Domesticity

OK, so I haven't posted in what, about four months? Let's just ignore that and move forward, shall we?

The season has turned, and with it, our attention turns to domesticity. It's always amazing to me how my life changes so abruptly around October. In the early days of October we still talk about attempting one last backpacking trip - trying to extend our summer adventures as long as possible. By the end of October the focus has completely shifted to Halloween, cooking, baking, and domestic construction projects (for Jeff). I suddenly get the itch to make cheese, limoncello, fruitcake, and chocolate chip cookies. I really wonder what my life would be like if we lived in place without seasons. I think I would feel completely at a loss with the sun shining and the palm trees waving outside the window in November.

As part of this sudden domestic energy, I bought an eighth of a local (<100 mile), grass-fed, organic, lesbian-raised cow. I figure it is pretty much the most politically correct meat I could possibly buy, although of course it would be more politically correct not to buy meat at all. But I do like a good hamburger once in a while. So now we have about 50 lbs of meat in the freezer in our basement: 12 lbs of hamburger, 3 huge long summer sausages, about 6 lbs of Octoberfest bratwurst, many different varieties of steaks, probably a few roasts, and stew meat and soup bones. I never, ever eat steaks, and I don't have the slightest idea how to make a good steak, so that will be a challenge. Also, I put in an order at Afton Field Farm in Corvallis (also <100 miles!) and bought three whole chickens, three pounds of ground lamb, some sliced ham, and some honey. Vegan we ain't.

I have mixed feelings about all this meat; one hand I know we would be eating meat anyway, so I might as well buy local meat from animals that until recently were quite happy. It is also healthier meat, since it is all grass fed and relatively organic. But I wonder if raising Melina around all this meat is going to make her into too much of a carnivore. She already knows (and seems completely unphased by the fact) that hamburger comes from dead cows and chicken comes from dead chickens like the kind we have in our backyard. (In contrast to my acquaintance whose daughter cried for half an hour and refused to eat meat after she discovered the facts.)

Whatever the outcome - either we get completely sick of beef and never eat it again, or we become dedicated carnivores with high Omega 3 levels - we will somehow need to slowly work through all of the little white-paper-wrapped packages in our freezer. I made hamburgers the other night as a first volley in the effort, and they were fantastic.

Speaking of chickens, our chickens are not laying now at all. Dolley looks really bad these days, with half her feathers missing and pointy quills sticking out everywhere. It has been raining nonstop for days and the girls are all huddled up in their coop looking miserable. At times like this I'm glad they have small brains.