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Sorry for lame

I hope you don’t mind I’ve been fobbing you off with ickle news articles lately.

I’m in a bit of a quandary with this here blog. I don’t like to talk politics (don’t know if you’ve noticed, but now is an especially bad time and here is an especially bad place to be a mouthy immigrant). I’ve done the ‘local flavor’ thing to death.

And my fallback — chicken blogging — is awkward. I’m delighted to report that I am gaining a local reputation as a painter of chickens. As a result, however, my little flock is becoming Instagram famous.

That’s right, that’s right…I’m a known chicken keeper.

But I would miss it terribly if I didn’t end my days here with you guys. So I do hope my small, lame offerings are enough to bring you here for a chat. I can bake cookies…?

I sound needy. Did that sound needy?

Comments


Comment from Uncle Badger
Time: July 20, 2018, 9:25 pm

You will have noticed she didn’t say what kind of cookies!


Comment from Brother Cavil, Abbot of St. Costello-on-the-Hurlingbone
Time: July 20, 2018, 9:46 pm

Honestly, I almost wish I could drop in for those cookies sometimes…


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: July 20, 2018, 9:52 pm

So what are you really saying —- you’re surrounded by Corbynistas???


Comment from QuasiModo
Time: July 20, 2018, 11:38 pm

Always happy to read chicken posts and find out what the gang is up to :+)


Comment from AliceH
Time: July 20, 2018, 11:39 pm

I, for one, love your fobbing of fodder. This is the only blog I read; I don’t want to read about politics anymore. I like your random eBay finds, chicken posts, updates on the occasional shipwreck digs, old postcards, and banjo lore. And I love the commenters you’ve attracted here. I hope you keep posting anything that strikes your fancy, so long as it stays fun for you.


Comment from Skandia Recluse
Time: July 21, 2018, 12:01 am

The news is so bad that one often has to just #walkaway from it all. Ms. Sweasel, your blog is a refreshing taste of what good neighbors used to be in olden times. I don’t often comment, but I do visit nearly every day. Just for that feeling of home and good neighbors.


Comment from tomfrompv
Time: July 21, 2018, 12:43 am

We needs our weasel! I know merry olde England still has the heart of a Lion even if their govt is pussified by Le Deep Etat.

I’m a huge consumer of Brit TV. Pay for two services – Britbox and Acorn. I’ve noticed that recent programmes have been forced to heel to the leftists. On the Tunnel, the main Brit character has to say he voted against Brexit – no bearing on the storyline but had to say it. The main French character is not only lesbian but has sex with men too.

On Midsomer the villages are all 50% immigrant, whites married to Africans, community leaders are gay, the local vicar doubts God, the Lady of the Manor House cheats with the guy born in Mumbai, and of course the standard 3 murders are committed by white males.

DCI Vera will never find a criminal illegal immigrant, she happily submits to head scarves in the Muslim places, her staff has a lesbian, a gay, and someone in a wheelchair. Plus DI Kenny is the stupid one, and is a white male, of course.

None of these series started with such stereotypes. But now they must apparently. I’m waiting to see what’s happened to Shetland, Poldark, and Doc Martin. Perez marries a man? Louisa gets it on with Mrs Tishell? How about Poldark goes tranny?

You can’t stop the blog SWeasel. We need to hear from the Brit people, like you.


Comment from Mrs Compton
Time: July 21, 2018, 12:57 am

I don’t mind fodder, not at all, I love hearing about the fetes, the chickens, what your camera turns up at night. I’ve noticed the same thing tomfrompv, slowly they’re changing the shows. I honestly don’t think the people they are changing them for watch those shows. So it’s plain and simple indoctrination of the white folk. I see everywhere I whitey is the butt of all jokes, and the first to be blamed for everything.


Comment from tinman
Time: July 21, 2018, 2:34 am

I will join the chorus and proclaim my fervor for all things stoatly. Seeing things through another’s point of view is what blogging is all about! Give us chicken updates, local lore, and the Yankee slant on our British cousins. We will read it all!

Besides, things could be worse: you could be a known chicken plucker. I’m sure there’s an offender database for that somewhere.


Comment from Uncle Al
Time: July 21, 2018, 3:01 am

I am very fond of this little ‘net corner of yours, stoatie, and of you and those who post comments here. I don’t miss the political stuff, I can get as much as I want (or can stomach) elsewhere. I would miss and miss very much, your sharing with us that which interests you or what you believe might interest us.

Could you please show us some of your chicken art? And perhaps some stories about how they either came to be or were received?

With warm affection,
Uncle Al


Comment from CantHarkMyCry
Time: July 21, 2018, 11:42 am

Most emphatically what everyone else has said!
Pardon me if I ramble.

Do you know Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar”?
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fulz4ytZ54)
That’s how I feel about this blog: Just walking through the front door puts a big smile on my face.
I met one of the best friends I will ever have through this blog (still miss him every day–RIP Ric.)
I am not aligned politically–or in many other ways–with the majority of your community, but I deeply value the insights I get here into why people who disagree with me see things the way they do–and the realization I draw from their comments that “people I disagree with” are not a single heterogeneous mass, but that they disagree within themselves, and in truth are more like an extraordinarily complex Venn diagram of what might seem contradictory stances.
I’ve learned about a lot of areas I knew nothing about, and would have been snootily dismissive of, had I not read about them here; I use that knowledge every day.
Hell, I even miss Oceania!

No one can be brilliant 24/7, or even 5/52; of course you have your off days. But even on your off days, it’s relaxing to come here, where I can be sure of encountering something I wouldn’t encounter anywhere else.

When it stops being something you would miss terribly, when it becomes a dread burden you yearn to lay down, then will be the time to let it go–but until then, please, please, please continue, lame, crutches, wheelchair, whatever works: we love you, Stoaty, and we want to keep reading you!

Oh, and chicken art would be fun to see!


Comment from Janna
Time: July 21, 2018, 3:40 pm

I’m here most days. Love that there’s no politics, just fun and funny stuff.
And Can’t Hark, I don’t miss Oceania. At. All.

And someday, I WILL win the Dead Pool.
That SOB has to keel over sometime, right?


Comment from technochitlin
Time: July 21, 2018, 5:26 pm

A daily stop for me; please don’t change…


Comment from OldFert
Time: July 21, 2018, 5:44 pm

Oddly enough, I was linked here on a topic about religion and found it a fun place to be, here among your imaginary friends. I kinda miss your takes on politics and its related silliness, but I also understand your hesitance to dive into that pool some more.

Mrs Fert says you could branch out into drawing and sharing stuff about ferrets, too. Ferrets are fun, comical, sweet and there are many vids online. Plus, they *are* a close cousin.

Whatever, keep going until you don’t want to. When what was fun and enjoyable becomes laborious, it’s time to give it up. (I’ve stopped reading several blogs because they became un-fun.)

All of it is good — odd photoshops, internet finds, chicken news, fetes, kittehs, even stuff about your old house.


Comment from DurnedYankee
Time: July 21, 2018, 7:02 pm

Oh, come on…the cat photo workup alone was worth the visit.

You do your thing, that’s what’s nice. One never really knows what one will find when one flounces through the, uh, front door, kitchen door? comes upstairs from the servants kitchen?

You’re not too political, and knowing you can get in trouble keeps me to expressing my admiration for your nominal head of government. And that’s easy because it’s sincere. As for our stuff? who doesn’t like a circus! Except maybe for the flying fabuloso and his cannon. and the elephant shit cleaner.

And MOLASSES cookies of course. No one makes those these days. Or perhaps cocoa hermits, which my wife makes specifically for ME, because I seem to be the only one in the world that actually likes them.
If you have recipes for neither, we can provide. These are old YANKEE recipes, and when I say old, I mean a couple hunnert years. Practically right after Moses flood.


Comment from dustoffmom
Time: July 21, 2018, 7:38 pm

I would miss your little corner of the world immeasurably should you go away! I am here, every day. I don’t post much but I am a huge ‘liker’! You’ll see my little thumbs up everywhere. I feel at home here, with friends. A safe, non-judgemental spot to hang out for a bit and normally register a chuckle. I love hearing tales of the chickens and the local fairs! But like so many others have said, if it’s no longer enjoyable for you, then stop. Just please say goodbye before you turn out the light, please.


Comment from Carl
Time: July 21, 2018, 9:46 pm

Keep up the good work Swease. The balance is just right.

@Tomfrompy. Some old British TV crime shows that I have enjoyed and which you might like are:
– Dalziel and Pascoe
– A Touch of Frost
– Inspector George Gently
– Inspector Morse (of course)
They are refreshingly non-PC.

Also, more recently, the Cormoran Strike programmes, based on J K Rowling novels. Only three episodes so far but worth looking out for.


Comment from Pupster
Time: July 21, 2018, 9:57 pm

We go way back, I was an early subscriber. I’d miss you if left but I would understand.


Comment from Pupster
Time: July 22, 2018, 1:55 pm

I get enough political blogging pretty much freaking everywhere, so don’t feel like you have to cover the outrage of the day 5 days a week.

https://is.gd/_L_to_R__Stoatie__Pupster


Comment from DurnedYankee
Time: July 22, 2018, 4:13 pm

Plus it’s too dry over there right now to start running around with your hair on fire every day like they do here. 🙂

Any time you want to know if you’ll be missed, uh, just ask. I think you’ll like the answer.


Comment from Deborah HH
Time: July 22, 2018, 4:21 pm

Sounds like you have a case of the Steadily depressing, low-down mind-bending, working at the car wash Blues. I would miss you terribly, but maybe you need some time off to re-charge. Perhaps WE need to entertain you for a week or so. What if you loaf around, drinking champagne and eating bonbons—while we write you 100-word stories?


Comment from Jayef
Time: July 22, 2018, 4:36 pm

I stumbled onto this site many years ago by way of politics. Your posts on that particular subject waned at about the same rate as my own fatigue with it. The strange historical posts, chicken blogging, art blogging, etc. have been a much appreciated change of pace and I often share your posts with friends. I love this blog and would be tremendously sad if you stopped doing it. Please don’t go, Mrs. Weasel.

On the topic of art, if you haven’t seen Jake & Dinos Chapman’s ‘One Day You Will No Longer Be Loved’ series of paintings they seem like the sort of thing you’d dig. Well executed and disturbingly weird.


Comment from BJM
Time: July 22, 2018, 5:56 pm

Lame? What’s not to like? A chikken wearing Groucho glasses.

I’ll add my voice to the choir: I love your mix of the ordinary, weird and whatever takes your fancy. Your posts have led me down many enjoyable rabbit holes and provided many chuckles and the occasional belly laugh.

I would dearly miss you, Uncle B and the stoaty gang.

IMHO The Dead Pool provides just the right amount of politics.

However, I wouldn’t mind moar chikken posts. I have never shed a tear for a chicken I’ve never met (or et).

@Tomfrompy: I too watch mostly Brit TV, and am a little dismayed by the current offerings on both Acorn & Britbox.

They’ve turned Midsomer into an unwatchable mess. I saw an interview with John Nettles who said critics thought Midsomer was too English. He was wise to depart before the PC re-write began.

And now we have the horror of horrors an American actor, albeit an excellent actor, playing Poirot “This time the setting is the 1930s, a time when the nation is dangerously divided and suspicion and hatred are on the rise.”

Oh joy.


Comment from Mountain Hobbit
Time: July 22, 2018, 8:12 pm

I’ve never commented before, but as a longtime reader I wanted to add my voice to the chorus. I used to enjoy your political posts (and art!) but as an emigrant Brit, I’ve grown to love your take on the Motherland. Witchmarks, sheep, weird objects and chickens: it’s a welcome alternative to all the shrieking and wailing elsewhere. The internet would be a poorer place for your absence.


Comment from Teej
Time: July 22, 2018, 10:48 pm

Weez, I binge read the blog: don’t read every day, but I catch up. I never comment. Well, except for now.
I don’t care than you don’t poliblog anymore: I know you are Of the Body, and that’s enough. Anything else is dangerous, this day and age.
I love the Local Blogging, and adore the Chook Blogging. But, if you’re out of inspiration on those, I don’t care. I check in cause you’re fun to read, and I like you.
Totally not stalking.


Comment from Monty James
Time: July 22, 2018, 11:07 pm

There’s immigrants and then there’s immigrants. If you’ve been political, I missed it.

[a bunch of flaming political stuff I deleted because I don’t want to get Weasel all jammed up]

Keep your head down, I guess. You make the Internet a better place; surely no one thinks you do any harm to your little part of the mother country.

To cheer you up:
https://gab.ai/Montag/posts/29823347


Comment from Fritzworth
Time: July 23, 2018, 2:26 am

Love your blog. Been following it for years. I use your Zombie Reagan as my Steam avatar. Frankly, a simple “I had tea and scones today” post is enough.


Comment from kim in vancouver
Time: July 23, 2018, 5:02 am

Psst! There are a lot of us who who like to lurk at your place. Don’t make me cry by shuttering up the place.


Comment from Mrs. Peel
Time: July 23, 2018, 10:21 am

Durned Yankee, I make molasses cookies on occasion. Yum 🙂

Sweas, do what works for you. I like your “filler” posts.


Comment from MrsMGunz
Time: July 23, 2018, 11:44 am

It’s ok to be needy every now and then, especially amongst friends. Cookies would definitely help your sitch – go for the chocolate chip or peanut butter and have a cup of something invigorating. What’s in the cup, we won’t judge.

The world is too full of politics and needs more chickens, weasels, and eBay searches for little luxuries. I will add my voice to the growing chorus above. I lurked for a long time before I took the Death Pool plunge, and I rarely comment. But boy, do I read and laugh. You have built a nice community.


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: July 23, 2018, 11:58 am

This will cheer you up, stoaty: Path to Blood.

It’s a documentary using al queda home movies. They are buffoons but unfortunately, the bodies pile up. Never use a butt bomb. Not only do you have to walk and sit funny (how do they keep it in??) after it goes off, there is nothing but blood and shit all over the walls. Oh, and an arm embedded in the ceiling. No infidels were killed, however. Anyway, you can watch if for free:

https://www7.fmovies.se/film/path-of-blood.nr71m/vr09y7


Comment from Dan Patterson
Time: July 23, 2018, 12:05 pm

I get the avoidance of things politic, and if I were in your place the local color would have played out long ago. Do not fret, because your site is a happy spot and many of us enjoy the humor and displaced American bits quite a lot.
Cookies, of course, are always welcome.
Cheers y’all.


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: July 23, 2018, 2:06 pm

Here’s something cool, the live grizzly bear cam. At the moment, the color seems a bit off. Hopefully, that will be fixed soon. If you scroll back, you can see alot of closeup footage. My favorites are a blond mother & her 3 blond cubs. One is scrawny & I worry about him. He’s always trying to cuddle with his siblings and his mother who already bit his leg. Wish we cd rescue and tame him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIA8xOVcOs


Comment from Claire
Time: July 23, 2018, 3:35 pm

Those above have said it better than I; all your posts are appreciated and enjoyed.

Chooks!!!!


Comment from Wolfus Aurelius
Time: July 23, 2018, 3:54 pm

Stoaty,

This is, as someone said above, a very nice corner of the Internet. It’s rather pleasant to have one spot where people are not wrangling over pol-ee-ticks. I read Ace’s site every day or so, and that keeps me up-to-date. Normally I don’t go looking for more political posts.

More cat posts, please!


Comment from DurnedYankee
Time: July 23, 2018, 4:13 pm

Mrs P!
We need to get Sweasy to tell us if SHE ever makes them. I don’t know, were molasses cookies something we got from the English, or something resulting from the American rum trade?

HISTORY TIME!

With a link – I will consider the dubiousness of SF being the authors, but still believe it’s accurate enough historically to answer my question.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Molasses-Bittersweet-History-3014292.php

is THAT what treacle is? ah…..

And could it be Americans find the name unappealing because it’s way too close to “tinkle”?


Comment from sassamon
Time: July 24, 2018, 4:58 am

After a long day I enjoy pointing my browser to this little corner of the www for a relaxing encounter with a post reflecting our hosts eclectic pursuits.

As with all things, I may not like to give up something I have become used to, but if our host decides to take a break it will be ok.

DurnedYankee I make some molasses cookies that I dubbed “earthquake” after I saw pictures of the 1965 Alaska earthquake. What caught my eye was the cracks that occurred in the earth. Properly made “earthquake” cookies have cracks all over the top side of the cookie. If anyone wants a recipe give me a shout out.


Comment from Drew458
Time: July 24, 2018, 5:31 am

Even though I’ve been blogging for more than a decade, this is still my favorite spot on the web. Everybody writes about politics, race, immigrants, gender issues, etc. It’s BORING.

Banjos and chickens, with local architecture and 1 paragraph tales of bicycling in the sudden rain? Plus cats? Only one place to find that: right here.

Here’s some chicken news …

Chicken panic in the US – backyard flocks causing salmonella outbreaks!! Touch a chicken, wash your hands!!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-warns-backyard-flocks-sicken-people-in-44-states/

I’m having a bit of summer blog burnout myself. And I just can’t take any more politics, from anywhere or any side. It’s the same old stupid, around and around, time after time, year after year. It never changes. I swear politicians only exist to keep the world aggravated.

Durned Yankee – I make molasses cookies too, but not often. Vary the recipe a bit and they become spice cookies or ginger snaps. Can be made either crisp or chewy.

While I’ve never heard of a cocoa hermit, the internet is infinite and I found a recipe in a second. You know it’s an old recipe because it calls for a block of baker’s chocolate. Looks pretty easy, made with walnuts, raisins, and perhaps chopped dates. I think I’ll pick up the ingredients tomorrow …

sassamon: shouting out!! Post it here, or link if it’s online. Thanks!!


Comment from Drew458
Time: July 24, 2018, 5:44 am

Stoaty’s wedding music??

Pachelbel’s Canon in D, played on the rubber chicken.

https://youtu.be/khOfSVULtsU


Comment from DurnedYankee
Time: July 24, 2018, 1:40 pm

Drew – Mrs. Durned made them the first time about 15 years ago, having obtained the recipe from my mother. Upon tasting, set them aside, convinced she had missed an ingredient (or two, or three).

When I arrived home to find a plate of them she watched with admitted trepidation until I sampled them, smiled and said “Yes! that’s it!”

At which point she said….”those are awful! I tasted it and thought I’d made a mistake” (akin to the time she first sampled tempura shrimp and declared them to be coated in kindergarten paste).

I will dig up the recipe if only to compare to one I found from Hershey’s (ancient, 1930’s or so).

I rather suspect my, uh, Yankee grandparents skimped on the ingredients out of niggardly parsimonious Scottishness.

However, it was what I grew up with and so.


Comment from Drew458
Time: July 24, 2018, 2:21 pm

DurnedYankee

Is this close?

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/dessert-cookies/chocolate-hermit-cookies.html


Comment from sassamon
Time: July 25, 2018, 3:16 pm

Drew458, DurnedYankee, and everyone else,

Here you go.

“Earthquake Cookies”
Molasses Spice Crisps

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 Tablespoons molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix sugar, egg, and shortening until light yellow.
Add molasses and mix thoroughly.
Sift dry ingredients and mixing well add to mixture to form a dough.
Chill dough in refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Roll dough into walnut size balls and place into saucer of sugar to coat.
Place balls onto cookie sheet.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Take out of oven and cool down.
Enjoy plain or with milk.


Comment from Anonymous
Time: July 27, 2018, 11:03 pm

Sassy – I’ll give them a try. The recipe is quite close to what I use for peanut butter cookies, so it should work fine. Bake them a bit less and they’ll be chewy, I’m sure.

Tonight, if this insane thunderstorm we’re having right now doesn’t kill the power, I’m making Jersey Shore crumb cake. Which is usually mostly crumb and very little cake when you buy some on the boardwalk “down the shore”, but I double the cake part and it bakes up substantial in a 9×13 pan. This is the cake recipe, with doubled batter.

FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TBL baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (or DIY buttermilk )
4 TBL canola oil
1 TBL vanilla extract
1 TBL cinnamon

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light-brown sugar
1 TBL cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
powdered sugar, for dusting

350 oven middle shelf, 9×13 greased glass pan: 30+ mins and 1 min broil. Take it out a bit underdone because it will bake more as the glass pan cools down. Toothpick mostly clean: take it out of the oven.

Cake –
Mix dry cake ingredients in one bowl, wet cake ingredients in another. Combine and mix with fork until mostly smooth. Pour into pan, spread around with rubber spatula. Add crumb topping.

Crumb –
Mix crumb dry ingr. Melt butter let cool, pour over. Blend it roughly with a fork. It forms pea size lumps. Drop over cake. Bake till done. Might want to broil top at end to brown crumbs a bit, like 1 minute, just to brown the crumb a bit. Let cool a bit, then dust with powdered sugar.

This will give you enough crumb cake for days.

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