I loveeeee living here in the country!

Today was just a normal day. I had a few errands to run and had to get more eggs too. Had to go to the bank.....so I started there then decided after to wander down to this farm I read about....that's open all week. I found the road and wandered down it. Gosh I love going down these back roads. They LOOK like back-roads.....not suburbia. :)

It reminded me of the old song.......over the river and thru the woods to grandmothers house we goooooo. And I did go thru the woods and past the river were some folks were fishing. Then kept wandering till I saw the sign for the farm. So Ok I thought it would be this really commercial looking place. But it wasn't.

I turned down the road where the sign was but it got even more dense.....and it started to rain so it felt like when I was in Hawaii yrs ago......sort of rain forest-like. I kept wishing I brought my camera and I think I'm going to next time I go there. Finally on this dirt road.......there was another sign for the farm so I turned there.

And the road got even narrower, trees and ferns and some stumps to guide you on your way and then a sharp turn. I felt like I was going to some secret place. Now this was an adventure!

And then suddenly as I made the turn another sign showed me where to park and it was like I was dreaming. The sweetest lil farm I ever saw. I WANT IT! THE WHOLE THING....MINE MINE MINE lol

There were sweet lil rows right there will all sorts of things starting to grow.....baby plants and in between the rows were rows of grass to walk on. At the end of each planted row was a long log placed lengthwise to protect the end of the row....and it was moss covered. There were rows on the left and on the right and in the middle was a path to a sweet lil building......with a sign for the Barking Dog farm. Awwwwww damn I love it!

Inside nobody was there but there were rows of some veggies and a refrig case. I signed the guest book so I could get news of what they had. Things were a bit pricey and I think much was just brought in and not grown there yet. I walked back outside and there was this sweet vine covered wooden deck with a gate. The gate had this goofy dog holding veggies made out of painted metal. And when I looked over the deck there was a sweet lil house and a big greenhouse. Nobody was around but they left a note to call on the call box if I wanted anything.

Not yet....didn't see anything I wanted that was not too pricey but Ill be back. I felt like I stepped right into a storybook. They definitely had a piece of Paradise and its down the other end of town from me, not far.

And so I wandered back down the road, almost sorry to leave. I decided to head back to the outlet mall cuz I was looking for some stainless steel bowls for my FIL for Fathers Day.

I hit both gourmet shops there but I wasn't paying those prices. They are getting smart now...and charging per bowl and then it costs alot more. I bought mine in a set yrs. ago. Ill just have to keep looking and he will have to get them later. But of course I didn't go just in those stores and bought a top for me and two pairs of jeans. But what jeans! These were a knit type fabric that I thought was denim....and they stretched to fit too. So I decided to try them on and omg they fit so nice and felt soo comfy. So I had to buy two pairs at least. ....one tan, one purple. Sadly Ill have to hem them cuz I'm short as a stump and everything I buy is too long.

Then I wandered back home. You see when I called the egg lady earlier she was out fishing, said she would call me when she got home. So after I got home, she called me awhile later. She asked me if I want more fish and of course I said yes! So I asked her if she liked crumb cake and she said YES! So I packed up quite a few pieces to bring with me and the extra empty egg cartons too.

I love going to the egg lady's house. Once again its like going thru the woods and when I arrive Dukey the yellow lab is there to greet me and get a scratch or two. And the chickens are wandering all over. I opened the door and Dukey zeroed right in on the crumb cakes sitting on the floor in the back, sticking his nose in and trying to get past the plastic wrap but I said nonono.......and pushed him away. The egg lady just got there too and had her bucket of fish ready to be cleaned so we wandered inside.

She cleaned the fish and for that I was grateful. Yes I'm a chef but I cant handle blood and guts and so I don't like to do that stuff. When we used to go fishing my ex cleaned them so I never had to and we had prep people in the restaurant so I didn't have to there either. And so I handed her the crumb cakes and told her elderly mom I brought her a sweet snack too.

While I was sitting there her hubby came in and he was too cute smacking her back and forth on her butt while shes trying to clean the fish lol. And so he asked if I wanted them heads on or off and I said doesn't matter, either way. I'm just happy to have them. He told her to cut them off but she didn't. I think he was trying to make points with me (wink) , hes a nice guy too.

And so he talked about making pickled fish with some the last time and had her take some out for me to taste. We often get into these conversations about food and I love it. I'm not crazy about pickled fish and the first batch I tasted was a bit salty. He told her no get the other jar so she did and I tasted that. It was much better but still for me.....not one of my fav. things. But her family is from Finland and such so I know that's a big thing there.

She went off to gather eggs again and he and I chatted awhile about all sorts of things and canning and growing and I gave him some ideas of other herbs to use for the fish too. And so it was getting late and I had to go. Grabbed my purse and stuff and headed out the door. He followed me.

The chickens were running around and I just loved it. Told him I wanted chickens when I got here but Kurt wont let me get any. So I said Ill just live vicariously thru them, this way I can get eggs and enjoy the chickens but not have all the mess. I can be the country girl and the city girl at the same time. He laughed and showed me his bare butt chickens. I'm serious , his black and whites for some reason were molting feathers off their back ends.....damn they have to be cold. lol

It started to rain and so I got in the car to go home. He told me about some of the biddies wandering down the road the other day......side by side like they were leaving home. lol I laughed and asked did they leave? He said no they came back but it was funny to see. As I said goodbye I saw some of the chickens down the end of that driveway wandering off and he wandered down there too.

I turned my car around in the big driveway to head out and saw him take the small riding digger he had and round up the birds and shoo them back towards home in the rain. I pulled up beside him in my car and opened the windows. I said I guess this is how you chicken wrangle these days and he agreed and laughed.

I wandered back down the wooded road that goes around the lake and realized just how happy I was . I wished that I brought my camera here too to show you all the sweet chickens they have. I loved where I wandered today, I love the coastal beachy town I'm in, I Love the back roads and small town feel and even the people I'm meeting. It don't get any better than that.