Wow...time flies - an update from the farm

I can't believe it's been five months since I wrote my last blog entry. (Why does this sound like the opening of a bloggers' anonymous meeting?) I blame life, and I'm not even going to try to make up for my past transgressions in a single post. I've been focusing my writing efforts on freelance gigs that pay (the more the better), trucking the kids around to a variety of activities, and enjoying the myriad opportunities out here on the farm.

This weekend we're off to the California 4H State Field Day at the University of California - Davis where both girls will represent their club in various competitions.

This year, 4H celebrates 100 years, so they added a twist to their fashion revue projects - enter something that commemorates the anniversary. For whatever reason (she said she has NO idea), she chose to research then make a 1913 bathing costume. I'm really proud of her effort here because she came up with the idea, the motivation and the pattern herself. She altered a McCall's dress pattern to  make the body of the dress which she altered for a fuller skirt, button-down front and belted waist. She didn't have a pantaloons pattern, so she thought them through and drew out her own complete with instructions. She modeled the bathing costume's scarf after historic images she saw online and 4H scarf. We should have kept track of the hours she spent on it. I believe it was close to 80, but she was so entranced (and listening to stories and music) that she doesn't believe THAT much time passed.

Her effort paid off not only with a super cute outfit, but top honors in the countywide fashion revue held in April. That honor granted her access to the statewide event this weekend where she also earned a spot, through previous performances, to do a reading at the presentation judging portion of the day-long 4H extravaganza.

V, who earned county honors for one of her photographic prints in April, will be taking two more of her photos for judging at the day's festivities and has entered in the chess tournament. She saw her own success this year in the 4H horse program, thanks in no small part to her 4H horse project leader's time and dedication and local volunteers who put on fantastic training events in preparation for their competitions this year.

Her first event was a performance disaster with a horse she hadn't really been working with enough. She was unable to finish some of her events, and left with lots of colorful ribbons from small classes, not a lot of pride, and frustration in her mount. But over the next month, she dedicated time to working with her horse, and the magic began. By the season-end, County 4H Horse Field Day, she and her mare were getting along swimmingly, and she surprised everyone (including herself) by walking away from the final show with the high-point award in her class.

More to come, I promise. But for now I'm off to pack and head out. Best to you and yours!

Smoothies for Big Kids

Lately, I've been on a smoothie kick. No ice cream. No yogurt. No ice. Just fruits and veggies blended. (Some of the fruits/veggies are frozen so they give the smoothie a bit of thickness.)

All efforts so far have been based on:

2 oranges - juiced

1 small grapefruit - juiced

 

For my first two efforts, I added:

1/4 c. frozen blueberries

1 whole apple, cut into pieces

1/4 c. spinach

 

They were OK, but the solids of the apple quickly rose to the top, separated entirely from the juice. Unless I stirred between each drink, the density was just about too much to take. It was a bit like eating a pre-chewed apple. I felt like a baby bird, and let me tell you, I don't think I'd thrive as a baby bird.

 

Today's smoothie worked out MUCH better than yesterday's. Even V asked for her own. (She had NO idea there was spinach in there...heh-heh!) So, here it is. (What's your favorite smoothie recipe?)

Best Family Smoothie

2 oranges - freshly squeezed (didn't this used to be squozen? Like frozen?)
1 little grapefruit - freshly squished (THERE!)
1/4 c. frozen (freezed?) blueberries
1/4 c. frozen raspberries
1/4 c. frozen spinach
Blend - drink - trick the kids...they have NOOOOOO idea what I put in here, and they feel like they're getting a treat. Well, I suppose we ARE!

Best Family Ham Bone Soup Recipe

This post is largely for my mom, who enjoys cooking, discovering great food, reading recipes and, like me, has no aversion to pork product. But I hope other ham lovers, soup lovers, cooks and aspiring cooks will also enjoy it.

Recently, I had a ham bone and related ham trimmings left over from a meal. I've learned to use all my dinner bones to make stock - a super-simple task which would have been particularly useful in my "starving" college student days. This time, I decided to go straight to soup with the bone. I also  made use of the broccoli stems no one really likes in any other form. Why waste them?

The end result - a happy family on a cold, rainy night. Served with a side of sourdough bread and butter.

Best Family Ham Bone Soup

1 ham hock/bone with trimmings on
1 qt. vegetable broth (for the sake of time savings)
1 onion, diced
1 T. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 broccoli stems, diced
1 tsp. Suzie Q seasoning (or other favored seasoning mix)
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3 healthy twists of the black pepper grinder

In the bottom of your stock pot, saute onion in olive oil until onions are translucent and beginning to brown (or well-browned for sweeter soup). Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes.

To the same pot (we're not big on piles of dishes around here), add the remaining ingredients. Bring nearly to a boil, then allow to simmer for an hour or more.

This soup, like most other homemade soups we've tried, is best after it's been allowed to simmer a good long while, then sit, refrigerated, overnight (or for a couple of days), before being heated for the actual meal. However, we enjoyed it on its first night out nearly as well.

Another note: our bone was quite sparse on meat. Meat lovers might consider leaving extra on the bone at carving time if you're planning to make a soup.

Enjoy!