Christmas festivities

Ian Tamblyn (barely visible in the back corner...don't know what happened to the flash). An incredible evening after the screening of Griefwalker, our NFB premier film. Then a reception sponsored by Heritage Brewing and Black Prince Winery...then a 100 Mile Harvest Dinner and music with Ian.

This is what we cooked for the meal.

Roasted squash soup, caldo verde, pickled beets, applesauce, pate, sausage, baked beans, roast pork, roast chicken, German potato salad, braised red cabbage, saurkraut, coleslaw, colcannon, pork ragout, pureed root vegetables, irish soda bread, whole wheat bread, carmelized onion pizza, apple crisp and pear cider. All this and a film and music with Ian Tamblyn for 35.oo per person. A wonderful evening!!!

The screening of Backwoods Gourmet brought out the best and brightest social butterflies...all dressed for the Hallowe'en party at the Wilno Tavern. Film-makers Lee Lafont and Barry Goldie in the foreground.

We had a delicious dinner of home-grown foods at Pete and Ritsuko's house. Here's Dan and Pete surveying the spread.
Pete and Ritsuko with Molly the Mule. She's a sweet little creature, a bit amazed by the madness of life in Wilno.

while we dined we listened to the record player with some Texas swing. The next dinner we had here was a six course traditional Japanese meal accompanied by japanese music on this same record player.


Mike and Tom debate the merits of the potato tasting menu. These are fingerlings...very tasty.

100 Mile Harvest Dinner

The second two piggies went to slaughterhouse in mid October and our neighbour and excellent butcher Boniface cut and wrapped them for us. We have locally raised pork for sale!!! And of course, we have lots of it on the menu in the cafe.

Here I am experimenting with the creation of a gigantic sausage as per instruction from Micheal Stadtlander's butcher. Was unable to find the proper casing so improvised with a Irish linen table serviette from Tom's blessed mother (may she rest in peace). It worked quite well once I figured out how to lace it up, then put it inside two mesh onion bags and wrapped it securely with elastics. Then I simmered it for two and a half hours.

A close up of the sausage,

shepherds in Wilno

The Fifth Annual Film Festival Gala with everyone dressed for Hallowe'en was a huge success. Here's Paul and Fran after the Backwoods Gourmet screening . Lots of fun.

Thursday morning dawned bright and clear and the crew is rarin to go. Pete has found a genuine Donegal Tweed hat, Henning has a Viking horned helmet and a Eygptian wedding trumpet and Tommy Two-Tone has a hand-carved stick and a fedora. We have the stock trailer, Ritsuko baked muffins and we are off, in fine fettle to pick up the sheep.

The flock comes home

Our Norwegian neighbour "Flockmaster" Pete Langtvet supervises the sheep as they enter the barnyard in Donegal for the first time.

This is the farm I lived on before I came to Wilno and a series of serendiptious events led in the course of less than a week to my return along with a flock of 20 sheep...some of them related to my beloved woolly darlings, Carmelita and Agnes. All this because one fine day I said "I envision myself on a farm with a fine flock of sheep". And look what happens!!! When you are really sure what you want, the universe aligns.

Here are the girls, ravenous for fresh grass after the long ride from Halfway. Sad events brought them from their previous home...

Henning and Pete and Tommy and Tom supervise the unloading. What a glorious November morning!!! Sixteen degrees, brilliant sunshine, loading went effortlessly and here we are in Donegal.