time flies, bringing both happy & sad...

Time to catch up, the weeks are flying by...

Backing up to Easter, this year for dessert I baked a Hummingbird Cake. I've read about them for ages, and so I thought Spring was a good time to try it out. If you like bananas and pineapple I think you'll like this 1970's spice cake.

My daughter created the best charcuterie board...her first try! It was filled with all kinds of crackers, cheeses, chocolate-covered almonds, olives, and the prettiest salami rose! We've decided she's in charge of food for special events/holidays from now on!

A friend shared her extra eggs with me, and they were perfect for Easter. They look as if they've already been dyed. Nope...these are the lovely colors the girls gifted us with - truly, no filter here!

Although we were lucky enough to be right in the path of totality for the Eclipse, my daughter and I decided it would be fun to travel a bit north to a state park, so we drove to Malabar Farm (home of Pulitzer Prize winner Louis Bromfield). Built in the 1930's, the home and farm are beautiful.

While waiting for the eclipse, we visited all the farm animals and walked through the barns. The home is open certain times for tours...we'll be sure and do that on our next visit (it's where Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married...please don't say "Who?" I'll feel so, so old!)

How to describe it? The eclipse was all the best words: stunning, mesmerizing, amazing. The temperature dropped, it was cool and quiet, and over far too soon. What a blessing to witness such a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This weekend I made Grandma O's Rolls -  Janice at  Prims by the Water was kind enough to share the recipe. I LOVE that the instructions included using a breadboard, which my old-fashioned self happily did.  Although not picture perfect (I need to work on my roll-shaping skills) they came out tasty and were great warm topped with butter. 

I'll make them again and try to get them just right - thanks so much Janice (and Janice's mom!) for sharing this handed-down recipe.

The weather's been a bit of everything lately, with tornado warnings, freeze warnings, and strong storms. Certainly an up & down Spring.

And while Mother Nature has kept us on our toes and busy, there's also been sadness. Last week we said goodbye to this fellow...Azreal (or Azzie as we called him.)

Azzie found his way to the farm about 12 years ago, and was immediately a part of the family. He got along well with everyone (2-legged or 4-legged) and was dubbed the Dog-Cat - because he was so friendly and dog-like...not aloof as so many cats can be. Also, amazingly, he was housebroken...not due to my training, that's just how he was, like a dog, he'd wait at the door to be let out with never an inside accident. 

Cozy on their favorite blankets, Azzie would snuggle Bailey and we'd find them curled up like this most evenings.

Azzie had fun poses while sleeping...we said he looked like he was jumping off the high dive, 

and that this one resembled a curled up pill bug!

About 2 years ago we noticed what looked like a scratch on his nose that wouldn't heal. The vet told us it was cancer, and sadly there was nothing that could be done. We kept it clean and sprayed it with antiseptic, and he bounced on through life as he always did.

But after this past Christmas, it became much more aggressive...and it was time to talk about the heartbreaking decision. I will be honest, I put off thinking about it because I hoped he'd pass in his sleep. I struggled with that decision...it was easy to put aside the thought when his behavior was as it always had been, but one look at his sweet face, and it was painfully obvious the time had come. 

Any of you who have been through this will know that the animals we invite into our lives are a part of our family. It's not a decision that was made lightly, or quickly with no thought. With a week to prepare Azzie was spoiled more than usual...mashed potatoes were a favorite and the kids picked up a Starbucks Pup Cup for him...a first that was thoroughly enjoyed. He slept by the warm fire, which he always loved, and he slept on my lap.

The vet's staff was kind, and we took our time saying goodbye...still, it was an incredibly difficult moment. Even though our hearts will always hurt, I'm eternally grateful that he found his way here years ago, and that we were able to spend 12 years of our lives with such a sweet boy.

Thanks for letting me share his story with you...

bread & Bailey...

It's a gray, rainy day here on the farm, and stepping outside there are chilly winds out of the northwest spinning around me. I move quickly, and once back inside, I'm greeted by the welcoming aroma of baking bread.

My goal for this winter was to become a better bread baker. Not only to sell from the milkhouse, but for my family to enjoy. Oh, how I can remember my grandmother's bread and rolls, and I desperately wish I had her recipe. But you know what? I do think she was probably a "pinch of this, dash of that" kind of baker who didn't use a recipe. Funny, I continue to read that "bread baking is a science" hmmm, maybe not, based on what I remember from my grandmother's kitchen, just maybe it's an art.

Anyway, my bread baking efforts in the past have NOT been art! And so, almost each week I've been trying new recipes, making changes, and then retesting them. So glad my family and neighbors have been willing taste-testers in this goal!

Right now there's a jalapeno-cheddar sourdough loaf in the proofer (first attempt) and I've been working to making a light wheat sourdough similar to one my neighbor tasted at a restaurant. 

Here's a peek at some of the successes - failures have been enjoyed by the backyard bird population!

white

pesto twist

sourdough

light wheat sourdough

chocolate babka

and meet Ivy...
my sourdough starter

They say everyone names their sourdough starter and so I thought, why not, I named my stove Mae! And I'll tell you, she's a 1950 workhorse. 

My plan is to keep testing recipes, although all this bread eating (who can resist warm bread with butter or jam?) will not be good for my waistline. Alas, I'm committed to the cause. And if you have any bread recipes you'd like to share, please do - tried & true are always the best!

So that's the bread part of today's post; now on to the Bailey part. If you haven't  had a chance to read how Bailey came to the farm, you can read up on it here.  

Now, this is a personal opinion only for my personal blog - but one I feel strongly about.

This loving dog, who was found hiding and scared in our barn during the summer of 2020, has become the most sweet & kind addition to this family. Never have I heard her growl or seen her snap or attempt to bite. She is gentle with children, other animals, and can always be found snuggled close to one of us.

Whenever I leave home with her, I go through a little speech in my head, knowing I'll probably need it.

Someone we meet will surely say: 

"Oh, that's a pitbull." 

And I will try to explain, 

"No, she has the markings of an American Staffordshire Terrior." 

I'll most likely hear, "She's a pitbull." 

I will keep trying...

"No, that's a catch-all term for several breeds descended from a Bulldog. She's a Staffy."  

Why try? It's easy to see their minds are already made up without even knowing her.

One day when my daughter and I were on a walk with Bailey, a mother crossed the street with her children in what appeared to be an obvious choice to avoid us. Now, in all fairness, there are also families who come up to us and love to pet her and ask questions.

Here's the thing:

There are so many stigmas surround bulldog breeds...originally bred as working dogs, they are loyal. However; sadly, because of their muscular strength, they began to be used as fighting dogs. 

I've read with interest the articles banning dog breeds, and I have to say I've read nothing more important than the phrase:  Profile by Deed not by Breed. 

No, I have never been bitten, and the reporting in the news can be horrific. Any dog in the wrong situation has the potential to bite. However; this is an issue not only about dog behavior, but also reflecting human behavior. Some dogs have owners with less than honorable intentions. Again, it is my personal opinion, but banning dogs based solely on their breed is beyond responsible, and euthanasia of dogs based solely on their breed is a different moral discussion altogether. 

 

My friends:

This is what the media wants you to be scared of...

This is what they warn you about...

What is Bailey's background...was she dropped off or did she run away? We'll never know, but I can honestly say, she is truly the sweetest dog I have ever known. 

Thursday thoughts...

These slow-moving February days...somehow they seem just right for contemplating common sense:

 and nonsense!

Leaving home to run errands can sometimes feel like a change in cultures as we leave behind the pleasant, bucolic scenes of country life,

friendly cows

a fella who has earned the name
Acro-Cat

peaceful sunsets beside the lake.

And head to the "big city"

This week alone we've dodged drivers running red lights, running stop signs, passing on a double-yellow line, and as witnessed above, a truck toting WAY too many pallets (once upon a time we found ourselves in this same scene, and yes, the pallets came off right in front of us.)

Don't get me wrong, there are lovely and exciting things to be found in the city...ballet performances in gorgeous historical buildings, an amazing zoo, a beautiful conservatory with botanical gardens, and the best-ever souffled egg sandwich.

And many times, this saying rings true;

 

Do I dream of faraway places? Sure...the rugged Yorkshire Dales, the beautiful landscapes of Wales, the glacier lakes in New Zealand. However; I have to admit, I'm most comfortable settling in at home. To hear and feel the quiet is calming. 

The familiar sights and sounds remind me, as the saying goes, that "home" is more than where we hang our hats.

I have a feeling that Gladys Taber and I would have been friends!

Monday musing...

 

"Knee High by the 4th of July!"

I'm guessing this old saying is one that most of you have heard hundreds of times...but, if it's new to you, here's a little background.

It's said the first time farmers began using this phrase was in 1846...

"It has been considered that if corn was knee high
by the Fourth of July that the crop was sure and safe."

~Iowa Sumner Gazette, 1846 

And so for the last 177 years, it's been a ruler to measure just how bountiful the harvest will be...the corn crop should reach the height of a farmer's knee by Independence Day, July 4.

  

As a Midwesterner, the phrase "knee-high by the fourth of July" is one I have heard all my life. However, (and we're a tall family) I have just one question...

7 feet, 11 inches

Just exactly whose knee is this tall?!

                                  

spring break...

 As my daughter said...

"The balance has been restored!"

Both kids are free from workload of college classes as their Spring breaks lined up this week. And yes, balance indeed...4 place settings at the table, Wordle at midnight, dusting off of favorite movies, and food, food, food. They've met up with friends, stayed up, slept in, had all variety of pies on Pi Day, and in honor of Saint Patrick, we whipped up some traditional recipes and enjoyed Shamrock shakes. 

Today is a catch up day - laundry and shopping, as well as anything else that needs doing before classes begin again. Monday I'm back to the grind...there's still much take care of on my To-Do List. 

Always inspired by lovely places that Along the Way blogger Jules visits (see her blog here), I've made up my mind to do the same each week. As long as the weather cooperates, there are so many easy day-trips I could be taking to see new places...why am I not doing it?!

And so this week we visited a nearby 123-acre park - even though the skies were gray and the trees bare, there was still a beauty to it:

flowers were popping up,

  

and we found secret gardens, 

along with vignettes from the past.

There was even a perfect little farmhouse and barn

(I could easily feel right at home!)

And look at the fun weather vane!

Ahhh, March...up to her usual antics. Yes, the sun is shining, but the wind from the north is strong and icy-cold; rattling windows and sending anything outside that's not weighted down, dancing across the yard and into the surrounding fields. I'd best remember the advice I read years ago...

"March days should be lived one day at a time,
as it's likely early gardeners will meet with disappointment."

-Unknown

That's okay, I have dust bunnies to chase, papers to sort, and phone calls to make, there's no need to fret about gardening just yet. Oh yes, I'm sketching garden plans and looking at seed catalogs; if only I had a greenhouse. Sigh...

Happy weekend friends!