You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

Weekend project: First Aid

We are packing and since we started so early I've had time to consider, discard and organize stuff as it goes into boxes. Of course, we're now getting down to the wire so things will not go as smoothly if I don't create a schedule of sorts, and get a certain amount done every day. And you just know that in the end there will be a jumble of boxes that just have things thrown into them out of desparation - I've yet to have a move where that wasn't the case.

While gathering up all the first aid supplies around the house I began thinking that we needed a largish container for all the bandaging materials, the ointments, and the remedies. I was finding stuff in medicine cabinets, under sinks and here, in this special container:

 

Looking around the house for something better, I realized that one of the train cases in my collection would be perfect. I had one, a Samsonite, that was already gesso'd and thought I'd decorate it with the classic red cross.

 

I put another coat of white acrylic over the gesso and sketched out the crosses:

 

Then painted them with red acrylic.

 

 

The box looked pretty good but not finished. I ran some quilting tape along the edges of the box - I don't know where I got that but I like the little black stripes on it. Searching through the stamp collection I found some appropriately sized letters:

 

Stamped the top with black Staz-On ink:

 

And added just a little embellishment to the sides:

 

because it is important to have a sense of humor...

I sprayed the whole thing with two coats of Satin Clear sealer,

 

And, ta da! A handy first aid box.

Cheese-making, part 2: the cheese!

Those very adorable goats I posted about yesterday produce plenty of milk when they aren't nursing babies.... and the mistress of the goats we met makes cheese, teaches others how to make cheese, and even sells some of the supplies to make cheese.

But first:

 

We had a milk-tasting, comparing the taste of one goat's milk to another. Since all the does are pregnant or nursing, we tried milk that had been frozen. It was icy cold and delicious. I'm not even a milk drinker and I slurped my shots down to nothing, it was that tasty. I could do goat's milk!

 

Next we put two gallons of milk to heating, each in it's own stainless steel pot, because we were making two batches of cheese. And while the milk heated we had another tasting.

 

This was a pesto cheese we tried. Delicious. In fact, I can just say right now that the entire experience of cheese-making was delicious and get that out of the way.

We learned to taste cheese on bread rather than crackers, as crackers have too much flavor of their own.

 

These little rounds were chive and cilantro - creamy, silky, and oh-so-good. We were all greedily sampling bite after bite.

 

While the milk heated and we stuffed our faces, our instructor talked us through the supplies needed for making this type of cheese: stainless steel pots with lids, a colander, a large stainless whisk, measuring cup, small lidded containers for the finished cheese (she uses tupperware), and a good quality cheesecloth. The cheesecloth is so important that once she found the right weave she bought a bolt of it and sells it by the yard to other cheese-makers. If you clean it carefully, it can be used over and over again.

 

We were set to work chopping herbs (we made rosemary-garlic and cilantro-chive cheeses), and measuring out salt, butter, and vinegar while the milk heated. It needs to be 200-206 degrees farenheit - foamy but not boiling or scalded.

 

Once the milk is heated, it is slowly stirred with the whisk while the apple cider vinegar (or other acid like lemon / orange juice) is added until it begins to separate into curds and whey (who knew?)

 

Your cheescloth covered colander sits at the ready, the curdling milk is covered and left for a minute,

 

and poured slowly into the colander.

 

The corners of the cheesecloth are gathered up and the ball of cheese is sort of rolled around to let most of the whey drain off, then it is placed back into the warm pan.

 

With a potato masher the salt, butter and herbs are worked into the cheese and it is ready to be packed into smaller containers to chill and set up (about 24 hours).

 

We each took home a round of cheese that had been made the night before, and we got to scoop out the bits of warm cheese that were left over from our two batches. So very, very delicious.

I'm ready to get a dairy goat and start making my own cheese!

Cheese making - part 1: The Goats

When I think of cheese making I think of nuns in France, aging their cheeses in underground vaults. Or the Cowgirl Creamery over on the coast of northern California. I don't often think of our little town. But the art of cheese-making is alive and well here and I had the pleasure of learning the basics of making goat milk ricotta yesterday. And sampling yummy, delicious goat milk from two different does. And taking home a round of rosemary-garlic cheese to share with Mr. Man.

It all starts here:

Did you know that a goat like this can produce up to a gallon of milk a day? I'd guess that if you owned this goat you'd quickly learn to make cheese, and you'd make sure all your friends liked cheese, and you'd create a lot of opportunities to serve cheese.

 

According to the 4H dairy goat website, there are six breeds recognized for milk production.

 

This mama had two week old babies and another mama had one week old babies, 2 each, and cute as can be. I believe she is another alpine and the 3rd mama is a cross between a nubian and an alpine. Nubians have those long ears that hang down and alpines have upright ears. (I could have gotten some of the mixed up as there was a lot of talking going on and I am easily distracted by looking around at everything).

 

I wouldn't want to be their mama, cause some udder-butting was going on that couldn't feel good. Our teacher explained that at this young age the babies have such little mouths that they sometimes have a hard time getting a hold of a teat and then, if they haven't been successful in getting any milk, that teat gets even more engorged and larger. Then the doe has to be milked to relieve the pressure and prevent problems.

 

So dang cute. They had just had their little heads shaved and their horns burned off so they looked a little alien, but they had their milk and then got a little frisky around the pen. Even at two weeks they can jump! And they are pettable, although a bit squirmy.

 

I didn't get any good photos of the one-week babies - they were in another pen. They were sweet too, and would attempt to nurse on a finger if offered. The mamas were quite tolerant of us being there - perhaps it was the bowl of salad that came with us.

 

It was all I could do to not purchase one of these baby does right then and there.

 

Reason took over and reminded me that we have a resort to run and are soon to be temporarily homeless - probably not a good idea to add to our menagerie with a goat right now.

 

I was sorely tempted, though.

Tomorrow - the making of the cheese. Wherein we move to the kitchen, wash our hands, and begin part 2.

Springing forward in new shoes - a Kork-ease splurge

There was a time when this would have been no big deal. But over the last few years my shopping habits have really changed. There's nothing like going through the stress of credit card debt to slow a person down and rethink the whole shopping thing. And I do think that there is a process we go through as we get older that more accurately evaluates the value of things. Is it more important to have another shiny new item in the closet or on a shelf vs the peace of mind of knowing there is money in the bank?

That said, there is a time for splurging.

These shoes have been on my mind since I began shopping for our wedding. I saw them in red, I saw them in gray, I considered them for the wedding then discarded the idea since they are so tall. But still, I wanted them. And so, this spring, I bought them.

 

I had to hunt for them too - my first go-to place, Garnet Hill, was completely sold out. Next, I tried Nordstrom - no go. I went hunting online and ended up shopping at Piperlime for the first time. FAST! From the time I ordered them to the time I got them on my front porch in this little teeny town? 4 days.

 

Nice packaging, eh? Even the receipt was nicely done in that bright green envelope up in the upper right.

 

Kork-ease. The name recalls the heady 80s - but actually they've been around much longer, evidently from the 1950s! Those of us who remember the glory days of Fleetwood Mac remember Stevie Nicks clomping around stage in her classic Kork-ease shoes -

 

Of course I'm not into re-living the 80s but I can appreciate a brand that endures. RayBan, Levis, Coach... timeless but updated, fresh. These are a fresh take on a beloved style, the platform wedge.

 

They were like gloves for my feet. They fit perfectly. Lightweight, comfortable, tall.

I am so pleased with my spring shoes.

 

Oh yes, they know what they are doing...

It isn't uncommon to see horses standing head to tail nuzzling each other's back, espcially this time of year when the hair is coming off in sheets.

 

It seems kinda sweet - "hey, I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine".

 

And on this sunny afternoon that is what I was admiring while cleaning corrals, blending up supplements and considering cleaning my saddle (didn't happen).

 

I was watching Mustang scrape his teeth along Rocket's back and flank, really workin' that hair off..

 

Wondering how on earth he was going to deal with that mouth full of hair. He was watching me watch him, and watching me creep closer with my camera (phone).

 

Things were going good and I could see that Rocket was doing the same for Mustang - a nice, friendly mutual grooming -

until Mustang eyed me again,

 

closed his mouth over that piece of skin on Rocket's flank,

 

and slowly began to pull it outward into a tent. It took a few seconds for Rocket to became aware of the change in activity, but his ears pivoted back and he stepped away with an injured glance at Mustang. And the party was over.

The Gift of Time

We had a blessed rain yesterday and this morning has dawned crisp, sunny and calm. I'm hoping it stays that way for the day since we've also enjoyed hellacious winds over the last few days. I'm ready to get back on my horse and ride.

Circumstances have given me the gift of time right now and it couldn't have happened at a better time. We're packing and preparing to put everything in storage for the summer, we're taking the resort and marketing in new directions, and this is the time for me and my mare to get a lot of rides in.

Seems that time always comes at the expense of money and vice versa - a year ago I was much more comfortably off in terms of income but very stressed for time. Of the two I guess I'd rather go for the time but not to the extent that it starts to affect our ability to pay bills. I'm willing to be frugal but not willing to fall behind. Been there and THAT is not a good place to be either.

This won't last long as the resort will open at the end of May and from then on it'll be a blur of responsibilities and busyness, so the key to this time is to not waste it. And there are days when I do indeed waste it. Usually online. Soooooo many distractions on the internet. All the wonderful bloggers, Pinterest, Facebook, tutorials and how-tos.

I have a friend keeping me dialed in with the arena riding - we both have five year old mares and we are both just getting comfortable with them after getting hurt earlier in their training. We've been watching Buck Branaman DVDs and reading Tom and Bill Dorrance books and helping each other by being eyes on the ground. Sometimes it is good to have someone watching and sometimes it is good to have someone videoing. You can't always tell what is going on from on the horse. Until you get really good. And I'm not there yet.

I watched myself riding Rhea last week and caught several things I didn't even know I was doing - things that could be confusing to her and could muddy up the cues I'm giveing her. Riding is such a fine sport. It's about the horse, about the rider, and about the interaction between the two. It is delicate and subtle most of the time but also requires the rider to step up and be a leader. A true leader.

Horses will test you every now and again, just to see if you are still paying attention and to make sure that you are still worthy of following. Like eternal teenagers. And it doesn't take much to get them back on track but you can't miss it - you can't ignore that test. Our mustang is a classic example. He'll test me regularly but we've been together for so long that the tests come less frequently and he's more accepting of my place in his life. Let someone else start riding him though, like JC, and you can just see the wheels turning in the horse's head. "Who is this guy and what does he know?"

I just love the interaction between horse and human and am truly loving the relationship developing between my mare and myself. Every time I get on her I learn something new and am reluctant to end the ride. So on this clear, bright and sunny day I'm going to take care of my work first thing this morning and clear the afternoon for her - not wasting this precious gift of time.

The filly grows into a mare

Rhea and I have come a long way in the last four years. I was riding with my friend SM the other day and she was on her 5 year old mare from the same herd and the thought struck me that I had really wondered that the day would ever come for me. That I would feel relaxed and confident and in sync with Rhea after the rocky start we had. But I do, and she does, and we are becoming a team.

 

My goal this winter was to just spend time on her. Trail riding and getting out with other horses, no pressure, plenty of exposure to new things, and lots of time with me on her back. We had a very mild winter with many, many great riding days and I was able to slowly and steadily deal with my fears of getting hurt again. I knew that I couldn't sit on her and be afraid - that fear transmits itself through the body and directly to the horse.

 

I did a lot of self-psyching the first few weeks and I even took a little bottle of bourbon to the tack shed and would take a shot before getting on her. Just to take the edge off. It was a big battle for me. She did nothing to worry me - nothing at all. I had a young woman riding her at first, keeping her under saddle while I worked on myself, but then that young woman got too busy with her life and Rhea was all mine again. And I think now that is what had to happen. I knew she couldn't stand around all winter and there was only one person who could commit to keeping her ridden - me.

 

I've really got to hand it to another friend, LR, who babysat me through those first few rides and encouraged me to ride out often. Who found the right balance between pushing and backing off. We rode up into the foothills and down into the valley and every ride I felt a change in me. And Rhea. As my comfort on her grew, her confidence in me grew. She relaxed, I relaxed. Or was it I relaxed, she relaxed? The chicken and the egg question.

 

Then there was the arena. The source of our previous negative encounters. That took some doing, getting me back on her in the arena. The good thing was that it got me back on my mustang and I pushed him to move faster, quicker, and do more so that I could be ready for her. Which was good for him. I'd gotten comfortable and lazy on him.

A person should ride several horses and every once in awhile she should ride someone else's horse. I think we tend to become comfortable once we know our horses and that doesn't do us any favors. When I was working for the pack station, I rode a variety of horses and mules and it honed my skills and kept me awake and aware. I didn't realize over the years since then that I'd become a little complacent. Until I got Rhea.

 

It has been a good road for me. I've had a lot of help and I've had to face my fears. In order to be a good rider for Rhea I've had to become a stronger rider. The pay-off has been huge already.

 

I hope we'll have many years together. 

Let there be light.

We've had a pretty mild winter (to say the least) in the Sierra and when a storm rolled through on Saturday we were all positively giddy with excitement. It dropped a good amount of snow in the high country and gave the valley a drink, although I would have enjoyed a drenching. There's nothing like a big storm.

Here in the valley it was tapering off by late afternoon when I went out to feed and clean, and the light was so unusual I grabbed my camera on the way out the door. Good thing, too, cause it was amazing.

 

This valley has a lot of sky and when the clouds stack up it puts on quite a show.

 

We live up on a hillside with a good view of the valley below and the mountain range to the east, and our back is against the Sierra. When we first moved to this house we really missed our previous view of the Sierra and of Mt. Tom in particular, but we've grown to love watching the light morph on the White Mountains, the chain of rhinestone headlights of the cars on U.S. 395, and the muted colors of the valley floor change through the seasons and even within a day.

 

When I got to the saddle club the trees were all lit up from the late afternoon sun while the backdrop remained a dark blue-gray. It was so unusual and so striking. They haven't quite begun to leaf out yet so there is mostly just the mottled bark and the white branches that picked up the light.

 

I was the only person around at the time so there was no one to exclaim to and all I could do was run around and take photos. The horses were circling for dinner and the dog was busy with her stick, taking for granted another gorgeous day in the eastern Sierra.

 

And now we are packing up our belongings and moving again. We'll miss our view of the Whites but we're hopefully trading it for a view of the Sierra. And no matter where we go in this valley we'll always have the sky and its everchanging show.

 

We can't wait to settle into our own place - with a little bit of land around us, our horses on the property, and a new set of projects and to-do lists. New views to photograph, new neighbors to meet, and new adventures ahead. This has certainly been a year of change and it is only three months in... we could do with a little less at one time. I hope that by the end of this year we will be enjoying a period of stability and calm.

Like this light inspires.

Can't neglect the living...

We've been pretty torn up over the loss of our lovely little Bella and her last weekend plays like a looped video in our heads, over and over again. But the days are passing, the pain is easing and there is a lovely, lovely labrador that gently and insistently demands our attention.

 

I mean, how could you resist this face?

 

She depends on us now for all her fun and we have had to step up to meet her needs.

 

More walks, more ball-tossing and throwing, more sticks to run after.

 

More treats, more snuggling, more rides in the car.

 

 

I don't think it quite makes up for the loss of Bella - her running mate, her wrestling companion, her tug-of-war opponent - but she is good to humor us in our attempts to fill the void Bella left.

 

And she fills our heart with laughter and joy again. Dogs.

There is nothing like a dog.

How does your garden grow?

Disclaimer: I am a terrible gardener. There was a time when I could boast a green thumb but those days seem to have disappeared and now the best thing for me to grow are air plants.

And things that require little fussing over.

Like bulbs:

 

One thing I've loved to do for years is forcing bulbs for winter blooms. Especially when I lived in the snow and even now, here, where there is not so much snow but things are still very very dormant for months. Forcing byacinth, muscari and paperwhites brings much needed color and fresh scent to a house that has been sealed against the wind and cold.

Then I plop them into the beds around the house so they'll bloom again outside in future years.

 

I've had great luck with the muscari and the hyacinth. The paperwhites come up green but I haven't seen them bloom again yet. I still like them and force them but these days I move them out of the kitchen window the minute they begin to bloom. The scent of paperwhites clashes with food but they are great in a bedroom or bathroom or the living room.

 

We have other garden things that don't need much but water and sunlight to produce a great show in spring, like the violets under the wisteria. They came with the house and I'm sold on them. They form a really nice, low ground cover that effectively competes with weeds and for months they will produce these purple blooms.

 

Not super showy but they look great with the daffodils that bloom on the edge of this bed.

 

Next will be the iris and the wisteria itself, which is a show that I will dearly miss when we leave here.

And then, there are the fruit trees. We've been planting a tree a year and even as little tiny trees they have not disappointed us with flowers.

 

The little... um ... er... we've both forgotten what this little guy is! But it has some purty blooms, right? And it is so little we haven't seen any fruit from it yet.

 

The first tree we planted, an asian pear tree, is doing great and we have enjoyed fruit from it every year.

 

Of course, it may snow this weekend which will threaten the fruit for this summer.

It always seems to snow while the fruit trees are blooming.

 

This peach tree is old and our first year here we had to cut it back drastically - it had some kind of borer and we didn't know if it'd make it. Every year it has looked better and this year it is full of blooms.

And bees. All the fruit trees are full of happy bees.

 

The cherry tree hasn't bloomed out yet and it is the newest addition. Of course, we will not enjoy the fruit from these trees this year and will have to start all over when we find our next home.

Perhaps one day my green thumb will return to me, but for now there are too many other things demanding my attention. A lovely little mare, a grouchy mustang, a needy and lonely labrador, and all the projects I have lined up. There just aren't enough hours in the day.