The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

There are two different versions of chowder ... New England, which is creamy ... and Manhattan, which has a tomato base. I prefer the New England kind. Lots of places always have it as their Friday soup of the day.

It's like cream-of-whatever soup, but also rather distinctive ... maybe because of the bacon/onion/celery start? It's one of my favorite soups.

I'm an expert cuz I've made it twice now.

Hey...you know it only takes a couple times ~or a couple of years~ to become an "expert" at something.

OK so had to know... broth, stock, soup, chowder, bisque.....

http://www.abigslice.com/bisqueorchowder.html

Now I am very hungry. I have been making a mushroom soup for some time.... Cremini mushroom slices, herbs salt pepper garlic and chicken broth.... then a splash of vinegar to taste per bowl.

deb

Excellent article, Deb...and now I'm hungry too! Ravenous, to be exact......LJ, we are all coming over to your house for some turkey chowda. Move over, Gust!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Little Diane and Dustin got here this morning. She'd never flown before and she was absolutely breathless when she came down the ramp! She chattered a mile a minute while Dustin just grinned at her. We had set up our pop up camper for them to sleep in (this house is so cotton pickin' small we have to have mice make reservations for room) and we thought it would work out great. We've done that for years when people come. Hook up the power, fill the propane tank for the furnace, set up the porta-potty and it's almost like home. Well, sure. Normally. But it's storming. I mean really storming. Torrential rain, high winds, hail...oh goodie! And Motel 5 1/2 seems to have developed a leak on the canvas at the bed. Why not? And it's looking like my flat-lander guest isn't going to handle the altitude well. Already has the headache, can't stay awake. So I gave him a Pepsi, a couple of Advil and make him go in and rest for awhile. Hope it's as short-lived as the rest of our visitors have experienced. Also hope to get Dustin down to my eye doctor this week - he managed to break his glasses last night. LOL Interesting vacation so far. She was having such a good time! Oh, how I've missed her!

Happy looking couple!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

This evening I buried my oldest horse. Allie was probably over thirty, an appendix quarter horse, originally called Chana Rose. Nicely bred but abused before I got her. I think I bought her mostly because I wanted to get her out of her crappy situation and hoped we could develop a partnership.

Well it was never a great riding partnership (and I have the broken pelvis to attest to that) but though she wasn't the right horse for me I was the right owner for her. I cared for her, I gave her good home good pasture, good horse buddies, good beet pulp hay bran mash, good love.

She ate her breakfast this morning! She wandered out, as she usually does, a little stiff and staggery, but nibbled grass, and looked fine.

Then at two o'clock this afternoon we noticed she was down in the field, and when we ran to check, dead.

Very kind neighbour with backhoe came to bury her. Very sweet sensitive guy, knew just how to set her in. Even the dragging part was not too tough. It's interesting how people can make bad things better just with their kind ways.

She was a tough independent old girl. Never much liked me I think. Just was her own creature. Never made any trouble. Never had a day sick. Vet said this was probably a heart attack. Typical Allie. Just to lay down in her field and go like that. Without me getting a chance to say goodbye.

 

[Beekissed]

This evening I buried my oldest horse. Allie was probably over thirty, an appendix quarter horse, originally called Chana Rose. Nicely bred but abused before I got her. I think I bought her mostly because I wanted to get her out of her crappy situation and hoped we could develop a partnership.

Well it was never a great riding partnership (and I have the broken pelvis to attest to that) but though she wasn't the right horse for me I was the right owner for her. I cared for her, I gave her good home good pasture, good horse buddies, good beet pulp hay bran mash, good love.

She ate her breakfast this morning! She wandered out, as she usually does, a little stiff and staggery, but nibbled grass, and looked fine.

Then at two o'clock this afternoon we noticed she was down in the field, and when we ran to check, dead.

Very kind neighbour with backhoe came to bury her. Very sweet sensitive guy, knew just how to set her in. Even the dragging part was not too tough. It's interesting how people can make bad things better just with their kind ways.

She was a tough independent old girl. Never much liked me I think. Just was her own creature. Never made any trouble. Never had a day sick. Vet said this was probably a heart attack. Typical Allie. Just to lay down in her field and go like that. Without me getting a chance to say goodbye.

What a perfect life for a horse..and a perfect death. I'm so glad you were able to provide that life for her and I'm sorry you are missing your old friend.

I'm glad you had a nice neighbor to help you with that situation...I can't imagine what one would do if they didn't have a way to bury their horse.

 

[perchie.girl]

This evening I buried my oldest horse. Allie was probably over thirty, an appendix quarter horse, originally called Chana Rose. Nicely bred but abused before I got her. I think I bought her mostly because I wanted to get her out of her crappy situation and hoped we could develop a partnership.

Well it was never a great riding partnership (and I have the broken pelvis to attest to that) but though she wasn't the right horse for me I was the right owner for her. I cared for her, I gave her good home good pasture, good horse buddies, good beet pulp hay bran mash, good love.

She ate her breakfast this morning! She wandered out, as she usually does, a little stiff and staggery, but nibbled grass, and looked fine.

Then at two o'clock this afternoon we noticed she was down in the field, and when we ran to check, dead.

Very kind neighbour with backhoe came to bury her. Very sweet sensitive guy, knew just how to set her in. Even the dragging part was not too tough. It's interesting how people can make bad things better just with their kind ways.

She was a tough independent old girl. Never much liked me I think. Just was her own creature. Never made any trouble. Never had a day sick. Vet said this was probably a heart attack. Typical Allie. Just to lay down in her field and go like that. Without me getting a chance to say goodbye.

You gave her the best life in her final years. It soo wonderful to have some one who could set her in the ground... and you had a place for her. If you think back you will probably find something that tells you she said good by.

I have a friend in West Virginia who lost her Boss mare in her thrties... They buried her in the pasture where all her herd mates lived. They all took turns standing guard over the grave....

My mare is the same... Not a match for me Shes come close to killing me a couple of times. My fault every one. But I am her fourth owner and I promised her a home for life. I do have another home I could send her too if I cant care for her any more. But it wont be ready for a couple of years.

Sigh... it never is easy.

deb

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Daughter just sent me a photo to pass on to all of you. Alchemy, barn name Allie.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I have lost four horses in the past thirty five years... Here you arent allowed to bury a horse on your property unless you have many many acres. There is a collection service that comes to get them and a disposal fee.

Some time I will relate my stories about my horses. Now is not the time...

deb

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Thanks for your sympathy and kind words. I'm to bed now. Hasn't quite sunk in yet. Anyway I agree with the vet who said its much worse for owners who are agonizing over surgery/end of life/ euthanasia options and never feeling they made the right decision. She took her own path, as she always did. Not always the same path as me, hence the broken pelvis. Not to carp on about it.

 

[perchie.girl]

Daughter just sent me a photo to pass on to all of you. Alchemy, barn name Allie.

Oh what a nobel head a thinker too. too bad someone messed with her... Thinking horses have to be reasoned with...

deb

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I have lost four horses in the past thirty five years...   Here you arent allowed to bury a horse on your property unless you have many many acres.  There is a collection service that comes to get them and a disposal fee.

Some time I will relate my stories about my horses.  Now is not the time... 

deb

Yeah that's an option here too. I just learned. $179 for the stock truck and rendering services, or $800 for the cremation services. We chose to bury her in her field where she's grazed and run and rolled and gotten muddy and fly bitten and snowy for these past years. Maybe I'll get a little nameplate to put on a nearby tree.