2009 March 16 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

March 16, 2009 · by JudyL

Looks like I’m not getting my chickens. It’s one of those things that both of us had to be in 100% agreement or it wouldn’t be pretty. Vince never wanted chickens but he was going to do it because he knew how badly I wanted them. Good Vince!

In the Fall, he’ll be teaching three nights a week. It’s dark when he gets home from work. I’m gone from home a lot and I don’t think Vince would be real happy about coming home in the dark, going out to deal with getting the chickens fed, checking their water, getting them in the coop; then going to teach class for three hours. One night each week, he’ll go straight from work because he has to drive an hour to get to class, teach, then drive an hour home. Chickens are not something he needs added to his already too busy days/nights.

We haven’t ruled it out completely for the future. One day I won’t be gone from home so much and maybe we can reconsider chickens then. I’m not sad . . I learned a long time ago that if Vince isn’t completely sold on something . . don’t do it because I’ll never hear the end of it.

And . . who knows . . maybe one day we’ll buy a little cabin on a trout stream in Arkansas and go there every weekend. I’d hate to have that opportunity and have to say . . no thanks . . I have chickens! After this semester, Chad won’t be coming home every weekend so Vince and I will be free to go and do as we please. I’m liking that . . can you tell?

There’s still hope for the garden, though I don’t see much activity in my back yard!

Funny Beans

March 16, 2009 · by JudyL

We have beans often because we both love all kinds of beans. We mostly use dry beans – black beans, pinto beans, lima beans, great northern beans, split peas, garbanza beans, black eyed peas . . yep, we love beans. Last week we were in a Wal-Mart in one of the neighboring counties and found these:

Best I can determine, they’re called “broad beans” and I think they’re really dried fava beans. Vince and I searched for recipes and came up with a few. For whatever recipe, soaking the beans was the first step.

I made a bean soup with potatoes and carrots and it was yummy! But this dish was really delicious!

It has pancetta, fresh basil (from the second batch I have growing in my little indoor garden), cream, Roma tomatoes and the beans. I think we’ll be having this dish again . . soon!