Trailer for Sale or Rent...

"Trailers for sale or rent
Rooms to let...fifty cents...."

Remember that song 'King of the Road' by Roger Miller?  I remember listening to the parents Country Cowboy album.

Well, it's my new theme song for the trailer by the lake.

YES, LADIES...the snake was back when we went out to the trailer on Saturday.

Curled up under my pillow.

And even though hubby had said he would "take care" of the snake, it wasn't to my satisfaction.  I envisioned that "taking care" of a snake would mean something that required a parental warning to view...kind of like a scene from The Sopranos.  I did not think "taking care" of a snake meant kindly guiding it to the trailer door and letting it slither back under the trailer (where it could find it's regular entry to its luxury home).

Arrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!

On a brighter note, we've been eating out of our garden.  Yes, we've had our battles with bugs, groundhogs, and drought.  The weeds also got the better of us.  We have a greater appreciation for our grandparents who grew most of what they ate out of necessity.

More on our vegetable garden experience in another post.

 A friend gave me some rhubarb, so I tried a new recipe that I found on Nancy Guppy's facebook site.  Nancy runs the Chapman Landing Cooking Studio in Nipissing, Ontario.  She's all about local food that's good for you and tastes fantastic.  I wanted to link to the recipe on her facebook page, but I can't find it on her facebook page now!  
I found out lately that rhubarb is packed full of calcium.  Good stuff.

I finished weaving my alpaca rugs and cut them off the loom.  I'm happy with them.  I will make a hem on one and just knot the fringe ends on the other.

Have a good day!

Back from My Break!

I was at a workshop for my library work a couple weeks back on maintaining your web presence.  Apparently, a blog should be updated regularly.  I'll try harder! 

May has proven to be a busy and stressful month around here.  And that was BEFORE the blackflies started!  If you are reading from afar and aren't familiar with the Northern Ontario blackfly...a word of advice...don't plan to visit between mid-May and July 1.  Here in Corbeil, two weeks after the snow has gone, we are praying for a freakish drop in temperature that might kill the blackfly population and mosquito larvae.

But I am looking forward to harvesting the fibre from our alpacas.  Since I only own a small herd, I also buy fibre from other alpaca farmers as well to make my yarn. 

At this time of year, I like to figure out whose fibre will go into what batch of yarn.  Vivaldi's will likely go into a batch of lofty sport weight knitting yarn, blended with 30% merino.  Would you like a Vivaldi hat and scarf set?

I've been spending a lot of time walking in the fields around twilight time, just when the temperature cools off and the blackflies have settled down.  The alpacas are grazing on our side of the fenceline and the deer are grazing on the other side of the fenceline.  A peaceful end to my day.

 I made a recipe from the Foodand Ontario recipe flyer that I picked up last week.  It's a Maple Ham and Asparagus Strata.  It uses 6 eggs (the chickens are popping eggs out like crazy)!  I had wanted to get Ontario grown asparagus, but had to settle for US imported asparagus.   Even though asparagus is supposed to be in season in Ontario, my grocery store didn't have it.  Time to switch grocery stores?  Maybe the Ontario crop isn't ready yet?

Today, I took a machine knitting workshop with Carloyn Barnett .  I was so excited.  Four years ago, I had bought some used equipment from a friend of a friend, who was clearing out her late mother's stuff from her garage.  I had taken a chance and had no idea what I had bought.  The boxes have sat under my bed, while waiting on my 'Some Day' list.

I thought that the price of a one day local workshop was worth the price of just finding out what I had in the boxes and see what was missing.

Wow!  Within the first 45 minutes of the workshop, the participants had put their pieces together and found out what parts needed to be regularly maintained.  Then we actually started on a toddler's pullover.
It was a great day.  Even though I got pretty messed up on the shoulder and neckline shaping, I finished the back of the sweater with Carolyn's help.  I also gained the confidence that I could start making some rectangular scarves and shawls at home.
I have wanted to take a week-long machine knitting course at Haliburton School of Arts during the summer, but didn't want to make the commitment without knowing that I had a working machine.  Now I can sign up for courses when I please, because I know this equipment works.

Besides being a great learning experience, the workshop provided a nice mental break.   And some days those are needed more than others.

This is Not a Cooking Blog!

I admit it.  Somehow this blog that focussed on fibre arts and living on an alpaca farm (I think that's what it started as...) is now featuring pictures and stories of food.  Food that I have made!  Food that didn't come from a box with microwave instructions!

Don't be fooled.  This is and never will be a cooking blog.  However, I feel challenged by some of my readers and also by some fellow-bloggers to step it up a bit in the kitchen department.

So, this morning, I made a lovely quickie quiche. It used 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of half and half, 3/4 cup Bisquick, 2 cups shredded cheddar, garlic, some bacon crumbles, salt and pepper.

It was quite delicious and fluffy.  Next time, I will try adding spinach and feta.



I also made this little lovely looking single serving to freeze.  I have to say though...the recipe says 10 minute prep, 50 minutes to cook.  In reality, it was a lot longer prep time, especially to crisp and crumble the bacon.  They didn't even mention the 3 days it would take me to wash the frying pan and pie plate...oh, maybe they aren't talking elapsed time....

AND THEN...I beat some extra eggs and put in the freezer in ice cube trays.

I think I have used up all my domestic-goddessness for one day. I'm exhausted.

Trust me, I won't soon be making my own tortillas like LuckyBunny!  Check out her blog.  I went for the endearing animal and lovely nature pictures, but I am filing her recipes in the back of my head. 

Also, if you are interested in slow-food cooking with natural goodness, check out Chapman Landings cooking school blog.  Nancy lives in my neck of the woods on a historic farm property and she's all about eating well, eating fresh and eating local.  I swear, I think Nancy could make a delicious 12 course meal out of an egg,  home-grown lettuce, some sumac, a couple birch leaves and local strawberry tea.

I have a little story about my phobia of potlucks.  Since I'm not very adept in the kitchen, I usually find something in the frozen section to bring (I do cook it though!).  Having to supply part of a meal when everyone else is into gourmet and organic is very stressful for me.  I thought that bringing a fresh veggie platter to the meal was a fail-proof plan.  That was until Nancy asked me for the dip recipe...(uhm...open sour cream, pour in powder from envelope, stir until mixed.)...actually, I think she might have just been being polite.

Anyway - I am bouyed by the number of comments that people are leaving lately.  I do appreciate you dropping in and leaving a note.  Thanks.