The Cove- The Movie

This movie just left the 2009 Film Festival and will be on limited release across the nation. Finally a film that covers one of the deplorable acts that go on in the animal industries. The Taiji Dolphin Slaughter. It is illegal to take pictures and film but this crew has pulled it off to show the world what is going on in a national reserve in Taiji Japan. So check out the trailer. I so wish it was playing near me. If you have a chance to see it. Support it so more documentaries will come out on the big screen about the animal issues that are so close to our hearts. And hopefully next time it won't just be limited release.

Chickens reaching Maturity

Well my Roosters are being little but heads. Crownos, or Mini Rooster, which is his name when I am mad at him.. is picking on all the hens... He even made Isis's comb bleed the other day which really made me mad. Then last night I seen them holding the hens down... trying to do the.. u know... and the big Rooster was doing it too. I didn't think they would start this till next spring... Although Titan, the big Rooster hasn't been picking on them like Crownos does. He is still rather clumsy. John said that Titan is Crownoses over grown side kick... lol. But Crownos has become a little dictator and does not take his position lightly. He has even kept everyone in the coop today.. and it is pretty hot out side. about 85 to 90 and high humidity. But I do go check on them ever so often. Just to make sure they are doing ok. I think I might have to build a seperate home for the roosters. I was really hopeing I wouldn't.. I don't know what to do right now.

Parrish Reunion & Parkersburg

We recently traveled to Leith Park in Ohio. It is located in the Wayne National Forest. Very beautiful situated on the Ohio river. This is the first reunion we have been to for Johns side of the family. I had mixed feelings about going because of animal issues... such as fishing.. and the car is acting stupid. But after some long chats we decided to go down and visit everyone. Luckily there was no fishing going on.. So I didn't have to get all freaked out by that. Dave, Johns brother told us that the family fishes down there and he stressed that to us.. I don't know I think he thought we might actually fish.. who knows. But luckily no fishing... But we did have a good time so I am glad we went. We got to spend time with his family and everyone there seemed to be in a good mood. We pitched horse shoes for most of the day. That was fun. I took food with us. I figured like at most places we would not have anything to eat. I was so right. Everything but a fruit salad and dessert was meat.. I mean everything. I actually only seen 2 pieces of cucumber on a someones plate. I don't know if there was any salad. But I was so.. Id on't know.. It was over whelming to me. Actually kinda astonishing... I don't know.. It was just really strange to me... especially when they are like a strict Christian family. I don't understand where compassion comes in there. Where that is taking care of ones body as a temple... I don't know... anyways.

I got up at 5:30 that morning to make homemade spinach Strombolis. But they didn't turn out as nice as I would have hoped. I didn't have enough time to raise the dough the 2nd time and I did a fast rise the first time so.. oops.. they were ok.. but I will work on that and post it later. We also took watermelon, snapeas crisps, pretzels, and hot pepper mustard, Kiwi, and sauce for the strombolies. O yeah and for breakfast Gimme lean vegan sausage.

After the reunion we made our way down to Parkersburgh WV. I had been looking forward to going to the Trans- Allegeheny book store for a while. It was the Parkersburgh library and is said to be haunted. It is huge and beautiful. Has tons of books. But I was disappointed. I went there for cook books and animal right books.. But came home with some Fiction stuff. They also had 2 cute cats walking around the store that we spent some time petting. John said they were there to detect ghosts..lol.. They have glass floors in half the store and hard woods through the rest and a spiral staircase.

Then we went to check out the mall I have heard so much about.. and I didn't even get out of the car there. The shopping trip was a disappointment. So we left and grabbed some Bean Burritos at taco bell and then made our way home. I was so tired that night. I had only had a hour and a half sleep the night before. But it was a nice day and I am really glad we went.

This sign was on one of the locked doors...It said Do Not Open ...you will let the ghosts out...

Moejo

Moejo has been settling in. Still not getting along very well with Copper but has taken up to Beltane, They love to play. He still has a bowel problem that flares up every once in a while. But he has not really showed any of the symptoms that he was. He just seems happy now.Laid back and Comfy... so Comfy... He took over the computer chair to take a nap.... lol He is so funny. He laid there like that for like 15 minutes.. Well until he figured out I was taking his picture.

~*~CHICKENS~*~

Well the Chickens are now 16 weeks old. They all have out going personalities and are so awesome. I am so glad we decided to bring them home. Although I wish I could take in more. I will have to wait till we get more land. But for now the enclosure is big enough for them and they seem happy. They have porches in the enclosure and when it is totally done they will have many more. They love their coop and now come in and out all day long. When we first put them out in the enclosure we didn't have a walkway and they would start yelling around 7:30pm for us to put them in there coop. I didn't know that that is what they wanted though. And I would leave them out till right before dark around 9:30pm. But a few days after that we put up the walk way and they started going to bed around 7:30 or 8. So I was really surprised that that is what they had wanted. Who knew chickens went to bed so early. When we go out to the enclosure they all run up to the side of it and want attention.

So a little more about the individual chickens. They all have now been named. It took us forever to pick a name for our big rooster. And guess what.. My guess at 5 weeks of Cockerals and Hens were totally right. First time around and I guessed them all right at 4 to 5 weeks.. I think that is so awesome!!!!

Isis/Female/Leghorn- I have finally figured out that she is a leghorn chicken. There for a while I thought she was a cornish cross and I was scared she would crow up and be huge and not be able to walk. But luckily she is a leghorn and she is pitete and beutiful. They still likes to sit on me. Although the banti rooster likes to pick on her. I'm not sure why yet but she is the only one he picks on. She will jump off the ground and off the purches onto our shoulders and arms. She loves to be held. But she doesn't like to be caught. If you catch her she is a little stand offish for a few days. She is the best purcher.

Gaia/Female/Orpington- Really doesn't like to be handled. She is the first one to kinda dig around and lay in nest looking bunches of of hay. When I take the waterier out of the coop she likes to lay in that hole too. She seems to get along with all the other chickens. She loses alot of feather. I find more of her feathers then anyones. Or maybe it is just the color. So that I know it is hers. She jumped up on us the first few days she was in the enclosure.

Titan/Rooster/ Americana- Well I was right about the slow feather and him being a rooster. It took him a very long time to get feathers. But he has totally changed his look and has gourgous purple, blue, & green blended feathers. He seems pretty laid back right now. He started crowing a few weeks ago. But he still doesn't have his spur. Which doesn't hurt my feelings any. He doesn't really pay me any attention unless I am crouched down and stand up fast or walk straight toword him. Then he runs around with his wings out and with the funniest run. I will have to tape it and put it up here. I haven't seen him pick on any of the hens or our other rooster. His comb is pea shaped I think and is weird looking because you expect the see a big red single comb. He also is heavy and not a good flyer... he jumps and flaps.. but he is like a brick.. Poor guy... But he is learning. He has even finally learned to perch. When we first put them in the enclosure he would follow me around trying to figure out how to fly up on us like the other chickens would. I would pick him up. He was so big I was glad he never tried to jump he might have really scratched up my arm.

Big Red/ Female/ RIR- She doesn't like to be touch or held. But the first few days after we put the chicks in the enclosure she would jump on us. She scratched up my arm pretty good oneday trying to fly up and land on me. She was using her neck trying to pull her way up with her feet. She hasn't been that great about being handeled after that. Every once in a while I can touch her. But she really just keeps to herself and the other chickens. She was the only female that took forever to get her saddle feathers and tail feathers. She is still just now getting her tail feathers. For the longest time she only had like 1 tail feather sticking up.
Ivy/Female/ Australorp- She is a calm chicken but isn't big on being touch. She has a big body and a small head. I think the Australorp proportion is just weird like that. I have learned that they have the world record for egg laying. She is black with a really pretty green sheen to her feathers. Thats how she got renames Ivy. I had originally names her Lola.... which I still like.. But John likes Ivy so... For the longest time she was just all black then the green started shining through.. very strange. Just like how the mails change colors. She was probably just growing new feathers and I just didn't notice. Who knows.
Mabon/Female/ Sex link- She is another hands off chicken. She has like the others needed a little reassurance when we first put them into the enclosure and would fly up and set on us. She is calm and will let me kind of touch her but not really pick her up. She likes to walk in and out of the coop and really pays attention when I shut the coop door on her side so I can clean the inside. She is very curious.. Like most chickens...

Lil Banti/Female/Bantam Cochin- She is such a cutie. She really hasn't grown to much in a long time. Everyone else got bugger and she just stayed... But thats ok. She used to jump on me all the time. It was so cute I wish I had a picture. She would walk around eyeing me up then flatten herself out onthe ground like a pancake and jump and then flap her wings and climb the rest of the way. I was awesome. But now that they are getting old she hasn't done it in a couple of weeks. She does still let me pick her up though. She doesn't even protest to much. She is a little vocal when I do it though. But she is so cute. She is laid back and seems to like following Titan and Isis. She really likes to purch and she is one of the best perchers. She also is one of the biggest dust bathers.

Crownos/Cockeral/Bantam Cochin- Well he is a cute littl erooster. He still has the reallt bright red comb and he know has the chin wattle things. Big ones.. But he is super cute. He has shiny feathers on his neck and saddle. He used to not really mind being picked up but lately he has taken up biting... and I don't mean a warning peck like alot of the hens give. I mean he grabs on and leaves marks and blood blisters. If I just put my hand near him. Which I do hoping he figures out that I will not back off just because he is being mean. Do you think he will get it??? He also likes to pick on Isis. I rally don't like that. He will chase her for just looking at me. And he really doen't like her sitting on me. He will chase her around and grab her by her neck feathers. And of course she freaks out.. So he better stop doing that or we will have to add on a small enclosure for him. But he is so cute other then the biting. He also sued to flatten out like a pan cake and jump up on us. O yeah and he loves to crow all day long and has been crowing for a probably around three weeks.


I took this picture right before she tried to peck out my eyeball!!!!Whats sad is I'm not joking..Not Joking....

But if you can't tell I love the chickens and they have been a good addition to our family. To bad they can't live inside with us.... lol

Another Whole Foods & Trader Joe Trip

We finally made another Whole Foods & Trader Joes Run. We took Chey with us for a nice outing and then made 2 quick stops. Alot faster then I normally go through those stores... And of course that leads to getting something ... with..... yuck..... animal secretions in it.... I acidently picked up some jars of Trader Joes Vodka Pasta Sauce w/o noticing they had cheese in them.... That is so annoying. Not just one or two but.... four of them.... What the heck am I supposed to do with it now...?

A couple days in advance of our trip I ordered Spinach Stromblies from Sabrros In our Morgantown mall. They make them special for us all the time. No cheese , No egg wash. They are really nice there. The owner even asked me if we were vegan one day.. So that was awesome. But we took 4 strombolies with us.. It was a great meal for the day. They travel really well. And they tastes awesome. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Plus some of their Maraneira ... YUM!!!! Sorry forgot to get a pic... I will try to next time we get them.

Anyways we did end up with tons of yummy stuff. I love stocking up when we are there. And try lots of *new stuff. I love to eat at their salad bar. They have a soy popcorn chicken prodct that is made by Delight Soy and it is so Yummy! We bring home a big container everytime we go. I like their tofu on the salade bar too. Well most of the time. I didn't like the barbque sauce they had on it this time. But John did. So here is my list of things purachsed at Whole Foods.

Earth Balance sticks $2.89
*Lightlife Tempehtations $3.99
SmartDeli Vegan Peperoni $3.39 x2
Pretzels $2.00- To snack on on the wat home
365 Organic Katchup $1.99x2
Nasoya 24oz $4.39
365 Salsa Medium $2.99x6
*Millers Mustard Hot $4.99
*Bon ami Kitchen & Bath Cleaner $1.39
*Galaxy Vegan Parm $2.79
Wheat Berry Bulk 3.26pds $4.53
*Adzuki Beans Bulk 1.92pds $3.24
*365 Tricolor Pasta Shells $1.69
365 Veg Glycerin Soup $1.49x3
*365 Organic soy sauce $2.49
*Simply Organic Taco Seasoning $1.39x2
*Simply Organic Vegetarian Chili Seasoning $1.39
Calbee Crisps Original $1.49x5
Reusable Bags $2.97x3
Ecover Toilet Cleaner $3.69
Organic long grain Rice $2.39x2
*365 Veggie Straws $2.19
*Galaxy Vegan Cheese $2.79
*Tofurky $3.69
1.5 pounds Delight soy popcorn chicken 7.99 a pound
.5 pounds of barbaqued tofu 7.99 a pound
2 bags of ice $1.69x2

But I have noticed the more we go to Trader Joes the more we get there. They have really good prices. Pittsburgh has better prices to begin with on all the Organic and Vegan stuff but... Trader Joes are by far the lowest I have ever seen. They really have great prices on Soy Ice Cream... We get a good amount everytime we go. We also stock up on bread items there. But here is Trader Joes List


Blue chips $2.99x3
Veggie & Flaxseed chips $2.39x2
Calbee Crips $1.49x5
Organic Vodka Pasta Sauce $2.99x5
Soy Cherry Chocolate Chip Soy Ice Cream x3
Mango vanilla soy ice cream
*Chocloate Soy ice cream mini Sammi x2
*Organic pickles $2.99
Organic Sourdough bread $2.79x3
Everything Vegan Bagels $2.29 x4
*Mini whole wheat pita pockets
*Soy bbq chicken $3.49
*fozen asain dumplings
Organic frozen spinachx2
*Jojo Cookie white $2.49
*Jojo cookie chocolate $2.49
Veg broth $1.99 x5
*Goyoza dipping sauce $2.29
Sea Salt $1.49
*Jar of Cherries $2.29
Gimme Lean Vegan Saucsage $2.69 x2
*Tofurky Sausages $2.99

We purchased some other frozen and cold items too. I had them on a 2nd recipt and can't find it right now. OOPS.. I will finish the post and label all the frozen prices when I do.

But it was a very nice trip. Although it was packed every where we went that day. It was nice. We came back on an old coutry road and ate some soy ice cream sammies. It was a nice way to finash off the day!

Lots of Vegan cooking to come... hopefully soon!!!

4th of July, Strawberry pie, Blueberry cobbler, vegan hot dog sauce, boiled peanuts, coffee cake

The fourth of July, although different for us this year, went over really well and we all had a great time. We have always had company but this year we didn't have any company. But thats ok. We still cooked &watched the parade. Then John, Chey, and I went to See Ice Age in #D.. It was pretty good. Chey loves 3D movies but they keep raising the price. It was $7 then $8 now it is like $9.50 per person.. Thats just getting a little to high I think. But the movie was cute. Then after the movie even though I said said we wasn't going to go to the Concert at the park... We wnet.... I couldn't help myself... It was free... It was a really good concert. I don't really listen to contry music at all ... and it was on all country.. But it was really nice. Even can I say.... good music... lol...But I didn't have my camera.. All I had was the cell and It took horrible blurry shots.. So I am so sad I didn't get any pictures... But Nana Sharp, The Davidson Brothers, And to top it all off w/ a cherry Billy Ray Cyrus was there. And I was a huge fan when I was little... He did songs from his past and present albums.. and the old songs brought back some memeries.. But good ones... The concert lasted for over 5 1/2 hours. But it was awesome... Deffinalty have to go to some more concerts. That was my first but it won't be my last. We then stayed and watched most of the fireworks In Fairmont. But Since John had to work today we decided we should come home. We didn't get home till almost midnight..so we didn't let off our fireworks. But thats ok...

Now back to the food. This year I didn't make cake although I did make dessert. I made a Strawberry Pie, a Blueberry cobbler, & a coffee cake. I also made some boiled peanuts & vegan hotdog sauce.

The Strawberry Pie was my fav dessert this year. It was nice and sweet but had that tang at the end from the lemon. It was nice. I wish I would have had some rhubarb though.


Preheat oven to 425F
5-7 cups of strawberries (depends if you want a pie that
domes or is flat.)
2-3 T Lemon juice
1 T Lemon Zest
1/2 - 3/4 C Sugar
3 T Corn Starch
2 Pie Crusts

I used half frozen half fresh but you use which ever works best for you. Thats just what I had on hand. If you use frozen let the berries thaw and dump the water off of them. Then put mix all ingredients and let them set for 10 -15 minutes before you dump them into the pie. After the 15 minutes dump into the shell place top shell on. Make sure you cut a vent hole.

Bake at 425F w/ edge of crust covered for 30 minutes. Then lower the temp to 350F for 40 minutes of until crust starts to brown. Don't let it burn. Uncover the edge of the crust about 15 minutes before you take it out.

The Blueberry cobler cake from the book " The Joy of Vegan baking" this was Johns fav. This link will take you to the recipe. This recipe I also used half fresh/ half frozen and it turned out great.









The Coffee cake came from " The Joy of Vegan baking" aswell. If you haven't guess thats my goto dessert book. All of the recipe I have made from it have turned out great. I made this primarily for my Non-vegan mom. She always goes out and buys dounuts before the parade on the 4th of Juky. So I thought if I made this it might hold her off of buying the not so animal friendly doughnets. It turned out nice and she really liked it.. and guess what.. No donuts were bought.. :) I should have got a picture after I took it out of the pan..oops.














Boiled Peanuts.... My husband was born and raised in Charelston, SC.. So that is were the peanuts come in. It has been I think 3 years since we have been down there. So to bring a little bit of the south to him I made him some boiled peanuts. We stop at the road side stands and convence stores everytime we are down there. At the convenace store they sit right beside the sweet tea just asking to be eaten...so he has me hooked on them aswell. It has been hard trying to find raw peanuts around here but just by luck last week we ran into them at an International Store in Morgantown. We bought 2 1/2 pounds. So I thought I would surprise John and make them for the 4th. They turned out really great. They are a little extra salty but I will cut that back in the recipe I post on here. They are super easy to make. So everyone should try these. And if you ever go anywhere Down south they are a big thing for locals so try them their aswell.

2 1/2 pounds raw shell on peanuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup salt

Rince all the peanuts in their shells.
Fill pot of water. I used the pot I make my soups & beans in. Its just the 6qt pot I think. The biggest pot that comes with a set. lol... Add salt and peanuts. Cover. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Then let simmer for around 4 hours. Check the bigger peanuts when they are soft not crunchy they are done. Check the little nuts aswell to make sure they are not getting to done. You don't want them totally mushy. But 4 hours should do it. Store them in your refridgerator in there liquid. If you think they are still a little salty put them in half their cooking water and half fresh water to set in the fridge.

You can also make cajun. They are really good too.

Vegan Hot Dog Sauce
When I was younger and still consumed meat I still didn't eat ground meat. So I never ate hotdog sauce. But I made this a few years ago but veganised and loved it. I even eat it like a sloppy Joe.

2T salt
1tsp Tabasco sauce
3tsp Paprika
2tsp Chili powder
1 small onion, optional
2 1/2 cups water
2T Vinegar
2T Brown Sugar
4T vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 small Bottle Katchup 12oz
1 small can tomato paste
2 packs Boca or Morningstar ground burger ( I used one of each). Brown, add 2 cups water & onion. Let the water cook out. Then add all other ingredents. Let cook till it thickens. Which shouldn't be that long. I let it simmer for about 30 minutes after it thickens. This makes 3 to 4 cooks. It freezes well.