More chamomile tea for me - that stuff is going down good! And I brought some Apple Kuchen I made last night. It's really yummy - not very sweet. I used the Peach recipe I posted in the Kuchen thread but the bottom is too dry. Not holding together really well. I think I'll check with the cousin and see if she's modified it. Time to try your recipe, Maria.
Bunch of errands to do today. Be back later, Laura
I Looks yummy, Laura! I will but do not have any apples right now, and am not going out today a new 10" snow fall, what a winter, have not had anything like that in years, it's an old fashioned one I guess.
One more recipe I have it is called 'Gitter Kuchen" do you know that one?
My grand children call me Oma also and Richard was, still is in a way Opa
Maria
Thanks, Maria. It is good - not too sweet, either. Got up this morning and 6 pieces were gone!! Seems the youngest went to bed after me, but had 2 pieces first. Then middle son came home from work in the early morning hrs., had 2 pieces and the youngest had 2 for breakfast this morning!!! Rascals, they don't have to eat it that fast!
Haven't heard of 'Gitter Kuchen'. What language would 'Gitter' be? I know next to nothing of languages besides some rudimentary Dutch. What language was your first language? German? I know there are variations of Oma and Opa in some dialects and languages.
Good morning. Boy is it foggy this morning! The apple kuchen looks so good, I will just have a little of that to go with my tea. Have you tried this peach tea with just a touch of honey? The honey seems to intensify the peach flavor. I have rhubarb thawed out to make a crisp, need to get that going so the later coffee klatchers can have some.
Aria, we had one of those old fashioned winters last year, and this year is totally different, hardly any snow, and I really am not missing the continuous stream of blizzards we had last year. Yesterday I dug the weeds and grass clumps out of what will be a new flower bed along the south side of the greenhouse. My plan is to plant Yucca and Russian Sage in it along with some sunflowers. Low water needs mostly and they will provide a bit of shade for the side of the greenhouse eventually. Our sun is really intense here.
Ok, time to get busy. Thanks for the goodies. Bye for now.
Good Morning everyone...It's quiet here right now, but that can change at any moment. LOL
Yesterday I spent the afternoon *trying* to clean up my computer and 'sitting' area. SO many garden catalogs! And way too many 'printouts' of really important garden stuff (yeah right!). I pulled out the trash bags and started tossing. I really need to *stop* putting those post-it tags on things I want to "look at later". hehehe That cost me another $50.00 in plants yesterday. LOL
My latest project is making some moisture pads for the bottoms of my outside containers. I bought a pack of six...you know the ones that hold the moisture so you don't have to water as often? Well, I decided that the price they brought in the catalogs was WAY too expensive so I decided I'd find a way to make my own.
I settled on using moisture beads (Terra-sorb or Moisture Plus) placed inside Tulle (bridal veil) fabric. I'll cut 2 circles the size of the pots, sew them together leaving a space to insert dry beads (according to the recommaned amount on the jar), then I'll sew them shut and leave them on the shelf until I need them. (I feel SO creative! hahahaha)
Actually, I figured that I could make a whole heck of a lot of my own for the amount of money it would take to buy them for all my window boxes and containers.
Hey M5! Did you see that our mini-greenhouses are available in the Park's Spring Sale catalog??? I think they were $89. (We got *such* a deal! and now I can't wait to put them to good use.)
Well...I think I'll try a *little* piece of that kuchen now...just a sliver, please. Thanks...oh...that's GOOD! I really have to watch what I'm eating right now, it's not the weight (but it could be lower, let me tell ya!) more that I want to get a handle on the blood sugar levels. It's really hard to regulate when I get active outside and don't want to stop to eat. LOL
TTYL
~julie~
Gitter means fence you make with the dough as if you made a pie with lattice.
I speak german, but also used to speak other languages since they were my major but have forgotten them through lack of usage almost forgetting my own , I know no one with whom I can speak german, not to mention any other languages.
I will post gitter kuchen later, it is very good, and is also cut into squares
Very interesting, about the moisture pad, July never heard of them before, though they are probly in the catologs I am bombarded with and missed it with a fast perusal.
Maria
Talk about moisture pads - I ripped apart leftover baby disposable diapers - put them in every hold with my brugs and they worked great. Also put them in my big pots that get tons of sun. Still have 1/2 of a huge package to use up.
Tons of schools closed today. I drove to my huff and puff and the doors were locked (grrrrrr....) Went back this afternoon and they had no apology - just said "I thought I'd wait until the roads cleared" - you'd think they could call the people who faithfully go daily (that's me...) The first time it happened (she forgot to come in), I asked for an extra month free - didn't get it, but heck, didn't hurt to ask!!
I would love some of the sweet stuff you gals are making - but I have no control and would eat til the pan was empty. That's how I got myself in the state I'm in!
Had some agapanthus sprout in 2 days - and have tons of it - it is called 'pony tail' - anyone grow that??? It isn't the kind that I wanted, but thought I'd give it a try.
DH is out plowing the driveway - it is drifted almost shut. I put the car if 'fast drive', floored it and made it in the garage. I have fears of going out the back sometime if I don't hit the brake soon enough.
Well, DS is coming for dinner, so I need to get busy and thaw some chicken - making chicken alfredo tonight with broccoli - there's always plenty, so come on over!!
Hello again. Sarv, that sounds like a very good dinner, mouth watering here. I just had a sample of the rhubarb cobbler, it doesn't have enough sugar so we will have to eat it with vanilla ice cream. Pitty.... but that's life!
Gee, I never thought of disposable diapers for holding water in planters, learn something here every day. I did buy some of the water holding crystals to mix in the soil, hope that makes a difference. Things dry out so fast here and when I am gone for 3 days and 2 nights to my rides everything that I watered thoroughly on Friday morning is suffering for a drink when I get home Sunday afternoon. Maybe that would help.
Aria, post a question on General Discussion and maybe you will find somebody here who would at least write in German. Another thing you could do to find somebody who lives close to you would be to ask at your public library.
The fog cleared out and now the sun is out but it is also windy. This morning I transplanted 5 tomato plants out of 4 inch pots into gallons. One or two of them have buds already and they are going to have to stay in the greenhouse until about June 1 (last frost) so they will be huge plants by then. More will be started at the regular time, about mid April.
Got to go now, I have to go to LaGrande (40 miles) to meet a friend and do some quick shopping. Might come home with pansys and primula. See you later.
Some folk grow tomato plants in those big buckets as the best solution to in ground planting when the season is as short as yours. Have a friend who lives at 7,000 feet - she's done that - talk about a short season. She has a green house of sorts too.
No body up , kind of late don't you think?
Having some coffee and made sconces, nice and warm with butter slathered alll over with jam have some
Maria
Good Morning - been up for awhile, just having my coffee now. I had some apple kuchen already and sent the last 3 pieces with DH to work. If it sits here, I'll eat another, bad me! I'm going to make your recipe today,Maria, but with apples.
Just got off the phone with MIL. She hung up on me!!!! Can't believe it! She didn't want to hear what I was telling her so she tried changing the subject and then just hung up. The medical clinic has a small office between her apt. and the nursing home. Her doc is in Wed. morn. so that's when I try to schedule her appts. Sometimes she just walks over there and shows up with no appt. so I've been trying to tell her that she can't do that. She needs an appt. because she's taking other people's time by just walking in. She didn't want to hear that, so she hung up. So I called the clinic and told them to send her home, if she walks over. She's wanting the results of her blood sugar and cholesterol tests and the nurse will call me when they're back, but she wants them NOW! She's not satisfied with waiting for them to call. Then she wanted me to make an appt. for her to get this 'blood thing' cleared up. I was confused and didn't know what she meant, so she said the blood sugar thing. That surprised me, then I realized that she no longer understood what diabetes is. Makes me sad, means more damage in her already fragile brain. I wonder how long she'll be able to stay in the apt. DH suggested the home to her last week and she got very angry with him. Not much fun getting old........
later....
It's ok getting old, we have no choice, but not if one is not healthy , than it becomes very sad.
Had another inch of snow last night, every where is a look of pure white, 30'
Maria
That's the big question mark, if one is healthy...... :)
...of all the things I've lost, my mind is the one I miss the most....
My kids say I've always been so dingy, forgetful, and apt to make things up, that they don't think they'll know when symptoms of age/all timers show up.
Be glad she can still walk over to her app'ts - even if she gets a little mixed up about the proper timing of things. It's hard to watch but maybe not so hard to live.
Been up since 6 when Max decided he needed his breakfast and walked over me several times and breathed in my face (pu) so I got up and decided my kitchen needed a good cleaning ....as wonder of wonders- the Maytag guy is coming tomorrow to inspect my stove in response to my complaints regarding the blistering of the range top where the vent comes from the oven. Wrote to the president of the company, as Jennaire was bought out by Maytag....and finally got some action. Range is only 4 yrs old and cost a bundle. So, this is my first sit down since then. Need a cuppa, and a nibble of something sweet.
DH regularly turns off the oven for me...I've missed a few appt's but so far have managed to put my clothes on in the proper order....Hope I check out in one fell swoop and don't end up losing what's left of my mind. As if we have a choice.
DH invited a buddy for dinner tonight so I'm relying on baked potatoes, and meatloaf so as to keep the stove top clean! Then I grabbed the vac and sucked up a pound of cat hair, so I'm ready for perusal by nonfamily. I don't clean for them, I clean AFTER them............
Cold and sunny today, have errands to run that I didn't finish yesterday but otherwise the rest of the day can find me with my nose stuck in a book. Shoved some furniture around the other day so my knees are complaining, but I'm happy to see sunshine even if it's cold. Enjoy the day. Each one is a gift.
Ha ha ha, Laura, I doubt you have lost it . we just forget once in a while where we put it
Maria
Yes, I think it may be harder to watch it than to live it -sometimes MIL realizes how badly she goofs and then she feels stupid but that is getting to be less often all the time. More often she pouts like a child and refuses to talk about something or refuses to go somewhere she always enjoyed in years past.
Enjoy the day. Each one is a gift
Good morning. Time out for a quick cup of tea and a goodie.
Yesterday I did buy some primula, only 3 and all the same red with yellow centers. I will plant them in a little group next to the back gate where we can enjoy them several times a day. We seldom use the front door, that's for company but most of our company also use the back. Today the stock trailer gets new tires so while I'm in town I'll stop at the discount store and see what flowers they have for the front. Yesterday I had very little room to bring anything else home after doing some grocery shopping, getting my saddle back from my friend, and stopping at a 2nd hand store where I got some big flower pots and a self watering rectangular planter. When I put those new things in my garden shed I told myself that I really need to organize that mess. Who knows what I might find.
Ever hear of cats whiskers pansy? A neighbor said she got some in town so that is what I will look for today to dress up the front sidewalk. There are lots of tulips that will eventually come up there, and later there is alyssum that reseeds, but right now it just looks too bare! It's on the north end of the house so is always slow to wake up. Over on the west side in a protected spot I have some daffys that should bloom in a few days. A couple of pansys have blooms and a few little violas too. Every day I look to see if anything new is happening.
My family wouldn't notice much difference when the rest of my mind starts to go. Yes, I agree, these things are harder for the family than for the one it is happening to.
Meezers, I like the cleaning definition, clean before non-family, after family.
I need to be going, got to get myself and my trailer to town soon, and need to check the greenhouse before I go. Thanks for the goodies and tea, bye for now.
Sometimes I'll be chatting along, telling a story from the past and will stop and look at what I just said... and then I just say - "Nevermind I made it up" - first time I did that my DD said to my DS : "See, I told you she did that, now she admits it." LOL and I'm only 66 - got a long way to go yet.
You girls make me laugh...and that's a GOOD thing. Especially right now. DIL decided last night that she needed more *stuff* in her life and since there's not enough money for the necessities as well as *stuff* she's leaving. She says she's going to go home to 'mama' and take the baby with her. This is going to get nasty if someone doesn't stop and smell the aroma of *reality*.
I'm (so far) being a *good* MIL...I've decided there's nothing I can do about it except worry for the little one. (That part KILLS me!) The other two (DS and DIL) got themselves into their mess and they'll have to deal with it, I guess.
Oh well...
See...I'm old enough to know that life is only what WE make it...nothing more, nothing less. It took me years to understand that. LOL
I'm working in the basement today. I've transplanted some cuttings, checked my seedlings (OMG! Those little seed starting covered units along with heat mats (- AND chamomile tea :-D) are working wonders! I can't believe how fast everything is coming up...and I had no idea I'd get THIS kind of germination rate! Whoooopeeee!)
Mary, I bought 8 or 10 primulas a couple of weeks ago. They looked SO pretty and really helped take away some of those spring fever blues. I'll probably put them outside though I doubt they'll survive in the ground here.
OH...speaking of chamomile...guess I wasn't really speaking, more like thinking LOL...you should SEE how many seedlings I have! :-D I just read the other day that they were hard to germinate. In my case, it only took TWO days! I'm really amazed.
DH finished his latest RC model plane a bit ago (minutes, actually). So he'll be busy cleaning off his bench to start the next one. Every time he spends $1,000 -$1,500 on a new model, I feel justified to order a few more plants for the garden. (I *like* making him feel guilty! LOL)
Kooger...I've never had to deal with an elderly parent. But I do know from watching other people with their families that it isn't a comfortable position. I'm not really sure whether I feel more badly for the parent or the kids. All I really know is I agree with M5...I hope I got without knowing it. ;-) I don't have much "mind" left either...and it wouldn't be pretty to watch me lose what's left of it. LOL & LOL
Well...I just came up for more coffee...better get back at it.
TTYL
~julie~
Okay Julie your activity has prodded me - i'm outta the door it's 52* , the sun is shining warmly and feels even warmer. i'll report back on any reeely truly surprises or accomplishments.
Hello? Kind of quiet in here most of the day. I guess we are all busy.
My day plan changed a couple of times, I never did go to town because hubby checked with the tire place and they had some of the right tires and some of the wrong ones, and I waited for a phone call from them to tell me that the right ones had arrived and that never came. Grrrr.
My neighbor was going to bring me a load of hay, which he did about 4 pm. While unloading it he sheared a bolt in the tractor steering and made an on the spot repair, finished unloading the trailer and left it here thinking that the manouvering around to hitch the trailer and get the whole thing turned around would probably break the temporary repair job. He drove the tractor home (half a mile) and said he would get the trailer with his pickup in the morning since daylight was fading fast and he needed to check the sheep while he could still see them. My trip to town is rescheduled for tomorrow and includes lunch at the Chinese restaurant and a trip to the repair place to pick up the 4 wheeler we use to pull the lambmobile.
Tonight we ate swiss chard that was grown in the greenhouse. I cook it in a steamer basket just until it is limp and the stems are still crunchy. Yummmy good! We also had homegrown squash and beef we raised. The last of the first planting of radishes got pulled up, the leaves had bunches of aphid eggs on the backsides, they are laying out on a junk pile to freeze, but that won't happen tonight, it is still about 43 out there. Much warmer than what is normal.
Lambing has started, and as of noon there was a nice set of twins in the barn, I don't know what may have been born since then. I think I get to sleep one more night, although I might just as well have had lamb watch last night since I woke up about 2:30 and didn't sleep much after that. Got to get the kitchen mess cleaned up and get to bed before my eyelids get any heavier. Goodnight all.
Morning, everyone.
Got up before the sun, having only some OJ. Have to make coffee to help me wake up a little more. Still have some scones so go and come over.
Mary are you ever busy and that is a good thing, it's awful when there is very little to do.
Maria
I think the expression lambmobile is a riot. I'm afraid the farm life would be too much for me. I raise a few strawberries and raspberries and tomatoes and that's it.
We have had a tragedy in our county. Our sheriff has died. Only 46 years old with 2 kids at home. He is the exact opposite of the cigar-chomping, brutal, stupid unreasonable southern sheriff you usually see portrayed in the movies. A very sweet, guiless man that everyone loved, even folks on the opposing political party. He was just known as Bobby. I work at the cemetery where he will be buried Friday. The Highway Patrol is going to close off the entire highway from both directions. His funeral service will be conducted at the largest church in town and then the hearse will bring him to a church near the cemetery. There Bobby will be transferred to a horse-drawn caison and brought to the cemetery. Our manager, who owned some plots near Bobby's parents, gave the plots for Bobby and his wife to her.
This is a huge funeral with an estimated 2,000 or more people coming. We have had both the Highway Patrol and the Sheriff's Dept. personel at the cemetery for 3 days, laying out the scene, deciding on how to approach, extra seating, etc. I'm supposed to leave at noon to go to archives where I do volunteer work, but that may not be possible, nor do I wish to.
WS - how very sad for your county and especially those kids with no dad and wife with no husband. My sympathy to you all! May I ask what happened?
That's such a tragedy WS, hope his replacement can fill those shoes. You hear a lot about the bad cops, such as the ones that were involved in a recent beating in Milwaukee, and it's sad to lose a good one. Will the police dept provide a pension for the wife and family?
Mary, will we see some lamb pictures? They are so cute when they are just starting to totter around. A friend of mine over in France has started her cattery and we are seeing new kittens all the time....good thing she's far far away or I'd be MeezersSIX....I am such a sucker for kittens. Three of ours are from people who couldn't keep them...and I couldn't say no. I should send all this extra cat hair back to them anonymously, serve 'em right.
Oh Julie, if the idiot (oops, I meant your DIL) leaves with the baby does that mean you won't see it anymore? Don't you wish we could give some of our life experiences to the kids through osmosis or something...sometimes I just shake my head in disbelief at some of the choices they make. I know at some point, twenty years down the road maybe, they'll be saying to themselves, "What was I thinking???" but there's no use in telling them that because they won't believe it.
And who said they have daffies ready to come up I"M SO JEALOUS and SICK OF WINTER and the %#$# Maytag guy hasn't shown up yet so I'm stuck here all day waiting. Oh, I know, it's only 10 a.m. but I get antsy when they have these "we'll call you a half hour before" kinds of appointments. It's even worse for people who are still working and have to waste personal time or vacation just to wait for a repairman to show up. Guess I'll go catch up on phone calls. Just found out we can't get DLS out here in the boonies yet. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Looks like I'm all set for a grouchy day!! Anybody need someone to make a complaint call? I'm in the mood!!
Woodspirit, it's amazing how one person can affect an entire community like that. And he probably never knew how much he meant to the folks he served.
Mary, the lambs are all your neighbor's? None of your own to fret over? Well, more power to you. Not that you seem to need more power. Am in awe of the things you accomplish. even if you don't have 25hrs to do it in. ;-)
Our sun is hiding behind some truly black clouds. Hope there's some moisture in it for this litle valley - apparently we're the only spot in the state that hasn't recieved above average moisture this winter. My sandy soil is so dry that it's more like face powder than soil.
I'd love something sticky and sweet - who's been baking today? Tomorrow I'll fetch us somethng from the bakery if that'd do in place of homemade. ;-) it's just that I don't bake.
Julie- sorry to hear about the headstrong DIL- been there - well, not quite as bad!! But I have to watch every word I say to one of ours - she's always in a snit about something. But she has the sweetest little one (not so little any more tho - 8 yrs) I hope he doesn't pick up her nasty attitude...
So sorry to hear about your sherifff, Wood - what a sad situation. Life is never fair. It seems we've had several deaths lately of really young people - in their 20's = dying of cancer. Gosh, there just has to be a cause for all this - must be something in our environment, I think.
Yum, I just finished the best salad. Romaine lettuce, swiss cheese, dried cranberries, cut up apple and cashews. All topped with poppy seed dressing. Oh, it is to die for!!!!! I had a huge bowl and almost went back for more - settled for two huge handfulls of cashews instead!!
My seeds are taking their own sweet time sprouting. I have never used a heating mat - do you think they are worth it? The soil in my pots really cools off at night, but gets warm during the day when the plants lights come on. Could this be the problem???
Sun is out here today and I have moved several of my plants to the windowsills for some extra rays. I spend my days moving things it seems.
Gotta go for now and get my MIL's prescription for her.
I'll pass on any sweets for the next week - I have to get weighted next Fri!!!
sarv - your typo made me smile - I feel weighted most of the time!! Gotta get exercising. Have any of you taken that on-line RealAge questionaire? I did really well until the last question about exercise. Then I jumped from just under my real age to 5 years older! Yuck! Gotta get the body moving and I have so little motivation, more like none!!
I bought a cheapy styrofoam heat thing at Menard's last spring (sale $15, reg. $20) and couldn't believe how much difference that made in seed sprouting. Some were up in a couple of days. If you do a lot of seeds, check out the Propagation forum. There's a couple of threads about heat mats and the best place to get them. All the big growers use them.
Hello again.....WS, so sorry to hear about your Sheriff. Anytime a law enforcement office dies, the funeral possession goes on and on...other law enforcment units come from all over the state to show their respect.
As most of you know...I do very little gardening...but read a lot about it. I finally decided that I would concentrate on Iris as they don't seem to take as much labor as most other plants....
I had raided my sisters yard in WV when I was home last...both my sisters living next door to each other have the most beautiful Iris....I brought them home and planted them...now they are just barely popping up in green shoots...while other Iris around here are about ready to bloom. What can I do to help them along??
While ya'll come up with a solution I'll just have a cuppa and some kind of goodies....I wish my cousin, Ginlyn, would quit lurking here and bring some of her Stelle D'Oro cookies she does.....HEY GIN!!
P.S. Kooger...the ladies LOVED the box of ribbon I delivered to them from you yesterday.....we had such nice choice of ribbon for our "Critters". Thank you again!
Mary...waiting for lamb pictures! And looked to see if my cactus had buds...NOPE! Jo
RR -Glad they can be used - just taking up space here.... :)
Hey sarv - just read this - easy way to check out bottom heat for seeds... http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/488542/
Jo, Newly transplanted Iris are naturally behind established ones - it's another case for patience.
Thanks, Blooms...I'm not well know for my patience!! My Sis, MaryK, says when you pray for patience, God usually gives you something to test them! LOL Jo
thanks kooger-- that metal drawer sounds good, but I don't have the energy to assemble one. I do have a heating pad that I use daily to get toasty, maybe I should put it into working on my seeds instead of on my fanny. Hmm, just remembered that we have an old waterbed heater. DH just said I couldn't use it as it uses 400 watts. He always manages to put a crimp in my style!! He's one of those people that ALWAYS says NO first, then he thinks about it and sometimes changes him mind. Let me tell you, it has been the cause of many an argument...(airing dirty laundry now!!! lol)
LO:L LOL that typo was funny!! Even tho I try lose weight I am still 'weighted'!!!
Where's this 'real age' questionarre??? I need something to make me laugh...
Tacos for dinner...got plenty!!
Okay, I think I found the RealAge test. Have fun - hope you do better than I did!
http://www.realage.com/ Right under the peeps, click on 'take the realage test'.
Holy cow! Just noticed the stats on this thread....1066 views? okay all you lurkers, come on in, set a spell, have some coffee, tea, water, pop, whatever's your pleasure, and of course, some cyber yummies!
Some folks just stop in, grab a cuppa and beat it on outta here hunh? fancy us being that entertaining.
LOL, blooms !
So Kooger it was your mind mine met when it was out wandering. Isn't it fun? Never thought I would say and do some of the things my mam did but here I am!!!
Made Mincemeat pie for DH tonight. Lots of leftovers.I'll even warm it up and serve it with ice cream for those who wish.
Frigid here and looks like it will be for days. Wish I was born in a warmer climate.
How's the lambing going Mary? Lots of no sleep days eh? Are most of your ewes good moms? Dad used to hate it when he had one who wasn't. Just like Lani - off to the sale barn it went the next auction.
Time to bring in wood.
D
