I’m once again falling behind on writing blog posts – sorry everyone! The Chikungunya makes it painful to type, and my to-do list keeps on getting away from me…
Some major advances this week have been getting the Nid kitchen up and running, finishing the carving on the doors, and learning to graft trees! Not too shoddy, huh? I’ve yet to cook my first meal in my kitchen, but soon come. It will need to be something special, of course! I’m halfway through staining the doors before varnishing them and installing them – it’ll be pretty awesome to have solid doors after many moons of just curtains and many night-time visitors (of the crawling and squeaking varieties).
We have a new baking assistant: his job is to wake me up in time to light the oven…just he does so Every morning, not only on Wednesdays. Yes, my pretty, brightly coloured, arrogant “pullet” is most certainly a rooster, and announces the fact several times each day. Until he becomes too annoying I’ll keep him around so as to hopefully put some fertile eggs under one of my older girls who’s been off the lay for a while but might work out as a brood hen. No more day-old chicks in the mail if I can possibly avoid it.
Speaking of baking, tomorrow morning we’ll be open for orders! Our special this week is a Focaccia with olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt, for $10. Please place your orders by 6pm on Tuesday, and be sure to tell all your friends about the only traditional wood-fired sourdough bread on the island!
Over at Cruzan Gardens this week I learned how to graft avocado trees: I’ll also be grafting at home to expand our orchards, not only avocados, but also mango and citrus.
Mandy helping me assemble the doors.
Adding the last plank.
Ready to carve, filler, and sand!
Test panel for carving with the plunge router.
First part of the tree.
More tree!
…and a bird!
The Shell Ginger is blooming again, so pretty.
Cookie cuteness!
Extreme excitement! What’s it all about? Chocolate of course – well, cacao pods, our very first! This cacao bush has been in the ground for about 2 years, and is finally starting to bear.
Undercoat on the loft floor of the Nid – all finished now with a teal top coat to brighten everything up.
The bread hath risen! Sourdough bread with chutney and a mug of lemonbalm tea, anyone?
We look forward to seeing you on baking day, and as always appreciate the comments and questions that you post! Til then, cheers!
Good Night Merryn,
Wow lots of good things happening at the Nid. The doors are beautiful your talent just never stop.
It is really coming together love all the pics. You have learned a lot while at Cruzans Gardens you will have so many fruit trees just wonderful.
Looking forward to the fracchia bread will order some tomorrow.
Keep up the good work and we loved the sour orange marmalade having it to tomorrow over chicken I am reducing it with balsamic Vineger.
Have a great week and know it will be a progressive one.
Hugs Di