This is Billie Jean, formerly called Bill-the-Cat by me until I discovered she was the young mother of four. They were born under the bakery building and I became aware of them last week when a tiny kitten walked out & into my hand. You might remember that I am allergic to long haired cats, which makes cuddling the shaggy Billie of many colors impossible for me. But she is not a feral cat because at the mere utterance of my single "meow", she comes running & wants to rub up against your leg. She has a cascade of colors, unique markings, green eyes and aches for human companionship. She walks right up to my dog Twinkie, who sniffs her with curiosity (as well as the kittens) and walks away, which makes me think she might have lived in a house with a dog too.
Look at how young & skinny she is. Billie protects her brood from other animals and is a very caring Mom. Tara (from Sweets' Bakeshop) & I have been feeding her so she can care for the kittens, who appear to be about 5 weeks old. Here's what happened tonight when I brought out dishes of dry cat food, water & canned wet cat food.
I was surprised to see the adventuresome little ones, like Tigger pictured above, walk into & eat both options. In order of size the biggest is Blondie, then Smokey, Tigger and Topaz. But Topaz is the most outgoing.
Here are three of the four siblings. I've given them temporary names so I can tell them apart. At the top of the picture is the striped Tigger next to the charcoal Smokey. Down front is Mom's color clone Topaz. They're all long haired and I don't know what sex they are.
The fourth is Blondie with subtle orange & white stripes. All of them have blue eyes and they're very friendly & adorable. I'm hoping to find homes for all of them. If you or someone you know are ready to open your heart & home to these sweet fur balls, please contact me. If not, we will capture Billie Jean so she can be neutered, then adopted or released, and bring the kittens to our local animal shelter for adoption. Manatee County is working on becoming a no-kill county so I'd love for these guys to find homes without using our over-burdened agencies. Please spread the word. If you'd like to see them & interact in person, just call me at (941) 746-6647.
If you prefer something larger to embrace, come out to the Palma Sola Farmers Market this Sunday and feed a newborn goat. Most of the kids in this picture are only a day old but boy can they suck a bottle down in no time. In addition to playing with the goats you can buy Glenna's fresh goat products including milk, yogurt & a variety of cheeses. If you want local honey products, Dave has you covered because the bee hives are right on the organic farm. Fresh mushrooms from Jack's Myaka barn go great with all of the organic veggies for sale. You can buy an annual share or just show up on Sundays from 11-3 and pick whatever you want.
Where else in town can you buy directly at the farm...then stroll in the fields & see what's growing. Teach your kids where food really comes from, then walk one of the trails at Robinson Preserve across the road or climb the watch-tower to look for the resident eagles. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing something very special...AND IT'S ALL FREE.
My Special Baked Item last week was the German/Jewish decadent cinnamon pecan roll called SCHNECKEN. Everyone who tasted one can't wait to have more. Look at it oozing caramel...stay tuned because it will turn up again soon.
This week I'm in the mood for BIALYS, the unique Jewish roll that many New Yorkers (like me) prefer to bagels. It is lightly crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, with a center indentation filled with roasted onions & poppy seeds. Delish!!
The shelf life is short so either you eat them within 24 hours or they have to be frozen because they dry out quickly. I prefer mine sliced, lightly toasted & schmeared with cream cheese or butter, then topped with nova & onion or just a thick slice of a great tomato. And I know just where you can find fabulous Florida Sweet Onions & Tomatoes! Limited supply of Bialys available by pre-order only. $3/pkg of 4 for pick-up on Fri or Sun only.
I'm also baking the Classic Jewish Apple Cake that consists of soft cake interspersed with cinnamon/sugar coated fresh apple chunks. Great with coffee or as a not-overly sweet dessert.
$4.50/ 8 oz
This week many of the usual suspects also return including:
BIG COOKIES in a variety of my favorite flavors: Chocolate Chip, Orange Dark Chocolate Walnut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut and Pecan Coconut Milk Chocolate. $1.50/each
Chocolate Orgasm Cookies $5/pkg
Rosemary Parmigiano Breadstix $4/pkg.
Carrot Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting inside $2
Minorcan Multi-Grain Loaf $4.50
Pre-order by 5pm Wed to guarantee availability for pickup later in the week. Everything is hand made in small batches & limited amounts. Order early to guarantee availability. Items listed on my menu might be available at the Sunday Palma Sola Farmers Market, unless sold out.
TO PLACE YOUR ORDER
call me at (941) 746-6647 or
email bonnibakes@gmail.com
by 5 pm WEDNESDAY
Pay by cash or local check made out to Bonni Brown
PICK UP YOUR ORDER
at my home in The Village of the Arts (932 12 St W)
FRIDAY or SATURDAY from 2-5
or
or
Palma Sola Farmers Market SUNDAY 11-3
I'm at the Palma Sola Farmers Market Sundays 11-3
at Geraldson's Community Farm in NW Bradenton.
Find driving directions & more information @
facebook.com/palmasolafarmersmarket
Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni
Bonni
No comments:
Post a Comment