Mother's Day Sunday - a recipe and a crochet pattern I found

We were blessed with a beautiful day.  It was so clear we could see Longs Peak in the north and Pike's Peak in the south.

It's Sunday and it's Mother's Day but it begins with still making sure the animals are doing well, fed and watered. Today will be the first day the meat hens go outside for fresh air and we clean there coop. 

Out they go... their legs are a bit wobbly with everyone pushing and shoving. 

The regulars stopped by to check out the commotion. 

Others, just ignored the whole scene.

We clean and filled the water containers. 

Including the one for the sheep. They came over for some love and scratches.

I picked a bunch of greens for a salad... parsley, lettuces and mint.

I made a salad based on this recipe from Ina Garten .  I didn't have farro but I did have quinoa. I didn't have pistachios but I did have walnuts plus no tomatoes.  It  turned out very good with the substitutes. 

I did finish crocheting a spa set for my mom.  It has three face scrubbies, a bath pouf, a wash cloth and a soap bag. The patterns are free. I found them here..  She has video tutorials that are easy to follow. 

Then it was time to head to the city to pick up my mom and head to my brother's house. All in all a 2 hour trip one way but worth it. 

Along the way we saw a goose and her little ones out for a stroll. 

We had a good day with wonderful weather.  Happy Mother's Day mom. 

peace

Canoeing, avocados and carding wool

We got out a few things from the pantry today...salsa for our tacos, sunrise marmalade for our breakfast and grape juice we can each year from my mom's grapes.  We made a soda with the juice, ice and club soda...good stuff!

While Dude fed the animals I quickly cut up more apples to dry.  Yes, the others are already gone...fun to each while watching television. 

Then it was out to the lake to canoe. I love to canoe. It was a gorgeous morning and I knew I wanted to get out before the afternoon rains.  You would think with each storm we had it would be tropical here. It's not, it is dry and the storms are quick and angry with lightning, hail and thunder. But our morning was beautiful. We spent two hours just enjoying the water.

These guys were cool to watch , fishing with their bows!

This guy is so good to me. I was raised near the water and always love it. Dude was raised in the mountains and says only fish belong on and in the water but he humors me with going canoeing. 

This dog was great riding the boat, he is only a year old. 

Pelicans were fun to watch. 

Another calm dog...springer spaniel 7 years old that loves to paddle board.

The new hay bales at the park... so creative!

We got home, put everything away and took a nap while it lightly rained and loudly thundered. 

Then time to make dinner using these huge avocados I traded lettuce for yesterday.

They were amazing! I only used half of one!

Lettuce from the garden. 

Made a salad for work tomorrow. 

Clean the kitchen and got my wool out to card.  I am spinning with my sister on Sunday and I will need something to spin.  Since I am a beginner still I carded a bunch of different stuff. The gray variegated I from my lamb, a CVM Romeldale. The white is from a merino and the brown is alpaca.  

Time to settle in .  Dude is working with Norman our dog and time for me to read.

peace 

Wilted salad

When I was a kid my mom would make Wilted Salad. At first I remember thinking...oh gross but once I tasted it, it became one of my favorites! 

This morning I boiled up some soft boiled eggs. While they were dancing in the water, I went out to the greenhouse to get lettuce. Last year we had an abundance of beets and cabbage. This year it's lettuce...all kinds. 

I began to fry up 3 strips of bacon.  Make sure you keep the grease on this recipe!

I sliced half an onion, half green pepper and three garlic cloves. 

Saute them in some of the bacon grease and drain on paper towel. 

Tear lettuce.

Add your veggies.

And sliced eggs and crumbled bacon. I ended up only using 3 eggs.

For the dressing mix 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup bacon grease, a hefty pinch of salt and pepper, and a large pinch of sugar.  (my mom adds garlic powder here but since I had sliced garlic I didn't this time). Stir it up while it is still warm. 

Pour over your salad.  Ohhh so good I almost forgot to take a picture! 

peace 

Lettuce and spinach for breakfast? Sure!

It was sad walking out to the greenhouse and seeing the damaged apple tree. 

But nice to see a red tomato. 

Cut some spinach

Snipped a variety of lettuce …

Wash it up !

Add an apple and a big bunch of grapes...run it through the juicer. 

Breakfast !   Add a hard boiled egg on the side for protein.  It was surprisingly good, even Dude liked it!

peace