by Krista | Nov 13, 2014 | Spring
It’s mid-morning in my office. A candle flickers cheerily while the washing machine gurgles, shimmies, and whirs through its cycles. Ducklings peep outside my window and sunlight filters down through wind-tossed branches onto the floor.
It’s lovely to be home.
Slowly but surely I’m getting back into a routine that feels good. Writing the history book was all-consuming the last few months, numerous delays causing a backlog of other projects. Now I’m playing catch-up while trying to make time for needful rest.
It’s been wonderful to get back to working with Bear on our farm. We’ve really missed that partnership, the time and energy to tackle projects together. The last few days have been spent outside working on orchards two and three, digging through rock hard soil with crowbar and shovel to get all sorts of things planted. We’ve got blisters and sore muscles aplenty now, but we’ve also got fantastic results: chestnuts and hazelnuts, bush lemons, limes, and apricots, raspberries and gooseberries, wine and table grapes. In the days ahead we’ll finish fencing the orchards, covering them with vital bird netting, and putting in drip water systems to keep them thriving even during drought. I’m so excited to see it all in a few years when everything is established and flourishing.
Through this book project, I’ve seen how I put inordinate pressure on myself to do it all, all at once. But it’s just not possible. Not for me, anyways. And I’m learning to be gentle with myself, to take time to celebrate one achievement before tackling another. It’s been good. So good. I feel present in my life instead of hurtling along like an express train.
I’m practicing enjoying each thing I’m doing, be it laundry or editing photos, sorting through paperwork or checking on animals. I don’t want to be just a list-checker-off-er, I want to be a list delight-er, a life savor-er.
It’s a much more peaceful life, truly healing and nourishing. I now find myself evaluating my day on how I experienced it, rather than how I performed it, and that makes me smile.
I’m also working on building good work into my life. There will always be unpleasant tasks we must do or unpleasant people we must work with for a time, but when I have a choice, I’m choosing work I love with people I love, trust, and respect.
Right now I’m working on two books that bring me great happiness. One is a black and white photo book of Italy, the other is a homemade Christmas book. Both feed my creative soul and inspire me no end. It’s so nice to step into my office with excitement and anticipation, squirrel away making beautiful things for a few hours, then head back outside to our beloved farm.
I’m so thankful to be in this place.
What work is bringing you happiness this week? xo
by Krista | Nov 10, 2014 | Spring
It has been such a peaceful and relaxing weekend, full of all the good, happy things that nourish and restore a battered body and spirit. It’s been so lovely to have this little break, to be able to dream and plan and talk over all sorts of ideas with Bear without any pressure to do anything until later. I read three books, watched all sorts of interesting movies from the library, and napped as often as possible. We ate potato salad and fresh asparagus and homemade brioche toasted and topped with mayonnaise and the ripest of Roma tomatoes. It was just what I needed, what we needed. We’re ready to face the world again.
Early last week we received a phone call from Oma urging us to get over to her place as soon as humanly possible to help use up her outrageous bumper crop of broad beans. So we packed up buckets and water bottles, tracked down fly spray, sunhats, and boots, and we were off.
I love Oma and Opa’s place with its babble of turkeys, ducks, and chickens, friendly dogs running about, and dirt tracks meandering around old barns and past fields of barley. It’s a comfy place, unpretentious and thoroughly welcoming.
On this morning, the heat was blistering, hitting us full in the face as we climbed out of the car. And flies must’ve been hosting a convention in the broad bean patch, for they were EVERYWHERE, dive bombing us with glee.
But even sweltering temperatures and hordes of flies couldn’t detract from the incredible beauty of flowering fields, blue skies, and good mates.
Oma wasn’t kidding when she suggested that we bring a trailer instead of buckets to collect broad beans. The bushes were covered with huge pods stuffed with fat beans.
I’d never eaten, seen, or picked a broad bean until this Spring, and I find them quite interesting veggies. The insides of the pods are lined with a soft, natural fleece that pillows each bean like a sleeping bag. I remember watching an episode of River Cottage where the host said that if he could come back to earth as a vegetable, he would choose to be a broad bean because it’s so cozy in their pods.
With such a bumper crop of big beans, it didn’t take long to fill our buckets. A good thing too, for we were melting.
Nothing quite like picking beans hunched over in searing sunshine to put color in your cheeks. 🙂
It was worth it though. Bear and I ended up with four buckets of broad beans, ready to be turned into beans on toast, packets of beans for the freezer, or a broad bean version of hummus.
We packed up the buckets and gratefully cranked up the air conditioning as we drove slowly back to the house.
A while ago Oma and Opa’s house burned to the ground. Instead of hiring someone to rebuild for them, these spry 80-somethings decided to do it themselves!! Every day they’re outside cutting sheet rock, spray painting railings, or taking measurements for windows and doors. While they potter away, they’re living in a caravan on the farm, and have turned the newly built basement into a multi-purpose room that serves as kitchen, dining room, store house, you name it. Oma even has big hunks of prosciutto curing in the back. They amaze me.
They welcomed us in to the cool basement and we had a jolly time swapping stories and sipping glass after icy glass of Oma’s magical raspberry cordial. For years I wondered what all the fuss was about in Anne of Green Gables regarding raspberry cordial. Now I know. It is truly bliss in a glass.
Have you ever grown, picked, or cooked with broad beans? What is your favorite way to use them? xo
by Krista | Nov 7, 2014 | Spring
It’s a quiet morning on the farm, sunny, hot, with the lazy, sultry feel that comes after a bit of rain.
After spending 15 hours a day finishing my book, I am utterly exhausted. I’m spending the next few days resting so I can get back to normal life again without getting sick. I’m looking forward to naps, movies, good books, and lovely, simple things to eat.
I will be back on Monday and wish you all a beautiful weekend. XO
by Krista | Oct 25, 2014 | Spring
Life is good but not very quiet for me right now. I’m up at 4:30 a.m. working on my book for a few hours until breakfast, then I’m outside to wrangle goats, take care of a sick mama, check on all the babies, water gardens to keep them alive during this drought, and the innumerable little tasks that farm life entails. Then it’s back to my book and writing assignments until dinner. It’s a good sort of busy, satisfying and fulfilling, but it doesn’t leave room for much quietness unless I choose it.
Yep, life is busy, and I’m still battling a flu that just won’t go away (begone foul thing!), so I’m learning to make quiet moments so I don’t get lost in the shuffle of must’s and should’s and it’ll-collapse-if-you-don’t’s.
Moments to sit in the breezeway and breathe in the scent of sweet peas brought by a kind friend, or peruse a stack of dreamy books for a few minutes of escapist inspiration.
Moments in town to sit my weary self down on a shady bench and look at my rings that remind me I have the strength and courage I need for every situation (foxy-ring), and that peace is always within my grasp if I just take the time to foster it (green ring).
Moments to savor, truly savor, good food and company. My gardens and the markets are overflowing with lusciousness at this time of year, so Bear and I are in veggie heaven.
At this time of my life I refuse to eat on the run or at my computer. Meals are my time to disconnect and rest and luxuriate in deliciousness and the companionship of Bear or friends who have dropped by.
Sometimes we’re too knackered to even chat, so we just sit on the back veranda and watch ducks waddling past and grass parrots toddle about. Others we’re nattering a mile a minute, swapping stories of projects started, finished, and only dreamt of. Either way, it’s bliss simply to reconnect and recharge.
Today we had boiled eggs (thanks, chickens!) and a chunky salad of capsicum, tomato, and Lebanese cucumber with Feta dressing. It hit the spot on this hot afternoon.
Now it’s time to get back to sorting through rather marvelous old photos for my book.
What quiet moments keep you going on busy days? xo
Chunky Salad with Feta Dressing
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 red capsicum (bell pepper) seeded and chopped
2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 Lebanese cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp grated Feta cheese
1 tsp grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In medium bowl combine capsicum, tomato, and cucumber. Set aside.
2. In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients until emulsified.
3. Pour dressing over chopped vegetables and toss gently until coated.
4. Serve immediately.
by Krista | Oct 21, 2014 | Spring
If you paid a visit to our farm this week and happened to stroll by the plum orchard, you might be greeted by fierce hissing and serious stink eye from this chap, one of our Embden ganders. Bear has named him Goofy because he’s so feisty, attacking ankles, boots, shorts, anything within reach, until he gets used to you, then he morphs into your dearest friend, following you around while you work, chatting away in incomprehensible goose babble.
But this week he remains fierce, no matter what, because he’s got five of these gorgeous little yellow babies to protect.
It is rather difficult to get work done with this much cuteness only a stone’s throw away. We keep thinking up reasons to wander over there: bring some feed, fill the water troughs, check on the orchard. Any excuse will do.
It does not matter how crazy of a day you’re having, a few minutes with these waddling fluff balls of adorableness will set the world to rights.
I think this dreamy little one is my favorite, lost in thought, enraptured by sunshine glistening on waving grasses.
And lest you swoon from entirely too much darlingness, let me introduce one of the craziest looking chicks I’ve ever seen: a naked neck. They’re so marvelously ugly that you can’t help but adore them.
Even with all these chicks, goslings, and soon to be ducklings toddling about, we’re still getting heaps of eggs for the kitchen to go with our current garden produce. Breakfast these days is nearly always an array of freshly picked veggies roasted with oil and sea salt, accompanied by a souffle. Last week we had fresh dill souffles, then spinach and cheddar, and this morning it was parsley and Parmesan. Scrumptious.
What is a welcome distraction in your life this week? xo
Parmesan Souffle
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp cream
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of green chili sauce
2 tsp butter, separated
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (200 C).
2. In small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except butter.
3. Put one tsp of butter in the bottom of two ramekins.
4. Divide batter evenly between ramekins.
5. Place in oven and bake 20 minutes until souffles have puffed up and are golden brown on top.
6. Serve immediately.
Through this book project, I’ve seen how I put inordinate pressure on myself to do it all, all at once. But it’s just not possible. Not for me, anyways. And I’m learning to be gentle with myself, to take time to celebrate one achievement before tackling another. It’s been good. So good. I feel present in my life instead of hurtling along like an express train.
I’m also working on building good work into my life. There will always be unpleasant tasks we must do or unpleasant people we must work with for a time, but when I have a choice, I’m choosing work I love with people I love, trust, and respect.
What work is bringing you happiness this week? xo
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