6/30/2008

Too Hot to go Home



The temperatures are sizzling.....

For the Northwest that is. Yesterday it was in the low 90's in most of the Seattle area. On Whidbey being surrounded by water it was a little more tolerable but still too hot to go inland to home. So instead after work Sunday night we decided to stay on the waters edge and have a BBQ! We are fortunate to work somewhere that is on the beach so lets just say we were putting in a little overtime this day.

What's on the menu you ask?? Chicken burgers with pesto mayonnaise, Kettle buffalo Blue chips (try these you'll love them) and beans.



A little feet dipping to really bring down the temperature... lovely!



After dinner we took a sunset stroll up to the towns grocery store "The Star Market" for a little dessert! Chocolate-Choclate Ice Cream Bars!



And this restuarant has fabulous views too!

6/28/2008

Weekends

Close your eyes and breathe in Life
~ Dove Chocolate Promises



Whatever your plans are for this weekend..... slow down and enjoy every moment!



By the way... don't ask how many calories... I mean chocolates it took to find the perfect promise for this post.

6/26/2008

Clam Camp



Yesterday was a perfect day to play at the beach and dig for clams. With buckets and shovels in tow as well as the children (someone had to carry the load)..kidding...
we made a race to the tide flats





There was lots of sand



There were big horse clams



There were sand dollars



There were lots of laughs



There were crabs



The kids found a fort made out of driftwood..



We even found a shipwreck...



And another day we realize how lucky we are to live on an Island!

6/25/2008

Turtle Farm

Looks like we are adding something to our little farm and surprisingly it's not poultry this time... nor cattle, horses, llamas or the like. We have a turtle invasion.



For the last week now there are two female turtles about the size of pie plates trying to lay eggs near the new potting shed. With all the fresh turned up dirt with the garden remodel and sunny location they seem to think this is the perfect location for a nest (or at least I think we can call it a nest).... anyway ... after the eggs are laid the mother turtles leave the area.



Here she is digging a hole with her back feet.



In 10 weeks we should be seeing the little guys working there way to the pond. Here is a photo of a baby turtle.


Did you know that the incubation temperature of the eggs determines the sex of the turtle hatchlings? Who Knew??
To learn more about these fine reptile friends click on Western Painted Turtles
Did ya'll say you wanted to learn something new today??

6/23/2008

Things that make you go HMMMM!


OK.. so the question has been asked by one of our viewers... "Are you two a couple"?

Oh my goodness!! How to so delicately answer that...ah heck I don't think we have a delicate bone in our bodies except sometimes our feelings will get hurt from time to time. Like this weekend when someone said "hey you use to be skinnier in high school."
Aaaa...Hello stupid.. "so did you"!


Well the answer to your question is ... YES... we are a couple of married girls and not in the California wedding nuptial sense. We have a couple husbands (one a piece) named Billy and Ralf (names have been changed to protect the innocent)! We get together as friends a couple times a week over a couple cups of coffee or a couple cocktails depending on the time of day or need at the moment and have a couple laughs. Between the two of us we have couple children, dogs and a lot of poultry.

One of us is 39 1/2 the other 41 3/4 not that we're keeping track. One of us has big arms the other a big feet...stuff you really wanted to know right but things for some reason we tend to point out when we're together. We like to throw parties, go to parties, shopping, hiking, speed walking (no forget the last one), beach combing and just spending time with good friends and family. In other words a lot like most of you.


6/22/2008

WEEKEND CONTEST is now over!!

Thanks everyone for all your entries. After a very official random number drawing we have chosen...... you ready.... drum roll please....


Country Girl's the winner!!! Whoo Hoo....and the crowd goes wild. Not that you're not all winners because after all .... you were let in on a little PW recipe secret and we do love you all.

So what does Country Girl do on a leisurely day?? Here is her answer

Hanging with my husband, being outdoors, taking pictures, working on them in Photoshop. He can bring me drinks, too. I like drinks.

Honestly... we didn't pick her because she likes a good cocktail or glass of wine however it didn't hurt her chances. Country Girl also has a very beautiful website with great photos. Check it out! Chronicles of a Country Girl

Stay tuned for the next give away. We're thinking maybe a bag of Whidbey Island sand... or better yet a lovely collection of Beach Shells!



Porkin, Piggin & Poppin
To fortify us this week we tried PW Apple Dumplings.





Cant' go hikin with out a little butter & sugar.


We tried them that mornin , we tried them again later that night and again the next mornin ... how many apple dumplins does that add up to??? And even as we speak I'm sewin the top button of my stretchy black pants ...

Everyone loved them and you must try these.....

PW is on to somthin and it's not FAT FREE! Viva la Butter

Just know there are consequences to eating more than just one.


So The Contest Is:

Tell us your favorite things to do on your day of leisure. Is it eatin butter filled pastries, runnin 5 miles to work them off, swimmin in your favorite swimming hole or just hanging with the family. Random drawing will be Monday 12:00 PST.

The winner will receive 2lbs of locally roasted coffee from one of our favorite hang outs Useless Bay Coffee House!

One Entry per person Please.....Good Luck!

6/20/2008

Happy Friday


Happy Friday Everyone!!

6/17/2008

Life On An Island



There is nobody on the beach except for us. We are surrounded by water.



Nothing but seashells, sand, saltwater.....









And a little bit of Sunshine!


It just can't get any better than this!

Babies gone wild

Sunday turned out to be a nice sunny day in the Northwest for fathers day and hatching duck eggs.



The first one of eleven. See his little beak? He worked fast and furious within 3 hours he was out... lookin a little wet and tired but oh so sweet.



By the end of the evening ... Mama duck was puffed out and 9 of the 11 hatched.



Here is yesterday morning. Looks like all 11 have hatched and ready to play in the big pond.



If you hadn't noticed....if you're a 12 hour old duckling....it's a really big jump from the top of the planter to the deck. So with a little help of a beach towel we did a quick transfer to the lawn.




Mama is now trying to coax them out of the towel to follow her in the journey to the pond.



Actually they seem to enjoy laying in the beach towel.




Looks like we have a leader... he's getting them ready. Come on Troops! Let's go!



"And they're off"



Looks like Hoof Hearted is in the lead.....



If you don't think that's funny... say it 4 times fast. Hoof Hearted... Hoof Hearted... Hoof Hearted.... Hoof Hearted. We'll your kids will at least think its funny!







Good mama had gotten them to the pond and they are now once again wild ducks

6/15/2008

Fathers Day

6/12/2008

It may look like spring!

Just some photos to refresh our memories that it is spring even though the weather in the Northwest is showing signs of late winter. BRRRRR..



Even Mrs. Robin abandoned her nest due to torrential wind and rain






I can hardly wait to cook up one of these little babies



And speaking of babies... before baby Malorie was reunited with the duck family... Charlie G kept him company. It went against everything his bird dog instincts were telling him... and really I'm still not sure if he was licking baby Malorie out of love or just tasting him a little. Whatever Charlie G's motive were... Malorie seemed to be lovin the slober.


6/11/2008

Pie Crust Recipe

The best pies are runny pies, like kisses, the good ones are never dry.



What you put in the pie is completely up to you... but before we get crazy with the onslaught of summer fruits... why not take advantage of the miserable weather (depending on where you live) and stay indoors making many pie crusts to keep in the freezer. You could also make up the pie and put the whole thing in the freezer for that moment when your Aunt Mildred comes for a visit. Just thaw one out, dust yourself with a little flour while pretending you've been slaving away in a hot kitchen in preparation of her arrival.
No you won't go to hell for little fibs! No Comments please. Yes... I cheat in cards too! Again .. no comments!

This is by far the best recipe!! EVER!! It's from an old (1984) Cuisinart cook book. You will swear it's better than the best pie crust you've ever eaten. It rolls out so nice without cracking. The key behind that is to use a pastry cloth.
So here is the secret recipe.

Basic Flaky Pastry Dough


This recipe makes ample crust for a 9 to 11-inch regular or deep-dish pie or tart. Leftover pastry may be rolled out and cut into shapes to garnish the pie, or brushed with milk, sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon and sugar, and baked until lightly browned.

Ingredients:
For a double crust pie: because two pies are better than one!

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks extremely cold (frozen will work) unsalted butter, cut in one inch pieces
I take my butter and cut it into 1 inch pieces and then freeze it in
baggies, so it is ready to go.

1/2 cup ice water

Instructions
Insert the metal blade. Add the flour, butter and salt in the work
bowl. Process for 8 to 10 seconds, or until the mixture is like
coarse meal. While the processor is running, pour the ice water
through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop processing as soon as the dough begins to form a ball. Do not over process. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Then flatten into two discs about 6 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before continuing. The dough will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or may be frozen (double wrapped) for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature for an hour before using.

6/10/2008

Mama Duck Update




We have 11 days until the eggs are to hatch. Mama duck hasn't left the nest for a while so she's hunkering down until the big day. I couldn't wait to get flowers planted in the pot she's sitting in so I bribed her with a water dish full of bread scraps while I dug the plants in the dirt around her.
Much better don't you think? Plus it gives her a little more camouflage from predators.





This duck has been at our pond on and off for many years so she's pretty use to me by now.


Hey ... what's this? It looks like one's hatched out?!



The pressures of being a mother duck at my house takes on a entirely different meaning. If you are sitting on a clutch of eggs... you never know what I may throw under you. This little guy (who we now call Malorie) was brought to us by a young neighbor (Katyrose) who rescued her from being hit by a car on the road. Malorie's duck family was nowhere to be found!


Although our mama duck was somewhat OK with taking the little one in, Malorie knew this wasn't the place for her. She would rather be swimming with the big ducks in the big pond. So until we could find another family to adopt her we filled the kiddie pool with delicious pond water and man was she happy.






It all has a happy ending with Malorie being taken in by a lovely duck family down the road.
The End!

6/05/2008

CONTEST is now Over! WINNER.... TRICIA

Congratulations Tricia... you are the winner of our first ever contest. All of you had wonderful recipes. Thank you for participating and keep posted for more fun contests!

Today we are Celebrating our friend Valeri's Birthday "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" you Hip Chica Red Head!


Which reminds us that on this day last year in honor of Valeris special day we celebrated in France by eating a napoleon at the top every hour at every bakery in the medieval village of St. Paul de Vence and surprisingly didn't gain a pound.

This year we are heading to our own little Village of Langley's Bakery "PS Suisse" that makes some of the best pastries including your choice of a Vanilla or Chocolate napoleons. Though in America for some reason these little babies just go right to the hips so we are limiting ourselves to just one for the day.... forgettin that we've already polished off a pan of PW's apple dumplins this morning! Don't go there. It will get you into nothing but trouble and months spent at the gym.



Since this is a day for giving gifts... we've decided to do a contest and give away 2lbs of locally roasted coffee from Mukilteo Coffee Co



So all you have to do is (before Sundown on Sunday)
Tell us your favorite recipe using store bought puffed pastry. Make this easy & delicious. Our test kitchen will sample all and have a winner by Monday.

Muscles

Yesterdays walk during the low tide was amazing. The sun came out so we were able to get in some tanning time while sitting on a sand bed.
At one point we came across a bed of geoducks. They seemed to be getting in some sun time too with there necks laying all over the beach. That's an image we will leave you for a day. If you don't know or have never seen one... well... you're on your own there. It's something that is too early in the morning for us to describe and have it come out right. As much as we would like to share a Geoduck recipe with you.. neither of us has made one... but if you go to the Food Network website there is one that looks delicious called "Geoduck Papaya Ceviche"
So instead we will do one we know and love here on the Island. For our little town of Coupeville is famous for the Penn Cove Muscles. Try it ... you'll love it!



Muscles
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 lemon
1 1/2 pounds Penn Cove or other cultivated mussels (about 30)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
Garnish: diced seeded tomato and finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation In a bowl stir together butter, 1 tablespoon garlic, shallot, ‚ tablespoon parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Seed tomatoes and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Cut lemon into 4 wedges. Scrub mussels and remove beards.
In a 4-quart heavy saucepan melt herb butter over moderate heat. Add lemon wedges and remaining garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add mussels and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, cream, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, covered, until mussels are opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Stir in tomato and remaining parsley.

Divide mixture between 2 soup plates and garnish with tomato and parsley. Serve mussels immediately.
Side note: because of the low tides you could grab some clams and throw them in too. Enjoy!!

6/02/2008

Beach Walk



The lowest tide in 40 years is on Wednesday with a minus -4.3. Grab your sunscreen, sunglasses, beach hat and a picnic lunch. Meet us at the shores of Useless Bay Park for a walk on the tideflats. If you don't live on Whidbey... go to your closest beach. Tides are low all week so pick a sunny day and "Just Do It".



6/01/2008

Weekend Without Charlie G

The weekend was lovely up on the Islands. Saturday included an all day biking event with friends around San Jaun Island. But that meant poor Charlie G was sad at home







Do Not let those sad little eyes fool ya! He's been waiting to catch up on a few ZZZ's with his pals