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| Waking up the babies for feeding time. |
Hello Friends :)
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. Alex and I are in hibernation mode...it's not only a nice warm and sunny weekend but it's the Quebec national holiday weekend too - the village is OVERRUN with loud annoying weekenders! Best to stay close to our cozy home at times like these!!
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| The triplets getting ready for bedtime. |
The squirrels are still doing very well! They love their new digs.
They are weening off the baby bottle and starting to drink the mother's milk and water from dishes. This is a sign they are growing up!
I'm starting to get back into cheese making! I started off with an easy recipe for American Cheese (see Rainy Day Cheese Making for this recipe and more). Think Velveeta or Kraft, but much better! I used white Cheddar to make this, so it isn't the usual neon orange colour of the grocery store slices, but the texture is exactly the same!
AND...it passed the melty test! We made some grilled cheese on sub buns with some orange Cheddar and my American Cheese on top and it melted well. The taste is great too! So much fun to start cheese making again. Alex is going to make me a cheese press this week so I can start on some Cheddars, Colbys and maybe a Parm! :)
My window garden is flourishing! I have some baby lettuce and lots of herbs growing, I love my window garden!
The sugar pumpkin patch is coming to life...though the "carving" pumpkin patch is stalling. We shall see!
This is the first year I've successfully grown spinach. It was loving the cool wet weather I suppose!
The root veggies are starting to grow too - turnips, beets, carrots, green onions, garlic and Brussels sprouts.
Some of the lettuces and greens are starting to grow too - I can't wait for a full head of lettuce!
The greenhouse is doing its job! The tomatoes (33 plants!!), eggplant, green/yellow beans and green pepper are all growing nicely!
Alex coined a new term, a "Jaccident". Websters be advised...a "Jaccident" is when food is dropped (by accident or on purpose) and Jack eats it up like a land shark. See the above video for footage.
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| North Coast of Prince Edward Island (2009) |
For anyone interested, this Thursday's Art Date theme is "Beach". Please click on the link for inspiration!
Your gardens are going great. You will be having home grown food for quite while. So glad you are back to making cheese. It fascinates me. The triplets are growing up quickly. Will they adjust to the wild after being given food as they need it? Winder8if they will eat your garden when released lol. Jack is pretty quick at grabbing the food. Not a morsel dropped on the floor.
ReplyDeleteYou and Alex are definitely qualified to teach a course in Successful Squirrel Raising 101! Seems as though your little triplets couldn't be doing any better.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have the right touch when it comes to cheese making. I have forgotten, do you have a source for raw milk?
Your spinach looks better than any I have in my garden! To my mind, there's nothing like fresh, home grown spinach for taste and healthy nutrition! You'll be enjoying yours soon.
That Jack! Doesn't it make you wonder if dogs would enjoy their little treats more if they actually took time to taste them before gulping them down?? ;o)
your garden looks great! haha...willie would give jack a run for his money when food is dropped! i forgot about the red sand in pei. my kids were covered in it when we were there. i sure hope the triplets don't eat your garden when you release them!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you were still making cheese, that’s great to have it pass the melting test! That spinach looks great I bet it tastes good too, we have never grown spinach. That will likely be a word we will see more of lol, faster than a land shark, lol, that’s hilarious! Your little orphans squirrels will never forget you!
ReplyDeleteOh, sweet puppy!!! 😍
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me with your garden in pots.
I love seeing your container garden. There's always a way to garden! Loved the video clip of Jack. What a precious look on his face.
ReplyDeleteah, your little squirrels are so cute. they do grow up fast. mine are all outdoors. I have not seen babies in years.
ReplyDeleteHome made cheese again. Wishing you so much fun with that! I have not had cheese since last Sept. but i do love it. No dairy actually.
Lovely summer to you all.
Oh you are enjoying summer, your garden is flourishing. The squirrel babies look happy.
ReplyDeleteThe cheese looks very good indeed!
ReplyDeleteAlready, I can see the triplets have grown and soon you will totally be free of bottle feeding. Homemade cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches sound perfect together and when you add fresh tomatoes later.....even better! Since I am a fairly new reader, Rain, I wondered if container gardening is new for you or easier than directly planting a garden area.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, 33 tomato plants! You will be canning for weeks. I have 14 which is probably 12 more than I need but I cannot throw away any plant that I started from seed.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you were still making cheese!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marsha :) I'm really pleased that we finally have some warm and sunny weather! I was worried about the garden! I'm happy to be back making cheese too, it's been TOO long! I have lots of plans!! The squirrels are really growing fast! Their tails especially. Oh I hope they don't eat my garden up lol...We are trying to encourage them to open up shelled nuts (to mimic acorns) and we're giving them leaves and branches to eat too so they won't be too "sheltered" once they leave!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama Pea :) The triplets are really doing well! They're climbing, hiding peanuts, chewing on branches and finally drinking water, so that's good news! And NO sadly, I don't have a source for raw milk. I have to use store bought and add calcium chloride to make up for the pasteurization and homogenization. But so far it works, though one day I would LOVE a source of raw milk. I'm happy about the spinach!!! First time!! LOL...I know, Jack just gobbles...I wonder if he even savours...
ReplyDeleteThanks Joyce :) Willie is a land shark too huh? LOL...Oh gosh me too...I don't want to get them used to lettuce that's for sure, I hope they stay away from the garden, but if they eat from it, then that's okay too! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurie :) Yes...land shark Jack...he's too funny, he will eat ANYTHING. He's even boozy, if we would let him, he'd drink wine with his dinner lol...we let him smell the bottles but that's it! I'm really pleased about that American cheese...though it's not 100% homemade, I'm getting back to it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandi :) The garden is really turning out better than I thought it could! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Leigh :) Yes, where there is a will, there is a way for gardening. Though I must say I can't wait to have a proper in-the-earth garden that is much bigger, the containers are working out really well. Not much weeding!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tammie :) There is something to be said for getting off dairy for sure. I did it for a year, but to figure out my food intolerances, I really missed cheese a lot. I can do without everything else dairy but cheese is one of my essential food groups lol...the triplets are really doing well, they have taught us a lot about wildlife and we are so grateful! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine :) The garden is finally growing and I couldn't be happier! And yes, the babies are very happy! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks TB :) I'm happy to have a cheese success! The last few I made were fails, but I think that I have better ingredients now and better tools so I'm hoping for more successes!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Beatrice :) Actually the triplets are really quickly starting to get off the bottle feeding. Only once a day will they drink from it, most of the time they drink from the dish, which is really what we were hoping for! Oh yes, I LOVE tomatoes on grilled cheese! I hope my tomatoes don't get disease this year, last summer was such a disappointment. That's why I have them in the make-shift greenhouse, to help them stay disease-free. The container garden was brought on by need...Alex and I are renting here at the cottage and we can't dig up too much of the owner's land. He was okay with a few patches, but for what I wanted to grow, I had to use containers. But you know, it was a blessing in disguise because it REALLY works! There is little weeding and I've found I can pretty much grow anything in containers. Last summer I grew about 400 potatoes in tires. It was a bit of an investment though, but I bought dollar store containers. Alex and I planned to buy a property a few months back and not renew our lease here, but we couldn't find anything suitable and got out-bid on the one property we wanted, so we renewed, so out came the containers again! :) When we "nest" I'm going to make myself a nice raised bed garden and I'm hoping it'll be HUGE!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Arleen :) Yes! 33 plants, though I don't know how many tomatoes they will produce! I'm hoping for lots! I usually can about 80 pounds each fall, but have bought them at the market in past years. It would be nice to can my own!
ReplyDeleteYes Debra :) I'm finally back to cheese making! I took a hiatus with the real estate thing but now I've got the bug again!! :)
ReplyDeleteLook at your squirrels and garden grow! Love the video of Jack and his Jaccidents. :)
ReplyDeleteOh My!!! Love that cheese. Rain! Those babies are growing and Mr. Jack is precious...land shark and all! That garden is growing for sure! We are processing the sugar snap peas this week, with some frozen and more than plenty eaten fresh! We have tomatoes galore, so we will soon be doing stewed tomatoes for the freezer! Have a great art day!
ReplyDeleteJack reminds me of Dakota. He will even go around the bottom of the cabinets like a vac trying to find and clean up anything that might have been dropped. Its so funny. You would think he never got fed. Great job on the cheese making. That is so cool. Garden is looking great and you new babes are growing so fast. They will be big enough to release before long.
ReplyDeleteRain,
ReplyDeleteYour triplets are growing and still as cute as ever. I love the shot of the little guy drinking the mother's milk from a dish. Mmm, homemade American cheese! That sounds good and the melted goodness on bread - awwwesome! WOW, your window garden is coming along beautifully. You're going to have a super nice harvest this year. Great photo of Prince Edward Island. I'm looking forward to this week's Thursday art date. I'll see you then if not before. ;)
Dear Rain your gardens made my day with so much happiness :)))
ReplyDeletei can see how your hard work is being rewarded by the grace of lord !
each garden is doing great but window garden is at it's best i think :)
i can imagine your heart springing with excitement by watching it all around you my amazing friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
squirrel images are sooo CUTE :) but jaccident made me laugh lol so clever and so adorable :)
your food is ABSOLUTELY MOUTHWATERING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
best of luck for all the next ventures dear Rain !
beach looks tranquil and beautiful
Just found your Blog a few weeks ago and I love seeing your plants, great recipes and I'm in love with the squirrels!! The videos are great and they are so cute. You sure are a talented artist!!! Thanks and can't wait for more videos!!
ReplyDeleteYour Jaccidents are my Love(y) Bites. I am never alone in the kitchen. As a matter of fact, I usually have very little space in which to move. Lovely food! I don't blame you for staying in. Summer brings the loonies to my area, too, and sometimes I cannot make a turn onto the main road, due to the migration up/down from the Big City. Getting back into cheesemaking is on my bucket list. I hope I last long enough to enjoy it. Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becki :) The triplets are really growing fast, their tails are starting to get really puffy - that's a sign of them really growing up! Jack loves his Jaccidents too lol! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dino :) The cheese is AWESOME. NO MORE VELVEETA in this house lol...I'm so envious that you have peas and tomatoes galore!!! How are your pumpkins doing??? My big pumpkins never grew...me thinks the chipmunks got my seeds...but the sugar pumpkins are a-plenty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam :) I'm so pleased that the American Cheese worked out, I was in such a cheese slump. This got my engine running again! :) That's so funny about Dakota! Jack does the same thing, I used to call him the Hoover.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy :) Prince Edward Island is in my heart...but I missed the mountains way too much to live there! Who knows what the future will bring though! The window garden is my pride! If I had more "window", I'd have much more growing there. It's the only sunny window in the cottage so I'm limited! But I love growing lettuce there. We eat fresh lettuce all the way to December! :) I'm excited about the Beach art date!!! See you then!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Baili :) I agree, the window garden is definitely doing much better than the rest!!! I wish I had MORE window!!! When Alex said "this is a Jaccident" I laughed so loud...I never thought about putting those two words together lol...but they are perfect! I would love to be on the beaches of Prince Edward Island again...it was so nice there with the red sand and the ocean so close! One day I may go back! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Judy :) I really appreciate your support with regards to my art! I never think of myself as an artist, but heck yeah, I am an artist!! :) Those squirrels are growing so fast, I don't know how much longer we'll be keeping them! As soon as they are off the milk, we were told, then they will be ready for stage one of being released! I'm going to miss them!! I just checked out your blog, I hope you get back to blogging! Quilting is something I have on my wish list in the future!
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan :) Love Bites ha ha ha! If not for the "kitchen cage" I made in the spring, I'd be overrun with the pets and our kitchen is tiny. Though once in a while I let my hair down and let them all in while I'm cooking. It's like walking through a mine field lol...Loonies is right...I haven't heard so much boom-boom-boom car music, screeching brakes and LOUD laughing since last June, blech, I'm over it! I hope you get back to the cheesemaking! Hugs!!! xx
ReplyDeleteYour cheese looks and sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is doing so well, the spinach looks so healthy.
So pleased the squirrels are doing ok, sweet pictures.
Loved the video too.
Great post :)
All the best Jan
We like to stay where it's quiet and peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI love the baby squirrels.
LOVE Jack what good eye-mouth coordination he has. Give him a hug for me.
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Jack... He is adorable! How do you handle all that sweetness? And those squirrels. All that cuteness would just about kill me. LOL
ReplyDeleteMind you, you had other things to worry about. Like all those noisy weekenders. I hope they're all gone now and the rest of the week is quiet!
Squirrels are looking so funny!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan :) The cheese turned out so nice! I'm so happy I tried that recipe. And the spinach really surprised me, I never had luck growing that before!
ReplyDeleteHi John :) Quiet and peaceful is where I want to always be, I know how you feel!
ReplyDeleteI will Stefanie! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :) I know...Jack is just too sweet...last night he fell asleep under the covers on the bed and just his little nose was sticking out, snoring...it was hard not to wake him up and hug him lol...yes...the weekenders are back to the city thank gawd!
ReplyDeleteHi ReHiTu :) They are very entertaining to watch!
ReplyDeleteOh they look so cute!
ReplyDeleteI love your window garden and all your plants. Those "babies" are just adorable. Hope you have a wonderful night- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThanks Guillaume :) They are adorable!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana :) The garden is blooming and I'm loving it! Everything smells so nice in the window garden, the basil is doing really well!
ReplyDeleteThe triplets are so cute! You must peek in on them a lot!
ReplyDeleteI used to love melted cheese on toast/buns. Most vegan cheeses don't have the melt factor but they're not too bad inside a toasted sandwich. I'm not a huge fan of most vegan cheeses but there are a few nice ones.
LOVE your window garden!
Jack is so funny with the food. My Cody was the same — he lived for food and would always be in the kitchen when I was food-prepping, just like your Jack. Cody would also sit and watch every bite I took of my own meals — most times, drooling and always expecting his little tidbit. I miss him so.
Lovely beach pic!
Not sure if I'll manage the art date today (Thursday here) as I have back to back appointments and visits on the schedule. If not, there's always next week.
Have a lovely day/evening!
What a lovely garden you have Rain!!
ReplyDeleteHi Serena :) Yes, we peek in on them all the time! They are just off the bedroom and they are so entertaining to watch. We sometimes just sit in bed and watch their antics. All six pets too, they are very entertained lol! I went vegan for a year and I remember hating those vegan cheeses, but that was 8 years ago now, I hope they got a little better.
ReplyDeleteAwww...that's sweet about Cody. I know you miss him, it's too tough to lose a beloved pet.
Thanks Jenn :) I can say I have a garden now that summer has finally arrived! I was worried a little bit when I still had the heat on in mid-June!!
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels are so sweet! Bless your heart for taking care of them! I can't believe your garden! Wow Rain!! Stunning! I love Jaccident! LOL! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stacy :) The triplets are really growing fast!!! And so is the garden with the weather lately, I'm so happy to see everything growing well! :)
ReplyDelete