Life on the Cove

 It’s peaceful here…
serene living in the way that only  rustic old  1930’s and 40’s cottages 
on treed lanes by the sea
unadorned by the flash of big money or severe development 
can provide. 
Hard to describe this shore life and get it right.
Pictures help…
worth a thousand words, right? 
My crab terrarium above – 
The photo below is at water’s edge… 1,000s of  little hermit crabs.  
I try my best not to squish them as
I get in the kayak….do you see them ? there are at least eight in this picture. 
A cormorant in flight…
with the BIG houses on the other side of the cove…. 
another world entirely.  
Those who are lucky enough to live by the sea…
are lucky enough. 
🙂 

Eddie and Phil

   I woke up this morning to an overcast sky.  A phone call  down to Joshua Cove confirmed glass water conditions, perfect for kayaking. Off I went with camera in tow to see what I could see. 

   
Can you see the difference between low and high tide?  Notice the top step on the ladder…
Yes.. that much of a difference in just hours. ..amazing, really. 
During low tide conditions, even at the mouth of the cove below,
 I could get out of the boat and walk anywhere, knee to waist deep at most.  
Perfect conditions for clamming, judging by the number people out there on this overcast morning. 
So.. being me, you know.. … …
(and this is where my husband would get all embarrassed
and try to hold me back, good thing he wasn’t with me…..) 
I saw two guys who looked very serious and knowledgeable
 about what they were doing.  I paddled over slowly, hoping not to
disturb their space and asked if I could take their picture for my blog
and possibly my next attempt at a painting.
    This is what I love about people… 
in a world where there is so much we could be discouraged about with one glance 
at the days news coverage, there is so much to appreciate if you’re only open to it. 
 …..Like two East Haven guys who are happy to oblige a stranger  
who wants to take their photo and tell a little of their story.
   Eddie and Phil are two buddies who’ve been clamming these waters for twenty years or so.  
As Eddie describes it… 
 “Clamming is just a nice time to have the sun on your back and a friend by your side
 as you talk to people in the water and tell a story of the best bucket you got the day before.” 
  One of the secrets of a life well lived, right there.   
It’s the simple things, people.   

Ruff start

    Frasier was awesome yesterday at the cottage. He stayed right with me as I wandered around and was respectful of the neighbors dogs as well. I dragged my little red Kayak, Ruby, over to the edge of the lawn with the intention of taking Frasier for a ride at some point in the day. We went down to the dock to see what he thought of the water in the cove.  At low tide there is actually some beach under the dock.. so he waded in confidently and loved the water.  Awesome!

    A little while later, we were again sitting on the dock soaking in the sun. Frasier lounged comfortably right along with us, even though the wind had picked up and we were rocking just a little.

He was so good I let him off leash. 
He wandered over to the cement pad where we had stepped down onto the beach 
early in the morning…
and decided to jump in head first.  
That’s a face plant in the water right there.
I guess he thought he could still just walk around as he had
early in the day at low tide. 
After I dragged his distressed little self by the collar out of the water,
 trying not to drop the camera in the drink, 
he was not amused and hightailed it to the top of the stairs. 
After a good long while he ventured back down
 to beg mom to please lets leave the dock now..
please. 
Needless to say, we didn’t get in the boat yesterday.
Today’s not looking good either  –  

Ahhh……

   For the next two weeks we have the use of a tiny cottage on Joshua Cove, not a long drive from here.  Today I’m bringing Ruby and maybe Torch to the cove, and I think I’ll throw Frasier in the Jeep  too.  I want to see how he takes to the water.  I’ve gotten permission from the owners, who are truly lovely people, to bring him to the cottage with me on occasion for this purpose.  Ruby is not a big kayak and he is a bit of a wuss, not sure how this is gonna go. Years ago I took Bailey kayaking..that’s the white fluff ball on the left… she had a life jacket that had a “handle” along the back part of it.  If it were sunny and hot out… I’d dunk her in the water and she’s tread for a minute and then I’d lift her back up. Fraiser is too heavy and too nervous to do that with, but I just gotta see if he’s a seafaring dog.  Wish me luck!  I might get tossed in the drink.

  Last night we had a lovely grill dinner and wine as we watched a big family party of people next door rafting and boating and tubing and drinking and drinking :-).

 It’s a new day, all – 
Make it a good one!

Extreme

   I’ve often talked  here about my love for the water and wanting to someday own a little cottage at the shore. And I’ve also talked about how it’s probably going to be an unattainable dream because of the high cost of purchasing and maintaining  said cottage.  The cost has  compounded in recent years due to the increase in hurricane activity on the East Coast and the horrific damage sustained.  Not to mention the quadrupled taxes.

  Every now and again, though, I get the urge to go check out the waterfront to see if by some chance, some cute little fixer upper comes for sale that might just be do-able anyway… somehow.

  That very same scenery I have been driving by for many years is changing in light of the last two hurricanes (both within a year of each other).  Heavy damage was sustained and some houses even lost. As these properties are resurrected, there is a new criteria.   *sigh*….   they are being jacked up to allow for water to run through them should there be another damaging storm.   I don’t know if the insurance companies are insisting or the homeowners are making that decision themselves, but it’s a whole knew look, and I really don’t like it.  I would say half of the housing landscape along the shore now looks like THIS….

The trend is to jack the house up, then wrap it with lattice or whatever. 

This particular house is just across the street from the water but not directly on it…
I don’t know about you, but I do not want to have to walk up that flight of stairs with groceries, with
beach toys, with the dog on a leash, with food on a tray,  etc. etc…
 every time I want to get back into the house. 
Beach living should be easy, casual, …easy.  
And if you own that house jacked up on those stilts, 
you’re paying upwards of $11,000. a year in taxes alone.
if it’s a very small house!  
So with these new “stilt” developments, 
I’ve come to the conclusion, finally,
 that the shore before me is not the shore it once was,
and it’s time to lay that dream down and let it go.

The Love Machine…. apparently

When we took Ruby and Torch for a paddle 
on the pond a few days back, a woman was sitting in her car
in the parking lot  and struck up a conversation with my husband
about the truck. 
This truck always get attention when it’s out and about. 
No matter where  he takes it,  someone’s gonna tell him how much they love the truck. 
Particularly women. 

So after I am standing in that parking lot for 15 minutes 
patiently twiddling my thumbs while that lovely woman
went on and on..
The husband and I finally pull the boats down toward the water and he says…
“If I had that truck when I was single I’d be getting laid every day“. 
I’m thinking that’s a little ambitious. 
*sigh*   

The garden that feeds

The garden is in full swing, and it’s a weird garden year,
let me tell ya. 
Tomatoes are still mostly green,
just a few wimpy reds so far,
and my new italian ice cherries. 
Cucumbers are ridiculously proliferous..
Green squash awesome, yellow squash iffy.
Plenty of beans, we’ve enjoyed those immensely.
yesterdays harvest
In an effort to eat healthier, the husband insisted I stop
displaying CRAP on the kitchen island.  Usually there is a pastry stand
with oreos or donuts or cupcakes or whatever…and a nut dish full of pistachios
or sometimes  *ahem*  M&M’s or candy corn.. or something.

My island now looks like this…
(chai tea yogurt raisins in the jar)
Just so I’m keeping it real here… I haven’t totally given up my wild ways…
Blue frosted chocolate cupcakes reside beside the veggies as we speak. 
It is what it is. 

The flowers in the vase are picked out in my hay field..
can you identify the species? There are three…
This is what REAL tomatoes look like…
it’s worth the effort to grow them, and all you really need is a pot on a patio. 
Last night’s dinner..
apple chicken sausage (YUM!)
yellow squash casserole (double yum!!)
and a slab of tomato doused in olive oil, red wine vinegar, S & P, oregano. 
It’s a beautiful thing.
Two nights ago we had this zucchini recipe below.. it is awesomeness!
I used gluten free baking mix instead of the bisquick in the recipe. 
Zucchini Pie Recipe

3 cups zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup Bisquick
3-4 tsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Oil the Small Covered Baker. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add all ingredients and mix well. Turn into prepared Baker. Bake (uncovered) 35-40 minutes until golden brown.


Enjoy! 

You know how I love a good cupcake

 Saw this on FB and had to share… 







Lemon Pie Cream Cupcakes
Lemon Filling
Recipe from Martha Stewart
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-6 Tbsp cornstarch
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup cold water
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-3 large egg yolks, well beaten
-2 Tbsp butter
-1 1/2 cups boiling water
-2 tsp grated lemon peel

In a medium saucepan* whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cold water and lemon juice. Place saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk until smooth.

Add well-beaten egg yolks and 2 tablespoons butter, and combine well. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Continue stirring until mixture reaches desired thickness, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat, and stir in lemon peel. Move to a plastic container, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.
*Aluminum is best, but any metal pan will probably leave a bit of a metallic taste.
******

These cupcakes can also be made a day or so in advance, just be sure to cover them well so they don’t dry out.

For Cupcake Crusts:
-2 sleeves graham crackers (18 crackers)
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
-2 Tbsp sugar

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl and mix with butter and sugar until well combined. Put a Tbsp of crust mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner (already in cupcake tin) and press down well. I use the bottom of a squeeze bottle and it makes this SUPER quick.
Bake 3- 4 min. You will have extra.
*******

Lemon Cupcakes
-1 box Betty Crocker golden vanilla cake mix, and ingredients to make it
-1 tsp lemon extract
-zest of 2 lemons (make sure to grate off only the outer yellow skin, not the bitter white pith underneath!)

Mix together cake mix according to box directions (adding oil, water, and eggs). Stir in lemon extract and lemon zest and mix well. Pour batter into 24 cupcake papers, on top of crusts, and bake according the instructions on the back of the box.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely on cooling racks.
******
Whipped cream for frosting

******

To Assemble Cupcakes:
Cut a conical hole in the center of each cupcake and discard excess cupcake pieces. Fill holes with chilled lemon curd. Swirl tops of cupcakes with whipped cream frosting using a 1M tip.

Cowgirl Up!

   We’re having a good time at the horse show this weekend..
Max and K have really gotten to know each other this year,
it’s been such a rewarding experience… in both western and english riding. 
Pairing up the old timer with the new kid on the block (K)
was a good move. 
He knows his job, but he doesn’t just hand it to her.
If she doesn’t ask the right way,  he doesn’t give it.
Yesterday in her first class she got nervous, and so  Max
felt the tension and thought there was something to be nervous about.
Needless to say they didn’t do well. 
For the second class we explained the importance of 
not focusing on the fact that you’re being judged by two people in the ring. 
Just focus on relaxing and riding your horse to the best of your ability. 
She chilled out. 
Max gave her what she asked for.
They won the next class, which was a harder equitation pattern.
Any team is a work in progress, and the journey toward the goal
 should be an enjoyable experience. 
That’s a good lesson not everyone learns.
The journey is the reward. 


Some well deserved grazing at the end of a long hot dusty day.