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In keeping with my annual ridiculous Valentines Day gift suggestions, I bring you something new and in limited quantities … so don’t waste any time.
Get yours now.
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Because nothing says I love you like nuggets.
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I have yet to attend a dinner party where nuggets and caviar has been served. Clearly I travel in the wrong social circles.
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I’m confused.
They’re free of charge… but will sell out quickly?
Only McDonalds marketing could come up with that.
🥴
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Fat shaming is wrong.
Even if it’s directed towards those of feline persuasion.
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Poor Fred.
I feel you buddy.
💕
Since I posted about my knee troubles two weeks ago? I’ve been inundated with ads for bamboo wraps, pain creams and Velcro braces.
But yesterday?
Things went a little south..
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For the record I won’t be wrapping myself in cabbage… no matter how blog worthy the photos might be.
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Our buck, having dinner.
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He still has his rack, which is rather odd.
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But it does make him easier to identify.
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Posted for those who have always wondered.
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After too many awful internet crock pot recipes to count, I finally found a good one. This was easy and quite tasty, though I had to leave out the red pepper flakes for my spice averse spouse. When I make it again I’m going to halve the amount of chicken, once shredded it was a little too meaty for me.
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In case you didn’t realize.
😊
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We headed back down to Windham recently because my husband was craving the world’s best pork chop.
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Christmas decorations were still up.
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And the chickens were still watching me drink.
This cocktail was called Hibernation and was delicious. Simple, fresh… and probably worth spending the winter in a cave.
Vodka, cardamom simple, lime, blackberry puree.
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The husband started with carrot ginger soup and loved it.
Bumbleroot Farm carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, maple syrup, pepitas.
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My next cocktail was a spiced clementine margarita. Ooh la la!.. that was tasty.
Reposado, spiced clementine syrup, lime, Cointreau.
My appetizer of corn and spicy chicken egg rolls were equally as good.
Maine Family Farms chicken, roasted corn, cumin, Monterey jack cheese, chili powder, egg roll wrapper, chipotle aioli, pico-slaw.
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And there it is. Unassuming to view… but this cider brined chop is next level good and perfectly grilled. You’ve never had pork like this, it’s melt in your mouth tender.
Prime center cut chop, French green beans, butternut puree, Ricker Hill Honeycrisp apple, caramelized onion.
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I went with the chicken cordon bleu which was wonderful as well.
Maine Family Farms chicken breast, egg, flour, Bumbleroot Farm spinach, Pineland Farms Swiss cheese, Canadian bacon, cream, parmesan, Waxwing Bakery breadcrumbs.
We’ve come to the realization it’s impossible to have a bad meal at Yolked. Oh, you’ll pay for the privilege… but what’s life without a little splurging?
😊
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Reading, with cat.
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It’s cute, but not always easy.
And speaking of cats…
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I’m wearing my fair share of battle armor myself and should probably eat healthier.
And speaking of eating healthier, I found this recipe…
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A good for you snack.
And speaking of that…
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I never knew this.
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And am glad I’ve only ever fed our squirrels raw nuts.
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And speaking of squirrels…
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They’ve been driving His Lordship crazy.
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Knowing he can’t reach them…
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They’ve been mercilessly cavorting on our deck providing hours of free kitty entertainment… as well as frustration.
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😊
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All it requires is a little counting.
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My husband constantly complains I’m a picky eater but I don’t think I am.
My number is 9.
What’s yours?
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I had a birthday recently.
But now that I’ve entered my 6th decade? I can’t say I celebrate like I used to.
Though my sweet husband tries.
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A lovely flower arrangement was delivered late morning.
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And he insisted on driving an hour and a half north to a restaurant we tried once and liked.
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The place had erected bubble tents for segregated seating during Covid and because they were so popular, they’re still in use.
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Cute… but when it’s 11 degrees and starting to snow?
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I prefer indoor dining.
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My spiced pear cranberry mule?
Perfect. It tasted just like Christmas.
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And though I devoured some excellent crab cakes before I thought to photograph them, I did get a shot of the husband’s
CIDER-BRAISED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Cinnamon Crème Fraîche with Crisp Kale…
Just as he ruined the decorative swirl.
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My
CAJUN SHRIMP PASTA
Roasted Sweet Corn, Sweet & Spicy Peppers, Garlic-Parmesan Cream Sauce, Pappardelle Pasta, Micro Cilantro, Lime….
Was spicy and fantastic after I requested they leave off the cilantro.
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The husband chose a
SOLSTICE HALIBUT
Lemon Quinoa, Warm Squash Confit, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Beurre Blanc, Pea Tendrils….
Though I have no idea why since he hates quinoa and didn’t eat the tendrils. That left him with a piece of fish and a half a cherry tomato… for $46.
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The sky on the drive home was photo worthy.
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And our backyard buddies greeted us upon return, so I’ll call it a good day.
Even though…
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🥴
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If you’re a squirrel on our property, you may feel like you’re being watched.
And if it’s not me with a camera?
It’s His Lordship.
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Who keeps a close eye on the visitors.
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May it rest in peace.
I loved MTV back in the day and spent many happy hours singing along with videos as I ironed my husband’s Marine Corps uniforms.
The end of an era, that.
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I always know when the bird feeders are running low.
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The avian protesters are noisy.
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Yes.
That’s why I do it.
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Husband photographing a sunrise.
Lord Dudley Mountcatten wondering why.
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Damn it.
Now I’m going to have start counting corn.
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The husband and I were searching for a bakery in Windham but found a wonderful new restaurant instead.
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Stumbling in at noon right after they opened, we had the place to ourselves. For a strip mall location, it was surprisingly nice inside, kind of boho rustic.
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And the cocktails were next level good.
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I felt right at home with chickens over my shoulder.
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And we discovered their menus are seasonal as well as locally sourced.
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Everything was fresh and utterly fabulous.
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My mini beef Wellington appetizer melted in my mouth.
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Husband’s garlic and white wine mussels with saffron butter, chorizo and pine nuts were huge and flavorful .
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Naturally we sat at the bar.
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And naturally my husband made a friend.
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My cast iron chicken with mushrooms, mashed potatoes and a lemon thyme gravy was amazing and after a recommendation from the owner … who claimed they had the best pork anyone had ever tasted…
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Husband had the best pork chop he’s ever tasted, bar none.
Perfectly prepared, the chop was massive. Hard to tell from the photo but it was easily 2 inches thick. Cider brined, grilled with a char but tender and juicy inside. Topped with caramelized onions and Honeycrisp apples and served with fresh green beans and butternut squash puree.
It wasn’t an inexpensive meal, but damn. It was perfect.
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On our way out to lunch the other day my husband saw a yard sale sign and had to follow it for miles and miles… and honestly? Too many miles out of our way.
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Yes we passed cows, which is always nice. But the sale was a disappointing collection of junk no one would want …
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Except my husband who found a box of old wooden hangers.
Can you see my eyes rolling from there?
Hangers in hand, he turned around and headed back towards the restaurant but found a small flea market on the way and had to stop.
I swear… even though we made a nice amount of money at our yard sale this summer? The success of that weekend has rekindled the bargain shopping flame under my spouse that I spent years putting out.
Damn it!
Thankfully he didn’t buy anything worthless there and we did find a wonderful local woodworker who customized a nice multi grain board we’re going to give to our daughter of the heart’s southern husband for Christmas. He fell in love with Maine on his first visit and we constantly promote the idea of them moving here.
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From left to right the woods are:
Red oak, Purple Heart, Hard Maple, Sapelle (mahogany family) and Black Walnut.
After that it’s more of the same mixed and alternating.
When the husband was finally done shopping?
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I needed an apricot sangria.
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We split a big spinach salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts and a lemon poppyseed dressing..
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As well as a fabulous garlic white sauce mushroom and spinach pizza.
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The crust was amazing, and yes we ate it all.
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Exactly!
🤣
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Heading out to the 175th Fryeburg Fair, a selfie.
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This is the oldest (175 years) and the biggest fair in Maine. How big, you ask?
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This big.
And after a late start due to my husband playing cribbage at breakfast with friends, we arrived two hours later than planned.
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On the way to parking the car? RV heaven.
Or hell as far as I’m concerned. Densely packed on flat dirt as far as the eye can see, I can’t imagine spending a week like that, but people come from all over New England and look forward to it every year.
To each their own.
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Many people go to the fair for the rides and carnival atmosphere … we’re not those people.
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We started with the race horses.
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Beautiful creatures who enjoy an occasional scratch.
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This poor fellow was trying to take a nap.
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While this one looked ready to munch a mum.
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Food trucks and vendors were everywhere but my husband hates eating lunch standing up and ducked into the one little restaurant they have on site instead.
Big mistake.
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It’s a bare bones place with a limited menu. They didn’t even have ice for our drinks. Warm Pepsi anyone?
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Husband had a watery bowl of stew with a biscuit you could use for a boat anchor while I had a dry turkey salad roll the waitress mistakenly charged me $1 for instead of the $11 it cost. A dollar was really all it was worth, but the cashier caught the error and we moved on.
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To the draft horses.
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Who were finishing the pulling show the husband usually likes to watch.
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These horses are gentle giants and I hate to see them straining …
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So I wasn’t disappointed we’d missed most of it.
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This beauty stood almost 19 hands.
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And the husband spent more than 19 minutes talking to this owner while I wandered around.
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Out back, these fellows were getting a bath.
Percherons, Belgians, and Haflingers. They never fail to impress.
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River's world..... 