Look what we’re having for breakfast this morning! Fresh eggs! Yesterday I walked up the driveway to get the mail and came back with a dozen eggs from the neighbor next door. She just happened to be driving by and I was in the right spot at the right time. Aren’t they pretty? I wasn’t even sure they had chickens. I knew they at least had a rooster because he’s been crowing up a storm lately. Plus, the woods are so thick between us that we can’t even see their house during the summer. Now that the trees are pretty much bare I think the sound travels more.

She said they are just old enough now to start laying and she’s getting a dozen per day; more than she can eat. She had just given away another dozen to the new folks down the street. I offered to pay her but she said they were a gift. She will be starting to sell them soon, however. I told her to count me in as a regular customer. How cool is that?

And, I just put the last bite of my cheese omelet in my mouth. I used the huge “goose” egg looking one in the middle. [She said she has some kind of exotic but couldn’t remember the name. Some chicken with ‘furry’ feet.] It had two yolks! And, another overly large white egg had two yolks too. So, we shared a two-egg-four-yolk omelet. How does that happen?? Whatever the cause, they were delicious. There is nothing quite like a fresh egg.

I think in return I will make her some cookies using a few of the eggs. I think I’ll bake up some Sour Cream Sugar Cookies to take to her to thank her. And I just might keep a few for myself! Yum!

Oh, one other thing before I go. Please don’t tell Mom, she’d be so jealous. She misses her chickies so…

I know, I know. I’m supposed to be posting the blog entry about our 25th anniversary to see the Broadway play, Wicked. Patience, it’s almost finished. So instead you’ll have to make do with photos from Rick’s parents’ trip to visit. The following were taken mid-October on our drive up through Harriman State Park in New York and Bear Mountain. As you can see, it was a lovely drive on a lovely day. They truly did pick the right week for weather!

The play of green and red along the border of the lake caught my eye.

The Bear Mountain Bridge and Hudson River Valley

Yummy curds and whey happening here! No, Little Miss Muffet is not present and the only one sitting on their tuffet around here is me. Today’s kitchen activity for Rick is making CHEESE. Camembert to be precise, because he knows I love it so. The curds need to sit a bit now before the whey is drained off. After that the curds will go into molds to drain further. In about 3 months we’ll be able to eat it. Can’t wait…

ADDENDUM: If you want to follow this cheese’s journey you can read more on Rick’s cheese forum discussion page.

This oak leaf is looking pretty lonely all by itself. Soon, it will join the others to carpet the forest floor.

What do you think? On my walk through the woods yesterday I came across this lovely tree that appears to have a staircase fit for a fairy or wee elf growing on it. It even has a handrail that is built in!