Hi all, kind of new to this forum. I might have posted last year, but I don't recall. Anyway, we have app. 2/3 acre here behind deer fence, with all the rest (woods, fields, pond) not. As you've probably assumed, the fenced-in area is for my good stuff -- my daylily collection, hostas, and new-to-me veg garden. (Never have had one before.) At one end of the fenced area is a smallish barn -- with a nice little burrow letting out into my garden. One of the windows in my home office looks out onto the garden, and all this summer, I watched the resident woodchuck waddle out and start eating. He started with my broccoli before I knew he was there. I won't kill an animal, and I didn't have a Hav-a-Heart trap, so he (she? it?) and I immediately came to an understanding. He/she/it can eat all the grass, clover, and chickweed he/she/it wants. The daylilies, hostas, and veg are mine. And it's worked very well, probably because there is so much grass here. If he/she/it starts waddling too closely to the veg bed, I make a big to-do on the patio, jumping up and down & yelling. He/she/it immediately makes for the burrow. Yes I know, someone here's going to tell me it's just a matter of time before the thing destroys my garden, and I take to extreme measures. Nope, I'm with the Marsha who leaves unmowed grass and a natural buffet buffer for critters. If necessary, I'll buy a Hav-a-Heart trap, catch the thing, and release it in the state park down at the end of our lane. Anyway, maybe there's a lot of joking on this thread, but I am not reading through the whole thing to find out. :))) So my comments are actually pretty serious ones. Anyway again, I can't worry about one fat woodchuck -- not when I have mice behind the walls here and in the pantry and two cats who are sleeping on the job!

I thought Alexa was kidding about the strong minded people at the Laundry Forum.....apparently there is such a thing and she sent me the link this morning. When I finally stopped laughing I went to check it out. Who would have thought......there were 5 threads on ASKO washers & dryers alone! (literally ASKO parts 1-5) Parts 4 and 5 had 123 and 142 posts respectively - seriously. I sure parts 1,2, & 3 were up there also. And yes - people have REALLY strong opinions about brands, top loading, front loading, how to clean a dryer vent and how to distress a brightly colored polyester speedo. Okay - so I'm off topic - but this post isn't on the convo side. I'm sure I'll get blasted by someone but I just had to share something that really tickled my funny bone! So if you need a good laugh ............ this site makes the hosta forum members look like a bunch of girlscouts! Here is a link that might be useful: The Laundry Room

Here's the Habanero Gold Jelly, invented by Bob Rouleau of Ottawa, Canada. It's in the Bernardin book and now in the new "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving." Habanero Gold Jelly 1/3 cup finely sliced dried apricots 3/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 up finely diced red onion 1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper 1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, including seeds OR 1/4 cup diced, combined jalapeno and Scotch Bonnet peppers 3 cups granulated sugar 1 pouch Bernardin liquid pectin (For USA other brands of liquid pectin are fine) Cut apricots into 1/8 inch slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Individually, cut onion and seeded peppers into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure each ingredient; add to apricots. Stir in sugar. Over high heat, bring to a full roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin, mixing well. Pour jelly into hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim. Wipe rims. Apply lids. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Cool upright, until lids pop down, about 30 minutes. When lids are concave but the jelly is still hot, carefully grasp jar without disturbing lid and invert, twist, or rotate each jar to distribute solids throughout jelly. The jar can be inverted temporarily but do not allow it to stand upside-down for prolonged periods. Repeat as necessary during the cooling/setting time, until solids are nicely suspended. Here's the Peach Preserves for Winter Mornings, created by Doris, a CF member. Peach Preserves for Cold Mornings (Doris, Ruddmd) 3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and quartered l/2 medium-size orange, quartered and seeded 2 Red Savina habaneros, (seeds and all) 4 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 3/4 Cup honey (the lightest, mildest you can find) Combine peaches, sugar, and honey in a Dutch oven; stir well. Cover and let stand 45 minutes. Place knife blade attachment in food processor bowl; add orange quarters and habanero chiles. Process until finely chopped, stopping once to scrape down sides. Place orange, habanero chiles, and an equal amount of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until orange rind is tender. Bring peach mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring often. Add orange mixture. Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until candy thermometer registers 221, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract. Skim off foam with a metal spoon. Quickly pour hot mixture into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process jars in boiling-water bath 10 minutes. Yield: 6 half-pints. I see earlier in this thread the question was asked about what to do with a jam that's too stiff. The best thing to do (to avoid further cooking) is just to stir in a tablespoon or so of hot water when you open the jar. Whatever is needed to achieve the looseness you want. Carol

I love yard sales Azzalea. Sounds like your day was fun and now you get a freezer. Great stuff, eh?