Drifting Off

No moon out tonight and the stars are so bright and so clear I can see the Milky Way. It almost looks like dusk out my window but there are so many small sparkling lights. I'm lucky again to have a firefly here above, my own personal shooting star.

Scapes, Stone Barn and Swinging in the Hammock

Garlic scapes --I already love garlic and these tasty offshoots are a reason to love it even more

and they're soooo pretty!

Sunday afternoon into evening I was visited by great friends. It was so nice to hang out and share my experience here with them. We drove across the beautiful countryside to a gorgeous spot with delicious food. The Stone Barn in Nelson, WI is definitely worth a visit--I'm excited to go back.

Balsamic chicken, Feta, Pea pods, Onions... yum.

The newest addition to the granary loft is just super

Farming is hard work and relaxing in a hammock at the end of the day, well, it's just super.

My advise for today is to never tire of views like these:

I sure don't--expect plenty more photos of them

And also, this:

Setting for a Lazy Sunday

It's my weekend to be on call at the farm--which means I pick food that's ready (we don't want anything to explode and we're not the type that tolerates giant zucchini,) I'm on chicken patrol and I water. It's pretty relaxing all told.

It's been a nice weekend to finish an old project --I finally finished hand-stitching on the binding to this little scrap quilt--it's nothing fancy, and not sewn to perfection, but it makes a great small lap quilt or a sit-in-the-grass-and-read-and-knit quilt, which is what I used it for today.

There was even room enough for three of us as the farm family kids joined me for a bit to talk knitting, throw some leaves, toss the yarn balls around and such. It's always nice to have company on a blanket.

Oh and I love knitting in the round--it makes knitting and reading pretty easy. I just cast this project on this morning on a whim--it's to match Lexie's Lilac Dress from this post and this post which I never posted the source of the cute cute pattern for--it's here. I'm making frilled shorts from the same Pickles people that go with a similar style dress, but for now I'm just making the shorts, which can be found here and hopefully will look like this (photo from Pickles website):

You may feel the need to shield your eyes from the excessive cuteness of these--I urge you not to, soak it all in--they are sooooooo cute.

Such a nice lazy day, big cat and and big dog lounge in peace--as they might, the mellow things.

It's a Boy! Chicken! er, Rooster!

When these former little chicks first arrived, there was a freebee thrown in with the bunch. No info on the extra chick, but it did look different from the rest. Well, after some speculation, and finally this past week we've heard some strange noises from this guy--it's not just a different breed, we're now sure we have a rooster! (Who's still working on the crowing, but entertaining us all with his attempts.)

Check out my local lunch the other day! Spinach salads with turnips & cukes complimented by a small side bowl of strawberries. Yum--it was soo fresh and good.

Big dog, big tractor, ... all we need in this picture is a big kitty.

Happy Weekend!

Put a Sweater on it!

It feels fall here but you can taste and smell summer still in this week's box!

Packed with an artistic flair: Red Lettuce, Butter Lettuce (as good as it sounds,) Wild Arugula (spicy!,) Spinach (so good,) Rapini, Collards, Escarole(mmmmm.. bitter greens,) Scallions, Radishes, Turnips, either a Cucumber or a head of Broccoli and half of the members got (amazing, so tasty) Strawberries, the other half will get theirs next week.

It was my turn to help out with deliveries, so this week I saw where all this food goes--one of the stops was right in my old Minneapolis neighborhood.

Meeting a few of the members who host the drop-off sites and make this community supported, community building endeavor even warmer and stronger was a delight.

At one of the stops, my delivery buddy hopped out and ran across the city street, returning to present me with 4 puffball mushrooms growing on the boulevard. He has quite the eye for mushrooms and very generously shared his city forage with me--needless to say this addition to dinner immediately became the highlight.

Puffball Mushroom

Of course there was a knitting project in the truck (never leave home without!) --keeping with the chicken theme, I present to you, an egg (sweater) cozy.

I'm hoping it's just the inspiration the girls need to start laying. This pattern is from the adorable book, Weekend Knitting. Why? you ask, would anyone ever, ever, need an egg cozy? Well, (besides an insane tiny sweater cuteness factor that might double as doll clothing nicely) I have a volunteered theory-- as I was curious myself. Yesterday, we all sat down together for a harvest lunch--a beautiful, absolutely delicious (I want for a stronger word) meal. Our guest chef, (my farm family's matriarch being the primary artist) is considered most knowledgeable on all things chickens. She offered this potentiality: It used to be that chickens were hard to come by, and women, hoping to procure one of their own to provide the precious food source eggs supply, would get a fertilized egg and carry it in their bosom to keep it warm so that it might hatch for them to raise and enjoy the bounty of ......and it might be more comfortable to carry and closer to feathers to snuggle it in wool? I think I have that right--and it's a theory anyway, but a fun, interesting one--isn't it? It really is.

This gal thinks so too...

"My what a lovely egg sweater!"

Hen Sleepover! or "How many of us can we cram into this one nesting box?"

They are just so much fun--and I imagine there's more in store.

I can't even imagine that there is not.

Melancholy Music

After a good harvest day, I'm feeling a bit tired, mellow and even a little melancholy (which isn't a bad thing and don't worry!) This may be due to recent (good) reading material and beautiful music I've been listening to. But I like it--sometimes it's good to cling to and soak in a bit of sadness. Even when we have so much to be happy out, to remember the suffering (great and small) for so many and reminding ourselves that there are things to be sad about, to feel something big for because they hold so much value--and we need to care about them. I want to remember the good and the bad and though I tend to focus on the good the sad makes me more grateful for the happiness and they are both an essential a part of me.

This is a beautiful song (farming related too) by Anais Mitchell that is so sad and with such an important message at the end

Bon Iver is a band that originated near Eau Claire, WI --a similar location to my own cherished roots. This is the first song of theirs that I ever heard and I was hooked immediately to the primal sound of longing and the woods in winter captured in the music.

They have a brand new album out (released just yesterday) and it does not disappoint, as you can hear for yourself below.

Finally, one of my favorite short sweet sad heart string tuggers.

Remember and embrace the sweet sadness we are so lucky to feel in this life.

First Day of Summer

Today is officially the first day of the summer and it seems fitting that there are ripe strawberries and full grown cucumbers.

We have had quite a bit of warm summer rain around here this past week, so its looking like another muddy harvest ahead of us tomorrow.

but the sun did grace us towards the end of the day for a bit

us and the bolting asparagus

it collected the rain into a blanket of fine mist

and layered in its light.

The Last Couple Days

We have been transforming the ghost of a former silo into a beautiful, fragrant, tasty herb garden. It's going to be wonderful to grab a little bit of zest for dinner from here.

I'm headed to the city this weekend for a very special occasion.

In preparation, last night after work...

I changed my bike tires for smooth riding through the city streets (always my preferred method of transport for visiting friends, running errands, going out and anywhere it makes sense.)

And I hemmed a dress (a pretty vintage find, but much too long--a whole foot past my feet) for that very special occasion. I am so excited to celebrate.

Have an absolutely beautiful weekend, rain or shine.

Chicken Adorned

This week's box! --they just keep getting prettier and more delicious.

aaaand.....

I said I'd do it and I did. In this post--I confessed my desire to fashion a knit chicken hat and a scarf.

Here it is! Modeled by a charming, not super-excited about it, hen.

(No chickens were harmed in this photo shoot--only accessorized.)

Isn't she lovely?

Makes you want to go watch Chicken Run, no? Yes.

Have a peaceful night

and a bright new morning

Happiness and Harvest

There are some really good reasons I haven't posted yet this week--and they are all family.

The newest member of our close-knit, love-full bunch draws us all in even closer together and makes everyone of us smile.

She looks so cute (always and also) in her Lilac dress and hat.

...she is sooo fun to knit for

she just really has a hold on me.

Today was our second harvest, a much longer, rainier day than last week.
The time passing I hardly noticed, the rain's mud though, was impossible to miss.

We harvested the same delicious items we did last week, plus these wonderful additions...
Pac Choi

Rapini

and tasty Hakurei Turnips

It was really pleasant to be out in a warm, soft rain. As the day went on the weather put on a stunning show for us. It brightened the mist, cleared and then, breaking out in sun with all sorts of fluffy or stormy clouds moving in, interspersed in blue sky --making the light beautiful everywhere it touched.

The Dandelion Wine is still in the works --finishing up fermenting before corking. When the balloons remain deflated for 24 hours it's done and in 6 months we'll see how it tastes.

Last Friday night I went into town to listen to a local band and was floored by what I heard. Left Wing Bourbon is definitely worth a listen--an absolutely timeless blues sound. Highest recommendations from me.

Love love love!