What did you do in the garden today?

[cj2024]

I was 100% on my determinate tomato cloning adventure. Cloning them in indirect light, and in pro mix with a water base, without covering them works the best for me. This is the way I will do it from now on.

 

[WthrLady]

I noticed delays in mail delivery starting in December. It now takes 10 days or more to arrive. No more 3, 5 or 7 day delivery. Packages stay 4-5 days in St. Louis or other large sorting centers. Holidays are over and rush should be over. Something has changed.

They have massive, over-filled, under manpowered regional postage centers now. And they are inefficient and add days to shipping USPS. To get a letter to the next average over.
Day 1 - I put it in my post box, and it picked up about 4 pm and dropped at the village post.
Day 2. It's picked up by the city post either in the evening of day 1 or the morning of day 2. Depending on the city truck schedule through the other villages. Once it gets to the city truck it sits until the regional truck shows up.
Day 3 - Regional truck picks up all mail collected at the city post office and drives it 65 miles to the regional center where it is added to all the other regional mail for 300 miles around. It is sorted and put in the appropriate bins, in piles for the appropriate city trucks to pick it up.
Day 4- City trucks pick up and return mail to city center and resort to city and village post- if done in time village post picks up that night when the drop off. Otherwise....
Day 5 - Village post picks up and drops at each village post office. Day drivers have already left for the day, so incoming mail it sorted to the driver's boxes and set aside for the night.
Day 6- Drivers to rural routes/village pick up and deliver.

Now depending on how all that falls on what day of the week, you can add 1 or 2 days for weekends. So 6-8 days to get a letter to the people across the street.
It used to take ONE day if you sent it local mail (after they stopped twice a day delivery ages and ages and ages ago), in fact, my postie when I was a kid had a cancellation stamp in the truck. If he picked up a letter that was going to a place on his route, he would cancel it in the truck, and deliver it that day, if he hadn't been yet, or it would go in his night box for morning post delivery. Semi local city mail would be two days. and out of region would be 3 or 4 depending on how far afield it was going.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Decided to use the bread machine that I bought 2 years ago for the first time. Wasn't impressed with the first loaf. Trying again with a different recipe... The birds are happy though!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I suppose this week I will start planning out the spring garden. I will be starting seeds indoors in a week or two already!

My indoor grow tent is still rocking right along. I'm going to have to rig up a special stand so I can add my seed starts in there. I have a bunch of bigger plants taking up floor space so I'm going to suspend the seedling shelves from the ceiling rods. I don't think the vanilla orchid will mind the diffused light that gets blocked. Once I get them past the 4 week mark, I think I can safely move them into the sunroom to await transplant outdoors. The grow tent averages 70-75 degrees with 88% humidity. The sunroom (currently) is averaging about 60 degrees and 50% humidity. Of course by the end of February or early March, it will be much warmer in there.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

My very tiny Red Coral hybrid cherry tomato seeds from Hoss seeds were more viable than the larger sized invincible paste tomato seeds. I sprouted 6 out of 6 Red Coral seeds and so far, only 2 out of 6 Invincible paste tomatoes sprouted. I thought the Invincible seeds were going to be more viable, since they were larger.
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Mouth watering!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Rant or pet peeve. Being diabetic my doctor said I should eat at regular times. I chose 7 AM noon and 5 PM. Noon and 5 PM are favorite times for women to call my wife and interrupt our meals. These calls last 1-2 hours. Today 1 call from 4 until 5:10. Next one 5:40 and still going. Speaker phone and these women talk loud.

We mute our phones.

 

[cj2024]

I am experimenting with my moringa tree leaves this morning. I plucked a bunch of leaves and threw them in a blender with some water and boiled it. I added a cup of this mix to 3 cups up washed rice and brought the water line up to the 3-cup mark on my rice cooker. Then I mixed in a tsp of salt and 1tsp of knolls chicken bouillon powder. As long as the rice is cooked, I'll eat it for the nutrition.

Moringa, often referred to as the "miracle tree," has a variety of medicinal properties that have been recognized for centuries. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Anti-inflammatory: Moringa contains compounds that help reduce inflammation, which can be beneficial for conditions like arthritis.
2. Antioxidant: It is rich in antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage and may boost the immune system.
3. Blood Sugar Regulation: Some studies suggest that moringa may help lower blood sugar levels, making it potentially useful for managing diabetes.
4. Cholesterol Reduction: Moringa has been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels, which can support heart health.
5. Cancer Prevention: Certain compounds in moringa may have anti-cancer properties, helping to prevent the growth of cancer cells.
6. Liver Protection: Moringa may help protect the liver from damage and support its function.
7. Digestive Health: It can help treat stomach disorders, such as constipation and ulcers.

While moringa has many potential health benefits, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional before using it as a treatment, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications.
If you have any other questions or need further information, feel free to ask! Copilot

 

[cj2024]

I am experimenting with my moringa tree leaves this morning. I plucked a bunch of leaves and threw them in a blender with some water and boiled it. I added a cup of this mix to 3 cups up washed rice and brought the water line up to the 3-cup mark on my rice cooker. Then I mixed in a tsp of salt and 1tsp of knolls chicken bouillon powder. As long as the rice is cooked, I'll eat it for the nutrition.

Moringa, often referred to as the "miracle tree," has a variety of medicinal properties that have been recognized for centuries. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Anti-inflammatory: Moringa contains compounds that help reduce inflammation, which can be beneficial for conditions like arthritis.
2. Antioxidant: It is rich in antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage and may boost the immune system.
3. Blood Sugar Regulation: Some studies suggest that moringa may help lower blood sugar levels, making it potentially useful for managing diabetes.
4. Cholesterol Reduction: Moringa has been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels, which can support heart health.
5. Cancer Prevention: Certain compounds in moringa may have anti-cancer properties, helping to prevent the growth of cancer cells.
6. Liver Protection: Moringa may help protect the liver from damage and support its function.
7. Digestive Health: It can help treat stomach disorders, such as constipation and ulcers.

While moringa has many potential health benefits, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional before using it as a treatment, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications.
If you have any other questions or need further information, feel free to ask! Copilot

Looks like Cajun rice without the ground beef.

 

[Molpet]

55 years ago today the wife and i were married. We had no idea what we were getting into.

Happy anniversary

 

[cj2024]

I feel like I dodged a bullet. At first, I thought my volunteer tomatoes were the invasive red everglade tomatoes, but they turned out to be the yellow sun sugar.