Because the pile of gardening books I already have from the library for my impending vacation isn’t enough, I had to add more. Really though it isn’t my fault and I am sure you will agree.
Today I realized that I’d be having chicks in a little over three months. I personally won’t be laying eggs and hatching chicks, that would be weird even for me. No, I’ll be picking up the three-day old babies from the urban farm store. To that end, I must begin to think about and prepare their indoor home. Plus, I need to read up again about how to care for them. Last February I went through a pile of care and feeding of backyard chickens books and found one I really liked that I will probably buy to have on hand for quick reference. Can I remember what the title is? Of course not!
I felt certain that my February self knew I would not remember the title and that I put it on my library wishlist. So I had to browse my library list. I didn’t find it but I did find a number of gardening books that I had put on my list and forgotten all about so I requested them. Tis the season to learn about new plant varieties and things to try in the garden so I can include everything in one seed order in January or make digging/planting/building plans. I think I requested something like five gardening books.
But then I had to find the chicken book. And since I couldn’t remember and so many of the book covers looked familiar I had to request several, possibly four or five, I’m not sure; it is all rather a blur at this point.
I do, however, want to give myself a big pat on the back for restraint. I see you going all big-eyed whaaa? at me. Yes, restraint. I have over three hundred items on my library wishlist and I looked at them all in search of the chicken book. Don’t you think that I wanted to request some of them? That I only requested the gardening books shows just how fantastic my willpower is. Don’t you agree?
Posting will probably be spotty through Solstice. I am making a selection of dishes from Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen. I am going to start the cooking on Sunday for a few things I can make ahead like the dessert and the naan bread and the chutney so I don’t have to spend the entire day Monday in the kitchen chopping things up. Because of course I chose recipes that require lots of different vegetables and they all have to be chopped up. Since I don’t cook except for Solstice, my chopping skills are lacking and in order to make sure none of my fingers are lacking by the end of the meal preparation, I am very slow and careful. But even before that is the grocery list making and then the actual grocery shopping and it always ends up taking more time and energy than I plan for so this year I am trying to remember that.
So, if things are quiet in my little corner, that’s what I’m up to. Or I am at the library picking up all those books I requested.
Why’ve you got a library wish list! My library doesn’t let us make wish lists! I want a library wish list, that sounds magical! It’s online, like, and you can look at it? Is this for physical books? Cause I have a wish list for my library’s ebook selection but no comparable thing for physical books and it is a great and grievous lack.
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Jenny, oh yes, my library lets me create and name as many lists as I want to and yes, it lets me place both ebooks and print books, and any kind of loanable material on the lists. I don’t know if there is a limit to how many things I can put on my lists or how many different lists I can make, if there is I have not yet reached it! It’s a really nice feature since after visiting your blog I can add the book to my wishlist so I don’t forget it instead of requesting it right then when I might not have time to read it. Then when I am ready to read the book I can find it on the list and there is a request button right there. If your library doesn’t have such a service, I say you should ask them to 🙂
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Have to hand it you…you showed immense will power! 🙂 Do let me know how the cooking went….Have fun with the Naan and the currys and the chutney!
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You must have the biggest wishlist in Minnesota! Good luck with it all and hope you have a really nice Solstice.
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Ian, ha! It is possible! I have no idea if there is an upper limit on the wishlist but I am working hard to find out 🙂
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cirtnecce, why thank you 🙂 I will definitely let you know how the cooking goes!
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Jack’s the cook in our family but I’m the sous chef. He’s always giving me a hard time because I chop using a paring knife instead of a chef’s knife. My reasoning is that I’ve already inflicted permanent damage with my small knife, if I used a chef’s knife, I’d probably be fingerless.
There were two cookbooks in the Farm Sanctuary Gala goody bag this year: Isa Does It and Vegan With a Vengeance. We’ve been trying recipes and having some tasty dinners.
I can’t wait to see photos of your Solstice dinner!
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Joan, I like chopping with a paring knife too! I have small hands and the big chef knife feels awkward and dangerous to me. But I am carefully learning how to use the big knife and I have to admit it does chop better.
I love Isa’s cookbooks! We’ve got Vegan with a Vengeance and it is well used. We don’t have Isa does it because most of the recipes appear in the other cookbooks of hers that we have. I highly recommend her Vegan Brunch book is you don’t have it already. Waffles, pancakes, “omelettes,” sausage, hash — lots of great stuff in it 🙂
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Let me know how the naan goes. I tried a naan recipe (I think from Baking With Julia, but I’m not sure) and although I bake bread every week, naan was a total flop for me. My oven/stove is very old and wonky, so the skillet I used may not have been hot enough. No bubbles in the dough. Just heavy and blah. I look forward to hearing about your Solstice menu every year. Although I celebrate Christmas (and Hanukkah as well, actually) you’ve got me celebrating Solstice too now. Such an ancient celebration. And let’s face it, there’s always some reason to celebrate this good life. I’m making sushi rolls with carrot and avocado, (I love Nori), Miso Shitake Ramen and Hoison Glazed Tofu. Just need to find the Miso, which I think Whole Foods might carry (Not many Japanese or Asian markets down this way).
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Grad, Will definitely let you know! You get in all pretty much all the holidays don’t you? 😉 Your menu sounds delicious. Maybe I won’t make my meal and just show up at your house! I love miso, we use red miso all the time to make “cheese” I hope you find some!
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I didn’t realise that you also celebrated Solstice. It is the big day in our year culminating with The Bears marching round the house shouting ‘Come back Sun’, very loudly. Both my mother and now myself suffer very badly from the lack of light during the winter months, so the day when we can finally watch the daylight hours getting longer is very important – even if progress is pitifully slow to start with. Every minute is celebrated.
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Alex, yup, we celebrate Solstice at my house instead of Christmas and Hanukkah. Our celebration consists of me making an elaborate dinner of things we have never made before served on our special Solstice plates by candlelight while listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the poetry included recited by Patrick Stewart. It’s a good time! I hope you and the Bears have fun marching around the house summoning the sun 🙂
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Everyone should have Patrick Stewart round for Solstice. I have been watching him on stage since the late 1960s when no one would have ever dreamed of calling him anything but Pat. I thought I was never going to be able to forgive him when he left the Stratford company for Jean Luc Picard, but time is a great healer and he is back in Stratford quite regularly these days.
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Oh Alex, how I envy you!
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I always think of you when the Solstice draws near. I am in fact wondering about spending the evening playing the most beautiful music I know of, as a sort of offering to the darkness to give back the light. Does that sound ridiculous? (Probably!). I am in AWE of your willpower. I would not have been able to do that. However, I do have the next book in the Jo Walton trilogy, The Philosopher Kings sitting beside me, that I could send your way….. ?
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Litlove, Ah, thanks! I don’t find your Solstice idea ridiculous at all, in fact I find it quite beautiful and I hope you did it and enjoyed it. 🙂 As to the Jo Walton, if it is not too late, yes please! 😀
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Haha, loved reading this post AFTER the Winter Solstice one! You knew you were “deliberate” and you knew you’d bitten off a lot. No wonder you were tired. Indian food is more time consuming than most, I think, if you do it properly. I used to do it properly – and the smells in the kitchen were wonderful – but these days I tend to buy pre-ground spices etc. Naught me. Or, even worse, order home delivered take-away from down the road. Are you shocked now?
And that reminds me of my Hens (old librarian friends group). We catch up at each other’s houses regularly and, to make it an easy, relaxing time, we always order in home-delivered takeaway. (This started when we all worked and had children – it was a treat to ourselves. Now we’re retired and kids have left home, we’ve kept the tradition). Anyhow, the reason I was reminded of it is that one of the Hens has hens, and last time we caught up she brought us each a dozen eggs. They were the teensiest little eggs but so yum. Daughter Gums, here for the holidays, made scrambled eggs for me with the last of them tonight. Another treat.
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whispering gums, oh I am shocked! Shocked, that you would order take away! 😉 Honestly I would too but the authentic good places around here are really expensive or are inconveniently located to not make it worth while.
I love your group is the Hens! How lovely you got some eggs. I have heard from a friend who keeps chickens that they really fast different–and better–than store bought. Glad you enjoyed them!
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Yes, home eggs do … And the colour of their yolks is to die for. It’s always a treat to receive some.
As for takeaway, what a shame. It can sometimes just fill the bill.
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