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Yesterday we awoke to a nice surprise … the usually skittish and shy nature of the wood duck took an unusual turn when we found that 5 chicks had taken up temporary residence in the pool and were happily swimming around. As described in another of our blog posts the baby wood ducks are precocial and had probably hatched within the past 24 to 48 hours. They are now safely … at least to the extent that we can control … relocated to the beautiful koi pond at this New Hope bed and breakfast inn. There is no sign of the mother.

Sadly, very few wood duck chicks live to see adulthood … they are the targets of multiple predators including the blue heron, snapping turtles, racoons and more. To counter this natural predation the wood duck lays large numbers of eggs. We are hopeful that at least some of them will live to spread the news about the beauty of the pond and forest at this gem of a Bucks County lodging … and return year after year to add more family members.

We never thought we would get attached … after all they’re only chickens! We were wrong! And this spring we decided to add a few to the flock … but really because we were curious about the outcome of a cross between our very large rooster … of uncertain pedigree … and our Rhode Island red girls. Well, we have our preliminary answer as three of the eggs that hatched resulted in black chicks. Not at all what we would have expected. If any of you reading this are chicken “experts” then do please take a guess at the breed of our rooster!

The gourmet  breakfasts at our New Hope Bed and Breakfast are not yet legendary … although in our biased opinion they certainly have the credentials … not least due to the great tasting free-range, organic eggs. These chicks hatched just days ago should add to our supply in about 21 weeks! Come and try some … and relax at one of the best bed and breakfast inns in Bucks County !

The sound of the American bullfrog in mating season is an impressive and penetrating sound … I guess the lady frogs are impressed but for the casual listener it adds a whole new dimension … we were fortunate to capture the action on camera  on May 29th at 845pm … hearing is believing ! Keep those speakers turned up … oh … and he leaves right after the performance … no guesses as to where he’s headed. This IS New Hope after all …

Don’t even read this if you’re going to feel guilty! But for a guiltless, calorie- rich, ultimate quiche experience read on … you may never eat a “regular” quiche again! And if you want the experience without the labor, come stay at  The Inn at Bowman’s Hill in New Hope, Pennsylvania, regarded by many as the best Bed and Breakfast in Bucks County.

Our quiche has several variations … this one is the western quiche.

INGREDIENT LIST

2 bell peppers

1 large onion

3/4 lb mushrooms

3/4 lb aged English cheddar cheese

3 eggs (straight from the chicken is best!)

1 tomato

1/4 lb Canadian ham   

1 tablespoon mayonaisse

butter

parsley flakes, black pepper

1 frozen deep dish pie crust

METHOD

Dice the peppers, onion, mushrooms, tomato and ham. Mix the diced pepper and onion, add  pepper and stir fry with small amount of butter for 8 to 10 minutes. Dice the mushrooms and microwave on high for 2 to 4 minutes, drain the water and add to the stir fry (for the last 5 minutes or so).  Grate the cheese into a bowl … add the stir fried veggie  mix to the cheese.  Add the mayonaisse, two whole eggs, one egg yolk, the diced ham and a tablespoon of parsley flakes. Stir well. Now add the diced  tomato and fold lightly. Spoon into the pie crust and smooth. Decorate with bell pepper strips. Place in lower oven at 380 for 20 to 25 minutes. Move to the upper oven for a further 15 minutes or until brown.

Allow to cool before cutting and serving …

One of the most beautiful North American birds is the male wood duck. And at this time of the year the secretive and less colorful females are quietly sitting on their eggs hidden from view in tree hollows close to water … or here at the Inn in a specially constructed wood duck nest box. One of the remarkable sights of nature is to see the wood duck flying at full speed, only to suddenly brake and seamlessly dive into the small hole in the nest box. No perch and no headaches! Just yesterday we were fortunate to capture this event on a small video recorder … take a look but don’t blink!

Another unusual thing about wood ducks is the way they enter the world. Unlike most chicks that are helpless at the time of hatching, wood duck chicks are precocial … meaning that they are born in an advanced stage of maturity and “ready to go”. In fact, within hours of hatching and encouraged by the calls of the mother, wood duck chicks climb up and launch themselves into space in an amazing leap of faith … sometimes from as high as 30 or 40 feet above the ground!  The whole event is over within minutes. The Inn at Bowman’s Hill, New Hope bed and breakfast inn has several wood duck nesting boxes and each year we hope to witness the “wood duck chick launching” … it seems we may have a greater chance of winning the lottery! 

When we girls first heard about “fireworks” in New Hope we thought they were referring to the discussions about our future … until we understood that they were talking about real fireworks … exploding over the Delaware River. Have you seen our ears? Have you noticed the way they move and rotate to capture the slightest whisper? Can you imagine the sound of a firework magnified by 10 ?   Fortunately, we will be spending our Friday evenings at a safe distance …

Ignoring for the moment our own concerns, we do want to make sure that the word get’s out … and to do our bit toward ensuring a vibrant summer season in our beautiful town of New Hope. So please help us spread the word that New Hope, Pennsylvania will be hosting a firework display on the Delaware river every Friday evening starting this week on May 28th.

And if you are from out of town why not stay the night at The Inn at Bowman’s Hill, one of the best bed and breakfast inns in Bucks County. Welcome!

2 eggs (serves 1)

vegetable oil

pepper & salt

optional fillings include:

diced  sharp cheddar cheese,

sliced grape tomatoes,

sliced mushrooms

Add 1/8” vegetable oil to an 8” non-stick pan on low heat. Separate the egg white from the yolks. Beat the egg white until firm but not overly stiff. This is the important step. Add the egg white to the pan. The mixture should be just stiff enough to still “flow”. Add pepper and salt to taste. Allow to fry for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until light brown. Lightly fold in the egg yolks over the surface of the white. Add optional fillings in a strip down the center. Carefully fold the omelet in half. Turn to high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over and repeat. Serve immediately. The soufflé omelet should be ½” to 1 ½” thick with a soft center and a crispy outside.

Here’s some more background in The Intelligencer !

We are really excited … and a little scared! After several years of intense work by the boys at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources we understand that water will once again flow in the canal.  We cannot wait. Standing around all day eating hay and grass with no exercise is not good for the figure! And our muscle tone is non-existent … a well fed donkey might perform better at  this point.                                                                                               

In reality, we just can’t wait to get back to work. In fact, just taking a walk along the canal will be wonderful … although we must confide that the thought of pulling a barge full of well-nourished New Hope bed and breakfast guests is a little daunting. Perhaps we could train with a row boat? Would we still need a captain licensed by the Coast Guard? You may laugh … but, seriously, we girls got to know some of those captain guys … and closer inspection did little to enhance our confidence that lives would be saved should an unsuspecting tourist end up in the canal!  Twelve inches of water and two feet of mud would have been a challenge for the healthiest of them … and as for  all that Coast Guard experience? I rest my case. 

Other dangers are omnipresent. For example, there have been a number of hot summer days when we have been pushed to the brink … and sorely tempted to plant a well -placed kick on the derrière of an unruly passenger or two. Good mule etiquette and fear of reprisal conferred restraint and kept us on the straight and narrow. However this ever present temptation was probably at least as real a threat as the latest challenge to our freedom from grazing oblivion. Rocks falling from the yet-to-be-repaired Ferry Street bridge! Even mules have fears, and rocks falling from the bridge … at least spontaneously … is not one of them.

So, as we sit here and wait, and eat, and wait, please cast a vote … or write a note … in support of our freedom. We promise to work hard to restore the good historical name of the New Hope canal barges … and to refrain from behavior unbecoming a well-trained mule. Thank you!