Date Night IV (number 4)

All right you crazy kids... Date Night #4.

When: Friday June 6th.

Where: The village of Langley, on the southeast shore of Whidbey Island followed by a concert at Mukilteo Coffee.

First Up: Langley Gets Lively with Friday Night Flights. Friday Night Flights features Wines from the South of France. Sample pour and paired cheese or hors d'ouevres are offered at each venue.. Edgecliff Bar & Grill, Fish Bowl, Prima Bistro as well as the Chefs Pantry. Tastings are from 4 - 6:30
Advance tickets are recommended; on sale at every location.
Cost: $20 per person

Second Venue of the night starting at 7:00

Leroy Bell and his only friends are back!~ Featuring a brand new CD!
THIS IS A DO NOT MISS EVENT!!
Ticket are ONLY $10 per person and can be purchased in advanced by calling
(360) 321-5270
Wine and Beer for purchase at the coffee house (Oh yeah and coffee too)!

So bring a sweetheart, friend or a stranger looking for love in all the wrong places!

Mommy Duck

That Adirondack chair may look like a nice place to sit in the sun with a glass of ice tea and a good book if you're looking to fritter some time away... however lets look a little closer into this photo

Besides the fact that my hydrangeas need a good trimming and the windows need to be washed...... and the deck re stained.....


There seems to be a wild duck nesting in one of my deck pots... (that still needs to be planted). See her head there in the ray of sunshine?


Here is a nice close up. This is the second year she's nested in my flower pot. (Note to self... should plant deck pots earlier next year). So now I must wait 28 days for the 11 eggs to hatch before the planting can begin. Another reason to procrastinate. Thanks mama duck!





No I did not kick her off the nest for a photo opportunity. She just flew down to the pond to take a quick splash and spend a little quiet time with papa duck before all heck breaks loose.




Imagine having 11 of those quacking at you all day long.... they sure are cute.


We'll keep you posted of delivery date. Mommy duck started sittin on May 24 so that would put us at somewheres around June 21st.... which by the way is the longest day of the year. Did she plan it that way. Hmmmm

The Great Outdoors

Photos from a small Island.
There are opportunities to take a pretty picture just about everywhere you turn. Here are just a few from this evening. Actually just practicing some techniques from PW's photography site. Even though we would love to have the pleasure and time to photo shop... some are not so fortunate to have a housekeeper. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If we had four punks who live & play in cow poop... there would be a budget for one.
So these photos are straight out of the camera SOOC... not perfect by any means however our toilets are scrubbed and floors vacuumed. There must be some balance!
Now how about that glass of wine?!

Some of Our Favorite Things

Here are few items that get us through each day making us feel well just a little more beautiful.
First up, something to manage our naturally Blond color hair. It use to be anyway.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

Rekindle summer with that sexy, wild, wind-styled texture you get after an ocean swim (which always seems a shame to rinse away)
Salt-infused styling for fullness, hold and a cool, matte finish.
Spray on and go! You've got to love that!!!
Product can be purchased at most salons

When it comes to fragrance, we all have our favorites but the latest one we really love
KAI

Perfume oil fragrance made with essential oils in a convenient and easy to use roll-on vial.


Bronzing Powder. This is something us North Westerners need if you want to have a sunshine look even though all you've seen are gray clouds for the past 9 months. Apply with your largest powder brush and then to make it all look real after all it's all about keepin it real here... follow with Benefits "Dallas" giving you a fresh dusty sunset glow.


Last one for today... LIPS
There are a couple
Yoo Hoo by Benefit
Bobbie Brown lip stick (favorite color for anyone) BROWN
Chanel (All Day) Ultra wear lip color "Rose Pearl

However our best advice would be:



OK.. so what are some of your "can't live without" Products??

Island Life Cooking 101

Seafood is what should come to mind when you think about eating out while on an Island. Of course being from the Northwest it's a guarantee that the fish will be fresh. If you can get your product from a local fisherman at the dock that's great. If not locate your nearest Fishmonger.... buy a bunch of lemons and your half way home to "Life on an Island"
You folks that live in the mid-west... well I guess Catfish or crawdads could be replaced in some of the recipes will include here on Life on an Island. Although I'm sure you could purchase some nice fish at your local market.

Did you know that when possible you should buy a fish whole. That way you can check the eyes as the best and easiest indicator of freshness. They should not be cloudy. Then ask your fishmonger to do the filleting and make sure to save the head and bones for stock. If you can't use all the fish right away, cut the remaining fillets into portions and freeze in airtight containers.

So let the fun begin with one of our favorites here in the Northwest

Baked Fish & Chips

2 lbs thinly sliced yellow finns or red pototoes
1 Tablespoon oil
8 oz white fish fillets (cod / halilbut or the like)
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Sea Salt and Cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Heat baking pan in oven for about 8 minutes. Put slice potaotes on baking paper. Sprinkle with salt and oil then place on Hot tray. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the fish with lemon rind, salt and pepper. Add to tray and cook for 10 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

MMM.. take to the beach or the back deck and enjoy!

White Elephant

Ever since we saw him as a little pup, there was something familiar about him. He has an little old man look for sure. Those wrinkly jowls... which resembled my grandpa George hence the G in Charlie G. G stands for George although it also can stand for goober (and the African term for peanut)or goofy... which reminds me where this is going.
Sure he has ears like the Walt Disney Character Goofy. But as he stood so stoically last night in the evening sun looking over the pond, some other character came to mind.....








We're not laughing at you Charlie G ... those ears just make us smile!

Dog Collar by Lodi & Lewi, Port Orchard Washington
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=102618

Calm in the Storm

OK... here's some pretty pictures to make everyone happy!











Spring has sprung so we're told in the Northwest despite the weather showing signs of winter. Summer begins on Thursday with record temperatures of 80+ degrees. We are looking forward to a day at the beach. However today it is perfect weather for walking amongst the apple trees. They are loaded with blossoms oh and bees. This is a good sign of spring and good for the honey farmers. Time to get the gardens planted for things will be sprouting in the warm weather.

How to Snare a Bunny 101 (We only Kid)

This story will only make sense if you first read the previous post "Charlie G. and the Chocolate Bunny" plus the comments. So scroll down and then come back! Go on..

OK, now... with your best "country girl accent" read the following out loud:

Where we live there use to be bunny farms back in the yonder years when folks actually survived having to eat wild rabbits. When life got a little easier for these same folks and they could afford to have Beef or Chicken... they let the rabbits run free.

These days our Island is overrun by cute little brown country bunnies that seem to eat everything in sight. So to take a little bite (no pun intended) out of the Hare population we've come up with a solution for catching these little buggers.

Directions for a "Country Girl Bunny Snare"
Instead of writing it all out here just visit the following link

Building a Rabbit Trap out of Two Aluminum Cans


We would also like to include the following recipe:
Bunny Pot Pie
1 2/3 cups Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup cut-up cooked Country Bunny
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix vegetables, Country Bunny and soup in ungreased glass pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches.
2. Stir together remaining ingredients with fork until blended. Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 425ºF.

Now don't take this the wrong way, we're not really Blond Bunny hatin wives. This is just our way of responding to an email we received about our last post "Charlie G. &.. well you know the rest of it.

We live on an Island folks, where life just isn't the same as for those of you who live in the big city. We don't always go to the store and buy pre packaged meat... what's the fun in that anyhow?! (Once again... we kid)
It seems that some of our viewers were a touch offended by the last entry of Charlie G and the bunny. Life on an Island or for that matter in the country sometimes has harsh realities. We at times would rather not see these things ourselves but it's our life and we're here to share it with you hopefully adding some humor.

By the way... Charlie is sorry... really he is...

Charlie & the Chocolate Chicken

Here on our Beautiful Island there are many wonderful finds. One is the Chocolate Flower Farm
They are a specialty nursery offering "chocolate" (dark colored) plants and rare perennials. Just outside of the seaside village of Langley on Whidbey Island the owners Marie & Bill opened a nursery in 2005. It's fabulous. The gardens there are lovely. They even have one called the "chocolate, vanilla swirl"... Ice cream anyone? Due to the popularity of the gift items (especially the famous chocolate candles !) they also opened a little shop in Langley that features all things chocolate and for the garden.... it is called ~ The Garden Shed.

We paid them a little visit this past week and Charlie posed in front of the store next to the famous Chocolate Chicken.

He looks so stoic


And a cute little bunny on a chair...


But what happens when you mix Charlie (the sweetest little dog I know) with a bunny?

This can't be good. Sorry folks this might not be appropriate and it may hurt to look... and somehow this is going to work into a "Happy Mothers Day" theme which will be a stretch I know... but here goes

Where he got the tail end of the bunny.. I do not know, but what I do know is that he does not want me to take it away from him


So he's off and running and I am now starting to laugh uncontrollably. Some may think this is not funny, in particular the bunnies however after what they did last year to my garden....another story


Stop Charlie G. you're killing me. Here comes the reverse psychology for dogs... make them think what they are doing is OK so you can grab the goods.
"Good Boy Charlie G." "Nice Bunny.. let me see that nice bunny"


Shoot Howdy it works! He stops dead in his tracks (no pun intended) and gives up the bunny which I'm thinking is a lovely mothers day gift. I knew that would work in nicely.


I throw what's left of Peter Rabbit in the back of my husbands flatbed so he can dispose of it somewhere down the road on his way to the coffee shop. I like leaving him little presents like this every now and again.

So if you're wanting to get your mother something nice on this special day, visit the the Chocolate Flower Farm on-line. The candles are delicious and would make a wonderful gift.

Hope all you mothers get as nice of offerings as I have today!
Happy Mothers Day!

Hello.. My Name is Amy Walker

Yes, Another Island Girl born on Whidbey 25 years ago. We've watched her in plays, listened to her concerts and bought tickets from her at the local theater, the Clyde. Have you seen her on YouTube? Incredible!!!
Our Island is full of Island Girls , like us. M, H and J

Chicken Herder

Have you ever seen a chicken herder in action? Is there such a thing you ask? Sure there is! Where do you think the saying "Why did the chicken cross the road" come from anyway? It's a little like herding sheep, cattle and the like however Chickens aren't too bright so it takes some patience, creativity and a good sense of humor.

Why would one need to herd chickens you ask? Well the new garden now has a chicken coop and we had to move the young chickens (which one should never get chickens before the coop is built) from the greenhouse to their new digs. Easy enough.... well maybe!

Some would use a stick... I prefer a landscaping rake


So here we go.... there's the open door


Get along little chickens


Uh OH... I'm feeling a stampede coming on


Quick.... block off the escape routes


If all else fails, grab another rake. Why is the camera guy not helping here?


Phew that was a close one but now I've got the chickens and my mother right where I want them


From here on out it's the dogs job too keep them inside the pen.

Cooking for our husbands 101

You know how it is cooking the same old recipes over and over and what a mundane chore that can become. Night after night trying to come up with something creative, good tasting as well as good for you. Well... we've been saved by Donna Hay. One of our Island Girls (Nisa) let us borrow a Donna Hay magazine a couple months back and our kitchens haven't been the same since. We recently picked up her latest cookbook "The Instant Cook" which is fabulous. Not only are the recipes easy & fast, it's almost like we're back in France every night eating simply & abundantly. The other nice thing about her recipes is that she gives you three variations. For example last night we made Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Stacks on the BB-Q (delicious). Variations: replace the chicken with beef or make it with pork and apple. Our favorite so far and so EASY to make is:

Baked Italian Chicken with Tomatoes
6 Roma tomatoes, halved
3 teaspoons olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons store-bought pesto
4 chicken breast fillets
8 slices Parmesan cheese
12 slices prosciutto

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees. Place tomatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish lined with baking paper, drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Spread the pesto over the chicken breasts, top with the Parmesan and the wrap each in prosciutto. Place the chicken in the baking dish with the tomatoes and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot or cold with a simple greed salad.

And for dessert... Macaroons


Go buy the book. You'll be thanking us soon.

Sunshine and puppies

What a better way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon than lie around in the warm grass with someone else who is more than happy to eat duck poop with you. Oh the people were working in the garden...

Friday's

Quote of the Day!
The Best Way to Behave is to Misbehave

Italian Spinoni

The question has been asked many times... what kind of dog is Charlie G?
So I figure if I just say it here that will be it. After today, I'm just going to start making up breeds, like he's an Alpine Goat Herder or Salt Water Clam Dog! Very rare but on an Island you find many rare animals and for that matter people... but that's another story.

Charlie G & Tess are Italian Spinonis. I know.. sounds like an Ice Cream or as I like to think Champagne "Asti Spumante".

This is what Charlie G will look like when he grows up.



Very old looking dogs even when they are puppies.


They are known for being couch potatoes.

Their eyes are what get you though.



Tess loves the couch and big leather chair. She also loves down comforters. That meant our bed was now hers. To keep her off our bed we bought her a comforter and well... she's the queen! She also knows how to open the doors of the house so if you ever come visit and see the boards over the door handles... that means we don't want your dirty paws all over the floor, couch, and bed.


Charlie G... he's just too little right now to get into any real trouble. He also is growing so fast that sleeping is what he does most. Here is Charlie after a couple hours working in the garden.

To be able to sleep anytime anywhere and in any position!