KEEPER OF THE HOME

I am a housewife...a keeper of the home...a job that I enjoy and am proud of...I have worked outside the home and have also owned a childcare and preschool business. After falling ill a few years ago I was forced to give up my business and concentrate on becoming well...(viral meningitis and encephalitis) The role I now hold is housewife...yes... I am a mother too... but my sons are now grown ...So... while recently filling out a medical questionnaire the question before me was "occupation"... I was hesitant to write the word HOUSEWIFE. Then I recalled reading a quote by the late Tasha Tudor... a women whom I greatly admire. " I enjoy doing housework, ironing, washing, cooking, dish washing. Whenever I get one of those questionnaires and they ask what your profession, I always put down housewife. It's an admirable profession, why apologize for it. You aren't stupid because you're a housewife when you're stirring the jam you can always read Shakespeare." Amen... Thank you dear Tasha for your words of wisdom...

A PERFECT DAY AND A PERFECT RECIPE

Today...the sun is shining ...a gentle breeze is in the air...the fragrant scent of flowers surround me as I work in the garden...it is a perfect day...the sky is blue and the yard has now come alive with birdsong and color...the Hawthorne trees are in bloom...one in magenta... and another in white...both of which are favored by the birds... the Clematis is making it's late spring appearance...

as is the Columbine...

the rhododendrons are in full bloom...filled with bumblebees busily going about their business...tomorrow the heat and humidity arrive...summer is on our doorstep...in a few weeks it will be berry picking season...strawberries sweet and tender...so with that in mind I offer you Martha Stewart's recipe for Strawberry Cake...it's flavor...like a big old sugar cookie...enhanced by sweet strawberries...a perfect springtime recipe...

Martha's Strawberry Cake-Makes One 10-Inch Cake

6Tablespoons Butter Softened, Plus More For Pie Plate

1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Large Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Pound Strawberries, Hulled and Halved

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 10 inch pie plate or cake pan, sift four, baking powder and salt together into a medium bowl.

Blend softened butter and one cup sugar in a bowl, blend about three minutes, then mix egg, milk, and vanilla.

Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie or cake pan. Arrange strawberries on the top of batter, with cut sides facing down, sprinkle remaining sugar over top.

Bake cake for ten minutes at 350, then reduce temperature to 325. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to touch, about one hour. Let cool on a wire rack. Cake can be stored at room temperature loosely covered for up to two days.

Enjoy!!!!

THE "TO DO" LIST...

Summertime and the living is easy.... for Winslow Homer that is...our summertime to do list here at Dog Trot Farm is quite lengthy...there is a chimney to clean and wood to stack...carpets to steam...a pine floor to be laid... and a new kitchen window to install... there is trim to paint and a porch too...let alone vegetable and flower gardens to tend...sometimes the days just don't seem long enough... and now there are issues with my girls. Since the death of Pip the hierarchy in the coop has changed... changed for the worse that is...this lovely lady...

and her twin sister....who were once meek and mild...

have become down right evil...

the target of this behavior is Iris...my sweet... lovable buff...whether it be in the coop or in the yard it makes no difference Iris is their target. I removed Iris from the coop thinking she could possibly be ill...but after two weeks of living apart... there is no evidence of illness... she is accepted by the other hens...her appetite is fine as is her laying...so with reluctance...I have no choice but to give Fern and Phoebe away. It is either a new home or off with their heads and into the stew pot!
Below is my treasure... an old zinc tub. My husband was my walking campion on the day I happened to spy it...well off the trail and in the bushes..."I suppose you want me to go get it" "why yes" I said. DH pulled it out and I said "oh... look it has drainage holes...I already had a vision for it's purpose..."no...those are not drainage holes...those are bullet holes." Needless to say my husband carried the old zinc tub two miles back to the car... with no complaints... and by evening I had found the perfect location...... one person's trash is another person's treasure...

and to show my thanks...I made his favorite summertime cake...Martha Stewart's Strawberry Sugar Cake.

topped off with a "dopple" of whipped cream....thanks honey, you're the best...!

A DAY IN THE LIFE....

This morning I had a follow up appointment with my neurologist...it is a love hate relationship...he believes my migraines are triggered by hormones and menopause...I just want a medication that will offer relief...enduring a migraine for a month at a time is not easy...I finally was given a round of steroids... which fortunately for me broke the migraine...After my appointment...I headed out for my morning walk...I have been walking two to four miles four times a week and tomorrow am incorporating biking into my routine. This morning the sun was shining... and there was a lovely southerly breeze...

keeping the black flies at bay...

the tide was high and the air pungent with salt... mingled with the scent of wild flowers...

a perfect location for a morning walk...

and when the scenery is as beautiful as this... it's easy to walk off one's frustration...

temporarily anyway!

SO.....

So... I said to my husband "honey...gulp... my cell phone is not working" his reply "charge it and if it is still not working in the morning I'll take it in on my way home from work." I dare not tell him it went through the wash...how naive could I be thinking the cell phone company would not be able to detect my phone had been wet. Long story short...my husband walked through the door that afternoon with a new cell phone in his hand and a smile on his face...."it appeared your phone had somehow gotten wet"...so I confessed my story....got a replacement phone for free...had I known about the rice trick I certainly would have given it a try...cause I felt really...really...stupid...that is untill my husband said "have you seen my company gas card?" and then I didn't feel so bad....Have a great day everyone!

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS

Have you ever had one of those days... you're feet hit the floor bright and early...you're full of energy... ready to tackle the day...you peruse your to do list...well... you attempt to peruse your to do list... first you must locate your glasses...then your car keys...but before you can leave to run your errands....you want to get the laundry hung out on the line... the sun is going to shine... after two weeks of wet... rainy... weather... now while you're hanging the laundry... you mentally remind yourself not to forget your cell phone....and as you are hanging your jeans on the clothesline you notice something in the back pocket of your jeans...and to your dismay... there it is your cell phone...your heart sinks... you wonder how you're going to explain this one to your husband... just one of those days... where you realize you probably would have been better off by staying in bed and pulling the covers over your head...

MOUTH WATERING BANANA BREAD

Banana bread... my opinion is you either love it or hate it... I happen to love it. I have a tried and true recipe that I make... however... my recipe calls for shortening and after I had mashed the bananas realized I had none on hand. So...being resourceful I GOOGLED banana bread and found this recipe from the FOOD NETWORK. This recipe produced the best dang banana bread I have ever tasted...I confess I have made it twice this week...

Recipe:

1 cup white sugar

1 stick butter room temperature

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips-optional*

preheat oven 325

Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl till light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg. In another bowl mash banana and add milk and cinnamon.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, add to the egg and sugar mixture till four disappears. Next add banana mixture and beat lightly then if you so desire the mini morsels.

Bake in a well greased and floured bread pan. I have used 1 large loaf pan and have also used 3 small loaf pans as I enjoying sharing with friends and family. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

*I use McCormick Cinnamon Spice grinder and Toll House chocolate mini morsels

My banana bread was done after 1 hour...I would suggest testing it at 1 hour and if you need the ten minutes go from there.

I devoured my slice warm with a tall glass of cold milk...YUMMY!!!!!

So.... if you have old bananas on hand give this recipe a try...you won't be sorry!

YARD SALE

Last Saturday a yard sale was held on our street. It took place at the home of a neighbor... Mr. Maye... who passed away last month at the age of 98. I fondly recall Mr. Maye and his late wife Vira... coming to pick apples at my father in-law's orchard. In thanks... Mrs. Maye would gift my in-law's a jar of apple jelly or a hot apple pie. The Mayes were a sweet couple and I thought it would be nice to own something of theirs to remember them by. My first find... an old zinc wash tub...it is my opinion that you can never own to many old wash tubs.... a lovely old tole tray...

be still my heart...not one... but two tablecloths that Mrs. Maye made back in the sixties...

and in lovely condition...

a crocheted table runner...also hand crafted by Mrs. Maye...

a second tole tray...

an old candle mold...

and the grand $3.00 purchase...a cement hen...this baby weighs at least fifty pounds...she proudly resided on the Maye's front doorstep since the seventies... and now she proudly resides on mine!

APPLE BLOSSOM TIME

I sit in the shadow of apple-boughs, In the fragrant orchard close, and around me floats the scented air,

With it's wave-like tidal flows, I close my eyes in dreamy bliss,

And call no king my peer;

For is not this the rare, sweet time,

The blossoming time of year?

~Horatio Alger~

STRAWBERRY PECAN BREAD

What does one do on a cold...wet...gray...May day in New England?...you give a new recipe a try...this recipe comes from Jayme... of the blog "The Coop Keeper"... Jayme's tweaked version of Strawberry Pecan Bread... unfortunately for me it is a bit to early for strawberry season here in Maine..and if the weather trend continues...meaning... cold and rainy... who knows when the berry fields will be ready...I happened to have these strawberries on hand...not local... when I saw Jayme's recipe post. Then blogger took the post away before I captured the recipe... (due to blogger issues) but luckily for me... the original post returned...

This recipe delivers a delicious moist bread....three small loaves and one large. As suggested by Jayme I added four cups of berries in place of the original two which the original recipe called for...however...I had no strawberry extract on hand...need to put this item on my grocery list...I found this to be a perfect bread to accompany strawberry cream cheese with diced berries on top...Thank you for sharing this recipe "Coop Keeper" it is the perfect afternoon snack for a cold... dreary...wet New England day...so if you have strawberries on hand I suggest you give Jayme...The Coop Keeper a visit and I promise you won't be disappointed!!

AND THE RAIN BEGAN....

Friday... being one of those days...weather wise..that New Englanders patiently wait for...sunny... cool... breezy.... and knowing the weather forecast calls for rain...rain...for the next five to seven days...everyone in the neighborhood had their main focus directed towards the care of their yard. I being no exception... The rich color... emerald green... is all abound... fluffy daffodils with their sweet fragrance still delights one's senses...the weather warm enough to don shorts...and a gardening hat was well in need... Friday morning...prior to gardening ...I went to a tag sale hosted by Tiff of the blog Folded Gingham...two perfect garden containers were just sitting waiting for my arrival ...a galvanized tool box like carrier...which for now I have placed my $1.18 Wal- Mart Stock flowers in...I do recall when Tiff did a post on this find and I thought to myself why can't I find treasures such as this? Lucky me...she was willing to part with it... secondly... a perfect little red wooden bucket which I quickly filled with Alyssum...a perfect little white lacy flower which dresses the bucket up quite nicely...and by the way just the right touch needed for the front door step...thank you Tiff... I love my finds.

Okay...after this post I promise to get off my Wal-Mart soap box...but if you reside in New England... you know and live with the evil dreaded "Black Flies" ... a tiny gnat which can drive a sane man crazy... they fly in your ears...up your nose...in your mouth...give a red welt which eventually itches to no end...but there is a new weapon in town...a product by OFF...I was skeptical...but for $8.50 I was willing to give it a try...Clip it to your clothing...turn the fan on...and it really did keep the bug population away...now mosquitoes season has not hit yet...but... I hold out hope this little battery powered machine will help keep the insects at bay...it runs for twelve hours...comes with batteries and a refill insecticide package...

Now... If you have a diabetic dog such as Winslow Homer...let me just say...100 syringes for $12.58 Wal-Mart...we had been purchasing them 2/$1.00... finally...my gardening side kick... Iris...a Buff Orpington...buffs are some of the sweetest chickens you will ever meet...friendly...talkative...and a pro at weeding...if you do not keep chickens...you just don't know what your'e missing...

finally...thank you to all who commented on my prior post...as most of you know there was an issue with Blogger which appears to have been resolved...however... when the post was reposted...the comments were lost....have a great week everyone...someone send me some sunshine!!!

TIGHTENING UP

First... let me say I do shop locally...small town hardware stores...mom and pop businesses...farmer's market... feed store...but with the cost of items skyrocketing... I do admit...yes I do...I shop Walmart...As most of you realize with illness comes the high cost of medical expenses...Winslow Homer as most of you know was diagnosed six months ago with diabetes...our first purchase of insulin $52.00 dollars...second bottle two months later increased to $62.00...on a whim my husband stopped by the Walmart Pharmacy and inquired as to their cost...$27.00! I confess I am a Walmart consumer...I hold my head high......Yes...today while at Walmart I happened to walk by the garden center...and the most wonderful fragrance was floating through the air...I recognized this lovely scent as Stock....a garden plant favorite and one that can be hard to find...if you have never made a place in your flower bed for this lovely fragrant flower I would suggest you do...and of course Sweet William too...and again the price was right... My new purchases will not be planted in the garden as of yet... as we here at Dog Trot Farm are still having a wood fire at night...just enough warmth to take the chill off...

The "peeps" Loretta is growing...forging ahead into that awkward adolescent phase...her feathers are filling in and her feet...I have never seen so many feathers on a girl's toes...

the nursery is always in motion... grand attempts at lift offs...and chest bumps...I must admit the chest bumps have me worried... in the past I had never noticed this type of behavior...ROOSTER...is this ROOSTER behavior? anyone...suggestions...? Introducing... Buttercup...a porcelain feather footed Cochin Bantam...a sweet little girl who likes to be held...and quietly endures a bath when needed...

Loretta...Buttercup...and Annabelle...a yellow Japanese Bantam...

and there you have it...I have publicly admitted I am a proud Walmart shopper...I clip coupons...and carry my reusable bags...in this economy it pays to find a bargain...goodnight from all of us here at Dog Trot Farm...sweet dreams...