Welcome to the Friday Farm Fix, a sporadic series where I share a random sampling of what's been happening around the farm during the past week (mostly on Fridays). Just joining us? You'll find all the previous Friday Farm Fix posts here and here.
Lucky Buddy Bear cooling off in the creek.
Welcome to the Saturday evening edition of the Friday Farm Fix! The best news of the week is that last Thursday and Friday's five inches of rain started the wet weather creek running again on Saturday. A week later it's still gently flowing, thanks to another half inch of rain we got on Wednesday, most of which slammed down during a five minute period while I was out in the kitchen garden. I was afraid that if I went inside it would stop, and sure enough it did.
The biggest news of the week is that an enormous black walnut tree fell over in the barnyard during last Friday night's thunderstorm. Sometimes you don't realize just how tall these trees really are until they're horizontal. Miraculously, nothing was smashed or hurt.
I laid awake half of Friday night worrying about the sheep while the storm raged outside, because we'd locked them in a section of the driveway adjacent to the barn without much protection from the elements. The next morning when I saw the fallen tree, I was so thankful I hadn't sloshed down there through the downpour at two a.m. to let the sheep into the barn and barnyard like I'd contemplated. And, like my hunky farmguy Joe assured me, they weathered the storm just fine where they were.
What else has been going on? Joe brewed a double batch of beer, and I made a double batch of these classic beef Cornish pasties (only this time I added an egg yolk to the crust); they're great to have on hand in the freezer for quick meals. I also bought and froze another four quarts of Amish strawberries to sweeten up our so-healthy-you-feel-virtuous-for-the-rest-of-the-day morning smoothies.
The weather has been hot and sticky (hello June!), so we've been drinking lots of fresh mint sun tea. So refreshing, so easy to make: just stuff a handful or two of fresh mint leaves in a glass jar, fill with water, set in the sun for a few hours, then strain and chill—or serve over lots of ice if you want some right away.
Lemon balm sun tea is wonderful too (you can read more about growing lemon balm along with my five other favorite herbs here). I love these half-gallon wide mouth canning jars and plastic screw-on caps for sun tea and so many other things.
26 more photos and the rest of the weekly recap below (hover your cursor over each image for a description). . .
On Thursday, while out grocery shopping for the first time in three weeks, I dragged Joe to the junk mall and scored some fun little vintage treasures, along with two cream colored Art Deco metal storage cabinets for $17.50 each. They're slightly battered and in need of new paint (getting around to that could take years), but as Joe pointed out, "They don't make them like this anymore."
Apparently I have to let him have one, though I suppose it's only fair since he spotted them first. He is notorious for rolling his eyes when I lug home yet another old cabinet or shelving unit—and then moving it into his garage/workshop and filling it with important guy stuff while I'm not looking.
One of the cabinets has already been placed (after being cleaned but not repainted) in the small eating area/espresso alcove between the kitchen and the pantry. We don't have any kitchen cabinets yet (because we can't agree on what we need/want), so storage space for dishes, glasses, etc. is at a premium—plus I may have bought a few more inexpensive little vintage plates and bowls at the junk mall. I love bowls.
This past week we moved the donkeys and sheep to the securely fenced front field, where, if all goes well, they'll stay for most of the summer. This is the longest we've ever waited in the spring before putting the sheep out on that field. It sure looks different compared to this time last year. Thank goodness.
I hope you're finding some time to relax this weekend.
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What wonderful photos! That tree was huge...so glad there was no damage or harm to any of the animals. Loving the donkeys and sheep in tall grass! Wish I had one of those Cornish pasties right now. It was enjoyable visiting you today. It really felt like I was there. Thanks for sharing your life, times and animals with us!
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see high grass. I know what a relief it must be to you when hay, fuel and grain prices are what they are these days. Have a great summer, Susan.
ReplyDeleteAmazing week! Love the first shot of Buddy Bear, I thought he really was a bear :)! Thank goodness that black walnut fell where it did. We lost about 6 trees in Hurricane Sandy months back, but thankfully, no structural damage done. Wouldn't it be neat to be able to make something gorgeous from the wood? Congrats on your junk mall finds. How fun! Uh-oh, doggies looking like they need to go out. Better fly. Thanks for the Friday/Saturday farm fix! Always a delight. Cornish pasties may be in our future ;)!
ReplyDeleteBeing a Cornish girl, I have to say your Pasties look remarkably authentic!
ReplyDeleteSo glad no one got hurt by that tree falling, what will you do with the wood?
Janie x
Your bee closeup makes me nostalgic for the bank of pink spiderwort at my former house. They are so pretty! But I can do without the way they messily flopped over when they were done blooming. I never did figure out a good succession plant to hide the carnage.
ReplyDeleteDid you used to gather walnuts from the fallen tree?
Jasper seems to have become the cat Bert of your blog--always ready for a cameo. :^)
Sue
Dang, that black walnut was a monster, glad it didn't land on anything! I sure love these posts and all the pictures of just everyday life! It always amazes me that you keep finding the heart rocks, you would think they'd run out eventually, but I'm glad they don't. :)
ReplyDeleteNaughty kitty looks just fine in the window! Great view for her and her people. So glad the tree didn't hit anything. A few years back a huge cottonwood tree took out a beautiful old victorian home on the west side of our town. Completely flattened it. Things sure look green compared to last year!
ReplyDeleteLove all the greenness in the front field-good eats for a long season looks like to this amateur. Thanks for sharing all the good ness that is your 240 acres of love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your week - Jasper looks like he's settled in nicely!
ReplyDeleteVery thankful you are getting rain! Do you have plans for the walnut tree, some value the wood.
ReplyDeleteYour farm looks very serene