Oh , it is so nice to sit for a moment. Tomatoes are in the canner and that is it for today!

Rick, we are getting a nice gentle rain at the moment, I am listening to crows caw for food and it is already there if they look!

Patricia, your vegetable cut up sounds good to me!! Yesterday, Kyle called me and said there was a lady here to talk with me. He had been cutting grass and didn't have his hearing aids  but managed to understand her. She was asking if I had any dill, fresh or dried as she wanted to do pickles. Well, she came in the house a stranger and went out a friend. I gave her a jar of the pickle mix I use, saving her to go to town to get it and I didn't want anything for it but she insisted I take a huge cantaloupe.  I am sure we will meet again.   Now, I did get off topic, what I wanted to say is she canned potatoes,onions,carrots,peas and celery in one jar and she would open one and add meat to make a quick soup or stew! I found that interesting.

Looks like lunch time is near.....better feed the boss...

The beet relish is all done!  I got 15 half-pint jars out of it.  If I don't give a lot of it away, that should last me a while!

AMY, who's the boss around there?  And did that lady give you directions for canning all that stuff together?  I like that idea.  Some meat in the crock pot and add a jar of vegetables....seems like easy "work"!

I have to put the canner away and then the kitchen is all cleaned up!  And I have the day off!

Jane, that is a lot of work ,bet the popping is going on in your home!

No, she didn't but I would think to pressure can it the same we do for potatoes, 40 mins for the quarts. I also like the idea of dump in a pot along with leftover meat be it roast ,hamburg even chicken. A quickie meal for sure or when one doesn't feel like cooking.

Just a reminder - lest I'm not the only one to forget. Don't forget to clean the dust bunnies out of your computer. For whatever reason I happened to look down the side of my computer- where the vent holes are --- couldn't see them. They were covered with dust. Had to tend to that immediately so pulled the desk away from the wall and first vacuumed the outside, then remove the side cover and blew out the inside. Heat is the enemy of electronics. Enough babble - clean it.

Good afternoon from a cool 56-degree Interior at 1:54 pm. Unlike a typical August, we haven't had any rain since Dante visited, but we dropped twenty degrees from last week to this week, which is typical August weather. I'm off the laptop today except for short breaks due to many delayed projects here at home.

Amy, for me, chopping is therapeutic; it calms by repetition. I no longer meal prep, but I do like to freeze commonly used vegetables to have something ready for any meat or fish I want to make. I only need to vary the seasoning and style of preparation.

I made some cream soup bases this morning as I cannot digest condensed soups due to all the chemicals used in processing. It's the same base, and you only need to add the particular flavoring.

Another tip from my allergy/nutritionist is to always, if possible, buy wedges of cheese and grate what you need. You don't get all the processing and unwanted ingredients from the smaller prepackaged cheeses, and more vitamins weren't taken out so they could add flavorings and chemicals   

I just stopped by on my way to the haystack!  The weather is strange around here.  Tonight, it's supposed to get all the way down to 51 degrees during the night tonight.  Then tomorrow it will be up in the mid 80s by mid day!  I don't ever remember an August like this before!  It was a good day to be working in the kitchen because it didn't really get hot inside the house.

When Cooper and I took our walks, I came back sweating but I never needed the A/C all day!  Amazing!!

AMY, I made a list of those veggies that your (brand new) friend cans together and I'm thinking I might give it a try.  There probably aren't any more fresh peas around here but the rest of the stuff is plentiful!  When the kids were growing up, the peas hardly ever made it from the garden to the kitchen.  They were too easy to eat on the way!  And I couldn't even scold them because I remembered doing it myself when I was a kid!

OK, the haystack is calling!  I'll "see" you all tomorrow.  Sleep peacefully and wake refreshed.  Good Night, Everyfriend!

Yes, Rammel, my computer went all hinky on me the other day, making a terrible noise. I pulled it out from the back of the cabinet, and had to unplug it to make it stop howling at me.  I looked in the vent openings and wow, how awful.  I got the outside of the unit cleaned, but can't manage to lift the CPU down to carry it out to blow the dust out.
My IT tech, when I need him, usually does that for me.  I just emailed him today, with thoughts toward getting him to build me an up-to-date desktop, and transfer all my junk from this old one.  He warned me that since they use much better parts in building the units, they are more expensive than the store bought ones.  I haven't asked how $$$$much just yet. A little bit wary of having to spend more money.  As I may have posted before, I need a new fence and have a corner lot, and it is going to be $$$$$. (provided I can withdraw some cash from my investments) Oh, well as they say"you can't take it with you" but I'd like to have a little bit to enjoy while I'm here!  Keep fighting that computer dust!

Good morning..

No rain slated for today,just a sunny day until around 4 pm then cloud cover.

Today, I finally get to can the icicle pickles after 14 days of doing different processes with them.  Need to pick up 3 more cases of jars and will do that first thing this morning .

Patricia, wise words on the cheese, I never buy grated cheese as they add something to it to keep it from sticking together. My friend won't buy tomato soup, she (diabetic) didn't read the label and it sent her for a loop! The soup was loaded with suger!

Jane, I also grab some beans and walk about the garden munching on them.
 I still have beets and potatoes to can. Will do the beet in quarts as we both like them and potatoes in pints as that is enough for the two of us.

Rick, thank you for the heads up on the dust bunnies in the computer! Will check into it today.

Better get the day started, sure hope my attem got up with me!

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

Good Morning Everyfriend!  I'm up and (I hope) attem!  I meant to run the dishwasher yesterday when my workday ended and I totally forgot.  So I added some stuff this morning and it's running now.  When that's finished, there's laundry!  I think there's ALWAYS laundry!

I don't have Cooper this weekend because Frankie is off but she did ask me if he might be able to spend the night with me.  She's going out for a late dinner and then some time with friends.  I suspect there will be some beer bottles around!  So I might have company later!

I hope you all get your computers cleaned out!  I checked and mine doesn't need it.  It's a laptop that I have hooked up to a (thing you see stuff on).  Sorry, my memory left me!  I can take the laptop with me when I go to Cindy's or she can use the screen when she's here and has to put in a few work time hours every day!

Now I'm going to go get dressed and make the bed, sort the laundry and take my walk!  I hope you all have a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow!  Happy Saturday!!

Good morning, 53 degrees here and foggy. I guess it's better than smoky. We went quickly from the seventies and eighties to the fifties and low sixties, with light rain each afternoon.

I've procrastinated long enough and finished some nagging chores. But that only brings me to even more that have sat longer. So, I'm on the couch with my coffee debating chores now and groceries later or simply groceries.

I know it's fall when my tastes change from lots of different salads to lots of casseroles, soups, and stews. I finished a pound of kidney beans yesterday, bagged and in the freezer, and now I'm looking at some navy beans. Does anyone know why navy beans are called that when they're white?  I'm easy in that my tastes are always seasonal.

Our morning meet and greet was somber today as an old friend in hospice lost her cancer battle yesterday. She had gone through battles three times, but then it returned a fourth, which was too much.

Patricia, I am sorry about your friend.She sure gave it a good fight!
Navy Beans are small, oval-shaped beans with white skin. They have a mild, delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston Baked Beans. These white beans were named Navy Beans because of their inclusion in the U.S. Naval diet during the second half of the 19th Century.

She certainly did, as she was one who never held back. She will be missed.

Thanks for the explanation regarding navy beans. I think they and kidney beans are the most usable beans for me. I like to bag and freeze the dried beans after cooking in groups of a half pound for various recipes.

I also prefer the navy beans for baked beans and one day next week I will do them in the IP and then can a big batch in pint sealer for later.

hmmm. I had to look up pint sealer and found it after sifting through the various concrete, asbestos, and other sealants.

After buying a new one, a friend offered to sell me her old air fryer cheaply; however, with only me and little counter space. I don't need or use the appliances I have now.

After processing, I cook the beans a pound at a time and then freeze them in half-cup sizes for use in various recipes.

PATRICIA, I'm sorry about your friend, too.  It's always hard to lose a friend!

I heard about the "navy beans" a long time back but I'd forgotten.  It's nice to be reminded.

I got a lot done today.....6 loads of laundry (some of them area rugs), some floors cleaned, dishwasher run and dishes put away, walked my two long walks, made some soup, cleaned up a couple of areas that needed it and changed a bed.  That's about all I can think of but my "tired" tells me there mush have been more!

I'm heading for the haystack.  Tomorrow, I have a ride to church and back so that will be my morning.  In the afternoon, Frankie might be coming over to wash windows.  Sleep peacefully and wake with a smile!  It'll be a great day!  Good night!

Good Morning Everyfriend!  The day begins at 55 degrees!

Good morning 

A welcomed day of rest here   Saw the last of the cucumbers yesterday. After 15 days of working with them the cucumbers morphed into icicle pickle..crunchie ones at that! There were 17 pints but could have been 2 more but I ran out of syrup. We now have the tough of of disposing them .   Laundry was also done while they were in the canner . Today will be sewing room to see what quilt I would like to do next.

Jane, I am sure you also didn't need any rocking last night.Nice to get all that work done and m ove on. I came across your bbq recipe and that is now on my to do list.

Patrica, we used to call them sealers, now jars. I enjoy my air fryer,used it last night to cook bacon and it really does a nice job. They do command space but use no oil other then what you coat or spay your food with. Grilled cheese (Jane got me on that one) are really good.

I have a funny feeling my att'em stayed in bed and may I may just going join it later on today. Sunday naps are always the best.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

Good morning on a chilly, 47 degrees, rainy August day. I hope to get to a few more items that have stagnated on my list. Winter has always been a time of settling and refurbishing home and mind. It's sometimes surprising to see how abrupt the season changes, inside and out, can be.

Thanks, Amy and Jane, for your condolences. Donna was a wisecracking, gin-playing, opinion-on-everything type of woman. She lived an entire life in everything she did and will be missed. It's a sign of the times that there are three others in hospice. It wasn't that long ago that we planted spring gardens, picnicked by hot springs in summer, prepared the land in fall, and spent too much money in the stores. Winter was a time of sledding, skiing, and snowboarding, with evenings spent in holiday spirits.

Jane, you had a lot done yesterday. There was a time I would have been right there with you. Now I focus on one section at a time per room and take as many breaks as needed. Farah will be 11 the first week in September, and she's also slowing down and is more interested in scratches and treats than playing or worrying about loud noises and strange people in her home.

A few years ago, I gave away several appliances that I no longer used after I gave up meal prepping and making dishes for crowds and holiday parties. I have a Pullman-style kitchen, and I needed the room for what I used, not what I rarely used. Meal preparation is something I do in that I have various parts prepped and on hand rather than the entire meal.

Lately, I've slowly eased out of the bartering in which I and my circle were engaged. I no longer use the number of groceries or even some of the foods I used before when we had a steady stream of socializing, partying, and adventuring.

Now, I have lots of availability and little need to rush.

I had to come back and edit because of that last line. It sounds so alone and lonely when I'm not. I'm as busy and engaged as I've always been, only slower and in different directions.

Well, so much for taking a day off. Needed some yogurt for the dogs and I always surf the meat counter and the store marked down ground chicken for 1..! So, 13 pkg came home with me 10 for my friend and 3 for us. Our meat is now all cooked and vacuumed sealed in the freezer. Since I was in the mess  the peaches also got peeled and put in the fridge.

Patricia, with your meet and greeet in the morning plus looking after Farrah I wouldn't think you are lonely. You know what they say, dogs hae owners , cats have staff.

My, my, so much canning going on.  I remember canning with my grandma and my mom.  I have done some on my own many years ago.  It makes me happy that you all share your canning tales with all of us. 

PATRICIA, I am sorry to read of your friend's passing from that 😡😡😡 cancer. It seems you and she had some very fun times together, and I know this is hard on you.  Hugs. We, too, are really slowing down.  I have been for some time but now my hubby is the one that really notices it.  He will turn 80 in a couple of months and now he admits that he IS FEELING his age😩

We just had a nice quick visit from our #3 son and family.  They have been down at her parents house for a day or so.  They have not been here to visit for quite sometime.  We mostly drive up to their house.  It was wonderful to see my boys🥰🥰🥰 Jonah, 4 years, 8 month old starts back to preschool this week.....2 half days.  Leon is running all over the place these days....he is nearly 15 months already. No baby left to cuddle.  He sure does give REAL good hugs and kisses though.

BUBBLE, thank you for letting us know that Don is doing just fine.  I am sorry I mentioned it, but it did give me a fright when I read it. 

The weather continues to be cRaZy and extremely unpredictable these days.  We are not getting as much rain as we have been, but the light continues to be an issue without much to show for it.  Son Dave took his daughter and two friends to a Ed Sheeran Concert at our Bronco Football Stadium last night.  They were told to get in undercover a few times do to lightening in the area.  Huge crowds like that are not something we ever care to do again, but sure enjoyed them back in the day.

I love Navy and Pinto Beans .......have not fixed a pot in a very long time but I plan to soon.....

We got our flu and RSV shots this week.  Seems much too early to me, but the doctors are encouraging seniors to get them now.  The latest Covid vaccine will be out towards the end of September and they are pushing it also. 

AMY, nice to read about your new lady friend.  She seems to share your same interests and I hope you will see her again. 

JANE, you  mentioned freezing cantaloupe?  I had no idea it could be frozen🤷 🤷  Our fresh vegetables and fruits are in short supply and VERY expensive this year. 

I am sure sorry to read about the storm Hillary heading into California.  It sounds frightening......all the rain etc.

Yesterday I cleaned and rearranged all of my meds, lotions etc in my closet.  The plan was to throw out a lot.....and I did but there is still way too much.....however it is well organize now‼️

I wish you all a good Sunday.

Jenn

Jenny, it was me that froze cantaoupe. I froze it in a light syrup and it really tasted good in the dead of winter when no fruit has any taste!

https://www.millerplantfarm.com/9-general/125-freezing-melons

Amy, I generally buy the frozen cantaloupe off-season but might try your canning method.

I've done several catchups this week only to return to my standing at the end of July, per cleanup and organizing.

Jenny, thank you. The fall on black ice in 2014 and the other in February 2021 did me in.

I like to process 2-3 pounds of kidney and navy beans, bag them in half dozen to dozen amounts, and freeze them. It is easy to toss a few handfuls into any recipe you believe might need them.

Donna and her past husband (Carl died in 2018); had the property on Chena Ridge with a secondary twisty three-mile driveway. In the winter, they would clean it out and invite everyone to bring their sleds or snowboards, and Donna would provide hot cocoa and hot lemonade for the kids and a more spirited version for the adults, along with multiple munchies.

You and your passengers would enjoy a wild, curvy ride down to the bottom, where the cars would be waiting to carry you and your sleds back up the hill. The drivers would switch out so everyone had a turn. I remember when we surprised a pair of moose grazing off the road. Luckily they seemed more interested in watching than anything else.

Hi everybody; I am happy to report that I am alive and well.  It's been a great day here in London with the temperature around 25 degrees.  I'm not much of an outdoors person so I stick pretty much to staying inside with my book or tv.. They have a shuttle bus here to take us to the various malls in the area, but its a hassle sometimes when everybody tries to get on with their walkers or wheel chairs. Fortunately I have a scooter to get out on,although I'm a bit nervous about going out in traffic with it.

[color=blackHi Don, so good to see you. Traffic has changed in the past few years and not for the better,you're wise to stay away from it. Being Sunday, the trafic is whizzing by.Sirens of police cars rushing have broke the silence   of the day. Chopper has gone over so you know someone is in bad shape.][/color]

This was a "sort of" lazy day!  I went to church this morning and when I came home, I had lunch and was just finishing when Frankie and Cooper stopped by.  She gave him a bath and then left him and went to do a couple of errands and picked a couple odds and ends for me at the grocery store.

I watched an old John Wayne movie on TV.  It was called "Donovan's Reef" and is one of my all-time favorites!

I froze some cantalope this summer too and I think I'm going to get another one to eat some and freeze some.  It worked fine!

Now I'm getting ready to head for the haystack!  I'm ready!  Didn't do much but I'm tired!  You don't suppose that's because I'm getting a bit older, do you?

JENNY, nice to see you poking your head in!  We miss you when to don't stop by!!  Nice to be able to see you family.  Isn't it fun watching the "littles" get bigger!

I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow!

Good Morning to anyone who stops by!  Cooper's on the way and I need to finish my coffee and get dressed!  Enjoy whatever comes your way!

Good morning..

Looks like we may be in for some rain!  Domestic duties (thank you Callie) today and hope to pick out fabric for the next quilt.

Seems there is always work lurking and try as one might you can't or rather I can't ignore the mess on the kitcen floor from doing down pickles.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

Good morning Jane
Have fun with da Cooper

I'm up but my attem seems to be missing.  I am so slow to get anything accomplished these days.  The day disappears and the next day has already begun before I can get anything done.  (Does that sentence make any sense?)  Well, anyway, I at least had my coffee and sorted out all the junk email and now I'll go eat some breakfast before it is time to eat lunch. 

Supposed to hit 96 deg. today and feel like a 101.  I was going to make some soup but when it is that hot who wants to even think about soup?

Take care, All. 

Well, I got some stuff done today.  And PHYLLIS, that sentence makes perfect sense to me.  A day can just fly by and the next one starts if you don't keep your eye on it.

AMY, I don't like pickles well enough to put 15 days and a cleanup into them!  Whatever they are, I'll pass on that!

I made a batch of "Jim's Egg Thingys" and I just have to wait for them to cool and put them in the box for the freezer with two in the fridge for tomorrow and the next day!  I also went through some potatoes that were taking off for the trash bin and got enough out of it for scalloped potatoes for supper!  That and some baked beans and fish will be supper here.  I'll have enough for company if anyone wants to join me! 

This afternoon I have an appointment with the "itch doctor" (I think her real profession is Skin Specialist) but I use my words most of the time! 

Gotta get back to work!  I had to bring "Barky" in this house.  I don't know what was setting him off but I think it might have been his friend down the street.  When they're both out, they seem to know it and the "chat" a lot!

Enjoy the rest of your day!