Tuesday, August 17

Tuesday Dose of Cute: What?

Molly Doodlebug Hanging out on the Drying Rack
You've never seen someone hanging on a drying rack before?

During the summer, the clothes we take off at the end of the day are usually soaked with sweat, so instead of tossing them into the laundry basket (where scary things happen to dirty wet clothes in hot and humid weather) we hang them up to dry overnight on this expandable folding rack that we leave set up just outside the bathroom, in the living room. (After going through numerous wooden drying racks over the years, this metal one has been working out great.)

More below. . .

Saturday, August 14

Saturday Dose of Cute: A Cheeky Chick

And the Winners of the America's Best BBQ Giveaway

Two chicks and Mama Hen
I'd much rather have some BBQ—or pizza (photo taken 4/2/10)

Friday, August 13

Sunday, August 8

Sunday Farm Photo: On the Way Home

On the Way Home
From Picking up Milk at the 'Corner Store'

I do get out and about every once in a while:
7/30/08: Super Market
11/27/08: Gobble Gobble
6/20/09: Local News
6/16/10: Visit to a Friend's Farm (puppies!)

© FarmgirlFare.com, the faraway from most everything foodie farm blog where the closest milk for sale may be six or so miles down the road, but it's fresh out of a Jersey cow—complete with several inches of amazingly thick cream on the top of each gallon jar—and you can't beat the views on the drive home.

Saturday, August 7

Saturday Dose of Cute: In Living Color

In Living Color
(photo taken 5/9/10)

Did you miss out on last spring's lambing season? Not to worry! You can catch up with all that baby cuteness right here.

© FarmgirlFare.com, the technicolor foodie farm blog where I think I just might love the brown sheep even more than I love the black ones, though sadly all three of these lambs' coats have already started bleaching in the sun.

Thursday, August 5

Thursday Dose of Cute: You Never Know What You'll Find Inside a Feed Bin

Flying Squirrel in the Feed Bin
Flying Squirrel, Anyone?

Down in the sheep barn feed room, we've been slowly replacing our plastic feed containers with metal ones, because mice and squirrels tend to chew big holes right through the plastic in order to get to the food, thus pretty much ruining them, although I have successfully plugged some pretty good sized holes with duct tape. (Our entire lives are held together with duct tape—along with clothespins and bungee cords.)

Wednesday, August 4

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Other People's Cute, Tractor Woes, and a Little Barnyard Animal Challenge

Many of you have expressed an interest in hearing more about what my day to day life is like out here in the country—both the good and the bad parts—so lately I've been trying to include more farm life tidbits and stories in some of my posts. I'm also still working that Frequently Asked Farmgirl Questions page. The FAFQ page is up!

There are so many things I've learned during the past 16 years that I simply take for granted, until I stop and remind myself things like there was a time when I had no idea what a bottle baby was, let alone anything about taking care of one, and that maybe you'd like to know something about them, too, rather than just seeing the pictures.


Of course once I start writing I have a tendency to ramble on, and since I'm not a very fast writer, these sort of posts take me a while to complete. My goal is to get back to sharing something here every day, with longer posts interspersed between the shorter ones, along with lots more recipes.


If you enjoy these farm life tidbits and stories and would like to see more of them, I'd love for you to let me know. And if you come here more for the pictures than the words, please let me know that, too! Anonymous comments can be left, and you're also welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com. It can sometimes take me a while to reply to e-mail, but as always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Other People's Cute 1

Sunday, August 1

Sunday Dose of Cute: Hanging Out on Mom

Ava and her twin ewe lamb
Ava and her Twin Ewe Lamb (taken 5/11/10)
Want to hang out a while longer? You'll find links to all of this year's lambing season photos here. And you can learn about our new Katahdin hair sheep (Ava and her lamb are both 100% Katahdin) here. More photos of Ava and her twins are here and here and here and here. (When you're born first, you get to be in a lot of pictures.)

© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the cuddly little foodie farm blog where if you can't find a lap, you make do with what you've got.

Sunday, July 25

Sunday Farm Photo: Blowin' in the Wind

cotton sheets drying on the line
Just Breathe

Love laundry lines?
1/2/06: Winter Color
5/6/09: The Lamb and the Laundry Line (a look back at Baby Cary)
2/18/10: A Nice Day

© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the fresh and clean foodie farm blog where sometimes if the breeze is just right, bedsheets on the line will billow in and out in such an even and peaceful way that they look as if they're breathing. I always stop and watch—and breathe.

Wednesday, July 21

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Our Donkey Girls are Growing Up

Dolores and Esmeralda 1

During all the recent headline-stealing hullaballoo that's been happening around here (don't you just love that word, hullaballoo?), sweet Evie and Esmeralda quietly turned two. You can get to know Evie here, and Esmeralda here, and you'll find lots of other donkey photos here and here.

This series of Dolores and two-day-old Esmeralda, taken back on July 8th, 2008 but never posted, is one of my favorites. Enjoy.

Monday, July 19

Monday Dose of Cute: It's that Time Again

Yawning Topaz
Nap Time!
Thank you for all the sweet comments and e-mails after my last post. So many kind words and wishes! I'm truly overwhelmed.

Saturday, July 17

It's Been a Hell of a Few Weeks (and Not in a Good Way)

birthday balloon

"Happy Birthday," said the doctor as he stood next to my hospital bed looking over my chart.

"Thanks."

"Next year you
really
need to do something a lot better than this for your birthday."

"No shit."
Let me back up a little.

Wednesday, July 7

Wednesday Farm Photo: Not Perfect

Butterfly on Screened Porch
But Still Pretty

You'll find lots more winged beauty here.

Monday, July 5

Saturday, July 3

Recipe: Easy All Natural Homemade Barbecue Sauce

And a great new book: America's Best BBQ!

Grilled Pork Ribs with Homemade Barbecue Sauce 1
Grilled pork ribs slathered with homemade BBQ Sauce

"What do you feel like having for dinner?" I asked Joe as he sat down to his usual breakfast of organic peanut butter and apricot jam on thick slices of homemade Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread and a big glass of fresh Jersey milk courtesy of a cow down the road.

Unless we've already planned that night's dinner the day before (a rarity around here), we need to decide fairly early what we're going to have, since chances are good any meat portion of a meal is frozen.

Sometimes one of us already has an idea of what we want, sometimes we both have the same idea, and sometimes neither of us has a clue and hopes the other person will come up with something brilliant.

After a minute he said, "Isn't there still a slab of pork ribs in the freezer?"

"Yes! And I'll make barbecue sauce!"

Saturday Dose of Cute: Take a Cue from Mr. Midnight

Mr. Midnight on the fence
And Have a Relaxing Holiday Weekend!

Want to see more of this handsome fella?
11/16/08: Yoga for Pets
1/23/10: Staredown

Like the look of handmade fences?
(click here to see all these photos on one long page)
1/28/09: Snowed In!
8/23/09: Morning Peace
10/10/09: Color Me Autumn

© FarmgirlFare.com, the physics-defying foodie farm blog where cats can manage to look totally comfortable just about anywhere, including on a slightly tilted but still mostly vertical wooden fence slat—which was in much better shape five years ago!

Technical P.S. Our satellite service is being really wonky, and since the repair guy can't come out until next week I may disappear for a while (and also won't be able to moderate comments). But hopefully I'll be back with a faster Internet connection than ever!