Back to the Start - Spreading the Truth

For all of you who haven't already seen this wonderful video, please take a minute to view.  I feel very strongly about the state of our food in America, and even more so, the inhumane treatment of animals being raised for our food.

Please help spread the word........

Death of a Shoe

I AM COMPLETELY DEVASTATED!  Imagine my shock & horror this morning when I went online to order a pair of shoes from my favorite shoe company in the entire universe, Simple Shoes, and learned that they are going out of business.......

My favorite shoes

I am very attached to these shoes and recently had to retire this particular pair because of a left foot, big toe blowout.  These shoes and I have shared some great times together and, as you can see, I have loved them to death.  With a great fitting pair of jeans (or not), and a faded cotton T-shirt, these shoes made the perfect outfit in my mind......my Yellow Creek Farm uniform.  Some folks in my life have taken issue with my style choices since I retired from (aka "quit") the corporate world.  I, however, found that I was capable of almost anything when I wore these shoes.

So what's a girl to do???  Maybe I'll check out Ebay.  If I'm lucky, maybe someone had the inside line on the going out of business thing and bought up a few pairs in anticipation of poor souls like me who will probably pay too much money for the shoe of their dreams. Hmmmm.....I've heard about people like me.  Shoe freaks I always called them!  I'll have to keep you posted.  Any suggestions??

Chocolate Wars!

Happy Valentine's Day, Y'all!  And since flowers and chocolate are on almost every one's mind today, this is the perfect opportunity for me to share with you the ongoing battle that rages here at Yellow Creek Farm.

My husband is the world's greatest chocoholic!  How do I know that?  Well, he just has to be.  Never in my life have I seen anyone devour chocolate at a more alarming rate.  He almost single-handedly helps keep the doors of the Hershey factory open, I can assure you.

He has what my family jokingly refers to as "Don's Chocolate Stash" which takes up one whole shelf in my freezer door.  From time to time, when post-holiday chocolate prices are slashed and he really stocks up, the stash spills over into other shelves and I have to patiently make him re-contain the "Stash" into it's allotted space.  

The chocolate shelf before Valentine's Day

AND......

The stash on Valentine's Day

Notice how there's been a great, big addition already this morning??  That's the box of candy he gave ME for Valentine's Day!  We don't linger over the logic here. This happens every year since I'm not as big a fan of the stuff as he is.  He buys me the biggest box of chocolate he can find, knowing I won't eat it, then happily adds to his hoard after the ceremonial "gift giving".  

Gotta love him, I tell ya, but sometimes I really have to draw the line.  If it's chocolate and it's in the freezer, he automatically feels that it's fair game.  SO.......my baking chocolate is always stored with a warning.  

The Warning!

I kid you not......I actually have to do this.  If these chips happen to last the day, I was thinking of making some cookies.  Sometimes I just bake stuff so he won't devour the ingredients first!

~♥~

Before Dawn

Those of you who are fortunate enough to live in the country like I do can certainly appreciate this post, short and sweet as it will be.  And for those of you who live in the city, as I once did, I hope you can find a way to experience this at least once.  

My early morning fire

Today, I woke up before dawn, as I normally do, and took care of early morning chores--feed the cats, start a fire, and make the first pot of coffee.  It's a routine we have here that doesn't often vary.  I find routines very comforting. Then, usually, I will pull my rocking chair up close to the fire, drink a cup of coffee, and wait for the rest of the household to be up and about the business of the day.  This morning, though, I decided to step out on the back porch instead.  

How beautiful!  A very cold and still 24 degrees greeted me, and the quarter moon sky was bright and clear with a million stars shining. I could hear the creek water running softly over a bed of rocks, and in the distance the sound of an old barn owl hoo-hooing.  Nature is so awesome in it's simplicity, and I am so fortunate. 

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The Planting Has Begun.....Hubby Has a Project!

My husband, Don, has begun his planting project for the year.....a border of lilies along the fence of our raised bed garden.  Mostly tiger lilies and an assortment of other lilies, which should be quite beautiful when they bloom later this season.  Last summer, I bartered (love that!) with a lady for a truckload of lilies she had dug from her yard and was carting off to the landfill.  Makes my heart hurt just thinking about that, but she stopped by the shop first and I traded her some store credit for the flowers.  Just realized that I haven't blogged yet about the little flea market that my sister-in-law, Patty, and I play around with.  Will get to that!  

Hubby hard at work

Setting the plants

Who knew that a big, burley construction guy could so gently place a lily in the ground and worry about whether or not it will grow? Wonders never cease here at the farm.  It's amazing what some time spent living in the country can do to a person!  I will definitely post some "after" shots of this project later on this summer!

I can't finish this post without giving credit to one of our wonderful cats who spends a good deal of time helping out with the planting.  Layla, our calico kitty, loves hanging out in the garden and is always sure to show up and offer her expertise if we're around checking out the raised beds or simply walking through the garden up to our storage shed.  

Layla  eagerly "helping out"!

A good roll in the grass is essential to planting.

Yes, she's a hard-working girl and has certainly made our gardening experience a lot more fun.  We've learned so much from her. Important things like stretching out in the sun for a little nap after all that hard work.  It's surely the best way to end the day!

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The View From My Front Door

We live smack dab in the middle of a pasture here at Yellow Creek Farm. While that may present a problem for some folks, we have found it to be the source of many memorable and entertaining moments.

Just imagine opening your front door on a sunny spring morning and catching sight of a momma cow with her new calf.  No matter how many times I witness the evolution of life here, following the process still fills me with awe. From the moment you first realize that a cow is again with calf, you then watch her progress through the next few months, belly swelling and teats filling with life-giving mother's milk, preparing for the birth of her baby.

Beautiful Girl and  her spring calf

Skeeter's Mom and her new baby

Every once in a while, somebody likes to get up close and personal.  That's always an exciting moment for me.  To know that an animal trusts me that much is pretty awesome.

Checking out my camera!

Living here among these animals has added a whole new dimension to my life.  Not only awe-inspiring, but enjoying the peacefulness that everyday encounters with these creatures can bring.  However, these wonderful animals aren't always the only sights we see when we open our front door.  Once in a while, a little boy appears and wants to play.

"Let's go to the creek, Aunt Gwennie!"

That's pretty awesome, too!

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Finally......Spring is in the Air!

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”  ~ Henry David Thoreau

Front porch of the little house at Yellow Creek Farm

I ran across this picture recently of our front porch, freshly painted, purple pansy pots hung, and the first day lilies of the season beginning to bloom.  I've had a severe case of cabin/spring fever lately, and this photo made me really anxious to get outside, clean up flower and vegetable beds, and be done with all this dead, brown grass of winter.

Young daffodil shoots peeking through.

I know it's still early, but already I can feel something in the air.  Just yesterday I noticed that my miniature daffodils and hyacinths are starting to peek their little green heads up through last year's dreary pine straw mulch.  This year I will finally have to divide huge clumps of wild gladiolas and day lilies.  The monkey grass has started to multiply, too, and I suspect that some of it could benefit by my helping it to spread roots in a new spot.

Luke helping himself to a drink.

Our 12-1/2 cats enjoy the flower beds immensely.  During the heat of a long, hot Southern summer, the lush foliage of the lilies provide a cool spot for them to sleep away lazy afternoons.  Not to mention providing wonderful mazes for chasing down chipmunks and field mice, which they lovingly deposit on our front door mat!

Yellow Creek in late winter.

I stepped out on the back porch this morning to check on the water level in the creek.  Yes, it's up and running, as it always is this time of year due to the storms and heavy rains that come our way.  The creek runs along the back of our house at the bottom of a steep hill.  From the porch, I can see through the towering old oaks and pines that line the creek bank.  Soon the oaks will be greening up, and nature will provide me with a beautiful "painting" through my back kitchen window.  Another season is evolving here at Yellow Creek Farm, and I always feel a stirring inside.

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Yummy Corn Cookie Recipe

Finally, here’s the Corn Cookie recipe that I promised in my last post.  Sure wish I could take credit for it because these cookies are so incredibly delicious, but that honor goes to Christina Tosi, at Momofuku Milk Bar.  Although the recipe may seem somewhat involved and uses a few ingredients unfamiliar to some of us, I can guarantee that it is certainly worth the time and effort.  If you don’t have a Whole Foods or other natural foods store close by, we ordered our freeze-dried corn (Just Corn) on Amazon.

Corn Cookies

as printed in Lucky Peach - yields 18 cookies

2 sticks (225 grams) butter, warmed to room temperature (Tosi favors high-fat butter like Plugra)
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) sugar 1 egg
1 1/3 cups (225 grams) flour
1/4 cup (45 grams) corn flour
2/3 cup (65 grams) freeze-dried corn powder (freeze-dried corn is available at Whole Foods or other natural food stores, and easily grinds to a powder in your blender)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

Place the butter and sugar in a mixer (ideally fitted with a paddle attachment), and cream on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a spatula, then begin blending on a medium-low speed and add the egg. Increase speed back to medium-high, and blend for a full 8 minutes. During this time, the sugar dissolves and the whole mixture becomes pale and nearly doubles in volume.

While the mixture is blending, sift together the flour, corn flour, corn powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

After the butter/sugar mixture has finished blending, reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until it just comes together (as ever,  it is better to under-mix than to over-mix).  Line a sheet pan with parchment, and scoop out 1/4 cup-sized cookies. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to a week). If you don't have the fridge space for a sheet pan, you can use plates, and then transfer to a sheet tray before baking. This chilling step is critical for keeping the butter-heavy cookies from greasing all over the place, so don't skip it.

When your doughballs have chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Make sure the cookies are at least 3 inches apart on their parchment-lined sheets.  Bake 18 minutes, until very faintly browned on the edges, but still bright yellow in the center.

Let cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to a plate for serving or airtight container for storage. Corn cookies keep 5 days, or in the freezer for a month.

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We Personal Chef, Too!

I tell you, there’s always something keeping us busy here at Yellow Creek Farm.  Keeps it interesting, though.  Our daughter, Lauren, is a chef by trade and keeps a pretty rigorous schedule working in the restaurant business.  Lately she’s picked up a couple of personal chef jobs on the side, and I get to be her built-in sous chef.  I have to say that she’s very tolerant considering my limited professional culinary abilities and less than perfect knife skills! 

So we got up very early this morning to prepare for a dinner she’s doing tonight.  Did a sort of mini photo shoot while we were prepping beef tenderloins and baking corn cookies (Delicious!  I’ll get that recipe up on the blog soon.) 

This is a picture of yours truly chopping parsley.  I was talking to Hubby, Don, and trying to direct him on how to use the camera!  We limp along here with this technology stuff :-))Here’s a batch of the Corn Cookies after they had  chilled in the fridge and were ready to go in the oven.  Look just like big ‘ol scoops of ice cream, don’t they?

The tenderloins smelled soooooo good while she was searing them off.  Sometimes it’s really hard to keep on working and not stop to nibble!

Quite honestly, I have to say that my hat is off to all of the chefs in the world.  That job is not for sissies, that’s for sure.  I was worn out by the time Lauren was cleaned up, packed up, and ready to head out the door at 2:00.  We put in about 6 straight hours of prep & cooking time for one dinner.  I couldn’t imagine being under the pressure of doing a dinner service in a busy restaurant!  So imagine how happy I was when Hubby Don announced that he would cook supper tonight for the two of us.  Well, I was all for that!  Here’s a picture of MY personal chef  and his specialty, Pepper Steak with Rice!  :-) 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that’s what I’M talking about!!  Along with a nice glass of chardonnay, I was really glad to kick back and relax after a long day of cooking.  It’s so nice to be pampered! 

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Home Again…..Memories of Yellow Creek

Every day, I thank the good Lord for bring us to this place.  Or, should I say, back to this place.  

In 2003, my husband, Don, and I made the decision to leave well-paying jobs in the Washington, DC area, vowing to do whatever it took to get ourselves out of the corporate rat race. At the time, we weren’t exactly sure where this choice would take us, but we were sure that we wanted a much simpler and quieter life, wherever that might be. The stress of city life was taking its toll and, thankfully, we were both in complete agreement that big changes had to be made.

Eventually, our journey brought us back to my hometown of Wetumpka, a small town that sits on the banks of the Coosa River in central Alabama. This area is extremely rich in Indian history. Translated, Wetumpka means “Tumbling Waters”. There, I spent endless summer days playing in the woods, fields, and pastures with my sister and three brothers. It was a wonderful time……..free to roam about as we pleased with no danger of harm coming to us. Every day, we would start out on great adventures right after breakfast and chores, usually coming inside only for a quick lunch before Mom called us back late that afternoon for supper and baths.

One of our favorite places was Yellow Creek which ran through the pasture of my Grandfather’s farm. There we would spend hours on end wading, catching minnows, seining for bass (which we lucked up on once in a while), or eating picnic lunches that Mom had packed for us. But the best place of all was as far back as you could go, through the pasture, over the hill with the big cedar tree (we all agreed it would make a perfect Christmas tree someday) and down the other side of the hill to where giant oak trees lined the banks of Yellow Creek and the water ran a little deeper…….perfect for cooling off on hot summer days.

A Blank Page

Happy New Year!! And with that greeting comes a whole new list of plans and possibilities.  A blank page waiting to be filled with whatever I choose, because we are the masters of our own destiny…..right??  Well, every once in a while someone likes to step in and throw you a curve ball, but I suppose it’s all in how you choose to handle those things that determines their outcome. 

As for me, my only resolution for the new year is that I choose to live simply and deliberately here at Yellow Creek Farm.  One of my favorite quotes from Thoreau is, “Our life is frittered away by detail.  Simplify, simplify.”   Why, I would stay here forever and never leave if the forces that drive our existence wouldn’t give me such a hard time about it!!  For instance, they keep telling me that I need a new pair of shoes when I’m quite happy with the ones I’ve got.  :-)) 

I’ll just end this post with that……..Have a wonderful day!

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