wild winds
 

a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

the roof did not leak. i think.


songbird

wild winds
 

On 6/13/2014 9:31 AM, songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

the roof did not leak. i think.


songbird

Sounds like a "skipper," a tornado that doesn't touch the ground. We had
one drop the top of an oak tree on our roof many years ago. Scared the
hell out of us, including the dog. My folks home got hit by one in the
early seventies, just banged up the roof a bit. Skippers are fairly
common in the south. Glad your home didn't get hit.

George

wild winds
 

On 6/13/2014 11:05 AM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2014 9:31 AM, songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

the roof did not leak. i think.


songbird

Sounds like a "skipper," a tornado that doesn't touch the ground. We had
one drop the top of an oak tree on our roof many years ago. Scared the
hell out of us, including the dog. My folks home got hit by one in the
early seventies, just banged up the roof a bit. Skippers are fairly
common in the south. Glad your home didn't get hit.

George

Seen it happen here too in Delaware.

Also saw a tornado here. Son was driving us home and 2 miles from home
a tornado was taking out a school gym. Looked like the Wizard of Oz
with stuff flying through the air. We were only 200 yards away and it
was coming our way. I told my son to floor it and it never bothered us.
Besides the school gym, 6 houses lost roofs and siding. Police kept
cars out of the neighborhoods but the houses were not all together and
one I saw with out a roof while neighbors on half acre lots were untouched.

Saw a skipper too. Neighborhood a couple of miles away had many trees
felled and one house demolished but they did not call it a tornado.

I won't grow trees next to the house that will hurt the house if they
come down in a big wind.

wild winds
 

On Friday, June 13, 2014 2:36:11 PM UTC-4, Frank wrote:
On 6/13/2014 11:05 AM, George Shirley wrote:

On 6/13/2014 9:31 AM, songbird wrote:

a few days ago, could have been a tornado

skipping over, but others just say strong

winds, all i know is that it's not every

day you look out and realize the neighbor's

garage is gone. i've been through times

where the house was shaking before from

strong winds, but this time it was just wind

and rain from all directions at once (and a

calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change

so we were either off to one side or it didn't

form up until it was further north of us.



turns out it was two garages gone, other

another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,

one a few houses further down has a large tree

on top of it (a two and a half story house with

a large pine tree on top of it). more damage

to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall

partially gone, another tree smashed someone's

car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the

road to the north of us which runs EW looks

like a few hundred trees down.



our place, no damage other than a few small

things tipped over, but i'd just finished

24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go

in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because

the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam

now known as tornado jam.



the roof did not leak. i think.





songbird



Sounds like a "skipper," a tornado that doesn't touch the ground. We had

one drop the top of an oak tree on our roof many years ago. Scared the

hell out of us, including the dog. My folks home got hit by one in the

early seventies, just banged up the roof a bit. Skippers are fairly

common in the south. Glad your home didn't get hit.



George



Seen it happen here too in Delaware.



Also saw a tornado here. Son was driving us home and 2 miles from home

a tornado was taking out a school gym. Looked like the Wizard of Oz

with stuff flying through the air. We were only 200 yards away and it

was coming our way. I told my son to floor it and it never bothered us.

Besides the school gym, 6 houses lost roofs and siding. Police kept

cars out of the neighborhoods but the houses were not all together and

one I saw with out a roof while neighbors on half acre lots were untouched.



Saw a skipper too. Neighborhood a couple of miles away had many trees

felled and one house demolished but they did not call it a tornado.



I won't grow trees next to the house that will hurt the house if they

come down in a big wind.

Straight line winds are crazy too. We had a Rubber Maid Shed blow completely apart at 2 am one time. Of course it was full of crap we had to put somewhere so it didn't all blow away. We had a tree come down on the house in Hurricane Fran and now will not have a tree close enough to hit. We have even talked the neighbors to cut down some of theirs. They probably wouldn't hit the house but if they were willing........
MJ

wild winds
 

On 6/13/2014 3:14 PM, wrote:
On Friday, June 13, 2014 2:36:11 PM UTC-4, Frank wrote:
On 6/13/2014 11:05 AM, George Shirley wrote:

On 6/13/2014 9:31 AM, songbird wrote:

a few days ago, could have been a tornado

skipping over, but others just say strong

winds, all i know is that it's not every

day you look out and realize the neighbor's

garage is gone. i've been through times

where the house was shaking before from

strong winds, but this time it was just wind

and rain from all directions at once (and a

calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change

so we were either off to one side or it didn't

form up until it was further north of us.



turns out it was two garages gone, other

another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,

one a few houses further down has a large tree

on top of it (a two and a half story house with

a large pine tree on top of it). more damage

to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall

partially gone, another tree smashed someone's

car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the

road to the north of us which runs EW looks

like a few hundred trees down.



our place, no damage other than a few small

things tipped over, but i'd just finished

24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go

in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because

the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam

now known as tornado jam.



the roof did not leak. i think.





songbird



Sounds like a "skipper," a tornado that doesn't touch the ground. We had

one drop the top of an oak tree on our roof many years ago. Scared the

hell out of us, including the dog. My folks home got hit by one in the

early seventies, just banged up the roof a bit. Skippers are fairly

common in the south. Glad your home didn't get hit.



George



Seen it happen here too in Delaware.



Also saw a tornado here. Son was driving us home and 2 miles from home

a tornado was taking out a school gym. Looked like the Wizard of Oz

with stuff flying through the air. We were only 200 yards away and it

was coming our way. I told my son to floor it and it never bothered us.

Besides the school gym, 6 houses lost roofs and siding. Police kept

cars out of the neighborhoods but the houses were not all together and

one I saw with out a roof while neighbors on half acre lots were untouched.



Saw a skipper too. Neighborhood a couple of miles away had many trees

felled and one house demolished but they did not call it a tornado.



I won't grow trees next to the house that will hurt the house if they

come down in a big wind.

Straight line winds are crazy too. We had a Rubber Maid Shed blow completely apart at 2 am one time. Of course it was full of crap we had to put somewhere so it didn't all blow away. We had a tree come down on the house in Hurricane Fran and now will not have a tree close enough to hit. We have even talked the neighbors to cut down some of theirs. They probably wouldn't hit the house but if they were willing........
MJ


Neighborhood that got hit is full of huge tulip poplars. The house
destroyed had a garage containing 2 Cadillacs crushed. A Cadillac parked
in the driveway was unscathed.

Guy in neighborhood tells me he's always discovering large branches
coming down.

wild winds
 

On 6/13/2014 1:36 PM, Frank wrote:
On 6/13/2014 11:05 AM, George Shirley wrote:
On 6/13/2014 9:31 AM, songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

the roof did not leak. i think.


songbird

Sounds like a "skipper," a tornado that doesn't touch the ground. We had
one drop the top of an oak tree on our roof many years ago. Scared the
hell out of us, including the dog. My folks home got hit by one in the
early seventies, just banged up the roof a bit. Skippers are fairly
common in the south. Glad your home didn't get hit.

George

Seen it happen here too in Delaware.

Also saw a tornado here. Son was driving us home and 2 miles from home
a tornado was taking out a school gym. Looked like the Wizard of Oz
with stuff flying through the air. We were only 200 yards away and it
was coming our way. I told my son to floor it and it never bothered us.
Besides the school gym, 6 houses lost roofs and siding. Police kept
cars out of the neighborhoods but the houses were not all together and
one I saw with out a roof while neighbors on half acre lots were untouched.

Saw a skipper too. Neighborhood a couple of miles away had many trees
felled and one house demolished but they did not call it a tornado.

I won't grow trees next to the house that will hurt the house if they
come down in a big wind.
Many years ago I was in the U.S. Navy, sailed on old WWII destroyers
that were still in use in the late fifties. Not uncommon to be sailing
the Caribbean Sea and see water spouts, often two or three in a row,
basically a tornado over water. Nice to see but didn't want to drive
into one.

Lived on the Gulf Coast most of my life and have seen many hurricanes,
lots of tornadoes spun off the front of the hurricane. Scary to see and
to be in. Got old and started running north to get away. Don't like big
storms of any kind anymore, to old to run and hide. Plus they mess up
our gardens. In Rita we lost a 400 year old white oak that was in the
front yard, luckily it hit the power line feeding our house when it went
down and that threw it in the front yard instead of on the house. Pretty
sure if it had hit the house dead on we would have gotten a new house
from Allstate. Lady down the street had a very large pine tree fall just
behind the peak of her roof, house looked fine from the street but the
back half was crushed completely.

Yeah, we try to avoid storms of any kind anymore and are careful to keep
our home and vehicle insurance at true value. Bought this house eighteen
months ago and just got the latest appraisal, had to up our homeowners
insurance quite a bit. The new ExxonMobil campus is going in a few miles
east of us, reckon that's what did it. 10,000 employees moving into the
area, buying houses, etc.

George

wild winds
 

On 14/06/2014 12:31 AM, songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

I assume from that description that you are thinking a tornado???? Can
a pressure change be felt so distinctly?

turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

Ah -there's my answer - you were thinkign tonado.

How often do they occur wher eyou live?

the roof did not leak. i think.

I hope for your sake that it didn't - sounds like you got a better deal
than your neighbours 'bird. Stay safe.

wild winds
 

On 14/06/2014 6:06 AM, Frank wrote:

Neighborhood that got hit is full of huge tulip poplars. The house
destroyed had a garage containing 2 Cadillacs crushed.

Nothing of any worth lost in that case ;-))

wild winds
 

On Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:31:29 -0400, songbird
wrote:

a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

Gah! I know the feeling. We had a "microburst" here that took out at
least 7 trees, 5 of which were very large white oaks. We cut up the
single tree that was in the backyard and split it for firewood and
will try to work on the others on the front of the property tomorrow.
We thought there were 3 trees in the front but after we actually got
to them, we found that there were 4 trees downed and they took out at
least 2 surrounding trees. Who knows what we'll find when we start
cutting them up tomorrow.

I love trees until the wind gets wild. Then I get scared watching
them whip back and forth. I don't blame you for getting rid of trees
nearby. Thank goodness you and your house were spared.

wild winds
 

Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

I assume from that description that you are thinking a tornado???? Can
a pressure change be felt so distinctly?

when i was a kid, we lived in another town which
gets a fair number of tornado activity (Grand
Rapids MI), my earliest memories are of staying in
the basement, being held up to the small window
to see the funnel clouds going over (not ones that
had actually touched down) and feeling my ears pop.


turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

Ah -there's my answer - you were thinkign tonado.

How often do they occur wher eyou live?

we might have warnings a few times a year, but
nothing has hit us this directly in a long time.
there's way too many trees down. my sister got
pictures and will eventually get them to me, and
i'm sure there are pictures on the news sites, but
i've not had enough time to look using this slow
connection.


the roof did not leak. i think.

I hope for your sake that it didn't - sounds like you got a better deal
than your neighbours 'bird. Stay safe.

i've actually felt more scared when the house has
been shaking, this didn't seem as bad as other times,
until i looked out and saw the missing garage and the
damage to the neighbor's place out back.

the hexagon shape of the house and the large central
split stone fireplace and the heavy split stone wall
to the west along with the low sheltering cedar trees
(break up the winds coming across the open fields) make
this a tough nut to crack. most vulnerable spaces
would be the garage and this room off two of the facets.

when it gets bad i will duck into the small bathroom
with a blanket wrapped around me that is next to the
fireplace which is a fairly strong room on it's own -
if i'm in there i'd likely be safe from almost anything
short of a direct hit by a bigger tornado.

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).


songbird

wild winds
 

On Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:23:31 -0400, songbird
wrote:

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

wild winds
 

On 15/06/2014 12:23 AM, songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

I assume from that description that you are thinking a tornado???? Can
a pressure change be felt so distinctly?

when i was a kid, we lived in another town which
gets a fair number of tornado activity (Grand
Rapids MI), my earliest memories are of staying in
the basement, being held up to the small window
to see the funnel clouds going over (not ones that
had actually touched down) and feeling my ears pop.

Reading that just sent a shiver down my spine. Scary!


turns out it was two garages gone, other
another neighbor lost a bit of their roof,
one a few houses further down has a large tree
on top of it (a two and a half story house with
a large pine tree on top of it). more damage
to trees, tree lots, house with a brick wall
partially gone, another tree smashed someone's
car, garage door blown outwards, hmm... the
road to the north of us which runs EW looks
like a few hundred trees down.

our place, no damage other than a few small
things tipped over, but i'd just finished
24.5 pints of freezer jam that needed to go
in the fridge/freezer and it couldn't because
the power was out. so it's soupy freezer jam
now known as tornado jam.

Ah -there's my answer - you were thinkign tonado.

How often do they occur wher eyou live?

we might have warnings a few times a year, but
nothing has hit us this directly in a long time.
there's way too many trees down. my sister got
pictures and will eventually get them to me, and
i'm sure there are pictures on the news sites, but
i've not had enough time to look using this slow
connection.


the roof did not leak. i think.

I hope for your sake that it didn't - sounds like you got a better deal
than your neighbours 'bird. Stay safe.

i've actually felt more scared when the house has
been shaking, this didn't seem as bad as other times,
until i looked out and saw the missing garage and the
damage to the neighbor's place out back.

the hexagon shape of the house and the large central
split stone fireplace and the heavy split stone wall
to the west along with the low sheltering cedar trees
(break up the winds coming across the open fields) make
this a tough nut to crack. most vulnerable spaces
would be the garage and this room off two of the facets.

when it gets bad i will duck into the small bathroom
with a blanket wrapped around me that is next to the
fireplace which is a fairly strong room on it's own -
if i'm in there i'd likely be safe from almost anything
short of a direct hit by a bigger tornado.

Well let's hope that you never find out what could happen if a big one
ever did hit.

They look nasty and just seeing them and the damage they do on the TV is
as close as I ever want to get to one.

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

:-)) I too know that back warning device.

wild winds
 

bluechick wrote:
songbird wrote:

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

i filled up another sink in an hour and a half
of picking (larger berries make things go much
faster). set aside enough mashed berries for
eight batches of jam and had enough sugar and
jars to do four batches later on. those 12 pints
set up perfectly and are safely frozen by now.
the other four batches i'll do later today when
Ma returns from town.

i've called in reinforcements for picking there's
a lot still out there that i'm not going to use.
many gallons worth. in previous years i've been
done with planting by now and could go out and
pick and process berries to give them away to
others for shortcake, etc. but this year, nope,
they're going to have to pick if they want them.

there's some newer neighbors i've not met yet
that i might pop over today and invite them to
pick too.


songbird

wild winds
 

Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:
songbird wrote:
a few days ago, could have been a tornado
skipping over, but others just say strong
winds, all i know is that it's not every
day you look out and realize the neighbor's
garage is gone. i've been through times
where the house was shaking before from
strong winds, but this time it was just wind
and rain from all directions at once (and a
calm eye for a moment), but no pressure change
so we were either off to one side or it didn't
form up until it was further north of us.

I assume from that description that you are thinking a tornado???? Can
a pressure change be felt so distinctly?

when i was a kid, we lived in another town which
gets a fair number of tornado activity (Grand
Rapids MI), my earliest memories are of staying in
the basement, being held up to the small window
to see the funnel clouds going over (not ones that
had actually touched down) and feeling my ears pop.

Reading that just sent a shiver down my spine. Scary!

when that young you don't know enough to be
scared, i was facinated, plus it was fun to live
in the basement.


....
the hexagon shape of the house and the large central
split stone fireplace and the heavy split stone wall
to the west along with the low sheltering cedar trees
(break up the winds coming across the open fields) make
this a tough nut to crack. most vulnerable spaces
would be the garage and this room off two of the facets.

when it gets bad i will duck into the small bathroom
with a blanket wrapped around me that is next to the
fireplace which is a fairly strong room on it's own -
if i'm in there i'd likely be safe from almost anything
short of a direct hit by a bigger tornado.

Well let's hope that you never find out what could happen if a big one
ever did hit.

i'll agree with that!


They look nasty and just seeing them and the damage they do on the TV is
as close as I ever want to get to one.

i'm not fond of them either, but they do facinate
me, i much prefer watching them on tv than the live
version...


ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

:-)) I too know that back warning device.

:) good picking, i was in a different
patch which had larger berries, makes things
go much faster.

even when standing at the sink or counter
working on something i'll often still shift
my weight back and forth to keep moving as
otherwise my lower back can lock up a bit.


songbird

wild winds
 

On 16/06/2014 12:56 AM, songbird wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:


:-)) I too know that back warning device.

:) good picking, i was in a different
patch which had larger berries, makes things
go much faster.

even when standing at the sink or counter
working on something i'll often still shift
my weight back and forth to keep moving as
otherwise my lower back can lock up a bit.

You might find these useful:
http://www.nevdgp.org.au/info/murtag...Elowerback.htm
and also
http://www.nevdgp.org.au/info/murtag...racicspine.htm

I've recommended these to a couple of USians I've met online and they've
said they worked well to relieve pain and enable comfortable movements
again. My husband and I both use these exercises when we need to do so
and found them helpful.

wild winds
 

On Sun, 15 Jun 2014 10:16:49 -0400, songbird
wrote:

bluechick wrote:
songbird wrote:

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

i filled up another sink in an hour and a half
of picking (larger berries make things go much
faster). set aside enough mashed berries for
eight batches of jam and had enough sugar and
jars to do four batches later on. those 12 pints
set up perfectly and are safely frozen by now.
the other four batches i'll do later today when
Ma returns from town.

Yep, you were busy! Glad you got all that done. I had to quit after
one batch since I didn't have enough sugar. Could have sworn I had
another 5 lbs in the pantry. Must have grown legs and taken a walk.
:) At least I can rest up tonight and do another batch or two
tomorrow. I re-measured after last night's processing. Even after
today's batch of jelly was done I still have over 10 cups of juice!
Gah! I don't want to see another blackberry this season.

i've called in reinforcements for picking there's
a lot still out there that i'm not going to use.
many gallons worth. in previous years i've been
done with planting by now and could go out and
pick and process berries to give them away to
others for shortcake, etc. but this year, nope,
they're going to have to pick if they want them.

Amen to that! Everyone wants my jelly after all that work. Just me
and DH doing the picking while braving heat, mosquitoes and ticks.
Yep, they're hiding in the blackberry bushes - we've seen 4 of the
vile things either on us or in the sink after rinsing the berries. I'm
now more worried about ticks than I am snakes. But enough of those
grabby hands wanting the finished product. They can pick the berries
if they want 'em. We've invited everyone over to pick but surprise!
They won't do it.

there's some newer neighbors i've not met yet
that i might pop over today and invite them to
pick too.

I hope you have better luck than we've had, trying to get people to
pick. I hate to have fruit rot on the plant or go 100% to the birds
and bugs. Seems wasteful, but one can only pick and process so much
before it gets to be too big an ordeal.

wild winds
 

Fran Farmer wrote:
....
You might find these useful:
http://www.nevdgp.org.au/info/murtag...Elowerback.htm
and also
http://www.nevdgp.org.au/info/murtag...racicspine.htm

thanks, i'm familiar with both of those in
various forms. i don't tend to exercise in
the summer as much as i need to stretch once
in a while to offset tired muscles from
gardening.


I've recommended these to a couple of USians I've met online and they've
said they worked well to relieve pain and enable comfortable movements
again. My husband and I both use these exercises when we need to do so
and found them helpful.

yes, when i had a middle back trouble many
years ago similar back exercises helped a
great deal to relieve the problem. after
months of trouble and pain, once i started
exercises it moderated the pain enough that
i could start sleeping again within just a
few weeks.


songbird

wild winds
 

bluechick wrote:
....
I hope you have better luck than we've had, trying to get people to
pick. I hate to have fruit rot on the plant or go 100% to the birds
and bugs. Seems wasteful, but one can only pick and process so much
before it gets to be too big an ordeal.

so far nobody has arrived, but perhaps this
week... i'm still out picking fresh berries
for us to eat every day i can get outside.

i know what you mean though, so few people
actually will do anything these days that
involves much effort. when they get hungry
enough they'll have to figure it out.

later this year i'll probably turn under
half of what is in these patches, i sure
don't need this many plants and the soil
will appreciate the organic matter. in spots
some of them are getting rather weedy so that
is how to deal with that in a pretty time
efficient manner.


songbird

wild winds
 

On 6/14/2014 4:38 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:23:31 -0400, songbird
wrote:

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

Some years ago my daughter, seeing me rub my back from stoop picking,
bought me an Ames Garden Buddy. It is a little plastic wagon for hauling
and the handle folds down into a nice seat. I put it alongside the
raised beds (used to just put it between the rows in the in ground
garden) and scoot it along with my feet while I pick, pull weeds, or
just generally mess with the garden. Really helps with a bad back. I
have also seen one that is basically a tractor seat on four wheels,
haven't tried that one.

The Garden Buddy lives on the back porch close to the garden. May have
to get one for my Lady Wife as she keeps swiping mine.

George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

wild winds
 

On 6/15/2014 9:16 AM, songbird wrote:
bluechick wrote:
songbird wrote:

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

i filled up another sink in an hour and a half
of picking (larger berries make things go much
faster). set aside enough mashed berries for
eight batches of jam and had enough sugar and
jars to do four batches later on. those 12 pints
set up perfectly and are safely frozen by now.
the other four batches i'll do later today when
Ma returns from town.

i've called in reinforcements for picking there's
a lot still out there that i'm not going to use.
many gallons worth. in previous years i've been
done with planting by now and could go out and
pick and process berries to give them away to
others for shortcake, etc. but this year, nope,
they're going to have to pick if they want them.

there's some newer neighbors i've not met yet
that i might pop over today and invite them to
pick too.


songbird

Curious minds and all that songbird, why make freezer jam? I just don't
have enough freezer place to store jams and jellies so I boiling water
bath can them. Not finding fault, just curious.

George

wild winds
 

On 6/16/2014 8:34 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jun 2014 10:16:49 -0400, songbird
wrote:

bluechick wrote:
songbird wrote:

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

i filled up another sink in an hour and a half
of picking (larger berries make things go much
faster). set aside enough mashed berries for
eight batches of jam and had enough sugar and
jars to do four batches later on. those 12 pints
set up perfectly and are safely frozen by now.
the other four batches i'll do later today when
Ma returns from town.

Yep, you were busy! Glad you got all that done. I had to quit after
one batch since I didn't have enough sugar. Could have sworn I had
another 5 lbs in the pantry. Must have grown legs and taken a walk.
:) At least I can rest up tonight and do another batch or two
tomorrow. I re-measured after last night's processing. Even after
today's batch of jelly was done I still have over 10 cups of juice!
Gah! I don't want to see another blackberry this season.

i've called in reinforcements for picking there's
a lot still out there that i'm not going to use.
many gallons worth. in previous years i've been
done with planting by now and could go out and
pick and process berries to give them away to
others for shortcake, etc. but this year, nope,
they're going to have to pick if they want them.

Amen to that! Everyone wants my jelly after all that work. Just me
and DH doing the picking while braving heat, mosquitoes and ticks.
Yep, they're hiding in the blackberry bushes - we've seen 4 of the
vile things either on us or in the sink after rinsing the berries. I'm
now more worried about ticks than I am snakes. But enough of those
grabby hands wanting the finished product. They can pick the berries
if they want 'em. We've invited everyone over to pick but surprise!
They won't do it.

there's some newer neighbors i've not met yet
that i might pop over today and invite them to
pick too.

I hope you have better luck than we've had, trying to get people to
pick. I hate to have fruit rot on the plant or go 100% to the birds
and bugs. Seems wasteful, but one can only pick and process so much
before it gets to be too big an ordeal.

To bad you're not nearby, we love picking FREE fruit. Around here we
have to go to a berry farm and pay to pick, still cheaper than
supermarket prices. We miss all the nice people in Louisiana who allowed
us to pick muscadines, pears, persimmons, oranges, grapefruit, and other
fruits for free. They got rewarded with jellies, jams, and multiple
goodies for their generosity. We will probably go back there this fall
and pick a hundred lbs of canning pears and stay with friends while we
do it. Nice folks those Cajuns.

George

wild winds
 

George Shirley wrote:
....
Curious minds and all that songbird, why make freezer jam? I just don't
have enough freezer place to store jams and jellies so I boiling water
bath can them. Not finding fault, just curious.

4 cups of sugar instead of 7 per batch and a
better overall flavor (not cooking it leaves a
lot more of the strawberry complexity intact).

we don't have much freezer space either and i
understand the conundrum, but for the strawberry
jam supply for the next year we do have that
space.

i've already given away most of the jam that
didn't quite set right.


songbird

wild winds
 

On Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:09:32 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

To bad you're not nearby, we love picking FREE fruit. Around here we
have to go to a berry farm and pay to pick, still cheaper than
supermarket prices. We miss all the nice people in Louisiana who allowed
us to pick muscadines, pears, persimmons, oranges, grapefruit, and other
fruits for free. They got rewarded with jellies, jams, and multiple
goodies for their generosity. We will probably go back there this fall
and pick a hundred lbs of canning pears and stay with friends while we
do it. Nice folks those Cajuns.

George

I wish you were close by too. You would be welcomed with open arms.
I'd even shove a basket at you so you'd have something to carry the
blackberries in. :)

Giving them jellies and jams is a nice payback. I hope you get to
pick tons of fruit this fall and visit with old friends. Have you
been back since you moved to Texas?

wild winds
 

On Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:04:00 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

Some years ago my daughter, seeing me rub my back from stoop picking,
bought me an Ames Garden Buddy. It is a little plastic wagon for hauling
and the handle folds down into a nice seat. I put it alongside the
raised beds (used to just put it between the rows in the in ground
garden) and scoot it along with my feet while I pick, pull weeds, or
just generally mess with the garden. Really helps with a bad back. I
have also seen one that is basically a tractor seat on four wheels,
haven't tried that one.

My husband has something similar and loves it. He scoots all over the
place. Ran over my foot with that thing too!

The Garden Buddy lives on the back porch close to the garden. May have
to get one for my Lady Wife as she keeps swiping mine.

George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

You and songbird have been busier than the rest of us put together. :D

wild winds
 

On 6/17/2014 10:08 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:09:32 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

To bad you're not nearby, we love picking FREE fruit. Around here we
have to go to a berry farm and pay to pick, still cheaper than
supermarket prices. We miss all the nice people in Louisiana who allowed
us to pick muscadines, pears, persimmons, oranges, grapefruit, and other
fruits for free. They got rewarded with jellies, jams, and multiple
goodies for their generosity. We will probably go back there this fall
and pick a hundred lbs of canning pears and stay with friends while we
do it. Nice folks those Cajuns.

George

I wish you were close by too. You would be welcomed with open arms.
I'd even shove a basket at you so you'd have something to carry the
blackberries in. :)

Giving them jellies and jams is a nice payback. I hope you get to
pick tons of fruit this fall and visit with old friends. Have you
been back since you moved to Texas?

At least twice a year we go back, lots of long time friends there. A
couple of them are coming here next weekend. You stay close to people
for 24 years and you sort of get attached at the hip. That 24 years in
Louisiana is the longest we have lived anywhere in 54 years of marriage.
We've live in at least three states and two foreign countries over those
years and have made friends in all of them.

George

wild winds
 

On 6/17/2014 12:46 PM, songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote:
...
Curious minds and all that songbird, why make freezer jam? I just don't
have enough freezer place to store jams and jellies so I boiling water
bath can them. Not finding fault, just curious.

4 cups of sugar instead of 7 per batch and a
better overall flavor (not cooking it leaves a
lot more of the strawberry complexity intact).

we don't have much freezer space either and i
understand the conundrum, but for the strawberry
jam supply for the next year we do have that
space.

i've already given away most of the jam that
didn't quite set right.


songbird

I buy strawberries at the market for my wife, I do not like the taste
and texture of modern strawberries. The one's my mother grew back in the
forties and fifties were small with lots of flavor. I guess, as we age,
our tastes change. Some things I used to love to eat now are not so
tasty to me. Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them but love papaya.
First time I ate a papaya was in Bangkok in 1981, fell in love with them
and still buy one at the market every once in awhile. Most fruits are
enjoyable to me as I eat a lot of fruit.

wild winds
 

On 6/17/2014 10:08 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jun 2014 11:04:00 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

Some years ago my daughter, seeing me rub my back from stoop picking,
bought me an Ames Garden Buddy. It is a little plastic wagon for hauling
and the handle folds down into a nice seat. I put it alongside the
raised beds (used to just put it between the rows in the in ground
garden) and scoot it along with my feet while I pick, pull weeds, or
just generally mess with the garden. Really helps with a bad back. I
have also seen one that is basically a tractor seat on four wheels,
haven't tried that one.

My husband has something similar and loves it. He scoots all over the
place. Ran over my foot with that thing too!

The Garden Buddy lives on the back porch close to the garden. May have
to get one for my Lady Wife as she keeps swiping mine.

George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

You and songbird have been busier than the rest of us put together. :D

Our garden does weird things, one day there is a tiny zucchini, two days
later it weighs over two lbs and is still seedless. Harvested and
shredded half of that one for zuke bread and casseroles. The other half
will get cooked into a casserole today. Same with Ichiban eggplant,
maybe three inches long today, eight to ten inches long tomorrow. I
guess it our watering cycle that pumps them up. I'm still waiting for
the Hopi lima beans to fill up, anxious to try them, may end up drying a
bunch and put them in a big jar for winter beans and cornbread or beans
and rice. Staples here in the souf'.

wild winds
 

On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:50:46 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

Our garden does weird things, one day there is a tiny zucchini, two days
later it weighs over two lbs and is still seedless. Harvested and
shredded half of that one for zuke bread and casseroles. The other half
will get cooked into a casserole today. Same with Ichiban eggplant,
maybe three inches long today, eight to ten inches long tomorrow. I
guess it our watering cycle that pumps them up. I'm still waiting for
the Hopi lima beans to fill up, anxious to try them, may end up drying a
bunch and put them in a big jar for winter beans and cornbread or beans
and rice. Staples here in the souf'.

Ours goes in cycles as well. I guess it's from lots of rain or after
a good watering. Then the plants go completely wild. For example, we
planted a luffa in one unused corner of the garden and it sat there,
all meek and mild. Then we had a fairly heavy rain one morning. I'll
swear that the next day it was three times its size, sending tendrils
all over trying to climb a bamboo pole, the fence, anything that was
standing still. FrankenLuffa! Maybe that kind of growth spurt is
normal for a luffa (this is our first time growing it) but I've never
seen anything like it. If it doesn't produce huge bath sponges I will
be very disappointed.

wild winds
 

George Shirley wrote:
I buy strawberries at the market for my wife, I do not like the taste
and texture of modern strawberries. The one's my mother grew back in
the forties and fifties were small with lots of flavor. I guess, as
we age, our tastes change. Some things I used to love to eat now are
not so tasty to me.

And supermarkt strawberries are grown for looks not flavour. It may not be
you that has changed.

Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them but love
papaya. First time I ate a papaya was in Bangkok in 1981, fell in
love with them and still buy one at the market every once in awhile.
Most fruits are enjoyable to me as I eat a lot of fruit.

Odd, I have never before met anybody who despises mangoes. Some are
indiferent but most love them. But we give the seeds to babies as teething
aids.

D

wild winds
 

David Hare-Scott wrote:
George Shirley wrote:
I buy strawberries at the market for my wife, I do not like the taste
and texture of modern strawberries. The one's my mother grew back in
the forties and fifties were small with lots of flavor. I guess, as
we age, our tastes change. Some things I used to love to eat now are
not so tasty to me.

And supermarkt strawberries are grown for looks not flavour. It may not be
you that has changed.

and they are not picked anywhere near when they
are fully ripe, in order that they have a chance of
surviving picking, packing, transit, storage, etc.

the berries i picked today, many of them were
so ripe that another day they'd be too ripe.
stacked in the sink they'll mash each other and
drip, but they are very sweet and smell wonderful.

i'm trying to make my first batch of fruit
leather tonight. not sure how it will turn out
yet...


Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them but love
papaya. First time I ate a papaya was in Bangkok in 1981, fell in
love with them and still buy one at the market every once in awhile.
Most fruits are enjoyable to me as I eat a lot of fruit.

Odd, I have never before met anybody who despises mangoes. Some are
indiferent but most love them. But we give the seeds to babies as teething
aids.

some people do not like resinous notes (which i
do taste in mangoes when i eat them). i love 'em
and wish i could have a mango tree.


songbird

wild winds
 

and some plants can sit for a while looking like
they are doing little, but they are quite busy
under the surface in sending out new roots and
getting established. like usually the tomatoes
we plant look like they do nothing for the first
three weeks after they've been transplanted.
then we get some hot days and some decent rains
and they start taking off. i think ours have
grown about a foot the past week.


songbird

wild winds
 

bluechick wrote:
George wrote:
....
George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

You and songbird have been busier than the rest of us put together. :D

haha, noway! some days i'm getting less than
two hours of tasks done lately out in the gardens.

might have to replant in some spots if the
critters don't let up on their harvesting rights.


songbird

wild winds
 

On 19/06/2014 8:48 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
George Shirley wrote:


Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them
(snip)

Odd, I have never before met anybody who despises mangoes. Some are
indiferent but most love them.

My son in law shudders at the mere mention of mangoes and has told me
that he will eat anything EXCEPT mangoes. And he was so darned emphatic
about that EXCEPT, that I have to put it in caps.

He grew up in Qld and so can't stand the smell or the sound of them
dropping on the roof or being expected to eat mangoes at every meal. I
also have a neighour who will eat them but turns green if she mentions
the smell of rotting mangoes - she too grew up in Qld.

wild winds
 

On Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:25:14 -0400, songbird
wrote:

and some plants can sit for a while looking like
they are doing little, but they are quite busy
under the surface in sending out new roots and
getting established. like usually the tomatoes
we plant look like they do nothing for the first
three weeks after they've been transplanted.
then we get some hot days and some decent rains
and they start taking off. i think ours have
grown about a foot the past week.

That's certainly true for bamboo. We have several varieties here and
planted one last year that seemed to sit and sulk all through last
spring and summer and set out only one culm in the fall. It resumed
sulking during the normal winter dormant period and then went
absolutely crazy this spring sending out many culms several feet
distant from the center of the original clump.

We have one variety that's edible, but we don't have the heart to eat
it. Its purpose here is to provide screening from the road.

wild winds
 

On Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:28:04 -0400, songbird
wrote:

bluechick wrote:
George wrote:
...
George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

You and songbird have been busier than the rest of us put together. :D

haha, noway! some days i'm getting less than
two hours of tasks done lately out in the gardens.

Yes, way! :D That's two hours more than we can do some days. We went
out to water the veggies and orchard this morning at 7 and to check
the new drip hose in the tomato bed. We decided to pick a few
blackberries from the bushes close to the garden as well. One hour
later we were both drenched in sweat and debilitated by the heat. By
8am it was unbearable. Summer is here on Saturday? Dagnabbit, I've
had enough of the heat already and am ready for fall again! :)

might have to replant in some spots if the
critters don't let up on their harvesting rights.

Arg, I feel your pain. I'm battling some caterpillars in the tomato
bed now and something stealthy is munching on one of my peppers.

wild winds
 

bluechick wrote:
songbird wrote:
bluechick wrote:
George wrote:
...
George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.

You and songbird have been busier than the rest of us put together. :D

haha, noway! some days i'm getting less than
two hours of tasks done lately out in the gardens.

Yes, way! :D That's two hours more than we can do some days. We went
out to water the veggies and orchard this morning at 7 and to check
the new drip hose in the tomato bed. We decided to pick a few
blackberries from the bushes close to the garden as well. One hour
later we were both drenched in sweat and debilitated by the heat. By
8am it was unbearable. Summer is here on Saturday? Dagnabbit, I've
had enough of the heat already and am ready for fall again! :)

it was hot and a bit humid yesterday. the last
of the gardens planted (finally!). when i was
done, i was done for the day. supposedly today
will be a hair warmer. i'll be weeding, picking
some strawberries, thinning and transplanting
onions.

first though i have to wait for the fumes from
the neighbor spraying his corn field to blow
over.


might have to replant in some spots if the
critters don't let up on their harvesting rights.

Arg, I feel your pain. I'm battling some caterpillars in the tomato
bed now and something stealthy is munching on one of my peppers.

our critter challenges are more furred and four-
footed these days, the tomato worms come later in
late July and August. looks like if i want to keep
any crocuses at all i'll have to put them in cages
when i plant them.

do you have pans of water out for the animals?
sometimes they are chewing not for the nutrition
but for the water.


songbird

wild winds
 

On 6/18/2014 11:22 PM, songbird wrote:
David Hare-Scott wrote:
George Shirley wrote:
I buy strawberries at the market for my wife, I do not like the taste
and texture of modern strawberries. The one's my mother grew back in
the forties and fifties were small with lots of flavor. I guess, as
we age, our tastes change. Some things I used to love to eat now are
not so tasty to me.

And supermarkt strawberries are grown for looks not flavour. It may not be
you that has changed.

and they are not picked anywhere near when they
are fully ripe, in order that they have a chance of
surviving picking, packing, transit, storage, etc.

the berries i picked today, many of them were
so ripe that another day they'd be too ripe.
stacked in the sink they'll mash each other and
drip, but they are very sweet and smell wonderful.

i'm trying to make my first batch of fruit
leather tonight. not sure how it will turn out
yet...


Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them but love
papaya. First time I ate a papaya was in Bangkok in 1981, fell in
love with them and still buy one at the market every once in awhile.
Most fruits are enjoyable to me as I eat a lot of fruit.

Odd, I have never before met anybody who despises mangoes. Some are
indiferent but most love them. But we give the seeds to babies as teething
aids.

some people do not like resinous notes (which i
do taste in mangoes when i eat them). i love 'em
and wish i could have a mango tree.


songbird

Mangoes and avocados grow well here in Harris Cty, TX, except for the
rare year when we get a couple of hard freezes. I put four dwarf
Barbados cherry bushes in the front flower bed, both in hope of fruit
and that they won't grow over three or four feet tall. That's so I can
sit out and drink my morning coffee while watching the world go by. The
cherries have been in the ground over a year and haven't grown an inch.
Maybe they truly are dwarves. G

George

wild winds
 

On 6/19/2014 2:33 AM, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 19/06/2014 8:48 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
George Shirley wrote:


Dear wife loves mangoes, I despise them
(snip)

Odd, I have never before met anybody who despises mangoes. Some are
indiferent but most love them.

My son in law shudders at the mere mention of mangoes and has told me
that he will eat anything EXCEPT mangoes. And he was so darned emphatic
about that EXCEPT, that I have to put it in caps.

He grew up in Qld and so can't stand the smell or the sound of them
dropping on the roof or being expected to eat mangoes at every meal. I
also have a neighour who will eat them but turns green if she mentions
the smell of rotting mangoes - she too grew up in Qld.

I've never been to Queensland but can understand to much of one thing
can be a big turnoff. My folks had a big garden and grew mostly corn and
various beans. It was years before I could eat corn or beans after I
left the homestead. I still don't like mangoes though, not even the
smell of them. Our stores stock these tiny little Mexican papaya, I wish
we could get some of those foot long ones from Thailand. Little lime
juice on top and dig in.

Taking the day off from gardening, got a quarter inch of rain yesterday
and the damned grass grew another two inches. It did help the squash and
eggplant, we are being swamped by Ichiban eggplant, already have a
freezer full of moussaka fixings and eggplant fritters. Gonna have to
call in the grand kids to get rid of some of them. Stink bugs are into
the tomatoes, been hosing them off and pruning tomato limbs to let in
the sun. Tomatoes we pick are ugly.

wild winds
 

On 6/18/2014 5:46 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:50:46 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

Our garden does weird things, one day there is a tiny zucchini, two days
later it weighs over two lbs and is still seedless. Harvested and
shredded half of that one for zuke bread and casseroles. The other half
will get cooked into a casserole today. Same with Ichiban eggplant,
maybe three inches long today, eight to ten inches long tomorrow. I
guess it our watering cycle that pumps them up. I'm still waiting for
the Hopi lima beans to fill up, anxious to try them, may end up drying a
bunch and put them in a big jar for winter beans and cornbread or beans
and rice. Staples here in the souf'.

Ours goes in cycles as well. I guess it's from lots of rain or after
a good watering. Then the plants go completely wild. For example, we
planted a luffa in one unused corner of the garden and it sat there,
all meek and mild. Then we had a fairly heavy rain one morning. I'll
swear that the next day it was three times its size, sending tendrils
all over trying to climb a bamboo pole, the fence, anything that was
standing still. FrankenLuffa! Maybe that kind of growth spurt is
normal for a luffa (this is our first time growing it) but I've never
seen anything like it. If it doesn't produce huge bath sponges I will
be very disappointed.

Baby luffa are edible, sort of like okra, grew them one year and ate
enough of them not to grow anymore. Still got some luffa sponges from
that twenty year ago experiment. Also grew a gourd that tasted like
squash, can't remember the name of it. Grew Armenian squash one year,
they got huge but were tasty, just took up a lot of room. Back then we
had 12,000 square feet of property and could afford the space. We've got
half that now and it is crowded.

wild winds
 

songbird wrote:

supposedly today will be a hair warmer.

best you wear a hat then .....

D