Web Surfing

One of the Inky Cap mushrooms.

Here's a snippet of what I've been checking out online this week. You know, in between running around snapping photos of mushrooms, knitting, spinning, working on the sock machine and putting up the last odds and ends from the garden. I don't know what I'd do with all the free time, if I didn't have so many interests!

• This post regarding Vitamin D deficiencies is pretty interesting. Decreased D levels are linked to many things, and particularly here in the PNW, our levels can drop dramatically as daylight decreases. 
• Potted Cheese with Bacon and Shallots, what? This would be perfect to have on hand through the holidays for the impromptu cocktail hour. (I'm going to make two batches, one with Port added- Port and Cheddar are one of my favorite combos. I'll keep you posted!)
• As always, some great insight from the Head Farm Steward- this time regarding raising pigs. We're hoping one of the neighbors (from the beef project) will raise pigs next year. If so, that means broiler chickens are on us. Well, we're probably doing that anyway, but I need to sort out the logistics over the winter. But pigs! I'd love to run a few pigs myself, someday. 
• Thai Stir Fried Chicken with Chile Jam, courtesy of David Lebovitz; already on the list for dinner next week.
• Local Fibery folks- don't forget Fiber Fusion this weekend! I'm looking forward to spending the day there on Saturday, to meet up with the ladies from the local spinning guild (I'm thinking about joining!) and to take a class in the afternoon. 
• Jane Goodall... such an amazing woman, and definitely on my Hero list. (If you like her too, check out her talk on TED.)

Alrighty, then... time for me to get moving today! I need to hurry and get the yarn I'm working on wrapped up, so my wheel is free for class on Saturday. What have you been up to, lately?

Links: Craft Daily Free Trial, TBT Video and More!

How's the knitting coming along? I'm loving how my cowl is turning out, and my mind is blown by how the moebius is actually coming together. I understand the concept, but it's another thing entirely to see it in action on the needles. Crazy! Post photos of your work in progress (WIP) over on the Facebook page!

Also, while I'm thinking about FB- please feel free to post harvest photos while you're there too! It's a community page, after all, and I'd love to hear from you. 

Ready for some links? Here we go:

• This one is HUGE so I'm putting at the top. Craft Daily is offering another completely free 4 day trial, and sign-ups start today.  I signed up for the last one, and I can't tell you how great the site is- there are over 500 videos on pretty much every craft imaginable- fiber arts, jewelry, papercraft, and more. Anyway- CLICK HERE NOW and use the code CDFT500 to sign up. (Registration for the free trial closes on Monday, so don't miss out!) 
• Did you see my post over on GRIT this week? If not, click here. 
• It's not too late to think about cold frames.
• A new to me blog, all about cooking on a wood cookstove.  Now, I don't have a wood cookstove, but I do have a wood burning stove that we use just about daily, in the winter. It'd be nice to learn how to cook on it better- other than just for emergencies and random baked potatoes.
• I really like recipes that can be adapted to use what you have on hand... and take the thinking out of what to make for dinner. This "Easy No-Recipe Frittata" definitely fits the bill tonight!
• Swimming in basil, still? I wish I was! Here's a great pesto recipe from The Elliot Homestead that will use up the last of your basil before the frost hits.
• An oldie but a goodie on introverts, from The Atlantic.  Fall, by its very nature, seems to really have an effect on us. 
• TBT: The Carol Burnett Show... bloopers. Because sometimes you just need to see Tim Conway and Harvey Korman together. 

Have a great day, everyone! 

Around The Web

Recently, on the interwebs...

• Green Tomato Chutney, from Food in Jars. 
• Wafflized (yes, that's officially a word now) Hash Browns? Oh MY!
• This one's a two-fer. The enchilada sauce recipe looks great, but the photos of fall in the Colorado mountains take the cake!
• Insect repelling plants to add to your garden next season. 
• Tips for fall lawn maintenance that will give you a head start next year.
• ...and other tips for your garden, to put it to bed for the winter.
• Have you seen this time lapse of the Aral Sea going dry? Scary stuff, that... and it was intentional.  
• Ebola in the US... wonderful. 
• And on a lighter note, How to Use an Apostrophe, courtesy of The Oatmeal. 

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

Around the Web

Happy Thursday, everyone! If you're with me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have already seen the photo of my "new" Circular Sock Machine. I will freely admit that I'm a bit smitten, and a lot of my online activities this week have been fiber-related. Blame the weather change... I can't help it.

Speaking of weather changes- ours has shifted dramatically in the last 48 hours or so- to the point where my tomatoes are exhibiting blight-like symptoms, and nearly everything else is being taken over with powdery mildew. Warm + Humid this time of year is not a good thing for the garden. Everything is on its last legs, anyway, so resistance to any pathogen is decreased. I'll be ripping out plants in between rainstorms, to salvage what fruits and veg that I can, and destroying the infected plant material so that the pathogens can't overwinter in my garden or compost.

• Tomato blight is destructive and FAST- here are some precautions you can take. 
• Powdery Mildew... nearly every gardener's nemesis. 
• Fall is a good time to pick up new chickens if you need to add to your flock. Here is an article on quarantining, and why you should do it. 
• I love, love, love rooftop gardens like this one. Not to get too soapbox-y about it, but I think they should be a requirement in most cities. 
• I don't know which I like more- the foliage photos or the chowder recipe. Jen's blog, Use Real Butter, never disappoints!
• Smoked Salmon. Need I say more?

Don't forget to stop by Facebook and vote on the project you'd like to do for the Knit Along next month. Remember, these are both great projects for beginners, so it's a great opportunity to learn!

What have you been checking out online this week? 

Today's Thursday, Right?

Jeepers... I'm having a terrible time keeping the days straight this week. No idea why; it's not like I've been out of commission or anything- maybe it's because I have something scheduled for each day this week. I keep having little freak-out moments, like I've forgotten an appointment or something.

Besides that, yesterday was a BLAST at the fair. I got some great photos and we had a great time walking around and looking at the exhibits and animals. The only downside? We didn't check the schedule close enough, and all of the fiber animals (sheep, goats, alpacas, etc) weren't showing until today. Yep... so aside from the petting zoo, and a little bit in the artist's shop, there were no fleeces or fibers to be found. I did meet some really nice ladies though, in the fiber arts corner- there were a few spinners and weavers set up, so I chatted with them for a while. I think fiber people are some of the friendliest folks on the planet! (Oh, and in case you were wondering- yes, I bought a little bump of roving from the shop, as a consolation prize.)

• Speaking of consolation- Fiber Fusion is only one month away. Yahoo!
• Another update already? I just installed 7! Two iOS 8 update tips and tricks, courtesy of my dear friend Joe. 
• This recipe for pork chops with a chanterelle sauce sounds divine. I've never heard of skyr before, so I really appreciate 1) learning something new and 2) when acceptable substitutions for hard to find ingredients are provided in a recipe. 
• Ooh. Ginger Apple Cream Scones? Yes, please!
• My oven is about to get a workout... another version of a roasted tomato tart!
• Speaking of tomatoes: How to ripen the green ones. If you, like me, have a bunch of them on the vine as the weather starts to change, this could be invaluable. 
• Or, you could try pickling them. (And by pickling, I mean fermented, of course.)
• Looking for some sheepy goodness on Twitter? Check out @herdyshepherd1 for some fantastic pics. 

What have you been checking out online this week?

Around the Web

Port Gardner Bay, 2011

Sunsets are coming earlier and earlier- we're losing between 3 and 5 minutes of daylight, daily- and I can definitely feel it. I love our extra-long summer days, and I know this is the trade off... but still! And the mornings definitely have that fall chill... the thermometer read 40F when I let the dogs out this morning. All told, it makes this a busy time for folks like me who have lots to do outside, still.

I have taken a little time off from the outside chores, though, to peruse the interwebs-  and here's what I found:

• This Fig Jam from WellPreserved looks fabulous.
• An interesting read on another aspect of the local food movement. (Thanks, Val!)
• Cheers to San Francisco, where leaders are looking to boost the urban farming movement.
• So long, iPod- it's been fun. 
• These potato skins look perfect for foodball football season!
• A rabbit ravioli recipe! Whole Larder Love, indeed. 
• Brilliant! A fermenting glossary from Phickle. 
• Beautiful harvest pics from my favorite Matron. I can only hope to have as productive a plot, one day. 

What have you been checking out online this week? 

Links Make the World Go 'Round

Happy Thursday everyone! Oh, and if you're a fan, Happy First Day of Football Season! Go 'Hawks!

I've been running around outside in between rainstorms trying to get things buttoned up for the season. Now, they're calling for sunny days and temps back up in the 80s again, through the weekend. I don't know about you, but 20 degree swings in temperature from one day to the next really throw my system out of whack. I stacked firewood by our back door yesterday, which is going to feel (and look) kind of goofy come Saturday when it's hot out. No harm done, I suppose; at least it's off the list for now- and I needed to make room over in the main stacking area for when Alex brings home the rest of this year's wood, which should be soon.

Here's what's caught my eye online, this week:

• I was just talking about this the other day, after reading some of the comments after the butchering day posts. (By and large, the comments were very positive- and the overall tone stayed civil. That's awesome.)
• My dehydrator is packed full of pears and plums, at the moment. Here's a handy reference sheet for drying fruits and veggies, at home. 
• What the heck? Fake cell phone towers??
• I use a version of the Deep Litter method in my chicken coop, year-round. Properly managed, it's a clean and efficient way of housing the birds, without all of the fuss of cleaning poop boards daily or emptying out the coop weekly. Here's another article on DLM, from Mother Earth News on it, too. 
• I love stacking firewood... it's like my own personal game of homestead Jenga. 
• Does anyone out there freeze kale or other greens? I have a ton of it right now, so I'd like to preserve some for the winter. I've just never tried it, myself. 
• I know we have a few die-hard cast iron fans among us, so this one's for you! Check these recipes out... the pizza is on my list to try, for sure.
• As if feral pigs weren't bad enough. (Totally random, I know.)
• Simple and Beautiful. This photographer sees things in a way I absolutely relate to. 

Well, the morning fog has burned off, so it's time for me to get outside and tick off a few more chores from my list while the sun is shining, but before it gets blazing hot out there. Have a great day, folks!

Around the Web

It's Thursday already? Must be time to surf the internet, then!

• Little known tidbit about me: I collect old science-related books- particularly botany and medicine... so this digitization project looks super cool to me! 
• Alex has surprised me with a quick trip to my favorite place, for our anniversary: Glacier National Park, MT- how cool is that? Second best thing to actually going there is looking at this blog and his videos of the trails. 
• Summer Squash and Corn Pancakes Oooh!
• Who knew calves playing together in a field could be so cute? 
• I've had this song stuck in my head for days, now... their harmonies are wonderful. If you like their sound, here's another one from them, too. (The second is a little more upbeat...)

What have you been checking out online this week? 

Around the Web

Peeping Chicken. One of the lesser-known
perils of having a home office. 

One of the (many) nice things about making apple butter is that it takes a long time to do it right. Cooking it slow and low, until all of the sugars and flavors condense down...not only does it make for good food, but having a pot on the stove means I can justify staying inside and surfing the internet for interesting stuff.
Plus, the house smells heavenly...

• Some of the new girls should start laying eggs for us any day, now. Read this piece from The Chicken Chick to see how I can tell. 

• While we're talking about roasted tomatoes- I totally want to make up a batch of this salsa.

• I have big plans for the spring. (Seriously, I try to live in the moment, but... there's always a list!) This post from Chism Heritage Farm is going in my prep file for raising meat birds next year. 

• Do you make your own yogurt? I do, and I've often wondered if heating the milk first was really necessary... check out NW Edible Life for the answer.  

• I'm always on the lookout for new blogs to read... CraftyPod is my current rabbit hole. Check out her tutorial videos on English Paper Piecing!

• It's peak blackberry time here. This scone recipe from Fat of the Land looks wonderful!

• Here's another new-to-me blog, called Twill Power. Lots of great weaving info and inspiration! Speaking of weaving... I'm going to be warping my loom today, for a new project. You know, since I'm tethered to the stove and all. ;-)

Time to process some more apples. Oh! Speaking of apples... the cider is starting to ferment- there's foam building and I even saw my first bubble from the airlock today. The test batch is totally old school- wild yeast only. Cross your fingers!

Have you come across anything interesting this week? Share it with me over on Facebook!

Friday Photos

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend planned.

It's been another busy one here, so I'm just going to get right to the week in photos:

Echinacea

Fig!!

Psst... Maggie- it's finished!

Fledgling Robin. Saw it yesterday as Mom walked it farther away from the chickens.
 Looks to be doing well!

GIANT SLUG

'Cause I'm Happy...

Potato farm up the road.

Tomato Jungle!

Volunteer potatoes. One plant... 12 tubers. Woo Hoo!

And since I wasn't able to post yesterday's usual collection of links (hello, migraine), here are a couple of links that I had set aside as interesting:

• We don't have tomato hornworms here, but I understand they're quite the problem in some places. If you happen to be in one of those areas (Hi Karen!), you may find this article from Hobby Farms helpful.
• Speaking of tomatoes... here's a handful of recipes from Gardener's Supply. That Bloody Mary mix sure looks good!

Is your garden starting to wind down or are you still running to keep up with harvesting your goodies? Pop on over to Facebook and let me know!

Around the Web

- Cherry season is upon us! Here are three ways to take advantage of this early summer treasure:

• Check out this oldie-but-a-goody from WellPreserved on dehydrating cherries, and the bonus syrup step. It's brilliant.

• This recipe for cherry bounce looks really good. It's close to how I make it, except that I don't ferment the cherries separately. I let them sit overnight with the sugar, and then add the whisky. So much YUM. 

• Cherry Ricotta Cheesecakes? Yes, Please. 

- If you're still swimming in strawberries, set aside a few to make clafouti...  you can thank me later.  (It also works well with raspberries and blueberries, if you're so inclined.)

- Suncreen. Use it! This article details out the safest choices for you and your family. 

- Natural pest control for the garden. Don’t wait until you have a problem- keep ahead of the nasties, before they get out of control.

- This is a great post on ways to use up some of the excess mint that starts popping up this time of year. 

...and now it's time to get outside! Lots of work to do in the garden, as the warmer temps have weeds sprouting up all over the place. 

So, tell me: what's caught your eye online this week? Come on over to FB and share links to the A&T timeline. I have to moderate outside posts, but I'm always looking for interesting info to pass along. I'd love to hear from you!

Around the Web

Here's what I've been checking out online this week:

• Garden Zones get adjusted ever so slightly from time to time, so I thought I'd double check mine (7b). This handy link to the National Gardening Association's zone finder will take you to a page where you can just enter your zip code, instead of trying to sort it out on a map. Handy!

• Grow Your Own Food Summit- a free, online event being held in July. Check out this intro video to get a feel for the event, and then sign up through the link on the right to reserve your spot today. 

• Make some fruit leather. Also, pay attention to the part where they say to not use waxed paper. Seriously... I missed that bit, and tried a couple of trays of blueberry on paper. It's stuck like glue!

• This is an interesting story about Burt's Bees co-founder. I'm looking forward to watching the documentary.

• Another great post from the Head Farm Steward. I have a tendency to jump into things with both feet, so I really appreciate the perspective/warning. 

• I've sent off an email to these folks about becoming a volunteer at their goat rescue. Cross your fingers!

• Keeping a watchful eye on the drought in California. 

• You had me at Nutella. Adding raspberries, though? Brilliant.

• Must. Make. These!

Don't forget to check in on Facebook before Monday to help me pick a Craftsy class to take and review. I always appreciate your input!

What's grabbed your attention this week?

Thursday Links

I haven't spent a ton of time online this week- friends of ours offered us the chance to get away for a couple of days and stay down at their place on the coast. As much as I love the mountains, the ocean holds a special place in my heart- so we jumped at the opportunity. Thankfully, my mom is able to take care of the animals and garden for us, making it possible to sneak off for a little while. (Thanks, Mom!)

One of the things that I like best about heading out for a couple of days, is how dramatic the changes seem when we get back. We went from no strawberries to a handful of red ones, and a whole bunch more that are almost there. The peas had just sprouted, and their leaves weren't open yet- yesterday each one had at least four leaves on them. Hooray! Between photos from the trip and here, I've got some good pics to share tomorrow.

But for today, we'll keep it simple and stick to our regular routine. Here's what's caught my eye around the web this week:

• I'm thinking more and more about goats these days. There's a goat rescue not far from here; I plan on volunteering with them to get some more experience with the animals so I can see if they'd be a good fit for us at some point. 
• This "ice cream" looks fantastic. I'm going to have to make some ice and dig out my machine. 
• And while I'm thinking about frozen desserts- does any one else make this? We always have frozen bananas on hand- well, we used to anyway. I seem to run out now... It's great plain, but I like to add a little nutella for grins. 
• My chives need a haircut, so I'm going to make up a batch of this vinegar. Beautiful!
• I've been spending a lot more time with my camera set to things other than "auto" lately. This article has been very helpful!

That's all, for now. What have you been reading online this week?

Thursday Links

Hello again!

Two things before we start: 

• I checked in with the folks at GRIT and my post from Tuesday should be up later today. They're a little behind due to vacation coverage ('tis the season!) but expect to be caught up shortly. I'll post the link over on FB when it's live, for convenience. 
• I'll be putting the produce bag giveaway up on FB later today as well! We hit over 100 likes this week, so it's a great way for me to say Thanks to you and to celebrate. 

Now, back to our regularly scheduled Link Love: 

• THIS concept is fantastic. It's the second time I've seen it mentioned in the last couple of weeks, so I'm hopeful that it will gain some traction. Maybe, just maybe, some forward thinking developers would try this in our area, instead of just cramming hundreds of homes on only a few acres. 
• Interesting. I'll keep it in mind now that fresh produce will start accumulating in my kitchen. 
• YUM. We use our grill year round, but nothing says summer like grilling up some ribs. 
• And more yum! I must be hungry. Now that the days are longer, we're starting to build a backlog of eggs, and this  frittata looks like a good way to make a dent in the pile.
• It's not my imagination...we really are having an awful caterpillar year.  
• Hey look, more food. I have a sorrel plant that's been in my garden for a few years and is woefully underused. I love the tartness of the leaves, but wasn't sure what to do with it. This recipe looks like a great place to start. 
• Plant more heirloom seeds. This article about the number of seeds that are patented by companies is disturbing. 

Ok, that's enough for now. Time to get outside and get some work done...

Has anything caught your eye online this week? Drop me a line and let me know!

Around the Web

Last Year. Hoping for a repeat!

I spent yesterday afternoon in the garden, so I'm a little behind on getting my link list together. Without further ado, however... here you go!

Washington peeps- The Plant Farm up here in Smokey Point is having a huge sale on veggies now through this weekend. I picked up a bunch of really nice veggies yesterday, and pretty much finished planting out the garden- I still have a few seeds left to plant, though. Even if you don't live nearby, they have a lot of really good info on their website, between their blog and various articles. Check them out!


I am so making this tart as soon as tomato season happens here. And, I totally adore Helene's photography.

As always, Marisa has great info- this time, it's how to store that fresh produce from the farmer's market without plastic bags. Excellent!

It's humming bird time at the house! We counted between 6 and 8 birds flying around the feeders the other evening, and at least 3 different species. I found this poster to help us ID the birds, and I've bookmarked the FeederWatch website for future reference. Pretty cool!

I apparently have tomatoes on the brain. Mine are *finally* starting to take off; I put them in the ground about a month ago and it's just not staying warm enough for them to do much. So, I built a little greenhouse of sorts over them, using some stakes, PVC pipe and plastic sheeting- and voila! they're growing again. This post from Roger over at KGI gives me some ideas to ponder before they get too big.

It looks like I might actually get some quince from our tree this year, so I've bookmarked this recipe from the ever-helpful David Lebovitz, just in case. If you have a quince recipe, do share. Please?

What's caught your eye this week? Let me know!

Thursday Links

Hey everyone! Here's a collection of things that caught my eye this week:

• This new-to-me website for canning supplies! Pantry Paratus has a bunch of interesting and useful kitchen supplies. I like it so much, in fact, that I've signed up to be an affiliate. Check out their ad in the sidebar to the right- if you click through and buy something, I'll get a small commission from them. (It's just like that little Amazon box down below... if you buy anything from Amazon through that widget -whether it's something I've listed or not- then I get a little money as well. It all adds up, so keep an eye out for some new advertisers, coming soon!)

• I enjoyed reading this article in Mother Earth News about urban homesteading. It reminded me of when we lived in the city, and how it's possible to live simply and be sustainable, even if you don't have a lot of property to work with. 

• The drought in California is scary stuff, considering how much of our country's food is grown there. Just one more reason to plant your own!

• Another new-to-me blog that I'm loving is Edible Perspective. The author, Ashley McLaughlin, has a great writing style and I am really impressed with her photography. Check out her Photography 101 collection for some great tips on how to take better photos.

• Speaking of photography, here are some more fantastic photos. I love visiting National Parks!!

• I want to make these bread and butter pickles. I have a couple of months to wait, though, I think. Patience, grasshopper. 

• I'm really excited to go here this weekend. If you happen to be in the area, you should go too! If you're not, follow me on Twitter (@acornandthistle) and Instagram (acornandthistle) for updates as I wander around. 

• This article about rabbit recipes in my local newspaper has me thinking about dinner already. Hmm, which one to choose?!?! 

What have you been reading about this week? 

Out of Order

Anybody else out there get migraines? I woke up with one yesterday and I'm just now coming out of it- a full day and a half later. Good grief... I don't get them often, thankfully, but when I do everything else goes on hold.

So where were we? It's Thursday! That means it's time to share interesting things from around the web.

This post from Hank over at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook has me curious. We're getting into that time of year when we have eggs in abundance and I've been wanting to find a way to preserve some for us to use in winter, when they're more scarce.

Pug for Scale

Speaking of preserving eggs... Does anyone have a pickled egg recipe that they swear by? I really want to try those this year. This post from Elise at Simply Recipes looks like a good place to start.

More Rhubarb. I have my sights set on a recipe for a Rhubarb and Orange Jam from "Canning for a New Generation" by Liana Krissoff. I'll be making that this weekend, and I'll let you know how it turns out!

Fresh Spinach Pasta from Smitten Kitchen. Holy cow, that looks good!


Seven tips from Organic Gardening on how to increase your garden's yield. Good advice!

What about you? Have you seen anything online that you'd like to share? Drop me a note in the comments or over on our FB page and let me know!

Thursday Roundup

Today, I'm kicking off what will be a regular feature on Thursdays here on the blog: a collection of links to articles and videos around the web that I want to share with you. We'll have current events, projects, tips, recipes and all sorts of other useful and/or interesting info.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Takeover

• Watch this video via DPS about one photographer’s take on wildlife and landscape photography. The photos are amazing, and his story about a grizzly encounter at 3:09 gave me goosebumps.
• This week, the White House released the National Climate Assessment report, and it’s already getting quite a bit of news coverage. Check out the official website here to read up on it. 
• Soil Health -from Treehugger- you don’t have to wait until the end of the growing season to do this (well, except for the root checking part). Get to know your soil!
• No-Knead Bread. This is my go-to recipe...I love to make it the evening before I want to bake, so that it can sit overnight and the flavor really has a chance to develop.
• Rhubarb… mine is almost shoulder-high right now, and I’m 5’6”. I think it and the strawberries are conspiring to take over my garden. I plan to do battle, using this recipe from Marisa over at Food in Jars. If you haven’t spent time on her site yet, Go Now. You won’t be disappointed.

What's caught your eye online this week?