I have written extensively about the trials and tribulations of getting Tashi to eat. In case you haven't read the last post, in which I said she was better - sort of, here is the link so you can read, or perhaps review: A tale of two dogs and their diets
Since I wrote this, I finally got around to putting their personal diffusers on their collars. These are cute little clip-on pendants that can be infused with essential oils. I got them several months ago but hadn't yet done the research on what I might put on them. I found that coriander was good for appetite normalization. I noticed that it didn't say that it would encourage eating, but just that it would normalize the appetite. Tashi definitely has not had a normal appetite since this whole thing started in 2014.
Coriander - that's what I should use. So I did, for Tashi. For Fred, I tried spearmint, which is supposed to help for overweight dogs.
Bingo! Immediately after hanging the coriander essential oil-infused pendant around Tashi's neck, she started eating with no encouragement. In fact, she chased Fred away from her bowl the other night, and she comes to the kitchen begging. The problems with any kind of grain seem to have disappeared, and she is eating kibble for the first time in years - about a cup a day.
I'm taking her to the vet along with Fred today. It's Fred's annual physical, so I might as well take Tashi along and get her weighed in. Right before I put the coriander EO around her neck, she weighed in at 48.1, which is within her normal range (48 to 54). That is a first since the weight started to plunge in 2014.
I'll finish this post when I get home from the vet. Fingers crossed that her weight is holding or up a little more.
Tashi's weight - 48.8! Brava, Tashi!
Friday, December 8, 2017
The gym in my basement
Over the years, I've acquired a good bit of equipment that has just been sitting since I moved here. I have used the stationary bike a few times, but the rest of it wasn't even completely put together after I moved.
I tore a ligament in my right ankle as a child. I am quite certain I know when. Second grade, we had some old playground equipment that was brought in from the country schools when they were consolidated into the town school.
One sad piece of equipment the town school inherited was a sliding board with no slide. But they set it up anyway, and we loved to pretend we were firemen. We would climb the stairs and then slide down the bars. I went down a bar one day and just simply crushed my ankle! I couldn't walk, even missed a couple of days of school. After that, sprains became a familiar experience. One of the more dramatic incidents occurred in London, when I stepped off a curb and fell flat on my face. The next thing I knew, my husband and a stranger were pulling me back up and out of the path of a speeding taxi.
In my freezer, I have three difference ice wraps for the ankle. In my closet, I have two different support boots. In the garage, a set of crutches resides. In my purse, I carry an elastic bandage. You just never know when you'll need some help, right?
Crossfit really hasn't helped it any. And mowing my very bumpy half acre yard with a regular lawnmower (no riding for me - it's exercise, you know!) has contributed bigly to the pain in my foot and ankle.
I finally bit the bullet after being on crutches again for a few days and saw my doctor. He held my heel and wiggled my foot. He said, "Call South Bend Orthopedics. You need surgery." I did, I do, December 26 it will be repaired. MRI showed not only a torn ligament, but also a torn tendon. Surgeon says that the tendon got overworked because the torn ligament couldn't stabilize my ankle. Voila - a mess!!!
I have continued to work out at the Crossfit box. Finally the pain was bad enough that I called it a day, hence the dusting off of the equipment in the basement. I can go at my own pace, stay away from anything that puts pressure on the ankle, and stay in reasonable shape prior to the surgery. I'll be laid up for a month after surgery, can do upper body stuff, but no weight on foot at all. I can't even drive.
In the meantime, I FINALLY have my gym set up in the basement. Alarm still goes off at 5 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I back the car out of the garage on jump-rope days, 50 jumps, then head downstairs to Nordic Track, stationary bike and weights. Have to keep this creaky old body in shape!
I tore a ligament in my right ankle as a child. I am quite certain I know when. Second grade, we had some old playground equipment that was brought in from the country schools when they were consolidated into the town school.
One sad piece of equipment the town school inherited was a sliding board with no slide. But they set it up anyway, and we loved to pretend we were firemen. We would climb the stairs and then slide down the bars. I went down a bar one day and just simply crushed my ankle! I couldn't walk, even missed a couple of days of school. After that, sprains became a familiar experience. One of the more dramatic incidents occurred in London, when I stepped off a curb and fell flat on my face. The next thing I knew, my husband and a stranger were pulling me back up and out of the path of a speeding taxi.
In my freezer, I have three difference ice wraps for the ankle. In my closet, I have two different support boots. In the garage, a set of crutches resides. In my purse, I carry an elastic bandage. You just never know when you'll need some help, right?
Crossfit really hasn't helped it any. And mowing my very bumpy half acre yard with a regular lawnmower (no riding for me - it's exercise, you know!) has contributed bigly to the pain in my foot and ankle.
I finally bit the bullet after being on crutches again for a few days and saw my doctor. He held my heel and wiggled my foot. He said, "Call South Bend Orthopedics. You need surgery." I did, I do, December 26 it will be repaired. MRI showed not only a torn ligament, but also a torn tendon. Surgeon says that the tendon got overworked because the torn ligament couldn't stabilize my ankle. Voila - a mess!!!
I have continued to work out at the Crossfit box. Finally the pain was bad enough that I called it a day, hence the dusting off of the equipment in the basement. I can go at my own pace, stay away from anything that puts pressure on the ankle, and stay in reasonable shape prior to the surgery. I'll be laid up for a month after surgery, can do upper body stuff, but no weight on foot at all. I can't even drive.
In the meantime, I FINALLY have my gym set up in the basement. Alarm still goes off at 5 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I back the car out of the garage on jump-rope days, 50 jumps, then head downstairs to Nordic Track, stationary bike and weights. Have to keep this creaky old body in shape!
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| My home gym - it will do the job for now. |
Sunday, November 5, 2017
A tale of two dogs and their diets . . .
Well, here's the latest in the feeding of Tashi saga. She seems to want to eat only once a day. Today, she finally dug in about 4:30 pm. She is on her third bowl of food, so in the end she gets enough to eat. My test is feeling her ribs, don't even want to bother with weighing her. I get so depressed if she has dropped even a few ounces. Her ribs feel fine, nothing like the xylophone she was at the worst of her illness.
As for Fred, he is getting so fat he can barely jump on the bed. He is getting a third of a cup of kibble twice a day. And that's it! I won't even let him lick the bowl when Tashi is finally finished. He is not wild about these meals. I sometimes have to put a bit of broth on his kibble, but then it disappears in less than a minute. He's been pacing in the kitchen beside me while I write, looking in his bowl with optimism, then walking away. LOL
When I am having trouble feeding Tashi, Fred goes in his cage any time her food is on the floor. No more stolen meals. I know that is his weight problem - I walk away from Tashi's dish to get something from the garage or basement, and the next thing I know he is up to his neck in her dog food. He is quick!
Well, they are both satisfied now. Tashi has cleaned up all of her precooked food. Chicken gizzards and hearts are cooking on the stove for tomorrow, or maybe a late night snack. A huge package of thighs and some old stew meat I found when cleaning freezers are thawing out for her next big batch.
She is a good old dog. Nearly totally deaf (but her head stills comes up when I shout, "Want to go for a walk?"), cataracts, arthritis. Hard to see these things getting worse when we have finally conquered the eating issues (sort of), but she has given me 12 beautiful years, and who knows, maybe a couple more are to come. I heart Tashi and Fred.
As for Fred, he is getting so fat he can barely jump on the bed. He is getting a third of a cup of kibble twice a day. And that's it! I won't even let him lick the bowl when Tashi is finally finished. He is not wild about these meals. I sometimes have to put a bit of broth on his kibble, but then it disappears in less than a minute. He's been pacing in the kitchen beside me while I write, looking in his bowl with optimism, then walking away. LOL
When I am having trouble feeding Tashi, Fred goes in his cage any time her food is on the floor. No more stolen meals. I know that is his weight problem - I walk away from Tashi's dish to get something from the garage or basement, and the next thing I know he is up to his neck in her dog food. He is quick!
Well, they are both satisfied now. Tashi has cleaned up all of her precooked food. Chicken gizzards and hearts are cooking on the stove for tomorrow, or maybe a late night snack. A huge package of thighs and some old stew meat I found when cleaning freezers are thawing out for her next big batch.
She is a good old dog. Nearly totally deaf (but her head stills comes up when I shout, "Want to go for a walk?"), cataracts, arthritis. Hard to see these things getting worse when we have finally conquered the eating issues (sort of), but she has given me 12 beautiful years, and who knows, maybe a couple more are to come. I heart Tashi and Fred.
Friday, November 3, 2017
My granddaughter's wedding
My third grandchild, Abby, got married a couple of weeks ago. It was a lovely weekend. She was married in St. Louis, where she is living while she is completing her residency at Washington University hospital. She is a radiologist. A radiant radiologist!
She was absolutely beautiful. I was waiting to write this blog until I had some official pictures, and I may write another one when I get those. But in the meantime, here are some of the favorites I took, and some stories to go with each of them.
She was absolutely beautiful. I was waiting to write this blog until I had some official pictures, and I may write another one when I get those. But in the meantime, here are some of the favorites I took, and some stories to go with each of them.
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| Yes, there was a dog of honor at the wedding! |
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| The bridal party learning their parts |
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| Lumi with the dog sitter, granddaughter-in-law, grandson, and the flower girl |
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| Grandma kissing a nearby horse |
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| The minister, about to perform wedding number 1,045. |
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| Chairs were decorated with herbs |
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| Grandma Susie in her wedding duds |
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| The family - Katie, Joe, Kate, Abby, Tim, Jim, Christine, Bethany, Natalie & Bob |
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| The bride and groom cutting the cake |
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| Natty ditched the party clothes fast! |
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| Mr. and Dr. Erickson's first dance |
Monday, October 30, 2017
Gearing up for the holidays
I have been so busy! We are gearing up for the holidays at the booth. People are already asking for holiday soap.
Not only is the booth busier, but a lot of what we are selling is stuff we make in the soap room here in Mishawaka. Bath Bombs are back. I haven't made them for a couple of years, but with Christina helping out in the soap room, I put them back on the schedule. We made three of the scents last week - Patchouli & Jasmine, Herbal Medley (clary sage & lemon eucalyptus), and Applejack & Orange Peel, my personal favorite. You can order bath bombs at my new web site. Not all sizes and shapes are available at all times, but we are happy to send you a list of what is in inventory. They are on my new web site. I have included a modest shipping cost in the price of all my items, so there are no surprises at checkout. The price you see is the price you will pay, delivery included. Here is my new web site address: ceresandco.com
I started making shampoo bars for a friend of mine who brought me a recipe and asked if I could do it. Yes, I could. Since I am used to making goat milk soap, there was a bit of a learning curve, but I think I've got it. The formula works in my 3-D molds, too. These aren't up on my site yet, but I'm working on it! Adding new items every day.
My new order of men's shaving brushes and brush stands went to the wrong address, not once but twice. Las Vegas warehouse to Walkerton, back to Las Vegas ware house, and BACK TO WALKERTON! I have purged that address from their system. They have sent me at least two orders to the correct address since I moved, but . . . So I am down to one shaving brush and no stands. Sale of men's products has been pretty good since we moved things around on the booth. Christina came in to the market and we worked together to increase visibility of the skin care products. Sales have increased as a result. :)
Much as I love this time of year (I'm a fall and winter person), it gets a little hectic, so back to work.
Not only is the booth busier, but a lot of what we are selling is stuff we make in the soap room here in Mishawaka. Bath Bombs are back. I haven't made them for a couple of years, but with Christina helping out in the soap room, I put them back on the schedule. We made three of the scents last week - Patchouli & Jasmine, Herbal Medley (clary sage & lemon eucalyptus), and Applejack & Orange Peel, my personal favorite. You can order bath bombs at my new web site. Not all sizes and shapes are available at all times, but we are happy to send you a list of what is in inventory. They are on my new web site. I have included a modest shipping cost in the price of all my items, so there are no surprises at checkout. The price you see is the price you will pay, delivery included. Here is my new web site address: ceresandco.com
I started making shampoo bars for a friend of mine who brought me a recipe and asked if I could do it. Yes, I could. Since I am used to making goat milk soap, there was a bit of a learning curve, but I think I've got it. The formula works in my 3-D molds, too. These aren't up on my site yet, but I'm working on it! Adding new items every day.
My new order of men's shaving brushes and brush stands went to the wrong address, not once but twice. Las Vegas warehouse to Walkerton, back to Las Vegas ware house, and BACK TO WALKERTON! I have purged that address from their system. They have sent me at least two orders to the correct address since I moved, but . . . So I am down to one shaving brush and no stands. Sale of men's products has been pretty good since we moved things around on the booth. Christina came in to the market and we worked together to increase visibility of the skin care products. Sales have increased as a result. :)
Much as I love this time of year (I'm a fall and winter person), it gets a little hectic, so back to work.
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| 3-D bars and shampoo bars |
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| Last of the bath bombs waiting to be wrapped |
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| The BIG BAR mold for shampoo bars - ready to go |
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Starting things - and finishing things
My counter top is full of projects. A week ago, I started a new batch of fermented mustard pickles. They can be jarred this Friday. Same day, I started a jar of sauerkraut. Forgot to put in juniper berries, but I will do that with my next batch. I'm eating my last quart from last year right now, so this is perfect timing, although sauerkraut just keeps tasting better with time. But even "new" kraut is better than the store bought stuff.
My two bowls of poolish are doing their thing - flour, water and a pinch of yeast. It will sit until this evening. I give it 12 hours, by which time I'll see lots of bubbles and it will smell divine! Then it will get mixed into my bread dough. The dough will do a slow rise in fridge until I take it out at 5:00 tomorrow morning to make 15 baguettes for Garden Patch Market.
I made buckwheat pancakes for breakfast this morning and realized the jar of homemade sprouted buckwheat flour is getting kind of low. So more buckwheat was soaked this morning, then will be rinsed and drained daily until I see plenty of sprouts. Then it goes into the dehydrator for a few hours and is ground into flour for my beloved buckwheat pancakes. I mix it half and half with my low carb baking mix. Sprouting the grain gets rid of a few carbs, so my diet can tolerate a plate of buckwheat pancakes once every week or two, especially after a really intense workout at the gym.
I make kefir for a couple of people and have a delivery tomorrow, so the milk is sitting on the counter, with kefir grains added. By tonight it should be just right. I'll bottle it and take with me to market tomorrow.
One of my customers loves my sourdough rye bread (only leavening in the bread dough is yeast that I caught in my kitchen when I moved here three years ago), and the jar of sourdough came out of the fridge for a hefty feeding so that I will have enough to do a recipe for two loaves tomorrow and Friday. Yes, that's right - it takes at least two days to make my sourdough rye bread, but it's worth the wait. He will be at market Saturday to pick up his loaf, and there will be two half loaves for sale along side the French baguettes. Those two breads are at the opposite ends of the bread spectrum, let me tell you, but both mighty fine.
Last but not least, I'm making Easy Slow Cooker Lemon Custard, a low carb recipe with liquid stevia, fresh lemon juice and rind, egg yolks and heavy cream. It is in my slow cooker in a water bath for three hours. First time I've made it. Hope it turns out well.
Once a month, my minister and I have dinner here together and talk over church business. I'm president of the board this year, and we seem to accumulate a few knotty issues that need some extra attention each month. Tonight's the night. He will just have to put up with my low carb stuff - although he is bringing the appetizers, his choice. Menu: Rev. Chip's appetizers, sweet red peppers stuffed with cauli-rice smothered in meat and tomato sauce, sautéed beans with garlic and cherry tomato cream sauce, and the lemon custards for dessert.
Well, back to work. Christina will be here to work in the soap room in an hour, and I have to get the work schedule together, get labels printed, jars set out, etc. so that we make the best use of our time today. In three hours, we put out a LOT of product!
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| Fermenting kraut and mustard pickles |
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| By tonight, it will be spongy and full of bubbles. |
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| Buckwheat groats soaked and set to sprout |
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| By tomorrow morning, it will be thick, creamy kefir made with A2 milk - high nutrients |
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| I can already see some bubbles forming! |
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| Organic lemons, organic egg yolks, heavy cream, a little stevia for sweetening. |
Well, back to work. Christina will be here to work in the soap room in an hour, and I have to get the work schedule together, get labels printed, jars set out, etc. so that we make the best use of our time today. In three hours, we put out a LOT of product!
Monday, September 4, 2017
Cleaning up the gardens
I'm cleaning up the flower beds one last time for the season. Busy, but such soothing work. There is a lovely fall breeze. Even though Mabon, the fall equinox, hasn't yet arrived, there is definitely a change in the weather. Even the air smells different.
Front of house is done. I'm going to take a little rest, then head back to the rose garden. It will get its own blog entry, of course! LOL
Front of house is done. I'm going to take a little rest, then head back to the rose garden. It will get its own blog entry, of course! LOL
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| Fall flowers in the front stoop planters |
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| Zinnias, such a beautiful red! The mum to the right blooms rust brown. Getting so big! Time to divide. |
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| Yes, I grow potatoes in my foundation plantings. It's my thing. |
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| Culinary sage. This is a spectacular plant! Giving away the trimmings at market this week. |
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| English ivy got another haircut today. If you don't mind the extra care, it is a great ground cover. |
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| The yarrow. Looking sad after several harvests for the soap room this year. But it will be back! |
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| Were there really that many weeds? |
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| Sage bush trimmings - going to market. Stop by. It's free! |
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| Cosmos were really looking sad. So they are on their way to the compost heap. Still useful in their own way. |
Thursday, August 24, 2017
New bread baking process this morning!
WOW!!
I am a bit clumsy with flipping the loaves directly onto the baking stone, and I made the first five loaves a little too long. One of them has a bent tip where it was too long for the baking stone.
The texture is unbelievable! Take a look at these pics.
Well, I used my couche, bread flipper and burn prevention gloves for the first time this morning. Oh, WOW! I cannot believe how beautiful the bread is turning out.
I am a bit clumsy with flipping the loaves directly onto the baking stone, and I made the first five loaves a little too long. One of them has a bent tip where it was too long for the baking stone.
The texture is unbelievable! Take a look at these pics.
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| Loaves rising in the couche |
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| Loaves baking directly on baking stone - no pans anymore! |
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| First loaves out of the oven - 10 more to go |
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| Look at the crumb, the texture - perfection! |
My gardens and my kitchen
The rose garden is all I hoped for. It's in need of a thorough weeding today, but that is pure pleasure. An hour spent, and it will be spotless again! I moved some ground cover from the foundation plantings in front of the house, will move some more down there today. It will make the job easier when there is not so much bare soil.
I bought lacewing eggs and ladybugs. The ladybugs didn't hang around long but I think they wiped out the aphids before they went. Roses are looking better. Haven't seen a lacewing yet.
Every few days I pick a bouquet of herbs, and hopefully there will be a new rose blooming. They look so beautiful on my counter, and I love having the fresh herbs at hand. I use them more when I don't have to stop and run outside with the scissors to cut them while I'm cooking.
I bought lacewing eggs and ladybugs. The ladybugs didn't hang around long but I think they wiped out the aphids before they went. Roses are looking better. Haven't seen a lacewing yet.
Every few days I pick a bouquet of herbs, and hopefully there will be a new rose blooming. They look so beautiful on my counter, and I love having the fresh herbs at hand. I use them more when I don't have to stop and run outside with the scissors to cut them while I'm cooking.
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| The rose garden |
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| They smell as good as they look. |
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| Roses, herbs and mixed bouquet |
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| Picked new herbs this morning |
And speaking of cooking, my bread baking will be quite exciting this week. I finally, after years of using old beat up baguette pans, have purchased a couche, from France no less. So I will be forming my loaves using the couche, which is a heavy linen cloth. It is laid out, then bunched up every few inches to form troughs. The formed loaves are laid in the troughs to rise. I bought the flipping board too, so that I can flip the formed loaves onto the board and use it to take the loaves to the baking stone in my oven. They will be baked directly on the stone, and it should mean even better crusts. And while I was at it, I bought some really good oven gloves. Really tired of the burns on my hands and wrists!
So that's what has been happening in Susie's gardens and kitchen. Life is good. |
| The new equipment |
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Why I was late to the market AGAIN!
Jerry told me about these wonderful pickles his mother made called mustard pickles. They were made in a crock, fermented for ten days, and then could be kept in a cool dark place without refrigeration for up to a year. My kind of pickle!
My one and only invention is my Easy Peasy Fermenting Jar. I originally called it my Suze Goldberg Pickling Jar, since one of my nicknames is Suze, and I put it together from odds and ends in my kitchen. But given the history of Rube Goldberg inventions, it may have given the impression that it would be unnecessarily complex. My jar is simple and it works! So I renamed it to reflect how easy it makes what was kind of a messy job.
I had several crocks and used them to make my own pickles. But even with a weighted plate on the pickles, skimming of mold was required. It was messy. There was a fermenting jar for sale on the internet - $30 plus shipping and no mold to deal with. It had a unique jar that, if broken, cost $20 (and shipping) to replace. I could do better than that. I am a frugal person.
I rooted through my cupboards and found a half gallon wide mouth canning jar, big enough to hold large head of cabbage if fermenting sauerkraut. Two of them would hold a half peck of pickling cukes. Perfect!
The trick to stopping mold is to keep the oxygen out of the process. The on-line pickling jar had a looped straw in the lid to allow any gasses to escape, and the lid screwed on tight to keep out air. So how would I keep the air out of my jar? No matter how full I filled it with my salt water, there was sure to be a small amount of air trapped in the top when I screwed the lid on. And a tight lid plus a build up of gases could actually cause the jar to explode.
I did some more rooting and found the perfect insert - a very small soufflé cup that we had used in my restaurant. It fit firmly into the neck of the jar and had straight sides. I filled the jar with pickles, spices, oak leaves for tannin, and salt water, making sure that the insert fit completely into the neck. When I inserted it, with the jar in a shallow bowl, a little of the saltwater spilled out. This meant that there was no air in that jar! The insert was heavy enough to keep the pickles under the salt water, and light enough that if gases accumulated, it would allow them to escape. You can always add a bit more saltwater if there are too many burps, which could allow a little air into the jar.
In five days, you will have tremendous dill pickles. In a week, you will have mighty fine sauerkraut. In ten days you will have mustard pickles. However I can't attest to how good they will taste because the reason I was late today is because I was making my first ever batch of Mustard Pickles. We will see. (Update: August 11, 2017 - decanted the pickles. They are fantastic!)
My one and only invention is my Easy Peasy Fermenting Jar. I originally called it my Suze Goldberg Pickling Jar, since one of my nicknames is Suze, and I put it together from odds and ends in my kitchen. But given the history of Rube Goldberg inventions, it may have given the impression that it would be unnecessarily complex. My jar is simple and it works! So I renamed it to reflect how easy it makes what was kind of a messy job.
I rooted through my cupboards and found a half gallon wide mouth canning jar, big enough to hold large head of cabbage if fermenting sauerkraut. Two of them would hold a half peck of pickling cukes. Perfect!
The trick to stopping mold is to keep the oxygen out of the process. The on-line pickling jar had a looped straw in the lid to allow any gasses to escape, and the lid screwed on tight to keep out air. So how would I keep the air out of my jar? No matter how full I filled it with my salt water, there was sure to be a small amount of air trapped in the top when I screwed the lid on. And a tight lid plus a build up of gases could actually cause the jar to explode.
I did some more rooting and found the perfect insert - a very small soufflé cup that we had used in my restaurant. It fit firmly into the neck of the jar and had straight sides. I filled the jar with pickles, spices, oak leaves for tannin, and salt water, making sure that the insert fit completely into the neck. When I inserted it, with the jar in a shallow bowl, a little of the saltwater spilled out. This meant that there was no air in that jar! The insert was heavy enough to keep the pickles under the salt water, and light enough that if gases accumulated, it would allow them to escape. You can always add a bit more saltwater if there are too many burps, which could allow a little air into the jar.
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| Suze's Easy Peasy Fermenting Jar at work |
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| Today's Mustard Pickles. Will be ready August 11, 2017. |
Thursday, July 13, 2017
The rose garden
I got a couple of buds from the plant that the company is replacing before it bites the dust. Appears to have been damaged in shipping. The stems were misshapen, and they were not suitable for a bud vase.
Tonight, I clipped my first rose for a bud vase. It is sitting beside me. Wonderful fragrance! The company tells me the buds will be bigger as the plant matures, but I am quite happy right now. The color is all I expected, and the scent -- oh, the scent!
Here is English Miss, the first proper rose from my new rose garden. I am very happy indeed!
Tonight, I clipped my first rose for a bud vase. It is sitting beside me. Wonderful fragrance! The company tells me the buds will be bigger as the plant matures, but I am quite happy right now. The color is all I expected, and the scent -- oh, the scent!
Here is English Miss, the first proper rose from my new rose garden. I am very happy indeed!
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| July 13, 2017 - English Miss |
Monday, June 26, 2017
Wilma and Estelle
I was wandering the halls of the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, a.k.a. the GA, when I heard a couple of women in a conversation with someone about where to eat in the center. I caught up with them to ask them if they had learned anything useful, and I had the privilege of meeting Wilma and Estelle - two delightful ladies who belong to a UU church right here in New Orleans. They asked if I would like to join them while they tried to find the food court.
Wilma bragged about being 81 (and if I do say so myself, she looked pretty youthful, wouldn't have guessed it). She whispered to me that Estelle is 95 but didn't want people to know, then added, "I don't know why I'm whispering. She is deaf as a post." Estelle certainly didn't look 95. Both were decked out, definitely not the typical Midwestern women I am used to being around. Jewelry, makeup, coifed hair, although how they managed the hair in this climate is beyond me! Every morning, I fix my hair in the hotel room, think it looks great, and by the time I have arrived at the restroom at the Convention Center, I all but scream when I look in the mirror! What happened?
So anyway, Estelle, Wilma and I meandered towards this hypothetical food court, which seemed ever out of reach. Estelle walked over to a table where a man sat alone. She yelled, "HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!" Then she and the gentleman started talking at the top of their lungs to one another. Wilma suggested we have a seat, because she knew this was going to take a while. She said the guy is deaf, too, so it would take them a bit to get through their conversation.
Wilma gave me her history while we waited for Estelle to return. She was originally from New York City (I detected the accent), then moved to Urbana, Illinois, home of the University of Illinois, where she and the man she married were both educated. Her husband became a college professor, had taught at Indiana University in Bloomington at one time, then DePaul University in Chicago. He retired from there and they moved to New Orleans for their golden years, a place she obviously dearly loves. Her husband passed several years ago.
Finally Estelle was done with her conversation, then brought her friend over to our table to meet both of us, and after much shouting, introductions were complete.
The three of us continued our wandering towards the food court. It became obvious that it was too long a walk for Estelle, so my new friends headed back, while I went on towards the court. We parted, said we hoped to run into one another at the Sunday morning service, and we were on our way. I do so regret that I didn't get a picture of my new friends. Maybe I will run into them today, in the midst of the 4,000 people who will be attending the service this morning. If I do, I will get a picture if they will allow - and something tells me they would LOVE to have their picture taken.
I enjoyed meeting them, and I think the feeling was mutual.
Prologue: I didn't see them Sunday morning. Since Wilma, obviously a sharp shopper, told me there would be bargains in the bookstore right before the convention closed, I went there in the hopes of running into them. But alas, they were not to be found. But I got a few good bargains. :)
Wilma bragged about being 81 (and if I do say so myself, she looked pretty youthful, wouldn't have guessed it). She whispered to me that Estelle is 95 but didn't want people to know, then added, "I don't know why I'm whispering. She is deaf as a post." Estelle certainly didn't look 95. Both were decked out, definitely not the typical Midwestern women I am used to being around. Jewelry, makeup, coifed hair, although how they managed the hair in this climate is beyond me! Every morning, I fix my hair in the hotel room, think it looks great, and by the time I have arrived at the restroom at the Convention Center, I all but scream when I look in the mirror! What happened?
So anyway, Estelle, Wilma and I meandered towards this hypothetical food court, which seemed ever out of reach. Estelle walked over to a table where a man sat alone. She yelled, "HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!" Then she and the gentleman started talking at the top of their lungs to one another. Wilma suggested we have a seat, because she knew this was going to take a while. She said the guy is deaf, too, so it would take them a bit to get through their conversation.
Wilma gave me her history while we waited for Estelle to return. She was originally from New York City (I detected the accent), then moved to Urbana, Illinois, home of the University of Illinois, where she and the man she married were both educated. Her husband became a college professor, had taught at Indiana University in Bloomington at one time, then DePaul University in Chicago. He retired from there and they moved to New Orleans for their golden years, a place she obviously dearly loves. Her husband passed several years ago.
Finally Estelle was done with her conversation, then brought her friend over to our table to meet both of us, and after much shouting, introductions were complete.
The three of us continued our wandering towards the food court. It became obvious that it was too long a walk for Estelle, so my new friends headed back, while I went on towards the court. We parted, said we hoped to run into one another at the Sunday morning service, and we were on our way. I do so regret that I didn't get a picture of my new friends. Maybe I will run into them today, in the midst of the 4,000 people who will be attending the service this morning. If I do, I will get a picture if they will allow - and something tells me they would LOVE to have their picture taken.
I enjoyed meeting them, and I think the feeling was mutual.
Prologue: I didn't see them Sunday morning. Since Wilma, obviously a sharp shopper, told me there would be bargains in the bookstore right before the convention closed, I went there in the hopes of running into them. But alas, they were not to be found. But I got a few good bargains. :)
Friday, May 19, 2017
Greenhouse - Part 2
Sometimes my enthusiasm outstrips realty. This greenhouse - would it be just one more example of something that wasn't nearly as much fun nor as useful as I dreamed? Oh, no, this time I was right on!
Everything is a bit late - contractors who put it up and installed electricity never seemed to hit a due date. But finally it is up and running. I'm eating radishes - at least a dozen a day, French breakfast, my favorite. The butter lettuce is wonderful. It's a little crowded, but it is working out well, a fresh salad ever couple of days.
The day before yesterday, I put in 12 kale plants, in the spaces left as I harvest radishes. They were started in the seedling tray, and once they were removed from those tiny cells, they exploded in size!
I planted two tomato seeds in every cell, except for a couple of things that my experience taught me never germinated extraordinarily well. Except this year! Wow! Germination has approached 100%. I'm giving away plants - was sure that I would have requests for a couple hundred at least. Not so much. They are late, and a lot of people already have their plants in. (Fools, I say. I've lived through killing frosts during Memorial Day Weekend.)
My kids made me promise not to turn this into a business. I didn't expect this many extra plants, though, so unless they are willing to plow up their yards, I will be selling plants here at market. The other vendors would not be happy with me giving away plants while they are trying to sell the fruits of their hard labor, so there will be a price tag on each tomato plant.
I had a commercial greenhouse on the farm, raised between 4,000 and 6,000 plants a year. Raising 300 is definitely in the "hobby" vein, and I am having a great deal of fun. It's still not too late to get some freebies, so if you want a few plants, respond to this blog and tell me how to get in touch with you so that you can get your plants.
Here are pictures from the new greenhouse in town, and from harvests at the farm. We planted around 200 plants at the farm each summer, and I just loved the old heirlooms - weird shapes, all different sizes, beautiful colors - and every one of them very tasty indeed.
Everything is a bit late - contractors who put it up and installed electricity never seemed to hit a due date. But finally it is up and running. I'm eating radishes - at least a dozen a day, French breakfast, my favorite. The butter lettuce is wonderful. It's a little crowded, but it is working out well, a fresh salad ever couple of days.
The day before yesterday, I put in 12 kale plants, in the spaces left as I harvest radishes. They were started in the seedling tray, and once they were removed from those tiny cells, they exploded in size!
I planted two tomato seeds in every cell, except for a couple of things that my experience taught me never germinated extraordinarily well. Except this year! Wow! Germination has approached 100%. I'm giving away plants - was sure that I would have requests for a couple hundred at least. Not so much. They are late, and a lot of people already have their plants in. (Fools, I say. I've lived through killing frosts during Memorial Day Weekend.)
My kids made me promise not to turn this into a business. I didn't expect this many extra plants, though, so unless they are willing to plow up their yards, I will be selling plants here at market. The other vendors would not be happy with me giving away plants while they are trying to sell the fruits of their hard labor, so there will be a price tag on each tomato plant.
I had a commercial greenhouse on the farm, raised between 4,000 and 6,000 plants a year. Raising 300 is definitely in the "hobby" vein, and I am having a great deal of fun. It's still not too late to get some freebies, so if you want a few plants, respond to this blog and tell me how to get in touch with you so that you can get your plants.
Here are pictures from the new greenhouse in town, and from harvests at the farm. We planted around 200 plants at the farm each summer, and I just loved the old heirlooms - weird shapes, all different sizes, beautiful colors - and every one of them very tasty indeed.
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| Seedling tray in the hobby greenhouse in town |
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| Seedlings potted up, going to their new owners in a couple of weeks. |
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| Harvest from the farm. |
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| Offering tastes at the market |
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A Brandywine from the farm
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| Canning the market leftovers |
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| Aren't they beautiful? |
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| Bumper crop of yellow tomatoes |
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| Getting ready to can |
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| Tomato plate - tasty treat! |
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| Seedling trays at the farm - thousands, not hundreds! |
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A lot of plants were grown in the 18' x 24' greenhouse! I miss it.
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