Reflections from the BackcounterWell...July and August have been very busy months at the Backcounter and thus the paucity of blog posts. Oh well, self induced stress is not productive. The purpose of blogging is fun and worrying about missing posts is not the point....enough rationalization and on to the point of this post....Bacon....I just returned from a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where I had the opportunity to spend three days. It is such an exquisitely beautiful place. I did finall... Read Full Story

Panting chickens!! Chicken Swamp Cooler!Life in the Sonoran Desert is defined by one word today....HEAT... right now at 3 pm it is 117 degrees Farenheit. I have resorted to all of my anti heat strategies learned through more than 30 summers in this inferno. Today, my focus is on keeping my chickens alive. How hot can a chicken get before it can't take it???? I think that I am about to find out. The poor little things are panting away in their pen. The pen is in the shade, they have plenty of... Read Full Story

Reflections from the BackcounterThe power of nature has reconfigured the landscape of Havasupai. This picture shows a new waterfall that was the result of the flood and the gouging of the wall above the creek to form a new gorge. Currently, it looks like strip mining and is painful to see given the previous lush foliage that surrounded the creek. The raw beauty of the turquoise water is breathtaking in spite of the devastation and it is only a matter of time for the travertine pools to build... Read Full Story

Still happy and enthusiasticReflections from the BackcounterMy calves hurt. In fact muscles that I did not know existed are hurting and might I remind you...Gray's anatomy is not a TV show for me...it was my anatomy textbook. Hiking the Grand Canyon is a laudable goal at any age and at my now ripe old unmentionable age it was a personal victory, triumph, bucket list???. Of course, the trek down was preceded by hysterical downsizing of the contents of the backpack...who needs a sleeping b... Read Full Story

The Backcounter Backyard Chicken project enters its fifth month and is happy to report that we have eggs...yes the little red hens have produced and we are getting between two and three eggs per day. There have been a few days with four eggs but that is not yet a regular phenomenon. The eggs are brown and varied in size. We are still waiting for the blue eggs from the Aracauna hens.We are becoming risk takers and are letting them run loose in the evenings while taking careful watch for neighb... Read Full Story

Reflections from the BackcounterBaking is not my forte....I have a checkered past when it comes to the culinary art of cake construction. In fact if my cakes were construction projects, they would have been condemned. There has been the leaning tower of Pisa chocolate cake, the sinkhole spice cake and the brick and mortar bundt. But, ...I may have found it...the perfect recipe for a carrot cake. Not only is this cake gorgeous but it is delicious. This recipe comes from my good friend, Sally, ... Read Full Story

Reflections from the BackcounterThe Backcounter Buffet is celebrating a year in the blog world and it has been a year of evolution. More than a menu planning and recipe blog, the Backcounter is truly a reflection of the challenges we all face in trying to find that elusive point of virtual balance in our busy lives. The challenge of serving the competing masters of work, home, kids, health, relationships and personal peace...the truth is ...true balance may be an unattainable goal. Rather, we... Read Full Story

March was a busy month at the Backcounter and I have no idea where the time went and no blog posts....ridiculous......Life in the world of the Backcounter Buffet reflects the world at large...too much to do..too little time and a sense of shock about the economic meltdown we are all experiencing.One of the most fun but tiring activities was the Mother of all Garage Sales. We are fundraising to send the kids riding team to national competitition. It was a success but we have enough stuff lef... Read Full Story

Reflections from the BackcounterIt is once again time for the annual Lenten Fish Fry. Ladies and Gentleman start your engines and drive on over to the closest Catholic parish hall for another greasy but delicious fish fry. Every Friday during Lent Catholics flock to the church for a festival of fish and fun served up by our favorite knights...the Knights of Columbus. My family is a little leary this year (mom and sis) about bellying up to the table as last years fabulous plate of fried fis... Read Full Story

Reflections from the BackcounterCoyotes are on my mind. Last night we had a coyote chorus right outside our window that went on for a half hour. The finale was the cacophony of the yip yapping victory screams that accompany a kill. Yikes...I think they have hit on the scent of the chickens in the garage. Construction on the camo coop began in earnest today and we are modifying the design as we go. The coyotes last night were rather centering. Function over form at this point. I do not ... Read Full Story