Remember

I hope everyone takes a little time over this weekend to remember, not just our  loved ones, but all those who have passed on before us.  It is not just placing flowers or wreaths on graves.  We need to remember those times with our friends and loved ones.  The good times, the bad times.    Those that are the reason we are here , and those that helped mold our lives into what it is today.  There are those who gave that we may be free.   Sometimes we tend to forget those who helped  structure the freedom that so many take for granted.  Just because they have been gone for a couple of hundred years, does not mean they should be forgotten.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and whole list of others are always mentioned.  But what about the unnamed colonial farmer who lost his life for the cause? They all need to be included.  Go to a local cemetery and find the old part of it.  Spend a few minutes pondering over the graves.  Were they pioneers looking to start a new life.  Was it the forgotten grave of a child.   Maybe a mother in childbirth.  A whole family lost maybe.  They all need to be remembered.  We don't necessarily need to have known someone to be able to hold them in remembrance.   Just remember!

God Bless--johnnyb

Spring Goings On

Good morning to the world.  We are having rain.  We have been getting a little of the wet stuff for the last couple of weeks.  Not a lot, but enough to green things up. Temps have been cool also.  Our winter was dry.  Not much snow.  The garden is getting a slow start with the cool weather.  We raised most of our veggies in the greenhouse this spring.  We had a frost ten days ago that killed some plants even though they were covered.  Our asparagus crop has been good this spring.

Rhubarb has also been very productive this spring.  Our Quaking Aspens are doing well.  They are sending up shoots, so we are on our way to an Aspen grove.

Started the first project of the year yesterday.  We are building an outdoor canning kitchen. We were blessed with a quite a bit of re-purposed material this winter.  Always makes it easier to do when the materials are on hand.  Hope to have a lot of things to can this year.

It seems like I just hibernated for the winter.  There were some things I was going to do, but just never got around to it.  Did a lot of reading.  We go to a book club once a month.  The state historical society along with the local library,  provide a book and we meet with a person from the Historical Society to cuss and discuss the book.  It has been quite interesting.

Enough for today.  My coffee cup is empty.  Time to fill it.  God Bless All.  --johnnyb

Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow Veterans.  God Bless---johnnyb  EM2 USN  1965-1970

Old Barns and Old People

Very heartwarming video.  Worth a few minutes to watch.--johnnyb

  Old Barns and Old People

Sunday morning

Another week has passed and another started.  It seemed as if the week flew by.  There was a lot going on I guess to make it seem that.  Election day, and I hope that went as to everyone's liking.  It  went well here for us on our state.  I am glad it is over.  TV ads, flyers in the mail.  Seems like there is a lot of money spent that could have been put to use elsewhere.  Oh well, I am not a politician, never was one nor will I ever want to be one.  Enough on this subject.

This week will be a test for the little greenhouse.  Temperatures are forecast to be down in the lower teens.  Highs in the 30's.  I redid the solar heater this week.  I replaced the aluminum cans with a metallic dryer hose.  Seems to be working ok.   High temps have been in the 70's, so 30's will be the test for daytime.  Night will be the real test.  I have a couple of different heat methods to use, so we will see.  I planted lettuce, basil, and cucumbers a week ago.  The are up and growing under a heat lamp.  The tomato starts are doing good.

This one I rooted in water.  It is doing ok since potting.  I have a couple of others that were cuttings that I went directly to potting soil.  They are doing ok also.

A friend gave us an old wringer washer yesterday that is in pretty good condition.  We have been looking for one.  this one just kind of fell into our hands.  Right place at the right time.

Time to go.  We have some last minute things to do for the upcoming cold spell.  Could be a long time until spring.

God Bless--johnnyb

Fall is finally here

Fall has finally are arrived.  We started the pellet stove for the first time this morning.  This is the latest we have had to use it.  The nights have been cool, but not cool enough to crank up the fire,
We picked tomatoes until last week.  Frost finally got to the plants, and it was time to let nature take its course.  I did take some cuttings from the tomatoes and they are doing ok so far in the greenhouse.  The jalapenos were planted in a mineral tub, and I just moved it all inside the greenhouse.  This winter will be kind of an experimental thing with the greenhouse.  What works I use again and what doesn't, oh well I tried!  I had also picked a bunch of green tomatoes.  They are ripening on racks in the greenhouse.  

I am now wondering if I shouldn't have made it a little bigger!  I am also experimenting with different ways of heating naturally, without electricity.  Daytime is no problem with the solar heater as long as there is plenty of sun.  I want it to be totally independent from electricity.  I think it will be okay.

Our grandson is here for part of the weekend.  20th birthday yesterday.  Pizza last night and then a nice evening of just visiting.  He only lives 20 miles away, but a 20 year is a very busy person, so we don't get to see him as often as we would like.

God Bless all--johnnyb

Happy Monday

I say Happy Monday because for some people it is.  I think it is a Federal Holiday, so some people will have a day longer to recuperate from 2 days of football, or just plain old R & R.  (or I & I for some).
Just sitting here waiting for the temperature to rise a little higher before going out to do whatever.  Seems like it makes no difference what I plan to do, I always get side tracked.  We have had only minor frost here, we are still getting tomatoes.  Unusual for this time of year in this neck of the woods.  It has been a busy month.  I did get the green house completed.  Have some things moved inside.

I have been picking tomatoes and letting them completely ripen inside.  The trees are fig trees that we are going to try and raise.  May not work, but we will try.  They were brought to us from a friend in Beaumont TX.  The corn is bloody butcher corn for grinding.  I had to get it off of the stalks.  The birds seem to like it more than the sweet corn!   Also some mint and thyme drying.

Ms. B has been making jelly and jam from the juice we had canned up during the summer.  Raspberry jam, white grape and chokecherry jelly.  We have also dehydrated some apples.  The chokecherries we pick along the county roads.  Raspberries, and grapes were from our own garden. 

It has been a fairly good garden season.  We split most with my sister-in-law.  Her garden didn't do well.  Next year she will have a space at our place.

We have actually had a little moisture this fall.  Some areas more than others.  At least the wheat crop will have a fighting chance this year.

God Bless all--johnnyb