My Favorite Things -- Chocolate Makes It All Okay

I just thought I would share an old photo of me and my grandma.  Just before this photo was taken, I apparently had been crying as I still had big tears in my eyes.  I'm not sure why I was crying (it was my birthday party, after all) -- but that first taste of homemade chocolate frosting made everything better.  

Nowadays, I'm in love with Lindt Excellence - Touch of Sea Salt.  I ate the last square of my bar last night (I can make them last a long time) and today I am left with only the memory -- LOL.  Is it bad to feel that way about chocolate?  The flakes of sea salt in this bar are what make it so wonderful.  If you like chocolate, you absolutely must try this!  

Garden Update Through Photos

Chard

Okra

Jalepeno

Cucumber

Pole Beans

Wild Black Raspberry (just harvested a bunch - I'm thinking raspberry wine...)

Yellow Pear Tomato

Summer Squash

And I had to throw in one photo of the chickens in their mobile coop.  They are getting big, aren't they?

Olivia, Prudence, Egglentine, Gertrude, Mabel, Ruby and Myrtle.

Garlic Scape and Mushroom Quiche

I wanted to make something other than pesto with my garlic scapes this year.  I've also been wanting to brush up on my quiche making skills.  The chickens are still a couple of months away from egg-laying, but I must be prepared (I already have friends lining up to try a quiche made with happy chicken eggs).  So, the natural choice was to try making a garlic scape quiche.

For those that don't know, garlic scapes are the curling tops of garlic plants.  The are milder than the bulb of the garlic and can be used much like other vegetables.  They do make an awesome pesto and I've read that they are really good in stir fry.

Today I chopped up about a dozen scapes (cut off the flower part and just use the green "neck") into small pieces.  I also used a small can of mushroom pieces and some grilled onion I had left over from another meal.  Anyway, saute' them with 1 Tbsp. butter until they are softened a bit then add the mushrooms to join all the flavors for a few minutes.  Remove them from the heat and let cool a while.  

I used a frozen pie shell (deep dish).  If you have time to make your own pie crust - I salute you.  Maybe someday that will be me.  So, I put the frozen pie shell on a cookie sheet, then add the veggies to the bottom.  On top of that I grated parmesan cheese.  I was thinking a little swiss cheese would have been nice too.

I whisked 5 eggs and about 1 cup of half and half together then added salt and pepper.  Some recipes call for nutmeg -- I didn't add it, but the amazing thing about quiche is that you can pretty much make it however you'd like.  I then carefully poured the egg mixture over the veggies and cheese, then put it into my preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.  The timer is actually about to go off....

Wow!  It looks really good!  I can hardly wait to cut into it -- but you gotta let it rest at least 5 minutes.  It keeps cooking after you take it out, so don't worry if it doesn't look quite done.  I imagine there are a thousand varieties of garlic scape quiche that could be made.  Just pick and choose other veggies (or meat if you eat it) and different cheeses and herbs. 

I'd be very curious to hear what your favorite combination of quiche fillings are.  I've got to start stockpiling ideas because my little chicks are growing up quickly.  

Crop Tour and the Holiday Weekend

Charlie and I enjoy driving around the countryside checking out the various crops and taking in the scenery.  Corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar beets, pickling cucumbers, alfalfa -- the fields stretch on and on.  I enjoy looking at the pretty white farmhouses and the variety of barn styles and colors.  Every once in a while we come across something interesting.  The other day we found 5 or 6 flatbeds with hives of bees, busy with their work.  Charlie stopped the vehicle while I snapped off a few photos from the passenger seat.  Just as we began to leave, we saw the scene below...

I thought it was a lovely thing to do to some ugly pieces of concrete, don't you?  It also appeals to my inner-hippie.
Today I talked Charlie into coming with me to the Farmer's Market (he usually doesn't like getting up that early on a Saturday).  We bought cherries, some meat sticks for Charlie (elk and beef with pepper jack cheese) and a bar of soap - patchouli scented (that inner-hippie is on the loose again).  Oh, and don't forget the caramel toffee frappes from the coffee shop next to the market.  Yum!
After we got home, we moved the chicken coop to a fresh patch of grass and I finished my chicken chores.  By that time, it was getting very hot and humid outside.  I filled my galvanized bucket a few times to haul water around to the fruit trees/plants that I put in the ground last week.  By the time I was done, I was fairly wilted myself.  Since we don't have air conditioning, we ended up turning on the sprinkler and sitting in lawn chairs in the water.  It looked redneck, but it felt exquisite!
Tomorrow we take the long "crop tour" to Grand Rapids to spend an afternoon with my family.  We are going to eat all your typical 4th of July picnic food in the comfort of their air-conditioning.  Then we are going to try to make it back to catch some July 3rd fireworks in the evening with some friends and family from this neck of the woods.
I hope you have a safe and happy Independence Day.

Creative Juices

It amazes me what a few vacation days can do for my spirit.  I feel bursting at the seams with creativity right now but I'm not sure where to direct this creative energy.  It all started with a visit from my mother. We both needed some down time -- some girl time -- some anything-but-the-same-old-thing time.  On Wednesday our first stop was to a book store.  I found a publication called "Artful Blogging" which is giving me some inspiration (the photographs in it are lovely).  Mom got "Where Women Create" which showcases artists' studios.
We then went shopping in Frankenmuth.  We visited Those Nature People -- a wonderful smelling shop full of lotions, soap, oils, teas and spices, etc.  I found an oil blend to help me deal with my daily headaches that I get at work.  I also found more inspiration to get back into blending essential oils and making bath products.  It is something that I used to do, but have neglected for a long time.  Perhaps it is time to revive some of my forgotten interests and see where they take me.
We went to my mother's favorite shop -- Rapunzel's.  They have lovely home decor items, jewelry from local artisans, clothing and hats, and yarns/patterns for knitting and crochet.  She found a blouse and earrings for herself and I found a funky, eclectic purse which she ended up getting for me for my birthday (thanks again Mom).  I debated for a long time about whether I wanted it or not.  The purse is bright and has a variety of fabrics and textures.  It has some spirals, peace signs and some ॐ symbols (Om).  The purse resonates with me, but still I hesitated.  Mom said I needed to express my creative side more and I realized she is correct.  I have been becoming dull -- I need to liven things up in my world and get out of this rut that I am in.  Due to the nature of the internet (open to everyone and permanently out there) I cannot really go into my dreams and schemes that I am thinking in my head.  Let's just say that I am working toward de-rutting myself.
On Thursday, Mom and I enjoyed good conversation over coffee and a muffin at the Harvest Coffeehouse and Beanery.  More ideas swirled in my head.  Finally we went to Healthy Habitz -- my local health food store.  It turns out that they are opening a new space for a wellness center.  I am considering returning to doing some Reflexology on the side and that space is available to be rented for sessions.  Just one more idea to toss around for a while.
Eventually Mom had to go back home.  I still had a couple of days left of vacation and a husband willing to take me anywhere I wanted for my birthday.  Friday we went out to lunch together but I could find little energy for much else.  I think my body was trying to catch up for a lack of sleep from the long hours I've been pulling lately.  It was nice to take a day to just relax -- I even took a nap in the middle of the day.  I pulled some old photographs out and scanned them and posted some of them on facebook for friends to look through.  Yesterday, I worked outside.  I planted two blueberries, one raspberry, one blackberry, six sand cherry, two elderberry and one mulberry tree.  My knee is a bit sore from all that shoveling, but I'm feeling accomplished.  Charlie made a platform for the chicken coop to keep the chickens elevated above the wet floor (I think I mentioned that we regretted not having done this in the first place).
Today we are going to go out and enjoy the lovely weather after I finish this post.  First, I felt like using a bit of my rediscovered creativity to produce some art.  The photograph above was an image I made of some wildflowers and foliage I found in our yard.  I cut the flowers and arranged them in a small vase -- and I was pretty proud of how the arrangement turned out.  I used to arrange flowers in a previous job, another art that I would like to delve into again.  Anyway, I added some texture to the photo and de-saturated the color a bit.  I'm pretty happy with the result.  I am open to any and all critique of the photos.  I have been considering printing some of my images and matting them to sell.  Please let me know what you think.

Thank you for listening to my ramblings today as I strive to store up some of the "juices" that are flowing through my blood right now (to save for days of drought to come).

Nelson Sprinkler

Last year my sprinkler was broken accidently when my friends' kids were playing with it.  One of the kids stepped on the part that moved and that was the end.  This year I found a product that replaced the old sprinkler and will certainly outlast any other sprinkler in the store.  It is a Nelson Sprinkler.

It doesn't have any moving parts, so it cannot break.  It sprays a nice large square pattern (they also have circular ones) and it is easy to move around the garden.  The sprinkler was only around $5.00 and I figure it will last forever.  What a deal!

I highly recommend these sprinklers.  Finally, a quality product for an affordable price.  I wish everything was this easy.

Mobile Chicken Coop and Garden Update

Two weekends ago we finally got around to making a more suitable summer home for the chickens.  The chicks were quickly outgrowing the brooder box they were staying in and we had to pull something together soon.  Charlie and I went to buy lumber and wire mesh, then recruited Charlie's father to help out.  That weekend we got a basic frame and the walls for the coop put together, but we ran out of time.  Charlie had to go out on the road for work and the chickens would have to wait another week.

Last weekend, we recruited Charlie's father and nephew to help finish up the project.  I mostly just painted the coop and helped attach the wire mesh and then stayed out of the way for the rest of the time (I supervised and worked in my garden).

The guys did a really nice job on the coop.  We didn't have any coop plans, they just started building it.  I think the only thing we regret is that we didn't make the floor of the coop raised off the ground.  We are worried that the wood will get soggy when it rains.  Other than that, it came together quite nice.  We extended the mesh on the floor of the coop, but not all the way in.  I wanted the chickens to have some room to scratch around without wire under foot.  Hopefully it is still enough mesh to keep predators out of the pen.  

The guys made sure that the coop is as secure as possible.  It has two doors that I can open to get to the food and waterer.  In the photo below, we used a large rock to keep the pen door closed for the last week.  This weekend, Charlie added latches to that door too so I don't have to keep moving that rock.  We have padlocks on all the latches.  Predators are going to have to really work hard to get into this coop.

We moved the ladies into the pen last Sunday night and they were a bit scared at first.  By morning, they were exploring the pen and enjoying the feeling of grass under their feet for the first time.  They love eating the bugs and grass and are thriving with all the extra space.  

My garden seems to be doing well this year, but it feels like it should be progressing faster than it is.  We are already one month past the last frost date and the only thing that I have been able to harvest are a few peas, some lettuce and some radishes.  I guess I got a bit of a late start on getting everything into the ground.  I have been doing pretty good at keeping the weeds picked out of the garden -- so far.  

The item that seems to be doing the best of all my plants so far is an heirloom pumpkin plant.  I had bought an heirloom pie pumpkin at a farm stand last year and saved the seeds instead of roasting them.  The pumpkin cost me less than a packet of seeds would have cost.  

I've also spent a good amount of time weeding my asparagus beds and adding more soil to them.  Last year the weeds took over the bed and I was worried I'd never get it under control.  Well, it is under control for now.  I'm hoping the asparagus will be strong enough next year to choke out any weeds that try to intrude.

Here is a photo of some radishes that I harvested yesterday.  This variety is English Breakfast.  I love the coloring on this variety.
I should get going for now -- I've got house cleaning to do and I need to feed and water the chickens.  I have to work Monday and Tuesday (23 hours between both days) then I have the rest of the week off.  It is my birthday next week and I am treating myself to some time off of work.