Time for Spookiness

Creation of two of my Great Nephews. I was inspired by the photo my nephew took of them on a boys' field trip with him. At this time of year I like playing with ghosts, spooks and creepy things. 

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"Spider Boys"

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Appletime!

Jayne's Photo

Unfortunately there were several of our favorite varieties that did not meet the orchard's standards for sales, and one of those is the Macoun! It was determined that all of the wet weather caused the non-production of these to be the cause. We'll have to wait until next year.

However, today we did pick up a peck of Cortlands for our daughter and 1/2 a peck for ourselves plus four half gallons of cider to top off and freeze. We have two left from last year so we'll probably only get six or eight more on the next trip out. 

Did you know how well cider freezes? There is absolutely NO loss of flavor or texture in this cider from the orchard. All I do is top off to the shoulder of the bottle, put the cap back on and put in the big freezer. I don't think it would stay as well in the refrigerator freezer as the temperature goes up and down in there.

Some applesauce is in our future, whenever I get in the mood! We're looking forward to another trip to the orchard. 

The peck was divided in half for easier carrying

Before topping and freezing

Heron Study II

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We had another heavy rain episode and medium washout last night. I took a golf car ride around the lake through the mucky road and watched the heron fly in. I was hoping it would take off when I had the camera ready, but no luck this time. 

I think it was studying me more than I was studying it! These pictures were taken on the backside of the dam where the stream was running swiftly.

Dark and Dreary

At 4:30pm today we are having MORE downpours and MORE washouts here at the lake. It is DARK and DREARY and I have always disliked words that start with the letter "D" anyway!

Damage, doom, dingy, damp, danger, dragon, dread, down, dope, dull, dire, damn, drama, dumb, die, dump, dead, dark, WELL, you get the idea!

Mother Nature is on a destructive diversion! 

DOWN!

Rainy Day - AGAIN!

It is a repeat performance. I don't plan on a golf car ride today. I'll just bake a peach cobbler instead. 50° out there!

A piece ready for the trashman

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Cheers!

For several years when we had our place at the beach in SC, we used to go to Pizza Hut with another couple. Although I rarely drink beer, I enjoy it in a frosted heavy glass mug. I like this type of mug so much that at the end of the meal I boldly asked if they would sell me one. Nope, they couldn’t, according to the waitress. Then they thought it over back in the kitchen and she said they could give me one and write it off as being broken. Ok, so I had my very own mug. Took it home in a paper bag so other customers couldn’t see and want one too!

I tried this again another time with different management at the same place with the same result! Now I had two of these mugs!

I brought them back to PA with us a couple of years ago. I’ve only used one at this time of year for the Sam Adams Octoberfest (in a bottle of course). I don’t like drinking out of a bottle now but that beer sure is great in the glass mug. I realize there are many other "Oktoberfest" beers but this one is fine for us.   

What I’m building up to here is what happened last night when the Mister asked me if I would like an Octoberfest and I agreed. He took the bottle top off and brought it to me at the dining room table with one of the frosted mugs. I started to pour it and…WHOOPS! My mug was overflowing! What??? I had a mess but the question was WHY? I thought I had frozen water in the mug at first, instead of giving it a rinse before putting it in the freezer. Nope. Look at the pictures. Which mug would you pour your beer into?

Joke’s on me! The Mister had put the mug on the table upside down and neither one of us realized it. Wasted some good beer, dear! 

Danger, Damage and Drama - Dream

I have never considered myself to be a drama queen, but in my dreams I sure am. I’m one of those people who not only dreams every night I remember my dreams in the morning - well most of the time, anyway. I usually give the Mister highlights of these just in case one might really mean something someday. Way back in my past I have some that did. Really.

I take a daily nap and don’t dream then — at least never have remembered any before today! Well this was a doozy and I must tell somebody! You, my readers are chosen. It was frustrating, sad, exciting, annoying, and more. In spite of it I had a good long nap! WOW what a DREAM!  Go on that ride with me now.

The first thing I remember is my brother backing a large flatbed trailer into our shed. The contents were covered by a black tarp which was full of protruding lumps. Next he came into the cabin and all of a sudden there were kids racing across the dam road in cars, twisting and turning. One girl lost control and drove right into the lake in her small white car. She climbed out, swam to the edge and walked up the bank and into the cabin - soaking wet. I was annoyed because of all of the oil and gasoline that was now in the lake, causing pollution. At that time I was sitting on the porch in the swing with my lifelong deceased girlfriend’s son. He had his arm around my shoulder and was trying to console me about the lake. The next thing I knew there were other youngsters, older teens both boys and girls, all over inside the cabin just chatting away and nosing around everywhere. They were snooping in my refrigerator and bedroom, making themselves comfortable on the living room furniture and munching and slurping on whatever they found. I went into the bathroom and found that the toilet paper was all gone and there were paper towels in the wastebasket. The rugs were askew and my worst thought was that they might have used paper towel and put it into the toilet! (I always have a lot of TP rolls on hand in real life.) The medicine cabinet was left open so I know someone was looking for the kind of meds that we never have anyway. The lights were left on.

There was a fist fight out in the driveway between a couple of boys and one was ostracized away by the others so he just walked down the road and disappeared. Let me tell you the girl’s screeching and yelling during the scramble was ear piercing!  When I came back indoors the kids were removing the screens on the cabin windows and opening those old swing-in windows wide. Of course, bugs were coming in to the odor of all of the food being a prominent lure for them. I became furious in feeling but I never said a word of correction. After they left — on their own accord, I had a big cleanup. Remember this was a dream. It was a noisy, intrusive event and I  never ever want to think of experiencing something like it when awake!

What did it mean? Well I really don’t care and don’t want to analyze it, but absolutely do not want to dream at naptime again.

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By the way, I always dream in full color plus all other senses.

Gorgeous Gift!

A box from Hawaii was delivered here yesterday. I have a friend who has made her home there for 14 years. She is the daughter of my lifelong best friend who died in 2011. I remember this woman the day she was born about 52 years ago, and have watched her grow and become successful in her life as a wife, mother of two and school principal. She is very special to me. Very special. Through the years she has sent me gifts from her beautiful home in Hawaii and this one really tops them all, as it is hand-made. It was made with love just for me! How wonderful is that!! She knows how much I love color and her extraordinary creativity in mixing multiple patterns and colors is special. My lap cover is a treasure. (It measures 3 feet by 41/2 feet!)

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RED RED RED!

Sliced the larger one yesterday for lunch.

I did NOT enhance the color! This image was taken on the counter under the kitchen window without flash! See how meaty? These slices are left over after our tomato sandwiches. And it had the best taste of all this year. This is why I save seeds.

One down one to go...
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Planning Ahead

Our daughter brought TWO MORE of our wonderful Oxheart tomatoes from a garden in NJ to us this weekend. These last two were grown from seedlings PA daughter started and grown by NJ daughter. Now insurance for more next year is my part. I have saved seeds from the first three, some from the next two and will still save some from these two beauties before eating them.

It is a process as there aren't really many seeds in the Oxhearts. I just scoop them out with a teaspoon as I slice and then they ferment in their own juice in a small jar for about a week or more. They are next rinsed with cold water in a plastic mesh strainer and separated and dried on newspaper (never paper towel). They will be stored in paper inside a pill bottle in the freezer until next spring. Seeds from batch #1 below.

They came from these three:

Seed batch #2 below:

The above seeds came from these three:

I REALLY love to share the pure seeds from these wonderful tomatoes, especially now that I don't grow them anymore.

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Pacific Northwest in a Vans RV-9A, Part three

Another great video of my Nephew flying over British Columbia with his friend and mentor. It is 13 minutes long but well worth watching in our opinion. Amazing scenery.

Beach Friends

With the hurricane "Florence" approaching the east coast and seeming to hone in on SC I'm reminded of the anxiety and preparations. The anxiety sits like a heavy stone in my stomach even today. Some of the best times of our life were the ones at the beach with our friends. Now more are gone, yes died; Cliff, Charlie, Keith, Max, Joe, Lloyd, and others we knew so well. Some remain, like us, but don't travel there any more. The campground permanent resident friend Cindi isn't up to par, Jackie is ill. It can be depressing. Patty and Dave of Ohio are there now and Linda is home recuperating from knee surgeries. Cheryl was to leave to go down but is holding off until the hurricane is gone.

*Four years ago I lamented loosing so many of our friends and here I am again remembering them and others. Sure wish more of you could have had the wonderful relationships we have had with our beach friends. Sure wish I wouldn't fear for the health and welfare of those who are left. I sure wish for a lot - don't I? Well why not! When you are old you reminisce a lot. It happens.

*link to that story. Beach Friends