Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Carrots

Yes carrots brought me to the point of looking back on the first blog I wrote.  It was short, to the point and what inspires me.  Today carrots took me to the happy place I need to be.  The simple pleasures that make me breathe deep, relax and love everyone and everything that makes my life complete.  Far from perfect I am but life is what it is and knowing what satisfies the soul is all I need.  Today the carrots did the trick.  While I took a 4 day vacation with Amber to visit her daughter/my granddaughter to Worcester, MA with a visit to Boston, Dick kept busy getting the little Clara Creek farm ready for spring.  I called him twice a day just to make sure he wasn't over doing which he tends to do often.  He was so excited to tell me he dug about 25 lbs of carrots and they were beautiful, sweet and crisp. This is the first year we left carrots in the ground and covered them for winter.  Thanks to the tip from George Donovan we have fresh carrots for the next couple months.  The horses are happy too.

We decided on beef, barley and vegetable soup today.  Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and beans from our garden, there is my happy spot in life.  Just knowing all the work/fun of last summer's garden is still providing a great meal for us.  The carrots were in a mesh bag left by the bridge for the rain to rinse the heaviest of the mud off.  As I walked across the lawn to get a few for the soup memories of how many times I crossed the lawn, bridge and walked the fields to relax and get inspired for what ever the day had to offer.  For me there is nothing better than the wide open space of the great outdoors.  Watching for deer, turkey, bear, coyotes, fox, hawks and eagles just make Cook'n by the Creek more enjoyable.  Of course my chickens and the horses are always the main video.  The hens and rooster have been enjoying the snow less ground.  They are back to scratching for food and free ranging only to go back to the coop when they lay their eggs.  Eggs, another treat on the farm.

As we said many times from the early years of our marriage during April, it is soon going to be a leek digging, beer drinking kinda day.  Dig leeks in the morning, clean them, make bread, bake a ham, have a few beers or wine and supper by 5.  The day is with hot sun, cool when the sun goes down and peepers providing a tune while we enjoy the "simple pleasures" of Potter County country living.

Thank you carrots for making my day

Always "Pass it On" that simple pleasure can mean so much
Nothing can be finer than homemade soup, crusty bread, Amish
butter and a glass of Lakewood Niagara Wine.  The blue bottle
reminds me of Ron and Marcia with a trip to Watkins Glen and
Lakewood Winery.  The blue soup bowl of John and Diane
and our trip to visit them in NM, going over the Mexican
border for lunch, shopping and buying the bowls.