Random Scenes From Around the Farm

When you stop to think about it....





shouldnt every day be one of Thanksgiving?

The Things We Wake Up To/otherwise entitiled

The Chicken Stories continued...

I really need to get a grip and find something else to write about besides chickens.


Cows, dogs, horses, anything but chickens!

But just for one more day.......


I bring you,

yet again,

chickens!

I woke to the chub chub sound of a tractor working nearby. Early morning work. I actually like that sound and find it very soothing in a solid kind of way.

I climbed out of bed and peeked out the window to see Handsome Son mowing the pasture right in front of my house. This lets the horses have the last little bit of fresh grass and helps kill weeds.

By the time I had made a pot of coffee the sound of diesel working was over.

The tractor was parked in his front yard while he got his own cup of early morning coffee.

I leisurely made my way to the chicken coop and let the ladies out for the day.

As I walked back to my house enjoying my cuppa, Handsome Son came out of his house. We chatted for a minute and then he pointed over my shoulder and said

"Mom, look at your chicken"

I turned around to see this




I half spewed/half gulped my coffee and said "don't move! I have to get my camera!"

Moving closer....

whats that entering the cab?



While her fellow hens are content to peck around outside, she goes where no poultry has gone before!



"Hmmm, how do I fire this bad boy up?"

Next question...for all you chicken whisperers....

What am I thinking?




a) Thanksgiving is coming, I'm glad I'm not a turkey

b) Its lonely at the top

c) Hey paparazzi! Which is my best side?

The Tale Of the Painted Lady

Once upon a time...

I developed a problem severe,

how to solve it didn't seem near.

One of my many little red hens,

decided to not go into the coop at night...

again!

This is very bad, dangerous in fact,

worse case, it could mean she is someones late night snack!



I read what the chicken whisperers all had to say

"mark her at night so you'll know which one she is the next day."


So after finding her missing from the hen house once again,


I sat out to find my little red hen.



Her penchant for nesting under the stars,


turned out to be one for sleeping in cars...

So drowsy and helpless, in my garage she slept



while I with red nail polish

closely crept;




"Mark her" they had said,

so I said "OK!"

She shall be the one with red painted toes in the light of day!"

After painting her nails,

I left her to slumber.

the next day there she was...

little miss paint by number!




So now I know WHO to follow at twilight

exactly who it is that has trouble finding her way home at night.

And The Painted Lady she will be...



Its a lot better than being history.

and they lived happily ever after...

Simply Good

I love it when I can find those long slender crispy green beans at the market.

I was halfway through cooking them before it dawned on me to take a picture and post a recipe that is the ultimate in simplicity and oh so good.

To Make

wash green beans and blot them dry.

fry 3 strips of bacon till crispy and remove from skillet. IF there is more than 1 TBSP of grease remove it so you have only one TBSP of bacon drippings in your skillet. Add 1 TBSP of any high quality oil to the bacon grease (I like peanut oil as it will give you the best flavor for this dish).
Add the green beans and allow them to "fry" over a medium high heat for a full minute. This allows some browning and lets the beans get slightly caramelized. After 1 minute, gently flip the beans over and add a little salt. Continue stir frying and flipping the beans until you have a mixture of some limp and some still a bright green. This will be about 3 or 4 minutes actual time if you have your heat high enough. Throw in 2 cloves of garlic finely minced. Stir garlic through and turn off your heat. Allow beans to finish cooking without any heat - this will be enough to gently cook the garlic which is very sensitive and will burn on high heat. Taste for salt, add more if needed. Once the garlic is warm and wilted your dish is done!




Deliciously crunchy and garlicky!

Post Note: You can add the bacon you fried back in after cooking if you want. - I don't - but you can if you like!

And the Award Goes To:

everyone!

What a good week it was for the little people in my life.

First we have a "Student of the Week"



complete with candy blue lips...




Congratulations Little Miss "Student of the WEEK"!


Then there was the super great award from the teacher for being the "Apple of My Eye"

and that award goes to
drumroll please......




Big Congrats to you!

And last but certainly not least, as a matter of fact this is

H.U.G.E.


Honor Roll!




Thats right folks! Straight A's

So a BIG congratulations to 3 of the smartest and nicest people I know!

I have to say that it got VERY cold here unexpectedly and we had all planned on summer like weather and summer clothes which, as it turned out, weren't quite enough given that they love to roam and play in the wide open fields.

So we dug into my bottom drawer where I keep the kind of things you rarely need in Florida. Things like leggings and scarves and long sleeved shirts. We played dress up.

What fun!

This is also why they look like little stars from a Dickens movie.

Saying good morning to the newest member born on the farm





Hey there! Are you Grandma Moses?




Fixing the flat tire on the golf cart falls to the man of the day...




Sometimes... all you need is a helping hand,




Pashmina girl - you are SO cute!



Even more interesting close up...



Check out the hair blowing sideways



competely unaware of a zoom lens, he is peacefuland contemplative.




Hello! Can I intrude in your world for a close up with a camera?

Very aware now....
(Superman your cape is awesome)



cousins....




are forever...