Countdown to T Day

I drove out to Rehoboth last night, where my friend Jane lives, and we went to go pick up our turkey.  Its funny to drive 20 minutes out of Providence and be in this little, sweet farming community.  Well, it used to be mostly farms, but it sounds like its quickly becoming just a suburb, with lots of sprawling developments.  Anyhow it looked like the country, and it was so close.  

Sunny Meadow Farms is technically the fenced in field behind Linda and Richard King’s house.  They used to have sheep as well, but afore mentioned housing developments have encroached on that, so now they just raise turkeys:

Our turkeys are raised on the finest grains, and receive no medication or Hormones or any other additives… We have raised turkeys at this location since 1980 as a 4 H project for our youngest daughter Jaimie.  The love for fine food free to additives has kept us raising them ever since.

After welcoming us into their house and giving us lots of cooking advice (much needed!) they hefted over my 25 pound turkey, who was “walking around earlier” that morning.  

I love this.  After being a vegetarian for ten years, I try to remember to not take eating meat lightly.  I think this is one of the best ways to do it:  Supporting your community farmer, who takes good care of the animal.   Obviously, I haven’t even tried yet, but the King’s were so friendly and helpful, I’m sure I’ll be going back to them for all my other turkey needs.

The mister and I got up early (ish) to salt it.  Oh man, those spices smelled amazing…

Busy Bees

Yikes its been a little crazy around here.  …Which is nothing new, apparently.  Let’s do some catching up:

The We Are Wizards Theatrical Release was so much fun!  It played at Cinema Village in New York, so we got to take a trip “home” and see everybody.

First we went to a Reading/Book Signing at Barnes & Noble for Melissa’s Harry, a History  (–which is on the New York Times Bestseller’s List!!)  She had us come up afterwards and answer questions about the film.  She even led a group over to one of the screenings, which was pretty sweet of her.  We raced back for the first Q and A, then got to have drinks with friends and family.  (That part of the evening could have used more planning– we ended up in a pretty dive-y bar in the east village with both our moms. Ah well.  They didn’t seem to mind.) Then raced back for the second Q and A.  And then out again for more fun.  Then sleep.  Finally.

 Anyhow, WAW played all week, ( and got a New York Times review!) and now the DVD’s are available for Pre-Order!  Yay! 

We spent the rest of the week at home catching up on work and planning for our Thanksgiving dinner.  Plates, check.  Turkey, check.  platters to put food on… uh… 

We spent last weekend with old friends. Mostly cooking and eating. The best way to spend a weekend.  

And now we’re back, trying to get it all together for Thanksgiving for real.  Hang up art, rearrange furniture, do some cooking ahead of time, pick up the turkey (from the Turkey Farm!) tonight, clean up, make our apartment pretty!  yada yada. 

In the midst of all this, the Mister and Saulie, aka The Possessed One, got to have some quiet time together:

They actually sat like this for a good 45 minutes before she tried to bite anyone.  

We’re getting there.

Cricket Thursday #4

This weeks Cricket is from 1989.  And almost every page looks familiar!

Cricket Magazine, January 1989, Volume 16 number 5.  The cover is by Margot Zemach:

I remember thinking this cartoon was funny.  

My siblings and cousins and I, spent many a rainy day sliding down the stairs in various ways. Inevitably, one of us would end in tears. 

General MacTiger, who is always “dignified and stately:” 

“By George, what a remarkable case of stripelessness! I must get to the bottom of it.”

 

From “Gran’s Fabulous Kitchen,” by Ruskin Bond. Illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith:

Her illustrations are so familiar and comfy to me.  Growing up I read so many books illustrated by her. And looking at these, I get such a nice warm feeling.

My favorite illustrations from this one are from “Bear Watch,” and are illustrated by Ted Lewin.  When Gita’s father becomes sick she takes over in the bear-watch hut, guarding their corn-field from the black Himalayan bears all night.  

“Then she picked up the gun, pointed it toward the corn-field, and practiced sighting down the long barrel.  She sighed a little, wondering if she’d know how to shoot.”

When a bear appears, her gun doesn’t work.  Gita is terrified until she spies the lids from her supper. Banging and yelling she frightens the bear away and the corn is saved.  

What a great spread, right?  That pink is the third color throughout the magazine. Man, good choice.  

Also looks gorgeous here in the illustrations by Hillary Knight:

Funny how I would never think of Hillary Knight if I saw these before.  I just think Hillary Knight= “Eloise.” Of which I am a long time, huge fan of.  But now that I know, they seem so similar.  And so obviously his.

I remember making these sari’s:  

I’m also pretty sure I remember wanting to be that cute blond girl, second from the right.  She was so cute and cool and it seemed so easy. Probably because she had pierced ears. And an anklet.

 

More images at Flickr!

Cricket Thursday #3

And picked at random from the bag!….is…

September 1992, volume 18, #1. Cover by Normand Chartier.

 

There a bunch of wonderful illustrations in this one.  The loose theme seems to involve dogs:

                                       Kelly Maddox:

trees/wildlife:

                       Ronald C. Lipking:

                        Chuck Eckart:

                        Suzie Skinner:

and sailing/sea adventures:

                        Mike Eagle:

                        Scott Brooks:

I love this one by Friso Henstra:

Its from the story called Mountain of Pearl (part3) by Peter Dickinson.  

And look at these entries from the Self Portrait contest:

They’re great huh?

Alright, I’ve got to get back to packing and generally scrambling around to get ready for the We Are Wizards Theatrical Release in New York!  Its tomorrow night and runs all week.  If you’re in the area we’d love to see you!

I ♥ Maple Syrup

I completely forgot about my fondness for maple syrup until yesterday.  The mister and I went out for brunch and I ordered french toast.  Three huge, thick pieces and a little bowl full of syrup. I keep picking at the leftovers. gah.  

We had such a fun weekend!  It started on Friday with a free screening of Kid Blue at the weekly Cinematheque Film Series at Brown, run by our new friend Colleen (who was accompanied by the talented painter, Buck.)  Then a late dinner and drinks with said new friends, where it was discovered that during their time at RISD they lived in the building where I was born?!  What the–?

Magically, after little sleep, we managed to get ourselves over to the farmer’s market before it closed. And then to the gym.  Also magic.  Then a yummy lunch with my parents followed by Mad Men episodes, crocheting and not much of anything else.  

Sunday, we resolved to hang up some art work.  We promise to do this every weekend and it gets eclipsed by laundry, or dishes, or watching The Office.  We procrastinated by going to brunch (where I got the afore mentioned delicious french toast.)  

While waiting outside for our table, I absentmindedly pointed out a large dog walking by (we have a serious case of large-dog envy.)  It, insanely, happened to belong to one of my very best friends from grade school who I haven’t seen in years.  She just got married! To a chef!  She has a huge dog!  And she lives two blocks away!   After exchanging numbers, she had to run, but I spent the whole day grinning about it.  

We did get around to hanging up art, mostly in the living room.  

Its coming along.  

Plus, we even did laundry.  But left the dishes till today.  Actually they’re probably still waiting for me.   

 

I know I missed the last Cricket Thursday.  With all the election excitement I failed to take the photographs early and then Thursday was filled with rain.  –Making it a very dark and icky day for photo-taking.  It’ll be back this week!

349/162: I’m still in shock.

This victory alone is not the change we seek; it is only the chance for us to make that change.

Yes we can.

Fingers Crossed

Just got back from voting.  Our district uses a paper ballot, completing the arrow with a magic marker.  It was a little weird to me, but maybe that’s just because I’m used to the huge, hulking machines with the switches and the big lever to pull across.  I like that lever. Clunk. It feels more official than magic markering in a line.

But whatever.  I voted!  And it was breezy– no lines, no hitches! I’m thankful for that.

Now off to compulsively check the news, squeezing in some  work before heading off to an Election Night Party.  Its going to be the most stressful party ever.

Halloween was fun…

We had such a good time trick-or-treating!  The night began with a pre-halloween Adoption Day Anniversary Party, which meant, among other things, a humongous, delicious cake!  Matilda sized, it was noted.  I felt so lucky to be there and to get to see such a happy family.  

Then, all sugared up, they scrambled into their costumes. I really tried to get cute photos, but mysteriously no one could hold still.  And we were out the door!  

Our friends’ neighborhood is apparently a trick-or-treating hot spot.  People were arriving in cars!  Needless to say, there were some very impressive decorations.  This photo does not do this house justice:

Then it was back home to admire the piles of candy.  

 

         

 

Everybody ready to vote tomorrow….?