Migration... Geese... Get it? If you’ve noticed some chaos on these pages of late, most was from a migration to another server. Nothing to worry about. I’m still out here in the wilds of the interwebs. Just had to move the pages to something that fit better. I THINK I’ve restored all the important bits but don’t quote me … Read More →
Slow Pork & Quick Pickles... onnabun braise (brāz, transitive verb): To cook meat or vegetables by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. Sounds easy, right? That’s because it is. And it’s perfect for cheaper ‘rough’ cuts of meat that conveniently have more flavour in most cases. Which liquid you choose defines the … Read More →
Frozen Potential In Discworld, Nanny Ogg would say “They make it with banananananas.” She knew how to start saying the fruit’s name but didn’t quite know how to stop. I’ve written down my basic recipe for banana bread long ago but was asked in a forum to be a little more precise with the directions for fledgling … Read More →
Ten Seconds Of Testing At the height of the global pandemic, Canada started giving away clever testing devices called pulse oximeters. Anything cheap enough for them to dish out like penny candy couldn’t be that useful, right? Turns out these little gizmos can be life savers for a lot more than pesky global viruses. Modern day canaries in healthcare … Read More →
Happy Birthday to the Twins It’s been six months since the new family additions arrived so thought it time for a photo op. They grow up quick. The headline photo is a little misleading. Like Peter Jackson shooting Lord of the Rings, it’s a camera perspective trick. Al the boy in back is double the size of Pico in front. … Read More →
An Attempt From Pillow Peak We’re slowly figuring out how legs work. Day 21 and counting with both nicely above the weight danger zone after what now seems like 4-5 days premature. Here “Bigger Brother” gives it his best shot. Wobble, wobble, wobble. More Spork Here
New arrivals less than 12 hours into their first day. This back story begins with grief and despair but fear not for it has a good deal of hope and joy towards the end. Seems to be a lot of that in this pandemic year. Regular viewers will remember two of my dear sweet girls (cats) from some of my videos. The sisters literally dropped … Read More →
If I can figure out how to work the blasted software I’ve been busy this year. I shall soon be slightly less so and thus a return to writing here, videos over there, and even streaming live elsewhere is a possibility. You have been warned. First snows came just last night so I’m in for the winter (mostly) and feel like cooking steaming pots of dumplings … Read More →
Quick Cobbler For Cold Nights I know, I know. I’ve been lax in writing. The simple truth is that I haven’t had much interesting to say of late and life otherwise has consumed any spare time I would have had in which to communicate such tidbits. I’m still here. It’s still winter and blizzard-ing. And garden thoughts are at least … Read More →
With Cheese & Data You're Ready For Anything The encroaching weather this time of year always puts me in a disaster recovery mindset. I’ve got charcoal and gas for cookery, jugs of water reserve if power to the well pump goes out, a pantry full of beans and rice, candles galore, and an ever rotating stack of good books. I’m good for two … Read More →
Yes, That's To Scale. They're THAT Big. Rarely for this corner of Canada it looks like a nearly non-white Christmas this year. The temperature is running hot and cold (-12c on Wednesday night, +7c the next day) and the precipitation machine that is the Atlantic has its timing all wrong if it wants to blast us with the white stuff. I’ve not … Read More →
Like Trying To Find Waldo-Data in a Meadow Full of Internet Noise Warning: Techno-babble ahead this time. If you get to this site with a good old-fashioned bookmark in your browser, nothing should change for you and you’ve got no need to panic. If you’re one of the handful of readers using the RSS feed feature, either directly in your browser or via a separate RSS reader … Read More →
Subscribe And Waste Time Watching My Hands It seems that after 700 or so subscribers, YouTube ‘upgrades’ a channel to have it’s own unique address. I’m spending some time trying to be more consistent in developing that particular media outlet so if you haven’t visited for a while, head over there and watch some of my hand theatre. I often revisit articles … Read More →
Applesauce Cleanup On Aisle Three The leftovers of a few storms landed on our doorstep this week and sadly, I lost an apple tree in the mayhem. At least it was a roadside specimen that was in a hard to pick location. The ground there along the drainage ditch stays fairly soaked which I suspect softened the soil enough for … Read More →
Fashionably Late Apple Blossoms I haven’t talked much about the farm lately primarily because without better funds in hand, I’m hesitant to make any big moves. Still, there is always room for little steps and I spent today planting for the future after being reminded that Mother Nature waits for no one. In fact she’s usually tapping her foot … Read More →
Necessary Social Evil As most of you know I’m not a fan of social media. More specifically I’m not a fan of social media companies tracking my every online move and selling my details to the highest bidder to boost their profit margins. I think I’m one of the last nine people on the planet under eighty years … Read More →
Pesky Hackers It seems this blog has become a target for random hack attempts from afar. I doubt my ramblings actually attracted the attention of real humans but automated bots troll the net for unsuspecting marks and when I started adding links on YouTube, that threw my address into the deep end of the pool. Expect some … Read More →
The final paint job will be better I’ve been struggling with finding a solution to my home building needs. With the recently plummeting Canadian dollar, the timber frame kits previously mentioned I found down in the States have effectively become 25% more costly to Canucks like me in just a few short months. That means I’m back to exploring other methods of … Read More →
Cluck. Cluck. Mwraaaaw. As promised, a few photos from across the road at North Farthing. Leghorns and Silkys and Toggenburgs, oh my. Meet “Goat”, “Sugar”, “Stewie”, and the flock. Now with video! More Spork Here
Pretty. Tasty. Insanely easy to grow. The first hints of fall are showing up early in the mornings. A little gust of cool air here, the occasional drop of leaves there. Apples are growing fat and sweet. Deer wander past holding ‘to let’ brochures looking for winter apartments in the forest. All it all it’s been a mild summer here but … Read More →
Actual Neighbour Eggs There’s an old saying that goes “you can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family”. Somewhere in between those two extremes are neighbours. Certainly you can select your neighbourhood carefully but it’s never a sure bet on what might move in next door. I can barely fathom how people co-exist in high rise … Read More →
Green and not so green parts of the farm over the seasons. You can see our garden year starts late here in Canada but it also lasts well into the elderly months on the calendar. Photos from 2014. (click any to wide-o-rama and start slide show)
The wildflower meadows here haven’t been touched in two decades. I plan to leave plenty in pristine condition just to feed the bees. Every week seems to have a different version of flower in bloom. Taken over the course of 2014. (click any to uppity size and start slide show)
Not my house. But I could buy one just like it. In my quest for housing, I’ve been looking at all sorts of ways to get something built on the farm. There is a locally run outfit just up the road that does fine work and I’ve gotten a solid quote from them for a move-in ready house that would be about 600 square feet. That’s … Read More →
