Sue + Megan's curry fest

Chick peas in karthi sauce

Megan's home made chapati with cumin and sesame seed

Why Dahlia rules

the rhubarb is coming!

forked

Best Easter present of all time:  my new pitchfork!

Easter Feaster 2011

Southern/Cajun style:  Collard greens + cabbage, gumbo, red beans, rice, cornbread, mac n cheese, sweet potato casserole and eggplant casserole

Red velvet cake (covered in silver leaf)

Bunny Lee says…

♧Happy Easter♧

Easter ear gallery

I LOVE YOU

   

Easter egg decorating 2011

Rolled them all in glitter, of course

the country bunny

This book is one of my favorites, and is also the best Easter theme book you'll ever read.  It is still in print, though the old ones are easy to find 2nd hand - it was originally written in the 1940s.  I love the illustrations and message in the book: chase your dreams and don't be discouraged!

baby buffalo

There is a grocery store in Traverse City who raise their own buffalo for meat.  While I do not support that agenda, I can attest to the quality of life the buffalo seem to lead:  roaming free on many acres of land, right beside MI 31, which I take into town every day.  It being Spring, the baby buffalo are being born and I all but drive off the road craning my neck to take in their cuteness.

thundersnow

Yesterday afternoon it was snowing AND thundering.  I learned this phenomenon is called thundersnow:

Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is a relatively rare kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone, where the precipitation consists of ice pellets rather than snow. Thermodynamically, it is not different from any other type of thunderstorms but the top of the cumulonimbus are usually quite low.

God of Thundersnow

so buzzed

I painted and prepped my bee hive this weekend - pink + green, cause you know how preppy bees are

These are the wooden frames that hang inside the hive - the beeswax and wire frames come separately and you have to gently slide them into the frames and clip into place.  They make the whole house smell like honey.

farm bartering

I stored my neighbor Gerry's boat in the big barn all Winter.  In exchange, Gerry roto-tilled my garden yesterday, and will do it again right before I plant in May.  Win-win.

peelin' out

I made some candied orange peel

Rinds of 5 oranges or lemons, julienned

2½ cups water

1¼ cups sugar

Boil sugar and water into a syrup - add the peel and simmer 1 hour.  The syrup will reduce quite a bit.  Remove from pan and cool/dry on a wire rack for 24 hours.

on a lighter note

My last two posts were such a bummer I thought I would print some of the awesome e-mail I got from friends this week.  Enjoy the hilarious writing of Andy - one of the funniest people I know.  Here's a post from his blog:

Am I the only one in awe of the fact that a new Taco Bell menu item, a taco whose shell is comprised solely of a giant nacho-cheese Dorito is available ONLY in Toledo, Ohio*!? It's called “Doritos Locos Taco,” and frankly, I can't wait to barf one or seven up in the hopper next Saturday, Friday, Thursday, tonight at 4:00 AM. I can't think of a better food product to put a culinary cap on a night of drinking cheap beer and spendy tequila.  I've searched and searched for the (Columbus-dissing, no less!) TV commercial on the webernets to no avail...till then, it appears there is a movement pending (har!) to take the delectable nationwide:https://www.facebook.com/cheesyshells  Even better: At this point, "There is no indication that Taco Bell will make the Doritos Locos Tacos nationally available" according to widely revered authority on such matters, Foodbeast. But really, can Toledo honestly be considered a test market? Where better to hawk nutritionally ambiguous gut-bombs encased in a radioactive-hued corn shell? Proud Toledoeans will stand in line all day and pay triple the going rate just for the privilege! *I added "Ohio" in order to avoid confusion with Toledo, Spain, where tradition dictates all prepared meats and produce to be served in a large Dorito shell.

the chicken murders

Blackie - died Wednesday, April 13

After Buffy getting killed Tuesday, I didn't let the girls out of the hen yard yesterday.  Blackie would always fly up and out of the yard when I kept them inside, and it was the death of her, quite literally.  I found her feathers all over the grass.  Whatever got Buffy came back for more.  I understand fox hunt during the day, while coyote hunt during the night, so I am assuming this is the work of a fox, probably feeding her young.  Needless to say, the hens will be locked inside the barn for a few days, or at least until I can be home while they free range.  For me, this is the toughest part of farming.

and then there were 12

Buffy died Tuesday, April 12.  She was one year old this week.

coffee is serious in Seattle

Coffee is real good when you drink it it gives you time to think.  It's a lot more than just a drink; it's something happening.  Not as in hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but like somewhere within yourself.  It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup.

~Gertrude Stein

Seattle to Kingsley

I am home from my Seattle to Kingsley road trip!  It was amazing - here are some highlights:

Best airline logo: Alaska Airlines, which I flew out to Seattle.   It's like Native American Bob Marley with a Bride of Frankenstein afro.

The cherry blossoms are in bloom in Seattle!

Seattle hostess cat Sylvia Rabbit

Crazy good sushi in Seattle

This is my very close power friend Linda in Seattle.  We had a bite to eat at a bar that happened to be having free bingo night, and Linda won!  They gave us bingo inkers that said 'Dabbin Fever' (see pic).  She is one of the best people I know.

My losing ballot

South Dakota sky study

Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

If you've never been to the memorial at Little Big Horn, Montana - I recommend it:  it was fascinating

Beautiful power sister Amelia

We ate pizza at Stellar Pizza in Seattle - and it was totally stellar

Finished up the trip in Monroe, Wisconsin Friday night with a visit to Baumgartner's, one of the best local tavern/restaurants I've ever been to.  They have a great atmosphere, not to mention cheese menu.

They serve Limburger cheese sandwiches, which are purely delicious.