Tag: Recipes

Chicks, Cool finds and Artichokes

The chicks are now a few weeks old and growing some serious feathers. I’ve made their brood box bigger so they can run and jump and flap their wings.   I supplement their medicated chick starter crumbles with chopped up parsley and spinach and crushed hard boiled egg – they love the yoke in particular.  One of them has developed a scissor beak and I’m not sure she’ll make it.  When chicks hatch out of the egg they protect their head and beak with one wing over it as they claw/peck their way through – When they fail to do that they can develop an injury to the beak that becomes more evident as they mature – which is what’s happening with Cersei. Some live with the condition, some don’t.  She is the one on the bottom left corner – if you look closely at her beak, you’ll see the misalignment. 

Meanwhile.. out at the coop – the girls are getting out to free range more often now that the weather has improved, and they’re loving it.  Ruby is my friendliest hen… 

 

 
 Their favorite places to hang out around the yard are under the big pine tree at the front of the garage and the side of the garage where the dust baths are divine and the worm scratching prolific.  Hence all the mulch in disarray. 
 

 
I’ve been doing some Spring cleaning here at the farmstead, tackling a clutter issue I’ve been ignoring but annoyed by for some time.  The big window in the keeping room area that the dogs sleep under has housed my plants on a table for a while now. The problem is it blocked the light/cluttered the view, just looked like an afterthought.   Two days ago I came across a very old plant stand in an inexpensive antique store and had an aha! moment.
Before… 

 
 

After….. 

 
 The plants are now on the stand on the other side of the bar divider, in the dining table area.   They’ll  get the same light, so I’m hopeful they will be happy there.  I do need to raise my stained glass creation, but it’s a heavy piece and will need one of the menfolk to get the job done without smashing it. 

 
This recipe has been circulating facebook, and I’m definitely going to try this as a seaside supper at the cottage. Looks delish! 
 
Stuffed Artichoke bottoms with lemon and shrimp
 

 
 
 
Servings: six as a first course; two as main course.
These stuffed artichoke bottoms are impressive appetizers but also make an elegant main course for two.
 

Ingredients

For the breadcrumbs

  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 cups coarse day-old breadcrumbs

For the artichokes and shrimp

  • Kosher salt
  • 6 large artichokes, trimmed down to bottoms 
  • 3/4 lb. medium (51 to 60 per lb.) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Make the breadcrumbs

  • Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. (The crumbs may be made up to 1 day ahead; cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Prepare the artichokes and shrimp

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
     
    In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt, drop the artichokes in, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Spread out on a clean cloth to cool and dry.
    Heat a 10- to 11-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Working in two batches, sear the shrimp in the hot pan, turning once, until lightly browned on the edges and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer each batch of shrimp to a medium bowl.
    In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is just starting to foam, add 2 Tbs. of the chopped parsley.Let the parsley sizzle in the butter for 1 or 2 minutes and then whisk in the lemon juice. Add the butter mixture to the bowl with the shrimp and toss.
    Oil an 8×10-inch baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil and arrange the artichoke bottoms stem side down in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pile 5 to 6 shrimp in the center of each artichoke bottom, including some but not all of the butter. Top with the breadcrumbs and drizzle the remaining butter and the shrimp juices over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
One last thing before you go – I laughed out loud when I saw this one.. 
 
 
 
Till soon –
 
Karen🐤🐣 
 
 
 

Gone but not forgotten

     When our family was young, we’d often take the kids out or have a little date on our own for Sunday breakfast at a favorite country restaurant named, appropriately, The Country Restaurant.  It was located in a  little town just across the river from the Goodspeed Opera House via the East Haddam Bridge, our side of the Connecticut River.    They served breakfast and lunch, the tables and chairs were the old wooden colonial style, the quarters close,  the paper placemats advertised local businesses and there were always crayons available in a paper cup on your table if you felt like doodling on them.  I always did.  
     
     A line formed if you got there shortly after 8 a.m….which reached outside. If  the weather was poor, everyone would squish into the little entryway regardless of shoulder to shoulder, back to front  proximity – neighbors and strangers being kind to neighbors and strangers.  The coffee was good and the food delicious – not exotic, for the most part they served the staples you’ll find at any decent diner, but they also had a few of their own specialties.  The waitresses were like family… to each other and to us, their faithful customers.  “How’s your son?”  “He’s doing much better, thank you for asking”…. “Where are the kids today?”  “Home with mom, she’s up for a visit”.  “Can you believe this snow?”   “Feels like it’s been winter for years!”   “Drive safely home, now”.     
     At Christmas time they would bake mini breads – like banana walnut or apple cinnamon – and hand those mini loafs out to their long time customers as they dined.  We are creatures of habit, this family of mine – and we had our favorite meals.  One waitress in particular, would simply walk over and ask – the usual?  And with an eager head nod all, she’d place the order without another word spoken.  Soon after, his OJ and my decaf would appear along with two chocolate milks if the kids were in tow, and the perfect breakfast would follow.  The home fries the perfect crispy texture, the veggie hash divine  ( still haven’t mastered the re-creation of that hash) – the pancakes generous, light and fluffy, the bacon crisp and full of flavor.  My order was almost always… that hash, and their special Deluxe French Toast.  
     One day I got up the courage to ask the waitress something that had been pestering at me for years.  I said… … I’m a cook, I do know how to make french toast, but what is that extra ingredient that makes this so particularly Delicious.   She glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen, and then swooped down next to my ear and whispered – Frosted Flakes!   Oooh, that’s IT!   With the knowledge of that one ingredient, it all came together  and I was indeed able to re -create it at home.    It’s been a hit with my family ever since. 
Sadly, the Country Restaurant closed years ago, but not for lack of customers. Apparently some book/tax accounting practices put the owner in a bad spot, and the doors were shuttered for good. So many of us who have lived in this area for a long while remember it fondly and miss it, still. 
    In honor of the beloved Country Restaurant, below is my recipe for their Deluxe French Toast. 
So here’s what you do- try it- you will not regret it. Smash up some Frosted Flakes cereal in a dish. Put four eggs and a little vanilla extract in a bowl- mix well. Melt butter in a large fry pan. Dip bread slices in egg, then crushed frosted flakes, then set in pan to golden brown on each side. when first side of each slice is browned, flip it and place on it one thin slice of deli ham and one thin slice of Swiss cheese then place cooked side of other bread slice facing ham and cheese on top to form a sandwich style. When both sides of what is now the outside of the sandwich is done, place on plate, sprinkle ( use sifter, I didn’t) powdered sugar over it and serve. 

Delish!!


The Country Restaurant may be gone, but it will never be forgotten. 
Good times. Old Times.  No Cell Phone Times. 
It was truly a beautiful thing. 


Something Delicious this way comes…

     The Mr. and I have been minding our food intake – and typical of men!!… he lost 13 pounds in the first two weeks on Nutrisystem and I’ve lost 2.   I aim for healthy foods, plenty of greens, smaller portions, much less dairy,  much less sugar, grains, no red meat.   He has more to lose than I do, but still… I’d be more than half way to my goal if I lost 13 pounds by now!  I don’t like Nutrisystem though, even though it works – if you ask me – that’s crap food although it’s tasty,  and if you like eating healthy fresh not frozen and packaged processed stuff, it’s not sustainable for the long haul.  That’s probably why he lost 40 lbs on it last year, and gained it all back when he went off the program.  I think what it does teach is portion control.  So you can succeed on the system once you get off their food program, as long as you keep to the portions, etc.  That’s the trick.

      I’ve always been active due to the horses and farm chores and I like to walk/hike/kayak, etc.  I’ve also got a full weights system out in the garage/gym thanks to the men of this family and I’ve used it frequently for light weight training.  It definitely helps with the fibromyalgia pain to KEEP MOVING.  When I was diagnosed a few years ago after living with chronic all over muscle pain for years without answers, I was given the option to take various meds.  Ask me how much I hate to take pills – and so I opted to try natural ways of coping with this pain-in-the neck condition.  I’m here to tell you – If you suffer with chronic pain from any source – good diet and exercise definitely help.  Choose with your doctor what’s right for you depending on your condition, but no matter what, keep moving. 
     I had my yearly physical yesterday and all is good – blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, etc.  Low on Vitamin D, which is important, so I’ll take in more dairy and broccoli, etc.. and add a supplement back in.  I’m going to continue with the weight loss goals, hopefully by summer I’ll be 15 pounds lighter.  Or at least 10.  
     That being said!!… there was a recipe in last week’s paper that looked delicious and easy and made with fresh ingredients and I just had to try it regardless of our weight loss goals.  WOW – it’s super good, and super easy. We had it for dinner last night and I’ll share it here with you…  I don’t even like pepperoni, but it was not overpowering in this dish – If you like a good vodka sauce that tastes really  fresh and light? This one’s for you..
Pepperoni Pasta
  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 jigger vodka  (optional but really adds to the flavor) 
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced pepperoni
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper  (if you like it spicy, add more, but be careful) 
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream ( I added a little more for creamier texture) 
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • Fresh grated Parmesan Romano mix cheese
  • 1 pound pasta- the grooved kind hold the flavor of the sauce better, but any pasta will do
* next time I will use less pasta so that there is more sauce, but truthfully it was so flavorful it wasn’t a problem for taste. 
 Fill a large pot with water and cook your pasta of choice – al dente when done. 
While that cooks, in a dutch oven or large skillet, warm oil and add onion and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until translucent (try not to brown it). Add the entire can of diced tomatoes. When hot, add vodka and cook for about four minutes, at which point most of the liquor will have evaporated.  Toss in pepperoni and stir, cook for another few minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste and add cayenne pepper. Just a little gives a punch, so don’t overdo it unless you love spicy hot.  After a few more minutes, add the cream.  It should be a pretty coral color.  When pasta is al dente – drain and put it in the sauce in a bowl or the dutch oven, whatever works for you. Toss to coat – then add the grated cheeses and the fresh chopped basil, toss again – and  Enjoy! 
You will not be disappointed with the flavor. 

   
 

The Polar Vortex has descended

   Holy cow – we went from sunny-ish and in the 30’s to dark, dreary with swirling snow flurries within minutes.  I went up to the barn to feed horses with sun at my back and came back into the house after taking the pictures below – just 20 minutes later.   Downright eerie.  The temps are dropping quickly, too – During storms like this and long periods of cold, it’s a wonder the wild things survive it at all, I feel so bad for their suffering.   I think of the homeless folks out there too, hoping they find a warming station in their town- but the sad truth is some don’t, either because they are mentally ill and won’t seek shelter or there isn’t room at the “inn”.   How lucky we are to be snug in our homes. 
    The horses are closed in for the night, they’ve been fed and watered with plenty of hay – and the chickens are in with their heated water and the cozy coop panel – that invention is a God send, I’m telling ya.  I put some extra hay on the floor of their coop to help with insulation. Hens are prone to frostbite if you don’t give them a little help when the temps drop so low. 
        The Mr.  and I will sit in front of the fire tonight and catch up on a few of our netflix addictions – Ray Donavan – I’ve come to love the characters – so raw, so vulnerable, so obnoxious, and yet you come to love them…  (oh man, is he delicious or what, and I don’t use that word for men much.) …
 and Grace and Frankie – I love that show, truly love it.  Of course I still watch the Golden Girls at 1 in the morning if I can’t sleep, so Grace and Frankie are the new Golden Girls for me. That these women are 81 and 79 is inspiring- and still so funny and full of energy.   
        I found a Superbowl recipe I haven’t tried yet but will probably make for the big game.  Do you watch football?  I’ve been a fan on and off ever since I learned the game because I had a high school boyfriend Linebacker – what you’ll  do for young love, right??    I’m a Patriots fan, so I’ve got some skin in the game. 
 Stay warm if you’re in this frigid front – here’s the recipe… 
Garlic Bread Hot Dogs
Ingredients:
1 baguette (personally I think you need two, or one very long one
4 hot dogs 
1/4 c melted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
salt
black pepper
Preheat oven to 350.  Trim ends of baguette, then cut remaining into four even pieces.  Using the back of a wooden spoon, hollow out baguette.  There are videos online if you want to see someone do it first.  slide hot dogs into baguette and place on a parchment lined baking tray.  Mix melted butter with parm, garlic and parsley, salt and pepper. brush mixture onto baguette. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until hot dogs are cooked and bread is golden.  Enjoy! 

Frosty Fields and That One Simple Word

         For the past few mornings we’ve awoken to a coating of frost over the fields.  After what was arguably the most humid, wet summer I can remember,  the cool dry air feels rejuvenating. 
   The colors are a little muted this year – Sometimes we experience a blaze of glorious color, and some seasons, it’s just -meh.  The summer weather determines what we’ll get. There have been a loss of many big old trees in our state this year also, so very sad to see them come down. We’ve lost a few here on the farm, and along the roads there are many dying, or that have already been cut down.   It’s amazing and heart wrenching,  the hole left in a landscape  when a big old tree is removed.  The reasons are several in these parts – severe storms in recent years,  pests like the ash borer beetle and gypsy moth infestations.   I’ve always looked upon trees as our friends, and truly they are in so many ways – how many uses do we find for them, besides their important ecological value.  I see them as sentinels of the past, present, and future. 

      The ponies are growing their thick winter coats, the horses frisky from the chill in the air when turned out into the pastures each morning. 
      The chickens have slowed down their egg production, a natural process as the days grow shorter.  I used to leave a heat lamp on in their coop at night for heat, which left them with light all through the night.  I just don’t think that’s an awesome thing to do to them, so last year I discovered through another chicken keeping friend – the Cozy Coop heater – it works beautifully without disturbing their natural clock.  Here they are enjoying oatmeal with raspberries (although blueberries are their favorite)  which I give them occasionally on a really chilly morning. They love it and it helps them keep bodyweight on.  You’d be surprised how skinny layer chickens are under all those feathers.  They do not look like your Perdue oven stuffer roaster! 
      Eager to celebrate this favorite time of year, we’ve had our first fire in the fireplace and brought some fall decorations up from the cellar and in from the yard –   I’ve cut some hydrangea  and dried it – the fall hues are just a gorgeous dusty rose.  The trick to drying hydrangea blooms that will last for a while is to cut them when dry – not in the morning covered with dew or after rainfall.  Then, just prop them in a vase and don’t touch them.   These will last for as long as we don’t disturb them too much. 
 The kids have carved pumpkins and roasted their seeds, and I’ve pulled out the fall recipes and found a few new ones.  I always gravitate  to the comfort food favorites, like homemade mac & cheese,  beef stew, Turkey noodle vegetable soup with thick egg noodles, and the pies.. apple among my favorites.   This is not good news for my chubby self, who has yet to lose that extra 25 lbs.  UGH – the lack of willpower is something else entirely, I’m thoroughly disgusted with myself there. But – I’ll soldier on, hoping to find that magically combination of will power and exercise, which I already do regularly, that helps me shed the extra pounds.   
ANYWAY… 
    Here’s a  fun fall appetizer  on a blog I recently discovered.  I plan to make it this weekend for my daughter’s birthday dinner celebration …  Link to the blog/recipe HERE. 
   
  Fall also means cozy clothes – and BOOTS!  Which I love, but don’t always love ON me, because short people and boots don’t always look like they’re made for each other – just sayin.  While I’m not a fashionista in any sense of the word, occasionally I find something that really excites me, like Freebird boots by Steven.    Yep, they’re pricey, but they’re made really well and are comfortable.. so they’re an investment you’ll have for a lifetime if you take care of them.   I just bought my first pair… the Stair Boot – and they are so comfortable and functional, with an edgy look.
    I’m also coveting these… my wallet? Not so much.  Maybe next year’s birthday 🙂 
   I hope you’re finding more kindnesses than adversity,
more genuinely good people than those with darker intent. 
It’s out there – look for the good
and encourage it where you can.
In this time of  political divisiveness I am reminded of
a very small word that if applied by all the powers that be,
and by each of us no matter what our myriad of differences,  
would solve literally all our problems.  
All of them. 
 Till soon, friends – 
  

Autumn Gems

   Oh, how I love Fall in New England.  I’ve acquired a love for it over time, though – for when I was a young girl, my very favorite season was Summer  🌻- no school, barefoot, beaches,  bikes,  T-shirts and Johnny’s ice cream truck on Friday nights.   We played outside till the cows came home – well not exactly – in a city suburb it was more like till the street lights came on. Then we hit the stoops with lightning bug jars.   But fall held it’s own magic even back then… and just the other day I was reminded of it. 

   My husband and I grew up in similar surroundings and  yesterday as we patrolled the fields surveying fence and weeds and flooding  issues, the scent and crunch of fallen leaves underfoot reminded us both of our youth.  So much joy was found in the simple things – like raking leaves into a pile out in our postage stamp yards, and then jumping into and out of those piles repeatedly.  Trick or Treating was enhanced by the crunch underfoot, the jewel reds, oranges, yellows,  brown  hues all around and the earthy smell of fallen leaves, the crisp air carrying that scent as we trudged door to door to door.

   Here on the farm, fall means putting the gardens to bed, hay fields retired for the year, fuzzy horses eventually blanketed,  and chickens who retire to  the coop much earlier in the evening.   The racks on the porch are filled with firewood and the dogs are as eager as we are to sit by the hearth and enjoy the warmth of a fire in the fireplace.  We allow ourselves more down time in fall – the shorter days are a  welcome reprieve from all the chores around here that keep us going till dark.  We both have jobs that require computer time, too, and somehow even that momentum quiets as our internal clocks slow down and recharge. 

    We’ll have the traditional Thanksgiving meal  next month with family who are available to join us – and each year in the month of October I start hunting for a recipe or two that will add a little twist to the usual menu – Turkey,  mashed potatoes and gravy are forever, but the other sides can be jockeyed around without too much angst from the husband, we always hope.  (six blueberries, you might recall).   I found two recipes that seemed compatible and I gave them a try last week – Delicious! And they’ll grace our table this year. For the first, I combined several recipes – 

Butternut Squash Soup

1 very Large Butternut squash or two medium
Approximately 4 cups chicken broth ( vegetable stock is another option) 
1 cup finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs butter or to taste.  (use olive oil for dairy free version) 
Sherry (or Vermouth)  About 1/2 cup. 
Preheat oven to 425, cut the squash in half lengthwise, drizzle inside of each piece with olive oil,   sprinkle with salt and pepper and place  cut face down on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast for  approximately 45 minutes or until tender.  Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle. 
In large soup pot,  melt butter in pot and add onions –  saute until browned and fragrant. Put the cooked onion bits in a blender, scoop the butternut squash out of it’s thin skin and place in same blender, add salt and pepper and chicken (or veggie) stock.  Add the Sherry (or vermouth) .. and blend until creamy.  – place back in the large soup pot and warm to desired temperature – and serve – delish! 
  I also made this Leek and Root Vegetable Gratin – Recipe HERE –  this is a delicious twist on scalloped potatoes, although we love those so much I’ll probably make both.  I added organic multicolored carrots in place of  one of the parsnips and used yams instead of sweet potatoes, cheddar cheese, not muenster.  I used a poultry seasoning blend to sprinkle on top of each layer.  Slicing everything THIN is the key to success here. 

 
   When I’m cooking in the kitchen, the dogs are usually underfoot. If it’s a decent weather day, I open the sliders to the backyard and they sit in the sun patches, catching the breeze.  They are the best company, truly my other set of kids.

  


   Autumn means more reading time, too.  I fell in love with Gladys Taber’s books a few years back – more HERE on that.   She passed away in 1980 at the age of 81, and her books are no longer in print, but I’ve managed to find some online available through old book sellers, and a friend gifted me two as well.  This just arrived in the mail and I am savoring every relaxing moment I get to read her quieting, uplifting and thought provoking recollections of a life well lived on a very old homestead in Southbury, CT – Stillmeadow farm.  It is her pleasure in the little things, her kind and thoughtful disposition and her thoughts on troubling times in our earlier history that soothe my weary soul.  Ironic that much of it still applies today. 

   I hope all is well in your neck o’the woods – If you’re so inclined, share your favorite fall treasures, recipes  or memories in the comments below. Thank you for stopping by!

Vitamin Sea

   We’ve heard sad news about a neighbor down at the shore.  This was the man who rented his cottage to my mom for a few weeks each year until we acquired Stella by the Sea.  Cancer is a cruel disease, and  in this case even a doctor can’t cure himself if the damned thing decides it’s not letting go.  Residents of the island have been known to say the waters and the quiet, simple island life are the reason we’ll all live long.  The Dr. proves us wrong, as he is as fully emersed in the salt of the place and  loves it as much as anyone can. I am so sad for his family, his young grandchildren, his wife and sons.  Just a few weeks ago I was chilling in the now deceased float (unknowningly with 2,000 barnacles and crabs attached just inches below me)  and he and family passed by in their little boat – waving, smiles.. sea spray, sun, salt and happiness. That was the picture I saw, I wish I could tie it to an anchor and buoy so it would hold fast and steady and stay.  
   
     Stella remains a respite for us all – we come and go as time and  weather and schedules allow. 
 

      

  That’s mom out there!  – Having been raised during summer months at a tiny cottage just like Stella on the shores of Staten Island many moon ago, she’s known the healing powers of  salt water too.  Now that the railing is in and the steps painted that lovely blue hue (boat bottom paint)… entry into the water to swim and kayak is much safer for all of us and she’s joined us in the pursuit of refreshment from the sea.

One of my favorite weeds grows along our sea wall. 
Queen Anne’s Lace.

Meanwhile.. up at the show barn… K and Leah continue to bond… 
What a sweet mare, we are blessed.  Their first show in just a few weeks..
😬
 Saw this recipe shared by Hilary of Crazy as a Loom..
made it.. LOVED it. 
Right now native corn and zucchini are abundant..
This is an awesome meal all by itself, or a perfect side. 
Serious YUM. 
Recipe here
 I hope all is well in your world..
Till soon, friends… 

Soggy

     Holy humidity, Batman!  We’ve had a long stretch of rainy humid days but thankfully the sun will return shortly –  The ground is soggy, the air feels like – well a friend described it best – a wet dirty sponge.  I’ve got the fans on in the horse barn and the A/C on in the house.  It’s too wet to trust the fan outside the chicken coop so they’ll have to make do with the puddles that have formed in their coop yard.  We haven’t been down to the cottage because the weather is just too yucky.  On occasion the sun peeps out and I take the dogs for a quick walk, only to witness the clouds fold right back in and another shower appears. 
   Our lone bunny, Cloud, she’s not the friendliest – her brother Harley liked people better, but he passed on last year.  She lives next to the chickens  and has her own yard to run around in, when it’s not storming out.  I’ve explained to her multiple times that her life quality would improve if she would only learn to trust us, but she’ll have none of it. So, her hutch and yard are a no cuddle zone. 
      Some of the girls are molting and look like hell right now.  I also discovered mites in their coop and had to treat the whole thing, and them, with diatomaceous earth and I bleached the coop throughly as well.    DE is an all natural way to rid them of the mites that sometimes infest a coop, some people even eat it for digestive health.  It appears to have worked on the mites, two weeks later we are mite free.  I hope. 

 My giving tree – the ancient pear that stands in the mini’s paddock, has more fruit than ever this year.   Considering the tree is half hollow and has lost major limbs in recent storms, that she still bears fruit is simply amazing.   The mini’s love the fruit as it drops, some of which I have to scoop out each morning lest they get sugar overload from eating them all.

1,000’s, I’m telling ya.  

     On days like today, when the weather may call for thunder and lightning,  I leave the horses in their paddocks where they have easy access to their stalls (and fans), shelter from any severe weather.  They prefer to be out on pasture, but I don’t like to leave them out in the fields with potential lightning.  So they are bored as they wander around the smaller paddocks and their stalls, picking at their hay, while the much greener grass is on the other side of the fence.

    Opie peeking in the feed room, asking for a treat, please.

 

   My daughter’s retired show horse, Max, likes his creature comforts.  If the going gets too buggy or hot or soggy  out in the fields, he much prefers the fans and soft shavings and hay offerings in his stall.

     The dogs nap as the rain falls, asking to go out occasionally, and only when it’s not raining.

  Dear old Ben isn’t fond of the rain or humidity either –  He’s now on five heart pills –  living  on borrowed time, but he’s comfortable and with these pills he’s leading a decent life.  So we’ll spoil him until his final day.

  One  good thing about all this rain is the lush gardens outside my doors… 

  I’ve made several batches of pesto from all the happy basil plants, my freezer is now stocked well into fall.    (This picture taken a day before the rains came – what a difference)
  The recipe and card I use was given to me at my wedding shower 30 years ago.   I love that idea.  Each guest to the shower brought a favorite recipe.  I still have most of them! 
 There are several variations of pesto out there, but this one is my favorite.  What’s missing on the card is 2 teaspoons of pine nuts, and 2 cloves of garlic.  I make big batches and use lots of garlic. 

Delish! Fresh from the garden –   If you like pesto,  give it a try – 

Breathe

 

    The humidity finally broke after a good rain storm and we have absolutely perfect weather right now.  The weekend was full of  the bluest skies, sun and surf  at the cottage as we all took a deep breath and exhaled into the loveliness.  Our lives are busy – the youngsters just beginning the building of their adult lives with budding careers and relationships, the prospect of their own homes in the near future, families, etc… and the Mr. and I continue with the care of our farm, the cottage, the family business, my editorial job and all the responsibilities that go along with.  Taking time to smell the roses is so necessary and often overlooked.   
Don’t miss out – take the time. No one ever lies on their death bed saying “I sure wish I hadn’t taken that trip to Bermuda, I sure wish I had spent more time fretting,  Jeez, had I only dusted and vacuumed just a few hours more,  I sure wish I hadn’t spent so much time with my children, my grands, my passion.  
Whatever inspires you, whatever brings you happiness – do more of THAT.
 I managed to get the big guy out on the water yesterday and he actually sat down and relaxed in the shade for a few hours, too.  Must have been a blue moon last night, I forgot to look.   

  Our cove has two very different sides.  Our side is a colony of small seasonal cottages that were established in and around 1930-ish.   In the picture below you see what it looks like from the water.

 Then there’s the end of the cove that nestles into a nature refuge just after the stone jetty – with a few reasonable  year round houses on the end.  (seen below).

    
     Across the cove on the other side are some much larger homes, one of which has been in the construction phase for the last five or so years.  My husband jokes that they pay the high taxes but we have the best view.  They look over at us, we look over at…. well.. this…. 
   Can you imagine rambling around in that house?  And it’s quite possibly just a summer retreat for whomever is building it.   Remarkable construction – note the stone tier at the bottom with wood shutter windows, just amazing.  
    The Giant Pink Flamingo still sits out in the cove, occasionally needing an air refill once it appears he’s taking a drink.  Some people are annoyed by his appearance, I think he ads character.  I’m not bold enough to bring one to the cove myself, our float is standard issue.  My daisies are so happy, must be the salt air and sun. 

Here in New England, Tiger lilies line the roads in early July – it’s truly a beautiful sight. These are my husband’s favorite flower, so I’ve planted daylilies on the farm and at Stella by the Sea, seen here.

  Today I plan to catch up on laundry and dusting and vacuuming here at the house, and I’ll pick fresh basil from the garden to make pesto for dinner.  I might even make the cake I’m going to share with you below , click on the title for the recipe – although we’re both trying to get serious about our weight loss goals so I really.. really shouldn’t. (I hear you, Hilary, from all the way over here).  🙂 

ps.. I hate when that term is used “To Die for”…
 no cake is worth dying for.. just sayin. 

  I hope you’re having a good day, wherever you are –  Don’t forget to smell the roses, eat the cake, stick your toes in the water at the beach, jump in the pool, run under the sprinkler, pick the flowers and set them in a vase just for you.  Next time you wash the sheets for your bedding, hang them outside in the sunshine to dry . Put your quilt out there too – the fresh outdoor scent is intoxicating, lulls one to sleep. 
 Till soon, friends – Thank you for stopping by. 

Hot

   It’s been unGodly hot over here in New England for the past four or five days.  My poor guys have been haying in the miserable heat and humidity – you’ve probably  heard the old saying – Make hay while the sun shines.  What that means is – you need a series of at least three or four dry sunny days strung together to make hay –  it needs to be fairly dry when you cut it.. then it needs to lay down in rows and dry a bit – then you fluff it to air it out and dry some more… then it’s baled and picked up off the field and stored in the big barns.  All that dryness is important, as you don’t want a wet bale of hay, which will mold up (not feedable) and possibly cause a fire in your loft if you’re not careful how you stack it.  So… we had the string of dry days and the hay needed cutting.   It had already been held off due to rains, etc.  You can’t stop the process just because it’s too darn hot.
   When the guys were not haying, they sure as hell didn’t want to sit out in the heat, so we decided not to have a big fourth celebration with extended family at the shore.  Stella (our little seaside cottage) does not have A/C and some are squeamish about taking a dip in the cove to cool off.  My husband has learned there are indeed eels out there somewhere – and that was pretty much it for him. 
   I did go down there in the late afternoon to water flowers, vacuum, and we eventually had dinner when mom and my daughter and husband showed up (he was there for all of about an hour before the humidity got to him).  My son and his posse showed up later on before the fireworks display that is put on for islanders out on the point – and they say it was spectacular.  In lieu of fireworks, I headed back home to tend horses , chickens and dogs here on the farm, all of whom where not thrilled with the bangs and booms happening out yonder.  

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch… my gardens are happy – weedy, but happy.  My first harvest are these dragon tongue beans.  You can pick them at this stage and treat them like you would a string bean,  or let them plump up and shell the beans that grow in the pod, use them in recipes like succotash. 
 Tomatoes just starting to appear – we had a slow start with the wishy washy spring. 

  I try to keep my vegetable garden organic – over the winter I put some rabbit manure in the soil and blended it in well.  I also use this product placed around the drip line of the plant a few times during the growing season.  

    I’m not much of a drinker but there are a few drinks when served at the right time, well they hit the spot.  My sister-in-law served this in a punch bowl  and plastic glasses at her son’s graduation pool party last weekend. It’s easy to throw together and guests love it. Put a slice of orange  floating in each glass when serving.

Wine Spritzer –

1 large bottle of pino grigio (which I usually don’t like)
1 large bottle of polar orange dry soda
orange wedges

Equal parts of each. 

*not my image
Till soon, friends –