Chicks, Cool finds and Artichokes

  The chicks are now a few weeks old and growing some serious feathers. I've made their brood box bigger so they can run and jump and flap their wings.   I supplement their medicated chick starter crumbles with chopped up parsley and spinach and crushed hard boiled egg - they love the yoke in particular.  One of them has developed a scissor beak and I'm not sure she'll make it.  When chicks hatch out of the egg they protect their head and beak with one wing over it as they claw/peck their way through - When they fail to do that they can develop an injury to the beak that becomes more evident as they mature - which is what's happening with Cersei. Some live with the condition, some don't.  She is the one on the bottom left corner - if you look closely at her beak, you'll see the misalignment. 

*pardon the font issues in this post - blogger will not let me correct it for whatever the reasons.  Oh how I'd love to transfer my blog to my own platform, but found the road to doing it is complicated. Very.   

     Meanwhile.. out at the coop - the girls are getting out to free range more often now that the weather has improved, and they're loving it.  Ruby is my friendliest hen... 

     Their favorite places to hang out around the yard are under the big pine tree at the front of the garage and the side of the garage where the dust baths are divine and the worm scratching prolific.  Hence all the mulch in disarray. 

  I've been doing some Spring cleaning here at the farmstead, tackling a clutter issue I've been ignoring but annoyed by for some time.  The big window in the keeping room area that the dogs sleep under has housed my plants on a table for a while now. The problem is it blocked the light/cluttered the view, just looked like an afterthought.   Two days ago I came across a very old plant stand in an inexpensive antique store and had an aha! moment.

Before... 

After..... 

 The plants are now on the stand on the other side of the bar divider, in the dining table area.   They'll  get the same light, so I'm hopeful they will be happy there.  I do need to raise my stained glass creation, but it's a heavy piece and will need one of the menfolk to get the job done without smashing it. 

 This recipe has been circulating facebook, and I'm definitely going to try this as a seaside supper at the cottage. Looks delish! 

Stuffed Artichoke bottoms with lemon and shrimp

Servings: six as a first course; two as main course.

These stuffed artichoke bottoms are impressive appetizers but also make an elegant main course for two.

Ingredients

For the breadcrumbs

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups coarse day-old breadcrumbs

For the artichokes and shrimp

• Kosher salt
• 6 large artichokes, trimmed down to bottoms 
• 3/4 lb. medium (51 to 60 per lb.) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Make the breadcrumbs

• Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. (The crumbs may be made up to 1 day ahead; cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Prepare the artichokes and shrimp

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
  In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt, drop the artichokes in, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Spread out on a clean cloth to cool and dry.
  Heat a 10- to 11-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Working in two batches, sear the shrimp in the hot pan, turning once, until lightly browned on the edges and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer each batch of shrimp to a medium bowl.
  In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is just starting to foam, add 2 Tbs. of the chopped parsley.Let the parsley sizzle in the butter for 1 or 2 minutes and then whisk in the lemon juice. Add the butter mixture to the bowl with the shrimp and toss.
  Oil an 8×10-inch baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil and arrange the artichoke bottoms stem side down in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pile 5 to 6 shrimp in the center of each artichoke bottom, including some but not all of the butter. Top with the breadcrumbs and drizzle the remaining butter and the shrimp juices over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

One last thing before you go - I laughed out loud when I saw this one.. 

Till soon - 

Karen🐤🐣 

The Girlz and a remarkable story

  Great news - day 2 and not a chick has been lost.  I've named them... Arya, Sansa, Summer, Snow, Khaleesi and Cersei  (there's one in every flock) -   They're perky and chirpy and hungry and pooping an awful lot.  Occasionally they flutter/fly/sprint across the Christmas Tree Box they currently call home - all good signs for healthy chicks. 

     Cersei in my hands here is the loudest, with a wicked chirp and bossy attitude already. I hope she isn't a he. 

     Pardon my allergy eyes - the past few weeks have been the worst my allergies have ever been, and the meds make me feel worse, so I'm winging it without.  Bleh.  Makes me look ancient and feel ancient.  Any allergy sufferers out there have tips on what helps?  I'm allergic to grass, pollen, mold, dust - and I live on a horse farm with hay fields in an old house with beams that are dusty - hahahahahaha.... it's funny if it weren't so.. itchy. 

Today  the sun is bright but the air still chilled... 

   It's the kind of day where the dogs go out but come back in quickly enough because WIND!   After a quick squirrel hunt they much prefer their sun spots in the family room. 

   I let the grown-up girls free roam for most of today, and just brought them back to the coop before the hawks start circling the fields again.   They love to eat all the seed the birds and squirrels drop from the feeder... 

 When it's time to bring them in, all I need to do is shake a can of cheerios or corn.. with my high annoying Here Chick Chicks voice -  , ... and they come running. 

   If you've pondered having chickens in your backyard or farm, I haven't yet met a person who dared to take it on and then regretted it.  They are truly delightful to have around, and the work is minimal compared to other farm animals.  There is the responsibility, of course, and you need to know how to properly care for them - many books on the subject - but it's relatively easy and you don't need a lot of space as long as they have the right living quarters and you feed and clean properly.  The fresh eggs are divine. 

 Are you a reader?  My mother gave me a great book for my birthday - a true story about a remarkable young woman, her memoir-  a link to a review of it HERE.   You won't want to put it down until you're through it. 

     

Till soon, friends -  

Chick Day

  All around this area at this time of year are the ads for feed stores and especially Tractor Supply announcing their Chick Days.  I had written a post a while back describing my plans to build a bigger coop this Spring and I even ordered 16 new chicks of different varieties to raise and increase my current flock of 14 aging chickens.  Well - the boyz got busy doing other things, work related things that actually pay the bills,  and so we decided to hold off a year or two on the new coop. I cancelled my  chick order with Cackle Hatchery, a  little bummed, because I had picked out some beautiful breeds.

    So... I've had to go in to Tractor Supply several times in recent weeks, and each time I stared at the chicks and ducklings and almost grabbed _just a few_, but talked myself out of it because raising chicks is work, and I'd have to create another brooder on the porch, and do I need more chores right now and especially without a bigger coop? The answer is no.. .so.... I was pretty proud of my restraint.

   Yesterday on the way home from checking on our little cottage by the sea,  the husband said "Let's stop in Agway and get some of that dried cow manure fertilizer for the vegetable garden". 

  I'm thinking that's safe, they don't sell chicks there, right?  

Wrong. 

     Frasier's wondering why mama won't let him sample the chicken nuggets out on the porch.

    I even left the store chick-less with the Mr... came home and thought on it for about 30 seconds more.  Then just for the heck of it  I browsed the basement to see if there were any big boxes down there that would suffice as a brooder for the time being.  The Christmas Tree Box was sitting empty, because once you pull a fake tree out of it's box, it isn't ever going back in there the way it came out. So... I took it as a sign.    Of stupidity? Possibly.  But here we are, regardless. 

   Last night two of the chicks looked a little wobbly - they go through a heck of a lot to get to the feedstore at just a day old.. and then to their new home.  I'm happy to report this morning all six look perky.   These are what I brought home.. 

2 Light Brahmas... 

2 easter eggers - which can come in any color at all, so those

will be revealed as they feather out. 

 One Buff Orpington

 And one New Hampshire Red

  Not as exotic or as large an order as my original order from Cackle Hatchery, but still good egg layers, hearty breeds, a nice edition to my flock. 

 Happy Spring! 

   

Fresh Air

       While it's still definitely winter 'round these parts, and I'm about to trudge out into my "morning commute" in hat gloves, two jackets and boots to prove it,  I've been freshening things up inside Gracie (this old house). I asked my mom yesterday whether it was too soon to put out the Spring Things - and she said "no, I've put away winter already, it gets old, dull".  

     

       So I did just that - and  then drove to the nearest crafts store - which is Joann's Fabrics.  Their Spring Things are already 40-50 percent off, so I decided to make a few wreaths for the front double door, and I scored a few ready-made wreaths for my mom and I, too.  (Because MOMs... you only get one, and mine is my very best friend).  

 I'll share the finished product when done. 

My ready-wreath find... 

 Last week we repainted the bedroom -  it used to be a celery green.

Now, what Benjamin Moore calls Cake Batter, a soft buttery off white. 

I replaced the bedding too - going for a very neutral look

Belgian Flax Linens - a combo from Pottery Barn and Pine Cone Hill

The lamps replaced a few we've had for many years,

now living in the dining room.

Hard to see in this photo, but they are glass wrapped in a light

 black chicken wire.  Inexpensive finds at HomeGoods, 

and I love them. 

The drapes - Restoration Hardware - also belgian linen, lined, 

Keep heat in and cold out,  but they

do let some light in, which is what I was looking for. 

They are an investment, I usually go with cheap curtains,

but they'll last if cared for properly. 

 Frasier approves. 

 The painting above the bed I found last week browsing a nearby antiques mall. 

It is an original painting by  Robert C. Benham...

a New England artist in the early to mid 1900's. 

His paintings usually go for around $300-$400 if you find one,

and this was leaning against other stuff on the floor, dirty, with a chippy frame.

I love chippy frames - and the grime comes off with a good

careful  wiping down... 

So I offered $170, and the offer was accepted. 

These bits of paper are taped on the back. 

The painting depicts

"Trail to Burnt Head"  - which is located in Maine. 

      So, while Gracie is sporting a little Spring Bling inside... outside is quite a different story...  The view out my kitchen sliders below.... 

        And if you peer out my kitchen sink window,  my favorite doves are giving me that look -  "What's wrong with this picture, Karen.  Seed's awful low". 

Notice the maple syrup collecting bag and buckets are empty right now... in order for sap to run, we must have cold temps over night, warming up during the day. If  temps remain cold, the sap remains dormant. 

So up to the barn I go, to tend these family members...

Coady is sporting new shoes -  his soft ride gel boots, which

help him  be more comfortable with a condition he's had for years -

 Cushings Disease with a side of laminitis flare up caused by it. 

   The girls hunting for tidbits in a fresh little hay pile. 

 Just one more thing... 

Have you seen the movie - A Star is Born - with Bradley Cooper and Lada Gaga yet? If not, you must -  WOW, do they have chemistry and talent.  And I'll warn you - it is indeed a tear jerker.  When she first made the scene, I didn't like her.  Meat dresses?  Condom costumes?  But.. as she grew into who we came to know, she is truly a decent, caring, honest soul, a real talent on multiple levels.  She's a song writer, a singer, a philanthropist, she's an encourager, not a breaker-down. (those are real words here anyway...lol).  

Wishing you all a good day - 

and thank you for stopping by 

Sugar & Rainbows

  Specifically - Sugar water - from This Old House's ancient maples.

   Our good friend, Tim, has been on a quest in recent years - He learned and honed the art of Maple Syruping here in New England and put forth a community campaign to raise funds and build a Sugar House at Parmelee Farm, a town owned community gathering place rebuild after abandonment by local volunteers and businesses.   This is also were myself and my market partner hold our annual Artisan Market. 

 Drilling a hole for the tap 

     The Sugar House has just been completed and Tim plans to teach the art of maple syruping along with a handful of other volunteers of the farm.  Residents will eventually  join in the fun by collecting sap from their own maples to  add to the many many gallons of sap used to make that beautiful golden syrup.  

   Funny thing - my husband loves the idea of the wholesome manufacture of the stuff - but Aunt Jemima forever holds a place in his heart, and on his pancakes.   I'm a purist - I love the real deal. Below is a label we created with the new Sugar House on it, and the real deal in the bottle. 

    We've got a few trees tapped here at the farm.  One of my morning chores is to check the bags to see if they need emptying into the white buckets, which Tim will pick up to contribute to the stash at Parmelee Farm.  When the sap is running, and there are specific weather conditions that make this happen - it's a steady drip drip drip. a bag can fill in a day. 

   If you look real close in the picture below, you'll see my chickens in the background.  The Polar Vortex lasted only a few days, thankfully - and we've seen temps in the 40's since.  So, when we're out working around the property, I let the girls roam. 

    The free range is healthy for them - bugs, grasses, all contribute to a balanced diet for the hens, mentally and physically.  The downside is we have plenty of predators such as coyotes, fox and hawks, so I have to be careful. 

     The accumulation of maple sap water  looks like this  at about 1/2 day.  and each tree can have several taps - it's amazing how much sap runs through a tree.  Also - and what's important to me - is tapping those trees does not harm them. 

    

    Yesterday morning at this time, the frost made a beautiful blanket across every outdoor surface - 

     This morning, currently  outside my office door and looking out to the road,  the warmer air has created fog, which  is beginning to lift as the sun struggles to break through.   

      It's time for me to get out there and check the  sugar water bags and feed the horses and chickens and do coop and stall clean up.  I was told putting some of that maple water in coffee is a delicious treat - I'll give it a go and let you know.

****  Update - I just returned from morning chores and wanted to share a few things...

The overnight collection of sap, poured from the bags into this bucket. It's clear, with a texture of water, taste like water with a hint of maple sugar.

The girls don't lay as often in winter, so we're lucky if we receive a few gifts each morning.  This is today's gift.. 

    And no sooner had I turned from the chicken coop to head up to the barn to feed, when I saw this...

   A rainbow... that begins on the left, right at the point mid-barn where Opie's stall is located... and he's buried directly underneath the arc of the rainbow.  I choose to believe he's sent me a sign this morning, that all is well and he is at peace.   I don't know what becomes of a soul once we depart this life, and I'm surely not religious in the traditional sense of the word.  That being said, we are clearly more than the sum of our parts, because we think and feel and reason.  So I'll continue to hope that when my time comes, I will reunite with those who passed before me - my relatives, my friends, and especially the animals I have loved - my dogs, my horses, even Henrietta the chicken.

     Till soon, friends -