Touring France

I have so many photos of my Paris trip that I haven't shared, so I thought I'd show some from our foray to the Loire Valley.  I loved it.  Wish we could have spent more than a day there.  It is located two hours from Paris.  We visited Chambord and Chartres.  I can't remember what is what so I'll just let you enjoy.  

Da Vinci himself designed this staircase.  After we left, I found out he lived his final years around here and is buried somewhere nearby.  I would have dearly loved to visit his grave site.

Some of the household accoutrement.

I loved the quaint villages.  I was surprised that the local roads were only one lane, though I don't remember meeting other cars.  Some of the towns were quite small.  We'd be driving along, and look through an allee of tree and there would be a huge, gorgeous chateau.

The bedrooms at Chambord were still decorated beautifully.  This was the bedroom of Louis XIV.

This tapestry, one of many, was huge.

Don't ask me, I wasn't driving.

Of course, the crazy bird lady of Peaceable Hill Farm was too busy feeding the birds to fully drink in the views.

A statue of the lady of the house and her shoes (and I didn't say this, but they were pretty big for the time period).  More to come.

Different Strokes

Well, I thought I'd seen it all.  Do you love to scroll around on other's blogs to see what blogs they follow?  Your interests change, or you're following too many of the same kind of blogs and you look for other interesting posts.  So what did I come across today?  Pubic hair art and jewelry.  Since I live on a farm, I've seen it all, but that was gross.  I didn't want to post a picture of it, nor ask permission to post it, so I'll tell this story of some of my art instead.

I made a paper mache dachshund and titled it Picasso Can't Have A Dog.  Without going into much detail or psychoanalyzing it, I wrote about it in a stream of consciousness circle above its shoulder (Picasso can't have a dog, no Siddhartha he; manipulator, manipulated...) it goes.  Bigger than life-sized, I made the tail so that it wiggles in a breeze.  Funny thing is, when I finished it, a new book came out about Picasso and his beloved dachshund, a picture of the two of them on the cover.

  I later decided to paint another weenie in the same vein, titled Rollin' In Stink.  From a white whale, a clock, buildings, to a goldfish blowing bubbles, there are many different images on each piece.

Pubic hair art or modern art...  I did paint a portrait of Picasso under the tail of the paper mache piece. 

So, different strokes for different folks, as they say, but I want to see someone wearing that necklace, or maybe I don't.

Remember Me

Down a nearby country road is an old cemetery; once overgrown and nearly forgotten, it is now kept up.  Supposedly, it is an old Indian burial ground.  Many of the graves there are unmarked or have no engraved headstones.   I also noticed quite a few spots where children rest. A stone marks this child's passing. Snoopy and Woodstock watch over the little one.

Postscript ~ Next to this little grave was a tiny bulb lying on top of the ground and I put it in my pocket.  When I got home, I poked a hole in my flower bed and planted it.  Turns out, it was a wild jonquil that grows around here and is the first thing to come up in the spring. My flower bed is now full of them.

Our Home In The Sky

This is a reprint from summer 2010.

My son called me today and told me that a UFO was reported last night over Beggs, a town about 60 miles away. He also believes in bigfoot. I try not to feed that beast, but UFO's? Possible. I'll go along with that. I would dearly love to see one. Remember what Muldar said on the X Files (I do so miss that show), "the truth is out there." Anyway, my weenies and I went out around midnight, to the darkest part of our field and waited. It was light enough to see my hand as the moon was a waxing gibbous at 77% full. Except for the bugs trilling and crickets clicking and a few bird songs, we waited quietly, listening for an odd sound or footfall. That is until a bunch of coyotes came close, howling and yipping. I was beginning to get nervous as they were coming our way, but they veered off across the field away from us. Thank goodness as I would hate having to chase and/or fight a coyote with one of my weenies in his mouth, let alone, in the dark. An owl hooted to another close by. I turned halfway around and startled as a large black form moved slightly a few feet away. It was a red cedar tree. There were glowing lights beyond some trees; I wondered if it might be a large UFO coming over the treetops, but it was only the far off lights from a town. I turned back around and jumped again at the dark form, aka cedar tree. We have had black bears in our area migrating from Arkansas. I'm quite sure I could give the bear a good run for its money on the 4 wheeler. Same for the feral hogs. So, after some time, no old Indian ghosts nor Cherokee shapeshifters appeared. Neither did panthers, feral hogs, coyotes, bears, snakes, coons, skunks or bobcats. No, not even a UFO. The thing that finally ran me off? It was the lowly mosquito.

PS ~ The picture above is the Milky Way - I think the pic is from NASA, but I can't remember now.  Our solar system sits at the edge of the Milky Way. I can see it on really dark nights.  Jupiter was visible tonight and extremely bright. It won't be this bright again until 2022. Look east after sunset and it will rise high in the sky by midnight. It will be the brightest light in the sky next to the moon.

Salt Of The Earth

After a huge storm knocked over one of my lemon trees, I decided to use a green Ponderosa lemon to make a citrus salt.  

I zested said lemon for one tablespoon and combined it with 1/2 cup of flaked sea salt, rubbing the two together to mix well.

I spread the mixture in a line across a parchment covered baking sheet and left it in a 225 degree oven for one hour.  After it cooled, I put it in a salt cellar and can't wait to try it on something.

FYI ~ Did you know salt has been harvested for 8000 years?  Animals and humans would die without it (and/or die from too much of it).  Wars have been fought over salt.  Egyptians burials contained salt.  In 1930, Gandhi led 100,000 people in a march to make their own salt, which was illegal under British rule.  This act of civil disobedience avoided the salt tax and changed the course of history.  And, salt of the earth comes from the book of Matthew in the Christian Bible, from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Just a few salt factoids.

Container Gardening

It happens to the best of us.  When we can no longer squat and bend over to toil in our gardens and refuse to crawl or scoot around on our behinds, we think of other ways to garden.  This summer, I have decided to try some crops in containers; old containers I have piled up around the farm. I don't even remember where they came from. Recycle? Reuse?  Repurpose? All good. 

Used this old enamel cook pot for carrots, and yes, I over-planted as I have done for thirty years (I told you I never learn).

Since I seem to have problems with slugs, grasshoppers and birds, my strawberries have done well in this old enamel wash pan.  This is a french variety of fraise des bois, a wild variety that though small, are perfumed and strongly flavored.

More strawberries in an old graniteware cook pot (at least, I hope that is what it is).

Another enamel washpan with dandelion greens.  They have thrived.  Lastly, I dare not show you where my pumpkins are growing this year.  I planted them in an small plastic swimming pool used for goslings and cracked with weather and age.  Though somewhat unsightly, it is around the side of the house and not visible from the drive.  I have learned that planting plants so huge and with large root systems isn't the best for this little pool container, as I have to water it daily since the roots take up so much water and it is hotter than hell here. I will be trying some fall plantings in containers soon.  It will take me a while to figure out the differences in planting ground versus containers.  My lasagna garden did better than any garden I've tried, though I learned it also has to be watered frequently since it is raised above ground level.

Fermentation Bandwagon

I have been canning and putting up my garden bounty of late; I'm getting burned out.  But, I am beginning to learn about fermentation, and want to try it out.  I was going to begin with kimchi, but these cayenne peppers fell off the plant early and I decided to go with pepper sauce.  

What is fermentation?  Think probiotics.  Good for your gut health.  Supposedly, there are numerous health benefits from fermented foods, which is basically food left in a slurry of live bio-cultures and a lactobacterial-salt slurry of microorganisms. For thousands of years, humankind has preserved food thusly; think wine, milk, bread, soy sauce, kimchi...  Food wasn't pasteurized or refrigerated like today's food.  I do draw the line at rotting fish and/or birds buried underground to ferment. 

Did you know cocoa beans must first be fermented in the production of chocolate?  I have to let these peppers ferment for two weeks, then place them in a blender, and voila, pepper sauce.  I'll let you know how they turn out.  Fermentation - it's the new/old thing in food.

One In A Million

I love reading blogs, but once in a while, I find one that is jaw-dropping.  I just have to share it with you.  This blog, by Ivan Day, has to be one of the top blogs ever written.  Encyclopedic in his knowledge of the history of food etc., he makes the most incredible food I have ever seen.  I have accused him of being a supernatural being, but he cops to being a mere mortal like the rest of us.  Nevertheless, I'm certain he must work at Buckingham Palace for the Queen.  I love this blog and hope you will too.  This is a jelly using one of Ivan's macedoine molds.

Another macedoine jelly. Does food come any more beautiful than this?

And this pineapple flummery was made by Ivan in a 1790's Wedgewood mold.  Have a look at Ivan's blog, Food History Jottings.  It is incredible and I am so glad to have found it (and thank you Ivan for letting me show some of your pics and post about your blog).

NEST

Perhaps a cuckoo's nest?  Supposedly, Native Americans learned basketry from watching birds make their nests.  It was interesting to make while waiting for my crops to bear and reading GONE GIRL.  Summer fun.

While My Ukulele Gently Weeps

The old saw is true - you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  

I was wondering what I could do to learn something new, maybe grow a few brain cells and synapses too.  So, I got a ukulele for Mother's Day.  

Now, I can barely walk and talk at the same time, much less do twenty things at once.  I can read music and play the piano poorly, but when you play the key of C on the piano, you hit C.  On the ukulele, you play the chord of C on the A string.  WTF?  For the chords on the ukulele, your fingers on your left hand are all over the place (and rapidly) while your right hand is strumming at different tempos, up and down or down down up, etc. Are you kidding me?  My eyes can't look in two separate directions, they move in tandem, so how are my hands supposed to be doing completely separate things at the same time?  It is not possible - or at least for an older, already hard-wired brain - and to top it off, I'm supposed to sing too? Frustration would be an understatement.  I might just as well walk around the farm backwards for a while. At least that would be easier than trying to play this damnable ukulele.

I know I won't play like Pat Metheny or Joni Mitchell, but I am bound and determined to play happy birthday for my husband in July.  I wish you could see me playing along on youtube.  This old dog is a glutton for punishment - never learns her lessons.  Grrr...

Slow Love Life: Thank you to Mark Bittman

Slow Love Life: Thank you to Mark Bittman: Thrilled to tell you all that the esteemed Mark Bittman has written about our campaign to get mercury out of our food! Please sign our c...

Gather together, all of you that care what your children and grand children are breathing and eating.  Sometimes we have to take a stand - and that is what Dominique Browning did when she created MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE. Dominique, famous for being, among other things, a magazine editor, has gone that extra mile to stand up to the companies (and politicians) trying to relax the rules for the amount of mercury released into the environment.  The NY Times article explains it far better than I ever could.  One voice may not be heard, but many can move mountains.  Thank you Dominique.

Clover Ice Cream

Over the holiday weekend, my grandaughter, Isobel, and I picked white clover and made home-made ice cream with it.  It was delicious and tasted of summer.  

We added about a cup of the chopped clover to milk and cream and let it sit for several hours, then strained it.  It did have tiny flecks of clover in it, but I didn't care.

I did not want it flavored too strongly, so instead of vanilla, I flavored it with apple juice and a ribbon of honey. Since I rarely measure anything, if you want the recipe, I will put it to paper.  Isobel and I thought it was superb (my husband said it tasted like grass), but it was sweet summer at its finest.

PS - I researched white clover to make sure it wasn't toxic and found out that it is full of protein.  Who knew?

Woulda, Coulda, Didn't

Three stores I need to stay out of - Saks, Williams Sonoma and Restoration Hardware.  I mulled over this white Alexander McQueen bag recently.  Woulda, cause I really loved it.

Coulda, as this black one would have been more practical.  

Would never, but this little McQueen lizard number was cute, though it wouldn't have been with the dirt from my garden showing under my fingernails.  My chickens would have loved pecking the bling.  I do wonder though, if I purchased this and put it away unused for about ten years, if it would be worth much more.

At the end of the day, I didn't go home with one of these, but settled for a Tory Burch bag and a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses.  I'm not going back to Saks for a great long while.

Ball Canning Jars

It's the 100th anniversary of Ball and they have re-released their blue glass jars.  Just for a little while though.  Better get them if you see them, as they aren't making many.  I found mine at Target.  

Just a little factoid of Ball history.  Mr. Ball was a devout Christian and always tithed 10% of his earnings to the church.  When the great quake of San Francisco occurred in the early 1900's, everything in the city was leveled except for the Ball factory.
That bit of information came from Mr. Paul Harvey, a fellow Oklahoman, in his radio show, The Rest of the Story.

Native American Collection

I don't even know where to look for all my pics of Native American collectibles for those of you that asked to see some.  I don't think I've taken any photos of the jewelry or the totem poles or the pottery.  Type in Native American in the upper left hand corner to see other pics.  I think there are details and/or descriptions of these items.

Native American Basket

I never get rid of my Native American collectibles.  I have beaded moccasins, various beaded bags, pottery, jewelry and baskets.  This basket is a pre-1950's Choctaw basket.  The design is Jacob's Ladder.  Though the dyes have faded somewhat, at one time they were red, gold and blue.  

Dirty Bird

Look what I discovered on my patio after a spring rain.  Sure looks like a bird to me.  Maybe the fairies were playing in a puddle with dirt.  Or maybe, I need to hose off my patio.

Puppies

By now, you know of my love for animals.  My daughter posted a picture of my weenies on facebook and said that they were her sisters and "Mom loves them more."  Nevertheless,  I found this old oil painting of puppies at a flea market.  Just had to have it.

Button Up

I've been collecting buttons for many years.  Some are glass, bone, bakelite; many with beautiful designs and jewels embedded. Some are huge and some are tiny baby clothes buttons. Usually they come in glass jars with pieces of costume jewelry, hair combs, thimbles and buckles included.  So what does one do with gallons of buttons?  I don't know.  

Here are some of my favorites.  The clear bunch of cherries, an art deco era piano keys button and my fav, this large 60's button with little velvet flowers encased.

Farm Kings

I have a new favorite show called FARM KINGS.  I just discovered it last week on the GAC channel. It just makes me smile. You can see their 2012 series re-runs and a new season started last Thursday.  

The King family consists of 9 boys, one girl, and an incredible mother.  This family is really something; their mantra is lead by example.  I love them, their work ethic and the love and respect they show one another. The family works seven days a week on their Freedom Farms and anyone who gardens and/or farms, knows how hard it is and that mother nature can make or break.  And, Dan, you're an angel.

Asparagus Time

Though it is near freezing, (yesterday it was 80 degrees), with rivers of rain, hail and tornadoes, it is asparagus time again. The first vegetable to arrive in the spring,  I am plucking handfuls and faced with what to do with it all.  I have quite a lot of it left from last spring.  It's in the freezer.  But, I don't really like frozen asparagus; it is the texture I presume. Pickling it would turn it to mush like freezing.  My husband won't eat it.  So, I guess I will have to start marinating it, roasting it and eating lots of it.  That, and  giving it away to my cooking daughter.  

Oh Spring, Wherefore Art Thou?

It has been raining and cold all week.  We need the rain, but please, enough.  My apple, plum and peach trees are in bloom and trying to produce this years' fruit.  I read this week that there is a study out that says researchers are trying to figure out how peach trees count the days till spring.  My turkeys are laying and now have twelve eggs in their nest.  Come on spring! I need some sunshine.

Salted Caramel Upside Down Cake

I decided to scrounge around in the freezer and start using up last years produce.  I found some white peaches and decided to try this cake.  It was good, but I think the peaches were too soft a fruit to go into this recipe.  Next time I will try apples or fresh pineapple.  

Spring Break

Spring break has finally come and gone.  Bella came to the farm for the week.  Here she is trying to pick up one of the baby chicks we bought.  There were a couple of warm days before another winter blast.  But, we did have a blast - right through the wall and door of our garage with our ATV Ranger.  I didn't know they were that powerful.  We screamed but were unhurt.  Not so much for the garage.  

I am still trying to get the house back together and cleaned up.  My son came home from college to stay and my daughter came down with my three year old grandson.  We installed a new trampoline, our third.  The directions said it would take 45 minutes for two people to erect, yet it took us two days.  All had fun, but now, I think I need a spring break.

Tea

Just a heads up - the health experts say we should drink hibiscus tea daily.  Though hibiscus is listed as the first ingredient, it does taste of raspberry and is so good and good for you.  A win win.

Ashes and Snow

I got this dvd for Christmas.  I knew it was about interactions between humans and animals.  Performance art?  Someone's dreams?  A zen-like koan?  I don't know.  But you need to watch this.  A bit of heaven on earth.

Serendipity

I purchased this print years before I ever saw the neighbors horses much less started caring for them.  Gracie  (who wasn't even born yet) looks like the white one and Brownie has a blaze on her forehead and looks just like the brown horse. Isn't the world strange and fascinating?  Have things like this happened to you?  

Horse Slaughter

Oklahoma (and the UDSA) are getting ready to pass laws for horse slaughter.  I called my congressmen and their lame excuse was that it was humane for all the poor abandoned horses.  Horseshit!  Many stand to profit off the backs of horses or they wouldn't be doing it.  Go after the losers that have abandoned them. Nevertheless, they told me it was going to happen.  Makes me sick. Please call your state and federal legislators and tell them no.  Many voices will be heard. It is the only way we're going to stop this.  Time is of the essence.

Gracie thinks this is unconscionable too and the Humane Society agrees. The Humane Society said 90% of all horses sent to slaughter are healthy.  The ASPCA says horse slaughter is horribly cruel.