Through the garden gate

Happy Halloween & Samhain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DUTCH WAX CHICKENS

I love chickens and dutch wax print fabric!

I could wrap myself in african dutch wax print fabric all. day. long.

Warre Beekeeping

I've never heard of a Warre beekeeping.  Sounds nice to me.

http://www.thewarrestore.com/

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

When I grow up, can I be this guy? Book after book about food growing, gathering, butchering, cooking and turning ingredients into magic have kept me comfy and cozy on many a Saturday afternoon.  River Cottage is a place I dream about. 

The Witchness

I don't consider myself a pagan or a wiccan, per se, but I do believe in natural energy.  I REALLY believe in it.  All religions are based in an energy and I deeply respect all forms of faith that are born from light and love. Labels are so binding and misleading so I try not to use them, but I can comfortably put myself in two categories, Kitchen Witch and Green Witch.   See Adora Dawn's definitions of these types of witches.

Kitchen Witch: (aka – Cottage Witch & Hearth Witch)
 This Witch carries practical sides of the Wiccan / Pagan religion, magic, gemstones, the elements and the earth. A Kitchen Witch is usually recognized as practicing Celtic Wicca: Goes by the elements, the Ancient Ones and nature. They are usually healers, respected highly and once they are past their 40’s tend to take on a “Wise Woman” role as they have an abundance of knowledge and are admired for it. They work with plants, stones, flowers, trees, the elemental people, the gnomes and the fairies. But above all she performs her magic in the Kitchen and has Goddess given talents for food crafting potions, herbal remedies, and natural instincts for protection of hearth and home. Most often they make the best mates as they are very crafty in love and relationships – and it is said one who is a friend of a Kitchen Witch has many perks.

Green Witch:Is the practice of nature-based and earth oriented witchcraft, drawing on the folklore, folk religion and folk magic of ancient cultures as they connected to the forest; such as the tree worship of Druids, the kitchen craft of Italian witches or the keeping of sacred groves as presented in Gallic paganism. Green witches usually practice a traditional form of witchcraft in which the earth, trees, herbs, plants and flowers are consulted for their medicinal and magical value. They will grow their own herbs or Wildcraft them, and are very good at making herbal remedies. Belief in deities depends on the individual witch, though many Green witches acknowledge and earth mother or series of nature spirits as their deity. Usually, the spirits of nature, the dead (that of humans and animals) or the Fey have a large part in Green traditions. A form of green witchcraft which is better classified as Green Wicca was popularized by Ann Moura.

Ooo.  I like this witch, too:

Eclectic Witch
An individual approach that picks and chooses from many different traditions and creates a personalized form of witchcraft that meets their individual needs and abilities. They do not follow a particular religion or tradition, but study and learn from many different systems and use what works best for them. Many Eclectic Witches refer to themselves as Solitary Practitioners, Sorcerers, Hedge Witches, Green, White, and Grey Witches. Some consider themselves Wicca, as long as the Rede is adhered to, the Earth and the Universe revered. One main complaint made against the Eclectic Witch is that they are not true Wiccans because they build a tailor-made religion or tradition for themselves from the ground up rather than following an established or correct form of Wicca. Their minds remain open and are receptive to knowledge, ideas, beliefs and methods that others practice. They adapt well to different situations and create their own paths by what they believe to be true and right at that time in their life (simply put – they don’t follow rules). They like to explore and make their own mistakes and take from experiences in turn creating their own rules and traditions. It’s why you can bring 2 Eclectic Witches into a room yet they are totally different in the way they practise, live, and believe as they are all different in some way.

Curry Tonight

Dinner

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 4 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), chopped
• 1 large russet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• kosher salt and black pepper
• naan bread and lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder. Add the carrots, potato, lentils, broth, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the curry with the scallion greens and serve with the naan and lime wedges.

I need this book in my life. Really, I need someone in my kitchen cooking all the food in this book in my life.

Madhur Jaffrey

Beef Shiraz Pies

Beef Shiraz Pie - looks lovely. A mushroom and potato version sounds good, too!

Serves 6 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck steak, chopped coarsely

2 Tbsp. plain (all-purpose) flour

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium, yellow onion, chopped finely

1 medium carrot, chopped finely

2 stalks celery, trimmed, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup beef stock

13 ounces canned, diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 egg, beaten lightly 

For the Sour-Cream Pastry:
2 1/4 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
4 ounces cold butter, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup sour cream 

Directions

Toss beef in flour, shake away excess. Heat half the oil in large frying pan; cook beef, in batches, until browned. Transfer beef to 12-cup ovenproof dish. 

Heat remaining oil in same pan; cook onion, carrot, celery and garlic, stirring, until softened. Add wine; bring to a boil. Stir in stock, undrained tomatoes and thyme; bring to a boil. Pour over beef. Cook covered for 2 hours. Season to taste; cool. 

Meanwhile, make sour-cream pastry. Process flour and butter until crumbly. Add sour cream; process until ingredients barely cling together. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Enclose in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350° F. Oil a 6-hole (3/4-cup) Texas muffin pan. 

Roll 2/3 of the pastry between sheets of parchment paper until large enough to cut six 5-inch rounds; press pastry into pan holes. Brush edges with egg. Divide beef mixture among pastry cases. 

Cut six 3 1/2-inch rounds from remaining pastry; place pastry over filling. Press edges firmly to seal; brush tops with egg. Cut a small slit in top of each pie. 

Bake pies about 30 minutes, or until browned. Stand pies 5 minutes before serving. 

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Beef-Shiraz-Pies-Recipe#ixzz3psO4YWht

Another Homestead book - Ang

Sorry, Angela England.  I have your book, too.  Backyard Farming is another inspiration.  Honestly, these books have similar information, but the more I read, the more the principles are ingrained in my head and the more I am convinced of my desires and abilities.

Homestead plans are just like house plans to me.  I imagine myself walking between vegetable rows (or raised beds) to my clothes line or sitting on a log watching chickens live their chickeny lives. The smells of tomato plants, grass, barns, and animals all around me.  Almost always, I imagine my back aching from bending and my feet in work boots tramping alongside goat kids.

This is a smallish, 1.5 to 1 acre plan from Weed'em & Reap that would suit me just fine.  Maybe more fruit and nut trees, some berries and a couple bee hives.  I'ma dream big.  Maybe the plan below is a better for me.  Two to three acres of living. Because cows = milk, butter, cheese, manure and love.

Just because:

A Homestead

One thing, the main thing about me is that I want to be that strange lady who doesn't leave her property and please do not knock on her door.  I want land.  Not a huge, acres and acres of land, herds of cattle farmer, but just a small homestead. Part fairy tale and part "Little House on Prairie". Living a life filled with chickens, goats, gardens and an orchard sounds like an excellent way to live naturally, nurture my spirit, love some animals and grow some good food. How great would it be to shear a goat or sheep, then spin its lustrous fiber that will turn into a warm blanket or shawl to curl up under in front of a wood stove on a rainy night? Okay, I have really romanticized this dream, but believe me, I have planned out my future days and they are filled with milking, chopping, weeding, sowing, veterinarian-izing, cooking, cleaning, crocheting, sewing, canning, drying, repairing, feeding and definitely loving.

The Backyard Homestead was my introduction to self-sufficiency and living with the seasons. Carleen Madigan is a wealth of information not only useful to the homesteader.  Even the urban apartment dweller, like me, can discern various ways to connect to and appreciate a natural life.

It is a lovely book.  Take a look if you are interested in growing herbs in your kitchen or veggies on your patio.

Another wealth of information is the Encyclopedia of Country Living. Talk about wanting know just about anything about homestead living.  There are answers to so many questions a novice doesn't even know she has. Again, a great read and one that you will refer to for years to come.

Finding like minded souls is a favorite past time.  I scour Pinterest looking for cooking and growing ideas and get inspired by others living a simple, natural life.  If your aren't on Pinterest, what are you waiting for?! I am not sure how I found Lindsay at A Wooden Nest, but she definitely doing it right.  Love the chickens and the baby clothes!! 

this could be a problem

I find it hilarious when my 16 year old daughter makes exaggerated vomiting sounds when she sees, hears, smells or witnesses something she finds off-putting.  I say off 'off-putting' because that cracks her up. She gauges the length of the sound by how off-putting she finds the situation.  For example: a man was smoking in his car on the highway.  The smoke wafted into our car.  Her vomit sound was loud, exaggerated and lasted at least as long as it took me to roll up my Prius window.  It took a long time.

Well, hello there!

Awesome surprise. I stumbled across a blog that I started years ago and forgot about.  Look at my kids!!  Look at my life.  Things have changed sooooooo much.  For one, I have a granddaughter, a 16 and a 18 year old and two additional pets.  Frank, the rabbit, is still kickin' it in his cage.

I am sitting at my desk at work right now,  but would love to be the woman in this picture reading in a dimly lit room.  What is she reading?  What is she wearing?? I want to read it and wear it.