Category: Nature

The State of Things…

 

I don’t even watch the news anymore, rarely skim the headlines, truly shy away from anyone posting political crap on social media, and I used to be one who chirped.. a lot!  I just cannot believe the utter shit show across the entire political system, our governing bodies.    I decided my sanity and well being is more important than absorbing all the toxic noise, misinformation, ignorance.  And we all know in our deepest well of knowledge that we don’t change the heart or mind of another person who will believe what they want to believe, no matter the detriment to themselves or others.  So I stopped trying to do that, too.  And I must admit, I’m not so sure those I trusted are trustworthy enough.

It’s freeing!  I’m spending more time improving the quality of the work I put into my day job, this farm, the critters in my care, my family, myself. I picked up the paint brush again and completed a piece for a friend, and I have a new one on the easel.  It all feels like the right thing to do.

The completed piece –  this tells the beginning story of an immigrant who was born in this house ( no hospitals anywhere near) and raised here until his family moved (legally!) to this country for a better way of life.  They have worked very hard for a long time with two successful businesses now  and just built a beautiful barn and home  here in town.  He wanted this painting made as a reminder of their journey.

New on the easel… when completed it will be a snowy scene of a Vermont covered bridge in a  town we visit often, many good memories and hopefully more to be made.

The weather has been good and bad and iffy and good and bad again. In between raindrops or frigid temps I’ve been walking with Kai again, and recently my son and I have gone on a few short hikes. It feels good to keep going.. and we’ll get more hikes in when weather permits.

This is Deer Lake Reservation, which has just been sold by the Boy Scouts of America after a lengthy campaign by locals and state representatives to save it from development, to Pathfinders, which will keep it as a camp and public recreation area and wildlife refuge.  There are extensive trails, too.. this is a BIG WIN for nature, for campers and the general public who appreciate and recognize the value of open space.  There are many cabins the scouts and other campers used, and they will be kept up by the new owner and used in summer camp programs.

This quartz wedged in a large boulder looks like teeth!

We’ve also been down to the shore for some winter walks…

This next scene is going to be my next painting, on a bigger canvas for the living room if it comes out decent.  I am so grateful for this New England lanscape, diverse and beautiful in all seasons.

Our girls are in the second trimester of their pregnancies now, we are all so exciting for  Jonathan and Mia to arrive.  The eternal worrier in me keeps praying all will go well for both moms to be and their babies, and the dads as well!   Baby showers being planned, I’ve already got a shelf full of childrens books I’ve been collecting for many years ( I’m a big fan).  The baby clothes nowadays are so much more fun than when we were young mothers!  and the baby equipment too.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods or piece of the plains,  spit of sand on the shore or your stamp on suburbia…  what have you been doing to stay sane in these troubling times?… creativity, better health, new horizons, perhaps travel again?    Covid is running rampant again around these parts, my son and daughter-in-law just got over it.  People are masking up again….just.. ugh.

closing this post with a few pieces I’ve found inspiring or profound…

 

Till soon-

 

A Glorious Fall

Oh how I love this season!  I don’t really have a favorite season, do you?  There is something magical in each, if you ask my two cents worth.  This particular fall is one of the most glorious I have witnessed so far. The summer’s long dry spell and the sudden onslaught of heavy rains for days must be the right combination of “stuff” to make the leaves turn magical here in New England.  The colors are just extraordinary!  How is it looking in your neck of the woods?   The Mr. and I took a ride this weekend to one of our favorite spots after picking up sandwiches at a nearby deli… and I snapped some pictures along the way.  Just.. So… Gorgeous.

Here on the farm, we’ve been working on some projects.. replacing rotted fencing… it’s been TWELVE YEARS since we renovated and moved into this old farm house and property and the split rail needs replacing.  Holy cow, time flies, friends.    So far we’ve managed the dog yard, which is a pretty big area.  AND, we’ve installed a gate at the driveway entrance because Google maps or whatever alien life designates the streets on those things has decided our driveway is a road to somewhere else.  And it is not.  And then the drivers get annoyed because they aren’t getting where the map tells them they should be as we wave them down and tell them to SLOW DOWN and  please go back to the road because they’re on private property.  Which annoys them.  Imagine!   Hence.. the gate.

We’re also giving the horse barn a big facelift!  In our 35-ish years together, M and I have had four farms, built four homes and four barns.  When we took on This Old House I thought we would be winding down the livestock part of our farm endeavor, so we built a relatively small barn for the horses.  Then came the goats.  And the Chickens.  And another horse.. or two.  With those critters came their small outbuildings.  And in winter, when the snow flies and accumulates, let me tell you… … it’s a lot of work shoveling and moving hay and grain and shavings and water to where it needs to go, and this Mother Hen is no spring chicken.  *ahem.    So.. the new barn is being added on to the old structure and will be much more efficient than the current system we’ve had.  All those outbuildings have a new home with another chicken farmer.

In other news, my daughter just got engaged! These two live right next door and we are thrilled for their happiness!

With the evenings longer and more time spent indoors, I’ve been finding some time to read again for pleasure.  Gladys Taber is an author of years gone by, and one of my very favorites. I have at least seven of her books pertaining to her beloved Stillmeadow Farm in Southbury, CT and whenever I need a reprieve from the larger world and it’s “heavy”, I pick up a Still meadow book and read, and relax into her world of  grace, peace and country sensibility.  It’s like watching  that old movie, White Christmas with Bing Crosby et al.  Her books are no longer in print, but they are still found in old book stores, online and if you’re really lucky, while hunting through someone else’s discarded treasures.

I hope this finds you well and contented, and if you’re so inclined, let me know how things are going with you and yours!

Till soon –

 

Grow where you’re planted

Our garden is thriving, and I have to be upfront and say we don’t do all this work by ourselves here in this big plot – we have help from our construction crew – when work load is slow they help in the garden.

Last night I went shopping for dinner up on the hill behind the house, pulled potatoes and onions right out of the ground,  it’s a beautiful thing…

 

I made some triple berry jam, throwing some store bought strawberries in with our blueberries and raspberries…

and made my Grandmother Elsie’s BBQ sauce…  she  was an outstanding cook and made some fancy dishes including an incredible roast with dumplings and gravy I have yet to duplicate  and her pies were legendary- but one of my favorites was her bbq ribs – and her recipe for sauce came off the back of a dominos brown sugar box. It’s soooo yum.  The  ribs are first baked for an hour at 400 in Coca Cola – then drain the coke and smother with bbq sauce- bake for another half hour till ribs are looking perfectly saucy baked . This sauce can be used on chicken, burgers, even hotdogs !

I grew up on Staten Island where most of us had postage stamp sized yards …. across the street from an old Italian named Joe. He had the most magnificent tiny garden and each summer he would let me come over and pick a few of the best tomatoes for our family. We would save a few for my grandfather, who thought a good garden tomato was food worthy of the Gods and he wasn’t wrong. Joe would also let me eat the peppers right off the plant because that’s how I loved them most, before they were fried or roasted.
It doesn’t escape me for one minute, how fortunate we are to farm this land. What a treasure it is to harvest dinner from our own hill. If you’re not already doing it, I honestly believe it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself- and it can be a container garden on your deck or herbs on a window sill , you don’t need acreage. It just feels so good to stick hands in dirt, tend plants, reap the rewards- and gives children a quality lesson and skill that’s never wasted in life.
 Think about it… reap what you sow, grow where you are planted, …
Life is like a garden, you reap what you sow… from your own fertile soils, your seedlings do grow ✨

Grab a Cup o’Joe, this is a rambler

So much awful news out there, but as I get older (and older) I’m trying to teach myself the necessary art of looking away.  I really need to, because I literally feel every agony others are afflicted with, the unfairness of it all, the evils and utter bullshit of the world if I let myself dwell.  And then the anger finds a home and settles.   I’m airing it out and letting it go as often as I possibly can nowadays and it feels… freeing.  Politics?  Fuck’em.  I’ll vote, but I’m staying out of the fray because it makes not one fuck of a difference whether I let it stir me up or I focus on more worthy endeavors –  things that actually help others and myself.  Onward.

The boy child is getting married in five weeks!!  We’ve had fun helping the bride plan All The Things, the groom occasionally nods yes or no and made one phone call for party bus service and a trip to the tux rental with his buddies.   The men have it so easy in this department, you know.   We love our daughter in law to be, they’ve been together 8 or so years and she’s really been a part of our family for quite a while now.  Cheers to many happy years!

It’s opening season for Stella by the Sea – the lawn has been mowed several times already, pots filled with geraniums, little garden plot has tomatoes, basil and parsley,  bedding washed, pillows sunned/aired out, refridge restocked, floors washed, bathroom cleaned,  windows cleaned – kayak back out on the wall – we’re ready!   Why.. when we have a big  vegetable garden at home, do we plant one at Stella?…. because it just  always feels to me like a plot of soil needs a patch of garden, no matter how tiny.  If I had an apartment in the city, I’d have plants in the windowsills. But my soul would wither there, I do believe.

Photo courtesy Ben Kuropat and his  drone – he takes amazing photos of our cove.  Out in the distance are the Thimble Islands – Stella is in the little heart outline.

The geese have been marching their babies up and down the cottage community road as they switch from the marsh to the cove, back and forth.

This year for the first time I have seen what appears to be a juvenile Lion’s mane jellyfish – a bit pale in color but behaving robustly, inspecting the oyster beds in front of Stella.  Notice the much smaller variety in the bottom of the picture – there are many in the water this year.

Meanwhile, back on the farm – everything’s blooming! Have you found that all flowering things are extremely lush this year?  The lilacs here in New England are absolutely beautiful.  The wild violets carpet the forest floor, even the daffodils where planted seem to have multiplied heartily.  Our garden up on the hill is planted – the Mr. went overboard with potatoes but.. plenty to give away, right?  Every year we discuss shrinking the garden because it’s a lot of work and so much is given away. We shrink it initially – but somehow it balloons back out.  This picture was taken last week.  Since then, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, oregano have been planted where the ground is bare here and the leaves have unfurled more on the trees.

The goat girls, horses, chickens and dogs  are thriving, all give us hours of work but definitely also the pleasures and therapy  that only animals can bring to our lives.  We nurture them, they nurture our souls.

Kai’s 1 year adoption day anniversary was May 15th – we’ve come a long way in that year.  Kai has gotten me out on the trails again, getting great exercise and building a trusting relationship with him.  He’s gone from practically feral to a wonderful companion – sleeps between the Mr. and I on the bed even – it’s all good.  I find adopting rescues so very rewarding, even when initially very trying.

 

Then….

Now….

The girl child and her guy are enjoying their home nextdoor and we love having everyone on the outskirts of the farm.  Chores are shared,  meals are shared, garden produce and eggs distributed.  We respect each other’s privacy and have managed not to get on each other’s last nerve, it’s truly a blessing.  My son and fiance are just over the hill.

My newest painting on the easel is a simple thing, marbles in a mason jar on a window sill.  Still much to get done here,  what a lesson in patience this is.  I’m learning as I go, and I make plenty of mistakes, but the therapy of art is a beautiful thing and doesn’t cost much at all.   I’ve always loved marbles and  glass in all it’s forms of art. I  have an extensive glass art collection I’ll post one of these days.

Trying to slim down a bit for the gown I will wear to my son’s wedding, I’ve been making some lighter, healthier recipes lately.  Here’s one that was a big hit, so delicious… give it a try if you like quiche – farm fresh eggs make it even better.

Onion Mushroom, Squash Gruyere Quiche
Sauté onions in butter till becoming translucent , then throw in mushrooms and yellow squash and sauté till their liquids are in the pan and they’re softened- throw in herbs of your choice- parsley thyme and basil here, salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons white wine- simmer down till liquid is almost gone- Remove from heat. Meanwhile mix together four eggs, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup grated Gruyere, salt and pepper- place onion mushroom yellow squash mixture in either a prepared crust or go crustless, as I did here. Then pour egg/cream,cheese mixture over it- bake at 350° for 35-ish minutes till done. Yum!

Ending this post with a few words of inspiration below – wishing you well, and thank you for stopping by my little corner of the world.

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,

Holidays during Pandemic times

How were your holidays?  Scaled down like ours?  We managed some smaller gatherings and I’m grateful we’re all still here and relatively healthy.  We even did a weekend at The Woodstock Inn, a favorite place for us. Last year’s trip was cancelled because Vermont was basically closed to outsiders, and this year still looked different but was enjoyable,  regardless.

Christmas came early while in the Woodstock village, the Mr. obliged my obsession with these boots as we kept passing them in a store window and they whispered to me every time, I’m  not even kidding.

 The Inn was magical, the depleted staff did a fantastic job with a difficult scenario.

Christmas rolled around and we did what we thought was best – smaller gatherings,  and some of them  cancelled.

🎄  Mom holding  a  delicious refreshing  Christmas Drink –  the Poinsettia – Prosecco, Elderflower liquor and a splash of cranberry juice, with some frozen cranberries thrown in.  Mix together according to taste – pretty and yum.   I’m not a big drinker but I like a refreshing one now and then and this hits the spot.  And kills the germs, right? LOL

 

We’ve decided to scale back down the restaurant dining since the new Covid surge, but we did get out to our favorite cafe in Stonington, the Dogwatch.  Their “power bowl” is my favorite – packed with healthy eating. the Town of  Stonington is beautiful any time of year, but especially during the holidays.

 

The kids and I have done some hiking and that is the single most awesome thing that happened to me this year- upon the adoption of Kai, my spirit dog as my mom calls him, I knew he needed a lot of attention and trust building and hiking was a good way to do it.  That also gave me the opportunity to tone up and get in better shape, and my adult kids don’t mind hanging out with mom to do it. I’m not a gym rat, I hate being stationary to exercise. Treadmills, elipticals, blah blah blah.   Get me out in the scenery and I can go for miles, and so I do.  It’s been a win for all of us during pandemic times and my goal is to continue exploring trails long into the future.

Yesterday’s hike at Hammonasset State Park on Long Island Sound, Madison, CT

Wishing us all good health and much joy in the years ahead.

 

Nature, the ultimate recharge, my cathedral

… has always been nature and the animals.  In my quest to keep this aging body moving and in good working order, I’ve been walking and hiking more… my newest rescued dog  Kai  as my faithful companion.   He is such a joy because he loves the outside time and he doesn’t pull! That’s a bonus I have not had before, not even with little Sally with the twisted front legs, which don’t slow her down one bit.

The biggest bonus is.. my kids actually like hiking with mom!  So now and then I am accompanied by some of my most favorite people, too.  The only nuisance are the damned ticks. I have found the all natural Cedarcide spray does help repel them. I buy it on amazon.

Lost Lake at WestWoods, Guilford, CT –  my boy introduced me to these awesome trails –

A train occasionally blows through on the tracks – I look forward to hiking these trails when the snow lands, Polar Express comes to mind.

 

This is an old quarry area, hence the large blocks of stone, and below is an old horse watering station.

The trails of Parmelee Farm are close to home and we go there often. My son was hired to enhance the trail system and he and crew are doing a beautiful job.

When I’m not out in the woods or mucking stalls or editing for work on this computer, I try to get upstairs to sit at the easel – newest painting I’m working on is a scene from a recent hike on Barn Island, such a glorious day and fun new discovery for nature walks, I decided to try to capture it on canvas.  Still much to do with it, but here’s where I’m at …..  with Michael Bolton on Amazon music – I may be 3/4 deaf, but I remember the nuances, and the beat tells me where we’re at in the song.  The Brain is an amazing thing, this I know for sure, and in this way I can still enjoy music on a whole different and definitely less satisfying level, but still, there’s joy in it.  Grab it where you can!

Some good advice and  humor for you as we head into the weekend –

 

We’re all just walking each other home –   Ram Dass

Till soon, friends…

Barn Island

Yesterday  was so gorgeous we decided to get out with Kai and explore a new-to-us walking area –  the 1,013-acre Barn Island Wildlife Management park in Stonington/Pawcatuck,  the State’s single largest coastal property managed for wildlife conservation. The property provides a diversity of ecosystem and habitats, including hilly uplands, agricultural/open fields, mixed hardwood forests and salt, brackish and freshwater tidal wetlands.  The property is very popular for  hiking, cross country and snowshoeing, mountain biking,  wildlife observation and hunting.

The Barn Island Loop is approximately 3 miles long, easy walking, and the scenery is beautiful. The only issue were the ticks, which I found several of on both myself and Kai when we got home. I got in the shower and he got a tick bath shortly after.

I downloaded a great app for hikers/walkers of the great outdoors – Alltrails.  We tooka detour and it came in handy to get us back on the main loop.

I do see my next painting in one of these images.  just a glorious day 🙂

So much beauty out there in the world, helps wash off the grime in the headlines, you know?   Hope all is well in your neck of the woods –

FALLing

Man, it’s beautiful out there! New England in her Sunday best – Even in the rain – we’re getting some of that big weather much of the country is getting apparently.   I’ve been walking a lot with my favorite hiking/walking buddy – he’s been so good for this weary soul.

My son and fiance had their engagement photo session here on the farm recently – here are just a few of my favorites…

Their wedding will take place next June along the CT River  in an old factory with gorgeous windows and wood floors, an old fashioned train will bring guests to the venue – stay tuned!

The Mr.  and I took a quick ( like eight hours start to finish) trip to Vermont last weekend and  I got my apple and cider fix  –

Some art projects I’ve been working on…  beaded horse shoes (old mule shoes found here on the property… and a new painting on the easel.  The shoe I “sold” for a donation to a farm animal rescue here in CT called Shut the Door Farm – and the painting might just serve the same purpose once it’s done.  I love making things, but when they actually serve a worthy cause, it’s that much more rewarding.

With this season comes a desire to dig out more recipes, comfort foods, holiday fare, and I love every minute of it except for the cleanup.  Every rose has it’s thorns 🙂  And speaking of roses….

Check out this recipe – made it for company yesterday and it was AWESOME!  and fun to make – not complicated, I promise!

Apple Rose Pastry 

 And here’s another fantastic easy fall recipe…

Creamy Roasted garlic Butternut Squash Pasta

     I hope all is well in your neck of the woods – wishing you all good things in this season of thanks giving. ❤

 

Catching up…

I miss my blog friends!   Go grab a coffee or a tea or water, which is better for you anyway – we’ve got ground to cover!   I finally have a little time to sit down and read some of your blogs, that’s next, and I sure hope I find you are all well and staying sane.   I stay away from the news more often than not in recent months, just hate to see all the division that continues, all the fake news that flourishes,  makes one long for simpler times.  And so I’m trying to make my times… well, simpler.

The kids living nearby on the outskirts of this farm in their own homes is truly a blessing.  We all stay out of each other’s way enough so that we’re not tripping over one another or wishing to move elsewhere, and yet we chip in together to keep this place running and enjoyable for all. The farm animals are always a source of joy, and also a source of work!

We all benefit from the chicken coop and the gardens – this year the raspberries and blueberries were more than abundant, we’ve got a freezer full. Potatoes and onions are also stored in crates downstairs – (the purple potatoes are DIVINE!) and we discovered this year all the produce loves to live and grow on the hill behind the house, better than the two garden plots we have down AT the house. So.. that’s where we will garden from now on, up on the sunny hillside.

Kai, our newest rescue dog, is doing super!  He went from two years of feral living to completely well behaved house dog in a matter of months, smart as a whip, and just a joy to be around. We take many walks together, kai and I… and sometimes my kids with their dogs too.  Speaking of which – my son’s rottie, Leo, has grown into a bull, a big mush, a little bit of a bully, a LOT of dog to be sure, but a love just the same.  At just a year old, he’s still growing, too.

Stella by the Sea –  Welp, as much as we said we were going to spend a lot more time down there, like maybe even LIVE there a few weekends at least this summer, it just didn’t happen.  The farm and work demands keep us busy throughout the year, but my mom does get to live down there for short spirts of time and we all congregate for dinners, swims, kayaking, the occasional lounging around.  Soon it will be time to pack it all in and close up Stella till next year.  I dread the emptying of the refrigerator – just sayin.

 

The Mr. and I did manage to get away in the first week of August, to one of our most favorite places, Martha’s Vineyard.  We rented a cottage on South Water Street in Edgartown, an older home with loads of Vineyard Charm.  It was just the two of us, which is unusual, but the slowed pace and not having any particular agenda was nice.  We both came back feeling rested, a much needed reprieve.

With this season comes a renewed interest in fall recipes… this one I haven’t tried yet but I think I’ll give it a go for the Thanksgiving table instead of the traditional Pumpkin Pie, which some of us don’t even like.  (I do!)

Pumpkin Tiramisu from Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
  • 2 packages (3 ounces each) ladyfingers, split
  • 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • Additional pumpkin pie spice

Directions

  • 1. In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Fold in whipped cream.
  • 2. In a small bowl, combine coffee and remaining pie spice and vanilla; brush over ladyfingers. In a 3-qt. trifle dish, layer a fourth of the ladyfingers, angling some up the sides of the dish if desired. Top with a fourth of the pumpkin mixture and whipped topping. Repeat layers three times. Sprinkle with additional pie spice.
  • 3. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.

  Wishing you all good things this fall, Lord knows we all deserve it!  – Till soon, my dear blog friends –