Wordless Wednesday - Farmers Market Splurge

It may be Wordless Wednesday but I have a few words to share about my picture below. We are so very fortunate to have magnificent Farmers Markets here in Chico. Clayton and I often visit the Downtown market and this last Saturday was no different. However this Saturday I caved and spent a little more then normal. I usually spend $10-12 and take home great produce and some flowers.  

Check out the goods.

My Saturday morning bounty included:

1) The most beautiful bouquet of flowers for $5! Yes that's right $5 and it will make many small flower arrangements to spread throughout our house.

2) Two pounds of little red potatoes - $4. They are going to make a lovely potato salad.

3) One large red onion - $1

4) Green zucchini and yellow crook neck squash - $2. I have been craving some grilled zucchini however the plants in our garden have not started to produce heavily yet. Got one on Sunday. In the meantime I will purchase form the farmers market.

and 5) My SPLURGE - Local made lemon curd from the 2 English Ladies. These ladies have it dialed in. They suck you in with a sample. Then after you have tasted the lemon curd, they whip about another bottle to offer a taste of the orange curd. But wait, that's not all! A third bottle offers a hint of the lime curd. Heaven! So I did it. I bought the lemon curd and it is luscious on a bagel with cream cheese. Of course I should be enjoying with a scone, that is the proper English treat but I was fresh out of scones so a bagel it was. What did this little delight cost? $7.50 but so worth it. Plus if I return the jar I get a little discount on my next purchase.

Total spend - $19.50 and it all stayed local.

So what was your last farmers market splurge?

Thanks for reading. ~mrs. c



Wordless Wednesday - Father's Day with Grandpa

If you know me and you know my family, you know my dad spends his free time competitively team roping in local organized roping events. We grew up on a dairy but there was always a horse or two hanging out in their very own corral some where on the ranch.

Now that my dad has two grandsons, he is eager to share his appreciation for western traditions with his "boys" as they are affectionately called. You see my dad never had the chance to use the term boys, I have two sisters and it wasn't until the fourth time around that my parents got their boy, my little brother Ricky. We will save him for a later post, possibly one that details a visit to California from his current residence of Texas when he decides to visit his family. (Maybe he is reading and will get the hint.)

On to the Wordless Wednesday picture portion of this post. A few photos of Clayton and my dad Richard on my dad's horse, Denny over Father's Day weekend.

Me and my sisters know how to ride a horse but we never got involved in any competitive riding. We stuck with the cows and my little brother became the cowboy. However he too was distracted and decided riding a bull was more enjoyable than a horse. Again, I will save that for another post.

I know Clayton's life will be richer in wisdom and character because he too will learn from my dad just like me. It was a great Father's Day weekend in our family. I hope yours was the same. Thanks for reading. ~ mrs. c

Wordless Wednesday - What is it?

It's been a busy morning working (darn job that pays the bills gets priority) but I am now taking five minutes to post my Wordless Wednesday picture. Here is is. Can you guess what it is? Well I will give you a few clues. It is a young tree and that little nub is the new growth. So amazing if you ask me. The rest is up to you. What kind of tree is it?

I will post the answer tomorrow on this page. Good Luck! ANSWER - Yes it is a Walnut Tree!

If you are looking for more agricultural trivia, visit my friend Ellen at Life on A Real California Dairy. Please be warned, visit at your own risk if you are hungry. Thanks to her post, I now have to have cheese for lunch!!


Thanks for visiting and for reading. ~mrs. c

Workin' dirt with Dad

Jake spends all week and many weekends farming for a living. Sure it's a job but the difference between this job and most others is farming is a lifestyle more than it is a job. So the fact that Jake chooses to turn more dirt on his days off is no surprise to me or anyone who knows him. You see the dirt for Jake, and for may others like him, is more than dirt. It's tradition, its soothing to the soul and it's what makes him who he is.

Farming is also the thing he hopes to pass on to Clayton as he grows up alongside Jake. On this Saturday Jake wanted to tend to his garden and he did so the old fashioned way. Check out this cool farm implement.

  

Grow little corn grow!

Test

So maybe Clayton wasn't very helpful but he was happy to sit in the dirt.

 

This one is here just because I love it.

Of course Clayton never stays put. He wandered off to go and check on Dad's newly planted walnut orchard. Stay tuned for a walnut post soon. Just like Jake and I will watch Clayton grow into a young man, we will follow these little babies on their journey to producing rich California walnuts. Yep, that's right. Growing food is like growing your family, and to us this food is our family, its our life.

Wordless Wednesday - Backyard Fun!

It's Wordless Wednesday and  its also warm in Northern California again! Mother Nature was not taking her daily vitamins for a few weeks but she is back on her A-game again and the weather was divine last night. While I was in the kitchen making dinner, Jake and Clayton were supposed to be in the backyard tending to the garden. From the pictures below you will notice that Clayton was distracted by the hose of course and I put dinner on hold to take a few pictures. If you ask me, this is what summer and family fun is all about.

What is your favorite summer family activity?

Thanks for reading! ~mrs. c

Wordless Wednesday - County Fair & Corn dogs!

Memorial Day in Butte County also brings the conclusion of the Silver Dollar Fair in Chico. This was Clayton's second Silver Dollar Fair but last year he was to young to enjoy the classic fare of the County Fair, the corn dog. Aaaahhhh! I wasn't sure he would like it but I was wrong.

I think he did pretty good too.

And by the smile on his face, I think he liked it!

Mommy enjoyed hers with mustard and  a cold beer. Aaahhhh!

So what is you favorite fair food?