Ah, I've had THE most perfect day. I got up early, went for a beautiful surf (the best of the year so far), had a yummy soy latte and worked in the garden all day. I'm now sitting on the couch with a spoonful of peanut butter and feeling happy.
We go back to work in ten days so it's feeling imperative that we prune, weed and harvest what we can as we'll be dead busy for a few weeks and unlikely to get our hands dirty. Sad face. It was satisfying to get about four wheelbarrows of prunings out of the garden, including the lemon and lime trees. Gave them a good old shake and brought in a bucket load of lemons, which I'll squeeze tonight and put a heap in ice cube trays in the freezer. When life gives you lemons! I love it when life gives me lemons! More lemons!
The chickens had a good old time, being let out of their smaller enclosure to forage and scratch. I'm still trying to figure out which one are roosters and which are hens - can you tell? These are gold laced wyandottes and have the most beautiful feathers, don't you think?
Speaking of chickens - eggs! They are such a good source of protein when you don't eat much dairy or you don't eat meat. When I think of the ethics of eating, I really can't see how eggs are bad. My chickens are happy as anything, and we've been living in a mutual relationship with chickens for centuries. We feed them, tend them, keep them safe, and they are happy to give us eggs. I can't see anything cruel about my chickens free ranging under the elders, feasting on the oats and seeds I give them to supplement their diet.
The vegetable and herb garden are going beautifully - pictured below are yarrow and elderberries, but there's so much more coming out of the garden. Beautiful black cherry tomatoes. Yellow butter beans. Fat cucumbers. Black chillis and fat jalapenos, spaghetti squash. The hops are going crazy - we should have a good crop this year. Lots of purple kale, zucchini. Beautiful big beetroot. I swear El Nina is amazing for my garden - so much more water! I've been busy netting the fruit trees because there's apples and pears growing on trees that have never, ever fruited before. I feel like it's a time of abundance before it might get drier and tougher in the next few years, so I'm feeling grateful for this momentary abundance.
Zoodles with Oregano and Pecan Pesto & Fried Spanish Tomatoes
We've been cutting out the carbs and sugars over the last few months, and zucchinis are a life saver! I've raved about spiralised zucc before - they really do make a great alternative to pasta. When you don't eat much pasta or carbs, it's amazing how full you can feel after a plant based meal, especially when you add nuts.
Oregano pesto is super easy, and all you need to do throw a few handfuls of oregano in the blender with a big handful of nuts, and enough olive oil so that the blender is able to whizz it into a paste. If you don't want to use too much oil, add lemon juice as well. A clove of garlic or a spring onion can add another dimension.
Now, the fried tomatoes - what you want to do is get some spiced tomato juice going in the pan so that the tomatoes and the flavoured oil drizzle over the 'pasta' for extra flavour. Give the pan a good old sploodge of olive oil and throw in a few tomatoes, a big handful of olives, smoked salt and smoked paprika, and a splash of either balsamic or red sherry vinegar. Fry til the tomatoes are soft and browned, and the pan is fragrant and juicy. I like to add some garlic too, but take it out before I serve as my husband can't tolerate it.
This dish is also great with maybe some fried tofu or veggie sausages with it if you fancy more protein. We had some vegan fetta so we added that too.
Simple and delicous!
What's your favourite zucchini recipe?
How's your garden growing?
More importantly, are my wyandottes roos or hens?
With Love,
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@riverflows, Looks like you are having blessed and abundant life. Wishing you eternal abundant life. Stay blessed.
I am very blessed, @chireerocks and am very aware of it - I wish I could share more with people on HIVE who need it. I'd love to have a community of LOTUS tribe here with me, sharing my abundance!
Incoming and outgoing blessings and abundance = Lotus tribe. 🙂
Aw, love that so much!
🙂
Peanut butter always soothes the soul... I feel badly for those people who are allergic to peanuts.
Happy chickens, make for happy eggs😎
Glad to hear you've been having such a happy day.
Eating boiled eggs with salt and powdered harissa now. So good.
Have you ever had zucchini bread? It's sort of like banana bread but not as good. 🙄 Nah, seriously it's pretty good and one can't tasty the zucchini really...It's pretty good.
Ten days huh Rivvy? That sort of sucks but I reckon after the year you've had you'll be going back with some more understanding of who you are...That's not a bad thing. I don't know what you do, but you'll go back and do it to the best of your ability I guess, like you do with everything else.
I teach Year 9 - 12 senior school English, believe it or not, although I'm not teaching Year 12 this year or forseeable future if I can bloody help it.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm sure I will be fine - definitely have new skills to bring.
Ah ok, I wouldn't have picked that. I actually thought something like a mid-level manager at a professional office or public service. Lawyer, accountant etc. I don't know why. English teacher? Wouldn't have guessed that. Teach those buggers well River, teach them difference between your and you're because people getting that wrong drives me fucking bonkers! Other things too... To and too for instance, where to use a comma, colon or semi-colon, capital letter or an ellipsis. Drum it into them Riv! 😀
I do, believe me. It's a private school so most have that down pat. Loose/lose however - ouch.
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I recun yoo'd bee a gud tiiicha...Tha won evarry 1 likkd becuz your khool. Az you're kan c my enGlich teacha schpent lodes of tym whith mee and my komarnd of the EngliCH langooage is gud.
It's a rough look but I'd say the topmost righthand chook is a rooster and the others mostly hens. I learned to sex young chickens from looking at the combs. Some may still change but you definitely have some hens. You'd have to line them up for mugshots 🐔🐔 🐔 They are a handsome bunch!
Thankyou! I'm sure you know how hard it is to line up, but I might try this afternoon! I have 9, and I'm sure there are a majority of hens!
Hehe yes, on a par with herding cats
What a blast @riverflows! It is an extraordinary day. I love everything that one can sow and reap for oneself. The recipe that I like the most with zucchini is the zucchini cream with onion, potato and leek, it is really delicious. I understand that the way to differentiate which are roosters and which hens, (according to my daughter's mother-in-law), is by the size of the legs; that is, the male with the longest legs, the female with the shortest legs. Greetings and blessings.
¡Que maravilla @riverflows! Es un día extraordinario. Me encanta todo lo que uno pueda sembrar y cosechar por sí mismo. La receta que más me agrada con calabacines, es la crema de calabacines con cebollas, papas y puerro, es realmente deliciosa. Tengo entendido que la forma de diferenciar cuáles son gallos y cuáles gallinas, (según mi consuegra), es por el tamaño de las patas; es decir, el que tenga las patas más largas es macho, las de patas más cortas es hembra. Saludos y bendiciones.
Zucchini cream??? Is it a soup? Sounds lovely!!!
Oh the short legged one is new to me - thankyou! I knew they might be thicker but not necessarily shorter. Thanks!
It is a hot soup. Slice everything: Zucchini, leek, potatoes, onions, you can add chili as well, sauté well in vegetable oil, add a little water (to cover it) and season. I add cumin, salt, garlic, pepper. When it is cooked, you blend it and serve it hot with pieces of cheese or croutons of bread, it is exquisite!
Es una sopa caliente. Rebanas todo: Calabacín, puerro,papas, cebollas, puedes ponerle ají también, sofríes bien en aceite vegetal, agregas un poco de agua (que lo cubra) y sazonas. Yo le añado comino, sal, ajo, pimienta. Cuando esté cocido, lo licúas y sirves caliente con trozos de queso o croutones de pan, queda exquisita!
Easy! Sounds great.. thanks for sharing xx
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