Suvir

Rich in Poverty, Poor in Richness - Astounding Humans, Majestic Humanity

An hour or for that matter even ten minutes can change so much. All one needs is perspective, open eyes and a mind that thinks and sees reality for what it is.

Farm life when celebrated without blinders on and when one is free of prejudice - is nothing short of miraculous.

Woman in Command - Betty Osborne at 80

Betty Osborne is a proud New Yorker (Brooklyn born and raised in LI and VT, now living in Upstate NY). NY is lucky to have her as its daughter. She is the kind of citizen that would make any nation or people proud. Happy to serve her own and those unknown. Service like this is not found today. People serve to serve their own type. Her's is a type that is So-American and yet today, So Un-American. 

Four & twenty blackbirds at Masala Farm

This post is devoted to the summer avian life present in Washington County and specifically at American Masala farm.  My husband Peter & I enjoy birding so decided start a list of all the birds we saw and heard during our visit. 

                        This is the stately prince of Masala Farm.  I cannot remember his name but I think it is an                       indian name that means Prince...Now I can only wonder who really wears the pants at

Masala Farm!  

This bird gets my vote!

Seeing him strut his stuff around the farm...like he owns the place.

and he does.

As we mourn situation in Japan, our "girls" thrill us with babies

Charlie holding a baby that looks all about chocolate. Also resembles his mommy almost entirely. The markings are all brown. Darker or light, they are chocolate as chocolate can be. The babies were found Saturday night, and were born all naturally. Marc Durrin, the caretaker found them and alerted us to their birth. Tis' the season for kids, and so this was welcome news. Now we have kids that might make Floyd Cardoz smile with glee. Depressed over the earthquake and its aftermath, we needed some good news. This was as sweet as it could get.

Am I wrong? Crazy? Or is this OK to eat when sick?

How excited I was to have another day at the farm. This one - all alone! Usually scared to be alone, I am finally getting used to this scenario. Little did I know I will have many more days alone. Woke up Tuesday with shivers and high fever, runny eyes and nose, a congested chest. Symptoms of a cold or flu. I ate nothing Tuesday till dinner, when I ate pizza, that I had promise our friends son for his birthday dinner. It took a lot out of me to make that pizza. It was delicious and easy. Thanks Lucini, Zoe, Bittman and good Parimigiano Reggiano from Lucini that make for amazing pizza, everytime. Yesterday, I ate Vanilla Ice Cream with cajeta (we are a farm with many dairy goats) and some salted peanuts from Royal Oak Peanuts. I even added a sprinking of sugar-chocolate from Special Touch (no web link available, I could not find. Maybe my brain is fried due to the fever?). Am I crazy? Have I lost it? Remember, I am alone at a farm in the middle of nowhere in North Country. The pantry is full but there is no produce. Well I confess there are onions and garlic. But a very weak will to cook. To make it worse, I never learned to drive. Do I get a freepass to eat junk? Or is this OK? At least the peanuts count for good nutrition. But the ice cream? I hope I do not get too much guilt. I ate it happily. My one meal of the day. Today????

Where has the summer gone?

I was looking at images I had saved for blog posts and found this one from the height of summer. A folder that got lost in the madness of the joys of summer. What is startling today is the difference in the light. How different everything looks as seasons change. How different we feel. How things taste different, not always because of ingredients, but also because of perception colored by our mood, altered by the seasons.

Yuzu and Ginger come to our rescue

The last few days have been a whirlwind of cooking, cleaning, styling and shooting. As Ben Fink photographs the next book, my gal pal Sal and I have been cleaning, sorting, planning and working till our feet give up. Each night the bed has been the most welcome setting for our tired soles. And this morning we found ourselves the recipients of the kindness of others. FedEX delivered a box of syrups from Torani and my tired brain concocted the above drink. What an amazing elixir it has been. I had to photograph it. And share it with all.

Vermont by Jack Tiggleman

Thursday was our last full day with Charlie and Suvir, and we spent it in Vermont. How did the week go by so fast?

Lake George by Jack Tiggleman

After our delicious meal at the Chocolate Mill, (click here if you missed that post, you should go see it even if you've already read it, as I've updated it a little bit), it was time for the main event of the day: Lake George.  

The Washington County Fair! by Jack Tiggleman.

As luck would have it, our visit coincided with the Washington County Fair, and being the Michigan redneck I am, I begged Suvir to take us. Fortunately for me, it's his favorite week of the summer.

Before heading out to the fair, Suvir treated us all to some of the best eggs I have ever had.