Papa's Cell Phone:
Modern conveniences aren't always so convenient are they? It is truly amazing how archaeologists can dig up completely usable pottery from 1000 BCE, but we can't get a cell phone to last for more than 10 years. What's up with that, anyways!?
Papa has been using a Samsung slide phone for these past 8 years. This slide phone has been the fodder for a lot of titillating conversation, a real source of amusement for the tech savvy, and good for a few laughs or rather, guffaws from those who were truly amazed to see him use it!
When he left the corporate world, he unplugged. Completely. No computer. No e-mail. No internet. Nothing, except, for his Samsung slide phone, which he used exclusively to text family and friends. And then it died. He was finally completely unfettered! And he did seriously contemplate going completely device free, but soon realized that in this era, he would have absolutely no contact with anyone at all! Everyone else is fettered!
So, after about a week of contemplation and discussion, off to Best Buy we go. Did you realize that they still make Geezer phones? Cell phones used only for talk and text? Who knew? He wasn't so behind the times after all! The down side with these older style cell phones is they don't have a designated key board. His slide phone did. So a Smart Phone it is. Unfortunately, in the passing of his slide phone, he lost all his contacts and lists. So, I have been busy Messengering everyone on his contact list, to have them text him their phone number to rebuild his contact list. Modern convenience really isn't so convenient, after all.
Mother's Day Brunch:
Our son and daughter-in-law invited the family out to their place for a beautiful Mother's Day Brunch last Sunday. And an amazing meal it was! Complete with happy and artistic grand buddies who not only painted and planted clay pots but painted beautiful wooden plant pokes for the moms in attendance. We had a delightful time and left absolutely and completely full to the brim - both our hearts and our bellies. They even sent left-overs home with everyone afterwards.
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| Mother's Day Gerber Daisies |
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| Beautiful Mother's Day Brunch Dessert Table |
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| Mother's Day Brunch - crepes, egg bake, artichoke dip, fruit and dip |
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| Adorable Plant Pokes and painted clay pots from my amazing Grand Buddies |
Chook Happenings:
The chickens were separated by gender the other day. It looks like we have 18 hens and 14 roosters. The 18 hens and one rooster will become our new production team. Sadly, the other 13 roosters are going to be this year's roasters. I have to say that these new birds never did go through the awkward teenage stage most other birds go through. These are a quiet bunch and very friendly. Which, is an absolute bonus for me since I am so not a bird person. Give me fur over feathers any day of the week! Egg production from the new flock should begin sometime in September.
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| Hens moved into their new nesting area. |
Greenhouse and Garden Update:
The greenhouse is doing well. No more leek eating critters have been captured and the abused plants appear to have all recovered. The peppers are now beginning to flower. We have cucumbers on the vine and the tomatoes are doing very well. I thought I would share a bit today about tomato pruning.
Why prune your tomato plants, you ask? To allow air movement and light into the plants and to remove unnecessary weight. When tomatoes are planted too close together or the plant is too dense, air borne disease can damage/kill your plants and otherwise destroy/retard fruit production. By pruning, you allow air to circulate and remove the unnecessary foliage, giving more room for bigger fruit on the producing branches. The fruit that is produced on the suckers tends to be small and the extra weight doesn't do the plant any favours. We prune as well as run a fan in the greenhouse to encourage air movement in among the plants. This also assists in the self pollination, which helps to set fruit, as well as helps build a stronger plant.
Tomato plants have suckers that grow between the main stock and fruit producing branches. These can be easily removed by snapping/bending off with your finger and thumb, if they are small. If they get ahead of you or you missed one or two from a previous pruning, you can clip them off with a pair of scissors or plant snips. You will end up with more vigorous plants that will be less susceptible to disease. You will need to do this throughout the growing season as as the new fruiting branches form, suckers will also begin to grow in the crotches.
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| Sucker is marked with "x" between the main stock and fruiting branch Each branch will have one or two suckers between it and the main stock Continue to monitor your plants throughout the growing season and remove as they form |
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| Sucker "x" has been snapped and bent over to now be removed |
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| After sucker has been removed |
I absolutely love having the greenhouse. We built our very first one back in the 1980's and have had one everywhere we could ever since. Our previous home in town didn't have room for one and we really, really missed it. Thus, it was a top priority to build another one, when we built out here in the country. In our personal experience, what we save on bedding plants and vegetable starts actually pays for the greenhouse its first year of production! And it is a great hobby as well. You really get to be up close and personal with your food production. It is very cool when you can plant a seed, grow a plant and enjoy the bounty of your efforts, all within a very short amount of time. And it smells amazing in there!
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| Green Bell Pepper flowers |
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| Long English Cucumber |
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| New vineyard with the grape vines that Papa started this past winter Notice the greenhouse and water catchment system for the greenhouse Mr Wilbur is always ready to assist as needed |
I noticed that the perennial herbs have all come back and the asparagus is poking through the compost that Papa top dressed them with last week. The fruit trees are leafing out. Swallows and robins and bluebirds are all flitting about making merry in the lovely spring weather. It is a beautiful time of the year!
Studio and Workshop News:
With the wet weather that followed Monday's planting, Papa has been busy in his workshop and I have had some studio time. I get a little twitchy when I don't get time out in the studio. He has been making pre-drilled, ready to assemble birdhouses, a bird feeder and more plant pokes for our booth in the new Tin Chicken Antique Mall and Mercantile, opening later this spring. I have been working on adorable lined zippered pouches. It is a nice change of pace from my usual larger pieces.
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| Ready to Finish Bird Feeder |
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| Bird House Kits, which will include all hardware and instructions for assembly and Flower Plant Pokes/Row markers, ready to paint |
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| Garden Bugs Wooden Plant Pokes/Row Markers in Production |
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| Lined, zippered pouches |
Gremlynn's Hot Chocolate Recipe:
With the cooler weather, a nice steaming cup of Hot Chocolate can really lift your day. I have found that commercially made Hot Chocolate Mixes left an unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth. I came up with a recipe to make my own, and there is absolutely No comparison to the commercially made mixes. Quick and easy to make up, it is a real treat! And it stores indefinitely in a sealed glass jar.
In a large bowl, mix together the following until well blended:
3 cups Skim Milk Powder
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pure Cocoa powder, sifted (Fry's, Hershey's, etc)
2 squares of chopped, shaved for finely diced semi-sweet baking chocolate squares
To make per serving:
2 heaping Tablespoons of this mixture for each 8 oz mug
Add a bit of fluid (milk or water) to dissolve, then
Finish by adding boiling water or heated milk to fill mug and stir until combined
Top with whipping cream and sprinkles if desired
Add marshmallows if desired
Enjoy!
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| Hot Chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles |
And that about does it for news this week. I hope this finds you all well.
Enjoy your May long weekend!
Until next time:
Until next time:
Gremlynn
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