When it was cold last week I knew I would be using the cook stove, so I asked Loyal if he would help me with rendering lard. He created this fat cutter with objects he found here. It works like a paper cutter. I follow the directions in Ken’s old Stocking Up. Place a quarter inch of water in the bottom of a kettle, add fat, add heat. Once the temperature reaches 255 degrees, the …
Each year my parents send me paper whites. This year they also sent me an amaryllis Ken had grown amaryllis plants in the past, but this was my first. This one is quite remarkable; there were two blossom stalks The other remarkable thing was instead of two or four flowers per stem, this one has six blossoms on the first stalk Now there is a third stem with a flower bud! Beautiful. Thanks Mom and …
This season is one of transition. Loyal came and tapped trees here, hauled sap and boiled sap on Ken’s evaporator. I helped him finish and bottle the maple syrup Loyal found some filters that work better than any Ken and I had used. But after he had cleaned and hung them to dry, I had a feeling the KKK had done laundry in my kitchen. Contact Loyal if you want to buy syrup
I have not been happy with the crust on my bread. Months ago I had tried adjusting time covered and time uncovered. I thought more uncovered time would result in a crust that was more brown and well, crusty. Last week I was distracted and left one batch covered and at a higher temperature longer. The result was better crust, but the interior was bordering on gummy. However I am headed in the right direction. …
Yup. Taxes ready to see Jeanne at Skally’s Tax Service. One of those glad it’s done tasks
The sun inspired me to return to sorting, clearing and cleaning. And I found a piece of wall as a result! I consolidated all photos and slides. I will sort through those soon!
Remember Ken’s chainsaws I couldn’t start? Well, I offered them to a younger guy, and he was downright excited about them. He took them only on the condition he could help me in the future. Last week he arrived with his tractor with forks bucket and winch attachments He carved out a few days to help clean up wood damaged in last summer’s storm. This afternoon he took his equipment home Thank you, Ryan!
Today, after a couple weeks of home exercise, I swam 50 lengths ( a little over 3/4 mile) in 45 minutes. Not sure if this is a personal best, recent old lady best or what. Just know that exercise is paying off more quickly than I ever expected. Swim strokes with power!
Thank you, Celia, for sending me caps! Here is a pair for the kombucha I brew And after a visit on bread dough day, she also found caps for my bread bowls for the dough’s second rise I am so happy to have these reusable caps so I can stop using one time plastic. Thank you so much!
Last night I started moving around the furniture. Out went a rug I never liked. I swept and washed floor, set up a fan to dry the wet floor, and then I set up an area I can lay a mat. It’s my new at home exercise space! Although I had cleared space and had been doing tai chi on the west side of the main floor, I recently ordered a video from public television. …
