Just Little Things

Things are popping at Cook'n by the Creek. That is the normal for August.  Everything is ready to freeze or can daily.   Last night we were given a new Silky Rooster. Dick met Emily and Kaleb Kellogg at the fairgrounds to pick up Mr. Silky.  Hopefully Mrs. Silky will take to him and next summer we might get lucky for full blooded Silky babies. The new man at the barn is very  handsome, silver/gray with black.  I went out this morning but he was in no mood for a picture. When they go to roost I'm hoping he will stand still and give me a smile.  I know most of you are thinking, a new rooster is exciting?   It is for us, remember they entertain us (which doesn't take much) and the hens provide not just us but faithful customers their beautiful brown or white eggs.

Since I couldn't get a picture of Mr. Silky "Wild Man Smokey"  was begging for some attention.  He loves his head and ears rubbed.  So much so I think he is going to fall over from totally relaxing.   The old saying, "when he's good he is really good and when he is bad he is really, really bad!  Smokey is the type you can see in his eyes when he is ready to Rock & Roll!   14 Years old and he still has the "Piss and Vinegar" personality.  So today we were friends, next time maybe not.

Dick and I are taking a break with a glass of ice water and slice of lemon in it. No talking except he just said, "I didn't get the stalls cleaned and not going to, too tired"!  My comment, "I didn't get our stall cleaned and not going to, too tired".  Dick has been laying blocks for our outdoor pizza oven (more about that another time) all day.  I have been cooking spaghetti sauce down (canning it tomorrow morning).

The first blocks being set for the pizza oven!

 I had to try the lemon blueberry bread that Rod Van Pelt posted on Face Book.  It is delicious, no doubt I could eat the whole loaf!  I love it when a new recipe turns out to be a new add to my favorite list.

It will disappear tonight with coffee while watching the
deer that visit our field each night.

Lemon Blueberry Bread - 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup melted butter 
1 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

GLAZE
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, 1 cup sugar, juice and eggs. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in lemon zest, nuts, and blueberries. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes.

GLAZE
Combine all ingredients mix well. Drizzle over bread.

Standing in the kitchen most of the day can get a little testy with my patience.  It's not the mess from cutting and running the raw tomatoes in my food mill, baking lemon blueberry bread or even roasting a chicken for chicken and buttermilk biscuits..........it's the little things that cause my blood pressure to peak and close to throwing something.  Everything was moving along without a hitch.  Then fumble fingers (mine)  dropped a new container of basil all over my counter top.  I could have spit nails.  Of course I never mumbled a bad word, only a few.  I have tile counters with grout in between them which is like a little low ditch.  Dry crumbs or anything dry is impossible to wipe up.  Out comes the vacuum for what I couldn't scoop up.  Patience is not my virtue, especially when I have everything synchronized and planned to the T.  

Spaghetti sauce ready to cook down for 4 hrs.

Fresh carrots and onions for chicken and biscuits.

The day as ended, kitchen is cleaned up.  As far as the rest of the house I will do what my mom would say when she gave a quick cleaning.  She called it "a lick and a promise".  So in the morning "a lick and a promise".  I realized the other day in one of my reasoning thinking moments why women would spring clean.  One, to get rid of the winter blues and two, (the most important) clean in the spting because once gardens come in there is no time for the little daily things.  All to soon it will be over and there will be time for cleaning and my hobbies.  Good grief I just realized it is August 8th, this week did fly by.  

No matter how busy life gets always take time to relax and enjoy something just for the fun of it.♥♥♥