The working vocabulary of the average 14-year-old has declined in the last 50 years from 25,000 words to 10,000. Language reflects the depth of our human experience. Because we think in words, are we losing the capacity to say what we feel?
Like, whatever.
There’s nothing quite as serene as the wide, rolling hills of the Palouse here in Idaho, especially in springtime, when everything turns every shade of green you can imagine. But in order to get all that green, we do have to put up with some rain.
Speaking of rain …
Girls, do I have some words to dish to you about.
Or, maybe I have a dish to have a word with you about.
Actually, it’s both.
Have you ever heard of something called scotch woodcock?
Hint: It’s food.
Another hint: The recipe calls for no scotch (disappointing), and no woodcock (not disappointing).
So, here’s what it is. Ready?
Winnie Nielsen says: Once upon a time, I would have totally agreed with you. But then, while staying with a family in France, they served a salad nicoise with, yep, anchovies. I did not want to appear picky at the table so I ate them. Much to my surprise, they added a wonderful salty bite to the potatoes and other veggies. Then, a few years later, my friend had a party and made a beautiful mound do egg salad and placed anchovies on top surrounded by toasted French bread slices. When you scoop up the egg salad with a bit of anchovy , the result is wonderful. I was amazed at how the anchovy actually gave the rather plain egg salad that uumph!
Who would have guessed? Certainly not me— hater of most condiments!!
MaryJane says: Okay, second chance in the making. To be titled something like Open to Anchovies. Wish me luck.
Winnie Nielsen says: Mary Jane- I think with anchovies, a “little dab will do ya”, is best for trying them again. In Italy, they also have some small pieces along with good black olives on a cheese pizza. I first looked at the pizza in horror, but again , the small bites of salty anchovy did add a tasty dimension ! Now sardines??? As my friend’s grandson would say… “I can’t want it !”
MaryJane says: I can’t want it indeed:)
Joan Marie says: Love the blog and the recipes and the photos! They’re making me hungry.
Why resort to a knapsack, rucksack, or packsack, when a portmanteau is waiting for your flip flops, aviators, high-wasted jeans, and let’s-hit-the-road grin?
Are you ready? It’s National Glamping Weekend!! We’ve packed our bags and we’re heading out for a fun-filled weekend sitting by the campfire making s’mores, fishing in the nearby stream, board games, jigsaw puzzles, and fun in the sun.
Say it with me: portmanteau—a large traveling case made of stiff leather, especially one hinged at the back so as to open out into two compartments or,
portmanteau is also used to describe a linguistic blend, namely a word formed by blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings … such as Spanish and English into Spanglish, or smoke and fog into smog, or,
in Lewis Carroll’s book, Through the Looking-Glass, Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice the coinage of the unusual words in Jabberwocky, where “slithy” means “lithe and slimy” and “mimsy” is “flimsy and miserable,” OR
glamour and camping into glamping!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winnie Nielsen says: Oh how I wanted to come to this event!! This summer we already had made plans and paid for a trip to France when the information came out. BUt, I know it will be successful and I am hoping that you do again next year and I can come then, and meet my new Idaho friends and meet other farmgirls and , and , and , and……..Is it time to book my flight yet in 2013? I can’t wait for you to post how it all went!! Thanks Mary Jane!!
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Me three!! This is quite interesting to learn about today! Mother Nature is so remarkable. Nothing is by chance!
It rained here around 4 a.m. after a hot, dry day. I awoke to Petrichor!
The smell after a fresh spring rain is not unlike fresh mowed grass.
I wish we had more petrichor here in Illinois!