Chit Chat in VOLTVILLE Thread #2 :)

[rave]

Good night, everyone. Another photo from Watkins Glen today.

Oh Sandy! The photos of Watkins Glen are just ... astoundingly beautiful! No wonder that you were disappointed that the kids weren't moved by all of that!

Good morning, Volties. Break time here.

SandySu - I think you are doing a great job of exposing the kids to different and new situations and places. Maybe they complained about the walk but they will remember climbing the stairs

We got the cabinets moved up a full three inches and it went very smoothly. Hubby set up two car jacks and up the cabinets went. He screwed everything back into place and I am washing all the dishes and using iron out before putting them back in. I do have to rearrange the kitchen a bit to make sure the large pots for canning have a home but I probably could do without the old heavy duty aluminum pots from Grandmas's house. I haven't used them and the handles are getting old. I'm not that fond of decorative stuff so most of that can go.

I do have to patch and paint a bit but there is no patching putty so I will have to buy some tomorrow.

If I patch tomorrow evening, I should be able to paint on Tuesday. The refrigerator arrives on Wednesday. I hope this timeline goes smoothly.

I am also taking this opportunity to finish up the last little details on the kitchen insets. I have an inset for the spices, the knives and the cutting boards. The wooden insets fit into the walls but I never got the trim on to make them look really nice. I had to buy a brad nailer and brads. I finally did that but still never quite managed to get this job done I also need to put a couple of stabilizing screws in and of course I don't have the right screws for that either so I will pick those up tomorrow, as well.

Hopefully, by Tuesday afternoon the kitchen will be sparkly clean and all the details will be done.

I'm glad that the cabinet redo went well. I'm also really excited for you for your new refrigerator!! And jealous!

Lizzie, if anybody deserves a new fridge it's you. You work hard for everything you get so don't deny yourself something you want and will enjoy. I know exactly why DH agreed so easily. A couple of years ago we went shopping for a new one. My wife walked straight to one of the best in the store with water and ice in the door and started checking it out. I asked her if that was the one she wanted and she said no, to expensive and we don't need it. While she was looking for something more practical I grabbed the clerk and bought it. That girl can go through some ice and it's been the only one that could keep up with her lol.

Wow Wuzz - you are just amazingly sweet. Just sayin'.

Maybe in some households. It takes a lot of energy to open the door to get ice. On a side by side when you open the door to get ice a huge amount of the cold air cools your tootsies which runs the freezer excessively to catch back up. When this happens every 30 minutes or so during the summer you've lost all you gained by not having it.

I'm with you. Love ice in the door and think that in the long run, it saves energy. I have an ice maker in the door but it didn't survive a long fall down a hill when we were transporting it outta the house in Illinois to move to Indiana. Bummer.

JUST AN FYI:

Milk in Refrig Door = BAD ! ! !

I learned the hard way . . . Just Sayin' . . .


Keep Your Dairy and Egg Products Safe - Home Food Safety

AND - This too . . .

Fridge findings: Learn where to store your food - today > food - TODAY.com

I agree. Milk doesn't keep as well in the door because it's just not as cool.

I think the major difference is that the gorges in NH and VT are in granite formations versus the shale at Watkins Glen. They're all awesome (see, I know how to really spell it) to look at and just think about how much water has been running for how long to produce those gorges in the first place, no matter what kind of rock is involved.

That's the part that really takes my breath away after the initial shock of how beautiful it is.

 

[rave]

Hiya Jerry and Everyone Else!

 

[rave]

This weekend, the BF and I decided that exploration was in order. Neither of us had explored Raccoon Lake which is minutes from my home. It's actually Cecil M. Harden Lake, but since it's bordered by Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area, the locals all call it Raccoon Lake. That's easier to remember anyhow. At least, for me. It's a good sized lake. In spite of the skies that threatened rain, it was populated by quite a few fishing and pontoons and speed boats with a sprinkling of jet skis on top.







The public fishing area was private and we had it all to ourselves. The wind was brisk and the skies constantly overcast, so it was comfortable weather for fishing, but not so easy to cast with a spinning rod into the wind. I found myself adding a lot of weight to the line, but still couldn't plant my casts where I aimed worth a darn. I'm usually fairly good at it, but my performance in that wind was just embarrassing.





That old blue pole is the same pole that I've fished with the most since I was eight years old. I've had to glue the tip back on it twice. But ........... it's still my lucky pole.

There was an overabundance of seaweed close to the shore. It was both beautiful and repulsive at the same time. Not sure how that's even possible. If we were not vigilant enough our lines became caught in it and we'd have to strip the stuff off frequently.





I caught six channel cats and the BF caught one cat, a bluegill, and a sucker. I've really gotta stop doin' that or he won't wanna take me fishing anymore. It certainly wasn't due to skill! We were catching and releasing. The last cat that I caught whipped around while I was taking out the hook. For the first time in my life, I got spined by a catfish. He impaled me 1/4" deep. I found out that those spines are barbed when I tried to extricate it and ended up a bloody mess. What bothered me most is that my whole hand stung like fire. That was more painful than the actual wound. Dunno what that was all about, but it still continued to bleed into the next morning. Don't worry. I washed like mad when I got home and doused the wound with peroxide and then dressed it with Neosporine and a bandage, but my hand still swelled up like crazy. Weird! It's all good now with only slight puffiness at the site. It's not even tender anymore.

**************​

When that massive storm moved North of my location in the wee hours this morning, I lost power (along with 149,000 other people) for about four or five hours. It's back on now. This is a good thing. Cold coffee is not very satisfying in the morning.

There are menfolk down at my son's build site setting up concrete forms and squaring them. Finally! They had to come up to the house to grab the pump that my BF had brought to empty the storm water from the trenches. The cardboard forms are covered with plastic drop cloths which is held on by spray adhesive (my idea). They held up during yesterday's deluge. I'm hoping that the forms will survive the insistent rains that we've been having until they can be back-filled with dirt and then filled with concrete. That should happen within the next few days if a concrete truck will be able to make it down his driveway.

Yesterday I walked around my front lawn not and feasted on black raspberries freshly washed by the rain. I downed mass quantities with absolute greed. Then, for dessert, I had three plump blueberries from one of the bushes that I planted this spring. The blackberries will be ripening soon too!

So! That's what I've been up to.

 

[tmcase]

How's it going Terry?

Hey lizzie and thanks for asking. I'm still not doing all that great. This loan process and all it's gov mumbo jumbo is making my head spin and causing anxiety attacks so I've been keeping to myself. Every time I read this crap I get stressed out and have to take a nap. That's one of the ways stress effects me. Rave's been helping a lot and I think the worst is over but I still don't feel back to my ol self yet. I've been lurking and enjoying seeing all the work you are doing and enjoying Sandy's beautiful pic. I'll be fine. It will just take time.

 

[awsum140]

Nice to see you're sort of doing OK, Terry. House buying ain't easy, but in the end I think it's worth all the aggravation and heartache.

 

[SandySu]

Terry, my sympathies are with you. Reading any kind of government or legal documents gives me a headache. I hate that stuff! Hang in there! You'll be so glad when it's over! I'm glad you have Rave behind you helping you get through the torture.

 

[tmcase]

Terry, my sympathies are with you. Reading any kind of government or legal documents gives me a headache. I hate that stuff! Hang in there! You'll be so glad when it's over! I'm glad you have Rave behind you helping you get through the torture.

Without Rave's help I probably would have given up by now. She's the smart one and even she has been having a hard time figuring out this BS so I don't feel so bad.

 

[SandySu]

After that oppressive heat and humidity, we have a thunderstorm rolling in. Let's hope it breaks the heat wave.

Knowing that storms were a possibility today, I went to see Penny early. I groomed her -- so easy, now that she's clipped! I got a lot of that long hair off her belly. It pulled out by the handfuls. I was going to give her a bath, but there were horses in the front part of the barn and yard, so it was strategically difficult, and there was a nice breeze at the barn, so it didn't seem necessary. Penny wasn't sweating. So she got grooming and grass and carrots and then turned out again. Her hair is beginning to grow back a little so it's not so prickly. I think I can ride her next Thursday. I don't want to put a saddle on her when her hair is short and itchy.

 

[SandySu]

Rave, that lake sure is pretty. Is it from a dam? The green "seaweed" is actually spirogyra, an alga. See Spirogyra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I saw some in wet areas in Watkins Glen gorge, too. The kids were interested in that -- for about 5 seconds.

I'm glad your hand is getting better from that fin stab. When I've been fishing, I've always been afraid of getting stabbed like that, and my solution was to lay the fish on the ground or the bottom of the boat, hold it down with my shoe, and remove the hook. That always worked for me. I haven't been fishing in years. I went a few times with my dad when we vacationed at the shore. My poor mom, who opted not to go fishing, got the fish to clean and cook for us!

 

[SandySu]

Good night. Another view of the same waterfall as last night.

 

[rave]

Good night. Another view of the same waterfall as last night.

That really is stunning. Nature's sculpturing skills at their finest.

 

[awsum140]

Rave, are you up early or still up? I overslept a little today and it was nice!

I've gotta run out to get some gas for the equipment, storm coming and want to have lots just in case. Then hit Lowes and get either tomato cages or treated 1x2s and sisal twine, whichever works out cheaper. I put three 1x2s around a tomato plant then add sisal horizontal rails to hold the plants up. The big advantage is that they don't sag like the cages do when the plants get big and heavy. I've also added 1x2s to support the cages. I've got sixteen plants that I planted and another six that came up on their own to hold up this year. If I wait any longer getting cages over them will be basically impossible.

 

[Renolizzie]

Geez, awsum, that is a lot of tomato plants!!!! Are you starting your own tomato processing factory Are you gonna hire some farm workers to help you keep up with picking those tomatoes

Terry - I know, paperwork is a horrible thing to have to deal with but at least when you own a home you can get something back from all those payments you made to the bank by selling your property. When you rent, the money is gone!!!! Plus, you can create your own space that you love to live in!

Raven - Love the lake and the blue fishing pole. You caught quite a few fish!!!!!

I have to be outta here early so I can be home early so that I can get my fridge between 1pm and 5pm today!

I am really tired of eating out of ice chests.

 

[Renolizzie]

Raven - Boy do I miss getting gallons of blackberries for pies, cobblers, tarts, cakes and jelly making I am originally from Seattle. When I lived in Aberdeen for a awhile, I could pick gallons and gallons of blackberries.

Speaking of fruit, I picked the second pie cherry tree yesterday. Well, I got maybe half of it picked. That is two more quarts sugared and frozen. I got one quart from the little pie cherry tree last week. That is three quarts of pie cherries, so far!

Looks like we might actually get some apples this year. I may have to learn how to make applesauce.

 

[awsum140]

With the high heat and lack of rain for the last week or so I've been watering the lawn, kind of hate that crunch when walking on it. Anyhow, I went out to move the sprinklers in the front and shut off the drip system for the garden in the back. I walk the garden every morning when I shut the irrigation system down just to have a look at things. I had noticed that the wax beans were starting to produce beans yesterday, today I picked a pound. Keep in mind this is a row about six feet long! I have to go back and pick snap peas as well! There's also a tiny squash on the single squash plant as well.

 

[awsum140]

Well, I got cages since they were cheaper. Anticipating I was going to buy 1x2s I parked at the lumber yard end of the store. Of course, the garden center is at the opposite end. I ended up walking the full length of the store carrying thirteen of them on my shoulder, at least they stack nicely. Unfortunately, it's 96 with 65% humidity outside and I was drenched before I got to the Jeep. Then, I forgot the sisal twine and had to stop at Tractor Supply as well for that. Once I get Bo walked, me fed lunch and setup dinner (shrimp scampi tonight) it'll be back outside to install all the cages and 1x2s I already have to support them. Gonna be a hot afternoon.

 

[rave]

Rave, are you up early or still up? I overslept a little today and it was nice!

I've been up since 4 a.m. Methinks a nap is in my very near future.

Raven - Boy do I miss getting gallons of blackberries for pies, cobblers, tarts, cakes and jelly making I am originally from Seattle. When I lived in Aberdeen for a awhile, I could pick gallons and gallons of blackberries.

Speaking of fruit, I picked the second pie cherry tree yesterday. Well, I got maybe half of it picked. That is two more quarts sugared and frozen. I got one quart from the little pie cherry tree last week. That is three quarts of pie cherries, so far!

Looks like we might actually get some apples this year. I may have to learn how to make applesauce.

Well, I got cages since they were cheaper. Anticipating I was going to buy 1x2s I parked at the lumber yard end of the store. Of course, the garden center is at the opposite end. I ended up walking the full length of the store carrying thirteen of them on my shoulder, at least they stack nicely. Unfortunately, it's 96 with 65% humidity outside and I was drenched before I got to the Jeep. Then, I forgot the sisal twine and had to stop at Tractor Supply as well for that. Once I get Bo walked, me fed lunch and setup dinner (shrimp scampi tonight) it'll be back outside to install all the cages and 1x2s I already have to support them. Gonna be a hot afternoon.

You guys are both making me sooo jealous with your talk of home-grown veggies. My sugar snap peas and asparagus were consumed by the resident critters. I'm rather amazed that I was able to get raspberries and those three blueberries! At least the flower seed that I broadcast is starting to produce a bit.

There are men in the woods today and a bobcat is now back-filling the forms in the trenches. I'd go get pictures but I'm waiting for a call from my Jeep dealership. I received a letter extending the warranty on the Jeep's cross members because of premature rusting issues. The BF says that the underside of my Jeepers is rust held together with rust. Not so good. I'm wondering if any of that will be covered. While the dealership is doing a free 56 point check, they'll also see if they can fix the sensor that we've replaced but is still causing my dash to light up light a Christmas tree. They might even fix the cigarette lighter that has never worked since I bought it new from them. I kept thinking that I'd take it in to get that fixed while it was under warranty, but never got around to it. There are so many things that require a cigarette lighter to function nowadays. I think it was simply never hooked up because the "Cigarette Package" was an option that I added on.

 

[awsum140]

Lizzie, we eat lot of pasta and like our own sauce, based on our own tomatoes. We bought a tomato processor, hand operated, to make it a lot easier, but it's still a pain to blanch and peel them.

Rave, Toyota ended up replacing frames, complete frames, on Tacoma pick-ups because of rust issues. Push that dealer HARD. I though Jeep had fixed their rust problems, but I guess not. My old Cherokee looks pretty good underneath. Some rust here and there, but none near any real stress points.

 

[tmcase]

Raven - Boy do I miss getting gallons of blackberries for pies, cobblers, tarts, cakes and jelly making I am originally from Seattle. When I lived in Aberdeen for a awhile, I could pick gallons and gallons of blackberries.

Speaking of fruit, I picked the second pie cherry tree yesterday. Well, I got maybe half of it picked. That is two more quarts sugared and frozen. I got one quart from the little pie cherry tree last week. That is three quarts of pie cherries, so far!

Looks like we might actually get some apples this year. I may have to learn how to make applesauce.

I lived in south Seattle for years when I first got out of high school. I hated it. I kept moving farther and farther out of the county but people kept following me. I've been to Aberdeen too. It must have been quite a culture shock for you to go from Seattle to Nevada. I'll bet you are much happier.

 

[Evie Luv]

Afternoon all my Voltville friends. I'm on vacation for 2 weeks and I'm eliminating more stress and resting alot hoping to let my body heal. So far I haven't managed to go 2 weeks without another attack so I'm hoping I can do it this time with plenty of rest. I'm really tired of this pericarditis, it leaves me feeling so weak and useless. I'm going to limit my time on ECF try to get a good balance between here and home. Even good things once it becomes an addiction isn't good I guess. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

I don't do gardening because we only have a little space we could do a garden and all we would do with a small garden is feed the deer. I used to enjoy my flower beds but every time my husband mowed he sprayed my flower beds with the cut grass. So I gave up!! I'd tell him again and again and he just never did understand what the harm was. LOL

I hope you all are enjoying your summer.