Wednesday, August 7, 2013

it's a river day - come and join us!

check out the beautiful sky - it's a river day for sure! and we'll bring you all with us!



hey - hold up there kids! there are cabinets to be built, cats, birds and squirrels to be fed, plants to water and other chores! we try to get all of our major chores done by noon on river days. that way we can go down to the river for the afternoon. but before all the chores, you need a good breakfast. how about some eggs florentine with deli-sliced ham - yummeh!



after years of trying a variety of hollandaise sauce recipes - i have finally perfected it! i put lots of cayenne pepper and extra lemon in my hollandaise and it kicks you right in the head! jambaloney makes the best rice in the world - the best - even better than the chinese! but i make killer poached eggs and a mean hollandaise sauce. we stuffed our faces on these babies. we made them on a half a bagel, with sauteed spinach, deli-sliced ham, 2 poached eggs each and a bucket load of hollandaise. that will keep you working til dinner!

allrighty - get all the chores done and head off to the river! august and september are the best river months - the water is still freakin' freezing but it's hot enough out that you just want to jump in that cold river. and when you get out - the sun dries you off in minutes! we sit on our blankets and snack and go for a dip. come back, dry off in 15 mins and go back for a dip. we do that for 3/4/5 hours in an afternoon - we love it.

did someone just ask why we love the river so much???? have yourself a gander -

 

can you even believe how gorgeous that river is? neither can we. i guess that's why when we have river days, we get as much done as possible around the homestead and then down tools and head for the river. it's invigorating, rejuvenating, uplifting and a balm to the soul. everything is possible and attainable when you stare at that sky!

another reason we love going to the river is - PICNICS! we love having our dinner down at the river! we dip and dry in the sun and dip again, more drying and then snack. we snack the whole time we are down there - there is just something about drying in the sun and snacking on delicious food!

 

that's some home-made salsa, home-made guacamole, celery, carrots, green onion, cherries, home-made hummus, store-bought pita that i baked and added olive oil and a ton of spices and some local peaches and plums. we love snacking down at the river!!!!

and here's my favourite towel-holding tree. you can see jambaloney's little half-umbrella shade thingy in the background. i am in the river taking this pic...you can see that the river is full of delicious water and silt.



here is a little wild rose bush growing down at the river - so pretty!



and some crazy lily pad flowery-things growing in the ditch beside our road. they are beautiful tho.



alas, after 3/4/5 hours down at the river, it is time to come home and feed cats and do chores. afterwards, a supper of fatoush salad with some grilled chicken.


and that has been our day today. a better day couldn't have been asked for. but we are in the dog days of summer here which means that for the next 5-6 weeks, we will have many river days and lots of stuff to soon start harvesting. as well as getting ready for our fall garden. but river days are special! and when the magic of the Manor screams "river day", you get your chores done and get down to the river as soon as possible. you never ignore the magic of the Manor. never.

26 comments:

  1. It doesn't get much better than a day like that!

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    1. Sunnybrook - it certainly doesn't! and we try to suck the joy out of all days like these! thanks for stopping by and for following us - we are now following you, too! shall i add you to our blogroll? let me know.

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  2. Hello from a small welsh village
    Just found you by accident

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    1. hey John - thanks for stopping by! i think that you found us from 1st Man's blog...any friend of his is a friend of mine! i have just checked out your blog, am following and if you want to exchange links just yell! i can't believe you are from a welsh village - wales is a place i have always wanted to visit. and now i can - through your blog. thank you again for stopping by!

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  3. your meals are not only really delicious, but they are healthy. Seems like everything I enjoy cooking is fattening.

    If I had a river like that I'd spend time down there ever chance I got.

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    1. oh Harry - no one on the planet cooks using more bacon fat than me! and we use a ton of butter! we like to eat high protein, high fat, lots of fruit and veg - but stay low on the carbs and starch. and Harry - jam would take you out on our river in the canoe and you would go into a trance. and then probably never leave. we would set you up in the vandura but you would be banging on the door every morning for coffee and eggs and bacon. so that's why we can't offer you an invite - bahahahahahah!

      just kidding buddy! you are welcome here anytime! you know that! you and your family - we would take you in a heartbeat! start planning a vacation. i promise i will feed you good! xoxo

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  4. Those eggs really do look good. Plus any story that includes the term "Crazy Lily pad flowery things" is a win!!!

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    1. thanks PP. but now i feel bad because i made no mention of smurfs. i promise to correct that in a future post. my bad. please forgives?

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  5. Oh so relaxing, thanks for sharing. I needed to de stress...its not wonderful anymore in the bunker.

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    1. oh Rob buddy - what's going on? i hate to hear that you are stressed?

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  6. Sweet Kymber,
    I so love river days, I've got my fishing pole ready and a big cooler to boot......... Bahahahahahahaha.

    Now using a bagel is a great idea for your poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Usually when I use a English muffin it gets soggy fast. I'm going to have to try the bagel.

    What is a fatoush salad? What ever it is, it looks amazing. I love eating a nice cold salad on those hot some days.

    I've made some of that fabulous cucumber, mint, and ginger water. Bulldog Man drinks so much of it I can't keep it in the refrigerator.

    Give Jam a hug from your Okie friends,
    Sending hugs and love your way.
    Sandy




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    1. sweet Sandy - you know that YOU are welcome any time - jam would looove to take you out on the river and you gus could fish all day. when you come back, i will make you a fatoush salad and some grilled chicken. fatoush is a lebanese salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoe, cucumber, parsley, mint and dried pita chips. the dressing is olive oil, a ton of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper. it is very refreshing due to all of the lemon juice! and the crispy chunks of pita are delicious. you add the pita right before serving.

      i love using bagels for my benedict/florentine poached eggs. the bagel stays cruncy, i toast mine to crispy and then they don't get soggy when you bust the eggs on them and pour the hollandaise over them.

      i am so glad that Bulldog Man likes the cucumber water - it is soooo refreshing on a hot day or when you have been working all day.

      jam got the hug and sends one right back to you. as am i. your and yours are always in our thoughts and prayers...especially your strong and courageous Dad. give him all of our best, please. xoxo

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  7. I THINK I was looking at arrowroot plants, rather than lilies. If so, they have edible tubers. Check http://www.thepreparedninja.com/north-americas-top-ten-wild-edibles.

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    1. Mr. Smythe - thanks so much for the link. we checked it out and compared but we didn't think it was arrow root. however, by doing some more checking, we found out that it is pickerel weed - the leaves and seeds are edible - woohoo! i will save some seeds and then plant all around our swampy area at the river. then when we have a ton of it established, we'll have another food source, which is awesome. if you want to learn more about pickerel weed, go here:

      http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Wildflowers_Kimonis_Kramer/PAGES/PICKERELWEED_PAGE_FINAL.html

      again - thanks for trying to help us identify it - we appreciate it!

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  8. I needed a blue sky today. It just keeps raining. Today, was soooo cloudy with just a bit of rain. Blue skies and fluffy white clouds are just the thing for me under a brilliant sun. That river looks relaxing. Your saying "cherries" reminds me--cherries are on sale, so I have to go buy some right now.

    Maybe exbf and I will go to the lake in town and have a car picnic tomorrow...in the rain.

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    1. Linda - i am glad that you enjoyed the blue sky! we had rain, rain, rain for the whole month of june and i thought i would lose my mind. i don't mind a day or two of rain or grey skies, but when it's non-stop and endless, it drives me crazy! so i empathize with you. yes, get out there and get yourself some cherries - they are such a treat when they are in season. we will freeze a bunch and dehydrate a bunch for the winter. and yes, car picnics are fun, too. i hope that you get out and have one with exbf!

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    2. Linda - i am glad that you enjoyed the blue sky! we had rain, rain, rain for the whole month of june and i thought i would lose my mind. i don't mind a day or two of rain or grey skies, but when it's non-stop and endless, it drives me crazy! so i empathize with you. yes, get out there and get yourself some cherries - they are such a treat when they are in season. we will freeze a bunch and dehydrate a bunch for the winter. and yes, car picnics are fun, too. i hope that you get out and have one with exbf!

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  9. As always, a beautiful day, a beautiful place, lovely food and with both of you there, great company.

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    1. Jane - the only thing that could have made the day better would be if some of our friends could have been there with us. like you!

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  10. Well, where's the fish...did jamie take his rig. You make awful purty meals...dear one.

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    1. dear sweet one - nope no fishing. just swimming, eating and napping. and when it's really hot like that, the fish go deep. thank you for the compliment - coming from a chef like you - i really appreciate it!

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  11. Kymber, You are a food artist, and a pretty darn good photographer too !

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    1. Jane - that's a really sweet thing to say! i just try my best to make the food look nice, i think it's important for aiding in digestion if the food looks nice and you make a celebration out of every meal. and always say Grace. as for the photography, my camera is a standard sony something or other - i honestly don't even know - bahahahaha! i have never read the manual, nor changed the settings. it's on factory settings still - bahahahh! i just point and click. but thank you for those compliments - i really appreciate that!

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  12. Water - whether in Canada or South Africa - is featuring on both our blogs LOL

    Stunning river you have there, lucky you :).

    Thanks for sharing some more of your part of this beautiful planet.

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    1. Dani - water is soooo important regardless of which continent you live on. i am soooo happy that your tanks are full and that your dam is overflowing! we do have a stunning river - the best thing is nobody else is ever on it!!! we love that river - like really love it! i love sharing our part of the planet for others to enjoy and i love seeing other parts of the planet - like the pics you take of your land. i have never been to south africa - but i know what it looks like thanks to you!

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  13. Everything sounds and looks heavenly, Kymber.

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