We Love (the tastes of) Summer

It's such a plentiful time of year. The gardens are fresh and swollen, just ripe for the picking. Crops in the fields are grown plump and eagerly await the coming harvest. Flowers spring from every planter; wild blossoms choke even the smallest fallow bits of ground. Animals sate themselves on the rich growth; they grow big and strong. Plump, too. The table is never without fresh dressings. The smell of herbs and newly-picked vegetables waft from the kitchen throughout the house. Farmer's markets offer everything you could ever dream.

 

Local farm-fresh chicken, fresh local bacon, local organic zucchini and red onions, and our own home-grown broccoli from our garden. Also, homemade macaroni-n-cheese with some local Amish sweet mustard thrown in---the best there ever was!

There are few things in the world more delicious...


- Jacinta, for the Meyers family

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Flowers

Shame on me! I forgot to mention that the flowers I posted yesterday came from two wonderful local farms: Wyn-De-Elm and Garden Hill.

They are so beautiful! Thanks for brightening up our home, ladies. :)

- Jacinta, for the Meyers family


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"Already Home"

by Karyn Ellis

Glimmering sail on the horizon.
Frail light, but I can see the new day.
Little dot brightening, dawn is on its way.

It’s been a cold and bitter winter
My cheeks raw with wind.
Nascent light, soon it will be spring.

Time left me standing at the bus stop
Stamping my feet to keep my toes from freezing.
When I landed at your doorstep
I had no key, I couldn’t get in.
There was nobody home.

I thought that we would be together
'Til earth kissed its longest day.
But the heat must have melted you away.

And it’s been a cold and bitter exit
My heart still raw with love.
Absent nights, yes this would be enough.

Time left me stranded in your shadow
Building up hope, looking on the bright side.
You left me shivering under scaffold
The weather got in, though the walls were sure there.
It was no home.

Time left me stranded at your doorstep
Stomping my feet, keeping with the season.
And when I finally saw you in the window
I didn’t knock. I didn’t go in.
I was already home.

I thought that we would be together
'Til earth kissed its longest day.
But the heat melted you away.

It’s been a cold and bitter winter
My cheeks still raw with wind.
Nascent light, soon it will be spring.


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Above the song lyrics is a picture of the first farmer's market bouquet we've had all summer. I've always loved flowers; they brighten the home and add a softness to daily things. Blossoms for smiles, bright rainbow colors... who could be sad? Maybe it was a frivolous purchase, but I feel better for having brought them home and placed them on our table. It was also wonderful to help support local growers and the amazing work that they do. There is something about a beloved task, a toil accepted without remorse. I feel a kindredship with these people who kneel on the ground most days under a merciless sun, who plow their fingers into the earth and coax green things. How beautiful.

 - Jacinta, for the Meyers family

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NNY Nature Trails: the Chaumont Barrens

We recently visited the Nature Conservancy Park in Chaumont, NY, called the Chaumont Barrens. It's a beautiful park with a unique geography that is apparently very rare in the world. So, while the North Country has many wonderful walking trails and nature parks, this will be our first feature.

Accessibility: Medium-hard.
Pets: Not allowed.
Sites: Very good; many and varied.
Wildlife: Very diverse; birds, amphibians, small and large mammals, insects, flowers, mosses.
Others: Fossils, stone features.
Best time to visit: Late spring and early summer.

This is an excellent trail for older children and adults. Parts of it were somewhat difficult to access and the trail entrance itself is off of a tiny dirt road that is easily missed by the casual traveler. The countryside is beautiful, however, and it is well worth the drive.

Here you will find a wide diversity of sites spread over a small area. There are deciduous forests, a coniferous forest, and grasslands marked by post-glacial lichens and boulder erratics. The area also lies on an ancient fault line, so there may be some particular interest for geological enthusiasts. In places, the bared limestone offers glimpses of ancient oceans in the form of fossils. Hundreds of new species of snail have been discovered here; people have purportedly seen everything from small rodents to coyotes and foxes hiding among the stone crevasses in the ground. The forest floors and meadows are littered with any number of blossoms from May through July, including yellow lady's slippers, chicory, daisies, red columbines, and the very rare prairie smoke blossoms. Since parts of the trail are low enough for a little water retention, you may also find many different kinds of animal footprints after a rainfall.

Remember to wear long pants and sleeves whenever you venture into overgrown areas to protect against ticks and other hazards such as poisonous plants. Sun screen is also a good idea; especially for this trail, which crosses wide open spaces between forested areas. Always hike in groups and bring plenty of water. Take only pictures, leave only footprints.

Happy explorations!

Jefferson Co. Historical Society Heritage Days

The Jefferson County Historical Society in Watertown, NY, is holding its Heritage Days tomorrow: Saturday, June 11th. There's going to be demonstrations, a classic car cruise-in, live music, and more!

So if you want to see how folks lived in the north country a hundred years ago and more, stop by!

You can also check out their Facebook page.

We're big fans of the historical society and have visited their museum in Watertown several times. The exhibits are always informative and they have quite an impressive collection.

Here's to our shared heritage!

Early Summer in the North Country

They say there's barely four seasons in the North Country:
Winter, Mud, Summer, and Almost Winter.

It already feels like summer; the late thaw caused a lot of long-lasting mud, but the land is finally dried out. Spring flowers have already bloomed, and now summer blossoms are opening up. Buttercups, daisies, goldenrod, chicory---they are in it for the long, hot haul, though they have been appreciating the rain. Everything is pointing to a hot, wet summer.

Well, we shall see!

 

A Crock, A Cock, and a Bunch o'Beer

A North Country take on a French Classic

You will need:

A crock (pot)

A coq (cock/rooster/capon)*

A quarter cup of catsup (ketchup)

Three bottles of beer!

You may also add some of your favorite barbecue (BBQ) sauce,

mustard, and/or French dressing to flavor

Put everything into the crock pot,

and cook all day.

Voilà!

*Only two roosters were harmed in the making of this dish.

But don't worry, they were mean old birds.

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The real coq au vin recipe comes from the French countryside. Farm wives would put the rooster into a wrought iron pot on the stove, along with various vegetables and a bottle of wine, and would stew it all day long. That way, when the men came in from working in the fields in the evening, dinner would be all ready for them. Rooster meat is pretty tough stuff. The acid in the wine (or, in this case, in the beer and the ketchup via vinegar and tomato juice) works with the heat to break down the sinews in the meat. Ours was falling off the bone! While it still remains a little chewy, the taste is fantastic. It's also very filling---great after a long day of work.

You really don't need a rooster for this dish; you can use a regular chicken. The softer your meat, the jucier and more tender it will turn out. Don't be afraid to add vegetables or even other kinds of meat, such as bacon or salt pork, for flavor and contrast.

Personally, I like mine on a sandwich of homemade bread ala pulled pork style with some pasta salad. And, since the beer was some of our own home-brewed stuff, it goes great with a big, fat glass of that, too! Ahhh.

How do you like yours?

We're Back

...and this place never ceases to amaze.

<3

It's Maple Syrup Season!

This is the first year we tapped our trees, and they are really loaded! We brought in at least twenty gallons of sap already, and the trees are still producing. It's going to be a good year for it. The ups and downs in the temperature have been helping a lot.

We've already started boiling. Ah, the scent is magnificent... Can't wait to make up a batch of buttermilk pancakes and slather them with mapley goodness!

Here's to a fabulous season.