plenty of fun on the hunt. See the alligator statue in the pool?

The kids loved this table – it’s bigger than it looks in this photo. Each of those teak chairs were $450., so… you can imagine what the table goes for.

These benches were so comfortable and unique, I’d love to have one on the farm perhaps in the back yard near the garden, or down at Stella by the sea. The price tag put a squash on that idea – around $3,500.

We pulled out of that parking lot with a truck bed devoid of new furnishings, and headed downtown for a delicious meal and drinks at The Red Parrot.

It’s a beautiful thing when your kids bring into the fold another person who becomes a loved family member. The chocolate monkey drink is another beautiful thing on a warm summer day.

After a savory lunch of Sexy Steak Salad (that’s what they call it!) we walked out into the crowds and browsed the shops. Those fun buggies can be rented to cruise the area, but the traffic is so heavy I’d be nervous in such a small craft.

After the little bit of shopping ( we came away with a few bars of soap, how’s that for constraint) we appeased the menfolk with a tour of the car museum located near the Tennis Hall of Fame.

They don’t make them like they used to, the detail on these early autos is just stunning.

We stopped by the water just briefly so I could stick my feet in the water and soak up a little Vitamin Sea, and then we drove home in the expected summer traffic down I-95. It was a very good day indeed 🍹⚓🌞

A quick easy fun recipe to share with you, from a friends fb page… I made them yesterday, delish! Perfect summer dessert. I used a red Cabernet and red seedless grapes.

I hope all is well in your world, thank you for stopping by –

Pretty in Pink

We woke up yesterday morning to a soft rosy glow blanketing just about everything. It had rained during the night and the rising sun was trying to burn through the mist, and most plants in bloom in my gardens right now are pinkish. It was just so peaceful.

See the rainbow?

We’ve just returned from a four day horseshow – and if that sounds like fun, well it is sometimes. And it’s also a whole heck of a lot of work, dirty Heavy Sweaty work. At one point the wind was kicking dust around so bad, we were all covered in about five pounds of dirt/dust/sand after a half hour practice. When I got into the shower that night, I swear the dirt ringing around the drain could have potted a plant.

K and Miss Leah had some real competition, they made some mistakes and they had some triumphs. This little horse is just a wonderful guide – she’s patient and calm, the perfect match for K. In turn, K takes great care with her and is gentle even in her riding style. It’s great to watch them develop real teamwork.

We’ve met some wonderful people too – competitors helping each other, consoling each other, laughing together. In this sometimes ugly world, being even a small part of that camaraderie is like a balm for the soul. If you are as weary as I am of all the crap out there, I recommend you seek out that camaraderie and nurture it, whatever your interests.

We’ve got the foundation poured for K’s house next door – it’s getting real now! That’s our home in the background, just a hop, skip and jump.

I hope all is well in your world – and thank you so much for the kind words regarding Ben – …….. Till soon

Gentle Ben

You know those really fun pictures that are shared sometimes … the little boy with the puppy.. accompanied by the next photo of the grown young man with the very same now-ancient dog?

Well let me tall ya, It ain’t so fun when it’s not just the dog who’s gotten OLD. BOY, what a difference 10 years makes. *sigh.

About dear Ben, our 11 year old Dane – according to the Vet, he’s ancient for a dog of his size. He used to be 190-ish on a chubby day, now around 150 with atrophy and a more careful diet. His heart is crapping out, but five pills a day are keeping it ticking for now. The hind end, though.. is what is betraying him mightily. We’ve built a ramp for him to use to get up into the house from the side porch steps and he spends more time sleeping than anything else. The vet assures us he’s not in pain, just extremely weak in the hind end due to some sort of failing nerve and muscle situation that is common in the large breed dogs in older age. He explained it well, but my half-assed hearing didn’t catch most of it and I didn’t want him to have to repeat himself.

PS… You can’t go into a bathroom up here in this old house without expecting you’ll have an audience when you come out, wondering what you were doing in there and why weren’t they invited?! This was the scene in front of the master bath after my shower this morning.

On occasion Ben looks like he’s ready to hang it up, and we all gather round with heavy hearts and tear streaked faces pondering what we should do next. And then he perks up again and we say… Not Today.

We take each day as it comes, and the vet says we’ll just know when it’s his time to leave us. So hard to watch them deteriorate, and then to lose these members of our family, well…most of you know the woe. The love and companionship they provide is immeasurable, and the heartache equally so. I can’t imagine my life without my animals in it, though, so it’s a price I’ll continue to pay for the bonds we share.

We’ve got a horse show in Massachusetts for the next four days – thankfully the weather won’t be GodAwful hot or freezing rain. In closing, here’s a drink recipe that looks particularly scrumptious that I plan to make on a cottage day this summer.

Coconut Cream and Lime Margarita

Ingredients

Kosher salt, grated lime zest and sugar for rimming glass
2 lime wedges
2 oz. (60 ml) coconut cream or cream of coconut
1 1/2 oz (45 ml) blanco tequila
1 oz. (30 ml) fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. (15 ml) Cointreau
1/4 oz. (7 ml) simple syrup

Directions

1. On a small plate, combine equal parts salt, lime zest and sugar and spread in an even layer. Gently rub 1 of the lime wedges around the rim of a rocks glass. Holding the base of the glass, dip the rim into the salt mixture. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. Just before serving, fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the coconut cream, tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and simple syrup. Cover, shake vigorously and strain into the ice-filled glass. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge. Serves 1.

Daily Grind

Through my life’s journey my daily grind has varied greatly – the early years consisted of giving pony and cart rides at the zoo, waitressing at a jewish synagogue catering hall , scrapping soap at a factory and loading customers trucks with feed sacks, shavings bags and bales of hay while attending college locally. Then I sat at a desk managing real estate papers in a law firm, and for a while I had a windowless office in the export division of a large company that shall not be named. The windowless thing was torturous for this outdoors loving girl. When my kids were older I had an artisan shop with a partner for a few years and that was a big learning experience as well as a lot of fun and creativity. All those jobs had some good qualities and I learned valuable skills, worked with good people. Nothing was more fulfilling than my stay-at-home-mom years, though, and with this empty nest we now live in, I’ve pondered going back to work in some capacity full time. With a hearing impairment, my options are limited.

Truth be told, I’m finding this mostly home part time editorial position nudged in among my farm/home/garden chores suits me just fine. I’m not longing to go back to a daily grind that is not my manure hauling gator ride to the back field after mucking stalls. I’m liking my morning commute , sometimes in my Pajama pants, from the porch to the chicken coop to the barn to the garden and back in to clean up and get on with the rest of the day. For a while I toyed with the notion that I might be missing out big time by not pursuing -the next big thing-. I felt guilty that I had the option to not pursue it. I believe I’ve decided.. the next big thing is the very thing I’m in the middle of, enjoying at this very moment… and there’s not a darn thing wrong with that. You know that song by The Eagles, Don Henley – Learn to be Still -? I’ve always felt a connection to it, like it was explaining something I needed to figure out.

And you know? I think I’ve finally figured it out – where I belong is where I am right now, doing what I’m doing, with the people I love most. What a glorious feeling, to be grounded and satisfied in the here and now. I hope you are in that same place wherever your life path has taken you, or are on your way there.

My GOT Flock (Arya, Sansa, Summer, Snow, Daeynerys, Cersei, Melisandra) have all been set free into the older flock and all is well. Amazing how fast they grow, isn’t it? You can tell the new from the old, as the GOT girls are slightly smaller. The coop yard has gotten a new layer of fresh clean sand, too.

We’ve begun haying the fields – allergies be damned! And Damn – they’re awful. Is it me or is this a bad year for allergy sufferers?

After coop and barn chores were done this morning I ran errands around town and then drove down to Stella to mow her lawn. That’s where the pollen caught up to me and I’ve felt like a slug ever since.

Every rose has it’s thorn, right? Small price to pay for a daily grind I love.

Completely different subject to leave you with – have you given a listen to Pete Buttigieg yet? I am really encouraged by what he has to say. Gives me hope for this country.

Till soon –