Animals
- Baaaaa, Baa Brown Lamb...why's Your Wool So Wet?
A day of showers ushered in a cold front yesterday.Almost 3 inches of rain fell on the farm...giving me a day to catch up on errands. Luckily, the clouds held the bulk of their moisture during the hours that choresneeded to be done.Sometimes Mother Nature...
- Welcome September!
For all intents and purposes, the summer is now over.Another Labor Day weekend has come and gone.The days are shorter; the nights are cooler.The swallows are flocking. The ragweed/goldenrod is blooming. The garden is offering forth the last of summer's...
- Gardening With Guineas
Something new is occurring in the farm garden.I'm not sure if this will be a good or a bad thing. The guineas have been hopping up into the garden boxes.I assume they are looking for bugs. If so, then it is truly a great thingand maybe the...
- How To Build A Fairy Garden
Wow!As requested, I thought I would just show you how I built my fairy garden. I decided that I wanted a rather large container for mine,one that I could keep outdoors in the spring, summer and fall,and then move into the greenhouse in the winter(in an...
- Gearing Up For Spring
Finally, after so many months of snow and Winter's icy grip, we were treated to a balmy, sunny weekend. Ahhhh....the promise of Spring....a much needed gift was bestowed upon us this weekend. And we took full advantage of it. We...
Animals
The Gift of Rain
Good Monday morning!
We had a deliciously slow weekend....
cloudy, drizzly, stormy.
For the most part, it was a weekend spent indoors,
with the exception of doing outside animal chores.
Hubbs drove the gator, with Hickory on his lap.
I sat in the passenger seat with our Newfie Maddie at my feet...
a full load setting out to the barn.
Beside our garden where the garden shed resides,
there are two butterfly bushes...
volunteers that came up two years ago.
I have to say that although they get monstrously huge,
I love, love, love butterfly bushes and the fluttering fairy-like creatures
that are drawn to them.
Lovely butterflies that flitter and flutter on a breeze,
silently touching down to sip nectar from fragrant blossoms...
peaceful, delicate,
with beauty that serves no purpose but to delight the observer.
After this gift of rain which re received this weekend,
it seems the butterflies are out in full force.
Most likely they are enjoying the moisture that has drenched each
sweet blossom. After all, it has been so dry here for quite some time.
An inch and a half of rain seems to cause everything to suddenly grow and burst
forth in green-ness. The once brown grass has new life breathed into it.
The giant sunflowers are pushing further upwards towards the sun...
It amazes me to think that this enormous plant,
with its stalk as thick as my wrist,
grew in just a few weeks from a tiny seed...
a seed that pulled nutrients and moisture from the soil,
then set down roots and sent its green life force racing towards the sun.
Amazing!
Have you ever truly thought about the miracles that surround you
each and every day?
Take a moment as you go about your day to ponder the wonder
that is life.
Even the lowliest dandelion....
how it's tiny seed is carried on the wind,
with a teeny, feathery whirlygig to carry it.
And then in a matter of weeks turns into a strong plant sending off
baby seed parasols of its own.
Amazing.
And we are lucky enough to be able to witness these things
each and every day of our lives.
Ok, feet back on the ground again.....
I often get questions about what I make with the veggies
that I grow in our garden.
This summer I harvested a bumper crop of tomatillos.
Tomatillos are a curious fruit resembling a tomato, somewhat sour,
and encased in a paper-like husk.
I picked and removed the husks from about 40 tomatillos
and made Tomatillo Apple Salsa this weekend.
Let me tell you, this salsa is fabulous!
So, here is the recipe....
just in case you also grew a bumper crop of them
and were wondering what to do with them.
Tomatillo Apple Salsa
tomatillos, washed and chopped (about 40)
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
several hot peppers, chopped
(depending upon your taste....I used about 12... of different varieties)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I used a little more)
salt and pepper
Simmer above ingredients on top of stove for 15 minutes.
Pack in hot, sterilized pint jars. Secure lids.
Process in water bath for 10 minutes (once water returns to boiling)
Serve with tortilla chips....YUM!!
- Baaaaa, Baa Brown Lamb...why's Your Wool So Wet?
A day of showers ushered in a cold front yesterday.Almost 3 inches of rain fell on the farm...giving me a day to catch up on errands. Luckily, the clouds held the bulk of their moisture during the hours that choresneeded to be done.Sometimes Mother Nature...
- Welcome September!
For all intents and purposes, the summer is now over.Another Labor Day weekend has come and gone.The days are shorter; the nights are cooler.The swallows are flocking. The ragweed/goldenrod is blooming. The garden is offering forth the last of summer's...
- Gardening With Guineas
Something new is occurring in the farm garden.I'm not sure if this will be a good or a bad thing. The guineas have been hopping up into the garden boxes.I assume they are looking for bugs. If so, then it is truly a great thingand maybe the...
- How To Build A Fairy Garden
Wow!As requested, I thought I would just show you how I built my fairy garden. I decided that I wanted a rather large container for mine,one that I could keep outdoors in the spring, summer and fall,and then move into the greenhouse in the winter(in an...
- Gearing Up For Spring
Finally, after so many months of snow and Winter's icy grip, we were treated to a balmy, sunny weekend. Ahhhh....the promise of Spring....a much needed gift was bestowed upon us this weekend. And we took full advantage of it. We...