Ha Ha – This Old House 2

59

Well, shit.

This is the weekend of my 59th birthday, and while I certainly feel it, I’m also so grateful I’m still here with a body still willing to carry me on ahead for a great while longer… that is my ultimate hope, anyway. I have vowed to take better care of this vehicle, and while I haven’t abused her horribly, there’s room for tweaks and there to I shall go.

Yesterday my faithful dog, Kai and I took a 3 mile hike through some very pretty trails, an easy trek with no scrambles through Pine forest and supply pond with swans and turtles and even a skunk making an appearance. No photo of that particular encounter. The weather was gorgeous and there were others out there enjoying it too. I love those days when it’s obvious everyone is in a better mood, spirits are lifted, faces to the sun 🌞

Later in the day, the Mr. and I had a late lunch/dinner at a friend’s restaurant on the water, I chose a healthy meal of fish tacos and then threw it under the bus with a chocolate orange martini. It is what it is.

Tonight the family gathered around our dining room table for a celebratory dinner, and it is these moments I am always most grateful for.

And may I say… this grandmother chapter of my life… and I have had several friends concur regarding theirs too… is truly the best chapter in some ways, just truly such a joy💗 .

Saw this next image on Facebook and honestly… do I have to say anything at all here? Well maybe just… ugh, ugh ugh ugh ugh. I’ll continue to pray for us all.

Some spring inspiration for this St. Patricks Day….

Till soon –

A tale of three dresses

With my daughter’s wedding just 2 months away, I’ve got a gaggle of three dresses brooding in my closet. All three I got on sale, online. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate store shopping and store mirrors in store dressing rooms? Bleh. I don’t think I’ll know which of the three I’ll wear until just before that day. I’ll donate what I don’t wear to a local women’s community closet. I’d like other opinions on style – give your honest opinion – which would you choose – A, B, or C.

A. This one is a beaded affair, with a bow on one shoulder. Not a style I’ve ever worn before, I’m not a girly girl, but it grabbed my attention. The pic is awful but the best I could find online.

Three very different vibes. And I am heavier than the models shown, by about 20 pounds, so the fit is a little different, nothing just hangs/drapes as beautifully as these women portray.

If you’re in the market for shoes for a special occasion, shoes you’ll be comfortable in all night long and can actually dance in… naturalizer is a great brand for just such a shoe. I bought these online and they’re super comfortable and still very pretty… The Vanessa.

Cold dark winter nights here on the farm inspire me to cook, and a good hearty soup with a fresh baked bread is one of our favorite meals here in this house. Bread baking intimidates me, I give all of you sourdough starter people a gold star for your adventurous spirit. As for me, I’ll stick with the super easy to follow New York Times No Knead Bread recipe… pictured below. I use a specific Le Crueset covered kettle to make it.

As for the soup…… picture doesn’t do the taste justice….. Use an immersion blender once it’s cooked, to make it creamy. You can leave some chunks whole if preferred.

Creamy Potato Carrot Leek Soup – link HERE

While recuperating from surgery I have worked on my newest painting a bit… still much to do but it’s a fun journey – This is an area I have hiked several times, the view into the valley is the Connecticut River…. I’ll share it again when it’s finished.

Who couldn’t use a good laugh, right? Saw these shared on Facebook, and laughed right out loud.

Time to put the barn boots on and get out there to feed and turn out the critters. I hope all is well in your world, thank you for stopping in –

a Quilt of a post

Well let’s start with an actual quilt! Through blogland I have met some wonderful people, some of whom I consider dear friends. I have been collecting my son’s old t-shirts from childhood with the intent of having a T-shirt quilt made for him. Finding someone to do it proved difficult.. and then it dawned on me I have a very talented friend who does all sorts of creative things including sewing but mostly weaving beautiful towels, rugs, shawls, etc. for many years. So I asked Hilary over at Crazy As A Loom if she’d be willing to give this project a go, and boy did she ever! It came out better than I expected, my son loves it too. She said it’s her first T-shirt quilt, and her last, LOL. As I suspected, it’s a mighty pain in the a&& to make, but I am so grateful she was willing. My son and daughter in law are expecting their first child in May and one day this will be an heirloom for generations to come. It’s so warm and cozy.

Not sure if it’s the strange weather, a too warm and then frigid cold winter we’ve had here in New England… this fibromyalgia body has been in flare. When that happens I’m tempted to get lazy and slow down but with all the barn chores that’s not really possible and I do find if I keep moving I’m better off. I walk often and hike occasionally – this weekend we went over to the Scout Camp at Deer Lake and hiked to Fat Man Squeeze. I’m glad I still fit! When I adopted Kai he was a timid soul, so much so that on these hikes he would be afraid to go over big logs, afraid to climb rock and ledge, afraid to go into caves or up the very narrow squeeze. With the trust we’ve built over the past two years, while he’s still timid, he has come a long way and easily goes where I go without freezing, without me having to carry him up and over as we did initially. It’s a beautiful thing. Truly he is the best walking/hiking companion I’ve ever had.

I’m not a bendy person, so certain forms of Yoga make me look like the walking dead…..but yoga is really good for this fibromyalgia body and years ago I found a DVD set and used it for a long time and it really helped. It was great for beginner or low level yoga people like me. We got a new Tv system and no longer had DVD player and I just stopped, which was dumb. I’m thrilled to say I just found the exact series on Amazon prime $15 purchase and I can do it right in my office while it streams on my screen or on my flat screen tv in the family room via prime video. If this sounds like you to some degree- I highly recommend the Kate Potter series, seasons 1 and 2 in particular. It’s Calming, fun, enough of a work out that you accomplished something, and helps you stay limber, strengthens your core and overall body.

I’ve also carved a little time out for painting… the bridge picture is coming along… still much to do but I’m happy with it’s progress…

The following made me laugh out loud, and anything that does that is worthy of sharing…

Reading a good book right now, that gives a different perspective on the fallout and a different kind of victim of the Holocaust.. another dimension, another layer I had never given thought to before, and I have mixed feelings about it as well. I recommend it if you’re a reader – very well written

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods… Thank you for stopping by

Till soon!

Therapy

I just finished a painting for mom, inspired by an old image of the greenhouse at Snug Harbor on Staten Island where she served as a volunteer and gave tours for years. I’m no professional but I’m learning as I go, it’s been a wonderful form of therapy during the pandemic, to pick up brushes again after years of ignoring the easel and creating something, whether it’s good in anyone else’s eyes or not. That used to stop me… to think I wasn’t good enough to really pursue painting. Art is art – and it’s so individual. Your style is your style – we can all learn as we go and improve what we’re doing with tips and tricks and general rules of how to’s…. but never cut yourself up so that you don’t enjoy creating, whatever it is you like to do. The world needs more of it, our souls need more of it –

Off to the frame shop it goes… and next up on the easel – I needed an infusion of those vivid St. John USVI colors.. so I’m going back to the island on this canvas board…

Another great form of therapy for me, for better health, body and mind.. has been the hiking I continue to pursue. In our neck of these United States woods we have access to so many trails, and I am grateful for the diversity. Kai is a wonderful hiking buddy, too. These images are from Peters Woods Preserve. Yesterday we had a wee fox cross the trail just up ahead of us.

Check out the rainbow my daughter caught in the image below… we should have been looking for a pot of gold!

I’ll end this post with a funny ( at least to this profanity using texter) and a delicious recipe, a combination of a few flavors I love.. strawberry and lemon. A perfect combo to remind us of sunny days ahead.

Strawberry Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbls poppy seeds

1 and 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 2 lemons

Glaze:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Juice of one lemon

2 tbls milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chopped strawberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment.

In a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Whisk to combine.

In another bowl, add both sugars and egg; whisk to combine. Whisk in oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.

Add the chopped strawberries to the bowl with the flour and toss to combine. Gently fold in the wet ingredients.

Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread.

While the bread is baking, make the glaze by adding the powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla to a bowl; whisk until smooth. Add the chopped strawberries. Using the whisk, smash the strawberries into the glaze to break up, small chunks are okay

Till soon,

Don’t send your son out for chicks

… because he’ll come back with more than he was supposed to, just like his mama. And I have no one to blame but myself for that nonsense.

Every year I say – that’s it, this is a pain in the ass, I’m not raising chicks anymore, I’ll just buy a few pullets.

Welp.

Meanwhile over at the EggPlant…

Says Daenerys …… “And what fresh hell do we have over on the porch, KAREN? …. as if we can’t see that telltale amber glow of the heat lamp from over here. ”

I’ve got a yummy St. Patrick’s Day recipe for my Reuben loving friends…

Reuben Dutch Baby

by Diane Morrisey – Follow her on instagram or facebook for awesome recipes with equally awesome photographs.

4 large eggs
½ cup milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
4 ounces coarsely grated Swiss cheese, divided
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
2 tbls unsalted butter
8 ounces thinly sliced pastrami or corn beef, divided
Sauerkraut (for serving)

Preheat oven to 425F and Place a 10″ cast iron skillet in there to heat up.
Whisk eggs, milk and mustard in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add flour, whisking until smooth; season with salt.
Stir in half of cheese and black pepper.

Carefully remove preheated skillet from oven and add butter; swirl skillet to coat.
Drape half of pastrami into skillet (it’s okay if it bends and folds over itself); season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over. Return skillet to oven and bake until Dutch baby is puffed and golden brown, 12–15 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven and heat broiler. Drape remaining pastrami over Dutch baby; top with remaining 2 oz. cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Top with sauerkraut and grainy mustard before serving.

I’ve completed another painting, and I’m amazed at how prolific my painting has been during the pandemic because often I put down the brushes for years and years. (speaking of pandemic.. my mom and his mom are now fully vaccinated, yay! I still have anxiety about getting the vaccine but we are registered and hopefully will get appointments to do so soon. But still… ugh. Not a fan with the unknowns, long term affects, blah blah blah. )

Anyway.. this painting is of Wasque on Chappequidick, Martha’s Vineyard in Autumn… a still-wild beach my husband and I like to visit. You get the feel that it could be 200 years ago when out there, untouched by tourism, at least not very much.

A few funnies and then on with the farm chores of the day…

Seriously, though…

Till soon, friends –

My Valentine to You

Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your dropping by now and then? I have come to know some wonderful salt of the earth people (my favorite kind) on this blog forum and that is a Valentine all on it’s own.

Lots to catch up on… How about that non-impeachment joke of an event? Without going into a diatribe about how thoroughly disgusted I continue to be, this sums it up pretty well…

Anyway.. Onward.

We’ve had snow and the typical cold raw grey New England winter days… and my back and neck remind me I’ve been doing barn chores in this weather for oooh… about 40 years now, give or take a few….

Above is Leah, our showgirl-come- home, and she loves being a home horse with less responsibility 🙂

Below is our old boy, Max… glaucoma clouds one eye. He and I match with about the same amount of greys and no fondness for makeup- thankfully I don’t have his chin hairs.

The EggPlant during a recent snowfall…. I have 8 new chicks of colorful varieties coming soon!….

Our daughter’s house in the field nextdoor….

My son and his fiance have a new baby… their first… and he’s of the canine variety – Meet Leo, a 4 month old rottie – I get to babysit a few times a week when the boy is at work.

When your mom becomes a grand and suddenly has that McDonalds money you were always asking for….

Some Valentine Wisdom……

And finally — whoever Emma Knight is… she is definitely of my people❤

Till soon, Friends…

Weekend with Bernie

Therapy

Holy Government Shit Storms, Batman. I just don’t have appropriate words. Or rather I’m too disgusted by it all to speak without many, many expletives right now and we just don’t need any more of that, do we.

GOAT THERAPY! I know I’m repeating a post theme here.. but I just love my goatgirlz…. Star and Bella provide daily entertainment and just plain love in the ways goats show it. They call to us constantly if we’re out in on the property in range of their view,… so much so that Star actually gets laryngitis on occasion…. and when we enter their pen they’re on us like white on rice.

ART THERAPY! I’ve been painting more too…. and managed to auction off one of my St. John paintings to benefit the animal rescue I have befriended on St. John – for $650.! I’m no professional, so that’s a big chunk for one of my little paintings, I was thrilled. St. John lovers from from all over the country were bidding and can you believe the winning bid, which I determined within hours of starting the process… lives about 10 miles from me? Just over the river. What are the odds?

This one just finished… the Nathan Hale House with an early evening sky….

Some funnies for you before closing…. and if you can’t relate on some level, you’re truly special 🙂

I’m not a ritual-practicing religious person, but I find myself praying for our country’s soul lately. Please… powers that be.. above all, Good over Evil.

Till soon, Friends…. thank you for stopping by –

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas….

…. and for most of us that’s exactly what it will be, a “little” Christmas compared to what we’re used to. Strange times indeed. This past month I have taken a step back from newsfeeds and my appalled reactions to so much of it. I am grateful for this family’s health including our mothers and for the promise of better days ahead. I hope you are weathering the multitude of storms and are feeling some optimism for the future.

I put Christmas up here in this house before Thanksgiving was done – we needed the cheer so I pulled out all the stops – even the SnowVillage that’s been in big bins in the basement for years came back out. It’s true we won’t have the bigger family gathering we usually do, but that’s OK – it helps to know we are placing some insurance on having everyone round the table again next year by being cautious this year. This will be the first Christmas without Dad. (Fuck Covid) Last year he brought with him a mini drone that he loved – we pushed it around between us and had a good laugh…. I can tell you for certain it will not matter, whatever the issues in a push and tug relationship, once they’re gone, you’ll be reminded of the good, the bad, and you’ll miss them. Also, no matter what you thought you were doing right while they were around, you’ll find regrets.

From the looks of these gingerbread men you’d think we’d been drinkin –

Sally’s favorite seat in the mancave…

We’ve had some beautiful snow, although it makes barn chores a little more difficult. My goatgirls Bella and Star are not impressed with the white stuff, but have adjusted .. eventually.

SO much joy I get from these two… they talk to us all the time, huddle around our legs, I’m grateful I can hear some of their little goat girl mumbles… mehhh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh.

More snow pics here on the farm….

My daughter’s home next door can be seen in the photo below…

My son’s home is deep in the mist of the picture below. Happy News to share with you on that front in the next post…

Some laughs to share with you next…. and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, a joyful, peaceful holiday season in whatever the ways you celebrate, and good health and much happiness in the New Year – XO

Sharing this beautiful song , one of my all time favorites… click on the link and click skip the ads… enjoy ❤

https://youtu.be/ChcR2gKt5WM

Till soon, friends…

Dear September…

….you’d better come in here acting like you’ve got some sense.

Boy, could the headlines be any more of a sh*t show? Actually I shouldn’t even tempt it. This post was originally (like 20 minutes ago) a political post. But I’m so tired of my own damned outrage at the insanity I deleted the whole thing. So here you go… a little lightness I need as much as anyone.

The goatgirlz!! Oh, the joy they bring. Star and Bella are like two toddlers we’ve adopted – they talk to us whenever we’re outside, even if we’re off in the distance. If we’re sitting among them they climb all over us, and they love to chase my son around the paddock. Goats love stuff to climb on – so our girlies got a picnic table we had up at the firepit that was getting a little dodgy, and they love their new perch.

Have you picked up any new hobbies or nurtured old ones during the pandemic? I’ve picked up painting again and have found it to be very therapeutic . I’m not a schooled artist and my paintings are a bit primitive, but I have learned a few tricks as I go along and while practice will never make me perfect, it has helped me get a better result when I paint. These two I am very happy with – they were so much fun. The first is a fall scene in Woodstock, Vermont – Sleepy Hollow Farm. I added my son’s cat to it after this picture was taken, as this is a gift for his new home, soon to be completed… and I call it Lily in the leaves. I really should go upstairs and snap a new picture but I’m lazy today, so you get the leaves without lily.

I just completed this one below- using a photo I took of a wave on South Beach , Martha’s Vineyard. Oh, how I have missed my favorite island this summer. Hopefully by next year travel will be a safe option again.

My vegetable garden is pretty much spent …. and for the 10th year in a row, our apple orchard produced zero apples – we’ve definitely done something wrong up there on the hill with the planting of those trees… but the raspberry and blueberry bushes provided bags and bags of frozen berries in my freezer for all kinds of baking and smoothies and cereal, etc. as the year rolls on. I also have sauce in the freezer from the tomatoes we harvested. It was just a -meh type garden year.

Down at the shore cottage things are looking a little brown after a freak storm battered the community, flipping boats on their moorings, tumbling trees, battering foliage and turning it a scorched brown. I’ve done some kayaking, mom has spent a few lovely weeks there and we all have frequented it for meals on occasion, but we did not get as much use out of it as previous years, mainly because of high heat and humidity and poor weather in general.

Here’s an awesome recipe I’ll share late in the season, but it is one of my favorites and because nowadays you can get just about anything any time of the year, you can probably make this all year long. Whoever thought of throwing blueberries and corn into a salad together and then that honey lime dressing? I thank them profusely for the gift of it.

My son’s house is coming along, tentative move in date is October 15th – his soon to be fiance’s birthday! (yes, that’s happening soon! shhhh…. )

I am so happy for my son, for our whole family… because this lovely young woman has become a much loved member of our family in the six years they have dated. Seeing them build the future together is such a joy. They guide each other through thick and thin, have aided each other in building their careers, and they are strength to each other’s weaknesses, bringing out the best in each other. It’s a beautiful thing.

Mom with her favorite grandson, on his side porch

As for me, I have started a new diet plan – day five and I’m down four pounds. I’m finding it totally do-able. I’m not hungry, I’m eating healthy, and the weight is slowly coming off. The weight loss will slow, for that was probably mostly water weight – but I am finding this plan is excellent – doable, healthy eating. I shop for the groceries and cook the meals, the meal plan and grocery listed are provided by the founder of the program. He’s traveled nationwide with his program and his clients span the globe, but he happens to live right here in town and has helped many of my neighbors, how cool is that!? Here’s my before picture – 27 pounds to lose at day 1, down 4 already. Believe me, this picture does not really show -all the fat -. I’ll keep you posted on this, but if you’re looking for a program yourself and others have failed you (like me!) …. this..is working.

myslimnation.com – Robert Nevins

BEFORE……….