Christmas Tree Rejects

Many family arguments have taken place over what constitutes the best-looking Christmas tree, but there are a few things we all agree on.


Too fat

Too skinny

Too Charlie Browny

Too pants-are-falling-down

Too sparse on top

Too “outsider art”

Too rotund

Too many gaps

Too “hurty”

Too blue

Too yellow

Too purple

Ahh, the perfect tree!

Tag ‘er up.

Speaking of things rejected, every year we TRY to get a nice Christmas card-worthy family portrait taken at the tree farm, and every year, for one reason or another, something goes a little goofy.

Why should this year be any different?

If you want to read a really lovely post about a christmas tree outing, check out this one by June at Four Green Acres.


See also:
Fox Ridge Christmas Tree Farm

Lugging Home the Tree

The Environmental Debate: Real v. Fake

Treats from Food Mart International

We eat right from our own backyard as much as we can around here, but every once in awhile we get craving for something from far away -- maybe even very far away.  Maybe even as far away from our backyard as you can get.  Spring Valley's Food Mart International is an incredible resource for local cooks.  I try to get there at least a couple of times a year.  It's a safe bet that I'll find things like papaya, lemongrass, okra or Asian greens if I'm looking for them here.  I've seen acerola and lychee nuts, too.  They have an awesome produce selection. 

You can also get a variety of fresh seafood.

Is this the brand of rice noodles that I use for the Vietnamese spring rolls?

Or is it one of these?

I'd been craving the Carribbean Vegetable Stew from the Moosewood Cookbook, but couldn't find okra anywhere in Nyack.  Found it here fresh, and with backup, frozen.

They really need to stock up on their coconut milk. Geez!

This is my favorite kind of tea-- at my favorite price.

If spice is your thing, you'll find an amazing selection of chiles and hot sauces.

I always buy a small bottle of sesame oil. 

They didn't have my regular brand of Mexican chocolate this time, so I got this one.

Curious.....? Lactic acid in popsicle form?   Anybody had this?

Just in case you were wondering where you might find whole frozen pig parts.  (Heads, too!)

My regular freezer section purchases - tamales and potstickers.

Laugh if you like, but if you add this hot pink Jamaican grapefruit soda to some cheap red wine with a few chunks of fruit, you'll have some terrific sangria.

So, help me out for my next visit.   I know there's still plenty to be discovered here... what else should I be looking for?

Speaking of cooking, Christopher Kimball from America's Test Kitchen tweeted the following recipe today - I love the way he got it down to 140 characters!  But what does "nap tips" mean??

STEAK TIPS: Wsk 1/3 c mol, 1/4 cdr vin, 1/2 t red p flks, 1/4 t slt; Sauté 1 1/2 lbs stk tips w/ T oil, remve, add sauce, reduce, nap tips.

Fellowship Community Christmas Sale

Last year I posted about the Fellowship Community's annual Christmas Sale and Holiday Fest after the fact, but this year I'm giving you advance warning.  This is always one of my favorite holiday outings, so I'm looking forward to going next weekend.

This adorable little handknit gnome was one of my purchases last year.  Unfortunately, I can't seem to find him anywhere...he might be up to some holiday mischief somewhere in my house.

The Fellowship Community, founded in 1966, is a community of all ages, centered around the care of the elderly. About 150 elderly, children and coworkers live in a rural setting of farm, woods and orchards about 30 miles north-west of New York City. Working and learning together in service to others and in caring for the earth is the central motif of the community life. Those who are interested in a path of self-development in the process of building and maintaining community might find this a place of interest.

See last year's post:
Ten Reasons to Buy Handmade at the Fellowship Community

This Morning I Was Born Again

By Woody Guthrie

This morning I was born again and a light shines on my land.

I no longer look for heaven in your deathly distant land.

I do not want your pearly gates don't want your streets of gold

This morning I was born again and a light shines in my soul.

This morning I was born again, I was born again complete

I stood up above my troubles and I stand on my two feet

My hand it feels unlimited, my body feels like the sky

I feel at home in the universe where yonder planets fly.

This I was born again, my past is dead and gone

This great eternal moment is my great eternal dawn

Each drop of blood within me, each breath of life I breathe

Is united with these mountains and the mountains with the seas.

I feel the sun upon me, it's rays crawl through my skin

I breathe the life of Jesus and old John Henry in.

I give myself, my heart, my soul to give some friend a hand


This morning I was born again, I am in the promised land.

This morning I was born again and a light shines on my land

I no longer look for heaven in your deathly distant land

I do not want your pearly gates, don't want your streets of gold

And I do not want your mansion for my heart is never cold.

You can hear this song sung by Slaid Cleaves by clicking on the button for it in the music box at the bottom of my sidebar.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Feederwatch Counts

Last weekend was our first try at Project Feederwatch.  I've been meaning to post my counts all week, and now that we're doing our second weekend, we're on the verge of falling behind!  Here's what we saw at our feeders last weekend.  The numbers reflect the maximum number of birds seen of that species at any one time.

At the feeders:
Mourning Dove (4)
Nuthatch (2)
Blue Jay (2)
Titmouse (3)
Sparrow (2)
Chickadee (4)

Not at the feeder, but hanging out:
Robin (2)
Hairy Woodpecker (1)


I'm a little concerned about the robins - haven't they usually flown south by now?  My other concern has to do with seeds- the hopper feeders is empty after only one day.  At this rate, my huge bag o'seeds will only last another month or so.  What I'm wondering is if I should keep filling it every day or wait until my feederwatch days.  (The other tube feeder still has seed in it.)  I did write to Cornell to ask them this question but they haven't answered yet.

I'm hoping to post my weekly counts in my sidebar throughout the project.   I'd love to hear from any other feederwatchers - especially if you're nearby!

Canine Blessings

When I was about 7 years old, my best friend Pam and I decided that we wanted to open a veterinary practice together.  We talked about our uniforms and where we'd open our office, and who our clients would be.  (For instance, would we practice on horses and hamsters?  Or just limit it to dogs and cats?)  Then some relative had to go and burst my bubble with the following comment: "Uh....Jenny?  You can't be a veterinarian.  You're allergic to animals!"  

Despite my allergy to dogs, we had one living with us.  Caeser was a black cockapoo who was trained early on never to leave our property.  His job was to keep the squirrels from touching down in our (unfenced) front yard in suburbs of Largo, Florida.  He would sit in the grass by the edge of the curb, looking longingly at the squirrels playing in the yard across the street.  Sometimes he would forget himself and dash over there and begin barking.  Then, when called, he would return to the yard with his tail between his legs.  Back to his special spot under the oak tree.

Miss B. has similar squirrel catching aspirations.  She gets more affection from me than Caeser did, because  I've been loading myself up with antihistamines, leukotrine inhibitors, and inhaled steroids daily so that I can keep her.  To me, it's worth it.   When I hit my mid 40s and realized that we weren't having any more kids, Miss. B. took the sting out of that realization. She's small enough that I can hold her in my arms like a baby, and she'll look deeply and earnestly into my eyes and, mercifully, say nothing. 

Old Age means realizing you will never own all of the dogs you wanted to.
- Joe Gores

Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.
- George Eliot

All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

- George Orwell 

 

Grateful that I have you, today and always, Miss. B.

Overwintering Fuchsia: A Summer Romance Gone Bad

It’s a relationship that I just refuse to give up on.  I had a big crush on this plant this summer. I paid, I think, $12 for it at the grocery store. We were happy together. It beckoned me from the shady corner of my deck where nothing else wanted to grow. It hid my mess of pots and tools in the corner, bloomed abundantly, and even created berries that I discovered were edible (though not real tasty).

At the end of the summer it was still green and bushy, so I brought it inside, thinking it might be happy there. I thought we might be able to stick it out together through the winter. 
That’s when the wilting and browning began and I began to lose that lovin’ feeling. I was able to temporarily revive it with a drink of fertilzer, and it even created a few more buds. The buds, however, promptly dropped off and it started losing leaves – and making them. That’s what makes it so hard to trash. There are little green leaves popping out here and there. It’s defintely not dead.

So I did some research and it seems you can overwinter fuchsia by bringing it inside before frost. You can keep it in a dark garage or shed (which is where I’ll be moving it soon). The stems should be cut back to about 6” in length, and it should be given just enough water to prevent it from drying out. When the buds appear, cut back to about 2” and begin hardening off. They can return outdoors after the last frost.

So, can this fuchsia be saved? Is it worth keeping this hideous looking plant all winter just to save $12 next spring? And are you overwintering anything ugly?