What’s on your mind?

[Clix Pix]

I am another who prefers to write things down, especially if it is something important that I want to remember; in school and college I always took notes and of course back then no computers or iPads so everything was done in longhand. I still don't use the calendar on my Macs or iOS devices; I write everything on a calendar hanging in the kitchen. When preparing to go somewhere or to embark on a project I usually begin by writing out lists of this-and-that as a starting point or as a way of ensuring that I don't go off on a road trip without something important. When trying to make an important decision I will often make handwritten lists of pros and cons and in so doing I find that this helps clarify things and stimulates thinking and analysis of the situation.

We, too, learned poetry when I was a child in school right along with reading of other types of material, math and history. Teaching of Geography was kind of skimpy so to this day I still have a poor concept of it. We also in the primary grades learned cursive writing and apparently these days that has been pretty much eliminated, to my horror. I guess they have to make room in the curriculum for all the (IMO) useless state and federal mandated exams and tests that they seem to inflict on children at most grade levels nowadays.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The Godfather, the book (which my father had, and read), and the movies (which my mother went to see), and my mother.

I was a child when the movie was first released, but my mother went to see it, (I suspect with friends, my father wasn't much of a movie goer) and loved it, for she liked plays, and movies, and sometimes concerts, as well, whereas my dad was more of a concert guy, we used to attend concerts together as adults quite a bit.

Afterwards, we wanted to know what it was all about, and I vividly recall a slow walk with my mother and brother on a sunny day, where she recounted the entire story to us (including the gory detail of the horse's head) - while we were listening, spellbound, as we walked either side of her.

Telling stories to kids never goes out of fashion.

 

[0388631]

I have found the pretzels.
[doublepost=1559945908][/doublepost]And I've found a bag of butter mints.

 

[Gutwrench]

I am another who prefers to write things down, especially if it is something important that I want to remember; in school and college I always took notes and of course back then no computers or iPads so everything was done in longhand. I still don't use the calendar on my Macs or iOS devices; I write everything on a calendar hanging in the kitchen. When preparing to go somewhere or to embark on a project I usually begin by writing out lists of this-and-that as a starting point or as a way of ensuring that I don't go off on a road trip without something important. When trying to make an important decision I will often make handwritten lists of pros and cons and in so doing I find that this helps clarify things and stimulates thinking and analysis of the situation.

We, too, learned poetry when I was a child in school right along with reading of other types of material, math and history. Teaching of Geography was kind of skimpy so to this day I still have a poor concept of it. We also in the primary grades learned cursive writing and apparently these days that has been pretty much eliminated, to my horror. I guess they have to make room in the curriculum for all the (IMO) useless state and federal mandated exams and tests that they seem to inflict on children at most grade levels nowadays.

I hated poetry and history in grade & high school. In college that changed. Now it’s nearly all I read.

 

[0388631]

I've never appreciated it.

 

[LizKat]

On my mind: I'm getting quite good at promptly recharging the batteries of gear that I have run down while entertaining myself or finding my way around in the dark during the most recent power outage. Not sure this is a good thing or something I should be writing the Public Service Commission about. Think I liked it better when outages were less often such an incentive to become so well organized.

The juice failure that ruined my Friday night online jazz-hunting plans only lasted 7.5 hours so that's an upside. The downside was that for the second outage in a row, the landline phone service did not remain up, unlike what had been a norm.

This area is part of a notorious 400-sqare mile "spotty service" --aka dead-- zone for cellular connections, so anyone who feels like reporting utility outages via cellphone may have to drive somewhere to do it. It happened around 7pm while I was constructing a dinner salad so for once I just shrugged and figured not my turn to babysit the power company in case they weren't minding their dashboard.

Added the last of some hardboiled eggs to the dinner menu in case the rest of my fridge was going to become a biohazard zone of composting veggies by time we got the juice back.

On to the weekend with a sunny day for some gardening. No clue why we lost power but I'm certainly going to inquire about details on Monday.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

On my mind: I'm getting quite good at promptly recharging the batteries of gear that I have run down while entertaining myself or finding my way around in the dark during the most recent power outage. Not sure this is a good thing or something I should be writing the Public Service Commission about. Think I liked it better when outages were less often such an incentive to become so well organized.

The juice failure that ruined my Friday night online jazz-hunting plans only lasted 7.5 hours so that's an upside. The downside was that for the second outage in a row, the landline phone service did not remain up, unlike what had been a norm.

This area is part of a notorious 400-sqare mile "spotty service" --aka dead-- zone for cellular connections, so anyone who feels like reporting utility outages via cellphone may have to drive somewhere to do it. It happened around 7pm while I was constructing a dinner salad so for once I just shrugged and figured not my turn to babysit the power company in case they weren't minding their dashboard.

Added the last of some hardboiled eggs to the dinner menu in case the rest of my fridge was going to become a biohazard zone of composting veggies by time we got the juice back.

On to the weekend with a sunny day for some gardening. No clue why we lost power but I'm certainly going to inquire about details on Monday.

Today, in the farmers' market, I purchased some (naturally) smoked haddock; there will be kedgeree on my table in the near future.

I hated poetry and history in grade & high school. In college that changed. Now it’s nearly all I read.

My father loved poetry and often quoted some at us, if he thought the occasion called for it.

Actually, he had always wanted to write, and after he retired, - which he saw as a form of liberation, and the right to do some stuff that the whole business of life, and rearing a family had (in his mind) prevented until then, he took up creative writing classes for a few years, and - among other things, he studied how to write poetry; I recall how thrilled he was when he mastered the haiku, insisting on reading his efforts out to me.

 

[Gutwrench]

Today, in the farmers' market, I purchased some (naturally) smoked haddock; there will be kedgeree on my table in the near future.



My father loved poetry and often quoted some at us, if he thought the occasion called for it.

Actually, he had always wanted to write, and after he retired, - which he saw as a form of liberation, and the right to do some stuff that the whole business of life, and rearing a family had (in his mind) prevented until then, he took up creative writing classes for a few years, and - among other things, he studied how to write poetry; I recall how thrilled he was when he mastered the haiku, insisting on reading his efforts out to me.

How nice your father could chase his pleasures.

My favorite haiku about getting out of bed in the morning:

No no no no no
No no no no no no no
No no no no no

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Marmalade.

Specifically, bitter marmalade made naturally with a lot of fruit.

Yesterday, in the farmers' market, the chap I buy my honey from - he has his own hives on cliffs near the coast and produces the most amazing honey - one from the almost inaccessible wild plants near the top of a cliff sublime - is gave me a gift of a small jar of bitter three fruit marmalade, made by his wife.

A few weeks earlier, at his honey stall, he had a few jars of marmalade that his wife had made for sale, and I bought them, as I love that sharp bitter sweet taste of a fruit laden marmalade, which is also relatively light on sugar.

Of course, this brought back memories. As a small child, my mum had made marmalade, and then, alter on, decided to save on labour, and time, bought it in stores, instead.

However, not long after I graduated and had started teaching, I developed a craving for some serious homemade marmalade, and for a few years in the late eighties and early nineties, each January, my mother and I made three fruit marmalade (Seville oranges, grapefruit and lemons), unearthing a recipe in one of her ancient cookbooks, hunting for stores that still sold muslin cloth, sterilising jars, spending nights chatting (and yes, bonding), over the kitchen table while thinly slicing lemons, grapefruit and oranges, - saving the pips - and halving the amount of sugar the recipe required (while also substituting organic brown caster sugar for the white sugar specified in the recipe).

Happy memories.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Marmalade.

Specifically, bitter marmalade made naturally with a lot of fruit.

Yesterday, in the farmers' market, the chap I buy my honey from - he has his own hives on cliffs near the coast and produces the most amazing honey - one from the almost inaccessible wild plants near the top of a cliff sublime - is gave me a gift of a small jar of bitter three fruit marmalade, made by his wife.

A few weeks earlier, at his honey stall, he had a few jars of marmalade that his wife had made for sale, and I bought them, as I love that sharp bitter sweet taste of a fruit laden marmalade, which is also relatively light on sugar.

Of course, this brought back memories. As a small child, my mum had made marmalade, and then, alter on, decided to save on labour, and time, bought it in stores, instead.

However, not long after I graduated and had started teaching, I developed a craving for some serious homemade marmalade, and for a few years in the late eighties and early nineties, each January, my mother and I made three fruit marmalade (Seville oranges, grapefruit and lemons), unearthing a recipe in one of her ancient cookbooks, hunting for stores that still sold muslin cloth, sterilising jars, spending nights chatting (and yes, bonding), over the kitchen table while thinly slicing lemons, grapefruit and oranges, - saving the pips - and halving the amount of sugar the recipe required (while also substituting organic brown caster sugar for the white sugar specified in the recipe).

Happy memories.

My dad would always make home made jam. Probably still does.

 

[0388631]

Our fruit trees and bushes often produce more fruit than we can consume, so a lot of it is preserved in one form or another. Once fruit sets. I wrap everything in fine mesh that prevents bugs and animals getting through. I cover there with a looser mesh that makes it difficult for anything to walk or land without getting trapped or skimping away.

A neighbor has a few large banana trees. I'm not sure of the cultiver, but it manages to grow here and it is one of the tastiest bananas I've ever had. They're about 90-120 grams a banana.

 

[Huntn]

I hated poetry and history in grade & high school. In college that changed. Now it’s nearly all I read.

I’M not a fan of poetry, but have been impressed by it.
[doublepost=1560081481][/doublepost]

Marmalade.

Specifically, bitter marmalade made naturally with a lot of fruit.

Yesterday, in the farmers' market, the chap I buy my honey from - he has his own hives on cliffs near the coast and produces the most amazing honey - one from the almost inaccessible wild plants near the top of a cliff sublime - is gave me a gift of a small jar of bitter three fruit marmalade, made by his wife.

A few weeks earlier, at his honey stall, he had a few jars of marmalade that his wife had made for sale, and I bought them, as I love that sharp bitter sweet taste of a fruit laden marmalade, which is also relatively light on sugar.

Of course, this brought back memories. As a small child, my mum had made marmalade, and then, alter on, decided to save on labour, and time, bought it in stores, instead.

However, not long after I graduated and had started teaching, I developed a craving for some serious homemade marmalade, and for a few years in the late eighties and early nineties, each January, my mother and I made three fruit marmalade (Seville oranges, grapefruit and lemons), unearthing a recipe in one of her ancient cookbooks, hunting for stores that still sold muslin cloth, sterilising jars, spending nights chatting (and yes, bonding), over the kitchen table while thinly slicing lemons, grapefruit and oranges, - saving the pips - and halving the amount of sugar the recipe required (while also substituting organic brown caster sugar for the white sugar specified in the recipe).

Happy memories.

What are the 3 fruits used?
[doublepost=1560081523][/doublepost]

Our fruit trees and bushes often produce more fruit than we can consume, so a lot of it is preserved in one form or another. Once fruit sets. I wrap everything in fine mesh that prevents bugs and animals getting through. I cover there with a looser mesh that makes it difficult for anything to walk or land without getting trapped or skimping away.

A neighbor has a few large banana trees. I'm not sure of the cultiver, but it manages to grow here and it is one of the tastiest bananas I've ever had. They're about 90-120 grams a banana.

Where do you live?
[doublepost=1560081652][/doublepost]

My dad would always make home made jam. Probably still does.

I grew up with homemade strawberry jam and used to make it myself.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I’M not a fan of poetry, but have been impressed by it.
[doublepost=1560081481][/doublepost]
What are the 3 fruits used?
[doublepost=1560081523][/doublepost]
Where do you live?
[doublepost=1560081652][/doublepost]
I grew up with homemade strawberry jam and used to make it myself.

It was raspberry’s for us. As that’s what grew in the garden.

 

[Huntn]

It was raspberry’s for us. As that’s what grew in the garden.

I love every berry I am familiar with, raspberry is one of them. What is interesting is that I have raspberry’s growing wild and think these are native... not quite.

I found a list of fruit native to North America: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/fruits-native-to-north-america.html
As prolific as they are, I would have also guessed that peaches and strawberries are native.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

What are the 3 fruits used?

Seville oranges (a particular type of orange used in marmalade making, they are a lot less less sweet and have more pips, than standard oranges - the pips are good for gelatine, which allows the marmalade - or jam , to set - and they have a short season, and are usually available only for a few weeks in January and February), grapefruit and lemons.

This makes for a lovely bitter sweet marmalade - I dislike marmalades that are too sweet.

I love genuinely homemade strawberry or raspberry jam, but it must have a very high fruit content, and be relatively low in sugar.
[doublepost=1560084395][/doublepost]

I love every berry I am familiar with, raspberry is one of them. What is interesting is that I have raspberry’s growing wild and think these are native... not quite.

I found a list of fruit native to North America: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/fruits-native-to-north-america.html
As prolific as they are, I would have also guessed that peaches and strawberries are native.

Likewise.

I have yet to meet a berry I dislike, and my mother adored berries and (like myself) would happily gorge herself on them raw.

As a child, she used to make gooseberry jam - I remember "topping and tailing" the gooseberries with her, and she also made apple, cherry and rhubarb tarts, and apple or rhubarb crumble.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Gooseberry? We had those growing too, but they were not pleasant.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Gooseberry? We had those growing too, but they were not pleasant.

They are lovely with a little sugar; a sharp, tart, flavour, lovely an tangy.

Actually, we ate them raw - drizzled with a little brown sugar, and perhaps cream, or strewed, or as jam (both my mother and my German sister-in-law adore - and adored - gooseberry jam), and sometimes, when we were children, as tarts. Yum.

Until her dementia became pronounced, and she developed a craving for sweet flavours, my mother used to love tart flavoured fruit, something I share with her.

 

[Huntn]

Seville oranges (a particular type of orange used in marmalade making, they are a lot less less sweet and have more pips, than standard oranges - the pips are good for gelatine, which allows the marmalade - or jam , to set - and they have a short season, and are usually available only for a few weeks in January and February), grapefruit and lemons.

This makes for a lovely bitter sweet marmalade - I dislike marmalades that are too sweet.

I love genuinely homemade strawberry or raspberry jam, but it must have a very high fruit content, and be relatively low in sugar.
[doublepost=1560084395][/doublepost]

Likewise.

I have yet to meet a berry I dislike, and my mother adored berries and (like myself) would happily gorge herself on them raw.

As a child, she used to make gooseberry jam - I remember "topping and tailing" the gooseberries with her, and she also made apple, cherry and rhubarb tarts, and apple or rhubarb crumble.

Speaking of berries, a chain restaurant called Perkins used to offer a triple berry pie (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries) to die for. I even found a recipe for it, if I can find blackberries for pruchase. Frozen maybe an option. Recipe: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/triple-berry-pie/

Mulberry fruit
​

We have a large mulberry tree in our front yard, and I remember as a child being able to find canned mulberries at the grocery for making pies. It seems like it is the forgotten fruit here in the States. However, every Spring the birds remember, swarm our tree and **** bomb our cars in the process of gorging on them. Harvesting them would near be impossible as this tree is 30’ tall without any low branches.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/mulberries

But it can still be found for sale: https://www.froghollow.com/products/organic-mulberries

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Speaking of berries, a chain restaurant called Perkins used to offer a triple berry pie (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries) to die for. I even found a recipe for it, if I can find blackberries for pruchase. Frozen maybe an option. Recipe: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/triple-berry-pie/

View attachment 841923
Mulberry fruit
​

We have a large mulberry tree in our front yard, and I remember as a child being able to find canned mulberries at the grocery for making pies. It seems like it is the forgotten fruit here in the States. However, every Spring the birds remember, swarm our tree and **** bomb our cars in the process of gorging on them. Harvesting them would near be impossible as this tree is 30’ tall without any low branches.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/mulberries

But it can still be found for sale: https://www.froghollow.com/products/organic-mulberries

This time of year, at the farmers' market every Saturday, I treat myself to plenty of whatever fruit is in season.

Yesterday, I purchased my usual (one of the stalls keeps it for me), five or six grapefruit, oranges and lemons (for my breakfast juice, which I squeeze myself); a bag full of nectarines and apricots, and another bag of cherries - all of these are organic.

While I did spot a small stall selling their own strawberries, I forgot to buy some, but will do so next week.

 

[Gutwrench]

I’M not a fan of poetry, but have been impressed by it.

I prefer (semi-contemporary) nonmetrical poetry. I’m awed by the precision of their words...the beauty of the dance. Not a single extra word or the lack thereof.

 

[decafjava]

Rainy Sunday afternoon. Feeling blah. Trying to catch up on personal affairs but just can't get motivated.

 

[Gutwrench]

Rainy Sunday afternoon. Feeling blah. Trying to catch up on personal affairs but just can't get motivated.

It’s dripping outside here too. It’s morning but understand it will continue all day. I have a business brunch then hope to kick back at home and pop open the windows and enjoy it.

 

[Suture]

I've toyed with journaling on and off throughout the years, but for the past few weeks I've finally begun to record my thoughts on a daily basis. I've found it to be introspective, discovering recurring thoughts while identifying themes, both positive and negative. I think the most interesting thing I've noticed is analyzing my dreams to find similarities. Dreams are weird.

 

[decafjava]

It’s dripping outside here too. It’s morning but understand it will continue all day. I have a business brunch then hope to kick back at home and pop open the windows and enjoy it.

Well luckily I went on two long bike rides this week. Was off Wednesday so went up to the Jura mountains on some nice trails (got some local cheese as well - from the local cows I saw grazing) then yessterday in the Geneva countryside.

 

[0388631]

I've got a mulberry tree. It was here when I bought the house. It's a bitch and a half to harvest it, but the fruit is delicious. I too as a kid growing up in Europe enjoyed the wild mulberry trees there and picking them, sometimes getting chased off by the land owner, giving them an obscene gesture and running away...

Anyway, warm day today. Looks like it'll be ice cold seltzer with squeezed lemon and then beer as evening approaches.

Issue with most fruit trees on private property is they were never grown for outward development and simply left alone. With the right tools, you can harvest as much as you want. A basketed pole pruner is one of the cheapest methods at under $100.