Hey there lonely girl...

So, for those of you that haven't heard, we had a chicken incident and Lady Bird is no more. All that was left was a pile of feathers. Poor Lady Bird. Poor Henny-Penny. She was hurt, but she'll be okay (no eggs since this happened, though). Aaron found the only vet in town that would see a chicken. Sweet Aaron.

I think Henny-Penny is lonely. She won't go downstairs and just sits at her roost all day until we take her down to eat and drink. If we're outside, we put her outside, and she likes to dig around and make nests, eat bugs, and preen. But we need to get her a friend, I think.

the things you will do to make a living

This was on the front page of our local newspaper this morning. Guess who was the only (willing) staff member short enough to fit into the costume? Yep. We could have made one of our fabulous volunteers do it, but then I would have been obligated to give them a break every 20 mins...if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

I have to admit that it was a lot of fun, though. Also, this was the first event that I really planned the vast majority of myself, so to see more than 200 people walk through the door and to get it on the front page of the newspaper was awesome. It was really great to get community recognition and get publicity for the library. I love my job (even if it means doing really silly things like dressing up like a caterpillar).

Best Breakfast

I've gotten a few requests for recipes lately, and since it's all about eggs here at the ranch, I thought I'd post my favorite way to spend a Sunday morning. Or any morning, for that matter.






I've spent a lot of (probably unnecessary) time trying to make the perfect hard-boiled egg. It is not an easy task. Failure lies in a greenish hue around the yolk and a chalky texture. I want something on the semi-soft side. Just boiled, but not over done. If you know me, you know I have serious issues with eggs and their level of perfection (or lack thereof). I think I am ready to share the secret of the boiled egg.





To boil the perfect egg


Put eggs in a small saucepan and cover with warm water. I add salt to the water. I think it's supposed to prevent cracking. Anyway, start it off on low heat so that the eggs can adjust, then slowly turn it up...but not too slow...the idea is to not let them heat for a super long time. When it just starts to boil, take the eggs off the heat (or let them boil for one minute if you're not convinced) and cover the pot. Let them sit for 10-12 minutes (depending on hardness-of-yolk preference). Rinse with cold water, crack the shell if you need it cooled faster.





If you have a better way, I'd like to know about it. I am always trying to improve.





Just-Hard Eggs with Tomato on Toast


1 perfectly boiled egg


1 tomato, sliced thin


1 piece of wheat bread


a little cream cheese


good salt and pepper





Toast bread, then add a thin layer of cream cheese. Layer tomatoes, then egg slices, then salt and pepper. A softer yolk will make this breakfast something special.

Now I just need to work on my soft-boiled skills. Any tips?

He's kind of a big deal...

Check out this article about my special man! I'm so proud. He's great. Notice beginnings of the Einstein 'do. This article also appeared in our local newspaper this Sunday.