Ohio: Part II

Lessons to be learned...

Ahhh, as the days went by there was a lot to be learned.  While she had put me to work in the yard earlier, I  later asked for her knowledge in exchange.  Years ago I had taught myself how to knit (basic level).  Then last year I got a refresher from a lady on one of my mail routes.  Now I had Granno all to myself and a wealth of knitting and crocheting skills just waiting to be pasted on to the next generation. 

Sitting on the deck with wine and yarn.

 



A hat that I had started for Jim but didn't know how to finish.

Really - 4 needles?!

 



Thanks to Granno and some wine the hat was completed!

 



I spent a day teaching my Uncle John how to make sourdough English muffins and two kinds bread.

 



His first loaf!

 

See what I mean about good food, wine and sitting around?  No wonder my shorts were a bit tighter when I got home, but it was all worth it.

 

still more to come...

What's Round on the Ends & High in the Middle?

OHIO!

 Back in April, I flew to Ohio to surprise my Granno for her 83rd birthday.  (Her birthday is at the beginning of May, but the end of April was as close as I could get with work.)  She had no idea I was coming.  Uncle John picked me up at the airport and drove me to town.  On the way, he called her and asked if she wanted to meet for pizza.  She agreed and I hid in a corner booth eagerly awaiting her arrival.  For the next eight days it was her and I and lot of fun!

 

Granno & Me

She was speechless when she realized who was sitting in the booth!

 



~click to enlarge~

We drove through old Amish country and I got to check out old grave yards.  I love the old headstones.  The oldest one I found was from 1852.

So intricate in the carvings.

 



Definitely worn by the weather.

 

141 years old - and still standing!

It was rainy that day and I took a lot of photos but these were the best due to the flat light.

 



*Before*

When you're 83 and and a young whipper-snapper comes to visit what do you do?

Put her to work in the yard!

*After*

 



Tiramisu picnic in the park.

 



Honey

She wasn't the only fat cat.  After 10 days (2 travel - 8 stay), I had packed on a few pounds too!  So much good food, wine and conversation.  I didn't bother trying to break away to go for a run.  We spent every moment together and enjoyed each other's company to the fullest.

 

more to come...

 

But Sometimes the Cook Cuts the Wrong Thing...

Oops!

 

A few weeks after the amazing lasagna day, I decided to make homemade raviolis.  I put on my favorite Frank Sinatra cd.  Then I set out the pasta roller, the ricotta, the spinach and mushrooms. I sharpened my favorite knife and started chopping.  Jim disappeared to take a shower.  It wasn't long before I was knocking on the bathroom door asking for butterfly band aids and tape.  After a cleaning my finger I realized this wasn't going to be an easy fix.  Being a considerate person, I called our local urgent care to see how late they were open (I didn't want to show up as they were locking the doors for the night.).  Soon I was knocking on the door again letting Jim know I was driving myself to town for stitches.  Of course, he wouldn't let me do that. He quickly dressed and we headed to town.  A few hours and three stitches later we were headed home with take out pizza for the night.

Ugly, huh?

 

 Through a good part of the nail, they couldn't put stitches there.

I just had to keep it wrapped.

 

About a month later.

 

It wasn't too bad, as far as injuries go.  It was a bit of a pain in my as! due to working with my hands all day and the cold weather didn't really help.  Aside from some weird feeling, I am all healed and back to chopping in the kitchen again.  Only now, I go a bit slower.

 

 

*On a weird side note, the fact that the knife was super sharp it made for a clean cut that healed quite fast.

Sunday Afternoon in the Kitchen

In the winter, when the weather is bad and I've spent the last week walking outside in the elements I enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the kitchen.  I usually have a big meal planned, something I wouldn't make during the week, a couple of cds rotating in the stereo (yes, I still play cds - no Ipod play lists), and a bottle of wine open.



I start the day by warming the house with the oven and sourdough french bread.

 



Then combine sweet and hot sausage into delicious little meatballs.

 



All while sauce is simmering on the stove.

 



Fresh is always best.

 



 

That goes for pasta, too.

The rich yellow color is from the fresh eggs.

 



Layer it all with three different cheeses.

 Viola!

A sumptuous meal for a dreary Sunday.

Two Chickens in a Pot, No a Nestbox!

According to the chicken books a nesting box should be 12 x 12 for the comfort of a chicken when laying an egg.  Well, due to the design of our coop our nesting box is 15 x 25.  I could've made two separate smaller boxes but with the sloping roof the door had to be in the middle.  Thus, I thought it best to have one bigger box.  Now we have found eggs at one end or the other and sometimes at both, but we have never seen two chickens sharing the box at the same time.  Annie is a year old and Scrappy is two.  They are both rather calm and submissive girls, but even this is a stretch for them.

 A peek through the door - Annie & Scrappy.

 

 From above it resembles a "two-holer" outhouse!

 

Sure enough, 2 chickens = 2 eggs.

Apparently girls go to the ladies room together in the animal kingdom too!

 

Chicken Humor:

What do you call a chicken coop with four doors?

A chicken Sedan!

Stown Got Old!

Happy Birthday!!

 

Jim, Me, Stown & Lilly
 
Stown turned 19 in February.
To celebrate, we all went out for dinner.