Actually it is me who is going out West. On Wednesday. The Matriarch and I (in my favourite role as the Handmaiden) are flying out to California to attend her eldest son’s wedding and then I am sloping off to visit my son and his family. Would you like to come along? Oh? Really?! Cool. There are some lovely images I want to collect for you on the travels. Plus visiting my Third Son and his lovely wife will be all about the food and the garden. I am FedExing lamb overnight to their place, with honey and lavender jelly. So we will be cooking Mama food every day. And I will have a team there so we can blog much more efficiently.
As you know I prefer not to eat processed foods and travel is always a whole day – we have a two hour bus ride to the airport in Chicago, then a 4 hour wait for the plane, then we fly to Denver then on to Sacramento. After all that bananas get kind of boring. So you and I can research the airport food and Celi Diet options. (I tried on The Dress – a Vintage crochet silk, hope I don’t pull a thread!!- and it is still just a teensy bit snug).
I actually love airports and planes and travel. I love the anonymity of the crowds. The bustle fades off into white noise and I do some of my best work in the cafes, restaurants (and OK – bars!) in those dark corners of airports. The Matriarch is a great reader and can sit for hours with a book so we are perfect travel companions. So Wednesday if all goes well I will be writing to you from the airport.
Secondly I am still writing The Big Work and I think it is important that I do keep adding to it every day, so I am working on ways to write on the move. Taking the lap top is only one part of it. I have to take my scene by scene worksheets and my notes. So much for travelling light. But taking the laptop means I can take you on my travels. We will see about the packing tomorrow.
The third thing, and probably the first thing you thought of, is leaving the animals. This takes some organisation. I am not irreplaceable and John will take over. So I am busy making sure that everything is at hand for him, and especially that Daisy is very secure. I have separated the calves from Hairy M’Clairy so he cannot bully them and steal their food. I have organised it so that they all drink from one big central tank placed in a shared corner of the fields and the barn, which will be easier for John to fill with the new hose. All their entrances and exits are logical and secure. I have been feeding them on John’s time scale for a while now, so they are used to a very early feed and a very late one. The birds are all free range with an emphasis on free, so they are easy. TonTon and Big Dog get a dog-walker. She will come every lunch time to take them for a big walk. As long as she carries his frisbee TonTon will follow her anywhere. Who knows what Big Dog will do. John will do the morning and evening walks after feeding out. Hope he can keep up.
So there you are. You are in the loop! TonTon knows something is afoot..
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
113 responses to “Go West Young Man”
Good thinking, nuts will be top of the list! c
Never again will I complain about organizing food for the family when I travel! I can’t imagine getting a whole farm ready!! Enjoy your trip… because then we will enjoy right along with you!!
I have also put food in the freezer for John as he is working ridiculous hours at the moment. Chances are he will ignore it all and eat panfried shrimps and vegetables. And i will enjoy my trip Smidge and we will see what we will see! ..c
You probably will think the rooster is my favorite part of this post, but it’s not. OK, it’s tied with TonTon, who knows you’re leaving look at those eyes. Best wishes to the happy couple.
When I was cropping that rooster I thought to myself Katherine will like this one, he has the classic rooster colours.. and poor old TonTon, now he has his head laid on my foot. all doe eyes and sugar! c
So you’re going on holiday, going to a wedding and visiting family. That mean’s we get to come along for the ride too. Yaaay!
Oh, and I’m waiting for the Limencello recipe NOW 🙂 A friend has the alcohol, we just need to source really good lemons and score a great recipe 🙂
There are two stages. I will give you the first stage now as I know this bit off by heart.
Get a really large glass jar, pour in two 750 bottles of 100 proof vodka (or ONE 750 ml bottle of Everclear, very scary stuff – I use vodka) add the yellow rind of 15 big home picked lemons, sit for 40 days and 40 nights in a cupboard!
Now, you can peel the lemons ( my choice) or use a zester, but make absolutely sure you only get the yellow rind, no white bit. The white bit is nasty. Add the thin strips of rind into the alcohol as you go, so it does not dry out.
I have the next two stages written down in a book somewhere and will write them up for you when i get back. But you may as well get a head start. I say use home picked lemons because the ones you buy in the supermarket are coated in wax. You do not want to the waxy ones.
FUN!
Let me know how it goes. The secret is to give the rinds lots of time in the Wodka!. c
Oh bless you, in the midst of your menagerie and packing, you are writing recipes 🙂
I think we have the scary alcohol, it’s from Poland, so is probably even more scary! I was planning on gettig some organic unwaxed lemons. And I’ll be sure to make notes and take photos along the way. I just need to remind my friend that he said we could use his alcohol….
have a WONDERFUL holiday!
Oh excellent, scary alcohol from Poland sounds PERFECT! c
Rather you than me on the journey: I loathe airports with all the “hurry up and wait” and it always inspires me to angry poetry! That cockerel of yours is a very handsome fellow.
Have a wonderful time.
I will ViV. Angry Airport poetry would be scary!! c
Have a great trip and thank you for taking us all along with you. That’s mighty nice of you. 🙂 and yes, the animals always know when something is going on like you going away no matter how carefully you plan things so they don’t see the suitcases until the night before or you take out their travel cage (you know, the one you put them in when they get boarded or you take them to the vet) two months in advance so they don’t get suspicious. They always know and they always make you feel guilty about it. I used to leave my cat a pair of my PJs that I’d slept in for a couple of nights and put them on the bed and she would snuggle in them while I was away. Makes them feel secure that you’re coming back. 🙂 Enjoy California. It’s beautiful there.
That is such a sweet idea leaving your PJ’s. i immediately imagined leaving TonTon my long pink winter nightie and him sleeping on it then John thinking it was laundry and the tug of war as John tried to get it off him to throw into the washing basket! And I will be sure to write down any nice wines i find and you can tell me whats what! They have some good wines where i am going! ..c
Ah, yes…I recognize that look on TonTon’s face. It’s the same one Sweet Cleo gets every time she sees a suitcase…
Have a safe, wonderful journey!
(OH! And about that ‘suck it in’ part…have you got a pair of Spanx? I’m still not sure if they’re doing the holding, or reminding me to do it, but they’re worth it in a dress like that! 😉 )
Will they make me look like Twiggy? c
Twiggy NOW, or Twiggy 1972?
‘Cause I think she looks better now….like she finally ate a whole meal!
ha ha ha ha .. maybe I will be ME then!! c
Have an awesome trip, C! Lovely food and family go so well together, even if you have to travel such a long way to enjoy them. Thanks for bringing us along 🙂
Yup, off we go on wednesday, trains, planes and automobiles! and a bus! c
Everyone’s right: a glorious rooster indeed, and TonTon–well, he’s so beautiful and those eyes so unreasonably expressive, I just want to jump through the screen and give him a big hug and a good scratch behind the ears. I’ll do the same for you, sans ear-scratching, if you promise to have a wonderful expedition and come home well weighted will all of the requisite joyful memories! Godspeed, *god tur*, and a hearty Texan ‘Happy Trails’ to you!
Thank you Kathryn. Poor TonTon he sure knows how to pour on the tearful looks! I hope to keep you all up to date if I see anything exciting and the connections do what they are meant to.. c
Can’t wait to read of your travel adventures and see all the wonderful places you will share via your always lovely images and words. Today’s are splendid. Safe travels, my dear, safe travels.
Thank you Audrey, First stop is chicago midway airport – i am sure i can find something interesting there!.. c
Aw the animals always know when you’re getting ready to leave, for however long!
Happy travels, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family!
I will and I am taking a few of your recipes with me! c
Safe travels!
Thanks Jed, i won’t be watching any sport I know that for sure!
c
They are so lovely dear Cecilia. Have a nice and enjoyable journey! Safe travels too… I’ll be with you too 🙂 Thank you, with my love, nia
I will keep in touch nia, loved your sunset today! c