Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[Cebarmlds]

I'm planning on making chili today too, very spicy.

 

[jvls1942]

I keep the chili just mildly spicy.
about 5 level Tbsp of chili powder. 1 Tbsp of basil.
I sprinkle cayenne pepper on mine in the bowl.
i strained both batches of wine. surprisingly , I did not get very much sediment. I used paint strainers.
ultra fine mesh.
I did dump the berry seeds across the road. they were boiled , but I didn't want to take any chances.
our patch is huge. Annie picked only along the edge to get the 40 pounds needed for the wine. we left hundreds of pounds for the birds.
in the past a friend used to come and pick all he wanted, but last spring he moved to the other side of the state.
Annie will freeze some of the chili. she left the macaronni out because it doesn't freeze well.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I made bean soup yesterday which is basically chili when I get done. I guess chili is in the air.

Barb I'm glad you are feeling better. I also am skipping vaccines this year. The covid shot made me sick for a few days each time, and I'm willing to take my chances with the flu this year.

 

[Callender Girl]

I still haven't made chili, but I made a version of the goulash Mom used to make -- except that my family believed salt and pepper were the only spices most dishes needed. I ramped up my goulash with some smoked paprika, as well as garlic and onion powders. I was too lazy to mince or chop actual garlic and onions.

I used to skip all the shots, but living out here by myself, I am less willing to be sick and have to tough it out alone. Taking care of the critters Sunday was incredibly challenging.

It was a weird day yesterday. Lots of stuff that just seemed odd or unusual, including having the goats knock their waterer off the fence. When I went into the pen to put it back, I realized Greta was stuck inside some wire that was tangled in the gate to the sheep pen.

A closer look revealed Greta had her head and left front leg caught inside a mangled tomato cage. Once I took care of the immediate issue and wrangled her loose, I began to wonder where she found the cage. BTW, goats will ALWAYS back up when you are trying to free them from fences -- and, I guess tomato cages -- when they need to move forward so you can get their curved horns loose.

Then, I realized she and Tessa had torn up a chain link panel to the goat "infirmary" pen so they could eat everything still green and growing inside. It's where I had squash growing earlier this year. They even mowed down the catmint, which they usually ignore. At the same time, they are totally uninterested in the hay I put in their feeder daily.

And, when I was taking a scoop of feed out to the young chickens, I felt something hop on my shoulder. The shy Ameraucana pullet, who usually acts as if I am a vicious killer, rode across the yard like a pirate's parrot, happily eating out the scoop all the way. Arrghh, Gwendolyn!

Most of my human interactions yesterday were also unusual. It was that kind of day.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Glad you got your goat untangled Barb. Nothing more dumb or dangerous than a goat with it's head stuck somewhere. We made a hay feeder years ago out of cattle panels. I spent the winter trying to get the ones with horns out of it every day. Goats enjoy coming up with clever ideas, but never think things through.

 

[jvls1942]

30F this morning. it is supposed to get quite warm later on.
good, i have some cleaning up to do in front of the garage.
on Monday we were in Merrill. it rained hard for a few minutes and there was snow mixed in it.
yup, goats are slow learners.
except when it comes to escaping.
GS Kalib went into the big white truck and dug out a stack of ceiling tiles for me. I am thinking of repurposing them and using them on the wall where I just put the hand rails in the garage.
I will insulate the wall first.

 

[Callender Girl]

Snow!! No!!!!!

I like the idea of repurposing the ceiling tiles

 

[jvls1942]

Snow!! No!!!!!

I like the idea of repurposing the ceiling tiles

thanks, Annie , not so much. she can't envision it.

 

[Callender Girl]

Found out yesterday that two of the female members of the Work Crew won't be making the trip down from Minnesota. That slightly changes some of my planned tasks (both are CAREFUL painters and great at detail work). But the two main builders are among the others who are still coming, so hurray!

We will be concentrating on garage projects -- adding soffits to the addition, putting up the last few pieces of painted Hardie board on the north gable, adding a storage shelf on the east wall and closing off a gap under the overhead door. At least that's what I hope we will do.

How's your garage coming along, Jim? Is Annie seeing your vision yet?

Lisa, remember weeks ago when I said my "Black" Cochin seemed to have a lot of white feathers coming in? Turns out, she is a full-blown, incredibly lovely Silver Laced Cochin.

I guess that's fair, since one of my Ameracauna chicks is a rooster, not the hoped-for hen, at least I got a splashy-looking Cochin girl instead of a basic black.

 

[jvls1942]

My work crew is not feeling well. She had her annual checkup and all was just fine. she had a covid booster shot. it seems to have made her nausious . after i do the dishes, i will go out and try to move the cement mixer back under the overhang. then there is the plastic garbage can with the bag of soaked wood shavings in it. very heavy. I hope to lift it with the loader bucket. the handles will probably break and then i will have to find a plan B.
I bought a roll of insulation . and have 20 ceiling tiles standing by.
to add to the to do list, DD Barby gave Annie a bunch of raspberry plants . have to find an out of the way place to put them. still have to stick the pear tree into the ground, too. bro Dave was going to help me with that. but his wife had that blood clot in her leg so he is chief cook and bottle washer at his home for a while.
it is going to be an intense week coming up.