Siblings and Chicken Wings

Sacrifice in the Name of TJ and his Ice Cream Dreams

Rose — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:13:42 +0000

I have been cheating on my kitchen in various eateries around the Valley. Chef Gator is out for hire tonight so I made myself some stir fry. The kitchen sits uncleaned but I am full of noodles and vegetables and Ultimate Chocolate Icecream from Trader Joes. That stuff is like crack to the Lactose intolerant such as myself. Sets my teeth on edge and my intestines on notice, but golly its worth it.

Man, I love Jersey Cows and milkshakes and Cabot butter and mooing from the fields when you drive by. I love milk maids and milking stools, and songs about farmers. I love Our Family Farms and the way a calf at Coombs Hill Farm will suck on your hand if you let it. Why must I have the cursed intolerance!?

Berries to be and soon, ASPARAGUS!

Rose — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 02:36:04 +0000

Mania today at the farm. Everyone wants to plant now that we have had a break in the weather. I got to drive around with the windows down on lunch break. The fields were dusty from all the tractor traffic and sun and wind, but I risked a dirty interior for some fresh air and Spring smells. I can’t wait to stretch my legs more, stash the hats and gloves, and put away the ice scraper. And most of all, start in on the cheap, local fresh produce that is starting to grow as I type. Asparagus is coming!

Colrain Cornfield and Interlopers

Lannie and James get some Whately History and Sunshine in the town cemetary.

Maybe its safe to say it now? Spring has arrived to the flatlands!

Channeling Yia Yia and Roasting Chicken

Rose — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 02:13:21 +0000

I used to ask my Daddy how many dishes he thought Yia Yia (his mother) has washed in her life. She taught me the “We should just leave it to soak, Rosie.” method of dishwashing. We all get to that point, don’t we? Where the dish-drainer is full and the greasy Pyrex roasting pan is looking so ominous over on the stove. Take it from the wisest, most patient woman I know. Leave it to soak! You can handle it in the morning after a generous cup of coffee.

This morning I roasted a chicken and Chef Gator said he wouldn’t cook chickens anymore. That made me think my Trader Joe’s bird might have been 85% as good as Yia Yia’s was back in the Mount Hermon cottage. Which, in my book, is a rousing success. I love you, Yia Yia and Papou. Everyone, let’s raise a chicken leg to our grandparents and the products of their respective kitchens!

Image courtesy of:

April Fools are Covered in Snow!

Rose — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:52:16 +0000

Its happened again, swarthy New Englanders. There is snow on the raspberry fields outside my office. Mother Nature is feeling sassy. I hope Punxatawney Phil goes bald like that bear in the German Zoo named “Dolores”. No relation to Sea Hag. Totally different species.

Happy Spring indeed. Oh well, I wasn’t ready for my bikini anyways.

We like to keep it classy in the irrigation ditches at the farm. Mr. Strawberry prefers a modest cut when it comes to the employees berry-themed swim wear.

Millstone Market and Egg Snobbery

Rose — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:16:17 +0000

Two recent discoveries:

Millstone Market in Sunderland Massachusetts is filling a grocery hole in my life I didn’t even know I had. Best part, its half the distance from my usual commercial shopping spots (Trader Joe’s and Big Y). Its quaint but not too much so that stuff isn’t fresh. No one wants antique pre-stuffed pork chops.

Discovery #2:

Local eggs totally taste better and I will not buy the white ones from Irving even in a middle of the night weak-moment.

Cheftastic

Rose — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:51:57 +0000

My new boyfriend/baby’s daddy/messy roommate is a chef. Or something like that, sometimes he’s just a handyman who finds himself in the kitchen. He has a name too, but in case he doesn’t want to star in me and Orion’s Blog we shall call him Chef Gator from here on in. My aunties and friends are always saying that I am so lucky I don’t have to cook anymore, and in a way I am. But sometimes I miss finding my Calphalon pans where I left them and I have noticed an intrusion of strange spice packets and mint jelly. As a lady who likes to make my own cleaning, cooking, and eating plans its been an adjustment. But the food is surprisingly delicious and often my usual ingredients put together in ways I would have never thought of on my own. In terms of living with Chef Gator, compromise can be tasty.

Happy Birthday Al E.

Rose — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:25:31 +0000

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” ~ Albert Einstein

Cheers to that!

Planning a walk to the famouns Quonquont Farms milk jug in Whately Center.

And to an alternate sibling. Miss Martha Magoo who brought cake mix and good cheer to the flatlands this evening. We are adults now so we can relax and hang with the baby. And then run around like kids after he goes to sleep.

Love you Magoo.

Off to stick the whipped cream canister in my piehole. Or pass out from exhaustion of all those dinner party dishes. My oven will never be the same. Goodnight!

Thanks to Chef Gator for the Dinner!

The Best Thing EVER, this week(!) P.S. It might be Spring in the Swamp.

Rose — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 03:59:16 +0000

Twin Chesters ready for Spring. Blackberry fields of the future.

: James after a post blow out bath. Handsome and clean. Just the way we like him!

Today was a great Saturday. Best Saturday out of the last 7th probably.

The Spirit Shoppe's latest treasure. And it came pre-chilled. 83% Reisling 17% Muscato. It must be love.

Long Time No Blog

Rose — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:39:48 +0000

Well, its been basically a year since I have blogged at all faithfully. For any of you loyal logger-inners (Schenemans et al) out there, here is a valiant attempt at re-entry. I don’t know if you heard the rumor, but I have a new role as primary feeder of a certain James Allen Lynch. He enjoys milk, pacifiers, and long walks in the stroller. His Dad is a chef, which is a vast improvement on my pregnancy diet of chocolate soymilk, Wendy’s after all doctors appointments, and hearty brunches of whole Newmans Own uncured pepperoni pizzas. Oh, and icecream and stinky Chinese crackers form Trader Joes. Also, I am back on sushi, hard cheeses and best of all, REISLINGS!!! Let the sun shine down on me in my nursing bras.

New Eater on the Scene

Rose — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:01:23 +0000

Introducing James!

James Reccomends:

Breastmilk in your Pierce Bros. coffee.

Strawberry muffins.

Long walks in the Gator Green Stroller.

And forays into the Great Swamp. (Bring your snow gator gun and galoshes.)