What did you do in the garden today?

[Artichoke Lover]

we peg at 70 mph a LOT. we have tons of steel rooves here, and nothing needs reset.
Insurance don't like the steel rooves. LOL. Our hail is too large and it dents the dickens out of them. We had hail large enough two years ago to punch THROUGH the steel!

Snowing to beat the band here now.

Just sold my hives to a guy who wants to give them to his wife for Christmas. Works for me.
He'll be here in about half an hour, in a blizzard. LOL.

I suspect the difference is in the type of metal. Steel roofing is a lot stronger than aluminum The majority of the metal roofs here are made of cheap aluminum.

 

[WthrLady]

Today was just BRUTALLY cold. The damp and wind chewed straight through my gloves, heavy boots and socks. I was out helping a guy load bee hives into his truck in a blizzard. OMG By the time I got in, my hands were on FIRE. I am prone to cold damage, but dang I'm still paying for it. My hands just deeply ache. This getting old is tough. LOL.

Bee hives are on their way to their new home. They have 40 acres and just put up a horse barn and have 9 kids. He wants to board and train horses and she wants bees. I told him 40 acres gives you lots of room to do both. LOL.

Below freezing all day tomorrow, but 45 on Christmas. LOL.

 

[karenerwin]

Over the past 3 days I have made 2 batches of grape jelly ( that I had to recook and can because they didn't set up the first time), a batch of Pina Colada Jam (using coconut rum), and a batch of Cranberry Orange Pear Jam ( my new favorite!) and am currently attempting to make French bread from sourdough starter that my friend gave me. She found the French bread recipe online and when she made it it looked like store bought and tasted fabulous!!
This is my first time making bread other than banana bread or zucchini bread. I even used "the family bread trough"!! I don't have a rolling pin (except for the one passed down through the generations with the little fish, flowers, and turtles cutouts on it) so I used a big plastic cup! It worked just fine . I was half tempted to go downstairs and unwrap one of my daughter's Christmas presents (she asked for a rolling pin!), use it and then re-wrap it . But I resisted. Anyway, the bread is on it's last rise before it goes in the oven. Hopefully it turns out good. I'm supposed to bring bread (to go with soup) to Christmas Eve dinner at my step daughter's house. I guess if it is a fail, I can always try again tomorrow or just go buy some at the store. Anyway, I'm really excited to finally try this! I had to look up a video to see what "soft dough" looked like , but I think I got it figured out.

While I don't think we had 60 mph winds, we did have some strong winds that were able to knock the door stand out of the way and blow the coop door shut. So, once again, at lock up I only had a few chickens in the coop and the rest where locked out. At least this time I made sure I locked both chicken gates so no puppies could come "help me" round up chickens. I got all but 2 of them back in to the coop. The last 2 are too far under the chicken coop but not close enough to the front that I can "encourage" them to come out. Hopefully, they make it safely through the night! Ohh, time to put the dough in the oven! Wish me luck!

 

[Acre4Me]

Over the past 3 days I have made 2 batches of grape jelly ( that I had to recook and can because they didn't set up the first time), a batch of Pina Colada Jam (using coconut rum), and a batch of Cranberry Orange Pear Jam ( my new favorite!) and am currently attempting to make French bread from sourdough starter that my friend gave me. She found the French bread recipe online and when she made it it looked like store bought and tasted fabulous!!
This is my first time making bread other than banana bread or zucchini bread. I even used "the family bread trough"!! I don't have a rolling pin (except for the one passed down through the generations with the little fish, flowers, and turtles cutouts on it) so I used a big plastic cup! It worked just fine . I was half tempted to go downstairs and unwrap one of my daughter's Christmas presents (she asked for a rolling pin!), use it and then re-wrap it . But I resisted. Anyway, the bread is on it's last rise before it goes in the oven. Hopefully it turns out good. I'm supposed to bring bread (to go with soup) to Christmas Eve dinner at my step daughter's house. I guess if it is a fail, I can always try again tomorrow or just go buy some at the store. Anyway, I'm really excited to finally try this! I had to look up a video to see what "soft dough" looked like , but I think I got it figured out.

While I don't think we had 60 mph winds, we did have some strong winds that were able to knock the door stand out of the way and blow the coop door shut. So, once again, at lock up I only had a few chickens in the coop and the rest where locked out. At least this time I made sure I locked both chicken gates so no puppies could come "help me" round up chickens. I got all but 2 of them back in to the coop. The last 2 are too far under the chicken coop but not close enough to the front that I can "encourage" them to come out. Hopefully, they make it safely through the night! Ohh, time to put the dough in the oven! Wish me luck!

Good for you making bread!! I hope it goes well! We make nearly all our bread here, and it sure is yummy to have homemade bread around.

 

[karenerwin]

Good for you making bread!! I hope it goes well! We make nearly all our bread here, and it sure is yummy to have homemade bread around.

I've been wanting to try my hand at bread making for a long while now, I just hadn't gotten up the nerve to try it until today.

 

[Acre4Me]

So on Christmas Eve Eve I was in close proximity to the mixed cookie tray that came home with my teen. About 12 or more different Christmas treats on there that were made at the friends house. I had to try them all, of course, and all were properly tasty. A once a year treat to get so much homemade variety all at once.

My adult daughter is in the military and today had the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine, so she got the first dose today. Yes, sounds like she had the choice and wasn’t required to get it today, but chose to get it. Says she feels fine, so it will be interesting to hear.

 

[karenerwin]

So on Christmas Eve Eve I was in close proximity to the mixed cookie tray that came home with my teen. About 12 or more different Christmas treats on there that were made at the friends house. I had to try them all, of course, and all were properly tasty. A once a year treat to get so much homemade variety all at once.

My adult daughter is in the military and today had the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine, so she got the first dose today. Yes, sounds like she had the choice and wasn’t required to get it today, but chose to get it. Says she feels fine, so it will be interesting to hear.

My niece's girlfriend is an orthopedic surgeon in Maryland. She got her Covid vaccine on Tuesday. She seems fine so far. My husband called his doctor today to see how to get on a list to get it ( he has bad asthma and other health issues but is only 63, apparently age 65 gets it first). His doctor said there is no list yet.

 

[jerryse]

BRRR it feels like winter . We hit 59 yesterday and 12 now . Going to take awhile to adjust .

 

[igorsMistress]

Over the past 3 days I have made 2 batches of grape jelly ( that I had to recook and can because they didn't set up the first time), a batch of Pina Colada Jam (using coconut rum), and a batch of Cranberry Orange Pear Jam ( my new favorite!) and am currently attempting to make French bread from sourdough starter that my friend gave me. She found the French bread recipe online and when she made it it looked like store bought and tasted fabulous!!
This is my first time making bread other than banana bread or zucchini bread. I even used "the family bread trough"!! I don't have a rolling pin (except for the one passed down through the generations with the little fish, flowers, and turtles cutouts on it) so I used a big plastic cup! It worked just fine . I was half tempted to go downstairs and unwrap one of my daughter's Christmas presents (she asked for a rolling pin!), use it and then re-wrap it . But I resisted. Anyway, the bread is on it's last rise before it goes in the oven. Hopefully it turns out good. I'm supposed to bring bread (to go with soup) to Christmas Eve dinner at my step daughter's house. I guess if it is a fail, I can always try again tomorrow or just go buy some at the store. Anyway, I'm really excited to finally try this! I had to look up a video to see what "soft dough" looked like , but I think I got it figured out.

While I don't think we had 60 mph winds, we did have some strong winds that were able to knock the door stand out of the way and blow the coop door shut. So, once again, at lock up I only had a few chickens in the coop and the rest where locked out. At least this time I made sure I locked both chicken gates so no puppies could come "help me" round up chickens. I got all but 2 of them back in to the coop. The last 2 are too far under the chicken coop but not close enough to the front that I can "encourage" them to come out. Hopefully, they make it safely through the night! Ohh, time to put the dough in the oven! Wish me luck!

How did your bread turn out Karen?

 

[Acre4Me]

seed sources???

A while back some popular seed sources were mentioned. Seed Savers, Burpee, etc. But, there was one that several mentioned, But I cant find the part of the thread where this was discussed and I didn't save the link. I'm pretty sure that site is where I found something I wanted to purchase, but I need a name reminder! So what sources do you use for seeds?