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. 

 

 

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN ARNIE NAKKERUD - DECADE 8 - UNIVERSAL TRAIT - HYDRATION - LARGE BLACK BEAR - COYOTE

ARNIE NAKKERUD, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Graduation photo from Army Helicopter flight school class 1966-17, Fort Rucker, Alabama.  Lost in-country 1967.

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Eighty years nearly completed. I think this is next decade is going to be one of the most challenging to get through just because of complexities of aging. Decade 8 could be as unpredictable as the previous seven. 

I have been writing for a month now for this post. Stepping back as I re-read it, seems much like an older man's Jibber Jabber. Less is more!

Some wisdom, though, tilts my head as I look down this new path. What lies ahead?

"Curly" said he knew the secret of life.  I do not claim to know that, but he has a point.

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 A UNIVERSAL TRAIT? Found on Busted Knuckles and I have watched it several times and grin. Most likely staged to make the video, but I bet that has happened. 

A GOOD BRIEF READ. From Divemedic on Aera Ocho.

I asked one of the fellows here a couple years ago how they work in the Texas day heat and stay hydrated. He said he adds pickle juice to his water jug. The crews we see working in the summer heat appear to have mastered the art of staying hydrated. I share this because it is easy to be working outside, sweating and not realizing the importance of staying hydrated.

BIG BEAR IN CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE

The bears have been out now in central NH for a few weeks. This video from "FoxHat" is a great example of bears being drawn to bird feeders and how easily they destroy them. 

A good friend of mine was attacked by a black bear while we were flying helicopters out of Eagle, Alaska. He had landed on a river bank and after a few minutes, a bear on a near river bank saw him and started running towards him. He was armed with a cowbooy rig .44 magnum pistol and that gun saved his life. He turned the bear on the 5th round just a few feet in front of him. Great dinner time story but a hell of a lesson for anyone outside in the same area black bears roam. No one is coming to save you. 

In the case above, the bear had a "kill" on the river bank that it was protecting. The bear was doing what bears do. 

Typical areas dropping off geologists for an hour or so to collect minerals and soil samples.
 

I never walked away from my helicopter without a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs. .

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GAME CAMERA 

Set up a game camera a year ago. Let it run a couple weeks, turned it off and eventurally took it down. I never took the time to look at all of the photos.

 

 One of the members of the family of deer that lives across the road.

 

Coyote is a big boy. This photo was worth all of the other throwaway pics.

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Thanks for the visit this week.

 

 

 

SY AIRSPEED - PROGRESSO SOUPS - SECRETARIAT - JIBBER JABBER

 

Sailing Yacht Airspeed recently near Dominica.

Capt Airspeed, "The most beautiful island I've seen in the Caribbean, full stop."

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 Cooking island clean up, repair and season preparation.

 Long overdue chore.

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SOME PROGRESSO OPTIONS 

So many times here  I have shared some of my reactions to news, real or false. Recently I have read, from several sources, that we are about 3 weeks away for store shelves becoming bare and suggesting to get what "you" want now. 

This throws me briefly into the toilet paper shortages of Covid. Ports along the west coast reporting empty of container ships. A fact? Most likely.

Any recovery from shortages will take months. 

While at Wallyworld the other day, I picked up a few cans of Progresso just because. Also tried one of their PITMASTER soups,

YUM

and was most surprised at flavor and contents. Yes, contains high sodium but the price ya pay. Sodium not a bad thing in a managed diet. Low sodium can lead to serious health problems.  All things in moderation a good dieting rule of thumb.

I did not see any vacant shelves on this recent shopping trip and Interstate 30 running east and west through our "backyard" is still streaming 18 wheelers. Shortages not today.

I have shared Progress before and not again pushing a product. Doctoring up a can of Progresso gives us a good bowl of soup each. Today is a good example as the weather is dreary and neither one of want to work at cooking. An upgraded can of soup is on the warm.

Having some of these cans on our shelves will be helpful and if these soups go up in price or become scarce, money well spent. Cannot hurt. Also testing these now will help us decide on further purchases.

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SECRETARIAT fun fact 

Every horse in this year's Kentucky Derby is a decendant of Secretariat.

THE MOVIE 

We were discussing this story the other night which prompted us to again the watch the movie. A good story and wonderfully told.

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JIBBER JABBER

Eight stitches in my chest from a quick out-patient cyst removal. Doctor said to refrain for normal activities due to the possibility of tearing open the stitches while I heal.  Tearing stitches and opening the wound will triple the healing time. I will opt for the 11 days and be a "good boy." So far so good and under good care of nursewifeoverseerdon'tdothat also.

Nice weather finally at son's homes in NH.

A good paired tool kit.

Back yard still holding some water from recent rains.

Planter boxes ready to place and fill. Wood from owner owned saw mill.

Appreciate the visit this week.
 

 

 

"APRIL SHOWERS... - FRIED OYSTERS AND COD - STEAK TIPS - JIBBER JABBER - LORIKEET PARROT

 BRING MAY FLOWERS"

Somewhat drenched, hanging baskets are soaking up the days of sun after several inches of heavy rainfall. 

Green peppers staked to prevent them from falling over in the heavy rains and wind.

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FERESH FRIED OYSTERS AND FRESH COD  

Gulf of America fresh oysters off the Galviston, TX coast line. Absolutely a treat to once again find local oysters. There are as good as the oysters from the PNW.

Fresh cod finger food. Covered in flour, then egg, then Panko and fried for a minute or two on each side. Plated and salt. They give oysters a good run for top eats last week.
 

Fish taco because anything be a taco. Homemade tarter sauce like mom used to make. A taco like the one pictured above is heaven and we find that we can stretch a batch of fried cod into several meals for two. Fish Friday turned into oyster/fish Thursday, Friday and Saturday lunch. 

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STEAK TIPS

Like fresh ground hamburger in the hands of my wife, a small chunk of Texas style steak tips was eaten before cryo packing. I have mentioned this before, my wife's "wanting" for blood red meat. After watching her do this for years, I am finally coming to grips with it. When she says she likes her steak and hamburger cooked rare, she means blood rare. Every time I expect her to reject the "red rare" grilled meats prepared for her, she instead smiles and says "perfet." She says all this has much to do with being raised in Texas.

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JIBBER JABBER

"Biggly" thunderstroms have been passing through followed by full sunny days. Large changes in temperatures. Starting fence painting today and in a perfect world, we will have the job done in a week. But more rainstorms will set that back. Most importantly, we will have started the job. 

From SY Airspeed

A Rainbow Lorikeet Parrot in Deshaies, Guadalupe looking as though it did not understand the question? This beautiful parrot well represents my daily posture regarding worldly issues.

Appreciate the visit this week.

 

RAIN SUN - SLICED APPLES - GREEN ONIONS - SPINNING DISK VIDEO - KATY PERRY INTO SPACE BUSHBARBIE QUESTIONS - JIBBER JABBER

Soaking rains this past week in the Piney Woods. Abundant sunshine in between. Lawns lush, planted onions ready to eat, wildflowers ready to pop, rose bushes exploding, 4-hour power outage last night because "we do not know," and general health of the bride and me in the plus columns. Cats thinning for the summer and several small vermin/varmints have been left on our back door entrance to show their pride in having done their job with extreme prejudice. They have received a few "atta girls" and a few loving touches for their efforts. Much here seems in order. 

A trip to Dallas via a northern route was made during a nasty rain storm this past week. The northern route through Fate and Rowlett to state highway 75 proved that we can still make it into Dallas and not have to fight the rapid fire traffic in Dallas proper coming and going. Takes an hour longer, but much much safer, more relaxing and scenic.

The expansion tentacles of Dallas now reach as far east as Greenville. Road construction and new zero lot-line home construction, protected by circular high walls are reminiscent of our time in South Africa two decades ago. We find no value in that life, but this is a personal opinion. I do not think that Dallas will ever find the smooth lines of coming and going. Competed projects will be insufficient for the speed of growth. The beat will go on till it doesn't.

But for now, we can still traverse this landscape of excessive fast moving traffic, crowed shopping, working and making our appointments at medical offices. We did find a restaurant serving fresh fried oysters and markets offering fresh, although expensive, meats and produce. Trips to Dallas will be adventures and serve to help keep some of our skill sets sharp. Add a few good eats. We will continue all of this until we cannot. 

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WHAT IS OLD IS NEW AGAIN

I cannot remember the last decade in which I used an apple slicer. Today, they are called Apple Dividers. Why it is necessary to change the name for a tool that slices apples? Regardless, treating myself to sliced apples over the past couple years has been easy and reasonably affordable. Pre-sliced and packaged has now turned into too much money, poor quality products near the end of their shelf life  becoming a norm at the local grocery store. I had enough of "lower quality" expensive products and asked my wife to order an old fashion apple slicer. The Oxo choice above was delivered the day after my wife ordered it. My old habit of off-the-shelf sliced apples from the grocery store was finished.

There is surprisingly a bonus from this old school food preparation in the physical positioning and slicing of an apple. Personal satisfaction coupled with aesthetic appearance. Satisfaction of saving money when shopping and an-in-your face of "I don't need/want no stinking store bought pre-sliced apples" ever again. 

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GARDEN ONIONS ARE ON!

We have started adding sliced/chopped onions from the garden now. The first planting is coming on, bright green and healthy. Most every meal from morning scrambled eggs to lunch and supper meals. They do add a flavor pop and visual appeal to meals.

 

Fresh chicken salad with sliced tomatoes and garden onions.  

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SPINNING A DISC. 

This has a wow factor for me and somewhere in the math/science of all of this is more information than I can grasp. Don't know, but I bet you watch it to the end and say "wow." Why did you say "wow?" Yea, watch it again, right?

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KATY PERRY GOING INTO SPACE 

I do not have any take on Katy Perry. Know her by pictures and name. But know not of her music and other things in general. 

From Bushbarbie and all of this makes me laugh. Maybe it is her accent or her take on the absurd. But it does make me laugh.  Adult language, just saying!

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JIBBER JABBER

Roses have been "on" for a month now. This is the spot where I tried to grow lemon trees and failed.  The roses have taken flight.

 

I surprised my wife a few weeks ago by putting a small bouquet of roses on the table for her. The photo below is the third bouquet and one she prepared for this blog.

 

Eventually, the kitchen table will be straightened up as things get put away today. But at this moment, the photo well represents a fresh bouquet of roses brightening up a living space.  

Time over the past few weeks has been spent in our rocking chairs under the car port watching pairs of cardinals hit the feeder and scoot off. We enjoy talking of things in general and soaking up the warmth of the changing days. Any wanting for more is nullified by the quiet of the day, time spent together and our increasing ability to put off chores without guilt.

Appreciate your visit this week.

 

POKE SALAD - JESUS NUT - BOSTON DYNAMICS VIDEO - OSPREY VIDEO - BUY A SAIL BOAT STORY - JIBBER JABBER

 Steamed Poke greens from the Poke weed.

I received a phone call from west neighbor asking me if I had ever eaten Poke Salad? I told him that the only thing I know about Poke salad is "Poke Salad Annie."

Sung by Tony Joe White, tells a good story about the poke weed and cooking some up for dinner. "chomp chomp."

Neighbor said he was chasing a cow that got out of the fence and was in a neighboring pasture when he noticed a large patch of fresh poke weed growing under the fence. Said he was distracted to the point of going to the fence and cutting a large bucket full of poke weed for dinner that night. Poke weed is a thing here and has been for decades. He said that a lot of folk don't like it, that he has to put hot sauce on it and would I like a small bowl to try.  Again, he said that some folk don't like it. He accompanies home boiled Poke greens with a fresh batch of corn bread. I said "sure".

A few minutes later, he pulled up in the driveway with a tupperware container with a handle. Hot out of the pot. See through container showed dark green in a hot bath. "A lot of folks don't like boiled poke greens" he said again. Had a smile on his face.

I thanked him and took the container in the house. Here was an opportunity to try some fence greens common to the fields of east Texas. I showed my wife and she pulled away from me as I asked if she would like to sit down and try some authentic "poke salad greens." She said she had never tried them but "no, thank you."

Opening the lid, I noticed boiled bacon pieces and figured that the bacon was added to help with the flavor. The greens were dark, lush and drained down from the fork like spaghetti noodles as I portioned my first bites into a small bowl. Looked very much like steamed spinach and I am a big fan of spinach in any form. I added a few dabs of hot sauce and dove in.

One bite, two bites and three. Not bad. Good. A little salt, just like adding to spinach. I am a fan of most vegetables. I draw the line at rutabaga, but beyond that, enjoy most all vegetables. Grew up with my grandmother's garden.

Then I made the mistake of looking up Poke weed. I learn that it is poisonous if not boiled and boiled and boiled. The boiling takes out the poison and the weed becomes safe and edible. Folks have been eating this weed for years beyond my age. A poor people food that grows freely in the fields here and there.

Neighbor said that granddaddy lived to be 95 and ate Poke greens his whole life. Grandma, too. Point being, that all you have to do is clean it and boil it and boil it.

I will eat it again. Wife will not.

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JESUS NUT

The recent helicopter crash into the Hudson River has resurfaced the term, "Jesus Nut." It is the one single nut holding the rotor system onto the vertical transmission shaft coming from helicopters. I learned this in 1966 while attending some of entry courses in the U.S. Army's Primary Helicopter School at Ft. Wolters, Texas. That/those lessons were soon reinforced by our flight instructors when we learned how to pre-flight a helicopter. My instructor was adamant that in our preflight around the helicopter, we climb up and inspect the rotor system. That included hand turning the rotor system to visually inspect, and touching/twisting the moving connecting rods in the system.  He was a believer that visual inspecting accompanied by physical touch insured a proper pre-flight inspection and he mandated all his students to do just that. I did that on every pre-flight of every flight I flew while in the Army. And yes, all of the touching and twisting found sticky control rods that needed attention by maintainence. 

The main rotor hub is set down on top of the vertical shaft, special washers and spacers added and then the nut is torqued to specifications. There are metal tabs on one of the nuts that bend up to one of the flats on the nut and prevent the nut from coming loose in flight. I think that there had to be 3 of those flats bent up and touching the nut. Yes, we touched the Jesus nut as part of our inspection. 

That helicopter flight program was by far the best eduction from any formal school or training I ever had to this day. There were many spin-off lessons that have applied to other mechanical devices in my life time and how to pay attention to detail. 

I have watched two videos below trying to figure out what happened in NYC. Too early to say.

CAPTAIN STEEEVE 

MAST BUMPING THEORY 

Now, any news story of this accident is so contaminated with jibber jabber from folks who have no business trying to explain anything helicopter related. 

I have never heard of any helicopter crash directly related to the Jesus Nut coming off in flight. Bell Helicopter and the Army did make a video we saw in 1966 in flight school, of a Huey UH-1 helicopter on the ground, being tested purposefully to demonstrate what happens when lift is applied to a heliccopter rotor system without the Jesus Nut. The video was what expected it to be. Parts and pieces into destruction. 

Whatever did happen in this accident, I am confident that I can say it was an instantanious catastrophic event. I would like to see more good video of the other pieces as they fall down too.

There are many, moving parts and connecting rods/nuts and bolts on a helicopter rotor system. Failure of any of these parts in flight could cause the whole system to instantly fail.

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 WALK, RUN, CRAWL

I thought that I would check in on what Boston Dynmics is up to and some of the advances in their robots over the past couple years. Let your mind play with this!

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OSPREY DEATH FROM ABOVE 

Mother nature and some exceptional photography.

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 GET YOURSELF A 30-FOOTER AND GO

Maybe nothing more than a fun read. 

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 JIBBER JABBER

A week of contractors working on the house. Some more roof repair and preventative maintenance on the siding of the house to prevent eventual rotting. 

All the work is done and we have good bones in this ole house.  

We drove to Edgewood yesterday to meet family at the Lumber Yard cafe. Delayed wife's birthday gathering and excellent food. My wife was gifted 8 lobster tails on ice. We have not had lobster since we left New Hamshire 5 years ago.

My wife steamed the tails in steamer bags for dinner tonight, two at a time, 2 minutes at 80%. Plated and devoured. She was like a kid digging, cutting and dipping into melted butter. Yea, it was grand. "Chomp chomp."

Thanks for the visit this week.