Poconos Winter

Girl trip! Bev, Ann and I traveled up to Marie and Bob's farm ('Funny Farm') in the Poconos in Pennsylvania for 4 days this week. It was perfect timing as both travel days were bookends to the big winter storm that hit us. We were snuggled in, warm and toasty with all the food and wine that we brought and all the provisions that Marie and Bob make. The last time we made this trek we worked for a couple days helping with the maple sugaring. I blogged about it here.


Together again after nearly 3 years!


The road in front of their house was nearly impassable.


Marie and Bob are true homesteaders. They make all their own cheese and yogurt, raise all their meat and eggs, weave all their rugs and curtains, grow and can all their vegetables, make their own wine and beer (and moonshine!). I did see storebought coffee though.


An angel oversees the property, keeping all the critters safe.














Let me introduce you to some of the animals... This is Bruce, who has deemed himself an inside dog, in fact, a couch dog. I asked him to look happy for the photo, but he just looks pensive.


and Pecan, who I called Peanut the entire time, was trying to keep her eyes open for the pic. Marie has rescued both these dogs and given them the run of the house and property. Not exactly farm dogs, but they keep Marie and Bob company.


I thought all these ducks on their pond were wild and had just made their way to the bit of water that hadn't frozen. But they are all 'Funny Farm' ducks.


They have quite a menagerie of goats...


more goats...


and big guy goat


more goats outside


Seamus and Frank


Woody


Conan


Didn't catch the peacock's name.


and Penny the pea hen.


As I went on my little walkabout, Barn E Cat was ahead of me a bit.


Hey Barn E! How about going in and keepin' the couch warm?


Couch?


Well, sure!


OK, I'm here...


How bout that couch?


Once inside, hot, shrimp and coconut soup awaited. mmmmm


I tore this recipe out just before leaving and thought I'd make it for us. Yea, sometimes I cook. I thought mine looked just like the picture.


We sat in Marie's kitchen/dining room overlooking the two ponds, the ducks, the grey barn and watched it snow. Bev worked on felt flowers, I worked on felt balls...


...and knit these child's bloomers. Ann knit handwarmers and organized her decades of recipes into a filing system and Marie told us funny stories and kept us company. She usually weaves but her big loom was in another room so she took a couple days off to entertain us.


Upon leaving, Marie and Bob sent us all home with smoked cheese, ricotta, cream, yogurt, cream cheese, blueberry jam, and hot pepper jelly, all lovingly made by them. We're planning on going back this summer for more cheese! Thanks guys, now get busy!