I got stung by bees three times this weekend. Twice today alone. All on the feet. All three times, it was one of those little honey bees that work on the little white clover flowers. It's my own fault, I know this. I just can't help it. I love being barefoot in the yard. Unless I'm doing yard work or gardening, I need to have a really good reason to wear shoes. Anyhow....we ate some really good home-cooked food this weekend so i though I'd share some new recipes that we worked up (or at least give an ingredients lists) for what we indulged in....I'll list three....one for each bee sting.
Please keep in mind, I'm not a chef, I just like to eat. So, I don't really measure anything when I put ingredients together, I just kind of add what seems to look right. You also can't go wrong with a good sniff test. But, I'll try my best to give approximate amounts of stuff, for those of you following along at home :^)
Rosemary and Basil Infused Dipping Oil
1/2 cup or so of fresh basil, minced
a good 6 inch sprig of fresh rosemary, minced (off the stem, of course)
a few tsps. of crushed red pepper flakes
6 or 7 shakes of black pepper
salt (to taste)
2 or 3 ounces of extra virgin olive oil
combine all ingredients and serve along side some good, crusty bread (preferably fresh out of the oven). I made this oil shortly before we enjoyed it. I'd imagine it would be better if you made it a day or so ahead of time to give all the flavors a chance to mingle. Not sure how long this would keep, with the fresh herbs and all, a few days, at least, I'd think. Anyhow, this was really good stuff, I can't wait to mix up another batch.
Rosemary Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade
Two 6 inch sprigs of fresh Rosemary, minced
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
Juice from 1 Lemon
a few oz. of extra virgin olive oil
A few shakes of Black Pepper
Salt (to taste)
This amount marinaded 4 boneless chicken breasts. Threw them on the grill, medium heat....simple and delicious. We had this chicken along side this next dish, which was my personal favorite of the weekend....
Grilled Cinnamon & Sugar Glazed Pineapple
1 whole pineapple
1/4 stick of butter, melted
1 to 2 tbsp of cinnamon
1 to 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
Cut the top off the pineapple then cut off the husk around the sides so that when you look down at the pineapple from above, it looks about like a stop sign. Do not core.
Mix butter, cinnamon, and sugar together and paint onto pineapple w/ a basting brush.
Grill each side on medium heat for about 3 minutes per side. We let ours cook for about 15 minutes total. We left the bottom intact, husk and all, so that it could sit upright on the cutting board as we sliced it. I wish I took a picture of it to post, but that sucker didn't stick around long. I had originally made it as the dessert, but we couldn't wait that long and had it with dinner. You should really try this one out yourself....great stuff.
One last note:
Tomorrow is my wife Chrissy and my 14 year wedding anniversary. We met in Bible College in 1993 and have certainly seen our share of peaks and valleys throughout our journey together. I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful, caring, and virtuous wife. We're planning to celebrate by taking the family up to Dresser Hill....greasy food and ice cream served out of this little hole in the wall in the middle of cow country...I know, it sounds like a dive, but it's strangly magical. About 1/4 mile up the road boasts just about the best sunset viewing spot in MA. Hoping for clear skies and many more June 1sts together with my wife.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Planting Day!!
The rest of the garden went in today!! Here's how it went down....
Our day started early, but with a beautiful sunrise. Here it is, over the water, about 6:00 am.
We try to do as much as we can together as a family. The past few years, with Gavin so young, it was a challenge to accomplish SOME tasks together (like gardening and yard work, for example) but this year, Gavin was so excited to lend a hand and was such a great help. Ivy mostly hung with Mama and came out to supervise every now and again:
Gavin and Grampa drilling some drainage holes in a container
Daddy and Gavin screening some soil for use in our gardening containers. We use a 50/50 mix of peat moss and soil (made from composted leaves/grass etc. that is offered free from our town's public works). It's great stuff, but kind of twiggy and rocky. A pass through the screen makes it as soft as cocoa powder.
Ivy making sure no one is slacking on the job.
The assembly line. We use containers for our tomatoes and peppers. It's a great way to go, especially if you have small kids. There's pretty much no weeding. It's super easy for kids (even young ones) to help water the pots, and (as you'll see in the next photo) you can make a nice wide aisle to make it a breeze for the little ones to help harvest (and not step on any plants in the process :^)
the completed container area. Still gotta get some cages up and stakes ready
Squash on the ridge with blueberries at the bottom. Herb boxes on the deck railing
View up the yard from one of the main gardens. We use felled tree branches around newly planted stuff to keep the geese out. The bushy greens in front of the screen is a catnip patch, aka "the feline opium den"
red raspberries bookended by hostas in the foreground. Thornless vining blackberries up the arbor.
We're pulling a quart a day of these babies!!
This is the first year that our peach trees are giving up the goods. Can't wait to try them!!
Here's the final role call(including perennial stuff):
Veggies:
Tomatoes (5 varieties)
Peppers (3 varieties)
Summer, Zucchini, and Butternut Squash
Broccoli
Peas
Spinach
Asparagus
Lettuce
Carrots
Cucumbers (2 varieties)
Pumpkins
Fruit:
Strawberries
Red Raspberries
Blackberries
Apples (3 varieties)
Peaches :^)
Blueberries
Herbs:
Basil
Rosemary
Sage
Lavender
Chives
Horseradish
Catnip
Mint (growing wild somewhere way out back)
We thanks the Lord for what He has made and look forward to the harvest!!
One final note:
Proverbs 12:11a reads "He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread..."
Chrissy made up a DELICIOUS homemade crusty bread which we enjoyed fresh out of the oven with dinner. We used some fresh basil and rosemary (along with garlic, CRP, salt, and pepper) mixed with EVOO to make a dipping oil to go with it. We are all certainly satisfied with bread this evening. I think we've just coined a new Leo Family tradition today: Homemade bread and dipping oil on planting day! Praise the Lord!!
Our day started early, but with a beautiful sunrise. Here it is, over the water, about 6:00 am.
We try to do as much as we can together as a family. The past few years, with Gavin so young, it was a challenge to accomplish SOME tasks together (like gardening and yard work, for example) but this year, Gavin was so excited to lend a hand and was such a great help. Ivy mostly hung with Mama and came out to supervise every now and again:
Gavin and Grampa drilling some drainage holes in a container
Daddy and Gavin screening some soil for use in our gardening containers. We use a 50/50 mix of peat moss and soil (made from composted leaves/grass etc. that is offered free from our town's public works). It's great stuff, but kind of twiggy and rocky. A pass through the screen makes it as soft as cocoa powder.
Ivy making sure no one is slacking on the job.
The assembly line. We use containers for our tomatoes and peppers. It's a great way to go, especially if you have small kids. There's pretty much no weeding. It's super easy for kids (even young ones) to help water the pots, and (as you'll see in the next photo) you can make a nice wide aisle to make it a breeze for the little ones to help harvest (and not step on any plants in the process :^)
the completed container area. Still gotta get some cages up and stakes ready
Squash on the ridge with blueberries at the bottom. Herb boxes on the deck railing
View up the yard from one of the main gardens. We use felled tree branches around newly planted stuff to keep the geese out. The bushy greens in front of the screen is a catnip patch, aka "the feline opium den"
red raspberries bookended by hostas in the foreground. Thornless vining blackberries up the arbor.
We're pulling a quart a day of these babies!!
This is the first year that our peach trees are giving up the goods. Can't wait to try them!!
Here's the final role call(including perennial stuff):
Veggies:
Tomatoes (5 varieties)
Peppers (3 varieties)
Summer, Zucchini, and Butternut Squash
Broccoli
Peas
Spinach
Asparagus
Lettuce
Carrots
Cucumbers (2 varieties)
Pumpkins
Fruit:
Strawberries
Red Raspberries
Blackberries
Apples (3 varieties)
Peaches :^)
Blueberries
Herbs:
Basil
Rosemary
Sage
Lavender
Chives
Horseradish
Catnip
Mint (growing wild somewhere way out back)
We thanks the Lord for what He has made and look forward to the harvest!!
One final note:
Proverbs 12:11a reads "He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread..."
Chrissy made up a DELICIOUS homemade crusty bread which we enjoyed fresh out of the oven with dinner. We used some fresh basil and rosemary (along with garlic, CRP, salt, and pepper) mixed with EVOO to make a dipping oil to go with it. We are all certainly satisfied with bread this evening. I think we've just coined a new Leo Family tradition today: Homemade bread and dipping oil on planting day! Praise the Lord!!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Today's Take
Pulled a quart and a half or so of strawberries today. Looks like the June-bearing plants are paying out a bit early this year. I guess a few days of 90+ temps and BLAZING sun will do that. There's a couple more quarts out there that still need a day or two to ripen up. The ever-bearing plants have TONS of green berries on them....it'll be a few weeks yet until they're ready. Pulled a bit of basil as well. Not quite enough for a batch of pesto but I just couldn't resist.
Putting in the rest of the garden this weekend. We got some heirloom Brandywine tomatoes and a bunch of cherry tomatoes ready to go, along with a bunch of other stuff. Every year we plant tons of tomatoes. I HATE tomatoes. Can't stand 'em. But every year....in the ground they go. Chrissy likes them, Gavin too. Ivy's still a bit too young to get her take on them.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Homeschool Classroom and Turtle Races
While i'm still in full on "New Blog Frequent Poster" mode, I thought i'd try to upload a few pics. We'll start with what will become our new homeschool classroom/studio and co-op meeting area:
This area is in the basement of our house. Chrissy and I used to live down here when we first moved back to MA in 2001. We gutted it out over the winter.
We'll revamp the laundry facilities and add a big double basin sink
My plan is to turn this under the stairs area into a cool little "Reading Nook"
we've been blessed in that we've acquired TONS of teaching resources over the years. here it is sitting in totes waiting to be pulled out and set up in the classroom. Chrissy can't wait to get her hands back on this stuff.
All gutted, cleaned up, and ready to be refinished. Hoping to have our first activities starting down here in the fall.
And now, for no good reason....Turtle Drag Races!!!
This area is in the basement of our house. Chrissy and I used to live down here when we first moved back to MA in 2001. We gutted it out over the winter.
We'll revamp the laundry facilities and add a big double basin sink
My plan is to turn this under the stairs area into a cool little "Reading Nook"
we've been blessed in that we've acquired TONS of teaching resources over the years. here it is sitting in totes waiting to be pulled out and set up in the classroom. Chrissy can't wait to get her hands back on this stuff.
All gutted, cleaned up, and ready to be refinished. Hoping to have our first activities starting down here in the fall.
And now, for no good reason....Turtle Drag Races!!!
what's "Find The Blue Heron?"
We are blessed to live where we do. We live on about 3/4 of an acre (although it really feels like more). We are VERY blessed to have a nice little piece of waterfront property. The southern border of our property meets up with a medium sized lake, about 1.5 miles long end to end, and filled with little coves and outcroppings. It's the lake that I grew up on (a quick side note for those that may not know....My folks have owned this property for almost 40 years....a few years ago, my father and i build a HUGE addition, a second house, actually, onto the existing house...my mother and father (and also now grandmother) live in the new side, and our family occupies the old house). Anyhow, There's no public access to the lake, and wildlife abounds. There are 3 beaver lodges dotted around the shore line. This time of year we see lots Canadian goose and mallard duck families....and fish like crazy: sunnies, kivers, bass, pickerel, perch, catfish, calico's...you name it. 
But the one animal we are always the most excited to spot is the Great Blue Heron. There's been a heron on that lake every year my entire life...sometimes there's a pair. Spotting him (or her) is absolutely awesome...the thing, in flight, looks like a pterodactyl. It blends in to it's backdrop as it wades along the shoreline looking for fish. Sometimes we'll spot it sitting statue still, neck slung back, waiting....for 5, 10 minutes to stab a fish with it's rapier beak...I've seen it a thousand times...the thing never misses. Somehow a trip out in the boat isn't quite complete unless we can track down the Great Blue Heron.
I can spot the thing a mile away...heck, I've been looking for it along the shoreline every spring and summer day for over 30 years. I've been teaching Gavin where to look first to spot it, what to look for, what to listen for...he's learning...and loving the thrill of the hunt in the process.
1 Chronicles 4:39-40 says... "And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old."
Here's the idea...generational blessing. Ham's land was good because it had been worked, daily, for years...pulling the rocks and roots out of the fields, working the soil...so that when it was passed down..it was that much better.
I love being able to pass on the love of Christ to my family..especially my children. I was shown Godly love by my parents and have reaped the benefit of that generational blessing and understanding of God....And I get to hand it down to my children. To get to show my children all that I've learned...all the skills that have been handed down to my wife and I that we have spent a lifetime working the bugs out of, we get to hand over better versions of ourselves to our kids....what a beautiful opportunity we've been given.
Swing by the house sometime, we'd love to have you...Gavin will show you around, and, if you catch it at just the right time, you might spot the heron...Gavin will show you that, too...he's learning to have right kind of eyes for it. I can't wait for him to teach Ivy.
But the one animal we are always the most excited to spot is the Great Blue Heron. There's been a heron on that lake every year my entire life...sometimes there's a pair. Spotting him (or her) is absolutely awesome...the thing, in flight, looks like a pterodactyl. It blends in to it's backdrop as it wades along the shoreline looking for fish. Sometimes we'll spot it sitting statue still, neck slung back, waiting....for 5, 10 minutes to stab a fish with it's rapier beak...I've seen it a thousand times...the thing never misses. Somehow a trip out in the boat isn't quite complete unless we can track down the Great Blue Heron. I can spot the thing a mile away...heck, I've been looking for it along the shoreline every spring and summer day for over 30 years. I've been teaching Gavin where to look first to spot it, what to look for, what to listen for...he's learning...and loving the thrill of the hunt in the process.
1 Chronicles 4:39-40 says... "And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old."
Here's the idea...generational blessing. Ham's land was good because it had been worked, daily, for years...pulling the rocks and roots out of the fields, working the soil...so that when it was passed down..it was that much better.
I love being able to pass on the love of Christ to my family..especially my children. I was shown Godly love by my parents and have reaped the benefit of that generational blessing and understanding of God....And I get to hand it down to my children. To get to show my children all that I've learned...all the skills that have been handed down to my wife and I that we have spent a lifetime working the bugs out of, we get to hand over better versions of ourselves to our kids....what a beautiful opportunity we've been given.
Swing by the house sometime, we'd love to have you...Gavin will show you around, and, if you catch it at just the right time, you might spot the heron...Gavin will show you that, too...he's learning to have right kind of eyes for it. I can't wait for him to teach Ivy.
Monday, May 24, 2010
"Be Anxious For Nothing..."
I want 7 kids. 9 kids. 14 kids....tons of kids.
I want acres of gardens heaving with all manner of vegetables.
I want to gaze upon rows upon rows of fruit trees heavy laden with their yield.
I want cupboards brimming with edible and medicinal herbs that we grew.
I want pantries filled with meticulously labeled items that we grew and canned ourselves.
I want homemade soaps, balms, ointments.
I want to host a homeschool co-op where scores of kids are taught by dozens of parents.
I want to gaze across the faces of my innumerable children and see them living Christ with all that they are.
I want, I want, I want....
"Be anxious for nothing..." says The Lord.
The truth is this: We have 2 wonderful young children, a humble vegetable and fruit garden, a couple of fruit trees(with decent blossoms on them this year), a few flower boxes filled with herbs; basil, rosemary, lavender, a "mommy and me" group with a half dozen families coming together weekly....The Lord reminds us..."Do not despise the day of small things"...
One of my areas of strength (and also one of blinding weakness) is that I pursue what I'm led to pursue with borderline reckless abandon. I'm grateful for the drive that the Lord has given me...but I am constantly drawing my eyes off of the horizon and onto the path right in front of me.
I have no idea why I started this blog, maybe because that's what homeschooling, homesteading families do. I have no idea how often I'll post....but this blog is one thing that I have no preconceived notion about, there's no blueprint here, no ultimate goal...
My family is 4 people working together, day by day, to follow God's leading, whether it be at a snail's pace or at light speed. I praise Him for the gifts he has given me today: my family, our land, our drive, His guidance.
We'll see how this whole blog thing pans out, as for the garden....we pulled our first strawberries this week. My son sat, barefoot, in the grass and polished off a dozen or so in no time. Our harvest may not have been the bushels and bushels that I see in my mind's eye, but to him, and his sticky pink-cheeked smile, it was the world.
Do not despise the day of small things.
I want acres of gardens heaving with all manner of vegetables.
I want to gaze upon rows upon rows of fruit trees heavy laden with their yield.
I want cupboards brimming with edible and medicinal herbs that we grew.
I want pantries filled with meticulously labeled items that we grew and canned ourselves.
I want homemade soaps, balms, ointments.
I want to host a homeschool co-op where scores of kids are taught by dozens of parents.
I want to gaze across the faces of my innumerable children and see them living Christ with all that they are.
I want, I want, I want....
"Be anxious for nothing..." says The Lord.
The truth is this: We have 2 wonderful young children, a humble vegetable and fruit garden, a couple of fruit trees(with decent blossoms on them this year), a few flower boxes filled with herbs; basil, rosemary, lavender, a "mommy and me" group with a half dozen families coming together weekly....The Lord reminds us..."Do not despise the day of small things"...
One of my areas of strength (and also one of blinding weakness) is that I pursue what I'm led to pursue with borderline reckless abandon. I'm grateful for the drive that the Lord has given me...but I am constantly drawing my eyes off of the horizon and onto the path right in front of me.
I have no idea why I started this blog, maybe because that's what homeschooling, homesteading families do. I have no idea how often I'll post....but this blog is one thing that I have no preconceived notion about, there's no blueprint here, no ultimate goal...
My family is 4 people working together, day by day, to follow God's leading, whether it be at a snail's pace or at light speed. I praise Him for the gifts he has given me today: my family, our land, our drive, His guidance.
We'll see how this whole blog thing pans out, as for the garden....we pulled our first strawberries this week. My son sat, barefoot, in the grass and polished off a dozen or so in no time. Our harvest may not have been the bushels and bushels that I see in my mind's eye, but to him, and his sticky pink-cheeked smile, it was the world.
Do not despise the day of small things.
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