Today's Update - 19 Aug 2014

(Note:  there is a short post to some special people below the videos)

First day without rain since I can't remember when and who should show up before the cock crows - or in my case the Sand Hill Cranes yodel?  The tree cutters.  They were here most of the day and that meant that I was outside most of the day dealing with them and a nosy neighbor and the other type of flotsam that floats to the surface when you have things getting accomplished.  They didn't finish and will be back this weekend to drop the last, large very dead and dangerous tree and do a little bit of digging out around the pond so my aqua herbicide actually has a chance to work.

Was gifted with a pineapple plant by another neighbor.  He grows three different types of pineapples.  He had an extra "regular" pineapple plant that he gave me and he says that he'll start me a "Florida Red" after he harvests some of the fruit that he has that are nearing harvest.  I've been lusting after those for almost four years and he's finally got enough to part with a plant this time.  This neighbor also has "swamp guavas" growing wild on his back property line and he said I can have as many of those as I want if I'm interested.  Oh boy, he don't know me very well do he?  ROFL.  As soon as I get the rest of this mess I have in the ground I am definitely going after those swamp guavas.

Bad news is because I was outside most of the day working I didn't get a chance to type in the parts for Enduring or Georgie but I did manage to figure out that the there was an old story that I didn't have up and needed to finish posting to so that I can mark it completed.  Remember Dovie Killarney?  Well she is finally going to get finished up as well.  Got so many stories bubbling and toiling away that I need a score card.  LOL.

These are the additions since the last update:

Zombies Aren't Real ... Are They?!
http://zombiesarentrealarethey.blogspot.com/ 

Up On Hartford Ridge
http://uponhartfordridge.blogspot.com/

Teaghan
http://teaghanandsloan.blogspot.com/

Larkspur in Eden
http://larkspurineden.blogspot.com/

There Is No Such Thing As A Thornless Garden
http://thornlessgarden.blogspot.com/

When All Doors Close
http://whenalldoorsclose.blogspot.com/

Eidetic Sunshine
http://eideticsunshine.blogspot.com/

Life Is A Fractured Fairytale
http://lifeisafracturedfairytale.blogspot.com/

Mother Hen's Recipes
http://motherhensrecipes.blogspot.com/

Mom's Journal of the Zombie Years
http://mjoyzy.blogspot.com/
Finally was able to get April (part 3) to load and post. 

A Bunch of Wild Thyme
http://bunchofwildthyme.blogspot.com/
This is the "Dovie Killarney" story that never got finished at its original posting location.  Well now it is so I'll post it a bit at a time to give me some breathing room when I need extra time to work on the other stories.

Before I get to the videos I want to post a recommended recipe.  Actually it is thanks to my daughters that I'm posting this.  They were reading some of my bookmarks and blogs and found it at the Honeyville website and while the original recipe uses Honeyville products exclusively, my daughters made the Apple Pie Cupcakes using our own home storage and staple items.  For instance, instead of their brand of yellow cake mix they used a knock-off brand yellow cake mix we already had in the cabinets.  Instead of the heavy cream I rotated out a can of Media Crema out of my pantry that needed it.  Instead of fresh whole eggs, they used some from a can of powdered eggs I have open and use for baking anyway.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  They did use their brand of freeze dried apples but that was more because I already had a can open that I had dropped during my kitchen/pantry reorganizing and really dinged the can to the point it needed to be opened and used post haste.  I dropped it from ten feet up onto a concrete floor ... that should tell you how dinged up the can was.  LOL.  The one big different thing they did was back off the amount of frosting they put on each cupcake.  Honeyville's picture makes it look like they put it on like whip cream.  [shudder]  Gives me lockjaw just thinking about it.  Instead the girls made extra cupcakes and filling and then the amount of frosting called for and only put a thick "X" on the top of the filling ... sort of like hot cross buns.  Here is what Honeyville's version looks like.  Ours were similar, just less frosting and a little messier.

Now today's videos are on canning butter and making ghee, two different processes.  I do this about three or four times a year.  The ghee actually doesn't need refrigeration after opening, even here in the Swamplands of America.  The ghee also has a slightly stronger and richer taste than regular canned butter.

As with some of my other food experiments this is not recommended by the food industry powers that be.  Might not even work well if your pantry area or basement is prone to freezing temps or excessive heat but then again, no canning products would.  As with anything else I recommend taking your time, sterilize, sterilize, sterilize, and using copious amounts of commonsense.  What I might well risk doesn't mean that you have to go the same route.  Remember, this is an experiment and you need to take the care you would with any experiment, especially one involving food.

 

Last but not least I want to thank everyone for your kind remarks and personal emails.  You know who you are - there have been way too many of you to name individually nor would I want to embarrass or out any of you that way.  It did bother me that the kids are the ones that saw some of the nastiness and alerted me to it, and it didn't reflect very well on that place to a bunch of lurkers that I am friends with in the real world but it is what it is.  I just want those that have enquired to know that I'm fine and not "in a decline" or throwing a hissy or having a snit or taking my ball and going home or any other kind of dramatic silliness.  I left quietly because I did not want to create any issues.  Saying anymore isn't very helpful or constructive at this point and would just enflame things more.  'Nuff said and that's all she wrote on the subject.  I just really want those that were supportive - whether verbally or with kind thoughts - to know I appreciate it.  If anyone wants to reach me or need something out of my research files I'm here and you can contact me through the comments section.  Even if you log in as "anonymous" I'm more than happy to reply with an answer and do what I can.