Category: Uncategorized

Salty Dogs

 Yesterday was one of those sweltering July days here in New England.  The humidity is what gets me, bleh.   I took Frasier and Sally down to Stella in hopes of a swim, but when we arrived – the low tide was the lowest I think I’ve ever seen it.. .and believe it or not – walking all the way across the cove to the other side would only get me less than waist deep.  So, only wading – no swimming.  We did that anyway.
 
Our beachfront consists of sand and muck and seaweed, oyster and clam shells. Lots of rocks too.  Water shoes are necessary to get out into the water to swim.   Frasier likes the water and will walk around in it shoulder deep –  Sally?  Not so much.  She was in my arms when I snapped the pic below and she continued to “paddle” until we were back up on the grass.   Here you can see the high tide mark – the dark coloring along the stone, steps and seawall.  The difference between low tide and high tide in the cove, in a matter of hours!.. is 6 feet.  That’s amazing to me. 

 M Jr. came down for supper and went clamming to enhance the meal..

K showed up after work too and together they began our next project  – clearing the many rocks that have accumulated on our little tiny beachfront so that the water can push in more sand when we want to walk out to swim or  sit in a chair there.  There are two oyster beds on either side of our little stretch of “beach”. That’s where we’re putting the extra rocks – they fortify the oyster beds. 
  While Jr. was clamming, he pulled up this little guy – whom we tossed back in the ocean after taking a few pictures…  His body is about the size of the palm of your hand, so he was a BIG hermit crab. 

 Little Sally is getting used to cottage life too –   (who remembers Blueberries for Sal? One of my favorite childrens books)  She’s got salty breeze-naps perfected. 

  Meanwhile, back in Tr*mpland, the mysterious ties and lies deepen.  I don’t even know where to begin here, so I think…. I won’t.   Drip   Drip    Drip…..

 It’s a new day, all. Let’s make it a good one –  thanks for stopping by.

Sometimes you just gotta say it….

   F*ck it. 
    Let me start off by expressing my utter disgust at my little self –  I have been less than stellar in my weight loss journey this year. Oh, I’ve given it the old college try every now and again ( like, back in college, when I was young and fit and could drop ten pounds with a few extra sneezes) … but it’s been now… and again… ever since.     My  husband has lost 60 pounds since January… 60!!! SIX  OH.   He looks and feels fantastic.   I’m so happy and jealous for him.   What’s MY problem?   FOOD.   The general love of it, the preparing of it for others,  STRESS.  Having fibromyalgia doesn’t help matters either.  When you hurt 24/7 and an hour of every single day is spent doing physical work out in the barn/coop/garden/yard shoveling sh*t among other things, it’s kinda hard to say… “Body?  I know you just did all that for me and I thank you profusely for soldiering on despite the constant pain and ache while we together care for the 200 animals I insisted on taking in over the years.  But.. can we just push it a little further?  Like four miles on the treadmill?   Let’s lift a few hundred more pounds, shall we?”
….    you  know what Body says, right?

This had me laughing out loud…. ’cause you gotta keep your humor, hear me? – 

   To be clear, I’m not saying F*ck it to the diet or the exercise . No, we all need to keep doing that, even when it hurts.  Use it or lose it, right?    This is something different, and equally important…
 We had some glorious weather this weekend and spent a good part of it down at the cottage once farm chores were done. Both sets of kids came and went as their schedules allowed and I love the time we all spend there.  
  On Saturday I watched as others swam, water skied, cruised in boats, on paddle boards,  bobbled on and around giants floats – there are several in our cove neighborhood.   It was hot.  A great time to jump in the water.  A great time to don a suit and just jump in.  What did I do?….
I stuck my feet in the water off our cement dock pad and wished I hadn’t been such a slouch this spring in the eating and exercise department. 
Sunday.. another glorious day… THIS TIME… I took a good look around, saw (damn it) the neighbors were all in attendance and entertaining guests, even(of course!)    And I thought of how foolish I’ve been.  I’m 52 years old, damn lucky to be here.  I’m 20 lbs overweight and I don’t look as good as I used to in a suit.  WHO CARES.  WHO… CARES.    And if someone does care?  It’s their problem.   I’ve got enough of my own.

 My son was sitting in my kitchen the other day and I did the standard complaint –  He said Mom, you say that all the time, you’ve been saying it for years.  “Jeez, I’m so fat, that’s it, I’m gonna diet starting right now”.  Stop the complaining, mom, just do it.    He’s right!  I don’t want to be the complainer.  I want to be the doer.  Change only comes if you change what you’re doing. 

So…  Sunday,… to start… I said F*ck it.  I went inside and put on that suit and marched right back out, head held high,soaked up a few rays before slipping into that cool blue water.  The kids joined me and it was SO refreshing. – the water, the letting go, the moving on.    I’m not abandoning my health goals – some weight loss, more exercise, better eating habits.  But I’m done beating myself  up and missing out on some of the real pleasures in life, like enjoying the water on a hot summer day. 

 What.. you thought I’d give you the full body shot?  Not.

  Meanwhile, back at the ranch… I made a BIG decision and it feels right.

Till soon, friends – 






  

Another installment of the K List

  .. .meaning this that, and the other too. 
   Little Miss Olivia Penny Sally Maddie Scout is doing just fine.  Even though I had her name tag engraved OLIVIA… I’m not feeling it.   I  also gave her too much credit for being potty trained so soon in life- silly me.  Now that she’s comfortable here… yeah.   So.. the REAL potty training is in full force.  The great news is she sleeps through the night without having to go out – and without messing in her crate.  Bonus!   I do believe in crate training, it’s not cruel, it’s not dangerous, and it’s not to be abused or it can be all of the above.  I only use the crate for over night and when I have to get busy somewhere else and need her to be safe and not in a potty zone. For the most part she has the run of the house with the other dogs. 
   
The dogs are getting use to her – here they are under my desk in the little bed a bought for her because she likes to hang out there when I’m working… they kicked her out and took over, but at least their butts are allowed to touch.  Progress! 

   I saw something beautiful on pinterest or facebook… a sea glass artist who makes beautiful creations from sea glass, shells, sand and windows.   Mine is much more simple but I love it regardless.   I bought an old window at a junk shop for $5, took some of my  shell and sea glass collection and scored a big vase full from a friend,  and in two hours time put this together and will hang it in my dining room window as soon as the husband has time to help. It’s heavy and I don’t want to risk not securing it well enough.  Better to be able to blame him if it falls (kidding!!  but not really!!).  This is a super inexpensive craft you can do – cost me $16. total – and what a gorgeous accent to anyone’s home.  
      As I’ve said before, I’ve been trying not to delve into the political state of things lately, but some things can’t be ignored.  I have a good friend who is a decent man, an intelligent man… who loves all things Tr*mp.  How those two realities co-exist is beyond my comprehension.   He believes all negative news is fake news and repeatedly tries to defend him no matter what the obvious offense.  It astounds me, how anyone can love him.  LOVE him, not just tolerate him because -agenda-.   He thinks the government deserves what they’re getting from Tr*mp and to be honest?  The government and the media had lessons to learn.  They’re learning alright.  But to who’s expense.  Ours, in my opinion.  This is the leader of the free world, supposedly.  This isn’t just a lesson.   My friend has said over and over again there are absolutely no truths to any of the inklings that the Tr*mp team and Russ*a had any collusion whatsoever regarding our election.   While this will not get him arrested… it is the tip of the iceberg.  It is.. truth.  Is it illegal?   I guess not.  But the son of the President was willing to work with the Russ*ans, felt comfortable doing so… do undermine our election.  That’s enough sleeze for me.  If you’re a Tr*mp supporter and you’re reading this.. you would be SCREAMING if it were Chelsea Cl*nton.    First… lets stop all the hypocrisy.  
     One thing I’m pretty confident is the truth….  Tr*mp is a master manipulator.  He knew how to play what would be his base by using the distrust and fedup attitude of many towards our government.  The downside to that is, he got in and I don’t think he every really believed he would.  His own good friend, Howard St(rn said he had hoped his friend wouldn’t win the election because he didn’t think he really wanted the job.  He was too thin skinned for what would come with it, he would miss is old life, his mental health would be in serious jeopardy.  NO  KIDDING. 
 45 himself said he misses his old life.   So.. what are we getting?  A bitter, self-absorbed bully narcissist who’s missing his old life and saying FU to whatever and whomever isn’t riding along on his magic carpet with high praise for his majesty.    The POTUS works for us, we don’t work for him. He’s forgetting that very important aspect.  If he were a corporate exec, he’d be fired by now with all that hideous twittering and false facts.  
   We the People deserve so much more.  The world stage demands so much more.  What damage will be done…   and oh how I hope I’m wrong about all of it. 

The Family that Hays Together.. Stays Together

   Sunday here on the farm was Hay Day.  Those two little words invoke pure happiness (oooh, the sweet aroma of fresh cut hay, and  hooray for a full loft of hay for the horses!)…. and it also invokes heavy sighs and eye rolls (allergies, a lot of heavy lifting and tossing and sweat.)  
    This year, our kids’ significant others joined in and I gotta say, both have proven once and for all they are in-law material. Kidding!.. but really not! 
    Decent feed hay around these parts now costs $10 per bale- and those aren’t the big bales.  By making our own hay, we have saved about $4000 to feed our horses this year – well worth the sweat equity and seed cost last year. 

  Have I told you lately how much I love my kiddos?    And while we aren’t a full working farm in the way many of our ancestors may have been- more of a farmette  compared to the previous occupants of this land, despite the work it takes to keep the place up and bring in the few crops we manage – it’s a good life, a reaffirming life.  I appreciate every single day we get to do this.  
Meanwhile.. back at the house – little Sally  AKA  Scout, Maddie, Olivia, Penny…. is doing just fine.  The other three dogs are accepting her slowly and she is just a love bug.   Now, if we could only decide on a name that suits her….. 
 

She’s here! And what a gem!

  
      We’ve had a busy 4th of July weekend here – all good!  Little Sally arrived via transport from Georgia on Saturday in New Haven – at a rest stop along the city’s shore containing about 275 thousand food trucks with half the population of the city in attendance – with 25 parking spots.  I’m kidding, but not really.    
   Our new little girl was exhausted, and so very happy to get out of transport and into someone’s lap.  I will say the transport used was wonderful – they really give a damn about the dogs and treat them very well while in the very stressful environment they are in. My son came with me to pick up, and a shout out to him for being very kind despite his mother’s embarrassing tears of happiness. 
 These are the girls of Grateful Doggies Freedom Transport.  They bring shelter dogs from up and down the East Coast to their forever homes.   They left Georgia on Friday morning – driving through the night, picking up pups along the way, delivering them  to their adopters at various stops along their route.. it’s exhausting work and they do it anyway.  Amazing folks.

 Right after this picture was taken she peed about 2 gallons directly on that shirt.  She had been holding it in for a loooong time, apparently.    Did I mention  how much I love my son?  
 Sally (although we’re still not set on the name) is doing very well, we adore her already. She’s super friendly, smart as a whip, loves dogs and people. 
Frasier and Bailey have made it clear she’s not allowed on the bed.
They aren’t either… clearly. 
I need this shirt…. 

 We spent the 4th at the cottage –  Stella has proven to be a great family gathering place, it’s a beautiful thing, just what I hoped for…   

      That’s my dad in the photo below – M picked him up at the nursing home and we had a nice visit.  There are times when we feel  not-so-great about him living in a “home”, but  at the end of the day, it is without a doubt the right place for him to be.  At the time of his last heart attack, he wasn’t taking care of himself, hadn’t cooked for himself in years, hadn’t cleaned his little house in years, wasn’t doing his laundry, wasn’t taking his meds properly, and his driving was unsafe.   We had been maintaining his property for him for years, trying to give him as much independent living time as possible.   If you read here often, you know our relationship is a tough one.  Living here with us is just not an option – he’s lucky we do what we do.  But.. I admire this in him – he has made a decent life for himself at the home, and that’s where I feel good about the decision to place him there.   First of all, it’s a good one – clean, updated, friendly knowledgeable staff and lots of activities for those who are still fairly active.  He has made friends and has a social circle. He is now the president of the residents association, and joins in the activities.   All is well that ends well.

 And because I gotta be me… how about that Christie fella closing down NJ beaches on the weekend of the biggest beach holiday of the year, beaches that hard working tax payers of the state pay for,  only to open one up JUST FOR HIS FAMILY for the 4th weekend.  His answer to questions by reporters as to how he could do that was basically this… “I’m the governor, I can do that. If you want to become governor you can do it too!”    Wow dude.. talk about saying FU to your people.   I’m pretty sure he doesn’t plan to run for anything ever again.  
  If a picture says a thousand words….   
  
   Till soon, friends – thanks for stopping by. 

Where do we draw the line?

   Every time I think — well, this can’t possibly go on, surely someone of authority will stand up and put an end to this nonsense. …every time….. nothing.   I keep calling my mother, who is very politically savvy, has been around a while and been involved in politics for many years on local levels.   I say… have enough wheels fallen off that bus yet??…   and the response is a much more patient one than my own… these things take time, Karen.  
    Well, hell… how much “time” do we all need to believe what 45 is telling us every.single.day… that he is unhinged, that he is vindictive,  that he lies, he tweets inappropriate, obnoxious absolute crap that is an embarrassment to our country, that he’s destroying the integrity of the office he holds, that he has the tolerance, patience, and virtues of a flea… and you know,  that comparison is not even fair to fleas.   Their infestation and leaching off other creatures is for survival means only.  They don’t know any better. 
   What an absolute a$$.   What bothers me more, is witnessing fellow Americans cheering his hideous behavior on.  This isn’t just about policy, folks.  I am not a republican hater, I am not a far lefter, I’m not a “Snowflake” crying because my party lost.  I don’t have a party.  WE ALL LOST when this idiot came to dismantle the integrity of our country.  He’s not making America great again, he’s dismantling it with his total disrespect.  And make no mistake, that was his goal.  That was Bann*n’s goal.. and we’re letting them get away with it.  How very, very tragic. It’s horrifying to watch if you’re a person who actually gives a shit about decency.  That word in particular.  
This latest twitter sh*tstorm with the Morning Joe show and Mika B…. I will say I think the media has taken far too much power, slanting the news toward their own leanings for a long time – that’s wrong.  I think making fun of the President’s hand size is childish.  They aren’t the leader of the free world, though.  The POTUS… should have the wherewithall to refrain from such vile responses… the world is watching. He works for We the People, not the other way around.  We deserve better… we deserve a responsible adult to respresent us, not a whining narcissistic bully. 
WTF.  W…. T…..F. 
    I adopted another dog in part, I think,  because I am desperate to see more of and be part of and encourage the GOOD in people.  This weekend I will support a rescue down in Georgia by adopting one of her charges and make a monetary donation to her rescue to help with expenses.   This woman goes without nice things so she can pull yet another of the 1000’s of homeless dogs/puppies that are throw aways.   I will meet two ladies at a commuter lot in New Haven after they have driven over 30 hours with about 30 dogs who have found a new life is waiting for them up North.  If you’re not familiar with the I-95 corridor running north to south and vice versa – it’s a jungle.  And it’s the fourth of July weekend – God Bless Them.   
   I’ll keep you posted on -Sally’s- arrival.  Not sure we’ll keep her name yet.. have to meet the little girl to know if it suits her.  She doesn’t know it as her name yet, so we’re good there.   This picture was sent to me just now by her rescue… she’s on her way to transport pick up.   I’m in love already.   See you soon, Sally girl.

   I’ll  be bold here and ask one thing of you….  No matter what your political affiliation, please above all else, stand up for  and demand truth, integrity, decency.. from our leaders.  Please don’t condone childish juvenile bully behavior.  Our children are watching, the world is watching….. the integrity of our future depends on it. 

    Be well, friends, and have a safe holiday weekend. 
   

Beautiful Creatures

  Well.. I have some fun news to share.  But first, hop on the gator and let’s take a ride around the North 40 so I can show you some stuff. 

     This box turtle lives in the woods behind one of our fields… Turtles are a sign, you know.  Good vs. Evil.  Turtles represent the good.  So when you see one of these babies walking across the road, do you dare stop?  I do.   I’m careful, of course, not to get run over, but I do stop and move them along into the woods out of harms way. 

 In the next field over we’ve got an oddity.  Last week we began haying fields, but the rain came and that had to stop.  Haying is a long process and a very tedious one. Certain things have to happen in order for the hay to cut well and be DRY so that it doesn’t mold up – rendered unfeedable.   A farmer must have at least three dry days in a row and preferably more to cut the hay, fluff it up (there’s a better word for it but I’ll be darned, I don’t know it)  then baled and put in a dry barn for storage.   So last week — beginning the cutting… a turkey nest was discovered, with momma sitting on about 8 eggs.  Unfortunately the fellow who cuts our fields almost ran right over it before he saw it – so most of the hay around and over it is gone.  Momma was still sitting on the eggs, brave soul.  So.. we  (meaning me and the husband,  the old softee) took old hay bales and built a wall of sorts around her, that she could come and go from.  Now, we’ve got plenty of coyotes and fox and hawks that are her natural enemies.. I don’t know if this will do. But, it’s better than what she was left with, bless her heart.  So far, so good. 
Can you see her tucked in there?…. 
    

 Now let’s head over to the other field, where the edges are lined with pines.  We sprayed them recently due to all the gypsy moth caterpillars (SO GROSS – they’re EVERYWHERE)… and were checking to see if they were dead.  The caterpillars – not the trees.  Well I saw a old nest in one of those trees, and I figured it had been dowsed with chemical and wanted to pull it out of the tree before a bird used it again.  I mean it really did look old. Damn it.   It was in fact, in use.  
 The baby looked quite healthy and was virgoursly asking for food.  I hadn’t touched it and the nest was still solidly constructed – so I tucked it back in the branches where it had been, and mom returned  immediately.  *sigh.   Live and learn. 
So.. the fun news!! The REALLY BIG NEWS!!    Because I have access to lots of dog rescue pages on Facebook, I see a heck of a lot of posts.  Every now and then a certain dog catches my eye, whether it’s at one of the adoption events or online.  Many times I thought I found  the one, but the husband wasn’t on board and without his blessing I’m not poking that bear, you know what I mean?   For some reason, this time, he said OK.  No big argument, no big discussions… it was just OK.    Ok then!  
Sometimes really big news comes in really little packages, like this little girl here.  She was pulled from a very overcrowded shelter in Georgia along with her mother.  They had been dumped by someone unceremoniously.   If you don’t live down south, you may not be familiar with the fact that there are SO many strays, so many homeless pets, so many Kill shelters as a result.  1000’s die regularly.  Thousands.   Spay and neuter is not a popular thing down south either, something about the manly mentality – not wanting to cut off their nuts. Pardon the crude but true statement.   
So, they call her Sally.  I don’t know if we will, when we actually meet her we’ll know.   She arrives Saturday afternoon via transport after a long ride down the 95 corridor.  She is approximately 4 months old and 5 pounds.  Very friendly, a low rider.  Probably a doxie mixed with -sumthin. 

I wasn’t really looking for a fourth dog. My three get along just fine.  Frasier for sure will be jealous… but he’ll get over it and I will pay extra attention to him to help ease him through the new baby sister thing.    Sometimes, you just go with the flow. Sometimes something just calls to you and you reach out, knowing  It’s all good. 

Hooray for the Underdog – welcome little Sally. 

Have I told you lately that I love you….

    Have I told you lately that I love you?  Seriously – that sounds weird coming from a stranger, doesn’t it?   It’s even weirder for me than it is for you to read it coming from me, because actually saying those words out loud, or even typing them here, is not an easy feat.  Never has been.  It’s not that I don’t LOVE things.  It’s not that I don’t show it with my actions to those whom I love.   But the actual speaking of it has always been hard, doesn’t come natural.   I’m no shrink, so I don’t have the answer to that, it is what it is.  I suspect it has roots in my relationship with my father, he who really doesn’t know how to show love and when he does, it just feels wrong.  Or weird.  Maybe weird is the right word there. 
   I love those of you who stop here and join in the conversations. We are each other’s cheerleaders, we are a indeed a community – bloggers and blog readers.  We commiserate, we give helpful tips, we agree and disagree and help each other be open to another point of view. We pray for each other, even if we’re not religious.  In an ever changing world full of strife, disheartening events, negativity… we bring out the better part of our world through sharing the better (and worse) parts of ourselves.  We are never alone – there are others who share our experiences – it’s truly a beautiful thing.
 so Thank You.  

     Yesterday I loaded Frasier and a bunch of buckets and a good shovel into the back of the Jeep and drove down to the “island” where I met up with a good friend, BJ, at her island cottage.  She and her family have been summering there since 1965 – the year I was born.  Now in her mid 80’s she is a dynamo. Her beloved husband passed some years ago and two of her three children moved out of state.  She returns to the cottage each year for the summer, tending her extensive gardens throughout the season, hosting friends on the deck overlooking the water.   We walked around the garden and determined which plants I should take some of to rehome around our cottage yard. I dug them up and brought them over to Stella down the road and spent the rest of the morning replanting, watering, and weeding. 

  

  I love having some of BJ’s glorious garden planted here around Stellas little space.  The plants will always remind me of  friendships, of sharing, of community.   We could get lost in the negativity we are bombarded with regularly through various forms of media, through the reckless and selfish behavior of our own government, the list goes on.  Or, we can adjust our focus, clean the lens, fine tune…. and see all that is truly wonderful in this world, because there is so much of it. 
  In closing, I ask that you say a prayer for blog friend Vicky – she is an amazing, giving, generous soul who has been beating cancer to the curb for almost six years now, living all her moments full, teaching all who read her what grace in the line of fire looks like.  You can find Vicky HERE. 
  Till soon, friends –  

Summer loving… and loving one’s self –

     Recent weather has brought warmer temps, and with warmer temps we dug out the summer clothes and *gasp… even b.a.t.h.i.n.g.s.u.i.t.s.    …..Siiiiiiigh…. that’s a tough one for me.  In my younger years, I could rock the suit.  I’m not really bragging here… I was no Bo Derek or perfect 10.  But what I WAS… was comfortable in a swimsuit.  For one who loves loves loves the water.. wearing a suit was part of my regular summer wardrobe and technically still could be. 

 With menopause came a spare tire I have yet to get rid of – and boy has that put a crimp in my bathing suit style.  I don’t expect to knock socks off with my 52 year old body, but I also don’t want to feel like I’m wearing a floating device around my middle when I’m -not-.  
 So as we spend more time down at Stellas waterfront… I’m inclined to don the suit and wade in, right?  Not.  The damned tire!  I had all good intentions of losing this extra weight by summer time. Surely I had the motivation, surely I would get it done.  
Yeah, Ok – that and $1.50 won’t even get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. 
So here we are. Summer time.  My favorite season – doing my favorite thing – admiring the water, enjoying the water – being IN the water, ON the water – strolling beaches when I can.  Oh, to be properly clad… and enjoy it.  
  Sitting at water’s edge this weekend, I said to Stella… I said.. Stella?.. it’s ridiculous that I won’t wear a bathing suit just because I don’t look the way I used to.  I’ve been through some stuff, you know?  I’m older, for cripes sake.   I’m lucky to be here, you know?  Why can’t I just enjoy things as they are.. with the suit situation?
And Stella said… “Karen.. you have but one life. Who cares about a few extra pounds. See all those people out there on the water and on the beach in their suits?  Not a ten in the crowd.  A lot of happy people though – enjoying the day they’ve been given.  You’ve been given this day.  Enjoy it. 
This .. is how Stella is gonna help me get my groove back – talking reason and sense back at me. 
 I ordered these two bathing suits (LL Bean and Shore Shapes) …. in the appropriate size and style for my current suiting up situation.  And I’m gonna wear them with pride. 
It’s all good. 

The K-List

    All the rain we had in the month of May has produced incredibly rich plant growth.  Our hay fields are abundant, the border gardens are lush and blooming, and anything I planted within the last two years has doubled and tripled in size.   
     As I look around this farm, which has come such a long way in the past seven years, from  falling down around itself to a completely new life story – I am so deeply grateful for the time we get to spend here.  As is true of any homestead , whether it’s a city flat, a town home or country farm – our time here is limited, we’re all just passing through.   In this particular place I’m reminded that I’m gazing out over fields that were also cherished, worked and cared for by several generations before me,  almost 200 years worth – and I feel blessed. 

Dappled willow  and knockout roses alongside the porch… 
New Dawn roses along the dog yard fence and over the Arch to the side gate… If you’re looking for easy roses because you’re lazy like me in the rose care department, these two varieties are your friend.  Rosa Rugosa is also very easy and hardy. We’ve put four of those at Stella’s waterfront, their fragrance is divine on the salty breezes.  

 Spirea…

Need to look this up.. it had soft white blossoms which are turning to this dusty rose…

Peonies, such a lovely bloom, short lived, messy, and a little heartbreaking to see them topple over as they get top heavy with full bloom.   The avid gardener stakes them up, that’s not me.

The Lantern babies are growing fast… (purple finch)
Meanwhile, down by the sea… we have been enjoying Stella since the sun has reappeared… 
The kids have gone clamming… 
 and we’ve enjoyed a few evening meals with family, too.  
     As I’ve mentioned here before, for many years we’ve dreamed of owning a second home, a little place somewhere in one of the locations we love so much –  the Vineyard  (MV) and Vermont in particular.  Both locations are just approximately 2.5 hours away.  The Vineyard real estate market has gone through the roof with it’s ever growing popularity, so we eventually let go of that.  Vermont is still attainable, but… what  we’re finding is Stella was truly the right choice.. .just 17 miles from the farmstead and doesn’t take longer than 25 minutes to reach from here. 
     We all lead  busy lives and getting away is hard to do with large animal care and business ownership responsibilities.  Both kids now have living quarters and jobs of their own to manage.  We’ve always known that having a place so far away would be difficult to keep up alone, and a lot of work each time we did manage to get there.  How often would we really get to spend time there with all we have going on here..and RELAX?   Because Stella is so close, we can head down there after work, sit and relax and listen to the water lap the shore, watch the boats come and go, the clammers digging for dinner, take a walk around the community.   For all these years we were looking for the best little respite spot, just not in the right places.  Good things come to those who wait.
  The icing on the cake is.. family can join us easily too, as they are also nearby. 
  Meanwhile, back in the kitchen… I made those oatmeal cookies for the kids just because.. and oh wow, just really incredible.  I highly recommend this recipe. It’s easy and fun to make, and these Oatmeal creme pie cookies are so freak’n delicious, it’s pure happiness in your mouth.  Link to recipe HERE.   Just scroll down that post and you’ll find it at the bottom. 
One more recipe to share with you.. found it on FB, looks delish and healthy – win win. 
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 tbsp. oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon, divided
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
  • 3 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 4 slices provolone

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a small bowl, combine oil, juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons), 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and Italian seasoning and whisk to combine. Transfer to a large re-sealable bag along with chicken. Seal and chill, 30 minutes.
  2. Transfer chicken to a preheated grill and discard excess marinade. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
  3. Meanwhile, combine diced tomatoes and remaining juice from ½ lemon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. While chicken is still on grill, top each breast with 1 slice Provolone and cover grill until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Top chicken with tomato mixture and serve.
*recipe and photo found on DELISH site
     
      So much going on in the world, hard to ignore it in search of peace of mind.  I’ve been steering away from watching any news programs lately, not even Anderson Cooper, whom I admire on several levels.  Seems like the wheels are coming off the bus in Washington, where that leads, no one can know right now.  
      The shooting in DC could have been so much worse.  What I am hoping is that it brings the parties together in some way that will stay with them.  Of course an ass like Newt points fingers at a party affiliation, not the nut job that actually did the deed.  Those inflammatory people need to just go away, they only add fuel to the raging fire and contribute nothing of value.  Given his history, a bit hypocritical, just about anything that comes out of his mouth. 
     I want to hope that the powers that be in Washington will remember how we are all humans, all vulnerable, all in need of unity to get through the obstacles of life.  At the end of the day, it’s not a party thing, it’s a humanity thing.  If anything good can come out of events like this, let it be this. A coming together.  Why does it take a horror show like 9/11 to bring it out in us?  Can’t we learn from the past so that it is not repeated?  
 It’s a new day, all… *sigh.   Let’s make it a good one.