Granny's Parlour

The weekend is a good time for grazing. This is a summary of some of the delightful Blog articles I have been reading during the week. I invite you to graze through these, and also through the archives of the creative writers who wrote them.

Food canning equipment, tool carts, compost bins, growing kits, cider and fruit presses, the Squeezo Strainer, food dehydrators, juicers, smokers, cold frames, greenhouses and so many more innovations contribute to making our lives organized and healthier and to turning our homes and properties into an oasis where the living is good.

All of these things exist because we are creative and because we have a unique ability to adapt to our environment. In truth, foodies, homesteaders and gardeners who write about their experiences are telling the ongoing story of our inventive spirit. On their pages, every tool and appliance is like a paint brush; ready to express a new vision.

You can access the entire Weekend Highlights series to date by clicking on that category in the sidebar at left.

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I am always amazed by the wealth of unique creative ideas at Inner Child Fun. The site is crisp and professional and each project idea is presented in a way that makes even adults want to jump in and play along. We have visited this Blog before and it is a pleasure to return to it now and again.

Summer is here and we want the children to make good use of their time. Here is just one of many ideas for hours of creative fun. Who wants a computer screen or video games when the “Cloud Dough Ice Cream Shop” is open for business? [Read Full Article]

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Troll Challah. 8″ x 8″ Gouache on Paper. Sharyn Dimmick

I believe it has been a while since we’ve popped into Sharyn’s kitchen, at The Kale Chronicles. I enjoy every single Blog I follow equally, but each for a different reason. It is a lot like enjoying the character of a friend. One will stand out due to their humor, another because of his or her wisdom, another yet because of his talent. Each has something unique to offer.

I suddenly realize something as I read “Daring Bakers’ May 2012 Trolls’ Challah.‘” It was as though I consciously noticed the unique character of this Blog even though I had sensed it all along. This is precisely what led me to return to it frequently.

That the article pertains to braided bread is rather apropos. The author conveys her recipes as though she braided her thoughts, daily activities and the very act of baking or cooking into the process, bringing a true glimpse of a moment of life in each of the recipes she shares.

“Although I have made pretty challah many times, I was tired this morning,” she begins. “I have recently undertaken a vigorous exercise program, involving walking up hills at the crack of dawn. I … set the bread to rise… Then I gratefully escaped upstairs for an hour and lay on my bed reading my copy of The Sun… True to form the tea was steeping, the toast was toasted and I had just spread the cashew butter on the warm bread when the challah once again threatened to overflow its mixing bowl… In its fervor the yeast had risen magnificently but unevenly, bursting out in bulges… [Read Full Article]

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We visited with The Pocket Farmer not too long ago when she found an abandoned goose egg and took it under her wing. No pun intended. If you remember, this little orphan proved to be a fighter and his human savior had great plans to ensure its well-being and eventual return to the wild, with assistance from proper authorities in such matters. Then, the phrase “circumstances beyond our control” revealed the harshness of its meaning.

Lucky is a little hen. She is also a key witness. In an attempt to make sense of incomprehensible events, The Pocket Farmer turned to her writing, lending her voice to Lucky, in Lucky’s Story. It begins, “So, the Farmers went a little crazy today. And  actually it’s been weird all week. First, the dogs left for a while and the lady farmer was calling and calling for them…”

Pocket, as I like to call the author, has found a poetic way to make sense of heart-wrenching events. We think, most likely wrongly, that we shed our innocence as we become adults. In fact, we think this is necessary. Yet it is perhaps only with the eyes of innocence that we can embrace tragedy, like the little hen that observes, knows something is deeply wrong, but remains calm nonetheless. [Read Full Article]

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Thank you for stopping by to read this Weekend’s Review. Please take a moment to leave a few words on the Blogs you enjoy, if you feel so inclined that is.