Nature and Life Notes

Wild Azalea

One of the signs of spring in this area, in addition to the many blooming trees and wildflowers, is the wild azalea, Rhododendron canescens. It comes in varying shades of pink ranging from a very light pink to a rosy pink. The blooms only last for a short time but add a wonderful touch to…

A Reminder from Micah

O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NLT)

Cinnamon Nut No-Knead Bread

I have been totally involved with planting and weeding when not at work for the past month – thankfully spring finally arrived, although we have a frost warning tonight! Here is a post I started in January but never got around to publishing. Enjoy! This makes a great breakfast or snack variation of the no-knead…

Auction Day

We stopped by the annual auction at the Fivepointville Firehouse last weekend. There was an abundance of farm and garden equipment for sale, along with household materials, bicycles and buggies. There is a large Old Order Mennonite community in the Fivepointville area plus Amish so many people arrived by buggy or bicycle. It was a…

Rejected…. again

This year we were sure the Eastern bluebirds were going to nest in one of our bluebird houses. For the past several years, we have spent a fortune on mealworms, made sure there was always fresh water in the winter and pampered the bluebirds in every way we could in hopes of having a nesting…

Steel Cut Oats No – Knead Bread

One of my favorite no-knead variations…. This version of no-knead bread uses steel cut oats in the dough to yield bread that is denser than the traditional no-knead bread. It is a great choice to use with a slice of cheese or a bowl of soup. Steel Cut Oats No-Knead Bread 2 1/4 cup all…

Philadelphia Flower Show

This year I served as a volunteer Horticulture Barrier Aide at the Philadelphia Flower Show – that means I stood behind the judges holding one end of a plastic rope to keep people away from the judges as they were judging the flowers. We followed our group of judges through may different classes including container…

Chocolate Nut Cherry No Knead Bread

Yet another variation of the no-knead bread baked in cast iron at high heat… This version uses cocoa to add a chocolate flavor. I also added some sugar to make it a little sweet and chopped nuts and dried cherries. For my first loaf, I used two tablespoons of cocoa which yielded a mild chocolate…

2013 Great Backyard Bird Count

This weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. The four-day count is an opportunity for bird watchers from all over the United States and Canada to submit a list of the different species visiting their yards. Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes…

Fastnachts (German Doughnuts)

Today is Fastnacht Day here in the Pennsylvania German area of Pennsylvania. I have copied my post from last year about fastnachts below. Happy Fastnacht Day! There are two different traditions in my life related to the German yeast doughnuts known as fastnachts or fashnachts. My German mother-in-law made fastnachts on Good Friday because they abstained from meat…

Edge of the Storm

Our area just got the edge of the big snowstorm for another inch of snow. So far this winter, we have not had a major snowstorm but we are still just in February. When the snow comes through it is a great time to watch the birds… And to bake something good. And to think…

Parmesan Garlic No-Knead Bread

Here is yet another variation of the no-knead crusty break baked at high heat in cast iron. This is a good choice to go with any type of Italian food. For more variations on no-knead bread, click here. Other no-knead recipes coming soon include chocolate cherry, cinnamon not and steel cut oats so make sure…

Water for the Birds in Winter

A source of clean fresh water is essential for the birds. During much of the year, they can find natural sources but as winter hits in many areas, the creeks and puddles become frozen. During the winter, a birdbath will be very popular with the local birds. If you live where it drops below freezing…

Very Berry No Knead Bread

Another variation on the no-knead method of baking bread in cast iron to yield a bakery-style bread with crusty outside and soft inside. This variation uses dried berries to make a great breakfast loaf. Very Berry No-Knead Bread 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon yeast 2 tablespoons sugar 3/4 cup…

Two Sparrows

There are two different types of sparrows sitting in our discarded Christmas tree (Christmas trees make great cover for the birds during the winter. After we remove the decorations, we move it to the patio for the birds). The upper sparrow is a song sparrow and the lower is the easily identified white-throat sparrow. Here…

Blackberry Cake

During the summer, I picked 19 pounds of blackberries at our local orchard. This winter the frozen berries have been wonderful as pies and cobblers. This recipe is a cross between a cobbler and a cake and a very good way to use some blackberries. Blackberry Cake 1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks 1 cup…

Muesli No-Knead Bread

This variation of the no knead bread baked in cast iron uses 10 grain cereal to make a breakfast loaf with grains, dates, seeds and raisins. Baking the moist dough at high temperatures in the cast iron yields a loaf with crusty chewy exterior and soft tender interior. Muesli No-Knead Bread 3 cups unbleached all-purpose…

Goat Expressions

“I am having a good day, chewing my hay and waiting for judging at the Farm Show.” “Forget about that other goat, I am pretty confident that I am going to win first place.” “Grrrrr… Step away from the goat pen!”

The Pileated Feeder

The pileated woodpecker is a large, shy woodpecker that does not normally frequent feeders. Although, it usually stays in the woods, we are often treated to the sight of a pair of pileateds that live in the woods behind our house as they come to the edge of the tree line to feed. Though not…

Swedish Cinnamon Ring

When I was in high school we had a Swedish high school student live with use for several weeks through the International Farm Youth Exchange program. Gunilla gave my mother a Swedish recipe book before she left and one recipe that we made many times over the years is a cinnamon yeast dough that can…