Dilly Bean Day

It was a perfect day to make Dilly Beans.  I bought 2 pounds of perfect young green beans, fresh dill, and vinegar.  I had Kerr pint canning jars leftover from when we used them as candle holders, hanging in the trees at our very first Little Bird Farm party.  I even found the big canner and all the necessary accessories when I unpacked more boxes this week.  I settled easily into the rhythm of this new kitchen - new to me, that is.  I enjoyed the feel of the kitchen, catching a glimpse from the kitchen sink of neighbors walking their dogs on the ditch-bank road.  A black and white kitty visited our kitchen door, looking at me in a confused way, wondering who lives here now, I suppose.  All the while, I enjoyed the process of packing the jars, adding the red pepper, garlic, and dill to each jar, and then the vinegar mixture.  What a lovely feeling it is to place the jars into the canner, allow them to boil ten  minutes, and gently lift them out - beautiful.  Within minutes - "pop-pop-pop".  Each lid seals perfectly.    

Time out for a little...nature.

My days are so filled with painting, unpacking, cleaning, weeding, and general organizing, that I have not even attended to the blog.  One must attend, after all, to that which yells the loudest!  And the blog sits patiently by, while these other things are in my face!  But just for a moment, every now & then, the beauties of nature face me head on, and I gratefully and reverently take time to breathe and honor her.  Please join me for a moment of precious nature at Little Bird Farm.

Refinished Wood Floors & Hot Air Balloons!

There is nothing quite like the sound of a hot air balloon rising, particularly when it is doing so right outside your bedroom window as you wake in the morning!  It rousts you right out of bed - eager to join in the colorful morning celebration!  At least that was my reaction upon hearing the unique sound this morning.  I grabbed my camera, a cup of coffee, and hurried outdoors, to take it in.  I had to wipe off the front porch furniture because we had yet another big storm last evening - a big beautiful rain and electrical storm such as I have seen only in New Mexico.  It was fabulous! And we have enjoyed such storms nearly every night this week.  What a treat.

This Saturday morning, I will forego the Farmer's Market down the road, in favor of lollying around home - with hot air balloons, newly finished red-oak floors, and a slowly dwindling supply of moving boxes that need to be unpacked.  And a huge and growing pile of broken-down moving boxes and packing paper, which I really must learn where and how I can get recycled and OUT of here!  It really IS......a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  

More Road Trip Pix

Road Trip Pix

Joshua Trees of Arizona

What a wild TRIP?!

Fifteen hours in our station wagon....a lemon tree branch tickling my neck, the noren hanger box landing now and again on the Commander's head, and thank heaven - a fully functional air conditioner!  Not one more thing could possibly be crammed into that wagon!  

One week ago, we set out from our "urban luxury loft" in the East Bay, for the old hometown of Albuquerque.  Our last night before the trip was spent at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, watching James Taylor under the stars  - in the freezing cold!  Then taking BART back to our apartment at 11 pm.  Given that, we didn't get off and away until the reasonable hour of 8 am.  As we traveled we watched gas prices go up and then down.  We watched the outside temperature go up and up and then up yet again....and then finally, down.  Our meals consisted of gorgeous Farmer's Market selections from the previous day - cucumbers, French Breakfast radishes, carrots, perfect peaches, blueberries, and juicy strawberries.  At mid-day, we ate pastrami sandwiches on organic jalapeno-cheese bread.  It was beautiful to see the roadside view go from farmland to extreme desert, mountains (on the outskirts of the Grand Canyon), and then the mesas and valleys of New Mexico.  Truly beautiful.

We arrived at Little Bird Farm at midnight, greeted by millions of stars in the dark sky!  And our bed.  And nothing - nobody else.  It was a sweet and spiritual moment of arrival.  Only the Lemon Tree and herb pot were unpacked.  And we slept in peace and quiet - until the 6 am Rooster Call!  We live in the country now!