Sunday Muse

Dixon and Long families at the Cliffs; Grandma 3rd from left, back row

"The men and women and children who live in Appalachia have no sourness about them and though they are shy toward outsiders, they will wave to you if you drive by in your car whether they know your face or not.  Most would probably rather not meet anyone new, but once they are used to you, you will find them bringing you bags of tomatoes from their gardens and sometimes a cherry cobbler.  Most of them are thinkers, because these mountains inspire that, but they could never find the words to tell you of these thoughts they have.  They talk to you of their corn or their cows instead and they keep the thoughts to themselves."
-- from 'Appalachia - The Voices of Sleeping Birds' by Cynthia Rylant

{this moment}

{this moment}


A Friday ritual.
A single photo - no words - capturing a single moment from the week.
A simple, special extraordinary moment.
A moment to pause, savor and remember.
Participating with the SouleMama blog.

Fruity Goodness

It looks like this year's fruit harvest will be bountiful.  The harsh winter and lack of spring ice storms seems to have produced a bumper crop.  Everywhere you turn the trees are full of fruit.  On Sunday, we picked about 1 1/2 bushels of peaches and maybe about a peck of apples off a small new tree.  We are looking forward to frozen peaches, peach preserves, peach syrup and an apple crisp.  We are also very excited to try a new recipe "Gingered Peach and Blackberry Pandowdy" (from "Rustic Fruit Desserts") with the addition of the blackberries that Megan picked from the back forty.
Here is a recipe (from "Stocking Up III" by Carol Hupping and the staff of the Rodale Food Center) for Peach Vinegar that I love to make from the peelings and pits.  It is simple, delicious and looks beautiful in a gift bottle.

Peach Vinegar
Use peelings and pits from about 8 lbs peaches, to make this fruity vinegar.  It's lovely as a marinade for chicken, duck and pork, in salad dressings, or combined with mayonnaise and chicken for a delicious chicken salad.
Tie peelings and pits together in a double thickness of cheesecloth or in a jelly bag.  Combine with 2 cups vinegar in a medium-size stainless steel or enamel saucepan and bring to a boil slowly, then simmer gently 15 minutes.  Remove bag and let stand until cold.
Strain and pour into a hot sterilized pint bottle.  Seal.
The vinegar keeps in the refrigerator for 1 year.
Yield: 1 pint

The Turkey Family

Turkey families, turkey families... they seem to be everywhere
popping out here... popping up there... crossing the road
Then... the almost perfect picture

First Light

Just had to share more pictures of the 'First Light' of Saturday

Catching the first light of sunrise is good for the soul

Sunday Muse

"When the first light of sun, Bless you.
When the long day is done,
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears, Bless you.
Through each day of your years, Bless you.”
-- Irish Blessing

{this moment}

{this moment}

A Friday ritual.
A single photo - no words - capturing a single moment from the week.
A simple, special extraordinary moment.
A moment to pause, savor and remember.
Participating with the SouleMama blog.

C'mon Sheep

Usually when we go out to feed the lambs there is a pretty large group waiting at the gate, but there are always others that we need to find.  Starting out over the top of the field, if you look over your shoulder the scene looks like this -- much like 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', but with many lambs following -- we go to find the others.

As many shepherd/ess/s before us, we call the lambs - "C'mon Sheep!", "Sheeee-eep!", "C'mon Sheep!"  First one, and then another looks up.  "Baa, baa" the word is passed from one to another and then as if the spirit strikes them all at once... they come.

Sunday Muse

Partying in the Barnyard

The barnyard was full of Fairy Lace this morning... evidence of a well attended and much enjoyed party.  Also decorating the barnyard were many lovely spider webs glistening with diamond-like dew drops.  Apparently the spiders were invited.

{this moment}

{this moment}
A Friday ritual.
A single photo - no words - capturing a single moment from the week.
A simple, special extraordinary moment.
A moment to pause, savor and remember.
Participating with the SouleMama blog.

Week-Ending

Whew... what a weekend.   In addition to all our usual chores we... mucked out the barn and spread manure... doctored a yearling stricken by meningeal worm... moved feeders and one of the big shelters... brought the yearlings over to the barn paddock... brush-hogged... mowed down hay...put up temporary fence for a new paddock in the barnyard...and so on... and so on...
We also managed to squeeze in a neighborhood pig roast, a family get together with visiting cousins and a little bit of this...

Aaahhh... summer...