Hello, friends. Last week, we enjoyed our last eggplants in an eggplant crumble, the first winter salad of the season, and sweet potatoes for a dinner. Having a meal with almost every ingredient grown here is satisfying. Our hens have gone on strike. For weeks now, we've been getting zero to two eggs a day from 13 hens, most days one lone egg. Some of the hens are older, some are molting, but many aren't, so I suppose it's just the change in light. They are definitely not earning their keep at the moment. When I went to pick some winter greens for them, I noticed some of our garlic had been dug up. We're guessing it's just like the artichokes planted in the summer, they're after what's in the planting hole with the bulbs, this time bone meal, blood meal and fish emulsion. As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, it's always something. I covered them back up, and will hope for the best.
Laundry was all hung on the line. I swapped all my summer clothes for winter clothes, and boxed them up. After an appointment, I went by Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Making a few changes to my diet, I mainly went in search of organic produce, and non-caffeinated teas. I didn't find any excellent deals, but did get cabbage for .99/#, which is the cheapest I've seen lately. I was happy to find the $3.99 wine still at Trader Joe's, so bought more of that. Woman can not live by vegetables alone :o). A little splurge was a package of maitake mushrooms at Whole Foods for $3.99. I'd read of them, but never had them. Sauteed in butter and salt, they were delicious. Mushrooms are something I've seen mentioned a number of times recently as having many health benefits, and they're certainly a pleasure to eat. I requested and picked up two books at the library, both Newbery medal books. I'm slowly trying to make my way through the list, reading ones that are of interest.
There are still a few butterflies and bees on the butterfly bushes. I'm taking advantage of the cooler temps, and petting the bumblebees :o). We're enjoying the late planted cucumbers in salads along with recanned black olives, and bought items. I made a batch of Thousand Island dressing as well. For a couple of years, I'd wanted to go to the annual Hart Square Festival. My sweet husband gave me that as a birthday gift this year, and we headed there this Saturday. There were over 100 log structures, so we did not see everything, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Friends met us there, and we enjoyed spending the day with them. There were lots of old time skills being demonstrated, including butter churning, apple butter making, a forge, cotton ginning and baling, spinning, weaving, flax being turned into linen, soap making and more. Late afternoon, we all went to a nearby Apple Festival, then J & I headed to a nearby B&B. It was a wonderful though quick getaway.
On the way back home on Sunday, we stopped at a discount store called Ollie's. I had hoped to find a pair of muck boots and tins of olive oil, but it wasn't to be. We did find a few things, including our holiday cards and organic tomatoes @ 28 oz/.99, so it was worth checking it out. When we got home and had a bite to eat, it was back to work. Well, the pups let me know the first order of business was a walk. Once that was accomplished, I gathered greens for the chickens, picked the few things remaining in the garden, and unpacked, while J worked on several orders we got in our online shop.
I haven't spoke of it recently, but I did decide to let my hair grow out. It's been a couple months or so, and you can see it's quickly turning white. I wondered at first if I should get some highlights to try and blend it, but as obvious as it is already, I don't see that helping to hide the fact that it's growing out. I will just be real, and may cut it a bit shorter to get rid of the brown at some point. This too shall pass. I hope the week ahead will be a good one for you.
10 comments:
what a fun trip. You look fabulous, I love your new look!
It was great fun. I'd definitely go again. Thank you!
I love living history events. I'm sure it was a blast!
It is a good feeling to know you've grown most of what you are eating at any meal. I love it when that happens. There were a few times, when we were on the old place, that we did meals entirely from what we grew, including meat, as my husband did pork, chickens and turkey there. It was fun, but we can still grow quite a bit here, just not animals.
It was a blast, Becky. There's nothing like home grown food.
The quilt in the picture was beautiful. I wish I could get up close and see the stitches. I bet they were tiny and all perfectly straight.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
I got a closer look at another one, Jeannie, which was stitched beautifully. The group was waiting on me with this one, so I didn't linger.
How could you not linger when there is a handmade quilt to gawk at?
I was once at an upscale museum that was featuring antique handmade quilts. I leaned forward with my reading glasses to get a good look at the tiny stitches and my breath set off the burglar alarm. I didn't know I had caused the commotion behind me because I was busy looking at the quilt. The guard asked me to either backup or stop breathing. I backed up.
Jeannie@GetMetoTheCountry
Ha! That's a great story!
Just keep growing it Laurie! I went 'natural' about two years ago and it took a little while to grow out the brown I was using. I have silver at my temples but my hair is more salt and pepper, black and white, but the brown was still very noticeable as it was growing. I would say even with me keeping my hair short, it took a good six months to grow out/clip all the color. But I find I'm much more comfortable in my salt and pepper hair than I ever was with it brown.
I appreciate the encouragement, Terri. There is some pepper in it, and the nape of my neck still looks mostly brown, but it's mostly white. It's been 15 years since I've been naturally gray, so it will be interesting to see if much has changed, other than now I've got wrinkles to go along with it :o).
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