Welcome Spring......celebrate the Solstice and feeling the wheel turn💜

Kids will Be Kids

Two kids were born on the 3rd of March, late in the morning, and I knew they were here by the tone of the big dog's bark. Running up and down the fence line in front of the shelter she was all in a panic. The four remaining goats perched together tight on the corner of a raised board supported on a cement block. They were all heads turned toward me as I stepped outside. 

if you ever get the chance to spend time around goats look on one eye to eye and notice the rectangular view they have of the world. Goat pupils are not round like ours they are more like a widescreen TV compared to an old tube television set. In the wild they are a prey animal and have been for a whole lotta years. Therefore they are designed to notice everything; each rustle in the bush, a far off chainsaw or who the hell else knows what. They are on high alert and hear stuff even dogs and dolphins don't hear-  it's a definitive goat thing. 

 They stare a lot - some people find it unsettling- hell it IS unsettling but kinda cool too in a 4-H wanna-be kind of way. 

 

Anyway they were all staring at me. By the time I got to where mama Cocoa , the big hot choccy shaded Tog/Fainting crossed doe had just delivered twins one buckling  was just trying to stand up. 

I looked in the cozy warm jug we had made for her the day before to see another little guy still trying to figure out who turned the lights on. One was white and one was dark and in the weird glow off the heat lamp the whole scene took on a darkroom colour. 

Cocoa was standing, she seemed fine, was quite diligently cleaning her babies, softly nickering to them, and all I did was watch. And take pictures. And tell Cocoa what a good job she did to deliver twin billys quite literally on her own. It was obvious she knew what to do.  I removed the placenta when she easily passed it about two hours after kidding- her babies dry, fluffy, wobbly and so ridiculously cute by now- it wasn't really as gross as it sounds. Bit of a trip in that whole darkroom themed vein- but I've changed diapers that have been worse. No big Meh. 

They were up and at 'em within 20 minutes and nursing within the hour. Again....mama Cocoa knowing what to do....pretty cool stuff. My kids see the whole process, ask all the appropriate questions and the answers seem easier with these two puppy-sized goats wobbling around. One is the exact same colour as the billy goat which makes pointing out he's his daddy a whole lot simpler to a 7 and 3 year old. See? It's that 4-H stuff I'm crushing on again....sorry. Frickin' LOVE 4-H. 

Exiguously clad....💋

Play now...blog later🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲⛄⛄

Total Crock

Aaaand ....here we go with leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. We did up a 12-pound turkey with a cola-covered ham warmin up slowly on the BBQ for this year's 13 at Dinner in Dashwood. 

Whole lotta fluffy mashed potatoes 'n gravy, baked squash, rich red beets, steamed carrots, stuffing straight out of the bird, and scads of fluffy dinner rolls - I think everyone was happy even the vegetarians seemed stuffed🎃

 

So anyway I have leftover turkey and leftover ham to work with and here's the gist. Me and mine love our ham sandwiches - we go through so much mustard because of it it's crazy- so I'll slice a big chunk of it up for lunches and put together a Split Pea and Ham soup with a bit of it too. So that leaves turkey....

Today I've hauled out my crock pot and jumped full-on into a stew. My good friend and neighbour planted the stew inspiration in my head - she was cookin' up a beef stew for later in her busy week and we were texting about it- so here I go with ......

TURKEY SAUSAGE BEAN STEW

.....for the crock pot or a hefty Dutch oven in a low 'n slow oven

- 2 cups chopped chicken

- 2 cups chopped garlic sausage 

- 4 to 6 peeled chopped potatoes

- 2 to 4 cups of any crunchy veg - chopped

Load up your pot with the above and set aside. 

1 chopped red onion

3 stalks chopped celery

3 cloves chopped fresh garlic

3/4 cup or so leftover dark turkey meat

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large frying pan. Add all ingredients and sauté on med high heat until onion is clear and celery softens. Sprinkle on  2-3 tablespoons flour/cornstarch/Bisto - whatever floats your gravy thickening boat - and continue to sauté and stir. Add your spices here- I used Vancouver Island Salt Co. sea salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning, paprika and a shot of HP Sauce. 

Stir in a cup or so of white wine, apple juice, beer, stock, water- seriously dont let anyone snob you out about this part of the process. Soda pop works well too. 

Sauté 'til the liquid reduces down to nothin' then transfer the mixture to your crock pot. 

Add one large tin of tomatoes- here I've used peeled Italian style tomatoes- to the crock pot. 

Add extra liquid if need be- depends how  thick y'all like  your stew- here I added a cup of turkey broth over the tomatoes. 

Add one can of beans - I had a can of Italissima Bean Medley on the shelf that's a great example of just a few of the yummy bean choices available. Red kidney, cannellini, borlotti, and chickpea beans - it's a long and delicious list!

Throw in a couple bay leaves and maybe a sprig of thyme or Italian parsley. 

Slow cook on High for about 4-6 hours or in a covered oven-proof pot or Dutch oven at  300 degrees for about 4 hours. 

Serve with sliced bread, dinner buns or Naan bread.

 Now......go do somethin' fun for a few hours 'til dinner is ready and your house smells magical🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🎃

Cookies 'n Cream

Holy Cookie Monster Batman....these cookies rock the joint on a consistent basis. Simple ingredients, kid and grumpy grown-up friendly, leaving the entire house smelling of apple pie and Christmas. Considering I totally suck at making pastry this cookie, this....Snickerdoodle.....is in my baking file as a solid win. 

I love Snickerdoodles. I love saying Snickerdoodles. The word and the cookie make me all smiley 'n shit. 

Although its tough to ignore the cool spin Michael Clark Duncan put on it when he guest starred on 2-1/2 Men back in Charlie's day. Him standing there at the door with that plate of Snickerdoodles ...with his oh-so beautiful arms-gulp zoinks....is another reason to love the frickin' things. Snickerdoodles. You want some. You know you do. You wanna say the word out loud. 

Don't look for these beauties down that hellish cookie aisle I fucking hate almost as much as the cereal aisle. They ain't there and never will be. 

Get yourself some butter, sugar, some damn good vanilla, flour 'n all the rest of the stuff your Googled recipe of choice tells ya to have.....and bake. I've baked these    things in some scary ovens at some scary addresses. They are easy peasy and cheer up any day or lunchbox with their yummy sugarey cinnamon flavour. They warm the place up and make it homey. 

Snickerdoodles. Gawd rest 'em and the glorious Michael Clark Duncan too😇

Cozyin' Up to Cream

I take cream with my tea.....not milk. I've come across many tea drinkers who seem somewhat offended by this. And then seem doubly irritated that I'm not in the least bit offended. Like I should give a shite that supposed tea junkies everywhere other than me were ploppin' milk in their 'tay' as any good tea Granny should. 

Cream is for coffee with a lotta people   Thing is I don't drink coffee. I drink tea. With cream. Deal with it grannys.