tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85408789698106703552012-01-27T23:20:54.495-08:00Holy CheesesYou've found the ramblings of a Mama Llama. Her hubbie's named Choppie and the boys are Bunnie and Pup. Here you'll find notes on crafting artisan cheeses, raising beautiful animals and appreciating a hand-stitched life. Provecho!Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.comBlogger3931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-33247273929929598432012-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:002012-01-27T11:11:46.161-08:00Things to Be Afraid OfThings Bunnie thinks we should be afraid of:
* Bats
* Tigers
* Run away cats
* A real cat
* A big monster
* A snake
Things I am afraid of:
*Closet lights left on and burning through linens
*Low flames on stove left on
*Bathtubs overflowing
*Pup getting too hot when sleeping with heater on
*Pup rolling off his changing table
* Distracted driving
* Burning the beansMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-48878992940205001702012-01-23T13:17:00.000-08:002012-01-23T13:17:44.021-08:00ClassI've blogged about Bunnie's best friend Nami before. She's the daughter of Olivia, our neighbor who's been helping me with childcare this past year.
A week ago, Nami got a new baby sister. We drove Olivia to the hospital. Then Nami stayed with us that night. The next morning, all of us went together to met the sister who was so super fresh.
Concurrent with sister's arrival has been Bunnie's Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-52171918672349820042012-01-23T12:57:00.000-08:002012-01-23T12:57:59.066-08:00Pup Puts Up DukesPup is changing quickly! A few days ago he started to chuckle. Now he's just started using his dukes.
He gets his arms all busy, fluttering in front, hands in tight fists. Then he boxes and squirms and squeals. He pushes things out of the way. He can even clutch something, a bear for instance, with his boxer mits, and pull it in. He reminds me of a boxing spider.
Oh! And today he kissed me. He Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-90475215088846893712012-01-17T21:27:00.000-08:002012-01-17T21:27:10.942-08:00We ScreamSome wonderful old friends of ours visited recently. It was maybe just 11 a.m. when, on the heals of croissants and short breads, we decided it was time for ice cream.
I was a bore and ordered chocolate. Bunnie got orange sorbet. Choppie, Meyer Lemon. Amy got Earl Grey. And this hottie in the pink dress got vanilla.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-76300853218159349392012-01-17T21:23:00.000-08:002012-01-17T21:23:43.863-08:00SouringTonight I am letting a batch of cream cheese drip, drip, drip into a drier, denser curd. Hopefully in the morning it tastes wonderful and thick.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-33983871003418043782012-01-12T12:06:00.000-08:002012-01-12T12:06:27.687-08:00PreschoolBunnie started at preschool last week and it's been a tad tough. Prior to preschool, he was spending two or three short days each week at the neighbor's house. There he played with his good friend Nami... but also watched a lot of t.v.
For a number of reasons, including that it felt like he was ready for more social interaction, we decided it was time. We saved up the money and are now sending Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-80176302852921831992012-01-12T11:40:00.000-08:002012-01-12T11:40:23.422-08:00Tasty FistMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-54833044600963136592012-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:002012-01-09T12:00:02.958-08:00TimelessToday, while walking Bunnie back from preschool (more on that soon), I was thinking about the concept of time and how's it's changed for me.
I used to spend a lot of time waiting. I was waiting for big adventures. For jobs. For returned phone calls. For love. For announcements. Acceptances. Rejections. Conclusions. I spent time looking at the clock and calendar.
But this morning it dawned on meMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-38258208009872641902012-01-09T11:50:00.000-08:002012-01-09T11:50:11.135-08:00In the MiddlePup has been born into a project family. Though he's just getting a grip on life, he's getting that grip in the midst of hammers, flour clouds, nuts, bolts, train tracks, carboys and cheese vats. He's right there in the middle.
It probably is a good thing he's witnessing such action and creativity. Let's him know there's lots of fun ahead.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-84964762313430186932012-01-08T14:16:00.000-08:002012-01-08T15:44:25.165-08:00Swiss MissThe cheesemaker with whom I apprenticed in Maine several summers ago (Appleton Creamery) recently sent a package of her cheeses. It was so much fun to enjoy a taste from the past.
It was also fun to eat cheeses other than my own. I obviously make many different kinds of cheese but many are less-than-perfect and so their existence is simply annoying. Plus, there is something nice about eating butMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-43226686368449320722012-01-08T14:09:00.000-08:002012-01-08T14:09:39.798-08:00TrustThese days Bunnie is so complex, so earnest, so vulnerable, so trusting.
Last night he woke up in tears. He was already standing at our bedside by the time I woke. Through sobs he said "I thought you went away!" I hugged him and brought him back to bed and tucked his trusty green 'ba-ba' back around him. I told him we were right here and would always be.
He went back to sleep. I then lay in bedMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-26495933084430683252012-01-02T15:56:00.000-08:002012-01-02T15:56:35.220-08:00ClosenessHere's another picture of the two boys from a few weeks ago. Pup already looks quite different from how he looks here (more hair, less puffy-just-bornness).Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-81888539205298475782012-01-02T15:54:00.000-08:002012-01-02T15:54:29.702-08:00Side by Side When my sister visited last month, she did two things: She got Pup to start smiling and she noticed how cued into each other my boys are. She is totally right. When Bunnie enters the room, Pup seems to be keenly aware. He aches his back and twists his head as best he can in the direction he hears Bunnie's voice coming from. This is the beginning of a (hopefully) very long and very beautiful Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-81079514284397279512012-01-02T11:19:00.000-08:002012-01-02T11:19:44.622-08:00Pa and BunOn our long drive home I said to Choppie "I think you and Bunnie are the closest you've ever been." Choppie agreed.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-70640382524049524352012-01-01T22:31:00.000-08:002012-01-01T22:31:17.436-08:00Home from Home We are just back from a visit to my hometown, a place on the Mexican border called Bisbee. I was born there, in the living room of a house my parents built, almost exactly thirty-one years ago (my birthday is Wednesday). Returning to Bisbee is always a mix of emotions and memories for me. Some things I remembered: Stars are so bright that starring at them makes one dizzy. The air is so dry it Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-12911427239239074272011-12-15T22:45:00.000-08:002011-12-15T22:45:39.092-08:00First FrostSomehow or other I am managing to make cheese these days. It is crazy (standing, stirring and nursing at the same time) but it is wonderful. I get to be at home with my favorite people while continuing my cheesemaking education while making something practical.
Here is a Stilton I am working on. A few weeks ago it got it's 'first frost' or blushing of surface mold. It's the first cheese I've Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-44739184158798200652011-12-15T22:40:00.000-08:002011-12-15T22:40:53.093-08:00RockersPup and Bunnie each have their own little rocking chairs to rock out in. Of course Pup isn't quite the right size yet. For now, we can just prop him up.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-31835796488627986622011-12-15T22:33:00.000-08:002011-12-15T22:33:50.816-08:00Welcoming
The loving hands of so many friends and family have held our boys these past few weeks. I've tried to get pictures along the way but missed several.
Here are some shots for the record.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-19154868311115427222011-12-09T16:33:00.000-08:002011-12-09T16:33:19.157-08:00Mother PainI was trying to talk on the phone this morning while Pup napped and Bunnie chalked. But that was a joke. Minutes into an intense conversation ("Did he even say the word heroin when you talked to him?") I noticed Bunnie was coloring the rug pink with a crayon.
The white rug.
I hung up. Bunnie teared up. Poor thing. He'd thrown up five times since morning and had only started to feel better.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-58164483844586219512011-12-04T21:03:00.000-08:002011-12-04T21:03:36.858-08:00Expressions Just sharing some more pics of Pup. You can see how quickly he is changing. He still isn't really smiling but he's thinking about it. He is very good at furrowing his brow.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-49215916701926424272011-12-02T10:53:00.000-08:002011-12-02T10:53:50.211-08:00Push PullI am already sad that Pup is growing up. Actually, I am torn. I want him to grow up, to fatten up, to start smiling, to grow some cute hair. But I also don't want him to ever grow up. I want his heart right next to my heart forever.
I guess that's the thing about parenting; it's a constant push / pull. A constant flip between frustration and fascination. Between exhaustion and exhilaration. Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-26254287139277831732011-11-30T20:39:00.000-08:002011-11-30T20:39:19.433-08:00Co-sleepingSomewhere deep in our brains, we know if we are sleeping next to someone. I'm sure of it.
And I'm also sure that, for the most part, it comforts us. Pup is a perfect example. Add a brother to his bed and he sleeps that much more soundly.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-15412036034163473602011-11-28T17:07:00.000-08:002011-11-28T17:07:16.535-08:00Chinny Chin ChinThe truth about baby hats is they are utterly useless unless they tie under the chin, like this sweet head cover from our friend Pollywog. Everything else pops off in minutes.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-1022426647467381712011-11-28T12:32:00.000-08:002011-12-01T13:39:14.039-08:00FatteningNight and day, my Pup eats. Consequently, his cheeks are rounding, his chin is doubling, his thighs are rolling. I'm quite pleased.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-4291325405154464032011-11-28T12:27:00.000-08:002011-11-28T12:27:56.461-08:00YawnThis little man is very, very tired sometimes.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-56618623266528454822011-11-20T09:14:00.000-08:002011-12-01T13:38:49.441-08:00DreamlandI watch Pup sleep. His face flickers with flashes of joy, pain, boredom, humor. Then his eyes prance wide open, roll backwards then close. A grimace of agony follows a horse-like grunt, then a grumble from the gut. Again he's back to perfect quiet.
A baby is so pure and mysterious.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-1836403568632458442011-11-20T09:07:00.000-08:002011-11-20T09:07:35.596-08:00Mush MushThe Choppie Poppie has been crawling around lately on the damp forest floor. He's in hot pursuit of his favorite fungal friends.
Last week he hauled in quite a load including chantrelles, pig's ears, black trumpets and even one monstrous porcini. We were all tickled and happily scarfed a nice pot full of mushroom risotto.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-28802997663424753442011-11-09T15:22:00.000-08:002011-11-09T15:22:37.496-08:00Abel FaceI'm starring at Abel and still not quite able to get a sense of what he looks like. Here are two more shots, which, of course, are already outdated as he's now broken out in baby acne.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-31524568732386495062011-11-06T12:19:00.000-08:002011-11-06T12:19:25.747-08:00HalloweenAnother pic from trick-or-treating.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-56446578652733151192011-11-06T11:56:00.000-08:002011-11-06T11:56:07.113-08:00Sweet Baby AromaI'd been holding out on giving Abel a bath because I was worried I'd wash away his great smell. He smells like baby-milk-breath with some sweaty-velvet-head mixed in.
I'm sure it's all in the script that the smell of her own baby drives a mother mad with delight. It couldn't be truer.
Fortunately, my own mama (who's now on the scene) came to Abel's rescue and kindly cleaned his ears and pits Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-82462461017916206862011-11-02T16:43:00.000-07:002011-11-02T16:43:27.249-07:00One Week StrongBaby Abel is more than one week old now (he's now 12 days) but the title of this post was too good to pass up.
Baby Abel is filling all of our days with love. He doesn't do much; he sleeps, he eats, he shoots. He also grunts and burps. That about sums him up for now.
But his pureness and his freshness are like magic and medicine. I can barely help from burying my nose into the soft velvet of Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-5915635002493538192011-11-01T11:46:00.000-07:002011-11-01T11:46:14.533-07:00Big BunnieWith much coaxing, Choppie and I successfully begged Bunnie to wear a bunnie costume for Halloween. It wasn't easy!
Weeks ago, I asked Bunnie what he'd like to be for the holiday. He told me "A buffalo." I didn't think I could swing that plus I knew this would be the last year I might be able to 'pull the wool over his eyes" and dress him as something soft and cute. I know snarl masks, swords, Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-43561321139578380552011-10-29T15:49:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:49:07.598-07:00Brother LoveSo far Bunnie has been pretty tickled about having a brother. He's very interested in Abel, running to his side when he hears him cry. He's also eager to shove his finger (too far) into Abel's mouth (to pacify him). He's eager to share popcorn, apple pieces and chicken. He offers him cups of milk when I remind him that Abel only drinks milk these days.
Yesterday, he suggested we give Abel his Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-49478744918797171552011-10-29T15:39:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:39:06.716-07:00Sister Hat
My sister sent Abel the very sweetest little helmet. Abel has been wearing it day and night.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-72139958294525273512011-10-26T09:08:00.000-07:002011-10-26T09:08:41.381-07:00Brave PaA note of admiration for Papa Choppie:
To start, he squeezed my hand and held me tight through labor. He filled pots with water. Inflated birth tubs. Ran Bunnie to the sitter's. Ran back to me. Poured water over my back. Made phone calls. Listened.
Now, a baby. Choppie quickly put on his apron. He chopped and sliced and cooked up a chickpea lamb stew. He refilled my juice glass, seventeen Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-92149342647485440542011-10-23T12:54:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:54:27.295-07:00Enter AbelJust a quick note to all: We've been showered with an enormous blessing!
Abel (who will soon find a blog name) joined this world on Friday morning, 10-21-11. He entered in peace and is now busy catching up on sleep.
He weighed 8 lbs, 14 oz and was 21 inches long.
I am so, so happy as is the new big brother and the brave Papa Bear.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-38905057315953297272011-10-18T17:02:00.000-07:002011-10-18T17:02:48.259-07:00From the Cheese CaveFrom the Royal Lane cheese caves, we have this ambiguous beauty. It started, more or less, as an attempt at a muenster variety but seems to have become much drier plus gained more white surface molds than a muenster (a real muenster) would have.
When we open it, we'll post on it's flavor profile.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-17175112220810101542011-10-18T16:37:00.000-07:002011-10-18T16:37:45.647-07:00Toothpaste Tastes GreatI was wondering why Bunnie was so into brushing his teeth. Sometimes he'll go into the bathroom once an hour for a little tooth brushing fix.
Then it dawned on me; the toothpaste is so sweet!
We have fennel toothpaste from Trader Joe's and while brushing my teeth the other night it dawned on me: this stuff isn't far from the licorice I give Bunnie as a special treat!Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-68609544217119893762011-10-15T14:40:00.000-07:002011-10-15T14:40:13.318-07:00Nesting InstinctApparently I'm not the only one feeling the nesting instinct these days. Yesterday, Bunnie wanted to "wash stuff" and requested soap and gloves. I set him up and, in the nude, he scrubbed his bedroom window and window sill for 20 minutes.
Mimicry?Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-27321993507175753852011-10-15T13:48:00.000-07:002011-10-15T13:48:47.244-07:00Pistols and PeaceThis morning, as Bunnie and I hurried through the $1 Store on Mission (in search of those foil liners for the stove top), we encountered this baby with a plastic pistol.
He was wildly waving it around like a drunk cowboy, pointing it at the back of his nainai's head, then at us as we walked near. He then looked up at me and said "Hi!" and gave me the biggest smile.
I have never stopped a Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-35462969843224120652011-10-13T16:34:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:34:53.081-07:00Which Wig?Halloween is ahead and Bunnie's been busy testing out wigs. He had the whole Goodwill staff in hysterics when he plopped this big black mop on his head the other day. They all begged to take his picture (which was too much pressure so he had to promptly take the wig off).Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-30331789948795592362011-10-13T16:32:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:32:21.037-07:00Cuz LoveTwo weekends ago we went to the Hoes Down festival at Full Belly Farm about two hours drive from here in the Capay Valley. We met up with my brother meaning Bunnie got to see his two cousins (Bucky and Pia).
Bunnie was delighted to see Bucky. Delighted might be an understatement. He was jumping with glee. He was cheery and giddy.
Here is one of many photos showing an affectionate glance towardsMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-43533286482696478302011-10-13T16:27:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:27:34.404-07:00SignsLike The Virgin of Guadalupe found in rust on an old water heater, I seem to be getting signs from the universe that indeed I am with child.
The final picture is just me, a rindless but seeded watermelon.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-62827732012083592852011-10-13T16:24:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:24:26.650-07:00Pay Phone ServicesFirst, I forget that pay phones still exist but they do. I found one the other week in San Bruno State Park (at the edge of the parking lot!).
Secondly, there is apparently some free services one can obtain via a pay phone including finding a job, obtaining a credit card and God's blessing. Seeing this sign made me wonder who was hiking the hills of San Bruno aside from Bunnie and myself.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-27408807163563666202011-10-13T16:21:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:21:45.692-07:00Beautiful MelonsWe picked up some melons at the farmers' market several weeks ago- and strictly based on their skin. The skin was so, so beautiful. I was entranced.
Sadly, the inside wasn't as amazing. But it didn't matter. Just the shallow glimpse was enough.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-3901880955331073322011-10-10T10:11:00.000-07:002011-10-10T15:27:16.599-07:00The Potty BeginsChoppie and I are now navigating the world of potty training. I know there are books and theories out there on how to do it best. We've also been offered lots of good advice, none of which we've been wise enough to listen to.
My approach has simply been to let Bunnie figure it out. I keep thinking that the best thing I can do is keep the experience a positive experience and trust that in due Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-26621828057309557572011-10-04T16:50:00.000-07:002011-10-04T21:53:46.422-07:00Cheese BrainWithout my Providence mamas or a roaring commercial creamery at hand, it is home cheesemaking which fills my life.
Bunnie also fills my life but it is cheese that makes me sane. This past year, I've had more time and better access to milk than ever before. Consequently our San Francisco hut has become a straight-up cheese laboratory.
Envision the garage: a mess of cheese forms, coolers, bulk Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-32395283760326276842011-10-03T17:08:00.000-07:002011-10-03T17:08:14.682-07:00Make MilkThis poster came my way via the Oakland Museum of CA archives. I love it (not that I think every last cheese was invented by a woman).
I love it because I feel connected to lactating animals. Because I am one! No, I don't make cheese from my breast milk (as many of my cheese students have inquired). But I get the sacredness of milk. I have milked cows, goats, sheep, buffalo. I've been 'milked' Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-50690663603351954762011-09-29T17:46:00.000-07:002011-09-29T17:46:41.298-07:00Home DayToday was a home day. A pure, straight-up morning light to dusk home day. Bunnie spent a lot of time lying on the rug in the living room staring at flies and the ceiling.
I squirreled around the kitchen and the garage. Washed laundry. Sorted. Made cheese (with saffron threads). Made ricotta. Made yogurt. Refreshed the kombucha. Washed dishes. Set up train tracks. Talked to sister. Ate lunch.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-21038718487541136712011-09-29T17:27:00.000-07:002011-09-29T17:27:53.496-07:00Want Some Money?Little Bunnie enters the kitchen. He's holding two eye glass cases carefully. They appear stuffed with something. He looks over at me,"Mom. Want some money?"
"Sure." I respond.
He opens a case to show a wade of photos that he's found in one of our photo albums.
"Here." He says blankly, handing me two photos then leaving the room.
(P.S. This photo shows Bunnie in kitten position. He's wearingMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-88887813538303260852011-09-25T10:05:00.000-07:002011-09-25T10:08:43.227-07:00PieLast Sunday's Pie Contest was really fun, I have to admit! The winning pie was a classic apple pie. The next winner was a berry pie. Running ups were this strawberry rhubarb (A) as well as a green tomato and yellow raisin (T).
My own favorite? A fig, walnut and goat cheese gallette (C).
Photos credit: Sean Roberts, OMCA
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-4257264649363244822011-09-25T09:59:00.000-07:002011-09-25T09:59:56.447-07:00Bunnie TalkBunnie is running around the house naked. He's eating an egg tart that the neighbor just brought over from the Chinese bakery. It is still warm and fragrant.
He just now ran into the living room and offered Papa a bite of tart saying "Chris give it we". It makes me pause and think of some funny statements he's made lately:
* He woke up from nap the other day, walked out of his room and declaredMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-58532732176251082582011-09-20T17:18:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:18:08.783-07:00My Hands FullLately I am full of inner monologues about how limited my energy is and how most people who don't have kids don't understand people who have kids. I feel my energy shifting fiercely inwards. Maybe you'll think I've taken a turn for the worst.
What's really happening is there is an impending birth and it is forcing me to be honest and to reset some of my boundaries. It can feel raw to all Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-17877829075239076392011-09-20T17:05:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:05:11.338-07:00Growing Blue, Day by Day I'm trying to take a daily or almost daily photo of a recent batch of blue cheese and then post them on the Milk Maid Facebook page. Here's a sampling.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-74263015565273367632011-09-16T22:58:00.000-07:002011-09-16T22:58:40.888-07:00Scrubbing PotsToday was one of those days that just fell apart and so I resorted to scrubbing pots.
I'd woken up and intended to take Bunnie to 'school' which is this playgroup down the street. But when I called to reserve his spot (my bag already packed, Bunnie's shoes already on), they said they were full for the morning. What?!!
Okay! Reroute! I texted a woman I'd met at the playground last week. She's myMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-79842355768513577522011-09-13T12:13:00.000-07:002011-09-13T12:13:57.133-07:00It's Pie Time!This Sunday we're having the last of the Seed Circus events at the Oakland Museum. To wrap up, we're celebrating with a seed swap, lecture on crop diversity, live pack of ukulele players (15 in total) and a PIE CONTEST!
I am so excited to see the beautiful pies (like those on Almea's postcard recently). I love pie. Not all pie. But a slice of well done pie (from Mission Pie for example) is a Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-91495976241843907612011-09-09T10:31:00.000-07:002011-09-09T10:31:00.273-07:00Eat It So I Don't!Choppie and I laughed so hard last night as we were finishing dinner (really nice kimchi soup he'd made-- nice but also healthy and lean. Ehh.)
I kept asking Bunnie if he was still hungry. He was giving me mixed answers. So I got up and made him a little concoction of freshly made sour cream (that turned out so so so well) topped generously with wildflower honey.
I gave it to him in a little Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-80648021215258052632011-09-08T16:05:00.000-07:002011-09-08T16:05:24.064-07:00Something from the GarageHere's a finished wheel of Castello Blue cheese I made in early July. The rind is so beautiful and wacky. Inside, the area nearest the rind got over-ripened. But the middle- it's nutty, sweet, blue, really good!
I wish all of you readers were also neighbors. I have too much blue on hand right now and need to move it along!
If you do live near and can swing by, send an email. I'll hook you up.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-81122093171321251492011-09-05T22:11:00.000-07:002011-09-05T22:11:39.772-07:00Ricotta AwakeningTonight I taught a ricotta class to a crowd of muscly women in Mill Valley. It was a treat because the house where the party was held was tucked at the end of a windy, wacky road. I griped the steering wheel and crawled slowly up and down the mountain side to get there.
While teaching how to make ricotta yet again to yet another group of people, something somehow finally clicked for me. It was Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-90386037866683682342011-09-05T08:57:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:57:21.184-07:00Pout Lip / Gnarly FaceI forget if I already posted this picture. If I have, just smile and know this blogger's brain is turning to soft fuzz.
Here is Bunnie offering me a pouting bottom lip. It isn't that he's sad. It's that he's in a phase of facial experimentation. It's fantastic. I know Jim Carrey was busy warping his brow at an early age. It all starts somewhere.
Bunnie, randomly, will put on the oddest Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-72399466449972466142011-09-05T08:51:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:51:05.065-07:00Observing PlayBunnie and I go to the playground near our house about once a week. It's a good destination for after he wakes from nap and is pile of grump.
As soon as we get to the playground and he sees other kids, lights go on. He pops off the stroller, says 'Oh! Wow!' and starts bolting in the direction of activity.
I, meanwhile, try for a second to check out (read junk mail I've brought with me or makeMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-25159505098665556952011-09-02T13:15:00.000-07:002011-09-02T13:15:56.965-07:00Bathtub CheeseI just now started to enter the phrase 'bathtub cheese' to Google to see what popped up and sadly, the machine predicts me too well. I only had to write 'B A T" before it offered me, as a first suggestion, bathtub cheese. Funny.
Nearly all the links offered are negative. It's articles about food borne illnesses, all related to the illegal sale of queso fresco made in people's home bathtubs.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-73151941152646012162011-08-29T21:21:00.000-07:002011-08-29T21:21:52.102-07:00The Rolling HillsI taught a group of 4H kids how to make cheddar last weekend in Pt. Reyes. The hills are so grassy and beautiful there. On my ride home, I had to pull over the car and take a quick picture.
And there's my own little bump, kicking up a storm, making me waddle. 'Big Brother' is looking and acting ever so big lately (and not just because he's standing bare bottomed on the kitchen table).Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-77209314769072312112011-08-16T10:53:00.000-07:002011-08-16T11:12:47.487-07:00Tea is for ToniThis week my next door neighbor through all of childhood passed away. Her name was Toni and she made and painted pottery with her partner Peter.
I've been thinking about Toni constantly because I've always known her. She made my baby blanket and probably showed up to see my mother hours after my arrival. She was a best friend to my mother and a neighbor / aunt to me. My hometown is a small Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-88697772610783847502011-08-15T16:35:00.000-07:002011-08-15T16:35:42.536-07:00Trying to RememberI'm trying to write down the cute things Bunnie is saying lately because I can hardly remember them by the next day (and know that in 20 years, I won't have the fainest memory):
Wakes up from a long nap and has a complete meltdown. Cries. Kicks. Slobbers. Afterwards, I remind him of his breakdown and ask why he cried so much. He says, stuttering "I'm ...I'mmmm.... I'm too comfortable."
After Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-41481880085527586032011-08-08T15:52:00.000-07:002011-08-08T15:52:34.667-07:00Recent CoincidenceLately, I've had quite a few little coincidences. They are minor: Choppie bikes home and says "I was thinking of eating bla-bla for dinner" and incidentally I had the same thought and so had defrosted the meat.
Yesterday, I sent an email that was long over due and just as I clicked send, I noticed in my email box a note from the recipient touching base.
And this afternoon, yet another: The DHL Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-41501398394345167502011-08-05T22:12:00.000-07:002011-08-05T22:17:01.131-07:00Lightly Sweetened BabyMy friend Sarah once told me that when she stopped eating sugar, she stopped craving it. I've been 'off sugar' for the past five months and definitely haven't stopped craving it.
Why no sugar? Because Bunnie was born a really big baby (9 and a half pounds). Our midwife suggested that, regardless of whether or not I then had (and now have) gestational diabetes, diet is the only way I might Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-56214111840176781002011-08-05T15:47:00.000-07:002011-08-05T15:47:51.014-07:00Mystery SignAround the corner from our house hangs this sign. The place itself looks long since closed. But the sign hangs there, bothering me every time I walk underneath.
What the heck is that strange, red blob? Is it a heart? A fruit? The African continent?Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-85510991400418117312011-08-05T15:44:00.000-07:002011-08-05T15:44:57.215-07:00Waste Not
The other day, while dropping Choppie off at the train, we noticed a train waiting in the tracks. It was seven cars long and the message on the side read "Inedible Tallow".
A little bit frightening and probably a good thing, on the other hand (surely better that someone's putting it to good use rather than dumping it in the ocean).Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-5366546361303512332011-08-02T15:50:00.000-07:002011-08-02T15:50:07.701-07:00Little City Garden = Big City NewsHere's an article from today's LA Times about urban farming, featuring none other than my very own neighbors and friends, Little City Gardens.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-70914153928335016272011-08-01T22:05:00.000-07:002011-08-01T22:05:28.815-07:00Bunnie and NamiBunnie spends several mornings a week at Miss. Olivia's house. There he plays with two other two year olds- Nami and Eggo.
Bunnie is quite smitten with both of them (hugging and kissing them both when it's time to go home or picking them flowers on our way there).
It's very sweet.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-52476559287377211512011-07-25T20:52:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:52:08.375-07:00Beautiful AgingI took this photo today when I turned and re-poked some blue cheeses from the cheese cave. I was struck by how beautiful the blue, greens and grays were.
This is how the cheese really looks. The photo hasn't been edited. Wild, right?Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-7173675327477474662011-07-22T22:34:00.000-07:002011-07-22T22:35:41.485-07:00When Cheese Runs Off a Table
Several batches of cheeses are ripening under our roof now. Most are experiments. Many are demos I'm timing for upcoming cheese classes. Some are simply efforts to process the milk I haul home.
One batch of St-Marcellin style cheese I made almost escaped me. Choppie (who's been helping turn the wheels) kept telling me this cheese was ripe. I ignored him (because it seemed premature) until it Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-1869349630157575802011-07-22T22:17:00.000-07:002011-07-22T22:17:41.583-07:00Little City GardensMy good friend from college, Brooke, runs an organic urban farm just a mile down Mission Street from our house. It's called Little City Gardens.
The day after I make cheese (when I have a pile of ricotta looking for a home), I head her way.
We trade cheese for greens. It works out nicely. Here's my latest haul.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-49378010900879208282011-07-10T09:05:00.000-07:002011-07-10T09:05:34.059-07:00Where My People?Bunnie's comments get better and better. Yesterday he woke up, crawled into bed with me and ask "Where's my chocolate, Mom?"
A few days ago, he strut into the living room, rubbing his belly saying "I'm a maaan, Mom. I'm a maan." This morning, for no apparent reason, he decided to remind me of the same fact; "I'm a maaan, Mom. A maaan."
And then one more puzzling comment. First thing in the Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-4786776132648422672011-07-08T18:35:00.000-07:002011-07-08T18:35:02.868-07:00Meet A Favorite Super HeroHere's one of my favorite, fiercest, muddiest-pawed super heroes. I couldn't really understand his name because he mumbled it under his firey breath before he launched lightening bolts from his finger tips.
But I could tell he was respected across the land.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-69926824016162431872011-07-08T17:27:00.000-07:002011-07-08T17:27:06.843-07:00Stapled InChoppie is gone and it has been just Bunnie and myself for a few days. It is nice. Tiring. But sweet.
This morning, around 6:30, Bunnie knocked at his bedroom door (wanting to be let out). I opened the door then convinced him to crawl into bed with me and at least be quiet for another 20 minutes (he gazed at potential spiders in the corners of the ceiling).
While he lay there, I starred at him Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-29477261137607145552011-07-04T22:02:00.000-07:002011-07-04T22:02:29.870-07:00Here Mom.Lately Bunnie has been becoming a more real and complex person to me as he learns to speak. He says things that surprise me ("Papa did good job.") and things that frustrate me (When asked if he was doing good listening or bad listening, he responded "bad listening") and things that melt my heart.
The other day I was working at my desk. He walked in the room and lay this California poppy on the Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-41120258933068089762011-07-01T11:24:00.000-07:002011-07-01T11:24:11.876-07:00Big, Sweet CousinsWe are just home from a little trip to AZ to spend time with cousins. Bunnie (who might have to shed the name Bunnie after hanging with his un-Bunnie cousins) had such a blast. Me too.
His cowboy cousins are a perfect mix of tough and sweet. The older is five, the younger almost 3. They are very competent at scaling things and finding danger where one least expects it. Bunnie was fascinated. He Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-45111071481301377532011-06-23T21:40:00.000-07:002011-06-23T21:40:53.439-07:00Flower ForestI know why California is intoxicating: the flowers. Here Bunnie and I are on a sidewalk in Oakland, surrounded by hundreds of flowers. It was magical. Especially the Dr. Suess stalks to my right.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-915916814981927072011-06-23T21:33:00.000-07:002011-06-23T21:33:30.403-07:00In the MidstMany projects happening in the house right now including:
* Bloomy-rinded cheeses blooming
* Kimche ripening
* Bunnie growing
* Three adored strawberries reddening
* Several wheels of Gruyere-style cheese aging
* Kefir bubbling
* Choppie brainstorming
* One mama belly rounding
* A watercolor ketubah for Friend Ilana developing
* Dill plants stretching
* Rosemary twig rootingMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-53181921800315360102011-06-14T09:45:00.000-07:002011-06-14T09:45:27.246-07:00Mama's Mama
Today is my mother's birthday. She won't do anything too big to celebrate (she doesn't like the attention. In fact, me blogging this is a bit risky). But I hope she knows lots of people are thinking of her today. Here's a photo from her oldest child's first birthday. She looks so happy because I know she loved having her children and watching them grow. It's amazing how many years have passed Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-15186817722610544742011-06-14T09:32:00.000-07:002011-06-14T09:32:20.526-07:00Feel Fuzzy This SundayI've been working with The Greenhorns to organize a series of events called Seed Circus. The Seed Circus will be taking place (in various forms) across the country as a manner of gathering young farmers and farmers-to-be for celebration and the exchange of agrarian knowledge.
At the Oakland Museum this Sunday, our Seed Circus kicks off with wool and sheep. We'll have local artists giving talks /Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-85294630399197279732011-06-08T17:15:00.000-07:002011-06-08T17:15:46.835-07:00Happy Birthday to Papa!To celebrate Papa Bear's 30th birthday, we made pancakes for breakfast (topped with bananas and candles) then headed out to a local tide pool to watch crabs, snails and urchins.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-50022347435374375172011-06-08T17:01:00.000-07:002011-06-08T17:02:14.787-07:00BalancingDid I share this picture of Papa Bear in his chonies? He and Bunnie are working on finding balance in their lives.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-34395604566361594122011-06-08T16:59:00.000-07:002011-06-08T16:59:56.012-07:00Bath TimeHere we are at bath time. Bunnie, the fish, can't help himself. He'll take a bath twice a day if allowed. He likes to bath with bubbles, dinosaurs and friends. He likes to sing, use soap, splash, relax and (hopefully) clean out some stinky crevices.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-55882553093804912192011-06-08T16:57:00.000-07:002011-06-08T16:57:21.904-07:00Japanese / French Bakery + Tonka TrucksOn Cortland Ave in Bernal Heights there is a darling bakery called The Sandbox. They create a unique line of morning pastries that mix French and Japanese flavors. For instance, you might find Red bean cakes. Or miso + green onion 'snails'. Or maybe a Pig in a Blanket. Or ginger pork sandwiches. Hajiki salad or Soba Noodles w/ Shitake. And drip coffee that looks beautiful (I don't drink coffee).
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-88307606786966062942011-06-08T16:52:00.000-07:002011-06-08T16:52:36.044-07:00Friend SandwichWe recently were visited by our good friend Mea. She and Bunnie created a pillow sandwich and had a good laugh.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-5623959207915417072011-05-31T21:32:00.000-07:002011-05-31T21:32:06.688-07:00Self PortraitI think I've mentioned that Bunnie's already taken over on my I-phone. Oh well. But the funny part of him being phone-friendly is he knows how to find the camera icon and take pictures of himself.
He usually holds the phone arms-distance from his face and say in a loud, throaty voice "Pee-chure".
I wonder if that's how I sound.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-73351867633427466952011-05-26T11:54:00.000-07:002011-05-26T11:54:14.431-07:00Welcome NoahOn my trip to Providence, I got to see Bunnie's first friend (Little Lou) who just got a very special treat:
A little brother named Noah.
Maybe Bunnie gets such a treat one day ....Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-44539177235044054502011-05-26T11:51:00.000-07:002011-05-27T21:53:03.903-07:00Big Feet Little FeetWhile Gramma came to visit, she read lots of books to Bunnie. Here's their feet during a recent reading.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-85255314051595882592011-05-23T22:14:00.000-07:002011-05-23T22:14:05.152-07:00Cute Pic from TodayI have lots of photos (of cheese, of travels, of Bunnie) that I mean to upload but haven't.
And now I am going to put things all out of chronological order and show a pic from today. Here's Bunnie grinning as he eats his way through a bowl of popcorn (covered with tamari + nutritional yeast).
He's been so chatty lately. So fun to hang out with. And, well, his tantrums are much more severe. I Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-42393474319693579492011-05-18T17:08:00.000-07:002011-05-18T17:08:00.868-07:00Mama Owl Comes HomeThis past week I left Bunnie for the first time in his life. I've left him before but not for more than a day and a half. This time I was gone for six whole days. I went 'home' to the great land of Providence to teach a cheesemaking course at RISD and to see people I love.
The trip past quickly and Bunnie was in good hands (Papa Bear and Gramma). His Mama Owl came back to him! He didn't even Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-71280861074225281192011-05-09T11:55:00.000-07:002011-05-09T11:55:33.712-07:00The First LouellaI was googling myself (okay, really, I was googling Milk Maid and trying to see what phrases would bring up the page).
One search, though, was very entertaining to me. The first website offered showed my own face. The second showed my great grandmother, Louella Ballerino.
I think it's funny she and I sit side by side in the galloping future world of cyberspace. While I never meet her in person,Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-88684901788574368572011-05-06T16:34:00.000-07:002011-05-06T16:34:32.799-07:00A Thousand AcresLast weekend's class took place on a 1,000 acre ranch in Half Moon Bay. The ranchers whom I worked for don't own the place but manage it. Unfortunately, recently, the ranch was purchased by the local land trust. The ranchers tell me the trust is interested in taking the property out of agriculture and keeping it simply as open space.
I was astounded by the ranch's beauty- it abuts the ocean, notMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-52067292264295765622011-05-05T11:16:00.000-07:002011-05-05T11:16:06.012-07:00Why Cheese Gets FlippedHere's a little visual of why freshly 'hooped' cheese gets flipped after 5 and 15 minutes. The weight of the cheese compact the bottom cheese. The cheese curds on the top have less pressure and are not as warm (so they don't seal together as tightly).
The cheese in the photo has already been flipped (old top is new bottom).Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-46687528416251928812011-04-30T21:06:00.000-07:002011-04-30T21:06:00.181-07:00Cookie HelpBunnie was happy to be my assistant cookie-maker the other week. He noted there was a big bar of chocolate and that it needed to be broken into smaller chunks.
He used his teeth.
Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-7332463092544900672011-04-24T22:37:00.000-07:002011-04-24T22:37:24.183-07:00Veggie Soup by SisterA very talented fiber artist, also known as my sister, sent The Lucky Bunnie a bowl full of knit veggies for his birthday.
I thought the veggies were going to be 'grown-up' toys-- meaning things I proudly kept on display. But Bunnie wouldn't have it. He scooped up his woolen foods and brought them to the bathroom sink (where he can reach and turn on the water) and started washing them for dinnerMama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-41850753406623373032011-04-19T21:27:00.000-07:002011-04-19T21:27:55.635-07:00DonutsOkay. I lied in the last post. My mother also lets me eat chocolate donuts with colored sprinkles. Not bad.Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8540878969810670355.post-14182590803639856012011-04-19T21:25:00.000-07:002011-04-19T21:25:23.549-07:00The Things My Mother Makes Me EatYou wouldn't believe the odd things my mother makes me eat. The thought of them, sometimes, makes me gag. Today, for lunch, she fed me potato paste with green peas and gooey goat cheese and pear. What is this world coming to? Doesn't a good kid like myself deserve something halfway normal? A simple sandwich would do. A small piece of chicken. A french fry. But this?!Mama LLamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12341813256853130019noreply@blogger.com2