‘Your Escape Hatch’ from Sunset
Profile of four individuals who left their stress-filled worlds behind to move to Dreamville.
no-go rodeo
We got Adrian a little trail horse last summer and named him “Rodeo.” It’s kind of a joke, because this little Chestnut Paint has absolutely no “go” in him. He walks, he stops, he ponders life. He might trot or canter a little bit if you’re wearing big spurs and growl at him. But mainly he just wants to mosey ’round the farm taking his own sweet time. He’ll follow you around like a puppy dog hoping for treats, and loves to ride “nose to tail” as they say, when out on the trail with other horses. He’s the perfect kid’s horse: sweet, slow, safe and snuggly — and you can ride him bareback all day long with just a lead rope and halter. Come for a visit and we’ll toss you on him and go for a spin. No brakes required.
sunday night suppers
There aren’t many green veggies our boys will eat besides spinach and green beans. But when Mike discovered bok choy and all the beautiful vegetables he could buy at his favorite shopping spot, the Buford Highway Farmers Market, well, we’ve been eating this Chinese cabbage ever since. Here’s our easiest way to prepare it.
Braised Bok Choy
1 can chicken or vegetable broth
4 tbsp butter
1 lb bok choy, trimmed
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 clove minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Trim just the very ends off the stems, leaving bulbs intact. Bring broth, butter, oil and soy sauce to simmer in large, deep skillet. Arrange bok choy evenly in skillet and simmer, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with tongs to serving dish. Boil broth mixture and reduce to about 1/4 cup. Pour mixture over bok choy and serve.
abundant winters
Here’s a lovely, lovely article — “Winter Feasting at Essex Farm” — from Gourmet Live. Thanks, Kristin, for allowing us to repost it and feature these photos. While not open to the public, the farm, located in upstate New York, does have scheduled tours. Learn more about those, the 200-member Essex Farm CSA, and Kristin Kimball’s “Dirty Life” at KristinKimball.com.
Essex Farm
Photos courtesy of Kristin Kimball
lessons learned (the hard way)
.
I kept warning him: “Someone’s going to get hurt on that rotten dock.”
And kept nagging him: “You really need a tetanus booster. How long has it been?”
Well yesterday, while chatting on the phone with hubby as he stood on the little dock, the most rotten board finally called it a day and Mike went through it into the water — scratching and banging up one leg in the process.
Sometimes we just gotta learn things the hard way….
Today, we have a new dock.
And Mike got a tetanus shot.
(Thanks, honey! Glad you’re okay.)
