Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[Opa]

Today feels like I need to be wearing a jacket. The temperature is actually 67 but with the light mist of rain in the air it feels much cooler. I've spent several hours on the internet today trying to find a replacement blower for my gas log fireplace. It's unbelieveable the wide range of prices you find. I could order one from the manufacturer, Lennox, for $200 but continuing to search resulting in finding it for $45. I guess it is a no brainer as to where I will be ordering it from.

Yesterday we pulled the remaining peppers and the butternut squash from the garden and opened it up so that the hens now have access to it. While they have been out in a grassy area all some they cetainly seem excited about being allowed in the garden. When I first opened it, a few came in and started scratching. After a few minutes the others seemed to realize they were missing out on something and came at a dead run. A couple of them were both running and flying at the same time. They had better enjoy it as the snow can't be far off.

 

[mema2003]

opa can you freeze the squash? I do yellow crook neck but never have the butternut squash.

 

[Opa]

I've peeled, grated and froze butternuts but much prefer to cut them in halve, bake in oven until soft, scrape out pulp, put 4 cups in ziplock freezer bags and then use them as is or for pies. They taste just pumpkin and with butternuts you get more useable product than with pumpkins.

 

[mema2003]

Thanks opa. I have a hard time cutting them in half but that is what I do and turn them over in about I think an inch of water and bake them in the oven. But I was just wondering if you had several, what to do with them.

 

[Opa]

I use a large heavy knife to cut them in half and then once seeded I place them on a cookie sheet cut side down. By filling two oven racks I can usually do quite a few at one time. While the first batch is cooling enough to handle the second batch is baking. While scraping the first, the second is cooling and the third is baking. It really doesn't take as much time as it seems.

Some folks boil them to cook them but I think that removes too many of the nutrients and the sugars. Baking seems to intensify them.

 

[ladyride]

I prefer baking to boiling you just seem to loose so much flavor that way.

 

[mema2003]

OPA I was reading back about your trip to Eureka Springs and Branson. My daughter used to live in Bentonville Arkansas and I had already been to both places several times but she carried me too Eureka Springs and when we got up to the little shops on a narrow curvy road and got out, I could not breathe. We had to leave and go back down lower which wasn't as much fun as being up around all the little shops. I think at that time it hadn't been long since I had, had my heart worked on and we figured it was too soon to go to that altitude. I have never tried to go back to Eureka but I love Branson even if I don't have a dime. Of course you can't even buy a cuppa coffee for a dime anymore!!!

 

[Opa]

Mema, if you have the opportunity to return to Eureka Springs you should use the shuttle bus service that they have. I know we will be using it next time as there was much more we could have seen had we not tired out. I would have liked to gone through the old residential area as there are many beautiful old homes I would have like to have seen.

 

[Highlander]

It's snowing. And so it begins again!

Better make sure you have extra thermals packed Laura!

 

[Opa]

SNOW. Definitely is a word I don't care to hear, but unfortunately it will occupy a large portion of my thoughts for the next 5 months. I've got to get busy and get the runs for my birds covered. The last two years I have covered the runs and it sure made life a lot easier for me and more pleasant for the birds.

Today is rainy and the temperatures are dropping. The only good thing is that it will lower the water temperature in a river that have steelhead trout runs. The rain is supposed to stop tommorrow morning and Friday's forecast is for cool but sunny. Hopefully I will be able to go fishing.