{"id":1737,"date":"2012-10-31T15:26:09","date_gmt":"2012-10-31T15:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/troutsfarm.com\/latest\/?p=1737"},"modified":"2013-07-14T10:13:44","modified_gmt":"2013-07-14T10:13:44","slug":"2012-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troutsfarmtoo.com\/latest\/2012-october\/","title":{"rendered":"OCTOBER, 2012 ISSUE #137"},"content":{"rendered":"

The big October excitements were mastering the art of falafel and\u00a0acquiring\u00a0a hen and seven chicks. Other than that, we enjoyed the usual diversions; progress with the FS2BD project, gardening, cooking, goat TV,\u00a0visitors and shopping\u00a0trips around town.<\/h4>\n

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A MEAL TO REMEMBER<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>We began the month with a challenge, collaboration, support from the States and a happy, delicious outcome. Our challenge was Falafel and after watching the first patty disintegrate in the pan, Bob called Angelina’s Kitchen<\/a> for help. The secret was two-fold. Add flour and let the bean mixture chill before adding baking soda and powder and frying in hot oil.\u00a0<\/span>We served the crispy little nuggets on Lebanese bread with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, hummus, tzatziki, pickled beets and marinated cucumbers.\u00a0<\/span>It was very good. So good that we ate it for dinner the next night. And lunches in between.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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BACKYARD BLISS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bob hoists a bucket of soil to the deck garden for seed starts. Both he and Jeremy are putting lots of energy into both gardens. We are harvesting tomatoes, okra, beets, collard greens and parsley but the gardens are more than a supply of fresh food. They\u00a0fulfill\u00a0our desire to do for ourselves, satisfy the need to work in the dirt and give us an excuse to wander around the yard, absorbing sunshine, birdsong and Goat TV. When Camille isn’t chasing the goats off the front steps, she likes to scratch their little heads. More photos of gardens and goats on this month’s:<\/span> Garden Page<\/a>.
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MAIL AND MUSHROOMS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>A trip downtown may yield a birthday card from Mom or some succulent mushrooms. You never know what you’re gonna find.<\/span><\/p>\n

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COCONUTS AND WINKLEPICKERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>Fresh coconut on a handcart is a common sight. Buying shoes is easy here where this sort of roadside display is common. Second hand clothes get a second chance here on the sidewalks of Kumasi. Winklepickers, a fashion from the 50’s featuring a long, pointed toe are worn by all well-dressed Ghanaian men.<\/span><\/p>\n

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ASANTE KOTOKO PORCUPINE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/strong>\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Another common sight is the image of a porcupine, seen in this roundabout sculpture. The porcupine is both the symbol of Asante nationalism in an emergent Ghana and the mascot for Kumasi’s beloved football (a.k.a. soccer) team, the Asante Kotoko. \u201cLike the quills of the porcupine, if you kill a thousand, a thousand more will come.\u201d\u2014Asante aphorism<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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WEAVING OUR WAY THROUGH ALABA<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>We are frequently baffled by the decals borne by taxis and tros in Ghana. This one, in the notorious Alaba district says “Respect Hustler.” Eric says this is his least favorite place to navigate due to the heavy foot traffic but decided to cut through to save time on this day. We also took note an older man in a hat commonly worn by migrants from the Northern regions.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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NEW ARRIVALS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Camille helps Jeremy re-install the door to the chicken house after he brought home a box of Chickens on October 8, increasing the livestock in our yard by eight. Read all about the installation here: Chickens<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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DOMPOASE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Bob was nice enough to bring Miss Cookie to the dump on October 18th. Of course, he was working, but to Cookie it was a pleasure trip. More about the project on the FS2BD page<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OUR DOOR<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>This is the main entrance into our downstairs living quarters. Our steps are sheltered from the rain (but not goat pee) by the deck where the upstairs garden grows. Jeremy inspects a trinket brought to our door by a trader who carefully laid out an enormous python skin for our consideration.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EVENING FEED<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Three cattle egrets hopped into the bird tree that overhangs our yard during a termite swarm to snap up some tasty treats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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DAWN FROM OUR YARD<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>The sun rises over Kumasi for another day. We are greeted every day with bird song from the two trees next door and on those days when the sun has broken through the clouds, the sight of sunlight in the palm fronds.<\/span><\/p>\n

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ITEY NITE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong>One of our favorite meals occurs nearly every Friday Night. It’s Italian, so we’ve dubbed Friday “Itey Night” as a nod to the movie “Breaking Away.” The October 26 version involved angel hair, marinara sauce, bean fritters and green beans with grilled onions topped with either nutritional yeast or Parmesan\u00a0cheese.<\/span><\/p>\n

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THIS MONTH’S QUOTES:<\/span><\/p>\n

The nearer we live to animals, the more naked life is.” – Paul Theroux<\/span><\/p>\n

“If you want to know the time, ask a dog. They always know, and they’ll tell you the correct time, which is now, now, now.” – From an Article by Mary Pipher<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

“Existence is a browsing and a fattening, and then comes the harvest and the slaughter.” \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0– Paul Theroux<\/span><\/p>\n

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Search the site for glorious moments from the past, using this handy Search Engine<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

We blog, too! Just in case the photo album didn’t quite satisfy your appetite, check out Plastic
\nFarm Animals<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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BLOG<\/a> * DIVERSIONS<\/a> * LATEST PHOTOS<\/a> * LINKS<\/a> * OLD PHOTO ARCHIVES<\/a> * TROUTSFARM HOME<\/a><\/h4>\n

____________________________________________________________<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The big October excitements were mastering the art of falafel and acquiring a hen and seven chicks. Other than that, we enjoyed the usual diversions; progress with the FS2BD project, gardening, cooking, goat TV, visitors and shopping trips around town. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A MEAL TO REMEMBER<\/p>\n

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