Nevadans?

[campinechickens]

Yep every baker knows that for moist cakes, biscuits, even pancakes, buttermilk is the way to go! Nothing else makes things quite as moist. Funny how I hate the taste of buttermilk by itself but love, love, love it in baked goods. There are other ways to moisten breads etc but in my experience nothing beats buttermilk.

buttermilk works great in my pancakes. I hate the way it tastes by itself though. Once when I was little, I made mac and cheese (boxed) and then discovered we were out of milk, so I used buttermilk instead (had never tasted it before). I took one bite. It was the most horrible thing I had ever tasted, at that time.

 

[campinechickens]

Baby number one has arrived!!!

yay! congratulations!

 

[americanvalkyrie]

would you be willing to share your biscuit recipe?

I was really impressed with the pumpkin you painted. I can't commission anything, but would love to see your work!

Dad's Buttermilk Biscuits

4 cups flour
4 tsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup shortening
1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk


Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in shortening until the dough resembles a fine meal. Stir in buttermilk and knead 20-25 times, just until everything is mixed. Roll out 1/2 inch thick (or thicker), cut out biscuits, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

A plastic cup works well as a cookie cutter. My dad always rolled the dough about an inch thick, then baked the biscuits until just barely golden, so they were a bit doughy in the middle. Some of the dough didn't even make it to the oven. He ate handfuls of it as he cooked, then we ate the biscuits on Sundays with bacon, grits, and fresh eggs.

And some of my work...
I haven't done anything this year other than the pumpkin, but I plan to soon, as soon as I get done with a few other things.


My chicken coop...



The doors on the coop...




The only landscape I've ever done...



This was a surprise for a friend who does humanitarian work in Zambia. These boys were rescued from becoming soldiers and now live in an orphanage run by my friend's friend.



A Christmas present last year to a family that really helped us out...



My son at about age 10, and our dog Oh'no



My daughter at about age 8.

 

[campinechickens]

oh my gosh! your work is amazing! did you work from photos or did they sit for you?
thank you for the biscuit recipe!

 

[2seth2]

That us where that picture cam from i always wondered what your avatar was now i know!!!!!!!

I am the western regonal intermediate champion for breed id so i assume this will be a piece of cake!

 

[americanvalkyrie]

oh my gosh! your work is amazing! did you work from photos or did they sit for you?
thank you for the biscuit recipe!

Thanks! I work from pictures. The portraits of my son and daughter took about 25 hours each... considering I can only paint when I'm NOT parenting, there's no way I can get them to sit still that long.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

yep love all those paintings for sure



Baby number two is drying right now! also....two more eggies have pipped! Baby number two is a naked neck as well! so either porkchop is dad and silkie is mom, or silkie stole showgirl hen's eggs and gregory peck is the dad. Either way i am extremely egg-cited!!

also we were finally able to save the dog in LA! she will be here monday hopefully and i already have a family interested in her! yay for making life and savng life!!!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Yeah, if I ever open up my own shop, I'm thinking less perishable items are the way to go. I'd love to sell my soaps in a shop, or get a high enough price for my art that I can make any kind of profit in a gallery. But the thought of baking all that stuff for possible sale, and throwing it out at the end of the day, freaks me out.

I understand that one! Big time!

Baby number one has arrived!!!

YEA!!!!!

Hmmm... 10:00 PM. Sunny must still be driving her tractor!

LOL!!! We got home too late last night for me to play with it (after Pick and Pull and 2 other errands... I was so bummed) but I had sooooo much fun on it this morning! The driveway is done (it was super easy! Even for a tractor novice!) and driving on that driveway was a dream by comparison when we went to return the trailer to Steve's friend this afternoon. All the ruts and rocks in the way had been removed or smoothed over and we didn't have to bounce our way up the drive! I can't believe what a difference it made!

After I finished the driveway I put the tractor in 4th gear and rode all around with the dogs chasing me.

Yes I even yelled "Woo Hoo" a couple of times (loudly).

That thing really cooks in 4th gear! I think I have a new way to exercise the dogs. heehee I am having a blast with my new toy!

buttermilk works great in my pancakes. I hate the way it tastes by itself though. Once when I was little, I made mac and cheese (boxed) and then discovered we were out of milk, so I used buttermilk instead (had never tasted it before). I took one bite. It was the most horrible thing I had ever tasted, at that time.

I bet!

Thanks! I work from pictures. The portraits of my son and daughter took about 25 hours each... considering I can only paint when I'm NOT parenting, there's no way I can get them to sit still that long.

I used to be an art model and after an hour my limbs would be falling asleep. Once I got up to stretch and my foot had gone so dead that I couldn't get it to move when I walked. It was dragging around behind me for a few minutes. It kinda scared me. As an adult I couldn't sit for more than an hour! I can't imagine trying to get kids to sit that still for 5 minutes! Hahaha

I love your portraits Missy! I would love to commission you to do a painting of me or of Steve and I but that is a cost I can't do just yet. Fences for the animals have to come first but I will do it some day!!!



I'm not getting notifications again so I will have to remember to be more vigilant in checking the thread. It's gonna be harder now when the weather is good. It will be tough to stay off the tractor long enough to check the thread.

 

[SunnyDawn]

yep love all those paintings for sure



Baby number two is drying right now! also....two more eggies have pipped! Baby number two is a naked neck as well! so either porkchop is dad and silkie is mom, or silkie stole showgirl hen's eggs and gregory peck is the dad. Either way i am extremely egg-cited!!

also we were finally able to save the dog in LA! she will be here monday hopefully and i already have a family interested in her! yay for making life and savng life!!!

That is awesome!!! Seriously great news (both the chicks and the dog)!!!

 

[americanvalkyrie]

yep love all those paintings for sure



Baby number two is drying right now! also....two more eggies have pipped! Baby number two is a naked neck as well! so either porkchop is dad and silkie is mom, or silkie stole showgirl hen's eggs and gregory peck is the dad. Either way i am extremely egg-cited!!

also we were finally able to save the dog in LA! she will be here monday hopefully and i already have a family interested in her! yay for making life and savng life!!!

AWESOME NEWS!!!!

Re: commissioning artwork... Any artist with experience knows there is NO WAY we will EVER get what we deserve out of our artwork, unless we're painting in the Hamptons or our great-great-grandchildren get commission for selling it. (Meaning we're long gone.) That's one of the reasons I only do a couple a year, and don't sweat it. That way, it's all joy, sometimes with a side bonus of a little income.