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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Some News is Boring News

Not much to report. I am still processing those apples and pears. I have potatoes and peanuts as well as carrots to deal with.

We had our first hard frost last night. Still to dark out to tell you what kind of damage it has caused.

We have found ourselves in a mundane week. Finishing this and that, and not really starting anything new. We are prepping for trick or treating. I love Halloween! My youngest is going as a flying monkey. I have the wings that we made for his bat costume last year, just a few modifications and making a tail, and VIOLA! A flying monkey. The middle child wishes to be a goat herder this year. I know. . . awww. But wait, he will have a goat horn through is belly, lots of hanging guts and blood. hahaha! He is so my child. The oldest is going as an anime character. Please don't ask me to spell the guys name, it is in Japanese.

It has been awhile since I opened a Q&A here. Rules are simple, ask me anything. Need a recipe, want clarification on something, or just curious, go for it. I will answer the best I can.

15 comments:

Amanda said...

oh please tell me what to do with my sweet pot plants that developed great roots...but no pots...i would like to try and save some of them to carry over!!

Anonymous said...

Do you do a lot of seed saving?

Phelan said...

amanda, mulch the heck out of it, use a black landscaping tarp to keep the ground warm, cover the vines with a thick plastic, and pray. I would do that and take clippings indoors. more on that here, seeding sweet potatoes


Taylor, I do a lot of seed saving. Was there one in particular you were interested in?

Granny said...

Okay...guess I'm still on this pear thing....sooooo....what do you do if your pear jam does not set - almost runny? And how long do you have to redo it? (all jars sealed)

I'm almost done with pears!! Wish I had apples, potatoes, and carrots!

What are you doing with the peanuts? Did you grow them?!

The Fool said...

And what has been the favorite costume that you've donned?

Matriarchy said...

Cathi, when I have runny jam, I use it for pancake syrup, or to flavor oatmeal or homemade yogurt. I have runny plum jam that makes my yogurt fabulous.

I am all about apples now. Drying apple rings today. Cold and rainy in Pennsylvania, so I think I will also bake apple cake to warm up the kitchen.

Phelan said...

Cathi, set it aside and use it as a sauce. Matriarchy is correct, it is great on pancakes, but it is also wonderful for pork medallions.Use this recipe, but omit the apples, and cider .

Next time you can add an apple to the mix, that will help set it up. Age is a consideration for your pears when it comes to jams. You can also cook it down longer, make it closer to a butter.

Yes, I do grow my own peanuts. I dry them out and make peanut butter, or bake them for other uses and snack.

The Fool, my favorite costume that I, myself, have worn would have to be my leprosy patient one. I had body parts falling off all over the place. My oldest had dress up in the same costume and we ate at McNasty's. That was hilarious!

Matriarchy, I am once again dealing with apples. Thought I could have a break from that. . .

Matriarchy said...

Wow, that sauce recipe looks wonderful! Thank you!

Amanda said...

thanks phalen...out to do it today as we are getting pretty darn close to frosts at night. hope the garlic i just planted survives.

It's me said...

OK, let's ask a HARD one.
When do you feel like a fraud?

That's not saying you are, but I think most of us know who we are, but sometimes we come across (or people choose to see us) somewhat different. And we always think "if they could just see me... {blank}".

For example, I rail at his family to be prepared and ready and I STILL don't have an adequate water supply. They THINK I'm squared away, but secretly...

So you get my drift. :)

Phelan said...

well, I can't say that I have felt like a fraud. A failure, yes. And most the time I don't care what other people think of me. But. . . My garden didn't do as well as it should have, dogs killed half my livestock, some of my canned goods seal failed, oh the list goes on. I harp on community, yet I don't know all my neighbors, of course in my defense some think I am odd and want nothing to do with me, and some of them freak me out a bit. I try to be rather honest here about my lack of things, and my mistakes.

It's me said...

Well please know I wasn't being mean. I just am always curious about how hard we are on ourselves. Good to see you aren't too hard on you. 'Cause we rather like you. Even if you are odd;)

Yeah. My neighbors think the same about me. And I don't even have livestock. It doesn't help that I mentioned how much I wanted a moat around my house and property. And that when people started to bother me, I would float oil on top of the water and light it. The bad thing was this was said to a BRAND NEW neighbor. I'm such a moron.

Phelan said...

hahaha! I just mentioned to a neighbo the other day that I was going to build a moat around my homestead. we are odd. ;)

It's me said...

OK, but if you use the flaming fire-moat idea, you must credit that to ME!

On another unrelated note, there's a piece of property that was purchased by a large corporation to expand, but they were basically ran out of town. So I drive by 13 acres surrounded by a chainlink fence. I keep telling Husband that if had a spare 10-million, I'd buy it and build my house smack dab in the middle. Not that I have people issues or anything ;)

Judy T said...

A moat sounds great, especially living in the middle of a college town!
But a question: Santa has promised me my very own pressure canner this year. I water bath can and my Mom has a pressure canner that is about a bajillion years old. Any suggestions for what to ask for? I'll be honest, pressure canners have always terrified me but I'm ready to take the leap...
J

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