Author: Karen

When there’s no sun, find some light

New England is still wearing her dingy grey cloak, refusing to take it off in order to properly herald Spring. So what’s a Yankee to do? … head to the garden center to purchase some cheer!  Mom joined the Mr. and I  on a jaunt across the  CT river , where we bought some bright red geraniums which I’ll plant in the big pots down at Stella-by-the-Sea in the coming days.

On the way we stopped for lunch across from the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam…

So many charming centuries old homes in this part of town…   tulips and flowering trees everywhere!

On to Balleks,  a family owned farm/garden center/greenhouse that’s been in the Ballek family since the 1660’s – how’s that for history. Some of the Ballek family in their 90’s still roam the isles helping customers, it’s a lovely thing to see.

They have SO many unique plants inside the large greenhouse and two big old silos that have some tales to tell, I’m sure.

 

The “pods” below are large – you could put your reading glasses in there.

Meanwhile.. back on the farm – I’ve moved the chicks to the big coop, creating a temporary nursery out there inside the covered enclosed chicken yard, complete with their heat lamp.  They got too big for the chick condo on the porch and it was beginning to look like a pig pen out there with shavings and hay and chick food and chick dander littering every surface from ground to ceiling.  Bleh.   I did scrub the porch once everything was out – we’ll actually be able to sit out there again once it dries.

The new girls in their temporary coop nursery

Which is basically a sectioned off area in the big covered coop “yard” separated with bird mesh and a tarp, wrapped on the outside with a plastic drop cloth to keep the wind off them.

The big girls on the other side of the tarp.

So much work to integrate five little chicks into the fold!  But the reward of fresh eggs and a flock of chickens in the yard is well worth the effort.

 

More rain for tomorrow – I’ll most likely be at my desk catching up on the editorial stuff that earns me a paycheck.  I suppose the upside to all the rain and a steady string of grey days is all the inside work I get done when the sun isn’t calling to me.

I hope all is well in your world – may we all have many sunny days ahead.

 

 

 

Birds of a Feather

Allow me to  introduce you to  purple finch mama and papa bird, and their three little eggs – all sitting about five feet from me on the lantern right outside my office window as I type this post.    If I have the species wrong, feel free to correct me.  They come back every year, a sure sign that Spring has arrived, regardless of whether the weather concurs.

 

Meanwhile.. out on the back porch – the chicks look more like chickens now… and will soon be moved out to a sectioned off part of the coop I’ve arranged for them until they are full grown and can be turned out with the rest of the flock.   They are quickly growing out of their two-box condo.

This past weekend we also put our first Horse show of the season in the books – It was a cold and mostly wet windy rainy weekend but K and Miss Leah did very well with their trail patterns which are no easy feat to memorize, let alone complete,  and although they didn’t place in their other classes, they completed them without major errors and Leah was so well behaved, I just love this good minded mare.  Proud of K for learning a new discipline so quickly and enjoying the process  and her horse regardless of the placing.  That’s what it’s all about.

One of the four days we saw the sun and with it, smiles everywhere…

 

Yesterday I brought the dogs down to Stella to plant some Zinnia in the tiny cottage garden and put the trash out for pick-up.  Grass cutting didn’t happen, too wet.   After chores  we went for a long walk exploring the “island”.   Although the skies were grey, there was plenty of Spring color…

Frasier is always the first of the season to go for a swim.

Meanwhile – back at Winterfell (if you’re a GOT fan but haven’t seen it yet, turn away)…. Holy cow – Season 8 Episode 3 – Winter finally arrived! And what a murky, epic battle – what we could see of it anyway.  All my favorites are still standing (Sigh of relief!) and  still so many questions – and more to come.   All I want to say about that.. is this…

 

More grey skies for the coming week – not sure we’ve ever seen so many rainy days strung together in a row.   The following picture is of our senior boys, Max 1 and Max 2, out grazing in the pasture this morning.  Time to go bring them back in.

 

I hope all is well in your world – and thank you for stopping in …

 

 

 

Spring Chicken and the beginning of the End

One of these is a Spring Chicken, and one is definitely not.

 

This is Snow – one of her buddies, Cersei, had to be humanely euthanized due to a severe scissor beak. Which brings me to thoughts on the fate of her namesake.

 

If you’re not a GOT fan – the following will make little sense.

After the second installment, episode 2 of the final season of Game of Thrones – any GOT fans care to share their predictions? Here’s what I think…

– Dany (Khaleesi, Daeynerys)  is showing a real lust for the iron throne, and apparently will do unsavory things to get what she wants (think dragon-torching poor Sam Tarly’s dad and brother over a land dispute) Yep – she’s not as caring or kind as we once thought, now, is she. I think she dies in the end.  Although if she were actually pregnant with Jon’s baby that might be a whole new something, so perhaps they’ll keep her alive.   Cersei – well she’s been used and abused, but she’s ruthless and cruel, too…perhaps my chick Cersei’s death is an omen for hers? Jon Snow is one of the few who have always put others before himself and he has real heart and true bravery – who better to become the true King, (which he apparently is anyway). Tyrion – He’s the best character in the show if you ask me, and the jabs at his stature have been cruel throughout the series. I hope he lives, Perhaps it’s he who finally slays  the Night King, as he is  truly the most intelligent of them all. Bran seems awfully calm having just met face to face with Jaime, the man responsible for his life in a wheelchair, – has he forseen the future and the inevitable fate, as in death.. of Jaime?   Jaimie teeters between despicable and redeeming, tough call.  Perhaps Theon Greyjoy will redeem himself by piercing the Night King’s heart with Dragon glass as he loses his own life in a final act of bravery after so much miserable  conspiring, deception and sniveling.  I believe  the dragon glass to the heart of the Night King will topple all the white walkers in the end, as he is their maker. The scrappy Arya and  horribly abused but wisened, steady, now-strong Sansa – it could go either way for them.   And  the most burning question for me, anyway…… what will become of the Dragons?  One already dead and flying with the white walkers, two still bound to Dany. 

Whom I’d love to see survive? Oh please let the dragons live – and Jon Snow, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion, Sam Tarly and wife, Jorah be amongst the living. Alas, they’ve already told us many good people will die.   I’m gonna need Xanax to watch the conclusion. 

 

 

 

What’s cookin

Do you have plans for Easter weekend?  We’ve been so busy we haven’t given it much thought.  Because I’m more of a spiritual soul, this weekend isn’t typically about a religious celebration here at this old house. For me it’s a time to celebrate the renewal that comes with Spring, and spoil my now-adult kids with a basket full of “stuff” – They will still find the big chocolate bunny  and a few fluffy marshmallow peeps – and some summer clothing items and a kitchen gadget or two for their apartments, and something fun to remind them they were once my littles.

Speaking of my littles – my littlest – just celebrated his 23rd birthday – how.. did that happen?  How time flies…

Me and my guys….

My favorite “peeps” in all the world right here….

   For this weekend’s family gathering I’ll  cook a meal for whomever in the family doesn’t have other places they need to be.  On the menu for sure are a spiral ham, my very popular Martha’s Vineyard Scalloped Potatoes, given that name because we discovered the magnificently rich smokey flavor while at The Atlantic restaurant in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.  I asked the chef to please tell me the secret to these most divine scalloped potatoes – and the answer was quick – a little chicken broth, smoked gouda and gruyere cheese, heavy cream.  Slice the potatoes super thin.   I incorporated all those tips into a basic recipe and it’s been a staple on our Easter dinner table ever since.  The rest of my meal for this weekend has yet to be sorted out.

Two recipes I’ve tried in recent weeks were a big hit, so I’ll share them here with you.  Now that I’m on a no sugar no dairy diet, not eating some of what I cook for this weekend is going to be a real challenge.  I’m not big in the Willpower department, tis just my truth.

French Onion Chicken Meatballs –  these sound weird, but trust me…. they are THE BOMB.  Give them a go – fun to make, not complicated, and so freak’n delicious.  The recipe has been shared on many sites, I’m not sure who the original is to be acknowledged.

**I double the recipe, they’re good enough that you’ll wish you did too.  This is also my photo – I served them as a dinner with no extras, they’re hearty enough. Greens of your choice  on the side would be perfect.  You can of course serve wtih bread, pasta, or tuck them in a roll for a delicious meatball sandwich. 

Ingredients

For the Carmelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 white onions (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/4″ thick
  • 1/4 dry white wine

For the Meatballs

  • 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions

  1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions (the pan will be very full). Cook the onions, stirring them occasionally, for about an hour or until they have turned a light golden-blonde colored. At this point, turn the heat to medium-low and keep cooking them, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and a deep golden brown in color, approximately 30 to 40 minutes longer.
  2. Turn the heat back to medium and pour the wine into the pan with the onions. As it simmers, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has cooked away transfer the onions to a clean plate.

Make the Meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, salt, pepper, and egg. Add the ground chicken and, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix it with the breadcrumb and egg mixture just until combined.
  2. Scoop approximately one ounce of the mixture to form the meatballs. You should be able to make 16 meatballs.
  3. Once the onions are ready and you’ve removed them from the pan, add the olive oil to that same pan. Heat it over medium heat. Place the meatballs in a single layer and cook them until they are browned on all sides. Transfer them to a clean plate.

Make the Sauce

  1. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it with the butter until combined. Add about a 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and, whisking continuously, combine it with the butter and flour. As you whisk you should be scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  2. Whisking continuously, add the rest of the chicken stock. Bring the pan to a boil and cook the sauce for about five minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Add the caramelized onions and stir to combine. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking the sauce until it’s glossy and thickened about five to ten minutes.
  3. At this point, you can sprinkle the cheese over the meatballs and either cover the pan to melt the cheese or stick the pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Garnish the meatballs with parsley, if using.

These lemon brownies are so lemony good – a perfect dessert selection for any Easter table.   *this is not my photo – again internet grab. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LEMON BROWNIES:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder

FOR THE GLAZE:

  • 3/4  cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the lemon juice. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let lemon brownies cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat. Let lemon blondies cool completely before slicing and serving.

I hope you have an enjoyable Easter weekend  celebrating in the way that has most meaning for you –  I’m off to market once I’ve settled on the menu for the coming weekend.

Till soon –

Spring Cleaning

The water has been turned on at the cottage, septic pumped, yard manicured, gutters installed,  and Spring cleaning accomplished yesterday with the help of my mom and a pizza brought by the kids.  We’re ready for the cottage season at the shore!  If only the grey days would diminish and let the sun shine in.  Alas, this morning as I type… still fog, more rain in the forecast.

My guys have been reworking the bluestone patio, topsoil, seed and hay added in the yard, a mini vegetable garden plot has been added under the windows and new crushed shells added to the parking spot street side.

One of my favorite things about Stella is her little 1935 kitchen. Much is as it was except for the new range and a few cabinets next to it.  The sink in particular is my favorite feature. 84 years of so many dishes cleaned up in that sink after meals shared with family friends , how many babies were bathed in it, I wonder.

In the cabinet are some real treasures, at least to me.  Jadeite Fire King pieces, Corningware from days gone by – all with their own stories.  BEautiful turquoise hewed glasses  and stonewear my kids gifted me when we acquired Stella.

 

The island is waking up, too – the daffodils are in bloom in the gardens of the cottages that planted them –

And the egrets and canada geese have returned to the marshes.

(pardon the crappy phone pics) 

Now all we need is some warmer sunny weather.  This morning on the farm I gave the mini horses a clipping – my clipper blades were miserable, hence a pretty poor job and only two half-horses done –  BUT.. they will be more comfortable with less of that heavy, heavy winter coat.  There’s that! I hope it’s consolation for them.  It wouldn’t be for me.

Coady says –  Are ya kidding, mom?!

Perhaps I should rename him  Half-n-half.

Lacey suffered the same affliction.

On the health front, I’ve seen a nutrionist whom I really like – she didn’t sell me a pill or a bunch of supplements.  She has me on an anti inflammatory diet – especially no sugar, no dairy , no processed foods or very little at least- and lots of greens, salmon, cherries, blueberries, broccoli and cauliflour,  organic beef, olive oils, garlic, coconut water, etc.  It’s been four days and I have less fibro pain and lost two pounds already. No kidding.  It’s a good start.

Wishing you well on this misty Spring morning – thank you for stopping in.

 

Testing the Waters

So… here we go.  I’m here in my new “home” and I don’t know where all the appliances are going to go yet… heck, I’m not even sure how to get them in the house!  I’m not thrilled with my bland design so far, and yet I’m liking the simplicity too.  It’s only bland because I haven’t figure out how to work  with it yet, I do know there are so many options if I find the patience.

Blogger was so darn easy, I wish I didn’t have to leave my old house.  But there’s something about owning your space, the certainty of it that makes this uncharted territory navigation worth while.

      Let’s see if I can figure out a picture insert –

 Aha!  First mission accomplished.

A little background about the Cormorant – I took this picture last year when out kayaking in our cove with my good camera.  I was able to sneak up pretty close to this fellow as he was drying his wings while resting on a rock not yet covered by the incoming tide.     Cormorants are fish eaters and divers, who propel themselves with their feet and a little help from their wings. They have been known to dive as deep as 150 feet! They nest in colonies and are coastal birds rather than oceanic, found all around the world.  We often watch them fishing out in front of our little cottage, where it’s most often no deeper than six feet.  They’ll dip under the water and come up a minute or two later about 40 feet away.

Once I witnessed a cormorants dinner of a rather large eel. Took him a few minutes to swallow the whole slippery wiggling thing.  That’s when I discovered we had been swimming and muck walking and clamming among eels… and now it’s all I can think about when out there – from now on it’s high tide swimming for me.

If you’ve found me here unpacking my new space, thank you for stopping by – and leave a comment to let me know that feature is working the way it needs to.

Till soon –