Showing posts with label heat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heat. Show all posts

Friday, November 7, 2008

Pie punkins are wonderful!

Been a while since I posted here. I got caught up in drama at the apartment--we FINALLY have heat; they turned it on for four hours at one this morning--and in the election.

No matter whom you voted for, I hope you will join me in continuing to pray for the safety of all the candidates and their families. I find myself being quite worried that someone will take advantage of the time before the actual transition to attempt assassinations, so I've been praying--hard--for everyone's safety. It's taken quite a lot of energy on my part and tired me out enough to keep me offline more lately.

I just baked the second pie punkin yesterday. I had my own informal taste trial going, and made punkin bread first with butternut squash, then with cooked pie punkin, then last night with canned punkin.

There really is a difference. I don't know WHAT they do to get canned punkin so dark in color and so strong in taste; it could be the variety, I suppose (blue hubbard squash), but I wonder if it isn't the way they cook it... it seems almost as if they have cooked canned punkin down like you would cook apples down to make apple butter. Am I baking with punkin butter? I honestly don't know, and the only way to find out would be to find, pay for, and then somehow lug home one of those enormous blue hubbard squashes, then bake it and see what I'd gotten. They are SO big and so hard that I would have to bake it whole, I think.

I baked my pie punkin whole and that worked out well; slow-roasted it at 250 F for six hours. It cooked all the way through; the top part of it got darker than usual and tastes a little stronger... that's what made me wonder if canned punkin is cooked down. Plus, it was loads easier to deal with the seeds and strings once the whole thing was cooked.

Back to the taste trials---we loved the punkin breads made from butternut squash, from pie punkin, and for canned punkin. The taste varied from bread to bread, with the fresh squash/punkin breads being lighter in color and flavor, but all three of them were very nice. Now I know what to do with the occasional leftover squash!

Monday, October 27, 2008

My weekend

We got that freeze and it's still pretty cold out so I am making the doglet wait a while before we walk this morning. They didn't turn the heat on--which I think is reprehensible of them; everyone doesn't have space heaters and even with one running all night, it was too cold in here for Gryph to take a shower before work--but like I said, by the letter of the law, they don't have to until November 1st. My poor friend upstairs has a cold and her apartment is running 5 to 10 degrees colder than mine. She refused my space heater yesterday but I might be able to talk her into using it for a while today.... especially if I simply drag it upstairs without asking.

I have gathered some maple leaves--yellows and oranges with occasional streaks or patches of scarlet, nowhere near the fire of last Autumn but beautiful none the less--and used Gryph's's trick of a tiny amount of hand lotion on them to keep them from shattering when they dry. I will keep on gathering; some are for my wreath but I would like to use the rest as enclosures in cards for my mom and sisters. Right now they are all sitting under weights to keep them flat as they dry.

I patched Gryph's work shoes, glued in a little leather where the heel was worn on the inside, and so far it seems to be holding up. So we spent the shoe money at the grocery store and I moved "new shoes" to next payday. It took $150--TWICE my normal budget--to buy most of two weeks' food and dammit, I didn't even buy meat except for dollar a pound hot dogs, and I kept the cheese to a minimum, only three pounds for two weeks. Normally we would go through at least six pounds. But I did buy five pounds of rice and twenty pounds of veggies. I wish I could have bought everything, including paper towels and toiletries, but there just was no way. I sacrificed them to get another canister of coffee; it went on sale for $6 and I have a troubled feeling that might be as low as it goes for the rest of the year.

Funny how inflation-caused relative poverty forces us to eat like the revised food pyramid suggests *wry smile* but really, all that has changed from our preferred diet is that we don't eat much meat anymore and it isn't the kinds of meat we prefer. I did splurge and buy two cans of tuna, not so much for us as for the cats. They're making it plain they truly miss tuna water, so twice in the next two weeks, they'll get a little of it. *sigh* I used to be able to give them two cans' worth, two or three times a week. Dang.

Oh well, I got sick of tuna back then, lol... but I miss chicken and red meat. I bought a pound of that liver I've been needing, but it's gone up a dollar a pound in the last month... it used to be almost free; twenty years ago I used to buy it for 19 cents a pound, ten years ago for 49 cents a pound... now it's $2.49 and looks to keep rising.

Today I cook my first pie punkin, to see how they do. I seem to remember that they are nowhere near as watery as jack o' lantern punkins, and that they taste much better. I'm hoping this is so, because dang, they cost just as much for half the size! I also got two Delicata squash and another butternut to go with the second pie punkin, so we should be set for squash for the next couple weeks. It's a relief to be able to afford *something* in the way of fresh produce, even if it is only squashes.

Gryph is in love with my homemade noodles. I never knew they could be so easy--one egg, half an eggshell of milk, 1/8th teaspoon salt beaten together until foamy; one cup flour beaten in a little at a time, one more half cup flour (or so... depends on the size of the egg) kneaded in to make a dry dough. Let rest ten minutes to half an hour, roll out, snip into noodles with scissors (or cut with a sharp knife... but not on your good countertop!). Boil at least ten minutes; these stay al dente. They don't break down and get mushy like commercial pasta does, so they're great in soup. I make them thin sometimes, and double-thick others. The double thick are like a cross between a noodle and a dumpling.

It is really cold in here; I had to turn the space heater back on. Dang, my electric bill is gonna be as high as it was during the summer! But we have to have heat. Now if the heater will do its job before the extension cord gets too hot and sets the place on fire, we'll be in like Flynn.

I am seriously considering that try though I might to make this apartment be okay for us, it is lacking many advantages that a house would give us. My goal is to not only have a garden space where NOBODY feels it is okay to steal my veggies from me (grrrr! I harvested what was left and gave them to my friend upstairs, who is hurting even more than we are for money), but also a living space--------

----------omg!!! I locked myself out--forgot my keys were in my jeans pocket, wore my sweats when I walked the dog because it is so cold; thanks be the manager was here!! With the plumber, and he's working on the boilers today, thanks be--okay, Lady's walked and drama's ended, sheesh... *brrrrrr it is cold*

----------also a living space where I control the heat and cooling, where things are energy efficient and we have multiple fuel sources. I don't mind living with others; I might even prefer it, at least for a while, but I really mind inefficient appliances, substandard electrical systems, and lack of living and garden space. I mind this way more than I expected to, since I had made peace with staying here.

Maybe when the heat goes on, I will stop minding so much. *rueful smile* But heat cannot make up for my lack of garden space, my lack of security that what I grow will be there when I go to get it; cannot make up for lack of privacy; cannot make up for lack of closets, lack of floor space. Heat cannot make up for electrical outlets that are burned dark brown, that overheat cords, that are simply inadequate--and yes, we do have to be careful what we run because our breakers do flip if we use electricity in the living room and dining room at the same time, or in the bedroom and computer area both at once. *sigh* Heat cannot make up for inefficient appliances that cost me too much every month, a freezer that makes my food smell like soap, a broken window, a broken toilet.... a "maintenance man" who breaks everything worse when he tries to fix it....


*reminds self of new mantra: May we prosper in all things, especially financially.*

I guess that since we are prospering in all ways, we need to prosper our way into a sturdy well-maintained house with a good fence and everything we need! Wish I knew how to win the lottery. *wry smile* Still, we are prospering in all ways, especially financially--and the more I say it in the present tense, the more true it becomes. What I ask for comes to me, so now I am going to ask to for living space that better meets our needs. "This, or better."


Lady seems to be doing better this morning. Gryph gave her baby aspirin at supper and she didn't seem quite as hot during the night last night. Her nose still runs a little but she isn't coughing so much anymore. Poor baby; I just didn't realize that she might catch a cold!

I forgot to buy the Bounce (it's supposed to be a good mouse repeller) and it seems the mouse/mice are expanding their base; yesterday I came home to find Artemis crouched intently under the desk in the dining room, her butt in the air and her head craned round the things I have stored under it. OY. My friend upstairs is upset thinking people will start using D-Con; she had a dog who ate a D-Conned mouse once, and the vet BARELY saved the dog's life; cats have no chance. I've got to get that Bounce!

My garden, amazingly, survived the frost intact. I guess I'd better water it today! I'll use room temp water so the dirt and roots will absorb it more easily. Tonight is supposed to be a hard frost, but if the heat goes on, the garden may be sheltered enough to stay frost-free since it is under my leaky single-pane windows. Who knew? Microclimates are awesome things.

I saw the news last night about the bombing in Syria. I was SO ANGRY. It seems to me that this is a blatant attempt to start a war with Syria so that a specific candidate can win the election. It's unbearable, absolutely unbearable, that CHILDREN should die to further the election fortunes of any party!!! This is beyond despicable; it is evil, pure and simple, and cannot be whitewashed over with ANY excuse.

So I did something. I did a Binding. I had considered binding the one who authorized the bombing, but that would leave others equally evil and insane to bring war... so I did the only thing I could think of--I did the binding on War, itself. I made a red spirit doll and used black thread to bind its hands and render it impotent, ineffective, stopped in its tracks, helpless forever.

There has not been a time in my lifetime where some government or other has not been waging war on its own citizens or another country's. There has not been a time in my lifetime when children have not been dying for other people's political ideologies. There has not been a time in my lifetime when Peace has had any chance at all.

Clearly, this problem must be addressed at the root. Bind war, itself, my dears. There is no room for peace in the world until we deal with this obstinate problem. Truss War up and render it obsolete. Remove it from our lives. The more of us who join together in this image and prayer, the faster it will come to fruition. Bind War and render it obsolete.

Hold fast, bind back
The bitter hands of War
Cry out, shriek out
Enough, ENOUGH!
No more, no more, NO MORE!!

Red spirit doll bound with black thread

embroidered tears on face

arms and hands tightly bound

needle left in

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

ps

Oops, forgot to say, had to commit more blossomcide! Oh those flowers are so pretty, such a shame to pick them, but the plants do better.

Dawn, you made me laugh with your celery dreams! Try planting it now, hon, and see what you get--after all, if your frost-free fall lasts until October, you will have *some* celery even if it's skinny and short... and if your gamble pays off well, you'll have the celery of your dreams! Otherwise, you can wait until very early spring and start it under some form of row cover, either the fabric kind or else the fancy pants recycler's bell jar substitute--yep! Ye old plastic milk jug (with the bottom cut out!) buried around the plant, lol... You take the lid off when it's bright and sunny and close it back up at night, then remove it entirely when the weather is frost free. High tech, nuthin' but the best for this recycle girl! *wink and a grin*

Cindy, purslane is really pretty good; it tastes like a lemony spinach, which is why it's so good in my spinach pies. The stems are a little crunchy like celery (not quite as crunchy, just reminiscent) and also they have a milder flavor than the leaves. I took off the flower buds, then chopped the leaves and stems and cooked them with the spinach in olive oil and lemon juice--they were doggoned good before I put them in the pies!

Pam and Ursy, I am SO with you on the heat. It was pretty hard to take the last couple weeks, but nowhere near as bad as I'm used to. I have to say, I did mourn when the last of the snow melted and I knew there wouldn't be any more for months.

Although if we got snow here like you get there, Pam, I think I might change my mind! *big eyes*

Welcome to my blog, The Queen of Fifty Cents! Tis lovely to have you here and I REALLY enjoyed your blog also!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Tis as hot as you thought...

I was walking my lil cute-magnet Ladybug through the neighborhood yesterday when two lil girls wanted to pet her; in the course of conversation, one of them told me her parents' car thermomenter had gotten to 103 degrees the day before.

Now I know for sure that Wichita is like Phoenix; the airport temperature is nothing like the temp on the ground where I actually have to live.... that heat radiating off the asphalt is what I am trying to breathe in! Tis what my air conditioner is so valiantly trying to cool down to breathable, I mean... I stay in when the worst of the heat hits.

But then, after that, I had the oddest thought... "summer is ephemeral: the heat is only here for a little while and then it will go away..."

This is such a startling concept for someone who is used to summer nine months of the year, and absolute hell for six months of that!!

This heat is going to go away............and I am going to wish it would come back.

Can you IMAGINE?!

I think healing is happening for me on so many levels--even on a climate level, lol! Me, the one who has wilted in April every year for decades, who has suffered horribly through all those hellish months of unremitting glare and blast-oven-like heat, *I* am going to wish in six months or so that summer would come back! I, of ALL people, am going to wish for heat....

I never in my wildest dreams would have that possible. It boggles my mind.

Summer is ephemeral.

Wow.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Aaack! Sorry...


Ooops, didn't mean to disappear on y'all like that! Doggoned hands just get so tired; this is the first carpal tunnel flare-up in a while that hasn't gotten better quickly, and I'm thinking it's because I can't find my wrist braces.

So, it's Kansas in July and it is HOT. I don't mind this too much, since where I come from--Phoenix--it was this hot in April already and has progressed on to the Mouth of Hell Itself by this point. I will take this Kansas relatively mild heat with gratitude!! And um, I will also sing the praises of whomever invented air conditioning. *eyebrow waggle*

Anyhow, summer is supposed to be hot, when it happens in July. BUT what this means for my teensy lil flower-pot garden is daily wilting and some plants dying. The purple flower (a friend identified it as verbena, thanks!) is suffering, the butternut community is down by half, even the jack o'lanterns and bell peppers are starting to wilt more and more. So I give you the above pic, my herb harvest before this latest heat wave hit. Wasn't it lovely?! It became the flavoring in my chicken stock! I didn't even strip the leaves from the stems; I just dumped the stems in whole and let them boil. The stock (and chicken!) tasted great!

Um.

Did you know *dismayed look* did you know that fresh herbs have a... um... well... a certain effect on chicken stock?

It turned GREEN!

*blinkety blinkety blink blinkblink*

And now you know I have always just used herbs from my spice cupboard, lol...

Anyhow, the greenness faded some when I strained the herbs out of the broth (thanks be!!) and the chicken was not green at all (BIG thanks be!!) (eeep!), so all is well. The chicken lasted us for several meals and I still have several cups of broth left for making rice... and amazingly enough, the leftover herbs are still fresh in the fridge, waiting for me to dry them.

The mint plant is fading away in this heat, but all the other herbs are still going strong. One of the weeds died... just wilted up and DIED... so its pot of soil went to cover the butternut roots (which regular watering had washed clean, eep). The other weed is happy, lol...

To think I worried about there being enough sunlight for vegetables in that location... the sun moved to a new position (as it does through the year) and all of a sudden the shade is gone for most of the day. It would be okay except for the huge expanse of concrete which glares the heat and light right up into my plants, even long after the sun has moved on and my plants themselves are back in shade.

I haven't decided yet whether to give up on the butternuts--which opened FIVE big glorious blossoms this morning, valiant plants that they are!--and fill the pots with green beans or not. I did rip up a couple sheets of newspaper that were wrapped around a thrift store purchase and use them to mulch the pot; it may be too little, too late, or it may be just enough to make a difference, who knows?

This morning's gallon of water was the fertilizer mix. I'm using Miracle Grow's tomato food since that was all I could find at the hardware store (they had nothing organic) and quite honestly, if anything has a chance of saving these plants, that would be it. When potted plants get two to four gallons of water a day pouring through their soil (it works out to about half a gallon per plant per DAY), they need those nutrients replaced pretty often. I fertilize once or twice a week right now, depending on how sad they look.

I dreamed last night that someone handed me an umbrella and yanno, if I had an extra one, I would CERTAINLY stick it in the butternut pot! lol!

Oh, Dawn, your comment/question about celery? I think it is a springtime plant in most of the country; it does like water, it doesn't like heat. In desert gardens, it is a fall plant. I'll look it up for you in a little bit.

Back later with another post,
Cath