Teddy Picks A Winner !!!

Teddy put his paw in the hat and he picked : The Wild Magnolia as the winner in our Christmas Teacup Giveaway. CONGRATULATIONS!!! The little teacup will be on it's way. Thank you for all your comments and kind words. You're all THE BEST !!!! Sending love to you today my sweet friends,
Kary and Teddy

A November Saturday Morning

the turkey from my childhood...it was ALWAYS on our Thanksgiving table...i don't have any idea how i have kept it for so long...move after move...house after house...it escaped packing boxes being thrown out by accident, it escaped being smashed, ripped to pieces or just plain old lost...grammy and grandpie had Thanksgiving every year at their house...and ALWAYS with the turkey in the middle of the table. and now it is on my table....it has survived 54 years...and i am grateful to have it....

somebody got a new bag of chewies yesterday...and this morning was like Christmas morning for Teddy...to tell you the truth..he had more fun with the bag..than the chewies...we let him have his way...he ripped into the bag and scattered them everywhere...but the green shopping bag was his MOST favorite..not the chewies. we don't care...just as long as Teddy is HAPPY.

a flat of red and white pansies to be planted by the kitchen door this afternoon.....

my old vintage Thanksgiving candle...and a few battered paper mache ones....they have seen a few bumps along the way....

last night as the sun sank, i played Christmas music and got out my collection of Steiff woodland animals and arranged them on the piano...with a few olive branches from my tree...more of this to come....

teddy waiting for mama this morning....

and waiting....my sweet little boy...

i got out my Garnet Hill grandma moses "going to grandma's house for thanksgiving" sheets yesterday.....so cozy and snuggly...

there is where Teddy sleeps...right in the middle....

wishing you all a wonderful November weekend...and sending love.

Teddy * October 22, 2010

i got out my old flannel camp blanket that i got in maine for teddy today. i threw it over the couch for him to get cozy in tonight. October 22, 2010. Full Hunter's Moon. My beloved Teddy.
6 months today he has been with me. filling our home with more happiness than we could have ever known after the loss of our precious Buddy.

Chicken Pie

I made this for Sunday night's supper...

I just made a white sauce..added some chicken I had cooked and cut into tiny pieces, some cubed boiled new potatoes and a few mixed vegetables...made a crust, rolled it out and topped off the pie....

I have a set of these circle cutters I just love...this was the smallest one to make an air vent...

We aren't baking a CHICKEN PIE in the oven tonight...i have the radio on and he just said we reached 110 degrees...did I hear that right? 110 degrees. I remember 105 here in San Luis Obispo in the Summer of 2007...the year we moved here...but 110. Come on. That is just TOO HOT !!!! It has been a really cool summer up until now. I guess my luck ran out. I gave Teddy a cool bath...he loved it. Oh, we're bbqing tonight. After the sun sinks down. And are we all watching the FULL MOON tonight together..and thinking of each other all over this world...I am thinking of you.....

...and Teddy Picked Willow

We wrote down all the names of the the nice people that entered the give away from Farmhouse and Teddy's paw landed on Willow ! Congratulations, Willow. Send me your address and Teddy and I will get it in the mail to you so you can enjoy it.

Our email is: myfarmhousekitchen@yahoo.com

Thanks for all the kind words...you are THE BEST !!!!

We enjoyed the give away...and hope you did too !!!

Sending love,

Kary and Teddy

Teddy's Turkey Meatloaf

I wanted something old fashion for supper tonight and decided on making turkey meatloaf. And I'll tell you the whole truth...I even bought a can of gravy to go with it. Yep. Canned. It's Campbell's. Making steamed spinach with butter and couscous too. And somebody (Teddy) loves turkey. So I made a baby meatloaf for him without the onions in it. I hope he likes it.

I got my first issue of Taste of Home magazine today. I subscribed. Gourmet went under and I am not in the mood for Food and Wine magazine these days. Just looking for comfort on the farm. And I think this will fit the bill nicely.

These are sitting on my drainboard. Aren't they beautiful They are the Rainer variety. They are almost as big as apples. Teddy likes them too. I bite off a piece and give it to him. The season is so short so I better get them in while they are here...because before I know it...they will be gone.

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Turkey Meatloaf .... Teddy-Style

1 lb ground turkey

1 carrot, diced

2 celery ribs with tops and leaves, diced

1/2 yellow onion, diced fine

1 big handful italian parsley

(here is the farmy part)

a package of meatloaf seasoning mix

about 3/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

a splash of water

Mix all together

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Back To Normal

Wow...what a stress filled first half of the year. But things seem to be simmering down. Looks like my father-in-law is in for a long haul on the recovery from his stroke and we are all trying to get back to normal. As you can see...little Teddy is feeling pretty happy about things here at HOME. See that GIANT pig ear ? It is just about as big as he is...and he LOVES it. He is so funny when he grabs it in his mouth and rips around the house with it. He sure has brought life and happiness back to this house. I am trying to get back to my blogging and cooking. I sure miss everyone and visiting with all of you.

Sending Mid-Summer Best Wishes

Kary and Teddy

Around the Farmhouse

Little Teddy just woke up from his nap and I caught this before he started ripping around. He loves that old blankie too. He turned 5 months on Tuesday. Look at that little gumdrop nose !

My lemon squares without the powdered sugar... they sure make the kitchen smell good. I got lucky and got a big bag of Meyer lemons from my father-in-laws tree. I have been making ALOT of lemon squares.

There it is. My sweet Buddy memorial. I keep his box of ashes on the top of my piano. He used to love to lay there on the back of the couch while I played the piano. (Now I am crying...again).I think he liked the music. Good thing he did..nobody else does. The little pink blankie I made the day after he died. I keep flowers in that little vase at all times. The vase is one made by my dear friend Julie of Julie Whitmore pottery. I am using the one with cherries on it for summer. I change it with the seasons. I keep the heart shaped rock at the base. It is a rock we collected while walking on the beach last winter after a storm. Buddy walked all the way down the beach that day, but I had to carry him back. He just couldn't make it. I knew something was wrong then. Deep down you just know.I keep a little sprig of rosemary ( for remembrance) tucked in. I sure miss that little guy. Thank God for Teddy.

I put this little hand crocheted tablecloth down on my farm table this morning. It has strawberries on it and was recently given to me by my sweet sister-in-law, Julie.

It is kind of hard to see...but on the tiny pedestal is a little pear. I saw it at the farmstand the other day and had to have it..cause you know what pears mean !

Coming Back

I have been gone so long I can't even remember how to do this. First of all...thanks to all of you who hung in there with me and checked in even though I had checked out. The loss of Buddy just about took me out and here we are ...heading into the 4th of July...and I am just now feeling back to me...don't get me wrong..little Teddy is a delight and we LOVE and ADORE him and he has brought back life to this quiet and sad house...

so..it's a NEW DAY...

I am looking forward to the 4th of July and the rest of the Summer.

I will be updating pictures of little Teddy and all other going's on here at Farmhouse...

Sending Love To You All

Kary and Teddy

3 Weeks With Teddy

Look at that little face. Man, is he ever hard to get a picture of...he is moving so fast. I told Octoberfarm trying to get a picture is like trying to nail jello to the wall. See the Halloween blankie? I know you do. I opened the linen closet the other day and he jumped on that and he was off in a flash...blankie following behind like a kite.

See the tail? It is ALWAYS up and curled. So we know he is happy.

This is blurry, but still so cute.

Tail up and wagging, Halloween blankie on the couch..and if you look really close you can see his piece of cheese. White Sharp Cheddar. Dosen't seem to want to eat it. Just likes to carry it around.

Those mocassins of mommys are really fun to chew on. The house looks like a homeless camp. Blankets, pillows, rugs, flip flops,slippers, pajama bottoms all strewn around the house.And the wee-wee pads. Those are alot of fun too....just grab a corner and you're off like the wind.
So I've let it go. We are in puppyhood mode around here...so it is what it is. And somebody loves to watch the Lakers with daddy. Big game tonight. We are making BLT sandwhiches and a mozzarella caprese salad...tomato overload...Oh, yeah, and sneaking in some tater tots too. Teddy says GO Lakers !!!

Meyer Lemon Tarts

First off, Teddy is doing great. We are so IN LOVE with him. And he has sure kept me busy. But I am finding some time to bake. I have been going up to my friends restaurant in Atascadero, Ca. It is called FIG GOOD FOOD and have been baking meyer lemon tarts.

I started making lemon and blueberry tarts years ago. The first photograph was a picture of my tarts in Country Living Gardener magazine. Lemon is my favorite dessert...so I was excited when Greg, Molly and Chris wanted them in their restaurant. There is a farm stand out in the Edna Valley that is selling meyer lemons. So Teddy and I load up and head out there to get the lemons. Teddy loves to sleep on my lap as we wind our way through the vineyards and lupines and poppies...so happy just to be on my lap.....snoozing away. The pictures I have of Teddy right now all look the same..so I need to get some new ones to show you. I'll work on that this week.

I snuck a peek at Teddy as I was coming in the door to see what he was doing..and there he was...all curled up on the little rug in the kitchen, laying in the sun...and snuggled right up next to Whiskey....and my heart melted.

Teddy Goes To A Birthday Party

Teddy got invited to a birthday party ! The dust is starting to settle around The Farm. Teddy is settling right in and things are a little more calm now. I feel bad about not posting pictures earlier but to tell you the truth, I just wasn't in the mood. Teddy is THE BEST thing in our life. Sometimes the world troubles get me down. The economy, I get lonely here all day alone, even with my tony's (that's what Julie and I call our pets..so you all might as well get in on it too) and now that horrible oil spill. I know the talk isn't very "farmy" today, but all that beautiful wildlife and people who make their living in the fishing industry...sometimes it just feels like the sky is falling in.

But Teddy is doing great. Got his first puppy check-up. Right now he is resting on my shoulder. He needs all his rest cause tomorrow he has a birthday party to go to !

Teddy's HOME !

wow...what a trip. nearly 700 miles in 15 hours. john had to get back to work so we didn't spend the night, instead we got up tuesday morning at 3 o'clock and we rolled.what a day. we will never forget this day in more ways than one. we headed into santa barbara from the cachuma pass at 4:30 in the morning. as we came down the pass it felt like you were in an airplane at night. the city looked beautiful..all the lights were on and you could see the stars out over the pacific ocean...then we got on the 101 freeway and headed for los angeles...on to riverside...into the desert to a town called anza...it is at the edge of the mojave desert...and now it is 9 in the morning..6 hours in the car...and we come to a dirt road...more like a riverbed really,we had to drive so slow
i could have walked faster...and it was a ways to go..and finally we see it...way out there in no man's land..valeries...we had called her before we hit the dirt road and she said she would meet us on the porch..and there she was..holding my sweet TEDDY..and of coarse i started sobbing...like a baby when i first saw him..then john is crying, then valerie...i asked her if the others are this bad..she said, "usually not, but one lady did drop to her knees." we all got a laugh out of that....valerie gave him a bath and we met the parents and his sisters...and it seemed strange, but we took him and left. we all hugged good-bye and i told her i would be in touch. already sent her pictures and she loved that.

so we were all HUNGRY ! in southern california there is a fast food place called "In and Out Burger" they are everywhere and JOHN LOVES them. turns out so does TEDDY. we opened that bag and he perked right up. so his first meal with us was an "IN and Out Burger".i was worried he would get sick, but valerie fed him meat..and he was fine. BUDDY LOVED McDonalds double cheeseburgers..so it looks like we have another burger boy!

coming into L.A. we hit rain and TRAFFIC...what's the deal..it's only 2:30 in the afternoon. Lakers play-off games were last night at The Staples Center... (that picture in the rain is of los angeles yesterday afternoon)......so that explained all the news trucks and helicopters. then stalled to a dead stop in traffic. unfortunelty it was a bad accident. we had a couple of close calls ourselves. that L.A. traffic is unreal. but we made it HOME...and we are IN LOVE...he is just a doll. so sweet. cutest personality.and his tail is ALWAYS curled all the way up and is wagging. he slept with us in the bed..no problem and even went on a Home Depot run this afternoon. and he did not go unoticed.everyone wanted to see him..asking is that a Teddy Bear..well, as a matter of fact, yes he is. He is our TEDDY...and he couldn't be more loved !

Oh, and see the little white star on his chest? that's his BUDDY star.

Going To Get Teddy

I never thought the day would come, but it has. Tomorrow is April 20th and we are heading down to Los Angeles to go adopt Teddy. What a long 7 weeks this has been. I have been overwhelmed by the support and kind words from all of you. It was more than I could have ever imagined. And it has helped mend this broken heart more than you can know.I'll be taking lots of pictures and I can't wait to come HOME with Teddy and share the SPECIAL DAY with all of you, my dear, sweet friends.Sending My Love, Kary