Update 9/21/09

Tomorrow is officially the first day of fall. Summer was wild. Work was so busy, the garden needed constant attention, etc, etc. Where did it go? A couple of weeks ago I noticed that I finally felt like I came up for air and was able to take some deep breaths. I got some long-overdue reading done, some craft projects checked off the list, practiced yoga. I am hoping that with fall I will find more time to slow down. I spent the part of this weekend that I wasn't working actively trying not to think about anything important. Mostly, I spent some quality time playing in the wood shop.

Oh, the joys of the scroll saw! I wasn't planning on learning to use it just yet, but I found myself jigging away like a little elf.

There is something really healing about sawing through a hunk of wood. It's all about the feel and the smell. Working with natural materials is always special.

By the afternoon, I already had a few forest friends cut and smoothed out. I can tell this is going to be a new obsession. I am seeing some really beautiful things done with watercolors and wood online and I'm really excited to give it a go.

Speaking of forest friends, as a cheer-up gift (we all need one of those once in awhile, don't we?) my friend Joan gave me a set of just about the cutest things I've ever seen:
Forest Fairies, just in time for autumn. They are so precious! I keep setting them up and rearranging them. They're just too perfect. I really want to try this as a craft project. Oh, there are so many things to make! I can't imagine why anyone would ever be bored.

Chicken Love

Large Marge is LOUD. She starts squawking at around 6:30am before she even comes downstairs for breakfast. She squawks when she expects a mid-afternoon snack and outing in the yard. She squawks loudest at around 7:30-8am when Henny-Penny is upstairs laying an egg. Not sure if she's coaching her, singing an egg-laying song, warding off egg-snatching predators, or what.
I am not up on my chicken-logic.

Both of them love to eat the tomatoes that burst in the garden. Besides cracked-corn and beetles, it's their favorite snack. Elf likes them, too, and it's really fun to watch him try to eat a cherry tomato. He gets a look of surprise when it bursts open in his mouth.



They love venturing out and catching the bugs that you rustle up when you walk. They follow us around the yard, eating whatever jumps in their line of sight.

They have really incredible vision. They are aware of what is below them and above them, and spot hawks and ravens in the sky before we do.

They are really expressive, if you can believe it. Obviously, vocally, but otherwise, too. You can tell when they're happy and sad and nervous and content.


I think that I'll always have chickens after this. Aside from the piercing, irritating 6:30 wake-ups, they're really easy and they're really a lot of fun. Plus, they totally pull their own weight. We're averaging 12-14 eggs a week. Elf and Matilda better start fetching slippers and morning coffee. Well, Matilda told us about a mouse in the house (!!!) a couple of weeks ago, so she's off the hook. Elf, I like my coffee with a splash of milk.

curtains

I spent a little time last weekend making these curtains for the window by our table in the kitchen. I had the fabric for some time, but hadn't had the chance to make them. They are about the easiest thing to sew up; the hardest part is ironing the seams. Now I just need to make sets for the other two windows in the kitchen.

I really like sewing, but machine sewing isn't the easiest thing to take up. Seems like having something else do the work would make things more simple, but let me tell you, that is one heck of a machine. I am trying to find simple projects that will help me practice. Straight, rectangle curtains were a good thing to accomplish right now. I might have to take a class if I want to venture into sewing clothing. But wouldn't it be fun?

Blueberries

Aaron and I spent a recent Monday evening at a pick-your-own blueberry farm close to one of the library branches out in the country. What fun! The owners also raise bees, so it was really nice to watch the sun move while bees lazily and drunkenly gorged themselves on overripe berries.

I love blueberries. I think they might be my favorite berry. They keep well. They're not as fragile as most berries. Maybe I like them because of my history with them. They remind me of childhood.

I love going to pick-your-own spots. I don't know why. There is something way more enjoyable about getting 11 lbs. of fruit that you've picked yourself instead of buying it from someone who did the picking for you. Again, it's that closer-to-your-food thing.


We've been eating blueberries many ways, and freezing them for winter, as well. We've been eating them by themselves, with yogurt, in delicious muffins, and in a blueberry buckle (coffee cake meets cobbler), which is what Aaron made last night. He followed Alton Brown's recipe, here, except we used AP and Wheat flours instead of cake flour and it turned out dense and wonderful.

Tomato Season

Last year, most of our tomatoes were stolen. By humans. This year, either the people moved on, or the raised fence and locked door to the garden is working, because we are in the tomatoes! I planted so many plants, in the hope that it would just be too many for the thief to get around to, that he would leave us a few to enjoy. And now, we are swimming in them.

We've gotten too much rain for tomatoes this year and the last time I was in the garden, they were bursting, which is sad to see. However, We have more than we know what to do with at the moment, so we'll take what we can get and leave the rest for next year's seeds.


I know I've said this many times on the blog, but it is so rewarding to see something that you planted in the house, from seeds, while snow was still on the ground, turn into something edible, beautiful, delicious.

What is He Building in There? (Something Awesome.)

Aaron's been working diligently in his workshop since well before our anniversary on a mysterious gift made of paper, the traditional first anniversary gift. That's all I knew. Time went by and things came up. Chicken houses, birthday gifts (more on that later), and it has taken until this afternoon to finally see what it is he was working on. Aaron made me a beautiful paper lamp.

And it's not just any old lamp. He designed it himself. It is made of walnut and has little lattice pieces all around it and fine paper made with imprisoned mulberry leaves. It is really incredible. I couldn't believe it when he finally gave it to me.

The paper has little flecks of pink where the mulberries lay.

The walnut base has purplish tones.

It's so pretty. Like something I would want but wouldn't be able to afford. I can't believe he made something so lovely. Thank you, Thank you. Happy anniversary, darling.

Two Eggs

I don't think I've mentioned yet that we got a replacement chicken. We found someone willing to give up a Rhode Island Red. She's quite a bit bigger than Henny-Penny. And meaner, uglier, bossier, and mouthier (she's taken to waking up the neighborhood at 7am). We decided to name her after someone who deserves to have my meanest chicken named after them. We decided to name her Large Marge.

I don't think I would get another Rhode Island Red if I continue to raise chickens in town. Way too loud and too big. Also, interestingly, even though Henny-Penny (a Red Star) is much smaller, she lays eggs that are way bigger. They won't even fit in the egg carton.

Yesterday we got two eggs in one day for the first time. Marge's morning whining actually paid off, because it happened that we fed them twice in the morning, and came home to find two eggs. We fed them twice before we left for work again today: two more eggs. We've got a system and we're in business.

Birthday

My birthday trip to the U.P. was really, really great. Aaron loved Michigan in the summer. I loved Michigan in the summer. It's very different without snow. We did so many nice things. A photo recap:


We took a couple of hikes out to see waterfalls.





We went to Lake Superior.


My aunt made a caterpillar cake just for me! It was so cute and tasty!

Yes, that is a bear popping out of the wall behind me!

We saw more than one fireworks display

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.