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cabinorganic

~ For people who are passionate about respecting the earth, walking in nature, observing wildlife, local diet, making do, repurposing, organic gardening, foraging for wild plants and fungi, natural health, scrumptious healthy cooking, renovations, DIY, crafting, raising children simply and mindfully, their dogs, taking time for stillness, and living in harmony with the seasons.

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Monthly Archives: September 2011

photographing hay while the sun shines

29 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, Autumn, photography, Pigeon Lake

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Autumn, Autumn color, farms, fields, foxtails, hay, hay bales, Lucy, straw, tractor, truck, yellow

The true journey of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having fresh eyes. ~Proust

On my last two trips into Edmonton and Leduc I have been captivated by the beauty of the fields and especially the colors and textures of the hay. This evening I decided to make a special trip with my camera to capture some of this seasonal beauty. Below is the road ahead (just a few minutes from the cabin). The sun was shining; a hopeful sign as I was hoping for a spectacular sunset.

I love the geometry of this stack of bales… so unexpected on these gentle rolling hills!

I couldn’t resist a shot of this truck in front of a wall of hay…

Mmmmm…. shredded wheat, anyone?

Foxtails on the side of the road…

Some free advertising:

Interesting…

Lucy, my sidekick, loves car rides. Here she is patiently waiting.

After an hour of driving and taking pictures the sun ducked behind some thick cloud. No glorious sunset shots today. Perhaps next time…! Until then, I am just drinking in the miracle of this Autumn color… Lovely.

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a lick of paint goes a long way: the shed gets a new look

28 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in restore

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

paint, prime, restore, sand, scrape, shed, stain

This shed is the main view from my study window and after a year of looking at it in a sad state I decided that it was time to freshen (and brighten) up the view a little. Below is a picture that I took one year ago. It’s hard to see but there was quite a bit of scrap wood (with rusty nails sticking out of them!) lying around and I also had this full sized basketball net that was way too heavy for me to move myself. As much as I like ‘old weathered things’, this shed looked a bit sad, tired and neglected.

Here is a close up ‘before’ shot. The basketball net was rescued by my wonderful friends and neighbors who live just down the road (who took it away, cleaned it, fixed the net and made it look brand new). The side door was bolted with no key in sight. The same neighbors brought bolt cutters and cut the bolt for me. (Thank you!) Now I can use the side door and lock the main doors from the inside instead of propping this heavy beam against them.

I started by cleaning, scraping and lightly sanding the wood. Then I used a solid exterior stain to cover the green paint on the top and door molding. I like how it quietly blends in with the old shingles and already makes everything look a little cleaner.

Then I put two coats of exterior grade primer over the doors. I originally had planned to stain the doors but in looking at the samples at the hardware store I found that I wouldn’t be able to achieve the brightness of red that I wanted… so paint was the next option even though it would require more work (six coats over all instead of two). Also, I excavated the concrete pad in front. It looks a lot tidier now.

Then I applied four coats of red paint. Yes. Four. With 24 hours of time to dry in between each coat. (A patient labor of love.) The first two coats looked horrible, they always do with bright or deep colors. Don’t let this discourage you from trying color. It is well worth the effort when it’s all done!

Today I painted the hinges black using metal paint.

I still have a few more little things to do in order to finish the shed. I need to continue clearing out the piles of bits and pieces of wood (and tar paper and garbage) on the side and back of the shed and make sure that the dirt isn’t piled up against the wooden walls. I will stop at Ellerslie Garden Centre sometime in the coming week to look at their pounded cast iron door handles and other rustic hardware accents. I will put a handle on the side door and possible something decorative for the two front doors just to break up the red a little.

This shed is special to me because it is the only original building on this land. It was here with the original farmhouse that was torn down to build this cabin about 38 years ago. It is a sturdy building, built on a concrete pad and foundation. It also has power which is handy as it is near where the chicken coop is being built. This shed houses the lawn tractor and stores the wood that I have salvaged for future building projects. I may also start parking the quad here. (I use the quad for shoveling snow as it is now equipped with a shovel -again, thanks to my handy neighbors!).

Here is the new and improved view from my study window. No longer sad and neglected, the shed is bright and cheerful, loved and appreciated. It even looks a little proud as it appears to stand a little straighter (if only sheds could talk). Below is the view that I am looking at as I type these words. Notice the uninspiring woodshed to the right… Another project!!!

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autumn harvest officially begins

27 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, Autumn, garden

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Tags

beets, dig, garden, harvest, Medicine Wheel garden, onions, potatoes, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, tomatoes

I spent this lovely, windy afternoon in the garden harvesting potatoes (red, Yukon gold and banana), beets, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, acorn squash and onions. The wilderness surrounding the garden was breathtaking… The leaves on the surrounding aspen poplars have turned bright yellow and they almost seemed to vibrate against today’s clear blue sky. My sweet peas are finally in full fragrant bloom and the sunflowers swayed and danced in the wind…

Despite the back-breaking labor of digging potatoes, I always enjoy the process. The simple turning of the soil to reveal these tasty treasures always reminds me of an Easter Egg hunt, where one never knows what will be revealed under the black earth…

This Yukon Gold wins the prize both for size and most interesting shape…!!!

A small mountain of banana potatoes…

Another prize-winner for interesting shape, this time in the tomato category…

I harvested only two tomato plants today. Only twelve more to go! (What was I thinking planting all of these???)
I hauled three wheel barrels full of ‘spent plants’ a bit of a distance to my compost pile (behind the chicken coop, still in progress) where they will decompose and be dug into the garden soil next spring to nourish next years garden vegetables…

It was a wonderful, productive and satisfying day. I still have much more to harvest but I think that today’s labor was a very good start!

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jamaican patties

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, curry, Jamaican, pastry

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Tags

beef, curry, finger food, Jamaican cooking, Jamaican Patties, patties, snack, turmeric

A delicious snack on the go, finger food at a party or eat these for lunch with a cup of hot soup on a cool Autumn day. The curry in the dough and the spices in the filling are just enough spice to warm you up!

Dough:

2 cups flour

1-½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp curry powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup ice water (approximately)

Filling:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 small onion

3 green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon diced chili pepper or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (or to taste)

1 cup water

½ cup breadcrumbs

Dough: In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, turmeric and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter until crumbly. Drizzle in the water, stirring with fork and adding up to 2 tablespoons more water if needed to make a soft dough.  Form into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill for one hour. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 weeks.)

Filling: In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, green onion, garlic and pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Over high heat, sauté beef for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Return onion mixture to the pan along with curry powder, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Add crumbs and simmer for 3 minutes or until thickened but still juicy. Let cool. (Can be covered and refrigerated for one day.)

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces then divide each piece into 4 more equal pieces. On a floured surface roll out each piece into a 5-inch circle. Brush edges with water and place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling into the center. Fold in half and press the edges together with a fork to seal. Prick each patty twice and place on an ungreased baking sheet. (Patties can be covered an refrigerated for one day.) Bake in 375 degree (F) oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Enjoy!

Note: March 2014- I used spelt flour instead of all purpose flour in the pastry and ground turkey instead of beef. The patties turned out beautifully!

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bent willow settee

25 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in bent wood furniture, cabin living, forage, handmade

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bent willow, bent willow furniture, garden furniture, rustic furniture, tools, twig furniture, willow

This weekend I had the privilege of spending an afternoon with my friends/neighbors, K and W. They had family visiting and had planned to build bent willow settees together. I had always wanted to learn to work with willow and jumped at the chance to join them. We were all lucky that K had done this before and was going to lead everyone (with W’s help) through the process. Here is W (“foreman”), ready with the instructions…

Below is a chair that K had previously made. It was similar to the settee we were making so we had it on display for inspiration and a closer look at the way some of the pieces fit together.

On Friday, K and W went into the bush and cut the willow. They ended up making another trip on Saturday and a quick trip today (Sunday) to get a few more branches. Here are some of the branches ready to go:

A table full of tools: drills, hammers, bits, screws, nails, pruning shears, knives, saw…

We worked as a team to get the wood ready. Some trimmed branches, others chopped the wood into lengths…
B and I trimmed the ends…

When everything was cut and ready, each of us picked a spot and began to build the main structure. We teamed up in pairs. K and W led the way and we mirrored everything they did.

Slowly, the settees began to take shape…
l had to leave at this stage (Saturday). This afternoon (Sunday), I returned to finished my project. (Mine is the middle one.)

With help, we inserted the branches through the upper bracket and fastened them to the front support to form the seat.

Then we trimmed the upper branches and twisted the smaller branches around the larger pieces. Here is my ‘finished’ settee. The duct tape will stay on until the wood has dried and ‘cured’. At that time I will also do a final trimming of any loose branches and remove the dead leaves. I will also look for some fabric to sew a custom cushion for the seat.
It was a fantastic weekend! Not only did I learn a new skill, I got to spend time with good friends, meet new friends, laugh ’til my belly ached, was introduced to Miller’s lemon beer (YUM! perfect on our hot, sunny Saturday) and went home with a beautiful piece of furniture that I made myself. Cheers!

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the night noises

22 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, cabin living, Lucy

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

barking, birds, cat, catnip, chirping, coyotes, dog, ducks, fox, geese, howling, Lucy, night, night noises, yipping

 There are so many rich layers to living out here.

There are the early mornings with their golden morning light, dewy grasses, crisp clean air and lively chirping birds. On our walks we can hear the cows mooing and a robust rooster crowing from a farm down the road. We often get to see and hear the hawk pair that live at the edge of the trail and lately we have been sighting a family of grouse that are often in the brush near the cabin.

The afternoons are usually warmer and quiet, unless it is a hot summer day and then there are the boat noises on the lake. Otherwise it’s just peaceful with the buzzing of insects, the songs of various birds and the sounds of whatever task I am working on (hammer, saw, paintbrush, lawn mower, shovel in dirt, humming, Lucy barking at squirrels…)

Out here though, it is the nights that are the most interesting. I often forget about the many nocturnal animals that do all of their hunting, eating, grazing and exploring under the cover of darkness. I like to read out on the deck as the sun is going down. At a certain point when it becomes too dark to read, the birds will stop their chirping. It is not quiet for long, however… far from it. This is the magical time when, in the summers, the bats come out from their daytime sleep and fill the night with the flapping of tiny leathery wings. There are many of them and they fly so close to you it is a wonder that they never seem to touch or land. This month, hundreds of ducks and geese can be heard having a conference on the shores of the lake. Sometimes their discourse carries on far into the night. During the day they fly overhead with hundreds of the water birds forming one gigantic “V” in the sky…

Then there are the coyotes with their nightly high-pitched barks and wailing. I used to think that their howls were eerie and once, when they were howling very close by (sending chills up and down my spine), I went outside and whistled loudly and they stopped at once. It was suddenly so quiet that I immediately felt sad for having stopped them. I never did it again, instead I now let them howl to their hearts content and always laugh when the neighborhood dogs join in one by one (Lucy included).

Last spring it was the foxes. During their mating season I began sighting grey and red and cross foxes nearby and finding their scat around the property. Then I began hearing them at night, crying out with their own unique yips and barks and howls. At first I thought it was so beautiful… until they chose to hang around the very back of the property, so close that I couldn’t sleep through the racket. Finally, on the third night (in a row) at around 3 am I went outside, armed with a few pots and pans, and grumpily trudged out to the back woods. By the light of a full moon, I banged and clashed the pots together and firmly requested that the fox go away and howl somewhere else. It worked but only for half an hour or so! Then they were back, seemingly even closer to my bedroom window this time! I finally gave up and took to sleeping with a pillow over my head until the last fox had found a mate.

It is in the night, not the day, that I often encounter animals…  coyotes, fox, huge (and tiny) owls, a confident black dog strutting down the highway with shining black eyes… and a large stray cat who comes nightly to woo (and rub up against) my catnip plant in the herb garden (which will be transplanted to a different spot next spring)!

Last night, as Lucy and I returned home from a city visit, she disappeared around the side of the cabin. The next thing I knew she had raced up onto the deck and was barking (her ‘intruder’ bark) at something from above. As I let her into the house, I noticed a powerful musky smell on her. She must have been sprayed by some nocturnal animal. I thought perhaps it was a skunk just warning her not to come any closer but perhaps it was some other animal…? Maybe the cat…? She did not get a full-fledged S-P-R-A-Y (yikes!!!!!!) but it was still strong enough that her eyes were watery and itchy (she kept rubbing her face into her blanket) and I had to sleep with my nose buried under my own blanket until the morning.

Yes, the days are quiet and peaceful out here but the nights… the nights are so lively! With no traffic noise to compete with the wildlife or street lights preventing the moonlight from touching our faces, it truly is a magical life.

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rosehip syrup

21 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, forage, preserve, wild berries

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

fruit syrup, rose hips, rosehip syrup

The brandy added to this syrup makes it taste so good! A concentrated and potent syrup bursting with vitamin C. Add a few tablespoons to smoothies or add to a mug of hot water for tea. Mix with prepared black tea and chill for a fruity ice tea or mix with soda water for a rosehip Italian-style soda. Pour over top cakes or puddings, pancakes or waffles. Or simply take a spoonful as medicine when feeling under the weather.

5 cups rosehips

water to cover

honey, or natural sweetener of your choice

brandy

Put rosehips in a stainless steel or glass) pot. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low heat for about an hour. Let cool then mash the rosehips well.

Stain the liquid through cheesecloth or jelly bag, pressing the juice through the bag.

Measure to see how much juice you have, then pour into a clean Stainless steel (or glass) pot. Bring to a boil and add sweetener. For every cup of juice add 1 cup of honey or sweetener of your choice. (Note: I only use half the recommended amount of sugar for a more tart syrup). Boil for a few minutes. Then pour into a large sterilized jar. Allow the syrup to cool before adding 1 teaspoon of brandy for every cup of syrup.

Refrigerate. Note: should keep from 6 months to a year in the refrigerator.

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quesadillas with sausage, potato and montery jack cheese

20 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cheese, cook, Mexican

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

appetizer, finger food, Jalapeno Jack Cheese, Montery Jack Cheese, potato, quesadillas, sausage

I made this for dinner tonight using Cloverleaf’s Jalapeno Jack cheese. It was delicious! The sausage added a smoky flavor, the potato was freshly dug from the garden, and the cheese added a nice spicy kick. Served warm, it is the perfect appetizer for when friends drop by, for movie nights, or Superbowl Sundays…

1 pound fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage

1 tablespoon plus and extra 1 teaspoon canola oil

1 large potato or 2 medium (about ½ pound), diced into ½ inch cubes

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

4 6-inch tortillas

¼ cup red onion, finely diced

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

½ pound Montery Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 425 degree (F). In a large, nonstick frying pan, cook the sausage over medium heat until golden brown. Remove sausage from pan with slotted spoon and pour the fat from the pan.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the potato, ½ teaspoon of the paprika and the salt. Cook for 10 minutes or until tender.

Put 1 tortilla on a baking sheet (I put this over a sheet of parchment paper). Put a third of the sausage, onion, potato, cilantro and cheese on top, spreading the ingredients evenly all the way to the edge. Top with another tortilla and press down firmly. Add another third of the ingredients over top. Top with another tortilla and again, press down firmly. Repeat for a final layer, saving a little cilantro for garnish. Top with a final tortilla. Press down firmly and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and cilantro and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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tiffiny’s burritos

18 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in breads, cheese, cook, Mexican

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

burritos, cheddar cheese, cook, friendship, homemade tortillas, jalapeno, Mexican food, pinto beans, salsa, tortillas

This recipe brings back so many hilarious memories of the time I spent with my dear friend, Tiffiny, back when we both lived in Inuvik. I would need a whole book to describe the crazy adventures we had together! Tiffiny has Mexican blood running through her veins, something just that just goes without saying when you see the amount of jalapenos she can eat in one sitting! This recipe is a staple in Tiffiny’s home and after tasting her amazing burritos a few times I now cannot go more than a few months without making a big batch of these myself. She makes everything from scratch: the tortillas, the salsa, even the beans have been soaking overnight and slow-cooked over the stove making the entire house smell like good cooking. Of course, mine never taste as good as hers for some reason… Isn’t it funny how certain foods bring back certain memories? Whenever I make these (and eat them), I always think of Tiffiny… standing at the counter in her colorful kitchen rolling her tortillas into perfect rounds… Her hands are covered with flour… and she is singing a soulful country tune…

Tiffiny’s Burrito’s

The Beans:

Measure a desired amount of pinto beans (depending on how many people you are cooking for (i.e. 1-2 cups) and soak overnight. Next day, rinse the beans and place in a pot with enough water to cover. Add a pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for a few hours. When the beans are soft, mash them with potato masher. Season with salt to taste.

The Salsa:

6 medium tomatoes

4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 Spanish (or red) onion

1 large jalapeno chili (or to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients by hand. Warm in a sauce pan before serving in small bowls with little spoons. Spoon a little of the warmed salsa onto burrito just before taking a bite. (This keeps the burrito from getting soggy.) Note: you can also add chopped cucumber, parsley, a good squeeze of fresh lime juice, even a little chopped mango to the salsa if desired.

The Tortillas:

Even though it is easier to buy tortillas, once you taste homemade there is just no going back. I tried once and they were so disappointing! Yes, these are more work but they are so delicious! I like to put my guests to work grilling the tortillas while I roll them out.

3 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable shortening (or butter), chilled

1 cup or so of warm water

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the shortening and process in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the water in a steady stream and process until the dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 or 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, then divide each of these into 4 more equal pieces, forming them into balls. Cover the balls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for at least 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a flat tortilla round, about 8 inches in diameter. Cook each round on medium heat, in a large cast iron skillet, until lightly speckled brown and small bubbles appear on top. Turn and cook the other side. Place on a plate in a warmed over and cover with a dry towel to keep from drying out.  (Note: this tortilla recipe is from my John Ash Cookbook From Earth to Table).

Putting Everything Together:

1/2 head lettuce, shredded

6 tomatoes, chopped

8 oz aged cheddar, grated (Buy the best quality cheese for this recipe. It makes a difference!)

Optional: 1 package of lean ground beef, cooked until brown and seasoned with salt, pepper, and chili pepper.

Place everything in serving bowls and allow your guests to build their own burritos. Give each guest their own cup of salsa on the side (with a small spoon). Serve with an ice cold glass of beer… Enjoy!

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invite your inner child out to play

17 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in play

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

be creative, create, encourage, inner child, inspire, joy, laugh, play, SARK, smile

I have a few of SARK’s books and love to reread them now and then. She gives such great advice for being creative (plant impossible gardens or invite someone dangerous to tea…), or ways to love a child (go to a movie theater in pajamas or bake a cake together and eat it with no hands…), or ways to treasure an old person (hold hands at twilight or take a slow midnight cruise in a convertible…).

Today, just for fun, I decided to come up with cabinorganic’s top 20 ways to invite the child inside each of us to come out to play:

  • go barefoot for an entire day
  • make a date to watch the sunrise and notice every color you see
  • visit the oldest person you know and ask them your burning questions about life
  • trace your body on a huge sheet of craft paper and write a letter to someone you love (or to yourself) inside with with crayon (then mail it)
  • bury a piece of treasure somewhere in your yard, then make a map and give it to a friend for them to find… Have them do the same for you
  • write “You are so special!” in huge chalk letters on a busy sidewalk
  • in the drive-in coffee line up, pay for the person’s coffee behind you
  • make a date to spend a whole day in bed in your pajamas, have your favorite snacks on hand, order pizza, watch movies, read a sinfully good book…
  • invite a child over and bake a single humungous cookie together (with smarties pressed into it)…
  • build something with wood… with your own two hands
  • find a butterfly and follow it around for as long as you can
  • make your dog laugh hysterically
  • send a chatty postcard to a friend’s cat or dog or snake or hamster
  • put a jar of water out all night under a full moon… then enjoy moon juice with breakfast the next morning
  • choose one flower in your entire garden and tell it your life story, then take a turn and listen…
  • find a smooth stone and whisper your secret hopes into it, then carry it with your wherever you go
  • reread the favorite storybooks you loved as a child (make sure you do the voices)
  • play dress up, complete with fake mustache or just wear a silly hat out shopping
  • ask a child to teach you something
  • have a tea party with your pet
Okay, dear readers, it’s your turn. Share one good idea for inviting our inner child out to play in the comments section. Anyone who shares here, or comments on any post from now until September 30, will be entered into a draw at the end of the month to win a jar of homemade jam or jelly of their choice. Limit one comment per post. Good luck!

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DELENA ROSE

Lucy’s Life at the Cabin

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"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." ~Michael Pollan

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