Ashley English's Blog, page 7

Rurally Screwed (Humpday Giveaway!!!)

Some blogs you go to because they make you inquisitive and speculative, offering contemplative morsels for rumination. Others you go to because they always have a good take-away something or other, whether that's a recipe for rye crumble bars or links to new (to you) artists. And then there are those you go to for a chuckle, a chortle, a guffaw, or an all-out belly laugh. Jessie Knadler and her

Chicken & Egg

This past winter, the lovely and talented photographer, blogger, and author Jen Altman came over to photograph my little family. The images were to accompany a piece I wrote, Chicken & Egg, for Kinfolk magazine. We simulated a spring day, as I donned a vintage madras shirt dress and we set about shooting outdoor images in the cove.

It was a great experience. Jen is an extremely confident

Mr. Sandman

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Owing to that, Huxley is constantly attempting to do whatever it is that we're doing. This is often cute. Sometimes, though, it makes for extra work for myself and Hubs, like when we're working in the garden, digging things. Huxley has been going behind us, digging those things back up. Until now.

A few weeks ago, at the home of a close friend,

One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

The Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas are laying!

They're little things, both the pullets and their eggs, but, oh, look at that blue!!!

What I'm Digging

Happy Friday, friends! It's a rainy day in the cove this morning, which is just fine by me. I planted peas, carrots, beets, mustard greens, two types of lettuce, spinach and arugula this week and they could all benefit from a good soaking. Those new crops, coupled with the already growing red and green cabbages, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, kale, and collards that made it through the winter

Where the Wild Things Are

To me, spring is definitely in effect when I see the wild violets. When these beauties start popping up all over the cove, I know it's only a matter of time before rabbits will start hopping through the yard again, the ferns will unfold their fronds, and we'll be cooking ramps into any and everything.

For now, though, the focus is on the violets. We carefully gather them up and then toss the

The Birds & The Bees (Humpday Giveaway, Part 1)

It's official, spring has sprung! On this first day of the season, there is no doubt that the time of flowers and growth and abundance is upon us. I don't know where you live, but here, the daffodils have already peaked, the tulips are emerging from their slumber party in the soil, and the apple trees are shamelessly showing off their pink finery. Spring. Is. Here.
This fecund green season is the

A Slow Kinship

The longer Hubs and I are together, the more we find ourselves gravitating towards, and enjoying immensely, the slow life. That's to say, these days we like to cook the oats that take 30 minutes over the 1 minute variety. We find satisfaction in the time it takes to light the wood stove and keep it going. We love waiting for the French press to steep the coffee. We like the long, rambly

What I'm Digging

Happy Friday, friends! We three Englishes arrived in lovely, quaint, damp Portland, Maine this afternoon. Huxley was a total rock star on the flights, playing on the Asheville-Atlanta flight and then sleeping for all but the last 20 minutes of the Atlanta-Portland flight! We found an adorable French cafe for dinner (savory crepes! sweet crepes!) and then gorged on local gelato for dessert. We're

New Kid In the Flock

Introducing Rooster Cogburn, or R.C., as we call him. A Blue Wheaten Ameracuana, this little fella just started crowing last week. It's a fine yelp, heard clear across the cove.

He's a sweet guy (at this point), allowing us to pet and handle him, for the most part. Hopefully that will continue to be the case. We were reluctant to add a roo to the flock for some time, as I harbored some painful (