Visiting a Missing Goat

 

The email from Heather at A Day In The Country said, “we started to pull the garlic today – will pull two more beds tomorrow if you want to come.”

A chance to drop by Missing Goat Organic Blueberry Farms, and see the garlic harvest, maybe pick up a few pounds of organic blueberries, and buy some more fresh batch jam?

Oh Heather, I am in there like a dirty shirt.  Or a blueberry, or maybe a garlic bulb, anyways I am there!

Heather has a eye for details, and you can see it in every part of their gorgeous family farm.  The Shabby Shack, as they call it, is the farms store front, and it is gorgeously decorated with fresh flowers, white washed walls, and clucking chickens outside. Any of us who long for that perfect place in the country would feel right at home here. 

She makes masses of blueberry pies, each Saturday, so be sure to put your order in.  She also offers small batch organic jam, made by hand in batches of only 6 jars at a time, and it shows.  Blueberry/Lavender, Rhubarb/Rosemary, Strawberry/Pepper, Very Very Raspberry, with most of the ingredients grown on their own farm.  I am working my way through all of the flavours and only have one left to try.

And the garlic, oh the garlic, organic, and ever so fragrant.  It smells like real garlic, that pungent, elusive not from a grocery store smell that you only get when you grow it organically.

If you don’t live nearby, their products are for sale in various stores on the Lower Mainland, check the website for more details.

I took tons of photos, loved seeing the chickens running around, bought blueberries, jam, and garlic. And I can’t wait to go back and get a pie, that’s on my list of “to do” things.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

Split pea’s and garlic

 

 

My beautiful purple peas pods, with the surprisingly green peas inside of them are so beautiful.  But I am a little perplexed because suddenly they are splitting in half.  Nothing is falling out yet, but the pea pods are definitely splitting.  [If you know why, please let me know.]

Maybe it’s because I forgot to water my garden.  It was only a few days, but I probably shouldn’t have done that.

So maybe I was distracted, the sun came out, the sun went away.  We watched the Canadian Snowbirds display team last night.  They were amazing, like always. And when they suddenly come out of now where to dive bomb the beach, it makes my heart stop.  Talk about sonic boom.

Or maybe it was the sheer beauty of a garden that’s not wilting in the sun that made me forget to water it.  Frankly, this slightly cooler weather is making gardens look lush, and green, instead of wilted, and pale.  See there’s is a good thing in having a rainier summer.

 

Anyways I am excited, because Heather at Missing Goat Blueberry Farm is pulling garlic, and I love LOVE garlic.  Heather grows blueberries, makes her own jam, has chickens, all on their certified organic farm.  Her jam is absolutely delish, and her blog is wonderful.  I promise to share some photos of her amazing farm in the next little while.

So yes, my week is much better, and thanks so much for your kind comments.

Don’t mind my garlic breath, I couldn’t resist taste testing a bit.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

A new week

 

Ever wake up one morning and find yourself declaring it a new week, and being very thankful the previous week is over.  Not just the day, the entire week.  I just had one like that. 

And when I woke up yesterday morning I was ever so glad to see a Monday morning.

A new start, a new chance to do it all over again.

It all started last Sunday night, and it continued on, each day just slightly more challenging, and finally ended up with our condo recovering from a overflowing drain next door.

The dehumidifier is still humming away, as I write this, and it’s driving me batty, but I know it won’t be for much longer. And I know that this is a new week, a new day, it’s a new chance.

 

And I am thankful.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

 

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How to live your dream, when you can’t

 

How do you live your dream, when it doesn’t seem like it will ever come true? 

When the horizon of reality is closer to you then the mist of your far off dreams?

You live in belief, and you live in hope.

We all have dreams, some big, some small. Some have been with us since birth, and some have just been born.

Dreams are what keep us going, they are goals, that are almost tangible.  Almost so real, that we can touch them.

So how do you live your dream when you can’t? 

You live the parts of your dreams that are real right now. 

Live steeped in the culture, surround yourself with items and photographs of where you want to be, or what you want to be.

No, you are not settling, you are just living in the moment, and at this time this is all you have for sure.  Who knows when living in the moment will change to the reality of living your dream.

Take it slowly, sometimes opportunities come in different shapes and sizes.  Be open to different versions of your dreams, maybe you will need to make a few changes.

I know this well, I’ve been living, dreaming, hoping, and believing.  But also realizing that what is before me, is what I get right now. 

I know that we sometimes have to change our dreams a bit, be more realistic, give up some parts.  But it’s how we deal with the reality that makes the dream come true.

So live in belief, live in hope.  Dreams do come true.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Day dreaming

 

 

Let’s spend some time day dreaming, and not face reality for awhile.

Let’s just take a moment, and let our thoughts drift…..

Are you relaxed? 

Good.

Now let me ask, if you could do anything within reason, what would you do?

No obligations, no worries, no fear, what would you do?

What would your dream job be?

Mine, I would wander the beaches, and the mountains taking photos.  And they would be published in a magazine every month….imagine all the people who live in the city opening up this magazine and being transported to another world.

Oh, hey I am the person who lives in the city. 

Well I can dream…..

So spend a moment, daydream, and tell me what you would do.

Can you hear the waves….the sibilant surf?  Can you feel the sand, there’s some in your sandal, shake it out. 

Now pick up your camera, make sure to get that shot as the sun goes down.

Can you smell the salt in the air?

Breathe it in, and relax.

Daydreaming.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

Patio pie, another slice

 

 

 

Are you wondering what this title has to do with my post today?

This is a easy one, some people wanted to see some more of my patio, so another slice of my patio garden pie is here for you to see.  A few posts ago I published “A slice of my patio.”  It’s kind of scary putting photos of your own garden out there for everyone to see. It’s easier to just remain anonymous, and not face another gardeners eyes.

Of course our gardens are works in progress, they are not perfect.  True gardeners can see beauty in even bare trees, and dead grass….we can, truly! There is potential in there, really!

I love that old adage, “oh you should  have seen it last week”, yes most likely you should have.  But that’s last week, this is now.

And when I take my photos, there is always a broom, or a bag of garbage laying around, can’t have that, can we?

Women are notoriously bad for looking in the mirror and only seeing their flaws, gardeners are the same breed.  I was trained in the retail garden industry, so I see every brown leaf, twig out of place, and flower that needs deadheading. 

But only in my garden, not yours. 

Truly!

I still enjoy my little deck, despite the rain, the slugs have not yet invaded, the flowers are fresh, and the leaves are green. But you should have seen it last week…..

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

In the end, it’s just a bit of rain

 

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.         ~Terri Guillemets

 

Weather or not?

According to a few people interviewed on the local news the other night, we are having a terrible summer here on the West Coast.  A horrific, catastrophic out of proportion to the season kind of wind, and rain, and nightmare summer.

“Oh really?”

People, it’s just a bit of rain!

There are no floods here, no houses floating through towns as they are carried away from weeping families who have finally reached safe ground only to see their life swept away. That’s happening somewhere else. Consider yourself blessed that all you need to deal with is a little rain.

There are no drought parched fields,  with dusty, cough causing, get in your very pores dirt that coats everything.  Someone else is dealing with that right now.

 

 

Normal, or not

This is just a almost normal West Coast summer.  Yes, we had a bit of rain yesterday, we really have not had that much.  Sure we have had some gloomy days, some even cool days.  And yes, I know it’s summer, the time we wait all wet winter for, but it’s simply just a bit of rain…consider yourself blessed that’s all it is.

 

 

Be thankful, or else!

And in between there are beautiful, warm sunny days that should be even more special to us.  And if you don’t appreciate them, I am sure there are people suffering through heat, and flooding that would be more then happy to trade if they could.

 

This is my opinion, so sorry if you don’t agree, but frankly, I am tired of the complaining done by all of us.  This is what it is, make the most of it. Life is like the weather,  see the quote above….

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

A slice of my patio, and a dazzling Deutzia

 

 

I wanted to share some shots of part of my patio, along with this pretty little pink dazzling Deutzia. 

 

 

Got it for a song, a few years ago, and it’s paid me back in beauty ever since. Not the patio, the Deutzia, in fact I think I saved it’s life, the Deutzia that is…LOL.  It was languishing in a corner at the garden center where I worked, and I was sure I was the only person watering it.

Well it sure seems happy now.

 

And that little slice is my patio, the clean part of it at least.  You know us gardeners, we always think our gardens looked better the week before you come to visit.  Next time I clean it up I will take some more shots.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

 

He may be cute but…

 

 

 

Next door kitty may be cute but….he has now progressed to chasing Bootsie in our living room.  Life behind the screen door is now a reality for all of us.

We no longer feed him his morning treaty, which he used to get in front of his place, we chase him off of our deck, and although we are friendly outside, we are definitely not encouraging him to come near.  Any more suggestions?

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

When a gardener plants a seed

 

 

 

When a gardener plants a seed, she waters it with love, fertilizes it with hope, and tends it with care.

When the seed sprouts, the gardener is happy.

 

 

While the plant grows the gardener is filled with optimism.

When the plant pushes it’s first flower from the stem, the gardener is ecstatic.

 

 

Because there is nothing like seeing a seed grow into a beautiful flower and knowing that you are partially responsible for it’s beauty.

 

That first flower is a joy indeed.

 

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Lonely, he’s Mr. Lonely…

 

 

There’s a 50’s song with that phrase in it isn’t there?

Lonely, I’m Mr. Lonely…since you’ve been gone.

Well Allie, AKA Next Door Kitty, is lonely, and I think that he wants to move in.  Along with a few other cats who are more camera shy.

 

 

 

 

That’s him sitting outside our garden gate, and then he advances to the patio door.  Which is all fine, except he doesn’t get along with the Boo.

 

 

 

And the Boo is captive inside of the apartment.  Which makes him, lonely, he’s Mr. Lonely…..

 

Jen  @  Muddy Boot Dreams

Strawberry Sandwiches

 

 

 

I have this vivid, and very tasty childhood memory of warm summer days, juicy strawberries lightly sprinkled with sugar, layered in rows on fresh baked bread. 

Turns out so does my husband. 

Both of us being of Dutch descent means that some of our family traditions are alike.  But we part ways at the amount of sugar used on this delectable sandwich. 

He insisted that the very best Strawberry sandwich have mashed berries, and no sugar.  What? I exclaim, why that’s, that’s almost inhuman.  Of course it should be lightly sprinkled with sugar, how else can you prove that you are Dutch if you don’t put sugar on almost everything?

I can almost taste it again the fresh, unsliced loaf of white bread, still warm from the bakery, siblings squabbling over who got the crust.  Juicy sliced berries, and the light sprinkling of sugar to top it all off.

His version with it’s runny mashed berries, and no sugar, just doesn’t have the same appeal to me.  My version makes him shudder, and remember how his Mom poured the sugar onto almost everything.

 

Have you heard of strawberry sandwiches? Have you ever had one?

And if not, when are you going to try one?

Today I compromised, homemade scones, whipping cream, and mashed strawberries. 

Made with almost no sugar, sigh, there goes the Dutch in me……

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

 

Oh my, it’s my 3rd Bloggiversary

 

 

 

 3rd Bloggiversary!!!!

It’s that time of year when I look at the first post I had written for Muddy Boot Dreams three years ago, cringe, and quickly click out of it. Something's are best left undisturbed.

Time and space are good things, they bring growth, and perspective, along with so many great bloggy friends.  Too many to count on all of my fingers, and toes, Bootsie please come here, I need to borrow your paws, and your claws.

 

 

Thank you!

I need to thank each and every person that has ever left a comment on my blog.  And I am sure that my friends, and family thank you also. 

If it were not for you, they would still be held captive as I lugged yet another photo album lovingly created with images captured by my camera, to their lap, and encourage them to page through the ever increasing pile.  Oh it’s just a few thousand photos that I have taken over the summer…..they cringed I am sure.

Because of you, my family and friends now have conversations, instead of picture viewing, and if they do show a interest in my photography then there are still enough framed photos on our walls to keep them busy for awhile.  Or I can direct them to my blog.

No really, thank you!!

Thank you for being such a great audience, I adore all of you, especially those of you who leave such wonderful comments.  No that’s not a soppy tear in my eye, it’s the flash from the sparklers, on the celebratory cupcakes. Of which regretfully I have no photos of, so use your imagination, besides this way it’s calorie free.

 

 

Muddy Boot Dreams turned 3 today, and we are officially out of the toddler stage.  In bloggy years it’s like we are middle aged, yes, I would even venture to say it’s like having a 40th birthday.

Not that I have one of those coming up next year again, or anything…

 

Hugs to all of you, Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams