Feed Grade Molasses

When I saw this truck the other day, my initial thought was how much of a mess it would be if it were in an accident.

But then I started thinking about that and I figured it might make for a delicious smell during cleanup.  And now I want to make Ginger Chews.

Bumpers are for butts

If you have a pile of cigarette butts on your bumper...

...you might be a Fredneck.  The license plate just works.

This is my town

Just because we's Frednecks don't mean we ain't clever.

(I realize Strasburg is in Shenandoah Co., but this truck was spotted in Frederick County so I'm counting it.)

Steak

I love delicious meat.  Steaks on the grill are our go-to summer meal, and Steve is a perceptive and talented grill guy.  (Sear on high, turn the heat down, grill for a few minutes on each side, salt & pepper afterward.)  My only complaint is that he hogs the sea salt grinder, so now we have a duplicate one inside for my stovetop sides like asparagus or zucchini.  (Mrs. Dash teal top, sea salt, olive oil -- saute until crisp-tender.)

A few years ago we moved here and were introduced to dry-aged beef, available 10 minutes away at a shop called The Butcher's Choice.  You go in, pick out what you want from the cabinet just like at the grocer's butcher counter (or have the butcher cut one just for you), pick out a few sides from the deli case if you want, and you pay and leave.  The steaks were incredible.  It was a great retail establishment, my only complaint being that they suddenly closed and I hadn't used up my gift card or Restaurant.com thingies.

A while ago my friend Terry told me about Blue Ridge Meats, and when I heard the other had closed and we wanted steaks for Memorial Day, I checked out their website.  Seems like a decent place if you can find it, so Olivia and I headed out to the netherquarters of Middletown/Front Royal/Strasburg.  Four of the photos in this post were taken nearby if you know what I mean.  Their website says they're open from 9-5 and have fresh meat on Fridays, but when we pulled in just before 10 there were people in the slaughtering room, which you pass on the way in (so put your blinders on if you are faint of heart), there was nobody manning the register, the place was full of boxes from a recent delivery, and the coolers were completely empty.  Finally Lois comes in and says that they slaughter in the morning and steaks aren't ready until around 11 or 12.  "How much do you want?"  "About four servings, something that would be good on the grill.  Filet?"  "We don't sell filet by itself today, but you can get it attached to a sirloin."  "Okay."  Lois agreed to put my name on a couple steaks so they'd definitely be there when I got back. 

Returned at 11 and Lois hollers into the slaughtering room that I needed two sirloins with sidecars.  How thick?  About an inch, I guessed.  So out comes this HUGE package of butcher paper, undoubtedly the freshest meat I've ever had.  Lois gave me a free pound of sausage for having to come back, then rang me up and I officially went into sticker shock.  $12.50/lb isn't bad for It was USDA Prime, and later that week when we had finished it all I think we calculated 10 servings, way more than we needed.  But it was good steak.

Before I am too critical of the establishment I want to go back again.  I learned that this is first a slaughterhouse and secondarily a retail establishment, a far cry from the ambiance of Butcher's Choice but the steak is just as good.  Next time I will call before I go.  Lois suggested coming on a Friday at noon, preferably not a holiday weekend.  They have both corn and grass fed beef, also pork, sausage, other meats, and the cooler cases are normally full (there was a leak when I was there).  They also carry produce from area farmers, and she can help me pick out cuts that are less expensive next time if I want.

And as primitive as the building and operation are, their website is very informative (even if it doesn't elaborate on "open at 9am"), and one can "like" them on Facebook.

If you encounter things like this

...you might be a Fredneck.

(them are apple crates)

(extra point for naming this machinery)

Firsts

First visit to the Freight Station Farmer's Market today as part of a quest (with Elizabeth) for local food.  It was small, but the vendors are good.  It is considered producer-only, although they offer things like wild Alaskan salmon.

First parsnip purchase, after asking about "those white carrots".  I also got potatoes and asparagus. I think a crockpot roast is in the works based on my freezer contents and the yummy ideas from the Mayfair Farm lady (pictured here with her beautiful strawberries). Pot pie with parsnips would also be good.

With the cheese guy I tried the feta and tomme, but what did it for me was his fruit (apricot?) & nut chevre, which is all mine on account of the pecans.  (Steve is allergic to certain nuts but probably couldn't care less about apricot goat cheese.  Man Law: Don't fruit the meat/beer/cheese.) 

Another first for today?  We moved here over three years ago and today I washed the windows for the *first* time. I know, I know. They're even tilt-in so I have no excuses. It's amazing how much brighter a room looks with clean windows.

Bloom

Ahh, the Apple Blossom Festival.  My hometown population grows tenfold, not counting those natives who like to get out of Dodge for the weekend.  Steve's first visit here was for The Bloom, after which he commented that Winchester is an interesting mix of rednecks and rich people.  That's never more evident than during Apple Blossom.  There are concerts, dances, breakfasts, luncheons, 10K, golf tournament, two parades, carnival, circus, midway, craft show, car show, and then all the unofficial private parties.

Friday is a local holiday, so schools and business are closed because the traffic situation is tricky and, let's face it, people are mostly thinking about funnel cakes.  Everybody wears pink and green, so my mom made this dress for Olivia to wear.  (Notice the very expensive box toy that kept her entertained for several minutes: a record.)  The festival committee tries to bring in celebrities; this year I'd actually heard of Val Kilmer.

Growing up I watched the the parade from the lawn of a family in our church who lives on the parade route (blessing or curse?).  During middle & high school I marched with my saxophone and polyester band uniform.  I went off to college and then Steve and I lived in PA and DE, but we'd still come for Apple Blossom because it's Winchester's Homecoming.

Now that we have a little one it's a little different.  The big Saturday parade coincides with naptime, so this year we went to the Friday night Firefighter's Parade instead.  There's lots of drama about certain fire companies breaking the rules and blaring their sirens during the parade and subsequently getting suspended from future parades.  And for the first half-hour or so it was pretty quiet, but then the sirens started.  I plugged Olivia's ears to begin, but then realized she didn't mind the noise at all.  She did really great in the backpack, actually.  Lots to see and Festival Food to eat: ice cream, corn dogs, gyros, Slurpees...  We definitely loved the Firefighter's Parade, although we didn't stick around for the fireworks.

The festival has a queen, usually the daughter of a celebrity in hopes that he will come to coronate the queen, and this year it was our governor and his daughter.  On Saturday's big parade she rides on a float with a court of princesses and junior princesses and pages and ...  Why?  I don't know why.  Anyway, for the Firefighter's Parade they just had the queen in a convertible, but not just any convertible.

It was the very car we rode in on our wedding day.  It's a 1979 Excalibur kit car, but to me it could have been Jay Gatsby's.

(As we drove through town that day on the way to our reception, the local track team was out for a run and one of them yelled, "Nice catch!"   I looked at Steve and asked, "What did he throw?")

Anyway, back to The Bloom...  Mom and Olivia and I checked out the craft show this year for the first time in a long time and, well, it makes me so glad I don't sell my jewelry at shows.  Lots of work and a hot day and this show's crafters are competing with a parade and carnival and circus.  Afterward I dropped Mom off to meet Dad at the parade and took OJ home for her nap and to make fruit pizzas.  (Does anyone normally eat star fruit? I think God made it just for this.)  Then we hung out at the Spences' to watch the end of the parade on TV and eat an awesome dinner. 

They have cool toys like Matchbox cars, balloons, and a cell phone.  Who needs the circus?

Snow-ceries

This was a poll on our local paper's website...

And judging from comments on FaceBook it's not just Frednecks (and other locals) that do this.

I got none of these staples even with the expected 10-16" of snow.  For most of my visit I was actually thinking it was Crazy Christmas Shoppers who were crowding the aisles, and I was getting ingredients for party food like Chocolate Chex Mix and Rolo Turtles. (Thanks, Kerry!) 

I also got cheese slices for grilled cheese sandwiches, which Olivia actually liked.  She actually ate oatmeal and yogurt from a spoon today, too.  I guess she just wanted a break from spoon feeding and now it's okay again.  ???  Every day is a guessing game.  Oh, and picky eaters drive me crazy so it kills me to be giving her chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, cereal bars, and other soft, carby things that are devoid of vegetables.  But, that's what she'll eat. Dr. Dameron did say that if she doesn't like green vegetables it would put her in the majority, so not to worry.  She still "likes" frozen peas, which means she'll eat six of them before they thaw and become toys.

Other Olivia news...  She's learning "nose" and likes to play Last week I started limiting her morning naps so she will sleep in the afternoons instead of talking to herself.  But it doesn't seem right to wake a sleeping baby, and this week she has a cold so she's taking two full naps just fine.  Maybe she's not ready to drop that morning nap.  She has mastered (and loves) her gumball machine toy, so now she can hit the dispenser lever AND put the balls back in the top to complete the cycle.  She also puts hairbrushes in the top, and she puts them (and the gumballs) in the Diaper Champ so I always have to check it for stowaways.  Livi likes her Mozart cube and has started humming when it plays.  The batteries are starting to go so, although I don't get tired of the music, the flat notes bother me.  Once a band nerd, always a band nerd.

Enjoy the snow, East Coasters!

If this sign is posted at the entrance to your gym, you might be a Fredneck. 

Unfortunately Reid nor Carrie nor I made it to the gun show being held in the same facility.

7 months old

Olivia...

• liked the animals and the tractor pull at the county fair. I plugged her ears for the loud part, but she was fascinated.
• has started crying when I walk away. She still "goes" to strangers just fine, though.
• is starting to outgrow her 6-9mo clothes. My mother assures me she'll slow down soon.
• does a happy dance. She'll even do it when laying on her tummy or when someone is holding her. It's like, "I can't smile big enough, so I'm going to do a little dance."
• likes to taste test everything. Including hats. (That's Mary under there.)
• has finally gotten her toes in her mouth. Portable toys!
• chews on her thumb. Doesn't suck on it or take a paci, though.
• loves hair. Long hair, beard hair, leg hair. She plays with her own hair when she's drinking a bottle. With both hands.
• has started to "talk" more. Ya-ya-ya-ya-ra-ra-ra...
• thinks Riley playing fetch is hilarious. I think watching Olivia watching Riley is hilarious. She only laughs like this when she's tired.  Or maybe it's when she's watching Riley fetch a ball.

You might be a Fredneck

If your bumper would go through most cars' windows and children could nap inside your tires...


...if you spend more than $25 on fireworks...

(photo courtesy The Winchester Star, yessir right there on our front page)

...if you tailgate at the grocery store on a Friday night...


...if a sign like this tempts you to buy a car (instead of the super deluxe pack of fireworks, roughly the same price)...


...or if you are a fan of your local bank on FaceBook...


...you might be a Fredneck.

You might be a Fredneck

If your main mode of transportation is a dirt bike (even on the interstate), you might be a Fredneck. I saw this guy exiting off I-81 and it made me laugh, although it probably gets better gas mileage than a Prius.

You might be a Fredneck

If Friday night dinner consists of sliders and fries from here

...and frozen custard from here

...you might be a Fredneck.

The hot dogs at McCoy's come with a pre-selected variety of toppings, including "sauce." Before Steve's came out we sarcastically speculated with one another as to what kind of sauce it could be. Hollandaise, BBQ, Russian dressing? Ohhh, chili sauce. :)

You might be a Fredneck

I just never know when I'll encounter a funny/ memorable/ picturesque moment, which is why my camera is small -- it lives in my purse.

A couple weeks ago I kept getting freaked out by this display when I walked in the grocery store (and every time I came near it) because out of the corner of my eye it looked alive. So of course I had to take a picture and blog about it. I live in a somewhat rural part of Virginia, and the local term for country bumpkins in our county is "Frednecks." (Note: Only people who live here can poke fun at the locals, otherwise it's considered downright rude.)

If there's a display for a drawing at your grocery store that completely obscures the coffee shop and offers NASCAR-related prizes, you might be a Fredneck.

I'll have you know that I have been to a Nascar race and had a fun time, but I did not enter this drawing.