Gourds, goats and good food

I hosted our gourd club's annual potluck yesterday. It was so much fun and everyone had a great time. With everything that was going on I can't believe I actually did this; but I never picked up the camera and so I have no photos of all the delicious food , or the interaction with the goats, and all the creativity that was going on.
I did a mini workshop on how to make gourd pins and was amazed at the beautiful and creative results. We sat outside under the trees and everyone worked on one or two pins that they could take home with them.
At our next meeting I will take some photos of some of the wonderful results. I shouldn't be surprised at the art work that was created. These ladies and gent (Don, you were a brave man among all those women) are very talented people.






This morning I was greeted by this beautiful bouquet of Gladiolus. My friend Sylvia brought them yesterday. Look at them! Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous? She has a lovely garden in the valley and grows lots of vegetables, flowers and ......, gourds. Thanks Sylvia.


Now, I want to talk about the food that came with the flowers. The best thing about a potluck is the delicious food that everyone brings. We had a chicken mushroom casserole that was really wonderful, a pasta salad with string beans, fresh bread, rosemary chicken, fruit, fresh lemonade and ......desserts: How about fresh homemade lemon meringue pie, brownies, chocolate ranger cookies (with big chunks of chocolate pieces), and a creampuff dessert with custard, whipped cream and chocolate sauce? Oh my gosh!! We all died on desserts. What a feast it was!

For intertainment we had the goats do what they do best. ( Now I really wish I had gotten the camera). They were so cute and greeted everyone with joy. I even found two of the ladies inside the goat enclosure having a "moment" with the boys. I'm so glad that they were comfortable being around goats. Janice, one of the ladies, has goats of her own so I knew she was fine with them. All in all, we had a wonderful day.

Today it's very hot, but yesterday it was as if we had put our order in for absolutely perfect weather.
As I said goodby to everyone I thought, to myself ,how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place and be able to share it with my friends and family. Sometimes you've just got to step back and say a quiet "Thank you" to whom ever is listening.

Wordless Wednesday: Bambino Art

My heat loving, chicken dusting garden; reborn

I think of Squeeky, in her next life as a chichen hawk, and it makes me laugh. Maybe she will be there to defend my garden from her nemeses hens. In the meantime, I have replanted and mulched. Of course, the hens will not be out and about for a while. I want to enjoy the garden a bit . I think I will need a fence around this area. It's the one place that they head for every time.

This is the Hollyhocks second year. Look at the color of this one. It's so yummy you want to taste it. Sherbet anyone?

...., and this one; the Gerbera or Transvaal Daisy. This is a beautiful perennial for hot climates. It's native to South Africa. What color!! This one should be called rainbow sherbet. Don't you just want one bite?

When I was young I had little interest in gardening. My mother was the gardener in our family. She knew all the plants and their latin names. She nurtured everything; the garden, me, my sister, baby birds , stray cats and lost dogs. It was her nature and I reveled in the fact that I was a part of all this love and care. We took hot water to the birdbath,in winter to thaw the frozen water so the birds could drink and bathe. We kept a baby bird in a shoebox and fed it with a medicine dropper until it was strong enough to fly away. We let big garden spiders make their huge webs in the garden because mom said they were "good luck" and they caught lots of bad bugs. But when it came to the garden I would let Mom do the planting. I guess playing with friends had priority. The garden was always beautiful and there for us to enjoy. Dad took care of the lawn ,and some prunning, but Mom did the rest. I think, now, that all the care that was given to that garden was like the care that she gave us. It came with great love. So, it found a place deep inside of me and stayed there for many years.
Then something happened a few years ago. I started to remember the names of things. I could even remember the"diabrotica". That's probably not how it's spelled but it's phonetically close. The diabrotica was a bad little lady bug. Instead of being red with black spots, it was green with black spots and ate plants instead of other bugs. I started remembering names like Escallonia, Lonicera japonica (honeysuckle) and Aquilegia (the lovely farie in the shade; the Columbine). Beautiful names. Names that make poetry when you say them. Buddleia davidii....., and one of Mom's favorites that still climbs on our old patio that Dad built in 1951......, Campsis radicans, the lovely Trumpet Vine. I look at these names and I remember my childhood. I may not remember the names to tell you, in a conversation, but they are familiar sounds from my childhood, and some are in my garden now. It was a gift from my mother that I didn't open until I was a middle aged woman. What a lovely surprise to find that when your life is built on a good foundation, like a garden with good soil, it can produce a bounty of wonderful memories.

"Coop" de grace

I know I'm not suppose to be here. I just can't help myself. I see an egg and I have to sit on it. I wait in here until the others lay their eggs and leave. That's when it happens. I get this irresistable compulsion. Sometimes I find myself sitting on 3 or4 at a time and I don't even remember how I got there.

My friend, Henny Penny, says it's PMS. I don't know what this is but she knows about a lot of things. She's very smart. The old lady must have it too. She gets so upset when she sees me on the eggs. Yesterday she picked me up and held me....., and shes always sticking this little silver box in my face. Sometimes it makes a big flash of light and I don't like that. All these things can be so annoying when I'm sitting quietly, minding my own business.

I do feel kind of cranky. Henny Penny says it's the beginning of old age and that I will experience a lot of moodiness and, sometimes, paranoia. I don't know what paranoia means but my friend says that I might get "evil thoughts" in my head.

Just look at those hens hanging around Napoleon. They think they're such big shots. I'll bet they're talking about me.
Here's something to think about big shots: In my next life I'm going to be a chicken hawk. My name will be "Coop" de grace. Then all of you big, fancy hens better watch out when you're free ranging in the old lady's garden.

Bambino Blog; guest post

We had fun today. Daddy took us to Noni and Papa's. Mommy had to work so she didn't come but Uncle Matt was there. We played in the water. We had lunch at a yummy place. I had chicken pieces, french fries and fruit. My little brother had fruit and some of daddy's lunch. Then we went to a park and played on the slide and the see-saw, and walked across a big bridge that Papa called a "foot" bridge. That's funny. Then we came back to Noni's and sang Happy Birthday to Papa: really loud. I helped Papa blow out the candles on his cake. Noni gave me a blue bowl with cake and ice cream. I ate all of it with milk. It was good. Happy Birthday Papa!

Last of the Rice Pudding

The rice pudding is gone and so is my sister. She had to go home to her family. Darn!!

I will see her again in a few weeks when I go down to Mom's, but I sure wish we lived closer to each other. She even went out and said goodby to the goats: I'll make a farmgirl out of her yet.

Goodby Sis,
Drive carefully. Thanks for the great dinner you made us and ,of course, the rice pudding; and the wine; and the haircut. Oh my gosh! Mostly, for making the 3 hour drive up here to see us. We enjoyed your visit so much.
See you soon. I love you......

"Sale'ing" in Amador City

Sis and I went to Amador City yesterday. We wanted to get there early because a woman who owns a business down in town told us she was having a yard sale and we knew it would be a good one. We had plans to be there by 8:00 p.m. but there were chores to do and ,of course, rice pudding to eat for breakfast. We finally got there around 9;30 and there was no place to park.
This is one of the most charming towns in the Mother Lode. The houses are lovely but the roads are quite steep and not very wide. Finding a place to park on them is difficult. I think living here requires a lot of patience or a good garage. We finally found a spot near the cemetary and we went "yard sale'ing"

They had so many good bargains. It was hard not to over spend. I think you need to go in with an idea of what you're looking for. Sis and I exercised a lot of restraint. I came home with a wonderful old wicker sewing basket, a small round embroidered table cloth, and old silverplate dish and a new reproduction of a 1903 journal.

Sis found a set of beautiful lined drapes and a little shabby chic table that will be perfect (for a plant) on her patio this summer. We had a great time then we went home, ate lunch and took a nap.

After we had dinner we went to see SEX IN THE CITY. I didn't watch the mini series so I didn't know any of the characters but Sis did and she filled me in during dinner. Even if you haven't see the mini series you will enjoy this movie. It's a real "Ya ya sisterhood" kind of story about four woman who have know each other for 20 years in New York City. Some of it is kind of out of my element but most of it was fun and it was nice to see women who show their age (gracefully) and aren't trying to act like teenagers. The clothing is amazing and the magazine bridal shoot was wonderful. If you love "love", shopping, men and "best" girlfriends...., go see this movie.

.... and she made Rice Pudding!

My sister has come up to visit us for a few days. She arrived yesterday afternoon and I'm so glad she's here. The dogs were delighted to see her. I really think they remember her each time she comes. We introduced her to the goats and she just loves them.She helped me try to catch Squeeky, who got out this morning when the prospector was changing their water . We got Squeeky cornered but she flew up onto the top of the coop and we never got her back inside. We gave up and decided to go have lunch in Sutter Creek.
We had lunch at this tea room on Main Street in Sutter Creek. It was so lovely and the food was delicious. Then we went and look in some of the stores nearby. Didn't buy much. Just browsed and had a good time.






This is my beautiful sister. The one I asked Mom and Dad for when I was 7 yrs. old. I'm so glad they were listening, because we're such good friends now and I can't imagine not having her in my life.





Look at this pretty table. We ate here. The tea was really good and you can buy anything on the table or in the room. We didn't but you can.

Tonight Sis fixed dinner for the Prospector and I. She is a great cook. We had a big Tabouli salad with lots of veggies and cashews....., and she made rice pudding for dessert.

I have to go now..., time for some rice pudding.

Wordless Wednesday: double exposure collage

The lovely Hanna Blue

I could'nt resist buying this fuchsia when I was buying bedding plants a few days ago. This is a "Hanna Blue" hybrid Fuchsia. Isn't it beautiful? I love it's graceful presence in my garden but they don't have a long life here. I think I have a green thumb most of the time but buying a fuchsia has always been a bit like: " Yes, it is beautiful isn't it. I'm going to pay you some money and take it home with me so I can slowly watch it die." I have never had one that survive this foothill heat in the summer. Never! So, I have a plan.( It worked for Brownie goat). Yesterday I planted it in a hanging basket with really good planting mix. Then, I hung it on my front porch. It's high enough that it will only get early morning sun. I will remember to water it religiously and maybe, hopefully, it will make it through the summer. I may even talk to it. A little encouragement never hurts.

This morning I went out to admire the lovely "Hanna Blue". She looked just fine. She likes her new digs. She didn't say this in so many words, but I could tell. She even had company. During the night one of our little "porch" frogs took up residence under her branches. This is a good sign.

Glove-lyness in my spring garden

These are all my gardening gloves. I'm suppose to wear them when I work in the garden. They protect my hands from bugs, dirt , thorns and such. Notice that one pair haven't been used yet. I like to keep a clean pair for special occasions.
.

Finally,I've got the vegetables, herbs and gourds planted. There is a little more room left. I'm not sure what else I want to plant. There will be more room later on when the luttuce dies from the heat, then I can plant something in that space.
Moke may be my helper in the kitchen but Maggie is my main dog in the garden. She doesn't help much, but she's great company. Moke was here somewhere but, as usual, he has his own agenda.

I have redone the garden outside the fence. If you'll remember, this was the area that my "free range" chickens trashed on one of their wild afternoons. I've got it ready for some bedding plants and tomarrow morning I'll plant them. I've raised the edges and will mulch it well with bark. It should look really nice. CHICKENS BEWARE! NO TROMPING THROUGH MY GARDEN. They may be "chicken cooping" all summer. Two eggs yesterday. Slackers!

I love gardening. It's physical, satisfying and dirty. Oh no! Where are your gloves old lady? I can't remember where I left them. Must be a senior moment..... Maybe Brownie ate them. Maybe the dogs are using them to play tug -o-war..... or maybe it's just more fun without them.

Grapevines and Fog

Bedrock Beauty

I don't think that there is anywhere I'd rather be than panning, on bedrock, in a river....


So far the weather has been mild, which makes these hours on the Mokelumne even more pleasant.


But even when it's hot (which will happen soon), the river has it's own special way of drawing me in.



It's the feeling of being close to water that is moving and alive while I'm safely sitting on ancient rocks that were formed 500 million years ago.

There is always the chance that I will find some gold in my pan but it's not the reason I go to this place.

I find peace here.

It's a place I understand.

"It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;......














It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace."
-Robert Service-

Brownie: Goat with a purpose

When we brought Brownie home from the goat farm he was the sweetest, most affectionate goat of all the four. It was as if he wanted to be our goat and go home with us...., as if he had a plan.


Well, I think he did! He is still the most affectionate. But now, he can really get in your face. Still, I didn't know what his "Plan" was. He just wanted attention and he seemed so needy.
So, this morning I'm helping the Prospector trim Bart's toe nails, and Brownie is doing his usual cuteness at the fence. We put Bart back in with the other goats, thankful that he was the only one who needed to have a pedicure. Then, I went and got my camera.
I started taking pictures at the fence and who was front and center? Mr"Say cheese" .......,Brownie.
Look at that face. Even with a piece of alfalfa in his nose, he's cute. I reached in with my left hand( camera ready in my right one) to give brownie a neck rub and that's when it happen.....
Look at that innocent stare!; All sweetness and light. Look at the determined look on his face. Look...., at what he has in his mouth. That would be my tee shirt. Guess that was his "plan" all along.

Brownie, you sly goat; I'm on to you now.