July 26, 2011

  • The Beast Makes Himself A New Project


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    Time and again I've told you about the Beast and his obsession with making up new projects for himself.  I really think he has this feeling that when he runs out of projects, he's going to die.  I don't even try to talk him out of it because I can sympathize with his concerns.  Especially now with the tumors in the bladder problem.

    His latest project was to run a new water line to the spigot out back that is the main one used for watering the garden.  He decided that there was a good reason for the instructions for the water softener stating that the plumber needed to install the water softener after the lines for the outside water spigots.  He thinks that the small amount of salt that was in the water was enough, cumulatively, to cause some of the garden vegetables to die or just not even germinate.  I would have to guess that it was probably a good guess on his part, especially if there were instructions on not running the softened water to the spigots in the first place.  He ended up doing it mainly out of laziness.  It was easier and faster to install it where he did hence the need for the special project.

    It really didn't take him long to put together the piping and run the line.  It probably took longer for the glue to dry on the joints since he said he didn't like the way it was drying as he put it together.  Normally, it dries fast but the high humidity had to be affecting it.  When he was done, no leaks and now he knows the water from that one spigot is salt-free.  If he needs a project in the future, he has at least three other spigots he could include.  But, right now, he took care of the one he mainly uses.  He's going to use the water from the rain barrel to water the flowers out front since some of those really don't look well.  That would really upset me since one of my special rose bushes is out there.  The Beast is hoping his blueberry bushes recover now that he's changed the water supply.

    BTW, I did impart a partial bit of misinformation on the pears yesterday.  You know how it is when you know something and don't quite explain yourself thoroughly?  That's what I did.  When I said a pear will not ripen off the tree, I meant this:  if the pear is totally hard, including the area around the stem, it won't ripen off the tree.  However, if it has started to soften around the stem, it WILL.    I was reminded of this by the two pears sitting on my windowsill right now.  They started to show softening at the stem but were still hard so we knew they weren't quite ready.  We didn't pick them off the tree; the storm knocked them off.   It's happened a couple times already this year and we brought in the ones that had started to ripen but they have been eaten now.  These latest two will be ready in about a week.

    We have so many that are just about ready still on the trees that I told the Beast I would just go ahead and make a light syrup and can them.  They will be fast prep, just about 10 minutes is all and we love pears so we will certainly use them up. 

    More tomatoes were harvested today.  I put some aside for our hot dogs since the smaller, ripe ones that I think are over-grown cherry tomatoes, are perfect for that.  We make up our hot dogs Chicago style with chopped onions, tomatoes, sweet pickle relish and celery salt.  I use a thin slice of dill pickle and hot peppers but the Beast doesn't.  Another departure is the fact that we both use mayonnaise and I use some deli mustard (spicy) instead of the more used yellow mustard.   These tomatoes will be used just as they are minus the skins and will be canned after being cut in half.  The Beast laughed because we are going to have to buy some more canning jars after I get done with that if we do any more canning.  I reminded him that the pears will be using up some but I think that the full case of quart ones should do for both.

    He brought in an eggplant today that would have you laughing if you saw it.  It looks like a huge radish!  I kid you not.  Why it came out that shape, I have no idea.   I told the Beast it will make a couple of nice breaded and fried up pieces for him since he loves it cooked that way.  He wasn't going to leave it on the plants because of the fact that insects had gotten to the others that had developed earlier.  This one is perfect, except for it's shape. 

    More hot weather for most of the country....as usual.  Drink lots of water, etc., etc.   I'm sure I don't have to remind you now.  Too many people have died from lack of hydration and air conditioning both.  Surprisingly, most of them in the city of Chicago.  I say surprisingly because they have cooling centers all over the city for people who live in apartments and homes without air conditioning.  And there are city pools located in every neighborhood.  If I didn't have AC, I would be either at a pool or at the lake for sure.  If I had to work, I'm sure where I worked would have AC so I would be safe from the worst of the day while there.  The men in construction trades are the most at risk but they are provided ample drinking water and they have learned how to keep from becoming victims of heat/sun stroke.  The rest of us...well, we do what we must.  Even in air conditioning, don't forget you still need water during these days.  Air conditioning removes humidity from the air so don't neglect yourself.

    Love you all and that's all I have to say for now.