December and still there's a harvest to Can

I walked to the "Side Garden" to see how the cabbage/collards and Red cabbage was growing and was surprised that I had "Broccoli" growing so well :o)  I had forgotten I just planted a six pack to see how they'd do..I've eaten broccoli many times and even make broccoli soup..but I've never grown it! The leaves looked so nice and green I had to snap a few leaves and test them out...they look a lot like collards and take about just as long to cook..too bad I didn't have any cornbread ready :o)  (there is still time , I'm just lazy).

Dont' they look like Collards!  I like growing the broccoli, but the heads aren't large enough yet..(they are about  the size of tennis ball (not big enough yet to pick).

I don't think the canning season ever ends until January! I'm looking at greens I need to harvest and put away..I'm also waiting to make more chicken stock, but I need my jars for my greens..boy! this canning is a budget saver and you feel guilty if you don't save what you've been blessed with..with the new heater being installed the gas company is going to "sock it to me" so i try to save where I can, and thank goodness I have something to put away, and that I know how.. 

Update:  The leaves cooked up pretty tender..and they didn't taste like the Broccoli flowers..they weren't bad at all..it was like eating any of the other greens..they weren't bitter like mustards or Broccoli Rabe...they were a little milder and maybe a little more bland< nothing a little Chow Chow wouldn't fix , or more Country ham included in the cooking. I'll do it again, that's another gift from mother nature :o)

Everyone can now relax :o)

I have put my grumpy self away (for now) and a more Happy and content Ginny in in the house :o)...
I couldn't deal with the pain of continuing trying to fix the loom and wonder what the heck I did or didn't do..So I called the"Teacher, Sandra"....I think I sounded so hysterical and pitiful she decided to come over right away :o) (the truth is I prayed her butt here :o) so she just had to come..Well as soon as Sandra walked over to the loom, you knew "The Weaving Guru" was in town..Sandra started fiddling and fuddling and pulling and bending and squatting and fussing until the loom decided " I better behave myself or this woman is going to beat the hell out of me :o)   She had some task, ahead of her..but  a couple of hours later, the Loom acted like it had done nothing wrong to upset me  Maybe the Loom gave me a fit because it thought I was going to get rid of it. :o(  Plus "Teacher" fixed the brake to maintain tension. Also re-taught me to use the sticks.. ( you know we all get lazy, or forget) .
I was so exhauted by the end of it all. I couldn't do a thing, but sit in my chair bed and thank God for the help.  ..just goes to show ..prayers still work..

I thought it best to leave it alone until my nerves cooled down some and tomorrow is another day. Thank goodness there's tomorrow..with a good night's sleep..I should be good as new. Get ready, I just might be on a roll :o)

A Grumpy Post

Everyone seems to be having a Happy Holiday and waiting for Christmas Cheer aditude!
Here in NC I'm saying Bah Humbug!  My printer isn't working says "error paper jam" and there isn't one :o( .Trying to get help from the company is like pulling chicken teeth, if your not holding on, your listening to music, or sent somewhere where there is no return.
The loom isn't functioning correctly (Or I'm not doing something correctly) bah humbug.
I'm trying to look on the bright side..at least it's nice an warm in here with the new gas heater in the Studio ;o)  maybe I should clean it up or rather put some order to it. I had to do some moving things around before it was installed. Now I have too much crap in here, I need to get rid of some of them.

This is an old picture of my first dish towels that I made on my loom..my brake pedal is not in order and that's one of the problems I'm having as to where it was attached it's a simple thing  yet driving me out of my mind.
Oh well!, a better day is coming..now for some lunch..Brisket beef sandwich on Rye :o)

I had  a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, made all the usual goodies we like..except that for the three of us I decided to just make "Hot Turkey wings"with homemade tomato sauce  instead of a whole turkey that we wouldn't eat..Macaroni and cheese, candied yams, Stuffing with cranberry sauce, Collards and Cornbread. Cecil made sweet tea and yes I drank some ;o)  .(Hey, it seems to me I'm eating "Thanksgiving" all the time :o) It was a good day.
Today , the day after we are eating leftovers that I didn't freeze and it worked out just fine. I also wrestled with the loom and got it all sleyed up :o)...bent my little fat butt out of shape getting down on the floor to get the treadles strung up..I'll have to re do them over Tomorrow, tonight I'm just too tired to go over them tonight..They aren't pulling up separate enough...Ugh!  No Pictures today :o(

"Thanksgiving Day"

             'Happy Thanksgiving'

Last Day of testing Avocado and Banana's

Today I decided it was time to check the results of the Avocado and Banana's  after Eight days (put in the fridge after day 2) in the Food saver bags after having the air Vacuumed out. The results for the 8th day were as follows:


First of all I examined the bag before opening  and noticed "bubbling juices" flowing! that to me suggested "breakdown"


Second, after opening the bag, I noticed  there was no sour smell. The avocado looked fine but the banana looked mushy ;o(  I didn't want an upset stomach so I decided just to taste the Avocado with mayo and it was still quite solid. Except of the mushy mess of the banana I decided not to taste them..there was no smell, but it was  obvious that the breakdown was the acidity of the banana..The Avocado being preserved this way to me was the winner..I don't think I would keep it any longer than a week, (in the fridge just cut in half and not little chunks) also I wouldn't put it with anything else. I'm satisfied with this test, at least when I find Avocado's Usually at Sam's Club with 5 in the pack, I know I can take my time eating them up in a week without trying to stuff them all down in one day or eat one and lose the rest.
Update: next time I'll try putting more whole Avocado's in one small bag..take out one and re-vacuum the others. That ought to work :o)

Back to the Loom again!

Good thing I can remove my back beam! I made a mistake and had to fix it by removing the beam so I could wind the weft with the paper to keep the yarn straight. This step was a little complicated at first. I wondered how I was going to do it! Watching  video's on the Internet is quite informative :o)  Someone else had done the same thing and was explaining how she fixed it ...lucky me :o)  

Here's a side view of the back beam :o) not too shabby ugh!...remember I took this off of a loom when I took a class and now I was able to put it on my own loom at home.. I'm happy that I took my time when I took it off and it was easier to put on than I thought.

Here's the front view :o)  I don't remember if I  had a particular pattern to make anything except a scarf because of the yarn being so soft , touchy and feel-ly :o) (is that a word? :o)  anyway, I'm going to finish knotting up the front beam ..look for an easy beginners pattern, tie it up and get to weaving.. So far the Aleve  is helping the back and I'm stopping and resting when I feel it necessary.  I'll give an update on my progress, but don't look for it too soon :o)