deer b gone 2

Two views of the new deer fence around the vegetable garden

Large wooden posts and supports with heave gauge wire.  This design is safe for birds (unlike deer netting) and virtually invisible.    

like a big yellow volleyball

I have a squash growing in the garden that I can't identify - it is enormous and almost perfectly round like a pumpkin.  I was given seedlings earlier in the Summer simply labeled "squash", so this must be one of those.  I am calling it the "BYS" (big yellow squash).

Raq a tat tat

Raquel's tattoo design with super cool Shannon at Acorn Tattoo

hey there Buddha

Shannon's bulletin board

Plant window in her studio

Bon Vinsetta

Another accolade, this time in Bon Appetit magazine:

http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2013/07/best-gas-station-restaurants.html

Dad back in the day

cherry pie

double cherry pies

cherry jam

He's my cherry pie

baby hubbard

I love squash

sky study #92

Sunset July 20, 2013

deer b gone

The new deer fence surrounding the orchard, compliments of Reeber Deer Deterrents Ltd.

To protect, amongst other things, this year's raspberry crop

pimp my egg cartons

Why get paper pulp color, when you can get pink, purple and chartreuse?  The hens like it flashy.

the porcupine encounter

Miss Pincushion

Max tried to bite the porcupine, got himself a mouth full, and had to have surgery on his neck, where the quills were deeply embedded.  Here he is in the kennel at the vet.

The vet saved the quills for me - they're like needles

mid-Summer Holman magic

land of goodness

Goddess Laurie straddlin' the beets

dark and light sweets

I love you Jenny

hollyhock hello

It was 90+ degrees that day, so Laurie & Sue cool off in a hillbilly hot tub (cherry tubs) 

boss toad

I met this little man on my deck the other morning, who was on his way to the Beatrix Potter toad cheese party below

Taleggio 2.0

A(square) wheel of taleggio cheese - the mould that you form this cheese in has a plastic pattern that is suppose to mimic straw, which is what would have been used before plastic moulds.  So instead of letting the curd drain on that, I put a layer of real straw on it, which will impart a true traditional impression, and with hope, an earthy, grassy quality

sun powered

It's been super hot in Northern Michigan the past week, which is great for making sun tea like the carafe above (Ave Maria tea from Urth Caffe in Los Angelss - thanks Agnes!), and sterilizing things like your cutting board and cheese moulds.

Boss Mouse on PBS

http://vimeo.com/70338856

wondermullet

Dave snuck a secret picture of a Boss Mouse patron who was rocking a powerful mullet

this natty gentleman

I found a large, beautiful moth on a garden post this week - he was relocated to a higher place on the post as not to become a chicken snack.  I wasn't surprised to find he is the moth of one of the annual visitors to my vegetable garden, the tomato hornworm.  Bastard!

let me live with you

oh please

Ivan (Buford) belongs to some nice people who live about a mile and a half from my farm.  He loves Max & Cozy, and the other morning I was up early for the farmer's market, and heard a low growl outside my office window - it was Ivan, who snuck away from home and camped out at my place.  I went out to greet him, and when I left for the market he chased my car for half a mile down the road.  Afraid he would get hit, I loaded him in the car to take him to his home (this was 6AM, before the market), but when I got there he wouldn't get out of the car.  I took his tie-out from their porch, hooked it to his collar, and had to pull him out.  I would adopt him in a minute, but you can't just take someone's dog.  I love him and think maybe some day he will end up here for one reason or another.  He's a great dog.

July garden update

The blackberry bushes Raquel gave me in 2010 are gigantic

the vegetable garden is thriving

Do you see what I see in the compost pile?  A dozen volunteer tomato plants, which I dug up and re-planted in the garden

This year's interesting addition to the orchard: horseradish

pizza night

Sauteed garlic scapes - if you ever se these at the farmer's market, get a bunch and try them out - they are really mild and cook down beautifully in a little olive oil, salt & pepper

pan roasted tomatoes

Left: Pesto-fresh mozzarella & pine nut 

Right: Red pesto, sauteed mushroom, artichoke and onion

Greek pizza with spinach, feta and tomato

dear Mabel

My cat Mabel has lived with me 6 months now, and still won't come out of the basement, unless you carry her out (but as soon as you put her down, she'll run right back down there.)  Mabel is old, partially blind and very frightened of Rudy and the dogs.  She is so beautiful and sweet, and I think a lot about if I am doing right by her.  So I keep her well fed, clean and safe, and hope she comes to feel more secure as time passes.  

sky study #91

Sunset July 4th, 2013

the cheese table

Boss Mouse cheese at my friend Coco's wedding

jammy

Strawberry jam

party animals

Power people Jeanette & Matt's beautiful dog Sully - he reminds me of Pucci

And lucky cat George Bush

Happy Independence Day

I like Lady Liberty's outfit

grazin' in the grass

Bunny Lee and Blackie free range with the chickens every evening.  Bunny Lee, who is 8, is still spritely and cute as ever, and Blackie is having a love affair with Rudy the cat (for real)

do me Rudy