Whirly Bird

Lately.

2012-02-01T13:45:00.001-05:00

How we do.

He's that crafty.

The Sunday morning Hot Brown.

Special treat.

Kurt decided to try his hand at shucking oysters. Many Band-Aids later ...

We applied for our visas this weekend.

Winter days have been spent tucked under blankets, with our Kindles fully loaded, and a ziggurat of magazines at our feet. We each have our own heavy and bottomless mug, always steaming full, the contents alternating between earl grey or coffee, or in my case, Theraflu. I lounge around this way between long breaks in bread baking (sourdough). Each loaf is better than the last, though I'm not yet satisfied with the results. Loaves and loaves and loaves!

We sometimes come up with ways to get out of the house. A rare bar appearance, a movie, or a trip across the river to our favorite pizza place. Often we'll visit friends (Blake and Candace!) for very informal but ridiculously elaborate feasts that last for hours into the night! When Kurt is working, there are early evening meet-ups for drinks with girlfriends. We're keeping busy.

Thursday nights are craft nights, and the girls and I drink hot toddies while honing in on our handiwork. Since the Kentucky Gentleman (That is crap whisky, for those who haven't met him) has graced us with his presence, our projects have devolved into talking shit while sculpting a phallic piñata out of paper mache. There's been talk of bedazzled beer coozies and homemade lottery-esque scratch-off Valentines, or anything else involving glitter. But sometimes we just knit. Kurt likes to pretend to be exasperated by so many hens clucking around the kitchen table, but I think he secretly loves it.

Hope you're having a fantastic week. Stay cozy, friends.

Tiny Tuesday! Snoring doormouse!!!

2012-01-31T16:55:00.000-05:00

This snoring doormouse made my day 100% more awesome. Can you believe this? He sleeps like a little cartoon mouse, but this happened in REAL LIFE! If you know where to look, the world is really magnificent. Every day, I can hardly keep my head from exploding. ::Honk-shoooooooo!:: Sleep tight, Mr. Mouse.

Submitted by the lovely Sarah of Cracks in the Pavement. She rules.

Bits and pieces.

2012-01-27T16:58:00.001-05:00

An up-close look at Kurt's toy space man.

Look:
Excited to see this movie.
Although I've recently traded my paperbacks for a Kindle, this stop-motion short really tugs at my heart.
You can see how all hell broke loose on our weekly craft night and other bits and pieces from my life on Instagram (user name: whirlybird), or if you don't have the iPhone app, you can peep it here.

Make:
Beautiful quilt inspiration from A Small Object.
Mason jar wall sconce.
Jen's pretty alternative to a mobile. I want one!

Cook:
You must make this green lentil soup with curried browned butter. I served it with warm Naan and pan-fried paneer and it was a dream.
Love these healthy recipes created by My New Roots for Whole Living's detox cleanse. Don't let the term "detox" scare you away! The kale slaw and avocado salad will be making a regular appearance in my lunch box.
Danielle at Sometimes Sweet wrote a great post about cleaning up her diet and eating natural whole foods. Won't you join us for the Clean Eating Challenge?

Read:
A wonderful post about life as a ship's captain's daughter. If the writing doesn't get to you, Seven Spoon's photography and delicious recipes surely will.
5 Tips for Surviving Winter (The Swedish way).
Sweet words about marriage.
So Heartwarming.

Brunch parties.

2012-01-25T19:13:00.001-05:00

Top: There was a Bloody Mary explosion in my kitchen! Bottom: My masterpiece.

Swedish breakfast is not complete without kanelbullar for dessert.

Recently Kurt has been hosting a Sunday brunch in conjunction with a soccer match on TV. Now that the Timbers season is over, we usually watch Arsenal, but sometimes we have to settle for whoever is playing that morning. Last weekend, American television decided finally to throw soccer fans a bone and aired the Arsenal v. Manchester United game on Fox. I'm not too much of a sports fan, but I do love enthusiasm. Singing, yelling, beer drinking. I can get behind all of that. Even as early as 11 AM. Especially as early as 11 AM. Day partying is my favorite, by far, as I'm known to be in my jams and knock off around 10 PM. (Sad, truth.)

You may have noticed that last weekend Kurt made Eggs Hemmingway for the occasion. This time we set out an elaborate Swedish breakfast, just like the one we enjoyed at our friend Joakim's in Stockholm. A Swedish breakfast usually contains muesli, drinking yogurt like Kefir, and open-faced cold cut and cheese sandwiches on crispbread (We like Wasa). After brunch, we built ourselves a pretty kick-ass Bloody Mary bar. Bloody Marys are like lunch in a glass. I ate my weight in olives and peppadews. Of all the condiments gathered from our fridge door and spice cabinet, my favorite innovation was the Spanish smoked paprika + celery salt around the rim of my glass.

Tiny Tuesday! EEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeep!

2012-01-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

Here is something magical for your Tiny Tuesday.

Found it here.

The next adventure.

2012-01-20T16:58:00.000-05:00

Photo credits: 1. Angkor Wat, Cambodia by Garion88 on Flickr via Pinterest // 2. Sand dunes meet the beach at Mui Ne by Dan Gair/Lovely Planet via Pinterest // 3. Hanoi by Chris Jones for The Guardian via Pinterest // 4. World's largest seated bronze Buddha in Hanoi via Pinterest // 5. Vietnamese market via Pinterest // 6. La Pan Tan village by Ngo Dzung via Pinterest // 7. Pongour Falls via Pinterest // 8. Ha Long Bay by National Geographic via Pinterest.

This year, we've set our sights on Vietnam and Cambodia for our next adventure! The idea is such a thrill, but also a little daunting - I've never traveled so far, and although I've visited countries where I've had only the faintest understanding of the language, we've always met up with fluent friends who were kind enough to act as our tour guides. This time, we will be lucky to have three awesome travel companions (our friends Hilary, Athena, and Bryan), but all five of us will be strangers in a strange land. It just adds to the excitement, I think. These photos are going to fuel some bad ass daydreams for the next few months.

Anybody out there ever visited Vietnam or Cambodia? Advice and suggestions are much appreciated!

Lately.

2012-01-17T18:48:00.001-05:00

Napping in the sunny spot.

Kurt knows a trick or two. He made me Eggs Hemmingway with homemade hollandaise.

Coffee + Design Sponge at Home

Melodica!

Snowy evenings are best spent indoors with friends, records, wine, and snacks!

My sister, Emily, with Harold and his new girlfriend, Lucy.

New favorite weekend routine involves the taco truck followed by a bonfire.

Tiny Tuesday: Royal Mint

2012-01-17T16:52:00.001-05:00

I'm in love with these sweet felted creatures from Royal Mint. The artist behind these little beauties is also a featured seller on Etsy right now, so go check it out.

I discovered this shop on Elephantine. Rachel has a keen eye for small, good things.

Tiny Tuesday! The cutest thing in TT history, right here.

2012-01-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

Guys. The cutest thing ever posted in the history of Tiny Tuesday can be found at 0:22 of this video. I have no more words. ::Faints::

Whirlybird 2011, abridged.

2012-01-10T13:33:00.004-05:00

We're already into the second week of the New Year, but my mind is still lingering in reflection mode. While wistfully scrolling through my Flickr archives, I decided to patch together this collection of favorite photos and blog posts from last year. Nothing makes me feel more excited for the future than looking back on where I've been. So, without further chit-chat, I present to you the high notes.

January: (1/1) A fantastically low key New Year's with close friends. (1/6) I confessed my Mogwai obsession. (1/25) Our first sky lantern launch.
February: (2/11) I completed my first knitted project! (2/22) I took a photo every hour for a Day in my Life photo project. (2/26) Harold becomes the spokesperson for La Florentine Torrone.

March: (3/8) Homemade yeast doughnuts. (3/12) A maple syrup festival.
April: (4/6) Sunny afternoon at the soccer field. (4/24) Our annual hunt for wild mushrooms! (4/29) I ran my first race - the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon.
May: (5/15) Our first year anniversary.

May, continued: We went to Sweden! Stockholm. Gotland. The Archipelago.

June: (6/20) The first of many Sausage Saturdays. (6/27) We bought our first car together.
July: (7/2) Lots of fun on 4th of July weekend. (7/16) Our favorite cheap date, Las Gorditas. (7/26) I learned to braid sailor's bracelets.
August: (8/8) We made paper flowers from old maps. (8/10) Hanging terrariums. (8/14) A cabin trip to Red River Gorge. (8/30) My favorite collection of odds and ends.

August continued: (8/29) We toured the Maker's Mark distillery.
September: (9/5) Masters of disguise. (9/24) Marion County Ham Days. (9/27) My spin on the friendship bracelet trend.
October: (10/8): Harvest Fest at Huber's Winery

October continued: (10/16-19) A long weekend in Sanibel Island, FL.
November: (11/6) I knit a giant scarf! It is my favorite. (11/28) Thanksgiving and Black Friday Bunker Day.
December: (12/4) Christmas time. (12/24) Holiday cookies.

Recipe Box: Kanelbullar

2012-01-06T16:37:00.000-05:00

Swedish Kanelbullar is the less gooey-sweet cousin to our cinnamon roll. Ropes of fluffy pastry are laced with fresh cardamom and cinnamon, twisted into pretty swirls and topped with a sprinkling of rocky pearl sugar. They are the perfect companion to coffee or tea. When we were Stockholm last year, we often spotted piles of these adorning the countertops of cafes and bakeries. Per Kurt's request, I made a big batch of them for the holidays this year, and I think they've become a new household favorite.

Kanelbullar
Makes 40 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups melted butter, plus 1/3 cup melted butter for filling
1 cup sugar for dough, plus 2/3 cup sugar for filling
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cardamom
2 packages of active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
8-9 cups bread flour
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 egg plus 2 tbsp water, lightly beaten into an egg wash
Swedish pearl sugar

Instructions:
1. In a small pan, bring milk to a slow simmer. Turn off heat when milk reaches a scalding point (small bubbles rise to the top). Pour milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in melted butter, sugar, salt and ground cinnamon.
2. Let mixture cool so until "finger-warm", or just cool enough to touch. Stir in yeast and let sit for 10 minutes. The yeast will begin to foam slightly or, as they say, "bloom."
3. Using the paddle attachment, turn the stand mixer on low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time. After you have added half of the flour, swap the paddle attachment for the dough hook. Turn the mixer's speed up to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and pulls away from the bowl, about 5 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise in a draft-free place for about an hour, until doubled in size.
5. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and knead lightly until smooth and shiny. Divide dough into two halves. Roll each half into a 12" x 18" rectangle.
6. Brush each rectangle with melted butter. Combine 2/3 cup sugar with 2 tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the rectangles. Roll each rectangle of dough crosswise, like a jelly roll, to form a long cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut each cylinder into 20 equal slices. Place each slice in a paper cupcake wrapper and place on a baking sheet.
7. Cover rolls with tea towel and allow to double in size again, about 45 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush the tops of the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle on pearl sugar. Bake for 7 minutes, until lightly browned.

The first Kanelbullar we enjoyed from a bakery in Stockholm.

Tiny Tuesday: Elf Doughnuts

2012-01-03T16:32:00.002-05:00

Elf Doughtnuts by Emma. Source: The Unconfidential Cook, via Pinterest.

This box of doughnuts is actually a pillbox filled with Cheerios dressed up like doughnuts. The Cheerios were rolled in cinnamon sugar, confectioners sugar, and dipped in chocolate and topped with sprinkles. These would make a lovely breakfast for a gerbil or large insect, or even a normal size person who would like to eat a dozen doughnuts but not feel disgusting. More tiny treats can be seen on The Unconfidential Cook.

The New Year

2012-01-03T14:42:00.002-05:00

New Years Eve cozy times.

We spent a quiet New Years Eve at the kitchen table of our friends, Brennen and Leah. There we played card games and backgammon around small plates of balsamic roasted brussels sprouts, stuffed mushroom and miniature pot pies. We had beer and champagne, Swedish cinnamon rolls and at midnight, fresh doughnuts straight from the fryer. Cozy times.

General Butler State Park

On the first day of 2012, we drove to Carrolton, Kentucky to hike the Fossil Trail at General Butler State Park. The wind that day was mighty but the forest's shelter kept us from blowing away. As the trail bent along the side of the ridge, we found ourselves in sun-dappled grasslands and wooded ravines. We were creeping through the winter homes of the several dozen deer we spotted along our 5 mile trek. When Mule, our old hound, caught the scent of a deer, Kurt would whisper permission and he'd barrel through the forest after them with more hustle than we've seen him muster since summertime. Harold didn't seem too sure of what they were chasing, though he galloped right beside Mule, equally excited. We'd watch the herd scatter up the ravine, their white bushy tails bouncing high. Mule lived his wildest dreams that day, I'm sure of it.

Tired babies.

Hoppin' John

No New Years Day is complete without a big pot of Hoppin' John simmering on the stove. Black eyed peas on New years Day will bring us good fortune, so they say. I'm not a big believer in superstitious juju of that sort, but it sure is delicious.

New Years Eve Snack: Tomten's Goat Feed

2011-12-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

Let it be known that one of our favorite topics happens to be potential components of the ultimate Chex party mix. Kurt and I have spent quite a few hours pondering the merits of cereal based snacks, and feel like Chex mix really shines when people make brave and creative changes to the original recipe. We've come a long way since the dawn of Chex mix, and there are a billion options ranging from dehydrated veggies to snacks made from alternative flours, not to mention a variety of exotic and peculiar offerings from the bulk foods aisle. The results can be quite indulgent, but fretting over the healthfulness of Chex mix is counter productive to its moniker of "party mix."

Inspired by the BA Party Mix in Bon Appetit's December issue, I concocted our own rendition of Chex mix, named "Tomten's Goat Feed" after our favorite Yuletide anti-Santa and his goat companion. This is the perfect snack to share with friends and family this New Year's Eve, as it is addictive, festive, and salty enough to encourage the consumption of fizzy, alcoholic beverages. Cheers!

Tomten's Goat Feed
Adapted from BA Party Mix, Bon Appetit, December.

Note: This recipe makes A LOT (25-30 cups). I filled up an old popcorn tin for our holiday party and we had leftovers all week long visiting house guests. You can easily cut the recipe in half, if necessary.

Ingredients:
1 box rice and corn Chex
5 cups Newman's Own Spelt Pretzels
4 cups roasted peanuts
2 cups toasted peas
2 cups toasted corn nuts
2 cups sesame sticks
4 cups cheese crisps
12 tbsp unsalted butter
16 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 tbsp worchestershire sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground English mustard powered
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl or bucket (I used an old popcorn tin). Set aside.

Melt butter in sauce pan over low heat. Add crushed garlic cloves and cook in butter for about 5 minutes. Strain garlic infused butter into a small bowl and discard garlic. Stir in Worcestershire, Dijon, mustard powder, salt, paprika, and pepper. Pour over Chex mix and gently toss to evenly coat.

Divide mixture between 2 or 3 baking sheets and spread into even layers. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until evenly toasted, about 1 hour. Allow to cool in the pans.

Transfer party mix to an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Tiny Tuesday (ahem, Wednesday)!

2011-12-28T10:08:00.001-05:00

It sure feels like Tiny Tuesday, but much to my dismay, it's already Wednesday! The holidays have my tiny-trolling routine all out of whack, but better late than never. Right, right?

This month-old polar bear cub is being raised by hand after he was removed from his mother's care at the zoo in Koland, Denmark. Mother bear wasn't producing enough milk to feed him, but now he's getting along just fine with around-the-clock care. He'll have to be given careful attention for a full year as he grows out of that roly poly, cuddly stage and transforms into a carnivorous tundra beast. Until then, look at 00:19 of the video below, and be prepared to be slayed.

Photo and Video Source: AP/Huffington Post

Last weekend, on Christmas.

2011-12-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

This year I baked less cookies than past years, although I was extra pleased with the ones that I made. From top: pink peppercorn pfeffernusse, Danish cardamom crescents, dark chocolate pistachio toffee shortbread, and springerles. The pfeffernusse and crescents were new additions to my cookie routine, but I think they're here to stay for years to come. I love old world cookies, especially those from Germany and Nordic countries.

All the babes: Savannah, Juliet, Zoey and Vincent

Christmas Eve was spent with my ever multiplying family (I now have 6 nieces and nephews!), followed by a late supper with Kurt's Mom at our house. On Christmas Day we watched my favorite Christmas movie and walked the pups around our neighborhood to gawk at the "Griswald" house.

Stocking loot!

Our house is very festive this time of year.

I'll be sad to pack up my twinkle lights and Christmas trinkets. It never fails, every year when I take down our decorations, I realize how cold and bare our place seems. Then I'm motivated to spruce up the place. Our home transforms the most during the coldest months after Christmas. New house plants appear on the window sills, forgotten prints are framed, and little splashes of color are injected into the drabbest corners. Then of course, Spring arrives, and we abandon our fixer-up plans until winter comes again.

Holiday links for the easily distracted.

2011-12-21T16:45:00.003-05:00

I think I'm hilarious.

Have you heard of the Christmas Pooping Log, Tio de Nadal? In the days leading up to Christmas, Catalan families "feed" a hollowed out log by stuffing it with treats. On Christmas, children beat it with sticks and order it to poop! Also - I am not kidding - since the 17th century, Catalan nativity scenes have included a figurine of a pooping man, the Caganer. WHAT!

The Krampus eats naughty children for Christmas dinner. He terrifies me!

Drunk History Christmas edition Starring Ryan Gossling!

A Descendents Christmas sweater.

A neat trick: Go to google.Type in "let it snow." Ooooh, pretty!

Looking forward to making this for Christmas dinner:
Endive, pear and roquefort salad
Chestnut soup - Pureed roasted chestnuts make a very creamy, rich soup.
Perfect popovers - My go-to popover recipe.
Mashed celeriac - Who knew celery root was so delicious? We've been making this in place of mashed potatoes.

Pot roasted guinea fowl with sage, celery and blood orange

I agree with Bon Appetit's 5-step formula for a good holiday party.

Jen and her husband made this clever year-in-review infographic to send with their Christmas cards. Way cool.

I ordered a set of these flannel sheets (the reindeer ones) and a pair of new pjs. I'm all set for hibernation.

An early Christmas present from Kurt. He's been making me special coffee drinks!

Some of our favorite Yuletide trinkets, the Tomten and the Yule goat!

Tiny Tuesday! The cutest home intruder ever.

2011-12-20T16:52:00.001-05:00

Photo source: New Zealand Herald

This week in New Zealand, a baby seal pup wandered from the shore to a Bay of Plenty neighborhood, climbed through a cat door, and made himself comfortable on the couch. The home owner found him relaxing in the company of her cats. Sigh, if only all home invaders were this adorable. Read the whole story here.

Christmas Time

2011-12-15T14:04:00.000-05:00

A few photos from my life lately (from top to left):

1. & 2. We always pick out a tree from the fruit market down the street. Kurt carries it home because he is mighty.

2. Harold has spent the majority of December curled up under afghans. He has the expert ability to get under any blanket in two seconds flat. When there are no blanket around to build his nest, he becomes cranky. He barks at me while doing a little tap dance around my feet, his way of throwing a temper tantrum. If I happen to be wearing a skirt, he'll try to snuggle up under it!

3. We stocked up on Happy Socks.

4. Theo's seasonal chocolate bars are my favorite.

5. As the Swedes say, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. I finally invested in a serious pair of waterproof rain boots. No more soggy socks.

6. Remember my needle felted pups? I've re-opened my felting workshop to make a few custom pet ornaments. It's been time consuming, but I've really enjoyed it.

7. Two months ago, I earnestly began sprinkling seeds and breadcrumbs on our kitchen window sill, hoping to attract a few bird friends. Finally, the neighborhood birds took note! We just purchased a suet feeder to set on the window sill and I have regular visits from cardinals, downy woodpeckers, tufted titmice and brown nuthatches. This little fellow stood peering in at us for a good while one morning. I think he was just as fascinated with us we were of him!

Tiny Tuesday!

2011-12-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

Source: himynameiskrut.tumblr.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Here is a baby platypus approximately the size of a baked potato. As you can see, he's enjoying his morning bowl of cereal.

Tiny Tuesday! Koala twins!

2011-12-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

My friend Brandy sent me these precious little koala babes for Tiny Tuesday. The photos are from last year, when they were rescued from their dead mother's pouch after being hit by a car. They made it out without a scratch and now they're all grown up. More photos here.

Photo post! Black Friday Bunker Day + Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T16:47:00.066-05:00

The morning of Thanksgiving, I shot out of bed and started braising a duck, baking bread and rolling out tart dough. See my notes? I mapped out a cooking timeline so that I would stay on track. By 10 AM all the windows in our house were fogged up from so much cooking!

After Thanksgiving dinner, I cut loose with literally the tiniest shot of whisky (above). And then a regular sized shot of whiskey. I am wearing a shirt with John Travolta on it.

The next morning, caramel pecan tart for breakfast! Pie breakfasts are the best kind.

How sweet is this guy?

Black Friday Bunker day was a success! We amassed a collection of snacks, including a pile of pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmallow cream and a handsome charcuterie plate made from a collection of cured meats procured in Chicago the previous weekend. We lounged all day under blankets while watching The Millennium Trilogy.

Tiny Tuesday! Mini Knit Ornaments

2011-11-29T16:45:00.000-05:00

Recently I've had the urge to make my Christmas tree a clothing rack for elves. This year I've spotted so many miniature, meticulously detailed, hand-knit ornaments. These in particular are hard to resist:

Hand-knit Selbu hat and mitten ornaments from Norway - Fjorn Scandinavian, $22

Snow Days holiday ornaments knitting patterns - Knit Picks, $8

Many Mittens Garland - Anthropologie, $48

Thanksgiving Game Plan

2011-11-23T16:31:00.002-05:00

What are you making for Thanksgiving? We're having a small get-together at home. Here are a few recipes I'm looking forward to making tomorrow. A few are favorites I've made many times before, like the brussels sprouts salad, gnocchi, and bubble-top brioches.

Shaved brussels sprouts salad with red onion, lemon and pecorino - This is a favorite around our house. Raw brussels sprouts, thinly sliced, make a delicate slaw and I love it paired with a tangy-sweet mustard vinaigrette. I like to add a sprinkling of toasted walnuts, too.
Sweet potato gnocchi with browned butter and sage - Our friend Corey recently made us the best sweet potato gnochhi. Since then, I've had my heart set on creating something similar, with fried sage leaves and a bit of crispy pancetta, Mmmm.
Glazed duck with clementine sauce - The Mr. actually hates turkey. Personally, I'm neutral about the bird, although I insist on the prototypical Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. This year, we compromised. I'm picking up some roast turkey for sandwiches, and we're roasting a duck (two, actually) for Thanksgiving dinner.
Yukon Gold and fennel puree with rosemary butter - I'm always looking for ways to dress up mashed potatoes.
Bubble top brioches - Here's a recipe from the queen of French baking, Dorie Greenspan. These are the best there are, as far as dinner rolls are concerned.
Duck fat roasted root vegetables - Whenever I roast duck, I fashion a little rack out of carrot planks. As the duck cooks, the fat soaks into the vegetables and they get really caramelized and delicious. There's no better way to take advantage of duck fat. It is liquid gold! Truth.
Goat cheese custards with figs and balsamic syrup - I'm hung up on goat cheese desserts. This sounds heavenly. I might attempt something similar, only with a fig and ginger compote.
Honey maple pecan tart - Last weekend in Chicago, I tried a bourbon pecan tart from the French bakery, La Boulangerie. It has been on my mind for days! I must recreate ... but how did they get the filling so silky smoov?

Whoa! I better get started. Like, now ....

Tiny Tuesday - Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-22T16:39:00.001-05:00

It turns out, baby turkeys are actually pretty adorable. I love how they dart around Mama Turkey's feet, hurrying to catch up. This clip reminds me of Barbara Kingslover's turkey adventure in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. She wrote a similar piece for Food and Wine Magazine:

And that was when I encountered my first problem in the turkey business: These poults were cute. Furthermore, they thought I was Mama and rushed happily to greet me whenever I appeared on the scene. I tried not to dwell on their destiny. I was increasing their numbers on the planet, sure, but one of them was going to be the guest of honor at our Thanksgiving table.

Read the full article here.
Happy Thanksgiving!