coolest vid ever

love this

Chicks at about 4 days old

Two light Brahmas above

Barred rock or cuckoo maran?

Speckled Sussex above

In total, I have 2 white rocks (the yellow chicks), 2 speckled sussex (the brownish chicks), 2 golden laced Wyandotte, 2 black Jersey Giants (black heads), 2 light Brahmas (feathers on legs), 2 barred rocks,and 2 blue cuckoo marans (these last two have black around the eyes and maybe a lighter 'spot' on top of the head). The last 4 sets are REALLY hard to tell apart right now LOL!

Lost sauce

I can't find my very favorite sauce recipe - a tangy, flavorful sauce which is divine when paired with bites of filet mignon (or any steak, really). I can't find the paper it's on and I can't remember the actual name of the recipe, which would help with a google search. I call it Bistro sauce, and it's a copy of Kraft Gray Poupon Bistro Sauce. So, I did some internet searching and decided I should have a little sauce taste test with these three contenders:

EPICURIOUS NOT-SO-SECRET SAUCE

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons spicy pickle juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

BOOM BOOM SAUCE
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp Sriracha

FOOD.COM BISTRO SAUCE

2 cups mayonnaise
1 1⁄2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard (Creole) {I use dijon mustard}
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning {I do not put this in}
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika {is this why I have Hungarian paprika in my spice rack?}
2 finely minced garlic cloves {I use a garlic press. why mince when you can press?}

FOR ALL SAUCES:  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
For best results, make sauce several hours ahead of time. The longer it sits, the better it is.

I suspect the last recipe is closest to my original recipe. I remember it had a depressingly long list of ingredients and that is why I make it so rarely - it is a pain. Also, you can't just "whip it up" when you suddenly decide you want some. It tastes awful at first, because it MUST sit in the fridge for at least a few hours or better, a day. I guess flavor melding is a real thing. Who knew? ;)

Chick video

This is a test, really. I'm not sure I've put a video up here before

Chicks!

Better photos once they explore outside the heat lamp area (I turned it off so the photo would look ok instead of bathed in pink)

Farm Life Today

A friend of my neighbor's needed a place to graze his horse, Moe. Sweet boy!

Rose

Garden is in and growing slowly! More to add later. 

New baby plums.

Strawberries soon. 

Peas and brassicas. 

Hoof paring; the farrier was here yesterday for the donkeys.

Busy hen.

Redoing the inside of the big coop, dividing into 2 rooms for free ranging hens and separate area for the new chicks coming this week (after they get big enough to move out here)

My neighbor is bush hogging some of my fields, he is a really great guy. 

They might be hard to see

but the donkeys like to chill out in the trees behind the barn.

Hens are also hanging out behind the barn. 

Churro bundt cake mmmmm

Ready for the new chicks! I can't wait!

New breakfast....photo to arrive later?

Healthy eating recipe #1:

Two poached sous vide eggs
handful spinach leaves
1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms
2 slices thick baguette, toasted to crunchiness

Since I meal prep ahead of time, the eggs were cold. Warm them with the spinach and mushrooms in a 375F oven or toaster oven for about 10-12 minutes. To my surprise, the baguette also toasted nicely in that time. Add some sea salt and mix with a fork and knife, then spread on bread. LUSCIOUS!