Mother

I like the word pulverize.  It denotes getting out my frustrations. 
 

I dehydrate all kinds of greens to use as vitamin K supplements.  I take warfarin so it’s important I keep my intake consistent.  Powdered greens are so handy when I don’t have fresh ones on hand.  I also use them reconstituted whole or slightly crushed.  Kale and potatoes are one of my favorites.  I just lightly crush the dehydrated kale and sprinkle them into just drained hot potatoes and let them set a while, covered, before I mash them.  I also crumble dried greens into beaten eggs before making omelets.  Dried chard or beet greens are especially good in them. 

LS.  You are lucky you can still handle a big garden.  I’m looking forward to seeing some pictures.
 

Miki, your tub plants look great.  Good work.  Are tub plants are looking good too.  I’ll try to get some pictures.  

2 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

so I am doing what I can with what I can. 

Midnight,  I have learned the hard way that if I push to do more than I reasonably can I lose whatever advantage I am gaining from the fresh produce I am growing.  That was a very difficult obstacle for me to overcome because for the greatest share of the last 60 years I have produced a large share of our food myself.  
 

Because of my limitations I do a lot more sprouts and microgreens inside. They are low work, low sun, low or no soil produce that gives me a nutrient packed return for my energy expended. They do take more seed but are well worth it.  

What wonderful pictures, MM.  And what wonderful growth. I love the looks of the flowers among the plants.  I need to do that on my deck. 
 

Good luck with the dill among the cukes.  I’ve read where they make good companion plants and where they DON’T make good ones.  I’ve planted them together and far apart and could see no difference except in container planting they seem to need extra helpings of both fertilizer and water.  
 

I love that little window planter shelf.  Your herbs should do great even in the winter.  I want one. I would probably put a small plant light under the top container so I could grow more in the bottom one.    
 

I looked up escancel and found it is one of the ingredients in the special tea or drink you have told us about.  The plant is a beautiful red.  Do you use it individually too? 

Happy Birthday, Madison.  Have a super day.  🌹

Jeepers.  That looks awesome.  You did a great job on it.  It looks perfect the way it is. 

8 hours ago, Littlesister said:

maybe I should keep it but I can't use a lot of that type of shampoos and such. 

Have you considered putting it in boxes on the drive out near the street with a big ‘free’ sign.  If it isn’t taken it will at least be boxed up for you to donate it somewhere, perhaps at a homeless shelter.  Or to trash it if you decide.  You at least tried to help someone that way.  It’s really good of you to think of others, Little Sister. 

Our red raspberries are just starting but it’s pretty dry here so very few.  Already missed the mulberries and the wild raspberries that are close to the house. They were very small, dry and dropped early.  I see the birds being only mildly interested.  Strange year here. 

Becca, it is so hard not being with them.  I have grands and great grands (like 38? Some) scattered all over the US and Facebook picts and videos has been my heart ache saver.  Just having that random picture pop up on FB makes my day.   Not quite the same as snuggles but it helps. 

  Have a super day!  

Happy birthday.  I hope all your wishes for the day come true!  🍸🍾

This is pretty much how I cook and always have cooked. I enjoy the challenge of ‘using up’ leftovers in recipes or as Euphrasyne said, we use them as free choice ‘buffet’ meal portions.  Or we have them for breakfast or brunch. Most meals I still cook in the quantities I did when the kids were all home.  I just freeze the extra in meal sized portions to have later.  It cuts down considerably the hours spent in the kitchen and on the clean up. 
 

 Not having chickens now and with eggs being so pricey I don’t use as many as she does.  I have been doing a lot of non egg recipes. I also cook gluten free. Not having chickens or dogs and only two feral cats I use scraps in different ways than I used to. Peelings and bones are saved in the freezer until I have enough to make batches of broth and I use the root ends as starts to plants all year instead of just in the winter as in the past.  My left over cooked peelings after making vegetable broth are put into the compost and the leftover bones are fed to the cats or dried to powder for bone broth.  
 

I really enjoyed her video.  Someone after my own style!   

That is amazing, Annarchy.  I love seeing how things grow there.  

The lard you can buy here is often found in boxes or plastic tubs and has added BHT preservatives to keep it stable.  I have found as long as I am careful not to introduce any food ingredient to it it keeps quite well.  Using it for a mix such as this one works okay for short periods but is better kept in the refrigerator for long term storage.  You would have to keep in mind your storage temperature there.  
 

Something I have done in the past is to make up the dry ingredients of a mix and cut in the lard at the last minute before adding the liquid.  Not quite as convenient but saves a step or two at the time of baking.  That way I can also use the dry mix for different purposes by adding whatever fat I like, lard, butter, ghee, cold coconut oil, poultry fat (schmaltz): beef tallow, or even liquid oils like olive or avocado.  

I’m sorry you all had to go through that difficult time but that little cutie is so worth it.  Congratulations to you ALL! 

Happy birthday to you!🎶

Happy birthday to you 🎶

Happy birthday dear Jeepers 🎶

Happy birthday toooooo youuuuu. 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

I thought it would be fun to share with each other and I'll be posting from time to time with some icebreakers to encourage us to share some fun things to get to know each other better.  Copy and paste your answers below! 

Today's game-  What is your Favorite? 

Favorite Color: mauve/burgundy

Favorite Season: All.  

Favorite Drink: Cold clear well water

Favorite Food: Meat loaf, potato salad, and baked beans

Favorite Book: The one I’m writing at the time. 

Favorite Movie: Ghost

Favorite Tool: My electric wheelchair

Favorite Pet: We no longer have pets but it WAS Kassie, my English Springer Spaniel service dog I had for eleven years. 

Favorite Camping Spot: A wooded area near water. 

Favorite Place to take a  Vacation: Used to be roaming but now it’s home. 

Favorite Garden Seeds/Plants: Herbs. 

Favorite Comfort item: My recliner

Share whatever you feel comfortable with and remember none of these things should ever be part of your passwords 

When we were homeschooling our youngest son and again when we helped homeschool our grandkids our favorite summer school was out in nature. We did a lot of the same things you are planning but we always had a summer project we looked forward to.  Volunteering at our local museum or to help an elderly person,  restoring an old bicycle or building a garden cart, whatever took their interest within reason.   Camping was always a favorite.  Consistent with their age they helped plan, pack, set up ( and take down), forage, open fire cooking, and all manners of survival and outdoor skills.  
 

Our grandson and his wife homeschool their four children (one is only a baby yet, the others 3-5-8)and they have been doing a curriculum all year where they ‘travel’ to various countries and learn about the history, geography, tourist areas, commerce, foods, and so much more.  They plan to continue that throughout the summer as the kids love it. I’m not sure what the curriculum is but I have been the recipient of several post cards from many countries (they are included with the materials) which told what all they ‘saw’ and ‘did’ and what traditional dishes they prepared and if they liked them.  They have even outfitted a huge appliance box as a ‘plane’ to ‘fly’ to the various countries.   Their kids are of course younger than your son but exploring different cultures might interest him.  
 

This is one of the books I have used a lot over the years. I got this in the late seventies.  There are still so many projects I hope to try.  
 

Looks good Jeepers.  👍

2 hours ago, Jeepers said:

I think the bookcase is my favorite piece so I want to try to protect it as best as I can.

When we moved our antique secretary we were told to fill the shelves inside the glass door with pillows to stabilize the glass.  Then we wrapped it like you said.  It moved twice that way with no problems.  Might be worth a try with your bookcase. 

I have a few similar books, Annarchy and value them.  Please do post some pages on tatting from yours.  

My daughter taught herself to tat and does beautiful work but like Becca I can’t see well enough for fine work because of cataracts. 
 

That is beautiful work.  I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures of tatting. 

I don’t use feta but I have used other cheese to fill dumplings and use them in various ways.  My favorite is with a fruit sauce more as a desert. I drop them onto the top of simmering sauce, cover them with a lid and boil them for ten +/- minutes and then continue to simmer uncovered for another ten +/- minutes to dry them somewhat so not soggy.   I use them in a similar way on soups and stews.