"ELSBETH" LILIES" - SAUSAGE PEPPERS ONIONS - RIB EYE STEAK - PIT BOSS ON LINE - JIBBER JABBER

 LILIES

One of our favorite, first-in-the-morning go-to blogs is Ace of Spades HQ, smart, sharp, political commentary and analyses, world-class tech reporting and breaking news when it happens.  But on the weekend, Ace shows a kinder, gentler side with literature, hobbies, music, gardening, culinary and couture written by a cadre of talented co-bloggers.  Readers, however, are always encouraged to contribute and yesterday, the bride had this piece featured in the gardening section: 

Big as my hand

Long-time lurker - Lil ‘Ol Texas Lady – here. Hubby and I moved back home to Texas from the frozen northeast a few years ago and have been working on establishing veggie (his) and flower (mine) gardens since then. He inherited a green thumb while I, alas, can barely grow mold on a shower curtain; we tend opposite ends of the property.

Three years ago, my older sister sent me splits from daylilies hybridized nearly 100 years ago by my maternal grandmother. My grandmother, a tough little firecracker standing nearly 4’10 in heels, and HER husband, were passionate gardeners well into their dotage, so skilled and noted at hybridizing they became national judges of a slew of varieties from irises to daffodils to daylilies.

Of her creations, none were or remain as glorious as “Elsbeth”, a ruffled, butter-yellow daylily, growing as tall as 3 feet with blooms as long and wide as my hand. So prodigious are they that each bloom stalk will produce as many as 6-10 blooms over the course of their 90-day life.

And who knew, these magnificent flowers absolutely thrive in the East Texas sun and heat despite being tended by one as botanically ‘tarded as I.

Meet “Elsbeth”.

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SAUSAGE, PEPPERS, ONIONS

A test dinner using peppers and onions from the garden, jar garlic, Polish Sausage and one passing shake of Cajun spice.

Sauteed in olive oil, a little salt and dash of pepper.  In a perfect world there would have been homemade bread out of the oven. A test loaf, yea?

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RIB EYE AND BAKED POTATO

Four and a half minutes in a cast iron skillet. Pad of melting butter. 

I had 4 rib eyes hidden in the freezer for the past two years. Hidden so well that I had forgotten about them. A few years ago, our local market had standing rib roasts on sale, BOGO. They were also cutting them into rib eye steaks for the same deal. Biggest mistake here is not getting a dozen of these because today, rib eye steaks are not worth the price asked. Two left though. Come to think of it, the bride and I no longer eat a whole steak like the one pictured above. Now days, we get 4 meals out of two steaks. The half leftover steak made a wonderful Mexican steak salad smothered in salsa, guacamole sauce and sour cream for lunch the next day.

The baked potato should get an honorable mention here. Even with this steak front and center, I ate the baked potato first. Just butter and salt. 

Since I can remember, everything ever cooked at home had enough leftovers to come back to the table for another dinner.  Good old home cooking never lacking. 

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PIT BOSS ON LINE 

It has been months since I have uncovered the Pit Boss and smoked anything. With the 4th of July on the horizon, a test smoking of a chunk of beef today is in order. I let out the clutch and got the smoker up to 400 degrees for a half-hour yesterday. 

During the cool down and shut off, I thought it a big waste of time and heat, so I tested 4 frozen Wally World hamburger patties. Box patties. Let 4 of them rest on the top grate for 25 minutes at 300 degrees. Expected failure but learned the burgers were much better than pan frying. Much better!! Not dried out. The bride took care of two without a word. The sign of success. More grilling is in order now using heat over smoking. So much to learn.

JIBBER JABBER 

Appears that this turned into a food thread. We have had more time on our hands the past couple weeks giving way of how to seek ways to entertain ourselves. Both of us will take the time to bring back old good eats we like and have a go around of "oldies but goodies." The back bottom corners of the freezer have hidden "cookies" that we at one time knew about. Why not uncover and get that food on the table?

Fourth of July next weekend. Days getting shorter and weather in East Texas is textbook wonderful. Temperatures in the low 90's, some humidity and the countryside is still a wonderful green. Dozens of birds are hitting the feeders now and I enjoy the air traffic of fleeting colors. Come noon, I have to add a little more bird food to keep up with the demand.

I appreciate your visit this week. 

  

 

CAN YOU SPIT? - PRESERVING FRESH GREEN PEPPERS - NEW TOOL - JIBBER JABBER

 

Our back yard will never win any awards. This yard started the season a "lushness" of east Texas green. I kept it mowed high. This part of our yard serves as a buffer between the house and an invading forest. 

After the flooding rains washed through these past weeks, what grows is greenery that loves some shade, lots of water, being left alone and on/off heat. It has been close to a month now since I have been able to get back here. Running the zero-turn in mud solves nothing. 

Having two days of sun and warmth behind us, I was able to knock down the growth. I still call it mowing, and the zero-turn is built tough for mowing/chopping small trees. A hedge trimmer was needed to cut back the overhanging advance from the treeline. Long story short, "good enough. 

I was also able to get in a high cut on the front yard and back yard. Grass was not necessarily mowed as much it was topped and leveled. It is still wet. 

After an hour working the yards, I see my wife walking down the drive way with a bottle of water in hand. She has my back in so many ways and she knows me well enough now that it is just easier for her to provide preventative health maintenance.  

I stopped and downed a whole bottle of water, thanked her and went back into the sun mowing. After a few minutes I tried spitting and realized that I could not. I know about this being a primary notice to self that I am dehydrated. If I cannot spit, the body needs fluids. And the body gives me no other early indication that I am dehydrated. I feel fine as if I could go on for hours.

I tried spitting again and laughed at myself in that I could not. I stopped the mower, idled down and headed towards her. In getting her attention, I said, "I cannot spit." She knew what this means and disappeared into the house. A few minutes later, an ice filled drink with electrolytes mixed in, was handed to me. 

An over grown path for the past 6 months cleared with a few passes of the zero-turn lawn mower set to 4".

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FRESH GREEN PEPPERS VACUUM PACKED

We are trying to keep all of the green peppers as fresh as we can. Keeping in the fridge for awhile and some in the freezer. We eat these with lunchs and dinners and still cannot keep up with the garden. Super food.

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NEVER TOO OLD FOR A NEW TOOL

I cannot "dodge, dip, dive, duck and dodge" (Dodgeball Movie) as easily as I used to so an impact hammer tool will help.

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JIBBER JABBER

The weather has changed. Days now forecast to be in the nineties and the nights in the seventies. No rain. Hotter, humid and officially summer. The sun has peaked and days officially getting shorter. I will not be able to help myself in the next few months to blog of triple-digit temperatures and soaking humidity. And that any work we need to do outside needs to be completed NLT ten in the morning. We head into all of this with lakes and ponds full to the brim. 

The 4th of July is just around the corner we have decided to pull out one of the remaining prime ribs in the freezer and give it to The Pit Boss. I have been looking at this particular prime rib for a few months now wanting an excuse to bring it out. I envision that first slice. I need more to do than just think about it.  

I long for an excuse to write of worldly things, absurdities and what appear to me to be most all things sideways or upside being promoted as normal and insisting they be more widely accepted by the masses.  I peer down this rabbit hole wanting to jump in with both feet. I know better and common sense tells me to get on with the day and to tackle a hands-on project that I have control over, understand and can check off a to-do list. The head shaking, though, has become a learned habit. My wife watches this body language and simply responds, "yeah."

Huh? 

The speed BUMP was first introduced in 1906 in New Jersey.( Google AI) It is a "traffic calming device," used to slow down traffic. Who knew?

But why call it a speed hump now? Right there! Did you see it? Uncontrolled head shaking.

 

The bride "called an audible" Friday after a doctor's appointment. It was lunch time and she offered up "Onion Rings at Big Smiths."? We have talked of lunching there for a couple months now but had not acted on it. Within 15 minutes, we had an order of their onion rings sitting in front of us. And we did not have to pass over any speed humps. Win win. 

Pictured above is half of the original order. And yes, the onion rings alone are reason enough to go out of your way if you are passing by Sulpher Springs, Texas. Also yes, one order is more than enough for 4.

Thanks for the visit this week. 

 

FOR THE BIRDS - GREEN PEPPERS - FLAVORD ALMONDS - JIBBER JABBER

Behind in posting and I have excuses. Wife says I have reasons. Potato potahto!

Son and girl friend flew in for a few days for 80th birthday surprise. Doctors' appointments and out-patient procedures requiring some downtime. Weather. Attitude. Little things along with some lazy.

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Set up the game camera to catch bird activity at the feeder. Birds hitting the feeders sunrise to sunset and some of the activity is spectacular. Dozens arriving and departing through out the day. I was hoping to get several good photos and found that I had over 1000 photos to review after just two days. 

Cardinals drop down vertically and this photo captures one of those moments. I am amazed at all that has to happen in that last foot of altitude. I am imagining that the wife is looking on and asking, "what is wrong with you?"
 

Woodpeckers need to lay their heads down to pick up seeds.

One of the pairs of Cardinals that live here.

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Green Peppers 

Only one garden crop this season.

Green peppers thriving in the daily change from thunderstorms to sunshine and then back to thunderstorms. We eat these like candy with lunch and dinner. I expect these to produce through summer and into the fall. 

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Wasabi & Soy Sauce-Flavored 

Son bought these almonds at the airport to snack on. I would have never given them a second look but I admit the flavors are addictive. I kept taking the bag out of his hand to confirm my liking. He turned me into a big fan. Just sharing.

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JIBBER JABBER

Of course, the visit from son and his fiancee was top billing over these past several weeks. It has been 5 years since we left NH. We talk and text daily, but there is nothing in the world as wonderful as holding my son in my arms. Those 5 years vanished in a moment. He is well over 6' and I have shrunk noticeably. He now towers over me. Great father-son moments.

I have not missed the churning of the world. Scan quickly the blogs, but no matter where I look the sky is falling and I no longer recognize or know any of the players beyond a few world leaders.  

Our weeks ahead are busy coming and going. Responsibilities. More than we are used to, but all will settle down before the 4th of July. Lawns are green and overgrown, but cannot mow wet ditches and soaked lawns. Also under doctor restricted activity for one more week.  Two nice days back to back and we will be caught up.

BIB BIG storms tonight though. 

Thanks for the visit. I appreciate.