Larry you can eat many greens like Rick said. For drying for long term storage it doesn’t take long to dry them. In a dehydrator about 8 hours. In the oven on lowest setting like 2 hours or so. I would use 5 gallon buckets with lids if you are doing a lot. I have gallon bags full.

Thanks, Rick, I will try that. And, I do have a lot of what you mentioned, except collards.

I may have to build another kitchen, or do my cooking out side, Madge says that I make too large of a mess when I am in the kitchen.

Larry, I wish Tom had his own kitchen. lol :D

He's a messy cook too.

Often, with kale I'll use it in soups. You like Olive Garden, right? I haven't eaten there in years but I remember a Pasta e Fagioli soup on their menu. Kale is great in a soup like that. I'll link my recipe here. Pasta e Fagioli

But, really you can throw it into any soup. . It is good in a stir-fry like Rick and Kim mentioned. I like to cook the aromatics in oil first...and then add the other veggies and then finally the kale. It wilts quickly.

If you like thai food, I can find my thai red curry recipe to share.

I heard this today. I thought maybe someone else needs to read/hear this today. I'm a person who lives by the seasons and it was good for me to hear today. I'm not crazy or wrong for needing to live differently during this season.

Plants and animals don't fight the winter. They don't pretend it's not happening and attempt to live the same lives they lived in the summer.

The rest of it was so good too, but I'm too tired to type it out. haha.

Take care, Friends. It's okay to winter. We need to winter. There's wisdom in it.

Jennifer, thanks, I do love Thai food. There is a small Thai place in Ft. Smith, Ar. I use to go to, but Covid has messed it up, I dont even know if they still exist. I also love Olive Garden, but I always order the same thing, soup and salad. I can just eat their salad till I am almost sick.

I don't like winter, I don't like cold and wet. It seems as though I need to keep moving, but my body does not move well when it is cold. I can keep my heart rate and 02 level up better if I can be moving around a little.

Larry my changes in Winter, I take time in the morning to read, or play around on Facebook because I need warmth. For my arthritic joints. If I'm cold, I hurt. When I dress warm enough it's hard to do much outside. However I need my daily dose of fresh air, best in combo with sun.

Moni, we must be related, because, that is the way I feel. I think that Is one reason I enjoy my tractors so much. I can get out and fire up one of those stinking tractors, get the heat from the exhaust and engine, and exercise from shifting gears and operating the implements, it make me feel so much better, and I can do all that sitting down.

I am sitting here waiting for the temp to get up so I can go out and work on a brush hog, then go chop down a bunch of okra stalks. While I have the brush hog attached as a counter weight, I will lift a large stump from the wildlife garden and take it to my neighbors burn pile. While I am at my neighbor's, I will chop up the rest of his garden also.

Stirfry like Rick mentioned, you can add sweet potato vine tips to as well. For a change add a can of coconut milk at the end. Other things might be grated ginger (for Asian taste).

I ordered all m Christmas gifts on Amazon and accidentally sent them to my son's address. Sigh.

Doctor's appointment today, then we'll go out to lunch.

This tablet won't charge any more, so I've ordered a new one. It will still be old and slow, because I can't see $500 for a tablet. maybe houzz won't cause typing problems on new one.

XOXO

Amy, I can relate about the tablet. I'm a laptop lover but anymore I just purchase used or refurbished. Years ago I did the undertaking of learning to use some free operating systems and software (types of Linux) and now I can take an old machine and make it work (for my purposes) like a top.

Amy my sister did that. Her daughter returned them all and then my sister reordered.

George, it sure would be nice to have talent like you.

Amy, thanks for mentioning the sweet potatoes, that is something I have a lot of also, I even have them growing in containers in the kitchen. I may end up eating a lot of my slips.

The purple sweet potatoes grow like weeds anyway, eating them may be a way to keep them from overtaking the kitchen before spring.

I have mentioned trying to grow ginger, but I an not sure it will grow in this area.

Larry, Pasta e Fagioli is one of Olive Garden's soups. (The recipe link is to a version of that soup) It has pasta in it, but it's a soup. I think it's one of their meatless ones (but I'm not sure. I make it meatless). It's the one with beans and a bit of pasta in it.

I'm like you, though, I always got the soup and salad when we ate there. They have a great salad dressing. Yum.

Amy, so sorry about the tablet. I'm fine with keeping all my old technology (and do) until it simply doesn't work any longer. That stuff is so expensive.

I'm pretty sure most people don't enjoy being cold and achy. Winter often causes that. But, I think the point is, it's okay to not do the things we do in the summer or warmer seasons. The earth rests and we should too. BUT, we fight it and try to keep living the same way and doing the things that we do in the warmer seasons. Our body needs the rest of winter. Doesn't mean that we lay around all winter, but there's things to do. We can work inwardly. Be reflective. No matter how old we get, there's always new things to learn. Books to read. Things to ponder.

In the summer, I am outside until 9 pm or later. That's a long day especially if I've worked outside the home as well. I enjoy it all very much. But, books don't get read. I don't rest much. Eggs and garden produce pile up on my counters (all blessings!) and need to be dealt with.

I'm learning to be okay with simply sitting still. Maybe reading a book or journaling. In the past few years, I've found that sitting still makes me feel guilty because I should be doing tasks--tending to the garden, tending to the garden produce, etc., etc. If I don't deal with the garden produce it can ruin and that is wasteful. It's a tricky mindset.

And, dealing with people's expectations of what I should be doing. (Not my husband, btw. He would rather I rest more.)

That quote might not be for this group of friends so much. It's a mostly retired group here, I think, with a little more freedom of how days are spent.

For me, I'm going to try to read more, find TV series to enjoy, maybe even do some jigsaw puzzles. I love doing those so much and haven't done them since moving to this house in 2014. Try a couple of new things with baking.

I like to walk the dog in the winter, especially when it snows. (dealing with frozen waterers not so much.) But, I have the Raynauds thing and my hands are affected by it, so I get that the cold can be difficult for people.

I remember when I was a little kid, older people would move to Florida in November and stay until March or so. Is that still a thing? I don't know people who do that any longer.

Larry, I wonder if you could find a type of exercise on YouTube for the winter months. They have all sorts of exercise methods for all sorts of people/conditions. It might be helpful for the reasons you mentioned.

Here's the Thai Red Curry if anyone was interested. It uses kale (and other garden foods as well). It's absolutely one of my favorites. Thai Red Curry

Here's an exercise program for older folks. My father sent it to me some years ago:

This is for older people. Younger people try it at their own risk. This is working well for me.

For those of us getting along in years, here is a little secret for building your arm and shoulder muscles. You might want to adopt this regimen. Three days a week works well.

Begin by standing straight, with a 5-LB. potato sack in each hand. Extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can-try to reach a full minute. Relax.

After a few weeks, move up to 10-LB. potato sacks, and then 50-LB. potato sacks, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-LB. potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight out for more than a full minute.

After you feel confident at that level, start putting a couple of potatoes in each of the sacks, but be careful not to overdo it.

George, I like that, but I think I will just start with 2 potatoes in a sack, then maybe go up to 3 potatoes in each sack, that would just about max me out. The Dr. to lift anything weighing more than a gal. of milk. I do lift more than that, but I am careful.

Jennifer, when I had my shoulder repaired and my back and feet checked, I was given exercises I could do inside I could do inside. The back, hip and leg exercises are done on the bed. They really help, but are boring. I really like being outside. I think that is the main reason I enjoyed hunting. I really didn't want to kill anything, but I could get out in the woods and walk miles and not see anyone.

I am going out to get some exercise. I have to dig a hole to divert leaking septic water so I can find out where it’s leaking :0 not my favorite exercise

Kim, I don't want to trade you jobs.

I have been out trying to put another PTO shaft on a tractor. About the time I gave up on attaching the shaft, and came into the house, a man stopped to buy some turnips to feed his 50 pound rats. He told me what they were, but I could not understand him, so he showed me a picture on hid phone. They are some kind of huge rodent from South America. I think he said that they were the largest rodents in the world. I can just see me dragging one home, Madge would love it. Not!

Oh, Kim! Sorry! Let us know how it goes.

Kim, that is NOT the kind of exercise I'd like to be doing, either. I see we're going to have a big warm-up for Thurs and Fri. I hope you get it, too, and have found the leak. If it's not one aggravating thing, it's another! I'm so sorry!

The exercise George described--yes, that is more my kind of exercise. I think I could even start with one potato. And may at some point work up to 2.

I loved hearing about your diet, Rick. What a great way to polish off the greens. I sure wish I liked them all more. By the way--Ron brought us greens. A lovely head of broccoli that was delicious--and collard greens. Are all collard greens that enormous, Amy? They were so much fun to cook. And the first ones I've ever tasted. I will grow them for sure next year. I'd say Ron is doing a bang-up job in his new retirement job! Please tell him how amazing the greens were.

The Thai Red Curry sounded good, HJ. I think I'll have to try it.

Plants and animals don't fight the winter. They don't pretend it's not happening and attempt to live the same lives they lived in the summer. This struck a chord with me now. I won't say I feel "old. . ." but I will truthfully say that my life has changed over the past 2 years. Won't attempt to address this subject now, but it's certainly on my mind and will probably come back to it soon. Fact is, just like plants, other living creatures have their seasons, including human beings. I understand a change is coming. . . a change toward winter.

On the other hand, HJ, I do NOT need to be relaxing and reading. I need to be moving and exercising. The sad fact is that for many, if not most, retirees, we get nowhere NEAR the exercise we need to be getting. For a retiree, there are plenty of hours in a day to get plenty of exercise and plenty of resting and reading and relaxing. :) .

AAGGHHH. Computer stuff!! I have a Macbook Air and a Dell desktop. And an Iphone. I need a guru to come link them all together. The photographs/pics are especially driving me insane. LARRY!!! (Eileen's Larry--maybe I'll just PM her, since I'm not sure she's always reading here. . .) . I spent hours today on computer issues, as well as looking up kitchen supplies and recipes for holiday cookies. I need to spring into baking action next week.

So much more to discuss, but sleepy time. . .

Nancy, I knew someone would connect with that quote other than me. And I'm not surprised it is you.

Seasons. Seasons of the year. Seasons of life. Winter is a real thing in both. The Crone. The Crone is of the winter season. It's a real thing and we can either accept it and thrive in it (in its own unique way different from spring and summer) when we are there....or not. There's a song that I like: "Old Crone, cast your circle black. Weave the wisdom that we lack.".

And a couple of my posts ago, I mentioned the wisdom in winter.

I think too much and wish I didn't sometimes.

Kim, hope you're doing okay.

Wel I lost my post. I forgot the tablet I'm using deletes everything if you minimize the window. Arg. that's one of the reasons i got the other (now non charging) tablet. I liked that tablet. But I changed brands, because Lenovo doesn't have a wireless charger for it. I think you can get the socket to fix it and I may ask my son about it. So, on to Samsung. I gave my sister a Samsung, they're nice enough. George, my son builds computers and though he now uses windows, he once used lynux. I think some of the equipment he used at work was lynux.

I have to go to Bartlesville now.

Nancy I read Ron what you said about the greens. Thank you. SESE has a large selection of collard varieties. What we brought you is a bonnie transplant. Those have been Georgia collards in the past. My favorite is Yellow cabbage Collard, which they quit carrying.

bye.

Amy, the word is 'linux', just so you know if you want to actually look it up or something.

The sausage SMELLS good, Danny--it's on the menu for this evening.

I picked the last of the peppers today. The plants are all but done for. Sugar Rush Peach--the most prolific pepper ever! And. . . . cilantro is up and coming along, as is a new batch of mustard, walking onions, and Swiss chard.

Did you all receive that splended Seed Savers catalog? I think I'll order more from them this year. A worthy cause.

HJ, I don't believe there is such a thing as thinking too much. :)

I settled on this year's cookies--I'll be picking up groceries tomorrow and then can get started on them. I wanted to do fruitcake, but not really that excited about sending myself to the poorhouse. We'll see. Gingerbread, sugar, and lemon cookies, Mexican wedding cookies (aka Snowballs, Russian tea cakes), and Death by chocolate cookies. And oatmeal raisin for son Wade.

Just what we need--another invasive species, the 50 lb rodents from SA. Yikes.

Garry took a run at the leaves today with the zero turn. It did a good job except for the small front lawn--I'm going to have to get them with the regular mower (and bag them).

Have any of you heard of the Skylight frame? Kids in Minneapolis got one for us, and they've been having fun sending pics. What a racket it is . . . in turn, I sent one to them, and to granddaughter. Silly, but fun.

Oh yawn. . . got to get up and fix dinner before I fall asleep! Happy Thursday!

A big thumbs up on the sausage!

Danny, I can't spell. I think Google could figure it out. I was in a hurry or I might have checked how it was spelled. You would think my auto complete would know how to spell Linux.

I wondered how Nancy prepared the collards.

20 hawks on the way to Bartlesville. 16 on the way back. That's how I entertain myself on the trip, counting hawks. You see more in winter, they hang out by the road more. They're also picking mates and preparing nests. Hawks nest earlier than song birds.

my sister is not doing well, so it falls to me to deal with it.

Have a nice weekend.

I dug along deep trench. It’s not as fun as digging in the garden. Covered it in lime and leaving it to tomorrow. I got three more bags of lime. I can’t get help because it’s not a legal system. I will have to crawl under there and figure it out I reckon. Good news I got one car running.

Amy, my previous phone was a sexophile, you should have seen the things it dictated when I was trying to text my aunt vocally (seriously that problem went away with that phone). Though, yes, I always have to read what it transcribed and correct. My current phone doesn't understand contractions and tends to inverse negatives(that would have been does instead of doesn't).

As far as Linux, I've ran Linux as a desktop operating system for well more than twenty years. I currently have like six distributions setup, because I like to keep track of innovations different groups make. I can say with certainty that there's enough difference that you would probably not guess of much relationship between any of them, if shown.

Nancy, could you smell or taste the cedar ? (I can) Glad you liked them, I noticed sausage prices have gone way up in the grocery store when I went yesterday. I guess I'll be buying and grinding more when my frozen supplies run out. Luckily I have enough to probably get over my creeping crud (the sinus stuff) that has been plaguing me for almost two weeks now. I did the math and over the past few months the sausage rolls have gone up 40%.

Kim, I didn't realize there were 'illegal' septic tanks. Is that because of city limits and availability of sewage systems? or because you're in a watershed ?

Wow, about 24 hours ago, it was supposed to be a high of 39 today, now it's a high of 76. Weather!

Danny can you post your sausage recipe once more? I can't find it anymore. I have decided not to buy anything you can't see what is in it... such as sausage and ground beef.

What kind of grinder do you uses? I only have a hand cranked model anymore.

Kim, how's it going? Making positive changes?

I rained here... well, let me rephrase, the ground got a tiny bit wet. Prolly because I washed the windows for my cold frames. LOL

the pavement got the solid wet look just before it quit.

I just went out, to see real evidence... and found it. :)

and the sun is back out now....

I didn't post a recipe...because as a general rule I don't use recipes :) So I'll make one up.

This looks about like mine: https://www.amazon.com/Grinders-Electric-Stainless-Grinding-Commercial/dp/B08F6SX5NZ/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=meat+grinder&qid=1639149556&sr=8-18

Cedar berries are optional, but I felt it added something (you might not like the taste though), well actually this is sausage so it's ALL optional. Make it your own. The more fat the better, most big shoulder sections (which is what I use) have fat trimmed pretty closely...it could use more fat. AND be sure to grind cold as possible because the fat is a mess if it's not cold.

Ingredients added to the coarse grind and mixed by hand for about 4lb of meat:

40 juniper berries mortared to paste. So that was not totally lost on the mortar, I added about 1/2 tsp of celery seed to the mortar and some whole black pepper corns (taste, but i used about 1 tblspoon)

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tsp of salt (more or less..again to taste and salt sensitivity, I am sensitive so this is low to medium)

1 tsp each (ginger, cloves, cayenne pepper,paprika)

Probably about another tsp of dried red pepper flakes (cayenne or any good hot to medium hot pepper...diced dried smoked poblanos would probably be good)

4 tsp ground sage (I'm sure diced fresh would be great too, though it might be kinda clumpy)

Mix well. I always enjoy making this, though I'm not so keen on machine assembly, disassembly, and clean up. I usually therefore make between 8 and 10 lbs at a time to get as much out of work as I can.

I have watered the front yard (barely..because it just seems odd to be watering in mid December) twice this week and keep hoping for significant rain.

Weird! The only butterflies I'd seen in the past several weeks were orange sulfurs--until yesterday. This Painted Lady showed up on the aster that the bees have loved. I think it's headed for somewhere warm, but it had better hurry!

I needn't starve, between the Swiss chard and mustard!

The 2-yr old oakleaf hydrangea:

Danny, there was a distinctive taste--but I have never tasted cedar, so don't know if it was cedar. ? You'll have to come back here so I can take you to where the lovely native plants are growing!

Amy--since I've never fixed collards and since I'm a sissy. . . I fixed a wilted collard salad, using it just as I use spinach. Haha, the recipe I used said it was good for people who didn't like collards! I figured this would be a good way to get me to like collards!

I'm late getting going--glad we're just having hamburgers for supper since my intent is to get things organized for cookie baking festivities.

I have a parsley farm out the back door. Honestly, there is one big hale and hearty parsley patch! But need to go DO stuff!

If you smell cedar (or taste it), you should remember it ;) (taste being mostly analogous to smell).

Did you find the distinctive flavor complimentary or wish it wasn't in there ? :)

I'm feeling kinda depressed today...I hate dull gray days and there's really nothing to look forward to for a while (I'm sick and have to stay in, on and off decent days,etc).

I love the smell of cedar, but not too fond of the taste. We use to buy cedar shaving at the hardware to make pillows to put in our dog bed, I thought it made the house and dog smell better.

I worked a lot today, and got almost nothing dune. I have been trying to install a clutch pedal spring, I am just not strong enough to do it. I will try to rig up some kind of tool tomorrow to stretch the spring and hold it in place while I press the spring into place. I had planned to have all the okra and roselle cut down before today. I hate to ask for help, but the time has come for me to do that often.

Larry I have a very time asking for help. I just found out very soon my kids will not be using me for their granny nanny. I had no clue my daughter wanted to be stay at home mom. So blindsided by this. I must get focused

I feel sick for you, Kim. I am so sorry.

Larry , if I was just closer I would be over in a second.

I had an ordeal with the clutch on my truck over Thanksgiving.

Rick

Kim, I am sorry. I know it hurts you in more ways than one.

Rick, thanks, it makes me feel good just to hear that from you. I use to help people all the time, it made me feel good, and it should not be so hard for me to ask for help.

It feels like rain outside, the air feels warm and damp, and it is still 75 degrees at 8;10 PM.

Nancy, I saw that frame advertised and considered it for my Mom! Are you enjoying it?

...and there is such a thing in "thinking too much". People don't talk to you and/or think you're nuts or weird. Or just write you off as unfun or boring. I learned a long time ago to talk about normal things, but sometimes the weirdness slips out.

Amy, we have quite a few hawks out here. I mostly see them on the main road on the wires looking down. They are lovely but I need for them to stay away from my chickens. I really do think they are interesting to watch.

Are collards a southern thing?

I think they are very good and they seem to be such tough plants. Surviving the summer and winter.

Cedar. Useful for protection and cleansing. There's some medicinal benefits as well, but I'm being weird again, so will leave it at that.

I'm glad you're enjoying the sausages, Danny and Nancy.

Cooking the sausages from Tom's pig has been interesting. It cooks up differently than anything I've purchased from stores.

Larry, I wish you and Rick were closer to each other. Y'all would have so much fun together! And help each other too.

...and, Larry, those roselle plants weren't easy to dig out. What an amazing plant, though.

Kim, I'm sorry.

We got a few sprinkles today.

The wind has been crazy and the temperature just dropped. I saw a full and bright rainbow this morning, but didn't get a picture.

And...I had a salad made of lettuce, radishes, and turnips for lunch. That's about the only garden stuff I have to talk about.

I will spend most of tomorrow in the kitchen. My Pilates instructor had a surgery. She has no family that lives near. Her husband left her a couple of years ago, she has no children. SO, I'm going to take some dinners to her. Grateful her sister is coming from out-of-town to help. And we have a dinner party Sunday evening, so I'll need to prepare for that.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Jennifer, I have no problem with okra or roselle in my garden. I use my small tractor to push the plants out to the end of the row, and wash the dirt off the roots, then push the plants out into the pasture. What the cattle don't eat I will chop up with the brush hog.

My neighbor does not have as much equipment as I do, so I go over and do equipment work for him, and he does manual work for me. Neighbor just want his stalks chopped up.

We got a little rain, but the wind and rain only last for about 15 min.

I think it would be nice to live close to Rick.

I think one reason I spend so much time on this forum, is that my circle of friends keeps getting smaller. Covid seems to keep up isolated, old age is killing us, and family seems to be tied up in their kids and grand kids, but Madge and I are having a great time together, we eat out a lot, and I play in the dirt with my tractors. ( or work on them) :)

I think it would be great to live close to any of you, Larry! ANY of my friends here--I would feel so blessed to have any of you as a neighbor! My circle of friends hasn't grown smaller--it's quite large--but my circle of friends nearby? Nope, got hardly any nearby friends. On the other hand, my circle of friends in OK? Very small indeed, and pretty much all of you here in gardening. Not because you all like gardening, but because I lucked into finding a great bunch of folks, and we all like gardening.

I love to cook. BUT. I also love eating out with Garry--eating out is like date nights--we laugh and visit. . . we laugh and visit at home, too, but eating out just has a special shine to an evening. Covid has certainly hammered us all. (We just finally got our boosters today . .)

Special church cantata this coming Sunday. We have only been watching via online for the past several months. But I was excited to go to the cantata (my very favorite Christmas song--I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day). . . and THEN of course, Covid is spiking again. Here's the conversation GDW and I had this evening. This cantata will be two services combined, so twice as many people. Garry and I have been so very careful the past forever Covid months. . . Not stupid careful. . . when we go to the marina, we know few there have gotten vaccines--few there believe in distancing. But we do, so we maintain distances/go early, leave early. Church doesn't afford that flexibility. And what I said to GDW--if the church said "WEAR masks and/or social distance," I'd be okay going. But when church doesn't say anything???? And on the other hand church and church people keep putting out stuff in emails/newsletters that they want the missing ones to return to church. I keep receiving messages from people telling us how much they miss us. ????? Scuse me?? GDW and I both agree that we'd love to go back and would--IF the "church folks" would meet halfway. As it stands, we likely won't be returning any time soon. So sad. And SO, Larry. . . LOLOLOL . yes, our circle of in-person friends has been shrinking!

Kim, Kim, Kim. . . I am so so sorry for your predicament. I pray that you'll find a way to get along. I wish I lived nearby and could talk it all over with you. Wish ALL of us did.

Danny. . . I don't think I ever DID hear the recipe. . . waiting to hear. Also. Cedar smell/taste--?? Nope not possible. I have never smelled Cedar, that I know of. Having said that, got to thinking about meat grinders. Looked em up today. My Dad was a meat cutter (as an after-hours job)--commanded great prices and was quite the prima donna. One of the extras was that he always ground meat. We had a manual meat grinder, of course. Question: what kind of meat grinder do you have?

We had two Fed Ex deliveries "promised" to us today. They didn't deliver. Any one else of you being screwed by Fed Ex?

Jennifer I still insist it is impossible to think too much. The thing is, we just should not share our thinking. Thinking is just that. Quiet conversations with ourselves. I believe one of the world's greatest problems is that people don't want to be bothered to think, or else think it is not a good thing.

Oh my goodness. . . Speaking of, my mind is spinning this evening, missing my darling children. The Skylight they sent me and I in turn sent them is great--but it's only as great as the people using it! LOLOL. I always miss those rascals so very much around the Christmas holidays. Since 1984, my family has always been just my son and me. Now it's my son and DIL (and couldn't love a real daughter any more) and granddaughter and grandson. And they're all in Mpls. I haven't seen them in 3 years. Miss them so very much.

Garry has kids in OK, but they're mostly bonded more to their mothers' sides. I'm close to some, but they're all so busy with kids and their own lives that we don't see them much.

Well. Anyone up for a genuine deep dark rum-soaked fruitcake or great cookies? Send me your address and we'll get some off! XOXO . :)

Larry, I've enjoyed seeing the pictures of your little guy every month.

Nancy, I'm pretty much the same way. My online friends are the only ones I really talk to. I went back to working in the office once or twice a week, but most days I don't see or talk to anyone else.

We shut down church when this all started, started back up in May or June, then shut back down when Oklahoma county numbers started climbing again. This is the second Christmas we haven't been in person.

So if any of y'all want to stop by, just let me know. Just be prepared for a herd of dogs coming to greet you.

Lol, I was wishing I could see a herd of dogs today (too cold to do our regular time at the dog park on Saturday). It's kinda like the highlight of my typical week. I've been brainstorming and I don't see any real way for an outing today. I'm still sick and being out in this weather would probably not be a good thing for me.

Too bad we don't have heated indoor dog parks (lol), course other than mostly hairless dogs (like chihuahuas and greyhounds), the dogs would prefer the snow and outside coolness.

So...guess what? I got the new tablet, plugged it in to charge on one of the cords already by my chair, and it didn't charge. There are 2 USB slots on my surge strip and apparently both are dead. I had tried both with the old tablet. So the old tablet is now charged and I have a new one. I have 5 functioning tablets. They're all at least 2 years old, but if I can keep them charged grandkids can play with them.

All the puppies and momma dog that my daughter was fostering have been adopted of fostered elsewhere. Funny thing is I had a Christmas party with the Y ladies and one of them is involved with the same rescue group and knew about them. As I said we had a Christmas party which started out in a park. It was windy and rainy so we moved 1/2 a block to one of the lady's garage (to maintain outdoor distancing). It was nice to see them.

Nancy, collards, like kale are a tough leaf that can stand up to cooking. Spinach is much more delicate. I don't like the "mustard" in mustard greens, so I like kale and collards.

Fed Ex has become the least reliable of the delivery services.

Larry, I love roselle after only growing it for a year. I needed to dig it out with a shovel so Rick could till the area. It had pretty massive roots.

Churches are in a hard situation with the mask wearing rule. Would Jesus refuse people without a mask? I don't know. But, it's more complicated than that. Ours pretty much says wear it if you feel more comfortable wearing it. They provide masks at the doors and you can pick up communion so you don't have to get up to go to a communion table. But those tables are pretty spread out and people seem respectful about letting others get theirs before getting too close. I typically wear my mask. I teach children's classes and it's not easy teaching them in a mask and singing with them and all.

Probably half of our people wear masks. We have a very large auditorium so it's easy to spread out. Our congregation is much smaller than it used to be, so the auditorium is way too big, but it works for covid situation because it allows for the spreading out of people. And we have had several people who have had covid once or twice and they have been vaccinated. I don't know what the answer is. It's all so frustrating.

And there's other things floating around--some type of non-covid/non-flu virus that makes people feel like crap for days, and also a stomach bug.

I love that song too, Nancy! Can you just wear a double mask to your church event? And stay apart from others? Or is your church normally shoulder-to-shoulder?

And it would be nice if all of us lived close to each other. Rick and I are fortunate that we live so close to each other.

Jen, I for sure want to come visit! Not this month, but soon and I'll bring that thing. You can check it out and see if it's something you can use.

I also enjoy the pics of Larry's little dog baby.

Danny, I'm sorry you're still so sick.

Nancy, you're right about keeping thoughts to oneself. I just have so many thoughts that they start to bubble out and I want to discuss them with someone else. I have a couple of friends that I don't get to see often who are weird like me and aren't offended to discuss things that might challenge beliefs in many areas. It's not an easy thing to find in people.

Oh my word, Amy! It was the strip that was messed up! Oh well, at least you have back up tablets now!

That's great news that the momma and puppies have been adopted or are in other foster homes. I'm always so tempted to take a foster when I see Forever Yours is asking for help. I simply can't take care of one more pet right now, though. The only pet I sought out--other than the chickens--is Finbar. The others were rehomed to me. Josi was a foster, but the rescue got grumpy when I tried to return her to the pool of adoptable/fostered dogs. So, we kept her. Adopted her.

We've had issues already this morning with Ethan's car, so I'm hoping for a good outcome. It's a very old car, but we really need it to keep going for another year or so. There's always something, right?

I am thankful my church never missed a beat. We had church in our cars in the parking lot then church indoors with masks and less than half the seating finally back to normal. There are several that sit in the back with seats between them and others. I feel like everyone gets what they need. I am going tomorrow for the first time in many weeks. I normally only go to work and home. Trying to conserve gas. It is an 80 minute drive.

I would love to live in an area with all of you and big gardens to work in. A community house in the middle and we are all set. I saw a video the other day and it was so awesome the way things were set up.

Here is a link. This type of living is how it used to be

https://youtu.be/n-uH36w9xg8

My church never missed a beat if one counts online. That's how we've been "attending"--through livestreaming.

Fed Ex--aaggh. I saw today where 1/2 our order was in Ft. Worth last night. Yesterday morning it was in Missouri. The other half SHOULD get here today. . . we'll see. What the heck do you suppose is going on with Fed Ex!?

I froze the last of the peppers. I didn't realize that some were very very very hot until I accidentally touched my fingers to my mouth--and set my mouth on fire for a while. Yikes. Fingers still hot.

Yep, Amy, the collards are tough customers! :) Still, salad was good.

I caved and decided to do fruitcakes, so ran back into town today to get the ingredients. . . oops, gotta run. . . later.

Mom use to make a no-bake fruit cake, but it was very expensive. I think Madge may have made it a time or two, but I am about the only one that eats it, so not worth making, too much work. I would buy one if I could fine one like mom made.

I think some of my medicine is delivered by Fed Ex., they just toss it on the porch, they may knock on the floor, but I don't hear them.

This was not a good day to do do anything out side, too cold

So, I've been cooking all day.

And that brought to mind the lowly onion.

I made 3 dishes: Thai, Italian, and Mexican. I was laughing at myself as I was trying to keep the various herbs with their various ethnic dishes. However, the onion was used in all of the dishes. Actually the onion, garlic AND peppers.

As you can imagine, my house smells yummy.

My onions are about gone. And, a lot of them have gone bad. I've had them last well into the spring. I dunno. Maybe because I kept them in my house in the past. Technically these are in my house, but in the utility room and that room stays pretty hot in the warm months (and cold in the winter.) Not as hot/cold as outdoors but it only has one small vent.

Kim, I'm going to watch the video later. Looks interesting.

It's after 7, but I want to make a couple of batches of cookies so I'd better get busy.

So, this winds up this week, and I'll await someone to open week 3. I'm still disappointed that no one commented on the Walter Cronkite quote. Even I remember that and I'm younger than most of you.

Onward, on the march toward the end of 2021....

Wait! I commented on it!