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Welcome to the Farm {Chez Poulet}

  • February 6, 2012 4:20 am

Our chalkboard in the kitchen reads: “Welcome to the farm, so glad you are here!” It really is a true sentiment. We enjoy having guests. There are times when I wish that many of the incredible people I have met over the years were able to visit – that the miles between us weren’t so many. The farm is such a large part of who I am, and while I post photos or stories about it, nothing really compares to an actual visit.

That being said, I am planning to do regular posts on visiting the farm. I want to introduce those of you who aren’t able to visit to the parts of this property that I love and that make this place our home. While it isn’t the same as an actual visit, I hope that it gives you a sense of this space, and of the wonderful, simple, sometimes messy day-to-day goings on here on Blackberry Farm.

Today it is absolutely gorgeous out. There is still a wintery chill in the air, but the sun has warmed the farm for the past three days and I am soaking up every moment that I can. Bonfires have been lit, lawns have been mowed, and gardens have begun to be tidied in anticipation of spring. Everything is so much prettier when it is sunny out. Granted, this isn’t a “pretty” time of year – the property is fairly muddy, the trees are bare of their leaves, and the gardens look barren. However, when the sun shines, it brightens up those dark areas and creates a golden hue that invites you out into it’s warmth. I am certain that the birds’ songs are more robust on days such as this~

So, while it isn’t the prettiest time to photograph Chez Poulet, I thought it was a good time to begin planning the gardens and painting projects that I hope to accomplish this coming spring. She is a blank slate of sorts right now, and it gives me a clearer idea of what I would like to see come summertime.

Mr. Taylor built this coop for me that first summer after we had come to the farm. We had moved in at the beginning of October and that Christmas, I was presented with a beautiful letter from him, explaining that, in the spring, he would begin construction of the “penthouse of chicken coops”. I would like to say that my husband truly spoils me, and when we moved in, he knew that my dream was to have chickens of my own. Thus, chickens I would have.

Over the years I have brought home day old chicks from the feed store, ordered chicks online, ordered eggs online, and hatched (not intentionally) our own chicks. They really are such fun to watch as they run around the property, chasing each other, finding bugs, and enjoying our kitchen scraps. We have a hammock that hangs near the coop, and a vintage bed that is under the pergola to the right of the coop – both places that make for wonderful summer reading spots as well as fabulous chicken viewing areas.

And then there are the eggs. Have you every enjoyed farm fresh eggs? I must tell you that I have become a bit of an egg snob. I am unable to eat eggs at restaurants anymore unless they are incredibly fresh. The yolks are so bright they are nearly orange. I love knowing that the eggs have been laid by hens that are able to free-range on our property and have a very happy life. Do they taste better because of that? I like to think so – but for me it is more than that. For me it is the way things should be done – the animals that give us our food should be treated with respect and are entitled to enjoy their lives rather than be treated as a commodity. I wish all farming practices were the same.

I do promise to post more photos this summer, when the beautiful climbing rose is in full bloom over the pergola and the projects have been completed. Chez Poulet really shines then!

Tomorrow I am going to share some of our favorite egg recipes. It is amazing how creative you tend to get when the girls are laying a lot of eggs~

{Finding the lovely} week 1

  • February 2, 2012 11:24 pm

Last month I had the pleasure of spending a few days with one of my dear friends Jeanne Oliver in Salt Lake City. We talked of inspriration and plans and collaborative projects. We also discussed ideas of how we could do something fun on our blogs for the month of February – something that spoke of love. We agreed that one thing we both love is photography – not only of big production photography, but of making simple photos of the things in our lives give us joy and make us grateful. We wanted to find something that would include as many people as possible and we wanted it to be easy. We didn’t want people to feel burdened, but we did want to encourage people look around them throughout the month of February and be more intentional (one of my words for 2012!) and present in their lives.

Thus, we thought that we would have a linky party!

Here are the rules:
1. Be present
2. Be open to the lovely things and people in your life
3. Have fun
4. Include your children and family and I know they will have fun too
5. Take your photos with any kind of phone or phone app
6. Share your favorite images each Friday on your blog and link up with us on ours.
See – simple as can be!
Here are my images that make me happy this week~

We will be alternating weeks and this week we will be linking onto Jeanne’s blog, so head on over to link up! As it is the first week, you can always use photos of lovely that are already on your phone. I can’t wait to see what sorts of things you have that bring joy in your life! Make sure to leave me a comment if you participate so that I can find your photos~

xx

Sunday {baking}

  • January 29, 2012 2:27 am

Good morning my friends and happy Sunday. I so love weekends – truly – they are my favorite time with my family. I love how laxidazical they are. Our time seems to be our own and we do with it what we please. We also eat. A lot. I love preparing big farmhouse breakfasts and planning for wonderful leisurely dinners. On these wet cold winter days I also enjoy spending my afternoons in our kitchen, listening to my French music sent to me by my sweet friends while baking cakes, or pies, or cookies. It is my happy place.

This is a cake I made recently that was quite a hit with the boys on the farm. I found it here and made a few minor changes. I didn’t use red beets as I had found some fabulous golden beets at the farmer’s market. It is dense and not overly sweet – until you add the frosting that is. It is also really moist (and I know how much my friend Jeanne likes moist cake). I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

mid-winter surprise from the {garden}

  • January 27, 2012 1:12 am

When winter is upon us we turn indoors for much of the time. Daylight seems fleeting, the ground is soggy, and the gardens seem to be resting for the coming spring when they will burst with every sort of flower and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

But yesterday I found a little surprise in those sleepy gardens – something I hadn’t expected. These beautiful Jerusalem artichokes, all nubby and covered with mud. I gently washed them under cool running water, and discovered that even in the long dark and wet days of winter, the gardens still provide small treasures for our family.

a field trip to {the beach}

  • January 26, 2012 10:28 am

Today began with a to-do list that brought little excitement or enthusiasm. While #4 was at school in the morning I did a few tasks that couldn’t be put off, but about half an hour before he was to arrive home for lunch, something surprising happened. The sun came out. I don’t know if it was forecasted but as it was cold and wet when I walked the littles to the bus, I hadn’t anticipated time outside today. As the sun is something that brings me great joy, especially in the winter time here in Seattle I wasn’t going to waste it. As soon as #4 stepped off the bus I loaded him into the land cruiser and we were off to the beach! I packed our boots and a bag for collecting all of the treasures that we were sure to find, as well as a snack for the drive. He was so excited and surprised at the thought of exploring one of his favorite places which in turn made me so happy.

After we enjoyed the beach and our fingers were sufficiently numb we headed to one of our favorite cupcake shops in West Seattle. We enjoyed a sweet treat and something warm to drink. The sun was streaming in the windows of the car as we drove home, my little man fell asleep in his car seat in the back, and I know that he will remember this day at the beach for some time to come.

Inspiration overload at {ALT Summit}

  • January 24, 2012 1:20 am

{all photos taken with iPhone in poor light!}

I think I am trying to process it all – to sort through the vast amount of information and inspiration that I have gathered over those four days. I am still floating along in that bubble of friendship, inspiration, and excitement to move forward. I met so many amazing, wonderful, generous people – people I now call friends. And let me tell you, these friends of mine, both new and old – we laughed. A lot. There was a lot of laughter, and a lot of love.

I went to Alt Summit to network – I wanted to make connections with people that I could possibly work with in the future. I wanted to meet inspiring people who were living their dreams and knew the value of doing what you love. And while I did those things, I also returned home with so much more. I returned home filled with knowledge – and tools – for moving onto the next step of my journey to create the life that I am so excited to lead. I am nearly bouncing with excitement to “get going” and implement many of the things that most inspired me. (now if only these boys would have power at their school and return to said school – where they are supposed to be during the day!)

In the coming months I plan to make some changes to my site. I will be moving things around a bit, redesigning a new, clean, “branded” look that I hope you will like. I am also going to find myself a bit of a schedule and stick to it. I want to post more recipes from the farm, and share with you the things that we most enjoy sharing around the farm table. I want to share more of the farm with you – from planting gardens in the spring to the joys of entertaining outdoors in the summer. I really want this to be a place where you come to find inspiration, and where you look forward to visiting. Any thoughts or wishes that you might have are absolutely welcome. I would love to hear your thoughts on it all~

If you want to hear more about the Alt Summit, please visit the following links.

Jeanne Oliver Designs

The Bedlam of Beefy

Reverie Daydream

Under a Pink Moon

Courtney Khail

Salt + Pine

Not Your Average Ordinary

the lil bee

If I missed anyone, please let me know and I will add you!!
xx

a {snow day} and altering my focus a bit

  • January 16, 2012 5:39 am

I was talking to a friend lately about contentment. We agreed that it is something we both aspire to – the feeling of having enough, being grateful for all that we do have, and being happy with the here and now, rather than continually living in the future. Now, that isn’t to say that we don’t have aspirations, dreams, and ambitions – because we have lots of those. I think this conversation pertained more to our homes, and the state of them. You see, we are inundated these days with media that is always pushing the “more is better” philosophy, closely seconded by the “it all must look perfect” decorating theory. Many of the blogs I used to follow centered their entire feel around that mantra. And it is easy to be pulled in – what with all of the beautiful images that are always attached. I will admit that I spend far too much time on Pinterest – and I am not apologizing for that, as I find endless inspiration and ideas there. But, for me, it is finding the balance between looking at those gorgeous photos of beautiful homes and spaces and being happy with the home we have. Have I completely lost you yet? Gosh, I really hope not – because I feel that I am not alone in my feelings here. The thing is, in the past I tried to create a space that was beautiful, and that was enviable. But that scenario often means that said space isn’t all that comfortable, or relaxed, or inviting. Oh, it could be pretty, but no one is going to want to kick off their shoes, curl their feet underneath them on the sofa, and enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea on that sofa.

So, back to that conversation with that friend of mine… What we discovered is that while we were spending all of this time trying to get our homes to “look” a certain way, the photos that we were continually drawn to in magazines, or blogs, or on Pinterest were the photos that looked comfortable, well-worn, and lived in. The photos are functional, welcoming, relaxed. They were photos you wanted to climb into and stay for a good long time. And we have realized that we want that feeling in our own homes. We want people to come in, feel immediately welcome because we aren’t busy making everything perfect, but instead focused on enjoying our time with them.

And so, today, I would have normally been up early tidying up, doing laundry, cleaning up the messes from the weekend. However, instead, I woke up to a beautiful white blanket of snow covering everything on the farm. I grabbed my camera and went out to hang with the sheep and geese in the snow for a bit. I then came in and made breakfast for my love in a messy kitchen. And while I will pull things back together today, I am going to do that around my time spent with my boys as they are home today with me, and we are going to enjoy ourselves on this snowy day. Because the house can wait.

making {chevre} on the farm

  • January 12, 2012 3:55 am

***

It seems winter has finally decided to visit Seattle. While it has been clear and bright these past couple of days, it is also pretty frosty first thing in the morning. I have been starting my days by breaking the ice that has covered the water in the animal troughs.

As yesterday was mighty cold I opted to stay inside and work on a couple of things I have been anxious to try. One of these things was goat cheese. I have always wanted to try chevre – something we purchase often at the market and enjoy on salads, sandwiches, and crackers. I had seen this recipe not long ago and as it seemed simple enough, I thought I would give it a go. I had goat milk on hand and as all it requires is that and lemons, I really had no reason not to try it!

I must tell you, it was even easier than I had anticipated. Mine turned out creamy and wonderful for spreading. I didn’t add anything to it but hope to on my next batch. While it doesn’t have the bite that some of the chevre I have purchased, it may have been because my milk was pasteurized, or not as fresh as the milk used in making commercial brands. My next goal is finding fresh milk and trying it with that~

***

{the delicious jam on the chevre is a spiced nectarine brought as a gift from my friend Audra – absolutely divine!}

{Sundays} on the farm

  • January 8, 2012 5:33 am

Sunday mornings on the farm. The house smells of bacon after enjoying a hearty breakfast of that with farm fresh eggs, and thick slices of bread from the farmer’s market, toasted and slathered with homemade blackberry jam. The sound of the dishwasher humming away is the only thing I hear, aside from the occasional cheer from #4 playing a game upstairs. Mr. Taylor is outside in the studio, most likely up to his elbows in clay working diligently on creating a new set of plates for the kitchen. Oh, how excited I am for the day we can entertain with beautiful handcrafted plates he has made. I love Sunday mornings, as they are so often peaceful. I often begin the morning doing some project or another outside, just as the sun has come up, while I am in my grubby farm clothes. I enjoy greeting the animals as I bring them their breakfasts, getting them settled into their pastures for the day. Undoubtedly, walking back from the barn I always spot a pile of something to go into the yard waste bin, or gutters that need cleaning, or a bit of raking that would only take a moment. This morning before I showered I decided that the barn gutters and roofs of the house needed cleaning. It has been so mild lately and lord knows how long that will last. Thus, up the ladder I went. And I must tell you, when all is said and done, it is so gratifying to know that it is only 10 am and a huge job has already been completed. So, after breakfast, with nothing pressing on my “to do” list (because there is ALWAYS a to do list) I am able to sit in the silence, reading, or researching, or searching for inspiration for my next project. And this, mes amies, is why I love Sunday mornings.

Goodnight {2011}

  • December 31, 2011 6:31 am

And with this post, 2011 quietly passes into history. I always feel a little melancholy at this time of year – the passing of time, boys growing up too quickly, sweet memories that give me pause and, if only for a moment, bring me back to those special moments. 2011 was an amazing year for me, for us, for our family. On most accounts it was a successful year. Business was good, our boys grew, took steps towards independence, occasionally faltered, and then grew from those experiences. We made progress on the farm – new roofs, gardens, filtering out things that we no longer needed, simplifying. It was a good year moving towards a life that we aspire to. I traveled to France, twice. I met new friends and spent time with those that I already hold close to my heart. I realized the value of those friendships – new and old, and hope to invest more of myself in them in the coming year. I also learned how much the concept of gathering with those you love, sharing a meal, as well as conversation excites me. My time in France reminded me of how much I want to bring the parts of that culture that are so inspiring home with me. I want to live a life less ordinary, and with that, a more intentional life. I want to be present in all that I do, whether it is having coffee with a friend, reading a book or having a conversation with our boys, making a meal, or spending time with the animals or in the gardens. If I have learned anything this past week, it is that life can be, at times, crushingly short – ending unexpectedly without a chance to make last minute plans. And while we are here, it is precious. Incredibly precious. Every moment of it. So, in 2012 I want to appreciate it – all of it. I will be taking on less of the things that I don’t really enjoy, and instead focus on the things that make me happy and feed my soul. I plan to make more lunch dates with friends, and then enjoy spending long hours over food and conversation. I want to read my cookbooks – I have a kick ass collection of cookbooks – and plan meals for my family and meals to enjoy on the farm with friends. I want to entertain more – big farmhouse breakfasts, dinners eaten outdoors by candlelight as early evening becomes dark night. I want to have friends over to bake, or share garden plans, or talk photography. And I want to read – starting with the huge pile of books and magazines on my bedside table – interesting looking books that have been patiently waiting for me to open them and immerse myself in their pages. Doesn’t it sound downright luxurious – sitting on a hammock just reading? Oh, please tell me that isn’t just my issue – the “I can’t seem to sit down for more than two minutes” syndrome. Because I really struggle with it. But not this year – not in 2012! In 2012 I am going to live in the moment, slow down and do those things that I keep putting off instead of rushing forward, always to the “next thing”. Because there will always be a next thing – but in all of that rushing towards it, we can completely miss the “right now” – and once it is gone, there is no getting it back. And sometimes, some really sad times, you would give anything to get those “right nows” back. So I plan to enjoy them while they are here, and then know, going forward that I took the time to be grateful for them and lived them to their fullest. That is the plan anyway. Feel free to connect with me sometime in March and ask how it is going. I might need a reminder or two…

Have a magnificently magical New Year mes amies. Thank you for always being here – it really is my happy place, knowing that I have such wonderful friends like you~

Happy 2012!