I am WOMAN!

I don't know how people actually have a life and find time to "blog" regularly! I have decided to challenge myself to once a week. Just what I need- another personal challenge jeez! why don't I leave myself alone!!! ...I have a fire in my belly. I always have the feeling I'm in a huge hurry and that fire in my gut just drives me and drives me. At some point I recognized it as motivation. I'm glad I have it. Considering the alternative is my brothers...I am learning to take a breath in the midst of my busyness and enjoy how much I love what I'm doing. Years ago when I changed from the "old" Brookes to the "new improved" Brookes, one of my favorite quotes that became one of my mantras is "A good day is when I control my thoughts - a bad day is when my thoughts control me." It is an amazing thing to recognize that I am in control... and when I am beginning to lose it!! Sometimes I look at what I accomplish in a day and I blow my own mind!   I was never a morning person. I always say the happiest day in my life was Evan's last day of high school because I would never have to get up early again! Ever since I opened the bakery I can hardly wait to get out of bed and down here to turn on the oven and get something going!! I am getting busier. Every week seems to bring something new and I am excited. The travel Channel was at the cafe that I bake for in downtown Asheville on Friday. It was one of my busiest days so far. I had a cake to frost,decorate (Birthday cake above- had trouble w/ the writing frosting took toooo much time!!!) and deliver first thing in the morning, 3 kinds of cupcakes to bake and frost, 2 cheesecakes to top and prep for delivery and a 3 layer cake to bake for Saturday morning. I came down to the bakery early with my coffee, turned the oven on to warm the place up and turned around to the computer to check in for the day. A few seconds later I heard a popping fizzing sound coming from the oven. -Opened the door and the element was burning like a firecracker fuse!!! OH MY GOD!!! Unreal!!! Of all days right??  Called one appliance guy and left a message (still hasn't returned my call!) Called Lowes who referred me to a local appliance supply, called them, (this is 8AM) super nice lady answered, gave them my info and they had my part in stock! YAY! Finished up the cake, delivered it and set off across town. Picked up the part, picked up a few quick groceries and headed back. Unplugged the oven - that sucker gave me a 220 shock when we put it in dammit so I'm scared of it! Got out the tools, removed the burned out element and installed the new one. It worked!! I did it!!! All by myself!!! hahaha I am so proud!! I am woman hear me roar!!! One of the 3 flavors of cupcakes was not good so I had to do them over. Cut my finger. Got everything done by 4:30 (did not bleed in the food) and headed over to the barn to get the stalls done and the horses in so I could get myself decent for the TV interview and head out of here by 6PM. PHEW!  ...Mr. perfect came pulling in the driveway shortly thereafter. Left work early to help me (of course) and he finished up the barn so I could get ready. Cracked a Heineken and took a breath. I guess we'll see if I looked OK if I ever get on TV!!!

Simple Joys

I've been making egg salad for my whole life it seems. My Mother used to make egg salad and tunafish (solid white only!) sandwiches for dinner sometimes when she was real busy creating outfits in the sewing room with my Grandmother. She made them on white bread and cut the crusts off and cut them all perfectly on the diagonal. There would be a big plate of them in the fridge 1/2 and 1/2 covered with saran wrap. We LOVED it! That soft white bread and the soft filling mmmm you could eat so many and it was fun too. Later on (when I was a newlywed and subsequently a new Mother) she and I would have lunch together all the time and we'd have them on toasted bread and she'd put like 4 layers of green or red leaf lettuce and we'd have Hellmans on one side of  bread and Miracle Whip on the other side- ready at exactly 1pm and we'd watch All My Children. Ahhh those were the days! She's gone now and I never eat an egg salad or tuna sandwich without thinking of her. Today I made the egg salad with my own eggs. I got my own chickens in April and had a personal vow not to love them. I was absolutely positive that it would be a disaster and that the dogs would eat them or the hawks would get them or something horrid. Well it's November and all 10 are thriving. I love them. I love their beautiful pure whiteness. I love their little noises. When I pull in the driveway and get out of my truck they come a runnin'- all ten of them like a bunch of puppies or something. Ten little white friends that love me. Their feathers are like angels wings, their beauty blows my mind. They are a dream come true. I have ALWAYS wanted fowl in the barnyard but was always too afraid to try. Today the horses were out loose grazing in the yard with the chickens all around them. It warms my heart!!! It's like the lion laying down with the lamb type of thing. Peace in the kingdom....And then there's the eggs! sometimes 10 a day! All the baked goods in the bakery seem much more special. The color of the cheesecakes and yellow cakes is amazing. Sharing them is amazing! -and simply making egg salad with them is amazing! Standing at the kitchen sink peeling them hard boiled- seeing them and feeling them in a whole different way. Wishing Mom was here to share it. Feeling nostalgic over egg salad! I mixed in a little of my homemade "Aunt Margie's Zucchini relish too.YUM!

The view from the top of our land

This is the view from the top of our land. It is the most peaceful place I know. In the distant river valley you can sometimes hear the train. Nostalgic and sorrowful

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A Normal Day?

I thought today was a stay home and catch up day-boy! was I wrong...I got a call first thing to go teach a riding lesson 30 miles away at noon. It's near Jeff's office so I called him and arranged to hit the wood stove store then have a quick lunch. Before I left the farm I turned the horses out; did one of three stalls; tended to the chickens and dogs and got myself presentable.Stopped on the way at the store for cake supplies- I have an order for an "army" cake friday. -Not really my thing but I'm not turning down and order and it should be kinda fun. Met Jeff, taught the lesson got done at 1:35 and headed back to town to meet my hay broker at 2pm. Loaded my hay, stopped at the feed store for some bandaging materials- one of the dogs needs some sores wrapped so she can't irritate them more than she already has.Then I headed home.Let the dogs out- Jet was a bad dog, stole pie off the counter and broke a dish even though I left him with a nice bone-spoiled brat!!! he was mad I'm sure because i took Mugsy with me.Got the rest of the barn chores (stalls etc) almost done just in time for my afternoon lesson to show up. Beautiful children who can't wait to collect the eggs. A thrill for me to share! Got EIGHT eggs today. We put a light in the chicken coup to imitate longer days and it's working GREAT!! groomed Cain with the kids then taught a lesson -rode a little to demonstrate. Put the horse away sent the family on their way, finished up the barn chores and now Jeff is pulling in the driveway. I have steaks thawing and I headed upstairs to treat myself to the hot tub and a glass of wine. Hopefully Jeff will join me. Looks like I'll just make it in mefore the sun goes down across the river Phew! A productive day!!

Sunday Morning Ahhhh.....

A well-earned day OFF! This morning for breakfast we're having banana buckwheat pancakes with real maple syrup, oven glazed bacon, farm fresh (our own!) sunny side up eggs and sliced fresh pears. Then I'm going to sit on the couch by the cozy fire and read the paper and do the crossword puzzle!!! I am so happy!! The temp this am was 25!!! WHAT??? (so glad Jeff does the morning farm chores!!) Now, a few hours later it's a gorgeous sunny 68!! Gotta love our mountain weather! The dogs are already bugging me for their walk. Think I'm going to make an indian-inspired sloppy joe tonight if I can find my missing serrano!

A Beautiful Day!

The storm has blown on through and the sun has come out in full force.A perfect fall day.With most of the leaves off the trees, I can see the river below clearly- one of the good things about winter- my view totally changes! the sun sparkles off the river almost blindingly and it is completely wonderful! This morning I delivered a birthday lunch for four with two cakes and cream cheese apple pound cake & pumpkin cupcakes to creatures cafe. Lost three riding lessons to the storm so I'm grateful for the bakery!! My "job with a roof over it" -now I have to clean up the disaster area -ugh!!!

Thursdays walk

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We flushed a grouse and worked for two hours trimming the high branches. The colors were beautiful and I enjoyed them especially as the rain and cold front is moving in.Cold front meaning 50-60 degrees,so it will actually be fall! We found a nice turkey feather and my big thrill was the first Puttyroot leaf poking out through thedead leaves on the ground. Puttyroot is a wild orchid that blooms in the spring but puts out its silvery-green papery leaves throughout the fall and winter. So even though fall is just only setting in now- I am seeing the first signs of spring!!

Jet waiting for our hike in the woods

Welcome to Outlander Farm!

Hello!! Today I begin my blog! October 27th 2011 I just returned to the computer era when I opened the bakery this summer. So while I'm beating a batter or waiting on something in the oven, I'll blog about all the exciting and busy things that happen with me on an "average" day. Last week we (me and the dogs- Jet my giant schnauzer, Mugsy my mini schnauzer mutt-mix and Molly my inbred dalmatian-beagle cross) flushed a bobcat on our walk up in the woods. It was a real thrill! it was beautiful and fluffy getting it's winter coat and so completely silent it was amazing!! There were four deer in the pasture day before yesterday. I have some extra plain oats that the chickens don't like so today I'm going to put some out for them. We're about to head out for our walk now. I'm taking the tree trimmer with me to trim some low branches on a trail so I get get through on Rainier later. He's huge (17.2 hands if you know horses) so I'm always crashing into stuff! more later...B