how about drinking?
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Beautiful poppies.
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Decided to go to Walmart on Friday which is the first of hubby's two days off and get another tomato and bell pepper plant. We were gonig to get cukes and plant them in a window box but we decided we are just going to buy them and get the pickling stuff and do them as we want to. I'm itching to try my daddy's aunt's recipe for refrigerator pickles. He tried some at my aunt's house last weekend when we stopped for a visit and lunch on our way back from planting the lilac on our property.
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I miss my maternal grandmother's pickled beets, they were addictive. I swore those were among the top favorites of the stuff she would make and joked i could eat a whole jar by myself if they'd let me. Maybe I'll try to make them in the future.
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I went through a canning phase and enjoyed making different kinds of pickles. Dh built a shelving unit in our laundry room. One of my favorites was hot dill green beans. We stuck one or two in our martinis along with olives.
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When i saw my aunt last weekend I was mentioning to my hubby that if i was going to make pickles like i did back in Connecticut before we moved that i needed to get more jars, my aunt said not to buy any, that she had an ample supply. So now its just buy the pickling stuff. Plus i might even try to make apple butter this year for the first time.
Its going to be fun adjusting to hubby's new work schedule. He wnt from being on nights to days without warning as of Sunday. Ugh, its going to blow chunks grtting up at around 5 a.m. to get him off to work!
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Mom has been wanting to go shopping for a while now, so we decided
Yesterday's outing would be a shopping trip. The plan went off the rails pretty quickly. When I got there Mom was visibly more tired than usual, and going on about a big party that was held in the hall right outside her door most of the night that kept her awake. Mom even said she mentioned the party to the girl who came in to help her get dressed and the girl got a little mad at Mom for bringing it up. Now I am sure there was not a party in the hallway during the night. I'm sure there was more activity in the hallway than usual, maybe something was going on with another one of the residents, or maybe the staff who often sit in the common area across the hall from Mom's room were louder than usual. The staff often sit there rather than at the nurses' station because Mom doesn't remember to use her call button when she needs to get up at night and yells "Hello! Hello! Is anyone out there?" and they can't hear her from the nurses' station. But Mom was eager to get out of the building, so off we went. She struggled more than usual to get into the car, and was walking a lot slower than usual, so I knew walking around a store wasn't going to be a good idea, but I luckily remembered that a long-time friend of Mom's owns/runs a seafood takeout within driving distance, so I took her there for lunch. We had fantastic lobstah rolls and onion rings, and Mom had a great visit with her friend. Then we went to another locally famous take out for the first ice cream of the season. Mom got a hot fudge sundae, but I forgot to ask for it to be put in a bigger bowl so there wasn't much maneuvering room, so there were lots of drips of ice cream, fudge sauce, and whipped cream all over the front of Mom and the car. Oh well, Mom, her clothes and the car are all washable, and a bit of mess was worth the fun.mOmmy--does your food sealer have the ability to vacuum seal mason jars? I've got 2 sealers, one for the plastic pouches and one that seals mason jars. I use the pouches one for things I am freezing mostly. I more recently started using the mason jar sealer for perishables, and it really does make a lot of things last longer in the fridge, which is great for me by myself. When I buy veggies and such I often end up tossing some of it because I can't get through it quickly enough. I've really noticed the longer fresh time with celery, carrots, and harder cheeses that tend to mold. I love lilacs, too. So pretty and so fragrant.
Carole-- I love listening to the loons. When Mom was living with Dick on the lake we used to take part in the annual look count in the spring.
Jazzy--my grandmother (Dad's mother) kept a poppy patch outside her back door, they looked just like those. I remember going to see the poppies when we visited in the summer.
mOmmy--I've heard of refrigerator pickles. They are pretty popular in some areas.
Teka--I never developed a taste for pickled beets. My sister-in-law absolutely ADORES cauliflower pickles, but I can't seem to find them anymore. I guess I need to learn how to make them!
Carole--HOT dill green beans? As in with jalapenos or similar?
mOmmy--mason jars seem to make the rounds, they are so rugged and stand up to a lot of use and abuse! Mom has boxes of canning jars in storage that will no doubt find their way to my place someday. That's quite a schedule change for DH and you! I hear you about getting up early. I always found it so hard to get up in the dark. I hope it's easier for you!
Lobster Martini
Ingredients• 2 ½ ounces celery-infused vodka (see note)
• ½ ounce lobster juice
• ¼ ounce vermouth
• ¼ ounce lemon juice
• ¼ ounce caper juice
• sprinkle of celery seed or dried parsley
• old bay seasoning for rim and garnishes
• lobster claw or tail, celery stalk, lemon wedge coated with old bay for garnishInstructions
• See note if making celery-infused vodka.
• Rim a chilled martini or coupe glass with a sprinkle of old bay seasoning and prepare garnishes.
old bay seasoning,lobster claw or tail, celery stalk, lemon wedge coated with old bay
• Add celery-infused vodka, lobster juice, vermouth, lemon juice, caper juice, and a sprinkle of celery seed to a cocktail shaker.
2 ½ ounces celery-infused vodka,½ ounce lobster juice,¼ ounce vermouth,¼ ounce lemon juice,¼ ounce caper juice,sprinkle of celery seed
• Add ice and shake well until the shaker is very cold. Strain into prepared glass, add a sprinkle more of celery seed, and garnish with a lobster claw or tail, celery stalk, and lemon wedge coated with old bay.Celery-infused vodka: To make homemade celery vodka, remove some vodka from a 375ml bottle, then add 1 chopped celery stalk. Let infuse for 2-3 days.
From
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Feeling MAJOR lobstah roll envy!!!
The hot factor in the pickled green beans is provided by little cayenne peppers 🌶️.
One tip for canning is to sterilize jars in the dishwasher. My mother had to boil the jars prior to filling them. My favorite was her canned tomatoes. I would eat them with sprinkled salt. Our cousins loved her sour pickles.
She routinely baked biscuits for breakfast. Made from scratch. My dad called them cat heads. Yum 😋 on the memory.
Glad you had a good outing with Mom, NM.
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Carole, I used to sterlize mine in the dishwasher before using. Since I don't have a dishwasher in our rental, I wash them in hot soapy water.
My dog got a treat today, hubby bought a big watermelon yesterday. This morning I cut up the thing and got three containers from it and gave Nugget a few cubes. He's never had it and just went nuts over it
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We're having breakfast and lunch at our favorite local diner. Also, takeout. 😋
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lol cute
Did a little shopping on ebay. Recently found some patterns I had that somehow got lost in the move. They were priced pretty decently, so I snatched them up. One is of a blue and white oriental vase made from yarn and plastic canvas and the other is dachshund with a bone that says 'Welcome' on it. The dachshund looks like my boy, even though he is a mix. I also found and saved for later patterns for a welcome sign for a Sheltie, a grey tabby and a Shih Tzu and a cow. I can use the tabby one to make one that looks like my black cat. Plus I found another book of pattern for stuff for the kitchen in a cow motif. When I get that one, I'm going to make the stuff up for decor for me. I adore cows. Plus I found a kit for a floral cross that I made for mt maternal grandmother many years ago. Mom has the cross and the pattetn but every time she promises to send me a copy of the pattern, i never get it, so I might as well just get the kit and I wont need to keep waiting. Plus I found a pattern for an Irish Cross that I had made for one of my hubby's grandmothers before she died. My MIL has it somewhere in her house, but I probably will never see it again, so when I found the pattern, I saved it for a future purchase. I wish my sister was alive as she was a huge Garfield nut and I ran across at least two patten books for plastic canvas for Garfield stuff. I would have made her every piece and she would have gone bananas over it.3 -
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF Day! The weather has turned here, warm alternating with rainy, and the tree pollen, particularly the pine pollen, levels have skyrocketed. For the last few days I can look outside and it will look like it's snowing from all the pollen and stuff coming off the trees. I can hardly breathe sometimes, my voice sounds like a choking foghorn, and I'm so tired I can't get out of my own way. Time to double up on the antihistamines!
Carole--gotta love lobstah rolls! Cayenne peppers in pickled green beans? I wonder how anyone came up with that idea?
mOmmy--I use the dishwasher to sterilize wine bottles, too! It's a lot easier than getting the bottle completely covered with water to boil or sterilizing them in the oven! My puppers love watermelon, too.
Teka--diner breakfasts are soooooo goooood!
Miriandra--LOL! Quite the pic!
mOmmy--wow, you have been busy with the crafts! These things make the most memorable gifts.
Brown Cow
• 2 ounces Kahlúa
• 4 ounces heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
• Ice
• Maraschino cherry, for garnish, optional- Fill a rocks glass with ice.
- Pour in the Kahlúa.
- Add heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk.
- Stir gently and serve immediately, topped with a cherry, if desired.
From
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Got the pattern for the Irish Cross last night too at hubby's insistence. He doesnt like it when my mom promises me she'll send me patterns or whatever and I never see anything. But still working on the blankets for my cousin's kids for Christmas. Had to put it down last night as my bad wrist from an old 7th grade gym class injury was flaring up.
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Happy Funday Sunday:
Hope everyone is having a good start to June. It's starting to get warm here in NM and hoping for more rain but so far what has been coming in staying over to the east near the TX border. One area got 300% of its annual rainfall in one day last week in the all or nothing world of weather anymore. We get summer monsoons here with moisture that comes up from the Gulf of Mexico or Gulf of CA and anxiously awaiting this year to start which starts 6/15 and usually finishes up end of Sept. That being said, they seem to start late anymore and run through the month of October. We are really hurting for moisture here as many other places out west are. Fingers crossed for a wet summer.
Still plugging away at the job and making more plans to be ready to retire from this gig later this year. I am doing some yoga things this summer (all day workshop in a few weeks) and plan to start yoga teacher training in Sept which will run into next spring. Also taking another music class, I want to play more music in my retirement but not all the time (maybe for special events which I have done before). One of my colleagues I started with is leaving this week, she started with me and to be there for a time while her husband was completing his residency. I hope to be the next to go. Rumors abound there is another group like our/but different that may get merged with us and just not wanting to deal with more changes with that. I plan to enjoy the summer with lots of things planned but staying focused on the goals too.
Hoping you are all doing okay and wishing you a good week!
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Jazzy,
Closer to retirement, plan yoga teacher training and music class. Also, out-the-door before possible merger.
🙄😘
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! Went to see Mom yesterday. We were going to go a local lavender farm, but it was raining and neither one of us though tramping through rows of lavender and other gardens in the rain would be all that much fun. We're going to try again later in the week, although it looks to be rather wet until the weekend. So we visited my cousin/Mom's niece Tammy for the afternoon. She's 10 years younger than me and just been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Mom gave Tammy and Jeff the trailer that Mom and Dad lived in at the end of his life, and they've done a really nice job of fixing it up and giving it a new life. They've got a pitbull mix dog that took quite a liking to Mom, much to her pleasure. It made for a very nice afternoon, even if we didn't get to pick lavender flowers.
mOmmy--Cross patterns are so pretty and so variable. How are the blankets coming along?
Jazzy--I can't imagine getting 300% of a year's rain in one day! Talk about a gully washer! Sounds like the retirement plan is going well. I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with a group merger, that can be so freaking chaotic and crazy, even when it goes well!
Teka--sounds like a good timeline!
Lavender Cross Cocktail
• Gin – 1.5 oz
• Fresh lemon juice – 1 oz
• Lavender simple syrup – 0.5 oz
• Sparkling water – to top (about 0.5–1 oz)
• Dried culinary lavender – ¼ cup (for syrup)
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Water – ½ cup
• Ice – for shaking and serving
• Garnish – lemon slice and lavender sprig
Instructions- Make lavender syrup:
• In a saucepan, combine ½ cup water and ¼ cup dried culinary lavender.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes.
• Strain out the lavender and discard.
• In another saucepan, dissolve ½ cup sugar in 3 tablespoons water over medium heat.
• Simmer 3–4 minutes, then stir in the lavender liquid.
• Whisk until fully combined, remove from heat, and cool.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. - Prepare the drink:
• In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, and lavender syrup.
• Fill the shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.
• Top with a splash of sparkling water.
• Gently stir to combine. - Garnish:
• Add a lemon slice and a sprig of lavender for a fresh, aromatic finish.
Serving Tips
• Serve chilled in a highball or Collins glass for the best balance of gin, lemon, and lavender.
• For a more effervescent version, increase the sparkling water slightly.
• If you prefer a sweeter drink, add a touch more lavender syrup.
1 - Make lavender syrup:
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Jazzy and Teka, your plans seem similar! Best of luck to both of you in having life cooperate with plans.
A lavender farm seems like a nice place to visit. I have never seen one.
Today is dh's birthday, and he's not a happy camper. Nature is raining out his Monday golf league. It's looking like the kind of all-day rain that Jazzy would welcome for NM. He's taking my suggestion and going to the gym. We have dinner plans, so we agreed on not going out for breakfast. Meanwhile I will have some peace and quiet for my morning computer reading.
We printed out the tickets for the Red Wings baseball game in Fargo on Thursday. I hope nature is cooperative for that event.
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Love that crochet work!!!
Lavender farms are very peaceful and wonderful smells!! Meditative.
Too much wine; goes down too easily with the grief and DH's dying…so much emotional pain, watching and dealing with his infirmities…ugh…
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Hi! I have been thinking about all of you and finally got a chance to pop on.
Wallycat, I am sorry you are dealing with so much right now. It is easy to have too much wine sometimes, I hope you can find someone to share your pain with.
Jazzy, I think it is so cool that you are going to learn to be a yoga teacher. I have never went, but I always wanted to try, but I am not too flexible anymore. I am not afraid of being embarrassed, but I really wouldn't want to mess up the whole routine.
It was interesting to read about all the canning. I have not done any in years and have only made strawberry jam when I go to the local strawberry festival and they are on sale. But I have joined a facebook group where they are share canning recipes and tips. There were quite a few members canning meat. I have never done that before.
I have been busy with my mom. Her memory is getting worse, but she is still doing good. She just had turned 89 in May and is worried she won't ever die. She is funny sometimes. I go and give her breakfast and her morning pills. I started doing it because it would be noon and she still did not take her pills or eat. This way it gets her day started and she is better. She stopped going to her music get togethers with her friends, she said because she forgets people. I told her to just enjoy the music and it was ok if you don't remember someone, but she said she was done. She is ok and we have quite a bit of family and will stop in once in awhile to see her. My 9 yr old grandson went and played cards with her today and that made her happy.
The lavender drink looks so pretty. NM sorry about your cousin, I hope it is a slow progression. I don't know a lot about it, but I seem to see more people that have it. It may be because of my age.
I don't come on very often, but I do think about you all a lot.
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Third blanket is nearing the end. Just have to finish the last 30 rows and do a border. The last blanket is partially started. I got my first pattern I ordered yesterday. Its a welcome sign with a dachshund and a bone. Got a treat basket pattern in the shape of a dachshund coming and a tissue box and magnets of dachshunds in my wishlist. I found a ton of plastic canvas patterns I want or had and lost over the years.
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Me……chemo brain.🤪
Jazzy……Closer to retirement, plan yoga teacher training and music class. Also, out-the-door before possible merger.
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I got the Irish Cross pattern yesterday. I also got the pattern for an oriental vase in plastic canvas too.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Thirsty Thursday! It's been a busy week, CPR classes on Mon, Tue, and Wed, so far. Was going to take Mom to the Lavender Farm today but we're waking up to rain and very wet ground from rain overnight. So we're going to try again tomorrow, or on the weekend. Neither of us needs to run around with wet feet and shoes!
On the upside, I got an email from the facility, there is a one bedroom apartment expected to open in Mom's neighborhood soon. If it has an ocean view it will be great. We'll find out next week, I have a meeting with them to discuss the apartment and financial changes that would be necessary on Tuesday. Mom's current "suite" is in the 230 to 320 square foot range, the 1 bedroom is 423 sq ft. The biggest advantage is a separate room for a bedroom, with enough room for a full or queen size bed AND still have room in the living room for her recliner and the rocking chair I use when I visit with enough room left over for her to get around with the walker more easily. Not to mention actual storage other than the one closet. The bathroom in the "suite" does not have any storage space other than the stand we put in there for towels and such. The think I like the best is that the apartment door doesn't open up and look right into the bathroom. Anyway, we will see how this goes.
Carole--The lavender farm is wonderful. Lots of space to walk around the lavender in the field, different small gardens in places along the edge of the field or just into the woods. There's an English Cottage garden, Butterfly garden, a plot for lots of different cut flowers, a garden planted around an old water pump that still works, a Rose garden, and walking paths with lots of places to sit and rest and just look at the flowers. Their gift shop has an amazing collection of all things lavender, including lavender gelato, which I hope we will be able to get there before it runs out. We missed it last year. Here's their website if you want to look: Moore Manor Lavender – growing lavender in Maine. Happy belated birthday to DH, sorry to hear he wasn't a happy camper.
Wally--hugs. Grief is not an easy thing. Whatever helps you cope is legit, in my book.
Misty--I've noticed the directions for canning meat more recently, didn't know that was a thing until I started running across it. I suppose it's logical, meat's gotta be preserved just like anything else. I had to chuckle about your Mom being worried that she won't ever die, my Mom asks about why it's taking so long to die! I supposed it's a sign of some level of acceptance of mortality. My cousin is doing very well on medication and physical therapy, party they think because it is being treated earlier than usual. So far her non-healing ankle injury that she's been coping with for the past year is having more of an impact on her mobility and movement than the parkinsons. She did find out that many people with parkinsons don't get diagnosed until their 60s, but once diagnosed can identify symptoms being present from their 40s or 50s. Glad to hear from you!
mOmmy--sounds like you are coming along great with the blankets. The welcome sign with the dachsy and bone sound really cute. It's funny how stuff like plastic canvas can turn up
Teka--LOL!!
The Preserve Cocktail
Ingredients:
8 fresh Raspberries
1 1⁄2 fl oz Bourbon whiskey
1⁄2 fl oz Giffard Crème de Mûre liqueur
1⁄2 fl oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1⁄2 fl oz Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water, 65.0°Brix)How to make:
1. Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
2. Prepare garnish of mint sprig & 3 raspberries.
3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.From
I had to look up Crème de Mure liqueur:
Blackberry liqueur (also known as schnapps, cordial or crème de mûre) is a sweet, richly flavored alcoholic beverage made primarily from blackberries and a base alcohol like vodka or brandy. Its deep purple hue and intense berry aroma are its hallmarks. The flavor profile of blackberry liqueur is predominantly sweet and tart, reminiscent of ripe blackberries, with a smooth, syrupy texture.
Production involves macerating blackberries in alcohol, often with added sugar, and sometimes with spices, citrus peels, other berries or additives to enhance complexity. Types vary from pure, fruit-only liqueurs to creamy or spiced varieties.
Brands like Chambord represent the higher-end, with prices ranging from $15 to $50 in the US. It is popular in cocktails like the Bramble or Blackberry Martini and in culinary recipes, especially desserts. The alcohol by volume (ABV) typically ranges from 15% to 30%.From
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Native, they even had a pattern for a treat holder in a dachshund look. I ordered that one and its supposed to come today. I want to get the pattern for the dachshund magnets and tissue box. I even put the pattern for a Welcome sign in the form of a Sheltie on my wishlist there. I was talking to a dear friend who is like a sister and when i told her about me having to buy the patterns i wanted from my mom who keeps promising she'll send them and never does and buying the others i found that I know if my mom hears i bought, my mom is going to hound me for copies of the ones i bought new. My friend told me not to say a thing and if my mom finds out I have them not to give her a copy, since my mom has been pulling this on me.
Working on thr border of the third blanket and as soon as its done, I'm going to start work on the last blanket that's in process. After that, i may take a break on blankets and get to work on a couple table runners and some placemats for raffle baskets for a cousin who helps with a pool tournament for a scholarship in honor of her late sister in law.
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We just got back from an amazing trip to Indiana. I went to a flatties breast cancer survivors retreat, and DH and the kids galavanted around Indianapolis for a few days. The retreat ended with a flat fashion show ("flashion" show), and I was invited to showcase my Half-Flat designs! My models were amazing ladies, and they did such a great job. One lady lives in the Denver area, and we hit it off wonderfully.
After the show, we headed north to visit DH's parents who live in a little town just outside of Fort Wayne. The kids enjoyed having some grandparent time, and we got to see some fireflies. We don't get them at our altitude, so it was a treat for us.
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😍
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Finished the third blanket yesterday. Picked up where I left on the 4th blanket. Went for my routine CT Scan today. Praying its normal as always, especially since its my 22nd wedding anniversary.
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Miranda, what great exposure. As a half flat I really enjoyed seeing your creations.
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m0mmy,
My fingers and toes are crossed your routine CT scan is okay results.
Hubby and You……Happy 22nd Wedding Anniversary! 💕
miriandra not Miranda, I was half asleep.😴
The lady in the wheelchair is loving her time on the runway!
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Thanks Teka
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