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New food blog (well, new to me anyway….)
I've added a new link to my list of foodie blogs (which is sorely lacking, if you haven't noticed – please send me your favorites) - Once Upon A Plate.
Marisol emailed me a while back, oh I want to say a year or so, because she recognized a park that I had photographed because she grew up around here. We determined that we missed each other by a couple of years but had very similar haunts.
Well she emailed me again yesterday and said that she had started her own blog. And good lord if any of you have already clicked on the link then I've lost you forever. I spent hours pouring over it yesterday. Every time I read a new post, a new recipe I wanted to make it right then and there. Her photos are incredible and her recipes are varied and, well just go see for yourself.
I made two recipes from it last night and they both were big hits – stuffed zucchini (we normally make zucchini boats around here so we dubbed these zucchini dinghies) and her version of Ruth Chris BBQ shrimp.
I also really covet her plates. Actually she has a LOT of plates but the ones I really covet are the Rooster ones above. Available at both Neiman Marcus and Horchow (Horchow has a better price on them). Go look for her recipe for chicken pot pies and you'll see why.
Since I am suddenly enamored with all things chicken I also want this rooster egg holder (with the adorable little chicken salt shaker). Is that not the cutest thing? I can see my hardboiled eggs sitting prettily in it.
And finally – I want this milk glass covered chicken. I'm going to have to haunt the on-line auctions if I want to find one though.
Rosie
The Wine Maker's Wife
Of all weeks to leave my camera at home. Evan and I went up to the Cottage yesterday afternoon to see the chicks and the bees.
Rosie is front and center in the picture I swiped from Sara – it looks like she is having a conversation with Bella (who may have been renamed as soon as we left). Right behind Rosie is Giada and in the way back is Georgina.
They are so unbelievably soft. I held Rosie for a minute and she just blinked at me and then decided to fly away so I put her back. It was hard not to put her in my pocket and just leave.
The bees aren't so soft and cuddly but they are fascinating. The hive is up behind the cottage and as we walked closer to the hive (staying a safe 15-20 feet back) you can see the activity. I must say that it would take nerves of steel to approach any closer, even wearing a bee suit. Instinct tells you to get the heck out of there. Sara says one never approaches the front of the hive – you want to come around from the back. And of course we were all dressed in black which just annoys the heck out them and they want to express their sartorial opinion by stinging you.
I took a few additional pictures of the chicks with my cellphone and if I can figure out how to download them I'll post them.
Chickens!
I have a chicken. Or, actually, I have a chick. A little Rhode Island Red named Rosie. Rosie doesn't live with me. She is being boarded at the Cottage with three other chicks. You can see a little YouTube video of them and see her sweet little self.
I have wanted chickens for years now. Rick and I used to take a walk through our Los Altos neighborhood and there was one house that always had a few fat chickens peacefully roaming around the front yard. Nothing fenced them in and nothing appeared to bother them. They just happily spent their day picking at bugs in their pretty front yard.
Then a friend of mine was telling me about her childhood pet, a Rhode Island Red with the unfortunate moniker of Lunch. Lunch was an only chick and she dearly loved her people. She would come running as soon as any of them came into the yard and wanted to be held and petted.
She never did live up to her name, I am happy to report.
Doing a little research I've read that Rhode Island Reds are a friendly type of chicken. So when Sara said I could keep a chick at her house I knew that was the type I wanted.
I haven't seen Rosie yet but I am going to go this afternoon and nuzzle her.
Rick and I have been thinking about turning the Goat Palace into a Palais de Poulet. It would require getting rid of Josephine, William, Antoinette and poor little Delilah. When we got them we figured we would have little worker goats that would keep our property clear of brush. The only problem is they are total homebodies and will not leave their little corner of the property.
We shouldn't have made the Goat Palace so comfy. They flat out refuse to go anywhere else and they have totally denuded that one corner so we have to supplement their diet with grain and alfalfa. Which kind of defeats the purpose of having them.
We may have found someone that will take them. A couple that has ten acres, other goats, a couple of llamas and a horse. I would only feel right about getting rid of them if they were going to a better situation. One does have an obligation to ones animals, after all.
So if they do go then we'll put some nesting boxes in the Palace and put a door on it and get a half a dozen chickens. We'll eat as many eggs as we want and I have a friend that goes through 12 dozen eggs a week and I told her she could have the rest.
Or I could set up a little roadside stand and sell them.
Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration, 1940
Halloween Soiree 2008
We had our annual Halloween Soiree last night. I must say it was an exceptional party. *I* had a fabulous time, anyway – and by the looks of things so did everyone else.
The very, very, VERY best part of the night was a surprise guest. My sister Trish has a passel of kids that travel with a pack of their friends and when an unknown, masked partyer showed up with them we didn't think much of it.
Except WHO was it? The person appeared short and I assumed it was my niece Emily. But I was assured it was not. Then I figured it was just one of their friends, again – assured it was not. It was suggested I hug this person. So I hugged Edvard Munch's scream and it was a little more substantial than my niece Emily (who must weigh about 95 lbs. soaking wet).
I went in for a second hug (dearly hoping it wasn't some mortified friend of my nephew Scott's) and felt a tell-tale braid.
It was my sister Mary from Wisconsin! Secretly flown in and a surprise to everyone except my sister Trish.
The night was just fun fun fun. Lots of food, drink and laughing. Great sound track courtesy my sister Kate.
I'm the one in all the cheesy MySpace poses above (no. 2, 4, and 19) if anyone wants to know what I look like. We even had one of the Vice Presidential candidates show up, with a rolled pumpkin cake (won't tell you if that swayed my vote or not).
This is just the most fun party. Everyone is so clever with their costumes. And I am stuffed full of tootsie rolls and jalapeno poppers. The one day of the year I allow myself to eat them
