Here is my story about Turkeys and Flowers

Hi there it’s me ANN

With a true tale about Goldie and Slate

The Flower Bed A Blue and White Iris Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh she is Nesting

Bronze turkeys are the product of crossing domestic turkeys brought from Europe by colonists (which had been exported to Europe years before) with the Wild Turkey. These matings produced a bird that was larger and more robust than the European turkeys, and tamer than wild turkeys. Though the Bronze turkey type was created in the 18th century, the actual name was not used until the 1830s, when a strain developed in the U.S. state of Rhode Island was named the Point Judith Bronze. The name later spread to be used in reference to the breed as a whole, and was in the process simplified to just "Bronze".[2] In the British Isles, the Bronze was associated with Cambridge, and was called the Cambridge Bronze, but again this name has been simplified to just "Bronze".

But you may call me ”GOLDIE”!

Do you see SLATE?

See Slate? Blue Clematis

The Blue Slate variety is thought to have been derived from the black turkey

known as the Spanish Black in the United States and the Norfolk Black in

England.

The Slate was accepted as a standard variety by the American Poultry Association

in 1874, incidentally the same year as the Spanish Black. You may call me SLATE!

Orange Azalea

Yellow Iris

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh she is Nesting

December the ONTH!

The Popover recipe re configured…what a bust that was!

However the Apple Pies were YUMMY

With Thanksgiving just barely over we head to the BIG ONE.

Our Thanksgiving was fabulous.

What could be more enjoyable than having family together?

Hectic, sure is BUT man the fun HECTIC makes...

puts a spring in my step to be sure.

Food smells permeated the home, homemade ice cream,

Joe’s Green beans, Sweet Potato Goodness, special YUMMM there,

gravy and dressing; store bought frozen turkey.

Still love to watch the cranberries POP…such fun in the kitchen for sure.

The ICE CREAM MAKER of ALL TIMES!

Christmas Goose is in the freezer, NO not one of ours…

Old but a tried and true recipe

Perfect Ice Cream making causes a STIR at our HOME

The Store Bought Turkey

The tree has been picked out, now to ready the PROPER location in the home. Ah the smell of fresh pine…

HEAVE HO

Lovely LIVE Bird!

Slate preforming in front of the dogs

Gentle touches

Home Sweet Home

NOW

Time to get the inside decorated and begin to surreptitiously drag out from hiding places gifts to be wrapped.

Almost Turkey Day

OR Turkey day is for the BIRDS? HA HA

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Slowly the SIMMER begins. YUP the excitement of having the kids home, smells wafting upwards. Checking the grocery list thrice…

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Turkey will go in the oven tonight. Tomorrow morning before the kids arrive, the wondrous smells that evokes memories in us all. I bet the smells will drive the PUPS BONKERS.

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WOW, come to think of it, this is Lily and Houses first Thanksgiving.

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Jazz is finally settling down to a life with a real family…wonder if she will sense the difference, the excitement? Dear George, our elder dog, will be content to lie in the middle of any room where food MIGHT drop to the floor, while pools of drool surround his paws.

Amidst all of this, my car is ill…SIGH! By noon I will know why THAT light is on as well as if my muffler has a hole in it. I will be STUCK at the mechanics place until the verdict is pronounced.

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The bummer about that is: people no longer are allowed to watch what they do to your car. Insurance, accidents etc have disallowed curious arm chair mechanics like I to learn. I do not like that! It’s not like I am going to open a shop of my own up! Geesh Louise!

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Memories of less hectic times, YA memories of childhood… Dad taking me with him, while he hung out with his buddies that were mechanics. Looking back it was probably a treat from his weekly routine… Ummmmmmm ya think I was bugging Mom so I had to go with DAD? Probably likely actually… Those were great times…I really was no problem, that I RECALL! I did learn more than I thought…

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So instead of being impatient this morning, I will TRY to sneak a look to see what they are doing to my car. As well as amending the grocery list. Let’s see, 1. Diet Coke 2. Root Beer 3. Snacks for the WVU Football game Saturday 4. Fresh flowers for the girls rooms 5. LIFE IS GOOD! AND YES dear daughters, the Pepperoni Rolls are freshly out of the oven awaiting your arrival. The Home Made Ice cream is forthcoming as well! LIFE IS GOOD!

Ponderings about Thanksgiving

Here are some updated pictures of Goldie and Slate.

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I first posted about them [Goldie & Slate] October 6th of this year. CLICK HERE!

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Here we are with a little over a week before one of my favorite Holidays. Seems the reality settled in with the first snow dusting that we had the other day.

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For sure I am pleased all of the wood has been split and stacked as well as covered. We have yet to have a fire inside, not quite cold enough YET. I chuckle inwardly as I will see the neatly pile diminish and leave voids of interest come spring.

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Time to dig out the Christmas and New Year Cards…

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Once again attempt to get them addressed during the Thanksgiving weekend.

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HA that has always been a goal, who knows this year I might attain it.

Well it is a delicious thought.

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Speaking of delicious… what foods come to mind that take you back years?

Those are the memories.

One that my Mother delighted in making was: Creamed peas in a Timbale.

Gosh have not thought about that in years.

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A timbale is a disc-shaped - mould for various sorts of food.

Mom used upside down glass custard cups...she used the left over raw pie dough,

and then she would prick the dough with the tines of a fork. That way there was

no waste.

The name is derived from 'thimble'.

~

While thinking about this almost lost memory I found this recipe.

Sure sounds yummy.

I think we will add this to a meal on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, because one

of our children requested Popovers. ;) Someone else has a memory.

What fun it was to sit in front of the glass oven and watch the POP of the OVERS!

~

Food historians generally agree popovers are an American recipe.

They descended from 17th century batter puddings made in England.

Yorkshire pudding is the most famous example of these.

"Popover. A light, hollow muffin made from an egg batter similar to that used in making Yorkshire pudding. The name comes from the fact that the batter rises and swells of the muffin tin while baking...In American Food (1974), Evan Jones writes: Settlers from Maine who founded Portland, Oregon, Americanized the pudding from Yorkshire by cooking the batter in custard cups lubricated with drippings from the roasting beef (or sometimes pork); another modification was the use of garlic, and, frequently, herbs. The result is called Portland popover pudding, individual balloons of crusty meat-flavored pastry." Most popovers, however, are not flavored but merely set in buttered muffin tins. They are served a breakfast or with meats at lunch and dinner."---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 249)

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Henderson's Popover recipe [1876]

Popover recipe from 1877:

Minted Green Pea Timbales

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups peas

2 1/2 tablespoons mint, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 egg whites

1/2 cup whipped cream Sour cream or crème fraîche

Dissolve all but 1/4 teaspoon salt in large pot of boiling water.

Add peas.

Blanch 2 minutes.

Drain and rinse under cold water.

Chill and drain thoroughly.

Puree in blender or food processor the peas, mint, and sugar remaining salt and pepper until

smooth. Continue to puree while adding egg whites 1 at a time.

Pour in cream. Blend until combined.

Divide mixture among 6 greased 1/2 cup ramekins or custard cups.

Set ramekins in baking pan.

Add boiling water to pan to halfway up sides of ramekins.

Cover with foil and vent.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center pulls

clean.

Let set a few minutes. Run sharp knife around edges and invert onto serving dish.

Garnish with mint sprig and dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche

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The Nest

Goldie has for sure perked up… This is her nest… 4 eggs and one Walnut… WHY a walnut you ask? There is one growing near the pen…

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AWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww it is so neat!

As promised ~ There is LOVE in the air…

Short side of the “STORY”, for several years my Sweetie has purchased baby turkeys. Baby turkeys are called poults.

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More Information here!

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He has one remaining

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Black-winged Bronze Turkey

a. k. a. Crimson Dawn Turkey

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Now comes what most might think AWFUL. We raised these to eat. Heretofore they NEVER had names. Frankly calling them Thanksgiving and Christmas mere denoted when they would appear on the table.

NOW here is the new PLIGHT!

!!

He had 2 left and they seemed to be doing fine UNTIL one morning one was dead. No markings, no way to understand what had happened.

!! Life goes on as it were, and the Turkey called to her wild cousins as they would range our meadows. Again life went on. NOW, while my Sweetie was BASKING in the glorious wild life of the Boundary Waters of Canada, I was in charge of the FOWL!

!! HA HA and CLUCK CLUCK.

Blue Slate Turkeys are named for the beautiful blue slate color of their plumage. This is a complex genotype, however, and the breed actually has three color phases: the Slate (pictured) which is blue with black specks, a pure black, and a pure bluish gray. They are medium sized turkeys and very good foragers, consuming great quantities of insect pests.

!!

Blue Slate The Self-blue form is also known as Lavender

!!

Brief History of Blue Slate Turkeys

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously now, I did do it BUT, the first day as I entered the Turkey pen, I had great misgivings. The turkey seemed sick, I thought. I had to pick it up to take it to the water and feed. Ummmmmmmmmmm odd it had been eating, ummmmmmmmmm

!!

A sit down Strike cause I was not the normal care keeper? I had youngest son take a look, he surmised she had a bad wing…he looked and found NADA.

!!

Enter Sweetie from Canada ~ as he assumed his feeding of the fowl he literally skipped into the house with three eggs.

Guess the turkey is a SHE and he said “She needs a companion”. SIGH

SOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo off we went yesterday[Saturday] in search of a Tom.

Well the farm was a great place WAY out in the country. We did get a male AS WELL AS...

Yup you guessed it Sweetie got More Fowl. BUT I did agree that having three Guinea Fowl would be Neat. We had them years ago and they are a neat bird.

More about those later

So as we settled down last evening in front of a small fire in the pit we talked about NAMES for the Turkeys.

!!

YUP Rule here, if it has a name it is not FOOD for our table. SO may I introduce you to SLATE, the male, and Goldie the female! We chuckled as they names coincidentally are the colors of WVU Mountaineers.

Go Figure that one!

More on the Nest Post! Pun Intended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lambs ears & Happy Ides of March ~~~

Ides of March

It's one of Shakespeare's most memorable phrases...

Shades of High School Latin class…

The Ides of March is the first day of the Roman New Year.

It also marks the first day of spring in the Roman calendar.

Celebration Ideas here!

How to Cook a Roman Sweet Cake

What is fabulous about the Ides of March?

It was my Latin teacher in High School…to this day I attribute what I have retained in part to her.

Thanks to Ms Laughlin.

As SPRING is showing herself around here we all breath a sigh of

"OH YESsssssssssssssssssssssss how wonderful this is."

On a recent walk about I was taking pictures of this and that and ended back at the gate to our Deck… My Lamb’s ear is greening up quite well. The plant is at the base of my Garden Buddha…

Canada, one of our cats was warming in the sun while my Garden Buddha was pleased not to be covered in Snow…

On down in this post they talk about the medicinal qualities of this plant. I will add a story… One time when I was mowing the “Back Forty” a ground wasp came up through the opening where the gear shift is located and stung me on my finger… YIKES

Knowing that the mowing HAD to be finished, I stopped the tractor, went to a near by MUD hole, slathered the mud on my finger then went back to the house to gather some Leaves from the Lamb’s ear. Using it like a “Band aide” I finished my mowing @ an hour or so later. Daffodil ALMOST opened

Got in the house took the leaf off and MUCH to my surprise…the swelling was greatly reduced and the ‘HEAT’ from such a sting had as well diminished… Forget Me Knots

Bottom line here, in my thinking, Great Grandmother KNEW her stuff! Tulips

Latin Name: Stachys byzantina (syn. S. lanata; Lamb's-ear or Lamb's Ear) is a species of Stachys, native to Turkey, Armenia, and Iran.[1][2] It is cultivated over much of the temperate world as an ornamental plant, and is naturalised in some locations as an escape from gardens. Plants are very often found under the synonym Stachys lanata or Stachys olympica. Lamb's Ears is a low growing spreader with very fuzzy, pale, silvery gray-green foliage. They are grown primarily for the color and texture of their foliage, although the species does have flower spikes early in the season. Lamb's Ears are often recommended for children's gardens because of their soft feel. Crocus

Description and more Click Here

Nature’s Teddy Bear and Band-Aid

During this time (pre-industrial revolution), cloth was a pretty scarce commodity. A woman (and it was mostly women) could spend weeks, even months making a single piece of clothing. Would you waste such efforts binding up a minor scratch or arterial wound? Heck no! That’s what Lamb’s Ear is for, as any sensible woman from the 1700s would have told you.

Long ago, it was used as a bandage for minor and major wounds. Supposedly, it has some antiseptic properties, but because it is no longer used in it’s original herbal manner, there is no supporting proof of this beyond the fact that other plants in the Stachys family have been proven to have antiseptic properties.

But for the same reasons Lamb’s Ear made a great Band-Aid back in the day, are the same reasons we use it in our garden today. Soft, furry (absorbent) leaves that just make you want to give the whole plant a great big hug.

Wild Turkey across the Creek Ahhhhhhhhhhh Spring is upon us ;)

RAFTER

There are NUTS in the woods

YUP and Lots of TURKEYS [Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo]

What a glorious day. We worked outside and are totally exhausted… All of 57 degrees, but the ground still is soooooooo wet Most people are familiar with the term "flock of pigeons" and even "gaggle of geese," but did you know that a group of turkeys is called a "rafter"? And baby turkeys are called poults. The wild turkey is one of the largest birds in North America. An adult male can grow up to 4 feet long from his beak to his tail. Wild turkeys live in open fields and woods and nest on the ground. Wild turkeys prefer to eat insects, grasses, nuts, and berries.

The "beard" that grows from the center of a wild turkey's breast is actually a group of modified feathers that look like hair. Beards are most commonly found on adult male turkeys (called gobblers), although females (called hens) will grow them occasionally. In spite of its large size and rather awkward appearance, the wild turkey is a powerful flier, reaching speeds of up to 55 mph over short distances. Turkeys will most often fly hard and fast up through the treetops, then set their wings and glide back to the ground.

Benjamin Franklin wanted wild turkeys to be our national symbol instead of the bald eagle. He felt that the stately, majestic qualities of the wild turkey would make it a fine symbol for the new country.

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