My Big Lilac Bag

I'm a pretty symetrical girl where my knitwear design is concerned. I know it has to do with the way knit stitches are lined up on a graph - you've just gotta follow that grid. For me, knitting in two colors and following a symetrical knitting chart is relaxing and almost (I'm saying almost here because I've still got to follow that chart and establish the motif with the two colors and the needles!) meditative. Most of my knitting charts are based on quadrants - I draw one quadrant on a piece of graph paper and then I flip it around 3 more times to create a symetrical knitting chart.

But in life, I'm nowhere near symetrical - I'm not at all easy to pin down to dates and appointments. I like to live on the edge, not knowing how things are going to turn out. And in my art - it's all about not knowing what's going to happen when I get out the brushes or camera. It's all so organic and loose and fun.

That's what I love about embroidering on knitwear. I can have a mental picture in my head of how a piece of stitchery is going to turn out. But then I take up the needle and the colored yarns and wow --- something else starts appearing before my very eyes. It is such a blast!

The other day I was out taking photos and I took this close-up of a bunch of lilacs. My goal was to capture the colors and the blooms and how they looked against the knitted, felted fabric below. When I got to the computer and actually started examining the images, I was struck by the construction of a lilac bloom. The total effect is breezy and voluptuous and smelling of springtime beauty. And then you look close at the make-up of the bloom and it's built of all these little symetrical four petaled flowers. But then nature puts them all together into a great big showy bloom in crazy abandon and they turn into a lilac. So glorious, those flowers are, aren't they?


Way back, a long time ago, Jillian and Amy asked me to do a "Big Girl Bag" for their More Big Girl Knits book. I have been anxiously awaiting the release of their new book. For me, the most satisfying part of doing a project for a book or a magazine is seeing the printed page with my knitwear on it. They wanted something bright and cheerful and big.

So here it is - my Big Girl Bag. I channeled Julia's favorite colors of pink and purple. These shades are a real departure for me. But I love the way the bag turned out. Knit in Julia, it was then felted in the washing machine. After the hot water worked its magic, I added lots of embroidered flowers in my favorite stitches of spider web, chain stitch, french knots and lazy daisies. After that was all over, I lined it in a light green gingham check.


And then lo and behold, the bag came back to me along with my copy of More Big Girl Knits just as my lilacs were blooming. I couldn't resist filling up the bag with a giant bunch of flowers and hanging it on a fencepost near our orchard.

What's an Egg Farmer To Do?

At this time of year, I let my chickens out to graze on the lawn and fields every day. They enjoy the freedom and we are rewarded with bright orange yolked eggs. The other day I couldn't help but see the similarity in two of my new colors of Julia Yarn Colors that Nashua Handknits is bringing out this coming fall. The little balls of yarn I wound looked so similar to the eggs' yolks I have been cooking every morning that I just couldn't help myself from taking this photo.


At this time of year, I'm always looking for ways to cook eggs to get rid of the glut of my hens' production. With stone fruit season fast approaching (cherries, apricots, peaches and plums), I began thinking about the classic french peasant dessert "clafouti." I was first introduced to it in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" a long time ago. I love this easy dessert - impressive, not at all labor intensive, light and perfect for springtime.

Somewhere long ago, I once saw a recipe for a tomato clafouti. My search was on - where the heck did I see that? After looking through all my cookbooks, I finally gave up. I decided to take Julia's basic recipe for sweet clafouti and then adapt it to a bunch of cherry tomatoes I had hanging around to make a savory clafouti. It turned out to be perfect for a weekend brunch picnic. It looks so pretty, I can foresee making it for lunch with friends late this summer when my homegrown cherry tomatoes are in abundant supply. Enjoy!


Kristin's Tomato Clafouti

1 1/4 cups milk
3 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
3 cups cherry tomatoes - many colors are nice
4 oz. grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the milk, eggs, salt and flour in a blender or with a hand mixer. By hand, mix in half the cheese. Butter a porcelain quiche pan and pour enough of the batter into the bottom of the pan to cover. Bake for about 5 minutes to set the batter. Remove from oven and place cherry tomatoes neatly around the pan. Pour the batter over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes. A knife should come out clean when inserted into the clafouti.

Serve warm with a green salad. The clafouti is just as good the next day.

Way Up There

Just up our road there's a really large hill that is owned by our neighbors. They don't have their dairy cows anymore and so the land isn't being actively grazed. This hill is massive.


It can be seen from all over our county - a patch of green amongst the woodlands. We are lucky enough to be able to hike the hill frequently. And quite a hike it is. I just don't know how the dogs fly up it at warp speed - looking back at me saying - "Come on, what's taking you so long."

Our sheep have been helping out with the mowing of the hill. They started all the way at the bottom. Every day, The Farmer moves the fences just a bit higher. Now they are so high, you can't even see them anymore.


This weekend it was perfectly beautiful. Julia and I made the trek up the hill and helped move the fences even higher. As we climbed higher and higher, the sheep eventually came into view.

I looked at them and couldn't believe the luck - puffy clouds and puffy sheep in full fleece. It was pretty magical.


And then, amongst them all, a brand new little black lamb born to a yearling ewe. Very bright and doing beautiful up there, enjoying the view.


Lucky sheep. Lucky us. Hope you too had a lovely long weekend. Aaahhhhhh, back to the every day.

When the Lilacs Bloom....

Forever when the lilacs bloom, I will remember you, Pat.
My world will never be the same without you.

With Love,
Kristin

Hatchlings

Hen's eggs in a found bird's nest.....


My little hatchlings - five new colors of Julia Yarn. Coming to a yarn store near you later this summer. Aren't they lovely?

Spring Things

Spring is about new things and new growth. It's also the time of year when in nature, babies of all kinds are born. It's amazing how nature has timed most species to become fertile just at the right time of year. It's just so darn practical because all the babies have a better chance of survival when it is warm.

I always order new chicks in the spring since I'm never sure my hens will hatch their own. This year, instead of ordering 25 which is the minimum order from Murray McMurray, I ordered them from the local grain store. Their minimum is six which is more sensible for me this year. Julia and I went to pick them up late last week. We got seven Aracauna chicks which will lay those beautiful green and blue eggs.

Over the next two weeks we are getting four more chicks. The girls at the grain store have told me that the demand for chicks this year was overwhelming and that the hatcheries are having a difficult time filling orders - hence our chicks arriving on different days. Interesting, isn't it? With all the uncertainty in the world and the high cost of transportation, maybe people are starting to think more about self-sufficiency. I think that's a good thing for the modern world in general - to think more about their food, where it comes from and how it gets on your plate. This is definitely one of the growing trends in the USA today and one to watch out for.

THE Day....

There are days I look forward to every year. I try not to think about them too much because if I do anticipate too hard, the rest of my year speeds by while I'm thinking of the day that is yet to come. I don't know if this makes sense to you or not? It's like what my mother used to say to me when I was little when I told her I couldn't wait until I was 16...... She always said "Kristin, don't wish your life away. Enjoy the moments you are having now. The rest will come before you know it." And of course, Mom, you were right.

But today, it is a day I look forward to and anticipate the whole year through. It is the day our orchard bloomed.

Our farmhouse is on the edge of an apple orchard. The orchard was planted in the 1960's or 70's (I'm guessing) but it has been pretty much abandoned as far as commercial production for over 20 years. There are over 4000 trees - the only way I know this is that I was told how many were planted all those years ago. The trees are way too far gone to be productive but we still get apples galore. They seem to have reverted back to some kind of wild state because the trees bear every other year. The varieties aren't the greatest - but they are fresh and crisp and for goodness sake, they are right outside my door. The wildlife lives the whole winter on the drops and I feed my pigs and chickens all I can pick. The sheep graze under the trees all summer long giving them great shade. Every other year, we have plenty of apples for applesauce and pies.

We long ago gave up hope of ever bringing the orchard back. But what we do enjoy is walking through it and looking at the trees. And today... oh, I wish I could send you the apple blossom perfume through your computer monitor. It is so sweet and gentle and subtle. And the color of the blossoms is the lightest, gentle pink shade - almost white and transluscent - just like the fragrance.

The orchard is a busy place - it is sensory overload for sure. The bees are buzzing and pollinating like crazy. It's just too beautiful for words. And so I will stop and let you look.


Yes, that's the moon up there between the blossoming branches. What an incredibly beautiful day.

Derby Deviled Eggs

Spring comes late and unpredictably in our part of the world. One sign of spring for sure is the annual Running of the Roses in Kentucky. No matter how cold, wet and rainy it is here in western Massachusetts, The Kentucky Derby happens every year, never fail, on the first Saturday in May. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been going to Derby parties, first with my parents and sisters, and then throwing a party or two of my own. I love the tradition of the Derby – the hats, the flowers, the magnificent old grandstands at Churchill Downs, the beautiful silks on the horses and the jockeys and the singing of My Old Kentucky Home.

When we moved here, I needed to find someone else who might be keen to celebrate this rite of spring. Lucky for us, my friend Kay who also grew up in NJ had grown up in a home where her mother threw a fabulous Derby party. We’ve been celebrating the Derby with Kay and her husband Mike for many years now. We do low-tech, low-stakes wagering and winner takes all.

Mostly it is about the food and the mint juleps that afternoon. Kay is an amazing chef and we always look forward to what she prepares. Every year she asks me bring my deviled eggs. I’m not the most fabulous cook but I try. Evidently I make a mean deviled egg because they are instantly gobbled up. There’s something so sinful about these little boats of flavor.

Kay has been clamoring for my special recipe for Derby Deviled Eggs. This past weekend, I was having a dinner party in honor of The Farmer’s birthday. I made up another batch of Derby Deviled Eggs to test out all my proportions. (That’s one reason I don’t post recipes here on my blog – too much trouble with testing and re-testing recipes). Here it is for Kay and for you:


Perfect Boiled Eggs

Here’s how to make perfect hard boiled eggs every time. I learned this trick from my Aunt Marilyn. Put a dozen extra large eggs in a large pot. Fill it with cold water. Put it on the stove and bring it to a boil for a minute. Turn it off and let the eggs cool in the water. When the water is completely cool, peel the eggs. You’ll have perfectly cooked eggs, without that nasty green edge that sometimes happens when you overcook hard boiled eggs.

Derby Deviled Eggs

1 dozen extra large eggs
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons sweet relish
3 Tablespoons mayonaise
3 Tablespoon capers packed in vinegar and drained
Several dashes of Tabasco sauce, depending on how devilish you want your eggs
Good handful of fresh chives
Paprika

Egg Note: Fresh eggs from my chickens always cause peeling problems. They're just too fresh to peel. Chicken farmer that I am, I always purchase my eggs for deviling at the store because they peel easily.

To Devil the Eggs:
1. Peel the eggs. Cut in half and put all the yolks in a medium sized bowl.
2. Mash the yolks but not too much – I like them a little chunky but, of course, this is a matter of personal preference.
3. To the mashed yolks, add mustard, sweet relish, mayonnaise and capers. Mix through.
4. Using a spoon, fill all the egg boats with a generous scoop of filling. I usually will have a few white boats left over which the dogs gladly accept as a snack.

Snip the chives into ¼” pieces leaving 24 of the tips about 3” long. Place the eggs on your serving platter. Spear each egg with a chive tip. Sprinkle the rest of the chives all over your eggs and plate as decoration. Watch them disappear!

Sheep in Massachusetts, Wales, and Spain

Our sheep are looking like they are living in Ireland. The grass is so green and lush and almost electric looking at different times of the day as the light shifts, shines, and fades.


I just finished a fabulous book by Horatio Clare called Running for the Hills. It is about a young boy and his brother growing up on his mother's sheep farm in Wales. The writing is so beautifully phrased and the story is brilliantly told. If you have a fascination for farming and escaping the rat race, I highly suggest it. Even if you don't, you will still love it. I didn't want the book to end. Interesting review here.


These sheep are so quietly grazing somewhere in a lobby of a building. How funny they are constructed of phone cords and rotary dial telephones. There's a whole flock of them here. I think they may be in Spain but perhaps someone can tell me. Via Make:blog.

Finding Green

We had a big job to do this past weekend which ended up taking the better part of three days. The sheep were in constant jailbreak mode and something had to be done. From the photo above, I can hardly blame them. The supplemental hay just wasn't doing it for them. It's spring, and they demand green grass. The Farmer hitched up his trailer and started to attempt to move all 200 sheep complete with many little lambs to a neighbor's field that is large and full of plenty of grass for the sheep to eat.

His first attempt, with Nessie's help was quite successful - the sheep didn't realize what was happening and about 25 hopped on the trailer. He was hoping the rest would continue partcipating in the project but they were on to him. The next batch numbered about ten and he became frustrated. I could tell he needed help.

Off Phoebe and I went to see if we could help. Phoebe is our Border Collie who really doesn't want to be a sheep dog. She decided long ago that her calling was as my companion and chicken herder - she has never wanted much to do with sheep. We got her when Julia was almost a year old and the breeder chose her for us because she wanted a pup that would be good with a small child. Things were busy back then and we had Paisley, our first Border Collie who was full of natural talent and lived to herd sheep. With dogs, there is always a pecking order and Phoebe naturally became subservient to Paisley. Our life was quite crazy back then, crazier than now and The Farmer never got to properly training Phoebe - it was always just easier to take Paisley out and get the job done lickety-split.

After Paisley died, we knew we had to find a new dog that would really help with the sheep. We got Ness hoping that she would have talent - but she was just a pup. Miraculously, with Paisley gone, Phoebe started taking interest in the sheep and the sheep started to notice her. They started moving for her and she started to enjoy it a bit. It was clear that she was much happier to work when I was around - she feels more confident, I think.

Nessie is now almost three years old. She's got more power and enthusiasm for working sheep than Phoebe but together they have become a little team. When they go to a field together, the sheep definitely begin to move. Their working style is different - Nessie works in closer with Phoebe staying back. They both will lay down on command and things get done quickly. They seem to be more efficient when they are both working together. They're very far from being much of a talented team (like the dogs of Dave Kennard - read about his fabulous dog Mist here) but they sure are helping us out moving lots of sheep around.

Several trips with a trailer full of sheep were needed to get the flock onto their new pasture. As you can see, there wasn't much to eat on the old pasture. Here the sheep are coming over the rise with the dogs behind them.


Each load was between fifteen to twenty-five sheep. When they got to the new pasture, they hopped on out and start eating, as if nothing happened.

Over the course of three days, we had almost all of them moved. This is always tricky because nursing lambs get separated from their mamas no matter how hard you try. By Sunday, there was about fifty sheep left to go. The ones that were left were the most stubborn and wild including The Jumper. ("The Jumper" can jump any fence, no matter how high and she is constantly where she shouldn't be. She makes good lambs so we keep her around and try to put up with her quirkiness.) We knew it would be a challenge. The Farmer set up the fences to form a funnel so that we could crowd them all closer to the trailer. Lucky for us, David and Debbie, Mark's brother and sister-in-law, were around and they helped the three of us and the two dogs capture the last hold-outs. We must have been a funny site - 4 adults, 2 dogs and a child circling the band of rogue, wet and bedraggled sheep.

They're all much happier now - eating lots of fresh green grass.

Phoebe and Ness were definitely the stars of the weekend. It would be impossible to move this many sheep without a good dog or two around.

We've had a lot of dogs in our lives, between The Farmer and I, including four Border Collies. Every one is completely different with their own personality traits and habits. We have loved them all for their quirkiness and constant devotion. If you are new to my blog and you love dogs, you may enjoy an essay about Paisley here.

Jailbreak

For the past week, the phone has been ringing early in the morning. When it rings that early in the springtime, it is usually one thing – the sheep have escaped their fencing and they are grazing on greener pastures. Traffic jams ensue usually including the school bus. Even in the country, people drive too fast, talk on their cell phones simultaneously and don’t pay attention. I guess when they come upon lots of sheep in the middle of the road, it may make them slow down some… at least I hope so. Definitely good for water cooler conversation.

The Farmer’s brother and sister-in law are extremely patient. Our sheep winter in our greenhouse barn across the road from their dairy farm. I guess they are used to people stopping by and telling them the sheep are out. We also have pastures for grazing near our barn but not enough grass for the number of sheep we have. In early spring, the grass hasn’t really started growing at any great rate. It is a challenge to keep the sheep fenced in. Even though they have plenty of food to eat including hay for supplemental food, they always want what’s outside their fence. It's all about the food for sheep.

This was the scene this morning as I arrived with the two Border Collies. The sheep were having a grand old time on top of one of David’s fields.


When they see the dogs coming though, they know we mean business. All of a sudden the entire flock of 200 creatures begins to move, dogs pushing them. They all know where they are supposed to be, they just don't want to be there.

Then it was time to increase their present fenced-in pasture. We wound the woven wire electric fence up through the woods and through a pine grove. They’ll probably stay put for a day but I’m sure we’ll be getting another call tomorrow.

May Day

Little glimpses around our farm today on this glorious May Day 2008. We didn't deliver any May Baskets but I'm delivering you some bits of spring tonight.

I let the chickens out every morning at this time of year. They eat bugs and worms and love to take a good dust bath. In a few weeks, I'll have too many plants in that I won't want them to eat so their hours out of the coop will be a bit less. They are enjoying every moment of freedom from morning til night.


Otto is Lily Pons' last year's handsome kitten who somehow has managed to become a big strapping cat. (He's the one we kept from this litter of five red striped tiger kittens.) He still is as sweet as they make 'em and really the only cat I have managed to have sit still for me for a photograph. He is loving the daffodils this week.


I have no idea what this shrub is but every spring it lets out a scream of a wonderful pinkish-salmon bloom that I gather by the armload and bring inside. After it's all over, you would have no idea that the homely shrub could be so beautiful.


I love these little purply-blue grape hyacinth blooms. The raindrops hanging onto the sides of them kind of look like little glass baubles.


Happy May!