We nearly lost me yesterday.  I woke up feeling like I was good for nothing but using my remains for library paste, and when I called home for advice, my husband said, “you’ll rally.”  He is forever the optimist, but meanwhile the whole morning was gone, I was well into the afternoon, and I felt my chances of rallying were no where near hopeful.  I called the ladies who were touring the lovely downtown of Washington, GA. and told them about my emergency.  While I was on the phone, I could hear somebody in the background saying they knew how to make the ribs that were on the menu and could take over, and someone else was saying she could make a mean grilled cheese, also known as croque monsieur.  I think it was their kindness that healed me.  The first thing on their agenda they said was to be sure I was all right, and within half an hour, two of them were back at the farm with medicines for whatever ails a stomach.  I always complain about my husband sounding like an unconvincing football fan for the losing team when I’m down in the fight, but he is right–I do I have a history of pulling myself up by the shoelaces and getting back out there.  It was a little bit of miracle, some cream filled cookies, and a lot of ginger tea.  We made baby back ribs that were braised in garlic, white wine and fresh rosemary, roasted fingerling potatoes with La Macchia olive oil, black eyed peas, wilted swiss chard with more garlic, an appetizer of waldorf salad with a homemade mayonnaise and pate, and then for dessert, strawberries sweetened with a spoonful of sugar, layered between crespelle, and whipped cream (about one third mascarpone folded into freshly whipped cream (loosen the mascarpone first with a little of the whipped cream before folding in the rest, sweeten with sugar, and add a little fresh lemon zest.)

This morning I made scones for breakfast and we tasted them with eight different kinds of homemade jam.  I fed a baby calf a half gallon bottle, and then we went looking for cow bones in the boneyard.  I got myself a nice jaw with the teeth still in it.