Karen

How it feels to be attacked by a rooster

July 6, 2010 by Karen, posted in health, raising chickens

Ever wonder how it actually feels to be the target of a rooster? I didn’t give it much thought, actually, until it happened to me.

So, what’s it like?

Well, the first thing was, I was surprised! I had no warning that the big guy was about to come at me. I was just collecting the eggs at the end of the day, when I hear a squawk and felt something pierce my leg. This leads us to the next feeling:
Pain! I felt searing pain in my calf at the site of the pecking. It felt like my calf was on fire. I had heard in the past that if a rooster is coming at you, you should advance toward him. So, with a “never let ’em see you sweat” bravado, I advanced. Unfortunately, so did the rooster (please note: rooster’s bravado was not false). Score another peck for the rooster.
Next, anger starts to creep in. At this point, I didn’t know how badly I was hurt. I was trying hard to hold it together so that my daughter, who was on the other side of the (closed) coop door yelling, “Mom! Mom! Are you all right??”, would not freak out. But hey, this rooster was big! and was not backing off! I decided that a well-timed scream of “Get away from me!!” at the offender was in order at this point, as I made for the door and managed to get out without him following me. This time I exhibited some well delivered, effective bravado for the purpose of relieving my daughter of her fear about my well-being.
Finally, time for my fear. How bad were the wounds? Puncture wounds from farm animals seemed to me to be a likely source of virulent infection. I reasoned that since it was my own farm animal, however, I had less to worry about than I might have had it been a wandering, vagabond rooster (I also began to second guess my artless, not quite factual affirmation of a tetanus booster “within the last 5 years” to the ER nurse last month where I went to have a foreign object removed from my eye). Well, it actually didn’t look too bad, thank goodness, which led to the final emotion:
Relief. No ER trips today; home treatment is all that is needed. After a good old-fashioned washing with soap and water, ice and arnica would do the trick. Three days of observation for symptoms of infection were also indicated, which I did, and there were (fortunately) none.

For future reference, here is some advice about how to protect yourself from a rooster attack.

Any other tales of rooster woe out there?

The best birthday cake ever

July 3, 2010 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, italian

100_5436 — Italian Rum Cake with peaches and strawberries with whipped cream frosting

So, why am I still talking about (and eating!) birthday cake in July when my birthday was in May? Because my brother and I are Irish (and Italian!) twins, born just 13 months apart…and where there are birthdays, there must be cake!

Besides having our birthdays at the end of warm weather months, another thing we have in common is this: we both LOVE Italian Rum Cake, especially if it’s made by La Cascia’s Bakery in Burlington, MA. Alas, our respective family members do not. We therefore typically do not indulge ourselves with our favorite cake on our birthdays in the interest of the family as a whole. It’s not that much fun eating your birthday cake while the rest of the family (who really wanted ice cream cake/chocolate cake with vanilla frosting/yellow cake with chocolate frosting/chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting like his girlfriend’s mother used to make 25 years ago…) looks on, having no cake at all. Or worse, having a bite of your beloved Italian Rum Cake and barely making it to the kitchen barrel in time to spit it out, saying, “Eeeeeewwwwww! This cake is gross!”

The upside of this though is that we get to have our favorite birthday cake for breakfast every day until it’s gone. 🙂

If you are in the neighborhood and just stop by LaCascia’s for an Italian Rum Cake, they will usually have a few made up ahead of time, one of which you could take home. These have strawberries in the filling of pastry cream and chocolate pastry cream, frosted with buttercream; slivered almonds are arranged around the outside of it. This cake is very, very good.

If you have time to plan and order ahead, however, you can have your cake made the way you want it; you can have the birthday cake of (my brother’s and) my youth. The way we wanted it was with peaches and strawberries in the filling, and whipped cream frosting, hold the almonds. Not that we don’t like almonds, but our dad never wanted nuts on anything since he had a great deal of trouble eating them. This cake is amazingly excellent.

Enjoy!

Garden update

July 2, 2010 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, gardening, health

The garden is looking so great so far this year (excuse me while I knock on wood). Again, I congratulate my self on holding back a few blueberries and strawberries long enough to take a picture before devouring them all!

: blueberries and strawberries from the garden early june

In addition to these, the blackberries and raspberries are looking great, and should be able to harvest some of those soon.

The cherry tree has plenty of cherries, but most are way up high and, since this tree is now about 12 feet tall, the birds are reaping the harvest for themselves (not motivated to put up a ladder yet to gather those). Also, due to dealing with the pests that were trying to destroy the tree, we are concerned about sudden death following consumption of said cherries…better to wait for next year (so far, there have not been any avian corpses unexpectedly falling from the sky, thankfully).

The tomato plants all look well, and one of the 11 even has 3 tomatoes on it already! I’m guessing it’s the early girl; the stake with the name of the tomato got buried during planting and I haven’t yet found it.

One of the eggplant seedlings had aphids and some other unpleasant looking bug on it, but my husband found them early and immediately sprayed it with the insecticide soap, and it looks okay now. Keeping my fingers crossed for this one. The other 2 eggplants seem unaffected.

The zucchini and yellow squash plants all have teeny tiny squashes growing. The bell peppers, beets, potatoes, pumpkins all look good. The melons look iffy, as they have for the past 2 years that we have (unsuccessfully) tried to grow them.

The herbs are all doing well. The basil we planted from seed is sprouting, and the large leaf Italian Basil plants are still alive, green (not yellow, not black) and look healthy. Last year’s pineapple sage may even have reseeded; will be keeping an eye on the 2 little seedlings nearby.

We are still harvesting last years lettuce, and this year’s crop is growing very well.

How are your gardens doing? What are you growing this year?

They’re ba-ack!

July 1, 2010July 1, 2010 by Karen, posted in gardening

I’m referring to those annoying Japanese beetles, that every year show up to wreak havoc in my garden. Last year it was the cherry tree and the highbush blueberries that they were targeting. This year, it’s the apple and the crabapple trees that they are busily destroying. (Can you say “murderous rage”?).

Estabrooks sent me an email warning me of their return…2 days after I had discovered them myself. The next day my husband inspected the garden and (of course) there was no sign of said beetles. Sigh. How to get rid of them?

Estabrooks will happily sell you some poisons that are known to sometimes be effective in the war against Japanese beetles (and other offenders). Either stop by their stores or you can purchase them online.

Speaking of annoying insects that are making me miserable in the garden (not to mention at the beach) this year…horseflies are next on the list but no less annoying than the Japanese beetles (and don’t even get me started on the mosquitos!). How to repel and/or kill these bugs? Not much is out there online on this topic. I did find one article with some do-it-yourself methods to try. Since it can often make me feel better and more in control (even if it’s only illusory), I think it’s worth trying anything vs. doing nothing.

Have any of you got any reliable methods to get rid of Japanese beetles and horseflies?

Toy Story 3

June 30, 2010July 1, 2010 by Karen, posted in family, good grief, tweens

When I take my daughter to see a (kids) movie, my expectations are generally quite low. I find this to be an effective strategy in maximizing any potential enjoyment of said movie, as well as to minimize any potential boredom (my other strategy is to bring my knitting and a book light; I can knit half a hat in the time it takes to yawn through a less than engaging movie!).

Enter Toy Story 3, however, and all bets are off. I mean, this is a movie with which I have a history. I have a tweenage daughter, but have I mentioned that I also have a teenage son?

The original Toy Story movie was released in 2005, when my son was just 6 years old. We were already quite fond of many of Disney’s movies, so seeing Toy Story was a given. Well, we both loved it. So, we had the Woody and Buzz Lightyear figures; we had the Potato Heads, first the Mr., and later on, the Mrs. (it could be that it was as much for my enjoyment as it was for his!). Life was good.

Many years passed, as of course they will, and now my son is 18 years old. He is in college. He is in the process of creating his own life (read: without parents hovering over his shoulder). To paraphrase Matt from the Matty in the Morning Radio Show, did I really need to see this right now? The boy in the movie giving away all of his toys and leaving home? “I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t breathe,” he said. Okay, so…I can relate. Big time.

My husband and I went to see this movie together (this did make me notice the strange lack of a male parent in these movies), and we both agreed that it was excellent, moving, and poignant…and difficult to watch. We were overwhelmed.

So, are you the parent of a teenager who is leaving/has recently left the nest? If you are on the fence about seeing Toy Story 3, may I nudge off of it, in the direction of seeing the movie? You must not miss this. Go. Bring any remaining off-spring you have around the house. They will enjoy no less, albeit on a different level.

Oh, and bring Kleenex.

Date night

June 29, 2010June 29, 2010 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, fitness, no fear

After 19 years of marriage plus 2 more of courtship, I’ve learned something new about my husband: he’s ambidextrous.

How did I learn this? I stepped out of my comfort zone for an hour. Way out, actually. My idea of a night out is dinner, maybe a drive to or walk on the beach, ice cream, maybe a movie. So, when my husband mentioned that he used to like to shoot pool and did I know that there were two pool halls not far from where we live, a little warning bell went off…I mean, sure; I’d seen pool tables. We even had one when I was growing up. You know, in the dining room. Under the plywood. It majored as our dining room table. Oh oh, I thought.

Well, in the spirit of “do the thing you think you cannot do” (a la Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote) I decided that I “must” do it. So I kept my reservations to myself…well mostly. I did ask my husband this: “What if we get there and I decide that I don’t want to go in?” to which he (graciously, and smartly) replied, “Then we won’t go in!”.

Which was exactly what happened at the first place we visited. I looked around at the building exterior, and with quip about it’s bad feng shui, declined to enter. Bill said, “No problem!” …and so on to the next stop.

Old Port Billiards on Fore Street was the next stop. I was not put off by the exterior this time, so in we went. There was a woman tending the bar and six pool tables. I glanced at the menu and noticed right away that they had brownie sundaes, so then I knew everything would be okay (see? even when on an outing to play pool, it’s really all about the food! 🙂 )

No one was renting a table yet, so we were the first, but within an hour, all but one table was rented by two others by couples like us, and 2 others by groups of (male) friends.

We played for an hour and had a great time. And I found out that after 21 years, it’s not too late for me to try new things (and that I don’t know everything about my husband!).

Book clubs

June 26, 2010June 26, 2010 by Karen, posted in books

100_5406 — First meeting of our book club!

Our book club’s first meeting was at Mike’s Clam Shack in Wells.

What we have in common:

1. We are a group of six local women. We ranged in age from 34 (but looks like 28 was the consensus!) to mid fifties.

2. All of us knew somebody but none of us knew everybody (except one!) before we met that night.

3. We are all married.

What we do not have in common is this: our taste in books. I picked the book for the first sesson: Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg, a book that I loved by an author that I love. The book chosen for the next meeting is Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane…’nuf said.

What is good about having divergent taste in books is that we will all, at one time or another, be forced (gently!) out of our collective comfort zones for the reading and discussion of the book that we would not ourselves have chosen, the book we would not have read otherwise. So, we will also have this in common too. 🙂

Only one of us had the foresight to actually bring the book to the meeting, which was much appreciated (especially when it came time to take a picture). She also marked some passages off to discuss, which added a lot to the discussion and made me wish that I had done the same! (note to self: bring book and mark off passages of next book for next meeting).

I generally find it easier to deal with a book toward which I don’t automatically gravitate by listening to it on audio. Your local library is a good resource for finding your book club books on CD’s (or, of course, in print), if money is tight, or if you just don’t want to spend a lot of money on a book that you will only read once. Annie’s Book Stop is another great local resource for used books. Interested in starting your own book club? Find some ideas here.

Next, we are thinking about naming the book club…

Are any of you in a book club? What are you reading now? Have you named your book club?

At long last, a cupola

June 24, 2010 by Karen, posted in family, italian, raising chickens

My husband has been wanting a cupola for years. He even pointed out that cupola is an ITALIAN, hoping to persuade me that we need one, since I am enamoured with all things Italian. (Please note: man in the picture is the installer, not the husband).

And of course, what is a cupola without a weathervane? I ask you.

So we started looking at weathervanes online for just the right one.

We narrowed it down to two: a hen with chicks, or a llama. First, I was leaning towards the hen. After all, we raise chickens currently, not llamas (although that is an option in the future).

Llamas, however, traditionally have functioned as guard animals for chickens, and my husband and son liked the idea of having a llama (figuratively, if not yet literally) keeping watch over our flock. Once they put it that way, so did I! So, the decision has been left up to me and I can’t decide.

Vote for which weathervane you would choose for the cupola!

New baby gift

June 22, 2010 by Karen, posted in books, family

Maybe you have a lot of new babies to buy for this year. After a long time with the arrival of no babies within my personal sphere of (gift-buying) influence, I find that having just finished putting together a gift for one new baby girl, I have two more baby girls in the picture. One is here already, one is due in the fall.

I used to have a formula for baby gifts, kind of like the wedding day rhyme: “something old, something new…” Too bad that it has been so long, I can’t recall exactly what that formula was.

So, here’s my new top 10 list for what to put in a baby gift basket:

If the sex of the baby is known, consider a pink or blue addition. You may want to have all of your gifts (and even the basket itself) be pink or blue, but I’ll leave that up to your discretion.
Add something handmade to the basket. I’m a sporadic knitter, so I like to add a hat or a blanket if I have time to make it myself, or buy one at a craft show if I don’t.
A favorite book, like (of course) Goodnight Moon, is always a nice addition to a baby gift basket. Pat the Bunny is another good choice. You might consider having your entire gift consist of children’s books that you like.
Babies excrete. Often copiously. An extra outfit or a nightgown or jammies of some sort will be needed (soiled, stained, and appreciated) over and over .
Babies spew. They will need bibs. Multipacks of bibs (because, did i mention? babies drool. A lot).
Babies visually track. Get some colorful, cheerful toys that appeal to many senses: crackling, ringing, textured…and safe. Check that you are buying a toy appropriate for a newborn.
Babies sleep. Blankies and extra jammies are always needed, often in large quantities (reference #4 and #5).
Babies travel. A diaper bag, pack-type baby carrier, and so on may be nice.
Babies get dirty, so bottles of baby wash, shampoo, little facecloths and hooded towels are another idea.
Babies get red bums. Butt paste, desitin, vaseline…all might be helpful for their little bottoms at some point.

That’s it. What are some of your favorite baby gifts to give? to get?

Late Summer Wish List

June 19, 2010 by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, tweens

Now that summer is underway, I realized that I forgot some of our “must do” activities, not to mention several

that usually make the list but don’t get done (after all, summer is only a few short weeks and getting shorter every year, with kids having to go back to school sometimes in August (what is UP with that, anyway??).

: Portland Head Light

So, here are a few more activities to squeeze in if you have time:

Acton Fair runs August 26 through August 29 (consider it a warm up for the larger Fryeburg Fair coming in October). It’s not too large, so you can go in the morning before it gets too hot and the children (and possibly you) get too whiny. Depending you where you live, there are many other fairs over the next several months; find a schedule here: http://www.mainefairs.org/fair_dates.htm
Perkins Cove and Ogunquit Village. There are lots of shops and restaurants in both places; park the car in the middle of both (sorry; most likely you will have to pony up some cash to park, but it’s worth it if you are spending the better part of the day, which you will definitely want to once you arrive) and explore. Once nice thing about Ogunquit, especially with kids in tow, is that there are public restrooms that are (usually) clean and easy to find.
York Beach is another great place to go for a day at the beach. Short Sands Beach is great, again, because if you have kids, you can part once then spend the day. Beach, playground, bathrooms, restaurants, shops (many of which sell excellent fudge!).
Downeast Duck Adventures is on my list every year (like the South Berwick Strawberry Festival) but I never get there. In the spirit of ‘write it down, make it happen’…I’m writing it down. Here’s hoping.
Wells Harbor Concerts run every Saturday night rain (held at the Wells Junior High School) or shine (held at the Wells Harbor Park) and are FREE. Enough of the concerts are both child and adult friendly to make it work for families (hint: bring the BUG SPRAY).
The Wells ChiliFest is an annual event that will be held this year on Saturday, August 28 at the Wells Junior High School. This is a bonus because if it rains (like last year) you can still go and have a good time (hint: bring bottled water, or something to drink; sampling chili works up a thirst).
Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth makes a great day trip; there are walking trails, picnic areas, and beautiful beach roses! Stop at JulChris Cookies for an amazing mid-afternoon treat on your way home.