7.24.2014

want/need/hear/read

want:
I don't know why I love wearing a watch so much... Christian gets annoyed because everyone has a phone in their pocket and that has the time on it, so he feels a watch is ... pointless. I think I have found the perfect one though - the time is always now... and at $25 a pop, with 50% of profits going to children in need, you can't go wrong!
need:
Although I don't have any veggies to can this year, when I DO get my garden growing at my new place, I need to try out these pretty canning jars. The lids and seals and clips are entirely reusable unlike the lids on the regular canning jars - and besides the rings rust so easily anyway. These seem like a real winner. Any readers ever used them before? Got any feedback?
hear:
I am not a huge Rolling Stones fan, but this song is one I can binge on easily - there is just something about it - it is just so beautiful... and seriously I listen to it more than a few times at once every time I play it. Give it a listen. Or two. Or three.
read:
This book was given to me by my sweet friend Paul Simpson. He is one of my best friends and I cherish this book. I don't get to see him or talk to him often, like many other faraway friends, but when we do catch up, it is like no time has passed. Friends that are like home are a rarity and I am lucky to have a handful to call my own! 




7.20.2014

Sweet Stuff Sundaaaaaaaay!


I was kind of at a loss as to what to make for today's sweet treat.... I had all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies, but wanted something a little something more special and fun...sooooooo, I decided to make ice cream sandwiches! Christian went to the corner store and bought some Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean ice cream while I whipped up some some rather large cookies for the sandwich parts.....


Ingredients for these fabulous ice cream sandwiches:
2 1/4 C unsifted GF flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C butter
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1- 10 oz. package of dark cacao chips (I used 60% cacao)
2- pints of ice cream

Preheat oven to 375...

Creamed together room temperature butter, brown sugar, and regular sugar....then after that is mixed, add your vanilla and eggs...
 Mixed together the dry ingredients (GF flour, baking soda, salt)...
 The sweet girls patiently awaited their very own little mini cookies (without the chocolate chips of course)
 ...I dumped the dry ingredients into my butter, sugar, eggs mixture.....
 and mix on low speed until eventually all is mixed in....

 ...then dump in the chocolate chips...

 I used a big spoon to measure out my cookie dough for the large cookies - I am guessing it was about 3 tablespoons... Bake just until the middles are set, 7-9 minutes, and pop the cookies into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Make sure your ice cream is very firm and cut the paper carton off and slice the ice cream and make your sandwiches!!
These were amazing!!!  I took a few to my old farm neighbors (William and Troyceanne) at the old place (they have been getting the sweet treats on Sundays since I started this segment) and they devoured one immediately! William also reminded me that his birthday was the last week in July and he really would love a chocolate on chocolate cake ;) I guess I know what I will be making for next Sunday's sweet treat!!


7.19.2014

Rainy Saturday.....

Today was supposed to be a fence/ coop day...ahhhhh... not so much. The rain lasted all day. It was the beautiful constant steady kind of rain, though. The kind that you know will make everything more lush and green. No thunder, no lightening, no heavy winds, no flooding. Just the good stuff. There was a break in the rain for a few hours and that did allow me to drive about 20 fenceposts. Baby is doing better (or maybe I am the one doing better regarding Baby's condition), and while she IS still having those nasty seizures, her last vet visit had some good news: she likely does not have a brain disease - she passed her cranial nerve testing. This cluster seizure that she has maintained for over two weeks is a bit concerning, but the vet said she wasn't in a dire state, so that made me feel better. We must trudge on.... a few meds here, some unpleasant seizures there, some good ol' fun times here, sleep, eat, and all the rest of the normal daily stuff.... here is a look at what today looked like at the farm....

...a little morning goat milk for the girls...
 ...dish soak (we decided NOT to have a dishwasher at the new house. At first I thought I would really regret this idea, but I actually don't mind doing the dishes anymore - I have a window in front of the sink and get to watch all kinds of things while doing them! I once saw a bird attacking a snake, we see deer all the time, rabbits playing in the field, and more recently I keep my eyes out for that damn skunk....so far, so good - no signs to the stinker!
 .....coffee....
 we just bought a tool box to organize all the tools. We are collecting quite a few now that we are homeowners and having to do our repairs and maintenance ourselves!
 It was sooooooo icky, so I made a pot of veggie/chicken tortilla soup.....
 ...only I cooked it too long and it was more like a heart stew.....
 ...the rain collected on this cedar tree and looked like tiny diamonds.....
 Baby was enjoying the break between showers....
 ...the dirt road was now a mud road...
 ..the field that will house the chickens and goats as soon as I can get it finished!!



 ...annnnnnnnd after all that, it was time for a goat milk snack...




 Baby's meds... too funny. She has her own account now at Walgreens.....

7.18.2014

Frugal Fashionable Friday .....

I decided to break out the ol' bespoke John Lobb boots for this one......




Dress: Vintage, thrifted, $4
Boots: Vintage Bespoke John Lobb, yard sale, $3 (worth close to $1000!)

7.17.2014

want/ need/ hear/ read

want:
Now that we are all moved and I have enjoyed a bath or two in our new (but tiny) bathtub, I want some really nice soaps. These look like they'd do the trick and make me feel pampered.....

"Made in Big Sur, these soaps are all handmade with the finest coconut and olive oils, pure essential oils, organic herbs, flowers, spices, grains, seeds, and pure spring water."
  - sold at





need:
Supposedly these do not fog up - I can hardly see in the ones I use now if it is hot out and I am sweaty! I may be investing a few bucks in these very soon!


hear:


read:
OK, so this book is not out yet, but I am excited about it's release. Poet and photographer Tyler Knott Gregson has spent the last few years sharing his daily poems and haiku, primarily online. His work has caught the attention of thousands worldwide, including the folks at Perigee Books, a division of Penguin. This September, Tyler will release his first book, a collection of poems called Chasers of the Light. For every copy pre-sold, Tyler will donate $1 to TWLOHA. I stumbled across his words via his Instagram, and have been hooked ever since. So.... you cannot actually read this book yet, but you can pre-order and support a wonderful cause. If you are not familiar with TWLOHA, it stands for "To Write Love On Her Arms". It is a non-profit organization based in Melbourne, FL aimed to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury, and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery.
Here is a snippet of some of Tyler's works: