"Don't disturb the water and it won't disturb you!"
When you're in the ocean, do you think you're on top of the food chain? Think again. I'm a big fan of all critters...even the ones in the ocean that frighten me! I think we humans are much more dangerous...but that's for another post! :)
This week's Scribble Picnic theme is Watch Out! Whenever I do a watercolour, I'm always influenced by water...I guess that goes hand in hand! This is an image I saw online and only realized after I finished it that it is also an album cover for the band Faith No More. I know this because that's Alex's favourite band and he was pleasantly surprised to see it! I enjoyed doing this painting. The only area where I didn't use water is inside the mouth because I wanted it to be dark and dangerous! Who knows what's been in there??? :)
So how have you spent the beginning of your week? I had time to start my Camembert!! (I'll do a full post this weekend on Rainy Day Cheese Making!) This was such an easy recipe to make, but it took a lot of different cultures which I'd been waiting on in the mail. At this phase in the photo, the Cams are draining in the "Camembert/Brie Hoops" as they're called. They are molds with no tops or bottoms, which allows the whey to drain evenly downward; but also I've read this is to help the Camembert (or any soft cheese) sink down and you avoid holes.
This is a photo after about 18 hours of draining in the hoops. They still need to drain all day today. Tonight I'll be salting them, and then they go right into the cheese cave for about 2 weeks until that "bloomy white" starts to form all over the cheese. Then I wrap them and continue to age them about 4-6 weeks. They should be ready by mid-November!! I need to increase my dog walking because we have a Cheddar, a Colby, a Dry Jack AND TWO Camemberts to munch on from mid-October through to the end of November!!! Oooh la la! :) Gotta get more vino! :)
Camembert for some reason, seems intimidating...but it's not at all. The Mozza was more of a struggle! I made bread and yogurt while I was making the Camembert too, I guess I had energy overload...talk about tempting fate though...good thing the pets were all quiet so I could focus and not mess any of the three recipes up!
I used a sweet yogurt bacteria to make my Vanilla Yogurt and it turned out okay - a little tart, it could have been sweeter...I have to tweak the recipe a little next time, but some maple syrup saved the day.
Gardening News!! I have TWO pumpkins! I had to cut down most of the plants because little did I realize, my poor pumpkin plants were infected with white powdery mildew. I read that this is due to way too much moisture and not enough sun - the perfect description of our summer this year. Anyway, I'm hoping the pumpkins will do okay despite that problem...next year I'll be more prepared.
I do have two more small ones growing, do you think they'll make it???
We have some funny looking cukes growing too, I can't believe they are finally growing though!
The tomatoes are sparse but turning red!
Another foggy morning walking the dogs on the mountain, you wouldn't know there was a forest and lake back there!
This is a photo after about 18 hours of draining in the hoops. They still need to drain all day today. Tonight I'll be salting them, and then they go right into the cheese cave for about 2 weeks until that "bloomy white" starts to form all over the cheese. Then I wrap them and continue to age them about 4-6 weeks. They should be ready by mid-November!! I need to increase my dog walking because we have a Cheddar, a Colby, a Dry Jack AND TWO Camemberts to munch on from mid-October through to the end of November!!! Oooh la la! :) Gotta get more vino! :)
Camembert for some reason, seems intimidating...but it's not at all. The Mozza was more of a struggle! I made bread and yogurt while I was making the Camembert too, I guess I had energy overload...talk about tempting fate though...good thing the pets were all quiet so I could focus and not mess any of the three recipes up!
I used a sweet yogurt bacteria to make my Vanilla Yogurt and it turned out okay - a little tart, it could have been sweeter...I have to tweak the recipe a little next time, but some maple syrup saved the day.
Gardening News!! I have TWO pumpkins! I had to cut down most of the plants because little did I realize, my poor pumpkin plants were infected with white powdery mildew. I read that this is due to way too much moisture and not enough sun - the perfect description of our summer this year. Anyway, I'm hoping the pumpkins will do okay despite that problem...next year I'll be more prepared.
I do have two more small ones growing, do you think they'll make it???
We have some funny looking cukes growing too, I can't believe they are finally growing though!
The tomatoes are sparse but turning red!
Another foggy morning walking the dogs on the mountain, you wouldn't know there was a forest and lake back there!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI love your watercolour. I use indigo heavy and many layers to make dark.
I don't eat cheese but that looks really yummy and if I eat any cheese it's camembert!!!
Love your simple lifestyle. Where do you live/
Blessings
Janis
WE did think alike. Goodness your shark is frightful....That is really a Watch Out. Those teeth. Makes my shark look like a pussy cat...Tee Hee. Aren't these fun to see what everyone comes up with. Have a great day friend. PS... Love all your photos and your beautiful garden and harvest.
ReplyDeleteWonderful shark sketch, Rain! I adore all animals and I certainly agree that humans are so much worse when it comes to dangerous critters on this planet.
ReplyDeleteIt must be very satisfying to see your garden bearing yummy goodies for the table.
Yeah, I believe in giving creatures like that the respect of a very wide berth. Great painting.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sketch!!! Oh anything that lurks under the water creeps me out! I cannot swim in anything I can't see the bottom of. Pools no problem but lakes - nope!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteNice cheese! :) Can't wait for the update on the cheese blog. That's my problem right now - I can't be in the kitchen too long if I am at home by myself, there is a certain 11 month old pup that is MISCHIEVOUS beyond anything. You need one eye on him all the time. I hope he settles soon!
Yay for the garden goodness!!! I you think your little pumpys won't ripen on vine, cut them off and stick them in the sun. I had a baby pumpy that I knew would not get to where it needed to be so he's happily turning orange on my patio table. I have 13 pumpys! :) I am totally excited!
That fog picture made my heart sing!!!! Love that.
Very scary piece indeed Rain! Aagh!
ReplyDeleteYour cheese and yogurt look amazing as does your garden harvest. It's that time of year.
What a fun post today. Your cheese adventures are so neat to read about and your pumpkins are kewl.
ReplyDeleteThose pumpkins will turn orange if they don't rot first, mine seemed to rot but it could just be the bugs here.
ReplyDeleteI would eat all of that cheese, I couldn't be left alone with it.
Love your painting and, I must say, that cheese looks DAMN good!
ReplyDeletehe cheese is awesome! i can't wait to hear how they all are! you have 4 more pumpkins than i managed to grow! i had powdery mildew on everything this year. now we re 90 degrees and humid...blah! where is my fall???
ReplyDeleteI hope the pumpkins will turn orange.
ReplyDeleteYay for your cukes . . . even though you say they're funny looking! My tomatoes look much the same as yours although we have been eating lots of cherry tomatoes for a while now. I've have had pumpkins turn from green to orange after the vines were hit by frost so your big ones may come out just fine. The ones still forming? Don't think they have time to develop to the state of the big ones. My vines are much the same in that they still are putting out blossoms! Silly plants. Scary shark. Watch out! ;o)
ReplyDeleteYou know what I thought of when I saw your painting? "We're going to need a bigger boat!" I would definitely have to watch out for that guy. We enjoy watching Shark Week during the summer and learning about them, but they are still scary. Good luck with your cheeses. I must investigate what a cheese cave is.
ReplyDeleteOh Rain, your garden is looking great. I love the pumpkins! Great job on your hard work.
ReplyDeleteA truly terrifying shark there, Rain! Definitely something to watch out for! ever since JAWS, I've always felt unease being anywhere off the shore in the ocean water...but as is it, I'm rarely near the ocean anyway! A well done rendition and piece.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, your culinary skills are quite impressive. Way beats me, that;s for sure.
I've never had good luck making vanilla yogurt. I sweeten mine with pure maple syrup or honey. Yum.
ReplyDeleteThe new cheese sounds delightful. I so love cheese and am enjoying reading all about you adventures on making it. Look at those pumpkins. Your garden has been amazing to watch also.
ReplyDeleteI love your watercolour. It is so intense! And the colours are very bold.
ReplyDeleteYour pumpkins are adorable! I think they'll be fine. The weather has been really nice lately.
And you are loaded up with cheese. If you ever feel you have too much, just let me know. I'd be happy to take some off your hands :)
Those pumpkins are beautiful! Powdery mildew here, as well. With this kind of summer, it's no wonder. Oh, man. If I had that many cheeses in store, I'd have to take up jogging! Can't wait to see how the camembert turns out - it looks fabulous. I make my own yogurt every week because I prefer the really tart taste, which I cannot find in store-bought. Plus, I have a large source of raw milk called Jasmine. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely post Rain - the veggies are great and the cheese, oh the beautiful cheese, you are amazing making such professional looking dairy products. Yogurt looks delish too - I used to make my own and perhaps should try again, I do eat a lot of Greek yogurt - and right now am adding a spoonful of my homemade fig and strawberry jam for that missing sweetness.
ReplyDeleteYour take on the shark, a definite 'watch out' moment! Having traveled many oceans and seas of the world I've seen spectacular sea life, the most amazing being the whales of the Southern Ocean, and my favorite being penguins, which of course are birds however so totally at home in the water instead of the air!
Mary -
Definitely watch out from a shark like that. How fun that it turned out to be your hubbies favorite band too.
ReplyDeleteYour cheese is looking gorgeous!
That shark picture is a photograph isn't it? It's very vibrant. You didn't paint that, surely?
ReplyDeleteI think I will just call your blog "the cheese lady". If I ate all that cheese I would be two ton tony! I know nothing about painting but I would not want to encounter that shark in the water. I do hope your tomatoes and things finish ripening for you! Nancy
ReplyDeleteYummm the camembert looks so good. So do the pumpkins. Yay to red tomatoes. I have tons of tonatoes but none of them are red. I just noticed tonight that the snails are startibg to eat them. I think tomorrow will be green tonatoe picking day ... and then green tomatoe pickling to follow.
ReplyDeleteLove the foggy picture :)
I'm afraid of sharks too, but your watercolor pic is pretty amazing. It's so cool to see pumpkins grow from the beginning stages. I always see them when they're fully grown and in patches. Kudos on those yummy looking tomatoes too! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good artist! Scary picture though but I agree with you.....humans can be much meaner and scarier! Look at your camembert! I don't think I've ever had it...is it similar to any cheese I might have had? I'm hoping this winter to try my hand at cheese making but right now it's Christmas making, cleaning garage...still and next week when the temps cool off hopefully painting outside. The bread looks gorgeous and I used to make my own yogurt until they told me to stay away from dairy....so hard when you're a cheese and ice cream lover! I have bought Almond milk yogurt and it was pretty good so I'm thinking I could make my own yogurt again using almond or cashew milk. I'll have to see...not enough hours in the day for me! LOL! Your pumpkins are going to be beautiful. I have one so far and it is orange already so not sure if I should pick it or not. I have lots of huge flowers but I don't see any other pumpkins. So glad you are getting your tomatoes! I still need to plant for fall/winter but it's so hot here...in the 90's..........I think I might wait a bit although I guess the heat would be good for the germination part. Love to see all your productivity...it spurs me on! Hugs ~ Sam
ReplyDeleteI think if I am reincarnated as a human, I will try to live the way you do ... such energy and honest, wholesome living. And your art, well of course it is good, because everything you touch seems to turn out wonderfully. I love and respect sharks, but wouldn't want to meet one face to face. Your version is as good as it gets :) I love coming here ... it gives me hope for the human race ...
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
Hi Janis :) We live in the Laurentian mountains in the north of Quebec. The area is beautiful and surrounded by mountains, lakes and woods. It's ideal for us because we love nature...but still a little overcrowded and we're going to move further into the woods in a few years!
ReplyDeleteHi Wanda :) Lol at your pussy cat shark!! I do love seeing how people's minds work, next week will be interesting too, I already have my idea! :) Have a great day too my new friend! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Serena :) Thank you! Yes, it's amazing to pick and eat your own veggies! I have big dreams of greenhouses all year round...I can't wait until we own land, it's hard to do all this while renting, but I found the container garden to be very successful...well, minus a handful of summer veggies that just didn't grow this year because of the weather!
ReplyDeleteHi Paula :) Thank you! I think all creatures are worth giving a wide berth too...they were here before us!
ReplyDeleteHi Dianna :)) Thank you! Oh gosh, you and Alex are the same, if he can't see the bottom of the water, he doesn't want to be in it! Lol at your mischievous little pup...he WILL grow up trust me, but it might take another 5-7 years hee hee...I always said dogs are like 2 year olds that just never grow up! :) Thanks for the advice about my pumpys! :) I guess I'll wait a few more weeks, give them a chance to grow a little bigger then I'll put them into the window. Walking on the mountain in the fog is a real treat...though it makes the usual forest noises a little more creepy, which I also love! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Christine :) Thank you! It is definitely harvest time...I just wish I had more to harvest!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Stefanie :) Thanks! It's nice to see you back from your digital holiday :)
ReplyDeleteHi Gill :) So you can't be trusted around cheese...me neither lol...but for some reason, I'm able to wait patiently...I'm so excited to taste them though. I do hope the pumpkins don't rot, I'm seeing lots of slugs in the garden lately though.
ReplyDeleteHi Debra :) I hope I have same reaction when I taste the cheese!!
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce :) Thank you!! We'll be trying the Colby first just around Thanksgiving, so fingers crossed! Sorry your fall is gone...it'll be back, but hopefully before it snows! I have to figure out how to deal with the powdery mildew because I really want to grow more pumpkins next year, sugar pumpkins for pies and some for carving...and I want to try squash. But that stuff just took over the pumpkin patch.
ReplyDeleteHi John :) I hope so too! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Mama Pea :)) Yay for the funny looking cukes! :) I'm not a big fan but Alex loves them. I just don't know how long to wait before picking them. We have lots of cherry tomatoes too, I get a good 10 every other day, it's nice, they're so sweet. I agree that the wee pumpkins won't make it, there isn't enough time unless winter decides to wait a few more months. But Dianna suggested picking them and letting them turn orange in the sun, so I might do that at the end of September.
ReplyDeleteHi Lorraine :) Ha! When I read your comment, Richard Dreyfuss popped into my mind! I LOVED the Jaws movies so much...I remember when I was a kid watching Jaws on tv late one night (I wasn't supposed to), and I hid under the coffee table so many times lol...I love Shark Week too...it's an event in our house! A cheese cave is a cool humid area to age your cheese in...ideally a very well built room in a cellar...but in my case, I use Alex's old bar fridge and keep the temperature to around 10C. For the humidity, I put a wet piece of paper towel next to the cheeses that need to keep humid...it's working so far, but I'd love to have the real deal!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam :) I hope I can show you orange pumpkins before Halloween! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Michael :) Thank you! :) I'm not very good in the ocean myself...we don't live close by now either, but I did live on the Atlantic for a year. Watching Jaws, Shark Week and River Monsters makes me scared silly though lol...And thanks for the compliment on my culinary skills! I do spend lots of time in the kitchen and reading recipes and techniques. One of our favourite passtimes is eating! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Kristina :) I used vanilla extract, I think I'll try vanilla bean next time with much more brown sugar. It still had too much tartness for a vanilla yogurt!
ReplyDeleteHi Marsha :) Thank you :) I can't wait to try this cheese...I love seeing a bag of milk turn into a great cheese! I hope I can showcase my winter garden for you as much as the summer one! I already have some of my "winter" crops growing from the little heat wave, I guess they love that for sprouting!
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :)) Thank you! Do you have time to join the Scribble Picnic too? I find it's making me very creative and I love that structure! :) I hope the pumpkins will do okay, it's funny because the patch was so wild all summer I really thought I had fifty pumpkin monsters in there lol...turns out I had TWO. Nice try, but I fear (for our waistbands) that there will NEVER be too much cheese for us lol! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Susan :)) You too with the powdery mildew...what do you do about it? I just don't want to use any pesticides ever...I have the winter to figure out a natural way to keep it away, but I also want to deal with the slug problem naturally if I can...they ate an entire container of my lettuce the little buggers. We are definitely going to gain weight with all that cheese coming up lol...then Christmas and New Years...then more cheese! Oh life is so great, lol! :) As long as I can afford some wine to go with it, I'm happy as a clam. You are very lucky to have Jasmine!!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary :) Thank you so much! I love fig jam in yogurt, it really makes it sweet! I was surprised that my yogurt came out so firm actually. It was probably the bacteria culture I used, but I do like it more sweet. I don't mind experimenting! You are so fortunate to have traveled so much, I saw whales...pilot whales and Orcas in the Atlantic off Nova Scotia when I visited in 2002 and it was a memory I'll never forget!
ReplyDeleteHi Tammie Lee :) It's funny because Alex said "did you do that on purpose?" and I had no clue, I'm a little lost when it comes to music these days...so he said "well, we are definitely soul mates then!" Very sweet :)
ReplyDeleteHi Terry :)) Your questions made me very happy - YES, I painted it! :)) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy :) Yes! Call me the cheese lady ha ha! I love that title! I might be two ton tony by this time next year lol...The weather seems to be holding out, so I have high hopes for the tomatoes and cucumbers. I finally have some garlic chives growing too, they took forever to grow this year!
ReplyDeleteHi Nik :) You pickle your green tomatoes? Interesting, what do you use them for? I just want to have a nice tomato and Mozza salad with OUR tomatoes at some point! I really hope the Cam comes out creamy...it's going to be fun cutting it open, I should do videos of the "unveilings"!
ReplyDeletePickled green tomatoes are super yummy withpork or any kind of roast. I picked a laundry basket full today and will run into town to buy my pickling supplies tomorrow...i will ripen some in paper bags...it seems like i never get red tomatoes here :(
DeleteHi RO :) Thank you :) I actually really love that shark painting. It's on the watercolour wall now and it looks like it's going after my sea dragons lol...I'm very proud of my pumpkin children lol...I've been babying that pumpkin patch all summer, I really hope they make it! Hugs! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sam :)) Thank you!! :) Humans can definitely be meaner...sharks are just hungry and territorial is all :) Though I wouldn't want to meet one in person! The Camembert is a delightful creamy cheese...like a Brie or a St-Andre, I'll post a photo on my blog of what it will (hopefully!) look like! I think winter (after Christmas that is!) is a good time to start cheese making because we naturally have a bit more home time, at least here when the snowstorms really start. I hope to make lots of different cheeses this year and next! This is something that intimidated me at first, but now I feel as though I can take on any type of cheese!! :) I'm sure you can make yogurt with almond milk, but I guess depending on the fat content, it might turn out runnier...or better yet, coconut milk. Oh lucky you to have an orange pumpkin! If it were me, I'd wait a bit more...probably until mid-October, but I have read that they'll keep up to 3 months, I wouldn't chance it though! The heat is doing well for my winter garden so far actually, I have carrots, beets, turnips, miner's lettuce and Brussels sprouts already sprouting! Hugs to you! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea :) Your comment was so sweet!!!!!!! Thank you for the compliments :) I'm so glad you enjoy visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh Nik...a laundry basket of tomatoes!! I'm jealous! Actually the only tomatoes that turned red since August were the little cherry ones. The others are really taking their time now, thank goodness for the heat wave!
ReplyDeleteAh ha... a shark is after us. Great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks Latane! :)
ReplyDelete