December 2020, Week 2

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Oh my, it's startling to say this starts week 2 of the final month of 2020, isn't it?

I'm doing my Christmas time (roughly) rewatch of Lord of the Rings (being very much a Tolkien fan) and today is 'Return of the King'.

The long range forecast is pretty mild (though who knows how accurate it is) with nightly low temperatures ranging from 25 to 35, with the exception of two nights (Wed and Thur this week) that insist on being in the mid 40s with highs those days in the 60s. That's probably excellent for most plants to get winter chilling, hopefully cold enough?

Everything pretty much (certain exceptions like hellebores) is going into it's winter rest now (the crinums as of late this past week now look melted, but I know they'll be growing again in 3 months). I'm looking forward to late winter (bulbs) and spring now. I checked my spreadsheet last night and found that in 17 more days, I have Echinacea hybrid seed (Mellow Yellow strain) to pull out of the fridge and sow into germination pots. They probably didn't need stratification, but it seemed better to be safe than sorry (and easier before they're in pots of soil vs wet paper towels). I have three baggies of different seeds in the fridge and the other two will be coming out on the 15th and 30th respectively of January.

I'm also looking forward to seeing most (if not all?) of what I grew from seed last year, blossoming in this coming year. I am unsure if the red hot pokers will attain enough size to bloom, though I can say I have 'enough' of them, I think I have 8 groups with typically 3 in each now. The joys of overly successful seeding, right? Same with coral bells (heuchera), I have six or eight seedling clumps with I dunno how many in each (possibly up to ten), with varying foliage. I just hope this years seeding is as successful as last years. At least I have (so far) fewer things going on...last year was you can't leave house for more than a day (or maybe a few hours even) because there are things that will dry out if not tended 3 times a day (sigh)...of course an emergency action would be to move all to the shady northside, which would probably give me maybe 2 days (depending on wind and temperature) grace. Gardening succesfully, especially with small plants, is labor intensive.

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dbarron
Original Author

3 years ago

You absolutely must buy enough to offset postage, just one thing WILL NOT do :)

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dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
To one-up all you cookie people, the banana nut bread is in the oven. I may have waited a bit long on the bananas, because even though they hadn't became dotted with brown yet, an aroma of fermentation was evident when I shucked them into the bowl. We will assume that my bread will not be banana-rum.

I waited all afternoon for a tree trimmer to come and give me an estimate, I was his first stop (suppossedly) about 12:45. He finally says he had truck trouble at 4:20 and will try to do estimate tomorrow. This is what I seem to get any time I try to engage a service person, am I just afflicted with bad luck?

Apparently my 1/4 beef that I engaged back in October, is finally cut up and might be delivered Friday (again all these uncertain factors, I like to deal with absolutes).

Ok, enough griping about the uncertainties of the world. I got out and used pruning shears on some of my encroaching small trees. Things are so hard to kill, and I don't usually want to use pesticide in the beds/borders.

I really need to unbox and ready my new chainsaw and go work on some bigger stuff, but I always seem to find a reason not to.
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
I grew Pink Eye Purple Hull, Knuckle Purple hull, and cream Zippers. The PEPH did well and taste good, the zippers did pretty well and taste good, the Knuckle purple hulls must have done very well, they looked beautiful till the night the deer are every one of them. I did get enough to eat a hand full raw. I will try again this next spring.

I had another Dr. appointment today. On the way home I stopped at a tractor dealership and bought a RTV, should be delivered tomorrow. My wife and daughter told me to get one. They are easier to get on than my tractors, it also has a hydraulic dump bed. I hope it can extent my gardening life.

My wife has greens cooking, I am not sure how much longer they will last in the garden. I should have not planted so many, they seem to do better when I keep them picked low, but I cant eat them that fast. I may try cutting a lot of them down and using for mulch, and then just pick the young leaves to eat.
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December 2018, Week 2
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Nancy, I knew y'all would be amused by my decision to make salsa. It isn't making it that I find so difficult---it is the struggle to get all the canning done in addition to all the summertime gardening chores, all in the endless summer heat---especially since my kitchen faces the west. Being able to make the salsa in autumn or winter is so much nicer. Also, it comes down to quantity. I made only about a third of what I used to make, so before I had time to get tired and burned out, I already was done. Anyway, it just didn't feel like Christmas without counters and tables covered with gift bags containing jars of salsa. So, now that I have cluttered up the house with gift bags (we buy them in lots of 100 online from U-line) and jars of salsa, it feels like Christmas. Like it or not, and on hot summer days I kinda hate it, this has become our tradition. I honestly did miss canning this summer, and I miss having lots of jars of pickles and canned tomatoes and such, but I put up enough tomatoes in the freezer to get us through the winter, and now we have enough salsa too, even after we give away a lot of it. Tim gave me a stripped down list containing how much salsa he needed for work and it was so short I told him he could add more names, so he added about 10 more. I'm glad he didn't go too wild adding more names to the list, or I'd be making more salsa. It helps that his current work group is about 1/4 the size of the work group he had back when he was a lieutenant. It sounds like you got into the spirit and are creating Christmas joy everywhere. I did decorate the house more this year than I have done in the last decade, purely because the girls love it so much. To me, there's something that is just so nice and cozy about spending chilly, cloudy, rainy winter days indoors in the kitchen, cooking or baking with Christmas lights twinkling on the tree, and elsewhere. Even when the dogs are grabbing ball-shaped Christmas ornaments and running off with them, and the cats are attacking everything on the tree, it still just.....feels like Christmas. Oh, and when I was making salsa all day, I didn't even have to run the furnace because the hot, steamy kitchen was heating up the whole house. I didn't even realize how hot and steamy the house was until I went outside around 5 pm to feed the deer and birds (and squirrels and coons and possums and whoever else shows up....) their dinner. It was windy and chilly, but not rainy that day, and I did wear a coat. When I walked back into the house, I was stunned at how hot and steamy it was just from the day-long salsa canning operation. The difference between the indoor air and outdoor air reminded me why summer canning is so miserable.... Rain makes our cats and dogs crazy. It is almost like they want to go out even more than usual because it is raining and they can't. They drive me crazy with whining and fussing and sitting at the door and wanting to go out into pouring rain. We had mostly light bands of the rain, not the heavier ones that hit y'all, so we only have about 1.6" in our rain gauge, which is plenty since we just had good rainfall last week as well. We have nothing but mud again. I guess winter mud season has begun. The wind has been pretty rough. I think our highest recorded wind gust was only about 41 mph or something, so we never got the drastically higher wind, but even wind speeds in the 30s and 40s create quite a brutal wind chill. Jen, Our dogs are the worst beggars when I'm baking. I guess the aromas drifting out of the kitchen fire up their appetites. I bet you will be busy with extra dogs during the holiday season. There's a pet boarding facility in our county and two of my friends used to work there. They always were insanely busy during holiday periods. It is so nice of you to make puppy gift bags. Jennifer, I'm glad y'all were able to cross getting Ethan a replacement vehicle off your list and now have one less thing to worry about. Traffic was brutal here too. We got paged out to a couple of wrecks yesterday, but the worst wrecks were well north of us, including a double-fatality crash in the evening where 3 VFDs had to extricate two people, both in critical condition, from the wrecked vehicles in addition to the one who didn't survive the impact. It was so horrible, and to think that two families lost loved ones this close to the holidays is just so sad. Hopefully the other patients recover well from their injuries. It is astonishing how many more car wrecks there are when it rains, and a crash like that can change families' lives in an instant. Chris just drove in from Dallas this morning, and told me a few minutes ago that he was battling strong winds in the rain all the way home, so the highways must have had one of those strong bands of wind and rain over them at the time he was driving. It doesn't seem that bad here at the house, but we are in a low-lying area and have acres and acres of trees serving as wind blocks, so I think we don't feel the wind as much here at home, at least sometimes. We did have thunderstorms, which seems odd for December, but our weather is nuts so that doesn't even surprise me that much. I'd say name the chicken whatever makes you happy. But.....sometimes pet names can sound ridiculous to other people. We once had a dog named Biscuit (Chris names him after Limp Bizket) and then got another dog named Honey. When they were out running on the property and I was out calling their names wanting them to come home, it sounded like I was calling my breakfast to come in, i. e. "Honey! Biscuit!" Both are long gone now, and since then I've been more careful about giving animals names that sound like food. Well, except for Pumpkin. He was orange so that name was just a natural for him. Your young roo will realize he is in charge in late winter or early spring when it is time for him to fertilize the girls' eggs so y'all can have chicks if you choose to let the hens set on eggs and hatch them. It is a hormone thing. I am sure it must be triggered by daylength or something once a rooster reaches a certain age. Trust me, he'll turn into Mr. Macho Man when he realizes he rules the roost and that the rest of the chickens are his harem. From that point forward, he'll have an attitude and he will be so proud to show off his boss-man attitude. He might develop a lot of swagger that borders on being obnoxious. We'd had a few roosters over the years who thought they'd spur every human who walked into the coop or the chicken run once the spring season had begun. Generally I could put a halt to the constant spurring by whacking a rooster once or twice (not hard, just enough to get its attention) with the broom. Once you establish that the rooster is not allowed to spur people, life gets much easier. It's all good, though, because once he reaches that point, he'll be a rock-solid protector of his girls, herding them together underneath shrubs or trees, for example, when hawks are flying over. He'll also fight fiercely to protect them. I agree that it can be hard to keep things looking nice when you have indoor pets. It is a constant struggle, but one that we willingly endure because we love both our home and our animals. I feel like I'm constant mopping up pet paw prints, wiping up assorted messes (we should own stock in Chlorox Wipes), and sweeping up/vacuuming up pet hair. It is never-ending. For as much hair as the cats and dogs shed constantly, I have no idea why they are not bald. I have nothing gardening-related, other than that first bloom on the first amaryllis has opened and it is solid white and so very pretty. I placed the amaryllis pot on a shelf in front of a black chalkboard today so the white flower stands out like crazy in front of the chalkboard. That plant has two blooming stalks, each of which normally produces 3 or 4 flowers over a period of weeks, and now a third stalk is arising from the bulb and will produce at least one flower bud. It is an oddly shaped bud, like someone sliced the top off (though it is intact) and gave it a flat-top haircut, so to speak. It will be interesting to see if that bud produces a normal flower. The next plant to bloom is one that has produced only one flower stalk so far. I had the four year old this morning while Chris went to Dallas and back again, and beginning tonight, we'll have both girls for the weekend while Chris and his girlfriend both work. We have lots of fun holiday activities planned and they are excited. It is hard for the little one to understand how much longer she has to wait for Christmas to get here. Every time she comes into the house, she asks if today is the day to open presents. By now, she should know that the answer is 'No'. Today she informed me that she needs a new baby doll because the two dolls she has here at the house "need" a little sister. I personally feel two baby dolls underfoot are plenty. Anyhow, our holiday shopping for her is all done already and I have no desire to fight the crowds to do more shopping. I'm grateful it rained. There were some pretty big fires (800+ acres) yesterday in parts of western OK that had the wind gusts in the upper 50s but no rain. Those of us who received rain could have had the same wildfire issues if we had remained dry. As annoying as the constant rain can be while it is falling (I feel like those rain bands have been circulating over us for days and days, and it really has been only two days), it is good to get the rain after the plants have frozen and are brown, crispy and ready to burn. After today/tonight, we get some better weather for a few days so that will be nice. I miss the sun when it is not shining and visible. Dawn
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May 2020, Week 2
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Kim, That is too funny. Our older granddaughter won't eat hot dogs at all (perhaps she correctly suspects they are mystery meat) but the 5-year-old loves them. Because I enjoy William Woys Weavers heirloom vegetable books so much, I read some of his books on historical PA cooking, and tried to gain an appreciation for the food of Tim's ancestors. I think I failed. Tim's great, great-grandfather came to America from County Cork , Ireland, in the 1800s. Since we know that the Irish ate lots of potatoes, that is the form of historical Irish cooking I'm good at---growing and cooking potatoes, and of course, eating them. I don't think Tim ever was a fan of traditional PA cooking. Luckily for him, because his parents both worked in the 1960s and beyond, they had a part-time housekeeper who at least started dinner most nights and had it either fully cooked or ready to pop into the oven when they got home from school (his mom was a teacher) and work, and Mrs. P. prepared a lot of ethnic food for them---mainly Polish and Italian, so that is the sort of stuff Tim likes to this day. Sadly, I don't cook Polish style food and don't even know how, though he has tried to explain to me some of the dishes he remembers, but he and I both prepare a lot of Italian food. I keep thinking I'll make him some of Mrs. P's 'pigs in blankets', also called something that sounds like halupki though I am unclear on the spelling, which are not the pigs in blankets (hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough and cooked) we grew up eating in Texas a few decades ago. They are some sort of meat and other stuff wrapped in and cooked in cabbage leaves. The main Mrs. P. recipe that Tim and his sisters taught me in the 1980s or 1990s was for homemade Stromboli. Hmmm. Just thinking about Mrs. P's Stromboli makes me want to make some. Perhaps I'll do that this weekend and teach the kids how to make it. They love learning to cook, especially the 5 year old. She takes great pride in helping with each meal, and loves making homemade pizza, so she probably would enjoy making and eating Stromboli, as long as we put pepperoni in it, which we always do. Last night's BLT sandwiches were a huge hit with the girls. They told me they already had had BLT sandwiches at home with Chris and Jana, using their own home-grown lettuce but with store-bought tomatoes. I assured them that BLTs are even tastier when made with home-grown tomatoes, and they seemed to agree. I tried to make the meal as traditionally southern as I could by serving southern peas with snaps and bacon, corn, fried apples and sweet tea. If I'd had more time and a can of creamed corn I would have made corn casserole instead of just regular canned corn. I think that this afternoon it will be too cold for swimming---roughly ten degrees cooler than the last two days, so we will need a project. After spending 4 hours per day in the pool the last two days, the girls may have swimming pool withdrawal today. I'm thinking we'll teach them how to make home-made ice cream the old-fashioned southern way from scratch. It will be too wet, obviously, to do any lawn or garden work, and there's more rain in the forecast for today. We were mostly missed by yesterday's storms, at least in the sense that nothing stalled over us and dropped several inches of rain or any hail either, so we just had a normal thunderstorm and are not suffering from flooding like so many people a couple of counties north of us. I understand that at one point Paul's Valley had a foot of water in the streets yesterday after receiving several inches of rain in a very short time frame. Tim had to run on two weather-related fire calls---a single-vehicle rollover on the interstate at the height of our heaviest rain, and then a lightning-caused fire a few hours later after we'd already gone to bed. Really, though, the rain was just a mild disruption here. The air feels so cool and inviting today outdoors compared to the higher heat and higher humidity we have had the last couple of days, and I'm hoping the rain maybe knocked down a lot of the pollen that was in the air. Jennifer, Ugh. Our mom made us eat liver when she made it. I thoroughly hated it and mostly chewed it endlessly as her liver was always incredibly tough (my mom overcooked all meat except for roast beef and fried chicken) and then discreetly buried the chewed liver in my paper napkin in my nap until I could convince her that I'd eaten enough of it to be allowed to leave the table. Walking to McD's wasn't an option for us as it was probably 5 miles away. Tim likes liver and onions and I prepared them once for him early in our marriage. He loved them and I told him that if he ever wanted to eat them again, he could prepare them himself because just looking at raw liver and cooking it turned my stomach. I haven't cooked liver and onions since, and I think he's only prepared it once or twice. My parents mostly used commercially canned vegetables too when I was a kid, and maybe that's why I don't like them. Once I was out on my own and could prepare fresh produce, or could use frozen produce, I really didn't buy and use many canned veggies, and I don't even like to can most of them. I prefer frozen-fresh-from-the-garden produce so much more when I am preserving and cooking produce we have grown. We do have quite a lot of commercially canned veggies right now because I stocked up on them when the corona virus was in China and I was preparing for possible supply chain disruptions. Costco sells several basic veggies by the case, so that was what I bought and what we have been eating. I just try to dress them up when I cook them. I remember that horrible chow mein from a can. My mom hated cooking, so tried to spend as little time as possible doing it, so we got all sorts of junk like that for meals. She was all into convenience meals that took as little time as possible to prepare. On the weekends my dad would cook, glorious southern home cooking every time, and we all pigged out on his meals on the weekends. My mom could have cooked that way because her mom certainly did, but she didn't like to cook so she didn't bother. She also didn't like sandwiches, so never made them for us. My dad made me a sandwich for my school lunch every day, but I don't remember mom ever making us one. I was shocked when I reached middle school age and realized how many of my friends ate sandwiches every single day, both at home and at school. Sandwiches were not something we kids in our family grew up eating, which now just seems weird to me. Ditto on meals using garden produce. My dad could harvest stuff from the garden and turn it into a meal in the blink of an eye. He'd chop up potatoes, onions, peppers and okra and pour them into cast iron skilled filled with bacon drippings. Then he'd drizzle corn meal right over the sop, add chopped-up raw bacon, nad stir-fry it all together and serve it hot. It was a delicious meal. He also fried okra the traditional way all the time. One thing he never did was stir together okra and tomatoes and cook them as a side dish. He had no love for slimey okra, and neither do I. I like to slice okra, drizzle it with oil and roast it, sprinkle a few herbs on it and then eat it fresh. We call this roasted okra okra chips. Beck's Big Buck okra is ideal for this because the pods are big and wide and fat. Nancy, We never ate casseroles growing up, so I didn't even know what they were until I became an adult and had a friend who used them a lot to stretch a little meat to go a long way while she was a young mom who still was a college student and had a family to feed on a tight budget. I liked her casseroles but they were like foreign food to me. Traditional southern cooking tends to be heavily flavored with spices and herbs, perhaps to make up for some of the cheap food that often comprises southern meals. I think the theory is that you just keep adding more flavor to it until you make it tasty. Just last night Lillie was talking about eating pickled pigs feet with her Great-Grandmother on her mom's side of the family. She liked them when she was little, she says, because she didn't know any better. Now she thinks the idea of pickling pigs feet and eating them is gross. I told her I could buy her some pickled pigs feet at the Fischer Meat Market in Muenster and she assured me that it was not necessary. Just remember that I offered to keep Grandma Ruth's tradition alive. Sadly they lost Grandma Ruth in December. With regard to shell beans and shell southern peas, I think the southern peas have an earthier flavor. I like shelled southern peas more than shelley snap beans in general, and usually harvest and prepare the snap beans as green beans. It seems to me that people like Tim who grew up in the northeast eat a lot more shelley snap beans than people who grow up in the south---maybe because our fresh green bean season is so short in the south. Amy, Your story about chitlins reminds me of high school. It was the late 1970s and our high school offered elective courses like "Black American History", "Mexican American History", etc. and a lot of us took them as juniors and seniors to fill our school day. For "Black American History" we drew group project assignments (for a team of two) from a hat and the assignment that my friend and I drew was to prepare and serve, to our class of about 15 people, a traditional soul food meal. We were in a panic because we really didn't know what soul food was. After doing research, I calmed down because it turned out I had grown up on a lot of white soul food that was not very different from black soul food. This was a revelation to me---but then I realized that if you came from a traditionally poor southern background, you were eating the same foods basically prepared the same way no matter the color of your skin. It was more of a new thing for my classmate whose family was more upwardly mobile and didn't eat what we then jokingly referred to as white trash southern cooking. We did make a dazzling soul food meal that our classmates enjoyed and we liked doing it and eating the meal. We did not, however, make chitlins. We did make crackin' corn bread and collards, among other things. A lot of historical southern food, whether prepared by slaves back in the day or by poor white southern subsistence farmers (aka as sharecroppers) like my dad's family were about the same thing, though I didn't realize that until I was in high school. It was all about using every single part of the animal or plant because you didn't have enough food to waste any part of it. My aunts on my dad's side could can anything and they did, including green weeds, and they did that because that canned poke sallet or canned lambsquarters might be the one thing you had that helped you survive the long winter's non-gardening season without going meal-less. They did grow greens and such in the winter as the weather allowed, but it was hard to raise enough in the Dust Bowl years to keep a large family fed and alive. I learned a lot from them, but never acquired my dad's family's fondness for pickling every single food item known to mankind and then eating it. Our family gatherings always seemed to include about 15 kinds of vegetable pickles of all kinds, which seemed excessive to us children of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. That's how they ate though because they always pickled so many veggies when they were relying 99% on the food they could grow. Our lives are so much simpler nowadays by comparison and we are so spoiled. I still try to grow and preserve as much of our food as possible, but I don't do it in hugely excessive amounts like I did 10 or 20 years ago. There is no reason to put up three years' worth of produce every single year, but it took me a long time to learn that. I need to get off the computer and get busy before the girls wake up. Dawn
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August 2020, Week 5-September 2020, Week 1
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Yay for the violets, Nancy! And...you still have summer squash? The bugs killed ours long ago. Even the C. Moschata. I am pooped. So tired. We shopped today and I don't have to tell anyone that shopping is very unpleasant right now. However, Dillards allows you to try on clothes and I found a dress. It's not exactly the bohemian/fairy princess dress that I wanted. But it fits nicely and its a forest green color...and it's Robin Hoodish (not really), so I bought it. Paid more than what I wanted to pay, but it's done. DONE! Came home around 3 and sliced, breaded and froze okra. Then figured out how to use my pressure canner as a water bath canner and pickled some okra. On my own. The lids sealed so hopefully we're good. My house is getting to the point that I am very unhappy. I know a clean house isn't the most important thing in the world....but I enjoy a clean home. It just feels nice to me. However, a clean house isn't anywhere in my near future. I am hoping the robot vacuums are cheap this Christmas. That will at least help. We are celebrating Mason's BD tomorrow and that will be fun. It's at a very good restaurant that I haven't been to in a long time. Then grocery shopping and then maybe starting more lettuce seed. In between all of those things is animal care. Lots of animal care. There's always one of them doing something they shouldn't be doing or somewhere they shouldn't be hanging out. One of the fat buff orpingtons has figured out how to get out of the chicken yard. And she isn't swift. She is dumb--beautiful but dumb and wanders over by the dogs. So, I'm constantly leaving whatever task I'm working on to catch her or entice her back to the yard. And everyone is always hungry all the time. The 3 young pullets mingled with the main flock today. It went very well. Having a good rooster helps with that. They're roosting in their own coop, though. It will be a gradual thing as always. Momma Blossom will be tired of her chicks soon and those two chicks will need to move to the pullet coop at that time. Although, at least one of those chicks is a cockerel. Tom may or may not start doing meat birds and these two could be the start of it. They won't be THE meat birds, but they might be the parents of. I've named the one I think is a girl. Her name is Gwendolyn, which is sorta funny because Gwendolyn (actually related to Jennifer/Guinevere.) means white ...and Gwendolyn is a dark cornish. I'm simply rambling now.
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December 2020, Week 4
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Yes, like Larry, I've had visions of children starving across pockets of America, including here. I've been cooking and baking for what, 2 weeks? 3 weeks? I was still cooking today, so won't be delivering until tomorrow. I talked with my friends this morning (both of whom have had Covid for 8 days now. . . they assured me they're about 80% healed. . . but they didn't sound that way. John said the total lack of energy was one of the biggest things, and I could hear them coughing.), and I was worrying about not getting food delivered yet. They assured me that everyone was covered. They said all got some things, some more. So that made me almost re-think recipients I had in mind. . . Trying now to think of elderly folks who don't have anyone. I wish I knew more about people in town. I'll have to find sources. I'm so tired tonight! Feel like my legs are going to fall off. Cooked all day long. I gave GDW choice of rigatoni with Ital. sausage bolognese and ricotta filling or cold pork sandwiches from a FANTASTIC pork shoulder roast I ssssllllloooowwww cooked yesterday. He chose pork sandwiches. Fancy Dancy Christmas dinner. I grazed all day taste-testing dishes--pecan praline cake (I made four 6.5x9" cakes. This was MY half of one of em. LOL. John gets 1 and a half because he LOVED that cake.). HJ--I laughed so hard that you had on the same sweater 7 years later to the day! CRAZY. Oh, speaking of crazy coincidences. I was posting pics on FB yesterday. Had a bunch of friends and family pics. One was me in arm slings--with my Dad. I mentioned that at the time both of my arms (actually, wrists) were broken. Two of our great OK gardening friends chimed in that they also had broken both wrists at the same time--one backwards in the bathroom; the other while unloading bales of hay. Sandy and Lori. Sandy commented that we belonged to a kind of exclusive club. Well, through the. years, I knew of another acquaintance in Mpls who did that--while cross-country skiing. This was particularly funny because both of those ladies are friends of mine! WOW. SOOOOOOOO, I don't know how many read these posts--but any of you "two broken wrists at the same time" folks? I'd never broken a bone until I was 51, and then broke 3 wrists and one leg in a year--the wrists from rollerblading; the leg while playing tag with Brisco the kids' wonderful Australian shepherd. I put on the brakes, hit a wet spot, and went sliding with one leg bent back under me/ I hear the snap and thought. . . "Ah, this isn't good." We were in Mpls at Hiawatha park, down a couple hundred steps from the falls, into a valley/basin. Only way out would be the steps or a helicopter. Ankle swelled immediately like a balloon. Thank God Steph (my wonderful DIL) was with Brisco and me--just for moral support. I crawled up the 150-200 steps to the top. Then Steph ran home (was only 3 blocks) to get the van and came back for Brisco and me. This was the year after the 3 broken wrists, so Steph was well-versed in my sudden misadventures. The worst part of it was that Wade was out of town for a couple days, and Steph and I had planned a GRAND dinner out that evening, just the two of us. So we got me home, I told her it'd probably be fine, I'd just put some ice on it and we could go to dinner. I iced it all afternoon, and then took a crutch to dinner. Assured her it was fine, but raised the leg to the empty chair next to me. So that was fine. Next morning, I was going to walk to the neighborhood grocery store 2 houses down and kitty corner across the street. Nope. I called her (they lived right next door) and said I guessed I needed to go to ER. They put a cast on temporarily and I got to go back to my broken arm doctor 2 days later. I liked that doc. Dr. Beck. I asked him if I should be worried about osteoporosis. He said, "No, you might want to pray you'll get over this clumsy phase soon. And stay off the rollerblades." Hilarious. Like Danny and Jen, I have a few being locked outside stories, but Larry, yours takes the cake! That is NUTS. Moni, I LOVE your adventures! That is an awesome park--I would love to see it in the spring. Will you please go back then and take more pictures? It looks to be, by gosh, rockier than it is here! And NO, I most likely won't go there. Thing is, I LOVE being right here. I will say, 20 years ago, I loved traveling and loved road trips. But now, I am stuck here with the critters and yard, and it's okay with me--no place I'd rather be. I think it's true--as we get old our neighborhood gets smaller. . . When I was 40 and heard this, is made me feel sad for folks ike my grandparents and other "oldsters." NOW? Now I get it. Well.................. Christmas has also take on a different tone. I woke. up this morning and felt so joyful and blessed. First to have read and studied Luke thoroughly over the past 24 days (there are 24 chapters in Luke). Second, that I had all day to finish cooking food for others. Third, that I didn't have one ornament to take down, because I hadn't put one ornament up. Also, we didn't have a bunch of gifts to buy. Long story and a lotta kids, but as a result, we just don't do presents, for the most part. That's part of why I go on these cookie-baking binges. I box em up and send to the families. And GDW and I don't buy for each other--if there's something we want, we get it. It was a GREAT Christmas. I'm thankful for what we have and that we're able to share a bit; thankful for knowing so many good people. Bless you all!
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Nancy RW (zone 7)
3 years ago
Ha! Danny--while looking for leftovers for dinner last night found 2 black bananas. Sigh. I should get some of that made, too. But today got 3 dozen Mexican wedding cookies done, gingerbread dough, and lemon cookie dough chilling in the fridge over night. I've got 11 dozen cookies in the freezer, and 11 dozen more on the counter in containers. I may have a do-over on sugar cookies. I wasn't very happy with the first batch. I am sick of baking cookies. But the fun will come tomorrow with being able to play with frosting them. I almost sat down and cried today. Hip hurts, and what an unGodly mess this kitchen is. I keep washing the same bowls and spoons and measuring stuff. No sense in putting it away until I'm done with the mess. I really don't like making cookies, but love the idea of sending them to friends and relatives. I still have a densely fruited bourbon-soaked fruit cake in the freezer from 2 years ago. I've taken it out a few times to check. Smells good. I think I'll send it to my SIL for Christmas. She loved her last one. Making cookies cheaper in $$ than presents. Eileen, if you're reading, yes, I'll send you a couple chocolate ones. LOL

Yeppers, little garlics and more little cilantros up. I was afraid I would have the cilantro after Garry took out a whole batch outside the veggie garden with the week whacker. Larry, Made and you should be feeling healthy now with all those greens. Good stuff. How does she cook the greens?

Wow--an RTV!!! How very cool! Keep us posted on it.
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Nancy, Madge just boils the greens, tossing in what ever we have to season them with, other than pork. Made tries to live by the Old Testament dietary laws. The greens she fixed today had a can of chicken broth, salt, black pepper, onions, garlic powder, dash of nutmeg, a little sugar. I like for her to use jalapenos and a few other things if we have them. She often uses olive oil or butter also. Today I picked mustard greens only, often I will mix other greens in also, but today was a last minute thing and we just tossed something together, but it was good.

The RTV was sort of a spur of the moment thing. The doctors just cant keep me from hurting. I got a round of antibiotics today, but they only helps for a while. I also get pain pills, but I dont like taking them. I have some project I want to finish while I am still able, and the hyd. dump bed should let me move gravel, compost and mulch easier, and it should run faster than my tractors. The RTV is small Kubota diesel, they are going to put a top and windshield on it and bring it to me tomorrow. I didn't even feel like going out to look at it, they drove it up to the window, I could see the dump bed work and hear the engine running, and it had new tires. Having a hard time getting around has me bummed out, I am just not ready to quit doing the things I enjoy. Another thing I had on my mind is, I cant get Madge to use the tractors, I think she might use the RTV, if not maybe someone will get some use out of all this junk I have.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
Larry, I hope you make good use of your new equipment!

I personally like stuff better cooked in chicken broth over Ham broth.

When you set up electric fence against the deer, what kind of wire and poles do you use? We need to stop Sasquatch from climbing the fence. I actually have some of the step on posts that I think are meant for electric fences. I think we'll have to put a barrier where she usually climbs out, and hope she won't go over the gate if it's not "hot". Maybe we'll put a wire on it so she'll think it's hot.

{{Hugs}}
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Amy, I use a few poles like you are talking about, ( given to me ), but most of what I use are just regular "T" posts, because that is what I have the most of. It I were starting from scratch, and trying to keep a dog in a fence I would use something I could attach to the fence or the post. I think I would want it close enough to the ground that the dog was still grounded when it touched it ( on a wood fence). If the dog is climbing a medal fence, the fence itself would be the ground. I would want the wire close enough to the fence that it would not interfere with mowing. They make different types of insulators for different applications, may be one that attaches to a chain link . I often make my own insulators out of PVC if it is a special application. If you are wanting to protect a flower bed, you can just drive 1/2" PVC into the ground and use electric tape to tape the wire to the PVC. I use a metal rod to drive into the ground, and wallow out the hole, then drive the PVC into the hole, my ground is pretty hard and it is tough to just drive a piece of PVC into the soil without a pilot hole.

I use pulse type of chargers to protect against larger critters, and constant voltage for small critters. I dont like constant voltage chargers because I have killed birds with them when the hot wire was close to a grounded surface and the bird completes the circuit The pulse type of charger sends a very short burst of electricity about ever second or two. It will permit something to bolt away from it. some small critters cant get loose from the constant voltage. You will also want to think about how "hot" you want your wire to be. The strength of the currant is in joules. You should read about the joules needed for a dog, keep in mind that if a dog has a thick coat it will be harder to shock it, unless the coat is wet. It you want to make the gate hot also, you can use a piece of insulated wire to go from the hot fence wire to the hot gate wire, giving enough slack to permit the gate to swing, you dont want the hot wire to ground out on the fence. (That is one thing I save my damaged extension cords for). You will need a proper ground for the system, and it should be hooked up through a ground fault circuit. Another good investment is a fence tester, you can get one for less than $20.00.

I think electric fences are the best, and quickest fence to put up, but if you are in town, you may want to check the regulations.
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, I can imagine the meter reader getting the shock of his life. (and yes it's probably wrong of me to be chuckling as I envision)
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
Cut fresh cilantro this evening for our carne asada tacos. It has a much stronger flavor than what we buy at grocery store. Don't have to put as much on the taco. It really stands out and adds a better flavor.
OklaMoni
3 years ago
I put out a bit more seeds in all three cold frames. I am a scatter type person, rather than rows... and I seem to have missed areas.

Used some potting soil over the newly scattered seeds, and watered the beds. This is my first year ever to have cold frames.

Sure was a nice day to be out.

Moni
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
Well, I had fun today. First I went outside to look at my coum cyclamen (which I had noticed had sprouted yesterday, but was not light enough to get a good look). I planted six? I think 4 years ago, this was the only survivor. When I parted the bamboo that's now shading it...I found the mother plant and a fairly large number of progeny. I'm so excited, I'm a cyclodad! I've never had them reseed before, and I've had cyclamen for twenty years or more. Of course flower buds are evident on the mother tuber, not long now.

Then the tree trimmer dude came, who stood me up yesterday, and gave me a quote of $150, contrasted with the summer quote from another of $2300. Oh, that made me happy!

Then I wandered to the backyard and my Christmas rose (hellebore niger) had 1/2 opened. Probably tomorrow? I've never grown that species before and I'm uncertain if it will persist (planted last December) or if we're just too warm for it.

Native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) 'Major Wheeler' persists in nearly constant flowering, having several clusters open and quite a number in early bud. If only there were hummingbirds to enjoy these red clusters.

The heliopsis 'Burning Hearts' seed planted in mid-November is showing the first sprout on the cool laundry room windowsill. I'm hopeful to get them going and do that 'flowers first year' thing, which is usually false for me on perennials.

My blue impatiens (impatiens arguta) is nearly in flower out there too. I bought it in October and it was shipped going dormant...but a coolish room was enough to convince it spring had came. I'm going to get a good strong pot of it going, and hope to also plant some cuttings outside in the spring and see if they are willing to winter over for me. They're tuberous and return from the roots.

Due to mostly warm temps, I have great foliage on columbine, heuchera, and even my maiden hair fern looks pristine out there. I am surprised because we did have one night at 20F, but mostly just below freezing. I wonder what Jan and Feb will bring? My passionfruit vines aren't quite dead yet...would be interesting to see them grow new leaves (*lol*).

Oh, and my Baker Creek catalog came today. I'm saving it for the rainy day expected on Friday. I am gonna figure out what to grow in that whiskey barrel this next year. This year, I did very poorly with it...only getting 2 hot peppers and maybe 30-40 tomatillos.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Ha, Danny, not only is the meter outside the fence, but one of those smart ones they don't have to look at. I am more concerned about my husband forgetting and shocking himself. Besides the furious cursing that would ensue, he has a defibrillator implanted and I have no idea what it would do to that. It's neat you have things blooming now.

Larry, it's a chain link fence and my 65 pound dog climbs it like a cat. Mutter mutter. (We think someday she will climb the tree after that stupid squirrel.) I suppose a pulsing unit costs more? There's a monstrous wisteria on that fence, which Ron says he's going to cut down, but in the mean time we could run insulated wire through it? I'm not going to do the gate, I know Ron would grab it. Or a kid. I just don't want the fence charger situated where it can be stolen. We had several stolen at the ranch in a much less populated area. I was looking at aluminum wire and polywire. I'm just scrolling through the Tractor supply website. I'm going to have to study up on joules and grounding, electricity was something that never made sense to me.
Rebecca (7a)
3 years ago
Negative! I’ll test again in a week or so, just to be safe.

Off to pick up a grocery order, then I need to dip the peppermint patties and peanut butter balls, and make some marshmallows.
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
Well, I finally screwed up my courage and unboxed and started my first gas-powered chainsaw (I have an electric model..but it's not powerful enough for larger diameter trees). I've been quite scared of chainsaws as a general rule, because my father almost amputated his leg when I was younger than school-age with one. I sawed the majority of the way through the 5 trunks on the two weed trees that the neighbors sawed off to fence level. I hesitated to saw completely because they're along the fence row and I didn't want to hit the chain link fence for the sake of the saw, the fence, and myself. I can finish with a handsaw more safely.

I actually sweated while doing that...it's 70 something out there. Oh, and the Christmas rose is coming along (attached)
OklaMoni
3 years ago
Yeah, for the negative!
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Yeah, for the negative. This Covid and political thing is about to drive men nuts. I never dreamed i would ever see anything like this.

I had cabin fever last night, and ask Madge if she would like to go out for a pizza, she liked the idea, so we went out and got a car wreck also. It did not amount to anything, but still over $4,000.00 in damages. The car has over 114,000 miles on it, and we are not ready to get rid of it. Getting a car, and a RTV, and Christmas in the same month is going hit us pretty hard. I may be eating greens for a long time.

Danny, I can relate to the fear of a chain saw, they can be bad news. I have a gas saw but have not started in in many years. I think I have, or has 4 electric chain saws. All the clearing I have done around here has been done with an electric chain saw. I have not been able to start a gas saw in many years. I would take the generator and a couple of saws ( and a stool) to the grove of trees and cutting the trees down, and into pieces small enough that I could drag them with a tractor. I would always take to or more saws because at times I would get one saw hung and have to cut it out.

Amy, I had my grand daughter order me a charger that I think I will really like, it works on 12 volt or 120 volt. I have 4 or more chargers, I think the price ranged from around 18 to 100 dollars. The one I think I will really like cost around 60 to 70 dollars, it is a pulse charger, and yes, the pulse chargers do cost more, but I think they are saver. I just buy the cheapest wire I can find (Ace Hardware). The last I bought was around 18 dollars for 1/4 mile, I think I am about down to my last spool. I have never used the poly wire, or ribbon. The poly may work better for you because it is much easier to see, and when something gets shocked a time or two, they stay away from the hot line, you can turn the power off and they still don't want any part of it.

We have a cat problem, and no kind of animal control out here. I really don't like what I am afraid I will have to do, but I am afraid one of is going to trip over a cat.
jlhart76
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Posted in the facebook group, but here's today's carrot harvest. The big one was pretty woody and bitter so I don't think it'll be any good, but I'm dehydrating them to make carrot powder. I can add it to spaghetti sauce, stews, etc. I don't notice much difference in flavor, but it makes me feel like my husband is eating veggies. I swear he has the food habits of a 5 year old.
hazelinok
3 years ago
I'm very far behind, so I'll read and comment....

My favorite southern pea is PEPH. I really like them a lot.

Danny, I made banana bread 2 days ago too! Put it in mini loaf pans. So good. It's a recipe I've used since age 12. They're gone now. The boys around here eat up the bread.

Nancy, sorry about your hip hurting so badly. Your cookies sound delicious. I do like to bake in this season. A lot. I'm weird that I like the kitchen to be clean before I start working in it. Then, I can turn on some Christmas/yule/winter solstice music and start cleaning and/or baking. It's such a great feeling. I love being home. My family prefers me to be home--everyone is so happy and relaxed on the days I'm home. The house is taken care of and smells nice... laundry done, good food to eat.

Larry, Madge's greens sound delightful.

Yay, Rebecca!

Weather has been beautiful. It's been good to take the kids outdoors for recess. A blessing in December.

I don't even know what to talk about really. There's a lot going on...and a lot of feelings attached.

HU came out tonight and we recovered everything. And organized the canning supplies a bit.

My little boy rooster is gone. They're not really roosters until they're one and he is only 20 weeks. Or was. He died. Last night. Poor little thing. His sister is alone now. I've been opening her door so she can mingle, but she put herself on the old coop's roost (where she's been living) instead of the main coop. I'll probably have to force her to the main coop at some point. I decided to name her Wynnie, which is sort of funny because she is a Dark Cornish and Wynnie means white or fair. It's probably somehow related to my name. Jennifer comes from Guinevere and means "white wash/wave or fair. But, even though she's dark she seems like a Wynnie to me. The little roo was Wesley.

Tonight I opened a jar of southern peas for dinner. SO good. And made a salad out of our lettuces, spinach, arugula, carrots, and radishes. It was also so good. My entire dinner came from the garden.

That's all from me.
Nancy Waggoner
3 years ago
Jennifer, I sure wish I had your taste inclinations! I mean that, I really wish I did. I'm sorry about little Wesley. (I've been reading a lot about Wesley lately--that is, John Wesley. ) Wow, I just noticed my microphone is working and recording my words! I discovered that when I was really getting ticked off because I kept hyping Wesley and it kept changing the capital W to a little W. So then I said, oh for heaven sake's, and it typed that. LOLOL. Guess I won't talk out loud any more while I'm typing this. I am easily amused.

Speaking of easily amused, that wasn't funny, Larry, about the wreck. But you manage to tell things in such a funny way. GDW and I were actually on our way to Muskogee for dinner at Chili's when I saw YOUR post about the wreck. So I laughed and was reading it to him. He said he hoped that wasn't going to happen to us. It didn't. But he also had been struck by "cabin fever," and was just pacing earlier today. I have figured out what that means. That means he's trying to make up some kind of excuse for why he has to go to town. It irritates me, really. He COULD just say, I've got cabin fever, I need to go drive somewhere. In fact, I'll be sure to tell him that tomorrow. "GARRY! If you have cabin fever, just TELL me and if you want, invite me to go, too. If. you don't, don't." (I was BORN to live in isolation. . . as long as I can connect with my friends through avenues like this or FB or emails or USPS).

So, Larry--are you going to be going car-shopping?

Amy, I hope you find a great solution to the Sasquatch situation. She is a handful, isn't she! How many days a week do you have your little babe to babysit for?

I have NOTHING blooming, Danny, but have many things growing. It got into the 60s today. BEAUTIFULLY warm yard-working weather, but I had to be inside working on cookies for shipping out. Frosting the gingerbread boys and girls, and now have begun on the sugar cookies. It's tedious, but not to me. This is the fun part. . . it's painting, just not on canvases. The cookies will be shipped out to 5 "kids and families," and the rest to friends and the children from Lincoln. I'll have to have John and/or Suzanne deliver the cookies to the Lincoln kids' families.

Loved reading up on your cyclamen, Danny--they're lovely!
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Nancy, I hope the insurance will just fix the car, but we have not had good luck with insurance. The car we owned before this one was hit and totaled. The insurance totaled the car out for less than we could buy another like it, this one may be the same. The car still drives okay, I can not see over $4,000 in damage, both accidents were the other drivers fault, but we seem to get left holding the bag.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Rebecca, glad to hear you're negative. Do you have to go back to work now?

Christmas rose is lovely, Danny. Glad you could manage the chainsaw.

So sorry about the car Larry. Are you both alright? Probably hurt today from being jarred in the accident.

Jen, when my kids were little I would puree a whole bag of mixed vegetables and freeze them in ice cube trays. A serving of veggies purees down to about a tablespoon. I would put 2 cubes in spaghetti sauce and nobody knew they were eating veggies.

Sorry about your rooster, H/J! I watched my 8 yo grandson's Christmas program on Facebook yesterday. Wiggly kids singing jingle bells in masks, LOL.

I'm not getting enthusiasm from Ron on the electric fence. He has so many projects and not nearly the energy he once had. I did see a fence company that will set up a horse fence. I was thinking of horse wire anyway. Got side tracked by other things. A phone call (recorded) about a bill we hadn't paid. Couldn't get through to them, so called St Johns (supposedly the bill). They, of course, have 2 sides that don't talk to each other, the clinic and the hospital. On hold forever (bad hold music) with clinic, no we don't owe them. Transfer to hospital side. They had Ron's address as Street not Place. The post
office changed this several years ago and it is still coming back to bite us. Then Ron decided he had to call someone at American and he was on hold an hour. On speaker phone. Kenny G saxophone. Same. Damn. Song. Over and over. My eyes were throbbing. Then I tried to video call my dad. We haven't been able to make that work in a couple of months. Frustration. Nothing productive yesterday at all.

Everyone have a nice weekend.
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Amy, we are fine, I am stressed, have not been feeling great. My renter had two caves out, I don't feel like chasing them. The dad works all the time. They keep foster kids, have kids of their own, and at least two adopted. All that I have met are good workers, the dad is out picking greens now. I think with ten kids you have to work all the time.

Jennifer, sorry about your roo.

Back to the car. The other driver was in the turn lane and cut across my lane, I almost stopped and he almost made it across the lane, his truck had a heavy steel bumper and ripped a lot of plastic off the front of our car. Our car runs okay, it looks like it has a black eye and some teeth missing.
luvncannin
3 years ago
What about you and Madge? Are y’all okay.
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
So glad Covid test is negative, and glad the Peughs didn't have a worse experience. People drive as irresponsibly as they respect others time (if not worse), and though you do your best, can't always account for wild things done.
Well, my 1/4 beef is on it's way (though the farmer is behind an accident and halted for now). I hate to see $$$ leave my checking account, but I think I should come out ahead in the long run.
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
Sorry to hear about your wreck , Larry. Except for getting injured, the worst part of a wreck is getting the vehicle totaled. When it happened to me, I wasn't ready to buy another car, did not want to buy another car. I've got a 2009 Chevy truck now that I bought new , and its got 45,000 miles. Can't replace that. Insurance company would not pay me anywhere near how valuable it is to me.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
3 years ago
I'm glad Madge and you are safe, Larry. That could have been a nasty one.

Lynn, that sounds like a good truck! Reminded me of my Mom's car; she handed it off to me in 2014. It's a 2002 Honda Civic 2 door coupe. It now has 33970 miles on it. And has lived in a garage for all its life. I'd say we both have good deals.

Is your beef from nearby, Danny? Let us know how it is. We've thought about doing it a few times; I think what's holding us up is not knowing the quality of it.

I think I'm done baking for now. Not positive. I'll share a picture of the sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. Was kinda brutal. I don't bake often enough to have gotten good at frosting them. Maybe I can make some every other month or so to practice.

We had rain a good part of the day; I see nearly 1.5" in the rain gauge, though Mesonet just said .9". It was a gorgeous 73 yesterday and not really all that cool today. I should have seeds coming from Kitazawa tomorrow or Monday. I think that's all for now. I have the tomato seeds.

Yes, we're all glad you tested negative. Rebecca.

Amy, I think I'll start pureeing our fresh veggie, too! Good idea. And, BLACH, for your nonproductive frustrating day! Blach!

Oh, I DO have a blooming flower. My pretty pink oxalis. I got that from you, didn't I. Jen? BTW, was I supposed to send some seeds to you? Did I? lol

Outta here for now.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
3 years ago
Cookie palooza, and now on to candy. What is WRONG with me! lol
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Well, I'll answer obliquely (since I only had a roast I rushed tonight, I'll know more in a couple of days probably) (lol).

In October, to tide me over till this beef was here, I bought $120 package from a butcher shop (mix of chicken, beef, pork). Everything I got was fantastic, better than the grocery stores, even their custom bacon was better. I had forgotten that bacon is basically a cured dry meat, where the grocery stores bacon are always seem to be limp and wet packed. The chickens were smaller (whole cut up) and didn't not have that globby layer of fat all over that store-bought did. I don't LIKE pork chops, but the ones in that package were pretty darn good.

Ok, as to the beef I got this afternoon, yes, you could get a bad one, and I would try to buy a beef from someone I knew or from someone that someone I knew of had bought from. I tried that..and there were no available beef from that line of inquiry. So, I just found someone on FaceBook (yeah, you know...desperate times) and trusted in providence. I had a light breakfast (pancakes), skipped lunch yesterday, while waiting on this guy. So by 3:30 when I got the beef home, I was starved. And it was what can I do quick. So I found my smallest roast and just threw it frozen into the InstantPot and had supper less than two hours later. It would have tasted better if I had treated it right and thawed it, seared it in a pan to brown in hot oil. However, I was in a hurry and it was (of course after pressure cooking) tender, and flavorful and there was almost no fat on it (really one or two little pieces, which I could barely remove to give to the dog, so small). And now I gotta eat roast for at least another day before I can go back to the freezer and give something a real try (think probably T-Bone steak, have 5 big honking steaks I think, which I will grill).

So the whole digested version is...I think just about any quality product (either custom butcher or local produce) will beat anything from standard grocery store which tends to have bulk meat from those awful feed lots I saw when I lived in Nebraska (you know, the plants that had the major E-coli recalls?) where they wade in manure/mud/urine up to their navels. I'm not an animal rights person, but additionally the conditions of commercial chicken production are at least as bad. It's our fault, we all want everything at the cheapest possible price, and that's the only way to do it, I guess. We're all guilty.

Nancy, it's always great to have at *least* one thing blooming. In my old age, I am tending toward plants that flower other than mid-summer through very early fall, You know how little we want to be outside at that time of year, so plant for the more moderate times when being outside is a pleasure versus awful.

As far as candy, I'm safe, I don't like such concentrated sugar. Baked goods I eat though :)
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
In my old age sugar effects me badly. I would want fudge or, my weakness pralines, but it would make me nauseous and lightheaded. Ron likes Sam's rich chocolate chip cookies. I can't eat them. I can do pecan sandies, or the wedding cookies. Not as much shortening and chocolate.

We used to buy bulk beef from Perry's (Tulsa). Not enough room in the freezer to do that now. The ranch I worked on used to sell a few calfs (calves?) while the rest went to Nebraska. We had a purebred bull break his leg. He was about 18 mos old. He was too old to butcher. Meat was tough. Butcher should hang the carcass for up to 30 days. The Tbones we got from Perry's 31 years ago are the steaks by which all others are measured. Ron charcoaled them perfectly for youngest's christening.

I need to use the instant pot more. Since I rarely cook, my convenience appliances don't get used much. Ron does like the air frier though. Learning the instant pot is a bit much for both of us.

I did finally manage to video call my dad. Until one of us lost the internet connection. They tested everyone in the retirement center for covid. He was negative, but they found 6 more cases, so no visits and no dining room.

Larry I'm glad you're ok and sorry about your car.

We have the youngest grandkid today. We're going to go shop for a new chair. My chair has not held up and seems to lean to one side. We've only had it about a year. I only plan to go to one place. I haven't been out in more than a week, and I'm getting cabin fever, too. I really am more suited to lockdown. I don't mind staying home.

The boy has a truck that makes backup noises like a real truck. It's getting to me! There's a toy coffee pot that makes a noise like coffee brewing, which he insists on leaving on the whole time he's here. This boy loves noise! Maybe I should say sound. He will watch music videos like other kids watch cartoons.

Have a good weekend.
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Thanks for the concerns for us, and the car. It could have been much worse, and I am thankful no one even had a scratch.

I think I could buy a beef from the guy that rents my place. There has been 4 born in the past 2 or 3 weeks, all nice looking calves. There is also a slaughter house 2 miles north, the down side is that you need to make an appointment when the calf is born, or it will be too old and tough to eat when your number comes up. I don't like a lot of meat anyway, but I think my gout bothers me less if I eat fresh meat rather than processed meat. I really feel better when I eat a lot of raw fruit and veggies.

My RTV was delivered yesterday. It was money thrown away, but it was really nice to drive it to the back of the place. I could tell just after riding a few feet that my back was really going to like this rig, it is easy to get in and out of and does not shake my guts out, plus it was raining the whole time and I did not get wet.
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
The Oklahoma Cattleman's Association is promoting buying beef directly from their members. During the lockdown last April, when the hoarders were clearing shelves and the meat packers were shutting down due to sick workers, there was a lot of interest in going directly to the cattle ranch. When this pandemic is over, I'm gonna think about it. The Cattleman's web site has a list of ranchers who want to sell direct.

Direct to consumer

I store my onions in my storm shelter. They sprout in storage. I've no idea what causes this but I'm losing a lot of onions this year in particular. Here's what they do ..... its mostly my red onions. I've contacted Dixondale asking them about this, waiting on reply
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
Well, my thought (since they're growing) is it's too warm..and maybe moist.
Nancy Waggoner
3 years ago
My problem is always the too warm part, yes, Danny. Hard to find a place cool enough for them. However. This year I just left them out on our deck table (the one that's sieved, so good air flow. NOW it's going to be too cold, so I'll bring them into the unheated garage, which should be just about right. Thought you might like to hear what Dawn has to say. (Spoiler alert: she says it gets too warm. . . ) https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2092683/onion-storage
OklaMoni
3 years ago
My thoughts mirror Danny's... I think, to moist. Cold would be good.. how cold, and how humid is it down there?

Moni
OklaMoni
3 years ago
Nancy quit posting while I type..

LOL

Moni
OklaMoni
3 years ago
Just saw an interesting You Tube video on Refrigeration. He talks about how things were before the age of refrigerators... eating in season, not washing eggs etc.

Pretty interesting.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHv4x2Maxp8

Moni
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
Humidity is not a problem, but since its not entirely buried, its not a cool cellar. I've never measured the temps, I will have to do that.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
Dawn also said the long day onions kept the best. Short day onions tend to be sweeter and not keep as well. Intermediate? Probably half of both, LOL. She froze hers when they started sprouting. Complete with onion goggles and cut up in the food processor. Mine always rotted in hose like that, but they were probably short day kept too long. I like that rack, though. Thanks for the beef link. Are they butchering too? Where did I read they were starting a new facility? Claremore maybe. The east and west coast might run out of meat, but it won't happen here. But like Larry said, getting in to a butcher is the problem. It was sometimes a wait 10 years ago when I worked for the ranch. Especially during deer season.

I'm glad you like your RTV. (Why is it R rather than A? Rough Terrain rather than All terrain? ) every little bit helps. We looked at lift chairs today. I just need a couple of extra inches to get out of the chair. I assume this is only going to get worse.
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
The guy I bought my 1/4 beef from told me that his favored slaughter facility was booked until sometime in 2022. Can't believe it...especially since he told me that about half of his booked beef were cancelled because of people losing their jobs and finances changing. It seems that the butchers wouldn't be backed up because of same reason.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
3 years ago
I wondered that, too, Amy. Is that like a 4-wheel drive TV? Yes, thank you for the link, Lynn.

I was going to answer Amy's comment about sugar. We don't eat sugar hardly at all, and it really affects me adversely. I think it probably affect everyone adversely, but most people aren't cognizant of it because it's a regular part of their diet. So I was thinking about when GDW and I do eat sugar--the biggest culprit is pancakes and syrup. And while we love breakfast for dinner (including the pancakes), I always know it'll be the end of ANY work for me in the evening. So we have to have it tonight.

The other thing that has my mouth watering is your Cuban black beans, Moni. Those might happen Monday. I can put them on to soak tomorrow. I have a good friend in town whose father was Puerto Rican, and she says that growing up in Florida, he cooked a lot of Cuban food. She has shared some recipes with me--and they're much to my liking. Haha re posting while you're typing. Now I see someone else has posted while I'm typing.

Ah. I see it was Danny. Well. We might check with our meat store and get one of their packages. I just ordered rib steaks from Kansas City Steaks to be delivered to MN kids. Now I want some, too.
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
After reading Dawn's post, I would guess air flow is the problem in my shelter. They did not start sprouting till bout a month ago, so I'm thinking temp's aren't triggering that.

That rack is a shoe rack. I saw it on some on-line retailer's site and it was on sale with free shipping. I think I paid $20. I bought it just for hanging onion in the shelter.

On the beef, I think processing is still a problem but the Cattleman's Assoc is working on that. IIRC, there's a small number of major processors, I think only four. And not only if one of those goes down a huge bottleneck is created, but they also have a lot of pricing power. OCA wants to see more smaller processors. It might be a pretty good time for a young man to become a butcher or get into meat processing. Probably a lot more valuable than a college degree these days, without the student loan debt. I think the OCA was working with the state legislature on the processor problem, but I'm not sure. I follow the OCA on Twitter to keep up and I'm sure they have a Facebook page.
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
Amy, an uncle of mine has been in rough shape for years ( now has stage 4 cancer ), but when he was first having problems years ago, ( broken back, and other problems) my cousin, who is a very small, but talented lady, made her dad a 2 x 4 frame to attach his recliner to. He used that chair for many years. he said it gave him just enough height to get up without any assistance. I think she turned the 2 x 4's on edge, which would have been 3.5", but I am not sure about that.

Yes, Amy, rough terrain vehicle, it is made by Kubota, it has a diesel engine and a transmission much like my small kubota tractor. The RTV is too slow, heavy, and ugly to appeal to most people, but with a hydraulic dump bed that claims a 1100 pound capacity, which I can operate from the drivers seat did appeal to me, plus it will run 20 to 25 mph. Most of the time I will be going 5 to 10 mph. I can see the zero turn and the rtv becoming my ride of choice when I am just going from point A to point B here on the place. ( the rtv rides much better than the zero turn)
Larry Peugh
3 years ago
When my onions started sprouting this year, I just replanted them in the garden, I am not sure what will happen by spring, but so far I have just been eating the tops. I had mine stored on the back porch, and it was getting too cold out there anyway. We had some stored in the pantry also, I expect they have already been used. I lost most of my onions this year in the garden before harvest because of so much rain.
Lynn Dollar
3 years ago
The State made $10 million available as grants to meat processors for them to enlarge their shops and buy equipment. Money was part of the Federal CARE's act, the Covid relief money. Hopefully, this next session of the legislature will address this .
jlhart76
3 years ago
Nancy, I can't remember if I brought oxalis to you, but I originally got it from spring fling. I remember whoever brought it only had 1 left & 2 of us wanted it; I told them I'd get some the following year but they insisted & we cut the thing in half right there.

Christmas candy-palooza is on here. I made sugared orange peel & christmas crack tonight; will make a couple batches of fudge, some peanut brittle & a big thing of chex mix. Most I plan to give to our guests, otherwise I'll eat way more than I need & sugar doesn't like me anymore. My sister in law wants to send a box of goodies to the kids she used to live with, so I think she has plans for other stuff too.

Been skimming through past threads, making a journal so I can keep track of what gets planted when & where & all that great info. I found several where Nancy was sharing the adventures of Tom & Jerry, & had to laugh at the memories.
Nancy Waggoner
3 years ago
Tom and Jerry and Tiny are freaks, and I've had about enough of them. I remember Dawn sternly reminding us that WE'RE the bosses. Uhhhh, those of us who relinquished that role are doomed to sleepless nights. Oh Dawn, wish I knew how you did it. (Jen, I myself do NOT remember. . . kinda do now. . . remember how freaked out I was about letting the kittens out of the house, and so worried about whether they'd ever get used to us? And oh, well the time Tom raced outdoors when he was just a little tyke and then was so scared he wouldn't come out from under the deck. I called my friend Scott and he said, "Tuna." So I got out the tuna and set it 5 feet inside the doorway into the quilting/everything room, with the door open to the outside. It worked. That kitten (I think about 6 months old by then) came RACING into the room, loudly meowing his gratefulness, and he has been devoted to me ever since.)

I am so thankful our baseboards and door and window trim Is rough-cut lumber. Because is they weren't, they would be now. This is Tiny's favorite way to get me out of bed immediately. He begins scratching on the door trim. I oughtta just barricade them all in the unheated garage next to the quilting/everything room. Every single night. Boy they'd be sorry then. And Titan's just as bad. Yeah, now I threaten to kick 'em ALL out and not let 'em back in. lol

Thanks for your post, Jen! YES, will immediately order stuff for grocery pick-up for Chex mix. Going with caramels and fudge and Chex mix. I envied Rebecca for her patience in wrapping caramels. I have some small foil gift containers--I'll just pour the caramels into them, cool, then cut! Ready to send out! Woo-hoo. Reason for making more stuff is that I have so very many folks to gift to--many of the Lincoln children, many of the Lincoln adult volunteers. I began dividing up cookies into the small containers and realized I need lots more STUFF.

Lynn, thanks for the update on the meat processors.

As we're entering Christmas season, and approaching Christmas, I expect many of us are thinking of Dawn, as we think of all the loved ones we've lost. Bigtime thinking of Dawn. But knowing that we all agreed, no matter how reluctantly for some, that Dawn would want us to continue on. I must say, now, that I am so thankful for you all and our camaraderie. I so appreciate you all.
hazelinok
3 years ago
Hi!

We hung our onions under the shop porch. They didn't last very long but looked cool hanging there. When I've brought them indoors and kept them in pantyhose, they've lasted much longer. We are going to try the copra this year (and others too). I've chopped onions and put them in the freezer since growing them. Chopped while wearing safety goggles.

Those feed lots in Nebraska are nasty. My Dad is from Nebraska and when we visit relatives we often drive past the feed lots. The smell is awful. I guess we don't do that in Oklahoma? I only see cattle out on grass here.

It was interesting reading y'all's thoughts about eating meat, sugar, etc. Do any of you follow Bad Baxter. She is certain that mainly eating animal products (meat, eggs, milk, butter, cheese, etc.) is the healthiest way to eat. And those animals need to be fed a certain way--no grain and whatnot. To her, veggies are a condiment. And even then, the veggies need to be homegrown/local/organic. Bread, pasta, rice are completely out.

Honestly, I think different bodies do well with different eating styles. I strictly followed Eat Right for Your Blood Type for awhile. My metabolism was revved and I felt great. Blood type A is supposed to be mainly vegetarian...vegan even. I'm not sure I believe in that "diet"...but I did feel wonderful eating that way.

Bad Baxter believes that things like black beans are just sugar and not good for the body. Stuff like that. I agree with her on many things but not everything.

There could be some truth to the blood type diet really. I meant...there is a difference in our blood...so why wouldn't it affect things like diet. Type O is supposed to be a meat eater.

Anyway...

Yes. I miss Dawn. Remember the year she started her tomatoes in December?

She would be bagging up jars of salsa and then cookies (last year). And decorating and doing all the things she liked to do for the holidays.

Nancy, her younger animals gave her some grief too...especially their newest pup. Gosh..what is his name? She named him after her elderly neighbor that passed just a few months prior to her death. Jesse? I think it's Jesse. He was a mess and she couldn't get anything done, remember? And then all those kittens that she had last Christmas. They kept destroying her Christmas tree. haha. Yep. She loved them all though.

I moved Wynnie to the big coop tonight.

I shopped today. Everyone was wearing masks and doing what they're supposed to do.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
3 years ago
Hi HJ, will comment more tomorrow--but have a question for Danny! There's a Mom on Facebook OK Gardening that wants to know which carnivorous plant easiest for her 10 yr old son, who wants one/some. I figure you're the expert here. . . ???
Nancy Waggoner
3 years ago
Well, It's very late and I can't sleep. So will address your diet stuff, HJ. My BFF from kindergarten til now is big on the diet for blood type thing. She can't eat chicken according to her blood type. (Can't remember what it is, cuz I never paid attention.). I laughed at your mentioning blood type O (positive, I presume?) being meat eaters. That would be me. I instinctively stay away from bread and grain products. It always astounds me to find there are people who love bread. I never eat bread with my meals--unless we're having sandwiches. I think Bad Baxter must be a food eater type like me. I certainly don't advocate my favorite foods to everyone. I think it is a keto diet way of eating--or at least, modified keto. If I had to give up one food group, it would e grains. I'm not a GREAT veggie lovers, but would include them way before grains. In fact, for me, I think grains are totally unnecessary.
dbarron
Original Author
3 years ago
Well, I'm thinking as far as hardy plants, umm would be above the paygrade of the avg 10 year old, but Venus Fly Trap seems easiest to me, followed by Sarracenia purpurea.

However, if I had to make a recommendation, I'd say a tropical sundew like drosera capensis, would be easiest, though it probably won't last much more than a year (my experience), they have to be repropagated and pretty much treated as a long-lived annual. But for a 10 year old with limited attention span, that may not be much of an issue.

In either case, it will require full sunlight (or at least a South window), distilled water, and specialized media (not common potting soil, though you can probably just never repot the drosera capensis).

While not as fast as VFTs, you can see that the leaves and hairs curl around insect prey captured.

Acquiring one...well I don't know about Oklahoma now, but I don't remember seeing any pretty much any where, but inquiries at Alligator Alley in OKC might turn up something. I have a local that grows these, and mail order if I want cheaper (relatively) ones (cheaper meaning 8-16$ plus a hefty shipping fee for one plant ($10 or so)). This won't be like buying a 3.96$ philiodendron at Wal-Mart.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
3 years ago
Larry, before I had my hips replaced Ron made a platform for my chair. I think he dismantled it to use the wood for something else. We bought "lifters" for my mothers chair. I had ordered lifters, but they didn't work with this chair.

Your onions will probably flower in the garden and yes, the greens make good green onions. Dawn said she planted sprouting onions for pollinators, so usually do this too. I have even had them reseed.

Lynn, I think small processors is a good idea. Some ranches might start butchering on the ranch.

H/J, most ranchers here are cow/calf operations. Which means they keep cows to produce calves for market. Then they sell them to a middle man (at least we did) who takes them to a big feed lot to be fed (grain?) And finished for processing. One time my boss took them directly to the feed lot. You have to pay for feed and any medicine and you can have some die, which cuts into your profits. I think he decided it was better to get paid by someone else and not worry about all that. Plus, when you go direct, you wait longer to get paid. The feed lots are not nice places, as Danny said earlier, so grass fed beef or at least beef finished at home and processed in a small butcher shop seems like a much healthier way to go. I've never seen the actual process (and don't want to), but the big meat processing plants were hotbeds for Covid.

Ron is type O. I am not, but I don't know what it is. I don't digest red meat as well as chicken and fish. I could not do keto. I like bread. I like beans. I don't eat enough veggies. It's not like they're not available. Ron likes bread, too, though. Actually Ron likes everything.

They required masks and took our temperature at the furniture store.

It's snowing now. Yuck. I broke my ankle falling on ice 40 years ago. I've been terrified of frozen weather ever since.

December 2020, Week 2

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