It’s all about the Pizza

   Although we’re attempting to lose some weight here at This Old House, Mike and I had a hankering for some good New Haven pizza after a garden supply run at the nearby Agway yesterday.   Having grown up in New York, I was spoiled with the abundance of rich ethnic foods like awesome pizza, chinese food, and bagels like you can’t get anywhere else.  When I moved to Connecticut, I missed it dearly, I won’t lie.  New Haven Pizza, however, comes close and apparently has a culture all it’s own.

 “ New Haven-style pizza, locally known as apizza, is a style of Neapolitan pizza common in and around New Haven, Connecticut. It originated at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, in business since the 1920’s… and is now served in many other pizza restaurants in the area, most notably Sally’s Apizza, Bar Bru Room, Grand Apizza, and Modern Apizza. This geographically limited pizza style has gained considerable culinary and historical importance. What sets New Haven-style pizza apart from other styles is its unusually thin crust. Brick or occasionally high temperature gas oven cooking bakes the crust to a very crispy shell (often burnt black in spots, desirably known as “the char” but leaves the inside soft and chewy”

   Frank Pepe’s is the most well known, but we are firm believers that the best pie in New Haven can be found at Modern Pizza… operating since the 1930’s!

If you come to any of these establishments during peak hours, you might wait an
hour or so for seating. The pizza is so good, there are always people willing to wait.
  We usually stop in just short of peak, like 4:00 on a Saturday
afternoon, so there is no wait time.
The Veggie Bomb! (available with gluten free crust)
Traditional pepperoni and Mootz – YUM.
We always bring something home too….

Some fun pizza facts:

94 percent of Americans eat pizza regularly

93 percent of Americans have eaten pizza in the last month

The highest-grossing single-unit independent pizzeria in the nation, Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria, is in Anchorage , Alaska. Its annual sales are approximately $6 million.

There are approximately 61,269 pizzerias in the United States

Pizza comes from the latin root word Picea which means the blackening of crust by fire.

Domino’s Pizza is the world leader in delivery

Pizza Deliverers claim women are better tippers

Most expensive pizza created was made by the restaurateur Domenico Crolla who created a $2,745.00 priced Valentine pizza which included toppings such as sunblush-tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon, medallions of venison, edible gold, lobster marinated in the finest cognac and champagne-soaked caviar

 So, spill it.  When was the last time you had pizza?  How often do you eat pizza? What are your favorite toppings?

Spring Roll

…not the kind you get in an Asian restaurant…
Yesterday was the first time I felt Spring had truly arrived
although it’s still chilly, for sure. 
The horses blankets came off and they were elated.
I’m pleased with Max’s condition this Spring. He’s got a shiney
coat and decent body weight – not an easy feat for a 27 year old horse.
(this is a boarders Morgan horse, not my daughters Max)
Upon getting naked, the boys immediately took a good roll in their
favorite sandy spot.



My 15 year old Quarter Horse, Opie..
thinks he can do better than that.
The minis were out in the back field having some fun of their own…
This pasture abutts the subdivision houses, one of which isn’t delighted
that the farm has been restored to a small working farm.
I don’t like to think that we are not friendly with a neighbor…
we love all the others around us. Sad, but we didn’t start it
and so we can’t void it either. It is what it is.

Meanwhile, I’ve been playing in the garden areas just a little..
Lots of work to be done.
Mike hasn’t decided whether he’s going GARGANTUAN again.
Is there anything so pretty as an old glass doorknob on a garden shed?

No green yet.

If you’re able, stick your hands in some dirt this weekend
 and grow something good to eat. 
If all you’ve got for growing room is a sunny patio or deck?
Perfect! Start some patio pots!
You’ll be amazed at the sense of accomplishment,
and.. it’s good for you, body and soul. 
Here’s a tutorial if you’re interested.
http://www.veggiegardener.com/5-great-vegetable-planters-for-patios-balconies/

Self Appreciation

 The guy and I spent yesterday afternoon in Westerly, Watch Hill and Misquamicutt, Rhode Island, checking out the beach damage still to be cleared up after Hurricane Sandy (remember that one?).  More on that in tomorrow’s post.  Today… I want to discuss an issue I’ve dealt with all of my life.  Self Appreciation.. or Self-Depreciation, which is more to the point.

  Mike took this picture of me yesterday as we stood on East Beach looking out over the water.

   Here’s what I’m getting at. Later, at home when I looked over the days pictures, I saw this one and immediately thought… oh, jeez, I look chubby! Crooked smile, wrinkly face, muddy skin, double chin, blah blah proverbial blah.  All that negative internal noise.  I’ve been doing this my whole life, and it’s just nonsense.  It’s self torture so many of us inflict on ourselves.  I recognize my bad habit, and I have tried in recent years to improve how I talk to myself.  I’ve also learned to accept compliments graciously, instead of brushing them off with an incredulous.. HA!    Hell, if we can’t be kind to ourselves and appreciate our own being, who else should?   It all starts right there. 
   This is why you will occasionally see a picture of me on my blog.  It’s not because I think I’m all that.  It’s because I am making a conscious effort to like myself, to put myself out there, despite the fact that my internal voice is always mocking my photographs, my body type, my stature, my inability to get down to the 114 lbs. I was married in.    I could go on and on.  But I’ve decided I won’t… not anymore.   
 We are all our own little miracle. Just look at how these bodies work for us, what we accomplish every single day.  Thank The Powers That Be that we are all individual, each different and significant in our own way. How very boring life would be if we all conformed to one particular mold. Who sets the gold standard for beauty, anyway?   And… Beauty means so many things.. kindness, compassion, caring, an appreciation for this incredible world we live in. 
  We all possess beauty, do yourself a big favor and  make sure you’re not blind to your own.  
It’s a new day, people. 
Make it a good one, you beautiful thing.

Need a really cool collar or leash?

 Visit     www.DaisyDoAndDexterToo.Etsy.com  and order a collar or leash in the month of April and she will donate 40% of the proceeds to Dog Days Adoptions Events! ..

    Since we are a non-profit and take no money from the rescue groups who bring their shelter dogs to our two day adoption events or the adopters who take them home, we have to raise money in the months before each event to make it happen.  If your pooch needs a new collar or leash, there are so many really cool designs on this etsy sight, please consider purchasing this month by visiting the above link.    Below are just a few of the fun designs…    

Project 12 – a day in the life – Nancy of Oklahoma

Nancy’s blog can be found here –ourtreasuredabode.blogspot.com
My good friend, Debbie, is donating a kidney to her youngest son (23 yr) Jacob, today.
Showing my support.

Gotta have my daily dose.
 It may not look pretty now but it’s going to be yummy.
The juicy bone from out Easter ham, black eye peas, garlic clove, sea salt and pepper.
 Slow cooked
Last of the inside chores. I love the sound of a humming dishwasher.

 

 Admiring my new doors. My husband and son helped me finish them in time for our family and friends get together yesterday.

Checking on Princess, otherwise known as “Miss Ornery”. She was born unpredictable and a little mean. She kicked at mom and my daughter in law yesterday so she will probably be going to the sale soon.

 Molly wants to play tug of war. I want fetch. She wins till I give up.

It’s a long day for a lot of people.

Cleaned out some flower pots to get ready for new Asparagus ferns.
 So easy and so beautiful. They are my favorite.

Writing to our sponsored girl in Kenya. (Compassion International)
She asked if we used grass for our roofs too?
They were able to get metal and can now sleep when it rains without getting wet.
Not bad with corn bread (I like mine in the bowl), avocado w/a little sea salt,
and cole slaw (KFC recipe).
Nancy, thanks for joining in on Project 12, a day in the life..
Well wishes to your friend Debbie and her son Jacob.
Such a wonderful thing, your support and correspondence with the Kenyan girl .
I bet you learn just as much from her as she learns from you. 🙂
PS.. that ornery little filly?  She sure is pretty, cranky or not.

Floating teeth

 Only my horse owning blog readers will understand that post title… for the rest of you who might be interested, explanation below:
 Horses,  unlike some other species who can digest their food even if swallowed whole,  must chew their food well in order to digest it. If a horse’s teeth don’t have a flat surface they can’t chew their food properly and digestion is seriously affected.  Weight loss, discomfort and poor nutrition can result.

 The rub lies in the fact that a horses upper jaw is wider than its lower jaw, which results in a wear pattern that causes the edges of the teeth on the upper jaw to be longer on the outside of the mouth where they overhang the lower jaw. The opposite is true on the lower jaw.  In addition to this,  a horse’s teeth continuously grow throughout their adult life.  Sometimes, razor sharp edges develop that can cut the inside of the horses mouth.

 “Floating”  a horse’s teeth is a necessary part of domestic horse care to insure proper nutrition and comfort, especially when you’re placing a bit in their mouth to ride.  My horse, Opie, lets me know when he is in need of floating. He begins to toss his head when I’m riding him due to the discomfort in his mouth.   Typically, at each annual exam, my horses are given their spring shots and their mouths are examined to determine if they need to be done.  “floating” is actually refers to a method of filing the teeth down to a flat surface.

  Today was that day!  I have used Salem Valley Veterinary Clinic of Salem, CT  for over 25 years to care for our equine veterinary needs.  Dr. Robert Baratt is an expert in the field of equine and small animal dentistry and we’re lucky to have him in this neck of the woods –

Dr. Baratt and assistant Jessica sedate mini Coady,
nestled in their traveling dental “shoot”.
This  equipment is towed behind their truck and they bring it along
 whenever they know they will be floating teeth. 
This lovely mouthpiece makes it possible for the Dr. to view and work inside
the horses mouth without the obvious complication of trying to keep it’s mouth open.
It might look cruel, but it does not cause the horse discomfort and makes for a
safer experience for horse and Veterinarian.
Lacey’s turn…
Waking up from sedation…..
Opie next..
 Can you see that row of teeth on the upper left hand side?
Notice all the dark grooves, and the smooth flat surface.
It’s a difficult job, but someones gotta do it!
Your dental visits don’t seem so bad anymore, now, do they.

Easter traditions

My kids are young adults now…
and the whole hiding of the eggs and easter basket hunt
tradition is long past appropriate.
When they were little, I would hide their baskets somewhere either in the house
or out in the yard or barn depending on weather.
I would map out a treasure hunt with clues in plastic eggs..
one egg clue led to the next egg clue, until the basket was revealed in it’s hiding place.
I can’t get away with that anymore, and I miss those rituals dearly.
I still fill their baskets with chocolate and peeps and jelly beans..
and more useful stuffers like funky colored socks and Nike gift cards.
No complaints so far 🙂
We’ll have family over tonight for a ham dinner
and chocolate and banana cream pies for desert.
We were all raised Catholic but no longer attend mass.
It’s my belief there are many ways to do right in this world
and it doesn’t have to happen inside the walls of a church.
There’s no question, though, that mass and religious rituals bring
comfort and a sense of community to so many. 
My cathedral is a walk in the woods or along the beach.   
Do some traditions continue in your house or have they gone by the wayside
as time rolls on?  If your children are still young, what are your traditions?
Happy, Blessed Easter to you and yours –
may your basket be filled with joy.
 

Spring things

Despite the lukewarm appearance,
we are insisting on the rituals of early Spring here at This Old House. 
I’ve dirted the pots for seeds…
(those are my clay pigs, FB friends thought they were real)
and rose-toned the roses around the greenhouse…
I use organic fertilizer, and make sure to only apply it around the dripline of the bush,
then mix it into the soil pretty good…
this eliminates burning the plant with the fertilizer.
I wore my new walking sneakers to do dirty work..
I always promise myself I will not crap up my new sneaks,
and I do it anyway.
I have nine hens, and usually get about five or six eggs a day…
Look at the diversity in size and color…
Who says you should only dye white easter eggs?
To get the thin stripe effect, wrap rubber bands around your eggs before you dip them in dye.
To get the big fat band, scotch tape!
To get really intense deep color, use two tablets of dye with vinegar
 in dye cup instead of recommended one.
Our favorite breakfast around here..
ask me how much I love my chickens  🙂
Happy Spring, and a joyous Easter weekend to all –

Another Day for the Dogs

 The line up for this years adoption events is taking shape… next up?  Dog Days in Saybrook, May 18 & 19th.  Flyer posted below if you are looking for a new four legged family member.  Last year Frasier came to be a part of our family after being brought to Dog Days in Old Saybrook… amazing how fast a year goes by.

This is Frasier at our event, waiting for his forever home. He had been rescued from a kill shelter, all matted and filthy.    He was brought to the Saybrook adoption event by his rescue group. 

He was then adopted by an older gentleman who came with references. He decided to let Frasier loose in the first fifteen minutes he owned him, and then decided he wasn’t worth looking for. This IDIOT came back to our event and asked for his adoption money back. Yeah… go figure. He was refunded simply because we wanted to try to find Frasier and KEEP him away from the delinquent. After three days of searching his neighborhood we found Frasier.

You all know the rest.  
SO!!  Here we go again!…