An oldie but a goodie.
Keeping ’em outta trouble
Arielle is home from UGA for the holidays.
We promptly put her on a plane to go work in Cincinnati for a week as a brand ambassador – just as every good parent should.
Buyer’s Remorse-less
Buyer’s Remorse: The feeling of regret after a purchase. It is frequently associated with the purchase of higher value items such as a car or house. It may stem from a sense of not wishing to be wrong, of guilt over extravagance, or from feeling that one has been persuaded by a salesman. (Wikipedia)
When Mike and I bought the farm last year, we suffered from weeks of anxiety, accompanied by frequent bouts of sheer panic, followed by so many thoughts and reactions like:
Oh God, what have we done?
We don’t know the first thing about running a farm.
Alabama? What?!
The horses will surely die under our care.
Let’s Google “rattlesnakes.”
We’re gonna go broke fixing up this dump.
Do you think there are wild boars out here?
Mike, wake up! What’s that noise??
Today, we still suffer from a little heartburn. And whenever something goes wrong, which happens a lot, Mike and I usually scowl at each other like it’s the other one’s fault.
But then a day like today comes along, when the sun lights up the pastures where horses graze peacefully, when bluebirds fly casually by and crows caw loudly overhead, when Adrian and his friends run barefoot all around, talking a-mile-a-minute, happily arguing over what to do next—play Xbox LIVE, swim, hit the creek, or take target practice with Airsoft artillery—when Mike’s off working quietly away on one project or another, when the dogs lie snoozing under rays of sunshine, and here I sit drinking coffee on the deck, gazing out at the land, reading and writing this note—somehow knowing that all will be well. That all the worry and frustration and fear matter nothing in the face of such happiness in this glorious place.
Building a Dog Paddock
When you have three Great Danes, you don’t just build a dog pen. You build a dog paddock. And that’s exactly what Mike and Adrian have been doing this month. In the country, we’ve noticed a lot of folks don’t fence their dogs in. But our city-slicker Danes don’t have much country sense, and we know they’ll be off chasing coyotes, cows, dogs or horses first chance they get. So, when they’re not by our side, the Danes now have their own private paddock. And I must say, it’s nicer than a lot of the horse paddocks I’ve seen. Maybe one day we’ll put a pony in it. Thanks, boys!
Sunday Brunch
So, if you recall the post about state fairs (In Praise of State Fairs), Arielle and I decided to make this brunch recipe last Sunday, in honor of state fairs everywhere. This one took home First Place-Public Favorite at the Western Montana Fair.
Easy ‘n’ scrumptious!
The Frenchy’est of Toast
Toast
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 cup orange juice
8 slices home-style bread, with crusts cut off
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp Grand Marnier
Topping
1 cup low-fat sour cream
Sugar
1 cup fresh, ripe berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries)
1. The evening before serving, mix melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and orange juice in a 2-cup measuring cup. Pour into 13x9x2-inch pan. Dip both sides of the bread slices in the mixture, then place slices in the pan in two layers.
2. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and Grand Marnier in blender. Pour mixture over bread. Refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake French toast for 45 minutes, or until nicely puffed or golden.
4. Mix sour cream with a fork and enough sugar for a slightly sweet taste; about 1-2 tbsp.
5. Cut French toast into squares and flip over onto plates. Spoon on sour cream topping and cover with fresh berries. Serve warm.
Serves 4-6.
Original recipe by Carolynn Richardson; adapted from Blue Ribbon Recipes.
