The Front Porch Swing

[Triple Willow]

Nice Misty! They will like that.

 

[Triple Willow]

@OHhappychicks... congrats on the egg!

 

[Oldmomma]

I swear anyone ever sad or blooie needs to come sit on the porch for a bit.That story was so funny I fell off my bucket and rolled down the steps. Trying to go get supplies for a coop today and after reading a post, thinking about hauling lumber and cutting and drilling wood I thought about using pvc instead. I dont need to worry about a roof or staying on the ground since its going to be on the balcony. Will test out a pipe today. Things were quiet last night many cities are coming out in protests and this "operation dignity" will either set things moving forward or set us into a bigger war. Folks want security. They dont want religion and politics combining. Laws should be based on faith but leave that for the big stuff stay out of daily choices like women covering, how many wives a man wants to have and education and health. Funny living here I have really seen the flip side to the coin. After a prayer service yesterday a local imam told folks that supporting this new movement was unislamic, the congregation told the imam to leave! Now that is the people opening their eyes and no longer taking all the stuff they see and hear for face value. Libya says I want my faith as I want it but dont force anyone to follow it but set basic laws to protect all who live here. Wish media could do a better job of showing this. Kinda like when I was growing up dad sat out front most afternoons on sunday, sometimes he had a beer in his hand and waved to those headed to church other times he had iced tea. Faith isbetween you and your maker but we live in a civil world. By the time I was 10 my parents no longer attended church. I found my own way and each of my kids will find theirs. Well im gonna go visit a few more folks here around town then get my bottom busy finding supplies and fixing my coop.

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm afraid I'm in the same boat you're floating in, Bruce. If I want strawberries I'm going to have to get off my lazy, um, hiney and get out there and make it happen. The weeds have totally taken over the pyramid - why we ever thought that was a good way to raise strawberries I don't know! The plants that are still there are struggling...kinda scrawny and they are spreading out into the yard. <sigh> Never done.

Of course, that's saying that the poor guy ever believes that what he's seeing is an actual egg!

One of my favorite springtime treats is the first stalk of rhubarb slathered in salt! I've had my first one already - but it's so tempting to go out and grab some more. I'll be good - probably don't need the extra salt, especially right now. But it's so yummy, all warm from the sun and tart and juicy! Okay, I'm going out for another one....

Strawberry towers/pyramids are supposed to be good because they keep the berries off the ground and you can grow many more plants in a given amount of ground space. I've not tried one but it seems like both would be good reasons. Sadly, weeds will grow anywhere there are 3 'grains' of dirt together.

Not to worry, eggs stick out like sore thumbs. Even the light brown ones in the shavings on the floor. You don't even need to be looking for them! They'd probably have to be the size of quail eggs to miss them without looking.

Never tried rhubarb with salt, I'll have to do so. My Aunt used to put salt on her grapefruit, not sugar. I imagine it is the same 'theory' of cutting the tartness.

I can't do pie because I can't do dough. So I bake crustless pies ... cut up a bunch of apples, sprinkle with cinnamon, bake. I don't even peel them. I do the same with all kinds of fruit.

Hmmm, have to see if Rebekah will have the proper flours for pie crust when we are there. As you know, she is gluten AND nightshade intolerant so if she is going to cook anything when we are out west, she'll have to have the flours delivered to my Dad's house or carry it in the luggage. What pie type filling might be in season at Joy Farm mid June? Probably strawberries?

Anyone needing 'speciality' flours - http://nuts.com they have 58, yes FIFTY EIGHT kinds of flour. When she orders by 3 or 4 in the afternoon, it is at the door the next day - from Jersey! It should be called 'NutsAndAWholeLotMore.com'

I like it pureed with some bigger chunks in to identify it.

Yep, that is how my grandmother made it. Turns out my Dad doesn't like rhubarb. I ASSUMED he did since it was something HIS mother made during rhubarb season. Guess there is no accounting for taste

I don't know that I can accurately describe rhubarb. It is always exciting when rhubarb is ready because it is one of the very first fresh foods you can get from the garden after a long winter. Love rhubarb pies, and rhubarb crisp still warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream melting over the top. OH HEAVEN. Make sure you try it some time you don't know what you're missing

Yep, comes up the same time as the asparagus, no food I've ever grown comes up before those two. Wonder if I can get ANYONE else in my family to try it if it were made as a crisp or pie rather than 'sauce'.

As to what rhubarb tastes like: last year I was buying artichokes and a lady asked me what they taste like. Well, they taste like, um, artichokes. Same with lots of foods, you have to try it because not everything tastes like 'chicken'. And I suspect rhubarb might not taste the same to all people so even if there was a 'it tastes like xxx' answer, that might not apply to the asker of the question. I heard on NPR a couple of years ago that some people don't like cilantro because it smells like SOAP! I can see why it wouldn't be high on the shopping list for those people. I LOVE cilantro

and I don't eat soap. It doesn't smell at all like soap to me.

If anyone new to rhubarb decides to try it, it is stringy like celery, actually the stalk (the edible part, the leaves have oxalic acid in them - do NOT eat the leaves) looks JUST like celery. Cut it into pieces across the stalk or you'll have 'spaghetti' to deal with.

Alabama is NOT Holland.... too hot. Mine keeled over last week when temps hit 90s.

That is very odd, the rhubarb I grew up on was in southern CA, where it is not at all uncommon for the temps to go WELL over 90. In fact, it was 115+ 3 days the week I left for Vermont 35 years ago. I don't think Gramma liked rhubarb so much that she went to great troubles to keep it alive. In fact, being the practical wife of a farmer, I bet if it was extra work, it would have been off the table pronto. I don't know if it was grown where there was some shade but I would guess it needed to be irrigated (farmers don't "water"

). Since it is a high water content plant, I think that would be a necessity if there was not sufficient rain. And in So. Cal, there is RARELY sufficient rain to grow any crop other than rocks.

It is the strangest thing, but one of them is laying a regular brown egg color with dark spots on it. But in the chicken coop I have a hen that is laying a darker brown egg than she should be. The only brown egg layer I have outside the marans is a red sex-link. So when I compared the 2 eggs today, you would think the two were switched!! It has to be the red sex-link.

I have found that the color of my girls' eggs can vary. Persephone's green eggs go from fairly light to medium. Echo's (BA) are usually medium brown but are sometimes a bit lighter and Zorra's (also BA) are lighter but sometimes closer to medium. When the girl's are on the 'off' side for their color, it is hard to know which laid an egg, even when they are side by side. AND, because they like to confuse me, one of the Faverolles light brown egg sometimes has an almost pinkish tint, as does Fae's (Cubalaya). Their first year (last year) Fae's eggs were so round they were almost golf ball shape, this year they are bigger and not as round. So when she lays a 48g to 50g and Anais does the same, I can only tell by which was in the box. If I don't know which was in the box, anyone's guess.

Bruce

 

[Blooie]

Drumroll please.... I give you... The lil school house!! All we lack is the ridge cap! Move in day is Sunday!!!

Yayyy!! Oh, it's just great! Black Jack on the floor, I assume? Be sure to add pics when the kids go out to play!! Nice job....

My momma use to make rhubarb 'compote' as they call it. Basically stringy applesauce

Been trying to grow the stuff for years, but Alabama is NOT Holland.... too hot. Mine keeled over last week when temps hit 90s.

Rhubarb is one of those plants that need an annual cold period. The plant experts have developed a variety that isn't as picky about that but it still requires a winter dormancy - just doesn't need it as cold for as long. Heat doesn't usually bother it - we get dry summers that hit 100 here, and South Dakota, where there's a rhubarb plant in almost every yard, gets the same temps but with humidity. As long as it's had the winter, it does fine so I'm assuming that is probably why yours didn't do well in Alabama.

Not a big rhubarb fan, but I haven't had it much. I may try to plant some this year, for next year. My DH likes it. His mom always raised it when he was a kid. We have a very nice strawberry patch we planted in a raised bed. They are covered in bloom!! Can't wait!
Not to change the subject, but I got a Maran egg today!!! YaaaYYY!! The batteries in the camera are dead or I would post a pic of it. It is the strangest thing, but one of them is laying a regular brown egg color with dark spots on it. But in the chicken coop I have a hen that is laying a darker brown egg than she should be. The only brown egg layer I have outside the marans is a red sex-link. So when I compared the 2 eggs today, you would think the two were switched!! It has to be the red sex-link. It is very strange. The rs-l is a year old and the copper marans are at 2 years old. I know they lighten up after awhile, but this is much lighter than I think it should be. Oh, well! I want babies, not darker eggs from them!!

Okay, the egg expert chimes in here - if they've had a period of no laying doesn't it sometimes take a bit for the gland that deposits color to kick back in, or something like that? Wait, I'll ask Ken.....

I swear anyone ever sad or blooie needs to come sit on the porch for a bit.That story was so funny I fell off my bucket and rolled down the steps. Trying to go get supplies for a coop today and after reading a post, thinking about hauling lumber and cutting and drilling wood I thought about using pvc instead. I dont need to worry about a roof or staying on the ground since its going to be on the balcony. Will test out a pipe today. Things were quiet last night many cities are coming out in protests and this "operation dignity" will either set things moving forward or set us into a bigger war. Folks want security. They dont want religion and politics combining. Laws should be based on faith but leave that for the big stuff stay out of daily choices like women covering, how many wives a man wants to have and education and health. Funny living here I have really seen the flip side to the coin. After a prayer service yesterday a local imam told folks that supporting this new movement was unislamic, the congregation told the imam to leave! Now that is the people opening their eyes and no longer taking all the stuff they see and hear for face value. Libya says I want my faith as I want it but dont force anyone to follow it but set basic laws to protect all who live here. Wish media could do a better job of showing this. Kinda like when I was growing up dad sat out front most afternoons on sunday, sometimes he had a beer in his hand and waved to those headed to church other times he had iced tea. Faith isbetween you and your maker but we live in a civil world. By the time I was 10 my parents no longer attended church. I found my own way and each of my kids will find theirs. Well im gonna go visit a few more folks here around town then get my bottom busy finding supplies and fixing my coop.

I follow your posts with such interest. It is interesting to get such a quiet perspective. Is your FIL still in the hospital? You keep your head down low....

 

[Blooie]

Easy, easy! I don't know where this originated, but my sister Linda makes it every summer when we all get together so we just call it Linda's Dump cake!

Ingredients:
4-5 cups cut up rhubarb
1 package raspberry Jello (3 oz size)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup melted butter (Real butter, not margarine)
Shredded coconut (you decide how much!)

Directions:
In a GLASS 9x13 cake pan, dump the rhubarb in a single layer
Pour the Jello powder evenly over the rhubarb
Pour the sugar evenly over the Jello
Pour the water evenly over the sugar
Pour the cake mix evenly over the water
Pour the butter evenly over the cake mix
Top with coconut, bake at 350 for 1 hour

Number Of Servings:Depends on the size of servings...it's delicious but rich!

Preparation Time:Less than 10 minutes

 

[enola]

I have to ask...... what is black jack? Some one painted their chicken house floor with it??

 

[Blooie]

I have to ask...... what is black jack? Some one painted their chicken house floor with it??

Hey, Enola! Black Jack is what those of us who live in old mobile homes paint on our roofs to weatherproof them, among other uses. You pour it on the floor or roof, then push it around with a roller. Someone on the forums (wish I could remember his name) painted it on the floor of his coop and up the sides a foot or so. It completely seals all cracks and crevices, including the gap between the walls and the floor and makes a solid, completely waterproof surface.

We didn't do it because we wanted to use DLM, but this guy does do DLM on his and said the last time he cleaned it out it looked as good after four years as it did when he put it down. He recommends it highly. I think it's available at Lowes.

 

[Oldmomma]

Fil is home! He got back and I saw him a few minutes to rest. Went out today with hopes of saving money and effort and decided to build a temp coop out of pvc or ppr as its called here. Pressure pipe used for water lines here. The white pvc wont hold up to heat and bending so its used for sewer or runoff water only. Anyway got out with my drawing and got to the plumbing store and looked around til I found what I knew I needed. Asked for 4 tubes and paid 39 bucks for the tubes, tube cutter and fittings. Got home and said ok this will be like a kids building set.....well I sat down and tried to fit one of the elbows onto the pipe. They were too small. So got in car and went back. Told the guy these dont fit the tube. Half of what he said I didnt understand and he was too busy to help a woman who doesnt know what she is doing apparently. Went to two other stores trying to find bigger fittings but next up was too big. Perplexed I went home. While driving back I saw a box beat up but useable and one of the neighbors helped me load it to the car. Came home and called a friend told him what was happening. He said I needed to buy a pipe welder. Its not expensive he said. Daughter said mom cat needs shots can I go with you? Sure. 60 bucks later I got the welder thinking ok is this something that needs propane? Electric or what. Stopped at vet for cat and market to buy 70ltrs of water since apparently the fresh water is out. We were unloading the bottles of water and trying to carry the box around the house and my mil stopped me and began her tirade on why my animals are on the roof. Lets just say she should be thankful I dont speak much, plus I was raised to respect my elders. Half and hour later im standing listening to her rant about bugs and flies and ants everywhere now cause I have animals on my roof! And how it stinks and how I must be wasteful spending good money on feeding animals food from the shops when table food and dried bread is what I should be feeding them. She has no clue. My animals are healthy, have clean food and water and clean cages. We wash weekly all the areas and dispose of waste in the trash piles. How can you smell animals 3 floors up tell me? She says we let their waste go into the pipes that water the field. I told her no cause we clean daily any waste from the dogs. And let me see the water drains into a field where they keep sheep. How do you know dog from sheep poop?
I tried to tell her they are on the roof since the family has refused to give me any land to use below. No rats, no stray cats or dogs, my animals are well cared for and healthy.
Most here would say ignore her, I do. But I put up with enough abuse in my life I will not allow disrespect. Ive asked and they have ignored my requests so im taking care of myself.

 

[Oldmomma]

I figured out the welder its more like hot pieces you melt fittings together with but son doesnt want to help me. God knows I love my kids and I dont know Gods plans but being here without my hubby and my son doing nothing to help me and the issues with elderly inlaws....God grant me serenity. So maybe this evening when its cooler I might try to attempt melting a door together.