4.11.2013

all in a day






it's papa's birthday today.  there was a big breakfast.  a scramble, my first ever homemade biscuits (yum!), thanks to a friend who recently shared her recipe for cream cheese biscuits.  so flaky!  so buttery!  so wonderful with butter (as if they needed more) and a little drizzle of lavender-infused honey.  a smoothie for her.  coffee for us.  eaten on the deck while we listened to all sorts of avian fanfare.  woodpeckers drilling and laughing their maniacal laugh, blue jays sounding angry in the sky, titmice shushing, and chickens proudly cackling after laying an egg.  those sounds come from all over the neighborhood.  we are a chicken heavy block. (or so)



we gardened a little.  emptied out the rain barrels and thought about moving them.  also thought about how maybe we should think about what's in that water we're catching off our roof and watering all our seedlings and plants with.  kind of don't really want to think about that, but probably I should.  my mind is already so full of thinking about things though.  dangit.  read many varying opinions on the subject but came away thinking about looking into something called a slow sand water filter and a first flush diverter.  they sound interesting.  and doable.  and sensible.  I went to work.  she came along.  papa had a clown show.  (have I mentioned he does clown skits with the fire department about fire and life safety?  well, he does.)  he is Bingo the clown.  the kids sang happy birthday to Bingo today.  loudly, according to the clown.  he picked up our chicks (!) on his way home and we now have four peeping babies on the kitchen counter.  two black australorps and two blue wheaten ameraucanas.  they were going to go in the coop (not with the others, but in their own place- remember, 'the coop' refers to the whole back shed) but I kind of like them inside for now.  I am not and will never be a real farmer, I'm afraid.  well.  maybe one day.  we'll see.

we had takeout for dinner.  and there was a cake.  a cake from (ahem) a box.  a cake from a box that I got from a neighbor because I was chatting with her about making a cake but really wasn't feeling like it (terrible, right? but- remember the biscuits?) and, voila! she happened to have a box of cake mix.  and would I like it?  yes, please.  the icing was not from a box (or a can) though.  that I made.  and I had a bit to do with the making of the cake as well, really.  crack three eggs, melt coconut oil, pour milk..... mix.  etc.  Claire helped with the clean up.  the clean up of one of the mixer thingies and the batter bowl, anyway.


and that was our day.  we skyped with nana and pipop and now have a visit to look forward to for the end of the month.  oh- and I got Mike a really, really cool gift.  a sunrise (um, that's early) flight with asheville hot air balloon for the two of us.  woohoo!  wondering what the safety measures and such are with hot air balloon flights....  I for one would like to have a parachute.  just in case.  it's a mile up, after all and that's kind of high.

6 comments:

  1. happy birthday! How adventurous to go hot air ballooning, don't forget the camera :)

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  2. your photos are just gorgeous!
    you remind me so much of myself, the way you write.
    And your food on this post is making me really hungry, sometimes you just gotta do the box cake, right?
    XO
    C

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    Replies
    1. thank you so much sweet lady! ha~ that's funny, because sometimes I read your posts and I think 'huh, that's exactly something I'd say/think/etc'.

      mmmmmm food. the cake was really good, too. when I've tried to make him his favorite yellow cake/chocolate icing before, with the cake all from scratch, it's always a bit too dry. I am feeling good about the box.

      cheers!

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  3. Oh, but we need the biscuit recipe cuz that's the kind of biscuits I like. The ones that are like that on top. Sour cream!?!?!

    Please share, if you don't mind!

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    Replies
    1. oh I don't mind at all- here it is, 'cream cheese biscuits', shared by a friend:

      1.5c ap flour
      1.5 cake flour
      1 tb sugar
      1 tb baking powder
      1 tsp salt
      3/4 tsp baking soda
      4oz cream cheese, cut into cubes and freeze for 30min
      4tbsp butter, cut into 1/2" pieces and frozen for 30 minutes
      1c + 1 tbsp buttermilk
      Heat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
      Pulse dry ingredients in bowl of food processor.
      Scatter cream cheese and butter. Pulse to combine until mixture resembles coarse meal.
      Transfer to bowl, stir in buttermilk until combined.
      Turn dough onto floured counter and knead until dough comes together. Roll into 8 x 6 rectangle. Cut into 12 squares. Bake until light brown, 12-15 minutes...serve warm and enjoy.


      ENJOY!

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thanks for taking the time to read and comment~