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It’s what’s for breakfast…

This morning was an eggs and bacon breakfast.
My family doesn’t agree on how they like their eggs cooked..
so I do a little juggling with the spatula.
Husband likes his scrambled with American cheese mixed in.
Don’t skimp on the ketchup.
I use applegates natural bacon, really good! and better for you
if you must do bacon.
Daughter loves the birds nest version
My son likes a bacon egg and cheese on a buttered hardroll
with chocolate milk on the side and a Gogurt for good measure.
This is their story and they’re not changing it, believe you me.
 We’ve got more rain today… Noah, build the Ark!

Hay fields

 We’ve had so much rain lately that the first cutting of hay
has not been harvested yet.  You can’t cut hay and bale it when it’s going
to get wet or you’ll have moldy hay down the road. – not feedable.
Atleast several dry days are needed to get the job done.
You need the fields to be dry to begin with.. then a day for cutting..
then a day for more drying in the sun and then baling day…
and maybe one more day for picking the hopefully
dry bales up off the field and stored in the barn.
We took a ride around the fields last night just before sunset….

We surveyed the gardens for water damage…
so far, everything is holding its own…
however, more rain on the way today and tomorrow.
After all that planting, we’re hoping not to lose hay and vegetable crops.
We farm on a small scale, but I can only imagine the
backbreaking labor and sometimes hardship real farmers
suffer as a result of uncontrollable weather issues.

 I finally got him to smile a real smile for my camera. 
No easy task.  



Miniature living continued…

 I finished the living room walls in my little fixer upper..
Paint looked terrible because there were just too many dings and bumps
in the old walls. Wallpaper ain’t my thang..
So barnboard it is!
I had some difficulty with securing the boards..
the wood clapboard is so thin it curls when you apply paint and glue,
both necessary items.
So here it is…
 the look is shabby beachy old farmhouse.. sort of.
I used driveway gravel for the fireplace.
Hey, a mason I am not.

The house came fully wired, but none of it worked anymore.
All wires were embedded in ways that would rip the house apart if I tried.
So I snipped away what was visible…
and found LED battery operated lighting.
So far just two sconces, because this stuff ain’t cheap.
I think I paid $20. for each sconce.  sheesh.
Below are a few things I’m coveting on etsy.. a Mecca for mini furniture and supplies, by the way..
Approximately $100 for this set.
I’m not doing it, but oh, how lovely it all is…
This chair is already sold, wish I were sew handy.
And I can dream about this pot rack all day long,
but at $153., it’s not an option.
But oh, how adorable it would look in my little country kitchen.

A person could get a little crazy diving in the world of miniatures, don’t ya know.

It’s all about the Eggs

Cleo and Marc are the proud parents of five eggs.
Now residing over our kitchen porch sliding doors,
lets hope they can contend with the traffic I so sternly warned them about.

Note the chicken feathers and horse tail hair they’ve used
in the construction of their nest. Our farm is a regular birdie home depot, apparently.
No wonder they’re so persistent about this location.
In other egg news…
I collected eggs a few mornings ago
and discovered this tiny mini egg amongst the others.
We all wondered if it would be intact.. tiny yolk and all…
Oops.. a shell, hate when that happens.
But as you can see, there is indeed a tiny yolk. About the size of a pencil eraser.
This morning’s breakfast… I bought commercial eggs to demonstrate.
and here’s an example of a commercial egg versus one of mine.
Top – home grown
bottom – commercial egg.
See the difference in the color of the yoke?
There are several reasons.
1. my egg is much fresher.. you could be eating a  month old egg
bought from the store. The yoke starts to lose it’s nutritional value..
and rich color, after two weeks time.
2. What the chickens are being fed.
Mine eat a healthy chicken layer mash,
along with their free range bugs and grass…
and whatever good stuff we have left over, like tomatoes, grapes, raisins,
oatmeal, watermelon, yogurt, shredded cheese.
A happy heathy chicken makes a happy healthy egg.
If you are in an area where you can by local eggs, give them a whirl,
you won’t be disappointed.
I feed the chickens before I walk up to the barn in the morning.
If there are eggs to collect, I gather them and set them on the wall
until I walk back down to the house.
It’s a good thing horses don’t like eggs.

It’s a new day all – make it a good one 🙂

Hero or Traitor?

   Well now, this is a very interesting development. Have you paid any attention to the story of ex-CIA employee Edw*rd Sn*wden and how he outed Big Brother?  In short – he exposed details of a top-secret American program that collects vast streams of phone and Internet data. His claim, in a nut shell,  is that he does not want to live in a society where the government can seize your private information and use it as they see fit.

CNN – “The revelations have set off a furious debate in the United States about whether the surveillance program is a disturbing form of government overreach or an important tool for intelligence agencies trying to prevent attacks against the nation.”

 Personally, I’m on the fence about this one.  I understand the outrage on both sides.   I see a need to track these assh*les who mean to do as many people harm as possible, and I’m all for disrupting their means of communication and thwarting their efforts. This method has already shut down some attempts, if we believe what we’re being told.   I don’t know that I’m comfortable with the knowledge that the government can peer into my personal stuff at any time without my knowing about it.   I also know that I’m not doing anything wrong here that they would find alarming, but where do you draw the line. Where will THEY draw the line.

  As for Mr. Sn*wden, some people say he’s a hero for bringing all this to light, at the expense of his own life, probably.  He was living the good life in Hawaii with a six figure job.  He gave all that up, and left his family!… to get this out to the public because he was so horrified.    Some say he’s a traitor and deserves prosecution in the highest court of law.  We know there was some real deceitful behavior on his part, yes, but was it for the good of the people?  Us? …

  What say you? 

70!

My Uncle.. who has served as my other father in my younger life,
turned 70 this week!
Some of the family came together yesterday to wish him well.
Birthday boy in the middle…
This guy has kicked Cancer and Parkinsons to the curb.  Tenacity is his middle name.
Nowadays you’ll find him on the golfcourse
or volunteering for SCORE,   living life.
His better half in the middle, with an old true friend on the left…
These two are the reason my first horse and I landed in Connecticut,
 and I will always be greatful for that very large door that they opened.
Connecticut cousins…
Feet are not on fire.. there is a fire PIT a few feet away.
Some of us….
and more of us….
My sister and brother-in-law
We’re twins, I know, we hear that all the time!!  🙂
My dear cousin, who is the closest I’ll ever have to a brother,
and a better brother you could not ask for.
He is the calm in the storm,
the level on the beam.
If he ever has a blow up, you just kinda have to laugh,
because it just ain’t him.  
Sisters…
my mother and my horse mother.
 Cousin J below on the left,  my almost – brother’s wife.
She would make a wicked bar tender…
although the bar OWNER might go broke.  🙂
Family… it’s all good.

Good Dog

Hey local peeps!  Some of you know how much I love Martha’s Vineyard and one of my favorite stores/restaurant/bakery is The Black Dog, which originated on the Vineyard. I still have a BD t-shirt from a 1999 visit.    They have now branched out, and there are Black Dog stores in many places, not just the Vineyard.   The history of the Black Dog is legendary on island, and is the true essence of the place. For info on the founding of the Black Dog Tavern, click HERE.    Kinda hard for me to love the satellite stores that have popped up in other areas.  A visit to the original store and restaurant with a little history of the place and you’d understand what I mean.  It’s the vibe you don’t get anywhere else… the experience…and ofcourse.. the story of the original black dog.   exerpts from a story book…

“When a nor’easter blasts an island harbor, an orphaned black puppy finds shelter with the reluctant Captain Douglas, who vows, “This berth is only for tonight.” But when a neighbor promises to find a permanent owner, the captain agrees to foster the dog. As Captain Douglas prepares his topsail schooner for a six-month voyage, the unnamed dog wreaks havoc at home–shredding sails, knocking down a scrimshaw, chewing up charts and “piddling” on the oriental rug. At last the frustrated captain brings the dog to the harbor, where she proves herself an able sea-goer: “She knew where to go when the boat was coming about. She knew which side was to leeward.” The bond is set.” 

 This particular black dog became the mascot for the tavern, opened in 1971.
Original photo below.
Her  image is now depicted as a black lab most often, but she was a mutt,
and a stray mutt to boot. I’m thinking lab mixed with something else,
as is evident in the logo you see in so many places, made in her image. 

Anyway.. the Black Dog here in Mystic, CT put out this flyer, and I think it’s awesome. If you’re local and looking for a dog, give the Waterbury pound pups a chance.. Happens TODAY!!  see info below.

Looking for a new best four-legged friend? You may just find one at the Mystic Black Dog General Store. Tomorrow, June 8 from 11 to 4 pm adoptable dogs from the Waterford-East Lyme ACO are visiting the store. 10% of our Mystic Store sales that day will be donated to the ACO. So come on down and enjoy the fun.

Beach roses & Ben

  I’m trying to figure out how to steal a few beach roses from the State Park Beach we are lucky enough to have just down the road a piece.  How much trouble would you get in if you were caught in the act?.. hmm…

   I took Ben for a walk yesterday as the clouds starting rolling in due to Tropical Storm Andrea way down in Florida.

 If I could bottle that smell  of Rosa Rugosa, a species of rose native to Asia,  I would send you all a little…it’s the most heavenly scent if you’re not familiar with it.  As we walked down the sandy lane, the smell lifted and swirled with the sea breeze and  I thought.. even a troubled soul would feel tranquility here.

The roses come in several shades from white to deep fuchsia..
and I noticed they were vibrant and abundant this year.
Hurricane Sandy sandblasted them  and
I figured they were decimated.. but it turns out they were rejuvenated.
Nature has its ways and means, you know.
Unfortunately for us, dogs aren’t allowed on the beach from May through September.
We took a peek anyway…
…sat on this beautiful piece of driftwood..wish I could lug it home
to my seaside real estate garden.
…and I thought of how I could do the stealing… of just one plant or two.
Ben took a drink at the dog spicket ( I just love that.)
There is a spicket for people and dogs on a road to  Gay Head (Aquinnah)
on Marthas Vineyard .. a warm extension to people passing by.
This gesture always warms my heart when I see it in a public place.  
Ben is now five years old… mid-middle age for a Great Dane.
Due to their size, their life span is relatively short.
Eight years is old for a Dane.
This makes me very sad.
I see him beginning to slow down and I rue the day…..
not even going there.
This is my buddy right here…
If I could give every person the comfort and companionship of a good dog,
the world would be a better place for sure.
Let’s go home, Ben. We’ve got some leftover steak in the fridge
and it has your name on it.  
 

Complaints Department

  For those of you who are also FB friends of mine, this will be redundant.  What I’ve posted below is nothing new, it’s a sad and growing trend just about everywhere.  What inspired me to write it yesterday was a post a friend had put up on her own FB page.  And you know, my intention is not to single her out, or to imply that she doesn’t have the right to feel the way she does or express herself in whatever way she sees fit. 

   But it was an example of what is growing too large in our society….a constant drone of complaining about everything and anything.  In this case,  while attending her daughters annual physical, she was extremely annoyed that her daughter’s physician wanted to speak with her child alone for a few minutes without mom in the room to ask a few questions that she might not feel comfortable talking about with Mom present.  The child  is 11 years old.  My friend believes that’s too young for that kind of privacy and she should be privy to all of the conversation.  She is also annoyed at what she feels is a shoving down the throat of the importance of vaccinations, which she isn’t all that comfortable with.  The concern is understandable.  That’s a choice she should make.

 Here’s my point though.  I have no doubt the Dr. was trying to do her job. She was giving the child the opportunity to ask any questions he/she might have that he/she  is uncomfortable asking in front of mom.  Our kids grow up way too fast nowadays, and to think they aren’t exposed to frightening , confusing or puberty related issues at the tender age of 11 is just naive, sad but true.  What is the harm in letting the Dr. give the child that opportunity to talk?  Especially if there are issues at home that he/she might be dealing with?   There is no abuse at my friend’s home, to be clear.      Also, vaccines do save lives.  And some don’t believe in them.  It’s her choice, but the Dr. has the job of conveying the information and the importance if she believes it to be true.  Otherwise, she wouldn’t be doing her job.

  MANY of her friends disagreed with me on this, and I was surprised at what I call the hyperventilating that went on in that thread.  But I stand by what I put on my own status.  And here it is…

You know what’s disheartening? We have become one big complaining society. Too many rules, not enough rules. Too many regulations, not enough regulations. Too much interaction, not enough interaction. Too much interference, not enough interference. Where are they… Tell them to stay away.  –

 
Stop complaining and realize most people are doing the best they can with what they’ve got. Work together, ask the questions, hear the answers… Drop the attitude. Live life with a positive outlook regardless of what is pissing you off at the moment. Chances are we are all part of the problem at one point or another…so find tolerance and you will find PEACE. I’m going to do this… Are you with me?

  By the way, it’s always OK if you disagree with me here, all I ask is that you are respectful when leaving your comments.  Open, respectful conversation is always good.

– Just sayin.

Mini Kitchens

A person could spend hours and hours
looking for ideas on the internet.
I’m doing my best not to get too tangled up in the world of miniatures
as I fix up my fixer-upper dollhouse…
These are just a few pictures of kitchens others have put together…
Are you a fan of modern furniture?…
There’s stuff for that.
How about Shabby Chic?..
there’s stuff for that too…
You might remember a gorgeous mini sink I was coveting..
but the price tag was $75. or something like that.
Ain’t happening here.
See the sink in the pic above?
I found one just like it for $9. 
Do you like a rustic country kitchen?
There’s stuff for that too…
I just love this room above, someone put alot of time and thought
into putting that together. It looks real, doesn’t it? 
Then there is the clean country chic look…
Can you believe the details in this elaborate room??
I’m going for a simple country shabby look.
I have picked up a few pieces, none of which were crazy expensive and
some of which I’ve made myself.
Here’s a preview…
This is a photo of the Edgartown Light house on Marthas Vineyard.
(one of our favorite places on earth)
I shrunk the picture down in photoshop to 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches,
then printed it out… then  used a wide clear mailing tape
and covered the picture with that to give it a -glass over print- look.
The matte was made form a heavy piece of linen paper.
The photo would NOT cooperate this morning,
you’ll have to view it sideways, sorry.  
My sink, with a burlap dust ruffle I’m not sure I love. If I were a crafty seamstress I would have
done a better job, but once it’s in place with other things around it I think it will
be OK. 
The kitchen table and chairs with dish set I found on etsy.
I’m not a big fan of pink, but the dishes came with the table and chairs.
Hmmm.. how to work that into the kitchen scheme without making
it a pinkish room.
I’m thinking a rubbed out muted green for accents?
The living room walls have been a problem. Because this is an old old dollhouse,
there are dents and lumps and bumps in the walls from previous “stuff”
and no matter what paint I put on it, it looks bad.
Wallpaper is a pain in the *ss, to be blunt.
So I decided last night to barnboard that room too, and I painted it a
pickled white.  I think when all is said and done it will have the look I’m trying to achieve.
Toothpicks have been involved in my dollhouse redo – but I’m not telling where.
Honestly, you can look around the house and find things to use.
If you’ve ever thought about doing a project like this,
I highly recommend it.  It can be done on a shoe string budget and with
things you have laying around the house if you use your imagination.
Lots of bargains and supplies available online from elaborate to very cheap.
As you know, I found the dollhouse at a junk shop for $40.!
Time to get breakfast on the table… enough dollhouse drivel for today.
Have a good day, all – as always, thanks for stopping by.