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By Dave, June 26, 2008 11:59 pm

Title says it about all. Till tomorrow.

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By Dave, June 25, 2008 9:15 pm

Got a start on taking apart the pile of lumber this am. Was at least able to clear out enough to get started on digging the next plant bed. Started digging the bed and filling in some low spots then moved on to leveling the dirt between the first bed and the entry door and filling in a low spot. Moved several wheel barrow loads of brick and sand from the the back storage area to the front and then started with a layer of sand and set the brick to make a floor for the entry way from the door to the end of the first bed. Added more sand on top of the brick and washed it into the areas between the brick with the hose. Swept it off and it looks pretty good. Then watered the plant bed and called it a day. Am quite sore and tired and a bit sunburned. Figure it will be a day or two till I am back at it but any way I look at it, it has been a reasonably successful day. Till tomorrow… 😉

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By Dave, June 24, 2008 9:11 pm

That was almost a Monday. Watered the plants, started taking the wood flooring from the outbuilding apart then got too hot and did some cooking and eating, with large amounts of time in between on the couch. Again hoping that tomorrow will be a better day. Till then…

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By Dave, June 23, 2008 8:33 pm

Got the plants watered this morning and meals fixed and eaten but that was about it for the day. Hoping that tomorrow is more productive. Till then…

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By Dave, June 22, 2008 10:11 pm

After the excesses of the past couple of days and the resulting soreness I took the day off. Will try to get back at it tomorrow. Till then…

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By Dave, June 21, 2008 4:17 pm

Just got through with the first planting bed. Built it up out of rock, broken chunks of cement and old bricks. Laid down newspaper to keep down the grass and weeds, then put in a layer of dried leaves and grass clippings, and then 10 forty pound bags of topsoil. Bought the topsoil to speed it up as I just ain’t got the energy to get out and dig it all up this time around. Put in several kinds of peppers and a slew of tomatoes. Haven’t counted them but I think around 40 plants. Now that the sun is off of them for the day I watered it all good. Will water again either later this afternoon or early in the morning.

Got another 10 bags of organic humus in the truck I just went and got to do the second bed as I still have tomato plants and a pepper plant or two left to put in. Also got some sprouting potatoes and a few onions I need to get in the ground. Looks like this next bed will be mostly brick around the sides and not quite as big as the first but a bit deeper. Doubt that I will get it put in today. May get out there and start laying the brick out but that will be about all as I am sore from top to bottom from the bending, digging, hauling, and stooping. Maybe I’ll get it done tomorrow, and if not Monday.

Think I’m gonna go and lie on the couch, read, and cool off for a bit. Till later…

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By Dave, June 20, 2008 8:51 pm

And this post is just that, a placeholder. May try to post something later and may not. Till tomorrow…

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By Dave, June 20, 2008 8:40 pm

Cream Scones Recipe & Photo – Joyofbaking.com

Scone Recipe:

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (76 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) whipping cream or milk

Glaze:

Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. In a small measuring cup combine the whipping cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined. Do not over mix.

Knead dough gently on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Then, using a 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Place the rounds on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing a few inches apart. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream. This helps to brown the tops of the scones during baking.

Bake for about 15 – 18 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with Devon cream or softly whipped cream and your favorite jam.

These scones freeze very well.

Makes about 10 – 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round scones.

Sounds quite good. Will have to try it soon.

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By Dave, June 19, 2008 10:45 pm

Got several windows covered over with foil backed bubblepack today. Darker but much cooler. Started dismantling the metal shield around the woodburning stove and had to start moving stuff that has piled up around it and realized I needed to get the shelves up in the qhut first. Got to cut the uprights first. Need the metal to extend the roof of the porch on the south side of the trailer so I can move the tools and tables out from under the white shelter so I can move it. Bit by bit I get this elephant eaten…

Long day today and more to do tomorrow so am gonna call it one. Till then…

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By Dave, June 18, 2008 11:00 pm

Nothing much going on today either. Not as much a disjointed day today as yesterday but I was still somewhat out of kilter with the world. Got a couple or four of projects started but nothing much done with any of them. Hoping tomorrow will work out better. Till then… 😉

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By Dave, June 18, 2008 1:54 pm

Found a recipe at About.com:Chinese Food for Fried Rice With Ham that I modified to fit what I had on hand. Turned out quite good. Will certainly fix it again.

Ingredients:

* 2 eggs
* 1/2 tablespoon butter
* 2 teaspoons soy sauce (approximately)
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* 1/2 cup frozen bell peppers and onions (approximately)
* 8 ounces cooked ham (approximately)
* 1 green onion, washed
* 6 tablespoons oil for frying, or as needed
* 1 cup canned mixed vegetables (half a can)
* 4 cups cold cooked rice

Preparation:
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (or not and add it all to the rice at the end as I did). Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Dice the ham and green onion.

Heat a wok or frying pan on medium-high to high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Add the eggs. Scramble till lightly set and remove from the pan. Clean any leftover egg bits out of the pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the pan or wok. When the oil is hot, add the bell peppers and onion. Stir-fry till tender or as you like them, then add the ham and the mixed vegetables. Stir-fry and remove from the pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the pan or wok. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rice, stirring to break up the clumps. Stir in the remainder of the soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Add the cooked meat and vegetables back into the pan. Stir in the scrambled egg. Heat through and stir in the green onion. Serve hot.

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By Dave, June 17, 2008 10:35 pm

Had a very disjointed feeling day today. More so than usual. Hoping tomorrow is not quite as unreal feeling. Till then…

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By Dave, June 16, 2008 10:09 pm

Once again. A very nothing got done Monday at that. Hoping that I get some energy back and soon. Till tomorrow…

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By Dave, June 15, 2008 10:44 pm

Got out this am and did a bit of shopping, then went to the park at the Anniston Museum of Natural History and ate lunch then went to my folks house for a bit then back here and fixed and ate supper and more or less called it a day. Till tomorrow… 😉

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By Dave, June 14, 2008 10:54 pm

Another day spent reading and doing little as possible. Think I am starting to come out of it a bit at least as long as I stay inside out of the heat. Did manage to get a couple more books listed on the auction site. Tis slow going. Gonna have to look at some of the other ways of adding items to the site rather than the one at a time that I am doing now. Need to hit the sack here in a few. Got to go out and about for a while tomorrow so will close for the nonce. Till I typo again… 😉

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By Dave, June 14, 2008 7:19 pm

Cooks.com – Recipe – Shrimp With Sweet And Sour Pineapple Sauce

SHRIMP WITH SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE SAUCE

1 1/2 lb. med. shrimp shelled
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Sauce:

3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 1/2 tbsp. vinegar
2 eggs beaten
16 oz. pineapple chunks
oil for frying
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 drops Tabasco

Combine flour and salt. Stir in beaten eggs and mix well. Add shrimps to this thick batter. Fry shrimps until light brown. Reserve juice from pineapples. Place shrimps on serving platter and garnish with pineapple. Heat all sauce ingredients and pour over shrimp and pineapple. Serve with fried rice. Serves 4.

Quite good and filling too! Used about a half a pound of shrimp and about half a 16 oz can of pineapple but kept the rest of the stuff the same. Worked out well with Cat and I for a meal. Will certainly fix it again… 😉

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By Dave, June 13, 2008 10:19 pm

Not much to report. Another down day here. Did finally get a bit of rain. Could use more. Birmingham is saying they have a surplus but this is the first we have had here at the farm in a couple of weeks other than a couple of sprinkles that didn’t even wet the dust down good.

Just got through with adding the first item (a book) to the site. Am hoping it will get faster as I get more used to it. Am going to wait till I get some more stuff listed before posting a link.

Am close to calling it a night, so till tomorrow…

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By Dave, June 12, 2008 10:41 pm

Another mostly nothing day. Have spent some time tonight setting up an account at a auction site. Soon as I get some stuff listed will post the url. Hope to get that done tomorrow. Till then…

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By Dave, June 11, 2008 3:50 pm

at about 3:30pm, I broke down, cleaned the filters and turned the ac on. Yes I know it’s supposed to be cooler today but it was up to 94.8 F out front at 12:45 and I am to the point of melting/itching/screaming, so tis on for now anyway. At least till it cools off a bit and then will get cut off. I can’t take it over about 85 any more.

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By Dave, June 10, 2008 11:55 pm

And one spent mostly on the couch. Hoping tomorrow will be a bit cooler. Till then…